Whoa it has been almost half a month since I last posted a chapter. =O Sorry it took longer this time.
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The Pharaoh's Memories (Chapter 26: What was Aknadin's story (Part 2)?)
"speech"
'thoughts'
*sound effects*
{locations}
#Text#
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Previously:
On the day of attack, Pharaoh Aknamkanon was moved to a secret location in the city. The task force led the guards and police to all the rendezvous points at the exact timing. We captured most of the criminals and soon after that the Pharaoh passed the death sentences for the 130 people that were captured. Among them were the elusive leader and main members. The police continued to search for the criminals that escaped but until today they haven't surfaced.
{End of story mode}
Seto fell back a few steps and used the wall as a support as he listened to Aknadin's story in disbelief. He had heard about the Sword Society when he was growing up, he knew that they were highly dangerous criminals but he did not know they committed crimes at such a large scale. 'I would have done the same if I was in Lord Aknadin's shoes. That is the duty of the Pharaoh's servant.' Seto thought to himself. "But when you returned, why didn't you come and look for us." Seto asked. "I truly wanted to but when I got back I needed to undergo counselling because during my time undercover, I changed slightly. I became more bad tempered and had more violent tendencies. In the end, I felt that I would be a danger if I was near you therefore I distanced myself from the both of you." Aknadin explained, wiping the tears off his face.
He then continued, "By the time I recovered, your mother had died and you moved away. I tried to locate you but I failed, I could not find you anywhere. My brother, Pharaoh Aknamkanon, also tried to help me locate you, he was very fond of you when you were little and helped your mother take care the finances of the house. He told me that the guards could not find you as well."
Seto was looking at the floor, he too was crying slightly. "After mother died, I decided to move to another city. I didn't tell anyone, I started training and studying while I was there. I decided that the best opportunity I could have was to become a High Priest of the Pharaoh. People who are appointed as High Priests were usually from influential families. At that time, I didn't think my family was influential enough so I decided to study and train hard to shine among the rest of the priests so that I would be selected based on that." Seto explained. Aknadin smiled proudly, it was true that under those circumstances, he had grown up so much that there might be a chance that Pharaoh Aknamkanon may not recognise who he was, therefore it would have been hard for Seto to become a High Priest but he prevailed at the end.
"When you were first introduced to the rest of the High Priests, I immediately recognised you. However, when you said that your mother had died of an incurable illness and your father died on the battlefield, I decided to hold myself back. Perhaps at that time I was afraid that you would have hated me all this time. I'm so so sorry. Please forgive me." Aknadin admitted.
"I will not forgive you…" Seto started, when Aknadin heard that phrase, he lowered his eyes dejectedly. "I will not forgive you because…," Seto continued, "You don't need my forgiveness at all. As I said before, I would have done the same thing if I were you therefore I have never blamed you and I have not hated you!" Seto cried as he went up to embrace Aknadin. "My son… I'm so proud of you, thank you for surviving all this while. Thank you for coming back to me." Aknadin hugged Seto tightly. "But…" Aknadin hesitated as they let go of each other.
"What is it?" Seto asked. "I can't acknowledge you as my son in public without revealing my relationship with the previous Pharaoh. If I do, it would put the royal family in bad light." Aknadin said regretfully.
"That's what I was pondering about too, Father. Don't worry, you must have forgotten that I'm a servant of the Pharaoh as well. I understand… It doesn't matter if no one else knows about it, as long as the people I care about knows about it, I'm fine with keeping it a secret." Seto smiled as he wiped away his tears. Aknadin smiled back and held his son tightly once more.
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{At the dining hall}
It was one of those times that Pharaoh Atem decided to join his High Priests for dinner. Atem sat at the head of the table. He smirked when he noticed that both Aknadin and Seto came into the room in such a good mood. Seto took his seat at the first seat on the right side of the table nearest the Pharaoh and Shimon sat opposite Seto on the left side of the table. As the heir and Grand Vizier to the Pharaoh, they held the highest ranks among everyone in the room therefore they sat closest to the Pharaoh at the table. The rest of the High Priests just sat at whichever seat was available. Aknadin grabbed a seat beside Shimon. Shimon and Atem leaned over to Aknadin and Seto respectively. "You both thrashed it out?" Both of them asked. "Yeah…" Both Seto and Aknadin answered. "Cool!" Atem said and gave Seto a pat on the back.
They chatted about state affairs throughout dinner. Just then, the double doors to the dining hall opened and a guard walked in. He bowed to the people in the room and walked over to pass a scroll to Aknadin before bowing and left the room. "Shimon, what is it?" Atem asked. Shimon eyes widened considerably and he rolled up the scroll and set it down on the table. His breathing also became more irregular, clearly he didn't hear the Pharaoh's question. "Lord Shimon?" Aknadin called tapping him on his shoulder to gain his attention. When he snapped out of his shock, he noticed everyone at the table staring at him. "Shimon, you okay?" Atem asked concerned about his reaction to the scroll. "Yes Pharaoh, forgive me." Shimon replied and passed Atem the scroll to read.
The king unrolled the scroll and read the contents. "What has happened Pharaoh?" Seto asked in concern. "The senior official of the treasury and the senior official from the ministry of works had been murdered, their bodies mutilated and hung upside down from the roofs of their houses. "Oh my, that's terrible!" Isis exclaimed covering her mouth with her hands. "Has the culprit been caught yet Pharaoh?" Mahado asked.
"The investigators have some theories but it hasn't been confirmed yet." Atem replied. Aknadin had become incredibly quiet after Atem described the murder.
Aknadin had found the method of killing so similar to the criminal gang that he had helped shut down so many years ago. The way that victims were killed, first slashing the throat then stripping and disembowelling the body. Then mutilating the body with cuts and slashes all over before tying them by the legs and hanging the body upside down at the front door of the house. He had witnessed this many times when he was undercover, even though his team had tried their best to forewarn the guards and the targets discreetly, sometimes the guards were too slow and the criminals managed to carry out their planned attacks. 'If the sword society has revived, to be able to carry out the attacks such that the smallest detail is exactly the same. The only explanation is that the leader should be one of those who got away all those years ago. If that is true, the city will be thrown into turmoil again.' Aknadin furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
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{After dinner}
Atem dismissed everyone except for Shimon and Seto to get on with their work or errands that evening. As everyone got up to leave, Aknadin who was still deep in thought, did not hear the Pharaoh's command and continued sitting there. "Lord Aknadin?" Shimon tapped his shoulder to gain his attention. Snapping out of his 'trance', Aknadin turned and asked, "Yes?"
"Everyone else have left…" Shimon told. "Oh, forgive me, my mind was elsewhere." Aknadin apologised and got up to leave. "No wait Aknadin." Atem called out, "you looked as if you know something important when I told everyone about the murder. Do you know something about it?" Atem asked. "Pharaoh… I cannot say for sure that I know something about it, will you allow me to investigate it? I will report back to you when I have confirmed my doubts." Aknadin told the Pharaoh.
"Is it about your previous undercover work, Father?" Seto whispered. Atem raised his eyebrows and Shimon's eyes widened. "That's right! The method that was used to kill the nobles, it sounds similar to the way the Sword Society killed all those years ago." Shimon exclaimed.
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