Ok so it has been brought to my attention that the Niqab probably wouldn't off been a thing in this time, however, if you're willing to look past it than so am I.
Pharaoh Atem looked at his betrothed, Lady Gaia Almsai, the first daughter of Lord Almsai. Gaia was speaking to her sister.
Gaia was the definition of beautiful. Her silky pale golden hair that reached just below her shoulders was the first thing Atem ever noticed about her. Her second most noticeable feature about her is her dark orange eyes making her look almost cat like that burned with the fire that only Ra himself could have. She's slender with long legs, her wrists and ankles had silver bracelets and bangles around them that jingled with every movement she made, her skin was a beautiful golden brown that complemented her rather short dress that reached just above her knees showing off her long legs perfectly.
Then there was her sister. Lady Alina Almsai
Atem honestly had no idea what she looked like aside from the fact that she had blue eyes. As the simple fact that she had a black niqab on that covered her entire body say for her eyes. She hardly spoke and when she did she did so to her sister in a hushed whisper so quiet that only Gaia could hear her. A part of Atem felt bad for the woman, she must have been unbelievably hot in that long piece of fabric that covered her arms and legs the only thing she was really allowed to show, that wasn't her eyes, where her shoes which were just black flats. It was rather odd how she covered herself up while Gaia was free to wear what she wanted. Atem tried to ask her why she dressed like that but Gaia was quick to answer for her by simply saying, 'It's what she always wears.' So he left her to be after that.
Still, Atem could only frown as he looked away rather sadly. He never loved Gaia everyone, but Gaia knew this. He knew he had to marry her for the good of their people, with her as his queen it would greatly help with more soldiers in case of a war, and it would import silk and silver to their kingdom. Still, he felt no love for the woman, she cared for him, of course, but he did not care for her.
"My lord!"
Hearing Seth, his priest, come running into the throne room he broke away from his gaze and turned to his priest Seth come jogging up to him.
"Yes, what is it?" Atem asked Gaia was quick to come up next to them, causing Seth to look at her before turning back to Atem.
"There's a ship at the harbor, it's Sugoroku's granddaughter."
"What?"
"She received a letter saying that her grandfather wished to see her."
"Oh well, we can't have that now. Not with our wedding so close." Gaia spoke for him but Atem simply waved her off slightly before letting out a curious hum. He had heard many stories of the lovely Yugi Motou from Sugoroku himself, the poor old man could use a good cheering up, he's been so down lately.
"Allow her to come in she must be tired after such a long trip," Atem told Seth who simply nodded and turned his heel.
"...My love, we can't allow her here! We have so much work to be done! She could mess up everything." Gaia protested instantly to him.
"Gaia, she's only here to see her grandfather, besides she's to be married as well if I remember correctly...?" Atem could only raise an eyebrow as five people walked into the throne room, not counting Seto. Instantly, four of them bowed before him, the fifth one, a short looking boy with green hair, he didn't bow at first, but all it took was a woman with tri-colored hair, much like his own, only it was straight that went down to her waist to pat his leg with the back of her hand for him to bow down like the rest of them.
Finally, the woman with the colorful hair stood and approached him, Atem felt his heart skip a beat when he looked into her beautiful amethyst colored eyes, Her skin, pale, as pale as the moon itself. She was radiate with beauty as she then took his hand graciously and bowed down to both of her knees. She then spoke, however, Atem couldn't understand a word she said. Gaia let out a bitter tsk as she glared at the woman.
"I...I'm sorry, I don't know what you just said..." Atem found himself speaking out loud and this caused her to look up at him her brow scrunched up slightly. She quickly turned back to the others, who just shrugged back at her. She then looked back at him shamefully and said something else quickly, from the sound of it, it sounded like an apology.
"Seto, go get Sugoroku, I'm sure he could translate for us," Atem ordered and the priest did as he was told. Yugi took a slight step back, from there one of her friends, a tall blonde male with hazel eyes and pale skin, grabbed her by her hand slightly, instantly Atem figured this was her husband to be. Gaia once more let out a low and bitter growl her orange eyes narrowing slightly.
A few heartbeats went by before Seto returned with Sugoroku,
"YUGI!" Sugoroku yelled out she yelled out something, which Atem figured meant 'Grandfather', as the two rushed to one another and embraced happily, the two laughed as they quickly spoke to one another in their respected language, finally, she bowed to him and he nodded before looking confused, they spoke some more and he still looked confused before she pulled a letter out of her dress and showed it to him. He frowned and shook his head, she just shrugged. With a frown he finally turned to Atem and Gaia who both just looked at him,
"My apologies...But...I didn't write this letter...However...My granddaughter says that she's glad you welcomed her and her friends into your palace."
"If you didn't write the letter than who did?" Gaia asked through clenched teeth.
"I don't know..."
Atem could hear Mana giggling in his head and he just shut his eyes before shaking his head at her, he'll have to have a word with her on this matter.
"It's fine," Atem spoke softly,
"No, it's not! You can't be serious! They can't stay!" Gaia practically screamed out at him.
"Silence! We shouldn't let their trip be in vain! Sugoroku please tell Lady Yugi and her friends that they have rooms they can stay in. My servants can find suitable rooms for them. Oh and tell her and her betrothed that I said congratulations and that they can have a room together."
There was a pause before Sugoroku turned and nodded to Yugi, speaking their language once more, she smiled happily, Atem could feel his heart melting at the site of her beautiful smile. The others nodded happily, however, Sugoroku turned to the kid with the green hair and told him something, he smirked before grabbing Yugi's hand, she just looked down before he lead her away. He watched as the blonde turned the others and snarled clenching his fist angrily. They also walked away, not before every single one of them had a nasty glare to send to the green haired boy.
Once they were all away, Atem stood up and walked over to Sugoroku.
"Do you think you could teach me that language?" He questioned and Sugoroku just chuckled softly.
"I have two students now, you and my granddaughter...Thank you for allowing them to stay, you didn't have to."
"I know, but you mean a lot to me, and I know you've been missing her."
Sugoroku smiled wearily at Atem before bowing respectfully.
"I do have one question...The blonde one...Is he not her betrothed?" Atem softly questioned.
"Does it matter?" Gaia hissed out to him but once more he ignored her and Sugoroku frowned bitterly.
"No...No...That was Jounouchi, one of her best friends...No...The green haired one, Haga, he's her betrothed."
Atem had no idea why, but he frowned at that news, still he nodded. Gaia crossed her arms bitterly at him and narrowed her brilliant orange eyes dangerously.
"So that's it then?! You're just allowing five people to stay a month before we are to be wed?!" Gaia seethed at him as she poked his chest rather menacingly. Seth could only raise an eyebrow at Gaia if this was the anyone else yelling at him they'd probably find their way to the gallows before they could even blink. Atem stayed calm as he answered her once last time.
"Gaia, for the last time, they won't harm anything. They are only here to visit Sugoroku, I'm sure they mean no harm in anything else. You have nothing to worry about."
Gaia crossed her arms and let out a bitter 'hmph' before storming off, grabbing her sister, who was just standing there quietly through the whole ordeal, by the arm rather harshly and pulling her away from the throne room in anger. Atem let out a sigh before sitting back down on his throne and rubbing his temples.
Sugoroku excused himself before shuffling away. Laughing rather interestingly, probably going to talk to his granddaughter some more. This left Atem with Seth.
"If I can be bold?...Why her?"
"Because it's what our fathers wanted...It was my father's last wish before he died and I will...Respect that." Atem swallowed as he thought of his father silently, Seto sighed out once more,
"Very well. Is there anything else you need, My pharaoh?"
"Yes. Please fetch Mana for me, I need to have a word with her..." He only shook his head as he chuckled thinking of Mana, that girl was going to be the death of him one day...
Yugi hummed out softly as she silently put all her folded clothes on the silken bed before her. Haga just sat there bitterly, one leg draped over the other as he seemed to be pouting.
"What is it?" Yugi finally asked as she put her final bit of clothes away.
"I didn't like the way that Pharaoh guy was looking at you...Eating you up with his eyes..." Haga sneered, Yugi just rolled her eyes at him.
"He is to be married, Haga, as am I, I doubt he was...'Eating me up with his eyes' as you say." She couldn't help but chuckle at the cheesy statement. Haga could only scoff at her as he impatiently moved his leg up and down bitterly, still he remained quiet through the rest of the unpacking as he just sat there while she did the work. After a few moments, there was a knock at the door, causing Yugi to quickly rush over and answer it.
"Grandfather!" She happily hugged him giggling softly.
"Yugi, you just saw me no more than five minutes ago, why do you act like you've just seen me?" He asked her softly as she giggled once more.
"I'm just happy to see you once more."
"As am I, look at you, look how you've grown..." Gently cupping her cheek, Yugi smiled and blushed slightly as she escorted her grandfather into her room.
"This place is beautiful, Grandfather," Yugi spoke up as she looked around the room.
"Yes, only the best for the pharaoh, Yugi."
There was a moment of silence as Haga just let out a loud 'hmph' at what Sugoroku had said. Yugi ignored him and just smiled at her grandfather.
"So, you didn't write that letter?" Yugi asked him breaking the silence between them.
"No, I swear I didn't,"
"So this whole thing was a waste of time?" Haga interrupted. Once more, Yugi ignored him, and just clasped her hands around her grandfather's.
"It wasn't a waste, invited or not, I'm still so happy to see you. It's been so long." Yugi smiled before hugging him tightly.
"Tomorrow I'll try and see if I can get you both to learn the other language."
"If you want to make it easier, just teach me Egyptian."
"I don't know, I'll see what the pharaoh wants, now, I must be off I still have a lot of things to do. I'll come by and see you later."
With that, her grandfather left, leaving Yugi alone with Haga.
"I hate this," Haga complained, with a bitter snort as he crossed his arms in an obvious pout.
"Oh, shut-up."
Yugi hummed happily as she walked through the royal garden. It was truly beautiful out with flowers that Yugi has never seen before. Stopping to look at the flowers below her, she pushed some of her long hair behind her ear as she sniffed the flower before her. She needed to put her hair up here shortly, it was sweltering hot out. Feeling that someone was watching her, Yugi turned to see a... person? This person was dressed head to toe in a black cloth? all Yugi could see was their eyes.
"Hello?" She greeted, the person quickly turned and just walked away. "Odd..." was all she could say as she stood up more fully.
"That's lady Alina."
"Ah!"
Yugi turned to see a woman with dark brown hair, skin, and eyes. The woman looked at her and smiled before winking at Yugi.
"Who are you?" Yugi asked the woman softly, forgetting that they don't speak Japanese here, however, it surprised her when the woman answered,
"My name is Mana, Lady Yugi," Mana smiled and bowed gracefully in front of Yugi.
"Wait, you can understand me!?"
"Of course, with a little bit of magic, I can understand everyone and everything! Cats, dogs, fish, people like you."
Yugi only smiled back at her, "Magic? Really, is that true?"
"Of course!"
"What was up with Lady Alina? Why was she wearing that?"
"I honestly have no idea-" Mana paused to look around briefly before leaning in closer to Yugi, "-I just know what her sister, Lady Gaia, the one betrothed to the Pharaoh, makes her wear it." She finished.
"Why?" Yugi whispered back.
"No clue, Lady Gaia is weird-"
"Mana! There you are!" A man came up to the two of them, he paused and bowed at Yugi for a moment before turning back to Mana, "You are supposed to be training right now."
"Oh, you got me. I have to go-"
"Wait!-" Yugi called out to the two of them before they left, "If you two can understand me, then can't you enchant me to learn Egyptian?" She asked them as she stepped forward, her dress lightly moving with the soft breeze that rolled passed them.
"I... I don't know, it could be possible, but only certain people can really handle our magic."
"Really?"
"We might not be able to enchant you, but if the pharaoh is up to it... I'll get back to you, Lady Yugi." The man bowed before walking away dragging Mana along with him.
"Goodbye then," Yugi waved them goodbye before turning back to the flowers.
"Lady Yugi!" Anzu came rushing up to her and smiled brightly at her friend, "My lady this place is lovely..." Anzu marveled at the garden, she reached down to touch the nearest flower, only to have another hand reach down and stop her.
A sour voice said something to them, but Yugi had no clue what the person said.
"You don't-" Yugi stopped when she saw the lady from before. It was the same lady who was standing next to the pharaoh, Yugi figured this might have been Lady Gaia. The woman stood tall over Yugi at least a good foot, however, she wasn't taller than Anzu, so when Lady Gaia chose to take a threatening step forward towards Yugi, Anzu put herself between the two of them and scowled at Gaia. "-Anzu, stand down, please." Yugi light tapped Anzu's wrist telling her step back which Anzu did. "You must be Lady Gaia, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The woman snapped at her, but Yugi had no clue what she said.
"Yeah... we're going to walk away now, Anzu, would you like to walk with me around the garden some more?"
"Of course."
The two of them walked away from Gaia, Yugi could tell that the woman was absolutely fuming, but she didn't let it bug her for now.
"Lady Yugi, it's pretty hot out here, would you like me to do your hair up later tonight?"
"That would be lovely, thank you Anzu."
"Your hair is lovely."
"Ah! Will you stop that?" Yugi demanded as Mana once again appeared out of nowhere, this time in Yugi's room. Thankfully Haga had left to get something to eat. Mana was sitting on Yugi's bed and start to play with Yugi's long hair.
"So, Lady Gaia is ranting and raving about how you had one of your servants try to touch the royal flowers," Mana hummed as she laid belly down on Yugi's bed.
"I'm sorry?"
"Only royalty gets to touch the flowers," Mana hummed happily, "Something about how royalty causes the flowers to bloom more beautiful than anything."
"Oh, alright then, I'll inform my friends not to touch flowers... " Yugi sniffed softly as she ran her fingers through her long hair.
The door opened and the pharaoh came in. He looked a little nervous before slowly speaking.
"H-Hello? Can you understand me?"
"I can! That was fast," Yugi gasped as she walked up to the pharaoh.
"Mahado has enchanted me to talk to you."
"Amazing! I was just talking to-and she's gone..." Yugi turned to see that Mana had vanished from her bed.
"I wanted to say, it's wonderful having you here, I've heard all about you from your grandfather."
Yugi giggled softly behind her hand, "I'm sure you might have,"
"I want to say, you're everything he said you'd be. I love your hair..." The pharaoh reached up and lightly touched her long hair, gently caressed a lock between his fingers. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." The pharaoh quickly lets go of her hair.
"I won't say anything if you don't."
"Deal."
