The Archmagus Pharaoh

By Cybra

A/N:  Slaps on the wrist are not bad things.  Whoever politely told me that my use of the word irep jarred them, I thank you.

Special Note:  I had originally thought I had pulled the word "Archmagus" out of thin air, but it turns out that, while re-reading Chapter 3 of Seventh Sage's truly amazing story "Learning to Love" (Go read it!), that the word was there.  I had subconsciously used her word though neither she nor I realized it.  So I have spent all this time trying to get in contact with her and offering profuse apologies, going so far as to offer to remove my story.  Fortunately, everything has been worked out.  From here on in, all credit for the word "Archmagus" belongs to Seventh Sage.

Disclaimer:  Yami, the Duel Monsters, Heishin, and all other familiar characters from the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe belong to someone with lots more money than me.  Though I do own some of the merchandise!  Also, the word "Archmagus" was created by Seventh Sage.

Chapter 4: The Lesson From the Commoners

Within six months of the beginning of his training under Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, and Mystical Elf, Yami surpassed what his father had learned in his first year.  A quick-study with an amazing interest in not just the what of magic but also in the how and why, Yami's questions sometimes made his teachers have to look up answers that they had not thought of in years.  Knowing that Yami's questions would most likely never stop, Dark Magician added magical theory to the unofficial syllabus of the young Prince's tutelage.  It would not hurt if Yami could fully understand why he could perform one spell on one day but not on another one.

Sometimes, one of his teachers (or, as was sometimes the case, all three) were summoned to a Shadow Game in the middle of a lesson, or they needed time for more extensive research for a particularly difficult inquiry from their young apprentice.  When either of these things happened, Yami would be allowed some time to himself, which he spent studying for one of Dark Magician's surprise "quizzes," studying with his human tutors on far less magical (and interesting) subjects, or walking among the commoners in disguise and without parental consent.  Yami enjoyed the last of these three uses of his spare time the most since the commoners led such vastly different lives than the one he was used to; the city outside the palace was a whole new world.

It was during one of these excursions into the world outside the palace that Yami learned a valuable lesson from the common people about ruling and how to handle power.  Using his "don't look at me" mental chant, he stood close to a foreman as the burly man and his crew began to construct a new building that was a shop with a house over top of it.  He gazed in wonder as the men moved the massive blocks into place, wedging them tightly into their spots with complex rigging.

Snap!  The rope holding a block of stone that was being lifted into place broke, releasing its cargo towards the ground below.  A construction worker shoved a fellow worker out of the way with a grim face.  This man would not be able to escape.

"Huni!" the foreman shouted to his man.

In mid-air, the block jerked to a stop.  A yellow light continually swept over it, making the block shudder though it did not fall.  Obviously, magic was at work.

"Where do you want it?" a tense voice asked from beside the foreman.

The foreman—Aha—turned his head to try and see the mage, then looked down to see the small form with his glowing, slender hands upraised.  The boy—truly this mage was no older than a boy!—seemed to be struggling to hold the block as if he held it in his actual hands.  "On the ground, preferably."

"I don't know if I can lower it without dropping it.  It wants to fall.  Where was it supposed to go?"

"There."  He pointed to an empty spot on the wall.

"I can't see where you're pointing.  Could you push my hood back a little, please?"

As Aha pushed the hood back, he immediately saw the golden bangs.  Still pointing with one hand, he pushed back the hood a little farther.

The heavy cloth fell all the way even though the youngster did not seem to notice due to his intense concentration, revealing tri-colored hair and crimson eyes.

The workman who had nearly been crushed by the block scampered out from under its path just in case though his own eyes did not leave the Prince.  Men who had originally been working on the building or simply passing by stopped and gaped as the young Heir slowly forced the block with his magic back up higher into the air and then placed it delicately in its spot.  The light disappeared as several workmen quickly pushed on it to make sure it was snug in its spot.

Yami drew a hand across his forehead to remove the sweat.  That block was much, much larger and heavier than anything he had practiced with.  He had been lucky that lessons had ended early due to a Shadow Game, and he had had plenty of energy to call on.

It was then that he realized that his hood had fallen back, revealing his identity.  He gulped.

A woman, running from the crowd with what looked like a basket of food in her arms, fell to her knees before him and kissed his feet.  She wept, "Thank you, my lord!  Oh, thank you for saving my husband!"  With tears streaming down her cheeks, she gazed up into his eyes.  "How may my family repay you?"

Startled and confused beyond belief, he told her, "There's nothing to repay, ma'am.  I was simply fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time."

This response caused an immediate stir.  Several of the men cheered, Huni shouted praises of his savior to the gods, and everyone kneeled.

Poor Yami took a step back.  What had he done that was so amazing and wonderful?  Anyone would have done the same had they been in his position.

Seeing the Prince's bewilderment, Aha called for an extended rest break for his men and asked the Prince, "Your Highness, would you please come with me?  I'm sure you'd like to talk about this."

Grateful, Yami nodded.  Then he paled as he realized something.  'I am dead when Father learns of this.'  Raising his voice as he had been taught, he called, "Excuse me?"

Silence fell on the gathering.

Knowing he had their undivided attention and slightly unnerved that he could gain it so easily, he shivered.  "As honored as I am that you find what I've done to be so incredible, if you would kindly say that it was some passing mage that did this, I'd be most grateful."  He tried not to blush guiltily and failed miserably.

"My Prince, you have earned my men's eternal service," Aha told him. "We will do exactly as you say.  No high-born shall hear of what happened today."  He winked.  "Though I wouldn't be surprised if other commoners found out."

Sighing gratefully, he followed Aha as he led the way to a quiet corner of the unfinished building.

~@~

"You seemed perplexed when everyone began to sing your praises, Highness."

Yami fidgeted as he sat on the floor cross-legged as he had fallen into the habit of doing since becoming the Duel Monsters' apprentice because some of the lessons required meditation.  "I admit to that, sir."

"Aha," the foreman corrected.

"Aha," Yami echoed. "I don't understand why using my magic to save someone's life is so extraordinary."

Aha sat down on the ground and stared at the Heir to the Egyptian throne.  He searched the boy's crimson eyes for some hint of a lie, some telltale clue that would reveal all of this as false modesty.  But he found no sign of falsehood.  Yami truly did not know what he had done that was so spectacular.  "It's because most mages wouldn't trouble themselves with that."

Yami blinked at him, leaning his head to one side like a confused bird.  "Why wouldn't they want to save someone if they could?"

The naivete of this four year-old Prince/apprentice mage tugged at Aha's heart.  Whoever was teaching the boy (and it could not have been Heishin judging by the way he had used his magic without a second thought) must not have wanted the Prince to grow up to be as heartless and selfish in his power as most mages could be.  Aha hated to be the one to tell Yami how most mages acted.

"My Prince—"

"If I may call you 'Aha,' could you please call me 'Yami?'"

Surprised that the boy would ask that though knowing that he probably should not considering Yami's age, he nodded.  "All right then, Yami."  The name slid strangely off his tongue, almost as if it were a taboo word that he was being forced to say.  "Most mages are very…stingy…with their power.  They hoard it for their own uses instead of doing what you did today."  He swallowed.  "I've seen good men die in construction accidents like the one you saw today, and mages that could've easily done what you did simply walk on by without a second glance."

Yami looked at the ground, saying nothing as he absorbed this information.

"I'm not saying all mages are rotten to the core.  There are a few mages who would've done what you did but not enough."

Voice quiet, Yami whispered, "That's sick."

Aha nodded.  "Yes, it is."

The boy looked up at him, those startling crimson eyes filled with horror at this new knowledge but also with a certainty as if he had just figured something out.  "It's also wrong."

"High—er, Yami?"

"Someone who has power should use it to help those who don't have it.  It's like you and your men.  I can't build a building like this, but I don't have to because you and your men have the ability to do it.  You share that gift to help someone gain a new home or shop."  He smiled a bit crookedly.  "For a small fee, I'm sure, but you still do it."

Startled by the boy's words, Aha sat dumbly, marveling.

"It's the same way with being a ruler, I suppose.  You have to use your power to help the people you rule."  For the second time that day, Yami started in surprise as Aha himself shifted onto his knees and bowed his head.  "Aha?"

Tears of joy flowed down Aha's cheeks as he tilted his head slightly to look up at the boy before him.  His future Pharaoh sat in front of him, and he need not worry about whether or not this Pharaoh would care for his people.  "My lord…my Pharaoh…"

A bit frightened, the boy stammered, "I-I'm not the Pharaoh.  I'm j-just the Heir."

The foreman laughed a bit.  "Oh, but you will be Pharaoh, and I will be most honored to be called your loyal subject.  And all of Egypt will be pleased to kneel at your feet!"

"…Aha?"

"My Prince, how long have we prayed to the gods for a Pharaoh who would care for the common folk?  Too long!  And here you are, the answer to our prayers!  You treat me—and treated Huni's wife—like equals, as if we were high-born as well.  True, you are merely a boy now, but I see the fingerprints of greatness on you already."

Surprised and bit unnerved by the foreman's declaration, Yami gazed down at the floor without speaking another word.

"Yami, if you need anything that it is within my power to give, I will do it, and I am sure my men would be more than happy to help."

"If I need your help, Aha," the future Pharaoh promised, "I will seek you out immediately."  He looked out a window and saw how low the sun had begun to set.  "I have to go back to the palace now."

"Of course."

The pair rose and exited the unfinished building, the younger of the two sliding the hood over his hair just before stepping across the threshold.

"And, Aha?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for telling me about what most mages do.  I needed to know."

Aha turned to the Prince to tell him that he took no pleasure in destroying whatever illusions of mages he had, but the boy had disappeared.