Age of Majesty
Author's Notes: did something weird. I lost chapter 5 because I didn't bother saving it and it somehow replaced chapter 5 with chapter 6. I guess I uploaded the wrong document? Anyways, sorry about that. Here's a chapter 5, so that chapter 6 would make more sense.
Chapter 5
There was a heavy weight of secrecy on the palace grounds the next morning. Atemu was very cross that morning and Mahaado had a feeling whatever put the Pharaoh in such a bad mood happened only last night. And these days whenever something happens, it usually involves Seto.
Mahaado himself was rather fond of the boy. Back when the late Pharaoh was in power, Mahaado, who was seven years older than both Atemu and Seto, used to play with the children in their spare time. There was a time when Seto had been carefree and ignorant of how cruel life will be to him. He used to call Atemu by his name when no adults were around. It was, predictably enough, the time when his father Akenadon was still around, and it was before the Millennium Items were made.
Sadly enough, when the items did complete their work Seto's health declined even more rapidly, and when the child was twelve years old and Mahaado had just become High Priest, Seto nearly died. It was a moment in their lives Mahaado knew Atemu also remembered vividly. Seto's heart and breathing stopped and his shadow presence disappeared. It took all the power of the healers to bring him back, and required the late Pharaoh's puzzle to seal the boy's soul temporarily until the body could take it again.
Mad with grief over his child's curse, Akenadon abandoned his post as High Priest and left the capital in search of a cure for his child. With no replacement available, Seto was made High Priest. That was around the time when Seto suddenly seemed to grow up. He was always intelligent, with great strategies and always helping his father in court, but all traces of childishness vanished. He became wiser, but also more sorrowful, and fell sick more often. The shadow games he had to play many a time to prove his worth to fellow priests, until his power was as famed as his health. But Seto was unhappy, and when the late Pharaoh died and Atemu became King, Seto seemed to withdraw even further. Before, Seto was open and naive. Now he was introverted, and guarded his secrets as if his life depended on it. His young age would make that necessary, unfortunately.
The duels went on, the crowd gathering as they watched the monsters battle. The duel Mahaado judged was over in less than five minutes; the winner did not even have to try for that one.
Malik had advanced to the next level, and thanks to Seto's ingenious plan they knew to keep a close eye on him. Atemu viewed the name with a critical eye when he learned who it was, and looked for all the world like he wanted to arrest the thief right there and be done with it. Seto had advised him not to, which was wise, because Bakura could rightfully challenge Atemu and while no one could match Atemu's skill except perhaps Seto, the fiend was well versed enough in cheating to perhaps get away with it. Not to mention, Seto had pointed out, it was only a simple matter of using the Millennium Scale, for Bakura to convict himself.
Then later in the day, out of the blue, Atemu called Mahaado to him.
" I need you to do me a favor, High Priest Mahaado." Atemu requested. " My cousin's illness leaves him in a vulnerable state, and there are many shadow users nearby. If you could take him to your protection I will reward you greatly."
Professional words, though both Atemu and Mahaado knew he was not interested in any reward. Mahaado was gobsmacked, however, and hesitated a brief second before telling the Pharaoh he would comply.
Seto looked about as terrible as Mahaado had ever seen him.
" What happened to you?" Mahaado exclaimed before he remembered to watch his words. Seto paled even further and looked like he might faint.
" Seto?" Mahaado called, feeling dread collect in his stomach.
Seto held his head and looked like he was about to break into tears, though he was holding it in with a valiant effort in front of the servants. Mahaado waved to the servants to move ahead so he could speak to Seto alone.
" Are you alright?" Mahaado asked, concerned. " You look like you saw a ghost."
Seto tried to speak but it seemed words caught in his throat. He blinked at Mahaado helplessly, coughing.
Feeling equally helpless, Mahaado silently helped Seto out of the house.
" No." Seto suddenly shook his head when Mahaado called for the servants to bring the car. " I can make it."
" Seto…"
" I can make it." Seto insisted. He did not want any special privileges.
Mahaado sighed. This was the reason no one could hate Seto. Despite his obvious genius, he never expects any special treatment, whether for his intelligence or for his handicap. Slowly Mahaado accompanied Seto as they made their way across the palace grounds. Seto had to stop often for rest, and many a time Mahaado had to feed him water to prevent him from fainting.
At one point Seto sat and stared at the duel taking place in the distance. His face held a stony expression, like he was numb. Mahaado wondered what happened last night that had both Atemu and Seto so on edge.
He had a feeling he did not want to know.
oO
Bakura was watching the duel, since today was not his turn to go. Next to him the man he met at the inn also watched. They were both advancing easily, and Bakura had a feeling he would probably be dueling the man sometime soon.
The man's name was Gahiji, he was a hunk of a man, tall and brutish looking with fierce bushy eyebrows and a large flat nose. He was not watching the duel too intensely, which was fine because the duel was boring. Two idiots battling each other. Even the judges had trouble not yawning. But when Bakura followed his gaze to where he was actually concentrating, his blood boiled.
There was Seto. Sickly, tired, pale, but the sunlight revealed all his beautiful features and he was lovely and perfect. And this Gahiji was staring at him.
Resisting the urge to rip the man in half, Bakura reminded himself that he had gone through similar situations before. Any treasure worthy of stealing had many thieves after it, and Bakura had always managed to emerge on top. For Seto it was no different.
Except it was. Because this time the treasure was a living, breathing person. A work of art, a moving, warm being that could react and could speak back. Bakura shuddered and repressed the memories of that night again.
He will take care of this Gahiji. No one was stealing his priest.
oO
" How are you settling in, Seto?" Atemu asked once Mahaado went out with the servants to arrange the tournament matters. It was rare that they would have so much time alone together like this, but Atemu was taking full advantage of it.
Seto was lying on the bed, exhausted but cleaned. He made to get up. Atemu waved him back down.
" You are ill," He said kindly, " And you received a fright last night. I am sorry I did not protect you better."
" No, my Pharaoh." Seto protested. " It was something I should have foreseen."
How the blazes Seto would have foreseen something like that, Atemu had no clue, but the King did agree that Seto probably should have realized his vulnerability. Still, the priest was sick, and everyone makes mistakes.
" You know you can come to me for anything."
Seto bowed his head. " Yes, Pharaoh."
Atemu paused, feeling anger bubbling inside him. Why was Seto being so formal? " What is wrong, Seto?"
" Nothing, my Pharaoh." Seto paled. He saw that Atemu was beginning to lose his temper.
It was too much. Someone he cared about had nearly been hurt, is ill, and now does not trust him. In fact, it has been a while since Seto had trusted him. He was tired, he had not slept all night because he had been worried for Seto, and he really could not take this kind of aggravation.
" Would it kill you to say my name?" He exploded. " What, do you dislike me so much that you cannot speak it?"
Shocked, Seto stuttered, " No! No my pha—I—"
" What?" Atemu demanded angrily. " Do you not trust me? What are you trying to say?"
Seto broke into trembles, coughing and choking as he did so. He was terrified and bewildered. He could not understand where all this was coming from. The Pharaoh never seemed to mind before, and it was proper, was it not? He had been warned by Mahaado, back when Atemu's father,Aknamkhanan , that he could not be too informal with his King. No matter how close they are, being improper at the wrong moment could get him killed. He had taken that advice to heart and never once shown Atemu or his father any disrespect. Why would Atemu be offended at all? He was only playing his part!
" Stop it!" Atemu yelled, grabbing Seto's wrists. Seto was hyperventilating. " Calm yourself before you give yourself a heart attack! Breathe!"
Seto broke into tears. He was not physically strong enough to be emotionally strong; the tears just spilled out of him. Atemu's expression softened. How could he frighten his cousin like that when he is so sick?
" Breathe," He said, in a gentler voice, " Breathe, that's right."
Seto coughed several times at last, blinking the last tears out of his eyes. He still felt troubled.
" I'm sorry Seto." Atemu released his wrists sadly but captured his hands instead. " I should not have lost my temper like that."
Seto stared at him, eyes wide and glistening as the Pharaoh dropped another bombshell on him. A Pharaoh, doing something he should not? How is that even possible? But of course, it is possible, except the Pharaoh admits it?
" It just feels like," Atemu looked down sadly, " Feels like you are afraid of me." Atemu looked back up, searching Seto's deep blue eyes. " And you were never afraid of me before you became High Priest."
Seto was speechless. He was sure he was going to faint now. He could not handle this pressure.
Atemu squeezed his hands despondently again. " I promised I will never forsake you Seto."
Seto felt tears spill from his eyes again. He knew he had hurt the Pharaoh now.
" I'm sorry," He whispered, " I never meant…I was just…I…" He fell silent.
" Why are you afraid of me then?" The Pharaoh asked sadly.
" I…" What could he say? He was not? Because that would be a lie. Not to mention stupid. He swallowed thickly. " What do you want me to do?" He asked desperately. " You are my Pharaoh, my liege. I am your subject. What do you want me to do?"
Atemu searched his blue eyes for a while, before giving his hands another squeeze. " Good cousin." He apologized softly, before getting up and leaving the room.
Seto grew worse after that.
oO
Kalim met with Atemu as the Pharaoh quietly walked towards the palace, despondent. The priest did not notice his sovereign's dark mood, instead hurrying to explain the emergency.
" My Pharaoh!" He called, " My Pharaoh," He repeated when Atemu stopped.
Atemu sighed inwardly. It looked like bad news and he really was not in the mood to deal with them. " What is it, High Priest Kalim?"
" The Ambassador of Ethiopia arrived today," Kalim stuttered a little, " He requests to meet with High Priest Seto."
The King paused, knowing what this meant. Though not all Egyptian civilians understood the hidden message of the tournament, the foreign politicians did. Seto had been the one obstacle they faced when they had any ideas about the Egyptian territory, and his replacement could mean that Egypt was up for grabs. Of course, since Atemu had not explicitly stated that the King of Games would become High Priest, they had to make sure.
" He is indisposed." Atemu told Kalim. " You know that."
" Yes my lord, but," Kalim stammered, " He insisted on seeing either you or the High Priest."
Atemu was quiet again. " That can be done, but not tonight. Tonight I have affairs to attend to."
" Yes my Pharaoh."
Atemu paused at this, wondering to himself if he had been taking the title too personally. It sounded very easy and natural for the other priests to refer to him thus, but for some reason every time Seto said it he felt like he had been stabbed. Perhaps Seto did not mean anything by it. Perhaps Seto was just doing what others expect of him. But surely, for someone who had referred to him by name, even nickname, for years, surely Seto could say his name now as well? But it seemed impossible for the boy. And the fear and deep, deliberate respect Atemu felt every time could not be false.
He sighed, outwardly this time.
" My Pharaoh," Kalim bravely and cautiously proceeded, " Is High Priest Seto…"
Pharaoh Atemu looked at him searchingly for a moment. " He will be well." He said.
At least he hoped so.