A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, blah blah blah...
Josephine Jekyl: That's why I didn't really want to introduce the shadow games in my story, because I don't know all of the details, and whenever I write, I do my best to remain consistent and true to facts. I've only seen a few of the Japanese episodes, and therefore only have a limited knowledge of what actually happened in the show.I appreciate your clarification, but for the purposes of my story, I'm going to have to resort to fudging details, as much as it pains me. I hope you don't mind. And I whole-heartedly agree, the Japanese version is by far the better version. Oh, and I was thinking of sketching out Safiya's eyes. If I ever get around to it, I'll let you know.
To all of my reviewers/readers: I hope you enjoy this chapter, it was fun to write. And thank you again for all your awesome reviews.
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"Seth! Seth! Look what I found!" A fourteen-year-old Safiya ran up to a fifteen-year-old Seth cradling something in her hands.
He laughed, knowing that whatever was in her hands was something ordinary. She found beauty in the simplest things. "What did you found today, Safiya?"
She beamed a toothy smile at him, as she opened her hands. He looked down and found a small snake curled up in her palms, sleeping. As he stared at the small creature, it was startled from its slumber and bit Safiya's hand in its frightened state.
"Ouch!" She cried, dropping the snake to the ground.
"Here, let me see it." Seth watched the snake slither away then took her hand and inspected the wound. A small line of crimson blood was creeping across her palm. "Well, the snake was not poisonous, so you're going to live, but we should probably get a bandage on this just in case." He looked up from her palm to see that she was biting her lip and fighting back tears. "Does it hurt badly?"
"No," she choked. "It doesn't hurt at all."
He smiled. "You know Safiya, it's okay if you cry." Mischief twinkled in his eyes. "In fact, if you cry, that means I get to be your rescuer and carry you to safety."
She smiled her beautifully genuine smile, laughing softly. "How about this," she said wiping her eyes. "I don't cry, and you still carry me to safety."
"Sounds good to me," he replied, placing one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. She threw her unwounded arm around his neck as he lifted her off her feet.
"You know what Seth?"
"What?"
"You're my best friend."
A seventeen-year-old High Priest Seth lay on his back on the garden floor, breathing in the intoxicating aromas of the exotic flowers. He had his hands folded beneath his head and was staring up into the night sky, a full moon penetrating the darkness. Despite his soothing surroundings, there were tears in his eyes. He had only been a high priest for a year, and was struggling with the obligations and responsibilities.
"Excuse me High Priest Seth, I don't mean to interrupt, but I've been looking for you."
If it had been anyone else, he would have quickly dried his eyes and composed himself. But he rcognized the voice of the now sixteen-year-old Safiya, and he welcomed it. "Please don't call me that, Safiya. I hear that title everywhere I go. I don't need to hear it from you, as well."
"I'm sorry Seth. It's just hard to adjust to you being a high priest and all. I never know what to call you." She gathered up her skirt and lay beside him, her head on his chest. After a moment, she voiced what was on her mind. "It's not right for you to be held accountable for so much at this age."
"I know Safiya, but every time I think that, I remind myself of Atemu. He is my age and rules the nation of Egypt." He paused, thinking of his friend. "I do everything in my power to lessen his burden, but sometimes, it's even too much for me."
She inhaled deeply, as did he. "I have an idea." She stood up and took his hand, pulling him to a standing position. "Come with me."
"Where are you taking me?"
"I'm not telling you. It's a surprise."
She led him through the palace and into the servants' quarters. She took him through a door in the back of the quarters and out into a second garden, much cleaner and much more beautiful than the first.
"Safiya, what is this? I didn't know the palace had a second garden."
"Technically, it doesn't. This is my own personal garden. A few years ago, I took some seeds from the palace garden and planted them here. I've tended it ever since, and I'm very proud of it. While the palace officials have their own garden, I allow the servants to use this one. As you can see, the servants respect this garden a bit more than you official types respect the royal garden. That's why this one looks so much nicer. But there's more. This is not what I wanted to show you." She led him around the various flowers toward the rear of the garden.
"Is that water I hear?"
"Be patient." She approached a tall hedge and fell to her knees before it. Taking Seth's hand, she crawled underneath the hedge and out the other side.
Seth crawled behind her, and once on the other side, he stood and looked around. The light of the full moon illuminated a small waterfall which fed a tranquil pool. The pool was surrounded by the sweetest smelling and most beautiful flowers he had ever encountered. "By Ra," he whispered reverently. "What is this place?"
"This is the sacred heart of my garden. I come here to escape the pressures of life. The other servants choose not to enter out of respect for me." She lowered her voice and continued in a soft whisper. "You are the only other person who has ever been in here."
The action meant so much to him that he had not known how else to react. He placed his arms around her waist and leaned in to kiss her. But before he could touch his lips to hers, she turned her head and his lips fell on her cheek. He released his hold and stepped back, apologizing.
"I'm sorry, Safiya. I don't know what came over me."
"It's okay Seth."
"I just wanted to thank you for allowing me into your heart." An awkward silence settled over the two until he realized what he had said. "I mean the heart of your garden. Your garden's sacred heart, that's what I meant."
"Seth, you're blushing." There was no condemnation in her words; she was simply making an observation.
He sighed in defeat and instantly his nervousness evaporated. "For some time now, I've had feelings for you Safiya. Aside from Atemu, you are the closest friend I have in this world." He hesitated, but only for a moment. "I guess what I'm trying to say Safiya, is that I love you."
She stiffened as realization hit her. He had just professed his love to her. She had known of his feelings for a few months, but she hadn't wanted their relationship to change or become awkward, so she had avoided the subject. But here it was, in the open, and she had no choice but to respond. "You know that I love you, too. But my love is that of family. Please Seth, understand what I'm trying to say. I love you like I do my older brother, but I don't have romantic feelings for you. Please, I don't want things to change between us. You will always be my closest friend," she hesitated, not wanting to break his heart but knowing it had to be said, "but nothing more."
Her words shocked him, and every muscle in his body went rigid. For a few moments, the two stood in silence, until Seth relaxed and said in a low voice, "I know you have feelings for me, too. I see it in the way you look at me, the way you talk to me, the way you act around me. Don't fight it Safiya. Give yourself some time and you'll see it, too." He turned and crawled under the hedge, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
