Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Land of Confusion ❯ Once upon a time in Egypt ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Life.

My Life.

I was once so very empty, once merely going through the motions of living never truly enjoying life.

I killed people, slept with women, and gained riches upon riches.

But never did I ever experience happiness.

Not with all my power.

Not with anything.

Never.

Never until she walked into my life.

And with her she brought a truth, one I never knew existed. One I couldn't even imagine existing.

She wasn't a vampire.

She could walk in the sunlight.

As I happily found out one night, had a cross tattoo on her lower back.

Crucifixes fascinated her.

She couldn't turn into a bat.

She could walk into temples, though she preferred not to.

She is pale, paler than anyone I've ever met, but hardly a ghost or an undead, as some call it. So what if her pale complexion shocks many.

So what?

Her hair is this pretty pale shade of gold, which I've never seen.

Nahkti, the most noteworthy thief, tomb raider, and killer in my kingdom has white hair, but still. I imagine the gods meant to curse him but the bastard found a way to get around it.

But she is in a sense a vampire.

She drinks the blood of men and can in turn change people into what she is with her blood. She has sharp teeth and needs blood for she experiences blood lust.

I've seen her in blood lust; she will never ever experience that horrible pain again.

Law dictates that I should have killed her.

Should have.

But I could not.

She was just so beautiful.

But that wasn't all, it's like you're empty and someone comes along, and they just fill every last void and make you feel so wonderful.

A giddy little wonderful feeling that makes you feel like skipping through the palace halls.

Though if I did that, Anubis would probably have me tied and gagged.

The only thing that worries me if I fill the voids she has, I don't...I don't think I do.

And if I don't, then how much of a lover am I?

But Gia is innocent, if you can believe that.

And as I soon saw she only drank the blood of mature men, usually corrupt or wrong in some way, never women, children, or the elderly.

She had her own code of honor and a smile brighter and more enticing than anyone else’s.

I did not condemn her.

I made her first my lover, then the mother of my child, then my wife.

And then in my life there were two stars.

Her, the strange angel, and my new son, the quiet mystery.

He looks like me and I can see myself in him, but I see more of her and what she is. And in some things I don't know where he got them from.

He has the exact same hair I do, minus the lightning-struck look, my hair is a wonder, something that only the gods could create, perhaps the goddess of humor made it such when I was being born. What ever the case it is natural, despite the odd look and the surprise.

Yugi shares some of my surprises, some of his mothers, and some of his own.

I have black hair with roots of purple and highlights of fuchsia, with spiky gold blond bangs hanging rim-rod straight in the front, whereas his bangs lie dormant and they are that same pale shade her hair is.

Big innocent smiling purple eyes that shine with the same light I found in Gia's. Eyes that harbor secrets and knowledge and affection, partly hidden by long black feathery lashes. So different from my piercing red ones.

He speaks so rarely, very very rarely. I don't know if he only speaks to Gia when I'm not around or if he just doesn't speak at all and only makes those happy sounds of his. Giggles and sighs and laughs. It does not worry Gia; she believes more than anything that he is absolutely perfect.

I have to agree.

He's also tiny. I admit that I am rather...small for my age, but what I miss in height I make up in stature, and Gia. Well she's smaller than I am much to my delight. So it's really no surprise that our son is a midget.

That is exaggeration; he's just very small, and cute, like his mother.

He avoids contact with adults whether they are nice or not, just like his mother.

He enjoys the company of small children and animals, just like his mother.

And most importantly he drinks blood, just like his mother.

I suppose that should disturb me, it doesn't.

There are some men I know who drink wine and go daily to give generous donations to the temple, who should really be drinking blood and be condemned to eternal pain.

But they are not, and my son and wife are, well so be it.

I love them dearly no matter what they do.

They could slaughter all of the people of Egypt and I would love them the same.

Since his having been born my life has changed greatly.

From the moment I held him first in my arms I swore anything and everything for the two of them. I held him and smiled at him and kissed him on his forehead and felt no fear, I would never be like my father. Yugi would grow up loving me, for I loved him dearly.

My own father though well meaning, stole away my childhood and made me hate my life. My "childhood" is a horror story and my mother was ill from the moment I was born so she could not handle stress, but she did seem to love me. That was my childhood, a very confused one. Though I believe that Gia's is worse, much worse.

That worries me, when will she reveal to me who she really is and where she came from.

How can I ever feel complete if she is still a stranger to me?

Gia named him Yugi, saying that it meant, "To play", looking at him I thought the name was perfect.

He was special and the name was foreign so it fit, and he did look playful, after getting all his screams out he was looking about the room curiously, twisting and turning in my arms.

One of the midwives held out her hands so she could go and clean and dress Yugi. I was all ready to hand him to her when my lover whimpered. Pulling him back I turned and looked at Gia, praying to Ra that she was okay.

She was staring at me, biting her lip looking worried. "Please", she said, "Could he just...stay with us? Could she just let me wash him?”

I didn't know why but she didn't want this woman to have Yugi, and if that was her wish I would not deny her, so I ordered the servant to bring the bath tools here while Gia held him.

I had to smile at her since walking into my life she had brought such excitement. About a month ago she had been mixing up a potion for one of my guard’s bad back in the laboratory I had given to her when there was an explosion.

I will never forget that moment.

Running down the hall to see all the servants crowded around something. Pushing past them to see your lover lying on her back. Sweet tiny precious lover of mine covered in soot and looking so pale and sick and like she could die. Finding out that it hadn't been an accident.

You see there is a special dust that one throws onto wood to create a fire. The dust is special, made from a country very close to mine and has to be created carefully or else the flames will be too powerful.

Thus the explosion, but it wasn't meant for me, anyone who's anyone knows I don't step foot inside her lab unless she asks of me.

After that ordeal she disappeared for one month and even with all my guards and my high priest Anubis's help and my relentlessness we could not find her. At the start of the next month she was found.

Horse prints showed that someone had dropped her off in the desert.

She had been suffering from memory loss, but no more.

She remembered. Who I am, who she was, what we were together, and now we had a son. I couldn't think of a better time then this so I asked her, "Gia.", I remembered she was smiling and playing with Yugi and she said, "Hmm?” not looking up.

I smiled and said, "Will you be my mate?” I remembered the way her eyes widened and she stared up at me wonderingly, seemingly shocked and slightly afraid.

"What did you just say?” she asked softly.

Reaching for her hand I pulled it to my chest and placed it on the skin above my heart. "This heart finally beats. You made it beat, and Yugi reinforced its beat. I live for you both now, and you are all I live for." I pulled her hand to my lips and kissed and sucked each finger with my words of devotion.

"Will", the thumb. “You", the last. “Be", the ring. “My", the middle. “Mate", the index. I then kissed the back of her hand as I said her name.

She was staring at me, trembling slightly, tears filling her eyes, "Are you sure?” she asked softly as the tears ran down her cheeks.

"Very."

She blushed and glanced down and stared at Yugi I watched as a few stray teardrops plopped onto his forehead and cheeks, he cocked his head to the side and blinked at her. I heard her whisper, "What did I do in a past life, to deserve such gifts."

I leaned foreword and wiped her salty tears off of Yugi's face before proceeding to lick them off of her face. She blushed and smiled not stopping me and sighing and giggling softly while I proceeded, only because I heard a voice coming from the doorway did I stop.

Though you should know I didn't enjoy it.

Not one damn bit.

"Uh...Pharaoh, I...I brought the bathing tools...for Yugi.” I sighed and turned to look at her. Her long black hair was pulled back from her face by a brown sash, her light brown skin was lit by a rosy glow and her hazel eyes were now locked upon the carpeted floor.

"You may leave now.” I said coldly. She turned and left quickly. "Oh, and servant". I watched as she froze and then turned back to look at me. "Don't look so shocked. Of course I would be affectionate to my lover and future wife, not to mention my son.” I then smirked as she blushed even more. And then speed-walked out of the room as fast as was humanly possible.

I watched as Gia lovingly washed him. He struggled and whined for a little while but soon adjusted and seemed to enjoy the bath.

She ran her fingers along his body calming and soothing him, his eyelids started to droop as she continued. I heard the door open and could feel my temper raising.

Turning I saw that it was none other than my high priest Anubis. He walked steadilly towards us, no shame or even modesty upon his face. If not for the fact that I needed him so much and the fact that he was the best known and most valuable priest in my country I probably would have killed his proud ass a long time again.

"What is it", I asked, making sure he could the annoyance and vastly approaching anger in my voice.

"Pharaoh", he said bowing, “I came merely to make sure everything and everyone was all right and that you did not need my help in any way."

"If it was so that I needed your help, Anubis, then believe me I would have called you. But I did not. And is it or is it not royal decree that everyone, and everyone does include you Anubis, everyone either knocks or announces their presence before entering any room in this palace."

"Yes my pharaoh. That is royal decree.” I could see him gritting his teeth in an attempt to keep his rage in check.

"Well then, do make sure that you follow the laws. I would certainly hate to have to punish you, but, I will if I have to.” I then glared at him watching as he returned my glare with full force.

"Um, Anubis? Would you like to hold Yugi?” a soft voice interrupted our death glares to each other and I turned to look at her in surprise.

I saw that Anubis was giving her the same shocked look, a look that asked what in the world was wrong with her; and also why she was always so nice to him.

I wondered about that too, Gia spoke to so very few people.

Other than me she enjoyed the company of an older man named Gengki. His name sounded quite foreign as well and as he had told me his name it meant energy. It seemed so funny since he was such a tired old man who constantly needed his rest and said one day I would wear him out. Though he has a wonderful smile and a kind attitude and I must admit I would take his company over many of the people in the palace.

A younger girl, Mahri, as it was I met her because her husband was one of my prime supporters. I was surprised because she was a child of 13 years whereas her husband was in his thirties, apparently it was an arranged marriage and though she was still very nervous she seemed pleased with her life, and was pregnant. As I spoke with her husband she apparently spent the whole day in the company of Gia. When the day was done she begged Gia to write to her or continue their friendship in some way. She then kissed her on the cheek and waved goodbye until their chariot disappeared, I was shocked to say the least.

And then there was Anubis. A tall, rude, arrogant bastard that hadn't even made an effort to befriend her when it was made clear she was to be treated as my most sacred guest. Gia for whatever reason made all the effort and kept trying for whatever reason Ra only knows to get his guard down despite his uncountable actions to ignore her. Good luck, Anubis, it'll take one hell of an effort to ignore someone like her.

That worries me. I hope she doesn't have some sort of crush on him. Of course if he was to ever dare to act upon her affection he would find himself in a world of pain. And Gia well lets just say I'm starting to believe that I'm wrapped around her little finger, and she doesn't even try!

Anubis suddenly looked nervous and seemed like he wanted to leave, but Gia leaned forward until she was almost an inch away from him and gently placed Yugi in his arms.

If he dropped my child I was going to kill him.

Anubis looked even more uncomfortable as Yugi realized he wasn't in his mother's arms anymore and Yugi decided right at that moment that he felt like crying. He blinked once or twice large purple eyes filling with tears and started to make whining noises twisting and shaking in Anubis's arms before opening his mouth wide and letting out an ear-splitting scream.

I couldn't help but watch, pleased, as Anubis stared at Yugi uncertainly holding him as far away from his chest as he could. You'd have thought that my child was a scorpion. "Here", he said practically shoving Yugi into Gia's arms. "I'm sorry, my pharaoh, I must go.", and Anubis got up and proved to be the fastest speed-walker in the room.

A midwife poked her head into the room looking through the door Anubis had left open. She glanced down at Yugi left for and moment and then returned and walked in with a bottle of milk. She handed it to Gia and smiled saying, "This should help the little one calm down.", and then she watched expectantly. Gia uncertainly gave the bottle to Yugi and we all watched surprised as he suckled for a little while swallowing some of the milk before kicking the bottle out of Gia's hand and beginning to cry even harder than before.

I stared at the now milk-splattered wall where the bottle had hit and then promptly burst open; the midwife shared my shock with me. Only Gia was not shocked she was gently stroking Yugi's face while staring at him sadly. "Gia?” perhaps this was something children of her...race went through.

The midwife went and retrieved the bottle, "Perhaps, you should see if your milk's come in yet, most sacred guest.", I watched as Gia tried that as well with the same response, Yugi drank a little decided he did not like his mothers milk and cried wildly begging for something else. It was frightening the way he shook, the way the cries seemed to scream from his very core. The way he started to gasp and choke from loss of air.

The mid-wife stared at him wonderingly," Never have I heard a baby cry quite as loud as he can." Gia just continued to stare and stroke his face. Looking at her closely I saw that she was crying, sad tears not happy, why in the world..., "Could you please leave, midwife, I thank you for all of your help", Gia said in such an emotionless voice. "Lover?” I asked, I was worried now, this was not at all like her, but she did not answer merely stroking his face murmuring whispers of something.

"Gia, answer me.", I watched as she looked up at me. Tears were streaming down her face onto Yugi's and she was smiling this sad blank smile.

"I'm so sorry Yami. I can't ask you to forgive me for this", she was now glancing around the room seemingly lost.

I walked to her and took her tear-stained face into my hands, "Gia, love, what is the matter?” She pulled my hands away from her face and sighed. "Yugi, your son, my son, he's just like me. I can understand if you hate me, just please find it somewhere in your heart to love Yugi, someway", I glanced at her confused. "Why for the love of Ra would you say that love?” I demanded.

"Yugi is like...like me", she said this so haltingly, sounding so scared, “he...he needs...", a sob broke through and she brought a hand up to her face trying to wipe away the tears quickly and ferociously, she pushed me away when I tried to hold her. She turned to me and then yelled,"Yugi needs blood, and he needs blood. Do you understand that? Your son is a bloodsucker!” suddenly all traces of anger faded and were replaced by sad despair.

"I'm sorry.” with that she slid to the floor sobbing. "Love", I asked gently walking up to her, "Love, please look at me." I watched as she brought her hands to her face and curled into a fetal position. I kneeled in front of her, “Love, please look at me. You have such beautiful eyes love don't deny me the pleasure of looking into them.”

She brought her hands down but still would not look at me. "So Yugi will need blood, as you need blood?” she nodded still not looking at me. I pulled her into an embrace, "Love, is there a reason why you've never bit me before?” she struggled but then relaxed in my arms.

"I can't bite you", she still wasn't looking at me and it was beginning to scare me, "Why not, I wouldn't stop you, I would like for us to share everything.", "Because it's not right.", "Why isn't it? I kissed her cheek longingly.

"Yami, don't...please...just.” I kissed her lips and continued downward. I stopped and lifted her head so that she had to look at me. "Gia I cannot hate you for what you were born as, and as you have shown me nothing that says I should hate you, therefore I'm going to go with my first inclination and that is to kiss you, so there.", I then kissed her lips once and stared into her eyes, “Why is it that after a year of knowing what you are and making love to you and kissing and hugging and being in love with you, why after all that time and all my promises, and me dragging you with me everywhere I go, why would I stop loving you now. You're the first person I've ever loved completely and you've given me a son. Someone else to love and to be loved by", I looked at her she was now blushing and smiling at me tears on her beautiful face drying. "Besides if you think you're getting away from me that easily you've got another thing coming. You're mine now, mine all mine all mine, love. So get used to it, where do you want to have the wedding by the way".

She laughed softly wiping the tears off of her face and then smiling up at me, "How in the world did I find myself engaged to the pharaoh of Egypt while having his child?” she asked staring into my eyes. “Luck and being in the right place at the right time".

And that's how the little one first came into my life. The wedding was held in the gardens of Egypt very few people came, but it was beautiful, Gia also had a ceremony for Yugi celebrating his birth. Since then four years have passed and I am now eighteen, which in the future meant that I was a legal adult, in the past it meant that at the very most I had ten more years to live. Gia hasn't really aged since I've met her and Yugi has matured into your typical or not so typical four year old child of the Egyptian pharaoh. Anubis is still a tall arrogant rude bastard who annoys the hell out of me, but somehow in the past four years Gia has managed to make him an associate if not a friend. He speaks to her calmly and nicely and actually goes to talk to her when she doesn't come to see him.

If he's getting a crush on her he is in serious trouble, oh so serious trouble.

If you haven't noticed I am slightly jealous and possessive.

Gengki passed away on Yugi's third birthday much to Gia's absolute sadness. She stayed on the back balcony of the palace for so long just staring not talking to anyone. She asked me to fund a proper funeral for the old man; I gave him one of the largest pyramids right in the middle of the Egyptian gardens. She gave me the biggest hug for that, I didn't mind though that old man was the closest thing to a parent I had.

Mahri had her child, a little girl whom she named Zahara, she was born a month after Yugi, and so far she is the only child friend he has. They both act like little angels and I almost feel like Zahara's my own.

There is a slight problem in my kingdom, in the Ishtar family, the family that has been taking care of my families tombs for years, the young man named Malik has rebelled against his family's wishes and refuses to tend to anymore more tombs for anyone. Last I heard he was working with one of the more notable thieves in my kingdom, Nahkti.

Which is just wonderful. Because apparently Malik is accusing me of killing his father and is now plotting revenge. Why? I don't know, Malik's father was someone whom I actually respected. Also I didn't kill him. And Nahkti, well before he became a tomb robber and one of Egypt's most wanted he was the son of one of the richest men in Egypt.

I know his father was very rough with him, I don't really know to what extent but when Nahkti turned thirteen. He brutally murdered his father and then placed him on the steps of my palace. So two of the more slightly psychotic people in my kingdom have teamed up against me.

Ain't life grand?

The only person I can still trust in that family is Isis, the older sister. She is helping me to make sure Malik doesn't do anything very stupid.

Which I have a feeling he will do.

But all in all life is actually pretty wonderful. I guess there's only only one thing that's truly bothering me. I've lived an interesting life and I know I could not ask Ra for any more than he's already given me but it just feels like...like my life’s hit a plateau.

Gia and Yugi they have the rest of eternity, but I...

I love my wife and my son with all my heart and I know they return my love with all theirs it's just I wonder how long before the sands in my hourglass run out and I die.

And when I die who will take care of my loves, the world is far too cruel for gentle souls such as theirs. And how am I to rest in peace in the spirit world if I know that I am not there to protect them.

Really what bothers me truly is that in our four years of marriage Gia has not once bit me. I realize how silly that must sound. Why would anyone want for someone to take their blood out of their body and taste it and leave them sick and weak?

But...

If she bit me, it would mean that she is finally ready for us to join with each other fully and that would mean she would reveal the mystery that she is. And that she trusted me not to hurt me.

But she isn't. And I don't want to think about what that means.

So what I want, what I really crave is for that intimacy. That which she would share with no one else.

Yugi is like my wife, he needs blood, which I don't mind in the least. Gia refuses to let him drink anyone else’s blood except for her own and mine.

I have to agree.

I had to kill people, and for that I have become more familiar and calmer around blood and death, and sadness, and sorrow, now killing for me is nothing.

I don't have to ask Gia to know that she has killed.

But Yugi is still innocent and small and well meaning and young.

If I could keep him like that forever I would, but I don't think I can.

So I will hold onto his light for as long as I can.

And hold onto her forever.

Tonight, I will ask her to bit me and accept no refusal.

My child and my lover will be mine forever.

Forever, and ever, and ever, till time runs out.

And no one can stop me.

Not even Ra.