Author's Note: One in the morning my time. Late night update. :D
You guys are freaking awesome. Just stating a fact.
I think I started a trend with genderbending! I'm seeing lots of cool, new genderbenders out there recently! Thanks so much for supporting the cause. :D
As promised, this chapter is brought to you by Sammiieeoo; she's sammialicious. Just kidding! But seriously, thanks, Sammiieeoo, for that awesome review that made me laugh like a certifiable psycho. XD (Wait, where do psychos get certified? A psycho school? Lol.)
Nobody cares about this author's note, do they? Oh well, can't say I didn't try.
Enjoy chapter 11.
Note: I got a few questions about Yugi fainting last chap… Yes, people can faint from pure terror. It's happened to me before, actually…
No one cares. Read already.
Chapter 11
"Is she waking up, Isis?"
"There's no way to tell..."
"The smelling salt must be working by now!"
"Calm down, Prince Atem. We're doing everything we can."
"Yes, son, please restrain yourself."
"I know, Father. I'm sorry. I'm just very worried..."
"We all are."
Yugi's head hurt. It was a dull feeling, like her head was suffering serious pain but had been numbed. Dazed, she gave a soft mewing sound and lifted her head, the pulsating feeling becoming more intense.
"Yugi!"
Suddenly, she was embraced by a young man. Who was it, again? The voice was familiar, but it was echoing in her mind into infinity, making it hard to recognize.
"Yugi? Can you hear me?"
The echoing ceased as Yugi's head being laid down on the owner of the voice's lap. She finally recognized the voice.
"Atem!"
"Oh, Yugi, you're okay!" This exclamation was a combination of Atem, the Pharaoh, Isis, and a few others.
"Yes," Yugi confirmed in a stronger tone than she felt. She felt her hair being played with but enjoyed it too much to question it and instead asked, "What happened?"
"You fainted," Isis informed.
"I did?" Yugi was genuinely shocked. She had never fainted in her entire life! What had she heard that had done so? She asked just that: "Why did I faint?
The playing with her hair stopped. But the answer wasn't delayed.
"I told you and Atem that I invited your brother to the palace," Akunumkanon supplied almost cheerfully.
"Father! Don't make her faint again!" Atem cried fearfully.
"How..." Yugi felt her voice rise and fall like an ocean current. "How can you sound so calm when saying that? My brother will stop at nothing! Inviting him will only come across as mocking! How could you put everyone in danger, Pharaoh?" Yugi didn't mean to sound disrespectful, but this was just insane! Who in his right mind would willingly invite her brother to come?
"I have my reasons, Lady Yugi," the Pharaoh assured calmly. When only silence ensued after his statement, he clarified, "I've had some spies sent out to monitor him and make sure he receives and replies to my invitation."
"Spies? Oh, no..." Yugi said weakly, "... Brother hates when people spy on him... He'll be more furious than ever..."
"Lady Yugi," a new voice commanded attention. It belonged to Priest Seto. "What happened? I mean, I knew Motou was a little hostile, but-"
Yugi laughed. Except the laugh sounds shrill and unnatural. She questioned, "He never permitted you to call him by his name?"
"No, fairly recent after we became friends, he allowed me to call him by his real name-" Seto's sapphire eyes lowered. "-But I halfway believe that, if I just keep calling him 'Motou', the horrible things I've heard about him won't be true..."
"I understand," Yugi whispered sullenly, sitting up and leaning against Atem, "I call him 'Brother' but only out of habit." Her eyes watered. "If I called him anything else, he'd get mad..." Atem wrapped his arms around her. "... But, I don't want him as my brother anymore..."
"He doesn't deserve your loyalty, Yugi," Atem told her quietly.
Yugi nodded slowly, closing her eyes.
The Pharaoh inquired, "Priest Seto, you knew Lady Yugi's brother?"
"Yes, Pharaoh." Seto added hoarsely, "We were childhood friends."
Akunumkanon hummed, thinking this over. He swerved to face Isis and asked, "Have you received any visions regarding this situation, Isis?"
Her eyes lowered guilty. "About that, Pharaoh, I have- but just recently. I've been meaning to tell you."
"It seems like everyone has been keeping things from me..." The accused lowered their eyes uncomfortably. "… But talk about that will have to wait. Isis, could you recite the visions as vividly as possible?" the Pharaoh asked. He stated, "I think I'd be helpful for everyone. Perhaps it'll give us some usable information when Lady Yugi's brother arrives."
"I'll- I'll try my best, my Pharaoh," Isis replied with a small but noticeable stumble.
-transition-
Yugi had tears in her eyes. Isis's visions- they were her past. And, they had been retold in explicit detail for nearly everyone she knew to absorb.
But Yugi couldn't ignore one crucial fact that had escaped her attention before.
"Priest Seto…" Yugi pieced together aloud, "You're that Seto. I had no idea… That Seto had disappeared when I was only nine years old…"
"I thought that you knew," Seto assured. But, really, what difference did it make? Seto didn't see it.
As if Yugi sensed this, she inquired, "Did you know you were my brother's only friend?" She should have stopped there, but instead, she continued. "That he was much less destructive when you were in his life? That when you disappeared, you caused him to become more aggressive?"
"Lady Yugi, I believe that's enough," Akunumkanon gently urged her to cease her accusing.
Yugi couldn't help it. It was all true. And, the unfairness that her past had just been laid out in front of the most important people of her life was causing her distress. And, that distress had morphed into resentment. More tears broke through the surface as she tried to hold her tongue, which was thirsty for reprisal.
Seto felt the underlined fury in Lady Yugi's words, and it stung. He never knew! He was Motou's only friend? And, his departure from their small village had been a benefactor to Lady Yugi's grief? Suddenly, the priest was filled with guilt and regret.
Yugi felt the remorseful aura coming from Seto. The silence that had fallen on the group of people created a field in which Priest Seto and Lady Yugi were communicating- not by words but by emotions.
And, this emotion sent Yugi into guilt as well.
"Priest Seto, I didn't mean to say that. I'm sorry-"
"No, I am the one who should be sorry." Seto locked his sapphire eyes on Yugi, though she could only feel the gaze and not return it. "I made action before I considered the consequences to those around me."
"Priest Seto, that's hardly the case." Yugi gave a light laugh that seemed misplaced among her tears. "Of course, you hardly knew me! According to Isis, we only met once and didn't exchange a single phrase to each other. How could you possibly have known? You should not be held responsible for anything that happened." She added quietly, leaning more into Atem, "Besides, destiny is destiny. What happened would have happened either way."
"You believe that?" Atem asked, curious, "Because, I'm not so sure- about destiny that is. Isis, do you believe destiny can be changed?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Isis responded, "But I have seen it done before. It's a rare occurrence, though."
"As inspiring as this discussion is," the Pharaoh transitioned, "I believe we should go our separate ways for now and meet back together when I receive fresh intelligence on Lady Yugi's brother's whereabouts and actions. Mahad, do you think that to be a good makeshift plan?"
"Yes, my Pharaoh," Mahad agreed.
"Very well." Akunumkanon turned to Isis, stressing to her, "Please bring Lady Yugi to the medical clinic for a examination since she fainted earlier."
"Pharaoh, with all respect, I'm fine-"
"No, Lady Yugi, I'd feel better if you went with Isis right away." The Pharaoh's tone hinted that he was not in the humor for debates.
"All right," Yugi reluctantly settled, standing up and leaving Atem's arms in replacement for Isis's hand.
As soon as she receded into the distance, Atem turned to Akunumkanon and stated, "You wanted to get rid of her quickly. Why is that?"
The Pharaoh lightly chuckled, muttering, "Nothing gets past you, does it, Atem?"
Atem shook his head.
"Then, yes, I was trying to get Lady Yugi to leave right away," his father confirmed. He went on to admit, "I've already gotten a new report on Lady Yugi's brother, and I need to speak to you, Mahad, and Seto about it in private."
"Is something wrong?" Atem questioned nervously.
"Well… Yes and no…"
Atem was sick of Akunumkanon avoiding the answer. He decided, "We'll get this over then. Mahad, Seto, follow me and my father in the private chambers immediately."
"Yes, Prince Atem," the two replied softly.
Atem gave a firm nod and began leading the walk down to the hidden chambers.
-transition-
"Isis," Yugi contemplated aloud as she followed the Priestess to the medical clinic, "The Pharaoh wanted me to leave. He wanted me to not be present for… something."
Isis bit her lower lip. She knew Yugi was right. It was quite obvious. But, if the Pharaoh had decided this was best at the moment, then Isis was going to have to lie to Yugi.
She attempted to feint optimism and returned, "Of course not, Lady Yugi. What a strange notion. The Pharaoh just wanted to make sure you were healthy is all."
She's lying. Yugi felt a prick of sorrow. Why would Isis lie to her? But, supposing the circumstances, she decided to let Isis believe she was accepting this excuse and replied, "You're right, Isis. I was just being unreasonable." Now, we're both liars…
Isis didn't respond. She couldn't. Lying to Lady Yugi was like stepping on a baby bird; it was wrong, and everyone knew it. It probably made you a horrible person, too. Am I a horrible person? Isis thought fearfully.
The rest of the walk was silent, clouded in a thick fog of personal thoughts. The most reoccurring thought was this, though:
What is the Pharaoh keeping away from us?
-transition-
"Now, Father, tell us what you are keeping away from us," Atem ordered almost demandingly as he sat down at the head of a large stone table.
Akunumkanon nodded. He knew he couldn't keep the Prince in the dark much longer, let alone his two most trusted advisors, Head of Security Mahad and Priest Seto.
The two in mind sat down as well, each one on one of the sides of Atem, letting the Prince occupy the center.
The Pharaoh sat down across the three and folded his hands thoughtfully. He started with the abrupt question of-
"Atem, do you love Lady Yugi?"
This caught Atem off guard, but he answered almost instinctively with, "Yes, I do."
Akunumkanon continued and asked, "And, do you want to marry her?"
Again, Atem was not prepared. But he answered the same. "Yes."
The Pharaoh placed his hand on his chin, stroking his beard and humming. He didn't seem as pleased with Atem's replies as the young prince expected.
But no one could have expected his next statement.
"Then, this is going to be a lot harder than anyone can imagine."
Author's Note: Ooooooooooooo… ANOTHER cliffie? Gosh, I'm really tough on you guys! XD
The rest of the secret meeting and what Yugi and Isis will do will be revealed next chapter. I was planning on doing these things this chapter, but it just wouldn't fit! Darn it. Well more to look forward to next time, I suppose. You'll just have to wait till then. ;)
P.S. I think I'm gonna wear the letters off my keyboard soon… Lol.
I'm so close to a hundred reviews! And already? That's freaking amazing. Thank you. I'll give a little shout-out to my hundredth, 'kay?
Review please! And, have a happy Fourth of July! :)