No. Isis shook her head, with a shudder. A combatant was armed with a sword, given a chance to defend himself, and was allowed the mercy of honor, in battle.
Being held down by four strong men, after being injured and drugged could not be misconstrued as anything less than a savage act of depravity, regardless of her reasons.
Isis ran a hand over her shivering brow, straightened, gave the curt order for the young king to be released. The men abruptly dropped their grip, and Yami sunk down bonelessly into the sheets, as if he had died. Isis felt the cold fear dribble ice down her spine as she hastily held a hand over Yami's mouth. She felt the soft breath, and said a silent prayer of thanks.
"My lady?" She turned sharply. One of the men dipped low in a nervous bow, his eyes flickering between her and Yami, with uncertainty. "My apologies, my lady, but...has...did His Majesty die?" Isis gave them a dazzlingly gracious smile, though she choked back a snarl at such impertenence. "No, friend. His Highness did not pass away, and no harm shall come to him, but a deep slumber. He will wake up quite refreshed, and pleased with his new change of plans. No harm will come to you, either. You will be richly rewarded for your aid in this matter."
The man kneeled lower. "Thank you, my lady, for your gracious answer. May I ask what your wishes are, now?" Isis rose, her eyes never leaving Yami. The Pharoah, normally plagued by nightmares, was usually as restless as a hound chasing a rabbit. To see him so still was disconcerting her, even if the draught she forced down his throat was hardly fatal. Indeed, the stupor that he seemed lost in was brought on by the shock, and the searing pain of his broken rib, and the sleeping draught. Almost timidly, she placed a hand at his side, and was startled to feel the bone itself yield. Yami did not respond. She bit her lip, thoughtfully, and whispered, as her fingers began to glow. She meant to cast a gentle spell of healing, to knit his bruised side together, and heal him, but to her suprise, the glow faltered, then died uselessly, but not before a searing pain shot through her arm. She withdrew her arm, startled. Yami cried out softly, as he flinched, but lay still again. Isis straightened, with a considering eyebrow arched in worry. Yami had choked down enough that he should have been completely unresponsive to any pain at all. And her healing spell hadn't just faltered, it had somehow turned to flame and hurt her.
"My lady?" Her eyes lost their considering glaze, and slid up to the obedient man, who was still kneeling and awaiting his orders. Her soft answer, "A moment, please"
and her beguiling smile was enough to stall for a few precious minutes. If she couldn't cast her spells...her heart clenched in fear, as her eyes flickered to the Pharoah, and then back to her still outstretched hand. "My lady? The palace guard is changing soon. We do not have time to linger here." She waved a hand, and hissed for silence, closed her eyes, considered any number of brutal options. "You may leave us." The man's eyes widened, and his jaw gaped. "My lady?" He asked, clearly puzzled. Isis sighed, as her slim fingers slid into the folds of her robe.
The clink of the golden coins, and the pointed look at the door was all the encouragement the four needed to be on their way. The one who spoke was clearly unnerved by the strange turn of events, and hesitated.
Isis rose to face him, her face suddenly hard, and her eyes blazing. "Sir." Her voice was a malicious whisper, "You may leave now with your gold and never speak of this again, or you may leave when I have the palace guards lock you away
"My lady!" Came his panicked reply as he hastily bowed, then took off at a good sprint, as if Anubis himself were chasing him.
Isis was oddly detached and serene as she slid back into her seated position, to resume her lonely watch of the Pharoah. God only knew if she would be forgiven, or spared, but she harbored no delusions about her pending execution. Since she was a woman, Yami would probably be more inclined to show mercy by a gentle death, perhaps asp's venom, or even exile. She watched the wafting sunlight, spilling red upon the torn hills, as if Ra himself was bleeding over them. She turned to the sleeping Pharoah, and shook her head at the cruelty of the whole thing. There was nothing left for her to do now but wait for the Pharoah to wake. If her plan failed, her execution would be merely a trifling matter compared to the evil she was trying so hard to prevent. She clasped her hands to her aching skull, and turned away from the Pharoah.
She felt the strands of her intentions snapping thin, and unraveling, Egypt falling into shadow, and her noble king dying any way.
It was then she heard the small choking sigh, and saw Yami's eyebrows knot themselves together, before his whole body twitched. In suprise, she swirled to see Yami stirring.
His eyelids slowly fluttered open, amythest glittering in the wan light, and then catching fire as they narrowed when they saw her. It was as if the bowels of hell had opened and transplanted themselves into his corneas.
She heard him growl, his lips were pulled back in a threatening snarl, as he struggled to rise from the bed. His drugged limbs refused to obey, and he could only drag his head up from the pillow with a supreme effort. The only sound was the thunder of her heart in her ears, and her audible swallow as his eyes swathed down upon her like an ocean wave of bitter hatred. Gone was the kind Pharoah, or the broken figure she had drugged into submission. In her single act, she had stripped him defenseless, but also robbed him of any reason for him to show mercy. No, she realized with a rising surge of terror churning in her gut. She had torn away his trust, and was left with the aftermath and the demon before her to contend with. Indeed, Yami looked evil, with that cold, dead glimmer viciously lighting his eyes, and that smile that now twisted his mouth into something ugly.
Yami made no sound, no move, but the silence was broken by his harsh breath, and the shredding of the sheets beneith his nails now splayed like talons. Fury had done a commendable job of dispelling the drugged fog, or the sudden wound of Isis's betrayal. Yami felt the flames surging through his veins, burning white heat and then fading into cool calculation as he continued to stare at Isis.
"Tell me why I should not order you tortured and slain for your betrayal, right now." Yami's voice was soft, but menacing, and Isis heard the promised threat willingly carried out as soon as he gave the order.
Helpless, she flung her arms wide, and shook her head, in tears. "I cannot give you a reason, my king. I am sorry."
Yami's eyebrow raised slightly, as he cocked his head to consider her. "Perhaps I should have the answers I seek cut from the throat of your youngest sibling. Would that loosen your cursed tongue?"
Isis looked up at him in weary resignation, and resolve, bowed her head in surrender. "My treachery should fall upon my own head, my king, and though it would break my heart to do so, I would sacrifice my kin to prevent the coming calamity."
Yami sneered, "You are truly a cold-hearted wretch, Isis, to be willing to kill your own kin to maintain your delusions of this oncoming tragedy."
Isis raised her eyes to meet his, a bitter smile curled on her lips. "The fact that I would be willing to commit such an atrocity to prevent it from emerging should tell you, my king, how truly horrific it will be. Had I any intention of slaying you, why would I have stayed my hand until now? Do you not think I have not had ample opportunity to slay you as you laid sleeping, or even poisoning you at any royal feast?"
Yami's face went from gritting fury to begrudging uncertainty. Isis swept over to him, her sleeves fluttering open like wings, her face perversely alabaster, as she narrowed her eyes to peer down at him.
"You are weak from the sleeping draught, my king. What prevents me from slaying you now?" Yami's terror was very sudden and visible, as his eyes flew open wide.
His throat clinched shut, and he shuddered.
Isis stepped away, laying a hand on the Pharoah's trembling shoulder. "My king, I swear that I mean no harm to you, nor have I ever. I have no intention of killing you now, or ever. I know that my assurance to you is futile, but I did this for your own good, my king."
Yami's jaw fell open, and his eyes were so wide, they seemed to be in danger of rolling out of his gaping sockets. His eyebrows climbed until they disappeared underneith the golden bangs
"You are mad." His voice had grown soft with awe, as he shook his head to clear it.
" You know what a strain I have been under, pressure on all sides, questions I cannot answer, and the fear I have of Egypt falling . And you came as an angel of mercy, with your tempting ear, and your cursed sleeping spell. And, like a fool, I simply let you lull me into helpless oblivion. You know how much I loathe and fear being defenseless. And when I was at my weakest moment, you came into the one place where I am at peace, had me held down by my hands and feet, while you forced me to choke down your poison. You stroked my hair as if I were a frightened child to be soothed into dreams, while your accomplice beat me until I passed out from the agony. And, now, I wake to find myself at your mercy, and you speak of it being for my own good?!"
He heaved a deep breath, anger yielding to sorrow. "Why did you do this to me, Isis? Did it please you to see me at your mercy? Does it please you now?"
Isis's ebony hair cloaked her eyes in shadows, and he could only see the piercing azure glittering down at him. Her eyes were revealed nothing, but her voice was accepting, and sad.
"As I am at your mercy, my king. All you have to do is scream for your guards."
Yami tilted his head, grimaced as he attempted to force his limbs to at least prop himself into a sitting position. His limbs hung as limp as cloth, but he could feel the life slowly trickle back.
"I would have your answer before that sentence is carried out, Isis." Isis raised her head high, before flaring her skirts into a deep curtsy.
"That, my king, I cannot give you. But, I can give you absolution with my life."
That eerie, sad smile playing across her lips as she raised the jeweled dagger to her heart, her eyes raptured and adoring as the cruel point of the gold cut a riverlet of blood across her chest, scarlet blooming across the pristine white, the roses blooming forth from such torpid skin. Yami gaped, unblinkingly, as he shook his head.
"You truly have gone mad."
Isis's glittering eyes never left his as she raised the dagger high in a golden arch, and unflinchingly, plunged it into her heart.
"Forgive me, my king." Her whisper was placid, as her hands trembled, and her body shuddered in its death throws. Yami watched as Isis gently wilted into the growing pool of blood, finally surrendering as she peacefully lay herself out on the floor and died.
Yami stared rather stupidly at the Priestess's broken body, uncomprehendingly, as he felt the icy realization making itself known in the churning bile that was rising to his throat, and the hysterics that threatened to tear him apart, if he gave the scream a voice.
"Isis?" He whispered, hoarsely. "ISIS!" He shook his head in disbelief, felt his throat clench, his muscles turn to water, his trembling cease as his body turned to frozen grief and blame.
The shadows seemed to grow teeth in their hunger, as they shifted to a darker tone, and swirled around him. Yami did not even have time to cry before he found himself swept back into the familiar glittering gold walls of the Puzzle. Yami whipped his head around to stare at them as if he had never seen them before. With a growl of realization, he glared at his golden prison, and rose, cold fury pouring fire into his veins.
"You will pay for this. Damn you! Damn you for toying with my memory, for descecrating the memory of a dear friend for your sadistic game! Isis never betrayed me!"
