Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! This work is created only for entertainment purposes and I did not profit by it in anyway.
Teana breathed heavily inhaling and then exhaling. So much rid on this one event. It could be a turning point for her. She put strength and power into the action. If she succeeded, her life could be changed forever. She might actually find acceptance in Egypt. No longer would people look at her with revolted looks or of disgust. A peasant girl, a servant...made Queen of Egypt.
No longer would she hear the whispers in the hallway. "Cannot believe she of all people in Egypt." "She must have seduced our Pharaoh with evil witchcraft and sorcery." "He could have had all the women in all of Egypt yet he chose the worthless peasant." "She does not even have the blessings of good looks. There are countless of women in Egypt much more desirable than her." "Worthless peasant. She is no better than I am." "The Pharaoh must be bewitched."
All these little words of exchange said behind her back. Sometimes the cruel people who uttered these phrases to each other did not even have enough decency to say such things behind her back. Openly they said these, when they knew she was listening. However, when the Pharaoh was around, they were perfect poised ladies and gentlemen. Even the men were not innocent of this slander of their Queen.
It was true their love had been a slightly scandalous , forbidden love. She was a servant in the palace, he was the Pharaoh. Never the less the love soon blossomed. They shared sweet and chaste kisses in the closet, whispers and words of exchange when no one was nearby, and when they were sure no one would come, they would stay in each other's arms out in the gardens late at night, watching the moonlight and the twinkling stars. Neither one thought about how it would work out, a peasant and the Pharaoh?
The determining point arrived when it was announced that the Pharaoh had to find a bride soon to produce the next heir. Countless ladies whom were foreign princess and native noble's daughters were invited to a ball of sorts, where the young Pharaoh could hopefully find a suitable bride among them.
With all the preparations, Teana and Atem found little time to even see each other. The night of the ball, Teana's dream's were crushed. A realization slowly had swept her while the palace was engrossed in finding a suitable bride for the Pharaoh. Her and him could never be. That night at the time of the ball, she could no longer take it. Running away to the gardens where they often met, she curled into a ball sobbing.
Atem was supposed to be the host of the ball, but he would rather be elsewhere. None of the ladies interested him like Teana. Many of the ladies had beauty that surpassed Teana's, but he took not much notice of it. After a bit of time, he was able to sneak away trying to find his love. He eventually found her in the gardens crying her heart out. He delicately kneeled down and embraced her.
Shocked at his arrival she smacked his arm. "Why must you do this? Why must you play with my heart? Get away from me!" She screamed at him. He had never been treated in such a manner.
Atem only embraced her tighter. "No I shall not." He told her simply.
"Why give me hope of love, only to rip it away from me?" She sobbed.
"I love you. No one else. Never another." He told her firmly.
Teana's tearful eyes met the strong, sharp, determined eyes of Atem's. It was the first time Atem uttered words declaring his love for her. "I shall tell them. I shall tell them all of our love." He kissed her temple. "You will be Queen...my Queen and we shall be happily wed. I care not what others think." He said. "As long as I can make you mine." He whispered claiming her lips in a most passionate kiss.
Atem kept his promise. His long absence from the ball was not unnoted by the council. He explained to them the next day, he had become enamored by with a girl the previous night and wished to marry her. The council was overjoyed and asked which young lady had captured his heart. To whom he replied her name, Teana. The council had never heard of this girl and upon do questioning Atem revealed she was nothing, but a servant to the palace, in their eyes.
The council roared about this absurdity! Atem roared back with his own words of anger. They were not in a position to question the Pharaoh, the son of Ra in this matter. With or without their blessing, he would wed whom he chose. The council reluctantly agreed blessing the engagement in fear of being replaced and removed of their position somehow.
Atem and Teana did wed happily, but that happiness for Teana lasted for a mere time. She did not notice the evil glares and looks then, because she was too engrossed in her happiness and marriage to take notice. When things settled down, ever so slightly...things picked up for her taunting.
Teana cried countless times trying to hide her pain from her husband. Alas, her husband was too smart for his own good. Only did he make Teana feel truly wanted and loved. His arms were a source of peace and warmth. He was the one who helped her rid the pain that dwelled in her heart. Ironic how it was in a way, he where the source of misery stemmed off from, yet he helped get rid of it, at least somewhat.
He could not rid her of it completely, nor could he stop it. But he did help. His kisses, his touch, his warmth and his love kept Teana content. People dared speak against her, but at least she could be with her beloved. Atem did not know about intensity of viciousness of the words and rumors spread about his love, but he was very extremely vaguely aware of it. In the privacy of his own bed he once asked Teana while she was in his arms, kissing her on the temple about the matter. "Love," he affectionately called her. "If they say such words of slander against my Queen why do you not have them punished?"
Teana took in a deep breath. "Does not matter. It is unlike me to, give them such a foul and unfair punishment."
"Dost not seems unfair to me." He cupped her cheek. "Who dare insult such beauty and purity?" Teana blushed. "Eh. I love it so when you blush." He murmured leaning in for another kiss. After retreating back from the kiss he spoke again. "I still say you should give them their punishment, love."
Teana sighed and shook her head. "Does not matter. Instead they would speak worse of me, a queen who instills fear in others because she cannot take some mere gossip."
Atem kissed her forehead. "Well their words are nothing but a stem of their jealousy towards you. I love you more that words can express. They shall soon see the greatness that I see in you for themselves." He promised.
Now here was Teana's chance. Her one chance. If she could achieve this under this impeccable timing, than she would be hailed as a respectable Queen and perhaps then, only then would people forget about her past background and focus on anew.
Teana pushed and ached, perspiration dripping from her forehead. Words of encouragement and demands were yelled at her. It was all a blur. Teana pushed moaning in pain one last time sucking in a gasp of breath. She heard murmurs and yelling and the first words she heard was, "I shall get his Majesty immediately." A female servant ran out the room. She heard murmurs of excitement. Teana blinked trying to clear her vision.
Even Isis was unable to know what was to come. Isis. One of the people in the palace that did not speak ill of Teana. Perhaps that is. Teana was unsure. She did not have much reason to trust anyone after everything she endured.
As Teana's vision cleared she looked towards to the door as the Pharaoh barged in. "Teana!" He exclaimed. It was then Teana noticed another servant holding a bundle in her arms. "My Pharaoh, may I present her Royal Highness." It was then when everything froze around Teana.
Her. Her. As in female, as in a girl. She failed. She completely and utterly failed. A girl. If she were anyone or in any other position than she was now, she would be overjoyed, ecstatic at the news. A healthy baby was all she desired, if it had been. But she failed. She lost her chance. She was unable to produce a male royal heir to succeed the throne.
She failed. A few drops of tears fell from her eyes. She failed. People would still look at her in disgust. "A female. A Princess." They would sneer. "See? She is unfit. Ra gave her no son, he gave her, but a daughter. If she really had been worthy of the title of Queen, Ra would give her a son."
It was not as if she could possibly have another child, hopefully a son. She was child-bearing. It was the fact, people would still not look at her as worthy or fit to be a royal. She would be continued to be mocked, even when and if she produced the next royal heir. Teana feared for her life. If there wasn't another lesser who wanted to take the life of an unworthy Queen, before she be given another chance to bear the heir. Teana shivered in that rather absurd thought. The thought left her mind as another very peculiar one went through her mind.
A sudden fear shredded through her very being, much worse than her previous fear. Her daughter, oh her daughter! Her little, darling daughter. Would she be subjected to the same harassment she went through, being of her blood? Oh her daughter! It was her fault. It would be her fault! Her child's life doomed to such treatment because of her mother! Teana felt ready to collapse.
"AHHHH!" Teana screamed in agony.
"Teana!" Atem yelled. He was not alone as the servants shouted, "Your majesty!" although their voices were not heard as loudly. Suddenly all attention turned back to Teana.
Teana felt pain. No longer was it entirely emotional, but she felt conflicting physical pain shred her body. It was as if... No!
Teana pushed with great force and a gasp was her heard. "Another babe!" Someone shouted. Teana pushed again and again.
Teana was too tired and in too much pain to keep her head up and she just fell back into the bed sweating furiously. "It is a boy, your majesty!"
It was at that moment time froze once again. This time rejoice was felt in Teana's heart. A son! A boy! A male heir, one that would take on the crown! She had gotten something better than a single boy! Ra blessed her with one of each, a son and a daughter. Twins! Somehow a rare laugh escaped her mouth. Twins were even more valuable and revered than just a birth of a single son, so long as there was at least a son that was born.
Teana willed herself to slowly open her eyes and looked to Atem's crimson-amethyst eyes stare right back at her in admiration. "Love." He whispered. "You have accomplished the unbelievable." He reached under the covers that now adorned Teana's body and reached to squeeze her hand as he held one babe in his arm.
Mana, another female helping with delivering the majesty's children held the other babe, the little baby girl. Mana, she was an magician in training. Teana did not hear Mana speak of slander against her either. She was a childhood friend of her husband's, but Teana still remained distant, and cautious. Mana delicately handed the baby girl to the Queen as Atem cradled the boy in his arm bending his arm and body down enough so Teana could view both of her children.
"He has your eyes." He whispered to her. It was true, his eye's held the same intensity of blue as did hers.
"And he has your hair." She whispered back. Although his hair was short, one could see that his hair would be as unruly as Atem's tri-colored hair.
The couple now looked back at the little girl cradled in Teana's own arms. "She has your eyes." She whispered to him.
"She has your, hair... somewhat." He whispered back as Teana let a giggle slip her mouth. Even when Atem stuttered ever so slightly his voice still sounded so regal and defined. Teana loved his voice.
She looked down at her precious daughter. True she had the wild color's of her father's hair, although Teana's brown hair replaced Atem's black locks in her daughter. Her hair, thank goodness was straight and not unruly. A princess with Atem's crazy gravity-defying her hair would have great trouble in combating her hair and putting on traditional hair garlands. Her hair's texture was straight like Teana's own dark brown locks. Teana smiled back at the cooing little girl and then looked back at the boy.
This was every mother's dream- the mother whose family did not care if she did not give birth to all boys, that is. Teana had a little boy and a little girl, both of whom she would love.
Atem leaned in and kissed Teana's temple. A real kiss would be improper now, in front of all these people.
Teana sighed in content. This would be a new start for her. This would be her redemption, they would be her redemption, her beautiful babies. Even if they weren't, they were someone else to help her soothe the pain. They were someone else she could love and be loved by. She had not failed.
This like some of my other one-shots started as drabble. First it was just about Teana being able to produce the next male heir, and then I added the part about her being a peasant and eventually the back story.
Please tell me what you think! I'm actually really proud of this fanfic and I think it could be one of my better works. Please take into consideration that this fic deals with sexism of society in the past and I do not support it any fashion. If you have any particular critique for me, that would be desired as well.
Thanks!
~Startistica