all disclaimers apply as usual.
Still in a state of dumbfounded shock, the young prince and priest were dismissed from the throne room and the pharaoh's presence. Again, both were locked in silence, both contemplating what was to become of themselves. Twice Seto tried to speak, but finding the right words failed him. He wanted to say something. He wanted to console his friend, to tell him that all would be well, that the seasons would go by quickly, that they'd both return ten times better physically and mentally than they would be if they remained. But, none of these words from his heart could form words from his mouth. The prince's head remained downward as he trudged towards his chambers...in defeat. His eyes were transfixed on his own feet as they stepped one ahead of the other. He was obviously deep in thought. Seto thought it best not to interrupt whatever was running through the prince's mind. He'd find some way to speak to him before the prince departed later in the day. As they neared their chambers, both actually glanced at one another, their eyes deep pools of emotion and longing. In just a mere glance, both realized it was a friendship parting. Would they remain as close later as they were now? Would something happen to one of them so that they could never look upon one another again? So many unknowns!
Several hours passed. Both boys remained in their own rooms, dutifully preparing for their journeys. Yami's mother sought to speak to her son in private, one last time before he was sent off. She knocked and spoke, revealing who she was. Earlier, in a desperate need to be alone and cry, Yami had ordered all servants out of his chambers. Quickly trying to wipe away his tears and dry his eyes, he allowed his mother to enter. To her experienced eyes, it was obvious her son had been crying, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.
"Dearest Yami, I know this is hard. But--"
"But nothing! Mother, you have the power to stop all this! Why didn't you try?" Yami yelled as tears welled up once again.
His mother turned away, unwilling to look her son in the eyes after such words. "Your father's mind was made up. There was nothing I could do. We argued about it through the night. I tried Yami, I really tried." she replied, trying desperately to be strong, but finding tears escape her eyes regardless.
Yami said nothing and looked away. He couldn't bear to watch his mother cry. It just made matters worse. He walked over to the window and gazed outside. "What's to become of me?" he asked softly with his back turned to his mother. It was as if he was asking the stars themselves, but his mother knew it was directed at her.
"Many princes had military service during their father's reign. Perhaps the skills and experiences of combat, new cultures, new lands, and new peoples will give you necessary skills for ruling. Your father served when he was a prince. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have succeeded in all those wars to restore peace to our magnificant Egypt."
"I am not like him. I choose brain over brawn. I do not believe in fighting and wasting lives. There are ways to deal with controversy and disagreement other than war. As father ages, he has even found one himself with the Millenium Items."
Yami's mother cast her eyes to the floor. If her son did not develop a warrior's heart soon, he would perish in combat. The military was crude and merciless. In war it is kill or be killed. She could only pray that the gods would not replace her son's good heart and pure soul with that of a cold heart and bloodlusting soul. Many a warrior became such upon returning from military service. Many a decent man was locked up in prison or another facility for trying to quench the craving to kill. Being a soldier had such a devastating effect on a person.
"I know Yami. I know. All I can offer you is this advice: Stay true to your own values and dreams. Do not allow the evils of war corrupt your heart or soul. Whatever you see or experience, learn from it and utilize the lessons of the consequences of one's actions be it good or bad." his mother said softly as she stood, walked over to her son and held him in a loving embrace.
After a long silence, Yami found it necessary to speak. He remembered a promise he had made to another. "Mother?"
"Yes?"
"There is a servant girl, about my age that serves my quarters--"
"The one that dressed as yourself?"
"Yes. Could you make sure she remains safe and well cared for until I return? I know the others will be sent to other duties since I will not here and in need of their services."
"I will take her as one of my own servants until your return. This way her location will always be know and she will never be in any danger of transferrence."
"Thank you. Please give her my apologies as well."
"For what?"
"She'll know."
Suddenly her mother saw an opportunity to lighten the mood. She would rather remember her son smiling than depressed anyway. "You have taken an interest in this girl?"
Yami raised an eyebrow at his mother's curious inquiry. "Interest?" he asked as he tried to play dumb and hide the truth, but a light blush was also forming upon his face.
"So you have, have you? Well, I guess my son has been growing up without me even knowing. Since when did you take interest in girls other than finding them 'annoying necessities of the human species?'" Yami's mother asked with curiousity. She was trying to figure out when her little boy became more of a little man.
Yami blushed even more. He was NOT going to have THIS conversation with his mother. "Several seasons now."
"Before or after the ceremony?" she asked, trying not to mention the name or act of the circumcision ritual to him directly.
Yami cringed anyway. "Mother, must you keep reminding me about that terrible act! That's twice in a single day that I have been reminded of that horrifying, barbaric, unnecessary act of cruelty that I had to endure!"
Yami's mother laughed despite herself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I was just wondering--"
"It was after. Only some weird girl dreams came to me before. I shrugged them off as being something I ate that caused such strange dreams."
"I see." Yami's mother snickered.
"It's NOT funny mother!" Yami protested, but found himself trying to stifle laughter as well.
"I know dear. I know." Yami's mother replied, her seriousness returning. "I must let you prepare now. Please return to the throne room when you are finished?"
Yami nodded, serious as well. But before his mother could depart. "Mother, I'm scared."
Stopping to turn and look back upon her son, she could see it in his eyes. She'd seen it all along. "Be strong Yami. Succeed beyond your father's wishes. In that, you will achieve victory over him. You are a better gamer than he could ever be. You have a better grasp of magic than he could ever have. And your intelligence is well beyond his. It is these traits that make your father envious of you. Prove to him that it is these skills that will take you above and beyond anything he had ever dreamed of becoming." she replied solemnly before gently closing the door behind her. Yami was left to ponder his mother's words.
"I will succeed mother. I will prove my point to father. I will show that there are better ways to achieve victory without war and needless bloodshed." Yami replied aloud to the closed doorway. Little did he know that this had become his oath to himself.
A couple of hours later, there was another knock at the door. "Let me enter or I'll break this thing down!" It was Seto. Yami knew it just from the spoken words alone.
"You may enter oh mighty breaker of doors." Yami replied from within. Regardless of the sorrowful situations that had befallen both of them, neither was willing to show the effects to the other.
Seto entered, his stance tall and dignified. "You really screwed the pooch on this one prince."
"So it seems. No matter. At least I'll be out from under my father's and Simon's gaze for a while right? But you, I dare say you screwed the pooch more. You have to accompany your mentor. His eyes will be upon you at every turn. Perhaps I had the better end of the punishment eh?"
How could the prince turn it around and make light out of such a dark subject. It was clear that going to possible war in unknown regions would be the worse of the two punishments! It was probably a trick. Just fancy wordplay to get the upperhand on the priest yet again. Or was it Yami was trying to convince himself of such? It was too hard to say. Seto opted for a more conservative approach as a result. "Difficult to say prince. Anyway, I'm not supposed to be here, so I'll make this visit brief. Don't get dead okay. Upon our return, we will challenge each other and see who has mastered what skills over the other. If you slack, I will surely best you and prove who is the rightful master duelist!"
"It's a deal. But we already know who the master duelist is. You will have to practice VERY hard to reach my calibur priest." Yami said with a confident smirk as he pointed proudly to himself.
As Seto departed, he bowed respectfully. "Until we meet again prince. May Ra protect you always."
Yami replied with the royal salute of dismissal. "Until we meet again. So shall the gods watch over you."
And with that Seto gazed upon his friend one last time before shutting the door. Once the door was shut, Seto wiped away the tears developing in his eyes and quickly strode back to his own chambers.
Sunset...
Yami arrived at the throne room as requested. With only two small bags and a quick goodbye to his mother, he followed the general out. He never looked upon or spoke to his father through the entire ordeal. His father tried to speak, but Yami ignored him and took it as his cue to depart. Once outside, he lept onto his chariot. His father could do nothing more than watch his son race off into the desert. As the king and his wife returned to the throne room, the king bit back his emotion as best he could. "My dear, all I wanted to tell him was that I loved him."
"To him sire, your actions have betrayed those words. He likely feels as though you abandoned him."
"I merely wish him to grow up and acquire necessary skills needed to become a king himself."
"Well, perhaps you have succeeded in that...more than you know." Yami's mother replied to her husband as she left his side to join the ladies to take care of matters of the day. The busier she was the better she could keep her mind off her son. And, her departure would leave the king to his own thoughts. Perhaps he'd realize he'd made a mistake and summon her son back. All she could do was hope the king had second thoughts.
As Yami and the general raced onward out of the protective walls of the palace and village, Bakura spun and dove for cover at the sound of racing chariots. He'd slowly been making his way back towards the village. He often enjoyed the game of 'rope-a-dope' whereby he'd show he was headed one way and yet on the sly, go another way totally unexpected, which in this case, was straight back towards the village beside the palace itself. "What the fu--hmm, the prince, with a general, headed into nowhere. Interesting. I have a feeling the prince paid a high price for last night. Oh well. If he survives those mutts in the army, then perhaps we'll meet again so I can properly trounce him into the royal crap that he is."
Several seasons later...
A messenger upon one of the royal palace's swiftest horses raced across the desert by day and night. He had news of the utmost importance for the prince. The horse seemed to know it as well as it raced one without tiring or breaking its stride. In another direction, another messenger raced. His destination was that of the ruins to give news to the Priest Akunadin and young priest, Seto, who were preparing their departure anyway.
The messenger to the two priests was the first to arrive since the priests were still within Egypt anyway. Akunadin tossed the messenger a canister of water and ordered Seto to tend to the exhausted, overheated horse. Akunadin then carefully unwrapped the scroll given to him by the messenger. As he read it, his eyes went wide with shock and panic.
"SETO! COME NOW! WE MUST MAKE HASTE AND RETURN TO THE PALACE IMMEDIATELY! Leave everything except a small ration of food and water. We must travel light! Our servants can return with our findings."
Seto, who had been washing down the messenger's horse with cool water and removing its harness and other equipment, quickly ran to his and Akunadin's horses and brought them to his mentor. "What is the rush?"
"You will know soon enough. I will tell you along the way. Now let's get going." Akunadin replied as he mounted his horse, barked a few commands to the messenger who was now in command of the remaining members of the expedition and broke his horse into a swift run. Seto, still in the dark about everything followed his mentor, kicking his horse into a full run as well.
Days later, the other messenger found the prince and the calvary, thanks to the royal falcon that reguarly sent messages from the regiment back to the palace. Bowing in a most unusual way towards the prince, the messenger handed the scroll to him. At first Yami couldn't figure out why the messenger was behaving as such...until he read the scroll. General Dagi was demanding to know what was going on. He hated being left in the dark. Yami tossed him the scroll. Like Akunadin, his eyes went wide with shock and perhaps a little more surprise. He too, then bowed to Yami in utmost respect. Then, nodded to the prince to take command of the troops.
Yami, a bit taller, wiser, calmer, and buffer took command of the elite regiment of calvary. It felt natural for him, especially now, after receiving the news that he did. He gave the order to return to the palace in double time. They would run horses until they dropped then take other horses as they passed by outposts during their return. Yami hated doing such things to the beasts that served them so well, but it had to be done...in the name of the entire kingdom itself. He had to return as quickly as possible!
Yami was now the pharaoh...the king of all of Egypt. He was all that was and all that would be. A kingdom without a ruler, particulary the richest, most powerful kingdom of all, was an unstable and threatened kingdom. The sooner Yami returned and assumed his place upon the throne, the sooner the kingdom would return to normal.
As Yami raced through the desert, his thoughts raced as well. The fear he had when he had last seen the palace had returned. He was now THE KING! He also worried about his mother. Her ordeal of first losing her son to the unknown and now her beloved husband had to be an extremely harsh ordeal. But most of all, Yami thought about how he had left the palace...in anger...aimed directly at his father. He didn't even allow his father to speak to him! And worst of all, Yami never got one last chance to tell his father that despite all that had happened, he still loved him. Now he never would...until the afterlife claimed him as well.
Inwardly, Yami swore to himself that he would uphold his father's ways and be as good a king if not better than his father. He'd preserve his father's name in respect and dignity and protect the people at all costs. His many months in the military gave him many skills from physical to mental. He even honed in on his own special skills, namely his gaming skills. During periods of rest or lulls, soldiers often played games. Yami remained the undefeated champion in all games attempted. Even in hand-to-hand combat or that with a spear or bow, the royal heir could not be bested. What he lacked in strength, height, weight, or experience, he made up for with speed, agility, wit, and intelligence. He was also damn good at bluffs, deceit, and word play. His emotions had been tempered. He was nearly impossible to read. Nobody could read the emotions of this young man. Yet, he read through everyone else like an open scroll. Yes indeed, this young man would be a most unique king to say the least. He'd earned the soldiers' respect and they cheered him forth upon hearing the news that their royal whelp was now the new pharaoh. They would serve him loyally and willingly give their lives to support him and defend the kingdom just as they had with the father.
Elsewhere, Seto gasped upon hearing the news of the death of one pharaoh and the rising of a new one. His friend and rival was now King of Egypt. What impact would that have upon their friendship and competitive ways!? No matter, he was returning home. His best friend was likely doing the same. But now, the young priest had learned some new skills of his own. Wily and deft with enhanced magical spells and abilities, the young priest was a force to be reckoned with. He too had grown and matured. He couldn't wait to see his friend and compare notes! They would be together once again in the place both called home.
And, news travelled even quicker through the village and nearby lands. Bakura, sitting in a bar sucking down beer and a large slab of roast pork nearly choked upon hearing that the prince had received the news of his father's death and was returning home in haste...as the new pharaoh! The game had shifted and the stakes raised. Catching his breath, Bakura smirked devillishly at the thought. One king dead and his young son to go! His new plans for revenge for the atrocities done upon his home village now had a chance to come to fruitration. The young king would be inexperienced in the ways of directly running a kingdom. Gulping down his beer and stashing the meat and loaf of bread in a sack for later, Bakura darted off. His destination, the Valley of the Kings. He would map out where more past kings were and where the latest would be going. He had tombs to plunder, riches to claim, and a vengeance to satisfy! For now, he was the King of Thieves, the greatest tomb robber to threaten the pharaohs of past and present and the craftiest, deadliest thief to ever call himself a thief!
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well that was the final chapter, but I will be writing an epilogue so technically, there's still one chapter left. I wanna wrap up a couple of unexpected loose ends so a prologue will be necessary. Ah, writing on the wing is so much fun! You never know where the story is going even if you're the author yourself! I never really plan my stories but rather write them from one chapter to the next. I have only a general plot idea to go on and I fill out the rest as I go along with new ideas and twists popping in my head as I write a chapter (hence a couple of loose ends on occasion). I hope you have enjoyed this little journey as much as I did writing it. Thanks again for reviews. They are most appreciated and encourage me to write more! :) Coming soon to a site near you..."When Good Kitties Go Bad: The Epilogue"