The Circle of Life
Disclaimer: Anyone you recognize doesn't belong to me.
"You're doing well my lady, it won't be much longer now!"
"You said that an hour ago!" A pained cry escaped the speaker and her companion reassured her.
"It was but a few minutes ago. Try to walk just a little more, it will help ease the pains." The dark haired woman tightened her hold on the Queen's waist, assisting her through another slow circuit of the large chamber.
" Pakhet, you had better be correct." A grimace crossed the Queen's pretty face as another contraction hit even harder than the last had, "I was not prepared for it to be quite this painful."
"It will be well worth it my lady. Soon we shall know if the gods have blessed Egypt with a handsome prince or a beautiful princess." The healer watched the servants as they arranged the items needed for the impending birth. She smiled at the dirty look the Queen sent her just before it was erased by another hard contraction, "The babe will come shortly. It is going to be fine my lady, you're doing very well." Laying a hand on the pregnant woman's abdomen, she whispered a few words and a light glow was seen for a moment then faded as the Queen sighed in relief as the healer assisted the Queen back to the bed, "Did that help my lady?"
"Yes Pakhet, thank you. It still," she grimaced once more, "hurts, but it is not nearly as sharp as it was."
"The spell will not last long but it will offer you some relief. Taweret," she turned to the dark eyed five year old who had been watching quietly nearby, "come here my daughter."
"Yes Mama?" The child trotted over obediently, looking up at her mother.
"I want you to take a cloth and dab her majesty's forehead with cool water. Make sure you tell me when the water goes warm so that we might replace it."
"Yes Mama." The little girl took the offered scrap of linen and clambered her way up onto the bed to kneel next to the Queen, "It's ok, your majesty. Mama is going to take good care of you." She dipped her cloth into the bowl of water set out nearby and dabbed at the Queen's forehead, receiving a smile in return.
"I know little one. You are doing a good job as well." Another pain hit, a bit sharper than the last, "My thanks."
The child smiled sweetly in return and continued her task, her young mind focusing on making sure the water was still cool each time she wrung the cloth out, while the two healers and the servants fussed over their preparations. After seeing her daughter wring the cloth out for the sixth time, Pakhet questioned her gently, "Taweret, has the water gone warm yet?"
The girl looked a bit puzzled, "No Mama, it's still nice and cool."
Her mother came over and tested the water in the bowl with a finger, then smiled at the girl, "Good work my daughter. Call if it goes warm."
"Yes Mama."
One of the younger healers looked to her mistress as she rejoined her, "She's doing it, isn't she?"
"Yes, though she doesn't realize it yet."
The Queen's ears caught the soft conversation between the two healers and she smiled at the girl just before another pain hit her, causing her to scream. Quite obviously, Pakhet's spell had worn off just in time. The woman rushed back over and a flurry of activity and orders began, interspersed with the pained cries of the Queen.
"It's time my lady. You have to push, now!"
Outside the birthing room, a concerned Pharaoh paced while his Priests and a few others waited with him, Akunadin and Siamun exchanging amused glances at the king's expression. The silence was punctured every few minutes by the Queen's pained cries. The growing tension in the room was cut by a seven year old boy's grimace and comment, "I am never having children!"
The Pharaoh stopped pacing to smile at the youngster and his companions, who had been hiding in a corner until now. "Someday Kalim, you might just change your mind about that."
The boy shook his head vigorously, despite the nudges he received from his friends, "No way, it hurts the girl too much...Pharaoh,' he swiftly tacked on the respectful title with all the brashness of youth.
Akunamunkanon laughed heartily at the boy's statement, motioning for the three to come out of their hiding place, "We shall see. Come on out of there. This is no place for children."
The second boy looked contrite, "I know great Pharaoh, but we wanted to find out what was going on."
The third member of the trio raised an eyebrow in a clear 'you mean you and Kalim wanted to' gesture, but remained silent even as Kalim spoke again, "But Taweret's in there and she's just a baby!" He pouted at this injustice, drawing a laugh from the Pharaoh and several of the Priests.
"Taweret is learning to be a healer as her mother is, young one. Men are always left out of the birthing room. It is for our own safety." That comment received bewildered looks from the youngsters and Akunamunkanon chuckled once more, "You will understand when you're older."
The room grew silent once again as the three boys settled into a quiet watch alongside the adults and the Pharaoh paced once more.
Inside the room, the excitement was high as Pakhet bent over the Queen, "I can see his head my lady. You must push at the next pain." Another cry came from the Queen a moment later, "Good! Again! Once more!" A few tense moments later a new sound was heard and a shout came up from the women, "It's a boy!"
"The Prince!"The flurry of activity began once more as the child was cleaned and swaddled while the mess of the birth was cleaned up.
The younger healer went to the door and bowed to the Pharaoh, "It is a boy, great Pharaoh. Give us but a few moments and you may come in and see him." This news cleared the tension in the room as it gave way to chatter among those who had been waiting there.
Taweret still knelt in her spot near the Queen, though the cloth had been long forgotten in the excitement. She watched curiously as the babe was brought to his mother for his first meal; she could see soft golden tufts of hair and little else as the baby latched on to his mother hungrily and she cocked her head, trying to get a better look. The Queen noticed her curiosity and smiled gently, "He is well and strong, the gods be praised."
Taweret nodded and looked at her, her eyes a clear question and, receiving a nod of permission, dared to run a finger gently over the baby's hair. "What is his name, your majesty?"
The Queen smiled fondly at her newborn son, "Atemu."
Taweret stroked the baby prince's hair softly one more time before scrambling off the bed just before the Pharaoh entered the room to see his son, the Priests close behind him. She watched as Akunamunkanon kissed the Queen's forehead and after the child finished nursing, lifted the Prince from her arms. Still curious, she followed the group from the room and slipped out behind the three older boys and watched as the Pharaoh presented his son to the people.
Eighteen Years Later...
"Once more my lady! Almost...that's it. You're doing well, just a couple more..." Taweret bent over her queen, trying to encourage the exhausted young woman, "Please my lady, don't give up on me now. Your son is almost here."
The young woman nodded wearily and pushed once more. Taweret worked swiftly, trying to keep her queen's spirits up and ignore her own rising concern. Teana had been grieving so deeply in these last four months since Atemu's death that she'd become a mere shell of her herself. Taweret feared that the young queen would give up, that the stress of childbirth would be too much for her to handle. Pushing that thought firmly aside, she encouraged, "Just once more my lady. I have his shoulders now." The woman cried out now and was joined a moment later by the shrill cry of her son. Taweret quickly tied off and cut the cord connecting the two and held the babe gently in her hands. "My lady, he's beautiful."
The young queen smiled wearily as Taweret handed the child to the two maidservants to be cleaned while she dealt with the mess of the afterbirth and took note of the queen's exhaustion. She started a moment later as the Queen spoke softly, "Taweret, can I hold him?"
"Of course." She beckoned for Shia to bring the babe over and laid him in his mother's arms, "You did well, my lady."
Teana stroked her son's cheek gently, "He is beautiful. Atemu would have been so proud of him."
Nodding in silent agreement, Taweret once again noted the weariness in the queen's face and felt a sliver of alarm go through her; this wasn't the normal exhaustion of childbirth. Catching Maia's eye she mouthed, 'Get the Pharaoh,' then turned back to her queen, "How do you feel my lady?"
"Weary, yet proud. Is the Pharaoh coming?"
"Yes my lady. He will be here any moment
Teana sighed softly and nodded as she cuddled her son. Behind them, the Pharaoh rushed into the room, concern clear on his face. Teana smiled at him softly then turned her attention back to her son, stroking his cheek and whispering to him gently.
Taweret crossed the room at the Pharaoh's gesture, motioning for him to speak quietly. The Pharaoh made a gesture of acknowledgment, then questioned, "All is well?"
Taweret shook her head sadly, "The babe is healthy and strong Great Pharaoh, but I fear that we are losing the Queen."
Set frowned and glanced at the young woman on the bed, "You cannot heal her? I thought you were the best at both medical and magical healing? His voice was tight with denial, suppressed worry and irritation at his own inability to resolve what he knew was the problem. Even he did not have the power to bring back the dead, or he would have already done so.
Taweret shook her head sadly, somewhat afraid of his reaction to her next words, but knowing they had to be said, "I am able to heal her body my Pharaoh, but healing her spirit is beyond my power or yours. She grieves for her husband still. I believe she has held on this long for the babe, but now she will leave us." Her breath hitched as she verbally acknowledged the fear she'd held since Pharaoh Atemu had died and the Queen had fallen into grief.
Set clenched his fists in frustration at his own helplessness, then forced himself to relax as he went to the queen's bedside, Taweret a few steps behind him. Looking down at the babe, he spoke as gently as he could, "He is beautiful, my cousin."
Teana smiled at the man she had once been so wary of, "Thank you Set. You will watch over him?"
"With my life Teana. He will succeed me as Pharaoh, as is right. It is his birthright as Atemu's son."He didn't bother to try and deny what they both knew was true; Teana would not live to see her son grow up. He felt a familiar pang of guilt when he thought of the reason behind all of this but was drawn from that thought as Teana reached over and laid the babe in his arms, speaking softly once more, her expression one of peace tinged with sorrow
"Do not blame yourself for my husband's death any longer Set, for Atemu would not and nor do I. And do not grieve; I will be with him once more very soon. I only ask that you watch out for my son. Do not let him forget us." That this child would inherit the throne had never been in question, as Set had already said that he would take no wife of his own. Teana knew that his heart had been given to the young woman who died to protect him.
"You have my word."
Teana smiled gently, her blue eyes focusing on a spot just next to him. A set of purple robes was faintly visible to her eyes and a familiar face looked at her from under an armored hood. The faint figure of the Dark Magician laid a hand over the babe in Set's arms and bowed his head to his queen. Smiling gently at this firm reassurance that her son would be well cared for, Teana closed her eyes and sighed as her spirit left her body.
The babe began to cry, as if sensing that his mother was leaving him and Set held him close, tears threatening to form in his eyes. Off to the side, Shia clung to Maia as the two girls wept.
Later, after the queen's body had been taken away to be prepared for burial and Mana had arrived to see the baby, Set sat deep in thought, Taweret nearby at his request, both studying the child in the young magician's arms, "He will need a name." His tone was a clear question and his blue eyes pinned both healer and magician, obviously wanting to know if Teana had told either of them anything before she died.
Taweret's expression was apologetic, "She did not name him, nor did she tell me her choices before his birth, great Pharaoh; I cannot offer any assistance ." Mana shook her head, tears visible in her eyes as she looked down at the baby she held. It made her sad that Teana hadn't chosen a name for the baby, for it was proof that her queen had known she would not raise her own child; she had given even the honor of choosing his name to those remaining behind. The woman chosen as nurse for the child had already been summoned and was to arrive any moment, and Mana had already appointed herself guardian to the baby prince, as her master had been for his father. Both women looked up once more as Set spoke again after spending several minutes in thought.
"When he is of age to take the throne, he may choose a king's name for himself. Until then, he shall be called Yugi, so that he may never forget the reason for his father's sacrifice and his mother's grief."
Mana smiled faintly, her first since receiving the news of Teana's death. Looking at the babe, she commented softly, sounding far more thoughtful than most who knew her would expect, "Yugi. It is fitting. I believe that one day, this child will continue his father's legacy." Taweret smiled on the sidelines, unnoticed by Pharaoh and magician, agreeing with this assessment. This baby was special and would someday make both his family and his country proud.
The baby prince slept peacefully, comforted by the heartbeat of his new protector, the low voice of the man he would call uncle, and the scents of jasmine, sandalwood and magic that brushed his tiny face in a ghostly caress from the parents and loyal guardian who watched over him from the Fields of Osiris and the shadows of a maze.
Though the death of the Queen had cast a sad note over what was normally a joyous occasion, the circle of life continued once again.
The End
Note: The healer Pakhet is named after the Egyptian goddess known as 'The Strength of Woman' and her daughter Taweret is named for the Egyptian Goddess Demoness of Birth. I chose to use the magic we see in used the ancient past in the series as a means of healing as well as fighting. Shia and Maia are the names I chose to give to Ancient Egyptian versions of Shizuka and Mai from the show, using them as handmaidens for Queen Teana.
For those who are wondering, the three children who snuck into the room to await the prince's birth were a far younger Kalim, Shada and Mahado, the future High Priests. I though it would be amusing to see how they were as children, somewhat mischievous, in contrast to the ultra serious Priests we see later on.
Also, Yugi means 'game' in Japanese, but I am borrowing the word and translation for Ancient Egyptian, in remembrance of the Shadow Games that caused Atemu to sacrifice himself in order to seal them away. Finally, I also think that because Mahado sealed his spirit and soul as he did in order to protect the Pharaoh, when Atemu was sealed into the Puzzle, the Dark Magician was sealed there as well, hence they both would be watching over Atemu's child from the pieces of the Puzzle in Atemu's tomb.