Attara: Hello again! Please forgive me for not updating for a couple weeks. Since school started, I truly realized the meaning of junior year! I should have thought twice when I took the hardest AP course in the school…
Aria: Ha! Wuss! You're just stupid!
Attara: And…what kind of school did you get, Aria?
Aria: As a matter of fact, I had a tutor!
Attara: Mm-hmm… and how many things do you remember from this tutor?
Aria: Er… a LOT!
Attara: Well, then tell me, Aria, what did you learn from this tutor?
Aria: Well…I learned how to weave, and make headdresses, and write in hieroglyphics…
Attara: That's all?
Aria: That's all I need to know!
Attara: Then, tell me, what is a cell made up of?
Aria: That's easy, dirt!
Attara: …Good job… Well, after working through this long conversation between Aria and me, I will now give you what you've been waiting for, chapter six!
Let's see…what can I do? Devi searched her brain for a proper excuse as she threw on the malodorous hood to disguise herself. The two guards seemed to tower over the foreigners. Both of them had the same helmet, armor, spear, and shield as the previous ones, but this time, Devi could feel the supernatural power stronger than before. The other guards are probably going to run over soon, Devi realized.
"Please let us through." Devi smiled as she silently hoped that neither of them were telepaths. "The gate guards have already taken my invitation from the great king."
The two sentries glanced at one another, as if confirming something between each other.
"They aren't supposed to do that," the one on the right replied after a few moments of low chattering.
Thinking quickly, Devi shrugged and gave an attempt to express a proper level of distress. "One of them said that she was new."
After another moment of whispering and various hand gestures, both of the guards nodded and opened the frighteningly heavy door to let them pass.
Apparently, this area was the main hall. There seemed to be hundreds of doors that led to various places. One could easily get lost in the area. Devi looked at all of the doors nervously. Should I ask? She wondered. Well, I guess it's better than getting lost. Besides, I don't think that slaves are very familiar with the king's castle, anyway.
"By the way, where is the king's throne room?" Devi turned around.
"Just go straight down the corridor," one answered.
"Thank you."
Devi waited for Kaiba to go in front of her, hoping that they assumed that he was a female. In the background, she heard shouts of anger approaching quickly. Devi hastened her pace.
"Hurry up," she muttered as she was slowly catching up to the boy ahead of her. "They're coming."
Seto did not respond, but he slightly sped up.
She observed the considerably long hallway in awe. The walls and ceiling were decorated with jewels and intricate symbols concerning the history of the Craysten people. The unique designs were obviously carved by the best artists known to conscious beings. The tiled floor was extraordinarily formed as well, although not as elaborate as the walls. Each tile was made of the highest quality of marble and the spaces were filled in with pure gold. As the two approached the door, Devi noticed the complex illustrations seemed to continue onto the entrance to the throne room as well. She opened the door with a doorknob in the shape of a tiger's head, which was also in gold.
The shouts were getting louder now, and Devi could even hear the footsteps of the angry guards in the corridor.
"When you are before the king, bow to him on your knees," Devi ordered Seto. "If you don't, you will probably be beheaded."
Devi stared straight ahead and followed the red carpet leading to the monarch. Once she noticed the first step that would lead to the throne, she knelt down and kept her eyes to the floor. Devi glanced to her right and observed Kaiba emulating her movements.
"Who are you?" The king accosted in his native language, one that Devi was surprised to understand.
"I am Queen Devi of Mornedra, and this is my…friend, Seto Kaiba of Earth," Devi replied formally and carefully as she arose, but continued to glue her eyes to the ground. "I have come to ask the permission of my presence, and also one of sending for my advisor, Clef. He will be able to—"
Just then, four guards burst through the door, all of them breathless and two of them attempting to nurse their burn wounds.
They immediately grabbed the foreigners, threatening them with daggers ready to pierce their skin at the moment of resistance. Seto reacted by kicking the first person who touched him, but was then tackled by the three other guards and knocked unconscious with a club. Devi couldn't help but laugh quietly to herself as she remained docile. At the attack on his guests, the king gave a slight start, but held his tongue to hear his protectors' story.
"King Alden, we apologize for the interruption. These rogues attacked us with some sort of foreign weaponry." Here, the two victims of Devi's anger showed the ruler their injuries, and Devi noticed that their grip on her wrists tightened. "We shall take them away immediately." Her captors began to drag them back through the doors.
After a long look at Devi, Alden held up his hand.
"Stop. Leave the girl alone," he said firmly.
The woman holding Devi captive turned swiftly around.
"My king, are you sure?" She asked, completely taken aback.
His eyes narrowed. "Do you dare question my orders?"
The offended guard let go of Devi. "And the boy?" She asked in a low voice.
"Leave him in the dungeons." The king's eyes stayed on Devi, who started to make a motion to protest against the order, but then realized that she was on his turf, not hers. "Leave me." The king waved off the guards.
After a long pause of awkward silence, the ruler spoke again.
"Queen Devi?" He whispered.
"Yes?"
"Queen Devi of Mornedra. Do you not remember me, the former Crown-prince Alden of Crayste?"
"As a matter of fact, I do not."
"Look at me, my queen."
Devi nervously lifted her face to meet the king's gaze. His green eyes examined any changes that could have occurred over the years while she viewed his face for what she thought was the first time. Alden's high cheekbones created a sense of pride and stature. The king's jeweled crown lay on his black hair comfortably. His healthy, bronze skin showed great youth, and his body was covered with the finest silk in his world. His eyes were set in a resolute manner, evidently accustomed to receiving what its owner desired. A shock of familiarity penetrated Devi's senses.
"You remember me now, my queen?" He asked without any apparent emotion.
"Not very well." Devi approached the subject with caution.
The king chuckled. "I remember you very well."
"Then please enlighten me with your knowledge."
"Ah yes, I remember that biting sarcasm. We grew up in closed quarters for about three years, do you remember?"
Devi shook her head in response, allowing her black hair to move ever so slightly.
"Well, then, I will 'enlighten you with my knowledge.'" Alden chuckled once more. "My parents were the rulers of a realm similar to Mornedra, but you had declared war and claimed our land, the land of Crayste. Many people had rebelled against you, so the Sovereign Council decided to let the heir establish peace. At first, they allowed my family to rule the planet, but the Craystens seemed to abhor the fact that their government was forever changed. Crayste was given as much independence as possible without actually becoming a separate part of the realm of Mornedra, but the Craystens continued to rebel against your method of order. It seemed that the popular opinion that either you were to connect the families, or a different task that would prevent any rash decisions on your part.
"I was soon introduced to you when you were merely fourteen years old. The Council intended us to wed at the age of sixteen. The years went by so quickly. You flourished in the love that your mother had given you. The members of the Sovereign Council envied your beauty and intelligence. And then, the day of your coming of age arrived. I was to propose to you in front of the ball that was held in your honor. You had turned me down without another thought. I remember your exact words:
"'I'm sorry, my prince. I think of you only as a brother. I realize the negotiation choices, and I have deduced that there is a possible way for me to prevent making any rash decisions,' you said.
"Apparently, my parents' plan to bring us together had backfired. You had told everyone that you would give up your emotions in order to sustain a stable environment. Our wedding was canceled, but to pacify the Craystens' horror, you allowed them to be a totally separate world from Mornedra."
"I'm quite sure that I would remember those years of my life, your highness," Devi replied. "Especially one that led to a decision as important as one that would affect my life forever." Despite the importance of this information, she was surprised that she began to worry about Seto.
"Why, my queen, the main detrimental effect of the relocation of emotions is no memory whatsoever of the life before the day of the extraction."
"Oh, yes, I do recall that."
The king nodded.
"And who was the young man?" He asked without looking at Devi.
"A friend," she shrugged.
"Merely a friend and nothing more?"
"Of course not, your highness." Devi raised an eyebrow. Then, she quickly added before he could ask another personal question, "May I have him returned to me?"
He nodded. "Yes, after our little meeting."
"Will you give me the required herbs for summoning my advisor?" She asked cautiously.
"My messenger will give them to you."
Alden waved his hand lazily and a cloaked girl handed Devi a pouch. She opened it and found jars of various plants neatly placed inside. Working quickly, Devi opened each one, picked out a certain amount, and dropped it into an empty jar. Moments later, she muttered a few words, placed the formerly empty jar onto the floor, and snapped her fingers. Clef emerged in his white glow. He seemed a bit enraged to have been summoned at such a time.
"Clef, it is I, Queen Devi." Devi smiled at Clef. "Do you remember Alden?"
Clef's expression disappeared at once and glanced at the ruler of Crayste. "As a matter of fact, I do, my queen."
"Ah, Clef, you are still under Devi's rule?" The king leaned back. "It's like a reunion." He smiled slightly at his joke.
Clef nodded and turned to Devi. "Do you wish to leave, my queen?"
"No, not yet Clef. I just need King Alden to restate his story to you. I must know of its authenticity," she whispered to him.
The king repeated his tale as requested. Clef's gray eyes concentrated on every word. Once Alden had come to an end, he nodded.
"It is all true, my queen," Clef responded.
"Very well. Then, I will leave. Good-bye, your highness." Devi bowed her head.
"Please remain for a while longer, Queen Devi," pleaded the king, rising from his seat. "I must get up-to-date with the recent events of Mornedra."
Devi bit her lip and took a second to think, wondering whether or not she should be getting to Aria soon.
"All right… Clef, find Seto in the dungeons and bring him back to his mansion." Devi waved her hand to dismiss the advisor after her decision, but not before he handed her a pouch. "What must you know?" She asked her host the moment Clef left.
"How is Drena?" Apparently, Alden decided to take an indirect route to his goal.
"It has gone." Devi appeared to be unperturbed.
"I hear that Seraph was destroyed."
"That is true."
"Have you returned to Drena of late?"
"No," Devi lied automatically.
He sat back into his chair and placed his left index finger on his lips.
"Do you realize that now is your chance to regain your passion?"
"Yes, I do."
"Will you take the opportunity?"
"No."
"Please reconsider your position, my queen." He held out his hand. "We could rule Mornedra together, along with Crayste, just as my parents had planned for it."
"I fear that the marriage would not be much of a gain for the people of Mornedra." She took his hand only to be polite.
Alden trembled at her soft touch. So gentle, and yet so…dangerous. Not only could a simple signal send armies to attack his vulnerable domain, but ever since he had known her, she was trained by the greatest masters of magical battle in the known world, and it was common knowledge that she would show no mercy to anyone who provoked her. The queen's slender fingers placed a small amount of pressure in his palm as she stepped up to the throne. Sheer perfection. He didn't realize that she had been waiting for him to release her hand until quite some time after.
"I apologize, my queen." He quickly withdrew his hand.
A nervous sweat broke out of the usually complacent ruler. What is happening? Oh no…don't tell me that even after ten thousand years, I continue to… He looked into her calm face. It's true. Her deep eyes do hypnotize men.
"If you have no more questions, I shall be leaving now." Devi retreated several steps and prepared to throw some of the dust from the pouch that Clef had given her.
"No, no, please stay." He grabbed her wrist.
She felt an electric jolt run through her body and noticed that Alden felt it as well.
Devi stared at his knuckles, almost white from the strain.
"First, please remove your hand from my arm," she replied.
"I-I apologize…" the king stammered.
"No need. Why do you want me to stay?"
"Nothing, really…"
"Well, in that case—"
"I love you!"
Devi snapped her head up and forgot all formalities, and felt another shock of electricity that made her hair stand on its end.
"What did you say?" She demanded, unsure that her ears had heard correctly.
"I thought that after you lost your ability to feel, that your personality would change, that your entrancing eyes would lose its effect, but it didn't. I fell in love with you ever since I met you that year when we had been introduced. I was glad that you could not avoid the marriage at the time, but, of course, you would figure out a loophole. The day I proposed was from my heart. I love you, Queen Devi."
Devi sighed. "Your love has nothing to do with me, King Alden." She shook her head. "It is merely an infatuation with power and hypnosis. I did not ask for my position in life, but I do not reject it, either. You have so many attractive girls swarming around you everyday. Why do you not choose one of them? They are as deserving as I, my king. No, you do not love me: you love the vessel in which my spirit resides."
"No, I love you," he argued.
"Think about it, my king," she whispered. "Farewell."
Devi bowed again, and took a pinch of the powder.
"Goodbye, King Alden," she managed to say under her breath and disappeared.
"Goodbye…"
He looked down at his red, silk robes. To have everything, and yet have nothing at all. He thought bitterly. Then, a thought crossed his mind. Why was there a jolt of electricity? Was she surprised? Hm, so she must have regained her emotions. A slight smile played on his lips. I could use that to my advantage… Then, he noticed a light pitter-pattering growing in a crescendo.
"Your majesty, there's a man at the door." A guard interrupted the silence.
"Let him in." King Alden quickly resumed his staid expression.
He heard the light footsteps of the stranger approach his throne…from behind.
"Alden, I have an offer that you can't refuse…" A raspy voice drifted to the throne.
He felt the coldness of metal upon his throat.
"Do you accept?" The snaky voice hissed.
Attara: Now, who do you think is the guy with the weapon?
Aria: ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!!!!!
Attara: Okay, you just called yourself a man.
Aria: YUP!
Attara: Okay, I can see now why you needed a special tutor… As you can tell from this chapter, CRAYSTE IS IN ANOTHER DIMENSION!!! IT IS NOT ON EARTH!! I just wanted you to know that. Well, guess who the knife guy is! You can be as vague or as specific as you want! But don't just tell me that it's a bad guy, because that's pretty obvious. Well, please flame/review!
Reviewers:
Master Ruby: I like flames because I think that they're humorous, and thanks for saying that I portray Seto well! It was the hardest part of my story to figure out how Seto would react to things…
Phil: Don't worry, you'll find out what the dream refers to soon!
Penny: Angel of Darkest Dreams: Hehe, your review sounds so energetic! Once I get my AOL account unfrozen, I'll be sure to start IMing you like crazy!
Rina: Thanks!
Curtis Zidane Ziraa: I'm glad you like my story! I hope it'll still be interesting even after I drag it out for such a long time!