Chapter 24
'Sheesh! Why is my mother always like this? She never asks for my opinion beforehand ...' Atem thought tensely. His vile mood could easily be seen by the way he rode his horse.
"Don't be so angry ..." Seto was able to guess at what the other was thinking. "Who asked that you are the only one who can succeed to the throne? If anything were to happen to you ..." He completed the thought in his mind, 'it's all over ...'
"... You speak of the obvious ..." Atem commented, then suddenly he smiled. "Hey! You mean 'accidents'? I've lost count of how many times I've experienced things like that ... for example, I've had 8,579 attempted assassinations and 6,587 times I've had poisoned food. There's been 3,685 times that I've been cursed and 2,543 assassins have tried to kill me. Not to mention, I've been kidnapped for 168 times. It seems natural to me now ..."
"You've been kidnapped?!" This was the first time Seto had heard of it.
"... Of course, that happened before I was seven years old ..." Atem answered, impatiently.
"You're pretty lucky then ..." Seto had to admire him for that. 'How can he actually be able to live this long? Pretty lucky indeed.'
'... Just great. A guy who gets excited over calamities and misfortunes ...' Atem glared at the other man.
"Atem ..." Putting aside the jesting feelings he had, Seto's demeanor became serious again.
Aware of Seto's change, Atem looked at him. "What?"
"How are you planning to respond to your mother's plans?" He asked. 'Looking at the current situation, it's impossible to put an end to this ...'
"Hmm ..." Atem was silent for a moment. "I think it is necessary that I speak with my mother ..."
In the Palace
"Welcome back, Pharaoh ..."
After changing his outfit, Atem could hear this greeting wherever he went.
'...It was you, right? Otherwise how would they know that I had left?' Atem used his power to send a message to Seto.
'Ah ... I only said that you left the palace to go hunting.' Seto answered. 'Or do you think I should tell them you had slipped out to go romancing with a girl?'
"Shut up ..." Atem said out loud. "I'm going to see my mother. As for those old fellows ..." He pointed around ten meters behind him, where a group of officials were hurriedly moving towards them. "I'll let you deal with them ..." He had a pretty good idea on what those people wanted to speak to him about.
"Alright, I hope it goes smoothly for you." Seto turned around to head towards the officials.
"Priest Seto?"
"Wasn't the Pharaoh with you?" They all began talking at once.
"Is there something wrong?" Seto asked them.
"Since the Pharaoh is currently choosing a wife, I think my daughter would be the best choice." One of the officials said.
Another immediately retorted, "That's not true! Your daughter is so ugly?!"
"Your daughter is useless! She can't do anything right!" The first man replied.
Soon after, the officials all began to argue with each other. Seto decided to let them do so and waited for a chance to leave there as quickly as possible.
As he was talking with the officials, Atem had reached his mother's chambers.
"Mother?" He asked, hoping she was in her room.
"What is it, Uro? Why are you visiting me so early today?"
"...I have something I need to discuss with you ..." Atem entered her room.
Author's Corner:
Seto: ... Do you have a way to persuade her?
Pharaoh: ... You know her personality ... sigh
Youlan: Haha, there's no reason to feel like that. Be at ease since I'm handling it.
Seto, Pharaoh: Damn ... It's because of your handling that we're stuck in this mess!
Posted on September 25, 2004.