disclaimer: don't own Yugioh or its characters.
Prince Atemu...age 14 (and a half!)
Swell, just swell. My little prank with Mahaado backfired...slightly, but enough to get me grounded out of this evening's festivities. How was I supposed to know my father would decide to be in observence at that very time!? Well, at least I got a little laugh out of it all. I mean, it was pretty hilarious when Mahaado's robe suddenly dropped, leaving him bare for all to see. I didn't know he didn't wear anything under it. Not my fault. He really needs to get some more sun in certain areas though. I must show him a place within the palace walls where he may uh, "Aten" worship as I sometimes do.
But needless to say, my father did not find it amusing. As I've said before and I'll say it again, father really needs to lighten up! It was a simple little prank and actually a pretty good combination of magic and covert combat skills. Father should be pleased that I am mastering these subjects, not punishing me for them! Anyway, regardless, I am confined to my chambers until father deems it permissible for me to exit. I will not be in any of the races tonight. Father is going to make up some excuse to cover for my absence, probably the "my son is a bit under the weather" excuse. What does that mean anyway? The weather here in Egypt is consistently the same all the time. And OF COURSE I'm 'under the weather'...we all are! That's why we get wet when it rains or our normally bronze skin gets a little darker when exposed to too much daylight. Glad I didn't say that remark to father though, I probably would've met an even worse punishment for pointing out that little fact.
Great, just a night and day away from my fifteenth birthday and I'm stuck in my chambers! Worse yet, how am I supposed to get to Asru now!? My race plan would've worked magnificantly! Wait! That gives me an idea, maybe I still CAN get into that race. Well maybe not me, but Tem might come into play again. Father often lets some of the village boys with the best horsemanship skills enter the other race after the chariots...the one man--one horse race. I can ride a horse better than anyone and under the guise of a villager, I may be able to not only break from the palace, but also see Asru along the route. I don't have a lot of time to get this plan in gear though. It's only a few hours before the festivities begin. Our 'visitors' have already arrived and are no doubt getting a nice tour of the palace or some big feast. Speaking of which, I guess I was sent to my chambers without dinner again. No wonder I can't seem to grow! I need to sneak out of my chambers now, bribe a guard out of his horse and get another peasant's robe so 'Tem' can come to life again. Oh Asru, you'd better be worth all this! I can't believe I'm doing all this stuff all in the name of seeing that village girl! I've NEVER been into asking for this much trouble in my entire life!
I will break this entry here and continue again in the next morning...IF I'm still alive to see Aten rise again.
As you may know, but continuing this entry, I did survive to see Aten rise again. Though I'm rather upset about seeing Aten rise. I WANT TO SLEEP! I've been up all night and all since early yesterday morning! But alas, this is part of my reprimand. I must remain awake all day and perform all duties expected of me today (father even added more tasks as an added 'treat' as he put it). Naturally, if this journal is read from its beginning, one would note that a reprimand/punishment is always a given when it comes to me. So why am I not a grump like I would normally be when I am sleep deprived? Simple, since I am such deep dung with father this time, I have to match wits with him just to stay ahead of the game. If I remain cheery and upbeat and show that this hasn't gotten to me, then father has not beaten me with this punishment. It'll actually rile him even more to see that what he thought was a corrective action turned out to be his own failure. It's an obvious game of control and manipulation. He controls me yet I manipulate him. He's fully aware that his control over me wanes with each passing year. I'm already considered a 'man' by age standards. In fact, if I so chose, I could even wed at this point in my life (why would I ever do such a thing though?!). And, my manipulation of father allows me to alter the scenario just enough each time to shift the odds back into my favor and get what I want. From father's exasperation, it's obvious he knows he's lost. But, he tries desparately to hang onto his last stronghold over me...to keep me a child a little while longer. Typical parental behavior actually. Probably makes them feel old once their kids are considered adults. And with my birthday less than a day away, I will turn another year older thus solidifying my 'adulthood' just that much more. Granted I don't want to consider myself an adult yet. I enjoy the carefree life of childhood, but I'm not going to let on to that fact to anyone other than myself. Is it wrong to want childhood to remain as long as possible? Too many my age desire to become adults. Are they nuts!? With adulthood comes a multitude of responsibility and expectations regardless of your status or rank. Where is that fun? Guess they've been drinking too much warm beer in those village taverns.
Anyway, it's time to backup to the events of last evening as they were quite 'eventful' to say the least. It was easy enough for me to exit my chambers (faking like one is about to vomit ALWAYS clears the way!). Once safely into another corridor, I strolled about like I was meant to be out and about. Father does not tell of personal matters such as this to the majority of occupants in this palace. Only those present in the room at the time of reprimand, if any, would know. So, I found a guard, whom I knew had a strong horse and bribed him out of it by paying a few gold pieces. Actually the amount of gold pieces he received probably amounts to a week's worth of pay so he got a week's worth of bonus money. After that matter was settled, I made my way to the kitchen storerooms. Many village boys work there where they assist in bringing out necessary food items for the current meal planned. Of course first I had to get through all the 'oohs' and 'aaahs' and stunned faces as I entered. I guess royalty doesn't pay them personal visits all that often. They are some of the hardest workers in the palace and have to do so in temperatures nearly twice that of outdoors. I must remember to frequent this place more often. I also get some yummy handouts from the kitchen maids eager to stay on us 'royals' good side. I tell them I am there just to check inventory of a certain grain storage. That gets me into the storerooms without any hassle or question. I quickly sought out a boy slightly taller than myself and traded a gold ring for the boy's cloak. He gave me a weird look. I know, the ring was worth ten times more than that grubby ol' cloak, but I'm going for disguise here.
So, with everything I needed, I donned the cloak and registered Tem for the 'commoners' horse race. Some palace employees are quite empty-headed. Even with my jewelry and crown still on underneath the cloak, they didn't recognize me. Up close, it's rather obvious. Oh well, their loss, my gain. Must remember to speak with father about some of his 'quality' workers someday.
Since mother and father were busy with our 'guests' they never bothered to have my chambers checked upon to assure I was there. Sometimes I feel guilty for all the trust they put in me and I ride over like a blowing sand grain. But, no matter, one must do what they feel they are destined to do. I feel destiny has me interacting with Asru again.
As the contestants lined up at race time, I tightened the hood of the cloak with rope so it would not fly off while the horse was at a full run thus revealing Tem to actually be Prince Atemu. It's bad enough Asru and her family know it. Don't need the entire village and palace knowing it too. When the race commenced, I shot my horse into the lead early and at a full combat charge. I wanted as large a lead as possible because I was going to make a slight detour and stop. The horse could rest then. And upon completion of my 'visit' I would call upon the horse for a full gallop back to the palace where trouble would befall me whether I win or lose. It's guaranteed you know. I can't please anyone so I may as well accept it as a destiny I've been chosen to endure. At least I can have fun as I barrel headlong into it though and hopefully accomplish something (straighten things out with Asru) at the same time.
So, at a certain race marker, I heeled my horse in preparation for the detour, but just as I was about to turn, out of the corner of my eye and totally out of the blue another horse was flying onto my position! It was a dark chestnut horse with a large white blaze and four white socks up to its hocks. Rather bizarre looking as most horses in this region are a solid color with very little markings upon them. I could not see the rider as said rider was down low behind the horse's neck in a more aerodynamic position and saving the horse precious energy at that. The inner gamer in me kicked in and I refused to break and lose my lead to this annoying oncomer! With a sharp jab to my horse's sides and a huge tug upon the reins to turn its head back towards the race course, I urged it back into a full explosive run. The horse grunted its dislike as I changed command directions upon it quickly, but obeyed. Good horse, well trained. But did I expect any less from horses in the royal guard?
Hearing the huge uproar of the crowd drowned out the sound of the closing hoofbeats. I had to constantly look behind me to see the other horse. It was gaining far faster than my horse was extending. This horse would pass me in the next block or so if I didn't try another option. I slowed my horse and allowed the other to catch up. Bump and run was my only other tactic. I knew my horse was combat trained and would not break in such a maneuver, but hopefully this other boy's horse would rattle and falter in the same situation. The biggest danger in this strategy is that both horses could tangle their legs and trip up and at this speed, both horses would break legs and be destroyed and us riders well...were at the mercy of air, gravity, and speed of impact.
All or nothing. Simplest rule in gaming and gambling. An outcome was sure though.
As the big chestnut sided by my own I realized that it was one BIG horse! It had to stand at least seventeen hands tall opposed to my horse's fifteen! It had a huge stride and mean eyes. I shifted my eyes onto the other rider's and nearly fell off my horse in the process. The other rider wasn't a boy at all but a girl! Worse yet, those eyes were VERY familiar to me. They narrowed into demonic slits as I stared into them and she seemed to recognize my own. With a loud hoot, she urged her horse into a stronger gait. Guess she is definitely still pissed at me. Maybe I should let her win and maybe that would soften her up a little? Nah, she'd rub my nose in it any time I tried to speak with her. My horse was tiring though. She had obviously lagged at the start and saved her horse for the end portions of this race while I had opened up fully to try to get distance. And to think it was she I was trying to go see! Okay, I'm pissed too now. Chatting softly into my horse's ears, I tried to beckon it on and give it reason to want to beat that other horse. Like the beast understood me. But, I knew a human two words that all stallions seem to learn early on...breeding shed. That worked as the horse had renewed vigor with the prospects of mating at the end of this race. Swell, now I have to find a mare that hasn't been bred yet and breed her to this scruffy, not the best bred stallion. Father will NOT be pleased with that.
With the palace gates in view, it was all or nothing now. Bump and run was foiled due to my stupidity when I suddenly recognized the other rider. Now it was an all out brawling run. She was only two lengths ahead of me, but I wish it was farther. My horse was eating dust and sand kicked up from the hooves of the other horse. Oh wait, it was pissing my horse off...that's a GOOD thing! My horse found yet another gear and charged forward. I barely had enough time to grab the reins a bit tighter or risk being thrown off backwards! He probably wanted the other horse to eat our dust and sand.
We matched stride-for-stride with only a block length before the gates. We continued such through the gates as we rounded towards the palace foyer where the finish was. I glanced at her just as she glanced at me. I winked and stuck my tongue out in a playful challenge. She quickly flipped me the bird before regrabbing the reins. Universal sign for 'get lost' and that's putting it nicely. I was impressed! I've never had anyone let alone a girl treat me like this! I'm getting those weird flutters and that heat rush inside me again. Oh Ra, she's such a turn on! But wait, I need to refocus, I have a race to win!
At the finish line it came down to a bob of the horses' heads and neither I nor Asru could tell who won. Too close to call, it would be pharaoh's choice. But, in honor of his (our) guests, he allowed them to make the decision. In what seemed like hours of waiting, watching father and the guests in conversation over this race, I decided to try to open a line of communication with Asru. We were stuck standing beside each other anyway. Neither of us could leave the position until the decision was final.
It went a little something like this:
"I know you're mad at me, but can we at least talk about it?" I asked softly.
"What's there to talk about?" she huffed.
"A lot!" I spat back.
"You enjoy lying don't you?"
"What?"
"You're doing it again right now. You're pretending to be a villager just so you could be in this race."
"This race? No, I didn't do it for this race. I did it so I'd have an opportunity to speak to you. I was going to detour at your place. I didn't know you were in the race too. Speaking of which, you're lying too. This race was for boys only."
"I have a good reason for doing so. I'm doing it to test one of our new breeding stallions. My father has no sons, so I must advertise our stable to the rest of the village and palace. Unlike you, my family has to continuously earn a living. Even with the palace contract, we still have expenses."
"I'm doing it for a good reason too!"
"Oh? And that is?"
"YOU!" (did I say that...I gulped...I was confessing my love to her in the middle of an argument?)
She went totally quiet and looked away. Was that a good or bad thing? I can't tell!
An official came forward to us before I could ask her. We were asked to come forward in front of the pharaoh himself. Oh great, I knew there was trouble, but now I'm really in for it. It would take the village idiot to not recognize me up close, espeically if you're the son of the king whom you're going to face. Asru seemed hesitant too. Oh that's right, she's a girl and girls weren't supposed to be in this race (a rule I argued with my father a few times before about equality of the sexes, but reached nothing more than an impasse).
As we both dragged ourselves behind the official who seemed stunned that neither of us wished to meet the pharaoh (a great honor to most!), we looked upon each other to calm our nerves and a most amazing thing started. We began to share our discomfort and giggled all the way there. I told her I'm in deeper dung than a dung beetle could ever roll in a lifetime and she said father would be embarrassed too for not properly informing the pharaoh of his daughter needing to ride in the race. I then told her I was screwed more. She said I probably was. Before the final steps to meeting the pharaoh, she agreed to meet with me again and we could talk this out. I was ecstatic! But she reminded me that it might be a while considering the reprimand I may have to endure. She's probably right there. I wasn't even supposed to leave my chambers and here I am facing father, not in said chambers and in a race that wasn't of my stature to begin with. And for what...all over a girl. He'll never understand. I want my mommy!
In closure, both Asru and I were disqualified. Asru still had a 'win' of sorts since her horse had proven itself a worthy racer, therefore a worthy breeder. I won nothing short of father's prize punishments (pun intended). Wait, I won something in my heart. I had a chance and therefore hope that Asru would accept me and not as Tem, but as the true me...Atemu, crowned prince of all of Egypt.
Next journal entry will be the day after my fifteenth birthday. PARTY ME! Father already said that my reprimand will commence AFTER my birthday. So yes, PARTY ME! As for whether or not Asru will be there...I'm not sure. I forgot to ask! Guess I'll have something to look forward to or be let down with tomorrow right?