Warning of blood, death/suicide, adult themes, and language!

The Mummy's Curse

Anzu stumbled slightly but kept a tight hold upon his being as they entered the water. "It's okay," she soothed softly when the person she led hesitated, "I'm right here. Can you sit down for me please?"

First his knees bent, bringing him downwards until their eyes were level then lower until the bent joints met water, and the eyes that had remained unblinking widened slightly as she scooped up some within her palm then used it to clean off a patch of dirt from his cheek.

"See? It's not going to hurt us." She eased herself downward until she too was kneeling then settled herself with legs parted enough for him upon the shelf while directing him towards the step ahead of her where the water would reach higher upon his being and make it easier for her to reach the parts of him that needed cleaning most. Her lips forced themselves into an assuring smile when slowly did as she requested and briefly wrapped her arms around his neck in a loose embrace. "There you go. Now lean back just a little-" The breath she was in the middle of taking caught in I her throat as his head rested backwards without hesitation until it was nested between her breasts. "T-that works too," she sighed, reaching to pick up a nearby bowl as she bit her quivering lip.

"What in the hell is your problem?!" The young woman screamed at the Horus guards that had moments ago been Anubis ones, tears spilling down and staining her pale cheeks as she was wrenched away from one of the fallen soldiers. Her head snapped to the right when a heavy impact sounded, one that she was familiar with as a certain mount landing nearby, and gasped as the horrible dream that she wished would end took a turn.

The gryphon's beak met her wet cheek with a soft rumbling sound, its toasted almond hued feathers and hide were stained a dark rusty red that she'd come to realize was dried blood. A guard prevented her from approaching the mount as it was led away, bringing to her attention that it was limping and sporting a dislocating wing joint. She wanted to pursue and offer her help but something told the young woman that they would take excellent care of the beast. It cast a glance at her from over its shoulder before it was led out of sight, its expression one that made her breath catch, and then it was gone.

What was that about? It was as if it were sad, weary, or even relieved that she was there.

Night had fallen, the Anubis guards replaced by Horus ones, but what she could only call a shade of the ancient pharaoh with blackened skin and pure white eyes awaited her as she spun on her heel. The heart in her chest had clenched so painfully when turning away from the horror if it scene that would surely give her nightmares for the next year to find another making its way towards her through the crowd of guards. What had made her turn in the first place she didn't know but her eyes remained locked upon the figure whose outline was dancing with dark flames. Clothing reduced to tatters, skin decorated in markings darker than the night sky outside, eyes so pearly white that no hint of the ruby pomegranate or pupil could be found within their glazed depths, fresh and dried blood caking his being in various places where she assumed he'd been wounded but there was no sign of lacerations or need for treatment; he appeared to be in one whole piece as he came to a stop before her. Horus guards had attempted to prevent him from reaching this point but all had bowed then quickly retreated when black flames forced them to retreat from their monarch.

"Pharaoh?"

His hand rose slowly, as if he were giving her ample time to move away but she remained rooted with a knot caught in her throat, calloused fingers meeting her moistened skin causing the rest of her frazzled mind to jump start.

The shadow of her bangs threatened to obscure her gaze as she took a deep inhale through her nose, realization crashing over her like a tidal wave threatening to carry her out to a treacherous sea of emotion. "You came back just like you promised." She whispered, hands collecting his own and giving them a light squeeze. "Come on. Let's go get you cleaned up."

Guards threatened to pull her away but they fell back with shrill exclamations as the monarch's lip curled upwards in a displeased snarl.

"Don't look at them," her hand collected both of his somehow into one so that the other to cup his cheek, forcing his head to turn back in her direction, "look at me."

All anger that had begun to show within his features disappeared at her touch and he obediently followed as she began walking.

Silence had hung heavily between them as she led him through the streets, the heart in her chest thumping with relief as by the time they entered the bathhouse his appearance had nearly returned to normal save for the white pearls that remained as his eyes. He had yet to speak a word to her but she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear what his voice would sound like when he looked so different. Her shaking hands were making it hard for her to wash him clean of the dried blood and dirt yet she couldn't get them to cease no matter how much she tried. Somehow her own outfit had remained in one piece despite the rough handling from both guards and soldiers, no stain or tear to be found in any of the fabrics that covered her being, and it made her glad. They had made it together after all and it was just as precious to her as the person was.

However that did nothing to stem the racing thoughts that were swirling within Anzu's mind like a raging storm. Words that she had stumbled across flashed before the young woman the longer he remained in the state she'd found him in. There was no sign of the man she'd grown to treasure but what could she possibly do to break this? She was only an eighteen year old girl who held no magical abilities while he was an ancient pharaoh who held power beyond comprehension that was able to summon and control beasts from an alternate dimension. The ache in her chest grew with each passing second her motions of cleaning the various parts of his body caked with dirt went uninterrupted, slender fingers increasing growing more clumsy when they discovered the tunic that had covered his upper torso to be completely gone. New scars had appeared across his tanned skin that glistened in the nearby torchlight, the moisture of the water clinging to every inch of his outlined muscular planes as if his very being was thirsty for it, a choke rising in her throat when noticing the scar that had been where she'd removed the dagger.

He's hurting currently because of my actions.

If I hadn't pulled out that blade…

If I'd never ventured into the city…

If only I had listened to the Kaiba's when they said I was chasing a fairy tale…

None of this would have happened.

A deep hum, almost too broken and quiet for her ears to catch, filled the air as she took a shuddering breath. Was she imagining it or was the sound coming from him? Her heart literally paused in mid-beat as the rough notes slowly came together until the familiar tune caused a spark to light within the girl. She should have been surprised by the fact he knew it but it quickly became an afterthought as she took over the humming when his broke off after nearly a minute of repetition.

"You are my sunshine…"

The words had risen up her throat before she'd even realized it herself but she couldn't get them to stop as the person who had been like a doll gasped softly. Hopeful, she took a moment to wrap her arms around his neck and shoulders, giving him a squeeze as she continued. Water that had become clouded from the amount of dirt she washed away was slowly clearing as the notes she sang reverberated slightly off the walls. Ripples appeared across the surface as if invisible beings were dancing across the transparent surface in time with the song as plucks of harps could faintly be heard from an unknown source that rang within the sung lyrics as if encouraging her to continue.

"…my only sunshine…"

Shaky notes that had come from between her quivering lips had grown steady with each that she sang until the bare sandstone walls were practically ringing with her alto timbre. The tension that she'd felt within his muscles ebbed until he was fully resting back against her as she took up the motions once more of cleaning his skin. Her motions were much steadier now, as if the song were calming not just her worries and self but also bringing hope that he would come back to her. Every so often she thought a wispy figure appeared within her peripheral vision but whenever she turned to focus upon the spot it would always vanish.

"An…zu…"

Cerulean eyes that had just begun to dry welled with newfound tears as rough baritone filled the air as she took a moment to catch her breath. She took a chance to crane her neck to see his face and found that his eyes had closed. The young brunette would have mistaken him to be sleeping if it weren't for his breathing that matched her own and the fact that the lids of his eyes had risen as if feeling her gaze to reveal pale red violet that was steadily growing darker with each passing heartbeat that pounded loudly within her ears.

"…you make me happy, when skies are gray…"

One of his hands rose from the water to rest against her arm, causing her motions halt. The black markings she'd seen earlier were now gone, allowing his tanned skin to shine with moisture that was most likely mirrored on her cheeks that were once again stained from the tears she was shedding. "Pharaoh?"

"…this song…you sang it back then as well…"

Her hold on him tightened to the point where his body reflexively turned to that her face rested within the nook of his neck and shoulder, one of her hands clinging to the remains of the tunic covering his being while the other rose to bury itself within his hair. It had been a split second but the ruby pomegranate had returned fully in his eyes that was no longer obscured by white. "Yeah," she croaked around the knot of emotion within her throat, "it's the one I sang back in the quicksand…when I was all alone…and while performing surgery on you…" The heart in her chest swelled as his other arm made to rise but it fell as she shook her head and continued to hum.

Questions that wanted answers begged to be voiced in the back of her head but she forced them down with a hard swallow. There would be plenty of time for that later. For now she had to make sure that he was alright. Like a mantra, she repeated the words "he is alive" and "he is with me" like a record in hopes that her racing blood would finally slow or that the adrenaline that had been making her feel like a bare live-wire would finally go away. Deep breaths inwards were held for several seconds then painstakingly slowly exhaled as she'd often practiced herself and advised others when feeling overwhelmed.

And yet Anzu wasn't feeling any better.

She grabbed the nearby bowl that threatened to float out of reach then proceeded to carefully pour the water over his head, taking care that none managed to enter his eyes with careful brushes of slender fingers, her breath wafting his ear that had become synchronized with his own causing the ebony hair that stood upright to sway gently from their collective breaths. For several minutes she continued to douse his forehead with the liquid until the bowl was discarded in favor of a cloth that lightly dabbed at his skin with feather light touches. The trembling within them ebbed with each soft press of the cloth but it was as broken humming filled the air that they grew still that she finally broke from the pressure threatening to crush her.

Whatever spell that had fallen over them shattered as she choked; harps silencing and water stilling the moment ruby pomegranate cleared of the haze that had obscured them.

He was instantly wrapping his arms around the young woman, cradling her against his being as she wracked with sobs. The step that they were on allowed ample amount of space for them to settle into a comfortable position as he cooed softly in her ear words that he hoped would comfort the shaken girl. Warmth from the water and from each other stemmed off the chill of night as she clung to him as if the gentle wind that came through the doorway would rip them apart.

"They broke in when I was in the library and tried to take me away…" her hold on him tightened, "the guards, they acted like the bullets were nothing…then they started… attacking the soldiers…" The tears falling down her cheeks like twin rivers grew as the young woman wailed.

The ancient pharaoh didn't interrupt, nor did he condone the actions of his guards, he simply held Anzu as she wept and lamented the loss of life that had occurred before her very eyes. If only the monstrous beast hadn't attacked when it did he would have been there to prevent the young woman from witnessing such a horrendous display. He wanted nothing more than to wrap her in the finest of luxuries and fulfill her every wish with all the power he held but the fact that he had failed could not be easily dismissed.

Kings protect not just the city and its walls but it's people. There was no excuse. He had ignored the instinct that had warned him to not leave her side, he could have sent guards and more shadow beasts to fight off the threat since the barrier had remained intact yet he'd chosen to dash off to battle instead.

Mist rose from the warm water holding off the chilly wind from the night outside, almost enclosing the pair in a protective bubble that allowed them to solely focus upon the person they were holding. Breaths intermixed as their foreheads met. Noses brushed along the other's length as if attempting to bring comfort to the other when a droplet of moisture was found in the corner of their eye. His fingers, though their pads were calloused, carefully brushed the fallen chocolate locks from her face as he took a moment to lean backward so that their gazes could meet. No words though came to him as he found himself transfixed by the vision before him.

Her attire had soaked up some water, causing it to hug her form like a second skin and the chiffon outer layer to become near transparent, allowing the undergarments to become more visible than when they had been dry. Crystalline droplets clung to her fluttering lashes as he gently swept his thumb beneath each eye to wipe away the lingering tears. The nearby flickering torchlight illumined and brought warmth to her otherwise pale skin that was lightly flushed from either the water's warmth or in exhaustion from the day's events.

Ruby pomegranate eyes bore into cerulean as his hand drifted down to cup her chin within its palm. Neither reason mattered to him as the young woman blinked up at him with reddened eyes; she was beautiful within his eyes. "You were very brave today, Anzu, and I apologize that I was not here sooner to support you."

She balked. Did he say what she thought he did?! Her head shook, hands rising to rest their palms against his chest where the steady pounding of his heart could be felt. "You have nothing to be sorry for, pharaoh, you had other things to worry about! I saw the monster so you had your hands plenty full with fighting it." A gasp slipped between her lips as cerulean widened.

"It has been slain," he soothed when noting the rise of panic within her gaze and cupped her cheek within his palm, "it is no longer a threat to anyone or anything." His breath caught as she lunged forward, almost causing them to tumble into deeper water if he hadn't gained his bearings enough, wrapping his arms around her tightly as she nuzzled into the side of his neck. Her softness against his much firmer frame was initially a shock to his system, being as he hadn't been the one to initiate this type of contact and that this was far different than those they themselves had previously shared, but the stiffness of his muscles relaxed with each breath inhaled through the nose that filled his senses with her equally soft and feminine scent of warm peaches.

"I'm so glad you're okay."

The expression of alarm at her actions gave way to something much softer that was a mix of fondness and relief while returning her embrace as her whisper washed over him. Such forgiveness was refreshing, bringing a strange calmness ringing through his soul that momentarily caused the restlessness he'd known upon awakening to vanish. Warm peaches tinted with sweet vanilla, a similar scent to a desert that he once sampled, wafted his nose as it brushed along the length of her neck. It was alluring to him as it coaxed him to hold her tighter against his being when she made to withdraw. "Anzu," he whispered softer than the breath that threatened to stall in his throat, "I am beyond relieved that you are unharmed."

Her teeth caught on her bottom lip when his voice quivered. When faced with the soldiers who attempted to take her with them, it had been a natural reaction to fight and yet the words that had sprung forth at that time had surprised the young brunette.

"Target acquired! Proceeding with evacuation!"

"What- Hey, you're hurting me!" She snapped at the soldier who had too tight a hold on her arm that made it burn with pain. "Let go of me!"

Heavy boots thundered loudly in her ears that threatened to deafen the young woman as coarse fabrics rubbed against her exposed skin. Obscured faces hidden by helmet brims and sand cloths only left their eyes visible to her as she was passed from one to the other as if she were caught in a game of "Hot Potato". Another moved to obscure her line of sight for a moment, what she recognized as a gag looming threateningly over her. Anzu reeled her head backwards with a scowl. Oh, hell no they aren't going to put that on me!, she thought with fury as a gloved hand made to force her head in the direction they wanted. "Get your hands off me before I bite you!"

"Ma'am, the only thing we ask from you is cooperation and you won't have to wear it." Upon each of their shoulders was a badge of an all too familiar flag emblem: they were members of the military from Egypt. That would explain the somewhat broken pieces of language here and there that she could gather but one had managed to speak in clear enough Japanese for her to understand them.

"Yet you called me a target. Why the heck should I let you do anything to me?" She seethed, baring her teeth as if to threaten the next hand that made to cover her mouth.

The speaker whom she'd singled out as the bilingual soldier gave her a curt nod. "We're here to retrieve you, Anzu Mazaki, and return you to the Japanese government so that they no longer have reason to persecute our own."

Time itself froze.

They were here to bring her back home? Flashes of Gozuburo and his two sons appeared in her mind's eye, raising the brief question of any of them had missed her absence. How long has it been since she's been here? How much school would she have to make up? Would she be held accountable for the trouble she'd caused?

All of the rushing questions and swirling anxiety that whipped up like a tornado within her mind faded away as a new scene took their place. A lone figure sitting within a stone throne overlooking a silent city made of sandstone as the golden sun above their head shone down with relentless heat. The heart in her chest seized as the person inhaled deeply through their nose as the streets were flooded of ghosts belonging to subjects and people long since passed from this world appeared below that caused their expression to become one of agony.

Every touch they had shared replayed within her mind like a movie reel; their hands finding the other's, teasing smiles, light jokes, brief embraces, the tantalizing chemistry that made her blood warm, gentleness that caused her heart to skip a beat, fierce protectiveness that made her feel safe. There had been several instances where she'd caught sight of him watching her with an expression that she hadn't thought possible for someone to wear and tears burned the backs of her eyes as she realized that the same one must have been on her own face when watching him.

"Ma'am-"

"Nai!"

Somehow, someway, the ancient language she'd picked up on faster than any other before leapt up her through as she wrenched herself free of the person holding her. A wind came barreling through the group the moment her cry had filled the air, as if responding to both the word itself as well as her emotion behind it, causing several of the guards to take a moment to lock their gazes upon the young woman, then began lowering their spears to aim for the soldiers. What she swore to be angry glints in their gazes suddenly seemed to flash with protectiveness whenever her gaze met theirs; as if they were no longer set on removing the soldiers purely because they were intruders but the fact that they were laying their hands upon her when she clearly didn't want them to was causing a stir within the guards. This earned alarm from the soldiers and pause in advancement of the guards, cerulean darkening to lapis as she took several steps away from the military personnel.

Resolve planted itself deep within her chest as her hand rose to clench into a fist. "I'm staying!"

"We're not giving you a choice-"

Her other hand reached for the nearest Anubis guard as the soldiers made to surround her again, sending a silent prayer of thanks that it understood her silent plea for assistance, a shout of pain slipping her up throat as gloved hands threatened to yank her back within the circle they had made when the guard attempted to sneak her behind it. "I won't leave him! He saved me from myself and I will never let him feel like that again! So I'm going to stay and make sure that he never has to bite back his tears from loneliness or sadness! The pharaoh's suffered more than you can ever imagine! I'm not going to leave him!" Desperation filled her as more gloved hands took hold of her being. "You can go back and tell those so called government officials that I'm dead because I'm not ever leaving his side!"

A blush rose deep within her cheeks. The words had honestly come rushing out of her without any thought at all. She didn't regret them by any means though because they had been the truth. Confessing those feelings in the heat of chaos was one thing, it was another to tell them directly to the person who they were for.

Those would have to wait though.

"I know about it."

The hitch of his breath was more than enough to tell her that he understood what she was referring to.

Her tone softened, the next words to come would surely hurt him but they needed to be voiced in case he hadn't found it himself. "I found a journal in the library while you were off fighting that beast. It belonged to someone named Mahad."

His breath whooshed past her ear before he withdrew slightly, allowing space to come between them so that their eyes met, features guarded but there was no mistaking the sorrow within his exotic gaze. "Mahad was my most trusted advisor and childhood friend…and I am aware of the scrolls you are referring to."

"I have an app on my phone that translated the text so I could read it and I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am!" Anzu swallowed the lump that rose in her throat as his hands fully withdrew from her being, cerulean refusing to waiver from his shocked gaze. "A curse activated when I pulled that dagger out of your chest." Her arms wrapped around herself as the tears she thought to be done returned full force. "I know it was me who brought you back to life, pharaoh, and I'm so sorry. If I had known that you would fall under the 'Yami no Boroque' curse, I never would have drawn that blade out!"

His head tilted far enough forward that the shadow of his bangs hid the upper half of his face.

"I didn't mean to read it, I swear, the words kind of swept me away like some magic carpet ride and before I knew it I had reached the end." She buried her face in her hands. "You were betrayed by your friend, the son of the Chinese emperor at the time, and you became so distrusting of people afterwards that you became cold hearted towards allowing anyone within your city afterwards. Other allies and even your subjects begged for you to reconsider closing off your empire's trading to other countries but you were nursing the realization of finding the prince speaking with an assassin about plans to execute you in your sleep."

A twitch lifted his upper lip but still he did not speak.

"You nearly drowned yourself in anger while conducting a full investigation against the emperor and you became furious. The emperor of China confessed to sending his own son to befriend the pharaoh, which was you, being as they were similar in ages and to spy on the king so as to snatch the next trade contracts from Egypt. He hadn't expected to find that Egypt was rich with the lost arts of magic. So fearful was the emperor that he formed secret alliances with every neighboring country surrounding the small empire and in one large scale attack attempted to snuff out the empire he deemed a high threat to the world." She paused, lifting her tear filled eyes to fall upon the silent figure who had yet to move or say a word against what she'd been relaying.

What she had thought to be nothing more than a legend or folklore, maybe even a sad story meant to entertain a reader, was being proven true right before her very eyes. Everything up to this point she had taken in stride but the fact that the words she'd read were true shook the young woman. The amount of suffering this man had been through with a single parent raising him with no siblings to help him grow was a tough pill to swallow for sure then to find out that a person he'd claimed a friend to have turned their back on him was threatening to make her break down into sobs once more. This person had been nothing but kind to her, showcasing gentleness and self control to such an extent that she thought nearly impossible for one to have, yet at the root of it all was such a deeply buried sadness and loneliness that it was nearly too much for her to take.

"Mahad's words hold more truth than the desert contains of sand, I cannot deny them and am ashamed to admit." He said almost too softly for the young woman to hear. "A dagger constructed of cypress, venom of scorpion mixed with cobra, and deadly nightshade was offered to the prince the night there was no moon." His normally silky baritone voice was rough, animalistic almost, but there was no anger within his tone as he raised his head to meet her gaze and caused the young woman to gasp when finding his expression to be smoothed over into one of indifference. "Do you have any predictions of what the prince did with it, Anzu?"

The journal didn't mention anything about how the dagger was used, just that they had found him later trapped within a coma. She'd found the blade buried within the pharaoh's chest so the outcome should have been spelled out for anyone else who could've been in her shoes yet something within the very depths of her being whispered that it was wrong. To encourage him to speak, she shook her head.

He could see the curiosity burning subtly within her gaze like glowing embers but he also saw respect and understanding when he didn't move to speak right away. The sight made him appreciate her all the more as she didn't pressure him to speak nor did she question if his words were false. Trust took the place of curiosity as the day's strain ebbed from her flushed skin to return it to its normal fair hue as she offered her his hand, reminding him of how he'd witness parental figures among his subjects perform the same gesture to children.

For the entirety of his human life, several others had looked up at him in admiration as one would a god then proceed to worship the ground he walked upon wherever he went. All bowed before him with heads nearly touching the ground beneath their feet in a hurry to appease him or the royal family when paths crossed. Such displays weren't unwelcome by any means but it was the steadily growing fear that had seeped into their expressions and gazes when they thought he wasn't looking that tore at his being once the betrayal had occurred. None had understood his feelings then, they'd only been concerned about expressing their anger against his choices to close the city's borders against all traders who were not of the empire. His trust had been broken yet not a single member of his subjects spared a thought to their generous and kind hearted king who strove with every fiber of his being to ensure their lives were prosperous.

"They never knew, right? The public I mean. You didn't want them to develop the same distrust for foreigners that you had but you couldn't get rid of the pain you suffered by the prince's hand or that of the people."

Ruby pomegranate widened, the breath he'd been in the middle of taking stalling as she offered a knowing yet sad smile.

"The news of my parents' deaths was kept quiet for a long time because of the similar reasons. I did some digging once I got older and it turns out the drunk driver was an old acquaintance of my family who was once supposed to marry my mother but the arranged marriage was broken off. He'd had several drinks too many and ended up crashing into us that night. Long story short, the family refused to go public because of the strain it would put on their business relationships and partners. I don't think anyone besides you outside of the family knows that fact." Her smile fell into a bitter line. "It's in the past and I can't change it, though I was initially angry at how he was never put to trial, but then I ran into him once. I've never seen someone who looked more devastated and regretful once he realized who I was. He even begged me for forgiveness and I gave it without a second thought because life it too short to dwell on such things." Calm cerulean met red violet, her hand rising from the water to cup his cheek. "It must feel like it happened yesterday, right? Your pain, sadness, anger must all feel so fresh to you and from Mahad's understand that 'Yami no Boroque' curse is feeding off of it. I want to help you-"

"You already have."

All of the oxygen in her lungs caught as he took her hand, gently tugging on it so that she fell forward against his chest, heat rising within her fair cheeks as his lips met the space between her eyes.

"By pulling out the dagger, you have given me an opportunity to remember and experience what it is like to trust another. You have shown me that not all are two faced or harboring schemes to end another's neighbor. Anzu, your genuine displays of whatever you are thinking and feeling have made my once immobile being remember that it too is alive." His warm breath wafted her face as he took a moment to nuzzle her forehead then brush his lips against the crown of her head. "I have learned more for you than the hundreds of scholars who flocked the palace during my youth. What you have given me could not be brought about by riches, knowledge, or thievery."

The embrace was as emotional a gesture for him as it was a distraction for her to not see the small shadow beast that appeared from the shadows, a small bookworm looking creature who watched with wide eyes filled with uncertainty as it crawled up his back to whisper within his ear. He'd summoned the little creature when realizing what was happening to himself every dusk; finding himself compelled by dark malicious energy to bypass the protective sand barrier to pursue the descendants of the prince who betrayed him a millennium ago then allowed entrance back into the city once the moon had cast him within its pale light. Not only did he now know of the curse's nature thanks to this small beast but he now had a possible way to end it. The small creature vanished with a brush of his finger along its spongy body, sending it his silent thanks in the gentle release of the summons bond that linked them.

"A solution has been found, Anzu, one that will cause the city to slumber once more beneath the sand and the innocent descendants of the prince will no longer have to fear their lives."

She pulled away with a gasp, hands falling to rest upon his biceps as she gazed up at him with hope filled eyes. "Really?!"

His heart clenched painfully but steeled himself against the want to take back his own words. "That blade was created to end my life with the amount of poisons mixed into it. The night I came across him and the assassin speaking I was nicked by it not being within the prince's hand but the cloaked man's. I fell seriously ill afterwards, no cure or physician had hope of returning my health to me. He begged for entrance into the palace once hearing of my quickly ailing health though I had the ban in place and decided to listen to what he had to say so long as several secretly placed guards were in place to prevent any attack he might have planned. What I did not expect was how he presented the very same blade that had stolen from me my health and begged me to plunge it instead into his breast."

Her lips parted then clamped shut with horror when noting how his gaze shone brightly with self loathing.

"I still valued our friendship, though it was clear that it had been nothing but a means to an end for the emperor, and refused." His jaw clenched tight enough a vein to appear within his temple. "He would not accept my choice and attempted to force me to use the blade but the moment he had released his hold once placing the hilt within my palm I instead used the same hand he'd used to plunge it into my own chest."

As if to prove his words, the scar that was on his chest where the blade had been became a raw red and oozed blood that slowly trickled down his chest as a hiss of pain slipped up his throat. She was deterred from acting or speaking by a slight shake of his head and both watched as the wound that had just opened slowly resealed itself just when the young woman inwardly swore she could see his beating heart. The blood that had already dried on his skin faded until only the scar remained.

A clenched fist collided with the side of the bath's inner wall, creating a small crater, but the young woman didn't flinch as the man before her trembled. "I was not deaf to the cries of my people as famine and drought drove them to the brink of starvation, I did what I could to ease their suffering, but as pharaoh it is our duty to carry the weight of the empire on our shoulders. The land is a reflection of our health; if we are ailing, the crops with wither, when we become angered the god rain down wrathful torrential storms. For as long as the royal family have been seated upon the throne, it has occurred in this way. I wished for death so that another could take my place as pharaoh since my reign was ending in such failure yet I could not allow him to be the one to do so. I will never forget the feeling of the cold blade slipping between my ribs. I assumed he was cursing me as we fell to the floor but it is now clear to me that he was cursing himself. Even now I can still hear him begging for my forgiveness as guards rushed to my aid while several others spoke of attacks occurring all across the empire."

Anzu's hands rose to press against her lips as his words were taken over by short quick breaths that were testimony to the rush of memories surely plaguing his being. Mahad had gone on to explain how through his research he discovered that the Chinese prince had indeed placed a curse upon the dagger, one that if removed the descendants of his line would suffer the consequences of their family's betrayal to the pharaoh of Egypt by paying with their blood. So deep was the prince's remorse of being used as the emperor's pawn in his political game that he cursed his own bloodline. So the coma state she found him in was because of the poisons and the curse working together in a strange way?

Modern era speaking it had been an impossible feat for her to save someone who should have perished due to the blade in the first place yet somehow she had.

During her stay here in this ancient city had taught her that magic really existed all those centuries ago. How else could one explain the mighty gryphon that kept her company when she wasn't with the pharaoh or the other beasts that she'd seen? The food she had tasted, water she'd sipped, everything in this place was alive with magic that the modern world had forgotten it once had. Her fair skin has suffered a bit of a sunburn at first but now she sported a tan worthy enough to make any model jealous and the lacking muscles that she'd had were now honed from all the walking and secretive dancing that she'd taken up since there had been little else to do. The spark that had been her love of the active had become rekindled and filled her once more with the same elation that had once been apart of her childhood self.

In one particular way, she'd grown much more than the young woman had ever expected: her heart had grown fond of a certain someone not this time. She sought him out without thought or care, nearly attaching herself to his side whenever possible while earning smirks or small smiles as they conversed about anything and everything. His gentleness, kindness, quick wit, and honorable tendencies whenever they took a moment to rest by playing a game he recommended had the young woman swooning before she'd even realized it herself.

Doom fell on her like a heavy cloud. "When you say that you found a solution…" Her pupils shrank to match the size of needle heads as he slowly met her gaze. He couldn't honestly be suggesting what she thought, was he?! "You can't be serious!"

He instantly heard the note of despair within her voice and though the pharaoh wished to assure her he couldn't bring himself to do so knowing it may be the only available option. "Anzu-"

"If you think I'm just going to stand by and watch as you off yourself, you've got another thing coming!"

His calloused hands took gentle but firm hold of her wrists as she made to stand, effectively preventing her from moving away from him. The pharaoh had every intent of releasing her once everything had been said if she would listen. "Please listen to what I have to say. I cannot stress this enough that I am willingly making this choice."

"Choice?! Do you have any idea what you're suggesting?!" Her body thrashed against his hold, attempting to break it as renewed sorrow threatened to rip her heart in two. "I won't just sit by and watch you commit suicide!"

"Enough innocent blood has been spilled, Anzu, I tire of being used by the curse."

She wailed loudly as hot scorching tears threatened to burn her skin as they spilled down her cheeks. "Why should you have to sacrifice yourself again? Tell me, pharaoh, how is that fair?!"

"Life is not fair to anyone, you know this yet I must remind you of that fact. You yourself have learned fate is often cruel and I do not see another way that would allow the prince's defendants to live without fear of their lives from their ancestor's mistakes." The ancient pharaoh released one of her hands to snap his fingers, the bathhouse disappearing in the blink of an eye that was replaced by his chambers, and took hold of her chin so that her teary gaze would meet his own. Even though his emotions were threatening to run rampage he still kept his tone level even in the face of her despair as she openly wept.

The coming horizon that would bring about his departure was bittersweet upon learning of the curse's possible pacification. If he had been alone, he would have long ago done what was necessary to prevent any lives to be taken. Yet his heart had been greedy and had practically attached itself to the brunette woman as if she herself were its sole purpose of beating. So overwhelmed by its emotions that he'd had little time to resist its gravitational pull to Anzu Mazaki.

Atem, the ancient pharaoh, wielder of power bestowed by the gods and victim of 'Yami no Borogue', had not only fallen from grace to kneel before the young woman who revived him.

"Only with my demise can you return home to where you belong."

"Home is not a building but the people within it whom care for you though you may not be blood and I never want to go back to that place because I know that no love waits for me there!" She shook her head in fervent refusal. "I want to stay here, with you, I don't care anymore about returning!"

Her words rang loudly within his ears, echoing in a similar matter that a few songs she'd played for him from the electronic device she called a "cellphone", each time it reverberated through his being brought with it sensations that were unlike any he'd ever experienced. The protests of his mind and morals grew quiet as the pounding of his heart grew louder as if to spur him to answer her declaration. Jaw tendons grew tight as he attempted to muster the strength to remove himself from her embrace and bit the flesh of his lower lip when nothing in his body responded to the silent commands he gave it. "Anzu…" he whispered as she held onto him tighter, the temperature in the minimal space between them rising with each shared breath they shared.

"If this is nothing more than you trying to repay the life debt between us then say so now. Say that you're doing all this just for some silly repayment and that you feel nothing towards me." She said slowly with quivering lips.

Rejection threatened to fill her when he didn't answer but it was held off by his hands clinging to her much smaller being with an increasingly tight grip. The tears spilling down her cheeks stalled along with her breath as his pained gaze met her own when he didn't continue. She couldn't imagine the raging war going on within the man as he visibly trembled, fingers flexing then relaxing upon her being as if they didn't know whether to pull her closer or push her away. As a ruler he had probably attempted to distance himself to prevent her from developing feelings, which would have been how the old version of herself preferred to not attach herself to anyone or anything, but the one thing neither of them took into consideration was that they both owned hearts.

Some would say that the human heart is weak in its frivolous and often fleeting emotions. Greed, jealousy, even hatred were deemed unfitting when displayed or allowed to be indulged. It was a often declared unnecessary to the human race's survival being it was often exploited by those who sought to strengthen themselves by exerting power over those deemed lesser through means of back alley treachery or silver tongued lies heavily battered in flattery like a decadent dish. No matter how hard those individuals tried though at least once in their lives have their hearts momentarily taken them along the path they least traveled upon.

Had she expected the plane to crash? As if any sane person would wish that upon themselves. Falling into the quicksand that could have been the death of her was definitely not apart of the plan she had and finding herself within an ancient burial ground surrounded by corpses was obviously the scare of her life. Surviving alone with a falcon for a companion while treading through the dark by the light of her cell was not her idea of a vacation either. It wasn't that she never listened to it, that wasn't the case at all, the voice of her heart had become so quiet and listless that at first she hadn't realized it was speaking in the first place until it had become so loud that she could do nothing but follow its lead.

His head shook ever so gingerly, as if afraid to dislodge her hold upon him by the slightest movements, one arm lowering to wrap around her slim waist while the other's fingers caressed the young woman's jawline. "Forgive me, Anzu, for I cannot lie for your sake nor mine-"

In one smooth motion, with eyes clenched shut, she rose high upon her tiptoes and silenced him by sealing her lips over his for the time span of a heartbeat when sensing a "but" hanging on the end of his sentence. It was fleeting and quick yet it had conveyed more than words ever could as her hand rose to trail slender fingers across his shock filled features as cerulean fluttered open to meet ruby pomegranate. Even the flames of the nearby hearth that was meant to stem off the chill of night suddenly felt cold as she gasped. Her body molded against his own, not caring in the slightest that the still stamp clothing she wore instead chose to cling to his figure as if drawn in by his warmth. "Then say something else," she whispered in a tone that earned a catch of his breath and the firm chest hers was flush against to hitch mid breath, "or show me if you can't find the words."

No answer came from the stoic faced man and she was suddenly stabbed with the cold blade of fear.

What if he doesn't feel the same?

Humiliation filled her as she took a step away, effectively removing herself from his hold while biting back tears and turning away so that her back was towards him. Here she was throwing herself at him without taking into consideration of his feelings! What the heck was wrong with her?! "I'm so sorry," she croaked, "you must have had a princess or consort of some sort that you liked way back when. I don't want to step on her toes or make you feel as though you owe me anything." Even coming out of her own mouth those words caused an invisible knife to twist within her chest. Stupid, stupid, stupid, she chastised herself while taking several steps towards the hearth in hopes of chasing away the sudden chill of self loathe.

Unbeknownst to the young woman, the figure in the center of the room had remained rooted to the spot where she had left them, their expression flashing between several different emotions that they were too quick for one to recognize. Calloused fingers clenched into fists then relaxed in time with the twitch in his lip or brow. This silence was new between them, heavy even, but it wasn't from uncomfortableness or denial.

"I'm going to go read that scroll again in the morning to see if I can find anything else that might give us a clue because I'm not going to let you just off yourself-" The surprised squeak that rose up her throat when hands fell upon her shoulders was silenced as she was spun around and firm lips enclosed themselves over her own. Anzu's wide cerulean shone brightly with shock until they slowly drifted closed as his hold on her shifted so that one of his hands cradled the side of the young woman's neck so that his fingers could tilt her head in whatever direction he chose, drawing her being against his own.

Electricity sparked within their veins as the blood within quickened. Fine hairs across both their beings rose in response to the new rush of emotions that rumbled like thunder. Endorphins and other hormones spread from their hammering hearts as if a wildfire had been birthed, causing skins that had just dried from the hot spring's water to become moist once more with the barest hint of sweat that threatened to form as the pair were nearly lost to the throughs of passion when instinct caused both to move their joined lips in a slow dance old as time itself.

The need for oxygen caused their mouths to part all too soon for their liking. Her lips remained pursed as if begging for more as she blinked up at him with doe wide eyes. Words and voice both abandoned the girl as did her breath when his darkened gaze met her own. Never had she seen this look on him before but it made a thrill slip down her spine that threatened to make her shiver.

His hand resting upon her neck applied the lightest of pressures that earned a tilt of her head in its desired direction which caused their lips to better align as shifting ruby shards within his gaze darkened farther and cerulean became hooded as the warmth of his breath caused her cheeks to tint rose. Neither could find the strength to look away from the other, as if they had been caught in a shared trance that was the other's gaze, their uneven breaths soon finding familiar synchronized rhythm as the nearby hearth's blaze cast the pair in its golden glow. The clinging moisture from the hot spring bath nearly evaporated into steam from the rising temperature of their bodies as instinctual need rushed to the forefront of their consciousness that was manifested by the slow dilation of their pupils.

"There was none of whom you speak," he whispered while trailing the tip of his nose along the length of her own and resting his forehead against hers, "I am unversed with matters such as these."

A soft giggle caused her lips to twitch in the corners. "Sometimes it's best not to think at all since it's the heart that takes the lead with emotions." One of her hands rose to the nape of his neck where slender fingertips lightly teased the fine hairs they found, earning a suppressed deep throated hum from the pharaoh as his arm found the curve of her waist and effectively brought their forms flush against his lean figure. "I don't know what I'm doing either if that makes you feel any better," Anzu sheepishly looped her arms around his neck to bring him back down and within her reach to tease his lips with her own, "so whaddya say we explore it together?"

Lips firmly meeting her own, earning a soft sigh from both, was the only answer she needed. The annoying voice of doubt that had risen disappeared with each shared breath between them and pulled away reluctantly after what felt like an eternity with fair cheeks stained dark red. Their chests rose then fell in unison with quick breaths yet neither could fight the smiles that raised their lips as relief and elation took root.

Fondness filled him as she leaned into his embrace, quickly altering his hold as she wobbled dangerously, then swept the young woman up into his arms; one cradling the bends of her knees while the other wrapped protectively around her shoulders as her head bobbed with exhaustion clear as day within her features. He placed her within his own bed with careful movements so as to not disturb the dozing brunette and took a moment to brush his lips that were still tingling from their kisses against her temple. Her hand lashed out to take hold of his upper arm that gave a hearty tug, earning a startled grunt from him as he fell beside her, a deep chuckle rumbling within his chest as she snuggled herself against him.

Dang it, Anzu, pull yourself together! You just freakin' kissed him and he kissed you back! Now is not the time to be checking into 'LaLa Land'!

She inwardly shook herself in hopes of fighting off the growing haze slowly creeping within her vision. "I'm alright," she groaned, jaw popping loudly as a wide yawn forced them apart, "I wanna talk more about those scrolls…and…" Masculine sandalwood and warm amber filled her being with each breath she took. It was hard enough to form a coherent thought with her eyelids drooping like they were and now here she was about to drift off completely thanks to this smell? Where was it coming from? Like a weighted blanket, it fell over her tired and aching being that begged for slumber and it was as her ear met the place where a heart beat strongly beneath his toned chest that she realized the source: him. "…I'm not gonna…give up…"

He sympathetically pet the top of her chocolate brown hair as his expression became one of concern when her sentences became choppy. "Many things have occurred in the last day, Anzu, If you are weary then you must rest."

The slight vibrations of his deep baritone voice against her nearly carried the young woman off to dreamland, the silk like smoothness of his tone much softer than the sheets beneath them, but she couldn't let herself drift off now when things were still left hanging in the air. "…but…"

It was clear to him now that a bit more persuasion would be needed for the young woman to give herself over to slumber, though her hold on consciousness was obviously slipping already. All she needed was a little push. A tilt of his hand caused her head to rise just high enough off his chest that he could reach and earned a breathy moan as his lips descended upon her own. The hand that had been petting the top of her head drifted downwards until it was gently massaging the tight tendons of her neck, her back arching slightly as another moan sounded. His other hand that had fallen to rest on her waist slipped downwards where it too began to slowly massage the sensitive flesh of her hip. He parted from her lips when feeling the tension leave her body after several motions of his fingers working upon her being and felt self satisfaction fill him when spotting her slumbering soundly. "I wish you pleasant dreams," he whispered softly into her ear while settling into a comfortable position so her head rested within the junction of his neck and shoulder and enclosing her within a protective embrace, "rest knowing I am here."

Something firm met the top of his head, drawing his attention upwards where he found Wasiaaslama watching with what could be identified as a smug expression then directed the pharaoh's gaze to the nearby balcony where a lighting sky could be seen. The mighty beast softly clicked its beak while settling beside the bed, nestling its large head within the curve of her back, its rough purr filling the air as its eyes drifted closed. Bandages covered the gryphon's right side where several light wounds had been but the wing joint that had been strained looked to be back in place as it too drifted off into sleep.

Ebony hair met the feather filled pillow as his gaze rose to the ceiling, fingers absentmindedly tracing faint patterns across the young woman's slumbering form. Sleep has evaded him despite his best efforts since awakening. Every night, once seeing that Anzu had found slumber, he spent the darkened hours either buried within the texts left behind by his people or training within the courtyard with a few of the guards. He couldn't answer the question of how long it had been since he tried and even now with the scent of candied peaches in his nose courtesy of the brunette nestled within his hold the sweet release of sleep still evaded him like a flickering firefly hovering just out of reach. Ruby pomegranate drifted closed as he matched his breathing to her own. The closest he had come to unconsciousness was deep mediation and it would do him good to better prepare what was to come.


Chao for now! See you next time!