Alverna: Here is chapter 12.
Everyone: About time!
Alverna: Relax will ya? Someone do the disclaimer.
Serenity: Alverna owns nothing but the plot.
Chapter 12: Learning Time
Back in the prince's chambers, Yugi let out his breath with a big whoosh as Atemu collapsed in a nearby chair.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to that." Atemu said.
Yugi wasn't sure if he should say anything, so he stayed quiet.
"What did you think of it?" Atemu asked as he glanced up.
"I couldn't watch." Yugi admitted. "I don't stomach large amounts of blood very well."
"Only Marik and Bakura could." Atemu replied. "Everyone else is sick to their stomach, only they know how to hide it like nothing is wrong."
"Guess that's something I need to learn." Yugi admitted with a small grimace.
"It's okay if you can't." Atemu said gently. "Isis and Karim close their eyes or turn away their heads at very bloody executions, and they're High Priests."
Yugi felt a small smile on his face. Glad to know he wasn't the only one who could stomach that stuff.
"While we're here," Atemu brought Yugi out of his thoughts, "I probably should show you around my chambers. I did say I would give you the tour yesterday."
"I got a mini-tour while trying to find water and towels this morning." Yugi gave the prince a sheepish look.
"Well now you'll get a more in depth one." Atemu said.
One hour later, Yugi had learned so much he knew he had to sit down and review.
"Now let's see what you remember." Atemu sat down on his bed and gestured for his servant to do the same. "When would I need to where the blue crown with the cobra on it?"
"When you are going to war." Yugi answered after a little bit of thought, though he really hoped that the prince never did have to go into battle.
"Correct." Atemu nodded. "What jewelry would you bring if there was visiting royalty from another country?"
"The ones that are inlaid with silver," Yugi paused before continuing, "because silver is more valuable than gold and bronze here in Egypt. And you want to impress your guest by looking your finest."
"Again, that is correct." Atemu rolled his eyes up briefly before looking back down. "One more question before we go to court. What do you need to gather when I need to work in my study room?"
"A bulrush pen, a few ink cakes, a stone, some papyrus, a palette, and a damp cloth." Yugi glanced up.
"Mostly correct." Atemu said. "But you forgot about water to dampen the ink cakes with and a light to see with. But otherwise you did very well."
"Thank you." Yugi muttered as he glanced back down to his lap.
Atemu studied his look alike. He was cute, that was an obvious. But he also was gentle, yet strong from all of his years of hard labor at the hands of the people around him and his friends.
"My prince," a guard said from the doorway of the prince's chambers.
"What is it?" Atemu asked as he stood, Yugi following suit.
"The pharaoh has summoned you to the courtroom," the guard said as he bowed to one knee. "He said that he has news that he must share with you immediately."
"Thank you." Atemu dismissed the guard with a wave of his hand. "Looks like we have to go now."
Yugi nodded and followed the prince back out the doors.
"Why are we here?" Bakura grumbled. "It always takes an hour from the summoning for court to actually take place."
"It actually takes ten minutes." Seto glared. "It feels like an hour to you because you'd rather be practicing your sword play or magic."
"Damn right." Bakura answered sarcastically.
"Attention." Aknankanon called. "Everyone quiet down."
The buzz of conversation ceased and everyone looked towards their ruler and pharaoh.
"It has been confirmed that in 6 months the court shall journey to the land of Japan to see about a peace treaty with the emperor." Aknankanon paused. "Those who are confirmed going are myself, my son, High Priest Mahad, and High Priest Seto. Those who will also go will be decided and announced in three months."
"Well that was interesting." Bakura said in the lounge room. "A visit to Japan sounds cool."
"Yeah." Marik agreed. "Do you think we could go?"
"If you behave." Seto said from the scroll he was reading.
"Seto, if those two behave, father will wonder what they're up to." Atemu reminded his cousin.
"Well," Seto turned back to the scroll, "we need to get ready for our visit, so I suggest reading up on the country."
"Will do." Atemu nodded. "Where's Joey?"
"Hopefully cleaning my chambers like I told him to." Seto said with a sigh.
"Ryou's cleaning also," Bakura said from the couch. "After he was going to see some animals."
"Malik-pretty cleaning," Marik nodded. "Then he's going to spy on Tea."
"Malik-pretty?" Seto looked up from the scroll.
"Malik-pretty is pretty." Marik answered with a shrug.
"You're weird." Bakura looked at his friend with a hint of concern.
"And you're just figuring this out?" Atemu questioned.
Alverna: That's it. Before anyone asks, yes the info I have for Atemu quizzing Yugi is accurate. I got the information from the book "RedLand, BlackLand: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt." by Barbara Mertz.
The blue crown mentioned is the battle crown. It was probably based off a battle helmet, yet made to suit the pharaoh. The cobra is known as a pharaoh's protector, yet deadly to all other people.
Silver is considered a precious medal in Egypt, mainly because it had to be imported from other countries. Gold and bronze were common enough due to mines, but gold was worn by the high class, bronze by the commoners.
And yes, the writing tools all listed are what the Ancient Egyptians used to write with.
~The bulrush pen was pounded or chewed at one end to make a fine brush.
~The ink was solid, made from some kind of soot for black, and the red was made with red ochre, used for headings and rubrics. It became ink when you added water, kinda like pancake mix.
~A stone was used to practice writing; especially with younger children as papyrus was very paper was made out of the papyrus plant. The stalk of the plant was cut into strips. The strips were pounded and smoothed with a stone until the papyrus flattened into writing palette.
~The writing palette was a narrow, rectangular piece of wood with a slot down the center to hold the pens, and depressions for the cakes of damp clothe is used to blot away mistakes of the stone you are practicing on, or the actual document, though it looks less professional if you do.
Tristan: Wow. That's a lot of info, but we didn't want anyone to be confused.
Joey: Please review.
Next Chapter: Tea leaves the palace.
