hybrid_prince | Welcome To The Fold

Welcome To The Fold

"We do it so they feel hope for the power their people can attain."

That was what Emperor Dorrek had been told when he was a teenaged prince and found himself expected to take the first member of his imperial harem. One person of each people of the empire, on the idea that some day he would choose his consort from among them, would sire a child and heir upon them. It was his duty, and the people's they ruled would know they were close to power through the subject who might one day rule next to him.

The problem with it all was that Dorrek found the whole thing repugnant. Most of those given to his 'imperial consorts' were women, which was a problem for him. Which made every instance of these moments in the court tiring. Here he sat, upon his throne, awaiting the presentation of the newest offerings for his harem. He would have to choose one to take into his family, someone he would no doubt eventually send back to the others, trying not to feel disgusted by the whole process.

"You are before his Imperial Majesty, Emperor Dorrek-Vell. Kneel before his splendor and know you are close to greatness," his herald calls out to the assembled and Dorrek tried not to yawn.

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Atem doesn't hide his scowl in response.

"These are the actions of a weak ruler," he says simply. Even if it had not always been so in Egypt, Atem had believed in freedom and this... was not freedom.

As if Dorrek could even begin to disagree with him. He hates it, and it's something that he has to do anyway.

"And you've experience with what it takes to be a good ruler?" he says, definitely not amused by being called out like this by someone who doesn't know.

"I am Pharaoh of Egypt," Atem says, his chin lifting with pride. He knows now his Egypt is ancient Egypt but after returning to the spirit world it had felt so much like the present for him again and now he was pulled through space and time again.

"Freedom and peace are the hallmarks of a just leader."

What's a Pharaoh? Was Egypt the name of this world? It didn't matter.

"There will be more peace under Skrull rule. No more conflict will come on your world," he points out.

"I already achieved peace!"

Atem snaps and it's with great effort that he remains on his knees.

"You cannot come and create conflict to pretend to be the one to bring peace."

"And there you are wrong," Dorrek said, frowning down at the man. "We evaluate before we approach a world. There was quite a bit of conflict between nations. Because humans don't bother to see yourselves as a single people. You will see yourselves as part of us now."

And this man was loud enough that clearly he wasn't suitable to the harem.

"We will never," Atem says simply. He's stubborn and the fate of his people now feels out of his hands and the last time that happened countless tragedies happened.

"What do I have to offer for you to leave my people alone?"

They will. They always do.

"They are my people now," Dorrek said. There's fire there. A sort of fire he's not used to in the ones put before him. It's almost refreshing.

"Why do you think they will not accept their new peace? Is it because of how we look?"

"They will never be yours. You have not lived their struggles. You don't share their experiences, our losses and our triumphs," Atem counters. He knows his people. They didn't cower in the face darkness incarnate and they wouldn't simply accept another invading force even if this time Atem hadn't been able to win the battle for them.

"What you look like has nothing to do with it. We have seen worse. It is your actions. It is even what you are doing right now. No person kneeling before you desires to be here or to be... your... whore."

Atem doesn't usually use such vulgar language but it seems appropriate for the moment.

Whore? Really? Dorrek glares at him for that. The guards of course take the insult poorly and move forward as if to strike Atem for his presumption. It only takes a twitch of Dorrek's fingers to wave them aside.

"If you cared for their well being, then you would care about presenting yourself well here," he points out. "Earth is of the Empire now, and they will be cared for. And if you were wise you would be attempting to do more to represent your people better before their emperor."

Atem's fingers twitch but his duel disk and millennium necklace is gone, leaving him powerless. He's never been talked to this way, of course. Maybe when he was sharing a body with Yugi but that was different -- he didn't even know who he was then.

The defiance doesn't really leave his features at all and he has enough self-control not to say the first words that come to mind. He exhales slowly.

"And if I bend to your will then will you take just me and leave the rest of the people of my land free?"

Dorrek rolls his eyes.

"Earth is party of the Skrull Empire now. That is not going to change," Dorrek says with a sigh. But he can already see a problem here. This man could be a uniting figure here. No, more than that. This man might be taken out by the guards and imperial intelligence.

Dammit.

"I suppose we shall have a good period of time to try and convince me. And explain what Egypt is."

"And do I spend all that time on my knees?" Atem asks, a bit of his harsher attitude coming to the surface again.

Seriously? Dorrek tries not to glare at him. Instead he extends a hand toward Atem. And as he does so a change comes over him. Instead of stiff green skin it's soft and golden, and he looks for all intents and purposes purpose.

"Only when it is warranted."

Atem would say it's a fair question, considering everything. It's not like he's used to having to kneel to another at all. His pride has been wounded a thousand times over by this and more.

"How is it ever warranted?" Atem asks but he looks at the hand, at the way that it changed, his brows furrowing. Magic isn't a foreign concept to him but this is still something unknown to him. He takes his hand however and rises to his feet. He's much shorter than the other. He's very short for a human male at 5ft tall and lean muscled.

"Your name, Pharaoh of Egypt? Or shall I merely call you consort?" he asks.

Small. That isn't a problem for him of course. It is not hard to be smaller than him. And it may be more convenient in adapting the clothes normally prepared for female consorts to the newly chosen.

"Atem," he answers, resisting the urge to resist being called a consort. He'd just offered himself up willingly hadn't he. Still, it was humiliating.

"Can we move this discussion elsewhere now?" not in front of all these guards, in front of the other people that had been here for the emperor's inspection.

Technically Dorrek could not allow such things after the impertinence. But he needs this man out of sight and mind as soon as possible.

"Give the tailors an hour before they are sent to garb him,"
He notes before walking off, hand still holding Atems.

Atem's jaw stays tight as he's pulled by the hand. He has to walk quickly and his free hand is balled into a fist at his side.

He does behave, staying quiet and waiting to get wherever they are going. He knows the other doesn't want any more of a display in front of others.

They soon slip through a heavily guarded room and Dorrek slams the doors behind him. It's clearly his personal chambers for how lavishly they are appointed, and the view of the stars, and yes Earth itself, is breathtaking.

Dorrek doesn't seem to notice. He just sighs.

"You are welcome."

Atem tenses slightly at the slamming door but the area they stop in isn't crowded with guards and others. He presses his lips together, his gaze does turn to the view and an ache forms in his chest along side the burn of anger.

"What do you expect of me?"

"For you to not make enough of a scene such that my choices are sending you home to be assassinated or taking you into the harem to protect you," Dorrek hissed out before going to the nearby couch to collapse on it.

Without all the poise and presence of an emperor he looks... young. He looks young. Maybe eighteen or nineteen. But young and tired.

"Fucking hell I always knew coming back to Earth was going to be a whole fucking thing!"

“I didn’t ask you to protect me and no one asked you to come to earth,” Atem says, unsure of himself and the bravado he’s been fighting to hold is wavering. After all, he might be pharaoh but he’s still very young, freshly appointed and already through a war and now… this.

Now, home is taken over by others and he’s… a world away. Is this any better than his spirit being locked away in a puzzle for 5000 years?

“What did they do with the items I had when I was taken?” The puzzle is gone he knows but his ancient duel disk and the modern cards he had hold of… does he have anything left?

There’s a heavy sigh and he supposes it doesn’t matter but… it does.

“It doesn’t seem like you want me in your harem, though. Are you going to end up sending me away?”

"Yeah, I didn't ask to come here the first time or this time. Though I miss it. You can't get good pizza in space."

His accent shifts to something a hell of a lot more New York City. Meanwhile he runs his fingers through his hair and sighs.

"I can ask after your things. They will be checked for dangerous tech or magic. And I can't. Not until I impress on you how fucking dangerous it would be for you to keep talking like you did. Last time one of the harem got like that... I'm pretty sure the dowager empress had her killed. My grandmother is... harsh is the nicest word."

Atem frowns. None of it really makes any sense to him. Why he’d come, why he’d been there before.

“I can’t be silent about the truth,” Atem murmurs, but he feels drained suddenly. He presses his lips together. “They did things to me with magic I didn’t understand. There’s more to being in your harem than protecting me. You get something too.”

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