AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Thank you guys so much for the new reviews! It's very encouraging to know I have readers.
I'm in a very good mood because it's a three-day weekend and I spent almost all of yesterday watching Kenshin, so I decided to post the next chapter. I've also been inspired to work on (oddly enough) this fic, not my Kenshin one. My Kenshin one requires a great deal of thought, which would obviously make my head hurt.
Not much to respond to, but I will try to clarify some points of the story.
I can't, absolutely can't, explain every memory the main character has seen so far. It's not because I hate you all and want you to be utterly lost; it would give away WAY too much plot. So far, she's seen some memories: a priestess running through the rain to reach the Pharaoh because something has happened at the temple; the Pharaoh and the High Priest's final duel (this one makes more sense if you've seen the anime); the same priestess dueling somebody using the Dark Magician Girl; the priestess being chosen as the High Priest's consort; and the priestess agreeing to marry the Pharaoh. None of this is necessarily in the chronological order that the memories took place in, which might be why it's slightly confusing. I keep it that way to maintain a sense of mystery and confusion; the main character knows about as little as you (the readers) do.
Only I, the author, am all-knowing and understands what the heck the memories mean.
I hope that clarifies something… I know that in the Word docs every specific memory was italicized and that some of it might have been lost when uploading; I'll check that and try to fix it. If there are still questions, please email me via my profile.
Anyways, I'll shut up now and start the chapter.
Chapter 14: Spreading Wings
My heart was beating fast. So. The priestess loved the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh loved the priestess. But the priestess was chosen to be the High Priest's consort. And therein lay the dilemma. But how did that connect to the great duel Yami had shown me, or the memory I had first found in his mind?
And what if the priestess had betrayed the Pharaoh? What if she had only used him, knowing full well she would likely become the High Priest's consort? Was she running back to him in the first memory I saw? Or was that before she'd become the Priest's Priestess?
The memories were too few and far between for me to construct a cogent story out of. I knew too little. My only solution was to know more. Surely Kaiba, as the High Priest incarnate, would remember something. And there were many doors still left in Yami's mind. And these stone tablets might even know more.
As I left the room with the Pharaoh's tablet, I felt the strong pull of another tablet, one that urged me to view its memories. I darted through the secret rooms, looking for the elusive tablet. It was nowhere to be found. Yet still it called to me, pleading with me. I needed to see those memories, it was saying. But it would not tell me where it was.
I heard the honking of a car outside and knew Kaiba had arrived to take me away. Reluctantly, I climbed the stairs back up into the house. I picked up my small bag and walked away from the house, promising that I would find the stone tablet that called so strongly to me.
The first thing I noticed when I arrived at Kaiba's mansion was that I did not have my own room. He led me up the stairs into the master bedroom. Once there, he pointed to the door to a walk-in closet.
"Unpack your things. I took the liberty of buying you some appropriate clothes. Try some on and find something that fits well, so that we know what size you are. Dinner's usually at six-thirty." He'd gone back to being cold and aloof. In the time since the kiss in the park, he'd avoided that part of our relationship. It was, again, strictly a business marriage.
After changing, I sat down on the edge of the enormous bed. I almost tried to Channel with Yugi for comfort, but decided against it. Instead, I sat silently, gazing out the huge French doors that led to the balcony. The sky was a beautiful color, and as the minutes passed I watched the colors change as the sun prepared to set.
I wished that I could stand on the edge of the railing of the balcony and jump off, to spread my wings and soar away into the heart of the pink and orange sky.
In a few minutes Kaiba came back for me. I admitted to myself that he looked rather dashing, in his linen shirt, black slacks, and long coat. We avoided each other's gaze as he offered me his arm and led me to the dining room.
The room was large, and very cold. A fire was crackling merrily in the fireplace, but the room had the feel of an empty, unused room. The table was long and designed to fit many diners. Tonight, as with most nights, only three chairs were occupied.
Kaiba sat at the head of the table, his younger brother Mokuba and I sitting on either side of him. The multi-course meal was stiff, silent, and very uncomfortable. Mokuba tried several times to converse with Kaiba, but he refused. Mokuba looked disappointed, as if Kaiba usually did not treat him like this.
Neither of them attempted conversation with me. I think Mokuba was a little scared of me.
I failed to notice Kaiba continuously glancing in my direction, as if to appraise my comfort level.
After the extremely discomforting dinner, we went into Kaiba's study to relax. I almost laughed. I could never imagine Kaiba relaxed. I would also learn that the study was rarely used as a study; his real workplace was an office packed with computers and programming equipment adjacent to his bedroom.
Mokuba settled down with math homework as Kaiba began reading over business reports. Despite my "excellent business training," I didn't understand a word of the papers. Instead, I sat on the floor beside Mokuba and watched him struggle with geometry.
I leaned my head back against the couch, straining to make myself comfortable in this cold, distant house. A fire burned here too, but lent no warmth to our little scene. Picturesque to anyone else, torture for those involved.
Finally, I couldn't take it any longer. I stood, and was ready to excuse myself when I saw Mokuba look anxiously at his brother. He seemed to want to ask him something, but was reluctant to do so. Perhaps it was because of Kaiba's behavior at dinner.
With a sigh, I leaned over and asked what was wrong. Mokuba looked at me, surprised, and said, "I… I don't know how to do this problem…"
Kaiba looked up, and was ready to get up and help. I turned my back to him and knelt beside Mokuba, and began to explain the intricacies of the particular proof.
When I was done and Mokuba understood the problem, I politely excused myself and returned to Kaiba's bedroom.