Twists of Fate
"I've known tabloid reporters that ask less personal questions." Seto muttered, slumped back in his seat with a grateful sigh. He was feeling like he'd just been put through a roller coaster of questions and he was ready to thank god that it was over. "Did your mother research me before we came? She knows more about me then people who've worked for me in my home for years. I think she might know more about what I've invested in over the years then I do."
"Oh count on it. I did warn you, she might not exactly be up for the mother of the year but when it comes to these sorts of things you can count on sticking her nose into things." Rika pointed out from beside him, patting his hand sympathetically. He'd held up pretty well, she on the other hand had been reading to kill her mother after only an hour. She wouldn't have blamed him if he'd decided to take a run for it. "And my grandma liked you, if that's any comfort."
"Not really since she strikes me as one of those people who likes everyone." Seto said as he laced her fingers with his. Her grandmother had been a nice woman, very easy to talk to. Plus she hadn't been anywhere near the inquisitor his daughter had been. Of course thinking about Rika's mother got him all worked up again "Half the time it sounded like your mother was a gold digger trying to get a firm handle on how much I'm worth and the other half she was the charming hostess making me right at home. I had no idea what she was going to say half the time and I'm the head of a major intentional company." Seto said with the shake of his head, the idea still mind blowing to him. Rika's mother was one hell of an interrogator, he couldn't even remember half the questions she'd asked now, of what he'd told her. She was good, damn good.
"That's my mom." Rika agreed with a shake of her head, placing her free hand over her mouth to hide a yawn. "And don't worry, now that's she's met you odds are she'll leave you alone, at least for a little while." Or until we break up, Rika silently added, the idea hurting enough just at the thought that she was terrified to think of what it would be like to actually lose him. And she would, there was no way some one like him would want to be with someone like her, at least in a long term sense. Romances never lasted, no matter what anyone said.
)
"Tired?" Seto asked, noticing that she looked as tired and worn around the edges as he was. Her mother had put her through the ringer too. "We'll be landing before you know it."
"I'll be fine. If I fall asleep though it's nothing personal." Rika said with a small smile, her eyelids already drooping. She just wanted to curl up and go to sleep for the next few hours or so. She wasn't being good company but she hadn't been sleeping well from worrying about Mai and about Seto and the dreams. Everything was getting turned upside down and she was getting turned around along with it. Nothing was going as she expected and she didn't know what she was supposed to do about it.
"Come here then." Seto said as he patted his knee, liking the idea of holding her while she slept. He'd earned it to his way of thinking.
Blinking, unable to remember the last time a guy had offered her his lap Rika blinked again then slowly smiled as she unbuckled her seat belt and moved over to settle into his lap, laying her head on his shoulder while her arms wrapped around his neck. His own arms wrapping around her waist Rika nuzzled her face against his shirt, her eyes closing as his warmth and scent soothed her. She never felt so safe, so whole as when she was in his arms. This was right, this was how it was supposed to be, she thought sleepily. "Thanks." She muttered sleepily, her voice husky as she relaxed against him, her breathing slowing as she let herself drift into sleep.
"My pleasure." Seto whispered, turning his head to place a kiss on her forehead, staring down at her face, the beauty of it. There were more beautiful women that he'd met over the years but there was something about this face, this woman that drew him to her in a mindless daze. He didn't think so much as feel when he was with her. Even more terrifying was that that thought didn't scare him as much as it should have. Like her shadow on the ground he was pulled to her, following and being near her his only wish or purpose. When she smiled up at him he felt as though he'd been given a gift greater then all the god cards at his disposal. He was beginning to love her, if he hadn't fallen already, Seto thought, absently stroking her back. That thought terrified him though and made his mind rebel even as his heart continued to beat for her. He'd long ago decided that Mokuba would be the one and only person he'd allow to get that close, life had shown him what happened when you gave your heart to others. Sometimes he looked at her and just thinking of losing her was more painful then any event in his life which was saying a lot. Even worse, he had a feeling it wasn't his imagination, the amount of agony losing her would cause. He had a feeling, deep in his gut, that he had lost her before. Hugging her a little tighter Seto tilted his head to lay his cheek against her hair, closing his eyes as he inhaled the scent of her hair. The haunting question was, just how much of the past was going to repeat itself?
)
"Of course, Pharaoh." Latoya agreed, nodding her head as she listened to a few more comments before giving her good byes, hanging up the phone with a smile on her face. Such a wonderful device, telephones. Who would have ever imagined such a thing, and in most every household too. The leaps and bounds humans had made, Latoya thought with a smile as she hoped out of the seat she'd been sitting on and went off to find her master. It was such a big house they were living in, it took her a good ten minutes to finally track him down in his office, going over some papers while he checked things on his computer, another marvelous invention. "Am I interrupting?" Latoya asked politely from the door way, not wanting to interrupt in case it was important. She didn't want to displease him.
"No, come in. What can I do for you?" Pegasus asked, motioning her in, pleased when she beamed at him. She always seemed so happy to be with him, like she considered it a treat to be allowed to be near him. Then again it didn't take much to please her, even the smallest of things was precious to her, even something as simply as giving her a book on herbal medicines to look at.
"I just talked to my pharaoh on the phone, Master." Latoya beamed, linking her hand behind her back. "I did it all by myself too."
"That's wonderful, you're a quick study." Pegasus said with a small smile, her pleasure in the accomplishment overshadowing the fact that she'd been talking to the damn pharaoh. "And you don't need to call me Master, Latoya. You can call me Pegasus."
)
"But everyone calls you that. And it sounds disrespectful to call you by your last name, Master" Latoya said with a slight frown though she forced it back into a smile for him. "But if you wish it I will call you Pegasus."
"Well if it means that much to you..you could call me..Max." Pegasus said stiffly, watching her face carefully as she mulled that over. He hadn't been called Max by anyone except for his wife, he wasn't sure about Latoya being the second. But he didn't care for Maxamillian either.
"Max..that is you're first name?" Latoya asked and when he nodded she thought it over then grinned. "I like that, it sounds nice. I would be most honored to call you, Max." She knew the significance of this name, she had after all lived within in him since the day of his birth. There was nothing about his life she didn't know. To let her call him Max, well she must be slowly winning his trust and affection then. Nothing could have made her happier then if that was true.
"Fine then." Pegasus said with a nod, pleased that she was pleased though he was still a little unsure about letting her call him Max. He'd just have to get use to it he supposed. Latoya didn't look anything like his wife, his golden girl. But there were similarities between the two, like their overwhelming kindness and sheer goodness. But he wasn't getting them mixed up in his head. He knew Latoya was Latoya and that like his wife had she was slowly working her way under his skin. Perhaps even into the heart he thought he'd lost long ago.
"Heh. Oh and my Pharaoh asked if I would ask you if you would perhaps know someone who could make Joshua papers like you got for me?" Latoya said as she walked forward to stand at his side, looking down at him with adoration in her beautiful, soft eyes. "He might get in trouble without them and my pharaoh doesn't want to ask the High Priest for them for some reason. I told him I would ask you."
"Who is this Joshua?" Pegasus wanted to know, latching onto the change in topic.
"He was one of the pharaoh's guards in my time, Mast..Max. He was originally the princess's but when she died he was chosen to serve under her brother rather then be returned to his former slave status. he is a most kind and wonderful man, you will like him very much. He has been residing in Miss Serenity's body but he has been released now as I was." Latoya explained, looking forward to seeing her friend again. "Apparently Mr. Joey isn't too happy about it though."
)
"I would imagine most people would be a little freaked out at the idea of a spirit living in the body of their little sister."
"Oh that's not what's bothering him, Max. It's because Joshua is so handsome that Mr. Joey doesn't like him. He thinks Joshua will go after Miss Serenity's virtue and ruin her." Latoya said with a twinkle in her eyes. Older brothers were amusing that way. Her pharaohs and the princes had often been that way. "He was quite the ladies man in our time but I'm sure he'll treat Miss Serenity well since he belongs to her now as I belong to you. He would never take advantage."
"Handsome...and you knew him well during your life in Egypt?" Pegasus said slowly, straightening up in his seat as he began to understand exactly where that idiot Wheeler boy was coming from.
"Well we didn't know each other long but he was always very kind and courteous to me. He liked to flirt a great deal with the female staff." Latoya said, blushing slightly as she recalled the handsome rouge's flowery compliments. There had been nothing behind the flirting of course but all women liked to be praised and flattered every once in a while, especially from a man such as Joshua.
"Including you." Pegasus commented, no longer even considering providing this Casanova with papers. he could waste away on the street or leech off Wheeler.
"A little bit but there was really nothing behind it, Max. Men were too afraid of the pharaoh's family's wrath, I think, to dare be overly forward with me. The pharaoh's family always treated me like I was one of them and they were determined to see that I find someone suitable who would treat me well. Many men offered the pharaoh quite a lot of money for me but he always turned them down when I told him I didn't wish it."
)
"And was there anyone you did wish to marry?"
"Well I had a slight infatuation with Prince Sirus when I was younger but no, there was really no eyes I was hoping to catch." Latoya said with a pretty pink blush coming to her cheeks. Certainly none of the men in her time had been like her master. She'd never met anyone even close. So strong and yet with so much pain just threatening to swallow him whole. She would lead him from the darkness if it took her until the end of her life. She would serve him loyally and fatefully until the end of their time on this world. There had been no man to leave behind the first time, this time though she would go onto the next life with Max. "I suppose I was not meant to know love then since the gods knew that I was meant to be here with you and not in my past life." Latoya added, the thought occurring and making sense to her. She had not been meant to live her life in that time
"And you'll be with me forever and ever." Pegasus said, his face suddenly going rather serious and focused, as if her words were of extreme importance. And they were to him. He couldn't bear to lose anyone else, especially if she continued to get under his skin, to matter to him. He would have sent her away before opening himself up to that sort of pain again but he knew in his heart it was already too late.
"As long as my lungs draw breath and my heart beats in my chest I will stay by your side, Max." Latoya said with a bow of her head, her hair covering the sides of her face like curtains. "For as long as you wish I will walk at your side."
"Then you will be with me until I die." Maybe it was selfish, maybe it was even almost cruel but there was finally some light in his life, he would not let anyone take it from him. As she'd said he was her master and that meant she had to stay with him, do whatever he told her to do. She was his.
)
Laying in her bed Isis's dreams were fitful and unsettling, making her heart pound and a light sweat break out over her body. She was in some sort of wagon, two young children in her lap, asleep with the setting sun beating down on them. The sun's fading rays bouncing over her Millennium item the sight of it sent waves of grief and pain through her, a remembrance of what had been. Her pharaohs were dead and now Egypt was in turmoil, Rameses's followers getting ready to fight for power as their chosen pharaoh lay in the throes of impending death. She knew that Rameses was dying, Freya had seen to it. Was he dead yet? She didn't know. But she did know that they could never go back, that to do so would be sure death. So here she was, traveling with what remained of the royal family in a desperate attempt to freedom. She should have been dead, would have been if Aries and a few other loyal soldiers hadn't returned for her and Prince Sirus. Of course by then it had been too late for her prince but at least she had insured he would live again, once more at the side of his eldest brother and sister.
)
"You weren't lying, were you? That Sirus didn't suffer?" Came the strained and tired voice of the former Queen of Egypt, the woman looking ten years older and as though she were holding the troubles of the world on her slender shoulders. But those shoulders wouldn't buckle, she had children to protect and a promise to keep to her husband. She would see that their children survived before she followed him to the next world. She'd already lost four children, she would lose no more.
"I wasn't lying, your majesty." Isis said as she reached out to pat the woman's hand, the woman holding her infant daughter in her arms, the last child of this royal line until these children had grown up and become men and women themselves. "I have sent him, along with the other three to a place where they will remain until it is time for them to return to the world of the living. I have seen what is to come and they will be needed then. He will rejoin Pharaoh and Princess Ri then."
"And will her High Priest be there, waiting for her?" Suna asked, managing a small smile when she saw the look of surprise that crossed the young girl's face. "Did you think I was blind to their feelings for each other? No, unlike the men of my family I saw and accepted that the heart does as it wishes. It was I that gave him her necklace after she died."
"He will be there as well though the road they will face will be as difficult, perhaps more so then the ones they faced in this life. They will do great good though and make you proud." Isis said simply, mentally thinking that she should have guess that the Queen would have caught on. The woman had been a force to be reckoned with when she had taken the throne, even if she'd only held the position briefly.
"I was always proud of them." Suna said with a far off look in her eyes. She was about to say more when there was shouts, the soldiers that rode around them becoming agitated and the pace of the wagon sped up. "Aries! What's wrong?" Suna called out, looking towards the leader of the men and her son's former bodyguard and most trusted friend.
)
"We're being chased, your majesty." Aries called out and Isis felt the breath leave her lungs as she stared at him, her heart leaping in her chest as she watched him shift to face them better from his spot in front of the wagon's horses. "If we can get to the water it won't matter."
Would her heart ever stopping beating rapidly when she saw him, Isis wondered, knowing that in her heart that the answer was no. She loved him more then life itself and so it would always call out to his whenever he was near. "How many? Are they Rameses's?" Isis called out to him, her voice laced with fear that she tried to hide. When ever she looked into her future it was muddy but she often got the sense that she was alone. And she couldn't see into Aries's at all. Only darkness.