I am Heba

Crushes and Rocks

AND SO IT BEGINS.

Note:

//Atemu to Yuugi//

\\Yuugi to Atemu\\

-word- : extra emphasis

'...' - thoughts

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! If I did, I'd be the creepy anime fangirl that watches Yuugi from behind street corners.

Just kidding.

-------

Chapter Six: Crushes and Rocks

Ancient Egypt, Three Thousand Years Ago

The dull throbbing in her back woke Heba that morning. Drowsily Heba lifted her head from its facedown position and gazed around the room. The first thing she saw was a large firepit embedded in the floor, next a medicinal cabinet that was pressed against the whitewashed walls. There were a few empty cots similar to the one she was resting on across the room, one especially close to the terrace outside. A large table was nestled against the wall to her left and had a plush chair right beside it. Healing scents like aloe and salve, tinged with the smell of other unknown medicinal herbs, invaded her nose. Heba scrunched her nose and rose on her elbows, hissing when her back stung sharply. She noticed there were thick bandages wrapped around her chest.

A soft hand landed on her shoulder. "Do not strain yourself. Your wounds could reopen and I'm sure you won't want that to happen." Heba obediently laid back down, her cheek pressing into the cotton sheets, and eyed the woman at her side. She was of average height with raven-black hair and a heart shaped face. Her indigo blue eyes seemed ancient yet young at once, filled with a clairvoyance Heba could barely hope to understand. Then Heba saw the Millennium Necklace.

Oh.

Priestess Isis noticed Heba's staring and smiled gently at the young slave. She pulled up a chair and sat beside Heba's head. "Good morning, Heba."

"Um... G-Good morning, Priestess." Heba mumbled in the sheets. If she had been standing Heba would've fallen to her knees in a deep bow. She averted her eyes to the floor instead.

"How are you feeling today?" inquired the Priestess.

That was a good question. "Could be better," Heba answered truthfully, expression sad. Her back started to ache, the throbbing growing more incessant and uncomfortable. It made her wince every time the pain spiked. "It's starting to hurt more."

Isis returned to her feet and examined the gauze on Heba's back. Heba felt Isis's fingers touch lightly on one of the wounds and she breathed in sharply. "My apologies," Isis apologized, her voice sympathetic, "I just needed to determine how painful it is. My apprentice will return shortly with a salve and we will redress the bandages then."

Heba nodded and buried her face in her cot when Isis stepped to the table nearby and gathered some herbs. She gripped the sheets, tensing her muscles, and sorted through the previous day's events. It all came together in a matter of moments: Mana, the whipping, Jono...

Heba gasped. Jono!

"Your friend is doing just fine." Isis assured Heba, back still turned to the younger girl. The woman turned around and touched her necklace. "His wounds will heal in a matter of days, just like yours."

"Where is he?" Heba asked. Dread crept through her; it gripped her heart with its icy tendrils. So what if he was doing fine, Heba knew he wasn't in the same room as her or else she would've seen him. She needed to see how Jono was doing herself.

"He is resting peacefully in the other room. You may see him when you are both able to walk, or else I fear your injuries will bleed again. I'm sure you don't want to stay here longer than necessary." Isis reasoned. It annoyed Heba to know how right the Priestess was. With a barely concealed grimace Heba put her head back on the cot. She knew she could trust the Priestess but Heba wanted to see Jono for herself. She had to know...