Specially dedicated dedicated to Barbara Jean4541. Thank you putting this this story to your favourites. I am glad all of my followers and those people who follows this story of mine. Thank you so much for your patience.
When they reached the stall Atem stopped and looked uncertainly at the black horse who was having deep angry breaths when he glimpsed at him. Even he was not sitting on the back of the horse the panic was rising within his heart making him unable to move forward. The images of the vision filled his mind. The fall, the extreme pain, the fear...Then Yuna pushed him a little when she walked past him. "Would you like stand here all way long for Earth Mother's sake? And where are you looking at?"
"Well at my horse on which I need to ride on the challenge..." answered Atem discouraged. When he looked at the black horse all his confidence flew away. Is it possible to tame that horse anyway if he had suffered bad experiences from people? In such a short time?
"Have you gone out of your mind? Your horse is waiting you here." Yuna walked towards the white mare, the horse which belonged to his dear mother: Light. She patted it gently and signed Atem to come closer.
"But I need to mount the black stallion the challenge I have been training him with Master Sabu. I cannot ride on Light..." protested Atem.
"If you wish to mount that black horse than you can forget that I teach you riding a horse. Then the payment is to high for me. We can go back right away." She started to walk back toward the secret door but before she could open it Atem cried aloud.
"Wait! It is not what I wish for. I wish that I could ride Light. She is my horse and I love her but I do not have any other chance but I have to ride the black horse."
Yuna looked at him angrily. "Do not make me laugh! You are the successor of the Pharaoh, you are a Prince, you do not have to do anything if you do not wish to! If you wish to ride on a different horse then they should provide that for you. You are a God incarnate, are you not?"
Atem's mouth popped open with surprise. Did Yuna pay attention to cultural things? His heart became warmer and smiled at her. "Do not smile at me, while you are wasting precious training time. Decide what you wish to do."
"I would hurt my father if I ride on Light..."
Yuna stepped in front of him. "Atem it should be time to think about yourself. If you ride on any other horse it is you who will get hurt. Light is the only horse with which I can promise success. So decide what you will do now! If you wish to ride on the black horse then you can forget our trainings. But if you wish to ride on your own horse and we can go right now."
Atem stepped next to light, stroked her head and looked at Yuna. He knew that he would make everyone angry with his decision especially his father would be disappointed and worried about him but he knew within his heart that he was making the right decision. "Let's go!"
In the cave they prepared Light for the ride they put the bridle and the saddle on the horse. Atem told Yuna that during the challenge he needed to make his horse jump over a fence, run over water, make her stop and ride over a stable object. Yuna nodded and signed that she was not worried about the tasks. "Okay that seems manageable. You will not become a professional rider in such a short time but you can do fine if you train hard-working." Then she looked at him and Atem knew from her look that she was going to be a strict trainer. "Show me your abilities in horse riding Egyptian. I need to observe what you can do right now, I wish to see everything. In the afternoon we will train sword fighting."
Atem took a deep breath and then he stepped next to Light. He mounted the horse easily, he felt the difference instantly. She did not fidget but remained calm even though he was on her back. He felt that this horse would never harm him. Still Atem realised that he was shaking in his whole body. He was insecure, and soon he started patting from the need of air. In some place within his mind he still knew what he had to do and he felt within his veins that he was eager to feel the wind in his ears. He wished to speed of this horse. He wanted to experience the joy of jumping with his horse, the freedom of riding... But the fear made those feeling paler and paler as the time passed by leaving him unable to act. He dismounted Light and knelt down and when he calmed himself he looked at Yuna sadly. She watched him thoughtfully. "Try again." And he tried again. The two feelings battled inside of him: he wanted to jump, ride, be with one with his horse but before he could act he was stopped by the intense fear...Each time he became gloomier and Yuna seemed to be more and more involved in her thoughts.
When Atem dismounted the horse Yuna mounted her and placed herself in the saddle.A soft breeze made her hair float and she looked ahead without any doubt in her eyes. "Watch Egyptian." Atem watched her in wonder. Her face reflected the joy that Atem also wished to experience. It was like she was becoming one with the horse with every step. She made her run and jump down and up on a rock without any fear and hesitation. Then at last she even let go off the bridle and took a fruit from one of the tree that was next to her. She was elegant, graceful, a wonderful rider, without any fear. The last time when he saw his horse act like this way was when his mother rode on her. The look that Yuna had on her face resembled the expression that his mother also had. They loved and enjoyed horse riding in every second! How could he not remember that? He remembered with a little sadness but with much of happiness. He was glad that he could remember but he was sad that he was unable to ride and enjoy horse riding as his mother...
When will I have so much courage to dare to do any of the things that the Yuna do? How can I become like my mother? Where should I get courage? What should I do?
She dismounted slowly and looked into the eyes. "Have you seen what this horse is capable of?"
Atem smiled sorrowful and answered. "I knew from the start what she is capable of. I saw my mother riding this horse the same way you do. She is the most wonderful horse that I have ever met. I am only sorry that I am not talented enough to be able to ride on her."
Yuna looked at him thoughtfully. "Answer me then Atem. Do you respect and trust your horse?"
Atem nodded. "I respect her, there is no doubt. Even if I was not allowed to ride on her, I regarded her the most special animal. I trust her abilities I know that she would do everything that I wish from her." Atem stroked Light's head with care and put his head to the head of his horse. He wondered if anything turned out to be different if he started learning on this horse. Most likely he would never experience the fear of falling down on a horse...
Then Yuna gave him a penetrable look and then she shouted. "Then tell me what goes on your mind when you are on that horse! I need to know. I see some fire in your eyes which goes out suddenly and I do not know why..."
Atem closed his eyes replied immediately. „Two feelings battle inside me constantly. One which wants to feel the wind within my ears, the joy of horse riding and the intense fear that makes my heart and my mind freeze. I would like to fly but I am terrified by the feeling of falling down..."
"Have you not been trained what to do if you fell down from your horse?"
Atem shook his head. "My master always told me that should never happen with the heir to the throne. It is unacceptable."
Yuna looked at him with a curious expression and mumbled something that Atem could not understand but sounded like "useless and incapable" Then she looked up at him and stated confidently.
"It is useless to train with Light as long as your fear is bigger of falling than your wish to ride on her. Let's bring her back to the stall."
Atem wished that he could disappear he felt so ashamed. He behaved the way that a prince should never do. He proved to be weak and vulnerable. They did not speak with each other since they came back to Yuna's room but Atem thought that he must have been a huge disappointment for her. Why else did he need to bring the horse back as it became useless that they trained with her? She would tell him in any minute that he should choose another wish because the price proved to be too high. And that would mean that he lost his only chance to get better for his challenge...Yuna looked out of her window and started speaking at this moment.
"I was too hasty. You told me that you are afraid of horse riding and still...I neglected that fact."
So here it comes...
"Your fear roots deeper than I thought therefore I must change my mind..."
Yes, that is understandable. Still it hurts that I was such a disappointment.
"But there is problem..."
Of course it is. And I know what the problem is...
Atem waved his hands and for the first time he said sadly:"I can totally understand what you mean. You are totally right. I was just thinking about the same thing.
Yuna seemed surprised. "Oh Really? Oh...I am quite impressed that you also started thinking about it."
"It is natural. It is actually my fault that you have to change everything. You must be disappointed in me for sure. I would like to say that I am really sorry." then he added sadly. "Well at least we will have much time to think what we should do..."
"Have you gone mad?! It is totally the opposite! We need to find a room inside the palace as soon as possible where we can train how you can fall from a horse without any interruption! The sooner we can start the better." Then she got the expression of Atem and she asked uncertainly. "What is it Egyptian?"
"Are we going to continue the training? But you just saw what I am capable of..."
"I saw what you are not capable of because your fear hinders you. Now I have to make you face your fear and win over it. What were you thinking anyway?"
Atem became red and muttered. "I thought that you would find me hopeless and you would find the price too high. I thought that you wished me to make another wish."
Yuna shook her head. "Tsk... The bid had already been made; it cannot be undone so easily. And please do not underestimate me Egyptian. I would never have accepted that wish if I had any doubt that I would be unable to fulfil. I am not in the mood to be indebted long you know. So please could you please think about an indoor room where we could train without any interruption? We need some mattresses as you will learn how to fall properly."
"What am I going to learn exactly?"
"Well it will just be the basics of gymnastics but it will be essential. All kind of rolls, forward, backward and dive roll if it is possible. On the ground and from some height as well. Your master should have started your training with those but as usual he proved to be incapable of doing anything logical."
"Do you think that I will be strong enough? Are you sure?"
"Come on Egyptian, I will train you so everything will be fine. You just need some time to see what you are capable of. I cannot promise wonders but you will not fail either."
Atem smiled and opened waved Yuna to follow him. "In that case I know the perfect place for our trainining. Follow me please. I am sure that you will like it, that place is the most special for me."
The room to which they entered was the last room that he found using his secret paths but he was the most glad that he could step into the room after so many years. He came here as often as to the cave; just like his mother he regarded this room as his sanctuary. During his stays he searched the room and observed as many object as possible. He was so overjoyed as well when he could finally open the sealed box in the middle of the room and he saw so many objects: clothes, jewelleries which must have belonged to a young girl. It still hurt him a little bit that Yuna refused to wear that special dress but he could not go against the girl's choice. The small room opened into another room: the training room. The room was fully equipped with everything that was necessary for trainings. Wooden and real swords for sword fighting, mattresses, wall bars and vaulting box there were all equipments for gymnastic moves. As if it was yesterday that she also trained and used those objects. How he wished to train here as well along with her. He was sure that she would be proud of him that he could finally come here and train here just like her. He would manage it no matter what. For the sake of the memory he had about her. Nothing changed only one thing dust filled the unused objects.
Yuna looked at him and wondered around the room and the training room. "What is this place? This is wonderful. Better than I could wish for! But why does it seem so abandoned? It seems that no one used it for a long time."
Atem smiled as he looked around and pointed to a bench in the corner. "Let me tell you everything about this place. Can we sit down for a bit?" After sitting down Atem took a deep breath Before this time only Mana and Mahado knew about it but it was time for Yuna to get to know everything. He considered her friend...And Atem let himself overwhelmed his memories and starting telling Yuna his story...
Notes of the author:
- Yu-Gi-Oh! and its characters belongs to Kazuki Takahashi please note that I try to be faithful to the storyline of the manga but in order to make the my own story complete and logical I may have made some alterations and will do if necessary
- the avatar that I used was found on pinterest at: pin/507147608010770878/ I does not belong to me, I would be wonderful if I could make my own pictures about the story but I am not on that level. I would be a dream come true if I could inspire artists to make pictures about this story. :)
- I set my story mainly in ancient Egypt but as I am not a historian, historical inaccurances are also possible
- Please note that English is a foreign English for me however I try to my best to improve my vocabulary and grammar, feel free to higligh my mistakes I will correct them as soon as possible
- As I work and have a private life the updates can take some time, but if I have some free time I devote it to the story.
Notes about this chapter:
- This chapter took more time to write as usual for two reasons: I had to much ideas and I could not stop myself till I wrote them down. I had to work overtime so I had limited amount of time for writing this story. As a reason for that I wrote an extra long chapter which I chopped into three parts so instead of one chapter you get three chapters this time. :)
- I hope that it was worth waiting for so long for the new updates. This month will be hard for me but I hope that from next month I will be able to update more frequently the chapters. I have so many ideas and I cannot wait to have the time to write them down. :))))
- I really long for some reviews and comments. :) It would be nice to know what you think about the story so far. Please drop me some words, it would mean a lot for me.