AN - Thanks for the reviews guys! Keep the ideas coming though. Morgan, I
like your idea of mythology in the story, that is a great idea!!! And
Angel-of-the-Apocalypse I have no idea why you aren't able to read my other
fanfic, has anyone else had this problem? Hope you enjoy this one!!!
Sorry it has taken me so long to do. I have been ill and had my GCSE Art
exam, not a good combination!
One day in early summer, King Yami was doing his normally duties. With Seto, his adviser, at his side Yami was spending the morning sorting and signing new laws for his citizens. They had a break for lunch at midday and went outside into the courtyard. This area was furnished with marble benches and a few plants, surrounded by a high marble wall. Now and again a sandy coloured lizard would poke its head out of a hole in the baked soil, see the pair sitting nearby, and scarper as quickly as their little legs could carry them.
"So Seto." Said Yami. "I thought that I saw you with a lady friend yesterday. Were my eyes deceiving me?" He asked playfully, for when the Pharaoh was alone with his friends he became a laughing, playful eighteen year old, as he should be, and would have been if he had not been forced into adulthood early after the death of his parents.
"No Yami, your eyes are as keen as ever." Seto smiled. "Her name is Eva."
"A pretty name."
"For a pretty lady. She was helping her father to deliver some fruit when I met her. We have been seeing each other for over a month now."
"Really? That is a long time for you, Seto. Is it serious?"
"I should hope so. It is about time that I found someone to care for me. I was starting to feel lonely and isolated."
"Hmm." Yami looked away from his friend. "You are not the only one to feel alone, Seto."
Seto looked at his friend. He knew that the isolation of being a King was upsetting to Yami, especially from women. Although people surrounded Yami he was very much alone. He had very few friends, and many acquaintances. Many people liked him only for his class and didn't know the true Yami.
"Have no girls caught your eye?" Seto inquired.
"Many. Unfortunately many of them also wish to catch my status or money." Sighed the Pharaoh. "Sometimes I just wish that I could talk to someone, and not have them know who I am."
"With respect Yami, that is impossible. You are infamous in this country and others. Short of disguising yourself, which frankly would be dangerous to your safety, you have no way of meeting someone and not having them know who you are."
"I know that Seto. I also know that the longer that I put off marriage the stronger my enemies will become. I have heard my advisers discussing the lack of an heir to the throne since I was sixteen. But I am too young for that. I do not plan to have children prematurely."
"I understand." Comforted Seto. "You have been thrust into a difficult situation, but you are dealing with it better than most would. You are the best King for generations sire."
"Speaking of Kings, we had better return to work. The sun is reaching its highest, which is the best time to be inside. The sooner we start work the sooner we shall finish."
"Yes sire."
With that the two friends left the courtyard and were immediately flanked by two guards to escort them back to Yami's conference room, where yet more papers would be read and signed.
That night Yami stood in his chambers in the palace. His work for the day complete, he had returned to bed early, hoping to catch up on lost sleep.
It was dark, but a few lights flickered in the small buildings. Around him palace life continued. The guards patrolled the perimeter walls below, and slaves busied themselves below. Yami stood and returned to his inner chambers. He was dressed in his traditional robes, a white toga skirt held in place by an ornate gold belt and a collar of gold around his neck. On his head he wore a fine headdress, decorating with precious stones and inscribed with the millennium symbol. He placed his staff on the stand by his huge bed, covered with a white and gold canopy. Slowly he removed his regalia and placed it carefully on the stand next to him. Plainly dressed in his nighttime robes he was just about to climb into bed when he heard laughter coming through the window.
Curious he returned to the window and looked out. No one in his palace ever laughed except for Yami and a few of his most trusted servants. His father had forbidden it before he had died and Yami had never thought to lift the law. Laughter was not permitted within the palace walls. Looking around he saw only the monotony of everyday palace life. Not one slave roamed out of place and the guards never dropped their vigil, no one but him had heard the laugh. Looking down he thought he saw a flash of white in his garden below. Yami strained his eyes to see, but the darkness was overpowering. The garden was an oasis of green that no one ever entered but him, and he had not been there since his parents had died. The magnificent garden had somehow never grown out of control though, but Yami, being the Pharaoh, didn't really comprehend how things could go wrong if left unattended. His slaves kept the palace in order whilst he kept Egypt in order. He never questioned how his room was always spotless or why his clothes were always clean. Just as he never questioned why the garden had remained tidy these past five or six years. It just was, no questions asked.
Yami returned to his bed and again heard the laughter. Racing to the window he saw someone leaving the garden through the west wall, but before he could call his guards the person had disappeared into the night.
The next day Yami had scoured the outside of the garden for clues, but had found none. He was puzzled and angry that someone had got the better of him. That day he was in a foul mood, snapping constantly at Seto, Tea and his other advisers. Although they all took this with a pinch of salt as they were used to his temper when he was in a bad mood Yugi, one of Yami's most trusted advisers, did not stand for this.
"Why are you in such bad humour Yami?" Asked the short youth.
"What do you mean?" Snapped Yami. "I am in no such mood. How dare you say such a thing? Whatever gave you that idea?"
"The fact that you are shouting at me now for a very insignificant reason." Commented Yugi.
"What?" Shouted Yami. "I.oh! I'm sorry Yugi. It is not your fault."
"Then whose is it?" Asked the boy, sitting himself by Yami's feet as Yami slumped on his throne.
"I don't know. There was someone in my mother's garden last night. I didn't see whom exactly, but it looked like one of the servant girls."
"And you are angry that she was there without your knowing."
"Yes. And that she could have been there before without being caught."
"Then I will call a guard and tell them to hide there tonight to see if she returns." Said Yugi, starting to get up.
"No." Yami restrained Yugi gently by placing a hand on his shoulder. "I will see if she returns tonight. I can see the garden fairly well from my window. If she returns tonight, then I will know that she goes there regularly. Then I will catch her the following night myself."
"Very well sire."
Yami lay in bed that night, looking at the canopy above, when he heard singing coming from outside the window. Jumping out of bed he ran to the window and saw a figure clad in white, moving around in his garden. Infuriated he was about to call his guards, forgetting his talk with Yugi that day, when he recognised the song. Leaning on the balcony rail he listened as strains of the song reached his ears. His mother had sung that song to him when he was a child. The voice that he heard now was definitely that of a woman. A woman with the most enchanting voice Yami had ever heard. It was soft but with a beautiful clarity. Subdued, he returned to his bed and drifted into a peaceful sleep, content that tomorrow night he would confront the intruder in his garden. But for tonight let her have fun, for she would be spending much time inside after tomorrow night. Yami had heard that the jailhouse was quite dark. Naturally he assumed that singing would not be a favourite past time in such a place.
AN - A bit of an old chapter woven in there, for those who recognise it. What do you think? Read and review please!!!
One day in early summer, King Yami was doing his normally duties. With Seto, his adviser, at his side Yami was spending the morning sorting and signing new laws for his citizens. They had a break for lunch at midday and went outside into the courtyard. This area was furnished with marble benches and a few plants, surrounded by a high marble wall. Now and again a sandy coloured lizard would poke its head out of a hole in the baked soil, see the pair sitting nearby, and scarper as quickly as their little legs could carry them.
"So Seto." Said Yami. "I thought that I saw you with a lady friend yesterday. Were my eyes deceiving me?" He asked playfully, for when the Pharaoh was alone with his friends he became a laughing, playful eighteen year old, as he should be, and would have been if he had not been forced into adulthood early after the death of his parents.
"No Yami, your eyes are as keen as ever." Seto smiled. "Her name is Eva."
"A pretty name."
"For a pretty lady. She was helping her father to deliver some fruit when I met her. We have been seeing each other for over a month now."
"Really? That is a long time for you, Seto. Is it serious?"
"I should hope so. It is about time that I found someone to care for me. I was starting to feel lonely and isolated."
"Hmm." Yami looked away from his friend. "You are not the only one to feel alone, Seto."
Seto looked at his friend. He knew that the isolation of being a King was upsetting to Yami, especially from women. Although people surrounded Yami he was very much alone. He had very few friends, and many acquaintances. Many people liked him only for his class and didn't know the true Yami.
"Have no girls caught your eye?" Seto inquired.
"Many. Unfortunately many of them also wish to catch my status or money." Sighed the Pharaoh. "Sometimes I just wish that I could talk to someone, and not have them know who I am."
"With respect Yami, that is impossible. You are infamous in this country and others. Short of disguising yourself, which frankly would be dangerous to your safety, you have no way of meeting someone and not having them know who you are."
"I know that Seto. I also know that the longer that I put off marriage the stronger my enemies will become. I have heard my advisers discussing the lack of an heir to the throne since I was sixteen. But I am too young for that. I do not plan to have children prematurely."
"I understand." Comforted Seto. "You have been thrust into a difficult situation, but you are dealing with it better than most would. You are the best King for generations sire."
"Speaking of Kings, we had better return to work. The sun is reaching its highest, which is the best time to be inside. The sooner we start work the sooner we shall finish."
"Yes sire."
With that the two friends left the courtyard and were immediately flanked by two guards to escort them back to Yami's conference room, where yet more papers would be read and signed.
That night Yami stood in his chambers in the palace. His work for the day complete, he had returned to bed early, hoping to catch up on lost sleep.
It was dark, but a few lights flickered in the small buildings. Around him palace life continued. The guards patrolled the perimeter walls below, and slaves busied themselves below. Yami stood and returned to his inner chambers. He was dressed in his traditional robes, a white toga skirt held in place by an ornate gold belt and a collar of gold around his neck. On his head he wore a fine headdress, decorating with precious stones and inscribed with the millennium symbol. He placed his staff on the stand by his huge bed, covered with a white and gold canopy. Slowly he removed his regalia and placed it carefully on the stand next to him. Plainly dressed in his nighttime robes he was just about to climb into bed when he heard laughter coming through the window.
Curious he returned to the window and looked out. No one in his palace ever laughed except for Yami and a few of his most trusted servants. His father had forbidden it before he had died and Yami had never thought to lift the law. Laughter was not permitted within the palace walls. Looking around he saw only the monotony of everyday palace life. Not one slave roamed out of place and the guards never dropped their vigil, no one but him had heard the laugh. Looking down he thought he saw a flash of white in his garden below. Yami strained his eyes to see, but the darkness was overpowering. The garden was an oasis of green that no one ever entered but him, and he had not been there since his parents had died. The magnificent garden had somehow never grown out of control though, but Yami, being the Pharaoh, didn't really comprehend how things could go wrong if left unattended. His slaves kept the palace in order whilst he kept Egypt in order. He never questioned how his room was always spotless or why his clothes were always clean. Just as he never questioned why the garden had remained tidy these past five or six years. It just was, no questions asked.
Yami returned to his bed and again heard the laughter. Racing to the window he saw someone leaving the garden through the west wall, but before he could call his guards the person had disappeared into the night.
The next day Yami had scoured the outside of the garden for clues, but had found none. He was puzzled and angry that someone had got the better of him. That day he was in a foul mood, snapping constantly at Seto, Tea and his other advisers. Although they all took this with a pinch of salt as they were used to his temper when he was in a bad mood Yugi, one of Yami's most trusted advisers, did not stand for this.
"Why are you in such bad humour Yami?" Asked the short youth.
"What do you mean?" Snapped Yami. "I am in no such mood. How dare you say such a thing? Whatever gave you that idea?"
"The fact that you are shouting at me now for a very insignificant reason." Commented Yugi.
"What?" Shouted Yami. "I.oh! I'm sorry Yugi. It is not your fault."
"Then whose is it?" Asked the boy, sitting himself by Yami's feet as Yami slumped on his throne.
"I don't know. There was someone in my mother's garden last night. I didn't see whom exactly, but it looked like one of the servant girls."
"And you are angry that she was there without your knowing."
"Yes. And that she could have been there before without being caught."
"Then I will call a guard and tell them to hide there tonight to see if she returns." Said Yugi, starting to get up.
"No." Yami restrained Yugi gently by placing a hand on his shoulder. "I will see if she returns tonight. I can see the garden fairly well from my window. If she returns tonight, then I will know that she goes there regularly. Then I will catch her the following night myself."
"Very well sire."
Yami lay in bed that night, looking at the canopy above, when he heard singing coming from outside the window. Jumping out of bed he ran to the window and saw a figure clad in white, moving around in his garden. Infuriated he was about to call his guards, forgetting his talk with Yugi that day, when he recognised the song. Leaning on the balcony rail he listened as strains of the song reached his ears. His mother had sung that song to him when he was a child. The voice that he heard now was definitely that of a woman. A woman with the most enchanting voice Yami had ever heard. It was soft but with a beautiful clarity. Subdued, he returned to his bed and drifted into a peaceful sleep, content that tomorrow night he would confront the intruder in his garden. But for tonight let her have fun, for she would be spending much time inside after tomorrow night. Yami had heard that the jailhouse was quite dark. Naturally he assumed that singing would not be a favourite past time in such a place.
AN - A bit of an old chapter woven in there, for those who recognise it. What do you think? Read and review please!!!