Chapter Ten

"You ass!" Yaminah sputtered,glaring at Bakare when she came up. Bakare had dragged her into the river with him when she pushed him in. "You're going to regret that!"

"Oh?" Bakare dunked her again, then climbed up on the bank quickly, stretching out. It felt good to have fun like this again. The night had been so long with Sagira waking up in fits of sobs every five minutes. There was nothing he could do to soothe her,since she feared him so.

"Y-you b-bastard!" Yaminah choked out,flopping down beside her old friend with a slight smirk. "I'm going to pay you back for that...when I've rested." She took a swig from the wine bottle, then glanced at Bakare,when he didn't reply. "You okay?"

"She hates us." Bakare replied calmly. "My sister hates me..."

"That's not it, Bakare. She doesn't know any different. Think where she's been living. Besides, she did ask of you a few times when she was younger. " Yaminah touched his shoulder gently. "They couldn't have her defending you...not in the pharaoh's presence."

"Damn him! Damn them all!" Bakare replied bitterly. "Who do they think they are to be able to destroy a happy family!"

"You weren't that happy,my friend." Yaminah replied. "You were more drunk than not. It's lucky Sagira knew how to care for herself at such a young age. She was a smart toddler." Swig. "Anyway, we can't erase what's been done."

"Nonsense." Bakare muttered again. He was about to say more, when the silhouette of Seth loomed over the pair. "What."

Seth wasted no time being indignant. "Your sister is in grave trouble from one of your own. You must go to her,immediately!"

"What!" Bakare stood up fast, looking towards the hills where his village lay. "Beni..." He ran off fast.

Yaminah's eyes narrowed, but she looked up at Seth. "You really do care for her..."

"Of course I do!" Seth replied, injured that Yaminah would think otherwise. "Mahadou and I are the ones who did most of the child rearing for her. She's like one of our own."

Yaminah sighed. "I keep wanting to catagorize you with those others at the palace. I do wish you didn't have be among them..."

Seth cupped her chin in his hand, and raised her face to look at him. "I know. It will only be a matter of time. Then we can be together and everyone will know it!" He kissed her softly. "Be patient. For me."

"I-" Yaminah was stopped short by a yell of rage. "Bakare! Something must've happened to Sagira. Let us go!" The couple raced up the hill to the village, and then to the hut.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SISTER!" Bakare flared, ripping Beni away from Sagira's mostly still form. "ANSWER ME,DAMN YOU!" He was outraged to find his own sister's blood all over the hut,her body,and her bed. "Sagira...Sagira,speak to me..." He threw Beni across the hut, and scooped his sister up. "Damn you, talk!"

"She's unconscious is all." Beni told him calmly.

"I'm not blind." Bakare replied calmly, darkly. "You better start talking, Benikan. And I do mean now!" He stroked his sister's damp hair,shaking. If it wasn't for the slight rising and falling of her chest, he would've thought the child was dead.

"She's going to be a good girl from now on. She'll never be able to refuse anyone again." Beni replied, smirking. "What's more, she's going to help us get revenge on the pharaoh for all the wrongs he's done us."

"Don't even talk such nonsense! What did you do to her? She can barely move!"

"I put the Sedjem curse on her." Beni said finally.

"Bastard! That curse is very literal! She'll have to do exactly what anyone tells her!" Yaminah stood in the doorway of Bakare's hut. "Do you realize so many people will take advantage of her!" Her eyes flashed red in fury. "She's only a child!"

"Beni,leave my sight, or you'll wish you had." Bakare was holding his sister tightly, feeling guilty. "I should've let her stay in the palace! At least she'd have been safe from monsters like you!"

"We'll all have be careful how we word things around her now. We'll try our best not to take advantage of her situation." Seth added. "Let me see if I can ease some of her pain. " He knelt, taking the girl from Bakare carefully. "These are very deep cuts. He nearly got veins." Seth glared over at Beni. "You better pray to whatever god you serve Mahadou doesn't come down here and tear you apart himself."

Beni snorted, and left the hut, leaving everyone to deal with the unconscious child. He'd done what he wanted to avenge Sultana. It would only be a matter of time before Bakare would see things his way.

(A/n: Sedjem directly translates to the word "Obey". Thanks to Aubrie for the help in finding a word for the curse.)