It was a long road ahead. How long were we walking?
The hot sun beamed down on Seto and I. Both of us breathed heavily, wanting to take a rest. However, we could not. It would be dangerous if we stopped.
"S-Seto..you alright there??" He has been quiet for a while. His face was slightly red below his eyes. Was he sick?
"Tch..., If you mean am I dead yet? No far from that."
'Oooo..k. He feels like trash.'
Each step we took, got us closer to the palace. "Seto look..! we are finally getting there." He didn't reply. My head snapped down to his face. Something was wrong. "Seto ?? Seto..!" He trembled a bit, trying to balance me, and himself.
".. silence...I said I am fine." He winced a bit. His voice was getting softer. My eyebrow twitched as I tried to step away from him. Hopping it would wake him up a bit more. the second I did I nearly fell to the sand.
'I-it hurts. It hurts so much.' I breathed.
'My body hurts way more than I thought. Damn.. does Seto really make that much of a difference?'
"Hey..! Don't move. Foolish women, did you think you could walk on your own?" He reached his arm out and grabbed me roughly. Pulling me back so he could balance himself once again.
'Great...we are using each other as crutches.'
We were just about to enter the stone walkway. Having a couple more meters to the high steps up to the actual palace.
We must have looked terrible, rusted blood, and bruises littered us. The villagers must have been afraid of us because we saw no one on our way back.
"...ngh..." I heard Seto whimper. Yes..the strong, sharp-tongued man..was running out of energy.
We were just at the bottom of the stone steps. I took one step forward when I suddenly felt Seto's body begins to slip off me. "No..!" I had the large to reach out and grab him, trying to stop his fall.
Just as I grabbed Seto's weak self, I felt a sharp sting hit me. I was not physically capable to hold him up. Of course not I was wounded too. "S-..shit...I can't hold him."
The two of us fell to the steps at our faces.
Meanwhile, Atem was currently looking out his window. When his eyes landed on me and Seto crashing down onto the ground. "____, Seto..!!"He shot up from his balcony and began to run inside finding his way out of his room.
"Seto..get up...c-come on...I'll help you..." I mumbled, feeling too weak. I could hear him breathing from next to me, but the man was too far out. I tried to poke his head a bit, trying to get a reaction out of him. My hand fell down onto his shoulder instead. Feeling too weak.
"_____!!" A loud shout of pure freight roared down the steps. It echoed down the halls, making Mahad sit up from his desk and run in the direction of the sound. "Pharaoh??" He asked himself.
*Thud thud* Rapid footsteps came down the steps towards our form. "Pharaoh??" I could only hear Diva's voice slightly, then followed by Mahad's.
"No no no...! how could I let this happen?!" Atem's scolded himself. I felt myself getting rolled over. The familiar gentle touch on the side of my face makes me sink into a deep sleep.
'I...made it. We made it...'
( Atem's POV)
'Oh no, how could I let this happen!?' A tear parked at the side of his violet eyes. 'Seto...___, they are both in awful shape.' His stomach sunk.
"P-Pharaoh...?" A worried Mahad kneeled down next to him. "Mahad..." Atem swallowed back his tears. "H...help me take them to their room...please." The king shuttered.
"I shall help too...Pharaoh...here..." Diva kneeled down across from the King. "By the looks of it, they fought hard. I'm sure they will be fine." Diva tried calm Atem down.
*sniff* "You're right..."
Diva glanced at Seto. "Well...I didn't think I'd see the day. Seto...too is wounded." He looked at the way Seto and she lay. As if they were trying to shield each other from more wounds. 'This is so unlike Seto...or Kaiba....' Thinking he saw something, Diva's head looked up stopping Kaiba in a corner. Leaning up against the wall wincing.
'Hmm...he can feel his counterpart's injury...'Diva knew not to bother Kaiba in this situation, instead, he helped Atem.
The Pharaoh slowly lifter her up in his arms. Careful of her wounds. While Mahad helped peel Seto off the floor.
"..blood." Diva pointed it out on ____'s face.
"Let us return...Diva." Atem asked the Egyptian friend to join him. Nodding his head with respect, Diva followed next to Atem.
Along the way, the two men bumped into Mana. She expressed how sorry she was for the state Seto and ____ were in.
"Pharaoh..!" Mahad came walking over to the king. "Yes?"
"I..think it is best for _____ to go to the healer's room for a bit. Even Seto has been placed in one."
"B..-but I don't-"
"Please Pharaoh. I have learned to do some stronger healing spells. From the injuries, I assume they will be quite painful."
Atem bit his lip, what Mahad spoke of was right. Maybe stronger care right now would help. He knew those rooms weren't always comfortable. He wished to give them more. Diva quietly watched the King make up his mind.
Letting out a sigh he replied. "Ha..very well..., I'll take her there. Just make sure the room is fitting for someone like her." He hugged the form closer to his chest as if worried something will take her away from him. Turning on his heels he started going in the direction of the healer's room.
"Seto's room is just next to this one." Pointed out the strong royal magician. With a nod of his head, Pharaoh entered. There was a candle placed in the room for more light. Still, he thought it was not good enough. He would ask for more candles later on. "Diva...could you please see if Mahad has more candles."
"Of course sir. One moment." With the chiming of the gold jewelry on his hair, Diva stepped out of the room.
I wake up feeling sharp stings all over my body. I could see a water basin next to my bed. My head was throbbing in pain to my disgust.
"You mustn't...move.." 'Huh..?' I questioned, turning my head I shifted below a blanket. My eyes met with soft violet ones. Atem was tending to some flowers. I watched him gently place flowers in a lovely decorated vase. There were a couple of candlelights around the room. It was actually quite nice. This was diffidently not my room though.
"I thought these flowers will help with healing." His kindness made a small smile touch the corner of my bruised lip.
"Where am I?"
The Pharaoh stood up picked a couple more flowers out from a basket and brought them a bit closer to my bed. "The healer's room. Mahad... recommended it."
"Ah, I see. So I'm not dead..?"
He lightly chuckled. "No, but I don't recommend moving around." He placed the last bit of flowers in the vase. "I..remember you don't like dark rooms. So I arranged some candles for you. This area of the palace can be quite dark."
"Thank you.." I smelt the sweet scent of the flowers wafting to my nose. He took a couple of steps closer to me, his eyes scanning my face. "Something wrong..?" I asked. "No, not exactly. Mahad is preparing some healing medicine."
"Is he? I feel decently fine." I began to sit up, only to feel another sharp sting him me. Atem jumped towards me and placed both his hands on my shoulder. "You mustn't move..!"
'Why did my back hurt so much??' It was a horrible feeling as if something was embedded in it. "...Something feels out of place..." I mumbled. "Atem, tell me why does my back..sting so much?"
He held me still with his hands, I could neither lean back nor forward. He averted his eyes from me and swallowed.
"Tell me, please." I tried again. I didn't understand this feeling. "You...have an injury on your back...that has been sewed together."
My breath hitched, as I tried to recoil. Yet he did not let me. "M-My back is stitched up??!" I asked shocked, my face was turning blue.
"____.. listen to me." Atem looked me dead in the eyes. I froze at his demanding tone. "You were very brave. You fought well with Seto, all for ME." His eyes began to water slightly. "You did so well.., but at some point, you suffered an injury in your back when you fought with Seto. There is a gash on your back."
I understood now. I had stitches on my back, ones I never wanted to see. I don't think I could ever unsee it if I did. I nod my head. "So for now I need you to rest, but do not lay on your back alright?"
"Okay..." Atem pulled me forward gently and wrapped his arms around the back of my neck, careful so he wouldn't touch my wounded back. "I'm so happy you are alright... thank you for saving me. I owe you for your bravery."
My stomach fluttered, hearing his voice crack a bit, and he spoke. "How is Seto?"
"He's not that bad but is bedridden for a while too. Honestly, I am surprised he listened to you."
'Hmm..me too.' I wonder what changed Seto's mind about being nicer. "Can I speak to him?"
"Not right now..princess." Atem let me go and patted the top of my head slightly. "He wasn't in the greatest mood when I last checked up on him."
"What about Prince? He needs to be fed, and." I asked about my horse.
"Shh..it's alright. I haven't already taken care of that. Now put your mind at ease. No one but Mahad, Diva, and I will enter these halls."
"Pharaoh..! I have returned with the medicine." Mahad enters the room holding a small bowl. "Ah right, thank you, Mahad."
"M'lady you are awake." He spoke a bit surprised to see me with my eyes open and speaking in a groggy voice. The magician walked over to me. He glanced at the flowers Atem placed down for me. He gave the Pharaoh a light agreeing smile. He liked the idea of the flowers. "May I check your health and wounds? I just want to make sure the light healing spell I cast helped."
I looked at Atem. I wasn't sure why exactly. Maybe because deep down I wanted to know if it was okay. The calm look on Atem's face eased my mind a bit.
"First I would like to see your back. To see if it healing properly." I flinched remembering the stitches. Sensing my discomfort Atem walked to my side and picked up my hand. " It's alright, I'll be here. Mahad is extremely good at healing."
With the help of the Pharaoh, I lay down on my stomach. "Forgive me." Me closer to Atem, he slowly slid the back of my shirt up so Mahad could study the wound. Even the air's temperature made me flinch in pain the second the magician wrapped the bandages off. I could see Atem's face go a bit pale. I looked at him concerned, catching his attention he looked back and smiled.
"I..must look ugly Don't I?"
"Don't be silly, of course, you are not."
through Mahad's eyes, my back was heavily bruised, it still had light drops of crusted blood on it. A soft glow came from his hands as he checked more without touching my actual body.
"Mahad how is she?" He began to wrap the bandages back up and pulled my shirt back down. "The wound is closing slowly. Though it's bruised. I cast a spell on in to try to speed up the healing. If I was to use anything stronger it may only make it hurt more. My powers are too great sometimes."
He held the bowl in his hands and showed it to the Pharaoh. "For now the rest should be medicine and good food. However, I can sense that the flowers and candles have calmed and eased ___'s tensions. Before that, I could sense way more distress flowing through her aura."
"Understood, thanks, friend."
"Oh yes, and whatever you do, do not let her lay on her back." Mahad half-ordered.
"W-what if I'm asleep? I can't exactly control...that."
Smiling down to my side, Atem touched my hand."Do not worry, I will take care of that. I will do all I can to keep that from happening."
"Good, now call me if she is in need of more herbs. I have a so-called grumpy Seto to deal with."
"Seto, is he okay?" I shot my words to Mahad. A sweat drop fell from the side of the man's face. "He is but, he is difficult. That sharp-tongued man...I swear." He let out a sigh.
(That Night, dream)
"Are you sure this is the right way?" I held my torch up. "Mhm, I am positive. I have been to a few tombs in my life."
"Yes, but we are deep inside a pyramid." This was fun, but I was nervous for some reason. Atem sensed my slight fear in this dimly lit tunnel. As amazed as I was visiting this pyramid. I remember being told how some places were filled with traps to keep raiders out.
"Look ____, you may like this." I followed my friend over to the jewels and artifacts that lay there. "See?" Atem held up this pure gold vase up to me. "Ahh. are you sure you can touch that??"
"Hmh, I'm sure. See it is written righter here on the wall." He trailed his finger below the ancient Egyptian writing. Needing a little break I leaned up against the wall near the pile of gold. I set my torch up on a stand, while Atem's eyes glittered at the new sights.
I swear I only leaned back a moment. When the wall behind me suddenly opened up. Turning into some slide.
"W-Wwaah!!"
"AH! ___!!!" Atem gasped seeing me suddenly being to fall backwards through the trap wall. He tried to run after me, and reached out to grab my hand.
"Atem!!" Panic flooded our face, as both of us began to plummet down deeper into the pyramid.
It was soo dark, and haunting. I could feel Atem's grip on my hand but my words wouldn't leave my mouth.
I feared the worst.' I don't want to die!'
'N-no someone help us!'
'Help us!'
'My friend is bleeding, help!'
I called into the darkness.
"_____!"
"____, say something."
A voice called to me.
"___!! Please open your eyes!"
My mind suddenly came to. Atem was sitting on the side of my bed shaking me as gently aa possible. Afraid my stitches would tear.
"Good finally.." He sighed, with his hands still on my shoulders. As if I was a glass doll, he spoke to me softly. Feelings me shake.
My heart was beating like crazy, as adrenaline pulsed through me. Images of pure dark was flashing in my mind. From me falling down a trap hole.
"... A..tem. Am I still a part of this world?" I asked with a tear falling down the side of my face.