May: Sorry about that. It seems to me that I jumped a chapter.
Bakura: Ha! That's what you get for being lazy!
May: (glares at him) I'm not lazy.
Bakura: Yes, you are.
May: No, I'm not.
Atem: Stop it you two.
May & Bakura: He started it!
Atem: Just stop it you two! You fight like children.
May: (glares at Atem) You should settle your score with your hikari.
Atem: (facepalmed) Oh, right! I forgot! (leaves the room)
Bakura: Good riddance.
May: (ignores the last comment) Please comment and review!
Chapter 15
Atemu as she was usually called by everyone in the palace was the first female to be born in Pharaoh Aknankamon's bloodline in the last few generations. Eventhough she was the only female left since Queen Arsinoe died in childbirth, she considers herself a curse that she stays in her bedroom chambers all day, only to leave once she knew that she was to be around her brother, Crown Prince Atem or their friends and their cousin, Seto.
Bakura, Marik and Malik was playing hide and seek with the young princess. They didn't really like it, except Malik, who was willing to play with her. As they chased her around the palace, careful not to bump onto someone or rather the vases in the hallways, Bakura was shooting glances at Malik for making them stuck in this very situation. Malik meanwhile was ignoring him, intent on catching the young princess. Atemu knew the palace better than them, so she ran inside the palace gardens and quickly duck behind the bushes surrounding the place. The three musketeers entered not soon after.
Bakura looked around, "Damn! She tricked us again!" he cursed.
Malik and Marik looked at each other, of course they were used to Bakura cursing, but they weren't used to hearing him at earshot.
"What's wrong, Bakura?" Marik asked, eventhough he knew the answer already.
The white-haired teen looked at him, "You didn't know?" he asked, as he spread his arms, "The Princess had carefully planned this!"
Malik then asked, "Why would even a six-year old plan hiding in the palace gardens?"
Bakura looked at him, then thought deeply, "Hmmm...how about if we give up?"
The twins shook their heads, disagreeing. Marik then spoke, "Nah. It's not fun when we give up already. I'll say we search for her. What's the use naming this game, "Hide and Seek?"
Bakura looked at Marik then laughed, "Do you realize how many vases there are here in the palace?" he asked.
"No. But I didn't say to look inside the vases, what I said was to look in the palace."
Malik was just listening in his twin and Bakura's squabble, when he caught a glint on gold. He then walked towards the bushes, murmuring to himself, "What could make that glint?" he then raised the branch and saw nothing. He then sighed as he went back to where Bakura and Marik where.
"Hey, are you two not done yet?" he asked, sheepishly, afraid that Bakura or Marik might shout at him.
The two ignored him, they continued talking to each other. Malik, meanwhile sat down on one of the benches in the garden, sighing.
Meanwhile, at the other part of the palace...
Jirachi, one of the council members of the royal court was talking to Pegasus.
"I just can't believe that the pharaoh yet hadn't consider marrying his son to the Libyan princess." he told Pegasus.
Pegasus, pushed his hair back, "All the palace knows that the prince isn't interested with the Libyan princess." he told him, matter-of-factly. He then added, "What could you do anyway? It's not like the two were betrothed to each other at all."
Jirachi didn't like it one bit. He didn't like what the pharaoh was doing for his son, letting him choose when or who he can marry. How could the pharaoh ensure his children a stable future to the throne?
Pegasus looked at him, worriedly. Jirachi might be strong, in terms of intellect and physique, but then the man had a few graying hairs, since serving under Pharaoh Aknankamon's father.
"What are you thinking now?" he asked.
"I'm thinking about something, Pegasus."
"Why are you even worried for the Pharaoh's family? In fact, why are you even worried for the future of the two royals?" he asked, intently. He felt somehow that Jirachi was planning something evil.
Jirachi looked at him, "I was worried about the royal family because I heard rumors about a takeover."
Pegasus looked surprise, "A takeover?"
Jirachi nodded. "That's why the Crown Prince must be married to someone in equal status."
"Immediately?"
"Yes." Jirachi was about to speak when he saw a guard running towards him. He narrowed his eyes at the guard, as the poor guy stopped infront of him and bowed.
"What's the matter?"
"The Pharaoh requested that you speak with him immediately." the guard relayed.
He considered the moment to think. Then he told the guard, "I'll be there."
The guard bowed again to signal his departure and left. Pegasus, meanwhile was looking at him, weirdly.
"That's certainly confusing."
"Why's that?"
"Why would the Pharaoh talk with you alone?"
Jirachi shrugged, "I probably didn't know."
The two men parted ways after a few moments of looking at each other.
Back to Marik, Malik, Bakura and Atemu...
After a few hours of searching inside the vases around the whole palace, the trio went back to the palace gardens. Having searched for the young royal for hours...it was nearing sunset.
"I told you that it was impossible for her to be inside those vases!" Marik exclaimed, "You should have listened!"
Bakura looked at him, angrily, "Now you're telling me! At least I'm not the one who has a twin to agree in this!" he spat, pointing at Malik, who was back sitting on the bench.
That comment struck a nerve, Marik then spat back, "At least I didn't let my twin die in the earthquake that happened before you even came here!"
Bakura then lunged at him, punching his face, "How dare you blame me for Ryou's death? Huh? It's like you were a good brother to Malik!" he shouted at Marik's face.
Malik then stood up and grabbed Bakura's arm which was ready to punch his twin's face.
"Do you two even think that we were wasting time fighting about nonsense things?" he asked.
The two looked at Malik. Bakura then stood up, dusting his clothes, "What do you suggest we do?"
Malik then looked at both of them then exhaled a breath, "You sure wouldn't like it if Crown Prince Atem finds out that his sister isn't with us, do you?"
Bakura looked at Marik and they both gulped. Malik has a point, but then the question still hangs...where is the princess?
"Okay, I get it." Bakura told Malik while he helped Marik up, "What you are about to say is that, if the Prince gets a wind of this...we'll be in hot water." he then thought to himself.
"So...what do you suggest we do?" Marik asked his twin, "You know that we already searched the available hiding places here in the palace...are you implying that she could be outside?"
Malik shook his head, "I'm not saying that." then looked at his twin intently, "Are you sure that we already searched the whole palace?"
"Of course I'm sure!"
"Well...it seems that we haven't searched in the rooms hard enough...come on." Malik grabbed his twin's hand.
"Wait a minute." Bakura told them as they were about to go, "We already searched the whole palace from top to bottom...are you saying that we should search again?" he asked Malik, for he couldn't believe his ears. Didn't Malik imagine how tiring it could be to search the whole place again?
"So...what do you have in mind?" Malik turned to face Bakura.
"What I'm saying is that think of another...my feet's gonna fall off...if we tried searching the palace from top to bottom again."
Malik looked at him. Marik then came up with an idea, "How about if we think things through? In that way, after we finish summing up the places that we had searched already, we could start searching in a different place."
Bakura thought it over, "Hmm...that's a good idea. We still have time anyway before night sets in."
They then sat down on the grass and think.
Meanwhile...
The young princess was hiding in the bushes near the bench that Malik had sat on earlier. She was snickering. She couldn't believe that they hadn't had a thought to search for her in the bushes! She then continued looking at then trio, when she felt someone grabbed her waist. She squeaked as she turned around, only to find her brother behind her.
"Big Brother!" she gasped a little too loud.
Atem raised an eyebrow, "What the heck are you doing? hiding in a bush?" he asked, while looking at her.
"I was looking at your friends. They couldn't seem to think of an idea where to find me." she answered, while glancing at the trio once more.
"That seems reasonable enough...but I can't believe a sister of mine couldn't find a place to hide." he smirked.
Atemu went red, "That's not true! Atleast..." she drifted off.
"Atleast what?"
"Atleast I didn't try to hide whenever Siamun tries to look for me...whenever I skipped his lessons." she pointed out.
Atem laughed to himself, "You had a point. But I'm not the one who hides in a bush."
She knew her brother has a point. She knew about her brother's hiding skills...he was good in hiding everywhere. From his bedroom chambers to the kitchens, in the throne room, anywhere!
She then sighed, "So...what do you suggest?"
He looked at her, "What?"
"A hiding place?"
Atem thought it over. He then heard Bakura speak.
"Well, I guess that's settled then."
They all stood up. Marik then spoke, while looking at the horizon, "We still have a few minutes to search for the princess."
"Come on." Bakura told them. They left, going in different directions.
"That was quick." Atemu commented.
"We better get out." her brother told her. "Find you a new hiding place."
"Nah. No need. I was tired anyway."
"Tired?" Atem asked her, shocked, "When does my sister, the Princess of Egypt get tired?" he mocked.
She then punched him, hard as she had thought. "Ow!" the latter exclaimed. Which he knew that the punch doesn't hurt.
"Come on then." he told her as he stood up.
"Right along, Your Highness." he heard her say. He stopped and looked at her, gaping.
"When did you learn how to say that?" he asked.
"Well...since your going to be a pharaoh someday, have a family...even children...hundreds..." she joked at the end, then again turned serious, "I need to be formal...starting now."
"Wha-Why?" he asked.
"There are secrets that cannot be hidden inside the palace walls." she answered.
Atem stared at her. He then shook it off, "Nonsense. You're part of the royal family also...it's befitting to call you that way."
"Right."
As they were about to enter the hallway, they saw the trio running towards them.
"I knew it!" Malik exclaimed, while pointing at Atemu.
The two royals looked at each other. "Knew what?" Atem asked.
Bakura reached them first, "Malik was right. Your sister could be hiding in the bush."
"Bingo!" she muttered.
The twins then reached them next, with Marik ahead of his brother.
"I knew that she could be in the bush!" Malik again, repeated.
"Yeah, yeah. You're right." Marik answered sarcastically.
Atem then looked at his friends, then turned to Bakura, "Took you long enough." he commented.
Bakura shrugged, "Don't blame me. Your sister was good."
"Well, not as good as me when it comes to hiding."
"Which reminds me." a voice spoke.
They all turned to see Siamun with his arms crossed, along with Seto and Mahad.
"Uh...hi?" Marik greeted them sheepishly.
Siamun then nodded at Marik, then turned his gaze at Atem and his sister, who was hiding behind his back.
"I see that the young princess is safe...however, a little bit untidy." the old vizier commented.
Atemu hid behind her brother, Blushing. Atem then looked at the two court members.
"What's wrong?" he asked, dread in his voice.
"Your Highness, if I were you...you should be wary of what unroyal attitude you are doing now. Your sister I mean." Siamun answered.
'What's wrong with being a little dirty?" Marik mumbled. Seto glared at him then turned to the prince.
"It's getting late. We should all go inside." he answered, then turned on his heel and walk away.
Siamun then looked at the two royals, without minding the trio and shook his head, "Your father expects more of you to keep your sister in line." he told Atem as he walked away, the same direction were Seto went.
After a few moments of silence...
Bakura turned his head at Atem and asked, "Okay. What was that all about?"
"Yeah. What was that all about?" Malik asked, looking at Atem then at the direction Seto and Siamun went then back to Atem again.
The Prince sighed, "I don't know."
"You don't know?" Marik asked, raising an eyebrow.
Atem looked at them, "Will you stop looking at me like that?" he then groaned, "As if I knew what they were implying." he then took his sister's hand and walked away.
Bakura, Malik and Marik were left in the hallway towards the gardens. Malik then looked at the two and shrugged silently.
"What?" Marik asked impatiently.
"I was..." Malik drifted off. Then continued, "Why did Siamun forgot about us?" he asked.
"I don't know." Bakura answered.
"Come on. Let's go." Marik told the two as he quickly glanced at the sky. Night was beginning to cover the sky.
"Yeah. Come on." Bakura told them, "I'm hungry."
They proceeded inside the palace, with Marik commenting, "You're not joking are you?"
Bakura glared at him, "Of course not! I'm really hungry." They continued towards inside the palace.
Jirachi's meeting with the Pharaoh...
Aknankamon was sitting behind his desk, poring over the reports for the day when he heard a light knock on the door.
"Come in." he told the person without looking up. The door opened and Jirachi peered inside, "You sent for me, Your Majesty?" he asked.
The Pharaoh then looked up from what he was doing and looked at his council member, "Yes. Please do come in."
The aged council member then went in and bowed, "Why did you sent me for, Your Majesty?" he asked, while looking at the ground.
"You can look up, Jirachi. I only want to talk to you about some important matters." the Pharaoh then gestured to the chairs infront on his desk. The council member then sat down.
Aknankamon then pushed the rolls of papyrus to the side, then put his hands on the table, "You as well as the rest of the council knew that my son doesn't have any interest in taking a wife."
Jirachi nodded. He knew this already. All of the palace knows! But what does the Pharaoh really want to tell him?
"I do understand what you're trying to say, Pharaoh." he spoke, then looked at his king, intently, "What do you really want to tell me that it should be considered a secret?"
"This is not a secret nor a duty that I was imposing on you." Aknankamon looked at him then sighed, "Don't hide the fact that you want to marry off my son to some princess."
Jirachi was shocked! He was about to speak when Aknankamon held up his hand to let him finish first, "I know you're trying to think what's good for my kingdom...for that was your role...but as I said before...Atem will not marry IF he doesn't want to."
At this message, the aged councilor stood up, "You cannot be serious, Pharaoh!"
"I am serious. This is my decision as a father not the Pharaoh."
"Are your ears not open?" Jirachi asked the pharaoh impatiently, "There is a rumored take-over that was planning to take the throne! If the Crown Prince doesn't marry soon...you and your generation would be wipe from history!" he told the Pharaoh.
Aknankamon looked at him, gravely, "Don't you ever forget that there is still one female in this palace."
"Oh, yeah? Your daughter who was the cause of the death of the Queen and a curse in this land." the council member spat, "Your daughter is a curse given by the gods!"
Aknankamon stood up, "Enough! I won't tolerate the words that you're saying about my daughter! She may be what you think a curse on this land...but she is the only one that my son will take as his wife." he glared at Jirachi once more, then sat down, "You may leave." With a final wave of his hand, Jirachi spun on his heel and walked out of the room.
After hearing the door closed, Aknankamon exhaled a breath, he knew what kind of Jirachi was...but he was a man worth to trust, eventhough at some points he seem to lose it...but then he feels something bad will happen. Not now but a few years later.
(Pharaohs usually marry their sisters, or fathers marry daughters, or mothers marry sons to have some power over the throne)
Atemu's view...
After playing hide and seek with my brother's friends, and being reprimanded by Siamun about my unroyal state, my brother took my hand and silently we went inside the palace, leaving his friends behind. After separating ways, I went to my chambers to clean up and changed clothes. I'm six, I know. But there are times that I would want to do things on my own.
After changing into clean clothes, I decided to explore the palace. As I went outside my room, I was thinking to myself: What if I wasn't born? What if Mother never had to die? What if I never came to exist? As I walk in the hallway, a few servants and guards greeted me with respect. I just nodded, eventhough some of their words were muddled. As I went past my father's study, I heard voices.
"Oh, yeah? Your daughter who was the cause of the death of the Queen and a curse on this land." I heard a voice say. From this view, it could be one of my father's officials. But then I heard chairs creaked and as the door opened, sure enough it was my father's council member, Jirachi. I bowed my head, eventhough I knew that it was unfitting for I was far more higher than he was in the social ladder.
I felt his eyes bore on me, then he spoke, "What are you doing outside your chambers without anyone accompanying you, Your Highness?" he asked. I answered, "I was just exploring."
"All alone?"
"Pretty much."
He then knelt infront of me and put his hands on my shoulders, "Your father will be worried if he ever hears that you walked around on your own."
I then strained a smile, "I knew every secret that this palace holds, councilor." I told him.
He then laughed quietly to himself, "You speak much older than what you are." he then stood up, and held out his hand, "So...where do you want to go?"
I was about to take it when I heard a voice, "There you are, Your Highness!" I groaned. So much for the title. I then felt the councilor stiffened, he then looked at me and said, "I guess I must be on my way then." he abruptly left.
Marik, Malik, Bakura and my brother came. They then looked at me, and I looked at them, "Who called me?"
Malik sheepishly replied, "I did." I looked at him then he waved his hands infront of him, "But your brother ordered me to, I swear!" I sighed.
"Who were you talking to anyway?" my brother asked.
"Councilor Jirachi." I answered, "Why? Is there something wrong?"
"I don't trust the guy." my brother replied, then held out his hand, "Shall we?"
I nodded and took it. While on the way, I asked, "Why did you say that you don't trust him? He's part of the court right?"
He then regarded me with his crimson eyes, "It's better if you never mention it to me." His tone made it final that I mustn't speak of it again.
In the dining room...
Aknankamon sat at the head of the table, while his daughter sat on his left and his son on his right. As they were quietly eating, he then decided to start a conversation. He then looked at his son, the soon-to-be Pharaoh.
"Atem, how's today's lessons?" he asked.
Atem stared at him in boredom before replying, "It's alright." he then felt someone kicked him under the table, then he glared at Siamun, his father's vizier.
Aknankamon then looked at his daughter, "So how about you? Did you even enjoy playing with your friends?"
Atemu looked up at him, "You knew that I don't have friends." she mumbled.
"It's not true, you know." Malik answered, "We're your brother's friends...and we consider you already as a friend of ours...eventhough you're a little bit hard to take care of." he then felt someone kicked him under the table, and knew already that it was Bakura. He then looked at the white-haired teenager, who was busy talking to Marik.
"So...I heard that you three had fun today. Is that right?" the Pharaoh asked the trio, with a smirk.
"Oh, sure it was fun. Keeping your daughter in check." Bakura replied, halfheartedly.
"I know right." Marik mumbled, and they snickered. The young princess heard it.
"So what do you do at night?" she asked. Hearing that, Atem looked at the trio, smirking the same as his sister. Malik was uncomfortable seeing Atem smirk, which made it worse if his sister was involve.
"Yeah. Marik. I'm curious. What do you three do at night?" Atem asked, while looking at them intently, "After all of us retire for the night of course." his smirk growing wider.
Malik was about to answer when Bakura spoke, "We play Senet, why?"
"Oh, nothing." Atemu replied, then looked at her brother then smirked.
Malik then gulped, with the two royals smirking it was unnerving. He then looked at Bakura and his twin who was looking like nothing had happened. He then went back to eating his food.
A few minutes later...
Marik stretched his warms over his head, "I'm beat." he then let out a yawn and went out of the room, followed by Malik and Bakura. The Pharaoh left to go to the throne room, to finish the last meeting he has for the day. Atem and his sister was the only ones left in the dining hall.
The Prince then looked at his sister, and crossed his arms. His sister looked up at him, "What now?" she asked.
Atem then raised an eyebrow, "How did you know about the 'thing' that the trio are doing?"
"As I said before, 'there are secrets that cannot be hidden inside the palace walls.'
"I get that. But how?"
Atemu pointed to her crown, without speaking a thing. Atem was shocked. There's no way the crown could be pulsing with power, couldn't it?
"So...you're saying that the..." the prince pointed at the crown.
She nodded and then grabbed his hand, "Come on. We must get back to our rooms. "
"Wait!" Atem started to protest as he was being pulled out of the room, staggering to his feet.
They were running, or he was staggering to keep up, or so Atem thought. Then his sister stopped infront of his chambers.
"Why did you brought me here?" he asked, confused. Usually it was him, who accompanied his sister to her chambers but now it was her to his; something isn't right.
"Big Brother." she panted then looked at him. Her violet eyes, boring into his crimson ones, "Don't trust anyone." she told him.
"Don't trust who?" he asked, then shooked his sister, "Who shouldn't I trust?"
"Listen to me." Atemu demanded, "This might save our lives later on...just do what I told you."
He just couldn't understand! He then looked at her, "Look, Atemu. I know that living here in the palace gives you the creeps, even me. But with you acting weird...I just couldn't understand."
His sister shook her head, "I do too. But please heed me." she then turned on her heel and ran to her chambers, leaving him.
'That was weird.' he thought.
In Atemu's chambers...
The young princess burst inside her chambers and closed the doors. Locked it even. She then leaned her back on the wall beside her door, and slid to the floor. Crying.
"I don't know what's happening..." she said to herself, as she let her tears flow. "Mother, eventhough I haven't got to know you...please do something to explain all of this things to me." she prayed.
She then removed the crown as she felt its power flow over her, and threw it on her bed. She somehow needed to get peace, away from this life. And there's no better way than to leave...she can't take this anymore...she do hope that her brother took her warning for granted.
All she have to do was wait until she had done what she was supposed to do.
She then stood up, changed her clothes, and climbed into bed. A few hours later, she felt someone peered inside her room, and seeing that she was asleep closed the door.
The person never thought that she planned to do something that night...scare a few teenagers and maybe slipped outside the palace, with no one knowing.
May: At long last!
Atem: what?
May: I've done it.
Ryou: Why am I not in this story?
May: Sorry, Ryou. The plot has been changed.
Ryou: Damn.
May: Maybe...you'll get a shot in the other stories...
Ryou: (smiles) There's always another one.
Atemu: I hate to say this...but...please comment and review...for the author greatly appreciates it.
May: Thanks, Pharaoh. (Atem glares at her) And once again, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, its characters, I only own my OC and the plot and all credits go to Kazuki Takahashi.
Atem: Where's Seto by the way?
May: (shrugs) Dunno. Good night, everyone!