Chapter 6
~Ancient Egypt~ Yami's POV
I sat among the heads of the court and listened to Ryou try to defend himself/
"Why would I kill the young prince? I loved him as though he were my own son!" he turned to me and looked me square in the face. Never in the nearly 18 years I've known him, have I ever seen him look at me like that.
"How do you answer to the fact that his body was found in your room?" I asked, trying to keep my annoyance and anger in check.
"I-I-I don't know, my Pharaoh. I was framed." He stammered.
"He did it!" Marik stood up and pointed to Ryou. "All of the evidence points to him." Aside from Marik being my brother, he was also a Councellor.
"Calm yourself, Councellor Marik." I said. "Perhaps Ryou is right in saying that the evidence was planted. That's what this trial is all about."
Seti stood up and faced me. "My Pharaoh! Forgive me for saying so but I feel that you are too emotionally attached to this case, given the fact that that you and Ryou have grown up together and are quite close."
"Need I remind you, High Priest Seti that you did as well?" I said, not looking at him.
"It is my duty to be here, Pharaoh. I am the high priest." He said arrogantly.
"It is also important that I, as the Pharaoh of Egypt and the Son of Ra, be here. This trial is important to me."
"Enough of this!" declared Marik. "Can we finish this Ra damned trial?"
I glared at Marik. "He's right." I said. "Please continue."
I sighed and leaned back in my chair and watched as the trial progressed. As evening rapidly approached, the trial, which had started just after dawn that morning, still hadn't come close to an end. We had only took a break for the mid-day meal. I glanced out the window at the now darkened sky. I knew this trail was going nowhere.
"People of the court," I said, standing up. "I say that we continue this tomorrow, the sun has already set. It would be wise if we finished this up after we have rested."
"I quite agree." Said Marik.
"Very well, this trial will resume tomorrow at the same time." I said. I started to gather the scrolls on my desk when Ryou approached, accompanied by the guards.
"Yami? You believe that I didn't kill Manetho. I loved him as my own son." He pleaded.
"Ryou, you and I have shared our childhood with each other. You were the only one who would tell me if I daydreamed too much about being the pharaoh. Each time I got carried away with those day dreams, you would always smack me upside the head or do other things to get those fantasies out of my heart. You were the one who I trusted the most. You would always help me get into and out of trouble, and I did the same for you. You ask me if I believe if you didn't kill my son. To be honest, I don't know that to think. I know you loved him very much, but you have to understand that all the evidence points to you. Plus, his body was found in your room. That wasn't a fair question to ask me."
Ryou blinked then bowed at me. "Forgive me, my Pharaoh."
I winced at the bitterness in his voice as the guards led him from the room. I sank back into my chair and buried my face in my hands. I glanced up when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Yami, I know we haven't gotten along well when we were children, but--?"my brother said.
"Not get along?" I repeated. "You've tried to kill me so many times when we were younger, I'm surprised Ab didn't notice!"
"Only because I'm the rightful pharaoh." He declared.
"Not this again." I groaned. "Just leave me alone." I stormed out of the court-room and up to my chambers.
The next morning I walked back into the court-room after a long, sleepless night.
"I have made a decision." I announced after the court came to order. I was the only one standing aside from Ryou. "I want Ryou to be released and the charges against him cleared. I have enough proof in his favor."
Marik and Seti jumped to their feet. "WHAT????" They cried in unison.
"You heard me." I replied casually. "Ryou asked me a question last night that really put everything together."
"But, you can't." Seti started.
"That will be enough, Seti. I, Pharaoh, Son of Ra, have decided! Court is adjourned."
They both bowed, rather stiffly. "Very well, Excellency."
I walked over to Ryou and placed my hand on his shoulder. "Can you forgive me?"
"Of course, my dear friend." He said as the guards released him.
~Ancient Egypt~ Yami's POV
I sat among the heads of the court and listened to Ryou try to defend himself/
"Why would I kill the young prince? I loved him as though he were my own son!" he turned to me and looked me square in the face. Never in the nearly 18 years I've known him, have I ever seen him look at me like that.
"How do you answer to the fact that his body was found in your room?" I asked, trying to keep my annoyance and anger in check.
"I-I-I don't know, my Pharaoh. I was framed." He stammered.
"He did it!" Marik stood up and pointed to Ryou. "All of the evidence points to him." Aside from Marik being my brother, he was also a Councellor.
"Calm yourself, Councellor Marik." I said. "Perhaps Ryou is right in saying that the evidence was planted. That's what this trial is all about."
Seti stood up and faced me. "My Pharaoh! Forgive me for saying so but I feel that you are too emotionally attached to this case, given the fact that that you and Ryou have grown up together and are quite close."
"Need I remind you, High Priest Seti that you did as well?" I said, not looking at him.
"It is my duty to be here, Pharaoh. I am the high priest." He said arrogantly.
"It is also important that I, as the Pharaoh of Egypt and the Son of Ra, be here. This trial is important to me."
"Enough of this!" declared Marik. "Can we finish this Ra damned trial?"
I glared at Marik. "He's right." I said. "Please continue."
I sighed and leaned back in my chair and watched as the trial progressed. As evening rapidly approached, the trial, which had started just after dawn that morning, still hadn't come close to an end. We had only took a break for the mid-day meal. I glanced out the window at the now darkened sky. I knew this trail was going nowhere.
"People of the court," I said, standing up. "I say that we continue this tomorrow, the sun has already set. It would be wise if we finished this up after we have rested."
"I quite agree." Said Marik.
"Very well, this trial will resume tomorrow at the same time." I said. I started to gather the scrolls on my desk when Ryou approached, accompanied by the guards.
"Yami? You believe that I didn't kill Manetho. I loved him as my own son." He pleaded.
"Ryou, you and I have shared our childhood with each other. You were the only one who would tell me if I daydreamed too much about being the pharaoh. Each time I got carried away with those day dreams, you would always smack me upside the head or do other things to get those fantasies out of my heart. You were the one who I trusted the most. You would always help me get into and out of trouble, and I did the same for you. You ask me if I believe if you didn't kill my son. To be honest, I don't know that to think. I know you loved him very much, but you have to understand that all the evidence points to you. Plus, his body was found in your room. That wasn't a fair question to ask me."
Ryou blinked then bowed at me. "Forgive me, my Pharaoh."
I winced at the bitterness in his voice as the guards led him from the room. I sank back into my chair and buried my face in my hands. I glanced up when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Yami, I know we haven't gotten along well when we were children, but--?"my brother said.
"Not get along?" I repeated. "You've tried to kill me so many times when we were younger, I'm surprised Ab didn't notice!"
"Only because I'm the rightful pharaoh." He declared.
"Not this again." I groaned. "Just leave me alone." I stormed out of the court-room and up to my chambers.
The next morning I walked back into the court-room after a long, sleepless night.
"I have made a decision." I announced after the court came to order. I was the only one standing aside from Ryou. "I want Ryou to be released and the charges against him cleared. I have enough proof in his favor."
Marik and Seti jumped to their feet. "WHAT????" They cried in unison.
"You heard me." I replied casually. "Ryou asked me a question last night that really put everything together."
"But, you can't." Seti started.
"That will be enough, Seti. I, Pharaoh, Son of Ra, have decided! Court is adjourned."
They both bowed, rather stiffly. "Very well, Excellency."
I walked over to Ryou and placed my hand on his shoulder. "Can you forgive me?"
"Of course, my dear friend." He said as the guards released him.