Finally. Welcome to the new chapter. Long overdue, I apologise. But hopefully the length makes up for it! As always, thank you all for the wonderful feedback. Even though I haven't responded to all of you, I have taken your kind words and criticism into account. Thank you so much. And the previous chapter has been edited accordingly. I like it much better now, so do check it out if you like. :)

In this chapter I've decided to start off a bit differently than I usually do. Please tell me what you think about it, and if the story still flows properly despite the odd sequence of things.

Enjoy!

Secrets Underground

Chapter 21

"A game?! You have got to be joking."

"I do not joke about my games. Surely you must know that."

"Yes, but, now? You do know how to choose a bad time," was the heated response, but that didn't seem to bother the one who walked intensely up ahead.

"I know what I'm doing."

"You have gone mad!" he shouted, only to immediately lower his voice and catch up to his companion when he noticed the hallway's inhabitants watching them with curious eyes. "I will not play any games with you," he said under his breath. "I have duties to attend to, and so do you. Heaven forbid something happens to your father during this time, we will need you to be ready-"

"Timaeus! Enough." Stopping suddenly, red eyes with tints of purple and pink bored into amethyst ones that rose fractionally with surprise. "Nothing will happen to him. He will be fine."

Silence followed as Timaeus swallowed pain-filled words. It was always hard to understand his friend, especially when everything the other said was never 'enough'.

"How do you know?" he whispered. "Why are you so sure when everyone says that he will…" and Timaeus clenched his arms tighter around the parchments he held in an attempt to stop himself from latching on to his friend and shaking him until he explained his confidence. Until he offered to share some with him.

"Because there isn't any other choice."

Those words only infuriated Timaeus more. His mouth twisted with despair, and he couldn't hold himself back any longer. The scrolls clattered to the ground as he clutched the white tunic before him, shaking the owner frantically.

"What 'choice'?! Death isn't a 'choice'! It's something inevitable. Death… in this world, it is the only thing that's promised to us. So how can you say your father has no other choice? He has only you now. You're his only choice. Your mother, your brother, the country, it will all be your responsibility after he's gone. That isn't a choice either. If it's not you, then who will bring peace? Who will bring hope to the people? You are their sun! So then why… why do you reject it?"

The last sentence trailed off quietly as his hands released the clothing, and Timaeus took a few steps back, finally admitting to himself, and to the other, what he had thought all along. His outburst nevertheless was inexcusable, but consequences could be damned. This moment was important.

But right then he didn't trust the tears that brimmed in his eyes so he locked gazes with the floor.

"Because… I can't be."

Hearing those words Timaeus's head snapped up, but he was left watching the Prince who promptly walked away, giving him no further chance to ask for more. But, it was enough. Finally, it was enough. Instead of giving him nothing but indifference or smothering his inquiries with empty reassurances, Timaeus received an honest answer. However, it was an answer that made his blood bubble within him once its meaning sunk in.

Timaeus's hands made fists.

"Why?!" he yelled after him, recalling the many conversations and reassurances he had given him. Now it was beginning to seem that it was all for nothing. Everything was falling apart.

"You don't need to run away! I told you we can fix this. Trust me. Please!" and hearing not response, a hand went to his forehead, his bangs falling infront his face to hide the despair. It couldn't end like this. The Prince, he couldn't lose this game. He couldn't give up.

As Timaeus looked up once more with a hint of desperation, the Prince had already disappeared around the corner. His heart twisted with further regret, but he brought his fists to his chest and made a solemn vow despite the quivers of his heart.

"I'll save you. I'll stop this, I swear. No matter what stands in my way."

A game.

A deafening silence rang in my ear as I tried to think through this haze of utter surprise. I knew my ears were not playing tricks with me. Staring up at the Prince and seeing the smirk on his face, I could tell he was serious. He wanted me to play a game for my freedom.

"My Prince, what nonsense."

Those sharp words was the PLAY button, bringing movement into the room once more. My eyes instinctively turned towards Priestess Isis who now owned the attention of all the occupants in the room. She was scowling darkly with crossed arms. Her frustration evident. She opened her mouth to continue, but was hastily interrupted.

"Isis, calm down, I beg of you," Mahad said quickly, quietly, and he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away when she took a few steps towards the Prince who was now glaring towards her.

"My challenge is such. Do you accept?" the Prince bit, and he turned away from her to look at me impatiently. His eyes were hard, his expression cold. Gazing up at him, my mind raced for an answer.

But what was there for me to think about? Sure, his idea was difficult to wrap my head around, but it was also my only option towards changing this fate of mine. Plus, in the long run I don't die, this game would give me an opportunity to learn more about him. A chance to see what Shadi was pushing me towards. It would make no sense for me to try and run. Not that I would get far anyways.

I nodded firmly after reaffirming this, and seeing my answer, the smirk and light in those eyes returned to his face.

"Then follow me," he instructed, and hopping off the platform he turned to the guards, gesturing to the cuffs my arms were clasped in. "Release him. I will deal with him from this point."

I would be lying if I said I wasn't mildly startled by his order. After all, according to him I was a prisoner. Someone who disrespected him that deserved to be punished. Why would he release me? Did he not think that I would try to run? But, I managed to stay calm and instead eyed him carefully as the guards stepped towards me. His arms folded, he watched his environment keenly. He observed every action with such precision and assertiveness… It was scary. He knew he was in control.

The guards did not hesitate to carry out his command. They unlocked the chains around my wrists without a word, the heavy metal clattering to the ground at my bare feet. I clenched my hands, stilling myself from shaking with apprehension that started to invade my mind like a dark cloak. The situation was terribly unreal.

"My Prince, forgive me but this is against your father's regulations. I have to insist that you wait for him to arrive."

It was Mahad's turn to say something this time, but the Prince paid him little mind. He casually made his way towards me as he gave an answer.

"Do not interfere. His fate is mine to make. Should he escape I will attempt to recapture him. Should I fail? Well, so be it. That is completely my concern. No need to report this to the Pharaoh." And he paused, giving the three a quick glance as they stared at him, completely flabbergasted. "Return to your duties."

"My Prince-!"

"Follow me," the Prince ordered sharply.

His words were clear. His tone was sharp. And feeling his chilling presence, I didn't resist his instruction. After all, my mind had already been made up.

I gulped any reservations I had as he led me out into the hallway and deeper into the palace. I didn't say a single word, and neither did he. He walked ahead of me silently with his head held high while I followed behind with a good amount of distance between us. Almost like a shadow.

It was well past noon. From the orange tinted skies that shone through the windows I could tell that it was nearing dark. Our shadows grew long across the wall, and gazing upon them my thrumming heart went dull with an odd realisation. I was indeed a shadow. Comparing the two dark silhouettes, we were truly identical once fine details were removed. Yet, I sensed that something was off. This weight that refused to leave me had now settled in my bones, and I was just at the beginning of understanding why.

The Prince's aura itself was frightening. Closing my eyes or merely being in his presence, I was able to sense a heavy weight, a darkness maybe, surrounding him. At the time I thought it must have been my imagination, but for a split second an image of another being following him crossed my mind. And as a result, the vision I had of him as a child surrounded by a dark creature appeared from my memory. Now how did it all fit? I knew I was stepping on the answers, but I couldn't determine which the correct one was.

Nothing could be confirmed as yet. He was a mysterious and mischievous imp. It was difficult to tell what could be going on within his head, and that in itself was dangerous. He was a tricky adversary. One that never lost or dared to give up despite the odds stacked against him. An opponent that, more importantly, couldn't be read. Therefore, as Grandpa would say, the game would be challenging.

I had taken to just watching his back intently throughout until we arrived to wherever he was leading me. The halls were long and seemingly endless. He guided me along several turns and intersecting passages until I completely lost track of the way back to the throne room. And the deeper we went into the palace, the less light we were met with. Windows were gone. These corridors now lit by torches and decorated with vases, the walls all etched with Egyptian symbols and murals. We traversed in silence, I in anticipation when we finally came to a spiral staircase that led upwards.

The banister was carved completely in stone. The design simple, but elegant than the rest of the palace. I couldn't help but graze my fingertips along the rail, feeling the soft bumps in the stone.

As we got to the top my breath hitched slightly as I laid eyes on the murals which decorated almost each and every wall. In brightly lit corridors, stories both of the past and of what they believed the future held were depicted. They glowed. The colours standing out as the flames of the torches brimmed.

I wish I was able to study them, to see what the tales were about and read the inscriptions myself, but with the Prince hounding me, that was not possible. Maybe at another time. If it came.

We turned left and entered another hall.

If I wasn't already plagued with mysteries before, another one made itself known in the most conspicuous way possible.

Everything suddenly slowed down. Servants whose eyes had secretly watched us were now trailing our forms in slow motion. The Prince himself seemed to have decelerated down to a full freeze for a split second. Even myself; or so I thought.

A burst of white came out of me, or through me, and with wide eyes I was left staring at a second head, other than my own, of multi-coloured hair. This person who dressed in a long white tunic was carrying scrolls and rushing after the Prince with urgency on his face.

I was stuck to the ground, left with nothing to do but watch. Where had I seen this before? My mind asked the question with a sense of familiarity tugging at it, and then, it hit me.

It was a memory. One that I could feel surging upwards from deep within me.

The Prince who was walking ahead suddenly stopped, and so did the one with the scrolls. My heart stopped as I recognized my own face staring at the Prince, pale and all. My body swayed with confusion as the confusing conversation I could barely follow turned into a heated argument. I caught only bits and pieces. And they were important enough.

The Pharaoh was going to die. And the Prince refused to take the throne.

The two parted, my look-alike left standing in that very spot, unable to stop the Prince from walking away.

And just like that the world returned.

Sound reached my ears in an instant and everything started to move once again. My eyes heavy as if I had just watched a movie. I blinked slowly, my eyes squinting as I tried to gather my thoughts and put my muscles back into working order.

A memory being revealed to me while I was awake. I immediately found it strange, and tiresome. My body felt as if it was draining itself of energy with each second I watched the scene. Holding my sides, breathing heavily, I knew something must have triggered it. Looking around, the only clue I could find right away was the hallway we were in. It was the very same hallway in that memory. It had to be. Therefore, was me being in similar situations like my past activating my lost memories?

I held my head as the aftermath subsided, but before it could a set of stern words brought my mind rushing back to reality by force.

"What are you doing?"

And standing before me was the Prince who was looking very peeved. Eyes slanted he eyed me carefully, and only then did I remember that I was supposed to be following him.

"I ordered you to follow. Not daydream. Remember who has custody of your life at the moment."

"I-I'm sorry," I whispered shakily, and I jumped when he suddenly clasped my shoulder roughly and shoved me forwards.

"Walk, and you better not repeat just now."

I treaded carefully and felt his eyes burning into my back as I did. My arms wrapped around my body instinctively, and I could feel my ears heating up. Tell me about intense pressure. With those eyes of his on me, and now that I was the one walking infront, I had no idea where to go, until we needed to turn left and he jabbed me in the side to signal me such.

I pursed my lips, withholding the sigh that wanted to escape. My eyes were still aching, my mind throbbing dully as the memory continued to throw itself against my skull like the sea against its bank.

Pharaoh Aknamkanon was going to die. That much I was already aware of. He would have to pass away for my role in this time period to start coming together. The Prince on the other hand was another story. Nothing but secrecies surrounded him. Even the me in my memory was left perplexed by his actions, despite how close they seemed to be and how much he knew.

Why though? Why didn't he want the throne? As of this moment the person walking behind me radiating power didn't seem to be one who would throw it away. However, my look-alike's words shed some light on that. Something was going on. Something the other me, Timaeus, was trying to fix, but what the Prince couldn't forget or let go of.

Remembering the words Timaeus said at the end though sent a chill down my skin. Timaeus had vowed to save him. That must have been the moment he had decided his purpose in life. A strong one. So strong that I was recreated to fulfill it. But, the question was raised again. From what? Whatever it was, my past self was also convinced it was the reason the Prince was evading the throne.

"What, or where, is this thing you're running from?" I whispered quietly to myself.

"It's here."

"Wha-! … Oh."

Spinning around suddenly, I noticed that the Prince had stopped. I stared at him with wide eyes for a split second before dashing the ridiculous thought that crossed my mind and nodded solemnly. My eyes dropped to the ground as quick as possible after he shot me a glare for speaking in such an informal way. That was all, thankfully, since he opened the door and ushered me in with a wave of his hand. I held my gaze with the ground, gulping back fears as I made note of the dim room.

Compared to the halls, this was fairly simple. It was a small room, chairs situated against the walls and the designs around the borders bright yet minimal. As we entered there were two servant boys puttering around. It didn't take them long to notice us. The two immediately stopped their little dusting and surveying of the room to do a quick kneel before hastily picking up their things to leave.

The Prince however stopped them, ordering one to take out his 'board' while telling the other to light the torches and to open the white curtains covering the window. They began quickly. I eyed them, noting the beads of sweat and the tight lips, the slight shake of their shoulders. Not to mention, they were boys just around Merimose's age, perhaps younger. And they were evidently scared. They were in the presence of the Prince, so I understood because at the moment I was quite on edge myself.

"Excuse us, Your Highness," they said curtly, and with another flick of his wrist the boys were dismissed, fleeing as fast as possible.

The room now lit, the sun dusking, I stood where I was and watched as the Prince stopped at the game board next to him. It was designed into a shape of a small narrow table with four legs. I immediately recognised what it was, and I was sure I was going to suffocate with the way the air got thick all of a sudden.

He smirked, reaching down and opening the worn drawer at one end to fiddle with the pieces that laid inside.

With a finger he ushered me closer. I stepped towards him warily, my confidence slowly disappearing the more my eyes lingered on this ancient board game. A game whose rules were not easily understood even in the present world.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked teasingly, and I watched as he removed the ten pieces along with four sticks that were the greatest ancestor of the cube dices I grew up with.

I nodded, and mentally berated myself for not using my voice.

"Senet," I answered, shakily, and he hummed, that grin of his growing as he turned to me.

We were mere inches apart, the closest we have ever been. And it was then when I finally noticed the difference in our heights. Although my growth spurt was delayed, I had eventually grown to reach a nice height of five foot eight inches. The Prince however, surely due to his age, only reached approximately five foot four inches. But despite his small stature, I, along with seemingly everyone else, was still insignificant compared to him.

"Ah, so you know of our games. Then do you know how to play?"

I stiffened, hastily searching for my voice that had gone missing again.

"No. I've only played… imitations of the game. The rules were never clear, from where I come from."

"Well, that's fine," he replied curtly. "I shall explain the game for you, in case you turn out to be a worthy opponent," and he grinned roguishly, reminding me nothing less than the devil himself.

"Do you see the setup of the board?" he murmured, and I nodded as he began setting up the pieces.

Imagine a rectangle with three squares on the small end, and ten on the long side. Multiply, and we would have thirty squares. The two last rows had a few images. The first row, the one without pictures, was where the Prince laid out the ten playing pieces. Five white stones and five black stones in a pattern. A white stone, then a black stone, a white stone and then another black stone, and it continued until all the pieces were lined up.

"Our pieces will travel through the board in one line," he went on, and with his finger he followed the game track. It was a reverse 'S'.

That rule was familiar.

"The aim is to arrive at the end, removing all of our stones from the board. The first to do so, is the victor. I shall explain more of the rules as we go along. Sit down," he said, and I watched as he took a seat, gesturing me to do the same.

I eyed the stool at my feet, and with an internal sigh I pushed it away and took a seat on the floor. The desk came up to my chin once I sat, and I had to strain a bit to see the board. This was how it was supposed to be. A commoner was never allowed to be at the same platform as the Pharaoh, and surely it applied to the Prince as well. Always one step below. We were never equals.

He however had a different idea.

"Leave the formalities."

Startled, I looked up at him. He was watching me with bored eyes, his form leaned over slightly to gaze at me better. I didn't move, and thankfully didn't open my mouth because I would surely look like a fish.

"You cannot see the board from where you are seated. Nor do I intend to sit this way throughout the duration of the game. Sit properly and face me."

Hesitantly I pulled the stool back towards me and got on. The stool was firm, not a shake in the legs. It put me at more unease somehow, especially with the way he was staring at me, a confident smile forever attached to his face. What that smile meant I wouldn't know. But right now his order was believable.

If he was a gamer as I was told he was, then it would make sense. Since he's daring enough to sneak out from the palace as often as Mana told me, then he was also capable of disregarding all rules of the household. I've just seen him break a big one already, so most of me believed this to be true. I calmed down, growing accustomed to the seating.

"Better?"

I nodded stiffly.

"Good. Now," and he clasped his hands, looking at the game pieces. "I shall take the black stones. The white stones are yours."

"Alright," I said determinedly, and I gathered as much courage as I could before we could formally begin.

I looked over at the board and saw the four sticks, and to my surprise there was indeed another colour on the other side.

"You look relieved," the Prince suddenly noted, and I straightened, wiping the small smile that had somehow appeared on my face.

"Yes, the game sticks," I admitted, gesturing towards them. "They are just like the ones we use in my… home town. Four sticks, each with one light side and one dark side. We drop the sticks, and whatever combination of light sides we have determines how many spaces we move."

The Prince hummed, and looked at me with a sly grin.

"Why did you say the game was different? Sounds to me they are perfectly the same."

I stumbled for a bit, trying to find the words that would help me explain where I got the idea from. It's not like I could say that the game is being interpreted differently because the people who originally played the game, Ancient Egyptians, no longer exist. I would either be thrown out for lunacy, or executed for treason. I tried anyways, knowing that I simply couldn't say nothing.

"It's just that, people who played the game here, would return home and retell it. So based on their words, and however they remembered the game, we recreated it and played it depending on what they said. Many of us haven't witnessed the game being played ourselves, so I just feared the rules may be too different." And taking a risk I added, "Due to that there would surely be quite a bit of errors on my part. I don't want to insult the game."

Would that make me look more sincere?

The Prince's face was thoughtful for a few seconds as he pondered my answer, which made me even more nervous. But he eventually hummed again, nodding his head to my surprise in agreement.

"Fine words that could only come from another gamer," he said, and he looked at me knowingly suddenly. My throat tightened, the gaze feeling as if he had seen through all of my lies.

"I suppose…" and I trailed off after my voice squeaked.

Now that I thought about it, it was starting to feel as if he was only encouraging me to talk. He wasn't constantly, if much at all, reaffirming that I was going to lose and be punished like I thought he would. That was the purpose of me being in this situation after all, but it just didn't seem to be it. Yeah, I would be darn grateful if he had a change of heart. But then another question would be tacked on to my ever growing list of questions. Why the sudden change?

Then again… I had already established that he was hard to read. Maybe this was all nothing but a façade to let me put my guard down, so he can strike.

"We shall begin," he suddenly declared, and immediately I tried to concentrate, trying hard not to fall for whatever he may pull. "And taking as you are the prisoner, you can go first. But first I will explain the immediate rules, just in case your concerns are valid."

"Thank you," I said cautiously. Was talking too much out of character? Was a commoner like myself, a prisoner in fact, supposed to- no, more like allowed to speak almost casually with a royal?

"That's fine," he said absentmindedly, and I couldn't stop my brows from furrowing even deeper. What? He got mad at me for insulting him earlier and now he just stops caring about the respect he should be given? That alone was more cause for suspicion.

The Prince took the sticks, laying them out infront of me before explaining.

"Like you said, we have four sticks. One light side and one dark side on each stick. We move based on the number of light sides we drop. Dropping one light side allows you to move one step and it gives you an extra turn. Two light sides allows you to move two steps. Three light sides gives you three steps. Four light sides gives you four steps and one extra turn. And if you are lucky, you might be able to drop and get no light sides. Such a throw would give you five steps and one extra turn." He gave me a glance. "Does that so far correspond with your rules?"

"Ah, yes…" I somehow answered, and I didn't bother to hide the shock.

That step was identical to what we presumed! But… my mind was becoming a mess. How the heck was that- it should have been impossible! There was no way archaeologists would have been able to understand it so precisely.

The same happened when I played Dogs and Jackals with Merimose a few weeks back. There were no differences. The games were played just like we assumed it would be! Though, what if it's because these games were what Timaeus would know? Shadi did say that Timaeus's memories were still within me. And therefore if Timaeus knows the rules of the games, I too would know it. Subconsciously? So then if that was the case, I wouldn't know the difference because I don't remember his memories yet, and it would seem as if I know the game when I don't really know it at all!

I scratched my head, my theories becoming too overwhelming, and too confusing. What sense can be made out of that?! Thank goodness I don't need to explain that out loud to anyone or there would be a lot more questions than answers.

Regardless. That step was way too familiar. But it was only one. The rest of the game could be totally different from what I know.

"Now, time for the rules, since the game can't possibly be that straightforward," the Prince teased, and I felt my shoulders tense.

"First rule. At any and all times, there can only be one stone on each square. Second rule. If you land on a spot your opponent is on, the stones swap places. Example, if you drop the sticks and have to move to a spot that my stone is on, you take my spot, and I'm forced to take your former position. That understood?"

"Yes," and I nodded firmly. That too was exact.

"Rule number three. You cannot land on a spot with your own stone. If that were to occur, move another one of your stones. If that too is impossible, your turn is lost."

"Understood," I stated, and I furrowed my brows.

That was slightly different. One of the reasons I had turned the game away was because of this rule. What to do if we were to land on our own stone. There were a lot of assumptions for that play, but never a single, determined rule about it, and I never had the patience to think about it myself. It always irritated me for some reason. But if I were to determine what to do, I would say losing the turn would be the better option. Having two of your stones on one spot was too easy. Nothing but a quick fix for a game such as this.

"Rule number four. Two stones or more of the same colour right next to each other can protect each other. That means your opponent cannot switch any of those adjacent stones. Number five. If none of your stone can be moved forward, you have no choice but to move one backwards. If this were to happen, you lose your extra turn if you have one. And rule number six. Similar to rule number three. If you cannot move at all, neither forwards or backwards, you lose your turn. Or, if you really want to, you can PASS your turn for whatever reason."

"Alright," I confirmed, and I knew that was the end of the basic rules. Now came the more complicated parts of the game. I eyed the six pictures on the board. The Ankh on square number fifteen, and the five at the end of the board - squares twenty-six to thirty.

"Now, stones standing on the last four fields do not protect each other anymore. There are other rules to follow once you near the end, and I will explain those now. These are special fields," and he gestured to the very same pictures.

"Field number twenty-six, we call it The House of Beauty," he said, and I looked at the image of three paddles carved and coloured into the spot.

"All of our stones must stop here on an exact throw. We have to make this stop with each stone before that stone can go any further. And if you are standing in The House of Beauty, you can remove your stone if you were to get an exact throw of five."

"Field number twenty-seven is called The House of Water."

It was always easy to remember the name of that square. It had small waves carved into its square, signifying what it was.

"Avoid it. If you move here, your extra turn is lost immediately if you have one. But that's not all. Once you land on this stone, you have no more than two options to save yourself from drowning. The first option is rebirth. Without throwing, remove your stone from the water and return it to square number fifteen. That is why the Ankh, the symbol of rebirth, is depicted there. It is also called The House of Second Life. However, if there is a stone occupying The House of Second Life already, then you cannot move your stone there. You have no choice but to move your stone in the next vacant spot behind it."

He sighed, taking a pause to gather himself before continuing.

"Your second option. Simply wait until you throw a value of four. That would be difficult, since your probability of throwing a four is one out of sixteen. If you decide to take the risk, and fail, your turn is over. If you manage to succeed, you remove your stone, and get an extra turn."

"Ah, I see," and I bit my lip, hiding the small smile. Very similar. And yet again a rule that made more sense to me.

"Now your throws become more exact," the Prince said, and I looked at the last three squares. Of course.

"Field twenty-eight is called The House of Three Judges. It is signified by these three lines you see on the square. A stone on this spot cannot move forward or backward. Only an exact throw of three can remove it from the game. Field twenty-nine is The House of Two Judges. Similar to the previous field, a stone here can only be removed from the board with an exact throw of two."

"And finally, field number thirty. The House of Horus. A stone sitting here can be removed with any throw. But, there's one more rule. Like I said before, stones adjacent to one another on these last fields are not protected anymore. Your opponent can attack and switch places. And if you are truly unlucky, you may find yourself in the water because if there is no stone on The House of Waters, and your opponent switches with you when you're on those three last squares, your stone is automatically dropped into the water. If there is a stone there already, then your opponent can't drown you, therefore forcing them to stop their attack and remain where they are."

"I understand," I said firmly. "The rules are practically the same to what I know of."

"Then that's good. Because I will not explain again," and I watched as his calm demeanor transformed into one of scary determination.

"The game starts now. Fight me for your life."

As he leaned back, radiating confidence, I could feel a surge of power and certainty coming from him. It chilled me to the bone, and shot fear into my heart. I wasn't scared before, but now I was. I was absolutely terrified.

"Since you're the prisoner, go first."

Shakily taking the sticks, I called on all the strength and courage within me silently until my heart stopped thrumming so loudly. When the fear subsided, I reopened my eyes, and dropped them onto the table.

Two light sides.

"An even throw," the Prince mused, and taking my first stone, I moved two spaces, right infront of his first black stone.

"I'll throw," the Prince announced, and I watched as he dropped three light sides. Taking his stone, he moved past my first piece and stopped two spots ahead. He was already farther than me, but I shook that thought from my mind. The game had just started. Nothing was to be determined until the very end.

I took the sticks and dropped them, only to cringe slightly. It wasn't a bad throw. It was a perfect throw. For myself that is.

"Two lights sides again. That means you'll have to take my spot then," the Prince mused aloud, and I nodded. Well, he wasn't angry, so that meant he wasn't going to be a sore loser like Nakht was, I supposed. No, using Nakht for comparison was a poor example. The Prince understood sportsmanship.

"I won't switch," I said after a moment of thought, and at that he just smiled.

"Yes, I wouldn't either. Choosing the further the other pieces is a better idea," he explained, and I felt a bead of sweat trail down my forehead.

Overconfidence… someone with it always made me doubt myself. But I couldn't fall into that bad trait now. Focus, I told myself. He's only trying to play with my head. I repeated it as I moved my second stone to square nine.

"Alright, my turn," the Prince declared, and he took the sticks, dropping it with a clatter.

And so we played. Before I knew it we both had moved most of our stones, and I was already sweating. The Prince just removed another one of his stones from play, leaving him with three left on the board. All his remaining stones were already past the first row. As for me, he just dropped my leading piece straight into the Waters.

I myself have only managed to get one of my pieces off the board.

The tapping of stone pieces against the hard, painted wood of the board was unsettling to my ears. The eerie silence of the night not helping matters.

"Luck is just not on your side, is it?" he teased, his voice soft and wispy. My brows furrowed with frustration.

"I'll use this turn to revive my stone," I simply said in return, and I moved my piece to the House of Second Life.

As I scanned the board I wondered how long it would take me to move my own pieces up further. I was lagging behind significantly compared to his stones positions.

My eyes lingered on my one piece sitting on square fourteen. That was my next priority, along with the one stone I had no choice but to revive. Waiting it out in the Waters for that perfect four would only slow me down.

A firm knock on the board caught my attention. Looking up the Prince shot me a smirk, and dropped the sticks. All I could do was mentally cry as he received four light sides which also earned himself an extra throw.

"Wonderful," he said, and he moved his stone that was sitting on square sixteen to square twenty. And dropping again, after making sure I was paying attention, I looked on as he earned a two. I thought he would continue to move the same stone upwards, but realisation hit me when he removed his third stone from play.

"Now, just two remains," he said, and he watched me expectantly. "Do you still have hope that you could win?"

"I don't know," I replied evenly.

His confidence that he was going to succeed was putting me on a terrible edge. Almost the way playing with Nakht had made me feel. But this was different. His skill was evident. Nakht on the other hand was nothing but talk.

Yet, the Prince was aggravating. And I unwillingly allowed the Prince to know so.

"All I know is that I won't lose hope until the game is over. So don't get too cocky just yet," I bit at him.

It wasn't until after the words left my mouth did I realise what I had said and to whom. But it was already done. Holding my tongue now was pointless. Fear travelled through me as consequences reared its head, only to vanish like steam when the Prince let out a laugh.

"Wow, fire! I like it," he exclaimed happily, and he tossed me the sticks, a finger hiding his smile as he leaned forward on the table. "Show me what you've got then."

I tossed. Three.

I didn't move my stone that was further ahead. It was clear that I would only put myself into the Waters. My stone at the back was perfect. Especially…

"Square number fourteen is now a spot for your stone, my Prince," I announced, and I triumphantly switched our stones, satisfaction easing my burns when I caught sight of his smirk leaving his face. He may have had only two stones left on the board, but somehow that was now making it easier to push him around. To trap him with my number of stones that were twice his.

He grabbed the sticks, scowling with dismay.

"That may be, but I have a habit of returning from minor setbacks, Prisoner," he shot back. And he tossed, earning a one.

The throw didn't please him at all. I took the sticks, sneakily catching a glimpse of him as he moved his piece further while trying to cover the disappointment. The move must have really flustered him because he didn't even bother switching his other stone with my piece sitting on the revival square. I told him such, and he only gripped the table, surprised and angry that he missed an opportunity.

"What's happening?" he hissed, and feeling brave I egged his anger on.

"The tables are turning, I suppose," and feeling a wave of courage, I dropped the sticks.

I knew that making him angrier was the worst thing I could do. Especially with my own life hanging in the balance. But I needed to know more about him. And a game… well I find games the perfect way to catch a peek at a person's personality. By mocking him, I knew I would be able to see how he reacts to certain situations. Therefore revealing how he behaves. What kind of person he was. And already I was able to retrieve some valuable information. He was proud. Boastful. Arrogant. Temperamental. But most importantly, he was smart.

I had made this observation earlier as well.

The Prince knew how to control the situation and the people around him, and make them bend to his will. Perhaps it was all part of being a Royal. An important skill a future Pharaoh would need to know in order to rule and keep order within an entire country. So that was why I wouldn't be surprised if I too was being controlled. Maybe he was the one testing me, by putting up this wild act of bravado. Then again… that wouldn't make sense. Why would he want to know more about me? I was nothing but a commoner, and a prisoner, to him.

My throw revealed a four of my own. Finding the move to make, I smirked, knowing his anger was just going to get worse.

"Now I return you to square seventeen, taking your spot at twenty one. And for my extra throw… a two." I smiled. "I now clear the House of Beauty stage for my stone sitting on square twenty four."

I retook my seat after standing to make my move, and just eyed him as he glared at the board as if he couldn't believe the turnaround before him. I expected him to cry out with anger again, but he revealed another side to him. A small smile eased its way onto his face as he shook his head.

Whatever anger he was feeling was suddenly gone.

"Your moves does not matter. I've always won," he said, and he glared at me strongly. "You may have moved your pieces up a bit, but I am still in the lead. I assure you, you will lose."

He tossed the sticks, receiving three points. He couldn't move his further piece up since it would mean he would have to land on the same square his other stone was on. So he moved the other, plopping it right on square twenty between two of my own.

With the moonlight as our backdrop, its clear light shining into the room with a breath of cool air, the tension had shifted dramatically. There was just, sereneness. An odd, quiet. I looked to the Prince, curious about this new feeling in the air, when I finally noticed it. His nonchalant smile, calm eyes, and relaxed but upright posture… I was once more reminded of a creature. Not a mischievous imp this time.

A silent snake.

It was as if there was a ghost in the room as we continued to play. Even when I continued to thwart him, he remained quiet but watchful. And this new persona terrified me greatly. My body continued to play, while my mind struggled to make sense of this quiet. What does it mean? Was he really messing with me? It had to be a way to throw me off. To teach me a lesson perhaps for riling him up so much. But that was too childish. This was something else, and I couldn't understand it.

"One," I stated simply, and I moved my piece sitting on the House of Three Judges up, dropping his stone right into the House of Waters. "My second piece has left the board," I said, and I used my extra turn to move my lagging stone up before passing him the sticks.

I watched as he surveyed the board. He studied it. Even though I surrounded him, and even though his victory was slowly starting to look meek, his actions were matching his words.

He still believed he was going to win.

The Prince's two pieces were in a complicated situation. One was in the House of Waters due to me, and the other just three squares away with two of my pieces between them. He wouldn't start over. At this point it was clear to me that he was going to wait for a four to save himself from the Waters. His other piece however couldn't advance much, especially when it still had to make its stop at the House of Beauty.

"You've trapped me," the Prince suddenly murmured, and looking up I saw him twirl one of the sticks with his fingers, an interested smile reaching his lips. "I'm, actually impressed."

"The game isn't over yet," I said, and at that he nodded after a moment of thought.

"It soon will be." And with those cryptic words, he dropped the sticks.

One.

No reaction. If anything, he didn't seem to care. He leaned back after switching our stones and just as quietly pushed me the sticks.

"Your move," he said simply. "I pass on my extra turn."

I blinked, understanding what he said but unable to wrap my head around what I was seeing before me. Why was he giving up his extra plays? And, where had his fire gone? That passion I had seen when we started was nowhere to be found and it made me feel uncertain.

The flame was all gone, I had to remind myself. And only the smoke was left.

Whatever. It didn't matter. I had to find a way to win and end this quickly. Victory wasn't out of reach anymore and if I allowed the Prince's behaviour to continue to mess with my head, I wasn't going to achieve much. So regathering my faith, I dropped the sticks, and gaped in shock.

"A… five!" I exclaimed, and a giddy laugh escaped as I stared at the four dark sided sticks that were infront of me.

"Congratulations," the Prince said.

The vagueness tried to scare me again, but I shoved it away hard and fast and focused on the board. This was it!

"I use the five to remove my stone off the board," I gladly said, and I took the stone that was sitting on the House of Beauty and moved it to the side of the board with a loud smack.

"And I now use my extra turn…" I said, and dropping again I received a three.

I had to land on the House of Beauty, so this was the perfect time to move my other stone up. I placed it on square twenty two quite happily.

"My turn," the Prince stated, and I held my breath as he dropped the sticks, only to receive another score of one. Which was fine. He was now able to advance to the last set of squares.

"The House of Beauty passed for my last stone," he said aloud, and slowly he moved his stone into position, and once more passed me the sticks.

"I pass on my extra turn again."

We were now almost neck and neck for these last squares. Our throws now become exact. He could use the extra turn to see if he could advance! Why throw it away?

My palms started to sweat. He was waiting for something. I could feel it. But, this was a game of chance. Everything depended on the dice. Or in our case, the sticks. This wasn't chess that you could plan and wait for an opportunity to strike your opponents down. What was he doing?

Wait.

Looking at the board, I noticed something right away. A strategy. Sort of. Did he plan on staying there forever? To stop me from advancing by not moving his stone from the House of Beauty? That was cowardice. I knew him enough to understand that he wouldn't do something so cheap. It would only delay the game. So then what?

My brows furrowed with frustration and confusion yet again. I tried to clear my head before making my throw however. I needed to keep advancing. He would have to move his stone eventually, and I would have to pray that luck was on my side. It was going to be a close match.

"A three," I said, and I moved the only piece I could.

Now my two stones and his two stones were all lined up together, side by side. Now it was really tricky.

I resisted the urge to bite my nails from nervousness as he took the sticks. All I could do was watch the predicament we had created on the board, and how the rest of the game was going to play out. We were definitely going to be on each other's toes now, I thought.

The Prince had a different take on the situation however.

"It's quite intriguing," he suddenly said, and I looked up at him.

His eyes were glistening with that wicked joy I had seen earlier again. And I jumped out of my skin when he suddenly laughed. His body was shaking as he continued to laugh, and all I could do was gulp dryly. Now my fear, and concerns, had doubled.

"What's so funny?" I dared to ask, and he covering his lips with his fingers he calmed himself enough to look me in the eyes. He couldn't stop smiling though.

"I was just recalling that boy you so fearlessly shielded from me. How he later pleaded with me quite desperately mere minutes before you arrived from the prisons."

My body went cold.

"After his rude behaviour I wanted to throttle him right then and there," the Prince explained, and he tsked as if recalling another detail. And sure enough he stroked his bandaged arm, shaking his head as he went on.

"Despite his stature he possessed such a bruising grip. I was caught completely off guard. And before I could say a word he grabbed me tightly and started to drag me off. His babble was nonsense to me, but I had to defend myself from him. Though how was I to know that I would quickly be accused of being the abuser myself?"

The Prince then grinned at me, tapping the sticks on the board. I unconsciously inched back, suddenly not liking this crazed look that suddenly engulfed him. The horrible energy that surrounded him like smog felt like it was choking me. Trying to swallow me. I wanted nothing more than to run but there was nowhere for me to go.

"Clearly the boy mistook me for someone else. But I had a hard time believing so, since no one can mistake me." And he smirked, looking much like the Cheshire cat. "I am quite unique, you see."

He paused, and another smile crossed his face a few seconds later. His cat-like eyes returned to me. The heavy weight of the room slowly started to recede.

"But then I saw you, and it all made perfect sense. You were bold. No one would dare shout at me the way you did without hesitation."

"I was not aware that it was you," I answered stiffly.

"Of course. I didn't want anyone to know it was me, hence the disguise. But you ruined my cover with your outburst. It wasn't a total loss however. In a few moments I had another intention, and began working towards achieving that."

"What do you mean?" I said without thinking. If he was annoyed with my inquiry, I could not tell. He smiled once more, and spoke with such innocence that I was left astounded.

"I wanted to play with you." And with eyes glittering innocently, revealing the child he actually was, he dropped a perfect five, taking his fourth piece off the board.

I could feel my heart stilling within my chest. He twirled the sticks. Round and round. Watching them with anticipation I thought I was going to be sick. But finally, with a teasing lick of his lips, he dropped them once more.

The score before me… I wouldn't have believed it if someone had told me. I had to have seen it for myself to believe it, and believing I was. With horror, and surprise, all I could do was stare at him with wide eyes that only had one question.

"How…?" I barely managed to say.

He just smirked, crossing his arms as his last stone rolled off the board. And he leaned close to me. So close I felt his breath on my ear as he gently said,

"I win."

The end of the chapter. Thank you all for reading, and please do leave a little review! Constructive criticism is always welcomed.

Watch out for repetitiveness. This monster chapter was tedious to go through. And also do tell me if I screwed the rules I myself typed. Hehe. Thank you once more!

See you next time~