A/N: Finally! After so many days of being locked up in my room with nothing to do but study! Nah, still studying but decided to take a break before I go nuts. Anyway, yes, I'm back, and no, no one killed me. Our quarterly exams start tomorrow so I have to study but I've been studying for the past days (I think). I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people who sent their reviews especially Yami Val (glad you're back so fast), Toxic Hathor (hey, girl) and dragonlady222.

I'll try my best to update frequently since our break starts next week but I'm not making any promises. On with the story…

Chapter 5: Healing Wounds

"I'm sorry Seth," Atemu breathed and turned away, only to cry in pain as an arrow shot pass the curtains and hit him square on his upper abdomen.

"Atemu!" Seth exclaimed in alarm as he caught his fallen cousin, watching in horror as blood stained the pharaoh's robe.

"GUARDS!" he shouted.

"Seth?" Atemu asked, his voice raspy and laced with pain.

"Shh… Atemu, everything will be alright, I promise," Seth assured him. Although he, himself, wasn't convinced with his words.

"I will, just stay with me," Atemu managed to say before he blacked out and fell limp in the other's arms.

"Has the assassin been caught?"

"Who could have ordered for the pharaoh's death?"

"His majesty is in danger."

"How did this assassin get through the palace walls?"

Seth ignored the voices from outside his cousin's room and took the other's hand, grasping it ever so tightly, as if it was a way to comfort the other in his pain. He was a mess, confused and disarrayed, and idly, he wondered when it started.

As far as he was concerned, there was not a time when he had to pause and think rationally if he was going to hurt his cousin. He can barely the time when he had to worry his head off whenever his little rascal of a cousin get bruises or scrapes his knee.

Until now, of course. It was wrong, a taboo in a community that allowed homosexuality. It was incest, and was an unforgivable sin. Lusting after one's cousin—lusting after the pharaoh when you are a priest is an unimaginable act. But did it matter to him?

Seth sighed. Not anymore. This wasn't lust. This wasn't pure unquenched desire, or a rampage of hormones. No, it was a silly thought but he knew both by heart and mind now.

He was falling in-love with his cousin.

No wonder Atemu's words stung when he said that he was sorry. Did Atemu really regret kissing him? Was it just a mistake? But he felt the other respond to the kiss. He felt that brief harmony between their souls, did Atemu feel it, too?

Seth watched his cousin, caressing the fair face, delighting in the way the other seemed to inch towards his finger unconsciously. Atemu was beautiful, he was incomparable and for the record, his cousin, that little rascal he used to loathe for being such a goody two-shoes, was a demigod. He was perfect.

More reason to love Atemu. Of course he understood that the other would only ignore his feelings. Of course he knew the other would just stare at him in shock when he (if ever) finally admits what was going on with him. A relationship with someone like Atemu seemed impossible.

Long ago, Seth would rather kill himself than to admit that his cousin was a good leader. Long ago, he would jump off a building rather than to confess that he was—and is still—greatly concerned with Atemu's welfare (even if it wasn't that apparent). He would even choose fighting a band of thieves alone, without any weapon, than to admit that the other was beautiful.

By Ra, he couldn't imagine himself thinking about his cousin all the time and wondering what the other would think. He couldn't, by all means, act as a lovesick weakling.

But that was a long, long time ago. If love was a weakness, then it would be his one weakness, he told himself.

Don't get him wrong, he was the toughest priest in the land, one of the most powerful men in Egypt (second to the Pharaoh) and dangerous. He was often admired, of course, by some who seemed to bypass his rather arrogant and commandeering behavior among the citizens. But it was safe to say that it didn't matter to him, not then, not ever.

And why is he thinking like this? He should be thinking about who plotted the failed assassination. He should be talking with the other priests and see what needs to be done. By that, the blue-eyed priest rose from his seat and gently dropped Atemu's hand as he headed for the door.

Come to think of it, he should be outside and increasing the security, alarming the—

"Seth?"

Seth paused and turned around, seeing his cousin barely holding himself up. "Atemu, you should get your rest, you're wounded," he reprimanded, like a mother would to her stubborn child.

Atemu smiled at his cousin, "But you promised you'd stay with me, you promised," he answered, pouting childishly as he laid back, wincing at the sudden movement.

"You lost a lot of blood with your wound, Atemu," Seth informed him. Atemu closed his eyes, "Yes, I can feel it. I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," he whispered. His mind refused to operate and come up with meaningful topics to discuss.

Seth sighed again before sitting beside his pharaoh again, "Don't worry, Atemu. You're our pharaoh, and it is our duty to always protect you. I should be the one apologizing," he said.

"Seth, about the kiss…"

Seth frowned at the sudden change of topic. Not that topic. Does Atemu regret it then? What if he does? What would he do? Rejection stung. "I'm…" the priest stuttered, which was quite a first for him.

Atemu smiled at his cousin, "You stuttered," he said in amazement, no hint of mock or teasing in his voice.

"So I did," Seth answered, coughing slightly to get his words out, "About the kiss, Atemu…"

"Don't worry, I forgive you," Atemu replied, tugging at the other to come nearer. Seth promptly followed the order until he was only inches away from his cousin.

Seth's heart was practically racing so fast he could even hear it pounding on his chest as he draw near. Atemu, with that angelic smile of his, pulled him closer and left a quick peck on his lips.

"There, now we're even," Atemu said.

"Your majesty, you're awake!" Shimon suddenly entered, interrupting the two as Seth immediately stood up and straightened his still not ruffled clothes, "His majesty awoke a few minutes ago," the priest told the advisor.

"That's splendid! Should I call on your fellow priests?" Shimon asked, enthusiastic that the monarch was now awake. It had shaken him to the core when he found out what happened to the young pharaoh. Ra knows what he'd do to himself if the other was gravely harmed.

Seth, needing the time to calm himself down, nodded and suggested that he call his co-priests. Shimon, delighted enough to ignore the other, promptly agreed and went back to checking if Atemu was feeling fine.

Seth closed the door to his cousin's room gently and leaned on it. Why was he acting this way? It was only a kiss! Okay, a peck on the lips but still…

Long slender fingers reached up to touch the lips that were kissed. Kiss or no kiss, it felt good, he concluded.

Perhaps it was time for him to court the other? He couldn't take it anymore. He wanted his cousin. He wanted Atemu to belong to him.

His mind decided, he composed himself and walked away to look for the other priests, who were still investigating how the assassin managed to enter and escape without any trouble.

"Rabelais!"

"Yes, master?" A tall, slender figure appeared and bowed in respect, waiting patiently for orders. His master rose from his seat and faced him, charcoal eyes darkening with anger or some other emotion he couldn't identify.

"Have my horse prepared. I'm going to pay someone a visit," he said.

Rabelais bowed again, "As ordered, master," he answered and left.

Ranmen scowled at the thought. He was losing and his chances were decreasing. Something must be done. He could always turn to the dark lord, it was an option, but not now.

He watched Rabelais walked away and follow his orders and he had to scowl deeper. Rabelais always resembled someone he wanted to kill. That tall, slender, blue-eyed priest… what was his name?

High Priest Seth.

That priest would die, he thought to himself, and Atemu would be his to claim for eternity.

Atemu frowned in annoyance as everyone practically babied him the entire day as if he wasn't capable of getting the glass of water that was beside him, or even stand up to pick a pillow that fell.

"Shadi, Karimu, I'm fine!" he exclaimed, glaring at the two priests as they stare back at him, knowing that the monarch wasn't actually angry, merely pissed off.

"Are you sure you're—" Karimu attempted to ask.

"Say 'fine' and I'm going to make sure you're going to regret ever knowing that word," Atemu threatened.

Shadi laughed at Karimu, who glared at his fellow priest and before someone could even prevent it, they began bickering and laughing until Atemu scowled at them and told them to fetch his cousin.

Seriously, why was everyone fussing over him like some fragile porcelain doll?

"Atemu?"

"Seth! I missed you. Shadi and Karimu were annoying," Atemu said to his cousin, not noticing how the other would steal glances at him appreciatively.

"They always are annoying, Atemu," Seth managed to answer. Atemu shook his head, "Those two will never learn," he replied.

Silence.

"Seth?"

"Hmm?"

Atemu stared at his cousin, finally noticing the other's uncharacteristic silence. "Is something wrong? Was there something I did that offended you?" he asked uncertainly. He didn't know what went wrong.

Seth sighed and looked away. He desperately wanted to tell the other now. But what if—

"Seth?"

Seth closed his eyes, mind making up a decision. This was it. "Atemu, will you grant me permission to court you?" he asked, "I know I'm your priest and that we're cousins and—"

"It would be an honor, Seth," Atemu replied.

Seth hugged his cousin tight and kissed him full on the lips, frowning slightly when the other hugged him tighter. What's going on?

"Atemu?"

Before he knew it, Atemu began sniffing, "I know… I know… but I can't… I couldn't… I wouldn't know what to do if… if…"

"Atemu, what are you talking about?" Seth asked, thoroughly confused.

"I said, I want to be with you. I just don't know if it would work out. And it's not about our ranks, or positions, or pasts. I'm not ready, Seth."

Seth smiled at his cousin, embracing him and offering comfort, "Is that what's bothering you? You should know by now that I'd wait for you even for an eternity."

Atemu smiled back, "You'd do that?"

"Of course."

"You're really romantic, Seth, even if you are an ass most of the time," Atemu teased. Seth laughed and lightly kissed the other, "Just for you."

It was a blissful moment, true. But they made a mistake to ignore the danger reality imposed on them. Their love was a blend of illusion and reality. And it would require a sacrifice, like before.

A/N: Rabelais, actually, is a French surname but bear with me. I'm having a difficult time making up names and such. Rabelais is the surname of Francois Rabelais, a famous French writer during the Renaissance period. Sorry, guys, I guess I got the hang on history again.