Oh My GOD is is FINALLY UP! PART TWO OF TIMAEUS IS FINALLY UP BEFORE THE SIXTH MONTH DEADLINE! (Angel choir) I wish i had a good excuse and could say i had the whole thing written but honestly, combination of holiday burn out, applications, writer's block, and exhaustion just did me in.

But good news i FINALLY got a Full-Time Job (angel choir) and i LOVE it! so that was another thing, at first it worked great cause I was floating a lot and got out on time and my hour lunch break was a huge help with writing but not even 2 months and i got a promotion! (angel choir) which is AWESOME! but sadly, i've been working my tale off prepping and preparing for it and have just been burnt out when i got home, so not a lot of writing time, but those hour-lunch breaks and morning walks were instrumental in just getitng through my writers block and editing, so WOOHOO!

A few quick notes: I have a new Grammar Knight: Araminthe Ispwitch (since i hate the term grammar nazi) who will be editing over the chapters of part one and fixing the name and spelling errors and also making small changes to glossary and end notes and such, which is a HUGE help for me! and i am so happy and grateful cause she loves Kemet just as much as I do :)

On that note, one of the changes is the change in Timaeus' title from Governor to Magister, and Yugi's to Magistrate. I did a lot of research on ancient titles for General, governor and such, since i called Timaeus General a lot in this, thought his official Title is Dragon Knight, but since i am determined to keep Atlantis as FAR away from Greek and Rome as possible (Atlantis the Lost Empire had the right idea) I did some research and decided to go with the idea of City States where the best title was the Roman Magistrate which came from the Latin Magister, or "Master" so Timaeus is literally Master of Locri. Since Magistrate, sounds more Feminine and thus as his consort, this will be Yugi's title, though both are essentially the same position but more on that will follow. Just wanted to clear that up since otherwise this chapter will be very confusing. I've already gone back and made the changes to previous chapters.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Takehashai, though Timaeus is based on the "actual" Timaeus of Locri by Plato. I own the plot.

Dedication: There can be only one ^^ For Araminthe Ispwitch, formally the Second Hand of Time, an old friend who loves Kemet as much as I do and worker her tail off to edit the first ten chapters of Timaeus and get this back to me to update within my week deadline! So thanks so much on! This one's all you (glomps!)

SUMMARY: in the aftermath of Kemet's civil struggle Psuennes I has become Per-a'ah of a united Kemet, the Hem-netjer have returned to Wasef's House of Amun, and to solidify the unification of Atlantis and Kemet-and to save him from a life of house arrest-former Prince Ujalah, Yugi, is whisked away from the only life and world he's ever known as the Consort and Magistrate of the natorious Timaeus, the most feared and powerful of Atlanris' Trierarch Generals. Heartbroken and torn by uncertainty and mistrust, can Timaeus and Yugi overcome their flaws and forgive eachother and bring love into their marriage? But even if he dares hope for a happy future with Timaeus, can Yugi become the Magistrate Locri needs when no one will give him a chance?

Now without further ado...

Part Two

Chapter XXIX: Crew

Yugi watched Djanet fade like a mirage on the water. More than once, its image drifted so close, he dared imagine that he could reach for it. Grasp it. Hold it in his arms and never let it go. Only to watch it vanish like smoke in his hands.

The Eye navigated slowly along the Tanitic bank and had been for the better part of the morning. Despite wepet, the branches were shallow compared to the deeper river and much more twisted and narrow. Timaeus had warned him it would be late evening by the time she reached the sea. That had been hours ago and Yugi had spent most of that time watching his former home fade away. How many times had he imagined this as a child, he wondered? Sailing down the Nile and across the endless sea on a grand ship just like this one? Exploring the many different lands outside Kemet and leaving the endless desert he'd known his whole life without a second glance?

Now all he thought of was home: he thought of the golden palace he'd grown up in and the Great House where his father held rituals and his mother danced bare-chested and draped in repet beads. Felt the cool waters of the Sacred Pools he'd swam in and watched lotuses burst through the mirror of the pond like stars through the darkness of the night. Remembered the hot desert sands and massive pylons where his brothers had chased him and he chased ibises with the promise of treats. His chest filled with a sudden, unbearable ache. By midday, his spirit felt thin and stretched, consumed by a terrible longing: the world was unfamiliar under the weight of memories.

Eventually, he knew he'd have to stop: find Timaeus who was most likely at the helm, learn what his new position entitled, and begin his education for the new life Fate had given him, and eventually accept it. For now, however, he wanted to stare at his childhood home and mourn the death of his former life. It was all he could do to keep from breaking down all over again. Cowers and snivels were for babies and he was not some simpering whelp. He was a man now, and a Prince of Kemet, and—though he was still bitter to admit it—married and soon to be the Magistrate of Locri.

With an explosive sigh, Yugi hoisted himself up and released all his frustration and grief in a single repressed breath. Djanet pleaded for one last look before the dalles spun the ship around the wide band and vanished behind a tall gorge infested with thick vegetation. Against his better will, Yugi squared his shoulders and granted its request. He watched his father's golden city—now his brother's—slip into the shadows and finally vanish behind the tall cliffs. With its disappearance, the link snapped. A sigh of exhausting relief and heartbroken disappointment exploded from his lips and with all the grief, it upended. His knees faltered and his shoulders slumped from the impact, but once all of it had left him, it brought on another emotion that had become both a foreign stranger and a comforting friend to him these last weeks: acceptance. It was a bizarre feeling: terrifyingly new yet oddly familiar, and brought an ache in his heart that was both tearful yet gentle; and then it was gone, and all that remained was the jittering complexities of excitement.

With another tranquil sigh, he spun away from the railing, grateful Timaeus had left him alone to grieve. Perhaps now he could move on and begin again. It certainly wasn't how he imagined his first trip out of Egypt, or how he imagined his… marriage. The word was still uncertain on his tongue, but he was here and he was determined to make the most of it. On his first voyage, he had been a guest on this ship: a ward under the charge of the Trierarch. Now he was the Trierarch's Consort: a second commander, a Lord, a co-Trierarch. The new title brought him little comfort.

He surveyed his new surroundings with a timid scrutiny. The upper deck that had felt claustrophobically tight just that morning now felt overwhelmingly vast. Rowing was useless in the Delta branches: Yugi estimated the whole crew was on deck and the spray of soldiers and riggers glaring at him did little to aid his scrambling stomach. He pretended not to notice them and started towards the helm with a proud nose arched high—

—And was casually thrown aside by a powerful swipe of a meaty arm. Yugi crashed into the side of the ship and barely caught himself before stumbling. The large, brawly man it belonged to didn't even stop to look at him. "Watch it, boy!" The harsh shove was followed by a harsher growl, laced with disgust and forced Aramaic. Richly tanned skin of possibly Babylonian descent, illuminated the icy blue sharpness of his small eyes, crooked nose, and tight lips. He wore both his uniform and sun-yellow hair perfectly cropped in a military style, except for two jaded sideburns.

Snickers and some taunts followed and Yugi's eyes narrowed, but he merely brushed his tunic and continued his way, ignoring the man as he went. He didn't fail to notice the crew grouping together in a small gossiping band, whispering in harsh consonantal drawls, much cruder than his native Kemetic. Glaring eyes fixated on him with no effort to conceal their dislike.

Yugi stopped and caught a sandy blond staring, his own eyes sharpening. Seeing he'd been caught, the man immediately nudged his comrades. They silenced immediately and looked away. Yugi's expression did not change and he kept walking. The trek across the ship had never been this long, but Yugi resisted the urge to quicken his pace. He refused to fuel any further gossip.

The steps to the helm came mercifully into view and Yugi expelled his relief through his nose. Then released a gasp that morphed into a scream when a sharp pain that struck his ankle sent him spiraling. He hit the deck with a loud thud; The Eye's oaken hull was boastfully strong and an explosion of laughter quickly followed.

The loudest and most obnoxious sound came from a tall, lanky youth with sun-tanned olive skin and a wild mane of black hair artfully tied into a ponytail. He stood with a swagger and threw his head back, revealing a face full of sharp angles and a proud chin that did nothing to hide his amusement. Ice green eyes glittered with malice when they looked down at him and Yugi knew in an instant that his stumble was not an accident.

Yugi gave a hearty chuckle of his own—the sheer amusement of the sound confused many to silence. Then Yugi stood and said darkly, "Was that supposed to be humorous?" he spoke, in his best and sharpest Canaanite accent. Their eyes turned to him, stunned and disappointed. They hadn't expected a response, let alone one in their common tongue. Smug, Yugi pretended to straighten his clothes, but his eyes were on the dark-haired soldier. Taking note of the arrogant way he carried himself and his position in front of a small band flocked on either side by fellow soldiers, it was evident he was no simple soldier. And nor were his fellow members.

The crowd suddenly closed in like a massive hive of bees—their dislike heightened by the contrasting pastels and bright primaries of their complexions. In the lead group, there was a boy with the palest skin and hair Yugi had ever seen, and eyes so dark they looked black. Another, who Yugi recognized as the blond he'd caught staring, possessed a tan so rich he could've been a Kemetic native if not for his contradicting sandy-colored hair and shadowy mauve eyes. The muscular man who tripped him lumbered in the back, his beady eyes so shadowed and dark, they looked gray. The rest moved forward, expressions foreboding, and formed a half-circle around their leader. They loomed over him like a mismatched forest of bizarre colors and shades, some taller than even Timaeus. He was so used to the dark browns, golds, and blacks of his native Kemet that these creatures suddenly seemed ethereal and terrible; like a child who had never seen colors was suddenly trapped in an abstract painting crafted by the giant hands of a God.

But Yugi fought down the tremble that threatened to curl his spine. Instead, he narrowed his eyes, straightened his lips, and said in his sharpest, cruelest voice, "I expected Locrian soldiers to be better trained." The words cut like glass and the crowd's proud resolve cracked: they stumbled back, stunned by the blunt attack—others sharpened their anger further. His assailant's mask in particular twisted into a scowl of rage, both at being denied his victory and at Yugi's blunt dismissal.

Yugi resisted a smirk and spun to continue on his way; driving the lesson home, he added, "I'll be sure to speak to Timaeus about that."

"Timaeus." The word was a retort so sharp and poisonous it was like a cobra bite. "Not your husband."

Yugi froze mid-step and nearly stumbled. He collected himself and retorted, "What I call the Trierarch is of no concern to you." Again, he hadn't said it, and it marred the sharpness of the command. "Now return to your post and get out of my way!"

All around him, the crew's eyes flickered bright with danger, but none more clearly than his assailant's: cheeks blotched with fury, eyes electrified with rage, and a murderous snarl twisted in his lips. Immediately, Yugi felt the instinct to flee, but his feet remained proudly rooted. He didn't see the hand that shot forward until the fingers wrapped cruelly tight around his collar. A hard slam sent him into the heavy mast. His spine cracked and his lungs constricted—all breath in his body forced out in a single painful gasp. The moment of weakness awakened all his senses and his hands instinctively clawed at his captor's, his feet kicked out in furious survival and desperate rage. An echo of cheers thundered in his ears and the soldiers crowded together in a mismatched, multi-colored forest.

"Do. Not. Tell me what to do." The angry fingers tightened their curl with each spitting hiss. At this range, Yugi could see every arch and curve of the man's handsome face. Or it would've been, if not for the hateful scowl and the arrogant rage electrifying his green eyes with all the chaotic fury of the primeval ocean. "You will never be our Magistrate. And don't pretend you're one of us either. I don't know what tricks you used to worm your way into the Trierarch's bed, but as far as I'm concerned, you're nothing but his cabin whore!"

That stung. Each word bit like a repetitive scorpion sting and the sheer volume drowned the bleeding cacophony of laughter, shouts, cheers, and slurs in suffocating silence. It hurt. To know what they thought of him. Truly thought. He'd always known it was, but rumor and reality were different beasts and one clearly had a harsher bite. A small part of him hoped that it changed, but clearly it hadn't. For a single moment, that hurt—and then it was gone. Replaced by an affronted, insulted, all-consuming outrage. One that boiled and bubbled until it could no longer be contained.

Yugi threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, so I'm his whore, am I?"

The silence of the crowd was more rewarding than any enraged scream. Feeling his assailant's shock relax his grip, Yugi freed himself with a well-aimed knee to the man's torso. His face contorted with triumph and his retorts doubly sharpened. "I wasn't the one who practically begged the Per-A'Ah and his Royal Wife for my hand, I wasn't the one who listed every possible reason as to why he should have me, and I wasn't the one who agreed to that farce of a contract signing!" They came out more bitter than he meant, but it wasn't the soldiers it was directed at. Nor was it Timaeus.

He composed himself before he spoke again. "But I accept it. I didn't choose him. He chose me! I am just as angered by this mess as all of you are, but I accept it. I'm not happy about it, but I'm not going to dwell on it either." He turned to them all with sharp eyes. "I suggest all of you do the same."

He was about to walk away when he heard another low hiss. "This… mess…" His assailant coughed a loud hiss from the floor before rising. Only then did Yugi see the mist hazing his eyes.

"Why…" That wasn't from the soldier who attacked him. It was softer, lower, and raspier. Yugi spun towards the sound, then it shouted, "Do you not realize how lucky you are?!" Yugi recognized him immediately by his long mane of white hair and impossibly pale skin. "You are nothing but a spoiled child! You don't deserve him! So why!?" He yanked at his hair and shook violently. With his long hair and blue uniform, Yugi could've mistaken him for a professional mourner. "Why would he choose you over her?!" he spat with an anger so anguished, it was unable to mask the pain.

"What's going—" Yugi's curiosity was cut off by an all-too-familiar voice that commanded all of the ship to its attention. Rhebekka stood with her hair down and in a dress that covered nearly all of her skin, her face a mask of surprise—then it twisted with rage and she pounced.

"Tartarus damn you!" She shot forward, putting herself between Yugi and the green-eyed sailor who attacked him and with a single swipe—quick and brutal—rapped him across the face like one would a disobedient dog, her wild hair blazing around her like the mane of a territorial lion. "Have you no sense? No shame?!" she hissed in a knife-edged whisper with all the harsh disappointment of a strict teacher, and a rage that rivaled the Trierarch's. "Have you no idea what you've done? Who you've wronged?!"

"He's Kemet's peace offering," the sandy-haired solider hissed, blunt and dismissive. "Nothing more, nothing less." His comrades nodded in agreement.

Yugi lunged forward before Rhebekka could stop him. He shot past the fallen soldier and shoved through the crowd with an angry swipe of his arms. The crowd parted in shock and the sandy-haired youth sat exposed before him. All arrogance was gone from his face and all snarkiness silenced.

"You know nothing, you insolent dog," Yugi snapped dangerously low and not missing a beat. "Had you, you'd never have spoken to your superiors in such a brazen manner." There was no hesitance in the plural. The words were directed at the sandy-haired boy, but loud enough for the entire crew to feel their force. Good, Yugi thought, let them be reminded of their place. He may not have chosen Timaeus' side, but it was his, regardless. "You know nothing about the Trierarch and less about me! I'm—"

He paused and waited for the brat to retreat, but instead of looking defeated or even humbled, he—and his crew—looked angrier. Suddenly, they started moving closer, circling, like he was a rogue beast they were trying to trap.

Rhebekka shot forward and he found himself behind the curtain of her blond hair, her electrified green eyes dulled to their intelligent emerald and she transfixed them with a glare so demanding and harsh, even the harshest of them flinched. Then she smiled, and they all heard why.

"He is my Consort, and she is your Quartermaster." The answer came slow, harsh, and knife-edged. Silence, interrupted only by all-too-familiar clicking of steady, metal boots, followed.

The crew's expressions dropped to desperation and fear. Like children caught stealing desserts before dinner. It brought Yugi no satisfaction when Timaeus marched past Rhebekka and himself, and caught only a glimpse of his face.

It burned his pride to admit to it, but he'd grown quite accustomed to reading Timaeus' expressions beyond their labels: the strong, honorable General who'd lay down his life to serve his King and country, the Guardian who offered him protection whether Yugi wished it or not, the Man whose boyish mischief and kind heart he caught in glimpses, and the eccentric Rogue he'd soon have to call his husband; the one whose bondage promised him a marriage fresh and filled with passions unrivaled, incisive quarrels and fights for dominance, but also gentle lulls and much desires secured—if Yugi only accepted him—and even now, set his blood aflame.

This was none of them.

This was the Trierarch.

And the Trierarch was angry.

X X X

Timaeus was furious.

Even before he caught the scene from the hull, irritation burned in his gut when first, his Watch Keeper hadn't come back, then his Navigator failed to take the helm, and finally, his Boatswain was late with the morning report. He had little patience for unpunctuality and they knew it. That anger was a festering spark compared to his rage now.

The crew's gazes dropped to their feet. Mouths once annoyingly vocal became deathly silent. Faces that once radiated with arrogance now looked like bullying children caught in the act. Timaeus should've throttled them for that alone. Even more, he wanted to throttle himself. He exhaled and cursed his own foolish tolerance. Even he never suspected his men capable of such brazen stupidity. It was a mistake he would not make again.

"Curious," he swooped into the clearing with all the grace of an eagle and the sinister intentions of a vulture. "How you all lower your eyes to me, but consider my Consort not worthy of such respect." The words rolled sickeningly sweet off his tongue. Only Yugi and Rhebekka did not fight the urge to flinch. "Curiouser, that you were all so outspoken before, but now suddenly, you're quiet?" he asked in the same sinisterly sweet tone. "Well?" His voice boomed, clear and caustic.

He marched through the crows and they wisely parted. He stopped and the whole ship felt the weight of his pause. "I could almost consider it a miscommunication…" His sharp eyes fell on Otogi still frozen on the floor, not even daring to shake. "Or a lack of discipline…" His narrow lips curled and a smile slit his face. Ice-green eyes brightened with fear. "Certainly my men are above something as insignificantly stupid as petty jealousy…" he said in a low, whispering hiss, laced with the same enthralling sweetness and harsh with bitter sarcasm.

Then he spun to them all and announced with a grand baritone, "Gentlemen, do you find my command unreasonable?" he asked in the same tone: patronizing and almost hurt. "Have I not been an affective commander? Have I not been a merciful Trierarch?" He sounded wounded by the constant disappointments, but the sharp arch of his brow and the harsh line of his mouth held no such sympathy. "I just cannot possibly fathom why my entire fleet would directly and deliberately disobey me."

"Trierarch…" Only one of them spoke: a soft, scratchy apology. Timaeus spun and landed a savage blow that landed mere inches from the sandy-haired soldier's left side so quick and sudden, he didn't even have time to scream. The world remained frozen in that position for a long moment. The rippling force of the blow in the air, the chilling bite creeping up their spines, and the sheer impact when it struck… even Yugi felt it from the other side of the hull.

Timaeus pulled his fist away and glared at the angry indent left in The Eye's tough oaken rail. "Did I give you permission to speak, Malik?" he commanded, harsh and biting. The pale Shipwright didn't even try and stop his shaking.

"I could almost blame a lack of discipline." Timaeus shook his head condescendingly. Then he turned to the rest of the ringleaders of this little scuffle—his expression dark and his eyes burning. "Which, as my boatswain, would be your domain. Correct, Otogi?"

The green-eyed soldier straightened under Timaeus' scrutinizing gaze. Timaeus' cruel smile glittered with murderous delight, vaguely mimicking a serpent teasing, releasing its meal just before it bore its fangs. Without breaking his stride, Timaeus dropped and delivered a sharp kick to the man's calves in a single spin that left him standing. Otogi reeled with a scream and hit the hull with a thud so loud, it echoed. Pride forced him back up, but his reward was a heavy step on his ribs. The sound he released was a strangled morph of a hiss and a cry.

"Which means I've clearly been too lenient with you," Timaeus said with far more weight than the casual scolding his tone implied. There was no mercy in his eyes. He removed his foot and stepped over the fallen soldier and directed his gaze skyward. The following silence was more dreadful than the harshest scolding.

"Raphael?" he said without turning to face the man. The deadly dysphemism was enough to make the broad man, a good foot taller than the Trierarch, flinch. He wisely said nothing.

"When I asked you if anything on the deck demanded my attention, why did you lie to me?" Timaeus still didn't look at him.

Spotlighted, the man froze. His only response was jumbled intakes of air. "There was…nothing of immediate importance," he finally answered, but lacked any confidence.

Timaeus shot like a green flash. The strike hit Raphael just under the ribs with such force that his eyes popped and air exploded out of him. The blow was so fast no one remembered seeing it. Raphael doubled over in a voiceless scream.

Timaeus' face contorted in a murderous glare, and he shouted, "You did not think my crew harassing my consort was of immediate importance?! Was worthy of my knowledge?! Are you not my Watch Keeper? Are you not responsible for the safety of everyone on my ship? And you have the audacity to judge what is important enough to warrant my attention!?"

The Watch Keeper's only rebuttal was a wet, choking gasp.

Timaeus looked away with a disgusted snort. His gaze then fixated on the pale-haired boy, the only tormentor still left unscratched. "Even, you, Ryou." He shook his head in disgust. "My own navigator."

The pale boy said nothing; the harsh, disappointed glare from his Trierarch was all it took to send him shaking to his knees.

"I thought I had chosen men I could trust," Timaeus started through the crowd of soldiers, the way opening with his immediate step. "Men I thought could stand at my side, and yet…" His hand curled around the hilt of his sword. His voice dangerously lowered. "Not once," he drew it so fast, the crew scrambled to avoid its bite. "Not twice." He slashed it through the air. A scream followed, leaving only a trail of small hairs and fabric pieces in its wake.

"But thrice you have displeased me! THRICE! Was Rex and Haga's warning not enough? Was your shame on the shores of Kemet not enough?! And yet you continue to shame yourselves and your Trierarch!" The words crackled like a raging fire. Then his eyes were shadowed and his voice turned dark. "Have I not made it clear what is to become of those who dishonor me?"

The entire ship dropped to its knees—low, full-body bows that begged for clemency and silently prayed for forgiveness.

Yugi felt a dark satisfaction at the scene. He dared to look up and saw in Timaeus, not the Trierarch, but hollowed victory and torn bitterness. He recognized the Emerald warrior who saved him the day they'd met. Whose honor was uncompromised and whose justice was harsh, even if it tore his heart to pieces to carry it out. This was his Shadow.

Immediately, Yugi understood why these men respect him: it wasn't just his honor, or the fierceness of his tongue or the sharpness of his blade—it was also a pure, ruthless strength that Yugi could never hope to match.

"Now then," Timaeus sheathed his sword. "Since it seems all of you gentlemen are in need of a fresh lesson, you can all spend the rest of the evening swabbing the decks. I will be attending to my spouse, and I want my entire ship spotless when I get back. Let this be a lesson to those stupid enough to disobey me. Any further offenders will spend the rest of the journey home in the brigs, and anyone stupid enough to commit a third transgression…" A sinister smile slit his face and an impish gleam electrified his green eye, and reflected an eerie, devilish glow in the red slit of his left. "Well, he can just swim to Atlantis with a nice pair of shackles around his feet."

He let the threat linger, then spun, gaze shifting past Rhebekka and settling on Yugi. He paused, spotlighted and unprepared for it, but then his eyes hardened with no hint of apology. There was no anger in Timaeus' eyes. With an amused shake of the head, he sighed, "What am I to do with you?"

"Rhebekka," he asked the Quartermaster, but his eyes were on Yugi. "Take my husband back to our chambers. I'll deal with him shortly. Then you are to take the helm until further notice, since my Sailing Master seems preoccupied," he said, fixating his harsh stare on Ryou.

Yugi stared at him, shocked. His mouth was open, ready to protest, but Rhebekka clasped his hands and silenced him with a quick, charming, "Of course!" It was said with a guileful curtsey and all the charm of a favored servant. Yugi scowled, but she took Yugi's arm and tugged him back to the forecastle before he could protest.

"Oh, and before I forget," she stopped suddenly and paused sweetly. "You gentlemen best be extra careful on the journey home. It seems I was unable to restock the poppy…" she explained just as sweet, but with a sinister smile that Timaeus swore was fanged. "So there is nothing to dull the pain." With that, she tugged a reluctant Yugi away.

Timaeus watched them leave. He waited until Rhebekka had Yugi safely behind closed doors before turning back to his men. They remained bowing, waiting for an official dismissal. He entered the throng with slow steps, then settled on his Second, Third and Fourth Mates. Ryou was still shaking, but it wasn't from fear.

"You have something to say to me, Sailing Master?" The command was in no way rhetoric. "Well? Speak! What about my command offends you so?"

Spotlighted by the address, he watched Ryou pause to gather his thoughts. He didn't meet Timaeus' eye, but his voice rang with pained confusion. "Please, Trierarch. We meant no disrespect towards you or her, but… that boy…" From the restrained way he said it, it was clear Ryou had another title in mind for him.

"That boy is my consort, and as of now, your Magistrate," Timaeus snapped, but restrained his anger enough to let him continue.

Ryou flinched under the words, but when the Trierarch did not elaborate further, he continued. "None of us understand…why him? Why would you resign yourself to a political union when…?" Ryou stopped and corrected his question. "Why him when she has been waiting?"

"Is that what this nonsense was about?" Their heads shot up. His disgruntled annoyance clearly wasn't the answer they expected. Or wanted. "I thought I trained you better than to humor the mindless stupidity of petty rumors." He shook his head. "The fact that I have to repeat myself on the issue is nothing less but staggering." He straightened and their heads dropped once more. He cared nothing for their pained looks of devastation. Nor did he have any desire to tap-dance around their egos. "Banish those foolish thoughts from your minds, men. His Majesty will never disinherit our Princess, nor would I allow him to. Locri is the only place I will ever claim. Remember that and don't ever let me hear such nonsense again."

It wasn't what they meant. The worst was, he knew it. He knew exactly how they all hoped—prayed—that he would become their king. He knew it, and yet, he'd said nothing of it. Refused to even humor the idea and spare their blind faith and the absolute certainty of their egos. He hadn't even said her name and that cut was deeper than all the rest.

"Whether you gentlemen approve of my choice is irrelevant. The fact that you think you have any opinion on my personal decisions is nothing short of arrogance, and I will have none of it," Timaeus snapped. "Yugi is my consort now, and as such, he will be granted the same rank and respect given to the Quartermaster and myself. I expect you all to be on your best behavior."

With that ruthless promise, he was gone.

One annoyance about having a story that takes place in the past is it really limits who you can and cannot use for secondary roles in a story ^^' Especially when it comes to Timaeus' crew since those guys were going to be, well, jerks for much of the beginning but evolve as they go. So I REALLY had to think about who I could and couldn't use, and it didn't help I already had roles lined up for four of my fav cast members. So after a LOT of research and a lot of headaches I finally narrowed it down. I also did a LOT of research on ship roles an rankings including merchant ships, modern and ancient naval ships and pirate ships so I broke down the MAIN roles (and was a tad mad at myself to realize I have Rhebekka three of them: quartermaster, surgeon and Cook, and was kinda kicking myself for adding another character I have plans for since it would've screwed up continuity, but after I finally manage to narrow it down, so here's some clarification:

Glossary of Ship Terms:

Order of Rank on Ship: Trierarch (Captain) Quartermaster (First Mate) Sailing Master (Second Mate) Boatswain Watch Keeper (Third Mate)* Shipwright

Sailing Master — Ship's navigator and in charge of sailing the ship, directing the ship's course, and looking after the captain's maps and navigational equipment, often times the one steering the ship from the helm. Third-in-command under the Quartermaster (Ryou)

Boatswain — Officer in charge of the ship's maintenance and supplies; responsible for inspecting ships, sailings, riggings equipment, distributing ship's rations on long trips, and tallying the amount of cargo and supplies and reporting back to captain. Supervises and responsible for rigging of the ship each morning and in charge of all deck activities including handling sails and anchor. Fourth-in-command on Merchant ships, but the one the crew answers to after the Quartermaster and Trierarch (Otogi)

Watch Keeper — Ships' Safety officer and look-out and responsible for the safety of all the crew members and officers on board the ship and responsible for all of the ships safety and emergency equipment, also acts as peacekeeper on ship. Head of Ship's Watch and organizes watch patrols at night and chooses who will stand watch. Fifth-in-command under Quartermaster and Boatswain. *Usually Watch Keeper is Fourth-in command but depending on the rank and ship this changes, on a merchant ship their rank is under the boatswain. (Raphael)

Shipwright — Ship's carpenter, traditionally someone who designs, build and repairs ships, but in this case also the ship's carpenter responsible for repairing any and all damage done to a ship while it's at sea so it can continue to sail. Responsible for all woodwork on ship: hull, mast(s) spars etc. Though a very important officer, Shipwrights didn't necessarily have a rank but serves directly under Boatswain (Malik)

Note on Travel times: I did a LOT of research for this for accuracy purposes. You have NO idea how hard it was trying to estimate and get the accurate river lengths from 3000 years and factoring in water depths, silt deposits etc. etc. Especially because the modern Tanitic branch has silted over in Egypt but I estimated the distance from Djanet (now Tanis) to Lake Manzala (Tanis Lake in the past which I, OF COURSE, didn't find out about until AFTER I finished part one (twitch)) is about the same (in other words, Tanitic river is the same width as Lake Manzala, by my estimate about 32 miles (51.5 km and 27.8 nautical miles.)

Little recap: the Atlantian ships are loosely based off Spanish Galleons in structure but their make, supplies and such are based on ancient ships so I based their speed on Spanish Galleons which travel as a speed of 8 nautical miles (9 mph) max. Thus, it would take approximately 7 hours to go from Djanet to the Mediterranean Sea using The Eye of Timaeus however, factoring rigging time, sail time the time it takes to leave the harbor and that they'll be going slower to maneuver the twists and turns of the river, and an average speed of 6 knots, and since the wind and current aren't factors since Lower Egypt is all downhill and flows Northward, and The Eye was the last to leave, I estimate the trip to the ocean will take the better part of a full day (phew!) No idea how long it's gonna take once they hit open ocean though, the Mediterranean being mostly landlocked screws up the wind and current direction so I definitely need to research to keep it accurate but my best estimation is even with rowing, and the wind on their side it would still take The Eye twenty days to a month of travel (which worked for me since I originally intended to give the trip two weeks in Kemet time (a week being ten days) to give Timaeus and Yugi time to work through their issues before arriving so, works out for me either way, but you know how I am with accuracy so no promises.

Grammar Knight's Additional Note/s:

Tanitic bank/branch/river – one of the seven distributaries/rivers that split off from the Nile Delta. No longer existing today.

wepet – Ancient Egyptian culture was closely tied to the Nile River, and it appears their New Year corresponded with its annual flood. The Egyptian New Year was predicted when Sirius—the brightest star in the night sky—first became visible after a 70-day absence, which typically occurred in mid-July just before the annual inundation of the Nile River, which helped ensure that farmlands remained fertile for the coming year. Egyptians celebrated this new beginning with a festival known as "Wepet Renpet", which means "opening of the year." The New Year was seen as a time of rebirth and rejuvenation, and it was honored with feasts and special religious rites.

dalles - the rapids of a river that runs between the steep precipices of a gorge or narrow valley.

Next Time: The Eye of Timaeus has ser sail. Yugi's new life is off to a rocky start. H and Rhebekka exchange some words and Yugi learns some surprising new twists about what that role entitles. And Timaeus shares some thoughts about his new consort...

NEXT UPDATE: Updates will be bi-weekly until further notice (due to creative and time constraints) but will hopefully return to weekly updates by the end of July. Also updates will be on Saturday since it seems to be the day that works best for everyone, so next update will be Saturday July 10th.

HAPPY 4TH! As always, read, review, comment, critique, ask questions and go nuts!