Here's the next part to this story!
WaterGoddessMizu - I'm updating this story as fast as I can ... please bear with me as I have other things to do ... such as college and work. I'm glad you like the story. Could I buy a balloon?
Proxima Centauri - I remember in one of the episodes ... Which one was it again? Uh, I think it was #52 ... that Ishizu mentioned at least twice to Kaiba that Yami Yuugi/Atem was a pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. (I don't recall her saying it in the dub, though.)
The last part? You mean the part where everyone goes their separate ways or the one before that?
NeferNeferi, olifantje-emma - Two orders of a new chapter, coming up!
Chapter 27
Harem
"Mother!" After several interactive conversations, Atem finally couldn't hold his rage back. He shouted out indignantly, "Why are you always like this?! You always make your decisions without asking for my approval first?!"
"Uro ..." The old Queen said slowly, "I'm doing this for your own good ..."
"For my own good?!" In a fit of anger, he slapped at a nearby table. "I know you're very worried but you should consult with me in advance! I'm no longer a child of six so I have the right to be in charge of my own affairs!"
"Uro!" The old Queen sounded slightly more severe, bringing into play the authority that being his mother would have over him. "This matter has already been settled! I will not tolerate any objections from you!" She went back into her chamber, not bothering to give Atem a chance to reply.
"How hateful!" He angrily left the harem.
Temple of Light
Seto didn't have to ask anything. Just seeing Atem furiously entering the temple grounds, he knew what had happened -- he had failed.
"Argh! I'm so mad!" He decided to express his frustration by kicking over the desk Seto was using.
"... It seems it didn't go so smoothly ..." Seto picked up the desk that Atem had turned over.
"Not only did it not go smoothly, she's plainly using the authority of being the Pharaoh's mother to intimidate me!" Atem cursed.
"Just accept it ... you can't just get rid of her ..." Seto started picking up the various documents scattered around the floor.
Although a Pharaoh in ancient Egypt had the authority to remove his own mother from power, very few of them actually went as far as that.
"... Heh heh ..." He knew he had the power to do so, but ... "Even if I were to do that now, it would be of no help to me ... The proclamations have already been sent out ... I can't go back on my own words in from of the people of Egypt. What a headache ..." He held his head as the last part sounded like a whine.
"Then what are you planning to do about it?" Seto sat down at his desk and began to read through some of the documents.
"I don't know ..." Atem's attention turned to the documents as he looked on. "I'll just have to figure it out as I go. Besides ... she never made it clear that I HAVE to choose one of them as the Queen. At the worst, I'll just choose one of them to be a concubine."
"In that case ... why didn't you just tell her your real identity?"
"Are you talking about Tameri?"
"As long as you bring her to Cairo and let her take part in the proceedings for choosing the new Queen, wouldn't everyone be happy?"
"... But her family background is a big problem ..." Atem sounded a bit disheartened. "The officials in the royal court would never accept her ... at best, she'll be a concubine ... Hey!" Atem suddenly pointed at a spot Seto had just written some characters. "You wrote the wrong hieroglyph!"
Because this was an important document, Seto picked up another piece of papyrus and began to copy down the contents all over again, even though he was rather unhappy about it.
"I don't want her to be bullied by my future Queen or the other concubines who are from wealthy and influential families. She has a meek personality. With such a personality, she'll be at a disadvantage within the various wars for favor in the harem..."
"War?" Seto smiled softly at this. 'What a suitable choice.'
"... Although Father had other wives, he didn't have any children with them, so Mother's position wasn't challenged by anyone ... but her personality ..." Atem stopped speaking for a moment. "is so rude and unreasonable that no one would be able to take advantage of her ..." He thought, 'She used that imposing manner to intimidate me eariler ...'
"Rude and unreasonable? Heh heh." Because no one would dare to describe the powerful mother of the Pharaoh in this way, Seto really wanted to start laughing out loud at the rather apt adjectives.
"What's so funny?!" Atem, seeing Seto laughing, was about to hit him with a small dagger, but the other managed to dodge it.
'This guy is serious ...' If he had been hit by Atem, it wouldn't be any laughing matter.
"Don't tell anyone about this! If I were to find out ... it's over for you!"
"I know ... I know when not to put my own life on the line ... But ... hehehe ... I can't guarantee that I may let something slip ..." Seto looked over at Atem.
"What are your terms?" Atem had a bad feeling as to his answer as Seto whispered something into his ear. "Damn you!" He thought to himself, 'He's trying to trap me!'
"Yes or no ..." Seto made it clear that there wasn't any room for bargaining.
"Damn it, move aside!" Atem unwillingly sat in where Seto had been and began to read over the heap of documents. Seto ended up sitting next to him.
"This is for what happened the last time. Who told you to sneak out of the palace, leaving me behind with all this annoying work to do?"
"Damn ... yes, yes, yes ..." Atem thought angrily, 'How despicable! Why do you need to remember such things so clearly?'
Author's Corner:
Youlan: ... I want to dedicate this chapter to my good friend who lost her life in the Ali Mountain incident -- Yifang ...
Posted on October 15, 2004.