WHEN MEMORIES WOULD NEVER BE ENOUGH
Chapter Seven - The Inner Workings of the Mind
General Point of View
At the opposite wing of the palace - away from the commotion that Atemu and Xandra were now in - Akunadin sat within the confines of his bedchambers. A single candle flickered, as the elderly high priest absent-mindedly looked outside the window. Although the night sky had its white gems intermittently glittered, his heart remained heavy.
The knock on the door interrupted his deepest thoughts. Frowning and staring at the door, he stirred and said, "Enter!"
Once the door slowly creaked, Mahado peered his head inside the bedchambers. "You have called for us, Elder?"
As his frown disappeared, a gracious Akunadin motioned his younger peer and his companions to come in. With the door opening wider, the five high priests came in and stood at a single file before him. Smirking, he said, "Must you be so formal this late in the evening? Please make yourselves comfortable!"
Each high priest gave his or her respective relieved smirk. Mahado and Shadah stood beside each other and leaned against Akunadin's wooden desk. Isis and Karim sat on the long lounging chair. Set, on the other hand, comfortably stood with his arms casually crossed in front of him.
After clearing her throat, Isis remarked, "All arrangements have been made for us to train in teams tomorrow, Elder Akunadin."
"Excellent," said the eldest high priest, after letting out a short sigh. "We almost lost the battle against that scoundrel, if it were not for Set returning at an opportune time."
"It is the Pharaoh and the Queen that should be thanked," interjected Set, as he shifted his weight to maintain his comfortable position. "The Queen asked me to return to the palace, and the Pharaoh awakened sacred god Obelisk."
Akunadin did not acknowledge Set's comment - keeping his thoughts to himself.
"I am still amazed as to how Thief Bakura managed to control the monster Diabound. We were barely able to defeat him," Karim thoughtfully remarked, as he let out a resigned sigh and crossed his hands over his chest.
A discontented Set passionately clenched his fists. "I am not going to just sit here and wait. First thing tomorrow morning, a handful of troops and I will comb through the towns. The throne, as always, must have the upper advantage." He then glanced at Mahado, saying, "Unlike others, I will not allow some low-life thief disrespect the palace and the Pharaohs!"
Shadah looked up and saw Mahado's hurt expression. Knowing that his fellow priest already felt unnecessarily guilty for the incident, he admonished his azure-eyed peer, "Enough, Brother Set! You should not be so hard on our fellow priest. It was not Brother Mahado's fault that the Thief desecrated the former Pharaoh's tomb."
Isis frowned, and firmly stated to everyone, "Now is not the time to place blame! We must place everything in perspective, especially with today's infiltration!"
Minutes of silence later, as tempers cooled down, Shadah said, " I am going with you, Brother Set, on tomorrow's mission. Brother Mahado already agreed to finalize the Pharaoh's re-interment."
Set and Shadah exchanged nods - sealing the arrangements for tomorrow. Akunadin was pleased with his son's aggressive nature, while the other priests - particularly Mahado - found their peer's words and reaction rather unsettling.
After minutes of idle conversation, the priests bade farewell to each other and Akunadin.
As Set - the last one in the single file - was about to leave Akunadin's bedchambers, the elderly priest said, "Do not leave any stone unturned for tomorrow's search...."
"I would not, Elder Akunadin," responded a tightlipped Set, as he closed the door behind him - leaving the father that he never knew to retire for the evening.
The elderly man gave a bittersweet smile and pondered, "Yes, my son. One must rule with a strong disposition and a iron hand, if necessary. The fire within you must always burn, for destiny will make you a great Pharaoh someday...." He then sat on the lounging chair nearest to the window and pondered in silence.
Alas, the innermost thoughts and feelings that he bottled up inside came out - triggered by Set's words, as well as his lament that the most earnest wish had not come into fruition.
Akunadin's Point of View
I have waited for many years, but my efforts bore no fruit. Just like any other night, I sit here in my bedchambers - pondering, anticipating, and seething over the injustice that the gods had set before me.
Since birth, I have always been second best - or even lower. Even my
brother - Atemu's father - had been given the throne, while I was appointed as
one of his high priests. My brother, and Fate itself, withheld from me my
destiny - to be greater than everyone else.
Yet, who had been delegated to stand up when the gods' chosen one did not have enough backbone to keep his throne and to protect our people from foreign invaders? It is I who had to stand up and be the sacrificial lamb!
And while my brother enjoyed the glory of the throne, I had to pay for the sacrifices that the throne demands - starting with my own family. This fundamental fact on how unfair the gods have been to me holds true even in the Afterlife, for he now stays under Osiris' protective care while Maat lingers in the darkness ready to devour my heart....
My heart.... I wonder if I still have one left, especially after the Millennium Items were forged.
If I still have a heart, it is now heavily drenched with the blood of scoundrels and thieves from Kuru Eruna. In contrast, I also have an empty soul that has been forfeited to create the Millennium Items. Since I made that wish using the Millennium Eye, I have also lost the ability to dream and hope for my happiness and future.
All these years, though, I still dream for my son....
As much as I did not wish to give up my son, Set, I had to close my eyes and swallow hard to be just a mere family friend as he grew up. To my only son, his father was a brave military commander that died in the battlefield. I had to bite my tongue all these years every time the young one fondly talks about his father. I had to turn away at times when he and his cousin played at the courtyard - neither one worrying about what the future holds.
By the gods, I am Set's father! As much as I had given him up for his own sake, I am still the boy's father! Although there are times that I could swear that I have no more tears left for anyone - especially for me - I still shed some tears as I see him grow up before my eyes.
If you were in my shoes, how would you feel if you could not even hug your only son and claim him as your own?
Yet, out of all the sacrifices that I have made in my life, the most painful one turns out to be the most sensible one that I have made. My son had to be removed from me, lest he too would be doomed to endless servitude and thankless sacrifice just as I have been all these years.
Now that my brother had been long gone, his son and adopted daughter took over the coveted throne. Do the gods take sheer pleasure in spitting at my face? Neither one of them deserves the throne, yet most of the citizens love them! Are they blind? How could they swear allegiance to a boy, and a foreigner whose throne sank in the ocean years ago?
If there is someone who should be sitting on that fated throne, it should be Set!
Did the dark ones abandon me? Did I not give up my very soul for my only son to rule Egypt as Pharaoh? Did I not sacrifice the blood of an entire town to satiate your thirsts? Tell me, dark ones.... Did you renege on your covenant without my knowledge? Is my soul not enough to satisfy you, and exact my wishes?
All I asked for was one wish.... Why could you not give it to me?
Yet, in my old age, part of me doubts as to whether the wish should have been made in the first place. My nephew had done well, and would have made his father proud on how he ruled our people. As much as I also hate to admit it, the foreigner embraced our people as her own and has sacrificed herself many times to fight for and defend Egypt.
No.... I cannot grow soft now! My son deserves to be on that throne - not them! I will do everything in my power to make sure that my son sits on the throne as Pharaoh....
Even if it means that I have to make another sacrifice, I would gladly embrace its consequences for my son's sake....
End of Chapter Seven
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Normal Disclaimer
Yu-Gi-Oh is the copyrighted property of Kazuki Takahashi. Xandra / Emrys, Hyperion, and this fanfic are mine. This fanfic has been written for entertainment purposes only, thereby releasing the author from any liabilities.