Secret Sands

02. Hidden Agendas

Atem stepped into the dark room quietly, not wanting to disturb the Priestess Isis' lesson. The young apprentices were deeply enthralled as she went over spells and their dangers. He stayed to the back out of sight and watched. I remember these lessons. I wonder if Isis is as strict and serious as my teacher was? He smirked in amusement at the memories made then.

"That is all for today. We will continue delving into the body of an offensive incantation tomorrow. Do not attempt anything you have seen today, it would be much too dangerous." She eyed a particular group of young males mumbling the enchantment under their breath, "If any of you do so, you will not be permitted into my class nor that of any other. And therefore never will enter the Palace Court." The mentioned males tensed as if they knew she was warning them.

The room was now empty aside from Atem, Isis and her handmaids tirelessly cleaning up the mess. "My dear Atem, how does the day find you?" She bowed respectfully.

Atem held up his hands in embarrassment. "Isis, you need not bow to me. You know I am not the Pharaoh any longer - I don't think it is appropriate for you to do such anymore. You could get in trouble."

She stood and smiled a near smirk, a mischievous glint sparkled in her amethyst eyes. "Oh? What would our Pharaoh think indeed. Perhaps he would understand, perhaps he would dare to state my actions border treason?"

Atem didn't know how to handle her playful banter. It was one of the things he had to get used to upon relinquishing his throne. He saw sides to all the court previously hidden away. His people whom he always thought were cold and fierce, whose only passion was to serve their Pharaoh... while dedicated indeed, they had personality and opinions he had never known the depth of. She chuckled at his silence. "I am simply showing respect for the cousin of our wonderful Pharaoh. There is nothing more nor any hidden agenda in a humble bow from me unto you." She clarified. "Tell me what does bring you here? Do you need assistance in a spell or script?" She smiled, "Or perhaps a spell to light up the dark- one that prevents you from getting lost?" She teased.

Atem sighed. "How do you..?" She chuckled amused.

"How do I..? How do I know you found yourself wandering helpless the cold silent halls yet again?" She walked over to a stone table and motioned one of her servants to bring a particular set of bottles. "How indeed? I have warned you several times the dangers, as I am sure others that have found you scold your childish stubbornness. Our concerned Pharaoh sent for me early morning and demanded I find a way to bring you to your senses." She informed with a bit of annoyance lacing her tone.

Atem sighed with a shake of his head. "I can't believe he would do such a thing. Isis, I am truly sorry if I caused you any problems. It was not necessary to involve and make you responsible for my actions. I will speak to him about this."

The Priestess chuckled lightly. "Atem, you are not the Pharaoh anymore. I do not think there is a single thing you could do to prevent him from worrying about you." Her servants placed the bottles on the table. "If he commands I do something, I most certainly shall obey."

"I really doubt he worries that much about me." Atem folded his arms across his chest and studied her movements with the bottles carefully as she mixed them into an empty one. "I think it is more or less him attempting to stop an annoyance. He tells me that he hears about my misadventures through idle chatter, I imagine it must be bothersome to him.

She took her eyes off of her potions to spare him a stern scowl, "Do not belittle his affection. He and Mahado were both deeply devoted to you. Of course we all followed you without question but those two... They cared very much so and lived only to serve in your name- it was their only purpose. Giving your title over to Seto wasn't surprising yet he very much cherished your faith and trust in him. He deems your safety a necessary concern and I must say I rather agree."

"But still... You are all doing too much for me. I appreciate it, I do, however me getting lost is my own fault. I do not wish to become a burden- at least more than what I already am to you and Seto. If someone else gets lost, falls ill or worse, dies while searching for me..."

She smirked but kept her eyes on her task, "The people will search for you, regardless of your insistence. You were their leader once, and a great one. So the only option left to you, is simply don't get lost."

"That has proven to be easier said than done. I can't explain it. When I am in the gardens I lose track of time and the way back is clouded - as if something were preventing me from finding the way back. For some reason I always find myself on that same hallway unsure of where to go." He sat down on the wooden stool, elbows on the table and hands interlocked in deep thought. "But it all feels so familiar to me. Like I have been there before, it's an important place to me. Yet I cannot recall why or when I was down there."

Isis set the bottles down, the empty one now full with a bright red liquid. "I find it strange too, how you end up in the same place and experience the same hazy feelings each time. You've had no difficulty maneuvering through different hallways or even the vast fields. It seems there may be an enchantment placed on you. At least that is what it appears to be." She motioned for one of her servants, "Place this in the sun's light. It must remain there until the sun sets." The maid hand nodded and scurried away in haste.

"A spell that makes me get lost? Isn't that sort of strange? And it doesn't seem to affect me in other places of the palace." He furrowed his brows.

She nodded slowly. "But you are not lost. You are precisely where the enchantment wants you to be. You said so yourself, you feel there is something important in the gardens. Something you have forgotten but cannot let go of. Every single time you leave you find yourself roaming the same corridor, always that particular one. The path to the garden has many routes and passages and yet you don't just get lost- you're being guided."

"So someone cast a spell on me to bring me to that location. But why? And how do I figure out who is behind it and also, to stop it before something happens?"

Isis nodded. "We'll need to learn more about what happens - what sort of enchantment it may be. I have prepared a mixture that will take a day's time to complete. It is a special oil that burns bright and shows the correct path to take. I will enchant a torch and douse with this mixture, once you leave the gardens ignite it and it shall bring you straight to your chamber."

"And this will enable you to learn more about the spell that may be on me?"

"It will. We must be quick, we do not know what the caster's intentions are so we need to learn the nature of the spell and how it is affecting you. Or if it even is an enchantment at all." She explained. Atem nodded in understanding.

It was growing late. The sun nearly ready to set. The Priestess' could hear only the sounds of her own footsteps down the lonely corridor leading to a place hardly anyone visited. It must be difficult for you as well, Seto, to let this place go. Why do you torture yourself so? She didn't understand why he asked to see her, here of all places. She knew he continued to use the room despite the fact Mahado was no longer alive. This was their joined study, she recalled many heated debates and full blown arguments between the two as they challenged each other's ideas and methods. She smiled at the bittersweet memories. Shaking the nostalgic thoughts away, she opened the heavy door and entered, shutting it tight behind her. "You called for me, my Pharaoh?" Isis gave a respectful bow.

Pharaoh Seto put his book down and stood from his work table. "Quit the pleasantries we are alone, Isis." He replied curtly as he stood. She stood as well with a small smirk along her face. "Have you spoken with Atem and convinced him not to waste time on this foolish quest of his?" He asked a bit of agitation in his tone.

"No amount of lectures will stop him from learning the truth - whatever that may be. I have been studying this odd behavior he's displayed and have come to the conclusion there may be an enchantment placed upon him. As to what sort of spell I cannot say unless I run some tests."

The Pharaoh gave her a stern glare, "I did not ask you to assist him in chasing this ridiculous feeling he has. I ordered you to ease his concerns. Convince him it is a futile search. Change his mind."

Isis narrowed her eyes, a deep scowl settling unto her features, "I already told you, no lecture or sweet words will deter him. What would you have me do, inflict a second spell on top of the one already attached to him? Turn him into a slave, bewitched and emotionless?" She questioned irate. "Do you hear yourself, my Pharaoh? Is this truly what you want of your cousin?"

He slammed his hands onto the table and exhaled heavy. "It is not. I don't wish to inflict any harm upon him. He has endured enough curses, enough sacrifice for the safety of our land, our kingdom. Which is why I do not wish him to pursue this, who knows what may be waiting for him if he were to find it."

Isis approached him and stared down at the drawings messily laid about on his table. "But without finding the cause of this spell, we'll never know why it was placed upon him to begin with. What if there is a danger lurking in the castle walls and breaking this enchantment could be vital to the peace we have lost so much for." She enlightened gently. It was strange to see the Priest so angry.

"No. There is no malice in this supposed enchantment. I would sense it, I would feel something wrong. Clearly whatever idea is in his head is not important - he would have remembered it just as he has regained his memories of everything else. I have walked those very hallways countless times while I was a Priest, I would know if there was something down there worth investigating. Now leave and whatever you may have promised him, forget it. You are not to help him."

She shook her head. "Yes. You would know indeed." She turned to leave, "What I find so peculiar about the whole thing is how adamant Atem is over the feeling he has. There is something pulling him to the gardens, something clouds his thoughts and he is lead to the hallways he keeps getting lost in. But... The only time he would ever have been down there would have been while he was Pharaoh. But how strange and impossible that would be considering the only times he'd have the opportunity to visit that particular garden, would be in the late evenings." She reached for the door but turned to look over at the brunet. "But that would have been against his curfew. Was he sneaking past the guards and endangering himself just for a leisurely stroll? You prefer your late patrols, I wonder if you were ever in those very halls whilst he too, was wandering them?"

The Pharaoh turned to face her with an unamused scowl. "What are you insinuating? I have no recollection of running into Atem in those hallways. Had I, I most certainly would have requested he return to the safety of his room." He replied and walked over to her. "I would mind that mouth of yours, Isis. You tend to let your mind get carried away."

She took the warning to heart and offered him an apologetic bow. "My apologies, my Pharaoh. I shall take my leave of you. I will inform Atem that I cannot assist him and return to my duties without further delay." She then left the Pharaoh to his thoughts.

He stood in his old study where he and Mahado would conduct their research and test incantations and the like. "There is nothing there for him. This could only be his doing... One last jest to spite me? To humiliate me before the eyes of Atem?" He clenched his fists and gathered his things. He still had one last council to perform. "I will not let your little trick succeed... Mahado." He muttered under his breath and left the quiet room. "Atem will never regain what should remain lost."