WHEN MEMORIES WOULD NEVER BE ENOUGH
Chapter Three: Challenges and Changes
Before dawn, Xandra slowly emerged from the invisible opening that she mystically created at the study. She walked through the hollow hallways and the mist, passing by the numerous unconscious sentries that were sprawled on the floor and scattered throughout the palace.
Upon entering the bedchamber that she and Atemu now shared since the wedding ceremony, Xandra gazed at the sleeping figure of her adopted sibling and new husband, thinking, "I have retrieved my backbone, just as you have suggested, Atemu..."
Xandra laid on the bed beside Atemu, chanted another spell, and retracted the mystical mist that she conjured up earlier. Knowing that everything went back to normal, she then closed her eyes and slept as if her entire evening was uneventful.
Exactly six years had already passed since Atemu and Xandra were married.
Sixteen-year-old Pharaoh Atemu slowly stirred from his sleep as the sun's dancing rays hit his eyes. He closed his eyes with a smile on his face, contemplating how the gods had been good to him and his kingdom for the past six years and most especially last year. As he looked up the high ceiling of their bedchambers, his memory recollected the past six years of his reign.
The first four years of marriage did not bode politically well for Atemu and Xandra. Foreign invaders from various lands waged one war after another against Egypt as their respective monarchs and military leaders surmised that Egypt's young co-regents were too weak to lead an army and rule a kingdom.
Much to their enemies' dismay, Atemu and Xandra's teamwork proved infallible. Through the course of years, one invading army after another fell against Egypt's army. To send the message to the world that Egypt should be left alone to live in peace, offensive attacks were waged against her enemies who dare threaten Egypt and her citizens. At the same time, the two increased their dedication and efforts in their studies as they recognized that the timeline had been sped up for both of them. They shared as much as they could with each other, with Atemu sharing every bit of knowledge he had gained. As to Xandra, she shared everything save for anything that involved her secret.
The Pharaoh and his Queen took turns in leading Egypt's army. As one left to lead the offensive attacks and weaken the enemy, another was left behind to lead the defensive troops and keep the citizens protected. Although they were respectively gifted in the art of diplomacy and warfare, he was a well-renowned strategist while she secretly became a powerful mage. Husband and wife were also adept in the art of commerce and trade.
After four years of heavy offensive and defensive warfare, Egypt had victoriously risen from the ashes and finally enjoyed the peace that it deserved for two years and counting. Egypt also became economically stronger than it had ever been from six years ago.
As Atemu now pondered about the harmony and prosperity that he and Xandra worked so hard to achieve, he turned to his companion. While studying her gentle face as she slept, he thought, "We have gone through so much, but how did these six years change many matters between us for you? Did it change for you as much as it changed for me?"
A loud knock and a frantic call then interrupted Atemu's thoughts.
Atemu rose from bed, wore his robe, and then opened one heavy door. He looked behind him, seeing that two of his military commanders and a handful of sentries were banded together outside their bedroom.
"If you wish to let them in, Atemu, then feel free to do so," murmured a feminine voice behind him.
As Atemu saw that Xandra sat up and inched by the foot of the bed , he waited until she had slipped on a robe before opening the bedchamber door to allow everyone in. He then sat beside her, the young couple respectively studying the faces of the new arrivals.
"A thousand pardons, dear Pharaoh and Queen," the first military commander said as everyone apologetically bowed before them for the early morning intrusion. "Last night, the Hyskos massacred a town in the outskirts of the kingdom."
Atemu and Xandra were stupefied as the rest of the new arrivals became more somber.
Quickly regaining his composure, the Pharaoh murmured, "Were there any survivors? How about the women and children?"
Sadness crept from the commander's face. "No one was spared..."
Xandra, who was intently listening throughout the entire time, shed silent tears as she quietly clenched her teeth in anger.
The Pharaoh drew a deep breath, his heart now heavy with sorrow and anger for the injustice done to his citizens. "How do you know that this was the work of our foreign enemies?"
"Our enemy scrolled on the walls with the blood of his victims. The scrolling said that the killings were a gift for our one year's worth of peace," said the second military commander.
"Are Lord Shimon and the high priests aware of what happened?" the young and tight-lipped Pharaoh inquired.
"Yes, dear Pharaoh. They will be waiting for you shortly at the throne room."
"Tell them that the Queen and I will join them shortly."
The guard reverently bowed, quietly turned around, and quickly walked away from the bedchambers.
"Those poor people," Xandra said as she shook her head, let out a heavy sigh, and embraced her husband. Tears continued to flow from her.
The Pharaoh also closed his eyes and hugged his wife. He silently wept for his people, swearing to seek justice for their cruel and untimely deaths.
Atemu and Xandra then prepared, dressed up, and walked in the throne room escorted by guards and servants. The high priests and Shimon - the young Pharaoh's counselor and guardian - respectfully bowed before them.
As soon as the couple was settled in their respective thrones, Atemu said, "What say you about this latest atrocity from the Hyskos?"
Tightly clutching the Millennium Rod and greatly incensed, Set swore under his breath, "We will stop them with our ka until the last drop is diminished..."
"All of us will be together to stop him," the priest Shadah added as the other four high priests who respectively wielded a Millennium Item nodded in agreement.
Both pleased and humbled, the young Pharaoh said, " I will be joining you as well."
The six priests bowed before the royal couple and left the throne room.
Xandra glanced at her husband. Knowing that she could not stop Atemu once he had made his decision, she then gazed at where Shimon stood. Upon confirming that the wise counselor shared her sentiments, she audibly said, "Would everyone kindly leave us?"
Returning her gaze on the Pharaoh, Xandra requested, "My Pharaoh, may I seek an audience with you?"
"Of course," replied Atemu, giving everyone else a grateful nod.
Shimon and everyone else followed Xandra and Atemu's wishes. As the throne room's heavy doors closed behind them, tension built up between the Pharaoh and his Queen.
Knowing what Xandra was about to say to him, Atemu gazed into her hazel-brown eyes with gentleness and determination. "I have to do this, Xandra. I just cannot turn my back when countless people depend on me."
"Please think this through. Why are you taking this matter on your own? They are my people, too. I am not asking you to turn your back. I am asking you to take more precautions. You are the living embodiment of the gods here on Earth and Egypt. Your well-being and life is of the utmost importance."
The young ruler stood up and faced Xandra, breathing deeply to vent out his frustration. "How? What kind of man - and Pharaoh - would I be if I let anyone continue killing innocent lives like cattle?"
Xandra also stood up and stayed beside her throne. "Do you think I enjoy the idea of having innocents - especially little children - slaughtered insignificantly? If you insist on pursuing the Hyskos, then let me and a handful of our soldiers investigate the matter for you."
Atemu's breathing became more labored as his amethyst eyes widened. For reasons unknown to anyone, and even to himself, he retorted, "No! That is out of the question! You are asking me to hide behind a woman's skirt!"
"Since when have you become a male chauvinist, Atemu? I have always held out on my own, and our soldiers protect me." Trying to keep a calm demeanor, Xandra reasoned out, "Our enemies might have done this massacre as a ploy for bigger matters to come. You are the strategist between us, so I beg you to think this through. It would be best if you, the high priests, and the military plan for whatever our enemies would try to do next. Let me take care of this on your behalf. It is for the best."
Atemu deadpanned. "You are not going! That is final!"
Hazel-brown eyes burned in indignation as their owner spat, "You may be the Pharaoh, but you have no right to dictate what I need to do for our people! You once told me to get a backbone, Atemu. I have full intention of using it to make Egypt's enemies pay. I have done so for six years, and I will not stop now - not for anyone, and not for you."
Amethyst eyes glowered at Xanda. With a voice audible from the other side of the heavy doors, Atemu retorted, "I said that to you six years ago! Those were different times! Those words that I uttered years ago were meant to inspire and not belittle you!"
Through gritted teeth, Xandra said as her eyes misted in a mixture of anger and frustration, "I led our army through victorious invasions. I led our home-bound troops to protect our kingdom and people. I have handled peaceful negotiations when the occasion necessitated them. As much as I might not be as good as you in military matters, I have done my very best in all aspects of it!"
Husband and wife were quiet for a few moments, with Xandra eventually breaking the silence as the tears beaded at the corner of her eyes. "Atemu...please listen and give me permission to do this for the kingdom and our people. Have I not done enough? What else do you wish me to do, so that I could prove my worth to our kingdom and people? What else do you wish me to do, so that I can prove my worth to you? Do you not trust me?"
"You do not have to prove anything to anyone, most especially to me," was Atemu's response, his eyes reflecting as to how his temper had considerably cooled down. "I also trust you unequivocally, so how could you even think that I have a single grain of doubt when it comes to you?"
"Then why are you not letting me go?"
Atemu immediately answered, "Because I do not wish you to be in danger. I want to protect you. I do not know what I would do if something ever happened to you."
"And I would not know if the same happened to you...that is why I request this from you. We have always protected and supported each other since childhood," Xandra told Atemu as she tried to hold back the tears of confusion and frustration. "By you saying no, you are not allowing me to protect our people and most especially you. So please do not fight me on this and let me go. Let me be a good citizen and Queen for our people. You have always said yes. I thought that you and I are a team...that you and I are in one accord."
"You and I are a team. You and I are in one accord. However, times and matters have changed, Xandra," a tight-lipped Atemu said as he slowly approached Xandra.
Tears now freely flowed down her cheeks. Sounding weary and distraught, Xandra murmured, "What in the name of the gods has changed, Atemu? It looks as if we are being pulled back into war, and you are still as stubborn as ever..."
By this time, Atemu was already standing before Xandra. "For me, this has changed between you and me…."
Atemu then did what he intended to do earlier in their bedchambers this morning while Xandra was sleeping. He passionately kissed her on the lips.
Normal Disclaimer
Yu-Gi-Oh is the copyrighted property of Kazuki Takahashi. Xandra, The Crest of Atlantis, The Portal of Osiris, The Dead Incantations, the members of the mages' council, and this fan fiction belong to the author.