Ch.4 Memories Call Me
Yami watched Malaya's silver eyes begin to roll back as the viper's venom began its work. Her body slumped sideways and her bow fell before her body connected with the sandy floor. 'No,' he whispered inwardly as her body fell, 'I feel frozen…' Suddenly the energy rushed back into his limbs with a raging force, propelling him to her side. "All of you go to your places of work while I find the healer!" his command scattered them, causing chaos. He gently picked her up, one arm underneath her pale back, the other supporting her long legs, which were exposed by the slit of her skirt. Her soft, blended features reminded him of something, 'She is like one of those chaotic monsters from the place they call the Shadow Realm…' he mused as he raced for the healer's chambers. "No," whispered a voice near his breastplate, "Mom, dad…" this was followed by a piercing scream, yet Malaya's eyes were open. "The venom… She's delirious…" he whispered sliding ungracefully into the medical chambers. "Lady Ender!" he cried as the woman in his arms screeched breathily, her pale face was flushed with red. "Pharaoh… You have startled me… What ails her?" the short, squat healer said, tying her black and gray-streaked hair back into a bun. She listened intently to the story of the viper, at the end her lips pursed, "Ah, she is a brave one… Not many would take on a viper… Though her physical features do seem to point to aggression." (A/N: Okay… in the days of that time, many people believed your features showed your inner self. So when people would look at your face or body, they were trying to judge your temperament.) She nodded now. "Pharaoh, would you mind helping me take care of her?" "No." he answered quickly, "I'd enjoy learning your art." "Good." Ender then thrust a jar into his hands and began her instructions.
When the herbs were mixed Ender made an embarrassing request, "Unclothe her." She stated simply, "Eh…?" "You heard me, child." He blushed as she gestured to the patient, "Uh… What if she wakes?" "She is in no state to do much to you, and she probably won't remember if she does. Now precede, Pharaoh." He could only gulp and nod as he began to remove the garments. When he finished, he looked away from Malaya's form modestly. Ender gently cleaned the younger woman and applied salves before covering the patient's body with soft linen, "There. You can look now, Yami." She muttered as he sat beside the unconscious Malaya. "Ugh," Ender hissed, "It's fairly late, and I'm going to my sleeping quarters, you would be wise to do so as well." "May I stay by her side?" Yami asked daringly, "Do as you wish." The healer dismissed him.
----------------------Morning---------------------
Malaya woke to a pain in her right arm. 'What happened?" she asked herself. She began to recall memories of the viper, someone ordering others to leave, someone carrying her and someone ordering someone else around. She started to sit up until the sheet fell, exposing her torso; she blushed furiously, and clutched the linen to her. A soft snore made her turn her head to see him. 'The pharaoh?!' she thought, shocked at the sight of him. 'He was here the whole time!' She sat staring at him, "He looks so… different…" she murmured, noting how there was no malice in his face. When his crimson eyes blinked open, she jerked, nearly falling from the structure she had been placed upon. "You're awake," he said, "That's good, I'm glad you're alright." He smiled tiredly. She did not speak, even though he knew she could after yesterday. "Well, you certainly know how to worry people." He scolded gently. "Pharaoh…" her voice stunned him, " Why did you save me? I thought you wanted my death." "What? No, I never wanted to kill you, I think you are unhappy in the palace, and that saddens me greatly…" he looked away from her, "Malaya, I saw you a few weeks ago, you were indifferent to all the people in Egypt, yet for some reason you do not seem to like me when you treat others with neutral respect…" he stopped, yet wished he knew the cause of her dislike. "You!" she spat, "You need to know why I despise you so badly? It is because I lost my parents because of your own!" her silver eyes were shining with pain and rage, "Monsters, Tramps, Thieves! That is what your family called mine! Though I still do not know why! All I remember is my parents becoming ill and myself trying to raise money for the healer's charges! Yet when I got home one day… They had been murdered." A single tear of pain hit the stone floor, "And I KNOW It was your family because the Millennium Symbol was painted on the hut in my parent's own blood…" she sobbed openly now. "Malaya…" he reached for her bared shoulder, trying to comfort her, "Don't touch me!" she snapped, her hand lashing out. He was aware that she had slapped him, but he let it go, he seemed to have earned it. He was caught off guard when she buried her face into his chest and sobbed softly, her hair spilling over them like water. He gently embraced her, murmuring soft apologies. None disturbed them for what seemed like hours, yet in that time, Malaya, who was still weak from the venom, was asleep in his arms. "Ahem." Someone startled Yami from the doorway as they cleared his or her throat. He jumped blushing as he saw the High Priest Seto standing there, "Yes, Seto?" "If you are not busy, my Pharaoh," he pause to gesture at Malaya, who was still covered in the linen, "I would like to ask you something." He turned and began to walk away. Yami quickly lay Malaya down to rest and followed him.