A forgotten soul
Chapter 3
Kaiba didn't know what was going on between pharaoh and Abnore' but he did not like it one bit. Kaiba and Yami had been lifelong friends, both came from considerably wealthy families, they were both intelligent, almost exactly alike in every way. Almost. They were always close, but somehow the pharaoh was always better. The people always loved him more. Although he never meant to intentionally, he came to envy the pharaoh. 'I am the best!' he'd tell himself. He always tried to compete in things that the pharaoh was in to, and the fact that Yami had taken up a special interest in this servant girl was no exception.
To add to the fact of weirdness going around the palace, the pharaoh had insisted that Seto visit him in his chambers after dark, once all the servants had gone to sleep. Seto reread the end of the letter again:
Leave Mokuba at home. What I have to say is for your ears and your ears alone for now until I decide to make an official announcement to Egypt.
Yami
It was a very odd note indeed, and the last part of it was no exception. Yami loved Mokuba like a brother. Yami always insisted that Seto take him to all of Cairo's major events when people rich and poor would come to celebrate a holiday or whatever. It was, as the pharaoh would say 'good for the young lad to experience before his life is consumed with very important responsibilities.'
It was now dark and the servants were all heading off to their quarters. Seto dawdled listlessly over to the kitchen to kill time. After eating day old bread, he headed over to the pharaoh's bedroom chambers. "I think I've killed enough time for all of the servants to go to sleep," he said softly aloud.
His feet followed the ground as a map to the pharaoh's door; it was ajar. Seto entered the room with his heart beating so hard; it nearly tore through his chest. He looked into the capacious room that was sparsely furnished. There was a king-sized bed with translucent velvet curtains draped over it. On the bed were two fluffy pillows and a thick blanket. In the corner next to the bed was a dressing table. On the dressing table were bracelets, charms and necklaces. By the door was a table with a lantern and a wooden chair. To the left of the bed was a door that led to the pharaoh's personal indoor bath (It was like a modern day pool, but the pharaoh bathed in it).
The pharaoh seemed to be pleasantly happy, and in Sato's opinion "grinning like an idiot." Yami saw Seto's bewildered face and immediately stood up to offer him a seat. Seto sat down after saying "good evening."
"Pharaoh, what is it? You have been apprehensive all day." Seto inquired.
"Have you ever experienced true happiness?" Yami asked bashfully
"My love for my brother, is that the same thing?"
"Not really" the pharaoh said slowly.
Seto thought of something and his eyes opened wide in fear, "Your great Yami, but I hope to marry one of Vianzia's daughters. The oldest one, Jaleal."
"I got married last month." Yami said half bashfully, and half blissfully at the same time.
"Really, to who?" Seto hadn't put two and two together yet.
"Abnore' Ashido." Yami smile was plastered on his face once again.
Seto's mind started racing, 'The servant girl?' he immediately realized that the pharaoh was waiting for a reaction. " Wow, that explains the your behavior. Where is she?"
"She is spending the night with one of her servant friends, Maeka. Yeah, that's it. Plus we don't want to draw attention to ourselves until we make an official announcement tomorrow." He said shyly.
"Congratulations!" was Seto's response. They talked for another hour and then Seto went back to his house.
The next morning the pharaoh made an official announcement to Cairo, which spread quickly around Egypt. In honor of his marriage, everyone in Egypt did not have to work for two days.
The pharaoh and his new bride took a trip to Abnore's child hood home. "Everything's just as I remember it!" She squealed. "I can't believe no one ever bought this house. I guess dad never told the Spanish government about this place."
"Do you miss him?" The pharaoh asked.
"Yeah, he's all I had since my mom died." Abnore' mused. "Oh, and this was my mother's room."
"Who was the crib for, you?" The pharaoh asked looking at the little, old crib sitting in a corner.
"Oh, my mom gave birth to my stillbirth baby brother. I wasn't in the room at the time but the midwife said that he wasn't breathing when he was born. My mother was so weak after giving birth. She died a few hours after giving birth. My nanny was out of town on vacation visiting her younger sister; and my dad was in Japan on business. I got to see his face before she took him to the cemetery. His face was so pale; it was like milk. She let me name him; I named him Merrick after my great-uncle who used to give me sweet taffy in December for my birthday."
After listening to her monologue, he played with his feet, unsure of what to say. "Do you know where she buried him?"
"Yeah, she buried him out back near the river under my favorite tree. When I was little I use to like to talk to him. I tried to teach him things I was learning, the alphabet, numbers. That's okay; the midwife became the best nanny to me. She took care of me until my dad took me to Spain when I was 7. She became just like a mother to me. She had given birth to a boy a month before my mother had my brother. We use to play when he came over, come to think of it I can't recall his name." Abnore' face shone luminous even in the somewhat dark house as if she had just thought of something," She lived just up the street, would it be okay if I said 'hello' just this once?"
Pharaoh took one look at his wife's face, it was so full of hope and promise that he couldn't say "no", so off they went up the road about a half a mile to the midwife's house.
A young man, only slightly younger than Abnore' answered the door," Yes?"
"Good afternoon, I'm Abnore', I was wondering if a woman named Chantel Bates still lives here."
"Yes she does I'm her son. What is this about?" He asked. His eyes looked pained. They were bloodshot and water was filling in them.
"Your mother used to be my mother's midwife, and after that she became my nanny, I just wanted to see how she was doing." Abnore' responded.
The young man eyes glanced at the slightly older man standing behind her, "Forgive my pauper manners pharaoh, for I did not know it was you and your new bride whom knock at my door." he apologized and opened the door wider for Abnore' and Yami to enter.
"My mother has been bed ridden for the last year and doctors fear that she shall breathe her last breath soon. I have stopped working to take care of her. I'm Merrick Bates."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I did not know. Is she up? I wish for her to see me in her last few days of life." Abnore' responded.
"I'm sorry to here that." Yami responded as he shuffled his feet uneasily.
"Oh yes, she's up. I'll just announce your arrival to her." and her was off to unknown parts of the house. Minutes later he returned, "This way."
"Mother, this is Pharaoh Yami, and his new bride Abnore'." Merrick announced with pride. There was a tanned wrinkly woman in her bed, with pastel eyes, her skin was emaciated.
Her voice was creaky as she spoke as if she hadn't talked for months. She cleared her throat and gathered all of her strength to talk, "Abnore', were you not in Spain?"
"Yes Mrs. Bates, I was; but I came back." Abnore' said gleefully.
"Where is your father?" The old woman whispered.
"He's dead." Abnore' said looking down at the floor.
"I'm so sorry, huney. So, you married the pharaoh" she said to change the subject. Her hand traced the lining of Yami's face. "I hope you have wonderful, strong children. They'll have beauty, luck, and quickness (otherwise known as smarts) from mother, and leadership, strong cheekbone, and know what the people want from father. Best of both worlds."
Yami and looked at each other and smiled. "They say meeting the pharaoh is a blessing, but I have not earned it. I am a bad person, and it is time to come clean before I pass away."
"What are you talking about, whatever it is, and it cant be that bad. Your good at heart." Abnore' protested.
"Pharaoh, may I have a moment to speak with my children in private please?" Yami excused himself, and went back to the main room of the house.
"Abnore', Merrick, you have to promise not to be vex with me after I'm done okay?" both teenagers agreed hastily to find out what was going on.
"I was very lonely 14 years ago. I could not have children of my own." All Abnore' and Merrick could do was look at each other bewilderedly.
"Mom, what about me?" Merrick asked.
" I met a young woman down the street whose husband was always away that wanted me to midwife. The night she gave birth she died. Her son stopped breathing shortly after being born. I revived the baby, but a thought came to me then. I could tell everyone the baby was dead. The only other living person in the house was a gullible three year old. My husband and I saw this as our only way. I had you guys get close when you were young, but your father took you away Abnore'. Then my husband Alexander died, and I didn't know what to do." Suddenly, the woman started breathing shallowly, and then she went into a seizure.