Through The Shadows – Chapter 8 – The Secret And The Price

FAB: Hello my dear ANGST readers! How are you?

Malik: I'm not well. I hate Math!

FAB: Yeah, do you think I did it better than you? At least you know the log()s…

Malik: But I don't know vectors…What question did you choose?

FAB: Why are we talking about that goddamned test in my fanfic? Get real Malik, this isn't your complains publishing!

Malik: I guess not…Oh well…

FAB: Now that we are set, I would like to continue! I guess it's my habit to write Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN YGO! Hell, but I guess I was born unlucky.

Malik: What about the ratings?

FAB: Don't get them. Leave it alone!

Reviews: I want to thank very much those who reviewed me! It was a very nice thing to do! Thank you again!

Malik: Now we are beginning the chapter?

FAB: Yep.

Malik: I want to say it! (jumps) On with chapter 8!

FAB: As long as I don't have to pay for your comments…

Chapter 8 – The Secret And The Price

That was the second day of the travel, and Seth stared gloomily into the distances. The view hadn't changed for a while now, as his convoy traveled far into the sunset. He wondered how Kisara was doing. (I hope she is alright. I hope she would understand me. I didn't want to leave her, I really didn't want…) But the doubt was already chewing Seth's soul. Why hadn't he fought his father? He could disobey his orders, run away…

But then again, he thought about this and found this solution useless. Where can he run? Where wouldn't his father find him? And most important: How could he leave Kisara in the hands of the Pharaoh…

The sand specks cracked under the hoofs of the horses, Seth's eyes had golden strips from the sun. He looked around through the wilderness, as the yearning for Kisara's presence consumed him more and more. (Kisara…I have to think how to save you…)

He remembered yesterday night. He invited one of his servants to play a Shadow Game against him. He hadn't forgotten about his plan to defeat the Pharaoh in a Duel. (I will make him crawl on the floor in pain and shame for taking Kisara away from me. I am going to win him over, no matter how hard it will be. I won't let him get away…Kisara…I love you) Images of his beloved filled his mind, her smiling face, the warmth of her body close to his, the tears she shed, the night she told him she had to marry Pharaoh Atemu. He opened his eyes, to see her in front of him, in the last sunlight, looking at him with her love-filled yet sad glance. Then the golden rays faded into shadows and the night floated into the sky.

Mahado headed to the Pharaoh's palace. He wasn't sure how he would tell the Pharaoh that his suspicions were verified. How could any of them guess that Kisara indeed was Seth's secret lover? It will break Atemu's heart…Mahado was really afraid of the Pharaoh's reaction. He could be gentle and understanding as well as angered and hostile.

/"Are you sure Mana? Do you have any idea how serious are the things you are saying?" asked Mahado with a terrified look.

"I'm sure this is right, Master Mahado," Mana said "I couldn't believe it myself. But he saw her, he saw her coming to Seth's palace, he saw them together, walking at night in Seth's gardens. He saw them sitting together in the moonlight." Mana sighed.

"What will the Pharaoh say when I tell him this?" asked Mahado "How am I going to tell him? I thought it was a wild assumption about Kisara and Seth…I saw how she reacted when we were talking about him…But…Oh Ra…"

Mahado shook his head in a great worry, and tears were forming in Mana's eyes. She hated when Mahado was nervous and stressful, she hated to see the fear and doubt in his brave and calm eyes. She stepped forward, hugging him and fighting the tears back. "Maybe it's for good," she said "This secret was going to reveal anyway. Maybe our Pharaoh won't be so mad. Maybe it isn't important now. Seth is away, and Kisara can't see him anymore. Maybe it will end up fine." Mahado's hand caressed Mana's brown locks.

"It's too many maybes…" he whispered hoarsely. Mana looked at him, her eyes still slightly wet. "I'm going now," he said as he freed himself from her hug "You did a great job discovering the truth. I'm sorry for the things you went through. I know how hard it is to fight the shadows of your past."

"He was a good friend. I liked the talk we had yesterday. But I hate to pretend in front of people. I hope it was my last time." Mana said, watching Mahado wearing his cloak.

"I'm going now. I hope it all will end up soon." said Mahado as he went outside the house, and closed the door, living a silver trail of tear on Mana's face./

Mahado slowly passed the guards in the gates of the Pharaoh's palace. He looked at the river, studying the blinks of early morning sun playing on the little waves, he made his way up the white marble stairs.

He entered the Judge Hall. He wasn't really expecting the Pharaoh to be there, so he was surprised to see Atemu sitting on his golden throne, looking out the window. Shadows of golden light crossed his face. His expression was somehow nervous, yet he spoke quietly and calmly.

"You may enter, Mahado," he said, and watched Mahado bowing and greeting him. (I should prepare myself to the things he has to say…I have to remember it doesn't matter. Kisara is mine.)

"My dear Pharaoh..." Mahado tried to gain more courage by prolonging his openings. Atemu looked at him. "Just tell me what you have to." said Atemu shortly yet calmly.

"I'm afraid my suspicions were true. Kisara and Seth were together before she was brought to you."

Atemu's eyes narrowed as rage burst up inside his heart. (I will make you pay for that, Seth. You won't ever see her again. The very instant you put your damned feet back in my palace I will send you far away.)

Kisara weakly raised her head. She was alone, alone in her shadowed room. The light was slowly crawling from the window into the darkness surrounded her, but she still couldn't focus her eyes. Her head hurt again, and she felt dizzy and tired. Her sleep was horrible, nightmares troubled her mind and plagued her soul. She was worried about Seth and in the same time she felt anger toward him. (He left me…Why had he done this to me? He promised to be with me, to help me get away from the Pharaoh…I can't believe…I-I trusted him…What will I do now? How will I save myself? Oh, Seth…) Her head swung, her eyes instantly filling with tears. She raised one shaking hand to bring her hair out of her eyes.

She gasped when the pain shot through her body. What had happened to her? The stress and the fear were taking over her, breaking her spirit and her body. She felt crushed down, smashed away and tired to death. Rotten and bitter taste of betrayal was playing on her lips when she whispered his name.

She leaned her head backward, letting the pain gradually calm down. She wondered where is Ikana…She remembered her sitting near, helping her drink some tea.

Kisara closed her eyes, breathing deep. She stayed like this for couple of minutes, trying to rest. (HOW COULD HE?) screamed a voice in her head.

Kisara rolled her head to the left, causing to more pain flow into her neck. She let out soft whimper of pain, but again the fear and the pressure took over (I…I am lost. I can't do anything now. I have to marry Atemu. I have to…) and she squirmed on her place, whimpering again. It didn't let go.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps somewhere nearby her. She felt someone sitting beside her, close to her, she felt soft breaths on her face. She opened her eyes, expecting to see Ikana, but at her surprise and horror, the young girl wasn't the presence. It was the shadowed figure of Pharaoh Atemu.

Mahado walked home, feeling much better. Pharaoh Atemu understood. He wasn't that angry. He told Mahado the wedding wasn't canceled. "It doesn't matter. Seth can't do anything but accept the fact that kisara is mine." said Atemu, his voice quiet and steady. Mahado nodded, feeling the relief floating into his core. So the Pharaoh wasn't so angry. Everything would end up fine. (Mana was right, after all…Our Pharaoh is such a kind person, forgiving and polite. Everything is fine now, and soon Atemu and Kisara are married.)

Mahado was then permitted to go. He bowed and went outside the Judge Hall. He didn't saw the anger and the hatred creeping over Atemu's face mere seconds later. Atemu looked like he was going to kill somebody right on place. He stood up furiously, his jewels shining in the sunlight. The anger rose like acid inside his heart and veins. He slowly paced out the hall and up the third floor, into Kisara's bedroom.

Kisara tried to get her body into a sitting position, but her arms were too weak to lift her weight. It only caused more pain to cross her body. She closed her eyes, fighting not to scream under the cold gaze of Atemu, who was still sitting beside her, watching her. She felt his arms wrapping around her, pulling her to half sit half lean on the pillow.

"How are you?" he asked her, his voice somewhat cold. Although she didn't see his narrowed eyes, she could sense the tension that was building in the room. She wished he would just go away, get up from the bed and walk through the door, through the shadows of her room. She wished he would leave her alone here, alone with her thoughts and pains.

"You are not feeling well," he stated silently, looking at her. She tried to move a little away from him, and the pain rushing through her again almost made her cry out. "I see it hurts you," he said, his voice cold and somehow uncaring "It hurts to feel like you feel right now. The betrayal has an awful taste…" (How…Does he know about Seth and I? But…How? Who told him?)

Atemu's hand slowly traveled to her cheek, touching her pale cold skin, feeling her tears slowly rolling from her beautiful eyes. "I know, Kisara. I know how you feel." Kisara felt him leaning closer to her. She closed her eyes again, not wanting to look into his eyes. "Kisara…" she heard him whisper her name, and she tiredly reopened her eyes to look at him.

Then she saw the expression of worry changing into the one of anger and hurt. "I know how hurt you feel. But I am even more hurt. You and Seth lied to me. I know now about you two. And I know how he tried to make you his. But he failed. Now he can't help you anymore."

Kisara's eyes filled with tears again. "No…" she silently whispered "He can't…" but the pain made her stop. Atemu leaned even closer to her. "Yes Kisara. I want you to understand it. I want you to forget about him. I want you to think only about me." Kisara closed her eyes again, trying to make the tears disappear. Atemu didn't let go, his arms tugged her to him.

"No…" she said again "Seth…" his name waved through the shadows surrounding her into the fire of Atemu's rage.

"Don't you ever say his name again!" that was the only warning she got before she felt his hand touching her face in a very ungentle way. He slapped her. And he did it again.

Kisara let out pained shout, feeling more tears falling from her eyes. It hurt so much, the pain burned on her face where he slapped her and in her head and body. She was breathing hard, yet merely getting air into her lungs. Her heartbeat was so fast she felt it pounding out her chest.

"Do you understand me, Kisara?" asked Atemu cruelly, gripping her arms and shaking her weakened form "You are mine now. Don't you dare even think about Seth again. He is gone, and the second he comes back I will send him far away from here. Seth's period of your life is over now, Kisara, he's gone forever."

Kisara didn't dare open her eyes to face him, she just weakly shook her head, refusing to believe. She thought Atemu couldn't see the slight movement of hers, but he did. And he wasn't very satisfied with that.

"I see," he hissed through sheer anger, his voice was distorted with rage "You disobey me." he grabbed her arms violently, pulling her up, his nails digging into her skin, dragging her to fall on the floor, hard "You won't do it again; you won't ever think or speak of him again." Kisara let out a scream when the pain reached her mind. She opened her eyes to see twisted expressions on Atemu's face; he was enjoying her double pain. Now he pulled her up, her body falling weakly back on the bed, her tears streaming on her cheeks, red marks left on her skin where he painfully gripped her.

"Now Kisara, my dear," she heard him say as he lifted her body and placed it again on the bed, helping her lie more comfortably, putting her head on the pillow and covering her with the blanket "You need to sleep. You need to rest and prepare yourself. Our wedding is coming, dear, soon you are forever by my side." Atemu whispered to her, his voice concerned and gentle again, his touches full of love and care.

Kisara breathed hard, trying to fight the sleep, but with no success. Atemu had his hand on her face, stroking the burning skin, wiping her tears away, she felt him planting soft kisses on the spots minutes ago he hit and hurt. She felt her eyelids so heavy, so burning from the tears, she let them covered her vision, fading into the shadows of restless sleep.

Atemu watched her as she drifted away, nervous expression still floating on her beautiful features. She was so quiet, she hadn't moved and he could hardly tell she was breathing. Leaning forward again, he kissed her for the last time, whispering "I love you Kisara, I love you."

Then he stood up, sending last glance to his future wife, and slowly walked out the room, closing the door behind him.

(What was it? Why does my heart hurt so much? Has something happened to Kisara?) Seth's concentration slipped away, as he felt some strange sensation in his stomach. (Kisara…Is she alright?)

Seth was in the middle of Shadow Game, one of his servants was playing against him, and Seth suddenly became worried and nervous.

"I send my Petrifying Beast to attack your life-points." called Seth's opponent. Seth didn't even look at him. (What is my heart telling me? I feel something bad has happened…I feel Kisara isn't alright…Did Atemu hurt her?)

"Master Seth, you have to play now!" Seth shook his head, looking down at the field. He had to do something quickly if he wanted to win this game…

"I use my trap card, Awful Devastation, to take your life-points. This is your end! Attack, my Guardian Dragon!" called Seth, and watched as his opponent's life-points were diminished to zero. Then, in a quick movement, he used his millennium Rod to expel the Shadow Realm.

He watched the sunset, still feeling something was wrong. (Kisara…Please hold on…I have to think about something…) And as he walked to prepare for the night the bad feeling turned into a stabbing worry and cutting regret.

(I mustn't have left her…)

FAB: Well, what do you think? Did you like chapter 8?

Malik: Ahh, you know what FAB is doing now, right? Trying to get some more reviews, aren't we?

FAB: Well, that's right, Malik! So, if you like this chapter, please REVIEW!

Malik: Oh, and now we have to go and do some homework, right?

FAB: (with blue strips of depression on the background) I think so…So goodbye, my dear readers, and have a great weekend!