Chapter 11 - "But the baker sells cake."

“But the baker sells cake.”



`Oh gawd, I am SO bored!' Sakura complained, leaning back in her chair as they sat in their classroom at lunchtime on the Friday after the party. They had just watched Yugi thrash Joey at Duel Monsters for the fifth time that day, and were all bored out of their skulls.

`Okay, let's play again,' said Yugi, shuffling his duel deck again.

`NO WAY!' yelled Kaede, Sakura, Honda and Joey all at once.

`I would rather burn in hell than have to watch Joey get embarrassed because he can't win a simple duel against you,' Honda said. He was sitting on a chair by the window, waiting for something.

`Where is Tea? I haven't seen her around for ages, she doesn't usually come in here very often,' Yugi said, looking around.

`It's because she and Ana have majorly fallen out over Tea eating cake with Marc.' Sakura explained.

`Wait a second, what is this cake thing? I have not idea what it is, people just started to say it randomly,' Joey complained, getting up from where he had been sitting opposite Yugi and stood behind Kaede, wrapping his arms around her waist.

`Well,' Sakura explained. `We were in R.S. (Religious Studies) and we were talking about whether it is acceptable for people to have sex before they are married. And our teacher used the example of birthday cake.'

`Yeah, like, say you had a birthday cake on your birthday,' Kaede took over explaining. `And you had the same cake everyday of the year, but didn't call it birthday cake. Would the cake that you have on your birthday be as special?'

`And then some people started talking about fairy cakes and cup cakes and in the end, everybody was sickified.' Sakura grinned.

`Okay, I get it, so I could say that Marc and Tea ate cake?' Honda asked.

`Yep, that's it, and if anybody sells cake it means they are a hooker,' Sakura laughed.

`But the baker sells cake,' Joey said in a very innocent voice. Everybody burst out laughing at him, and he went bright red, realising what he had said. `THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT, Y'HEAR!'

Laughing, Kaede kissed him quickly and jumped up to get her books. As she did, Ana suddenly entered the room.

`Hello Ana,' Ryou said, but she took no notice of him, and walked straight over to Honda, sat on his lap and kissed him right in front of everyone.

Kaede turned away, disgusted. Watching people kiss was gross. She walked back to her desk and cleared her throat loudly, stopping their kissing immediately.

`So, what do you guys want to do at the weekend?' Sakura asked suddenly.

`I dunno, but I was planning to go to the beach and try out my new surf board,' Kaede said, sitting on top of the next to her satchel.

`Cool! Can I come too? I could bring my surfboard and we could go catch some waves together,' Sakura said.

`Sure, that would be cool,' Kaede shoved all her books in her satchel and looked around. `Where's Yuula today?'

Duke, who hadn't been paying any attention, suddenly sat up and looked around at the mention of Yuula's name.

`I dunno, she should be around somewhere, she is here today,' said Ana, turning away from Honda for a moment (which was amazing).

`Well, we could stay at her house and then all go to the beach together,' Kaede suggested.

`Okay, I'll ring her after school, and Tea as well, so she can come too,' Sakura suggested.

`Great, can't wait, ring me to and tell me exactly what beach we are going to,' Kaede said just as the bell rang, signalling the start of afternoon lessons. She said goodbye to most of them, and her, Ryou and Sakura set off for their Religious Studies lesson, whilst Honda and Joey shouted at them to try not to think of anymore sick cake related things.



***



When Kaede got home from work that night, she was completely shattered. She hadn't done very much, put a plaster on this boy's cut, blew her whistle at these kids of fooling around, but afterwards she had gone to the pool's gym and spent about an hour in there.

`Heya Grandma, hi Granddad,' she called to them as she walked through the door. She ran upstairs and showered, then got changed for bed as quickly as possible.

When she got into bed, she fell asleep almost as soon as possible. She slept soundly, but deep inside her head stirred a long lost memory.

Priest Seto put his hand on Hebeny's shoulder as if to reassure her. It did nothing to stop the queasy feeling in her stomach. She looked at Sanura, who was standing a little way off with Priestess Isis. Sanura beamed at her, but even this didn't cheer her up.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and Hebeny's insides plummeted. She suddenly felt faint, and held Priest Seto's arm for support.

`Are you going to be okay?' he asked. Hebeny shrugged her shoulders, not trusting herself to talk in case she hurled. Seto gripped her hand and opened the door.

Behind it stood two of the Pharaoh's guards. They nodded at Seto and entered the room. One of them put their hand on Hebeny's shoulder and steered her out of the room, the other leading the way. Behind the guard pushing her, Hebeny heard Seto, Sanura and Isis follow.

As they began the long walk through the temple to the palace, Hebeny began to feel glad that she was being pushed there; otherwise she would have turned and run away, fuelled by dread and fear. She did not have much left, but she still had her pride, even though there was not much of that left now.

Hebeny walked through the halls of the palace, to the Pharaoh's audience chamber. Two more guards were at the door, waiting for them. They swung open the door to the hall, and the guard behind Hebeny pushed her roughly between them and into the hall.

There was an aisle down the middle of the crowds inside, and on either side of this stood hired dancers, with long pieces of red banner. These were twirled around their head, arms, legs and bodies, and as the dancers waved them, the banners made beautiful patterns in the air, dancing in time with their wielders.

As Hebeny walked through the hall, she kept glancing nervously from side to side, at the guards who were hiding amongst the crowd. Each one was staring at her, along with everybody in the crowd, and she shivered, wanting to vanish so nobody could watch her anymore.

But this was only wishful thinking. She was pushed forward every time she faltered, and the bandages that were still wrapped around her ankles came loose as she stumbled. Each time she nearly fell, she heard the crowd roar with laughter. And each time they laughed, she felt their hate of her sting her like a thousand daggers.

Arriving at the end of the hall, the guard behind her pushed her to her knees and forced her head down against her chest. Her blood boiled as he held her there, not allowing her to move. She wanted to hit him with all the strength that remained in her, but knew she must not, as then she would surely be imprisoned or even put to death. A slave like her would not be missed, so they could do whatever they liked with her.

Which was what terrified her most of all.

She heard everyone around her suddenly go quiet, and knew exactly why. She sensed the Pharaoh Atem enter the hall and heard him sit, and heard the whispers of the crowd. There was silence again as Atem held up his hand, and then fixed his gaze upon her.

The guard let go of Hebeny and pushed her to the ground, spitting at her feet. The crowd laugh maliciously, and then silence again.

She felt a cold breeze pass her as Seto climbed the steps to the Pharaoh's platform and stood behind the throne where Atem was sat. Hebeny looked at Atem, and then at Seto. She wished that she would be told what was happening, what they would do with her. She wanted an order in some shape or form, because not knowing and not doing anything was unbearable.

Atem raised his hand, indicating that he wanted her to stand. She stood and looked at the ground.

`Well, well, well,' Atem said lazily as though she was of no interest to him what-so-ever. `We have all been waiting your return to my hall.'

Hebeny doubted it, knowing he would rather she was dead than in front of him, a weed among roses.

`Are you ready to dance for me yet?' he asked, again in his lazy tone of voice.

Hebeny's features twisted into a painful smile. She glared at him, and said in what she wished was a steady, strong voice, `No, and I never will be, because filth like you don't deserve it.' She gave a mocking curtsy and then looked at the floor again.

`You talk very tough for someone who may be killed if they take one wrong step,' he warned, his tone sharpening. Hebeny hoped it was because of her remark, but couldn't be sure.

`Well, my Lord,' she said, mockingly curtseying again. `I would dearly like to dance for you, but due to the injuries I sustained, I don't think I am fully healed, even after a week. And my injuries are so severe, I may never dance again.'

`Don't play games with me you little witch and do as I say,' he ordered.

`Not in a million years,' Hebeny said, and turned to walk away.

`Never turn your back on me!' Pharaoh yelled after her. She heard his fingers click and saw several of the guards who had been hidden in the crowd suddenly surge forward, with their swords drawn. She began to run, as fast as she could, sprinting down the hall.

But the crowd began to close in around her, and they cut off her exit completely. She looked around for an opening, but there was none.

And then she was surrounded.

Like a cornered animal she curled up, ready to pounce. But she was buried under the mob, and was felt herself slowly being crushed under their weight. She tried to scream, but her lungs were starved of air. She tried to keep her eyes open, but soon her vision swam and she saw no more.

`STOP!' Someone was yelling. The crowd stopped shouting and turned around. Priest Seto was pushing through the crowd to reach Hebeny, praying she was alright.

From the Pharaoh's platform, Atem stood up, watching as his high priest battled through the crowds. A woman who had been standing far behind him stepped forward and put her hand on his arm, staring after Seto.

Seto fought through the crowd, who were slowly parting to let him pass. A small circle formed and he ran to it, his heart beating, begging, pleading to the gods that he would not see what he thought was there.

He ran into the circle, and stared at the crumpled body on the ground. Her white dress was now dirty from the kicks she had received, and she was bleeding from the side of her head and her arms and legs again. Seto ran forward and kneeled down beside her, lifting her up and cradling her in his arms, his hand on her shoulder, moving down her arm and reaching her wrist. He pressed two of his fingers to her wrist, hoping to feel a pulse.

There it was, weak and slow, but it was a pulse. He lifted her in his arms and cradled his head against his chest. Sanura and Isis ran down the hall to them and helped Seto as he got to his feet and walked back to the Pharaoh.

Atem watched as they brought her to him, and the woman with him sighed in relief when she saw that she was okay. She left Atem's side and began to jog down the steps to Seto.

`Herya, where are you going?' Atem stood up as he saw her go.

`To help her,' Herya said over her shoulder. She reached Seto and looked at Hebeny's crumpled but still alive body lying as though dead in his arms. She checked her head wound and the renewed cuts on her arms and legs. `I can help you treat her wounds, come with me.'

Herya lead Seto out of the hall and through the palace, to a large bedroom. Seto laid Hebeny on the bed whilst Herya found some ointments and rubbed them into the wounds on her arms and legs. She put a bandage around her head to stop the bleeding from her head. She was just putting fresh bandages around her arms and legs when the door banged open and the Pharaoh entered.

He took in Hebeny lying on the bed and said nothing, but came and stood beside his High Priest, and watched Herya tend to her. He closed his eyes in disbelief that a single slave could cause such an uproar, even one such as her. Herya tucked the end of the last bandage away and looked down at her. She pushed Hebeny's black hair back away from her face and stood back.

Atem put his hand on her shoulder and jerked his head to one side, indicating her to follow him. They left Seto with her and left the room.

Atem looked up and down the corridor to check no one was around, and then he spoke at last, looking her right in the eye. `Why did you do that?'

`Because no one else would,' Herya replied, returning his gaze. `Why did you do that to her? You knew she hadn't recovered, and yet you did it. Why do you want to put her in more pain?'

`She is only a slave.'

`She is a living person Atem, like you or me,' Heya snapped at him. `You can't treat her like that, as though she has no feelings or pains. You don't treat any of the slaves in the palace like that, so why her? She deserves better than that.'

Atem said nothing, but looked away from her. She put her arms around him and hugged him tightly, her head resting on her shoulder. Only when he hugged her back did she turn her face to him and kiss him.

`Don't do that again, Atem,' she warned. `Please, promise me that you will never do that again.'

He hugged her to him and buried his face in her hair. `I promise,' he whispered, and he felt her smile slightly as he said this.

Seto sat beside the bed in a chair that he had found in the room. He was still watching Hebeny, though there had been no change. His fingers were running through her hair, undoing the knots that had formed in it. He felt weariness sweep through his body and he kneeled on the floor and leaned on the bed, resting his head on his arms. He closed his eyes and fell asleep in the dim light.

Several hours past without change, but Seto dreamed. He saw Hebeny well again, dancing to the sound of drums, her delicate figure clothed in a red layered dress, and when she spun around to the music her skirts fanned out. He saw her smile at him and felt warm inside, and longed to join her in her dancing. But just as he was going to join her, the drums stopped, and were replaced by screams. Hebeny's scream. Her body twisted and contorted in pain and fear of some invisible creature that was torturing and tormenting her. She sobbed and screamed for help. Blood poured fresh from her head and she had cuts across her cheek and on her shoulders. Her red dress gradually became darker as hit got stained by blood.

Seto saw himself watching, straining to reach her, but unable to. Something invisible was holding him back, just as something he could not see was torturing Hebeny. He struggled to get loose and watched aghast as she fell to the ground lifeless. He broke free of his bonds and ran to her, kneeling beside her with her head resting on his lap. Her blood still poured from her head wound and stained her clothes, but he cared not. Tears sprung to his eyes and he wept, clinging to her body, unable to let her go. He lay down beside her broken body and held it to him, burying his face in her soft black hair, running his hand along her arms. Her skin was still warm, but he could feel the warmth of her vanishing into the air.

Then, by the same invisible force who had tortured her to death, she was pulled away from him. He cried as he watched helplessly as her body was beaten and torn apart and then thrown to the crocodiles of the Nile, who were waiting eagerly for blood. They tore up the remains of her body until there was nothing left but the remains of her once beautiful red dress. He picked up on of the pieces and held it tightly as if that too was about to be taken from him, and he wept for her, knowing that she was gone and he had never told her how much he loved her, never asked her how see felt about him, never felt her skin against his.

A sudden waft of cold air jerked him out of his dream, and he found he had been crying in real life as well, for his cheeks were wet with tears. He hastily wiped them on his priest robes and turned around to see who had entered the room. It was Isis and Sanura, who both came quickly to him. Sanura sat down on the floor with Seto, not understanding why he sat there, and Isis leant on the bed to check on Hebeny, who had not moved at all. Seto picked himself off the floor (Sanura stood up too) and sat back in the chair.

None of them said anything, but Sanura jumped onto the bed next to Hebeny and began to shake her shoulders. Isis tried to stop her but Sanura shrugged her off. She continued shaking her shoulders until suddenly Hebeny groaned and, with one swift movement, grabbed Sanura and pushed her off the bed.

They all stared at her. She winced at the pain in her arm that her action had cause and clutched her arm with her hand, and her eyes watered with pain. Sanura, who was unhurt by the fall off the bed, knelt by the bed as she watched Hebeny with a fascinated look in her eye.

Hebeny slowly raised herself up to an almost sitting position and leaned against the wall behind the bed, exhausted by this simple movement. She opened her eyes finally and blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light. She looked around, and smiled at Sanura. `Thanks for waking me up,' she said weakly. Sanura beamed and lunched herself onto the bed and hugged her. Hebeny pushed her away as she has pressed against her wounds, and laughed at the stunned look on her face. Hebeny hugged her Sanura carefully so she wouldn't cause herself any more pain and then leant back against the pillow.

Isis was smiling half-heartedly. `You know that Sanura doesn't really understand things after what happened to her before we found her?' Hebeny nodded. `Well, when you were being attacked, I think she didn't really understand what was happening and tried to join in attacking you. I'm sure she didn't mean to,' she added, seeing the look of horror pass over Hebeny's face. `It's just that she didn't understand. But she couldn't get anywhere near you for the crowds and I was holding her back as well, so there was no way she would have been able to hurt you in anyway.'

Hebeny smiled weakly again and looked at Sanura. She didn't seem violent at that moment, but Hebeny knew that she had a habit of doing what she saw other people doing, and if that was attacking someone, then she would join in, however wrong it was.

Hebeny looked at Seto, how had said nothing. Isis saw this, and grabbed Sanura by the upper arm and began to drag her away. `We'd better go and see to the temple, see you later,' she said, and closed the door behind them as they left.

Hebeny looked at Seto, but said nothing. He just stared at her as right though her was staring through space, and Hebeny slowly turned her head to the side to make him laugh. But he didn't. He was devoid of emotion. She knelt on the bed facing him, ignoring the sharp pains his caused her legs, and reached for one of his hands. She pulled it towards him, forcing him to stand up and come closer to her.

She looked up into his eyes, but still no emotion was in his face, no way for her to tell what he was thinking. She ran through every possible thing she could do to make him show emotion in her head, but nothing came to her.

Eventually she couldn't contain the throbbing pain in her legs any longer. She whimpered and her eyes watered as she bit her lip. As soon as this sound was uttered though, Seto immediately became worried. It was as if he had woken from a trance.

`What are you doing? Lay down to take the weight off you legs. Honestly, why are you doing it if it causes you pain, don't do it for my sake,' he fussed over her and she smiled at him. He looked into her face and smiled back. She still held his hand, but she let go now and wrapped her arms around his chest. He put his arms around her neck and rested his head on the top of hers, his hands gently stroking her hair, a smile on his face. Inside his chest, his heart leaped as he held her in his arms, so violently she feared that she would feel it. But her eyes stayed closed, until he lifted his head up again and said, `Come on, let's go back to the temple.'

She nodded and he picked her up in his arms and carried her with him out of the room and through the palace. Servants in the palace stared at them as they went, but Seto didn't care. He didn't care who saw them together, or if they disapproved at him carrying a worthless slave. Because he knew that she wasn't worthless.

All he cared about was that she was still smiling at him.

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