Author's Info: I really want to thank candelight for her reviews. Trust me, it means a lot. Just a note, this isn't my first fan fiction overall, but it is the first I'm publishing here. I used to publish on Quizilla (under a completely different name and with completely different stories), but I've come a long way since then. In fact, I've been seriously writing a story of my own, hence the reference to a character on my poll named Shawn. I don't think I'll post it on Fan Fiction, but that likely depends on you readers. Speaking of my poll, please take it, so I know what characters at the very least you're most familiar with. Even if I can't promise to post the ones you most vote for, at least I know what I'm in for.
The "whats": Listening to nothing, amazingly, and thinking about how much I like referencing ancient Egypt. Considering posting the poem I wrote on Friday, but unsure.
Disclaimer: Much as I wish I owned characters such as Atem and Seto, I don't. All of Yu-Gi-Oh belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. My only stakes are this plot line thus far and characters such as Akara. Even Seto's attitude is based off his original counterpart.
Extra note: This is all still chapter one in my actual document. I know it seems choppy, but you have to agree it was well worth it to see the initial interactions between Akara and Seto, and now even Atem and Akara. More to come soon enough, I hope. Please tell me what you think.
Akara sighed as she changed into her newest garment: a blue dress sent by her father specifically for the event. She noted it was still befitting her station as High Priestess, yet it was far more revealing than her usual attire. It hugged her curves and showed a great deal of her back. Still, there was nothing she could do; she would not dishonor her father by refusing the garment. She fixed her hair and placed a finely wrought coronet upon her head. Since this was a formal occasion, she would be appearing in all the glory befitting her station, even if it was something she never cared for. She placed the finishing touches on her kohl-rimmed eyes and made her way down the hall.
Upon reaching the chambers of the High Priest, she halted. She was unsure if she would be leading him inside, or if she should be waiting with her father for the presentation. She decided to knock softly and see if he would answer. She did not know if he would even want her to accompany him inside, so she felt it best to ask. She waited patiently until he came to the entrance
"What do you—" he began, but stopped abruptly at the sight of her appearance. She noticed he was looking her over and immediately became uncomfortable. It was for reasons such as this she despised attending formal banquets. There were many men who would come and attempt to woo her whenever she was in attendance, yet another reason she became High Priestess.
"Since it is my duty to ensure everything is going well, I thought it would be appropriate to ask if you wished for me to accompany you to the banquet and begin the formal introductions. The decision is yours, and if you do not feel comfortable, I can arrange for someone else."
"And what will you do if I decline?" he asked. She frowned at his curiosity; he was asking far too many questions that were of a personal nature. She wasn't sure if he was trying to gauge her, or get under her skin. Either way she was growing impatient with such talk.
"Then I will take my place at the banquet and wait with the rest of the court. You will then be introduced to me according to my proper title and will pay your respects the same as everyone else. When the time comes, I will also show you the proper respect befitting a high priest. Now, what will your decision be? I do not have much time to dawdle, especially if you decide my company is undesirable."
"I suppose you should be on your way then," he said. She frowned more at the tone of his voice. She did not usually tolerate such disrespect, but she would see he learned his place once the banquet had begun. He would truly learn how far out of his league she was and this foolish power game would cease. She would sate the curiosity of this man, and nothing would bring her greater pleasure.
"I shall send someone to lead you. May the gods be with you and keep you from making a fool of yourself," she said, smirking as she turned away from him. She began walking down the hallway and saw Mahad ahead. She smiled to him and motioned that she would be joining them shortly. He smiled, bowed, and waited patiently until she was standing beside him.
"Will you be accompanying the High Priest, Lady Akara?" he asked as she walked beside him.
"He has decided to go in alone. I will be taking my usual place tonight. If you would be so kind as to find someone to escort him to the main hall, I would be entirely grateful. I will go and locate my father in the meantime."
"As you wish, Lady Akara," Mahad said, bowing and going back to where the new guardian was staying. Akara went to the Pharaoh's chambers to see her father awaiting his entrance. She approached him and knelt, a gentle smile on her face. She saw him smile when he saw her.
"Akara, you have decided to accompany your brother tonight?"
"Of course, Father," she said, her smile growing. "It has been some time since I have had a suitable partner for the night's entertainments, and I would greatly enjoy seeing his progress with dancing. I was also hoping I could remain in my usual seat for the evening?"
"Of course, my dear, but I hope you don't mind the High Priest will be sitting on your other side." She started, and she saw her father laugh. "I know he turned you down as his escort, but perhaps that damage to your pride and his realization of your abilities will help change his mind?"
"Father," she said, feeling her irritation grow, "it was no damage to my pride to have him refuse me. The only damage to my pride will be rectified the moment he walks into the room. He does not know his station or mine, and he will soon have that made clear. I have no desire for this man's affections, or any other's. I am in attendance because this man will soon be High Priest alongside me, and because it pleases you, my father. I hope you do not think me so vain as to have my pride damaged by a rejection of his company."
"Of course not, my daughter," he said with a gentle smile. "Although I wish I could say you gave more thought to your beauty and less to your pride and sense of duty. You deserve to find a man who can make you happy, yet you would willingly push all men away from you in your pursuit of one you do not even know. Besides, it is possible that this man could be the one Fate has intended for you."
"If such is the case, Father, and Fate has determined this man to be my husband, I will know by how well he is able to serve my brother. How he treats me is of no consequence." She heard her father sigh at her stubbornness and relented somewhat. "I'm sorry, Father; I promise I will conduct myself in a dignified manner for the evening."
"Sister, you are always dignified," she heard a voice say behind her. She turned to see her brother standing there, a large smile on his face. "Even when you are cross and irritable, you retain your dignity quite well, but that is of no consequence at the moment. I hope you have been well, Sister?" he asked as he pulled her into an embrace. She smiled gently as she hugged him back; her anger always seemed to fade whenever she saw her brother. She knew it was because he had such a pure and gentle heart, and that was why she had vowed always to protect him.
"I am quite well, my dear brother," she said gently. "I just hope we do not have too many suitors attending tonight's banquet. I would much prefer dancing with you than repeatedly turning down one courtier's affections after another." She remembered that the last banquet had been rather quiet, and she had been allowed to keep on her usual garments. Before that, however, she had spent every dance with a different man and each time she was forced to dismiss his affections.
"Perhaps if you weren't so beautiful to these men, you wouldn't have to constantly turn them away," Atem teased. She scowled at him, which only made him laugh more. "I know they call you 'the beauty of the Nile' and 'a great gift to Egypt.' You should be honored by such praise, Sister, not angered."
"I would rather be horridly ugly and content with a man who cares for me," she said, her voice tainted with disgust at the thought of the men who spoke such words about her. "They are all greedy men, hungry for power and rank in the court. I have no use for such a man, and neither will you when your reign as Pharaoh begins. You should take care to remember that, dear Atem."
"At least I know you will watch over me, Sister," he said with a smile. "With people like you and Mahad at my side, how can I be steered along a wrong path?" Akara smiled sadly. She wished she could tell him it was impossible, but she knew such words would be more poisonous than the asp's bite. Lies would only breed false hope and deception, and she would not tell her beloved brother anything less than the truth.
"It is time for the banquet to begin," their father said. They both bowed in respect and watched as he made his entrance. Atem held his arm out to Akara and she took it graciously as they waited to be announced. They looked to each other and smiled, which gave Akara comfort. Even if she remained a priestess for the rest of her life, she would still have her brother, whom she loved dearly. They walked out slowly, heads held high and eyes always ahead. They parted to sit on each side of their father: Atem on his right and Akara on his left. They nodded their heads slightly in greeting and waited as the rest of the Millennium Court filed in. The seat next to her remained empty, but the seat next to her brother was taken by Mahad. She smiled to him and awaited the High Priest's entrance.
She saw one of the guards being signaled and faced the door as he began to announce, "And now, my lord Pharaoh and members of the court, it is time to present to you our new High Priest and wielder of the Millennium rod, Guardian Seto!" He and the other guard quickly opened the main doors, and Akara watched as Guardian Seto made his way toward them. He inclined his head in greeting to the men and women of the court as he approached. She saw her uncle Aknadin start, and wondered what had alarmed him so as Seto climbed the stairs. When he had reached the Millennium Court, he knelt.
"My Pharaoh," he said, and Akara wondered at his manners. For someone who had been so bold with her, he certainly knew his manners. She wondered if this was merely a façade, or if it had merely been their interactions where he was discourteous. "It is an honor to serve you as a member of your court. I hope I can prove to be of value to you and to our crown prince, the future ruler of Egypt." She glanced over at her father and saw him smiling; he had apparently impressed him already, and she knew this would not bode well for her.
"Welcome, High Priest Seto," her father said graciously. "We are glad to have you among our court, especially my son, Prince Atem. Now is not the time to begin lengthy speeches, however. We are here to celebrate your arrival, and we shall do just that, after a few introductions have been made. Master Aknadin, head of the Millennium Court, will commence with the introductions."
"Of course, Pharaoh," Aknadin said, bowing slightly and smiling wonderingly at Seto. Akara wondered what had come over her uncle, and why he was behaving so strangely at the sight of this man. "Among our esteemed court is the wielder of the Millennium scale, Karim," he said, motioning to the man as he spoke. Karim stepped forward and said a few words with the new guardian before returning to his place. The same happened with each member of the Court, including himself. He then turned to the three of them and said, "Here, Guardian Seto, is the royal family, whom it is our solemn duty to protect. Our most gracious Pharaoh Aknamkanon and his two children: his son Prince Atem, heir to Egypt's throne, and his daughter Lady Akara, our esteemed High Priestess." Akara and Atem inclined their heads slightly as they saw Guardian Seto kneel before them. Akara saw the surprise and shock on his face as he regarded her and barely concealed a smug expression.
"Now that we have dispensed with the formalities, I believe it is time to begin the banquet," her father said. "Your place, Guardian Seto, will be beside my daughter, the High Priestess. It is only fitting, after all, that the High Priest stays beside the High Priestess in place of honor." Akara barely held back a grimace as she saw the High Priest take his place beside her and sat down silently. Upon seeing her brother look over, she smiled reassuringly; she wasn't about to show her brother her lack of fondness for the High Priest. She began her prayers to the gods silently before taking her food and eating.
"I must say, Daughter, you look quite beautiful in your new dress," her father said, making her flush slightly. She hated when her father called attention to her on matters of beauty or eloquence. "Do you not agree, Guardian Seto?" he asked, causing Akara to give her father a warning glance. She would not have him attempt to play matchmaker for her, especially not with a man such as the High Priest of Egypt.
"She is quite beautiful, my Pharaoh," he said as he glanced at her again. Akara could not tell if he was serious or if he was merely being polite. Her face was an even brighter red from embarrassment, but she was comforted by the sympathetic looks from her brother and from Mahad. She was grateful her father's attention was then called away from her by her uncle, but tensed when she noticed the High Priest's eyes were still on her. She had that same uncomfortable feeling as she had when she stood outside his chambers, and she wished he would become engrossed elsewhere.
"Sister, perhaps you should consider honoring the High Priest with the first dance?" she heard Atem ask, causing her to stare at him in shock. She saw the knowing look in his eyes and the slight smirk that played on his lips; he had betrayed her just as her father had. She now wondered who was more interested in seeing her uncomfortable: her father or her brother. She looked pleadingly at him and at Mahad, but saw she would get no sympathy from her brother. "My sister is quite the exquisite dancer," he added, as if to further torment her.
"Brother, I am sure the High Priest has far more important people to dance with than a lowly—"
"I would be honored to dance with the Princess of Egypt," she heard him saw, and she turned to regard him somewhat coldly. It became clear this man would be a great source of discomfort to her over the coming years, and working with him would likely only become increasingly difficult. "If she would be willing to grant me such an honor, that is; I would not wish to make her Highness uncomfortable." She sighed when she realized he was attempting to give her a choice, but she knew there was no other option in the matter; she would have to dance with him. She motioned to a nearby attendant, who arrived quickly.
"Is everything prepared for the dance, Gyasi?" she asked. When he nodded, she smiled and stood. "If you will pardon me, I will prepare for the dance," she said. Her father and brother both nodded their assent and the others bowed slightly. As she stood to leave she heard Guardian Seto ask what the importance of the dance was. She chuckled silently to herself as she went to prepare; she knew this was going to be a very amusing dance.
After she had changed into the necessary garments, she called to the servant. When he arrived, she ordered him to retrieve the High Priest and bring him to her. The servant nodded and departed, only to arrive a few minutes later with Guardian Seto following behind him. She could tell by his inquisitive glance that he did not understand why she had summoned him.
"You asked to participate in the first dance with me, did you not?" she said, a slightly teasing tone in her voice. "Well, now you are going to prepare for it. I had not planned on needing to fetch these garments for you so soon, but since you decided to take my brother's place early, I suppose it cannot be helped. You may go into that chamber and change; return when you are done and I will quickly guide you through the dance. You do not have much time to learn."
She began to go through the steps while she waited for him. She knew she would need to learn more dances now she had a true partner, and she would need to build off the abilities she learned in this dance. As her hips swayed and she twisted and turned in all directions, she became aware the door to the chamber had opened, and she saw the High Priest standing there. She stopped and motioned for him to approach. "We do not have time to go through the dance itself, but I will show you your basic steps and tell you their combinations. You needn't worry about timing or specific markings; I will tell you the exact moves I will make that correspond with yours. You will not get lost, I promise."
She had just finished telling him the last of the dance when the door opened and a servant said, "My lady, they are ready for the first dance." She smiled and nodded to the servant, who bowed and returned to the hall. She looked back to the High Priest, wondering if he would be ready for this. He seemed calm and composed, but the real test would begin once the music started.
"I suppose now is the time to see how well we will be able to cooperate with one another, Guardian Seto," she said. He studied her for a moment before taking her hand. She was surprised by the way he suddenly took charge; she hadn't even mentioned that he would need to lead her in. Still, she noticed he was gentle as he kept her arm against his, and he did not pull her along or go at a fast pace. For a man who grew up in a village as an orphan, he was quite refined. They approached the center of the hall and knelt before the Pharaoh and the crown prince. Akara's eyes narrowed slightly on her father and brother, but she kept a smile on her face. She tried not to think about her family's meddling, the men who were staring at her in her rather revealing outfit, or the man who would be her partner for this dance. Her only thoughts were on delighting the gods with the dance, and on the hope of one day finding completion and peace.
When the music began, she was ready. Her body began to sway and her lilts and twirls were full of vigor. She felt the High Priest's hands as he began to move with her, and she noticed he had indeed picked up the steps quickly. She was relieved she would not have to worry about any incidents as she continued to dance nimbly. She could faintly hear whispers in the crowd, but she paid no attention; her thoughts were still on her prayers to the gods. The music continued, and she grew ever more lively and spirited. Her body was bending and twirling lithely, and she was barely aware of her feet. Then, she noticed Guardian Seto's stare and almost faltered; she hadn't expected him to have such an intense stare, or for him to be as engrossed in the dance as she was. The music ended and she inclined her head to him before returning to her brother and father.
"That was amazing, Sister," Atem said, smiling brightly. "I must say, you and Guardian Seto make quite the couple." He cleared his throat as her smile turned into a frown and her eyes narrowed to slits. "You know I was only thinking of your ability to work with the new High Priest, Sister," he said in an attempt to placate her. "If you could not perform one dance with him, how are you supposed to work with him in the temples?"
"You did very well, Akara," her father said, "as did you Guardian Seto." Akara turned to see he had once again joined their number. "I have seen few who have matched my daughter in dancing, but you have proven to be a quick learner and nimble on your feet. That is quite the accomplishment."
"Thank you, my Pharaoh," he said, kneeling before him, "but it is Lady Akara you should thank. She was the one who taught me the dance steps in a quick, yet precise manner. It was easy to follow under her instruction." Akara tensed slightly; she wasn't sure if it was a true compliment or an attempt at flattery before her father. Either way, she would have none of it. That was when she was approached by her first courtier, who she willingly allowed to have the next dance. If it got her away from Guardian Seto, it would be worth dealing with a few selfish men.