A/N: Hello Again! I'm back for this week's chapter! Thank you to anyone who reviewed, faved and followed! UPDATE: THIS IS A DUPLICATE OF THE LAST CHAPTER, PROCEED TO THE NEXT ONE. THANK YOU, AND SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE!
Go on you big dummy, just do it!
Mahaad said to himself as he hid behind a book shelf in the library.
It shouldn't be that hard just go up and say good morning or something and then just say it!
No, no I can't do it; I'm such a fool…
Mahaad turned to leave when he accidently bumped into a book shelf.
"Mahaad, is that you?" Isis asked as she walked over to find Mahaad covered with a pile of scrolls.
Think fast you goof… "I umm, was just looking for…for… 'A Beginner's Guide to Charms' for Mana," Mahaad stuttered.
"Is this it?"
"Yes, how could I miss it silly me," he laughed nervously.
"Here let me help you clean up this mess," Isis said as she began to pick up the scrolls.
"Thanks Isis, you umm, you look nice today,"
"Thank you very much Mahaad," She said smiling at him. Mahaad prayed to the heavens that she didn't see the small blush on his face as he scrambled to put away the last of the scrolls.
Seto walked gracefully into the kitchen as the servants began bowing as he came in. He nodded in acknowledgement and the servants went back to work. Noticing that Isis wasn't in the kitchen yet, Seto began to make breakfast before everyone came down.
Being a servant before, Seto was very familiar with the kitchen, thus he dismissed the other servant as he didn't need their help. The kitchen was now empty and Seto had much more room to move around gathering the ingredients he needed. He decided to make some flatbread to be eaten with sugar, thick cream, or even fruit jams.
As he was flattening out the dough, Aknadin walked in.
"The lazy peasants, where could they be?" Aknadin asked himself as he walked into the kitchen.
"They were not needed so I sent them away sayyid," Seto said quietly.
"You! What in the name of Ra you do here?" Aknadin barked.
"I was just-"
"Ah I see missing your old home are you? Shouldn't you be doing something more useful?" Aknadin said venomously as he began circling Seto, "The heavens know why my brother let you in here in the first place, the only thing you're useful for is cleaning the floors and believe me we have enough people here to do that," he spat.
Seto looked to the floor as his dough covered hands clenched themselves.
"Ah well, you might as well continue what you were doing, it's not like you can do anything else around here," Aknadin said as he headed towards the exit.
Before he left Aknadin turned around to face Seto once more, "Oh and one more thing, stay away from my nephew, I do not need you to poison his mind and bring him down to your level, understand?"
With that Aknadin exited the kitchen leaving Seto lost in his own thoughts.
Seto sat under the morning sun by the pool side reading a scroll but his attention wasn't there… 'The heavens know why my brother let you in here…
'The only thing you're useful for is cleaning the floors and believe me we have enough people here to do that…'
He was shaken from his thoughts by the prince who vigorously shaking him.
"Akhti, Akhti, Helllllooooooo Seto Akhti! Are you sleeping with your eyes open?" The prince asked curiously.
"Hmm… no, no prince I'm not sleeping with my eyes open I was just thinking…"
"You're always thinking Akhti; you should try something new,"
"Like what Prince?"
"Like…how about playing a game with me and Mana, we're very bored, RIGHT MANA?" the prince yelled across the garden. Mana gave the prince a thumbs up as she started nodded her head.
"Sure-"
'Stay away from my nephew'
"I have some work to finish up," Seto said quietly looking at the ground.
"Are you okay Seto Akhti?" Atem said his eyes beginning to fill with concern.
Seto looked up at the prince and tried to pull off a fake smile.
"I'm fine Little- I mean prince, just a little tired," he corrected himself.
"Okay then, if you feel like it you can join us later! See you!" the prince said skipping towards Mana.
Seto let out a relived sigh, glad that the prince hadn't seen through his act…
Something is wrong Akhti, I know. But don't worry I'm going to fix it and I'm going to make you laugh again, I promise.
The prince said, brewing up another plan to accomplish his latest ambition.
"Where are you going Prince Boy?" Mana asked trying to keep up with the prince's pace.
"I need to find Shadah and Karim," he said urgently.
As the pair was turning the corner they bumped into another pair, ironically it was Shadah and Karim.
"Why are you in such a hurry my Prince?" Shadah asked rubbing his head.
"I was looking for you two,"
"Oh and what for?" Karim asked offering a hand to help the prince up.
"I need your help for this new project I've been planning…" the prince explained his plan to the pair, "Are you two in?"
"You bet!" the pair said in unison.
Mahaad sat in the library studying a scroll while making notes for his crazy apprentice Mana. Humming a love struck tune to himself, he got up to look for another scroll. As he stretched out his hand to take the scroll he noticed that it wasn't there.
"What in the name of Ra…"
Looking around he also noticed that all the scrolls were out of order, scrambled up and rolled the wrong way.
"I thought I fixed this in the morning…" he mumbled to himself.
As he walked back to his seat he saw a flash of blue and decided to check what it was. He watched Seto put the scrolls away clumsily a distant look in his eyes.
"Excuse me but what do you think you're doing?" Mahaad asked walking up to Seto.
"Huh, oh I was just-"
"Don't give me any of that do you how hard I worked to keep these shelves in order," Mahaad said crossing his arms and furrowing his brow in anger.
"I wasn't trying to do anything Mahaad! I was just trying to help!" Seto screamed frustrated.
"Relax Seto Akhti, I was just kidding, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Seto said to himself picking up the scrolls he had dropped.
"Oh come on don't give me any of that either," Mahaad said bending down to help Seto pick up the scrolls.
"It's nothing you should bother yourself about Mahaad,"
"Tell me!" Mahaad ordered Seto, staring him down.
Seto sighed, "Do you think that I would hurt the prince if I keep on spending time with him like this?"
"What kind of question is that Seto? What danger could you possibly be to the prince?"
"I don't know…I mean I'm different from everyone here, I'm not a noble or anything close to royalty I might poison his mind,"
"Poison his mind? Are you serious? That's just ridiculous Seto, just because you don't come from a high class origin doesn't mean your any less, you made it this far based on talent, if anything the prince can learn a thing or two from you,"
"But it's not like I've been born and raised with top notch education, and I'm not some powerful master magician like you,"
"That might be true, but you have something and that's why the rod chose you,"
"Well easier said than done Mahaad,"
"Oh come now what will be gained if you stay away from the prince? He'd become lonely again and I don't know about you but I don't want a sad prince,"
"But-"
"That's enough out of you Mister, now get off your butt and go do what you're here to do!" Mahaad ordered pointing towards the door.
Seto got up and straightened his shoulders his face returning to its normal composure as he turned around and walked away confidently. He came to a halt when he reached the door and turned to face Mahaad just as Aknadin had that morning.
"Oh and one more thing... Thank you for all your help Akhti," Seto smiled and walked out of the room, leaving the court magician to his work as he began to hum a more upbeat tune.
A/N: SO, what did you think? I wonder what the prince is planning... The next chapter is just about ready, it's coming along pretty well I think. Stay tuned! And review!