Tornado: Hey people! I was surprised that I got a review. Thank you, Shadowgoddess4.
DT: Tornado doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but she does own Sheatana and the BEBD [blue-eyes black dragon]
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Even at dawn the palace was bustling. Servants were running from here to there, and bowing to Sheatana as she passed the stressed people. Her guards had been dismissed first thing when she woke up, just like every other day. She wondered why they continued to stand proudly when she woke instead of leaving, as they would do when she dismissed them. She had a hint of suspicion that Seth had something to do with this.
She entered the dining hall with her head held high, and strode to her seat with elegant strides. Her brother nodded to her, acknowledging her presence, but did not require her to bow as everyone else was. Seth arrived in much the same manner a few moments later, seating himself on Yami's right side, across from Sheatana. Their eyes met for an instant, both sets shouting to the other of their episode the night before. The priest's eyes were mischievous and bright. Sheatana new that he had enjoyed himself thoroughly. A satisfied feeling crept inside of her, turning her chilled morning into a desert day.
"Yami, is everything set for today?" Sheatana asked her brother.
"Yes, Sheatana, and don't drive this one away. The last one was perfectly acceptable, but you just had to give him a good look into your dark side, which you don't have."
"Yami, his eyes refused to stay above my chest. What was I supposed to do, allow him to take advantage of me like I was some toy?"
"You overreacted. He was a teenage guy, they are a bit insecure."
Sheatana rolled her eyes, and directed her gaze to Seth. Yami stared at the two, knowing that they were good friends, and possibly lovers. Sheatana flickered her eyes at her chest, and then pushed her breasts up with her hands. Seth and Yami both laughed. Sheatana always had a remark for everything. She was the light of the palace in dreary times. They had once had a drought, and Sheatana had simply said, "Well, now my paint won't run when I go onto the rooftop to think."
"Sheatana, I think you need to accept the fact that you have a great personality and you are gorgeous, making you a prime target for men and their fantasies," Seth said.
Yami nodded his head in agreement. Sheatana listened to Seth on just about everything, except men. She trusted her own judgment better than his. Nobody could tell her anything about men.
Loud trumpeting could be heard through the thick, stonewalls. Sheatana's head dropped, and she fell silent. The two men before her knew that she didn't want to do this, but they could do nothing about it at the moment. They grabbed her arms, and pulled her into the throne room before their visitor arrived inside of the immense fortress. Seth handed the princess a crown that had sapphires set into it, placing it on her head gently. He kissed her cheek quickly before shooing her to her throne. Yami caught the gesture, but thought nothing of it. Seth had been his sister's guardian since the boy had entered the palace, and had been like a second brother to her. Little did he know, that their relationship had gone deeper than friends.
The wood doors flung open to reveal ten men standing in the doorway. Sheatana and Yami rose from their stone thrones with their heads held high and their shoulders set back slightly. Though the princess was much taller than the pharaoh, Yami lacked no intimidation. His crimson eyes and his spiky, tri-colored hair set a forbidding air around him, yet the princess was fiercer than her brother. Her once kind blue eyes had frozen over, and her lips that had been once slacked into a smile were now tightly pressed into a thin line. Her flowing black hair created a striking contrast to her pastel skin. The high priest also faced the door, but was more welcoming than the two rulers on their thrones.
A timid boy came before them, bowing as he did. When he rose, he shared the news that he bared.
"My pharaoh and princess, may I present to you the King of Arabia, King Mogador, and his son, Prince Aladdin."
Two figures that were adorned in silk and gold came forward and bowed to the rulers, who bowed in return. The Egyptians descended from their perches to the ground. Sheatana's intense eyes traced the men before her. With a note of disgust she noticed that the prince was already eyeing her body. She signaled for him to stop by stabbing him with her eyes. His eyes traveled back to her face, and stared straight into the blazing depths of the princess's. He retreated from her gaze, allowing Sheatana to glance at the priest, who had seen the whole thing. He was also glaring daggers at the prince, but soon turned his attention to the two heads' conversation. Sheatana followed the suit.
"I am so glad that you have chosen my son to marry your sister, Pharaoh Yami."
"Well, there had to be someone to do it, so I thought I might as well dump her on you," Yami joked.
The king laughed heartily with his son. Seth commenced in his forced laugh that he always did when Yami cracked a joke about Sheatana that was less than amusing. Sheatana became infuriated by her smaller brother's words, but a look form the priest silenced her body, not touching her eyes.
"This must be Sheatana," the king said. "It is a pleasure to meet such a beautiful being."
Sheatana smiled graciously, silently praying to Ra that they would just leave her alone. "Thank you, your highness."
"I must agree with my father, you are an incredible creation," the prince informed.
Yami looked pleased, but Seth had stiffened considerably. His shoulders refused to move as he breathed, and his jaw was clamped tight, forcing a retort down his throat. He choked on it, causing him to cough. The other occupants stared at him, especially Yami, who now saw his tense shoulders and clenched jaw.
"Sorry, my pharaoh," the priest murmured.
"Are you all right, Seth?" the pharaoh asked.
"Yes, pharaoh, I'm fine."
"Okay," the pharaoh said turning back to the foreign rulers.
Seth tilted his head to the floor, shielding his face from view. Sheatana glided over to his side, and whispered in his ear, "I know how you feel."
"I know you do," he said quietly before looking into her face.
Her blue eyes were no longer iced and her lips played into a smile, causing the priest to do the same. The two stared at each other for the longest time until Yami interrupted them.
"Seth, why don't you inform the cooks to make hearty meals, and do bring extra wine?" the pharaoh asked.
"Right away, my pharaoh," he said bowing. "Princess," he said bowing to her as well. "Hold your tongue," he whispered into her ear before leaving, never glancing back.
Sheatana felt alone suddenly. His sudden departure had left her with on one to send her evil looks at. She would make sure that did not say anything to upset the foreigners.
"Sheatana," the pharaoh said, drawing her attention back. "Will you please show the prince around the palace? The king and I have some things to discuss."
"Of course, my brother," she answered, bowing.
The girl motioned for the prince to follow her, which he did willingly. They were to the doors when the priest slipped through them himself. He quickly bowed to the princess, who motioned for him to rise immediately.
"She'll produce fine children, that one," Sheatana heard the king say.
Out of fury, she swept out the door, leaving Seth alone to deal with the king's remarks.
"This of course is the welcoming hall," the girl said once they were outside of the throne room. "The room that we were just in was the throne room."
"Do show me more," the prince said moving closer to the princess.
"This way please," she replied smoothly.
The prince glanced at her legs. Her navy silk skirt was two strips of long, wide material that covered the front and the back of her lower body, leaving her light legs exposed. He quickly trotted to keep up with the gliding girl. It was obvious that the princess had roamed these passageways many times.
"These are the servants quarters," she informed him, motioning gracefully with her hand.
"The slaves bunks, you mean."
She abruptly stopped, and turned to the prince behind her.
"They are not slaves, they are servants. Would you like to see their quarters? I am sure they would happy to show you their living areas."
The girl did not wait for his answer, but instead strode right in. The prince followed, and was amazed at the sight that awaited him.
The floor was a white marble that glistened in the sunlight. The vast windows were draped in white cotton. Several servants had been surprised by the sudden intrusion, and began to bow before Sheatana injected, "There is no need for you to bow."
The prince was taken aback by her words, and even more by the quality that the servants housed in. Sheatana was freely mingling with them, and they talked to her like she was one of them. She soon became engaged in a game of chess with a small girl that had challenged her. The princess willingly accepted, and was currently allowing the girl to win. Two of the maids took out brushes, and began to brush the princess's hair.
"That's not necessary," the princess said.
"I am sorry your highness. It's just your hair is so beautiful," one of the maids replied, blushing slightly.
"What's your name?"
"Mahyra."
"Mahyra? Pretty name. You're new here, correct?"
"Correct, your highness."
"Mahyra, you may do whatever you like with my hair. It's annoying my with my strands always falling in my face."
"Yes, your highness," the maid said in a stunned voice.
The princess turned back to her chess game with the small girl, who won in the next few turns.
"I can't believe that I won!" the small child cried. "You played well, your highness."
"I don't know what is wrong with me. Usually Yami can't beat me. Maybe I was distracted, or maybe I found someone who is better than me?"
The small girl blushed a shade of scarlet. She was not accustomed to receiving such compliments from her superiors.
"I dub you champion chess player, but don't say too loud that you beat me. I have a reputation to sustain as well," the princess said with a wink.
"I never beat you," the girl said, pulling her fingers across her lips.
"As a token of my defeat, I give you this," the princess replied removing one of her sapphire rings, and handing it to the girl. "This the only record of our game."
"Thank you, your highness," the girl said bowing.
"Don't mention it, literally. If anybody asks you where you got it, tell him or her that I would like to speak with him or her. Unless it's the pharaoh or the high priest, than just tell them that you beat me."
"I will," the small girl said hugging the princess.
Some of the maids gasped, but the princess embraced the child as well. This action caused the prince to gasp. Never before had he seen a ruler who treated their servants like their equals. It was almost sad to see such a beauty do this. The maid doing the princess's hair soon finished, and she handed her a gold plate to check her reflection in. The front strands had been braided, and tied back into a crown-like band, while the rest of it flowed loosely behind her. The princess really liked the style; it gave her a regal look.
"Mahyra," the princess said quietly.
"What is it, my princess? Don't you like the style?"
"What is that you do right now?"
"I an your food servant. I fetch you food whenever you would like."
"Mahyra, I want you to be in my chamber at dawn each morning to do this to my hair, and if you are not there I will send for you. Are we understood?"
"You like it?"
"It solves my problem with obscured vision, but it still allows my hair to flow freely."
"I will be there, your highness."
"Good. I hate to bid goodbye, but I must go. Thank you for a wonderful time. Don't forget Mahyra, dawn."
The servants bowed as she glided out of the room, taking the prince with her. She had visited the quarters many times before, and each time had the same result. She would leave feeling significantly cheerier, and at least one or two jewelry pieces lighter.
"How can you treat your slaves like that? That gives them the idea that you are equals!" the prince cried.
"We are equals. They are human beings, just like you and me. We are not superior to them by physical means, but statuary means. I treat them with respect because our country relies on them a great deal."
"It will lead them to a revolt! They know you have a soft spot for them."
"Are you most likely to hate someone that is nice to you or someone that is mean to you?" Sheatana asked, her voice remaining calm.
The prince shut his mouth. Sheatana had a point, and he knew it. He was with a girl that had a logical reason for everything that she did. The thought of it made her all the more attractive for the spot as his wife. She was not only beautiful, but smart as a whip as well.
They soon made a full circuit of the palace, and were back in the welcoming hall. Sheatana stared around the hall for a couple of moments. She heard footsteps; one set was that of a grown man, and the other belonged to a small child. Their steps soon became a thundering run, and a squeal was released into the air. Sheatana turned in time to see the small girl from the servants quarters rush into the hall soon followed by the high priest, who soon caught the small girl and scoped her up into his arms.
"I told you I'd catch you," he said.
"Never will I surrender!" the small girl cried.
"Oh yeah…" the priest said before tickling her.
The girl squealed, causing several servants to look at the scene that lay before them. They soon smiled, and returned to work. The prince noticed this, and looked at Sheatana for some explanation, but she was smiling as the pair in front of her.
"I give, I give," the girl said between laughs.
"Good," Seth said as he put her down. "Next time you run out of a lesson, I'm not going to stop."
"Awe, Seth, that's torture," the princess informed him.
"Princess Sheatana," the two said before bowing. "I did not see you."
"Figured as much with your blind eyes."
"What because of their coloring?"
"Of course!"
"The pot calls the kettle black."
"We must have the only blue eyes in Egypt."
"Why is that?" the small girl asked.
"Who knows," the two replied.
"You have a lesson to finish," the priest said.
"Do I have to? For once it's not hot outside."
"I'll tell you what. You finish the lesson, and I'll take you outside. Deal?"
"With your white skin? You'll burn in an instant!"
Both the priest and the princess laughed. The girl realized that they both had the same pale skin.
"Actually, this is as dark as it gets. How about, princess?"
"He won't burn. He was out in the desert for five years during his pilgrimage, and came back whiter than he left. Trust me, he won't burn."
"All right. It's a deal," the girl said.
"You are a priestess in training?" the princess inquired.
"Yes," the girl said heavily.
"Why so young?" the princess asked Seth.
"She has incredible magic abilities. That's what the pharaoh told me, at least."
"What's your name?"
"Salera."
"Cool. Did she tell you? She beat me in chess!"
"No, I didn't hear that. Congratulations, I've been trying to beat her since I was thirteen."
"Really?"
"Really. Come on, let's go finish this."
The two walked back to the training area. Sheatana watched the priest with keen eyes. He'll make a good father, she thought.
"I need to get some fresh air," the prince said.
"Let me find Yami, and we'll go out in the desert for a ride."
"With your white skin? You'll burn in an instant!"
She glared at him. It had been different when Salera had said it because there was logic to her reasoning, but Sheatana made it clear that she did not appreciate the joke.
"You did not say anything when that slave girl said it," the prince stated hostilely.
"Don't call them slaves. They are servants."
The pair strode into the throne room to find Yami and the king talking. They abruptly stopped, and Yami was the first to speak, "Where do you want to go this time?"
"For a ride in the desert."
"Sheatana, you must take…"
"No guards," she cut him off. "I'm tired of guards. If they want to go trough the trouble of trying to kill me, than can kill me."
"I wish I felt the same way about my prince," the Arabic king said. "But he is my heir to the throne."
"What if Seth went with you?" Yami asked.
"No."
"You leave me no choice Sheatana, there will be guards, and that's final."
"We'll see how close they get to me."
"Sheatana," Yami warned.
"Yami, every time I ride, I ride the same horse: the black stallion. You cannot get with in fifteen feet of that horse with another horse. Except the white mare that is."
"They'll stay a bit behind, but they're there."
"See you later, Yami," the princess replied as she strode out of the room, followed by the prince.
The stables were not crowded with servants as the palace was. There were five stable hands and twenty-nine horses, soon to be thirty-four. Sheatana waltzed in, and many horses stuck out their heads to greet the new comers. The prince seemed at ease as the strolled thought the stable area. The pair stepped out into the sunlight to be greeted by the strangest sight. Seth was set on top of a large, white horse. The horse's bridle was made of gold and blue rope, and there was no saddle upon its back. Seth smiled gently at them as they walked up to the horse.
"I should have known that you would go out today. You can't go a whole week without riding," Seth said.
"What about you?"
"Touché."
"Where's Salera?"
"Right here, your highness."
Sheatana turned around to see the small girl astride the smallest horse the stables had. Its coat was a brilliant shade of auburn with midnight mane, tail and legs. The horse shook its small head before setting it again. Sheatana turned back to the priest.
"I should let you go. Tyre looks ready," she said as the white beauty stomped its hoof impatiently.
"Have fun on Bucephelus," he said before galloping off to be followed by Salera.
"Who's Bucephelus?" the prince asked.
"Follow me."
Sheatana lead the prince to a large paddock, where a magnificent black horse stood in the center. The moment he laid eyes on the approaching pair, the horse tossed its mighty head, and reared, sending a scream through the air. The prince backed away from the gate, while Sheatana climbed the tall fence. The horse charged at her, but slid to a stop a few inches from her. It extended its long neck, and rested its head on her shoulder.
Sheatana walked to the fence, and pulled a gold and blue rope bridle from a hook, slipping over the horse's mighty head. One of the stable hands came out of the stable, and hurried to the forbidden pasture.
"Princess Sheatana," the man said bowing. "I did not know you were coming out today."
"Could you please find a horse suitable for Prince Aladdin?"
"Right away, your highness. Please, come with me, your excellence."
The prince followed hesitantly, and Sheatana mounted the moment he left. She turned the horse to the far end of the pasture, and gave it a good nudge. It galloped ahead, clearing the fence as it ran. She wheeled the horse to a stop, and patiently waited for her tag-along to come out. A few moments later, the prince came from the stable astride a sand and alabaster horse, and the two took off running. One was not able to keep up with the other.
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Tornado: Can anybody tell me whose horse Bucephelus was? *glares at Yami*
Yami: What are you looking at me for?
Tornado: You lived in ancient Egypt.
Yami: What's that got to do with anything?
Tornado: Never mind.
DT: It's getting there, the story will be getting more interesting as the fic drags on.
Tornado: Please don't judge this just yet. My writing takes a long time to get good. I've read to many Tom Clancy novels.
DT: For anybody that doesn't know who Tom Clancy is he this writer that has these books as thick as dictionaries.
Tornado: I promise that everything in the beginning will come into play later. R&R.