Finding a Place
With friendships restored, everyone could happily return to their ways. Mana went back to her lessons for the rest of the day. Also, now that the orphans were finished with school, they could attend to their work. Many young girls helped the royal handmaids with washing clothing and scrubbing floors. Several young boys helped keep the royal beasts clean and prepare meals. Younger children had been taught how to weave and sew. Even siblings worked together to manage the stables, temples, and courtyard. Even though some children were happy with their work and able to find new families among their superiors and friends, some actually were not.
There were seven sisters born unto one common family. Their mother had died after the youngest sister was born and their father had recently fallen ill. Dying slowly from his illness, the sisters were forced to live and work in the palace. All of them were happy except for the eldest. Her name was Suiguintoh and she had a hard time fitting in. She missed her father so much, his death left her quiet and wanting to be alone. She worked, learned, and had good food and comfort, but she felt like she was in a cage. Mystery had seen that before with Luna and wanted to help Suiguintoh by being her friend.
Many of the other royals were not fond of Suiguintoh. She had very bad habits and would often steal or damage property. The damages were accidental, but she would always be scolded for stealing. Her habit didn't just get her punished, but also beaten. Finally, she decided that she was fed up with the cruelty and discomfort of the palace. She only said 'goodbye' to her sisters and started on a journey to be her own person.
Finally, Suiguintoh, along with her guardian beast, a Murkrow named Mei-Mei, made it to the outskirts. They were tired and had no food, so they stopped at the ruins of Kul Elna. The damages and eerie atmosphere didn't bother them. They went inside the first house and made themselves at home.
It was hard for them to sleep because of the rain. The wind was cold and water kept splashing on their faces. The flash of lightning and roar of thunder made Suiguintoh sit up with her arms around her legs. Soon she started to regret her decision. "I should never have come here," she scolded herself. "I think I really would have been happier working in the palace. I actually would have been a lot happier if they weren't trying to change me. Why couldn't they understand me?" Just thinking about it made Suiguintoh start to cry and miss her family.
Things started to look better with the sky now clear and the sun shining. But an empty stomach couldn't be ignored. Suiguintoh needed to find food for herself and for her bird. She stepped out of the house and smelled something delicious in the air. The scent of cooked meat brought her to the house Bakura and Max were living in. With them and their own monsters surrounding the food, there would be no way to steal a meal. Suiguintoh stepped back, but the sound of her kicking a rock attracted the attention of the dogs. One of them, Houndoom, lifted his head and growled. The other two, Arcanine and Mightyena, picked up Suiguintoh's scent and found her in front of the house. Houndoom leaped on her, bared his teeth, and growled ferociously as saliva dripped from his mouth. Mei-Mei tried to fight back and protect her, but Arcanine stopped her with his Flamethrower attack.
Bakura finally stepped outside. "What's going on out here?" he asked. He got Houndoom to move away. He lifted Suiguintoh by the neckpiece of her dress. The poor girl whimpered, but said nothing. Bakura loosened his grip and pushed her aside. "This is no place for children. Get out of here."
She finally spoke up. "Where am I supposed to go?"
He looked back at her angrily. "I don't know and I don't care. Now get out," he repeated. Then he saw Suiguintoh's legs tremble. Just as she was about to lose her balance, Bakura caught her. He placed his hand on her forehead and felt that it was hot. He heard her stomach rumble and knew she was famished. He brought her inside and placed her on his bed.
Max didn't know what was coming over Bakura. She knew that he would warn anybody he encountered and kill those who didn't heed his warning. It didn't even matter how old they were. She had never even seen him take a liking to children. Nonetheless, Max helped him to take care of the girl. She placed a cold wet cloth on her forehead and left a plate of meat and grain beside her. It would take a while for the girl to recover, so they left her to rest.
"She may be unconscious, but I was able to read her mind," Max told Bakura. "She's just like me; a servant girl who's been abused and misunderstood. She ran away looking for a better life for herself. She has even been punished the same way I have been." Max found herself developing a soft side for the girl. She even knew that Bakura was feeling the same way. They decided to talk about what to do with her.
A few hours later, Suiguintoh started coming back to her senses. Bakura saw her open her eyes. They were violet cat-eyes. He thought that perhaps she had been abused for her bewitching looks. She wasn't even a follower of Cobalt, but was dressed like one. "Ah, you're awake," he told her.
Suiguintoh removed the cloth from her forehead. Max took it from her to cool it down again and gave her some cold water to drink. Suiguintoh happily drank the water and asked, "Did you help me?"
"I didn't do that much," Bakura lied, "I just couldn't leave you out there like a carcass waiting to be devoured." He puts his eyes back on her. "Where did you get those bruises?" He really did know, but he couldn't let her know what he and Max just talked about. Before Suiguintoh could say anything, he told her, "You don't have to answer. I probably know."
Max decided to explain what she found out about Suiguingtoh, but she explained it to her like it was an opinion. Suiguintoh was amazed and confused about how they could be right about her. "I was in your place when I was your age, kid," Max told her. "In fact, I made a lot of the same choices you made. Then Bakura found me and helped me to live a better life."
"Don't think it will be the same for you, though," said Bakura. "We have no patience for children. We can't even take responsibility for them. Max and I look out for ourselves."
Suiguintoh got out of bed and asked Bakura and Max to hear her out. "The both of you understand my situation and know I have no home to go to. You may not have done much for me, but I owe you my life now. It wouldn't be too much to take me as your servant. You don't even have to take care of me, really."
Max smiled and shook her head. "I don't know what you could possibly be thinking serving us, but I admire your wits."
Bakura thought for a moment. Since this girl used to live in the palace, perhaps the situation could be tolerable. Perhaps he could use her just as he had been using Max. "Well, my dear girl, you make a quality offer. But should I accept your servitude, know that I won't be responsible for your health or safety. Be grateful I'll keep a roof over your head, but you are responsible for yourself."
"I accept your terms," Suiguintoh immediately said, "And I'll carry out your orders. I made it clear I can take care of myself and I can prove it if you'll give me a chance."
"Very well," said Bakura, "but in the meantime, rest up and regain your energy. Tomorrow, your training begins." That would be enough time for them to get to know each other. Bakura would take this time telling Suiguintoh his secrets. At the same time, he would learn what kind of information she had on the royals since she worked for them.
Speaking of which, Max decided to take this as an opportunity to check up on her friends at the palace. To keep them convinced that she was their friend, she removed the Cobalt Star from her heart and left Bakura to guard it. Afterwards, she changed her appearance to take on the shape of Luna. She changed out of her black outfit and dressed in purple clothes and changed her eyes from blue to gold. Now the royals wouldn't suspect a thing. When the transformation was complete, Max headed to the palace and left Bakura to explain everything to Suiguintoh.
Luna walked through the palace gates and the great hall. When she came to the throne room, everyone was surprised to see her. Mystery, being the only one to recognize Luna, kindly welcomed her as a friend. Luna showed the same affection and the both approached each other to hug. "Oh, Mystery," Luna softly sighed. "Look at you, queen of Egypt, and with child, no less."
Mystery chuckled. "And look at you, free and lively." Then they both hugged once again. "Oh, Luna, it is so good to see you again. I have missed you."
Kisara and Freya gossiped as they landed an angry glance at Luna. "I just don't understand that woman," Kisara whispered.
Freya agreed. "How can she come here when she's not even a follower of the Great Goddess Millennia?"
Shimon and Aknadin finally recognized Luna, but couldn't believe it was really her. For all they knew, she died after she escaped from the palace as a child. They scorned and jeered, but Mystery assured them that Luna was a free woman and their friend.
The queen wanted to convince everyone that Luna had changed and become a good friend, but Luna told her, "Queen Mystery, in my heart you are my friend. But things cannot be as they once were."
"I see no reason why not," Mystery told her.
"As your subjects say, I am a daughter of the Dark Lord Cobalt."
After hearing Luna admit that, the rest of the royals began spouting jeers and nasty comments. "Is that why you're here?" asked Freya. "To tell us who you really are and where your loyalties lie?"
"She admits she's loyal to Cobalt," Joseph cried out. "Maybe she's a Cobalt spy." It wasn't meant as a joke, but Joseph and Seto and some of the other men laughed at that.
Mystery raised her arms to silence her subjects. "Luna is not a spy; she is our friend." Then she asks Luna to follow her to a quiet part of the palace. They come to a small room. "Please forgive Joseph. He still refuses to act his age and mind his manners."
"No, they're right to think that about me. I can't be loyal to Cobalt and to you at the same time. That kind of loyalty is a double-edged sword that can end up hurting me as well as the people I care about."
"But you are a free woman now, Luna. You can be loyal to whomever you decide, Millennia or Cobalt. Besides, you being a spy is the least of my worries. You see, Luna, when I married Atem, I let it out to the public that I was Millennia's true heiress. Not by accident. I did it in hopes of-"
"Because you wanted to know who the heir of Cobalt was," Luna finished for her. She keeps quiet for a moment, then decides to tell Mystery the truth. Not completely, though. Luna wanted to keep Mystery convinced that she was her friend, but she couldn't allow Bakura to think it was a true friendship. She sighs and begins by saying, "Queen Mystery, I have a confession. I am a spy, but not for Cobalt; for you."
Mystery's eyes widen hearing that. "Are you really?"
"Yes, and I have information you may want to hear. I discovered that the heir of Cobalt is a man named Bakura. He lives in the outskirts. He found out about you, but hasn't made himself known. He's been keeping to the shadows."
"Is there anything else you know about him that you can tell me?"
Luna places her fingers close to her lips and asks Mystery to keep her voice down. "I'm sorry. This is all I have to offer."
Mystery lowers her voice and asks, "Have you always known?"
Luna nods and apologizes again. "I would have told you sooner. Or rather, I wanted to tell you. Even though I always considered you my friend, I had to lie to you." Then she puts her hand behind her back and crosses her fingers. "Not out of hatred, but to keep myself alive. I saw him with the Cobalt Star and he threatened to kill me if I let the word get out to you and the others."
"You do not have to live like this," said Mystery, "I can protect you from him."
"Not in your current state," Luna told her. "Don't risk the life of your child for me when I'll only keep endangering you. But please understand I also want to protect you from the heir of Cobalt. I won't tell him of your condition, but promise me you won't share what we discussed with your subjects."
Mystery succumbed to Luna's request only because she knew that if these secrets were to get out, Luna's life wouldn't be the only one in danger. If the heir of Cobalt found out that his identity was revealed and the royals were onto him, he would murder Luna and come after the royal family.
Luna looked away and growled. "I hate this. I hate feeling like I'm being backed into a corner and having to choose sides. I also hate that you find your dreams to be coming true and that they all seem like they're being taken away. I also hate that you have to put up with this." She stops for a moment and smiles at Mystery. "But what I hate most of all is myself for hating you; especially for no reason." But Luna did want what Mystery had; a home and a real loving family. "Pray that your child will bring you good fortune."
Mystery smiles back at her friend. "Thank you, Luna. And worry not. Your secret is safe with me. And I promise to protect you." Then they shake hands, hug, and head their own ways.
The sacred guardians, along with Mana, Joseph, and the cousins began talking about suspicions about Luna's loyalty. "You can't be loyal to the Dark Lord and the Great Goddess," Seto told them. "The way I see it, Luna is only pretending to be a friend to the queen."
"It didn't seem like that to me," said Joseph.
"But perhaps Seto is right, Joseph," Mahad told them. "For Luna to say she's a spy-,"
Joseph interrupts him and says, "It all comes down to whether or not you trust her. Queen Mystery trusts Luna. Therefore, I do as well."
"Queen Mystery can make mistakes," Freya told him. She still had bitter feelings for Luna and didn't trust her. "And you shouldn't trust Luna just because she does."
Joseph sensed Freya's bitterness and told her, "You're blinded by hatred."
"No, I'm not," Freya argued, even though she really was. She had never taken the time to see Luna for anything besides a bad person who took pleasure in hurting others. Other than that, Freya felt like Luna was trying to poison Joseph's mind and crush his spirit.
Joseph sighs and takes control of his temper. "Look, I really don't want to fight. But a wise friend once told me to be a friend to someone who needs one. I followed that wisdom because it was the right thing to do; not for myself, but for Luna. She needs to know that we trust her. If she says she is on our side, then I believe her. And if that's the case, then we need to protect her and be there for her as we would for anyone else in this kingdom."
"Joseph, I know friendship is your element, but come on," Mana groaned.
"Even if we do," Seto was saying, "Luna won't provide us with any information we need on the heir of Cobalt. Rather she will provide him with information about the pharaoh and queen. We're practically giving ourselves to the enemy."
"We'll give Luna one chance," said Mahad. "If she does anything suspicious or traitorous, we'll report to the king and queen right away." Finally, the meeting was adjourned.