Chapter 7: True Power

"Kisara, darling, listen to me very carefully." High Priest Seto said, seated on the black bench at the foot of his bed, right to the left of his forbidden love, holding her small hands in his large ones. "I promise you, that if you are completely honest and open with the Pharaoh, and you show complete respect to him, he will show you mercy." He looked deep into her blue eyes with his own, almost pressing his face up to hers. "Everything will be okay, I promise."

"I...I'm so scared." She said softly, looking away and down at the floor. "I don't think I can do this!" Already her skin glistened with nervous sweat. "He's going to kill me, I just know it!"

"Don't think that." Seto said firmly, stroking her chin with his right index finger. "Pharaoh Atemu is a good, kind man. I've known him his whole life, and I know this. I know him better than any man on this planet. He's a good man, and so long as you don't displease today you'll be fine."

He wrapped his arms around her shaking body and held her close to his chest, patting her shoulder. "When he arrives here, I won't be able to protect you. I gave him my word. If you say anything I know to be less than the truth, I am honor bound to tell the Pharaoh, so give him nothing but the truth."

She returned the hug, wrapping her arms around his chest, tears starting to streak down her cheeks. "If it...were it not for you, I would have died out in the sun months ago." She mumbled. "Whatever happens today, I want to thank you for that. I'll face eternal torment in the afterlife if the Pharaoh condemns me to it, but it was still worth it."

"He won't." Seto insisted.

"You say he's a good kind man, my love, yet he has strange ways of showing it." Kisara said as Seto pushed strands of hair out of her eyes. "I know of his cruelty, his warmongering. Is he really so kind?"

"Honey." Seto said, looking down at her. "I know him. I've known him his whole life. Please, just believe me when I say that he's a fair man. You will live through this, as long as you keep your head on straight."

Just then, the door swung open, revealing the Pharaoh, standing tall in his robes, headpiece on, his face void of emotion. Immediately, High Priest Seto stood up to attention and Kisara wilted down to the ground, kneeling down and planting her forehead into the carpet.

Atemu swiftly walked over to the desk to the immediate right of the door, grabbing the carved wooden chair with a beige cushion from it and spinning it around to face the pair. He sat down in the seat, crossing his right leg over his left.

"You know what happened this morning?" He said smoothly to Seto, not acknowledging the girl who still had her nose firmly snuggled into the red carpeted floor.

"No, Pharaoh." Seto replied honestly. "I...I took the morning to center myself for this."

"Understood." Atemu nodded. "In any case, Bakura has struck again. The university on the northern outskirts was attacked. The support pillars were blown out, the structure collapsed on close to two hundred."

Seto flinched. "My condolences and apologies. I should always be aware of-"

"The Queen is carrying my third child, and has been moody to say the least since my birthday a week ago." Atemu continued. "I have a lot on my mind right now, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, Pharaoh." Seto nodded quickly. "I have the utmost respect for the responsibilities the Pharaoh carries. And congratulations on your-"

"I do not know what it is inside me that motivates me to spend a single more second on this matter." He interrupted. "Why I don't just kill this peasant girl this very second, and be troubled by this matter no more, I have no clue. Just know that it's taking every last ounce of my goodwill to sit here now."

"You have my deepest gratitude for granting us this opportunity to explain ourselves." Seto said, bowing his head slightly.

"I don't want to be here." Atemu said through gritted teeth. "I don't want to be dealing with this ridiculous issue during a time when my kingdom is being attacked by a madman and I'm preparing to have another child. But, I promised that I would be here today. I promised I would be calm, collected, and level-headed. I can hardly imagine making a decision without emotion right now. But somehow, I'm going to find a way to do it."

With that, he turned to look down at the girl, who had not yet budged. "Rise." He finally said, and she rose up into an upright kneeling position, not bringing her eyes up higher than Atemu's feet. "What's your name?"

"Kisara." So she replied, voice soft but solid.

"Who are you?" Atemu propped his right elbow up on the armrest of the chair, leaning his cheek on that hand.

"...a peasant girl, Mighty Pharaoh." She answered, not quite sure how to really answer the question.

"You're not from here, clearly. Where were you born?" Atemu continued to stare daggers down towards the girl, not giving her a second out of her stare.

"I was born in Egypt, Mighty Pharaoh." She said. "My mother and father came here from far away lands before I was born, they've never told me why or where they came from."

"And they are?" Atemu continued, glancing up at Seto who still stood at attention for a second.

"My mother was killed when I was very young." She explained. "I lived with my father in the slums until about four months ago."

"What is the profession of you and your father?" He inquired.

"None for both of us." She responded, going slightly red with embarrassment but remembering her promise to be honest. "My father has never emotionally recovered from my mother's death. He drinks a lot. I work when I can, but it's not often. Even in the slums they look at me as a-"

"A freak." Atemu finished for her, nodding.

She nodded back, putting her hands on her knees.

"How is it that you found your way into High Priest Seto's palace?" Atemu finally popped.

"Five moons ago, men started going around the slums recruiting workers to start construction on a new wing of High Priestess Isis's palace." Kisara explained, her eyes on the carpet in front of her, her voice still coming through strong as she willed herself to maintain her composure. "I hadn't eaten in three days, I saw no other choice. I went to one of the recruiters and begged for a job."

"Our recruiters are instructed to hire only those who can prove themselves to be physically fit. Generally women aren't considered." Atemu said smoothly.

"That's what he said." Kisara said, swallowing her saliva down hard. "I beg of you to understand, Mighty Pharaoh, me and my father are constantly broke, there's never any food, I-"

"Don't try to justify yourself." Atemu cut her off. "Give me the facts, nothing more."

"My apologies." She bowed low for a second before coming back up. "I...I bargained for the opportunity to work on the palace with the recruiter." She again went slightly red.

"Bargained?" Atemu repeated, raising his right eyebrow.

She cast her eyes to her right, still on the floor. "That night, I met the man in a back alley in the slums. He didn't want to take me, so...I...I had to perform or-"

"I think I get the picture." Atemu said, holding his left palm out towards her.

"Thank you, Pharaoh. I went to the worksite the next day. They had me carrying bags of mud...I never had a chance." She recalled. "And the sun...it was all too much. Less than a half hour into the day, I collapsed. The foreman instructed everyone to not help me up. Either I'd get up and get back to work or I'd go ahead and die right there on the sands."

"Wait." Atemu suddenly said. "The recruiter, he should be punished for this. What was his name?"

"He...he never gave it." She said, her eyes again back on Atemu's slippers. "I'm sorry."

Atemu nodded. "He'll be found. Continue."

"I laid there for some time. Death didn't sound like such a bad idea. And...and then, just when I had given up..." she looked up at Seto, still standing at attention beside her. "...he saved me."

With that, Atemu gestured his left hand towards Seto. "Is this all true?"

"Yes sir." Seto replied. "To the best of my knowledge, everything Kisara has said so far to you is the truth."

"What was your perspective on this event?" Atemu put his left foot back on the ground.

"High Priestess Isis wanted to show me the plans for the addition to her palace. We rode a couple of the steeds from the royal stables over to the worksite so she might describe her plans." Seto described. "When we rode up, I saw Kisara collapsed on the sand. I was simply...curious, her complexion and look is so rare in Egypt. So I rode up to investigate."

"And you found a peasant girl in over her head." Atemu shrugged. "What's so interesting about that?"

Seto glanced down at the floor for a brief half-second before re-meeting the Pharaoh's gaze. "I...I must confess I was taken by her." He mumbled, going red himself. "I first thought that I might add her to my harem. I took her back to my room-"

"Hardly procedure for a new harem girl." Atemu interrupted sharply.

"...I didn't fully understand what I was doing, but...it didn't feel right to hand her off to my servants." Seto explained. "I bathed her, fed her, talked to her...and...well I can't fully explain it, but I suddenly found the prospect of her being put to work as a harem girl unacceptable. But, I knew the rules about priests and love...but I couldn't control myself. So, I...I told her to hide in my bathroom during the day, and...well...here we are."

Atemu slowly nodded, putting his left forefinger up to his chin. "The words of a street urchin hold little weight to me, but I think I can still trust the words of my High Priest."

"I swear on my mother's eternal soul that I, and Kisara, have told nothing but the truth today." Seto said firmly, crossing his right arm over his chest to his left shoulder. "And I'd like to again apologize deeply. As I said, there are no excuses for my actions, and I am truly remorseful for putting you through this."

Atemu bowed his head down for several seconds, eyes closed. "You're a fine High Priest, Seto." Atemu finally said, looking up at his right hand man square in the eyes. "Egypt would not have expanded as it has if it were not for your wisdom. I could ask for no more from your service to me, and you'll go down as one of the finest High Priests Egypt has ever seen."

"Thank you, Mighty Pharaoh." Seto said, bowing slightly again.

"You're also a good friend, even if we have largely put that element of our relationship behind us. I have not forgotten that." Atemu continued. "Do you believe any of that puts you above the law, High Priest Seto?"

"Of course not, sir." Seto said quickly, putting his hands back at his sides. "Not in the slightest."

"Well, you're wrong." Atemu said, giving a tiny smirk which flickered and died. "It is...only...because of your flawless record as my advisor, and exemplary work in your High Priest duties over the past ten years, that I'm even entertaining this." He grunted, then looked back down at Kisara. "She must mean a lot to you. I have no desire to cause you grief, or take something precious away from you. I like you, and your work is valuable to me, and I don't want to lose either." He stood up from the chair. "My grandfather once said that true power is not in the ability to have someone condemned, to have someone killed, at a whim. He said it was in the ability to have every justification to have someone killed, and choosing not to. Pardoning the guilty was the ultimate measure of power, he would say. Was he right? I don't know." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'll spare the girl."

Kisara's eyes lit up, but she managed to hold back from moving or even smiling. Seto exhaled but willed himself to not drop his guard.

"My terms are simple." He took two steps forward so he was right in front of the kneeling Kisara, still looking down at her. "You will work as a slave here, in High Priest Seto's palace. You will be held the same standard as all other slaves in my kingdom, and I expect nothing less than complete obedience and outstanding work in all your duties. Believe me, when slaves of Egypt do not perform their tasks as expected, I hear about it. And if I hear so much as a whisper that you're not satisfying the slavekeepers, I'm going to take that as you disrespecting the gift of life I've granted you." He folded his arms across his chest, looking back up at Seto. "And you, High Priest Seto. You would do well to remember that this girl is a slave first regardless of your personal feelings. And that is at all times, without exception."

"Of course, Pharaoh." Seto said. "She will work as any other slave every day for the rest of her life if that is what you wish."

Pharaoh Atemu withdrew a small golden blade, thin and shiny, from his belt and held it up in front of his face. "Do you find my terms acceptable, Kisara? There is a second choice."

"Of course, oh merciful Pharaoh." Kisara said quickly, bowing her head down to the floor again before raising up. "Truly, your might is surpassed only by your kindness, and I could spend a thousand lifetimes in service to you and not repay this mercy you have shown me."

With that, Atemu drew the blade back into his waist. "Very good. Report to the slavemaster in the lower levels first thing tomorrow morning."

Kisara bent back down to the floor, this time kissing each of the slippers on Pharaoh Atemu's feet, before coming back up.

Atemu then stepped around Kisara and over to Seto, who continued to hold himself at attention. "No one is to ever know about any of this ugly business. I know, you know, she knows, others may suspect, and that's all it will ever be. I'd better not hear so much as a word from anyone else about any of this."

"Of course, Pharaoh." Seto nodded. "You are fair and wise, and my appreciation of your merciful decision knows no bounds. But forgive me, might I ask for some clarification on your terms? She will work as a slave in my palace, as you command, for the expected fourteen hours a day. However, beyond those fourteen hours, would it be acceptable to-"

"What you do with your slaves is your business, and I don't want to hear about it." Atemu said dismissively. "Particularly in the bedroom. Do I make myself clear?"

Seto managed to fight the urge to smile once again. "Of course, sir."

"Well, for the benefit of the uneducated peasant, your sordid little relationship will be allowed to continue." Atemu clarified. "If your libido desires it, you may take her to bed and do what you will. She's your slave, so long as she performs her duties as demanded you can do whatever you want with her. However, it's to be kept a complete secret, and I expect you to take any and all precautions to make sure nobody ever suspects such...such an absurd arrangement is being permitted."

"Crystal clear, my lord." Seto said, nodding. "I assure you, her slave duties will always come before anything else."

"Now, as for your lies and deceit over the past four months..."

"...yes, Pharaoh?" Seto said warily.

Atemu's right hand came up with an open palm, smacking the back of Seto's head. Seto's head was thrown a few inches forward as he winced, but he quickly reopened his eyes to look at Atemu.

"I consider the matter closed." Atemu said, walking towards the door to the room. "Nobody finds out. Not ever." He stepped through the threshold, shutting the door behind him.

Immediately, Kisara got to her feet and ran toward High Priest Seto, embracing him in a full-body hug that he returned. This segued quickly into a deep passionate kiss for several seconds, before Kisara broke away.

"You were right. He is kind." She said.

""""

Isis stood before the throne, hands behind her back, looking up at the Pharaoh she served. Atemu sat on his chair of gold and jewels, looking down at the scene. Behind Isis was a pair of muscular soldiers, wearing the traditional red robes of Egypt, each holding an arm of a peasant between them. The peasant was gagged by a round ball of stone strapped around his head, and seemed entirely uninterested in his plight. In fact, he looked positively bored as he stared at the Pharaoh.

"Well?" Atemu said impatiently, folding his arms across his chest.

"An infestation of blasphemers has taken root across Egypt, my Pharaoh." Isis said shortly. "This peasant is just one of hundreds right now, throughout your lands." She looked back at the man being flanked by the two soldiers. "Further magical tricks, no doubt."

"Do tell." Atemu said, leaning back on the purple cushion on the backrest of his throne.

With that, Isis quickly whipped off the gag from the mouth of the peasant, who immediately began talking in a loud monotone.

"The false Pharaoh's reign must come to an end. With every passing day he proves himself to be even more incapable of being a ruler. He is not interested in the plight of Cairo, even as buildings fall and hundreds are killed his focus remains on his wars off in faraway lands. It is time to move against the false Pharaoh, citizens of Egypt! March on his palace of sin and greed, demand he hand the reigns over to true Pharaoh Bakura, and restore order to Egypt. Save your beloved homeland from the false Pharaoh, and-"

"That's quite enough." Atemu finally said, prompting the guard to his right to withdraw a small dagger and quickly jab it into the peasant's side. The pair of protectors quickly shuffled out of the throne room across the marble floors, dragging the possessed Egyptian citizen as death overtook him.

"Hunt them all down, have them killed immediately." Atemu said shortly.

"Rightaway." Isis said, bowing her head slightly. "I hope his words did not offend you to the point of-"

"Well it's not your fault." Atemu snapped a little harder than he might have liked. "Anything else?"

She looked down at her feet for a second before regaining her composure. "Well...I feel you should know that the public is beginning to turn." She said quickly, unable to help glancing down at the floor.

"Meaning?" Atemu said icily, his arms down on the armrests on either side of his throne.

"There's some public unrest in Cairo." Isis explained warily. "They have not known fear like this for over a decade, the bank robbery, the university destruction, the hospital collapsing, and now the museum...and this Thief King has bewitched so many to spread his propaganda, there is a small population of Cairo who has started to believe him." She swallowed hard. "They...they speak in hushed tones in back alleys now, but soon things may become more open."

"I have no time in my day for subjects who would only serve me when times are easy." Atemu said through gritted teeth. "Public displays of insubordination of any kind are to be met with immediate force. Those bewitched are to be executed, those of their own free will are to be imprisoned in the palace dungeons. Do I make myself clear?"

"Of course, sir." Isis said. "The root of the problem, howeve-"

Atemu banged his right fist down onto the armrest of the throne, immediately silencing her. "You think I don't know that?" He grunted. "You think I'm not doing everything in my power to end this reign of terror from the so-called Thief King?" He looked down on the floor in front of the throne, at the shiny black marble floor, showing a faint reflection of the entire massive room. "I...I was not ready for this." He grumbled. "I don't know what I can do. I have placed all of my faith into young Mana, until she's ready I fear-"

Fast footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up at the massive wooden doors across his throne, which slowly began to swing open. It opened just a crack, light from the opposite room pouring in in a thin straight line on the floor, before the figure of High Priest Seto stepped in cautiously.

"Yes?" Atemu asked. It had been three weeks since his display of mercy, and he had not yet managed to forget the incident, slightly cold and distant around his High Priest since then.

Without a word, Seto took another step in, revealing a second person right behind him. Wearing the red robes and gold helmet of the Egyptian army, the unnamed man had a small dagger digging into the back of the High Priest, which he continued to prod into his back as they stepped forward.

Atemu and Isis looked at the scene, Atemu maintaining his composure, simply crossing his arms across his chest and glaring at the two. Isis, however, could not help a surprised gasp as she took a half step back toward the throne.

"Can I help you?" Atemu finally said as the two slowly walked toward the throne, Seto's eyes slightly wide as he felt the blade in his back but determined to maintain an air of dignity.

"It's good to finally meet you." The unnamed soldier started to speak, in a dead monotone without emotion, the two continuing to march towards the throne. "I so wish it could have been in person, but...well, given the circumstances, I suppose this is the best I can do, isn't it?"

"Stop speaking nonsense." Atemu said flatly. "Who are you?"

"Don't be dense, Atemu." The soldier countered. "How many people do you know capable of possessing your so-called loyal subjects to do their bidding?"

Atemu tilted his head to the right slightly. "Ah yes. Of course." He steepled his fingers in front of his chest, glaring at the two approaching him. "The Thief King, Bakura is it? What have you come here to do? Kill my High Priest?"

Wordlessly, the duo continued to move on the throne.

"Well don't hold out on me, Thief King." Atemu said mockingly. "Isis here deserves a promotion for all of her loyal service to me, by all means, make it happen."

With that, the soldier threw Seto forward now that they were perhaps just a dozen paces from the throne, letting him stumble out forward before quickly walking up to stand by Isis's side.

"I'm not here for the High Priest." The guard spoke again. "He'll be serving me soon, no sense in killing him."

"Give me a single good reason why I shouldn't gut your little puppet right this very second." Atemu menaced, reaching down towards his golden dagger with a ruby hilt.

"Go right ahead." The soldier spread his arms out to either side, beckoning Atemu to follow through on his threat. "He's your soldier. If you don't want to hear what I have to say, it's your loss."

"What makes you think I'd want to hear anything you have to say?" Atemu snarled. "You're nothing but a criminal with a few magic tricks who's a matter of days away from painful execution."

"My magic tricks have you stymied, false Pharaoh." The soldier shot back. "You've been helpless against my assaults, there's nothing you can do. And it's going to only get worse."

"Have you really gone through all this trouble just to gloat?" Atemu said through gritted teeth.

"Not at all." The soldier said, his voice still completely flat. "I am here to see if you are willing to concede defeat and go quietly."

"That'd be the day." Atemu growled. "You'll burn all of Egypt to the ground before you see me hand the throne over to you."

"If that's what it takes." Came the reply. "Please, enough with the tough guy act. You can't stop me and you know it, there's no point in drawing this out."

Atemu again pounded his right first into the armrest of his throne. "You stand before the might of a dozen generations of Pharaohs, descendant from the gods themselves, in command of the greatest empire this world has ever known!" He roared, standing up. "The almighty gods themselves look down on this mighty empire as the token they have left behind so the world might remember them, do you think for a second they would let the likes of you have it?"

"The gods can't save you." The soldier replied, still as monotone as ever. "Or I would already be dead."

"Just who are you?" Atemu asked, slowly approaching the possessed puppet. "What kind of madman seeks to take the throne from the Pharaoh?"

"That's a tale for another day, Atemu." The soldier said. "Now, you can't say I didn't give you a chance."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Atemu questioned, stopping several steps away from the unnamed warrior of his army.

"As we speak, a prison in the southwest corner of Cairo is being assaulted." He clarified. "Within minutes there will be a massive jailbreak, criminals running wild, polluting your precious city with crime and chaos. For every day you don't hand the throne to me from this moment on, I'll destroy a further prison, leading up to the fall of your precious maximum security jail just three blocks away. And then, when your entire city is plunged into a crimewave, we'll see if your disposition changes."

With that, Atemu lunged forward, regard for his own life momentarily forgotten, golden blade drawn. The soldier, however, had no reaction as he shoved the sharp knife into the stomach of the possessed man, drawing blood out a newly opened wound.

"I look forward to meeting you in person." Atemu said simply, withdrawing the knife and letting the body fall to the floor. He backed away quickly, shaking the blood off of his thin blade.

"Pharaoh Atemu, I-" Seto started but was immediately interrupted.

"Priestess Isis, investigate his claims." Atemu instructed. "If it is as he says, move every single prisoner in Cairo to the maximum security prison."

"Pharaoh, if I may-"

"Do it!" Atemu insisted. "Do as I say!" He heavily sat back down onto his throne after setting his bloody blade on the armrest. "I do not wish to discuss this!"

"...of course, my Pharaoh." With that, Isis bowed and left the room as quickly as she could while maintaining her composure, sweeping across the marble to the massive doors on the other side.

Seto stood there in silence for several seconds as Atemu looked down at the floor in front of his throne. Clearing his throat, he gathered his nerve and re-opened his mouth. "My lord, if I-"

"This city." Atemu looked up. "This city will not accept high crime rates. They will not accept inadequate protection and security." He continued mournfully. "I...I do not know what will happen should the jails be compromised, High Priest, but I fear the worst."

"Pharaoh, I-"

"They will turn on me. This thief king, with each stunt he pulls he draws more of my subjects to him. His acts of terrorism strike fear into the populace, fear they blame on me." Atemu went on. "I don't know what to do, High Priest." He looked back down at the floor.

"Pharaoh, I assure you, your reign is under no true threat." Seto finally managed to get out unconvincingly. "Your subjects would never dare turn on you."

"They already are." Atemu said quietly. "I need another miracle, High Priest. Like the one I had ten years ago. Do I have another?"

"I do not know, sir, but might I remind you that this thief king is just one man, and by capturing him we end this uprising?" Seto said matter-of-factly, not terribly good at this cheering up business.

"And that's just so easy!" Seto snarled, suddenly glaring up at Seto who fought to not wilt under it. "It's not like I wouldn't have done that already if it was possible! There's nothing I can do to stop him, not right now, not so long as he has his bag of magical tricks."

Seto looked over to the right of the throne, cleared his throat, and took a step forward. "My Pharaoh...that...that may not be entirely true." He spun his head around to check behind him, ensuring they were the only two in the throne room, before turning back to Atemu. "He plots to target the prisons next. Perhaps we could be ready for him."

"I could throw my entire army at him and I question whether or not it would work." Atemu said bitterly. "Particularly in that the casualty rates are rising on the warfronts by the day."

"Pharaoh, with your permission...I may have an idea."