Transcending Memories – 002
The bright sun burned against the young dancer. She raised her hand, shielding her eyes from its warm rays. Rolling to the side, Tea looked around the area. She was laying upon hot sand in the middle of what looked like a desert. Tea pushed from the ground. She turned in different directions looking for any sign of civilization.
"Ishizu?" called out the young dancer as she started walking. "Ishizu."
Tea walked through the harsh desert. The sun beating against her back causing sweat to drip down her neck. At first when she woke, she didn't notice the changing in her clothing. However, with the heat of the sun, she finally took a chance to look down. Instead of her normal 21st century clothing, Tea was dressed as an exotic dancer: a jewel bralette top that stopped just below her breast and flowy white pants with slits up the side to the jewel waistband. Her shoes were delicate sandals.
After what seemed like forever, Tea saw in the distance small sandstone houses and white tents. People were moving around exchanging words she couldn't hear. There was another woman dressed like her except with a huge cloak covering most of her body. Tea quickly picked up her speed especially when she noticed the well.
Tea dropped by the well and pulled the small bucket up. Using the metal ladle, she gulped the cold water as it wet her parched throat.
"Woman, are you a dancer?" asked the elder woman that Tea saw as she approach the village.
Tea nodded as she took another drink. "Yes, but where I am?"
"You are in Egypt during the reign of the pharaoh. Come, we need more dancers especially with the upcoming choosing event."
Tea thought back to what she said. Pharaoh? Egypt? She couldn't be. "Who is the pharaoh?" She asked quickly, afraid of hearing the answer.
The lady had walked away but was returning with a cream-color cape. She dropped it upon Tea's shoulder before helping her stand. "The ruler of Egypt is Pharaoh Atem," she replied.
Tea eyes widen in shock as the elder woman lead her to a wagon that had two other women dressed like her sitting upon. Atem was pharaoh? Was she in the past or the afterlife? While she didn't understand exactly what the woman meant about a choosing event or why she needed her since she knew how to dance, Tea knew that if she didn't follow the lady, she might not get a chance to see Atem and figure exactly where she was.
zZz
The ride to the palace was mostly in silence. The elder woman sat before the three women upon the wagon. She explained earlier what was supposed to happen once they arrived. There would be about forty dancers altogether. During the choosing, the Royal Court along with the pharaoh had a chance to choose ten of the dancers to remain. These dancers would become part of the Royal Harem. They would only dance for the Royal Court when asked to, but they would also become their companion if needed.
Tea was shocked upon what she heard. She was supposed to become a concubine? She knew that some of the ancient timelines, harems were quite possible. She just didn't know it happen Egypt during Atem's reign as pharaoh. Right away, she needed to figure a way out of this before something worse happened.
They arrived at the palace around night fall. The women were lead to one of the wings of the palace that would house them when they were not need. Each woman tried to figure out who was going to stay and who was going to leave. The choosing was to happen within two days during a celebration of the sun. The forty dancers would have a private audience with the Royal Court including the pharaoh before the main dancers participated in the celebration.
Tea's nerves were causing her to shake alerting a young woman around her age. "Are you okay?" she asked as she took a seat on the bed opposite of the young dancer.
"Yes. I just didn't know dancing would lead me to this," replied Tea.
"From the day that I started dancing under the Egyptian Sun, I knew that I wanted to be part of the choosing. My hope is that the pharaoh takes notice and requests me personally."
A light blush danced across Tea's face. She turned away, trying to ignore the continued conversation regarding to what the dancers would need to do to impress the Royal Court. She only knew Atem through his duels with Yugi. Eventually, their friendship seemed to blossom especially when she decided to help him find his lost name and memories. Tea stopped with her thinking. The night before the final duel. Atem told her that he cared for her farther than friendship. Could there be a chance he would recognize her? Maybe he would and this whole mess could be fixed.
As everyone disappeared to their own beds, the elder woman began to walk around and sit with each dancer, talking to them in hush tones. When she finally stopped by Tea, a smile was upon her face. "You will be placed in the back row with the new dancers. Follow each move carefully. If you are not chosen, I will return back to the village." Spoke the elder woman softly. She had a mother-like tone that reminded Tea of her mother who had passed away 5 years prior.
"Ma'am, I actually know the pharaoh. Is there any chance I could have a private meeting with him before the choosing?" asked Tea as she fidget with the thin blanket draped over her legs.
The elder woman shook her head, "Sadly, no one is to meet with the pharaoh unless that person is a member of the Royal Court. Plus, how would a dancer from the far village know the pharaoh personally? When the choosing arrives, you will have a chance to dance before him. Pray to Ra that he will choose you as part of the Royal Harem."
Tea could not question or beg the elder woman anymore. She quickly stood and began walking to the back of the room. Tea could see out a small window behind her bed with the full moon shining through. Tea was scared. She didn't know how she arrived in the past, how she was going to get back to the future, or how she was going to survive the choosing with Atem knowing it was her? Laying her head down, Tea tried to drift to sleep as her mind danced with the different solutions to the questions in her mind.
zZz
The choosing arrived faster than Tea wanted. Each woman kept practicing the dance that was required. She even tried her chance at it. While the dance was exotic and different from the 21st century, she quickly caught on surprising some of the other women including the elder woman.
When the time came for all forty dancers to appear before the Royal Court, Tea followed each young woman to the grand throne room. She gasped. Sitting on the throne much different from what she has seen him when he was dueling in Yugi's place was the pharaoh of Egypt. He seemed bored sitting upon his throne with his head resting upon his hand. Tea could easily recognize almost all the members of the Royal Court. She could only hope that Atem would recognize her.
The music soon began with an easy beat using the instruments of Ancient Egypt. Each dancer raised her arm and began to sway to the beat. Tea soon followed allowing the music to move her. She moved her hips left and right before dragging her foot within a circle causing her body to twist. The music brought a tempo to her body allowing her mind to drift away. She could picture herself upon the Broadway stage performing a solo in front of all her friends.
Each member of the Royal Court watch the dancers move to the music. Each one kept nodding and whispering to a person who was writing down something upon a piece of papyrus. Even Priest Seto was smiling and nodding his head. His eyes seemed to be on Tea alone which for the young dancer she didn't know was a good idea or a bad one.
When the song came to an end, each dancer dropped their hands and fell into a low bow. The elder woman walked forward bowing to the pharaoh and his Royal Court. She waited as another person gathered all the pieces of papyrus and brought them forward.
"Thank you for your time, my pharaoh. The ladies that are chosen for the Royal Harem will be ready for tonight's celebration," spoke the elder woman as she bowed once more.
Tea watched as Atem only nodded his head before he stood and walked out of the room. Tea was shocked. Didn't he see her dancing in the back? It seemed as if Priest Seto had seen her. Why didn't he notice she was in the wrong time period?
Tea followed the other dances out of the grand throne room and back to the wing of the palace they were all staying. Each dancer stood in a straight line as the elder woman spoke quietly towards them. She watched as some women went through the door while others walked backwards back down the hallways, hanging their heads low.
When Tea arrived at the door, the elder woman smiled at her. "You have been chosen as part of the Royal Harem. Priest Seto has asked for you."
"The pharaoh did not ask of me?" asked Tea as she followed the elder woman into the room.
The elder woman shook her head, "He did not choose a single person, but that might change. Eventually the pharaoh will need an heir even if that heir is not from his wife."
Tea took a step back shocked upon what she heard. She truly knew she had to escape this position and speak with Atem. Taking a seat upon the bed she previously inhabited, she watched as the elder woman began to address the other dancers.
"Congratulation dancers. You ten are the ones chosen to become part of the Royal Harem. My name is Lady Shani. While you are in my care, I will make sure you learn your education such as reading and writing.
"You will dress in beautiful gowns when you are not dancing. Please, keep in mind, you are not just dancers for the Royal Court. You are also a companion for any of the members that call upon you. A companion can be many things: a friend, a worker, or even a concubine.
For now, bath, dress and rest. The celebration tonight will require you to dance for the Royal Court, the nobles, and of course the pharaoh."
Tea sighed deeply as she followed the other dancers back to the washroom. A few handmaidens were available to help the dancers undress, fill the tubs with water, and wash them if needed. She kept glancing back at the door, praying that Atem would realize she was here. If she didn't think of something, trouble was sure to follow.
zZz
a/n: It might confuse you why Atem didn't recognize Tea in the background. There were forty dancers and he wasn't in the bit interested what was going on. Seto, however, was standing in line sight of Tea. It should be interesting. Do any of the members of court remember what Yugi did to help the pharaoh or was this before the pharaoh's death?
R+R!