The Crow and The Cat

Chapter 13

Heba kept his face down, for a few moments before shyly looking up. He was careful not to make eye contact, angling his eye's toward the Pharaoh's chest instead.

"Your name?"

Heba flinched. The Pharaoh noticed this and crouched down to look at Heba from where the young slave knelt.

"Can you speak?" He asked. Heba shook his head. This earned him a smile from the Pharaoh, and a small laugh. He turned and motioned for his guard to go and find the shopkeeper before turning back to the young slave.

"I'm sorry about the rough treatment, could you forgive me?"

Heba nodded quickly, he felt no ill will for the guard of the Pharaoh.

"My Pharaoh, I am so sorry for my slaves actions! I will punish him severely-!"

"There is no need, I wish to purchase him." It was an indirect question of price.

"My Pharaoh, I cannot- -"

"I will pay any price."

When Heba was moved to the palace, he was trained alongside many others to be a cook in the Pharaoh's kitchen. Of course, Heba was small and mute, making it very hard for him to not only prepare food but reach the ingredients and ask about recipes. Upon discovering this, he was moved to the maids quarters where he assisted the cleaners in their duties everyday. On his first day, he was thrust into his work without directions, instructions or explanations. The maids woke before him and left for breakfast and woke him upon their return and he was not allowed breakfast. It was then that he was used as a human cart as all the dirty laundry, clothes, bedding, and used cleaning cloths, was tossed to him for washing. That was how he got his current job. Outside the palace, in the back, was a large container of water used to wash things. It was there that he seated himself and washed until he was to exhausted to move his fingers everyday. He had learned to wake in the morning before all the other palace-keepers and eat before going to wake them for their meal and heading off to finish any work he might have missed the day before. It remained like this for three passings of the moon before Heba was visited by the Pharaoh himself.

"Heba, I have heard many things about your work. My bed is always clean thanks to you." He called cheerfully. Heba smiled at him, still shy as he continued to scrub. The Pharaoh watched him in silence before joining him at the waters edge.

"Your silence is a mystery to me. I have asked many about it and they say they cannot help."

Heba looked at him quietly before smiling lightly and tapping his throat. Atemnanken looked closer and found a very light scar there. His throat had been cut before. His fingers reached up and traced the line gently.

"Did the trader do this to you?"

Heba shook his head.

"A previous owner?"

He shook his head again and Atemnanken paused.

"Your... family?"

Yuugi's head dipped slightly, yes.

"Are you sure you want to do this, my Pharaoh?" Isis asked. Atemnanken nodded his head.

"I am sure."

It was the beginning of a new year, and Atemnanken had decided that he would like Heba to be moved closer to him and be his personal servant. His priest, Seto, had given him the idea as he had done the same with his new slave, Jono. He had heard that Heba and Jono had become friends, so moving him closer would be a plus for the younger male.

"My Pharaoh, I see disagreeable outcomes with this decision. I beg you to reconsider-"

"I have made up my mind, Isis. You would be well to let it be."

The woman nodded and left the room, it was clear she could not dissuade the young leader.

Heba took very good care of the Pharaoh. His room was always clean, his clothes organized and jewelry sparkling, his bed void of bugs and a meal waiting for him every time he returned from a days work. To those in the palace, Heba seemed like Atemnanken's wife as he scurried around collecting this and that as he did job's for the Pharaoh. It was then when Heba began to have the nightmares. Nightmares of things, monsters, eating people and wreaking havoc on the whole of Egypt. It was one of these nights that Atemnanken heard Heba's cries of terror and went to his aid. The young slave was blind with terror in his Pharaoh's arms as he wept night and night again. He could not speak nor write, so his pain was never shared, but Atemnanken would care for him and eventually the nightmares stopped. It was then that both the slave and the leader discovered the feelings they had for each other. Heba soon began to shy away from the Pharaoh, blushing every time he would smile or address him, whereas the Pharaoh found more time in his schedule to spend with his young slave. It was then that the death of Jono occurred. This struck Heba so hard that he became depressed and shut himself in his quarters for a month before he let even Atemnanken inside.

About four months after Jono, Atemnanken decided to make Heba his consort. Of course everyone in the Palace was outraged at this, and said that he should marry a woman to continue on with his godly bloodline. Of course he declined and the ceremony was to be preformed in only three sun cycles. This caused for immediate action and one of the counsel of priests, the father of Seto, sent an assassin for both Heba and The Pharaoh. On the night before, the assassin crept into the shared room and violently stabbed Heba to death. The cries of the Pharaoh alerted the palace guards and Seto, only a few doors down, who came rushing to his aid. Seto fought the assassin and killed him as Atemnanken wept for his fallen love who would never return.

When Yuugi awoke, he found he had been put in the softest of beds.

"Aibou, are you awake?"

Yuugi sat up quickly before noticing that something strange was growing out of his back.

"Atemu-san, Wh-what's on my back!?" He cried. Atem stood from his place in the doorway and rushed to Yuugi's aid.

"Aibou, be calm. They are only your wings."

Yuugi stilled.

"Wings?"

Atem stroked the appendages gently, sending sparks up Yuugi's spine. He shuddered and let out sigh, Atem's touch was welcome, it felt nice... Relaxing. Yuugi felt himself arching slightly into the touch before he actually noticed the wing Atem had been stroking. His mouth dropped open and the wings stretched out, unferling. They were the brightest shade of white Yuugi had ever seen.

"I should have known he'd be a dove."

Atem and Yuugi turned to see Seto walk in with Jounouchi in his arms. He stroked his head before letting the dog go and watching as it hopped up on the bed and settled next to Yuugi's small form as he asked a single question;

"A dove?"