Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot, the rest belonging to someone else who's very lucky and likely loaded. Anyway hope you enjoy and review cause I'd love to hear from ya.
I Dream of Egypt
The next day Rika called the hospital she knew Shadi had been taken to talk to someone about the strange man's condition. For some reason she felt like his condition was somehow her fault, no matter how silly that was. The nurse on call informed her that they hadn't yet figured out what had caused the man to collapse but that he was alive though very weak and unable to take visitors at this time. Thanking her Rika hung up the phone and wondered what to do with the rest of the morning before Seto's driver came as scheduled to pick her up to take her to his home. He'd called her last night to tell her that there was a change of plans and that he'd be working from his house if she wouldn't mind coming there for his lesson. She'd agreed and was more then a little nervous about it after yesterday's minutes of madness as she'd opted to call it. They'd stopped at kissing but her legs went all weak even just thinking about it. What she needed was to take her mind off of things, Rika decided with a look of determination. First she'd go down the street to the flower shop she'd noticed there and arrange to send Mr. Shadi some flowers and then she was going to come back and..and do something.
The fact that she couldn't decide what to do with herself after she got the flowers bothered her a bit but pushing it aside she put her shoes on and calling a good bye to her uncle headed out the door. Soon she was on her way down the street jogging for some exercise until she reached the flower shop. Walking in Rika smiled at the clerk and after walking around arranged for a mixed bouquet of bright and cheerful flowers to be delivered to Mr. Shadi's room. Once that was done Rika headed back out again and since she was already outside decided to go for a small walk. Walking for a good twenty minutes Rika came to a stop when she came across a large statue of a man sitting in a large chair looking down at the people walking by with an almost sinister look on his face. Feeling a headache coming on Rika closed her eyes and when she opened them winced when she realized that it was happening again, her sort of waking/sleep walking. Glancing back over to the statue Rika felt a wave of revoltion as she looked upon her half brother Rameses lounging in the chair of the pharaoh as though he had the right to be there since Yami was away. "You shouldn't be sitting there, Rameses. That is not your place in this room." Rika said as she sent him a cool look, her body and mouth doing as they chose even as her mind whirled with confusion. "That seat will never be yours to reside upon."
"Things change, my dearest sister." The man she somehow knew as Rameses said as he sent her a look that made her skin crawl. "And you are nothing more than a woman so don't forget your place. You belong on the floor kneeling at my feet, not telling me what I should and should not do. Such things as that could get you into a lot of trouble if you weren't careful."
"Is that a threat, Rameses? Do you think I fear you for some reason? Don't flatter yourself. I see what you are as clearly as if you were fresh water. If Yami were here you'd be off in your corner as usual, too afraid of him to even touch that chair without his royal permission. You think that because he's gone for a time you're suddenly all powerful? We both know that you could never rule even if you were given the chance. You're weak and pathetic, Rameses. You are your mother's puppet and plaything, nothing more. You can't even begin to achieve a sliver of the greatness our brother has and you know it."
"When I become pharaoh the first thing I'm going to do is cut out that serpent's tongue of yours then shove it down your mother's throat to choke on." Rameses snarled as he bolted from the chair, coming straight at her, intended violence in his eyes as Rika stood her ground, watching as he drew back his hand to slap her across the face.
"Most honorable, Princess." Came a voice from across the room and Rameses' hand stopped in midair as his head whipped around to stare as he and Rika watched Seto walking towards them in his priestly garbs. His eyes were as cold as a desert night, giving nothing away. "Forgive me for interrupting your conversation, Prince Rameses, but I was sent by the pharaoh to bring his daughter to him. It's important apparently and Latoya wishes her to come immediately since her father needs his rest." He knew that Rameses had been about to strike his princess as well as the fact that Rameses feared the power of the High Priest. As well he should. Seto would think nothing of striking the contemptible snake down for daring to attempt Princess Ri harm. He knew he would face no punishment for his actions from the pharaoh but would have done so regardless of the consequences. There was nothing he despised more than Prince Rameses and men like him. Men who preyed on those weaker and thought that because they'd been born into power they were worthy of it.
"Then I must go, I will see you later, Rameses." Rika said carefully moving away at her body's command to move to Seto's side, feeling safer and more confident now that he was there. It wasn't that she couldn't fight and beat Rameses but she feared the consequences if she did. With Yami gone too many things were unknown to her. She knew that Rameses wanted to forbid her from leaving but couldn't detain her without good reason, especially when the pharaoh had ordered her brought to his presence. "Let us go, High Priest. My father should not be kept waiting and the hour does grow late."
"I look forward to seeing you again later then, sister dear." Rameses said with a hint of bite to his words as he just managed not to sneer at them.
"Oh and Prince Rameses." Seto said once he had led her nearly out of the room, not bothering to turn around to face Rameses as he gave the prince the warning he deserved and to hell with the consequences. "It is a pathetic and contemptible creature that would strike a defenseless woman, even in anger. Such a man is not fit to lead a camel to water much less lead a people." Turning her head Rika watched Rameses face contort into pure fury as she and Seto walked through the doors and out into the hallway.
"He will make you pay for that comment, High Priest. His memory is long and his heart as black as the night's sky. You would have done well to hold your tongue..though you would think I am one to talk depending on how long you were listening. I am to an extent protected by my status and birth while you cannot say the same however powerful you might be. He will not face you fairly, you will now have to watch your back quite carefully." Rika said as she looked up at him as they strolled side by side, surprised by his rescue and pleased by it. This was a nice dream she was having or whatever it was she was in. It was like she was a shadow of the princess, there but serving no purpose but to watch the events unfold before her.
"I regret nothing I said. I will not allow him to harm you as long as I draw breath." Seto said quite firmly and catching her breath Rika felt joy at the truth sincerity in his words. Looking away because she knew her eyes would give her away Rika looked back and found herself once again on the street with no idea exactly where she was. Blinking repeatedly Rika longed to go back to the place she'd been but no such luck and so with a sigh she headed off to find someone to give her directions, considering asking for ones to the nearest hospital so that she could get a C.A.T. scan.
Meanwhile in England
Waking up Pegasus looked around him and was aware enough to surmise that he was in the hospital laying on his back with who knows what attached to him. He felt fine though which was startling enough and shifting, with the intent to get up he stopped, realizing that something or in this case someone was holding his hand. Turning his head Pegasus blinked at he stared at the dark head of the girl he'd seen at his home, the Egyptian goddess he'd thought he'd imagined. Yet there she was, wearing what appeared to be his suit jacket. His larger hand was held tightly in her smaller one while she slept, sitting on what was likely a very uncomfortable chair. She was leaning forward, using his mattress as a pillow and he couldn't imagine why she hadn't left. Then again he had no idea who she was or how she'd come to be at his home. He knew everyone that worked for him and no one was allowed into his home without his expressed permission. Who was she?
As though sensing his gaze the girl's eyes slowly opened and she sat up with a start, his hand still in hers. "Oh forgive me..I dozed off. My most sincere apologizes, Master Pegasus." The girl said quickly, bowing her head low. "Are you feeling all right? They insisted on running all sorts or strange tests on you even though I told them you were fine now. They're keeping you here for observation until you were up and they were talking about attempting to examine the Millennium Eye. I wouldn't allow them near it but I was worried you wouldn't wake up soon, Master. I didn't want to have to physically stop them from attempting to remove it."
"How do you know about the Millennium Eye? Did Isis or Malik send you here? Shadi?" Pegasus demanded to know as he tried to sort through what she'd just said. Removing his hand from hers he lifted a hand to press against his face to make sure his item was still there then looked back at her. "Who are you?"
"Latoya, Sir. I was sent by none of those people." Latoya said with a shake of her head then decided to explain before her master got a headache trying to figure things out. "Inside some of the other Millennium items are the spirits of souls who were alive during the times of Ancient Egypt, correct?" When he nodded she continued her story. "I am like that in a way only I was sealed into a card that was sent to a sort of spirit world. We remained there until our soul cards, I guess you could call them, were reborn along side the soul of another. Our cards reside in that person until we're needed and then we are released from the spirit world we live in and continue our lives once more along side the Master chosen for us. You are my master, Master Pegasus and I will follow you, protect you until the end of my days..once I have seen to my duties concerning my pharaoh."
"Your pharaoh? That boy, Yugi?" Pegasus demanded to know, his mind spinning with all the information he'd been given. "And what do you mean you've always been inside of me? Where were you when my wife was dying and I really needed your help?"
"I couldn't pick when I was released, Master Pegasus. The choice was made long ago by the one who sealed me into the card else I would have gladly been by your side your entire life." Latoya said softly, looking hurt that he thought she had chosen to stand by and watch him suffer. "And the boy Yugi did once house my pharaoh but he is now free of the puzzle and like myself can roam free in a body of his own now. Now that I am free I must go to him and let him know that I'm in the world of the living once more. I also have to ask permission to serve you as I belong to him and it is his choice to make."
"What do you mean, belong to him?" Pegasus wanted to know, not liking the sound of that at all. Now he was feeling protective of this girl he'd just met. A feeling foreign to him and unexpected. Just like this whole situation. "And who sealed you in a card, much less why you were sealed away in the first place? Did the pharaoh seal you away as some sort of punishment?"
"Oh no, Master Pegasus. My pharaoh would never do me any harm as he is a most kind and great man who would never do such a thing. I wasn't even supposed to be sealed into the spirit world as we were supposed to go to the world of shadows known as the Shadow Realm. Thankfully we were spared that horrible fate. High Priest Seto's most powerful assistant, The High Priestess Isis risked her life to instead send us into a world where we could wait to be returned to live in this world once more. We were being punished, you see, by my pharaoh's half brother, Rameses. Pharaoh Yami was not there to protect us for he'd given himself over to the Millennium Puzzle to try to undo the damage being wrought by those who practiced the dark arts."
Why were you being punished?" Pegasus asked again, thinking she looked like the type to have never had a single, mean spirited thought in her head. She looked like an Egyptian angel fallen from the heavens to watch over him though he couldn't think why God would do such a thing. Pegasus had long ago turned his back on his so called creator and had yet to truly regret it.
"Because I would not undo the damage Freya had done, Master Pegasus. You see my pharaoh's brother Rameses was a truly evil man with a heart devoid of anything resembling compassion and goodness. When he attempted to have his siblings and the third wife of his father killed after his father's death there was an escape attempt. The plan was to try and get the family from the palace and away from his evil grasp. But we were betrayed, Master Pegasus and Rameses was informed of what we were attempting to do. Freya mortally wounded Rameses before he could kill Prince Sirus and when I refused to treat his wounds he had myself, Freya, Prince Sirus and a most loyal soldier named Joshua beaten. Then he ordered us banished to the Shadow Realm as punishment when we would not bend to his will and tell him where the others had gone." Latoya said with a sad look in her big brown eyes. "Most of the royal family did get away though and were able to make it to the Queen's family who sheltered them from the eyes of our enemies. They lived their lives there in peace. The four of us could see, you see, what was happening in the world around us so that we would not be ignorant when we were brought back. Prince Sirus is very much looking forward to being released so that he might try driving one of your automobiles. He was quite skilled at driving his team of horses and wishes to compare the two modes of transportation."
"You were beaten?" Pegasus repeated in shock, the idea that anyone would raise their hand to this frail creature raising his anger so that he knew if her tormentors were there he would very likely attempt to tear them apart with his bare hands. What power did she have over him that he would feel so strongly for her? That he could be so angered at the thought of her being caused pain? But if everything she said was true she belonged to him and therefore was under his protection. He would see to it that she never again knew the feeling of a hand raised in dark intent against her ever again. "Monsters."
"Do not get upset over such a small thing, Master." Latoya said with a sweet smile as she took his hand in hers with an understanding look on her face. "It is well in the past and I know I will be safe with you and my pharaoh to watch over me. You will take me to him won't you, Master Pegasus? I need to ask his permission to stay with you as I was his servant first and therefore am his property. He never treated me as such and I know that if I ask him to allow me to stay with you he'll agree. He released me from my servitude before he had to go so that I would not be under Rameses control but I would feel better after I have spoken to him and let him now that I am once again alive to do his bidding should he need me."
"If he freed you then you have no reason to need to speak to him." Pegasus said more harshly then he'd intended, upset at the idea that Yugi could take her from him with no more then a few words. That she would go with the pharaoh without complaint. "In this time and place slavery doesn't exist and you are in no way beholden to him, Latoya."
"It was not the way you think, Master Pegasus. The pharaoh and most of his family always treated me like I was one of them and I never knew anything but kindness and care from them. Rameses was twisted, as was his evil mother who arranged the downfall of the kingdom when he took away the pharaoh's most prized and loved person. Without her he let the darkness come too close and so to atone for it he gave his life for the people he'd been ordained at birth to protect." Latoya explained, shadows in her eyes as she remembered the grief of her pharaoh and her helplessness to save her friend who'd died to protect their beloved pharaoh.
"I'll take you to him, Latoya..you have my word."
"Thank you, Master Pegasus."