Chapter 3- A Prince's Crush
The Court was in awe at the fight that they had just witnessed.
No one had ever been able to match Benshin move for move the way that Heba had just done.
"Enough." Aknankanon said.
Both fighters backed away from each other, turned to face the court and bowed.
Aknankanon walked down the steps of the throne to the bottom with Atemu and Yami following as was tradition. "Stand." Aknankanon ordered.
Heba and Benshin did as they were told.
"Remove your masks." Aknankanon said.
Atemu and Yami watched curiously as the younger fighter removed his mask. They were curious as to what this one looked like.
Heba removed his mask and held it at his side.
The entire court could barely hold in their gasps of surprise at how much like the Princes that Heba looked.
Benshin glanced over at Heba nervously. 'I hope that nothing happens to him for his similarities to the Princes.' Benshin thought.
Aknankanon quickly recovered from his shock of Heba's appearance. "You have both fought well in this fight. I have not witnessed such a grand battle in many years. I am well pleased with you both." Aknankanon told them.
Both fighters felt a little more relaxed, knowing that they could easily be killed if the Pharaoh was displeased with their performance.
Aknankanon's gaze shifted to Heba. "Tell me your name, young one." Aknankanon ordered.
"Heba, my Pharaoh." Heba answered.
"No one has fought this well since Benshin was brought here, and eh has been here for five years. You are truly a remarkable fighter." Aknankanon praised.
"Thanks you, my Pharaoh." Heba answered.
Atemu watched this with interested eyes. He had never seen someone as beautiful as this creature that was standing not ten feet from him. 'This boy is gorgeous. His eyes are stunning and he has to be the most beautiful person that I have ever seen. The gods certainly put a great deal of work into making this one.' Atemu thought.
Aknankanon dismissed the two from the throne room.
Heba and Benshin bowed the Pharaoh and the court before they left the throne room.
Eternias walked down the steps to where Aknankanon, Yami, and Atemu were standing. "May I take it that you are pleased with the new performance fighter?" Eternias asked.
"Yes, I am. I have never seen such a fighter as this one. No one has ever managed to end a fight with Benshin in a draw." Aknankanon said.
"I thought that he would be able to keep Benshin on his toes." Eternias said.
"There is just one thing that troubles me." Mahado said.
"What's that?" Karim asked.
"Is he an appropriate age for this?' Mahado asked.
"Yes. His age is seventeen although he does not appear so." Karim said.
"I believe that I would like to see more of this boy's skill." Aknankanon said.
Atemu hadn't stopped thinking of the young boy. 'I wonder what he's like outside of battle.' Atemu thought.
Yami had noticed his brother's distanced look. 'I wonder what's up with Atemu.' Yami thought.
After the battle, Heba had gone back to his room and changed into his normal attire after bathing to wash the gold paint off of his body.
There was a knock on his door.
Heba stood up from his bed and walked over to the door, opening it to see Benshin.
"Hello, Heba. I hope that I am not disturbing you." Benshin said.
"Of course not. Please, come in." Heba said, stepping aside.
Benshin walked into the room, and Heba shut the door.
"Is there something that you needed?" Heba asked.
"Yes. I wanted to thank you for giving me such a good fight today." Benshin said.
"You do?" Heba asked.
"Yes, I do. I have not faced an opponent who put up a good fight in years. It became a bore to me to have to fight just because I knew that I would get no challenge. You gave me a challenge, and it surprised me. I am indebted to you for making me have to work in a real battle. I'll have to stay on my toes from now on if I want to keep my title as the best performance fighter for the Pharaoh." Benshin said.
"I am glad that you feel that way. Most people would hate me for the fight I gave them, especially since it would embarrass them before the Pharaoh." Heba said.
"I was not embarrassed. In fact, I was thrilled. I have always enjoyed this, and I like having a challenge. I have not had one in some time." Benshin said.
"Well, if we meet in future fights, then you will continue to get good fights out of me." Heba said.
"I look forward to it." Benshin said, smiling. "Oh. I would also like to ask a favor of you." Benshin said.
"What is that?" Heba asked.
"I need a good training partner, and I would like you to be it." Benshin said.
"I would be honored to be your training partner." Heba said.
"I look forward to training with you." Benshin said.
"As do I." Heba agreed.
A week had passed by since the performance fights, and there had been no other performance fights since then.
Atemu walked down the hall, completely lost in thought. 'Heba. I wonder if I'll ever see him again? He is an amazing fighter. His eyes were so unique. They looked like rare amethyst gems. He also looked like one who could rival the goddess Hathor in beauty. And his voice. It almost seemed like a sweet melody. What is it about him that made my heart stop?' Atemu asked himself.
Atemu looked up and was surprised to find himself in the west wing of the palace. He rarely ever came to this end of the palace unless he was looking for Mahado or Mana. Only magicians, fighters, and servants ever came to this side of the palace.
'I must have been so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realize that I walked here.' Atemu thought. He shrugged and kept walking. 'As long as I'm over here, I might as well see Mana.' Atemu thought.
It was then that Atemu heard two voices. Both sounded familiar.
'I wonder who that is.' Atemu thought. His curiosity getting the best of him, Atemu reached a pillar and stayed out of sight as he peered around. His heart stopped as he saw the main object of his thoughts standing there with Benshin.
"That was an excellent training session, Heba. I swear that I think you're getting better than me." Benshin said.
Heba laughed. "I highly doubt that, Benshin. I think that we're still at about the same level. I haven't had such a good training partner in some time." Heba said.
Atemu saw that Heba's skin was glistening with sweat from the training that he was doing, and Atemu couldn't help but think that Heba looked stunning like that.
Atemu suddenly blushed at the thought and turned quickly to look away from the two. 'I can't believe that I just thought that. I know that I like guys, but this is a servant that I'm thinking about, someone beneath me. Father would never approve of something like that.' Atemu thought. He looked back and saw that Heba and Benshin were still talking.
"By the way, Heba. Have you still been having trouble with any of the other fighters?" Benshin asked.
Before Heba could answered, someone said, "Hey, runt!"
Heba growled lowly. "Does that answer your question?" Heba asked. He turned around to face a medium sized man although he was twice as tall as Heba and twice as big as well.
"What do you want, Imoru?" Heba asked.
"I want to know why you're still here. I thought you would have scurried on home?" Imoru said.
"And why would I have done that?" Heba asked.
"You're not wanted here, runt, so I suggest you get your sorry ass out of the palace." Imoru said.
"Imoru, the only way that I will leave the palace is if I am asked by someone of high rank to leave. You have no power over me, so I do not plan on leaving." Heba said.
Imoru looked angry. "Listen, half pint. Runts like you don't; belong here." Imoru said.
"Imoru, you do know that he beat Trik, Nish, and Cron in performance for the Pharaoh and the Court, and he also beat Grom and Bron in the training room. He's just as good as me." Benshin said.
"Please, Benshin. We all know that you took it easy on the runt or he would have had his ass kicked." Imoru said.
"Actually, I fought my best, and it still ended in a draw. Heba is every bit as good as I am, and I believe that only the Pharaoh as the authority to tell him to leave." Benshin said.
"Not if he winds up dead." Imoru said.
"Imoru, if you want to fight to satisfy your own ambitions, fine. Request a fight with me, or we can fight in the training room." Heba said.
Imoru snorted. "Like I would have a problem taking you out." Imoru said.
"Then prove it." Heba said.
"Fine. I'll request a fight. And I'll beat your sorry ass." Imoru said before storming off.
"Heba, please don't take it easy on him." Imoru said.
"I won't. Trust me. I hate it when I am called runt, and he has crossed me the wrong way several times." Heba said.
Benshin smirked. "I may have to request to watch this might considering you'll try to draw it out at least a little bit." Benshin said.
"Yeah. I really don't want Imoru's insecurities about his positron here to waste the Pharaoh's time if he does allow the fight." Heba said.
"Good. I'd hate to see what would happen if it was a waste." Benshin said.
Atemu was startled. 'He may look small and fragile, but I can tell that he's actually very string and self-confident.' Atemu thought.
"What are you doing, Atemu?"
Atemu whirled around to come face to face with Mana.
Mana titled her head to the side and said, "What are you-"
Atemu slapped his hand over Mana's mouth to keep her from talking since she wasn't exactly being quiet about it.
"Is someone there?" Heba asked.
Atemu panicked. He did not want Heba to find him there.
Grabbing Mana by the wrist, Atemu ran right into the first open room that he found, pulled Mana inside the room, and shut the door.
Mana blinked. "Atemu, what is wrong with you?" Mana asked.
Atemu turned around and looked into Mana's curious green eyes.
Heba and Benshin searched the area around where they heard someone talking.
"I know that I am not losing my mind." Heba said.
"Heba, if you're losing your mind, then I am, too. I could swear that I heard someone." Benshin agreed.
"Well, it could have been anyone. This areas full pf people." Heba said.
"Yeah. Let's go. I think that we'd better eat lunch before we end up starving ourselves. After that training session, I need food." Benshin said.
Heba laughed. "Right behind you." Heba agreed, following Benshin.
"Atemu, why were you hiding behind that pillar? For that matter, what are you doing in this wing?" Mana asked.
"Um, well, I was sorta walking and thinking, and I didn't pay attention to where I was walking and ended up here." Atemu said.
"Okay. So, why were you hiding? I mean, you are the Crown Prince, so you don't need to hide from anyone. You have every right to be there." Mana said.
"I know, but I heard two of the performance fighters talking, and I really didn't want them to see me." Atemu said.
"Which ones?" Mana asked.
"Umm, Benshin and the new one." Atemu said.
"Heba. You should meet him." Mana said.
Atemu looked at her in surprise. "You know him?" Atemu asked.
Mana nodded. "I wander through here sometimes, and I ran into him. We started talking. He's a nice person. Most people over here are a lot older than me, and Heba's only a year older than I am." Mana said. She looked at him and said, "Why didn't you want them to see you?" Mana asked.
"Um, well, you see, I'm not sure why, but I've been thinking about Heba since I saw his performance." Atemu said.
"Thinking about him? What's so bad about that?" Mana asked.
"I don't know. I keep thinking about how beautiful he looks, and I keep thinking about talking to him, but I really don't want to because of class difference. I don't know what's going on." Atemu said.
Mana's eyes widened. "I don't believe it!" Mana exclaimed.
Atemu jumped, startled. "What?" Atemu asked.
"Atemu, you have a crush on Heba." Mana said.
"What?!" Atemu exclaimed.
"Come on. You think about him even though you haven't properly met him, you think he's beautiful, and you didn't want to him to see you, but you were secretly watching him." Mana said.
Atemu suddenly blushed at all of the implications that Mana was making.
"And now you're blushing. There's no doubt. You have a crush on Heba." Mana said.
"That can't be." Atemu said.
"Oh. Hi, Heba." Mana said.
Atemu's eyes became twice their normal size, and Atemu jumped up, whirling around to face the closed door.
"That confirms it. You like him." Mana said.
Atemu turned back to her. "That wasn't funny, Mana." Atemu said.
"I know. It wasn't supposed to be. You got worried at the thought of seeing him. Atemu, you like him." Mana said.
"B-but I haven't even really met him." Atemu protested.
"I know that. Haven't you ever heard of love at first sight?" Mana asked.
"Yes. I have never believed it, though." Atemu said.
"I think you should start because I think that you have fallen for Heba." Mana said.
Atemu gulped. "What should I do, though?" Atemu asked.
Mana smiled. " I know. Let's go talk to Mahado. He said that it was love at first sight when he met Isis. Maybe he can help." Mana said.
"Mana, I don't want anyone else to know. Heba and I are in completely different social classes." Atemu said.
"Atemu, I know that you're a little scared, but you need advice, and you know that Mahado wouldn't tell anyone if you asked him not to." Mana said.
Atemu sighed, knowing the girl to be stubborn. "Fine. I'll go and talk to Mahado, but you have to promise that you won't tell anyone." Atemu said.
"Okay. I won't tell anyone. Come on. Mahado should still be in his study." Mana said, grabbing Atemu by the wrist and pulling him out of the room.
This chpater might not be the best, but the only purpose for this chapter was to show Atemu's infatuation with Heba. I also wanted to show Atemu's fear of telling him.
The next chapter will involve Atemu talking to Mahado, adn several people scheming to help Atemu's love life.
R&R.