Author's Note: I seem to be getting into a habit of updating every weekend… Sound good to you? I'll try to keep it that way or better (meaning sooner) if possible.
Ugh, this chapter took forever. I kept writing, then scribbling stuff out, and then writing again. It was agony. But, at least I got it done…
Hope you're having a good weekend. Hope this update makes it even better. :)
Chapter 4
"What does it feel like?" Isis asked, closing Yugi's fingers over her Millennium Necklace.
"It feels…" Yugi closed her eyes and concentrating, rubbing her fingertips over the cool, metal-like object, "… like a depiction of an eye of some sort."
"Correct." Isis lifted the item out of the blind girl's hand and strung it around her neck where it belonged. She explained while she fastened it, "That's the Eye of Horus. It is carved into nearly every Millennium Item."
"Why?"
"'Why?'" Isis repeated. It was a simple question. She should have known the answer, yet her mind was void of one. "Well… I suppose the Eye represents protection, royal power, and good health… But, as to why it is on the Millennium Items… I'm not entirely sure," Isis admitted, placing her pointer finger on lip to help her think further.
Yugi hummed contently, waiting for Isis to finish thinking. The girl was completely happy to be tutored. She had never been before. The experience of a classroom environment was an extremely good one so far. And, Yugi was learning a lot.
Finally, Isis gave up trying to answer Yugi's question and continued, "I cannot think of anything. Perhaps we should just move on."
Yugi nodded eagerly.
"Let's see if you can remember all of the Millennium Items."
Yugi self-consciously played with her bangs and whispered, "I don't think I can…"
"Of course you can," Isis assured, "Just try your best and list them aloud."
"Okay…" Yugi responded, not sounding confident in the least. She began naming, "Millennium Necklace, Millennium Rod, Millennium Scales, Millennium Key, Millennium Ring, Millennium Eye, and… Millennium…"
"You're almost there," Isis encouraged softly.
"… I know this one. I do," Yugi promised, delving into her thoughts for the name of the last Millennium Item.
"Millennium Puzzle."
But, it wasn't Yugi who answered. Atem, sitting across the room, had blurted out the answer. He had entangled the strap of the Millennium Puzzle around his hand and swayed it back and forth with a uninterested expression on his face.
"Thank you, Atemu, but next time, let the student answer the question," Isis chastised.
Atem leaned his head back and mumbled an apology. He was bored to tears. For all the understanding in the world, the Prince didn't grasp why Lady Yugi actually wanted to be tutored. His own tutoring sessions had gotten so tedious that he had stopped them.
The only good thing about Yugi wanting to be tutored was that Atem got to stare at her the entire time from across the room, far away enough that he was sure she didn't detect his gaze.
Ra, she was gorgeous.
Atem couldn't stop his ruby eyes from grazing each and every curve of her body. It waved like an elegant sea. Her violet eyes were so innocent. He couldn't imagine anyone ever saying no to those eyes. The Prince loved how Yugi's strangely pale skin clashed immensely with her tri-colored hair. It made her look exotic, like no other female he had had the pleasure to know.
"Atemu? Atemu?"
"What?" Atem shook his head lightly, trying to recall what Isis was saying previously.
"I said," Isis repeated, "Don't you think Lady Yugi is doing very good with her studies?"
"Yes." Atem turned his gaze back to Yugi, noticing a light blush was forming just below her eyes.
"Well," Isis turned to Yugi and announced, "I believe that is enough tutoring for now." She told Atem, "Take care of her."
"I will," Atem promised, smiling.
Isis left and Yugi and Atem departed for a walk.
"Lady Yugi?" Atem asked, walking beside her.
"What is it?" Yugi questioned, sensing the apprehension in 'Atemu's' tone.
Atem kicked a rock out of Yugi's path and whispered, "The day after you arrived… I saw you cry. Did I offend you in some way?"
Yugi was caught off guard by this but replied, "No. Why would you think that?"
"Because, after we talked together, you were upset," Atem brought to attention.
"I was," Yugi confirmed, "But, I'm better now. There's no need to worry."
Atem swallowed dryly but forced out the question that was biting at him; "What were you upset about?"
"It had nothing to do with you," Yugi replied rather quickly.
"Then, what did it have to do with?" Atem asked, growing agitated at the way Yugi kept avoiding the subject.
"We're walking into the palace temple, right?" Yugi suddenly inquired, ignoring the topic entirely.
Atem wanted to demand an answer to his question, but a person walked into the temple sanctuary before he could.
"High Priest Seto," Atem greeted, remembering to give the title before his name so that Yugi could deliver the amount of respect that his position required.
"Crown Prince A-"
Atem covered the priest's mouth before he could finish greeting the Prince with his complete title.
"Where?" Yugi turned her head to the side to listen, inquiring, "Is he here as well?"
"No," Atem plainly lied, releasing his hold on Seto's mouth.
"What is going on?" Seto whispered to Atem.
"Doesn't matter," Atem hissed, giving him a look that said, 'say anything, and they will be the last words you utter'. Of course, the Prince and Seto had long since been close friends, but the difference in their social status still kept them apart somewhat.
"This is…" Seto waited for Yugi to finish his statement.
"Lady Yugi," she supplied, looking straight ahead to where the priest stood.
"Yugi," Seto tried out, pleased with the ring the name had. It sounded like a bell's chime.
That voice… Yugi thought, … I've heard it somewhere before… Priest Seto… I don't believe I've ever met a Seto…
Meanwhile, Seto wondered, Why are her eyes so familiar? I suppose eyes that pure violet are not easily forgotten… Where have I seen her before?
Atem sat in the comfortable silence, confused. Why did this exchange feel so strange? It was almost as if Lady Yugi and his high priest had met sometime before in a past life or something.
"Do you know each other?" Atem couldn't help but wonder aloud.
"I think so," Seto answered.
"I'm not sure," Yugi replied.
The two responses were received simultaneously and formed an undistinguishable jumble of words.
Yugi seemed to move on from this easily, turning to 'Atemu' and questioned, "Where is the Prince by the way? I have not heard from him since the first day I arrived here."
This time, it was Atem's turn to avoid questions. He glared at Seto to keep him silent as he answered, "The Prince is on a trip to meet with dignitaries a nearby kingdom." He hoped that would give him some time and close the subject.
Before he could collect a reply, a messenger walked into the sanctuary and approached Yugi, asking, "Are you Lady Yugi of the noble Motou family?"
"Yes," she answered, but her answer was weak and fragile.
The messenger held out a piece of parchment and reported it to be a letter.
Carefully, Yugi received it. The messenger hurried out, leaving the blind girl, the priest, and the Prince with the letter.
"Would you like to me to read it, Lady Yugi?" both Atem and Seto offered in unison, making each glare at the other.
"Only… Only if you promise that I can trust you…" Yugi whispered faintly.
The two nodded.
Yugi handed the letter to Atem.
He read:
"Dearest Sister Yugi,
From the fact that you have not returned from the palace, I assume that the Prince has taken favor in you. You thought that you would be able to run away and not have to face me again.
Do not hate me, Yugi. I am doing what is best for you. You are still too young to understand.
At my first available moment, I am coming to collect you. Tell the Prince that he has my dearest apologies.
Sighed, Your Loving Brother"
-transition-
"Brother?" A seven year old Yugi leaned to the side to listen for her brother's reply, hoping he wouldn't-
"Yes, Yugi?"
"Ah!" Yugi spun around, realizing he was directly behind her. She swatted his arm playfully and admonished, "I thought I told you to stop doing that!"
"You did," he confirmed.
"Then, why don't you?"
He shrugged, informing, "It's fun."
Yugi growled lightly, more amused than annoyed. She could never stay mad at her brother she thought. She began to hear her brother's footsteps fade and called, "Where are you going?"
"Nowhere," her brother obviously lied, his voice now far away.
"Wait!" Yugi jumped up and galloped in the direction her brother had gone, saying, "I'm coming with you! Wait, Brother, where are you-"
She tripped on something and felt the sensation of dropping towards the ground, but it stopped abruptly, an arm around her to keep her from the fall.
Yugi glanced up at her savior and knew immediately it was her brother just by his shallow breathing and quick heartbeat. He always became scared when she tried to do things on her own.
The older placed the girl on her feet and rested his chin on her head, wondering aloud, "What am I going to do with you?"
"You could let me go to school!" Yugi immediately suggested, a happy twinkle growing in her vision void eyes. She always wanted to learn new things.
"What did I tell you about that?" he questioned somewhat sternly
She recited without even having to think, "'I am a noble young lady of a noble family, and I do not see. I do not need the troubles of school or tutoring on top of my initial challenges'."
"That's my sister," her brother praised, cuddling her close.
She squirmed in his grasp, protesting, "Too much, brother! Too much!"
"You should be grateful," he whispered, "Most brothers don't care about their little sisters.
"But, you care too much!" Yugi criticized, finally slipping from his grip.
His purple eyes that matched his sister's almost exactly narrowed down at Yugi. She felt the stare and became slightly afraid. Instead of reacting to her accusation, he briskly walked away, leaving her alone.
And, this time, Yugi didn't follow.
Author's Note: Oh my gosh, so much cliffhanger! :D What's gonna happen? What is Yugi's brother gonna do? Who is Yugi's brother? (You won't learn his name for a while. Though, it's fairly obvious who it is if you think about it long enough… Nonetheless, aren't I evil? XD)
Review?