Transcending Memories – 004
Priest Seto kept his words. Within a few hours, he was knocking on the door of the Royal Harem asking for Tea. Again, the other women in the room started snickering, but she paid them no mind as she walked out of the door, closing it behind her.
"The pharaoh will see you in the throne room. He is pressed for time, though," spoke the young priest as they walked quietly down the corridors.
Tea's heart was being hard against her chest. She had no idea what to think when seeing Atem. Last night during the celebration, she saw how happy the pharaoh was as he talked with the neighboring princess. Could there be a chance that he forgot everything that they have shared, especially that one intimate moment between them before he departed for the Afterlife? Tea mentally shook her head. No, that couldn't be possible. Why would she even be here if she wasn't given a second chance to be with him.
The double door to the throne room was closed with two strong guards station on each side. Priest Seto stopped and nodded at one of them. "Remain outside. I will address you," spoke the priest as he walked in. The door didn't close all the way allowing Tea to peer inside.
She watched as Priest Seto walked before the throne and bowed before the pharaoh. Atem sat leaning upon one hand. It didn't seem to be interested in what was going on, but Seto did mention that he was pressed for time.
"My pharaoh," echoed Priest Seto's voice throughout the huge room. "Thank you for taking your time to meet with me. I was introduced to a young lady last night during the celebration. It has come to my acknowledge that she has information on knowing who you are. Would you take this time to meet her?"
Atem rolled his shoulders before nodding. "Allow her to enter," he replied casually.
Priest Seto bowed before turning and walking to the door. He stepped out and nodded to Tea before opening the door wider allowing her to step in. He quickly closed it behind her leaving her alone in the throne room with the pharaoh.
"Step forward so I may see you," spoke the pharaoh. He was sitting straighter in the chair, arms crossed over his chest.
Tea walked forward, nerves wrecking her body. She didn't look him in the eye but instead, kept her eyes on the decorative tile floor. Once she was a certain distance from the throne, she dropped down into a low bow, hands stretched out before her.
"State your name and your reason on knowing me," he commanded, his voice echoing across the room.
Tea's heart began to beat hard against her chest. "My name is Tea. I know you from before when you were a spirit sharing Yugi's body," spoke the young dancer, not rising from the floor, keeping her eyes focused on the small details of the tile.
Atem's eyes went wide before he shook his head, "You lie. My friends are safe in the future. No one knows about them besides the Royal Court and myself. Tell me the truth. Who are you?"
Tea raised her head causing a sharp gasp to echo throughout. She reached within her shirt and pulled out the second cartouche written with his name and the date she received it. The pharaoh jumped down and ran towards the young dancer, dropping to his knees. He reached out and grabbed the cartouche, turning it in his hands before raising his hand to gently grasp the face of the young dancer.
"Tea? How… How is this possible?" He asked quietly as his voice shook with uncertainty.
Tears pooled with the cerulean eyes of the young woman and fell like unending streams as she stared into the violet eyes of the pharaoh. "Three months later after you left, I went with Ishizu to Egypt as she took the tablets back. She let me go inside your tomb. Something happened there. One second I was kneeling beside your sarcophagus, and the next I was lying in a desert."
"I cannot believe it. You are here, really here." His faced full of excitement showed how surprised he was by seeing the woman who captured his heart while he was just a spirit trapped within a mystical object. "Where are you currently staying?"
Tea laughed lightly before her face flushed with a dusting of red over her cheeks, "I was chosen as one of the dancers for the Royal Harem by Priest Seto."
"Priest Seto? The Royal Harem? What?" He quickly stood and started marching down the throne room to the double doors, shoving them open. "Lady Shani! Seto!" He yelled down the many corridors of the palace. Tea could only watched with a bewilder look upon her face.
Both Lady Shani and Priest Seto ran towards the throne room, curious on why the pharaoh was yelling throughout the palace. They arrived before him, stopping to gain their breaths. "Is there a problem, my pharaoh?" asked the priest as he leaned against one of the stone pillars.
"Lady Shani, why is Tea in the Royal Harem?"
The elder woman blinked quickly, "I didn't know she was someone of importance. I found her in one of the far villages. She quickly grew the attention of Priest Seto allowing her into the harem."
"She is someone of high importance to me. Make sure her things are moved to the other wing of the palace."
"Your side, my pharaoh? What about Lady Ebonee?" asked Priest Seto.
"She will understand. Now, I hope nothing happened between you and Tea. She is not to be touched by anyone," Atem heatedly demanded.
Priest Seto shook her head, "Nothing major happened, my pharaoh. If you need to punish me for the small bit of attention I gave the young lady, I am prepared for it."
Atem sighed deeply before turning towards the open doorway. Tea stood, her hands crossed in front of her. Jealousy overwhelmed him as he thought that someone had requested her. He wanted to make sure she remained clean, pure, innocent. No one was allowed to touch her… unless that person was him.
Atem shook his head, "No. You are fine. Just make sure nothing else happens to her. I will speak with Lady Ebonee. Lady Shani, make sure her things are moved and a couple of the handmaidens are assigned to her. From now on, everyone will respect her as someone of high nobility."
"Yes, my pharaoh," replied the elder woman. She quickly turned and walked down the corridor to the wing of the Royal Harem.
Atem returned to the throne room and stopped by Tea, taking her hands within his. He rubbed his thumbs against the smooth skin of her hands as he stared into the curious eyes of the young dancer. He couldn't believe it. She was truly here. She was in his time period, alive. He regretted ever since that night upon the boat. He should have stayed with her, gave her what she was asking. Instead, he thought of Yugi. He knew he made the right decision, but the pain it left him was sometimes unbearable.
"Tea, your room will be moved to the other side of the palace. You will no longer participate as a member of the Royal Harem. You will be my special guest." He smiled gently before wrapping his arms around the young dancer and pulling her flushed against him.
"What about the visiting princess? I heard that she might be your intended." Tea wanted to stay wrapped in the pharaoh's arms, but memories of the dance and how he was talking so happily with the young woman danced across her mind, crushing her with doubt about being here in Ancient Egypt.
Atem sighed deeply before releasing the young woman and turning away from her. "She was supposed to be my intended. Her brother rules the neighboring kingdom and wishes to join our kingdoms in strengthening both lands. It was never my choice, but one done for political reasons."
"I can't interfere with this. You need to follow through as if I wasn't here," spoke Tea sadly. She knew there was more to it as she watched the pharaoh talk with the princess. She just didn't know how in depth the whole relationship was.
Atem shook his head, "No. I will end it all."
Tears began to pool within the young woman's eyes and fall, streaming down her face, and splashing upon the ground. "You can't, Atem. I don't know how I am going to be here. I am not someone of power or nobility. You need to stick with what you have planned."
Atem turned to face the woman, but she was already running out of the throne room. He quickly followed, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Is there a problem, my pharaoh?" asked Priestess Isis as she stopped by the young pharaoh.
"Did you see a young woman run by here?" He asked quickly.
Priestess Isis shook her head, "No, I did not, but Lady Ebonee has been asking for you. She is waiting out in the gardens."
"Tell her, I will be there in a few. If you see anyone else, ask them if they have seen Lady Tea and report to me as soon as you find her."
Priestess Isis bowed before the pharaoh, "As you wish." She quickly turned and began walking in the opposite direction.
zZz
Tea walked down the corridors of the palace, navigating to the best of her knowledge back to the Royal Harem's chambers. As much as she was happy that he remembered her, the thought of her breaking a political bond or marriage was something she didn't want to do. It didn't seem right. Atem had worked hard for his kingdom. She couldn't step in and cause everything to come crashing down.
Tea continued to walk with silence as her friend. Some of the corridors were open to the gardens within. She was almost at the wing that contained the Royal Harem when she saw Atem walking towards a beautiful, young woman. Once again, Tea recognize the woman as Lady Ebonee, Atem's intended. She wasn't too far from them and could hear the conversation on the other side.
"Pharaoh Atem, is everything alright?" asked Lady Ebonee as she bowed low before the young man.
Atem sighed before nodding. He took the hand of the neighboring princess and lead her to a stone bench. "Yes, everything is alright. A friend of mine arrived at the palace."
"A friend. Is this someone we might know?"
Atem shook his head, "No, this was before we met. She was a close friend of mine, one that I grew to care deeply for."
Lady Ebonee blinked cautiously as she leaned away from the pharaoh to peered into his violet eyes. Conflicting emotions dance within. "Was she to be your intended before me?" she asked cautiously.
Atem sighed once more before dropping his gaze to the petite hands of the princess, rubbing his thumb over the soft flesh. "No. There was a time where I could not take a bride. If it was possible, there might have been a chance."
Lady Ebonee smiled softly as she raised her hand to gently caress the side of the pharaoh's face. "You seem sad even though she is back. Is it because of us? Our relationship is only political. I can always talk to my brother."
"I wish it was that simple. My friend wishes to not interfere. I told her that it didn't matter, that I would choose her."
"Then choose her," the neighboring princess replied softly, a gentle smile dancing across her face. "I will not be hurt by the decision. My brother only wanted it for political reasons. You should choose for love, especially if she is the one you love the most."
Atem watched as Lady Ebonee stood and walked out of the courtyard. He followed her till she disappeared back into the main parts of the palace. That is when he noticed Tea standing in the corridor near one of the pillars. He smiled gently towards the young dancer but only saw as she dropped her gaze and turned away.
As much as Tea wanted to believe what Lady Ebonee said, she felt that it was wrong. This was Atem's life, not hers. While she was extremely happy to see him, she was unaware if the situation was permanent. This could all be a dream caused by the heat of the desert.
Tea quicken her pace back to the Royal Harem. She didn't want to wait around any longer causing awkwardness to fall between her and the pharaoh. She held her head not watching where she was walking and ran straight into someone.
"Whoa," spoke the deep voice. "Are you alright, Lady Tea?"
Tea looked up into the eyes of Priest Seto. He had his hands upon her shoulders, stabilizing her as she tried to calm her racing heart. "I am fine. Thank you," she responded quickly.
"The pharaoh is looking for you. Where are you heading?"
"Back to the Royal Harem. I will not cause any issues especially with the woman who is to be his intended."
Priest Seto nodded, "I understand, but only the pharaoh can allow you to change living conditions. Your room is no longer on this side of the palace."
Tea shook her head, "I am not going back to be part of the Royal Harem. I am going to talk with Lady Shani to see if she can take me back to the village where she found me. Maybe there I can find a way home."
Tea didn't wait for the priest to say anything. She quickly ran passed him and down the corridor, stopping at the door of the Royal Harem. She heard as the priest yelled for her name, even calling for the guards. She quickly pounded upon the huge door watching as Lady Shani open it with wide eyes.
"Stop her. Do not let her enter that room," yelled Priest Seto.
Tea didn't even give the elder woman a chance. She pushed around her and then pulled her into the room before shoving the door shut. "What is going on?" asked the elder woman. She watched as Tea went to the bed she slept in the night before and gathered the little things she had, even if she didn't believe they were hers to begin with.
"Can you take me back to the far village? I cannot stay here," spoke the young dancer.
"Why are leaving the palace? I thought you were friends with the pharaoh."
Tea sighed as she took a seat upon the bed. "I still am, but there is something happening within the palace that I do not want to interfere and cause problems with. It is best for me to leave."
The elder woman walked over to Tea. "Is this because of the neighboring princess. Everyone assumes she would become his intended. Do you believe that will be canceled because of you?"
Tea nodded. Unknown to her, as she replied to the woman, the huge door silently opened and the pharaoh stepped within. "It's hard for me to explain due to what happen with the pharaoh, but before I arrived here, he was with me when we both confessed certain feelings. I still have those feelings and wish to not cause any trouble."
"If that is your wish," replied the elder woman. She could see the mix emotions within the young dancer eye's. She watched as Tea nodded slowly before turning away.
A silent gasp escaped the elder woman's lips as she saw the pharaoh standing before the door. He was holding a single finger to his lip. A gentle smile danced across the woman as she walked away from the room leaving the young dancer and the pharaoh alone.
Atem stood in the darkness of the room as he watched the young woman. She slowly pulled the silver cartouche out of her dress and over her neck. She slowly traced her finger across the hieroglyphics of his name before placing it down upon the pillow.
As she stood from the bed, he heard a soft whisper escape her lips, "I'm sorry, Atem." He watched as she walked from the bed and out of the huge door never noticing him. He walked over to her bed and picked up the silver chain. On one side was his name. On the other side, clearing in English was the date along with a small saying: I will always love you.
Clinching the silver cartouche in his hand, Atem quickly ran to the door and slammed it open. The young dancer was only a few meters away from him. He quickly yelled out her name, startling the guards from their posts: "Tea!"
The young dancer could only stop, keeping her back towards the pharaoh, as tears began to pool within her sapphire eyes and splash upon the sandstone tiles of the palace.
R+R!