Atem's Pov
"I must get back to work now Prince Yugi, My Pharaoh, there is a lot still left to prepare for tonight." Eric stated, I nodded and Yugi smiled
"We play later?" Yugi asked Eric who froze mid-rise from his knees, and quickly looked up at me, I nodded at him with a smiled, and Eric relaxed slightly rising to a full standing position and looking at Yugi
"Perhaps, if I get all my jobs done today and you get your job done today." Yugi tilted his head to the side a confused look on his face
"You do jobs?" Eric nodded
"I do, and I have a lot of jobs to do today."
"Like what?"
"Well, I have to finish preparing the guest chambers for all the guest that are coming today, then I need to help set up the dining hall for the feast this evening, then I will need to deliver the food from the kitchen to the table and serve the guests who will be present at the table this evening." Eric explained to Yugi, I glanced at Akefia who gave me a smile and a nod
"You do all that?" Yugi asked making Eric nod
"I do."
"What my job?" Yugi asked again
"Well, your job today would be to become the crowned Prince of Egypt."
"But me already Prince Yugi, why me be crown too?" Yugi asked looking up at me
"That's right Yugi, you are already Prince Yugi, and that is because you are my son, so because you are my son you have a ceremony to show you becoming the crowned Prince." Yugi looking at me for a long moment like he was processing the information, before he nodded
"Jono crown Prince too?" Yugi asked making Akefia chuckle
"No Yugi, Jono will just be Prince Jono." Akefia responded to his question making Yugi look over to him
"Why?" Yugi asked him
"Because Jono isn't my son, but he is your older brother, which already makes him royalty he is taking part in the ceremony today to officially take up the mantle of Prince Jono Brother to Prince Yugi, the Crowed Prince of Egypt." Yugi looked back at me and looked at me for a long time again before he nodded
"My Pharaoh?" Eric asked, making us look back over to him
"Yes?"
"Might I be excused? I really must be getting back to my tasks." Eric asked, I nodded
"You may leave." Eric bowed and turned to leave
"No!" Yugi yelled making Eric freeze and turn back around to face us, and making Akefia and I look down at him
"Yugi? What's the matter?"
"Eric no leave." Yugi stated folding his arms over his chest
"Yugi, Eric has to leave, he needs to finish his jobs so he can play with you later." Akefia explained to him
"But- "
"Yugi, you'll be able to see Eric later for now he has to go to finish his jobs, and we have to leave to get ready." Yugi looked at me with tear filled eyes
"Papa- "
"Say goodbye to Eric for now so he can get on and finish." Yugi lowered his head and looked at Eric
"Bye, bye Eric." Yugi said, making Eric bow again and actually leave the room this time
"Papa mean." I sighed
"No Yugi, Eric had jobs he needed to do and he might get in serious trouble with his master if his jobs aren't finished on time, and it would have been our fault that he got into trouble." Yugi hissed at me and jumped at Akefia "Yugi- "
"Papa still mean, me go see Jono." I sighed and Akefia gave me a pleading look, I nodded
"Take him, he obviously doesn't want to be with me." Akefia gave me a sad look before leaving with Yugi. I sighed and made my way back to my chambers, which were empty as Yami was with Jono helping him get ready. I walked out onto the balcony and looked up at the sky
"Ra please give me strength, help me through this day." I then laid on my bed and fell asleep for a short nap.
I arrive in the Neko plane and saw Amun stood there as if he was waiting for me
"Hello Atem." Amun greeted, I nodded to him
"Sir." He chuckled and walked over to me
"Please, call me Amun."
"Amun, did you need something from me?" he nodded
"I wanted to talk to you about Yugi."
"Oh." He wrapped an arm around me shoulders and we began walking
"Now, now don't get down trodden, Yugi doesn't understand the palace life for a servant, I'm very glad that Yugi and Eric became friends, but Yugi just doesn't understand what your job is like and that you have to be firm with everyone, and with how you try to protect everyone you want to make sure that all the servants don't get into trouble with the masters."
"I just hate the way that he looked at me, like I was the worst thing he'd ever seen." He frowned
"Atem, you realise that he is just a child right? You are going to get tantrums from children his age, and when he gets older you are going to get him telling you he hates you, but eventually everything will work out."
"I know; it just hurts you know? Makes me wonder if I'm doing the right thing at times." He sighed
"Atem, you are doing the right thing, you're giving Yugi a family something that I wasn't able to do, eventually Yugi will understand that words hurt, and he will also come to understand your job and your role in society, but for now let him be a child, let him learn on his own keep doing what you are doing, and Jono will help him to understand, you just need to give him time to learn, never doubt that you are doing the right thing, your father wouldn't want that of you."
"My father?"
"Yes, you father comes here to visit quite often."
"Then how come I've never seen him here when I come here?"
"Because you're not ready yet, and it is not time for him to reveal himself to you, he will soon, something is coming Atem, something no one will be prepared for and you will need all the help you can get, from the gods, from your friends, family and from us, the Neko's past and present."
"What's coming?"
"I cannot tell you Atem."
"Why not?"
"Because I do not know for sure myself." I nodded
"I best be getting back, there's still a lot to do before tonight." He nodded
"I wish you luck, and don't worry, Yugi'll come around." I nodded and left the Neko plane, and woke up to hear someone knocking on my door. I groaned and climbed out of bed walking over to the door and opening it to find Akefia stood there and he stormed into my room searching for something
"Looking for something Akefia?" I shut the door as he turned to face me
"Are you okay? I've been stood knocking for twenty minutes." I gave him a sheepish smile
"Sorry I fell asleep." He sighed in relief
"I thought something had happened to you." I shrugged
"I just needed a bit of time to myself."
"Well Jono wasn't happy with Yugi when I told him what happened." I groaned
"Why did you do that? I don't need Yugi any more upset with me, I just want to get today over with."
"Because Jono needed to know why Yugi was refusing to go anywhere near you, Jono wasn't impressed and told Yugi why you did what you did and Yugi understood, Seth said they would keep Yugi with them for a while so we could get everything finished, so why don't you get cleaned up and changed so we can go greet the guests that will start to arrive." I stood and moved into the bathroom to get ready for this evening.
Once I was finished I came back out to see Akefia sat at my desk, feet propped up on my desk and was reading a scroll I had yet to read.
"You know I haven't even read that scroll yet." He looked at me and grinned, throwing it back onto the desk and standing up
"I wouldn't, it's from the Japanese Emperor trying to object to this ceremony, stating they should be Japanese princes not Egyptian ones." I groaned
"I hope he doesn't try to pull anything today."
"Seth told me he wasn't on the invite list, so the guards won't allow him in." I smiled at him
"I'm glad, thanks."
"Just thinking ahead, and speaking of ahead, it's time to go greet everyone." I nodded and we left to walk to the main entrance. When we got there the guards opened the gates allowing the caravans in, that were carrying the lords and ladies of other countries.
It was a long process greeting every lord and lady who passed through, asking where the young Prince was. Each answer the same, he was still getting ready. Once everyone had arrived Akefia and I left to head to the throne room, where all the guests were directed and where Jono and Yugi should both be.
"Papa!" I heard Yugi call just before I walked into the throne room, I turned to see Seth, Jono and Yugi walking towards me, I frowned
"What are you three doing out here? You should already be in the throne room."
"Papa not want to see Yugi?" I sighed, and Seth frowned
"Of course I do Yugi, you just should have already been ready for the ceremony to go on."
"Papa hug?" Yugi asked raising his arms at me from his place nestled in Jono's arms, I smiled and took him into my own arms. He wrapped his arms around my neck and buried his face into the space between my neck and my shoulder. I sighed softly and gave him a tight squeeze, just in time to hear him whisper "I'm sorry Papa, for what I said earlier." I gave Jono a shocked look, who had also heard what had been said, but he shrugged
"He's still learning, and in cases like this he can speak full sentences, just like when he learnt to speak Egyptian instantly from Neko after Bakura and I were arguing that time in your office, he can't exactly go Egyptian again, so he went to full sentences instead."
"And he spoke a full sentence because he made Atem upset?" Akefia asked and Jono nodded
"Exactly, but like I said he's still learning, he understands the servant's role now, but he will still make mistakes Atem, he will still get mad, and he will cry, he's only a child, but you need to stay strong." I nodded, as Yugi pulled away from my neck
"We go in now?" Yugi asked looking at me, I smiled and nodded
"Yeah, we'll go inside now." He grinned as Akefia opened the doors. I walked in first carrying Yugi in my arms, and Seth walked in holding Jono's hand.
The ceremony when quite quickly, Yugi was officially the Crowned Prince of Egypt, the next heir to the throne and Jono was Prince of Egypt and brother to Crowned Prince Yugi. They both had their crowns place on their heads and made to repeat the promise to protect the people and the land of Egypt, Yugi did his best to repeat everything that was said.
Then everyone came to greet the new princes and presented their gifts and presents to them, congratulating them on becoming princes, they both took it in stride until everyone had been up to visit, then Jono slumped into the throne next to me
"That is not good etiquette for a Prince, Jono." I chuckled when he glared at me
"At this moment I don't really care, no one else is looking at me and that was a lot of people to smile at, greet and say thank you to, so please excuse me if I haven't had time to attend etiquette lessons yet." Jono complained, I grinned at him as he sat up slightly
"You sound like my dad did after a long meeting with his council, it always took a lot out of him." He gave me a sad smile
"Sorry Atem." I shook my head
"Don't worry about it Jono, memories of my dad will always hurt, but I'm better now than I was a few years ago." He nodded
"Papa?" I heard Yugi say tiredly, I turned to look at Seth who had been holding Yugi throughout the whole ceremony. He was rubbing his eyes, and he had a glazed tired look in his eye
"Are you tired little one?" he nodded and I took him from Seth, who smiled at me and then Jono, who grinned back
"Papa, me tired." I smiled softly as he laid his head down on my shoulder, loosely wrapping his arms around my neck
"I know Yugi, but you need to eat before you can sleep." Yugi yawned
"Okay papa."
"We're moving to the dining room then Atem?" Seth asked and I nodded rising from my throne, Jono following suit. Seth turned to address everyone else, as Akefia escorted Jono, Yugi and I out of the throne room.
The rest of the evening past quickly with the meal, Yugi fell asleep part way through the meal, curling up on my lap. When the meal was finished I had Seth wish everyone well and offer everyone guest rooms for the evening, whilst I lifted Yugi into my arms, his head falling gently onto my shoulder. I said goodnight to Jono, who stood and placed a kiss onto Yugi's forehead and said good night to me as well, then Akefia escorted us out and back to my chambers.
"I'll get Yugi changed, while you get yourself changed alright?" Akefia asked as we entered my chambers, I nodded and gently passed Yugi over to him before fetching him some night clothes to change Yugi into wile I got change myself in the bathroom. When I came back out Akefia had Yugi under the covers, gently stroking his head
"Everything okay?" I whispered walking over to him as to not wake Yugi
"He woke up in a bit of a panic for a moment, but quickly settled back to sleep." Akefia whispered in response moving away from the bed, I nodded
"Thank you." He nodded and headed for the door
"I'll see you in the morning." I nodded and he left quietly shutting the door behind him. I sighed softly and climbed into bed next to Yugi, who snuggled up closed to my side once I had settled under the covers, I smiled and wrapped my arm around him before drifting off to sleep.