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Chapter Seven
A Rude Awakening

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When Kisara awoke, the only thing she was really aware of was the obvious fact that it was dark…real dark. She slowly blinked a few times and tried sluggishly to move; only to discover she was held fast. Confused, she closed one eye, then the other, hardly able to keep either open. Kisara was so tired. She would have dozed off again right then and there, despite her uncomfortable position propped up against a cold gritty wall, would have, that is, until a sharp voice, surprisingly close, barked, "Change of guard!"

Kisara shook her head slightly and forced her eyes open (apparently the buggers had closed while she wasn't looking) and willed her brain to clear, a task hard to do when one was as dizzy and sleepy as she. She couldn't make out much from the dark; there were four walls, each as cold, gritty and most defiantly solid as the one she leaned upon; and then there was a wooden door with what looked like a metal plate near the top. The metal slid away to let in a stream of killer bright light, about a few feet to Kisara's left. She squinted with the sudden brightness, but after a few moments was able to see much more clearly; thus leaving her able to dimly recognize where she was. A prison cell? The light almost completely vanished as a shadowed head blocked the rays.

She watched; a bit annoyed, as the eyes adjusted themselves to the dark and began to scan the room, stopping when they found her. "All clear," The voice was different now, but still loud, "Prisoner is secure." Damn that loud annoying voice; it resounded in her head like wickedly sharpened knifes, each on a crash-course for her brain.

Kisara shuffled slightly, trying to move her hair so she wasn't sitting on it, a task hard enough in itself without the added complications of bound hands. While she was on a condemning spree she might as well damn her hair as well, it was long, hot and sticky from blood. She grimaced. Yikes, she must really need a bath…

The door creaked open and completely flooded the little room with light. Kisara pressed as close as she could to the limestone wall, only to have her healing scabs become further irritated by its gritty texture. A tall, confident looking man passed through the doorway, followed by a few others, all in uniform. She instantly recognized the man as the royal guard who'd handled her so callously. Her eyebrows furrowed and she gave him a hard stare, to which, he smiled.

"So it seems our desert mouse has finally awoken." He turned to the uniformed man nearest him, "What's it been now, a day?" The man nodded in the affirmative and the confident one chuckled humorlessly. "You must be ever so thirsty. Hungry perhaps?"

Damn him too for having mentioned it, notifying her to her parched throat and ravenous hunger. Kisara nervously swallowed and tried to force out a retort, but, nothing came forth to aide her. Oh but if her throat didn't feel like it was clogged with sand!

The lead guard's smile tilted cruelly, "Hmm, I thought so. It's too bad you aren't going to be getting anything."

Kisara balked. Were they planning on starving her? No she'd die of thirst for sure.

"At least not until you've answered a few of our questions." His smile vanished.

"Why were you with the Thief Lord?"

Thief Lord? Who the hell was that!? No, not a time for questions, Kisara told herself, answer him, answer him! Her voice cracked hoarsely as she spoke, "Who?" Brilliant.

The guard sneered and took a menacing step forward, "Not a good answer for someone in your predicament."

Kisara felt like she was going to be sick. She was still dizzy, and fatigue from lack of nutrition and sunlight was taking its toll. Kisara felt like the living dead, and was positive she looked the part as well. She was a bit hesitant to open her mouth, for fear whatever it was she'd last consumed would come back to greet her…so she stayed quiet, and looked away. Yet, something clicked at the before mentioned name, vaguely so, but still. A moment was all she would have needed to fully recall, but then:

The lead guard closed the distance between them with a few terse strides and grabbed a hold of her hair roughly, inducing a startled yelp from Kisara. "You'd better answer me."

Kisara's last drop of defiance had long since evaporated, so she said meekly, "I..." Kisara paused to swallow away the sand-clog, "I don't know….I-I can't remember…" The guard snarled and raised his hand to strike the pale woman.

There was a movement behind the guards, and a new person stepped forth, saying as he did, "Takhor? What are you still doing here?" He was dressed in while linen and had peculiar markings on his face. Yes, the Royal Priest, Shada. The priest's eyes widened slightly at the sight of Kisara, but he nevertheless kept his attentions secure on Takhor, who was frozen mid-strike.

Takhor didn't immediately turn around; he uttered a few choice words under his breath first, then about-faced, letting go of Kisara's hair as he did so and letting his hand fall to his side.

He lowered himself to one knee while he said, "Lord Priest, this prisoner's hair…" He paused; thinking of the words he needed. Shada arched an eyebrow and looked over at Kisara, who was rubbing her head staring at Takhor like he was mad. But, indeed, her hair was a shade that he had never seen before…

"Go on." Shada said, looking again at Takhor, who said, "Yes, well, I was thinking that, because of her associations with Akifa…"

Shada interrupted, "The Thief Lord? What does she know of him?"

"I haven't gotten the opportunity to ask her-"

Shada cut in yet again, "And it's good you didn't."

Takhor looked up at Shada, knowing what he was going to say.

"It's the priest's duty to interrogate any persons with relations to Akifa."

Takhor sighed, "Yes, but first, I want her hair cut, no," He smirked to himself, "removed."

Shada blinked in mild surprise at the Lead guard's unnecessary and unusual punishment; and was about to refuse, then, thought better. If this girl was indeed a thief herself, it would be far too easy to hide weapons or other tools in the matted mane. He looked over her frame; there wasn't much she could hide there; her clothes were naught but rags. Strange fabric too… Oh but he had no choice, he had to do what was safest.

"Very well." He said, "Let her hair be removed."

Kisara looked at him, begging him silently to reconsider. She wasn't a thief! She knew no 'Thief Lord'! Why, oh why was she being punished this way? "For safety." He said, though, he was unsure as to whether it was to console her or himself.

Takhor stood, and Shada was about to leave, when the priest said, "Make sure you get her a change of clothes." And he left.

Takhor signaled to one of the guards, and the guard, rather on the bulky side, promptly handed his superior a knife. Kisara shivered with fright and closed her eyes as Takhor approached, his smile a wicked one.

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In another city, not too far away, Akifa cursed himself for his stupidity. He should have known those rats would have betrayed him. But then again, how could he have? He grumbled and took another large bite out of the loaf of bread he was eating. It wasn't the greatest, but it was the best you were going to find at this nowhere tavern.

And that girl…He wondered where she was. He mentally shrugged; swallowing. She's probably dead by now anyway. The thought irked him, oddly enough. Peh; whatever. It's her own damn fault for….for what? Akifa thought, but he couldn't recall anything she'd done wrong to deserve anything like being taken by those soldiers….save for being seen with him.

Oh no, here's where the guilt would come in, and he wanted no damn part in it. So with a snort and a gulp of whiskey he threw some gold at the tavern owner and stalked out to clear his head (a bit hard to do after a few shots of whiskey, dear).

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Shada had returned to the throne room, his mind troubled. That prisoner didn't seem like a thief to him; in fact…she seemed quite the opposite, angelic almost…Had he made the right choice? Isis was looking at him with a mild concern, but he took no notice.

It was silent in the room, as it usually was, wait…no it wasn't. The room was usually filled with sound of arguing, coming mostly from the oh-so-innocent Priest Seth. Shada looked around, where was he anyway? A second glace found yet another missing priest. Where was Mahado?

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To answer him, they were currently in the back of a wagon filled with hay, bouncing ever-so-kingly down a crowded city marketplace. After having their horses stolen, they'd been left no other choice but to return to the palace. However, this just happened to be the only free cross-desert transportation available, as they both don't normally take their purses out to inspect burned barns, and they'd traded their jewelry for a new horse for Mahado. What a waste.

Mahado was as far away from Seth as he could manage with the wagon so small (as it was fit to a single mule). Who would want to be close to the priest? Seth looked like he would murder the first person to come within a foot of him.

His lips were curled in a silent snarl, one of his knees bent with his arm slung over it, the fist gripping the fabric of his pant leg roughly, the other leg dangled over the edge of the wagon bed, while his other arm supported him, the fist attached clutching a bunch of loose hay. The top of his hat was piled with straw, and Mahado found it all very funny-looking, but considering the fact that he liked being alive, he managed to keep quiet for the duration of the ride about it.

When they arrived at the palace, there was whispering among the guards and even giggling among the servants as Seth and Mahado entered the courtyard through the front gates, covered with loose hay. They'd both wanted to have some dignity after their trip, and had thus made the wagon-driver pull over before reaching the actual palace. They'd also tried their best to knock as much straw from themselves as possible, though, Seth had forgotten about the pile on his hat, and Mahado was still keen on living, thus, nothing was mentioned as the noble priest stalked across the courtyard, his royal hat leaving behind a majestic trail of straw.

When they both burst into the throne room, Mahado was making sure to stay well behind Seth, dare the other priest see him turning blue from holding in laughter. "Your Majesty!" Seth cried upon entering, stepping proudly before Atem, the hay ever-present. "I bring great news!" Atem stared at Seth for a moment before stating, "You've got a pile of straw on your hat. What have you been doing?" Seth let his jaw hang slack for a moment before ripping the accessory of his head, hurling it at Mahado, who caught it, though just barely, and used it to hide his snickers

"Never mind! There's something you need to know." Atem straightened up in his throne, and listened intently as his hat-haired priest relayed Mahado's information about the ka tests. Atem looked grave, "Whomever this person is with Akifa must be considered an extreme threat." He paused, "And you say the other's ka was a white dragon?" Seth nodded in the affirmative.

Now, Shada had started thinking as soon as they mentioned evidence of a person accompanying Akifa, but things had clicked at the mention of the white dragon. He grimaced, so that girl then…she really was a criminal. And a powerful one too! He had to tell Atem. "Your Majesty!" He'd interrupted (not surprising coming from him anymore…), "We have just attained a new prisoner who was captured accompanying Akifa!" All in the room stared at Shada with varied looks of surprise. Atem; now leaning foreword on the throne, "And? Has he been interrogated yet?" Shada cringed, "No, she hasn't." It seemed bad to say, for the priests' reputation. How good would it look for them to have let a powerful acquaintance of Akifa go un-checked?

He could have hit himself. And with a ka that powerful, she must be incredibly dark; all the priests knew that the really powerful ka only spawned from evil souls. So why white? Bah, no time to think, they were all already heading down to the dungeons.

Kisara was crying softly, cradling the remains of her hair in her arms. Takhor and his minions had already left long ago, their task completed. Though, unfortunately for Kisara, they weren't the most graceful of hair-cutters. More than once the large, curved knife had slipped and cut her, and the random hacking of her beautiful tresses had left it botched and mangled. Sure her head was lighter, cooler, and a bit cleaner now that the blood-stained tatters were in her arms; but she felt naked without her long hair. For some reason she couldn't recall, her hair had always been an important reminder for her…of something…someone…

The sounds of many footsteps heading her way, and the newfound feeling of being naked and un-protected, had Kisara feeling like a cornered mouse with nowhere to escape. The door was opened. Her terrified blue eyes widened slightly, and filled with a strange relief when the first face she saw, however peeved it appeared, also contained blue eyes (and quickly-smoothed-down hat-hair). A rarity here, she'd discovered. The color was familiar, almost comforting.

The feeling was lost as others appeared in the doorway. She could recognize the priest from earlier, the one who'd ordered the removal of her precious hair. She glowered inwardly, and would have done so outwardly as well, had not a most powerful aura filled the room. It commanded respect and bled authority, this aura did. Kisara didn't like it; its presence made her want to rebel mulishly, fight its command. Something inside her refused to be tamed, while her conscious mind would have rolled over and danced had she been told to do so.

Shada lowered his eyes at the sight of the girl, whose face was bleeding, and who looked so very ugly without her hair. He couldn't help but feel slightly guilty, but, after a look from Atem, raised his gaze from the floor.

Mahado felt slightly for the piteous looking creature behind the door, and had to remind and steel himself that she was a dangerous ally of Akifa, not to be trusted or pitied.

Atem was worried, she did indeed have a power about her, though, he was unable to detect whether or not this power was a good thing, for them. He gave Shada a look, noticing the priest looking away, then said to Kisara, "You, you are acquainted with Akifa are you not?"

Kisara cringed at the way her white-haired savior's name was spoken; like it was poisonous. She immediately took upon a distinct dislike of this new powerful person, having no clue that he was, indeed, worshiped as a god, though she was smart enough to know he was a titled person (kinda hard to mistake…). "Yes, I know who he is."

It had taken her not very long to connect the dots. After all, she'd only been hanging around one person since she awoke in this strange world, who else could they have seen her with?

The others seemed to stiffen as she answered, as if all of them were either confirming the fact that this innocent-looking woman was indeed a threat, or, expecting some sort of attack; not to speak.

Atem nodded gravely, "Indeed. What's your name?"

She didn't take her eyes from the commanding person in front, though her eyes really wanted to scan the others, "First tell me yours!" She said with a tone that could only have been induced by Atem. She was starting to really, really hate this guy. But the thing is, she didn't quite know why. Partly it was the name thing. For some odd reason indignation had flared passionately when he requested her name without revealing his own. Like a long-abided policy being broken. She hated the fact that his aura blocked out the others, that it was so demanding, and the way that he acted like he was king of the friggin world. Little did she know, to all of the people outside her cell, he was.

"And the rest of you!" She said, letting her eyes finally glide over the other priests, "What are their names?" Her gaze lingered on the other pair of blue eyes, but only briefly before looking back to Atem, her defiance glass having been refilled in her conversation with the Pharaoh, and on the verge of overflowing.

Seth was outraged, "Preposterous! How dare you, a mere thief, order the Pharaoh about?" His voice was harsh, and Kisara's angry defiance briefly deflated to be replaced with hurt. She had thought, stupidly, that the other blue-eyed one would have some mercy towards her. Then her brain registered something other than the way he sounded, miraculously she managed to catch (at least part) of what he'd said.

She bristled with annoyance. Why the hell were they all so obsessed with thieves!? Sure, she'd come to terms with the fact that Akifa was a thief, but her? No. "I'm NOT a thief!"

Seth snorted, "Say whatever you like, not like it'll do you any good to lie."

Kisara paused, "What?" Were they going to kill her either way?

Atem stepped in at last, "Are you saying you know naught of the priest's abilities?" Surely if she was Akifa's accomplice, she'd know at least something of the priest's sennen powers. The white-haired scoundrel had faced them many times before.

"Priests? You're all priests?" Kisara looked them over; somehow, they didn't fit the image that came to mind where the holy people were concerned…

It was silent for a moment, and everyone was thinking it, when suddenly Karim said it, "She's delusional."

Kisara snorted, obviously offended, though no one paid her any mind.

Seth crossed his arms over his chest, "She's lying, obviously."

Seth smirked, "How about we refresh your memory?" His hand slipped behind his back, but Atem stopped any further movement with a quick gesture of his hand.

"Seth! Your help is not needed." He stared at Kisara then sighed, "I'm sorry, but we have to do what's necessary." He nodded at Shada and Karim and stepped back to let the two do what they did best.

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AN: Ha-ha! …crickets –sigh- Yes, I realize that that was a cruddy excuse for a cliffhanger…v.v please forgive. –beams- and review! That always helps! Gah! I've had this chapter written -forever-! I thought I posted it MONTHS ago! T.T I'm so sorry! For all of you that are still around, thank you! For those who've left...well, you've left so you aren't reading this anyway. XD! But, nonetheless: I understand. o.O I'd have abandoned myself too.