Dripping Wings
It had taken only two days for the final ceremony to be coordinated. Burial of a Sekeshan monarch was very strict, and very formal, and for Yuugi, no expense had been spared when it came to honoring his name, and his memory.
Near the back of the palace, where the stables were placed and in the shadow of the atrium, a large platform had stood erected since the beginning of the city's existence. So carved in a plaque of electrum at the base of the stepped platform, it proclaimed the age of the structure, being older than the palace itself.
Every royal that had ever died had been carefully cleaned, dressed, and laid to rest for one final moment in the public eye before being buried in the royal catacombs. After all, if the Queen or King in question had been truly loved, then the public should be allowed to say their final goodbye as well.
There was a light mist in the air which made everything moist, but it was nowhere near a rainfall. Next to the King of Sekesha stood the Magistrate Isis, High Guardian Marik of El-Ekehrah, Lilian, the Silver Class Healer Ryou, his lover Bakura, Mai, Anzu, Ayana and Daemon, Yuugi's once tutors, and the High Priestesses of every Goddess from the main temples of the city. All of these individuals held a place of honor next to the King. Helios, his size once again scaled down, and Velinah, with her still broken wings, sat off the the side as well.
Atemu could only stare with empty eyes at Yuugi's body as it lay peacefully on the stone platform. Astarte's body had been cleaned as well, and she was placed next to him, as was custom for a Guardian/Sacred bond that had perished.
It was time for him to say goodbye.
It would be nearly impossible. Especially now, with Jono dead. Atemu had been shell-shocked, and even more so when Mai had broken down into hysterical tears. He had not known the two were involved with each other.
The entire city had turned out for the ceremony, as was their right. Word spread like a wild fire in a dry fall of Yuugi's victory over the Evil God, and the country's victory over their lifetime enemy of Questchal.
The thirteen High Priestesses walked around Yuugi's body and spread their arms in prayer. Atemu did not register what they were saying, nor did he care to try. The day was taking far too long to be over.
He also did not notice that the belly of the High Priestess of Tranquility was already starting to bulge with his and Yuugi's unborn child. He could hardly remember performing that ceremony just over a month ago.
Had it really only been a month since he and Yuugi had awoken to the sounds of Isis crying out her fear of the attack? It felt like a lifetime ago.
Atemu was brought out of his thoughts as someone nudged him in the shoulder. It appeared that Isis was rousing him, as he had been called by the Priestesses to come forth.
"Your Highness, it's time for you to say your final goodbye, as is custom."
So much with the customs today. Please, let it be over soon.
"Atemu," Isis began.
The King looked back at her, his expression blank. "Yes?"
"It would be healthy for you to cry. This is the last time you'll see his face." Her eyes held concern for him.
Atemu looked away from her, back at the body he was supposed to walk up to. "I would cry, Isis, if I had a heart left to cry with." He started to walk towards the platform. "When Yuugi died, so did everything within me."
Isis was actually worried for his mental health as Atemu started to climb the stairs to Yuugi's side.
Yuugi's porcelain face was moist with the mist from the air. Atemu thought briefly that it appeared as if Yuugi had doused himself in glitter, one of those strange things he would sometimes mention from his old world.
Boneless, yet still somehow graceful, he saw down and looked at the perfect face that looked skyward.
He could have shot arrows at the hearts of the citizens below him crying. They knew nothing of his pain. Why couldn't have this been done in private?
He lifted his hand and gently traced the curve Yuugi's very cold cheek. "This is it, my love. I told you, that you would not have to wait long. Perhaps I didn't realize how soon that actually was, until now."
He was still for a moment longer. He'd have to make this quick, after all, to have no one stop him. He may have even changed his mind on the whole matter, but the news of Jono's death had not gone over quite so well.
His best friend and his soul mate, dead in one single miserable day. He could take no more grief from this world.
After all, the burial of everyone else was supposed to happen tomorrow, and he could not sit through another moment of this torture.
He heard everyone that had just stood next to him cry out in panic as he lifted the dagger from it's sheath on his right hip and poised it over his heart.
It would hurt, but only for a moment. Then it would be dark, then a wave of light, and then Yuugi's face, bright and shining, would come into view. He smiled as he allowed his dagger to fall. He couldn't wait to see Yuugi again.
Atemu's body jerked when the force of his arm was stopped abruptly. It felt as if his muscles had been encased in stone, for he could not budge his arm even an inch.
"Stay your hand, my dear child. Do not be so hasty."
Atemu's red eyes looked at the soft, feminine had that was currently holding his arm in place, the dagger only half an inch from his chest, then looked up.
Soft purple eyes looked down at him. The face of the woman looked similar to Yuugi's, for her face shape was nearly the same, and her smile was just as bright. Her hair was a platinum sheen, and it was so smooth it was like looking at glass. She wore a painfully simple dress that reached just beyond her knees.
Beside her stood a man with equally bright, silver straight hair and terribly stern features. His eerily red eyes were narrowed, and his arms were crossed. He wore black armor with no trim.
The woman's hand felt like it weighed as much as as all of the waters in the ocean. When the man took two steps closer, the reality around him seemed to bend and twist, then settled again as he stood still.
Atemu's mouth dropped open in shock. Could it be? How was it possible? Reality itself couldn't truly be supporting the manifestation of these ancient beings! "The two Ideals," he found himself saying. "Peace and Love, Loyalty and Justice. How is this so...?"
The woman, the embodiment of all of the peace and love in known existence, smiled at him kindly. "We have waited a million years for Enochnral's presence to be wiped from this world so that we may once again love the children we have placed here properly, by being among them."
The dagger fell out of Atemu's hand and clattered to stone surface he was resting on.
The Entity removed Her hand from his arm and directed Her eyes down at Yuugi's soft face. Her features softened. "My poor son. Please, my dear King, forgive us for what we have put him through. When his mortal caretakers whisked him away to that other world, we feared we had lost him for good. His task here was more important than any destiny to have been set upon this world before. Such punishments are now over, thanks to him."
Atemu had never, ever expected such a revelation to be proposed to him. Mortal caretakers? Of all the things holy on the earth...it made so much sense now. So much, painful, cruel, clear sense.
I fell in love with the son of no mere god and goddess, but the two Entities!. Yuugi never even knew of his true origins. Never had even the slightest clue... No Assai in recorded history has as much strength as Yuugi had possessed.
Atemu wanted to even laugh in the face of it all. I really am such a fool.
The Entity leaned down and blew Her breath on Yuugi's face. Something small and glowing ignited in that air, and slowly slid into Yuugi's mouth and down his throat. Atemu watched fascinated as the glow seemed to permeate Yuugi's entire being.
And then he breathed, and his chest rose with the struggle of it all.
He breathed. Then he breathed again. And again. And again! Atemu felt his heart start to lift as Yuugi's chest moved, and his eyes slowly fluttered open. He appeared confused as he stared into the King's ruby red eyes. "A...Atemu?" he asked.
Atemu laughed, smiled, and pulled Yuugi into his arms. "Yuugi," was all he could find the will to say.
Yuugi's eyes strained elsewhere, and faced the soft look of the Entity still leaning close to him. "Hopefully you will forgive us again, Yuugi, for we have taken you from your earned slumber. There are more tasks for you here. Your work is not done yet."
He stared up at Her in shock. "Who are you?"
She did not reply as She stood. In his mind, though, he heard Her soft voice continue on a different subject. :Your powers will not be what they once were, my son. This mortal body of yours has gone through your proverbial hell and back, and it has been scarred. It will never heal all of the way. Your ability to heal will never leave you or diminish, but that is simply a part of who and what you are. For you to live is for you to be able to heal. The rest, however, may grow stronger in time, but I urge you not to attempt to fight dragons alone anymore.:
Yuugi almost laughed, for he'd never wanted to in the first place. "I'm alive?" was all he found himself asking.
"Yes, love, you are alive," Atemu answered him.
The Entity backed away from them and stood next to the silent Entity of Just and Loyalty. As She stood next to Him, He wrapped His arms around Her form. For a moment They stood there, then with the blink of an eye, They vanished into thin air. A bright light flooded the area, and specks of light no bigger than snowflakes descended to the ground, then disappeared too as they hit the ground.
Atemu noticed the heads of every person in the clearing as they bowed low to the ground in reverence.
After the sight that had just been seen, he had to admit he wasn't surprised.
"Atemu, I hurt everywhere," Yuugi spoke. His body shuddered in his lover's arms. "It was so warm before. Why do I hurt so much?"
Atemu pulled him closer. With one hand, he unclasped his cloak and placed over Yuugi's body to keep him warm. Even with this amazing turn of events, things were going to be far from easy. "Hush, darling. You just need rest. You've just been through hell, went to heaven, then came back again. I'm sure you're going to hurt for a while."
There was a loud snort, then a disgruntled whinny, as the white horse next to them rolled over and got to her feet. :Why in heaven's name was I on my side with all of these ridiculous ribbons around me! If someone put me here as a prank...!: She turned around and olive green eyes landed on the two of them. Yuugi and Atemu saw the understanding dawn on her face. :Of course. I remember. Yuugi, we're alive?:
Yuugi almost laughed, but stopped as pain ran up and down in spirals through his chest. "Yes, we're alive."
Everyone in the clearing cheered thunderously.
xxx
It had been well over a month since Yuugi's miraculous resurrection. No one outside of the restricted area of the palace had seen him. Atemu allowed only hand picked and oath-sworn servants and guards be anywhere near him. Yuugi's state was tragically weak and rather unstable. His body was taking a long time trying to adjust to being alive, and healing itself completely from death.
Mahaado, the only guard Atemu trusted to watch Yuugi when he first moved into the palace, was a near permanent fixture in Yuugi's chambers. He rarely ever left his King's bedside, and Atemu told him to not leave until instructed otherwise.
Mai had been seeing red and sinking in grief since the day Yuugi had been brought back to the world of the living. How was it fair, for those damned 'Entities' to bring back Yuugi and ignore Jono? Her lover had fought well! He'd served with everything in his being, sacrificed everything, just as Yuugi had, and what kind of recognition did he receive?!
Why shouldn't she be allowed a lifetime of happiness with him? It was all so unfair.
That was why, about a month and a half into Yuugi's bedridden state, did Mai find herself shocked to be holding a tray of food one of the palace cooks had placed in her hands.
"Please," the woman replied. Her red hair was greasy and slicked back from a full day's work in a hot kitchen, and her eyes were tired. "The usual servant of His Highness is ill right now, and His Majesty will not allow anyone but a Guardian or higher from within his circle anywhere near that bedchamber. Master Yuugi needs his dinner brought up to him, and right now, you're to only one qualified enough to bring it to him."
Absolutely preposterous! So much fuss over a ridiculous meal. Mai set her face, but knew it was useless to argue. Atemu might have her head if she was so disobedient.
Swallowing her wounded pride, Mai headed to the last part of the palace she wanted to see at the moment.
The entrance to the restricted hallways was currently guarded by three men and two women, all of whom she knew to be powerful individuals. They really didn't want anything near Yuugi, did they? It's like they were all protecting a fragile piece of glass.
She even recognized one of the men as Tristan. Tristan, of El-Ekehrah! What was he doing all of the way up here? She stopped at the door, still holding that stupid tray of food, and looked at him. "Tristan, what are you doing around here? Won't El-Ekehrah miss you?"
The brown haired man shrugged. "Perhaps. But I was kind of tired of the heat. Besides, Yuugi saved my life, at nearly the cost of his own. After all that's happened...I felt I needed to be here."
Mai frowned, but did not comment on his statement. "I just need to get through," was all she said instead. "This is Yuugi's dinner."
Tristan looked at his comrades, and they all nodded their heads. Mai could be trusted to move onward.
Tristan opened the door for her and Mai pressed onward.
It was a long walk to the royal chambers. Mai was lucky she knew the palace inside and out, for she would have surely been lost otherwise with how many twists and turns Atemu had placed between the guarded doors and Yuugi's room.
She had not expected to see Mahaado sitting down in a chair just outside of the royal chambers, his shoulders lax and his eyes closed. He did not look asleep, for his face was too tense for that, but he looked drained. "Mahaado," she asked carefully.
The purple haired guard opened his blue eyes and looked at her. He smiled thinly. "Hello, Mai. It's been a while."
Mai nearly snorted. "No one's seen you in a fortnight, Mahaado. It's not surprising."
The guard nodded. He was quiet for a moment as he looked at the tray in Mai's hands. "I wondered what had been taking so long for that. Where's Caryleahn?"
"The cook said she's ill today," Mai supplied.
Mahaado nodded. "I suppose. It's the second day she's been gone." He rubbed at his face with his hands. Mai questioned his wearied state. "It's been a hard day," he remarked. "Today has not been one of his Highness's better days."
Mai frowned at him, but Mahaado opened up the door just the same for her to let her through.
Mai almost dropped the tray from surprise, because she had not expected Atemu to be in there as well, leaning over Yuugi as he ran his hands through his lover's hair.
"-today. I worry about you so, Yuugi." Mai walked in right in the middle of one of Atemu's sentences.
Yuugi sighed painfully in the bed. Mai noticed how his face was very ashen in color. "No matter what we've tried, the pain doesn't leave," Yuugi was saying. His once strong voice held little life in it. "I'm so tired, Atemu."
Mai quietly placed the tray next to Yuugi's bedside table. The two on the bed completely ignored her.
"I know," Atemu replied. His voice was laced with pain. "It will get better, Yuugi. I promise it will. Tranquility said it will be another month or so, but you will be able to walk again."
He couldn't even walk? Mai ducked her head a little as she slowly backed out of the room. She hadn't known Yuugi's state was really so bad.
"Don't sleep in the other room again tonight, Atemu. I can't bear another night away from you."
"Yuugi, you know Ryou said you're body can't be jostled, even in the slightest. There's so much risk involved."
"I beg you, Atemu. For the love of the goddesses, stay with me."
Mai walked out of the room entirely as she heard Atemu begin to crumble under Yuugi's pained stare.
Mahaado's eyes found hers when she closed the door entirely. "Do you see now?" he asked her.
Mai felt herself shiver. "I hadn't known it was so bad." It hurt just to even look at, but to actually have to be one of them? She shook her head. "It's just so awful."
Mahaado nodded. "Every single day I look at that sight. My defenses are wearing thin."
Mai shivered again. She found her anger flooding away in the wake of this new light shed on their predicament. Jono would have cursed every single day he was like that. He would have begged her every day to end it for him, for no life was worth living for him if it meant living like that.
As Mai walked away, she was no longer envious of Yuugi and Atemu. She wouldn't wish that on herself or anyone else as long as she lived.
So, for the moment, she was content with the fact that she was now living alone, and did not have the burden of a half dead loved one bearing down on her heart.