Apep and the Sacred Scrolls of Duat
Chapter 7: Market Day and A Ceremony
A.N. So, I did have a plan for this story but it was on my old iPad which went to the big iPad cloud in the sky, taking all my work with it and I can't remember any of it. Oops. It also means, I'm basically starting from scratch but I love this story too much to call it quits. Guess I'm just winging it from here.
The royal library was a treasure trove of scrolls and papari dating back centuries, all of them set on hundreds of shelves or rolled up in large vases in a room several stories high. Each wall was adorned with beautiful hieroglyphics and the pillars were topped with stone lotus leaves. It was a light, airy room in which Priest Seto was reading all he could about how the land of the dead worked and how, or even if, living souls could exist within it. As he usually did when he was conflicted, he threw himself wholly into his work with a fanatical vigour which could be both awe inspiring and terrifying to all who knew him.
"Seto," the Pharaoh spoke gently as he entered the room.
"My Pharaoh," the taller man stood from the desk he was sitting and and bowed.
"Please, Seto...please, let me speak as your friend...as your cousin, not as your king," he said.
"But you are my king."
"I am also your family," the Pharaoh emphasised. "And what wounds you, wounds me as well. I am more sorry than I can say for hurting you."
"Hurting me?" Seto furrowed his brow.
"Aknadin," he explained and Seto sighed. "I know he did you a great wrong by abandoning you as a child..."
"No...no, that is not why...Your decision was yours to make. I voiced no objection when we spoke of it before hand because I have nothing of value to add. Everything that you said is correct. Furthermore, you are King and you do not need to justify anything to me, I am your subject."
"You were a King in your own right after me."
"But here in the land of the Gods, you are King. They chose you to rule this world, not I. Because out of every Pharaoh to rule this land, you were the mightiest."
"Flattery will not distract me," the Pharaoh smirked at him briefly.
He pondered for a moment and then, without a word, he shook the blonde strands of hair from his face and gently removed the golden circlet from his forehead and hair. It was a striking thing made specifically for him with the Millennium Eye at the centre and the wings on each side, inlaid with precious stones and polished to perfection. He placed it on the desk atop the papers which Seto had been reading and then looked at his cousin. "There," he declared, "I have no crown. I am no King."
"A crown does not make a King," Seto replied once he recovered from the shock of such a brash action.
"You are by far the most stubborn man I have ever met," the Pharaoh lamented fondly, shaking his head. "I know that you are angry and I know that it is my fault. This was not an easy decision for me to make, however I wanted you to know that I did not make it lightly. He is under constant guard. His every move is reported to me though I know it is of small, if any consolation to you to know that. He is to report his work to Karim and he will not be speaking at Court. He will keep his distance from you at all times, I swear it."
"My King, I..."
"Seto, I told my mother something that I wish to tell you now. But I don't say it to justify what I did to you," he said, meandering around the shelf of scrolls nearest to him still without the ever present weight of his golden crown. "Like Aknadin...I used dark magic once. It was with good intentions but all the same, I did it. And it nearly destroyed me. I lost someone very close to me as a result but my intention was to protect that person," he said. "I know how easily we can be lured by Shadow Magic, especially if we have the intention of using it for good. I believe the desire to use evil is within me still as it is in him but you and the others, you are good for me. You remind me every day, not to give in. The Magic that we use is a double edged sword and I need to be reminded. So does he."
"Sire, you do not need to justify..."
"But I do," the Pharaoh emphasised. "Forget the palace, forget that crown and your title and be my cousin. I'll not order it, but somewhere in you there is a voice that does not agree with what I did. Please be honest with me. There is no one to hear it except you and I and I have known you since I was a child at my father's court. (*1) You were there when I fled my tutors and hid in the temple all morning for fear of the consequences. You were there when I raced my first chariot in the sun for too long and fell in the sand. And you were there when my father passed and I was lost, not knowing where to turn. We may not have known that we were family but I always admired you. I always looked to you for advice and for help and you were always there for me. You never failed me. I never had cause to be there for you because you never needed me. It was I who always needed you. This is a poor way for me to repay your loyalty, indeed, I fear that I've betrayed it," the Pharaoh said, his every word bleeding sincerity.
Seto stared at him, shocked at his cousin's honesty as much as his words and, feeling that he owed such honesty in return, he sighed. "You have not...and it is not...why I..." he whispered as though speaking out of turn was physically painful.
"Why what?" his cousin asked, eagerly.
"I am not...I am concerned, yes, but I am not wounded. I am not insulted or betrayed," Seto said, sitting back down at the desk. "Logically, in my mind I know that your choice was correct," he said.
"What we know in our minds is not always the same as what we believe in our hearts," the Pharaoh told him.
"I have proven that I will do anything to protect you. I have imprisoned people, tortured people and killed and I would do so again. Perhaps, looking back, perhaps occasionally...I took things too far, but if it saved you, then I have no regrets. I know that Aknadin abandoned both me and my mother but I recovered from that long ago. With his reasons, now at least I can understand why he did it. What I cannot understand or forgive is using me as pawn!" he hissed. "Using my power, the power that I worked for all my life...as well as that of poor Kisara, against you to steal a crown which I have no design on. That is what I cannot forgive...of either myself or of him."
"How many times must I tell you that I do not blame you? Must I have it carved in stone?" the Pharaoh sighed.
"He betrayed you; his king and his nephew, and he used me in his betrayal," Seto said, "If I am angry, then it is with him, not with your majesty," he added. "I am sure that to be able to forgive is a fine quality, but it is never one that I possessed."
"I am sorry," the Pharaoh repeated. "Truly sorry. One day I hope to convince you that I harbour no ill will for these actions that you had no control over. I will not forget this, Seto, and I will not stop trying to make you see reason. For now though...you assure me that you are alright?"
"I am well, Pharaoh."
The Pharaoh nodded sadly, "So, what will you do now?"
"Now," Seto began. "I will continue to serve. I intend to spend the remainder of the morning here searching for answers regarding our visitors who appeared in the sacred temple. After that I will meet with Isis to learn Spiria's progress on her journey to the Priests of Apep..."
"About Aknadin, Seto, what will you do about him?"
"I will watch his actions closely. If he makes a single move against you, I will eliminate him," Seto answered, simply. He then took a deep breath and stood up again. "Might I make a suggestion, my king?" he asked.
"Of course."
"The people, I'm told, are uneasy, and for good reason. Today is a market day, is it not?"
"It is."
"I know that you are always concerned with their wellbeing, therefore I believe it would do them and you much good to visit the city. However, there is always danger so I would wish to accompany you."
"You would be content only if I remained behind these sacred walls forever guarded by an army of soldiers. My journeying beyond them has never given you joy, yet you suggest it now," the Pharaoh said, raising an eyebrow.
"I suggest it because I know your majesty would wish it."
"Were we not inundated with problems I would agree with your suggestion but as it is we have much to do. I cannot..."
"Until Spiria returns there is precious little we can do. In the meantime, the number of petty disputes among the people will continue unless we remind them that you, as you always have been, are a strong and just ruler. If we do all we can to minimise these disputes then at least we will have one problem less. We must also be present at the temple of Amun for the ceremony to beg the god's assistance. It would do us no good to miss such an important event. Also, we can look for traces of the serpents in the city. If these beings can infiltrate the sacred temple of Amun, let alone your dreams there is no guarantee that their brash and open attacks against the walls were not simply a diversion while a smaller force snuck past us."
"A fair point to be sure," the Pharaoh mused, "All of them."
"Furthermore, I will be all the easier in my mind if there is some distance between yourself and Aknadin," Seto confessed.
"I see," the Pharaoh gave him a small smile. "Very well, but you are to accompany me. You have earned a break far more than I have," he said, "Even if this break is disguised as a chore."
"As you say, my king," Seto said, very reverently picking up the crown and holding it out for his cousin.
"I feel a lot lighter without it," the king said, staring at the golden circlet. He then sighed and allowed Seto to place it in his hands. With a shake of his head he moved the hair from his face and set it back on his forehead. "So, then...to the city," he said a moment later and Seto inclined his head.
"I will ready your horse personally, my King," he replied.
"Before we leave, did you find anything of use?" the king asked, glancing over at the scrolls.
"I regret to say that I have not. I know not how any living being could be brought here or why or even how they are being sustained here. It simply makes no sense and I cannot find any record of this ever happening before."
"We will find the answers, Seto," the king placed his bejewelled hand on his cousins' shoulder. "Of that, I have no doubt. For now, if I must rest then so must you. I will see you at the gates shortly my friend," he added before he left.
"How are they?" the Pharaoh asked Mana. She was sat in a small chair in a quiet room, deep within the palace where the sleeping Mahad and Shada were resting.
"I thought Master Mahad was going to wake up earlier...he moved...but he didn't wake up," she lamented. "And Master Shada...he hasn't even moved. They're breathing so quietly, it's like they're...well...dead," she said.
"They will be well. They must be well," he replied, trying to sound convincing.
"You're blaming yourself, aren't you?" she asked, "You always do. Master Mahad would tell you not to. When he wakes up he will tell you."
"Yes, he will," the Pharaoh smiled, ruefully. "And then, he will probably return to the desert in search of the fiend that did this," he added and she snorted, inelegantly.
"I hate when he's not here," Mana sighed, sitting up in the chair and hugging her knees.
"As do I," he admitted. "Mana," he began a minute later, "I need your help."
"Anything...my Pharaoh," she replied, looking up at him.
"It could be dangerous."
"I can do it," she insisted, standing up quickly.
"The serpents could return to finish that they started here," he said, glancing at his sleeping friends. "I have asked Karim to watch Aknadin. Isis is guarding Spiria's journey and Seto and I plan to search the city for any traces of the serpents..."
"I thought they hadn't gotten past the walls."
"Who knows," he sighed. "Their master appears able to resurrect the damned. Who's to say what their limits are? Seto thinks it worth the effort and I agree with him. However...that leaves them defenceless. I need you to remain here and guard them."
"I won't leave, for anything, I promise," Mana nodded.
"Thank you," he said, "And...there is one thing further."
"Yes?"
"We will need an explanation as to why we have seven new additions to the court. I need you to..."
"Talk?" she inferred and he nodded. "What do they need to know?" she asked.
It wasn't the first time that Mana proved her worth to the court this way. People liked her and tended to talk to her more than they did someone like Seto, therefore she knew more than most, even if others didn't believe that she contributed anything. Not only that, but she was also the Pharaoh's friend; they'd grown up together. She was the only child of a high ranking nobleman, a friend of the former King who had died in a war before her birth and so, she'd been raised at the palace alongside the young Prince and Mahad. It was difficult for people to imagine that the happy-go-lucky Mana and the ever serious, great Pharaoh had been raised practically side by side and yet be so different from one another. But people knew that she had the King's complete and utter trust and was therefore, not to be underestimated.
As the Pharaoh neared the courtyard at the entrance to the palace he was tying a belt around his waist which held a sword; the scabbard glistening like everything else he wore of pure gold and the hilt was layered with even more jewels. He saw Seto standing beside two horses as well as Yugi and the others, now dressed as Egyptians. His mother and Mana had done a remarkable job, but they still stood out with their pale skin in comparison to everyone else.
"They are seemingly intent on accompanying us, my king," Seto informed him, "However, I believe some form of explanation will be necessary."
"For what?" the King asked, walking over to them, the soldiers and workers bowing to him as he passed.
"He appears too similar to your majesty, surely it would be wiser for him to remain within the palace," he answered, gesturing to Yugi. The young teenager appeared uncomfortable in his new clothes and he'd forgone wearing any gold jewellery but in his harem pants and shirt, he did look even more similar to the King than he did before.
"People talk, Seto, I'd be surprised if everyone didn't know about him already," the King said, taking the reigns of his equally bejewelled white stallion.
"Then what is our explanation?"
"He is a distant relation from a far off land, but no less a prince, and these are his advisors," he said, smiling at his friends. "Mana has no doubt put about the rumour already and by the time we pass through the gates, the entire palace will know. The city will follow shortly," he shrugged before he mounted the horse, elegantly.
"...A Prince...oh no..." Yugi bemoaned but Rebecca grinned happily.
"It will give a very poor impression if a Prince wears no gold," Seto said, looking sceptically at Yugi's plain, unadorned choice of clothes.
"Oh no, no gold," Yugi shook his head quickly, "This is crazy. I'm not a Prince."
"And if he carries no weapon, he will garner no respect," Seto added, ignoring Yugi's comment.
"No way," Yugi exclaimed and looked up at the Pharaoh on his horse. "You know how bad I am with a sword," he said hastily, "And I don't believe that violence ever solves anything anyway."
"It is...different here than what you're used to. And if you carried a sword, you wouldn't need to use it, Yugi, it would merely be a display of strength and the gold, a show of wealth," his friend told him, kindly.
"Please don't make me," Yugi begged him, his eyes just as desperate as his voice.
"Of course I won't," the Pharaoh replied, "I'm sorry, Yugi. Please forgive me, I meant no disrespect."
"But, my king, it will reflect badly on you if..."
"Not another word, Seto," he interrupted, "I understand your concerns perfectly and we will discuss this later, my friend. But I'll not force Yugi to carry a weapon if he does not wish to."
"As you wish, sire," Seto bowed.
"Thanks," Yugi muttered to his remorseful looking friend.
"Does...the Prince...wish a horse?" Seto asked Yugi who blushed.
"I'm really not a Prince...but I erm...don't know how to erm..." he stammered. "I'll walk...thanks," he added.
Seto simply glanced at the Pharaoh in disbelief before turning back to Yugi and nodding. "Very well," he said and then looked over at the guards. "Open the gates," he ordered and they did so.
"So, when'd you use a sword, Yug?" Joey asked, quietly.
"Erm..." Yugi pursed his lip, nervously as they watched the palace gates open for them.
"Why'd you have to say I'm a Prince?" Yugi muttered to the Pharaoh as they made their way down the avenue of Sphinxes that lined the road between the city and the palace.
They were followed by a small group of armed soldiers and several fan bearers who carried tall poles with ostrich feathers adorned on the end to offer both shade and a cool breeze to the King and the others.
"It's more believable than saying that you are from the future," Atemu answered.
"No it's not!" Yugi frowned, "I'm not...I'm so not a Prince. I mean, even without your memories you were...y'know...like a king, but I'm not."
"No one would believe the fact that you are from the future," the king reiterated, "Let alone that this is the land of the dead and that you are the only living beings here. I am sorry that it distresses you, but there is no other alternative, Yugi."
"I guess...when you say it like that..." Yugi sighed.
"Ah, what's not to like?!" Joey grinned as people bowed reverently to them. "I'm the number one advisor to a Prince," he said "And I get to live in a palace."
"I thought you hated authority," Teà scoffed.
"Well, yeah...but not these guys," Joey replied, idly pointing at the Pharaoh and Yugi.
"And who says you're the 'number one advisor', anyway?" Tristan demanded.
"I say so, that's who!" Joey yelled back.
"Oh, brother," Teà lamented and Serenity laughed.
"Boy, you guys sure know how t'put on a show," Joey declared as he shoved another piece of tropical fruit into his mouth.
"I'll say," Tristan nodded.
Amidst the stalls in the street which were backed up onto people's houses and shielded from the worst of the sun by hanging canopies of coloured fabric, there was also music and dancing. There were street performers and amateur magic acts as well and it all made for a very entertaining day.
"I've never seen this kind of dancing before," Teà remarked, eagerly watching the energetic and graceful dancing girls in front of them.
"It looks complicated," Serenity replied.
"It's beautiful," Teà said, still mesmerised.
"Could you dance like that, Teà?" the younger girl asked.
"Erm...I don't know. Maybe...but it doesn't look like I'm wearing the right outfit anyway," she said.
The dancers were all in light blue, twirling long translucent skirts and shawls as they moved elegantly around the street. Some were creating rhythmic music with small tambourines and bells as well and ordinary people were joining in alongside this seemingly professional troop.
"They are the royal dancers," Seto informed them. "And it appears that even on their day of rest, they are still working," he rolled his eyes.
"Yes, heavens forbid, I think they might actually enjoy their work," the king smirked at him and his friends laughed.
"Regardless," Seto said after sharing a brief smile with the king, he addressed Teà. "It would not be advisable for you to participate since you are meant to be an aide to 'Prince' Yugi," he said.
"Oh...right," she sighed, staring longingly at the dancers.
"Well...strictly speaking, it's not forbidden by law," the king remarked, thoughtfully.
"It would hardy be appropriate for all members of the royal court to simply join the dancing troop," Seto replied.
"Seto, do you have two left feet?" Atemu asked, playfully, "Is this why I've never once seen you dance?"
"I simply choose to retain my dignity," Seto answered, haughtily.
"And you do so splendidly, old friend," the king conceded.
"Hmmm," Seto nodded in agreement.
"There is no law to forbid you, so if you wish to do so, Teà, then by all means join them. I've no doubt you'll 'retain your dignity' either way," the king remarked.
"Yeah, go for it, Teà. I bet you'll be great," Serenity encouraged her.
"Erm...I don't..."
Suddenly, all of the music and dancing stopped as a loud gong could be heard reverberating in the distance and an eerie chanting began. People began leaving the streets and Seto turned to the king.
"My king, it is almost time for the ceremony, I'm afraid we must take our leave. Might I suggest that we continue on to the temple of Amun and leave the guards to escort our guests any further," Seto declared before Teà said anything else.
"Ah yes, of course, the ceremony," the king replied.
"Ceremony?" Yugi asked, furrowing his brow.
"At the temple of Amun. As Pharaoh I must be present during all religious ceremonies and this one is no exception. You may return to the palace if you wish, or if you wait, the market will resume shortly after."
"Can't we come with you?" Yugi asked.
"Yes, if that is what you wish," the king replied.
"Guys?" Yugi turned to his friends.
"Well...never seen an old Egyptian ceremony before," Joey shrugged.
"You are not Egyptian, no doubt it will seem of little interest to you," Seto said.
Of course, what he didn't know was that once the Pharaoh had left, they'd all taken an interest in Egyptian history, especially after the ancient king's tomb had been discovered.
"Shows what you know, Kaiba," Joey scoffed. "Temple here we come," he said, raising a clenched fist eagerly in the air and his friends nodded.
"My name is Seto," the man sighed. "Very well, be sure to remain silent and do not disturb the priests," he said as they walked onwards.
The temple of Amun wasn't far from the palace. It was an enormous structure with tall stone pillars and statues of Amun as far as the eye could see.
Under normal circumstance, ordinary citizens weren't allowed inside the temples except on rare occasions, and this was one such time. People were crammed into the open courtyard, leaving offerings of food or fine beers and wines, or clothes and even small statuettes. They could hear the priests chanting and they could smell the burning incense as people either knelt and prayed or talked amongst themselves.
The Pharaoh and the others avoided the busy courtyard and were met by one of the priests and Shimon. The priest was an old man with a shaved head wearing a long white robe and a leopard skin over his right shoulder. He was leaning on a golden staff and he bowed reverently as they approached.
"My Pharaoh, we are honoured by your presence," the old man said. He waved a hand over and a novice priest lead away the two horses and the fan bearers, the soldiers however, remained. He then looked curiously at Yugi and the others.
"A distant royal relation of the Pharaoh," Seto explained quickly, "And his entourage."
"Ah, then as the High Priest of the temple of Amun, I bid you welcome," the man said to them. "I am Aneni. Are you here also to beg for the great god's divine protection?" he asked.
"Erm yeah, yeah we are, that's err...that's why we're here," Yugi answered.
"Then, as you are royal, you may accompany us through the temple. Your vassals as well if you so wish," Aneni told Yugi and then turned back to the King. "It would perhaps be wise if we were to begin at once, Pharaoh, the people are becoming restless," he said.
The Pharaoh nodded, "Very well," he said.
"So err...what happens at this thing, Yug?" Joey whispered.
"Erm...well, from what Grampa told me, when things were difficult, people asked the gods for help..."
"I'd say being attacked by evil snakes counts as difficult," Tristan remarked and Yugi nodded.
"Me too," Teà said.
"But I erm...I can't remember if he told me what happens exactly, so..." Yugi trailed off.
"Guess we'll find out," Duke remarked.
They were lead past the courtyard underneath the shade of the large stone pillars and away from the crowds. They walked through several rooms, all lit with candles or large burning grates which illuminated the numerous stone statues, making them seem almost alive. Their ageless eyes stared out unmoving and confident and the colourfully painted walls were beautiful and exotic in the flickering lights.
"Looks different than stuff y'see in a museum," Joey remarked, staring at their surroundings.
"Yeah," Yugi nodded in awe.
"It feels like...like their eyes are following us," Serenity shuddered, looking at one of the statues.
"The gods see all, young lady," Aneni said, haughtily after he overheard her. "Have they no temples where you come from?" he asked.
"Erm...not like this," Yugi answered.
"Hmmm," the priest furrowed his brow, "How very peculiar," he remarked.
They came to a large room, deep within the stone building. It had no windows and was completely enclosed and draped with fine fabrics, lit with flickering flames all around and at the centre was an enormous statue of the god, Amun. He was portrayed wearing a double feathered headdress and wrapped in fine fabrics. At its feet was an impressive array of flowers, gold offerings and food and the smell of incense was unavoidably overpowering in such a confined space.
Aneni knelt before the statue and the other priests in the room began chanting as he spoke.
"Oh, Mighty Amun, Lord of the thrones of the earth, chief of the gods, divine lord and maker of all, deliverer of the suffering and the oppressed, we beg of you," Aneni said, reverently. "Please protect this sacred land from all who would wish us harm and deliver its people from the evil that threatens us," he said.
"Err..." Joey blinked, "He's talkin' to a statue," he whispered.
"Be silent," Seto hissed at him. "Do not disrespect the gods," he commanded.
"The statue represents the god, right?" Teà said and Yugi nodded.
"It is the God Amun," Seto sighed. "Wherever you are from, how can you be so ignorant?" he wondered, "Just remain silent and do not disgrace his majesty."
"The people bring you offerings from across the land to beg for your aid and the king himself journeys to your temple, oh mighty Amun," the priest declared.
"As an offering, I leave this," the Pharaoh said and removed a fine gold ring from his finger. It had a large red ruby embedded in it and was carved with delicate hieroglyphics. "It is the finest in all Egypt. Suitable for the great God Amun," he said, leaving it at the feet of the statue. "In return I ask only that you aid us in our fight against the darkness," he said. He then knelt beside the priest and fanned out his cape behind him. "Please, haven't the people of this land suffered enough? What more can I give, what more can I do to bring about peace? I have already given all that I can possibly give," he said and Seto frowned.
Of course he knew that statement was quite literally true. The priests wouldn't know, but Seto and the others did. The Pharaoh had given his name, his memories and even his very life to seal Zorc away all those years ago even though here, it had only been a few months.
After a moment of silence, Atemu stood and turned to leave, he didn't say a word to the priests who bowed reverently to him and they didn't seem to expect it either. Seto stood aside as the king walked swiftly and silently from the room and back to the courtyard where the entourage of palace guards were waiting. They too bowed respectfully and handed over the reigns of the two horses to the king and to Seto.
"So err...you err...think that'll help?" Joey asked, quietly.
"I can only hope," the Pharaoh replied, then, he smiled at them in understanding. "I know that you don't believe in this religion, however, it is our way. Thank you for being respectful in the temple," he said.
"My king, we must return to the palace," Seto said, "The Court advisors will be assembling shortly and we cannot be delayed."
"Ah, yes, of course. What would I do without you, Seto," the king said. "You can return to the market if you wish," he said to Yugi and his friends. "Alas, I cannot go with you. The advisors meet every eighth day and I must be present to hear their grievances."
"Advisors?" Yugi asked.
"Yes, fifty four of them, all of them governors of different towns, cities and tasks and each one with his own opinion. I am presented with the grievances put forward by the people to find solutions."
"And we cannot be late," Seto reiterated.
"No, we cannot," the king agreed.
"Then, let's get going," Yugi said to him.
"You wish to attend?" Atemu blinked, "You'll find it...tedious."
"Well, it's been so long since we last saw you, you're not gonna get rid of us that easily," Yugi grinned.
"Here here," Duke nodded.
"I wasn't trying..."
"I know," Yugi smiled, warmly, "But we're a team, remember? All of us."
"Thank you," the king gave a relived sigh. "I may find myself in need of your support," he said and they made their way back to the palace.
A.N. I made the whole temple thing up honestly, so I have no idea if it's even accurate or not.
(*1) Episode 206. Seto is the youngest person to join the royal court and the King says he'll serve at the right hand of the future king Atemu. I took some liberties with the rest.
