Title: The Pharaoh and the murder at the Palace

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!

Characters/Pairings: Atemu x Mahaado, Aishizu x Mahaado (unrequited), High Priest Set x Kisara, Karim x Atemu, Mahaado x Karim x Atemu

Genre: action, adventure, romance

Summary: (AE, AU) After the death of the Great Pharaoh Akunamukanon, his son Atemu ascends to the throne. As soon as Priest Mahaado discovers that the late Pharaoh didn't die of natural causes, a certain thief is spotted around the Palace… now the priest has to fear for his life and that of his friends, as dark forces are closing around them quickly...

Author's note: Yu-Gi-Oh! and all its characters don't belong to me. No infringement on any copyrights is intended. Feedback is greatly appreciated. I don't pretend to give any accurate historical reflection of life in Ancient Egypt.

Key: - scene change


"Mahaado…I am a dying man."

"Great Pharaoh, please, do not speak like that."

The man coughed, tilting his head towards the young Priest sitting next to his bed.

"We both know it ends here. It is only because of your healing magic that I have made it this far."

Mahaado bowed his head solemnly, the fabric of his headpiece shifting over his shoulders. It was the only sound in the darkened room, besides the heavy breathing of the man in the bed. Pharaoh Akunamukanon wasn't afraid of dying. The illness that was taking its toll on him had changed nothing of his fierce, stern appearance, if only for his eyes being hollow and deep, his skin a sickly gray instead of bronze…

Poison, Mahaado was sure of it. He gritted his teeth. The last few days had proven him completely powerless to this specific poison, no matter how many elaborate concoctions and potions he tried as an antidote. The Great Pharaoh would've died sooner without Mahaado's heka, and despite not feeling any pain, he was withering away quickly, suffering indignantly of the effects of the poison.

The Pharaoh heaved a sigh, immediately followed by a harsh coughing fit. Mahaado quickly reached to the left and took a goblet of water from the nightstand. He lifted it up to the man's lips. Akunamukanon drank thirstily, the water spilling over his chin, into his beard.

Mahaado dabbed at the Pharaoh's face with a clean piece of cloth, but the man batted at his hand with an annoyed, frustrated look on his face. He sank back into the pillows, another sigh spilling over his lips.

"I thought death would be more heroic," he said, chest heaving as he was laboring to draw the next breath. "Like a blaze of glory, going out like a hero on a battlefield, instead of lying in a bed, fighting for each intake of breath and feeling weak and tired."

"You will always be remembered as a hero, Great Pharaoh," Mahaado said, keeping an eye on the man to anticipate his next need. How could someone have gotten so close to the Pharaoh to poison him? Something in his food? In his drink? How?

"Remembered as the old man that died in his bed from a stupid disease," Akunamukanon repeated and coughed again. Mahaado hadn't dared to tell the Pharaoh his thoughts on the poison, as there was a slight chance he might be wrong…a very, very slight chance.

"Some forces are stronger in life than life itself," Mahaado said.

"Death is not the end of it," Akunamukanon mussed. "My ancestors will be happy to see me, and I will be happy to see them."

Mahaado nodded. This family line had been very strong, gifting Khemet with the most intelligent and fair of Pharaohs. It was due to Akunamukanon's ruling that wars had ended and peace was established between several nations. Under his reign, trade had boomed, structuring society into the well-oiled nation it was today. A silence fell between them, and Mahaado listened to the man's breathing, that went slower by the minute. He tried to muster up the courage to ask the Pharaoh if he wanted to see his son, as it was obvious that he was running out of time quickly.

"Mahaado," he suddenly spoke, voice surprisingly strong.

"Yes, Great Pharaoh?" Mahaado leaned into him, the Sennen Ring shifting with the movement. Akunamukanon lifted up his hand, fisting it into Mahaado's robes as if he wanted to pull him closer. The young Priest bowed his head.

"Mahaado," the Pharaoh said, "I want you to…take care of my son. Please look after him…"

"I will," the priest said, a little too quickly. He missed the sudden smile on the Pharaoh's face as he was looking down, and the elder man relaxed his grip a little.

"Atemu is a wonderful son…he will make an excellent ruler," the Pharaoh continued. "Still, I am afraid…he is so young, he does not need to be burdened with all these responsibilities so soon. And I am a little afraid that he tends to overly focus on one single thing, especially if his pride is in danger."

"I know," Mahaado softly chuckled.

"Please take good care of him. He needs someone as trustworthy as you by his side. He needs someone to…force him to take a step back when things get out of control. He has an even greater sense of justice than me…please make sure he will not get himself into something more than he can handle."

"I will," Mahaado said. "I promise, I swear to you that I will stand by his side and look after him."

"Thank you." Akunamkanon let go of Mahaado's robes, his hand falling limply on the embroidered bed sheets. "Your loyalty and dedication to our family has always been an anchor to me. I know I can count on you."

"Of course, Great Pharaoh…"

"I want to see my son," he interrupted him. Mahaado nodded, straightening himself. The moment had come, and this was something between father and son, not father and Priest. He left the large room quietly, looking into the long hallway. The other Priests of the Court – Priestess Aishizu, High Priest Set, Karim, Shaadah and Akunadin – quickly looked up, staring at him curiously. Mahaado shook his head briefly, and turned towards Atemu. The young prince was leaning against the wall, his hand tangled with Mana's. The girl was Mahaado's Apprentice and just a good friend of Atemu's as he was - the three of them had grown up together, with Mahaado taking the role of the elder brother and teacher. Her usually cheerful face was silent, an unnatural sight. The whole atmosphere was loaded with sadness and grief, and Mahaado could feel his heart break as he mouthed to Atemu to follow him. A ripple of rumors went through the people waiting outside; if the son had been called to the Pharaoh's bed, it wouldn't take much longer…

Closing the doors behind the prince, Mahaado turned to take his place among his fellow priests. Mana immediately latched onto him, barely able to withhold her tears. Normally he would've discouraged her – though never turn her away -, but he understood that she needed the consolation and the support, so he remained silent. A little clumsily, he moved his arm around her, in an awkward hug.

He looked at the other Priests. Aishizu, right in front of him, was like an open book: grief and sadness in her eyes, yet her gentle strength was shining through. She would share her kind words and compassion with everyone, neglecting her own grief until everyone else had been consoled. Mahaado made a mental note to keep an eye on her, so that the Priestess wouldn't overexert herself. Shaadah, next to Aishizu, looked stern and sad, his face a tight mask. He would keep all his sadness to himself, burying him in work until he was convinced he had dealt with the grief. Mahaado made a mental note as to keep an eye on Shaadah as well; the priest would rather work himself to death than to acknowledge his own sadness.

He didn't need to look at Set, standing next to him. The High Priest was like a statue, and talking to him about 'emotions' and 'feelings' would only result into a scolding lecture. Mahaado didn't know how Set would deal with grief; he probably would file it under 'G' and not bother to look at it again because it interfered with his usual schedule. Karim, standing on Set's left, would also try to console others first before thinking of himself; for such a tall, buff man he was surprisingly…compassionate. The last priest was Akunadin, someone Mahaado never knew how to deal with; the man would probably keep to himself as always, and not talk about his grief, if he was feeling any. For some reason, Mahaado thought that Akunadin didn't like to talk about emotions to anyone; the elderly Priest wasn't that much loved or favored.

The nation's vizier, Shimon Murat, was looking down, hands folded. He'd been the Pharaoh's advisor for so long and he was so close to the royal family that it felt like someone of his own family was dying. Shimon's age was unknown, but he was older than anyone in the Palace, and he'd seen generations come and go. The man had confessed to Mahaado to feel guilty, as his age far surpassed the Pharaoh's and yet the Gods had decided to take Akunamukanon, not him. Mahaado felt uncomfortable. The Gods..? No, this had nothing to do with the Gods.

The doors to the royal quarters opened. Mana pressed closer to Mahaado, as if she wanted to crawl under his robes. Atemu closed the door behind him again; his face a cold, stone mask.

"The Gods have called for my father and he has answered," he said, voice too low for a young boy. "He will be with his father, and his father, and his forefathers, to rejoice in this new life, forever after."

Everyone in the hallway kneeled for their new Pharaoh, as custom described. Mahaado pulled Mana with him to force her to kneel as well. She had the greatest trouble refraining from crying, as Akunamukanon had been like a father to her.

Set was the first to rise again, his long robes rustling with the movement. His voice had no problems carrying throughout the whole hall, deep and forceful.

"All hail our new Pharaoh! Long live Pharaoh Atemu!"

The people repeated his words, not once, but twice. Atemu smiled a little watery, his eyes searching out Mahaado. But before he could talk to his friend and Priest, Set started ordering the clerics and other priests around.

"Prepare for the royal burial and the crowning ceremony! Send out declarations to let the entire nation know! If there are any problems or questions, you will come to me. No one is to bother our new Pharaoh!"

A flurry of people crowded the hallway before dissolving to follow up on all the orders. The other priests, with the exception of Mahaado, left as well, occupied with their tasks. Mana jumped forward as guards surrounded Atemu, and she easily slipped through their security. Just as she grabbed his hand again, a guard noticed her and pulled her away, roughly.

"Hey! Stay away from the Pharaoh!"

"Let me go!" Mana yelped. Atemu turned around, looking aghast at the guard who held Mana's wrist in a tight grip.

"Let her go, right now!" He barked, his voice lashing out. Everyone halted, frozen mid-step.

"Anyone touching this girl will be beheaded," he growled. "Let go of her now, or else..!"

Immediately the guard let go of her and Mana stumbled forward, rubbing her wrist indignantly. She turned around to wave her magic wand in the guard's face.

"If you ever do this to me again, I'll turn you into a fish!"

"That's enough." Mahaado's voice cut her off, calmly and composed. "The guards were only doing their work, Apprentice. Now, let us continue, there is much we need to do."

Mana grabbed Atemu's hand again and when she thought that no one was watching, she stuck her tongue out to the guard. Mahaado wasn't watching her indeed, too much caught in his own thoughts. The whole nation had been preparing for bad news, ever since the news about the Great Pharaoh's illness had been announced. It was the most confusing of times: mourning and grief for their late ruler, yet excitement and celebration of the coronation of the new Pharaoh. Death and life, sadness and joy, so close together. It…it just wasn't fair.


Karim came to walk next to Mahaado, the buff Priest easily keeping up with his stride. With Set being the master of ceremonies, all the preparations fell under the High Priest's watchful eye, and Karim had apparently taken that as an invitation to come along with the small group.

"What will happen now to our Pharaoh?" Karim whispered to him. Mahaado shook his head, lowering his voice to a whisper as well.

"He needs to rest, the last few days have been very hard on him," he said. "I will ask Mana to keep an eye on him, and get him something to eat to maintain his strength. He is going to need it to get through the burial, the coronation, and all his other obligations."

Karim heaved a sigh. "We have to assist our Pharaoh any way we can."

"We will," Mahaado answered, determined. The Pharaoh wouldn't expect anything less of his Priests. "For now, he must rest, and we need to attend to the late Pharaoh's needs."

"Who will announce the news in the city?"

"Set will send out his guards," Mahaado said. "It is going to be very busy, my friend. We have to keep the Court going, and take some of the pressure on our Pharaoh away."

"Very well." Karim halted, as they had arrived at Atemu's private quarters. The guards immediately took their positions next to the golden door panels. Atemu turned around to face the others, his posture strained and uncomfortable.

"I will be in my quarters if anyone needs me," he said, his eyes briefly resting on Mahaado and Karim before opening the door and entering his room. Mana was about to follow him, but at a short cough of her teacher, she stopped.

"Master?"

"Apprentice," Mahaado said, proud that she, even in this stressful moment, remembered the correct way to address him. "I want you to stay with our Pharaoh and make sure he eats and rests some. I will visit him later this evening. However," he focused his stern look at the guards, "no one but the Six Priests, my Apprentice and the vizier will pass these doors. If our Pharaoh is bothered by anyone else, I will deal with them as I see fit."

The guards bowed and reassumed their positions in front of the door, sharp spears ready to stop any intruder. Mahaado watched Mana enter the room, before he turned around and beckoned his fellow Priest to follow him. There was much work to be done.

Mana's heart weighed heavy and she fought against the tears about to spill. She had to be strong, for both her Pharaohs- she had come to see Akunamukanon as her own father as she grew up in the Palace. He had been so kind yet determined, and she had trusted him with her life. The Prince…no, Pharaoh now, was about to assume all his tasks and obligations…it was a daunting thought. Mana saw Atemu sitting on the sofa, his face blank as he was staring into nothingness. He had just watched his father die and keeping a tight mask was his way to fight off the tears and the despair now that his only relative had gone.

"Prince…eh, Pharaoh…"

"It is all right," he said. Atemu didn't mind how she called him either way, be it Prince or Pharaoh. Mana sat on the sofa next to him and searched out his hand again. It was her way of consoling him, of telling him that she was there for him. She wasn't good with words, or so she thought; she had the tendency to babble and go on and on about nothing really important at all. At this moment though, she was sure Atemu needed wise words of consolation and encouragement, words that Aishizu would speak in her soothing, deep tone of voice, that made anyone instantly feel better. Mana rested with her head on his shoulder, sighing softly. No words were said, and her fingers entwined themselves with Atemu's.

A modest knock on the door awoke her and she gasped. As her muscles protested from the cramped position they had been in, Mana realized that she had fallen asleep! Atemu was sitting like a statue, silent and emotionless, but she noticed the dark, black streaks on his cheeks, as the kohl around his eyes had smeared. Her best friend had been crying for the loss of his father, and she had fallen asleep on his shoulder! Mana felt horrified and remorseful. How could she have fallen asleep while her best friend needed her the most? Another knock on the door, this time more urgent.

"Would you…?" Atemu asked, voice soft.

"Of course." Mana quickly got up from the sofa and went to answer the door. A servant bowed and handed her a tray. She thanked him and brought the tray over to Atemu, carefully balancing it on her hands.

"Here, have something to eat."

"I am not hungry." Atemu ignored the tray with the bowls and plates on it, not interested in the figs, the cheese or the bread. Mana took one of the silver goblets and poured some wine from the silver carafe. Filling it half up, she used the other carafe with crystal clear water to dilute the wine. She handed the goblet to him.

"Drink some, for me," she pleaded. Atemu took the goblet from her, distraught. Mana took his other hand and pressed a fig with a slice of cheese onto his palm

"Please, if only for me," she urged him. Finally, he nibbled some of the fig, but not to his heart's content.

"After you're finished, you're going to rest," she said. "And I won't take 'no' for an answer, Prince, so…"

"Atemu," he interrupted her. "My name is Atemu, Mana."

"I'm not allowed to speak the Prince's name…"

"I am a Pharaoh now, and my rule is that you address me with my name, when we are in private quarters," Atemu said. "We have been friends for so long, Mana. It would be wrong if we allow our positions to come between us."

"You're right." Mana smiled a little goofily, yet she felt excited. Receiving the Pharaoh's permission to call him by his name was something very special! Carefully, she tried to call out his name.

"Atemu," she said and giggled. Such childish behavior wouldn't do, and she straightened herself, becoming more serious. "Atemu," she repeated, "I want you to take some rest after you've finished that slice of cheese."

"There is a lot of work to be done." Atemu sipped the wine from the silver goblet. "I have to answer to my duties and plights."

"You don't have to," she said. "I mean, not now. Set has the supervision on all the preparations and duties at the moment." She spoke rather familiarly of the Priests in Atemu's presence, especially when she couldn't be overheard. Referring to the six Priests with all their respective titles got annoying and bothersome pretty fast to the girl. Mana noticed that Atemu had finished the fig and quickly pressed another one in his hand. "You can leave it all to him."

Atemu chewed on the fig, motions slow and pensive. "I know I can trust Set, but I am Pharaoh now, and it is my duty to meet my people and take up my responsibilities as their ruler."

"I'm at your side," Mana said, almost cheerfully. "And my Master will be, and together we'll stand strong!"

He smiled at her words, knowing that she spoke the undoubted truth. "I could not ask for better advisors."

"Now eat some more," she urged him again, but let it slide as soon as he shook his head. Apparently, two figs were all that he could handle at the moment, and it was of no use to continue imposing. Mana took a slice of bread herself, her stomach rumbling. She ate in silence, keeping an eye on Atemu.

"Go lie down," she said softly. "I'll keep watch over you."

"I can not," he protested, but his voice lacked vehemence. "How can I rest when there is so much work to do?"

"Come," Mana said as she stood up and she reached for his hand again. Her gentle smile and insistence made Atemu cave in, and he stood up as well. Before she took him to the bedroom, she handed him a piece of cloth so he could clean his face and hands. She hadn't mentioned the dark streaks on his cheeks, still feeling guilty about not being there when he had needed her the most. She made a stern vow to herself to keep watch over him indeed, and not forsake her vow this time.

At the threshold of the bedroom, Mana let go of his hand. These were Atemu's private quarters, and she blushed at the thought of following him into his bedroom! He turned towards her.

"Thank you," he said. "I will do my best to rest properly."

"Prince," Mana said, her cheeks flushed. "I will be here to watch over you, as I promised."

"I know." He went into his bedroom and Mana scolded herself mentally. She didn't feel tired due to her short nap earlier, and she usually was quite energetic… maybe she could continue practicing some spells, while the Pr… Pharaoh was asleep? She realized that Atemu hadn't corrected her when she had called him Prince. She chalked it up to him being tired. Mana wished to be closer to him, like sitting on his bed, to watch over him while he slept. She longed to brush the wayward strands out of his face and to touch his cheek, his warm skin. Maybe it was more intimate and closer than friends normally would interact, but Mana's innocence, her warm personality and her desperate need to take care of her best friend as well as she could, made her overlook any boundaries.