Hey everyone! Here's LiS chapter 5, sorry it's been so long in comming. This time, we'll find out who the myterious man was fom the last chapter and we'll also get some pleasent development on the illecit relationship betwen Seto and Atemu!
Don't forget to thell me what you think!
Atemu recolied at the unhinge sound of the man's frantic, illogical cackling. "Who are you!" he commanded. "Answer me at once!"
"I am the God of Helfire!" the man cried, laughing. "I am the geate mage Malik an I've come to warn you of a great evil that will soon fall over this land!"
The guards king and priest recoiled in shock. Such wild claims! Seto stepped forward, Rod in hand.
"Malik," he entoned. "It really is a pleasure. I understand you're god."
The guards gasped and Seto laughed. "At least, that's what you've said."
"Setesh" Malik hissed. "how good it is to se you again. How is youre army. And youre ass?" He smirked and his eyes flashed.
"Do not call me by that name!" Seto bellowed. Atemu drifted behind him, still flushed from the wine and, to be honest, set quit on edge by the entire exchange.
"Malik," he called, peering coyly from behind his cousin's cape. "What is this evil of which you speak?"
Malik leaned forwrd. "Aha. The little Phraoh emerges! Well your worship I've come to warn you that an evil is on the move! As yuo know I have...worked with the great thief king Akifa in the past. He is on the move again Phraoh. He is on the move and he is comming for you." Malik's gaze was locked with Atemu's and the Phraoh found himself unable to look away. Maliks face seemsd to strech and terror overcame Atemu but stil he could not look away.
Seto scoffed and pulled Atemu int oa protective embrase that the frail king settled into readily. "Peh! Thief 'king'! Nothing but a petty simpathiser for the trash in this country. He is of no concern."
Atemu clung to his cousin for dear life as the days events overwhelmed his heart. So many threats from all sides all at once...
The heavy door at the head of the stairs opened with a thud and Karimu's voice bellowed down the stairs in the stairwell. "My Pharaoh, Lord Seto, another letter has arrived! Lord Akunadin is deciphering it and requests your presence!"
"Oho, another love letter to the little phraoh?" Malik's lips curled back in terrible grin.
"HAVE HIM BEATEN!" Seto snapped to a guard. "feed him the scraps from your table. We'ill keep him for the time beeing." Seto led Atemu before him and urged the King up the stone staies; leaving Malik to the darkness.
Atemu followed his lover up the stairs and into the comparatively harsh light of the wide open palace exposed to the sun's livegiving rays. He smiled despite the burn in his eyes. His uncle may frighten him but his cousin gave him strength and protection.
Hand in hand, they waslked to the old priests chambers to find him hunched over an large document which he had spread over his worktable. He looked up at them from his work with contempt.
"My Pharaoh." Akuandin said curtly his voice low and sensuous. "I believe we have a perilous problem on out hands." He gave Seto a queer look. "DId you learn anythig from the prisoner?"
Atemu shuddered fitfully as the man's voice sent not entirely unpleasant tremors through him as he remembered there priot encounter. He pressed himself agaisnt Seto, whimpering softly in hopes of drawing comfort from his cousin.
"Some nonsense about the king of thieves," Seto scoffed. "I doubt he has sent the letters. He probably has trouble writing his own name."
Akuandin gave a great belly laugh. He looked up at the boys and grinned. "Most likely but he might have an accomplice. This letter was sent with a boy from Nubia; which means that we should focus our attentions to the East, as the letter-witer is obviously trying to decieve us."
Atemu nodded, stepping out from behind Seto in the attempt to regain some power in the situation. Seto made a grab for him, but he regrettingly stepped away.
"What manner of language is it written in that you must labor so?" he asked, looking down at the table.
"It is written in the language of the Millinnium Book." Akundsin replied in a flat voice. The revalation nearly made Atemu's heart stop. The Book!? He had always been forbidden to touch that Book!, warned that it was full of dark majiks. Perhapse Malik hadn't been lying - maybe there WAS someone out the get him!!
"Inconcivable!" Seto snapped as he seized the crackled and yellowed paper from the desk, scrutanizing it closely. there was a long, pregnant pause. Atemu waited with baited breath.
Seto set the letter back in place with a heavy, pained sigh as he pulled Atemu inot a warn embrase, stroking his crimson hair lovingly. "It is so," he murmured tenderly as Akunadsn stared at them. "I will arrange for the place to be patrolled post haste."
A patrol?" Akundasn asked ambigiously. "You overestimate your capacityes. Atemu is still underage." Akanadin paused and looked into the faces of the two boys. Atemu was embarassed, terrified and still lightheaded from the wine. he felt as if he would pass out right there. "It would be best for all of us if we sent our young Phraoh to a safe place away from here."
Atemu's eyes watered at the terrible thought. He could not stand to be away from home, away from Seto, at a time such as this!
"I will not have him sent away!" Set obellowed, pulling him closer.
Akundsn stood up abruptly and leaned in close to Seto. "Do not let your cock lead your decisions, boy! We need time to assess the enemy we're facing, and we need to devote every man to it. Especially our military leader." Akundsn commented pointedly, fiving Seto with a hard gaze.
"I am totally within my right mind!" Seto declared, sweeping Atemu up in his cape and holding him close. "Keep your distance. I am the high priest, and you are in my command."
Atemu's heart bettered against his rib cage like a mad bird confined to a gilded cage as Seto carried him out of the room.
"Seto," he whispered. "Do you know?"
"Who wrote the letter?" Seto said reprachfully. "I...have an idea, and I will not allow you to leeve my side untill I bring the culprite to Justice!" He hugged the smaller boy to his chest, and walked quickly back to his chambers.
"No one is to be allowed in." He snapped to the guard that had been posted at his door. Atemu found himself spread out on a luxirious bedspread from a far-away land and he reveled in it. He gave a small "eep" when Seto settled onto the bed next to him.
"You will sleep here for the night." He stated, a hard gaze in his eyes. "The dungeons are dirty. Would you like a bath befre you rest?" He stroked Atemu's hair gently, reassuringly.
"I truly would," Atemu pleaded as he rested a hot cheek against Seto's hand sighing. A soft tremer rattled his slender frame as he recalled his earlier bath.
Seto leaned over and kissed Atemu gently. "Then I'll have the attendents draw us a bath at once. Don't move. I'll be right back."
"Yes, Seto," Atemu saighed painfully.
He curled onto his side once Seto had gone to retrieve the servant; sobbing softly as his emotions won out over him common senses. "Gods..." he whimpered. "Why is all this happening now?"
Seto returned quickly, but held back for a moment in order to asses his cousin's distress. Feeling his stomach twist he, returned to the bed and drew the smaller boy agaonst his broad chest.
Atemu sobbed vehemently and clutched his cousin tightly. "It's all so awful!" he proclaimed, snivelling softly. "We can't be together always and some maniac is trying to assasinate me and... and... he..." The little pharaoh sobbed again, busying his face in Seto's chest.
Seto stroked the prostratiing Phraoh and frowned. "It...will be alright, my love. Our men are the best in the land and Mahaaho is the very best when it comes to ratting out secrets. We'll stop this fiend and you will remain by my side no matter what." He soothed.
Atemu's heart was set alight at those words. He found himself pressing closer against the tall man and sighing, his tears subsiding as he calmed. "It makes me so very happy to hear those words," he said softly. "to hear you call me your love."
"It feels so right to say them to you." Seto intoned, curling around the little boy. "My heart is like a fluttering bird in my chest and only the touch of your hands can calm it." He brushed back Atemu's pale tresses of hair and pressed a kiss to his heated forehead, invitng him into a deeper connection.
"Seto..." Atemu murmured, leaning into the kiss. "Stay with me tonight."
"Yes. Always. Every night now and in the Afterlife." Seto mummured against Atemu's lips, hands roming over the smaller one's lithe body and finding their fine robes very rough and constrictive obstacles.
Atemu's face flushed hotly as his cousin's hands explored him, squirming slightly. He looked up at the man with a soft sigh, eyes pleading.
"Take his stain away from me," the little pharaoh whispered. "Tongiht, I want to be yours."
"Then tonight, you shall be mine." Seto's hard eyes stared into his. Stared into his very heart, and at that moment, all of Atemu was laid bare to his eyes. He could see and understad the fear that resulted from being a child saddled with the reign of the whole world. He could see and understnd the fear that came from being at the mercy of not only a mysterious terrorist, but fear of harm that came from the very hands that had protected him for so long.
Seto held Atemu close. "May my body be taken by Ma'at this instant if my words are false: I swear, I will stay at your side, always."
"I love you, Seto," Atemu breathed practically going limp against the man as his lavender eyes fluttered closed. "So tired now..."
Seto smiled, watching his little cousin and God drift between the waking world and the world of darkness.
"Let Osiris guide you, my love." He repeated with a smile, stroking Atemu's cheek gently. "I will watch over you as you rest."
"After I've rested..." Atemu murmured with a coy smile snuggling close to his elder cousin. He did not finish the sentence, preferring to leave that up to Seto's mind.
Seto chuckled and kissed Atemu again, watching his face relax as he slipped into the realm of Aphophis. "When you are awake, I shall do as my Pharaoh requests." He said softly.
Don't forget to let me know waht you think! I promese I'll add the next chapter soon, since I'm on break starting tomorro!