…woah. My e-mail was filled with reviews one day. I was both pleasantly surprised and laughing while I read through them, and then decided that I should continue writing.
So, all you people, bow to Calm Envy; this chapter is for you, dear.
Although I didn't ever actually think of Shimon as a villain, more like the proper, traditional advisor that fears for what influence a peasant might have on the pharaoh. Well, that was my original thought. But I won't complain over however people see him.
And I need to get the profanity filter off… I forgot I had such a thing… And on a side note, I personally don't like this chapter. But reviews are still very welcomed and encouraged.
Ch. XI
Talk. He said talk. So it had better be just talking. And you know what? I didn't trust that bastard. Never did, never will.
Once safely back in my room, with the guards standing outside the door again, I ditched all the veils and most of the jewellery. So when the servants came to walk me to the royal ass' private rooms, I was standing in front of the mirror dressed in that long, white tunic-dress-hybrid-thing and a royal-blue sash, muttering about how it threatened my masculinity.
…well it did!
…stupid dress. If it weren't for the extra cover it gave my body, I would have taken a knife to it. You see, I could have switched to one of the nice tunics in my room, but I decided that I wanted to be as covered as possible for this "talk" with the pharaoh. It did hinder my steps a little, but I checked the seams and they looked like I could be able to rip them if I needed the extra movement.
Just hoping for two things here. One, I won't have to start ripping up clothes to fight or escape. And two, if I needed to rip them, hopefully the damned dress wouldn't rip too much.
"I hear our king has asked you to enter his chambers," a very familiar voice said. I blinked in surprise and turned to look at Seth.
"Couldn't keep away after hearing something like that, eh?" I teased. Seth actually looked embarrassed for a moment before regaining his control. I swear; if he were the kind of guy, he would have blushed. Or at least that's what it looked like to me.
Seth waved for the servants to wait outside before he continued. How interesting. So the high priest had something to say that he didn't want anyone to overhear and, Ra forbid, spread out as a rumour.
"And… you have agreed?" he asked with a tone of bitterness. I stared at him for a moment. A long moment. And then I just burst out laughing. It wasn't some happy laugh, or a desperate laugh, or even an insane laugh. I just couldn't help myself. If I had to give it a name, I'd say it was a humourless laugh.
"Dude, what am I supposed to do," I exclaimed with a big, none-too-happy grin. "Tell the fucking King of the Kemet that I'd rather be buried alive with scorpions that join him in his room? Or maybe say, 'if you touch me, you perverted freak, I'll cut off everything that makes you a man'?" I chuckled. Yeah, that'd go great, I bet. "Anyway, I'm kind of hoping he'll keep to his word and just talk."
There was a moment of silence during which Seth gave me a look that said exactly what he though about the possibilities of that happening. But after that weird quiet minute or so, he shook his head.
"I believe I understand your meaning," the brunette muttered. I tried to read his expression, but if you suckers though Seto was good at hiding his thoughts, let me tell you; he's nothing compared to Seth. Funny, with them being the same person and all… Never thought about that before. Weird…
Anyway, Seth kind of leaned closer as if he was going to say something very secret, which was also weird because we were the only two in the room.
"If… you need anything once King Atem allows you to leave, simply send a servant for me," he told me in this low, sort of… thick voice. Like he was having trouble saying it, or thought he'd have his head cut off if anyone ever found out. Though, now that I think of it, it's a possibility. "I'll see what I can do for you. Good luck, young Kura."
The thing that really added to my worries was the "good luck" part. It sounded like he wasn't expecting to ever see me again. Sadly I didn't have time to question him about it since he apparently decided now was a good time to make some hasty excuse and flee the room. So I was just left standing there all nervous and confused and thoroughly freaked out.
"Are you well," one of the servants enquired curiously. I gave him my most evil glare, which I'm happy to say made them all cower in fear, and snapped:
"Let's just get this over with."
So I was marched down the hall with servants fussing around me for Ra knows what reason. I saw Mahaado and Mana along the way and the priest gave me this really unreadable look while that annoying little brat just blushed and looked away. What was her problem anyway? Aside from me being a piece of hot ass in Egypt.
Heh heh...
On with the story, and skipping the useless stuff, Shi-Sha-Shomon was standing outside of the door that obviously led to the bastardness' private rooms, giving me a look that told me things didn't go at all like he wanted them to. Well, here's a news flash, old fart: things weren't going like I wanted either!
Still, just to annoy him, I flashed him a really nasty smirk. Let him think whatever he wanted, I didn't care. Never will.
Hmm… lots of things I'm never going to do.
I should make a list.
So, continuing. A little detail that struck me as odd: the servants opened the door for me, but didn't enter. Not that there weren't people running around on the other side of the doors. But… yeah…
"Young Kura," the assholyness greeted. "I am glad you finally arrived. Please, this way. I have requested for a slight supper to be brought to us."
Yeah right, "slight" he said. The table was literally overflowing with food. So, maybe he did it to impress me or, as Seth said, woo me (shudder), but all it did was remind me of a time when I barely had enough to live on. And it pissed me off.
"Just get to the point," I grumbled. "You wanted to talk." He didn't answer, just sat down at the end of the table and motioned towards the chair by his left. Muttering under my breath, I did as I was told.
"I have no will to force you to share my bed, nor will I force myself into yours," the pharaoh said before stuffing some meat I wasn't sure what it was into his mouth. I did eat too, just not as enthusiastically. The whole being nervous thing kind of took away my appetite. "However…"
A few seconds ticked by.
"However… what?" What was with the dramatic pause? Seriously. Atem took a drink of wine, wiped his mouth and hands, and just took his Ra damned time! Then he waved his hand and every servant and guard left the room.
Which, by the way, made me feel even more freaked out than I already was.
"However, I wish for something in return of my generosity and patience," he finally finished the sentence. I just gaped at him. Then a stupid little "what" escaped my brain and came out through my mouth. "I will not ask for much, simply that you will cease to push me away."
"The hell's that supposed to mean?" I snapped. For a while the pharaoh looked somewhat between amusement and exasperation. Then he stood up and moved towards me. I stood up as well, so I could keep my chair between us.
"This, is what I mean, Kura," he said in that annoyingly better-than-thou way of his and motioned vaguely between us. "You will no longer pull away, nor push me away, and I shall not force my advances. I could order you at the threat of execution, yet I wish for you to come to me freely. Perhaps, if you allow me the possibility to prove how kind and gentle I can be, you will no longer feel the need to flee from me."
I think I was doing a really good fish-face-imitation. All my blood must have rushed away from my face because all of a sudden I felt really weak and dizzy. Not a feeling I've ever liked. To tell you the truth, it very much sucks. And Atem wasn't even finished with his little talk yet.
"To tame a wild beast such as you, perhaps I must show you that you will be well cared for… I will fill your every hearts desire." One tanned hand reached out to touch my face and slide down to my neck and I'm ashamed to say that at that moment I was too Ra damned terrified to move away or snap at him. You just can't do that when the Pharaoh of Egypt is threatening you. Or, well, you can. But it's pretty stupid. And that was exactly what he was doing. He was threatening me, telling me that if I was a good boy he'd be nice and cosy but if I did something he didn't like, it'd be bye-bye for me.
"Simply give me a slight taste of my dreams, and you shall not be mistreated." Atem's free hand moved the chair out of the way and I almost subconsciously prepared to fight or flee. Or both. "You have my word. There is nothing to fear."
That sick, perverted, underhanded bastard of a pharaoh moved slowly, like he was afraid of scaring me away. Well, a bit too late for that. And I just stood there like some pathetic rabbit in the face of a big freaking truck. And then, all I could think of was to swallow and close my eyes and wish myself as far away from there as I could. Returning to Egypt really wasn't worth all this.
"Does my touch repulse you this much?" the bastard asked.
"I hate you," was my witty answer. And can you guess what he said to that? No? He said:
"You will learn to love me."
I just wanted to throw up. It was like some rip-off of a really bad movie.
"Only in your dreams, you fu-"
And that's as far as I got in my reply. Why? Because apparently he decided he'd had enough waiting and pressed his lips against mine. The hand at my neck tangled in my hair while his other arm encircled my waist and pulled me against him.
I didn't fight this time, just stood there and swallowed my pride and thought about what a liar the pharaoh was.
At that moment, I wished my past self would have simply killed me when he had the chance.
TBC…
