Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters (unless otherwise stated) Kazuki Takahashi does, nor do I make any money from these stories.
33
Ma'at and Yugi walked into the throne room "Why have we been summoned pharaoh?" Ma'at asked, as Yugi kneeled before the pharaoh,
Aknamkanon sighed, "Yugi please stand up, I thought I told you, you only need to bow with your head?"
Yugi smiled sheepishly "Sorry my pharaoh I forgot."
The pharaoh smiled fondly at the small teen "It's alright Yugi but try and remember next time." He turned to Ma'at "As for why you are here? We have had a development."
"What kind of development?" Ma'at asked
"You'll see." He turned to Yugi "Now listen to me Yugi whatever you hear from the mouth of our visitor you are to ignore as it is completely false."
"What is it pharaoh?" Yugi asked a little worried
"You will soon see, please go and wait with the priests and say nothing Yugi."
Yugi bowed and did as his pharaoh commanded; as he walked passed Atemu the prince grabbed his hand "It's okay Yugi." He whispered "It's just some woman who has gotten her facts wrong."
Yugi nodded as he pulled his hand away from Atemu, he remembered the pharaoh telling him about a woman that he had found for Atemu before Atemu had told the pharaoh to tell her not to bother, Yugi wondered if this was her come to try and lay claim to Atemu after all, but he wasn't worried he knew Atemu loved him.
Outside the throne room the guard turned up with lady Masika who was just about to walk into the throne room "I'm sorry my lady but you cannot enter the throne room until the pharaoh calls for you."
"Nonsense!" she said haughtily "Crown prince Atemu is my future husband now out of my way!" she went to push open the doors when two spears crossed before her barring her way.
"How dare you!" she cried "The pharaoh will have your head for this!"
"Sorry my lady, it is the pharaohs orders that you remain here until called for."
She narrowed her eyes "When the prince and I are married I will see to it personally that you suffer greatly for your insolence!"
Inside the throne room everyone could hear the commotion going on outside
"Please father, tell me that is not the girl you chose as my future queen." Atemu said quietly.
Aknamkanon looked at his son and smiled apologetically "I'm afraid so Atemu, but I can assure you she was a lot nicer." he paused when he heard her shouting again "And quieter when we first met her was she not Shimon?" he said as he turned to his adviser
"That is correct pharaoh, though I cannot help but think that the idea of being prince Atemu's wife and future queen of Egypt has gone to her head somewhat."
The pharaoh sighed "I fear you may be right old friend."
The pharaoh turned to the goddess "What do you think Ma'at?"
"Hmph." Ma'at snorted, "Even if Atemu were not betrothed to Yugi I would still say she is most unsuitable!"
Atemu stood up "Get rid of her father, I don't care how you do it, just, do it!" he growled, then turned to walk away
"Sit down Atemu." Aknamkanon said
"Why? I have no intention of speaking with her."
"You will sit down and behave as the Crown prince of Egypt should!" Aknamkanon growled, "You will meet with our guest and you will be polite."
Atemu walked over to Yugi and took his hand, "Please Yugi don't believe anything she says." he pleaded
Yugi looked up into Atemu's eyes and saw his fears, he smiled "I won't don't worry, I know in my heart that you love me and nothing will persuade me otherwise." He stood on tiptoe and kissed Atemu.
Smiling Atemu walked back to the smaller throne that stood beside his father's larger one and sat down, "Let's get this over with." he sighed.
The pharaoh looked at the others in the room "My priests and item bearers I want you to watch and listen." They nodded their understanding. He turned to the council "My trusted council I want you to bear witness to these proceedings and see that they are conducted correctly."
Madu bowed "Yes pharaoh."
Aknamkanon turned to Atemu "And I want you to behave yourself."
Atemu nodded "Yes father." He said sullenly
"All right sit down everyone, the sooner we get this started the sooner she leaves."
"Will she not be allowed to stay in the palace pharaoh?" Madu asked
"No Madu she will not, allowing her to stay will only give her false hope that she may be able to persuade either Atemu or myself to change our minds."
"What about the council?" Yugi asked
The pharaoh smiled "The council can suggest it is time for the crown prince to marry and even when the time for an heir has come but they have no power to tell him who he has to marry."
Aknamkanon thought for a moment then added "But they can say whether they think the person chosen is suitable or not after a thorough check of their background."
Yugi bowed "Thank you pharaoh."
Madu seeing the uncertainty creep into Yugi's eyes spoke up
"Yugi."
"Yes Madu?"
"You have nothing to fear, the council has no objections to prince Atemu's forthcoming marriage to you."
Madu smiled at the sight of Yugi's posture relaxing, Yugi bowed
"My thanks go to you and the rest of the council."
Listening to the short conversation Aknamkanon, inwardly smiled, the pharaoh cleared his throat "That's enough we can deal with that later." He looked up to the guard "Bring her in." he commanded.
The pharaoh motioned for Ma'at to come closer "Did you tell Yugi the news?"
"No." she sighed "I was about to when you summoned us."
Ma'at noticed the twinkle in his eyes "Shall we tell them and everyone else after we've dealt with this?"
Masika was getting angry 'How dare he ignore me to talk to that lowly woman!' she thought to herself 'I don't care if he is the pharaoh he should drop everything to talk with me.' She looked at Atemu 'And why the hell won't Atemu even look at me!' she thought to herself feeling even angrier that both men were ignoring her.
Ma'at chuckled and nodded her agreement "I think you had best deal with the girl, she seems quite put out that you are ignoring her." She whispered before she stepped back and pharaoh Aknamkanon turned to the girl.
While Aknamkanon and Ma'at were talking Atemu had taken the opportunity to look round the room looking everywhere except where the girl was standing waiting for them to notice her.
However he looked at her when his father spoke "Welcome lady Masika."
"Pharaoh." She said through gritted teeth, still feeling angry that the pharaoh had made her wait while he spoke to some lowly female. 'When I am queen that woman will be the first one I have executed' she thought to herself not realising that the 'lowly woman' was in fact the goddess Ma'at.
Both Aknamkanon and Atemu had noticed the tone of her voice but said nothing, for the time being.
"What business do you have here that you demand an audience with me?" the pharaoh asked, his tone brisk.
Knowing it would be unwise to cross him her tone turned gentler "My pharaoh I am here concerning my upcoming marriage to crown prince Atemu."
No one spoke so she carried on "I thought it would be better if I came here and got to know my future husband a few months before the wedding."
"There is no wedding." Pharaoh Aknamkanon said calmly
"What?" lady Masika said quietly not sure whether she'd heard him right
"I said, there is no wedding planned." He paused "Not between you and my son that is."
The girl smiled and pulled a scroll from her dress sleeve "On the contrary pharaoh I have a marriage contract here that says the wedding will take place after the Great Feast of the Netjeru." She said not bothering to hide the smugness in her voice.
Aknamkanon felt the air turn cold and heavy and he looked towards Atemu, he could see that he was angered by the girls attitude, Aknamkanon put his hand on his son's arm and leaned towards him "Calm down Atemu and keep control of the shadows, I will deal with this."
Atemu looked at his father and seeing the sincerity in his eyes relaxed letting the shadows recede. Aknamkanon was just thankful that the girl had not noticed.
"Show me this scroll," he commanded
Masika went to take a step forward but she was stopped by the angry voice of the pharaoh "I did not give you permission to approach the throne, Shimon." The elderly advisor stood next to his pharaoh
"Yes pharaoh."
"Get the scroll and bring it to me."
"As you command."
Shimon went to the girl and held his hand out waiting for her to hand it over, however she was reluctant.
"Why do you hesitate?" Atemu asked, speaking for the first time since she'd arrived in the throne room, "Is there something remiss with the scrolls contents?" he asked again his eyes narrowed
"No Atemu." She said sweetly hoping to throw him off
He stood up "You will address me in the correct manner!" he hissed at her, being careful to keep the shadows at bay.
"When we are married I will call you Atemu so why not now." She said a little angrily
"Watch your tongue girl!" Aknamkanon said "I have already told you there is no marriage planned so the scroll you hold is already subject to dispute, now, are you going to pass it to my adviser or will I have my guards take it by force?"
Knowing she had no other option she gave the scroll to Shimon, who in turn passed it to Aknamkanon.
Masika was even more surprised when Aknamkanon, without even looking at it handed it to Isis "Tell me what you think Isis."
"Yes my pharaoh." She said as she took the scroll from him.
Masika watched as Isis closed her eyes and the necklace she was wearing glowed, after a few moments she opened her eyes again and first looked towards the girl and then to her pharaoh "My pharaoh this is indeed a marriage contract drawn up regarding a union between prince Atemu and the lady Masika."
A small gasp was heard
"However." Isis continued, "The document was not written by your hand." She handed the scroll back to Aknamkanon
"Thank you Isis." The pharaoh looked at the girl "Well?" he asked
"Pharaoh I can assure you the contract was finalised between my mother and councilman Jahi, it even has your signature." She looked at Atemu "You can't go back on it now the contract is set and cannot be broken." She said defiantly.
Aknamkanon opened the scroll and looked at the signature and grew angry "This signature is not mine." He said looking up at the girl "Yugi come here."
Yugi walked towards the pharaoh. "Yes pharaoh."
"Using the power of the scales look at this scroll and tell me the truth." Yugi looked at Ma'at who nodded at him.
He took the scroll and bowed "Yes my pharaoh."
Yugi undid the rest of the scroll and studied it, as he did so Atemu leaned towards his father. "Why get Yugi to look at it?"
"With Ma'at standing here his powers are stronger, he will easily see the truth behind the document." Aknamkanon smiled at his son "Thus knowing for sure that this so-called marriage was never meant to be."
Atemu smiled "Thank you father."
Aknamkanon waved his son's thanks away with a smile.
As they waited for Yugi to study the scroll Masika was getting anxious, she hadn't known that the pharaoh had people around him with these powers, she had thought that all she had to do was present the scroll to the pharaoh and Atemu would have to marry her. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Atemu's hardened look soften as he looked at the boy. 'No!' She thought 'he couldn't, he couldn't be enamoured with that boy surely, what does he have that I don't?
Masika couldn't understand Atemu's apparent reluctance in accepting her as his bride, after all she had been told many times that she was a real beauty and would make a fine wife for prince Atemu. That is what had driven her to take the chance and do this…
A.N
The Great Feast of the Netjeru (Gods and Goddesses) took place on Kemetian calendar – 6- Paopi / Gregorian calendar – 23- August
Paopi was the second month of AKHET (inundation)
I know that some sources have the dates for the month of Paopi as being between July 15 and August 15, but I prefer to stick with the Gregorian date of August 23. (The Netjer of the month was Ptah.)