Tale 9. Choices
I actually had another fanfic called this but it was idiotic and had a non-existent story line so I wrote this one. The points of the stories are the same though. Nahkti has to choose Ryoo or his victory over the Pharaoh and he chooses Ryoo.
This story is also to show the contrast of the two lives of Thief Nahkti and Pharaoh Atemu. As in all my fanfics, Atemu is stressed out! I understand this sort of thing because my dad is the board president in our church which is right now undergoing many problems and he is very stressed out and tired. How much worse can it be for the ruler of all Egypt! When he was first elected we were all excited and my sister and I threw a party (ehe… sort of ) for him. Soon though, things got really bad since my dad had to go to a lot of meetings and was really tired a lot. Now we wish he wasn't. I know I really shouldn't be weighing you people down with all of this information about my family, but as you see, I fully understand how things must feel for Atemu-sama seeing how much work my dad does.
Ryoo and I were playing in the room full of my loot that the thieves and I had dug quite a while ago. I was actually wearing a lot of it on me. Ryoo laughed as I chased him. He tripped on a protruding vase and tried to crawl away.
"Oh no you don't!" I said, grabbing him by the hips. He kept laughing as I dragged him back toward me. He shoved me off when I tackled him. I grabbed a necklace and put it around his neck.
"Hey!" shouted a woman. Maadrath dropped down through the trap door. "Aren't you two a little old for dress-up?" she asked, fondling a pendant on a long necklace I was wearing.
I snorted and pulled the necklace back. "We're not dressing up!" I yelled at her. "We're just um… enjoying the loot!"
"Feh, and I suppose Ryoo is two?" She stuck a finger at Ryoo who was trying to force some clip-earrings onto his ears-although failing miserably.
"Hey, Ryoo! Don't you know earrings are for women?" I asked him wryly.
"No…"
"Anyway, you two. It's almost time for dinner. So take that ridiculous jewelry off and come up."
I scowled at Maadrath as she left.
"She treats me like she's mother," I complained, pulling a gold wristband off.
"Oh, I don't know. I sort of like that," Ryoo said, taking off the necklace I had put on him.
"Yeah!" I glared at him, "That's 'cause you're a kid! Kid!" I yelled, pouncing him. Maadrath must have heard the racket because she peaked her head in and said, "Hey! You guys ever coming? The gazelle is getting cold!"
"Sorry," I apologized fakely. "C'mon, Ryoo."
I dragged myself up and then helped Ryoo. When we got back to the others, Maadrath glared at me.
"What took you so long? It takes you only a few hours to rob a tomb but it takes you twenty minutes to come to dinner?"
"Feh! Don't you tell me what to do! I'm the leader and I'll do whatever I want!"
"You're nothing without me. In fact, you'd be dead!"
"Dead! What do you mean dead!"
"Uh, uh, uh, don't you remember when I saved you when you were going to be impaled?" she asked, "Or is your memory that short?" she continued, flicking me in the forehead.
"We'll I could have gotten out if it was for those stupid guards. Besides, I would never have given myself up if I hadn't been protecting you!"
"Well! If that's all, maybe I should have let you die!"
"Don't you say things like that to me woman!"
"You looking for a fight again?"
"…"
Maadrath always had the last word. It was obnoxious. I bit into the meat. It wasn't cold! Devourer take Maadrath!
Ryoo had already finished eating. He didn't really eat as much as I did but I suppose that was because he was just a kid. He snuggled me and looked up at me with this incredibly cute sleepy look.
"Okay, what are you pulling this time, Ryoo-chan?" I asked.
"Nothing, Nahkti-sama. Doesn't a guy have to right to be a little nice to you?"
"Oh, I just thought you wanted something, giving me that look!"
"What look…" Now Ryoo looked cute because he had this idiotic blank look on his face. Was it actually physically possible for him to look mean?
"You're really attached to the kid, aren't you?" Maadrath asked me after Ryoo had cutely fallen asleep next to me. Did he have to be that way?
"No…"
"Then why keep him around?"
"Erm… well… because he give me a chance to relax. Unlike you!"
"That's just an excuse. I know you really care about him."
"You sure do pry into my business…"
"I'm just stating facts!"
"Facts!" I yelled so loudly that Ryoo winced in his sleep and started hugging me.
"M-mommy!" he was yelling. What the heck did the boy dream about at night anyway? I pried his arms off me after he calmed down a bit.
"Really, Nahkti. If you had a choice, what would you choose? Something that you really want or Ryoo?"
"What I want of course! If it was something important Ryoo would be insignificant!"
"Yeah… just keep telling yourself that. Just wait until it really happens."
"It won't happen…" I muttered to myself.
Atemu POV some time the same time the part above was
"Here's your drink, Atemu-sama," Yugi said, placing the cup down next to me.
"Thank you, Yugi," I replied.
"Ng…" he muttered, watching me sympathetically.
"I'm okay, Yugi," I replied.
"It's just… just…" Yugi said, on the brink of tears.
"Yes, I know, I have a lot of work… but that's part of the responsibility of being a ruler," I said. Yugi just broke down. I held his head in my lap. He was so soft hearted with a ba overflowing with compassion. That was why he was so special, though. Few in all the would had a soul as pure as his.
"S-sorry… Pharaoh-sama," he said, getting up and wiping his eyes.
"It's alright," I replied, "I'm very thankful that you care about me so much, Yugi-chan," I smiled.
Yugi got up and walked out of the room… to cry some more, no doubt. Poor Yugi… yet even with him and sweet Teanna's comfort I was still constantly on edge. When I was younger, I had thought ruling a kingdom was a game and the people game pieces… but as time wore on, I realized there was more to ruling than that and that people were people like myself. Teanna said I'd work myself to death someday… it was probably true but I couldn't do any less. It was my duty to do what I did. I almost felt sorry for the people feeling sorry for me. Trying to share in my pain while only making my heart sore for them.
Late at night, I went to my room. Teanna was sitting on my bed, patting Yugi head.
"You're still up, Shari?" I asked.
"I was waiting for you, my husband."
"You don't have to do that. Don't put yourself under needless pain. It would only make mine worse."
"No, I just couldn't sleep with you still working your head off over there."
"Please don't feel obligated."
"I don't feel obligated. I love you."
"Don't love me too much."
"I can't help it," Teanna replied putting her head on my shoulder. "Not while I'm being blinded by your love."
I smiled. Teanna was so wonderful. I did not know of any woman more beautiful or loving than she.
"Beautiful Teanna…"
"Yugi came to me crying…"
"I know."
"He was muttering something about your stress…"
"I know."
"For Yugi's sake, try and go to bed a little earlier."
"No, I can't… not even for you I couldn't no matter how much I loved you. It's my duty. I must put my people before myself."
"You and your duty… it'll kill you someday."
I walked over to Yugi and brushed some of his tears away. Poor Yugi…
Nahkti Normal POV
I shoved Ryoo to get up when I woke the next morning. The night before, I had been thinking, and I thought maybe I had a plan. Sent by the restless spirits perhaps?
"What is it Nahkti-sama?" he asked excitedly, "Are we going on another raid?"
"Better! I think I have a way to take down the Pharaoh!"
I laid my plan out stimulatingly before the thieves. It was so fun and it made me have adrenalin rush… even thought it mad Maadrath think I was stupid.
"First, we have to disarm the enemy!"
"Oohhh…"
"Oh, brother."
"Be quiet Maadrath! That will be hard though, so Maadrath and I will do the important stuff…" I stopped suspensefully.
"Aww…"
"Give it a rest, Nahkti, you're a thief not a story teller!"
"But we're enjoying this!"
"I'm leaving, then!"
"Wait! No! But you're important to the plan!"
"Fine, but get to the point already!"
"Alright, alright! So Maadrath and I are going to go into the palace. I'm going to disarm the Pharaoh by taking the puzzle while he's sleeping. You guys will hide in the bushes and on my signal, you all do whatever you want! Good?"
"Yes, good, whatever…" Maadrath yawned.
"Yes, good, whatever!" I demanded, "You don't think my plan is good?"
"Well it's maybe slightly better than your other ones…"
I scowled at Maadrath's back as she got up and walked away.
Atemu POV
I plopped down at the breakfast table.
"You look tired," Teanna whispered to me.
"Don't I always?"
"You look particularly tired… wait, you didn't get up in the middle of the night to work again did you!"
I gritted my teeth, "Yeah… I guess so…" I admitted.
She looked horrified. "Look!" she said, "Going to bed late is bad enough! Do your people a favor and get some sleep. Who's going to protect them if you're dead!"
"I won't die," I smiled, eating my porridge.
"That's what you say," Teanna mumbled, "When you get sick, don't say I didn't warn you."
Just then, Yugi walked up to me.
"I heard what you two said…"
"Please don't worry your head over it. It will only make me feel worse, Yugi-chan."
"Why do you do it, Atemu-sama?"
"Because I love the people."
"More than me?"
"No, just like you. I'm only doing for them what I would be doing for You, Teanna-sama, or even myself. That's what makes a good ruler."
"I wish you weren't the Pharaoh, Atemu-sama…"
"I don't always like it either, but I must do the job the gods have chosen for me, the best I can do it."
"I don't like it either."
"Well, we just have to live with fate, then."
That evening, some time after sunset, Teanna came to me.
"Hello, Teanna, shouldn't you be going to bed?" I asked.
"Yes, and you are too!" She pepped back.
I laughed, "Good one, Teanna-chan, but we both know I have lots to do."
"I'm serious!" She replied back with a look so serious that it was scary.
"Please! I have to go finish those scrolls! Let me go Teanna-chan!" I shouted as my wife dragged me across the hall by my cape.
"Don't you 'chan' me!" She shouted, "You're not working yourself to death if I can help it! Pharaoh or not, you're getting some sleep and I'll chain you to the bed if I have to, because I love you!"
"C'mon… please…"
"No!"
Yugi glared at me parentally as Teanna tossed me onto the bed.
"Let me go!"
As a response, Teanna just sat on me.
"Please!" I said, struggling.
At that, Yugi piled on me as well.
"Alright, alright, I'm beat…" I submitted, "I'll go to bed early… but just tonight, mind you!"
"Fine," Teanna replied, "If you get sufficient sleep tonight and you don't wake up in the middle of the night, and you…"
"Okay, I get the point," I replied, trying the push both slave and queen off of me, "Now if you would be so kind as to get off of me. I think you've cracked my hips and ribs enough."
Yugi stared sheepishly at me and got off. Teanna followed him… less apologetically, though.
I hoped I could get up again after Teanna and Yugi fell asleep, but they both refused to even lay down until I relaxed my body and closed my eyes.
When finally I absolutely could not keep my eyes open, Teanna got in the bed with me. She hummed a tuneless song as she ran her fingers down my face, pushing down my eyelids. I heard a soft thump as Yugi laid down on his bed.
"You two are terrible, you know that?" I whispered.
"No worse than you, darling," Teanna muttered back.
Nahkti Normal POV
I peeked into the window.
"All clear!" I whispered to Maadrath. "They're all sleeping!"
"Well what did you expect, hippo brain? They'd be having a party?"
The thieves were hiding in the bushes, tying up the sedated guards. I gave them a thumbs up and I saw Beneset flash me a smile. I climbed in the window and then helped Maadrath and Ryoo in. Maadrath walked behind Teanna and cupped her mouth just as she woke.
I pulled out a knife and reached for the sennen puzzled. Teanna, thinking I was about to kill the Pharaoh, shook her head vigorously, begging me not to kill him.
Taking the cord, I cut it but just as I did, Atemu woke and punched me. The sennen puzzle went flying out the window but I was on top of Atemu in an instant.
"Any last words, Pharaoh?" I asked.
Atemu POV
Of all the nights to be asleep!
"Any last words, Pharaoh?" Nahkti asked.
I breathed raggedly, thinking of curses and such but I turned around and said, "Don't hurt my people!"
"What?"
"I said, whatever you do, don't hurt my people!"
Nahkti stumbled back, he hadn't expected that. I sat up groggily. I heard a screech from the female thief as Teanna bit her hand.
"Don't hurt Atemu-sama!" She shouted, throwing herself on me. Yugi woke, due to the commotion and jumped the female thief. She dodged, and Yugi crashed into Mahaado and Mana, who had just entered the room.
"Pharaoh-sama! Are you alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine, get Nahkti!" I grunted.
"Contact the other priests!" Mahaado shouted at Mana who shot out of the room.
Nahkti POV
He just had to wake up didn't he? And what did he mean 'don't hurt my people'? He had absolutely no respect for mine.
I stuck my torso out the window and waved a signal to Beneset, telling him the plan had not worked. I turned around just in time to dodge a magic attack from Mahaado.
Yugi was attempting to attack Maadrath.
Ryoo looked around confusedly. Why he had no desire to kill the Pharaoh was a mystery to me. For some reason he thought his weird loyalty to the 'son of Amun' would pay off. Mahaado rushed me in an effort to get a closer attack but Ryoo slammed him, trying to protect me. Mahaado hit his head and went out like a light.
"Did I kill you!" Ryoo rushed to his side. "Are you dead?"
If I didn't know the boy better, I'd say he was rather fickle about picking sides.
I peered out the window again, the other priests had arrived but my thieves had intercepted them at the palace entrance.
Just then, Atemu jumped on me.
"Pharaoh!" I heard Teanna and Yugi scream. I stumbled and threw my weight to one side just in time to avoid hitting my head on a table.
Darn it all! I couldn't fight in such a small room. I shoved Atemu, pushing out of the room. He stumbled and fell down the staircase.
"Husband!"
"Pharaoh-sama!"
"Brute!" the queen yelled at me. She threw herself on me and started pounding me with all her might. If the situation hadn't been so dangerous, I would have laughed. I grabbed one slender wrist, then the other.
"If that's all you've got, you're doomed!" I muttered at her. Twisting both her arms at the same time, I threw her screaming to the ground. I headed down the stairs in time to see the Pharaoh get up and the thieves and priests come in.
3rd party POV (Gomen, the battle would be too difficult to describe any other way)
Mana leapt on Karia who ran around yelling.
Maadrath had come out of the room in time to stop the queen's attacks.
"You're going down!" Priest Seto said to Horesus and Hequeth.
"Bring it on, pretty boy!" Horesus yelled.
"Pretty boy! I'll show you!"
"Oh, yeah? What have you got?"
Hequeth sweat dropped embarrassedly as he watched Horesus and Seto argue.
Sebnekt grunted as Karimu punched him. Sebnekt turned around and charged Karimu who charged as well.
"I'm here! No I'm here!" Isrosis laughed as she moved from place to place.
"Set take you girl! Stand still and fight me!" Priestess Isis demanded.
"Sorry! He's already got me!" Isrosis giggled, appearing on Isis's shoulder. Isis screamed as the added weight caused her to fall.
Sashi fought Shaada who were rather evenly matched…
"I'm waiting, get up, Pharaoh… if you have the strength!" The thief lord taunted as the young king struggled to rise.
"Sama!" Shouted both boys from the balcony.
"Hey!" Said Yugi, "Which side are you on?"
"Um.. Nahkti-sama's side…"
"Then how come you aren't killing me?"
"Good question… I don't know…"
"Doh!"
Teanna swung around, blocking a blow from Maadrath who whirled as well in turn.
"What a lovely dance…" Maadrath teased.
"Hardly!" The queen replied, "You dance terribly!" She kicked out at Maadrath's stomach.
The thief queen grunted as she slammed against the balcony railing. "I'll have you know I am one of the best dancers in all of Egypt's taverns!"
"Taverns?" Teanna mocked as she dodged a punch from Maadrath. "If you were really good. You'd be dancing in some king's palace!" Teanna moaned Maadrath swiftly twisted an arm.
"I'd never be some king's pet!" Maadrath shot back.
The queen jabbed her free arm at Maadrath while she was talking, knocking her back. The thief queen screamed as she fell off the balcony. She looked up, surprised as the king's wife caught her. Teanna pulled off her belt.
"I couldn't let you fall. Maybe you'll dance for me someday… but unfortunately, I can't help you up either. " She tied the belt tightly around Maadrath's wrists then wound it around the bars of the balcony then tying it off. "This should relieve the stress on your arms."
"I'll never dance for you!"
Teanna then ran down the stairs to aid her king husband.
Atemu POV
Nahkti swung my fist at me but I pulled out a knife I had with me and cut his arm.
"Nahkti-sama!" Ryoo yelled and came scampering down the right staircase.
"Don't hurt my Pharaoh!" The queen yelled, putting her me. I felt so tired. I just let her support me.
"You can't protect him, woman!"
Nahkti pulled out a knife and prepared to attack, but the queen had grabbed Ryoo and was shielding me with him.
"W-what? What are you doing, dearest?"
"Protecting you!"
"But you can't use Ryoo! What if he kills him?"
"No, I know he won't. I've been observing and Nahkti wouldn't trade the world for his little servant."
Nahkti Normal POV
What the Pharaoh had the nerve to use Ryoo-chan as a shield. Well! I'd show him!
"Release him at once!" I ordered.
"No!" the queen yelled. "Stop this madness now and Ryoo will be returned as well as Maadrath!"
I gritted my teeth. So this was what Maadrath had meant. I could kill all three and then I'd have my revenge on the Pharaoh. I'd killed countless humans in the past to reach my goal. Ryoo was no different!
I thrust my knife at the lot of them. Ryoo looked up at me and gasped. I almost stopped but I couldn't. I couldn't stop at this chance now. Just then, I missed. If it was me or the Pharaoh, I'd never know but the knife only cut Ryoo, Atemu, and the queen's arms. Ryoo stared up at me sadly but didn't protest. Poor Ryoo, he knew me too well. I raised the knife again but stopped. I saw blood dripping from the wound I had inflicted on Ryoo…
What was happening to me! I had seen many people, even Ryoo's blood before. How was this any different? I gritted my teeth… but stopped. That day. The day I first met Ryoo. I was just going to finish him off, but I didn't. There was something special about him. I dropped the knife. This time, Ryoo's eyes followed it until it clinked on the floor.
"Let… him… go!"
The queen released Ryoo who stumbled over and embraced me.
"Now, promise you do no more trouble, call off your thieves, and leave peacefully, and we'll release Maadrath as well," the Teanna added.
"Stop!" I ordered. "STOP IT NOW!" I yelled when they kept fighting. Shocked, both priest and thief dropped what they were doing and turned to see what I wanted.
"Sebnekt, fetch Maadrath!" I ordered.
At my orders, the thieves all lined up at the door to leave.
"Pharaoh-sama," I asked turning around. Why had I called him that? I had never used that title for anyone before, "Could I ask you some questions?"
"You had better not be doing anything tricky, Thief!" The queen shot back.
"Shh! You may, Nahkti-san."
"Pharaoh, why did you tell me you wanted me to treat your people right?"
"Because, I know what kind of man you are. You wouldn't treat the people fairly. You'd play them like toys. The would be free or even be humanely treated."
"H-how can you talk about human rights?" I asked, "How could you! Your father ordered the death of all of my people. The priests and the soldiers they just charged in. They killed mercilessly. Not just the men, mind you. They killed all of them. Exterminated them. Women and children begging on their knees. They had no rights! All this was happening and you and your father just stood there, emotionless. You were the ones playing us like toys!"
"Atemu wasn't even born then! And it was his uncle not even his father who ordered your people killed. Your people were thieves and murderers," the queens shouted at me,.
"No! No! No! I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate you all!" I raved, my heart beating so hard I was afraid it would tear right through me chest.
"And what do you know about equality? I know how you treat them!" Teanna added, indicating Ryoo and the thieves, "If they had rights, why would you refer to Ryoo as your own or the thieves as your thieves?"
"No really, it's quite alright!" Ryoo broke in, trying to calm both me and the queen down, "I don't mind. Thief-sama doesn't say that because he thinks that I am his property… please try to understand. His tears are many and his pain is great. He would hold on to us like this because we are all that is left of anyone who had cared about him in this way. Nahkti-sama's feelings and motives are pure, even if his hands and heart aren't."
Ryoo walked up and hugged me. "My Thief-sama cares very much about me and the others. I care about him."
I looked down at Ryoo. He hugged me… and hugged me… and… I glared at him.
"You can let go now, Ryoo!"
"I was just trying to make a point! Do you want Atemu-sama to get it or not!"
Teanna and Atemu both laughed at us. I scowled at them.
"C'mon! We don't have all day!" I yelled a the thieves, "let's get going." We walked out the door.
"I swear, Pharaoh, I'll get you some day! Neither my soul nor the restless souls of the villagers of Kuru Eruna will rest until we have proper revenge!"
