Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Echoes of Forgotten Times ❯ Dark Remembrance ( Chapter 8 )

Echoes of Forgotten Times
Written by Shukumei no Kagi
Notes: Khenemet is still female and Mekhu is male.
~{Flashbacks}~
******* scene changes
Warning: Yaoi, sorta deathfic.
Pairing This Chapter: Mekhu (Isis) x Khenemet (Ryou)

Chapter Eight ~ Dark Remembrance
~
"You will?" Yugi's voice seemed to delight in the knowledge, despite the question he didn't seem to need the statement repeated. "Thank you." Came a more polite reply from the boy.

Khenemet looked up toward him, still feeling the twisting emotions knotting up inside of herself. She caught sight of the bright smile that lit Yugi's face, the expression was fully in place with an innocent joy at the knowledge that she would tell him more. The expression numbed the rage of emotions and infected her with her own sad smile. "It's kind of long. You might like to have a seat, Yugi." She advised with a gesture to one of the stools within the room.

She got a nod from Yugi in reply, a cute, thoughtful look crossing his face before he moved toward the closest pair of waiting stools. "I don't mind long." He stated as he sat down on the black seat. And to Khenemet his kind tone seemed to almost be bouncing with an eagerness to hear what she had to say.

Some doubt wiggled it's way into Khenemet. He wouldn't be so eager if he really knew, she reflected, not so sure she could ever be that eager about even remembering everything. Khenemet sadly paused, her eyes staring blankly ahead with the knowledge that no innocence could possibly survive the memories she had.

"If it's long you should be sitting too, Khenemet. It'll be more comfortable."

Khenemet started at Yugi's words quickly falling back to her reluctance to speak. "Would you like something to eat first?" She asked hurriedly and the boy shook his head, unknowingly defeating her hope that she could delay things further.

"No thanks. I'm supposed to feed everyone." Yugi denied.

Khenemet sighed softly giving in to the fact that she had to tell him what he needed to know now, no matter how much she didn't want to hear her memories vocalized. "Okay then. I guess we're set..." Khenemet hesitated again, then moved to the stool opposite Yugi and sat, suddenly aware that she didn't know where to start. Maybe with the fact that she hadn't always been like this? Or maybe with when her life had changed? Or perhaps with her father's return before the change? "I'm not sure where this begins." She commented while glancing down at her lap to avoid looking at her companion.

"That's okay, Khenemet. You don't have to rush!" He answered her reassuringly, the feeling of reassurance still being so foreign that she had to glance up. Her gaze ending up finding Yugi's features colored with a definite concern...for her? That was really foreign but Khenemet did her best to begin the explanation, unable to resist the innocent little one's wish to know more.

"I didn't always look like this..." She began slowly, trailing off to compose her thoughts. "It was only a bit more than a cycle of the sun ago. We didn't live here either, and I was different from this..." Khenemet silently lamented the fact that the memories were forming in her head as she spoke. What was worse was they were as clear as day.

~{Flashback: A year, five months and two days ago}~
"Just give me moment, okay? I've got to see if Bakt is back." I said with a finger placed over my lips in a gesture to keep Mekhu silent. After having had at least three other suitors before I met Mekhu, I knew that I didn't want him, or me, being caught by my daddy. The last guy I knew had escaped with an eye gouged out along with numerous broken bones. I'd gotten punished for the mess the fight had made of the dwelling. But all I'd got was a few bruises and scrapes.

It was a good thing I hadn't liked the guy in the first place. But I certainly thought that the damage Bakt had done was a bit much! Shoving the guy out the door would have been just fine.

I started to turn to enter the dwelling but my arm was caught by Mekhu. His grip stopping my movement before I could even get the door open. "Please understand Mekhu. I don't want Bakt catching us." I'm sure he still wanted to know why I kept calling my daddy by his name. I should be old enough to not be affectionate with Bakt. He's kept me closed off from my lovers enough.

"Yes, maybe, but we don't have to be here at all." His deep voice spoke right next to my ear, the warmth of his breath on my skin leaving a tingle behind on my neck. "There are other places, safer than we are here."

I knew that was true, but if daddy ever did catch us outside of the dwelling... I don't think I wanted to imagine how dead Mekhu would be at his hands. "They are only safe as long as Bakt doesn't find us that way." I stated somewhat nervously as I turned my concerned gaze to him. "If we are at least here, my father won't kill anyone."

I watched him wince at my words, the reality of how controlling my father can be must be sinking in now. Even then I doubted he really understood about what Bakt was like. "Shh, let me see if he's here." I stated before turning back to the door, this time Mekhu didn't stop me from opening the dwelling door. I said nothing as I walked into the white washed entry, noting that no one was there I gestured for Mekhu to enter.

I went further into the place, passing the shrine to look into the kitchen. Seeing no one there, I climbed the steps to the roof without speaking. The midday roofs were empty as far as I could see, there were no signs of anyone being anywhere but on the streets of the city that day. Which meant Mekhu and I would be by ourselves.

Delight filled me at the idea. Just me and Mekhu! I couldn't keep the ideas of where it could lead out of my head as I went back down the stairs. I had every intent of getting Mekhu to put my bed to use if at all possible. I've gone long enough being separated from those boys I actually do like by Bakt! I really shouldn't be doing this and I know it but I set my jaw determined, but I was still shaking from nerves. Though they were more from knowing how Bakt would react when he found out. I could guarantee he'd find out somehow...

"Does that mean he's here?" Mekhu asked as he saw me shaking. I looked toward him and my knees felt weak for he was sitting on my father's bed. I was too busy looking over the sight to answer him right away and he started to rise.

I quickly shook my head to clear it of my thoughts. "You don't have to move." I can't imagine daddy would notice anything different if I cleaned well enough. "He's not here." I moved with little steps, though my pace was quick enough to have me soon sitting next to him there.

"Luck seems to favor us today." He spoke as he reached out to me, his fingers brushing fondly against my cheek. My heart was fluttering with excitement as I scooted closer to lean against him, feeling his own bodily heat even through my dress, as I'm sure he could feel mine.

"I'm glad that it does. There was so much I want to do." I stated, looking directly into his eyes, hoping that this all would lead somewhere besides speaking.

"You should just marry to get away from him." His words were a whisper but he was leaning closer to me, much to my delight. As for his suggestion I was doubtful that it would work. Bakt went as far as to kidnap me from mother in order to keep me around. But I spared a hopeful moment that Mekhu might be about to propose but he didn't say a word about that and I sighed.

"He'd just take me back, I think." I answered as I felt his breath mingling with mine, then his lips brushed smoothly on mine. The warmth of it stirred up an anticipation of what it might be like to have him kissing me.

Before the kiss could even start I heard the door opening. I yanked back at the same time Mekhu did, we both having noticed that we were no longer alone.

"And what do you think was going on here?" The snarled question telling me who it was even before I could look toward Bakt. Mekhu was yanked away by the arm as we managed to glance up. Bakt wasn't even acknowledging my presence, his attention was solely on Mekhu with his dark eyes narrowed dangerously.

Mekhu's gaze was still calm, even though I could see that if my father put another fraction of a twist on my lover's arm Mekhu would be in pain. I'd seen this happen enough times before that I could identify just how close a person was to being harmed. "I was kissing the lovely Khenemet, sir. That is all that was happening at the moment." Mekhu stated truthfully and I wondered if he could ever lie. I'd never seen him lie before, though I knew it would have been in his best interest right then to have....

Wait a minute? He called me lovely... I flushed but the coloration to my cheeks faded as Bakt twisted the arm the rest of the way. I was plenty stunned when the only noise that filled the air was Mekhu's pained gasped. It was the first time that it wasn't a pained scream that was the result of my father's actions. I'm not sure how but he managed to twist loose of the grip my father had on him and Mekhu started to straighten right into the sudden punch Bakt had thrown.

I gasped this time with my eyes filling with horror as Mekhu collided with the wall. "That's what I thought. You will learn to stay away from her, got it?" Bakt growled as he advanced on his opponent.

"She has a free will..." Mekhu began but my father struck at him again, I flinched as I thought that Bakt was about to really harm Mekhu but to my relief Mekhu got out of the way only to be tripped by Bakt. Then my father was on the attack.

"Stop...please." I spoke as I started to rise. "Mekhu, get away." I pleaded though my motion was cut short by Bakt pausing to glare at me.

"Wait your turn, girl." He stated but stopped suddenly, his gaze flickering distractedly toward the dwelling door. It was then I noticed that he'd left it open in his haste to punish Mekhu. Mekhu noticed as well, for I saw him move, somehow coming out of the tumbling fight with only a bruised cheek though he was also being very careful with his arm.

"Leave now. Never, ever, come near my daughter again, half-life." Bakt suddenly spat, turning to Mekhu, grabbing him by the injured arm. I tensed expecting for Mekhu to be harmed more but I was surprised when my father just heaved Mekhu outside and slammed the door.

"Bakt..." I trailed off as he whirled to me, with a fury very obvious in his eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to let anyone in? You are not to be around people." He snarled as he stalked closer, I suspected that I would be hurting very soon. But instead of being struck, I was yanked up by my arm and pulled into the dwelling without any further explanation, where I was shoved sharply onto my bed.

"Stay there, you'd better obey me. If I find you've moved when I get back... You will be in big trouble. Someone had the nerve to follow me without being seen. So don't you dare open the door for anyone." He spat at me before letting go of my arm fully.

He stormed off and I heard the door open once more. But this time it shut rather forcefully as my father left to stalk down whoever had managed to follow him so well. I just stayed there silently, not thinking about anything for a moment. Then my mind started to work again. Who would follow father so well that he wouldn't notice them? And why would they?

Perhaps my mother...but I hadn't seen her in the last six years. Which was when Bakt had kidnapped me back away from her. I laugh softly at the idea of being kidnapped again. I was practically an adult now, not like then when I was so much younger.

I quickly put that worry aside and listened to the silence all alone. I think this would be a better time for Mekhu to be here, but right now I don't even know where he is. I did fervently hope he wasn't badly injured. How would I ever manage to be with him...or anyone I cared for, ever?

I shut my eyes, trying to think of something but failing. My own thoughts were quickly interrupted by footsteps. Was father back already? I hadn't heard the door open again. Either way, whoever was there approached me.

"One easy tomb robber."

The voice was unlike any I'd heard before and my eyes flew open to the sight of a cloaked figure looming over me.

"Who..." A hand clamped over my mouth and I felt a liquid of some sort filling my mouth. I swallowed instinctively before I could drown. The change was almost immediate, the world was darkening quickly toward unconsciousness. I whimpered and struggled to no avail but even as I slipped into unconsciousness I heard the person speak again.

"Soon we can be one big family. With your father being very helpful."
~{End Flashback}~

Khenemet knew that Yugi had been listening intently to what she was saying. Even though Khenemet had left out some of the things she'd remembered when telling Yugi about it. "Whoever the guy was, I was brought here and left in a cell."

Yugi bit at his lip. "Were you like this then?" He questioned first but she could see that vibrant curiosity about several things as she'd been telling him about how she'd ended up there. "And why did you think it might have been your mother?"

Khenemet couldn't help it, she laughed outloud. It had been a long time since she'd considered her mother and thinking about the explanation was funny. "She was a tomb robber too. She took me away when I was born until Bakare kidnapped me when I was 2, only to have her kidnap me when I was 7. But my father found me again when I was 10." Khenemet found that easier to explain than the rest of the story but she had to turn her attention back to the rest of what Yugi wanted to know. "I wasn't yet."

"So how'd it happen?" He asked with curiosity getting the best of him and Khenemet shut her eyes, remembering.

"It took several months before anything else happened. He only showed up once to seemingly marry me, wanting to control d...Bakt...and then... I was chained to some slab and I don't remember much but pain. When I woke." Khenemet stopped swallowing hard as she felt tears welling up. She fought them off before gesturing to her appearance. "I was like this. I did hear a bit of his name once though it was much later, after the change. It seemed to start with an 'M' something. Not a native name that I recognized either." She noted as she saw confusion on Yugi's face, then she went back to explaining.

~{Flashback: A year, three months and twenty-five days ago}~
I opened my eyes to the familiar surroundings of the dank cell. I remembered the strange cloaked guy returning here to present me to some other man dressed as a priest. I was sure about that at least. I recall the cloaked one explaining to the priest about who I was and that it was necessary for daddy to believe that we were joined. I assumed they meant marrying the figure, but thinking back on it I'm not so sure. Marriage hadn't even been mentioned once by either the priest or the cloaked figure. And I don't even see why it would be necessary, unless he thought it would keep daddy from hurting him. While I doubted it would, the figure hadn't seemed scared of Bakt. Not like any sane person should be.

Either way I had been dragged out after, the cloaked guy laughing about something.

"You don't get it do you? You'll see soon." He had told me. I only remember though being chained to a slab of some sort and several glowing items that joined with me. Pain...

Oh yes the pain! I sat up in surprise, my wings fluttering in agitation before I even realized the wings were there. But I was struck with the discovery rather quickly. Stunned, I grabbed at my wings with a gasp.

"Wha....what is this?" I gasped though there was no one to answer me down here. It was just me and that creature moving in the cell three down from mine. I got up slowly and back off, partly hoping the wings would stay behind. But they didn't. What had happened to me? I wondered slowly, my hands coming up to feel my face since I didn't even have a mirror to show me what else had changed.

I couldn't feel that much had changed about myself, well at least beyond the wings. I lowered my hands, only able to guess what else had changed. "Hello?" I called, hoping that someone would be there, anyone who could answer my questions.

There had never been any before. I'd always been alone without any company, except for the less than talkative creature. Even the guy hadn't given me anything that I could really understand.

Except for the wings. I looked over my shoulder, curiously. I'd never thought about what it would be like to have wings before, would I be able to fly like a bird? I had to blink as I noted the feathery wing fluttering behind that shoulder. That couldn't have been right. The wing I'd grabbed at earlier didn't have feathers...

I looked over my other shoulder and gasped as I found a leathery wing outstretch behind me without a hint of any feathers. I reached back to finger the leathery folds, the smooth surface certainly giving no signs of the feathers that dominated my other wing.

I shook my head with the realization that I actually had to look really weird like this.

It was the only time I really pondered that, though I had plenty of time to my own thoughts. There was nothing that could be done in the cells. I just paced around in the cells or sat around in boredom. Though it only took me an hour to realize that I was gliding a good bit above the ground. But I couldn't help moving my feet in the beginning, I drifted about.

No one ever came to see me, though I'm not sure how long everything was quiet. Not even the cloaked guy would show up at all. Only in the mornings would I know that someone had to have been around while I slept, mainly because there had been food left in my cell.

I kept count of each meal I had, wondering when I'd not be alone anymore. When I might see Mekhu or even daddy again. I was startled to find that I actually totally wished daddy was around. He might have not been the greatest but then I wouldn't have been alone...or helpless.

Where are you daddy? I wondered sorrowfully once, only once.

The next day I woke not to the smell of roast meat, but to the sound of footsteps on the stairs. I opened my eyes slowly to peer toward the bars of the cage. I noticed that breakfast wasn't there and assumed that the person must be here to deliver breakfast, so I shut my eyes to wait.

"It's a good deal." A voice drifted down to me but I paid it no heed until a second voice joined it.

"I'll believe it once you tell me what it is."

Those people were talking, not delivering food. I opened my eyes to listen to what was being said, those voices were familiar. One was the cloaked guy, but the second... Could it be? I wondered.

"We're nearly family, you wouldn't refuse that." I sat up as the guy spoke again. The guy wasn't bothering to keep his voice low so I could hear both clearly.

"Keep your hands to yourself!" The second voice growled, a sound that came along with a definite slap. But that was enough to confirm who it was and I couldn't keep silent.

"Daddy!" I cried as I scrambled to my feet, thinking that now my father would get me out of this place. All I heard in response was air being drawn in sharply from the stairs, but I glided over to the bars to await Bakt.

"Now that wasn't any way to treat me." I heard the man say, but Bakt didn't speak in answer. All I heard were footsteps coming down those stairs. "Or if you want to see her and leave me here..." The guy spoke again. "Too bad." I hear a second set of steps even as the familiar white haired form stepped into view.

"Daddy!" I cried joyously, quite thankful that he was there now. He would get me out of here.

"Kh...Khenemet?" I can see shock on his features, something very rare for him. Even if the expression only lasted a moment. Then it was gone and daddy rounded on the cloaked fellow, striking faster than I'd ever seen him move. There was a sound of a thump against the steps shortly after Bakt had swung, so I assumed that the punch had connected.

"I want to get out of here, daddy." I requested carefully into the silence that followed and Bakt snorted.

"What? Didn't learn enough to do it yourself?" I flinched at the disappointment I heard in Bakt's tone but he still turned, eying the door of the cage intently. "It's simple enough. But maybe next time you won't open any door so readily, girl." He sneered in a hint that let me know he'd get me out of here. I restrained myself from cheering in relief, but then Bakt's attention was caught by the cloaked guy again. "How did you do this?" He growled at him.

"My secret... You aren't going anywhere either. I haven't told you about the plans."

"What plans?" Bakt growled. I watched him reach out for the guy but he'd vanished further up the stairs and my father smirked. "Things aren't that easy. This won't be but a minute." He stated, though I'm not sure if that was for my beneft or the guy to worry about. Whichever it was my furious father started up the stairs out of sight.
~{End Flashback}~

*******

"We never did get away. I don't even know what Bakt was offered." Khenemet finished smoothly with a nearly submissive tone. Yugi blinked rather sadly at that, not really wanting to believe that anyone could do that to a person. "He did accept whatever deal was. That guy hasn't come back, the army of other monsters were all Bakt's doing. I was only the first."

"They were mean." Yugi said softly, if simply, while a pout crossed his features. He especially didn't like how Bakt hadn't helped her once he had gotten there. Yugi couldn't help but think some about his mother. Surely Asyikin wouldn't mind if he helped here for awhile, the pyramid thing wasn't in any danger that he could tell. And he couldn't just leave his new friend all by herself. He heard her sniffle then. "You are okay, right?" He asked wanting to be sure that Khenemet was fine. He hoped that she hadn't been hurt more in everything that had happened to her.

"I'll be fine. I'm just not used to talking about it." Khenemet explained sadly with a downward glance. "As you saw there aren't that many like me down there." She noted, this time keeping her gaze down. Despite that Yugi was relieved to know that she wasn't hurt and grinned.

"I didn't mean for you to be upset. You didn't have to tell." He said in relief then paused to blink as she glanced at him sharply. Her gaze softened as she shook her head as if in disbelief. "It's good that you are okay." He added to finish apologizing for that. But she shook her head in reply.

"You deserved to know." She said simply. "Since it could happen to you too."

Yugi shuddered at the idea. "No one would want that to happen to them. But it would be nice they hadn't done any of this in the first place." He responded honestly as he would truly rather have that occur than anything else, which earned him more confusion when Khenemet nearly smiled at that.

"You're...different." Khenemet said.

"Whaaat?" Yugi asked as confusion reared it's head again. What had that meant, he questioned to himself though he really didn't know and Khenemet just shook her head.

"It's nothing."

Yugi didn't know what to make of that, but he put that aside. He thought that Khenemet had talked about what troubled her enough. Yugi just wanted to cheer the manmade monsters up from their plight at the moment. He could make that his other job! Yugi pondered that eagerly before speaking up. "Are you hungry? I should probably make something for you all!" He offered, rather happy to have something to do that would help the monsters. Yugi started to rise to his feet but somehow Khenemet bounced up first.

"In which case... I should show you how to get at the food." She stated with a flicker of a smile returning to her features.


To Be Continued

A/N: Review please! I don't think this is the best chapter I've ever written, and it's shorter than I expected since I had to take out a flashback I'd been planning...mainly because I don't know anything about Egyptian marriages. And since I don't know that much about Mariku.

Mekhu/Isis/(however her American Dub name is spelled)
Cloaked guy/Mariku