Soaring over Nile
Disclaimer: We don't own Yugioh
A/N: For review responses, please go to www (dot) freewebs (dot) com (slash) pools-of-thoughts
Chapter Twenty One: Love's Different Routes"Urgent message to the Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt!"
Atem looked up from his daze, in which he was trying to read a letter concerning the different political happenings in his country and not taking in a single word, and nodded to a breathless messenger who had come running into his chamber.
"What is it?"
The messenger bowed deeply, although the poor man was already out of breath, and continued his message.
"The sons of the Noble of Lower Egypt have been found dead along with the estate, which has been burnt down. The Lady Neema has requested another stay at the palace-this one for longer-until they can finish organizing their province and the ruler of it."
Atem shook his head in disbelief. How much bad fortune did this family have? One by one, the Noble's large family had split apart, thrown together and then brutally ripped apart again.
Standing up, Atem faced the messenger, who quickly fell to the ground and kissed it as the Pharaoh paced back and forth. Of course, he would definitely allow them to stay-the palace was large enough-but he couldn't help feeling a certain someone would be very reluctant to return.
"Very well," He spoke at last, "Grant them permission to stay here for as long as necessary."
The messenger scrambled up, ready to depart, but Atem halted him in his steps as he added the last bit of the message.
"But the Lady Amuenet will come and see me when they arrive. Alone."
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The carriage jolted and bumped as the maids began to clumsily put on her makeup. Neema had demanded it. Rolling her eyes, Amuenet waited until the last oily mixture had been put on.
One of the maids took out a mirror of polished copper and began working on her hair. She had refused a wig but had dressed in a rather high-status type of dress. It was because of that Eshe and Neema had refused to allow her to ride.
The maids finished and hurriedly packed their items and retreated to the corner of the carriage as the next oasis stop loomed ahead. Amuenet remained where she was as the maids scrambled out, looking relieved they were still alive. Only Halyma remained by her side.
She looked outside. Two burly guards stood rigidly outside her carriage, each carrying a spear and a dagger, looking very tired. They were two out of the twenty guards that had remained with the party. The new security Neema had set up was proving to be exasperating.
There were four guards outside Neema's carriage and four outside Eshe and Aziza's carriage (Aziza shared a carriage with Eshe). She couldn't bear to think that the two were standing in the sweltering heat whilst their fellows were having a refreshing drink at the oasis.
Leaning out of her window, she tapped one of the guards on his bare shoulder, already burning with the sun. The man jumped in alarm and then relaxed when he saw her.
"Please-take a break," She said imploringly, gesturing to his comrade, "I will be fine."
"B-But," The man stammered, gesturing for his fellow to come, "We-we were told to guard your carriage Lady Amuenet!"
"I can take care of myself," She said defiantly, hand brushing the dagger on the table and the bow and arrows on the wall, "Go! Have a rest! You will be fine!"
The two guards exchanged a look, clearly torn. Then, seemingly making up their minds, the two bowed in thanks to Amuenet and scampered off.
"That was a decent thing to do my lady," Halyma commented in an appraising voice.
"Well, I will not be as cold hearted or as indecent as the Pha-" Her breath caught in her throat as a pair of violet eyes flashed within the yawning pit of her mind.
For a second, Amuenet stared at Halyma's face, unable to speak. Then, the spell was broken as a distant sound of angry voices were carried from the oasis. Frowning, Amuenet got up, with Halyma in two, and walked off quickly to the oasis.
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Why couldn't he put the thought of Amuenet to rest? They had had a fight and had not resolved it before she left. Surely, that would have put an end to everything right? But why couldn't he rid his mind of her face, a face that was not filled with anger and contempt but hurt and sadness?
He was suddenly aware of footfalls coming closer to the chamber. And a flood of voices echoed to his chamber.
"I am sorry Mara," A musical voice he recognized to be Alysa's said in a tone he had never heard her use before-a contemptuous tone, "Your way of speaking is so very crude. I cannot understand you."
Mana's voice, riddled with barely concealed anger and bitterness, came floating to him as well.
"My name is Mana. I can speak perfectly well thank you Princess. And I am able to read."
"Only some texts. But what is the use of becoming a magician? I believe that is a man's job. Have you no shame to admit that you cannot perform many ladylike tasks?"
"Amuenet cannot read nor perform any ladylike tasks! But she is good at fighting! She would not need guards! She would be able to defend herself!"
"The barbaric and crude sport it is."
"You-"
They had reached his chamber. Alysa looked as calm and collected as ever whilst Mana looked like she was about to explode of anger. Alysa gave a perfect bow whilst Mana barely inclined her head out of annoyance.
"Well, this is the Pharaoh's chamber," The magician's apprentice hissed in a somewhat venomous tone Atem had never heard the cheerful and bubbly girl use, "Good luck."
And without a word to Atem, other than a look of pure incredulity, she turned on her heel and stalked off, her entire form shaking with rage.
"What happened?" He asked the girl in a daze.
"Nothing my Pharaoh!" She gave a light, melodic laugh, bowedand spun on her heel, walking out of the chamber as quickly as she had come.
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The two guards Amuenet had sent to have a rest at the oasis were cowering under the wrath and fury of Neema. Two other guards had swords raised threateningly as Neema bore down on them with a gleam in her eye like a vulture.
"You dare to leave your post? This is your punishment!"
The soldiers raised their swords up higher.
"NO!" Amuenet shouted, now running toward the group.
Neema appeared not to have heard. With a flash of copper and a dull, sickening thud, the two guards lay dead in the sand, crimson blood oozing onto the sand. Fists clenched in fury and Amuenet ran over to the party, horror etched on her face.
"I sent them for a rest!" She cried to her stepmother, "On my bidding!"
Neema seemed to have gotten a lot happier.
"Then you should have made it clear to them," She said smugly, "They were drinking like hungry dogs."
"That was because they were tired and thirsty!" She cried desperately, "They needed water!"
"They should not have deserted their post."
"We cannot lose the little we have!"
"Enough!" Neema yelled out, flaring up, "Do not speak to me in that way!"
Amuenet felt a fire spark up within her, burning out all thought and sense from her mind. Halyma, sensing a huge conflict, pulled on Amuenet's arm.
"Please my Lady, allow Amuenet to return to her carriage."
"You dare speak to me?" Neema raged, "Your isolence knows no end!"
The guards moved forward, their weapons at the ready, but they were blocked by Amuenet's defiant face and furious glare.
"If you kill her, you must kill me."
"What is this mere commoner's importance to you?" Neema spat before turning heel and walking erectly back to her carriage.
Glaring after her stepmother's retreating back, she led Halyma back to her carriage and, with a heavy heart, closed her eyes for the long journey back to the place she had just left…
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Meanwhile, back at the palace, Atem was pacing restlessly. He hated being restless but this particular visit was making him extremely agitated. What would he do if Amuenet would not speak to him? Would they still be friends?
He paused his thoughts as a messenger stumbled into his chamber and threw himself at the Pharaoh's feet.
"The Lady Neema and the family of the Noble of Lower Egypt has arrived!"
Heart thudding with unbidden nervousness, Atem stood up, his royal purple cloak trailing the ground, and walked out the chamber, determinedly cool and steady. As a Pharaoh, he was not sure why he was so nervous about confronting a childhood friend. He cursed silently and walked out.
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"Please my lady, you must go see the Pharaoh," Halyma pleaded.
The message had come as soon as the first horse had entered the wide gates. Messsengers had been barreling up to her, as if the Pharaoh had made sure there were enough messengers so that she would not miss the message, not matter where she tried to hide.
At first, Neema had ordered her to go. When she had remained silent and unmoving, Eshe also jumped in. When that didn't work, Neema had started with threats. But she had still stood unmoving and not giving in.
Closing her eyes, she tried to swat away the vision of Halyma's beseeching ones. But the girl's eyes somehow kept reminding her of the spirits'. Shaking her head slightly, clearing the thoughts, she nodded in defeat.
All she had to do was to remain silent and only speak when absolutely necessary. Yes, that was right.
Setting off, she realized some of the guards were running up to catch up to her.
"I shall go alone," she snapped.
There was such anger and venom in her tone that the guards simply stopped and stood in her wake. As she crossed the courtyard, weaving her way through familiar places, she was suddenly aware of a piercing shriek in the distance.
"Amuenet!"
She stopped and turned to see Mana charging at her like a rampaging horse, her green eyes sparkling with…relief? She blinked and stumbled as Mana caught up to her and pulled her into an innocent bear hug.
"Mana!" she choked, "Not…breathing!"
She let go immediately, looking at the other girl through big, doleful eyes.
"I am sorry Mana but I have to see the Pharaoh," she apologized, "He has ordered me to."
"And no one is allowed to disobey the Pharaoh," Mana finished for her, sounding very disappointed, "I understand Amuenet. Go but don't forget to find me afterwards alright?"
"Very well," she said, feeling fatigue overwhelm her as she set out again.
As she neared the corridor to the Pharaoh's chamber, she was suddenly aware of a tall figure, cloaked in blue and gold, coming from the other side. Seth.
For a second, their eyes locked. And then, a droll smile appeared on the man's face, matched by a defiant glare from Amuenet.
"Come back again Little Girl?"
"As you very well know," she replied coldly.
A slight shrug from Seth was all he said before he walked away from her, going and attending to his own needs. A slightly hurt look appeared upon her face before it was replaced by an expression of bitterness.
She continued walking and, finally, came to a stop outside the huge doors of the Pharaoh's Chamber. Raising a sickly-looking hand, she knocked on the door. The doors swung open as two guards exited the room. Taking a deep breath and feeling the slight flutter in the pit of her stomach, she stepped forward and entered the Pharaoh's Chamber.
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In the Chamber, a large reed bed was placed in the side of the gigantic room. A gold headrest was placed neatly on it with a stack of folded silk beside it. A shrine to the side of the room smelt of incense as the little model of Osiris stood inside. Busts of the Pharaoh, himself, decorated the chamber.
And, on the golden chair at the front of the room, the Pharaoh sat, staring at her with his magenta orbs. Averting her gaze to the floor, she stopped in front of him and bowed, steeling herself up for this confrontation, "My King?"
"Amuenet," his rich voice, deeper and smoother than she had heard before, echoed across the chamber.
She remained silent but reluctantly kneeled as he stood up and walked to her, his cloak trailing on the floor. Closing her eyes briefly, she stilled the fluttering in her stomach and willed herself to be strong.
A light hand on her shoulder signalled for her to stand up. She stood and tried looking at the ground. It wasn't very effective since he was almost face to face with her. There was a long silence, an awkward silence that always appeared whenever two people met after a long time.
"You called for me?" she asked dully.
"I did," he agreed.
Another dead end.
Her old self, the one who was defiant and willing to break rules without a second thought, told her to start a conversation with her 'friend'. But her other self, the one who had seen her family die, the one who had met Alysa and felt the change in her friends, told her to remain silent.
"What do you wish for me to do?" she asked again, her voice flat and without emotion.
He seemed to stare at her for a second before hesitantly placing a hand on her shoulder.
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He felt her flinch at his touch but kept his hand there. A sort of dominance was taking over him and his actions. An enormous amount of relief, from some unknown source, was taking possession of him. His hand moved around her shoulders and they were suddenly pulled into a hug.
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Her entire body seemed to freeze. Numbly, she was aware of being pulled into an embrace and held by the Pharaoh. But her mind was whirring. She couldn't handle this. Was he asking forgiveness? If so, she could not forgive him. She just couldn't.
Not after what he had made her suffer through and how he had simply 'put her aside' upon arrival of Alysa. No, she couldn't handle it. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't let them spill down her face as she gently pushed away his arms and backed away.
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He was numb as she pulled away and backed away until she was facing him again. Eyes were glassy and her face was white as they were locked in a staring contest with each other. Then, bowing her head, she silently backed away, toward the door.
He wanted to shout out a desperate plea but his actions…what had he done? He wasn't even sure they were still on good terms with each other and he had to act on impulse. So he stood still as he watched her hurriedly wipe the tears from her eyes and take a deep breath.
Right on cue, a knock on the door sounded in the Chamber and the opening of the door and the shocked cry of, "My Pharaoh!" signalled for something huge to happen.
Alysa had arrived.
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She froze as the lithe, smooth stride of the other girl echoed across the floor and came to a stop next to her. Hatred stirred within her, unbidden and unwanted. Hurt billowed up to twice its size as she clenched her fists. Was this some deliberate set up to make her feel even more wretched than before?
She turned away as Alysa stood calmly next to her, trying to stop feeling like such a mess. But what was there to go in her favour? Her red eyes, dishevelled hair and unhealthy air around her? Biting her lip, she stood, waiting anxiously for the Pharaoh to dismiss her.
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"My Pharaoh!"
Suddenly, his body had gone numb. Completely frozen. A sudden rush of warmth flowed into his body and into his heart as he saw Alysa and Amuenet. At the moment when Alysa had stopped next to Amuenet.
What-?
He looked from Alysa to Amuenet. He saw the sparkling blue of Alysa's eyes and the fiery golden-brown of Amuenet's. What was going on? Why did he suddenly feel so light-headed?
Then, a single answer came to him.
Had he fallen for Alysa?
Blinking, he felt his vision return to normal and saw the two girls standing before him. He almost staggered.
"You two must leave," he said, feeling dizzy, "I wish to be alone."
Fleetingly, he saw a look of shock and anger pass through Alysa's blue eyes but it was quickly masked by the blue hue. He saw the spark in Amuenet's eye, a flicker of hurt but understanding, before the girls bowed and left the chamber.
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As she walked out, she was suddenly aware of Alysa's voice, not at all melodic and light, but riddled with anger and…jealousy?
"You believe you are so great do you not?" Alysa smirked, speaking in the perfect and fluent language of Egypt, "Because you know the Pharaoh?"
"I know the Pharaoh, yes," she replied dully, "But I have no idea what you are implying Princess."
"The Pharaoh deserves so much better than you I must admit," the other said nastily, peering at her hair and face, "So pray, stay away from him. He wishes not to see you."
"I would be more than happy to," she retorted wearily.
Bowing her head, she felt sapped of all her energy. She didn't even feel like arguing back. Then, Alysa cried out again.
"High Priest Seth! Greetings!"
She stiffened and tried to speed up and dodge the confrontation. But it was no use. Seth stopped a few feet from them, his blue eyes daring her to walk away.
"Greetings Princess," the High Priest said coldly, peering down at Alysa in disdain, and then turned to Amuenet, "Come with me Amuenet."
"I'd appreciate it if you would allow me to retreat to my chamber," she said stiffly, not meeting Seth's eyes, the warm, azure colour replaced by icy, indifferent blue.
"No, it is on my command you come with me," Seth said, glaring at her.
All the fight left her. Sighing deeply, she bowed her head as a sign of respect and averted her gaze to the floor. Then, she turned to Alysa.
"Take…take care of him," was all she said.
Alysa nodded, her blue eyes clearly saying, I will.
"Very well High Priest Seth," she said dully, "Lead the way."
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Meanwhile, the High Priest Akunadin was sitting alone in his chamber, deep in thought. His Millennium Eye, embedded into his eye socket, pulsed steadily.
"So…" the old Priest's voice said scratchily, "Amuenet… The girl. And the powerful ka she possesses. I wonder…"
Author's NoteAIEEE! It's been an age! Sorry it took so long people. This chapter was sort of absentmindedly written so we will apologize again for the slow plot movement and such. But some Atem /Amuenet/ Alysa tension there. And do you think Amuenet's spirit has been broken?
Some more about Alysa is revealed here. And Amuenet believes her! Shock horror! And…what will Akunadin do to Amuenet and the Phoenix? What is he plotting? Dun dun dun! Is Amuenet going to sink into darkness? And just who has Atem fallen for?
A huge thank you to reviewers as usual! Review replies are on Pools of Thoughts as usual. The updates section may be moved as we are planning to create a big website with everything in Syloglyph and Ambiguity. But watch this space! We'll keep you notified at the end of each chapter in Author's Note okay?
Until the next update,
Ethereal Laeye and Moonlit Hikari