Finally! The chapter you've all been waiting for~ Sorry for the minor delay, but I was so anxious for the scene that I couldn't write it! However, I'm sure you're all excited for Atem's appearance. I know I sure am! I spent quite some time trying to get this chapter down as perfect as I could get it. Truly, I think it's amazing and you all will be blown away by their meeting. However, you're not going to like me at the end of this.

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, and for your understanding of the previous chapters. It really does mean a lot!

Enjoy!

Secrets Underground

Chapter 19

Hours later, most chores within the palace were finally completed. The sun was creeping its way to the middle of the sky, and without mercy she burned hotly upon the people that started to arrive.

I watched from behind a large pillar by the throne room's entrance as they entered. From their appearance it was clear to me that they were all nobles of some fashion. Men and women alike were decorated with gold and the finest linen, their feet protected from the hot stone floor by eloquently made slippers. They travelled in groups wearing more or less the same expression I had on my face when I first saw the grand hallway. Their mouths were agape and their eyes flickered back and forth across the walls and ceilings with wide, astonished smiles sitting on their faces. Even the children looked around animatedly, skipping across the floor and touching the pillars with amazement before the parent could pull them away.

That was roughly over an hour ago. Now I stood hidden in the back corner of the throne room, listening to the murmurs that echoed around the wide space with my arms crossed and back braced against the wall. The throne room was already filled with people of different statuses, all of them gathered around and awaiting the arrival of the Pharaoh and his Priests to begin the ceremony.

"When are they going to start?" Merimose complained beside me, and on his tiptoes he tried to peer over the crowd to see the front of the room. With no luck he pouted and gave up, turning to Ramose and began pulling on the man's tunic impatiently.

"Father, it has been so long already. I want to see the Pharaoh."

Ramose broke away from his conversation with Senisonbe and looked over at Merimose. Seeing him upset, Ramose sighed and just patted the boy's head with a little, tired smile.

"Soon. Just be patient," Ramose assured, but Merimose was not convinced. He crossed his arms and walked over to stand next to me, sulking greatly as he stared at the colourful base of the large pillar before us. Shaking my head, I shot him an amused grin.

Merimose had spent all day thinking that he would not get to see the rituals because a few boys told him that his family was not of a high enough class to attend. He believed their words given that they worked within the palace, and thus knowing more about the customs than he did.

It saddened him immensely, especially since he was excited to see the festival for the first time. But, that didn't stop him. He retold what the boy's said to Ramose, and Ramose was forced to confirm it with the other servants on Merimose's behest. Luckily for us, the servants explained that we were in fact able to go. The entire kingdom obviously wasn't able to see it up close, but the servants within the palace had the opportunity due to the fact that they helped with the preparations.

Upon hearing the explanation, Merimose was beyond happy.

I had to be proud of him. Thanks to his insistence, we were able to be here and witness the festival as well. Ramose was ready to return home and just relax, which leaving gave me stress, so it was good that Merimose kept pleading with him. I was now able to see the Pharaoh, and the Prince. I was sure of it. There was no way the Prince would not attend his father's Sed ceremony. If he didn't show up it would be disgraceful for the Pharaoh, so the Prince had to be there. It was his responsibility, and the royals were not casual on such a thing.

Watching the crowd from between the shadows- a perfect spot for me because I was hidden from all of the wandering eyes to spare myself their horrified reactions- I noted the rise of exasperation within the crowd as well. It was now noon and the Pharaoh was nowhere to be seen as yet. There were a lot of rituals to go through, so I couldn't help but wonder if there would be enough time for it all to take place.

The Sed Festival was aimed to renewing the reigning King's power. After thirty years of holding the throne, it was believed that his power had depleted and would therefore cause the country to grow weak. They needed to re-strengthen the Pharaoh's power, so all of these rituals had to be done. It was the Ancient Egyptian's way of burying the old King and giving birth to a new, stronger King.

To take up even more time, during the ceremony they would have a re-enactment of the unification of Egypt. The founder of the first dynasty, the one who unified Lower and Upper Egypt according to many, was a man called Narmer. Who actually unified Egypt was still a hot topic among Egyptologists because another person, Menes, is also identified with Narmer. Some say that Narmer and Menes was the same person. Others say that Menes inherited the already unified Egypt from Narmer, while another group believes that Narmer began the unification and Menes completed it. Whoever they were, Narmer and or Menes unified the country and that was why their accomplishment had to be celebrated and remembered.

Along with that there were certain temple rituals and offerings that had to be made, and this was made clear on a mural that was being preserved in the Sun Temple in Abu-Ghurab, about six miles south of Cairo. The Pharaoh would present offerings to the Gods, and then he would be seated and crowned on a raised platform with two thrones. Those thrones represented Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. The deities beside those thrones was the cobra goddess Wadjet and the vulture goddess Nekhbet, symbols of Upper and Lower Egypt. Afterwards the Priests would carry the statues of the gods and present to them offerings, -food and fine clothing- while giving thanks for the god's loyalty and praying for good relationships in the future.

The Pharaoh would later be given a short kilt to wear with a bull's tail in the back. He would perform the ritual race alongside the Apis Bull four times as the ruler of Lower Egypt, wearing the Red Crown, and another four times as the ruler of Upper Egypt, wearing the White Crown. This race took place outside, mostly next to the shrines, and it was bounded by two points to symbolize the borders of Egypt. This act would reinforce his rule over the whole Kingdom while also proving that he was still physically capable of ruling the country, therefore rejuvenating himself and being reborn. He would then be carried first as the King of Lower Egypt to the Chapel of Horus where he would receive the crook and the flail, and then be carried again, this time as the King of Upper Egypt, to the two chapels: "Horus of Edfu" and "Seth of Ombos" where he would be given a bow and arrow to fire in each of the four directions.

All of these rituals would conclude the ceremony, that is, if they didn't also include an equally important ritual that started during the beginning of the twelfth or maybe as early as the sixth dynasty. It was called the "Raising the Djed Pillar", and it represented Osiris's triumph over Set. The pillar would stand on a shrine, and with the help of the Priests, the King would raise a wood djed column using ropes. Offerings were made before it, and another re-enactment was performed, this time of the story of Osiris and Isis, telling the tale of how Set threw Osiris into the Nile and how Isis searched for him. A poem of Isis's search was also sometimes added to the ceremony.

Overall though, the raising of the pillar was important because it played a role in Isis finding Osiris. When Osiris was cast into the Nile, he was eventually carried over to a shore next to a tree. The tree began to grow quickly. The King of where Osiris's coffin was taken to grew intrigued with the tree's growth and ordered it to be cut down where he then installed it as a pillar in his palace. When Isis went to serve that King by taking care of his young son, the King gifted her the pillar where she then found the coffin of Osiris hidden inside.

Looking at my feet, I sighed to myself and groaned internally as I heard the grumbling in my stomach. After not eating since we arrived so early in the morning, I was absolutely famished. I really needed food, and quite honestly the emptiness inside was becoming a bother. It felt as if there was nothing but air in there, and I was starting to feel a bit woozy. I paced in the little corner, feeling the tight sensation of my stomach clenching. Now was not the time for me to start feeling ill.

I was just about ready to slide down the wall and sit on the ground for a little while to make myself feel better when all of a sudden a hushed silence fell over the room.

"Timaeus, they're here, they're here," Merimose whispered excitedly to me, and in a split second my mind switched gears. The sour look disappeared from my face and the hunger was immediately forgotten as I stood up straight and tried to peer over the crowd's head. I didn't get very far. I gritted my teeth, agitation rising when I saw nothing but swaying heads and large bodies that blocked my view completely.

"I can't see them," I muttered, and turning to Merimose I saw him wearing a similar expression. Utter anger and distaste sat on his features as he tried to see the entryway with all of the people in the way.

I turned my head back around and tried once more. I could hear the swish of clothing and the click-clack of their footsteps across the floor through the deafening quietness. My heart jumped with excitement as the sound got closer and closer, and as soon as it reached the entrance, everyone dropped to their knees to pay their respects to their living god.

Like a fool I remained standing. I couldn't turn my eyes away in fear of missing the opportunity, but as soon as I saw the white linen of one of the Priests, my hand was grabbed and I was yanked downwards. Surprise took over me so I spun my head around, only to see that it was Merimose. He was looking at me with wide, questioning eyes that wondered as to what I was doing. I said nothing to him. Instead, I sneakily returned my gaze forward and moved closer to the pillar where I stuck my head around it to get a better look.

Now that I was able to see clearly since all of the heads were bowed, it didn't take me long to recognise the three Priests I caught immediate sight of. Walking towards the throne on the side closest to me was Priest Aknadin with Priest Set just behind him, and the woman taking third. As they greeted their subjects silently, the other three Priests on the opposite side doing the same, my breath hitched when I saw the one walking between them was none other than the great Pharaoh himself. My heart felt as if it was going to pop out of my chest, and I forced back an odd squeal of delight.

The man was donned in a long white tunic, wearing the traditional headdress of the Pharaoh with a long purple dyed shawl over his shoulders- the ends falling infront of him. He walked gracefully, looking at his subjects who refused to meet his gaze with a stern but unusually soft face.

My hands trembled the more I looked, and unable to keep calm my eyes dropped to the floor, wide and out of focus. I couldn't even explain what came over me. My mind just refused to process the scene happening infront of me. After such a long wait I was so happy that I didn't know what to do with myself. But, I gathered some courage and control over my mind to look up again. When I did… I caught him.

Black hair tipped with blood red walked in through the doors, his steps as silent as a skilled thief in the night.

My mind didn't even have the time to register the image because it was at that second when everyone rose to their feet once again, blocking him completely from view. He was there, like a flash of light shooting across my eyes before disappearing once again.

My heart jolted when he vanished from my sight, and without thinking I stood and started to move forward hurriedly. My body went cold as I desperately scanned the crowd for that multi-coloured hair. I was now completely in the light, at risk of being seen if someone was to turn around, but somehow that was not my concern. My hands were sweating and I gulped shakily as I started to push my way through the equally stunned crowd, when all of a sudden I was grabbed tightly around the arm once more.

I spun around, my mind screaming at whoever was pulling me away from my goal, only for my panic-stricken rage to quickly die when I saw Ramose eyeing me with worry and fear. Slowly he drew me back towards the shadows, and my feet followed unwillingly.

It felt as if something inside of me had snapped. My body was shaking and my heart was doing funny rhythms and my mind was telling my feet to break out into a run and see the Prince before he was gone, but Ramose held me firmly. His warning gaze refused to look away from mine as he pulled me all the way back into the safety of the corner, and even then he didn't let go. He continued to stare at me intently, his face firm and serious which reminded me instantly of the day we first met.

"What is wrong with you, Timaeus?" he finally asked, his voice low. I could feel my mouth trying to make words, but none came out. I looked at him helplessly, but after a moment my eyes inevitably returned to the throne area as if I was a newborn baby drawn to light.

I could see the Pharaoh and his Priest walking up the little steps to the top of the platform soundlessly through an opening between the people, but with one movement that too was blocked. All I caught was a snip of the Pharaoh taking a seat on his throne, the Priests splitting up into two groups of threes to stand on each side of him.

"Timaeus!" Ramose called again, and with a little gasp I looked at him, his voice breaking me out of whatever it was I had fallen in. He still didn't let me go. In fact, his grip tightened.

"I thought we talked about this. Have you forgotten? If you go there now people will panic and things will get out of control. It isn't a good idea to get any closer. Snap out of it," Ramose scolded, and my attention was taken to the spot beside me after hearing Merimose's soft voice.

"Timaeus…" he said, and he held on to my tunic, looking at me with eyes that swam with a vast amount of questions as well.

Seeing him and hearing him call my name in such a worried manner shattered the constricting feeling my heart caused. I swallowed deeply and exhaled through my nose, awareness of what I had just almost done filling me with regret. I wrapped my fingers around Merimose's hand that found mine, and I sighed with defeat and sadness.

"Meri," I trailed off, and feeling a wedge in my throat I turned back to Ramose and flashed him a sorrowful look.

"I'm very, very sorry, Ramose. I… I don't know what came over me. I will stay out of sight, I promise. I don't know how I could've been so stupid..."

Ramose said nothing. He just observed me carefully for a short moment longer before eventually letting go. My arm dropped back to my side as he heaved a big sigh, and his hand came up to rest on my shoulder comfortingly. My eyes returned to him.

"It's alright. Just, try not to get so excited next time. You really gave me a scare just now," he explained, and I frowned.

"I'm really, really sorry."

"It's okay. But do something like that again and I may not forgive you as easily," and giving me a weary smile, he patted my back and returned to Senisonbe.

I was happy that he wasn't angry with me, but the more the realisation sank in, the heavier the weight of regret started to feel. I felt like curling up and crying out of frustration. Instead, I clenched my teeth together and backed up against the wall, sliding down to the floor slowly to wallow alone. There was nothing I could do. The Nameless Pharaoh was just a few steps away from me and I couldn't even see him because if I got too close, my appearance would cause me trouble like none ever before. If Ramose hadn't stopped me I don't know what I would have done once people started turning their attention to me instead of the Pharaoh. So, what was I to do now? Was there really anything I could do?

I sniffed, wanting nothing more than to hide when I heard that I was actually on the verge of crying. I just couldn't believe my luck. I was so close. So close. After such a long time of waiting for this moment I was ready to grasp it in my hands, and yet… It felt as if I was being toyed with. This had to all be just a big joke of some kind where Shadi was the only one laughing. I scowled, and dropped my head on to my knees.

In the distance I could hear a voice speaking loudly to the people. It sounded like Priest Set, but I could hardly make out the words he was saying. With my head tucked between my knees everything just sounded muffled, but I figured that he was probably just addressing the crowd of the festival and all that was to entail. Humph. Was there an end to my horrible days? Here I was at the Sed festival I would dream about seeing and now that I was here my heart didn't feel whole enough to enjoy it. Just what was wrong with me? In the end I had put all my time and effort into this. Was I really going to let one drawback stop me now?

"Timaeus."

Hearing Merimose's voice, I pulled my gaze away from the ground and glanced up at him. He sat down beside me flat on the floor, legs stretched out infront of him and with his arms in his lap. He observed me carefully, eyes unwavering.

"What's wrong, Timaeus?" he asked quietly, and I sighed in response. The boy was too attentive for his own good. He had a habit of figuring out just what a person was feeling. How was I supposed to explain this predicament of mine to him?

"Nothing, Merimose," I said, but that answer caused him to shoot me a glare.

"No, something's wrong. I can see that you're upset and you've started to act strangely. Tell me what's going on," he demanded, and seeing the strong look, I turned away from him to stare at the dark wall. There was no sensible answer that I could give him.

Silence loomed between us as the ceremony continued. Priest Set continued to talk, and in the distance I could hear the arrival of bells of some sort. The silence didn't last long. Merimose spoke again, his voice still and straightforward, void of all emotion.

"Do you really want to see the Prince that badly?"

The question had me spinning my head back towards him, my eyes as wide as saucers.

"H-How did you know?" I asked before I could stop myself, and Merimose raised his head from the ground to look me in the eye.

"You think I didn't notice?" he started, and I held my breath anxiously as he went on to explain, each word sending my mind into a frenzy. "I was oblivious to it when you arrived at our home, but the more time I spent with you the more I started to see it. You're not here for what you say you're here for."

My insides ran cold and I forced back a gulp that was stuck in my throat. I couldn't even breathe properly. Did he really figure it out? And if so, what was I to say to him?! There was no easy way to explain about being from thousands of years into the future where people were digging up the tombs and palaces and homes and everything that was now buried under heaps of sand over the years.

"Merimose…"

"Don't explain, Timaeus. I understand," he insisted, and hearing that had me pulling my thoughts that scrambled with horror to a full stop.

"What do you understand?" I whispered fearfully, still not sure what he was getting at, and I watched nervously as a grin started to creep its way on to his face.

"You're staying here and doing all of this just so you could see the resemblance you have to the Prince yourself!"

"What?" I blinked, utterly taken aback.

"I saw it. Ever since that day we met Mana and she spoke to you about the Prince, this fascinated look appeared on your face. At first I shrugged it off thinking that it was mere curiosity because you said you wanted to learn more about our country, but then when you heard Ameneman speak ill of him you got this really sad and confused expression. That got me thinking that there could be more to it, and I started putting all of those times the Prince came up together. You looked so thrilled when Mana told you that the Prince loved games, and that he played with all good players. But, not only that. Anything to do with him and the palace intrigues you and I could see you holding back your questions. I understand why you may not want to ask others, but c'mon. You shouldn't have hid it from me! I thought we were friends," Merimose chattered excitedly, and he latched on to my arm, a wide smile on his face and his eyes alight with mischief and curiosity. All I could do was look at him with shock and confliction.

First of all, did I really show all of those expressions on the outside without realising it? And if Merimose caught it, did that mean more people knew of my interest? Of course, Merimose didn't know the real reason I wanted to know about the Prince and the palace, but it was close enough to leave me completely flabbergasted.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me that you just wanted to meet the Prince and see him for yourself. I'm sure with Mana's help we could have found a way…" Merimose continued to say to himself, only to suddenly snap his head back in my direction.

"If you're serious about seeing the Prince, I'll figure something out. I'll ask my father. He would know something," he went on, and without hesitating he swiftly got to his feet.

"Merimose, wait a moment!" I called after him, standing as well, and my hands went to my head as he ran off towards Ramose. "Oh no…"

I groaned and paced nervously as Ramose looked down at the boy. Merimose spoke quickly, tugging on Ramose's arm as he did so excitedly. I didn't know if it was a curse or a blessing that I couldn't hear what he was saying to him, but seeing Ramose look around the room brought me even more worries, especially when he stopped a servant girl who was dashing off back down the hall with some unused bowls. She replied to them as well after a moment of thought before continuing on her way, and I saw Ramose give Merimose a warning look before the boy broke out into another grin, returning to my side with a little skip in his step.

"Merimose, what did you do? What did you tell your father? It's just a misunderstanding. I don't want-" I began, completely freaked out as I grabbed him, but Merimose chuckled and stopped me midsentence yet again.

"Don't worry, Timaeus."

"Merimose! Stop! You're not getting me at all! I- I don't want to meet the Prince," not right now anyways. "I just want to see him. That's it. Oh… what have I done?!" I fretted, but the smile didn't leave Merimose's face. He stopped my pacing and flicked my arm, grabbing my attention once more.

"If you don't want to meet the Prince yet, then it's fine. You can just see him. No need to go up to him right away. Besides, I didn't plan that far ahead since speaking to him would be a slight problem and especially when father promised to spank me if I dared to do such a thing…" and once more the boy ranted off to himself.

"Merimose," I said again, the exasperation rising as I tried to stop him from talking so much, only to stop when realisation smacked into me like a ton of bricks. I turned to Merimose and grabbed him by the shoulders, my heart racing.

"You know where the Prince is?" I exclaimed, and I strained my ears to hear his answer as the sound of drums and tambourines rang through the room. I looked up, taking notice of the wide smiles and the people that made a semicircle around a group that was performing in the middle. The Pharaoh and Priests watched on contently, but I had no time for that. I looked at Merimose as he thought to himself with a little, childish hum before he answered.

"Yes. The maid told us she saw him next to the platform, surrounded by the guards," Merimose explained, and a hopeful, relieved smile spread across my face after hearing that.

"Really?" I said, and when he bobbed his head I couldn't help but actually ponder on the thought. I needed to see the Prince today. The chances of me seeing him after the festival were very, very slim.

"You know, I can help you look for him. We can look for him together! I want to see him too, you know," Merimose said, but I pulled myself out of my thoughts and shook my head frantically as he brought the second offer up.

"Merimose, you know I can't go within the crowd," I reminded, but he wasn't listening. He lifted a finger to stop me, and I was forced to watch as he reached into the small bag he had over his shoulder to pull out a long, folded cloth. My eyebrows furrowed as I recognized the familiar cream coloured embroidery designed on the edges.

"Isn't that your mother's shawl?" I asked, and Merimose nodded.

"Yes, you can use this to hide yourself," and without waiting for my say so he took the shawl and wrapped it around my head, folding it across my shoulders. I eyed him, my face frozen with surprise. "This way we'll be able to go see him together. Don't worry."

I studied the boy as hard as I could. Determination burned within his eyes, and seeing his will so strong, I ended up taking his hand in mine tightly while securing the shawl over my head. Quickly I glanced at Ramose to see him watching the crowd while speaking to two of the men who were with us earlier. As for Senisonbe's whereabouts, I saw that she was with a few girls, talking and looking at the play with interest. I brought my eyes up to Merimose's to see his own ones calling for adventure.

"Okay, Merimose. I'll let you come with me," I said slowly, and I pressed a hand against Merimose's mouth as the boy yelped with joy.

"Sorry, sorry," he contended, and I let out a sigh.

"Just remember to stay close to me. I don't want to lose you within this crowd," I explained, and the boy nodded furiously.

"Understood."

With the shawl covering my hair, there was no need for me to hide any longer. I stepped into the crowd with as much confidence as I could muster, looking around anxiously. With Merimose at my side, holding my tunic tightly so that we didn't get separated, we pushed our way past the elbows and shoulders quickly before Ramose could see us leave. I was going against him, but atleast I would be able to explain that no one saw me, even if it was too late to change what I've done. A part of me hoped to return before we were noticed though, but that was making a tall order. I would just have to try my best and not get into trouble for no good reason.

"Are we almost at the front?" Merimose grunted, and I looked at him urgently when I suddenly heard him yelp. He glanced up at me, rubbing his nose after bumping into someone's arm, a little pout on his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah. How much longer?" he wondered, and once more he tried to peer over the crowd.

"Not long," I responded, and I gave a quick glance at the platform where the Priests continued to address the crowd, their voices practically lost to me above the noise.

Due to the amount of people, we knew moving through them would be difficult. That was why I took Merimose and led him towards one end of the room. There were less people to bump into and more places to walk. Not to mention it gave us easy access to the edge of the platform where I could see the royal procession of guards gathered tightly, standing off to the side. My heart pounded as I held Merimose's hand, and I rushed forward, dying to lay eyes upon the Prince at last.

"We're close, Meri," I called, and the boy grinned, skidding to a stop at the edge of the crowd as I did.

We were standing right next to the guards, and under the direct gazes of the Priests. I tightened the shawl under my face, trying to look as casual as possible. Merimose was beyond happy, jumping slightly with excitement by my side.

"Where is he?" Merimose asked, and I pulled my eyes away from Priest Set's calculating gaze that traveled across the room to stare down at the boy.

"He should be right there, no?" I asked, and peering through the guards, my excitement slowly began to vanish. The guards were standing close, as if trying to protect someone between them. But there was one problem. They wasn't anyone there for them to guard! My eyes widened as I scanned all around them. How could that even be possible? The Prince had to be around somewhere. All of those guards couldn't possibly be for just the Pharaoh and his Priests.

"I don't see him," Merimose groaned, and I searched along the shadows, trying to see if I had missed a spot. In the end, I saw no one. A frown weighed heavily on my face.

"I don't either," I replied emptily, and Merimose's face dropped.

"He must have escaped from them," the boy muttered, and I turned my gaze towards him.

"How did you come up with that?" I asked, only to stop when I was reminded of his keen eyesight.

"Look at the guards," he started. "They're fidgeting. You can see the sweat dripping off of their faces. Plus, surely you've noticed the way Priest Set is looking at the crowd, and then shooting the guards an angry glare. I reminds me of the time father and I went to his friend's house and I did something he told me not to do. Because we were in public he couldn't scold me right then, so he would just stare at me harshly. I did get a beating when I got home, but the point is that Priest Set can't yell at the guards because of the ceremony. Therefore, to sum the entire situation up… the guards lost the Prince and Priest Set found out."

My eyes widened as I started to put two and two together. What Merimose said was true. The guards looked just about ready to pee themselves, and two others slowly returned to them from the crowd, looking absolutely helpless. They shook their heads, and all stared at Priest Set who shot them fiery gazes secretly. Even Priest Mahad took notice, but was pushing the issue away, trying to not let the problem remove his attention from the ceremony.

"So, the Prince is hiding somewhere in the crowd," I murmured to myself, and Merimose nodded proudly.

"That has to be it," he affirmed, and he looked at me. "It looks like we'll have to search the crowd for him. We can split up to cover more ground."

I nodded, and came to a screeching halt once more with startling realisation.

"What?! Merimose, there's no way we're splitting up!" I exclaimed, and the boy looked at me, blinking innocently.

"Why not? I want to help you! And I'm not going to take no for an answer. I really want to see the Prince too. Besides, we're already this far. We can't turn back now. We would just be wasting time."

He was right, unfortunately. There wasn't a lot of time and I hated myself as the idea actually started to stir in my mind. But, once Merimose had set his mind on something, there was no stopping him. He had figured so much out on his own too and he was ready to plunge in without question to help me see the Prince. I should stop him. I know I should exclude him for his own safety and figure it out myself in case anything went wrong, but I couldn't see anything going wrong with the plan. This was my one chance to see the Prince as well, so I couldn't afford to lose it over a little gamble that it all might just be in vain.

"Okay, fine. We'll go according to your plan. But, you need to be careful. When you see the Prince, don't speak to him or even go up to him. Just find me and tell me right away," I warned, and Merimose agreed firmly.

"Got it, Timaeus. You can count on me," he assured, and gathering my resolve, I nodded.

"Good," and shooting each other another strong look, we split up. I watched as Merimose took the left side of the room, thus leaving me with the right side. I didn't hesitate to get my legs moving.

Scanning the crowd, I saw no immediate sign of the Prince up at the front. There were many people in the way even if things seemed to have calmed down. The re-enactment was over, and turning back to the platform I saw the Pharaoh standing, receiving a bowl of food that was handed to him by the priest that had the golden scale before turning around. He was no doubt going to offer it to the gods, and afterwards he would be crowned. Alongside him I noticed another man, and my eyes widened and I stopped mid-step when he greatly resembled my grandfather. But that was impossible. Grandpa was back in the present time. This was surely just another coincidence.

My eyes trailed along the walls and pillars apprehensively, peering into the shadows to see if I could spot the Prince hidden there somewhere.

In the end, I saw no sign of him. I traveled all around my half of the room and still I couldn't see him anywhere. Biting my lip and scowling to myself, I looked over to the other end of the room, hoping that Merimose had gotten some luck. However, my mind repeatedly told me that there was no point searching within the crowd. It advised me to just stick to the walls and the spots that could hide a person since I was looking for a Prince that didn't want to be found. But, that too was seemingly pointless. I scanned the walls several times already.

My head was starting to spin as the voices and the crowded space seemed to get even louder and tighter. My hands wrapped around the end of the shawl, and feeling the frustration and my quickly depleting patience, I decided to find Merimose and tell him that we jumped into this without thinking properly. There had to be an easier way because frankly finding him was like finding a toy soldier in a haystack.

I wriggled my way to the middle of the room, hearing the grunts and complaints some made as I scurried by them. The shawl was so silky it was slipping off my head, so I had to hold on to it with both hands which only created more issues for me. Everything about our plan was falling apart, and regret was this time making a permanent spot within me.

"Merimose," I called, reaching the other side, and looking back to the platform I caught the end of the offerings towards Nekhbet and Wadjet, the crowd breaking out into a loud cheer as the Priests stood from their crouched positions before the statues. My voice was inevitably lost between the waves, but I pressed my lips together, calling out to him once more.

"Merimose!" I shouted, and just then a dark feeling started to grow within me. The sensation caused me to stop in my tracks, making others bump into me as they headed towards the back. I apologised feverishly to them, but they stormed away with a huff, disappearing within the crowd in seconds. I gulped.

My worry was starting to increase tenfold as the moments ticked on. As it did, I noticed that the room was slowly starting to empty itself, therefore giving me more room to move and making it easier for me to find my targets. Though, the reason as to why everyone was leaving remained on my mind. I stopped and looked around for the cause only to notice that it was because of the Pharaoh. He was now leaving for the chapels to continue with the outdoor rituals. I would have loved to see the Pharaoh race, but I needed to find Merimose. Even though I was feeling better as the amount of people in the room diminished, I reminded myself that this was the end of the search. Ramose would surely be looking for us by now, so we had to get going.

Sighing, my momentary ease didn't last long at all because as soon as I turned to scan the crowd carefully, I heard my name being called from the other end of the room excitedly.

"Timaeus!"

It was Merimose's voice, so obviously my head spun around to look in his direction. As soon as I laid eyes on him though I watched with horror as he was flung to the ground by an unknown person, a sharp cry escaping the boy's mouth as he landed hard on his side.

"Merimose?!" I cried, and rushing through the crowd that merely glanced at him, I dropped to my knees and cradled him on my lap. "Merimose, are you okay? I'm here," I soothed him quickly, and my heart ached as I saw the tears that welled up in his eyes. He looked at me, his lips trembling, and eyes filled with confusion.

"Timaeus?" he whispered, and he glanced ahead of him, pushing himself up from me to sit. "If you're here, then…" he trailed off after squinting at me once more, and I rubbed his back and held in a gasp as I saw a harsh bruise forming on his elbow.

"Who-?" Anger welled up within me. It was mostly at myself for putting him in such a situation that did nothing but waste my and his time, but the rage was ultimately fueled at the one who caused him pain. When Merimose didn't answer, I looked at him only to see that he was staring at the person that stood before us. I had completely forgotten about the jerk that dared to do such a thing. So when Merimose shook with fear and looked away, my hands made tight fists.

"What is wrong with you?!" I shouted, and standing, I kept my eyes on the ground. This had to be one of the nobles. I had to keep calm and be as respectable as possible, but with my body heating up the way it was, I started to lose control of myself.

"How could you just push a child like that, huh? How can you be so cruel?! He didn't do anything wrong to you! He's now greatly hurt because of you." I yelled at him, and the rage grew bigger. My mouth twisted into a frustrated scowl when the person said not even a single word.

"Would you atleast apologise?!" I hissed, and knowing that he had no decency to atleast say sorry, I refused to stand and show the same respect to a noble that couldn't care less about fixing his actions. I removed my eyes from the ground and stared at his face, and when I did, the hood he had over his head slowly slipped down the rest of the way.

Red tipped black hair with golden bangs were revealed, and staring into my eyes were those blood red orbs that were as deep as blood. However, seeing those same orbs shooting daggers at me turned my body into ice.

I couldn't even move. My eyes just opened impossibly wide from horror, and I could feel all of the words I wanted to say evaporating into nothing in my mind one after the other as I stared. His face… so similar to mine, yet different at the same time. An aura of mystery surrounded him, and just like before, that yearning and painful feeling returned and threatened to swallow me whole. Blank memories shot through my mind, dying for my attention, but I couldn't remember anything. Nothing at all. All I got were feelings that I couldn't make sense of. I tried to remember the vision of him as a happy child, but it was replaced with the haunting face before me. I saw the bloodied face and the sinister smile. I saw a dark shadow with Ameneman's words echoing all around. I barely even took notice when Merimose stood, grabbing my arm and whimpering beside me in terror.

"My Prince! There you are!" Mana shouted, and hearing her voice my eyes turned to see her running towards us. It only made me shake even more, especially when she stopped in her tracks as she saw me. A hand went up to her mouth with surprise.

"Timaeus?" she gasped, and a small sound escaped my lips in a pitiful attempt to say something as I saw two other priests rushing behind her. They too stopped, recognising me the same as her. It was Priest Mahad and the woman.

"Mana, do you know of him as well?" Priest Mahad asked, staring at me, and hesitantly Mana nodded.

"Y-Yes, Priest Mahad. I've met him before," she admitted, and Mana turned her gaze towards… It frightened me to even say his title in my mind.

"My Prince, what happened?" Mana asked, but the Prince said nothing. He glared at me long and hard, his face filled with anger. Not receiving an answer Mana turned to the other Priest, and she stepped forward as well to try and prod some information from either one of us.

"Timaeus, what transpired here? My Prince?" she pressed, but neither of us said a word. I was too scared to say a word, and if looks could kill I would already be dead.

"Merimose, Timaeus?!"

Hearing Ramose's voice and seeing him run towards us made me feel even sicker. He gasped with horror as he saw the Prince, and with dread I watched as he dropped to the floor at the Prince's feet. Never before did I wish as hard as I did in that moment for the earth to swallow me whole. Ramose begged restlessly on the ground, his body quivering with each word, and I could hear Merimose sobbing quietly as he looked at the scene.

"I'm very sorry, your highness. Please, forgive me for their rudeness. It will never happen again. Please, spare my son!" Ramose cried out, and Mana stepped forward in an attempt to stop him, only to freeze herself when the Prince turned his dark glare towards her.

"Priestess Isis," Mana murmured, turning her head towards the woman, and Priestess Isis stepped forward yet again.

"My Prince, please," the Priestess expressed, turning to the both of us. "I need an explanation."

"I-I'm sorry, I- I didn't mean t-to-" I tried to say, but my voice cracked and came out in whispers.

I immediately dropped trying to say something when the dark look returned to me. This time, instead of anger, determination and a look of decision crossed his features. His head lifted regally. Then, he spoke. His voice was cold and to the point, and it caused sparks to race up my spine, especially due to the order he gave to the guards that came forward after seeing the small crowd we had gathered.

"Guards, take him to the lower dungeons!" he shouted, and finger pointed towards me, and his eyes gleamed viciously. "No one shall disrespect me and go unpunished."

"Yes, your highness!" the guards shouted, and before I knew it, I was grabbed roughly by the arms. Chains and cuffs were clasped around my wrists before I even had a chance to complain, and I was shoved towards the exit. I turned around, hearing Merimose's small voice call for me and catching a glimpse of Mana's look of concern, when all my attention inevitably fell on the Nameless Pharaoh's sharp, intense glare that refused to diminish.

Whelp. That's it. I've gone and done it. Is it a plot twist or just plain torture? Or, was it just too crazy to happen or have I gone far from reality with this? Heh. I tried to make the scene as perfect as possible because I know it's the one everyone will pay attention to, so, I hope it was to your liking!

Overall, I 'think' the chapter was good. I'm sure there's some repeats, but… it shouldn't be too bad. Although, I may need smoother transitions, and I may have to come back and add some more things that happened during the festival. That's why I added all of the steps in Yugi's thoughts, because I knew too many things were going to happen WHILE the festival went on. I hope it was a good choice. I tried to add some of the steps in their search, to remind what's going on. That is my big concern, so I hope I did okay.

Also, I know that for the big scenes I tend to cut them short for no good reason that it seems as if the scene never happened or there was not enough. I tried to keep the meeting a good length, but it had to be brief. A few minutes with a large impact. I remember the many advises you all gave to me about how they should meet, and one of you said to create a situation. This is the situation I came up with. I hope it was in character and suitable. If not, you know the drill. Please tell me your thoughts!

Thank you so much for reading and your endless support! Until next time…

Bye~