disclaimer: don't own Yugioh or its characters.
Prince Atemu...age 15
Today...studied 27 scrolls of political and military processes. Shovelled three heaps of dung into piles as tall as I. Which is worse? I still cannot answer that. Why was I even counting exactly how many scrolls I memorized and recited? At this point I really think breathing in that pungent smell of dung and urine is getting to my brain. I've taken four baths in a single day and still I smell like crap! I've used the finest, strongest smelling perfumes and oils upon myself and I still can smell the crap through it. Akunadin and Seto continuously laugh at my expense and plug their noses as if I had been skunked! Actually, that is weird in its own way. I don't think I had ever heard Akunadin laugh or even smile in my entire life until now. Oh Ra, this is really bad! Save me from this damnable smell of crap! Father laughs too. Apparently he knew what he was doing all along. I'd take a hundred lashings upon my ass over this punishment! Yes, it is THAT bad! I must remember to raise the pay scale of stable boys when I become king. Those poor boys have their entire lives to spend smelling like crap. At least my ordeal is only temporary.
On a good note is...I see Asru daily. But 'see' is the key word. She won't go too near me either. She giggles and either winks or blows me a kiss, but refuses to come near enough to speak to me. I've had to yell a greeting just so I could hear her yell it back. I think Asru thinks it's cute and giggles her way back to whatever duties she attends to. She's become rather giggly as of late. I wonder what it is about me that is so funny? I'm certainly not laughing, but if it makes her happy and smile, then fine, I'll go along with it...to a point. I do have my own pride and dignity to protect afterall.
So why do horses crap so much? Don't they have anything better to do than munch on hays and grasses and crap out the other end on a continuous basis? What god found it amusing to create a beast that does this? Though I must admit, horse dung...if allowed to bake in the searing heat for a few hours does form a nice clay if not allowed to dry out. I whacked a dung ball at Seto's ass the other day. I just couldn't take his smirking and mocking any longer! I figured since I smell like crap, I may as well bring some back with me now and then...if only to let 'certain' people know when they are out of line and being disrespectful to me. Naturally though, it's only directed at Seto. Damn smirk-happy, cocky bastard! I told him since he acts like such an ass, he may as well smell like one too. I know he's going to rat on me to father about the whole crap flying incident. Crap does fly well too. I threw it from a distance and one floor above so it did gather speed. It whacked his ass solidly. I wonder if he has a welt there now? I still don't feel satisfied however. I crave the need to compete against him on a routine basis. Is this a good or bad thing? What will it mean when I become pharaoh and he's my high priest...second in command under myself? Will we be able to work as a team? These questions constantly haunt me and resurface every time I see one of those dang smirks upon his face!
Father challenged me to a duel today as well. (Notice they are keeping my daily schedules fuller now? Guess that's a tactic to keep me from pondering other things to do in my 'spare' time). Now there's one way of drawing crowds or finding out how quickly news spreads within the palace walls (and outside as well). It was meant as a friendly 'practice' duel for me, but it drew a crowd that swelled beyond the entrances of the throne room! Father's monsters are indeed very powerful, but still the gods elude him. I wonder if the gods will respond to me when I become pharaoh? Shimon said something about their legend that the god monsters will only respond to the 'chosen one.' Father isn't this chose one as he cannot summon them. Deep down, when I gaze upon their stone tablet icons upon the wall I feel an inner stirring, like they're calling out to me. I say nothing of this to anyone, except I have within this journal now. I do not know what any of it means, but I'm drawn to them as if they're beckoning me onward. Anyway, onto the duel. I only wish Asru was there as I gave father a royal thrashing! I had anticipated every move father made and countered appropriately. At the same time I hit him hard and strong, preventing any chance of him gaining an offense or defense for that matter. I should have bet father prior to this duel. If I won, my punishment should be reduced. But, he may not have gone for that. To this day, since I first started dueling, I have never lost a single duel. And evenmoreso, father has challenged me several times before and the result has always been the same with me as victor. Why father wanted to duel me in public with all watching while being aware of this is beyond me. Or is it he wanted to rub in some form of fatherly pride for his son who excells at this form of protecting the nation? Evenso, I wish he would've waited until I stopped smelling like the crap I shovel in the stables.
And even now, as I ponder the meaning of crap again, my thoughts return to Asru. In the fleeting moments I have around her, all the crap I shovel seems meaningful. She brings me a light meal for breaks...some bread, beer, and usually a slice of melon or a sprig of grapes. It's not much, but if I eat until I feel full, then the physical labor could become dangerous. During my brief breaks, she sat beside me as I ate and we shared in friendly conversation. I cannot remember what we talked about. She and I could chat as if we were siblings...nonstop, endless chatter about subjects so numerous I cannot recollect them here. But she and I are growing closer with each passing day. I am completely comfortable with her and she is slowly but surely doing the same. My royal status is beginning to fade off her as she watches me sweat and shovel the putrid smelling droppings of the horses. She's beginning to realize that I'm as human as she is and without my title, we equals. At times when she suddenly realizes that I am the crowned prince of Egypt, I try to tell her that just moments before she remembered that, I was nothing more than a mere stableboy...a fellow worker, and most of all a friend. I even showed her a cut I had received just prior to one of our little breaks together. I proved to her that I bleed red just as she and every other egyptian does. I'm as human as she...not some elevated god-like being. I don't know how long it will take, but I will, somehow convince her that the title I bear is merely a job title just as hers is, just as my current 'title' is stableboy.
It was a very eventful day. I even assisted in a foaling. The first time I'd ever witnessed a birth of any living creature. I must say, while everyone says the event is such a beautiful thing, they neglect to mention how gross it is as well. Blood, fluids, and other gunk that another stablehand referred to as afterbirth comes out along with that 'bundle of joy.' I also have renewed respect for what females go through when birthing. How something that large goes through 'that' area of their body is baffling and seems downright impossible! Father once told me that it would be analogous to us males trying to crap out a watermelon. I can't envision that either. I'll simply rule it as a trick and cruelty of the gods. I mean, couldn't they create a better or easier birthing process? The creation process is easy enough...lock and key concept...everything pretty much fits with little effort and MUCH pleasure, or so I'm told. I've been lessoned in the 'birds and the bees.' Though the birds and bees methods of conception are nothing like that of humans and other higher animal forms. I am growing ever more curious about the whole act though. It haunts my dreams at times. I think my body knows more about it than my brain does and is feeding my mind with ideas and concepts to entice it into acting upon them. Which leads my thoughts back to Asru and the night of my birthday again. If father hadn't interrupted at that time, where would we have gone? What were we leading up to? Would we have 'done the deed' as mother refers it to? Do I have the guts to go that far with her? If so, would it change what we have now? Am I any good at it? Why am I even pondering all this? She's not even my 'girlfriend' and already I'm thinking of things beyond that step! Granted, according to father and some of the priests, my status gives me right to whatever or whomever I desire, but I cannot accept that. It just doesn't seem proper to have such power over fellow human beings. As I told father, if destiny has such a play in our lives, then how can we manipulate it by using our status to force something or someone to our whims? If it's meant to be, it will happen without our manipulation. Events or actions will lead to others that all fall nicely into place and lead to a certain direction. That is destiny. Nobody forces anything...it all just falls into place. Mother says that is the best description of love. I told her I was describing destiny though. What is it with women?! They will forever be an enigma in their behaviors and thinking manners.
But again, during the birthing, Asru spoke to me.
"Isn't it beautiful?" she said.
"Beautiful? Blood? Bodily fluids? Pain?"
"Not that silly, the bringing out of a new life into this world!"
So women see beyond all that detail of the physical act of birth? "But all that is coming out with that new life." I tease. I want to see her squirm and realize that there is indeed some gross stuff there as well. Most girls can't stand gross stuff.
"No different than having to take a crap. All things do that too you know."
I couldn't respond! She stunned me with her response! Since when did girls talk about taking craps!? Asru is definitely one of a kind. I simply gave her an awkward smile then turned my attention back towards the mare as she gave a whinny and what was just legs became an entire little horse with one final push. The whole thing came and then some came squirting and sliding out. The sounds of it all made me want to upheave the lunch I ate earlier. I can handle gross stuff, but even I have my limits. Asru seemed totally fine though. Okay, there was no way I was going to heave then. I will not allow a girl to surpass me in the tolerance of gross things.
On a lighter, less gross note...
My punishment is ending soon. Just a couple more days of this and I will be free to well...cause more trouble I suppose. Even when I don't try, I end up in it so I'll just take it as an inevitable given. One must make mistakes if one is to learn anything afterall. How else am I going to learn my limits, test the waters, and challenge myself if I don't endeaver in whatever perks my curiousity at any given time right? Though once again my thoughts turn to Asru...guess whatever it is I do once my punishment is complete will have something to do with her. Yet another enigma with females...here I am serving punishment because I wanted to see her. I'm about to finish said punishment only to find my freedom and probably cause another punishment because I want to do the same thing that started the first punishment! Perhaps this is one mistake I can't learn from? Perhaps it isn't a mistake at all and is meant to be? How much trouble must I endure to prove myself to this girl!? Does she really care for me or is this all one humorous game for her to see the royal prince in such predicaments? Great...now that I've pondered that I must find out the answer for sure. But how am I going to get her to reveal how she feels towards me?
Well, Shimon just entered my chambers and has plopped another countless number of scrolls upon my table. Guess this means I must end this entry now as another one of my lessons is about to begin.
tbc...