| Shattered Tranquility Chapter 2 |
| Author: Lisa Starr Rating: NC-17 3500 BC--Ancient Thebes "Will she be alright?" Setihamentep grabbed the arms of the old nurse who had come to stand before him, holding her in a death grip, nearly breaking the brittle bones of the ancient woman in his anguish and worry. It was too soon--too soon for this to be happening, too soon for his son to be born, and the way Nefertit had screamed. They had been gut-wrenching, pain-laced screams, filling the hallway; resonating through every nook and cranny in the palace, leaving nothing untouched with the haunted sound of her great anguish. He had covered his ears like a coward when she has screamed his name, covered them and wept like a baby, wanting--no needing to go to her, but deathly afraid of seeing her, of losing her. He had been unable to face her, to face what she was going through, had been capable of nothing save sinking to the floor and cowering until the worst was over and silence had reigned supreme. "Is the Queen alright?" Seti snarled again, shaking the old hag. Why wouldn't she tell him? Had his wife died? "Tell me! Tell me now!" "She sleeps, my Pharaoh, she sleeps." The old nurse--Kadija, cringed back from the look of near madness that leapt out at her from her Pharaoh’s eyes. Set help them all if the Queen died. This Pharaoh would surely strike them all down with swift justice. Perhaps Aye had underestimated this boy to the extreme. He had told her the heir must die...that the Queen must not bear a child to Seti. He had given her the drugs to slip into the Queen's drink...the child had been induced months early. A boy...a Prince. It had not survived. She had felt not one minute's remorse as she had stared, coldly, down at the woman who had lain helpless against the drug's potent powers, her young, lithe body writhing with contraction after contraction. Nefertit had lain, screaming for her husband, for anyone to help her, but no one had come. Kadija had done exactly what she had been commanded to do by Aye and she had done her job well. Seti relaxed marginally, eyes slamming shut in relief. Thank the Gods she was safe, whichever one of them had looked over her and kept her alive... Seti would worship until the day he died. "The child...my child? Did the child survive?" Seti's voice was a harsh, pained whisper in the dank room. "I'm sorry Pharaoh. The boy was born too early. He did not survive. " Kadija glanced downwards, unwilling to meet his piercing, black stare. It was too intent, too perceptive. Somehow, she thought, he would know. He would look in her eyes and see her treachery if she looked at him and he would kill her. He would surely kill her. Seti felt his breath escape him with a barely audible hiss. Raw pain and stark disappointment flooded through his body and straight through to his soul. This child... They had wanted this child. He inhaled sharply, trying to smother the sob that had rushed upwards from the pit of his belly. There would be more, there would be more. Nefertit was alive. He was just grateful his beloved was alive. He would worry about the rest later--would grieve later. Right now, he just wanted to go to Nefertit and hold her. Hold her tightly in hopes she would give him absolution for not being there, for being too cowardly to show up when she had screamed his name. "May I see her?" Seti looked back towards the door to their chambers. "Yes, Pharoah." Kadija watched as Seti lurched away from her, steeling himself with as much fortitude as he could muster to go and face his wife and deal with her pain and grief. Kadija smiled cruelly to herself. It was certain to become much worse for them. As bad as he thought it was now, it was only going to get worse. She reached out, touching his arm tentatively, halting him for a brief moment. "I have directed the Priests to begin the mummification process on your son." Seti paused for a moment, glancing back at her, his look inscrutable, finally nodding and continuing his path to his wife's bed. There would be time to consider all of this later. Time to consider his pain and grief and disappointment. First he must see to his beloved. Nefertit was all that was important. She was his life. ******************* "Is the task completed?" Aye awaited her anxiously in his chambers, black eyes piercing into hers assessingly. "Yes, my lord. The Queen has lost her child and she will be unable to carry anymore. I made sure of that. The Pharaoh will be forced to look elsewhere for an heir." Kadija bowed to Aye--her most reverent father. "Does Nefertit suspect anything?" "I do not believe so, my father." "Then there is only one other who knows." Aye stared at her speculatively. "No one must know what happened to the Queen." Kadija took a hesitant step back, moving away from him. There was something odd within his voice. It had shifted from pleasantly conversational to something infinitely more dangerous and threatening. It made her feel uneasy. "Ahhh...Kadija, Set will reward you for your loyalty and your service." Aye took a step towards her, his demeanor shifting to menacing; threatening in an instant, sending her skittering back fearfully against the wall. "You will be rewarded." ******************** Present Day-Capsule Corporation. Bulma jerked awake, jolted from sleep by the resonating boom of thunder. Her eyes shot open, wide and startled, like those of an animal trapped in death. A delicate creature hunted and trapped by the predator's gaze with no means of escape. What had she dreamt? The images and feelings of some great pain endured, lingering in the furthest recesses of her mind, taunting her to recall, the remembrance of the memory so near she could have touched it, but quickly dissipating just as she reached out to grasp them. Bulma stretched out her hand, feeling for Vegeta, quickly realizing she was alone. Where was he? Had he left? She sat up, straining to see into the blackness of the room. I come for you, Bulma, and once I have you, I will have him. Teya's malicious voice shattered the relative peace of her subconscious. "No!" Bulma leapt from her bed, her head twisting around frantically, searching the room. "I will not let you have Vegeta's soul. I promise you that." As if you could stop me, Teya’s voice mocked her. You are as stupid as you are weak if you really believe you will stop me from having all that I desire. I managed to once; I think I can handle you again. Bulma clenched her teeth in rage. How dare she come here after her, after her man? She would not stand for it, it was more than she could handle. I will kill you this time, Teya, I promise, whatever is left between us will end with this. Now you talk with the voice of Nefertit. A neat trick to be sure, but this time it will not have the desired affect. She is dead, long dead, killed by my hand. Are you so sure? Bulma smiled coolly into the darkness of the room, her features shifting slightly, voice deepening marginally as she spoke. Continue towards this place and you will see just how dead I am. I will not allow this girl and her beloved to suffer as you made me. You took all I had and now I will return the favor ten-fold. Nefertit, have you come to possess this stupid girl's body for your own vengeance? That hardly seems worthy. Teya's voice was heavy with mockery. I am the vengeance of mankind... the mankind you have so helplessly slaughtered, all in the name of Set. You're beloved Seti had something to do with that as well. Teya sneered. Bulma's face fell in sadness. Seti was weak and you used that to turn him against all he knew to be true and right. When the Gods judge him, there will be no absolution for either of you. Presuming you can use this human woman, to your advantage. Teya replied flippantly. A part of me, of my memory stayed with her. Even while my spirit went back to its rest, she retained my memories. She knows me, she knows my history. Every night she dreams of my life. When the time comes, we will be ready and she will be prepared for what she must do... alone. You are a fool to underestimate her skill and strength. Her knowledge mixed with mine will be your undoing, fool. So you say. We shall see, won't we? It will be great fun taking all from this woman as I took from you. Bulma smirked. "You think to have her Prince? You sorely underestimate him if you do. He is a strong man, disciplined and immune to you. His soul will not come to you and she will fight you for it. He is a man worth fighting for." I draw near, Nefertit. Soon I will be upon these two and their lives will be blown apart. Prepare her well. I do love a challenge. Bulma staggered back from the bed where she had stood. What had that been? Was Nefertit here now too? What in the hell was going on? I can show you, Bulma, if you will allow me. You must trust me to help you. Find Omar and all will be explained. "Who... who are you and why are you in my head?" Bulma's voice came out small and fearful in the quiet of the room. "Where is Vegeta?" You know who I am Bulma; you need only search your memories. and you will know you WHO I am. Go to Omar, he can help you. The voice faded into nothingness, leaving Bulma standing alone and shivering against the chill of the room. Omar? She was supposed to go to Omar? Bulma fished in the pocket if her jeans, extricating the card from her pocket, noting the hotel and room labeled on the front. Should she get Vegeta and force him to take her? As soon as the thought entered her mind, she dismissed it. How could she possibly take Vegeta with her? He would be safer if she went alone. It was her that Teya wanted above all else. If Omar could help her, than perhaps she could defeat Teya alone. Besides Bulma, Vegeta was ready to let you die... he let you fall from the sky while he searched for the other android. He could care less about you one way or the other. If he had cared for you, would he have let Cell complete himself? The tiny voice in her head refused to be silent. Bulma's fist clenched the card, crumpling it with her emotion. Damn him! She would go it alone. She didn't need him to save her ass for her. As if he would anyway, though there had been that moment earlier, when he had shared so much of himself with her. It had been everything she had been wanting and waiting for. Really, he had watched as Gero shot her plane from the sky and not lifted one finger to save her, then had let Cell complete himself to stroke his own foolish pride and this was on top of the continued desertions. How could she have ever forgotten that? Why would it be any different now? What would compel him to change and stay now, what had compelled him to do what he had done earlier in the day when there was really nothing different between them? Vegeta needed to give her answers. She so wanted to take what he was offering and give herself back to him and she would when the time was right, but now... right now, she had to deal with Teya. Later there would be time for him to give her answers. Bulma needed to protect him now, something he would never agree to if he knew she was planning. She alone had seen what Teya could and would do, she could not allow it. Her mind made up, Bulma hurried to her dresser and yanked out clothes, shoving them into a bag. She hastily searched through the small collection of capsules she kept in her desk, grabbing a few she thought she might need. Opening the balcony window, she stepped into the cold, pounding rain and maneuvered her way silently towards the edge. She could shimmy down the pole if |