Well, this scene isn't going to feature into Speak Softly, as I had planned, so I'm giving it the axe and sending it to the stray pile. Doh! Well, it does clue in to certain events later on in Softly, but in the end the changes were enough to warrant this as unnecessary, as now Imhotep rules the world instead of Egypt as I'd planned, as well as the daylight being normal and some other things that won't be mentioned now.

Anyway, anyone who hasn't read Speak Softly, Evelyn lives as Imhotep's slave in that story and Ardeth is his enemy. Imhotep wants to marry Evy to break Ardeth's heart and well, we'll see what happens. Lol. I can't get into detail, just suffice to say this scene didn't make it, but was nice interaction between Evy and Immy, I thought. Thanks to anyone who reviewed Frog and Thoughts. :-D

*

The sun crept through the parted curtain, making its way slowly across the floor, over the chair by the window and up the bed. It started by warming her toes, the gradually met her legs and on up until Evelyn was blinking back the sunshine. She sighed and turned away, pulling her blanket up over her eyes and letting her body get comfortable again. She loved this bed.

Try as she may, though, she could not get back to sleep. Sounds in the room next door filtered in, announcing that Imhotep was up and about. The night they had returned a room in his apartments had been dressed for her to sleep in apart from him when she wished. Evy snorted and rolled over. Like she would ever willingly want to sleep with him. She didn't understand why he even slept at all. He certainly didn't need it. Perhaps it was the habit of his years as a mortal man that kept him doing such things.

Today was the day. Well, one of the days. Evy groaned, knowing he would want her up soon. Today they would announce over radio their upcoming wedding. The thought made her stomach hurt. She hadn't the faintest clue what this change would bring her. Despite his promises to treat her better, Evy feared this would lead to higher expectations on his part. If he had any ideas about her becoming some doting wife he would be in for a rude awakening.

Evy groaned at irony as the door from his room opened. She cringed at the sound of her drapes being opened, then felt like yelling at him when he sat down on the bed. A hand found its way under her covers, onto her hip and she huffed, pulling away. Imhotep laughed pulled the blanket down. "My betrothed, you are wise to recoil, for one day you may actually like what my hands do."

Painting a very impressive scowl onto her face, Evy faced him and breathed, "I wouldn't count on that."

He smiled at her decidedly grumpy attitude and slipped beneath the covers despite the threat of wrinkling his robe. Evy naturally pulled away, now very interested in getting out of bed, but he made no move to pin her. She ventured a glance and saw his eyes were closed. "Lilas has completed two of your dresses. She will come by before noon to fit them."

"Do you know which two?" she asked, thrilled by the prospect of being able to dress like a lady. Little Lilas, Imhotep's meek tailor, had been marvelous with her designs and Evy was quite looking forward to trying them on.

Imhotep opened his eyes and turned onto his side, sending his hand into her hair. "The scarlet one of today's design and the white of Egyptian. I looked at her drawings and they were very pleasing. Egypt will stand in awe of your beauty."

Looking down at his compliment, Evelyn sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. The priest brushed her hair behind her ears. "We have a country to rule, Nefertiri. I want you to help me. Will you cast aside the hate enough that you may do this? All I desire is peace. We had it in the time before Ardeth Bay."

Evy flinched at the name and he caught it, but made no comment. They did have peace before Ardeth. How could they not in over a year's time? That hadn't meant she wanted him then and surely not now if she gave it again. She feared Imhotep had already sent jackals to kill Ardeth, but Evy couldn't allow that small paranoia to make her hateful for then he truly would kill him. She had to believe Ardeth was safe somewhere. "I can keep the peace," she told him with a resigned sigh that made him look over her instead of at her. "I'm sorry. I just need time. Please understand."

"I understand," he replied, pushing himself partially up. He stopped and looked into her face with a smile. "I have things to attend to, my queen. Will you spare your loveless husband a kiss?"

Some understanding, she thought, watching him wait for an answer. Evy worried this would lead to other 'sparing' of her intimacies, but she would cross that bridge when she came to it. "I suppose I could," was her terse reply as she pressed her lips into his quickly.

Imhotep laughed, shaking his head as he got up from the bed. "You would break my heart if I had one to speak of." The high priest smiled down, then turned and left her alone again.

Evy wrapped into herself and closed her eyes, frowning at him and muttering, "Just who does he think he is?"

*

Bonus preview of Softly, of that which replaced the scene above, actually:

He was in the dark. He felt as though he had not truly lived in ages. His body felt charged and his senses hunted that which they sensed with a vengeance unlike mortality. It consumed him, these feelings, as he drew himself off of the stone bed and onto the concrete below. The sound washed him like a freezing bath, bringing burning and sensation. His knees buckled and he dropped weakly. He did this alone.

Confused and afraid, he pulled himself up and fought for air a moment, wondering what under the sky had befallen him. The darkness called to him, pawing at his body in a strange lust he had never before been stalked by. He could never recall a time where his emotions had been so unbalanced, so lost and bittersweet. But what was missing from him?

His body trembled and his heart pounded. Everything tingled from head to toe, everything saturating the everything around him. He didn't want to leave this place. Surely outside he would find the gates of hell waiting for him.

Imhotep blinked in the darkness, feeling as if he were both dying and being born at the same time. His footsteps were loud and the scent of the air was dusty from not having had movement touch these halls in long years. He felt of his clothes, finding strange things covering his body and a weapon at his side. Was Osiris finally bringing punishment upon his High Priest by driving him mad?

He pressed himself forward and without knowing how, followed the path out of this place without error. The brightness at the door was terrifying, burning his spirit with unfathomable grace. The priest turned away and thought about staying in this place of death forever. Anything to hide the beauty of what he would find out there.

Yet what should he fear? He was Pharaoh, ordained of the gods—a god himself in every respect that mattered to the people he ruled. But he could not deny to himself the dread spreading through him. Imhotep forced himself to calm and turn to face the piercing light. He found the exit and stepped into the daylight.

Life screamed around him, clawing at his mind like frantic slaves seeking escape. The world looked barren and dead, but the life that still breathed here was more beautiful than he thought he could endure. He had never felt his spirit so filled, even before the curse. It drew tears to his dark eyes, but he refused to shed them.

Imhotep looked down at his body and saw the clothes of his enemy wrapped around his limbs. He held his hands up and looked—they were his. No long hair fell to his shoulders and his amulet was still where it should be. What insanity was this? Unnerved, Imhotep threw his hands by his side and stormed down from the burial grounds of his enemy, refusing to give in to his fear.