Author's Note: I'M ALIVE! I'm still figuring out how posting stuff works on this site, so updates are likely to be slower for a while. The full version of this story (as far as I have written) is available to read on Wattpad, but not everyone has access to Wattpad, hence why I started posting here.

Anyway, disclaimer: ADHDAbsol273 does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Only my OCs and the story premise are mine!

Feasting Under The North Star

I sat crosslegged on the floor in my room, holding out my hand.I closed my eyes. Reaching deep within myself, I drew the energy I knew I would need for this spell.

I felt the warmth as it trickled through my arm to the palm of my hand. "Shadow, grant me allies," I intoned.

Magic energy pooled in my hand, flowing out in front of me. When I opened my eyes, a perfect copy of myself sat in front of me, mimicking how I was holding out my hand - a dark-haired, brown-eyed, smaller than was normal young man looking slightly uncomfortable in finely woven royal linen. He appeared to be touching hands with mine, but all I felt was a faint, cobwebby sensation, slightly colder than the air around me. When I pulled my hand back, the reflection did the same. The shadow nodded, before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Such copies of myself - living manifestations of my shadow, or so I'd heard the theory - would be helpful in diverting my opponents' attention. However, they required a constant flow of magic energy to maintain, which increased the more shadows I made. Keeping them for long would exhaust me, and if anything distracted my attention, the falter in magic energy used to make them would cause them to disappear. I couldn't rely on them too much in the games. Just as a surprise perhaps. This next spell would be much more useful.

I carefully sketched out a target on the floor using face paint left in the bowl on the table beside the mirror. Stepping a stone's throw away, I held out my hand.

"Thousand Knives!" I commanded. Instantly, my hand glowed, the light spreading in a web around it until a wall of floating knives stood between me and my target. Exerting my energy, I shot them at the target on the floor, feeling a rush of satisfaction when the blades shot forward and embedded themselves in the stone. With another wave of my hand, the knives dissipated.

My smile faded when I remembered how confidently Maahad had talked earlier about the ka of other contestants. I still had no idea what my ka was, and that put me at a severe disadvantage in the ring. My opponents would no doubt summon their own at some point, depending on the contests the Pharaoh devised.

Thought of the Pharaoh led me back to that odd conversation I'd had with him in the hall. He had seemed so friendly and jovial then. When the topic of the bewitched hall came up, he had, without blinking, diverted valuable resources to guarding it to ensure none of the other contestants went through what I had, even though the hall itself was out of the way and they most likely wouldn't be needed. Just like that. I hadn't even asked for such a boon.

I shoved those traitorous thoughts away. Surely he had just been acting. He wouldn't have kept my birth and his atrocity against my mother a secret if he was transparent with his motive and actions.

Instead, I concentrated on the bewitched hallway itself. The curse upon it seemed to center at the mysterious locked door - or whatever was behind it. At the very least, the weeping entity seemed stronger there. I would ask Maahad about it. Perhaps he knew something. And, perhaps, I could share with him my suspicions that the Pharaoh hadn't bothered to have the hallway checked at all. I was sure he hadn't. What kind of entity was strong enough to withstand an exorcism from the entire Sacred Court? It was a laughably transparent lie.

But I didn't want to alarm Maahad or make him suspicious of my true motives. As friendly as the young scholar had been, he was undoubtedly loyal to the Pharaoh judging from how he spoke of him and the Court. I didn't think Mana would listen to my warning either. Kisara, while learned enough she might take my words seriously, was also likely to go to the Pharaoh with the accusation. Regardless of Seth's opinion on her, she was simply too naive to know better.

…What about Seth? The other competitor, while arrogant and unlikeable from what I had seen of things, was more willing to doubt the Pharaoh than the others. That he had accused him privately of doing something as base as bribery to get competitors was proof of that. Would he listen to my concerns?

I shook my head. I had no idea why I was even thinking of confiding my mistrust in the Pharaoh to any of the people I had met at the gathering. They, I had to remind myself, were enemies, obstacles. Any one of them could report my actions to the Pharaoh if I roused their suspicions. I could not afford to trust any of them, as friendly as they seemed.

A knock jarred me from my thoughts. I stood up and went to answer the door.

A manservant stood there. "Young master, I was sent to bring you down to the dining hall for the feast," he said.

"Oh," I replied, getting to my feet. The servant raised his eyebrow at the target on the floor but said nothing.

"Come with me, young master," he said. I carefully ensured my weapons were secured and my amethyst stone hanging from its chain hidden under my tunic, before following him out of the massive room and into the hall.

Seth was standing at the end of the hall, tapping his foot impatiently. A manservant appeared to be trying - and failing - to talk him into leaving the spot upon which he had planted himself.

"Oh, you're here," he said as I approached.

"...What are you doing?" I asked after a long pause.

"I'm waiting for the maids to finish fussing over Kisara so we can go to the feast! I don't want her going by herself, not with all these old strangers leering at her!" Turning to me, he said, "What's with you? You look like someone walked over your grave."

"Just - a little accident I had while looking around," I replied stiffly.

"Does it have anything to do with why the hallway by the old nursery is now under heavy guard?"

"It wasn't my fault," I said quickly. "Something- wait, old nursery?"

"You made no attempt to figure out what was down there or why it was boarded up?"

"No. I'm sure it's locked for a reason."

"Now you're starting to sound like Kisara. Well, if you don't know-"

"What was that about me, Seth?" Kisara asked, peeking out the door. The maids preparing her filed out, looking disappointed.

Seth flushed bright red. "Kisara! You're finished getting ready?"

"Yes. I finally told the maids I was finished with their primping when they tried to color my hair, or better, hide it with a veil."

"Why don't you color it?" I asked, wincing when Seth stepped hard on my foot.

"I did try, when I was younger. But the color never seems to stick to it. Seth seems to think it's a physical manifestation of my ka. I didn't want them to waste their time." She stepped fully out the door, revealing the beautiful ivory dress and golden sandals she was wearing. Resting on her head was a gold circlet inset with lapis that matched her eyes, and she wore gold and lapis scarab earrings.

Seth turned redder at the sight of the young girl. "Kisara… you look… different," he said with difficulty.

"Good different or bad different?" Kisara asked curiously, her voice promising a tongue-lashing if Seth gave her an answer not to her liking.

"Oh, good different, definitely-" Seth began before cutting himself off, his eyes flashing with annoyance.

Why was he annoyed at Kisara in her new, more befitting of a noble, clothing? It made no sense to me.

"I'm glad you approve," Kisara replied, her face pinkening a little too. "Now, we should go to the feast. The Pharaoh is expecting us."

She inclined her head respectfully to the manservants, who were standing off to the side, unsure, like I was, of what to make of the strange scene.

"So, what were you saying about the old nursery?" I asked Seth as we filed off down the hall.

"Hey! Keep your voice down!" Seth hissed under his breath. "It's a secret; the only reason I know is because Lord Aknadin told me."

"What are you two talking about?"
Seth sighed at Kisara's interruption. "Remember that room we passed that was boarded up?"

Kisara shivered. "Yes."

"Aknadin told me-" Seth slowed his walk so that the manservants were edging ahead of us and wouldn't overhear. "-He told me that was the old nursery, built for the Crown Prince."

"Crown Prince?" I asked. In all of my lessons about the Pharaoh, I had never heard of him having sons or declared heirs.

"I heard the story. It's been boarded up for years, ever since…" Kisara clammed up.

"Since what? Why was the room closed off?"

"Because Queen Khepri, Pharaoh Aknamkanon's wife, died in that room, delivering their firstborn son. And when the prince was barely a year old, he was gone too," Seth said ominously.

"Gone?"

"No one knows," Seth said. "Most people say that someone broke into the palace and threw him into the river. Some say that he was kidnapped as a slave. A few insist the Pharaoh killed the boy himself, enraged that his queen had died. Whatever way it went, without a mother or nurse to care for him, he was as good as dead."

"Why would Aknadin tell you that if it was supposed to be hushed up?" Kisara asked suspiciously.

"I just asked. I wanted to know why that hallway was suddenly swarming with guards. I had to go around the other way to get to your room." He nudged me. "It appears we have Kay to thank for that."

"Really? How?" Kisara asked.

I kept quiet, not wanting to slip that I had been sneaking around the palace. I had no good reason to be doing that.

"Tell us, at least," Kisara said. "We won't tell anyone."

"Yeah, especially since you blocked off the most convenient way to my room," Seth added.

Kisara shot him a look, but went on, "Is it dangerous? Does the Pharaoh know?"

"Of course he knows, he posted the guards there," Seth replied.

"I was attacked there," I finally mumbled, realizing they wouldn't let it go.

"WHAT!?" Kisara yelped at such volume the manservants looked back curiously at us. Seth jumped on the young woman and clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Quiet!" he hissed. "Is this true?" he asked me.

"Not by a person. I felt… a strange presence there. I heard a voice, and someone grabbed me by the wrist, dragging me toward the nursery door. I only just managed to get away."

Kisara shot a worried glance at Seth. "How does the Pharaoh know about this?"

"I ran into him right afterwards. I explained to him what had occurred, and he said that several other people had been attacked, and the Court had tried and failed to exorcize it, hence the guard, to keep it from happening again."

"So he knew already," Seth murmured.

"It was considerate of him to post guards," Kisara commented.

"Especially since I didn't ask. He asked why I looked out of sorts, so I explained what had happened." I looked at Kisara. "I didn't know the Queen had died."

"Oh, right, you grew up under a rock in the desert," Seth said. "Ow!"

Kisara, stepping back from stamping on Seth's foot, gave him a warning look. "It is surprising you don't know. She has been dead for the last fifteen years." She turned around. "But we should stop talking about this. It's not exactly good polite dinner conversation." She gestured to the archway to the dining hall, which was aglow with candles.

Seth looked like he was about to protest, but Kisara silenced him. "Later. Meet me out in the back garden, and we can talk about it a little more. It really is something the Court doesn't like being gossiped about."

"How are we going to get out?"

"Climb over the balcony. It's not a long drop," Kisara whispered. She abruptly pressed a finger to her lips before walking out into the dining hall.

Seth rolled his eyes but followed her, and, after a moment of preparation, I strode out after them, trying not to attract attention, least of all from the Pharaoh.

The Sacred Court, as well as most of the acolytes, were already seated, with the Pharaoh of course at the head of the table. He smiled at us as we entered. His eyes darted to me, and flickered with confusion, before he carefully amended his expression back to a smile.

"Ah, perfect, a few more revelers to join our feast tonight!" he chuckled, raising his wine glass. "Come, sit down."

A maid pulled out a seat for me, which I slid into. I noticed Seth slip into the chair on my left, and Kisara sat across from him. Behave, her sharp blue gaze warned her companion. Seth simply huffed.

There was a tap on my shoulder, and I, my hand straying to my knife, turned around.

On my right, I was surprised to see Maahad, dressed in a tunic much like mine, except his was purple-trimmed, and he wore his cloak, deep purple like the trim on his tunic. He had the hood pulled up, as if he were trying to hide within it. A necklace of green jasper encircled his neck, and cuffs set with jasper adorned his wrists.

"Kay? I thought it was you. Sorry to startle you," the young magician apologized. He eyed my weapons. "Surely you're not preparing for battle now, of course," he murmured.

I became aware that I still had my knife on one hip, the Pharaoh's khopesh on the other, and my bow and quiver slung on my back.

"I prefer to keep my weapons on me. It's an old habit," I replied.

"You should be glad that the Pharaoh seems like he doesn't mind. I wouldn't try to smuggle weapons into a feast in his own hall on any day," Seth scoffed.

Kisara shushed him, but since every one of the crowd of competitors was still chattering with their companions (the whole table sounded like a flock of birds), it wasn't as if the arrogant boy could be heard anyway.

Seth's eyes darted to my khopesh.

"So you got one, too," he observed in a whisper.

"Too? Did the Pharaoh give all the acolytes a sword?"

"Shush! No, he didn't give everyone one, why do you think I don't want to call attention to it?"

"The Pharaoh gave you a khopesh?" Kisara asked. "Seth, didn't you say Aknadin gave you yours?"

"Yes," Seth replied, looking put out that his gift had been from the Pharaoh's brother rather than the Pharaoh himself.

"Why does Aknadin like you so much?" I asked. "Didn't you say he told you about-" I was cut off as Kisara kicked me hard under the table.

"About what?" Maahad asked.

"Meet us in the garden tonight and we'll catch you up," Kisara said firmly.

"Come on, why does the scroll worm have to be involved!"

"Because he wants to come and I gave him permission, that's why," Kisara replied nonchalantly as she picked up a fig from her plate and bit into it. "Anyway, Kay, that's incredible that the Pharaoh seems to have taken an interest in you!"

"I can't imagine why," Seth muttered. "Ow!"

Kisara feigned innocence as Seth rubbed his shin where the girl had kicked it.

"The more delicate sex, my sandal," Seth hissed as he nursed the bruise.

"But I don't understand. One of the men outside the palace told me I had extremely powerful magic potential and ka. The messenger who invited me said the same. So did one of the maids. And now the Pharaoh is presenting me gifts?"

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Maahad replied. "May I see it?"

"Not at the table, you idiot!" Seth hissed.

I carefully showed Maahad the hilt of the sword.

"Adorned with lapis… you realize how expensive that is, right?"

"I know," I replied. "I'm just as surprised as you are."

Maahad eyed Seth. "You know he's going to be hard to beat now, right? Considering the Morning and Evening Star is on his side."

"Don't. Remind me," Seth replied sharply.

Kisara grinned. "Looks like you've got some friends in some pretty high places, huh?"

"I don't know about friends. I'm guessing he heard the rumors being spread about me and guessed I have a good chance at placing. But isn't he supposed to be impartial? I mean, he doesn't require an apprentice like the others."

"Yes…" Maahad looked around. "I don't see Mana here. Do you?"

I searched the crowd, but, no, I could see no sign of the chatty young girl. I felt my heart seem to droop in disappointment.

"Sad your lady friend isn't here, eh?" Seth scoffed.

"It is odd she isn't," I observed stiffly, trying to ignore how my face was heating up. "All contestants were invited."

"Maybe she's running late. We weren't exactly on the dot, either," Kisara cut in.

Maahad nodded in agreement. "She was still being fussed over by the maids when I left. She seems to be a daughter of a pretty prominent noble, so it's natural that she might have some more attention."

"She mentioned that to me. She said her father lived in the palace when she was a child, as a personal friend of the Pharaoh," I said.

"A personal friend, hm? So your sweetheart is a noblewoman by blood?" Seth asked mockingly.

"Seth, stop," Kisara defended.

Footsteps made me look up.

Several maids walked in, apologizing and bowing to the Pharaoh for their tardiness.

Then Mana entered.

Her grubby short skirt and crooked hat were nowhere to be seen. It had been replaced with a gleaming ivory dress trimmed with pale pink color, like the lilies that dotted the garden pond. A belt of pale pink quartz stones encircled her waist, and her circlet was set with the same stone. Her brown hair had been combed and, while it still looked thick and messy, it seemed to suit her. A necklace fashioned in the shape of an ankh hung from her neck. The pale pink, ivory, and gold only made her emerald eyes stand out even more, and they glowed like precious gems by themselves. In contrast with all the subtle, pale colors, the kohl around her eyes seemed impossibly dark.

Her image hung in front of my eyes, even if I shut them.

"Another to join the festivities, I take it?" the Pharaoh asked.

Mana dipped in a hasty bow, almost letting her circlet slip off. "Yes, Lord Pharaoh! I'm sorry I was so late!"

"All is forgiven, young lady. Now, sit down and enjoy the feast. Perhaps the seat across from your friend from earlier?" He gestured to a seat directly across from mine.

Mana blinked. "Kay?"

I was still trying to drive away the image of her face looking almost goddess-like the moment she had walked into the hall, lit up by the candles as it was, so my answer was a simple nod.

"Merciful Isis, it is you!" Mana replied. "Wow, I almost didn't recognize you! You look like a prince!"

I felt my face flaming as the other contestants, confused by her exclamation, looked at me.

"Please sit down," I finally managed to spit out. Mana, surprisingly quietly, carefully slipped into her seat. The silence lasted all of a few moments before she turned to Kisara. "Kisara, you look amazing! Is that crown lapis?"

Kisara turned pink. "Yes. The maids definitely spoiled me," she said. "I'm more concerned with how they spoiled you."
Mana flushed red. "Um… it took a while for them to comb my hair…" She fingered a lock of it. "Father says he likes it, but it's always hard to take care of, and it was a long journey."

"Well, we're glad you came," Kisara said with a smile. "Right?" she asked Seth severely, and the brunet sweated nervously, the shame of having made fun of Mana just before she had come apparent.

The next few hours were spent partaking from the lavish banquet and absorbing the constant babble of talk from the people at the table. I didn't eat much, not sure what to do with all this food and too on edge to have an appetite anyway.

Finally, the Pharaoh stood, and clapped his hands. "May I have your attention, please!" he said. "Before we send you off to your beds for tonight, there are a few matters I feel I must make you aware of!"

A hiss of whispers sped up and down the table. Aknamkanon clapped again to restore order. Kisara put the bite she was in the process of lifting to her mouth down, and Mana finished off a piece of bread in swift chomping bites before clamping her mouth shut to hide her failure to stop and listen.

Seth had eaten little, just as I had, though I doubted it was because of nerves.

"Firstly! The first contest will be held in four days time! The next three days are given over to you, to practice and train before the contest begins! You are all undoubtedly tired from your journey, and I want you to be able to show us your best!"

People whispered and swapped ideas at that, and a few cried out loud in joy they would not have to endure an arduous contest the day after their long journey through the desert. Aknamkanon hushed them with his hand.

"However! I must remind you of what Karim told you. No sabotage or attack on participants outside official contests overseen by the Sacred Court and myself, for any reason! No attempting to learn the rules and nature of the contest to come, and no peddling that knowledge to others! In the arena, no fatal or incapacitating blows! Competing is until the disqualification of the opponent, by a ruling conducted by the contest's judges, only, and the terms for loss will vary from contest to contest!"

"Right, right, don't kill, don't try to incapacitate people outside the arena; that's cheating, and don't try to weasel out information about the contest; that's cheating too," Seth muttered under his breath. Kisara pinched him, reminding him that the Pharaoh could undoubtedly hear him in the now-quiet hall.

"In addition, I have been made aware of a disturbance in one eastern hallway of the palace. I have posted guards there, and you must stay well away from that place until we have resolved the problem there. Those of you who had been using that hallway earlier this evening, the maids and manservants have been notified about this change and are willing to help you find an alternate route if you ask."

Seth, Kisara, and Maahad looked at me, but thankfully no one seemed to notice. More whispers traveled across the table, but Aknamkanon only had to clear his throat for it to quiet down.

"It has also been reported to me that earlier this afternoon, an armed stranger had been seen attempting to scale the palace walls. They fled before we could apprehend them, and have not been seen since, but I must ask that you stay in your rooms as much as possible tonight, for safety's sake. If you must leave your rooms, take another contestant or, more preferably, a servant with you as escort."

The whispers turned into roaring now. Most people were scared about the invasion, but a few were just annoyed about the system Aknamkanon had put in place. Aknamkanon stilled the shouting with his hand. "Take heart, children. As long as you are within these walls, the Sacred Court and I will do everything in our power to keep you safe." He dipped his head and clapped his hands. "I believe that is everything! You are dismissed to your rooms for tonight; I expect you all to rest well tonight before you begin training for the first contest. The magic competition has begun!"

The crowd dispersed and broke up into little knots of friends, many talking about the out of bounds hall and the intruder. A few tried to grab extra food from the table to smuggle back with them, having not eaten their fill during the feast. The Sacred Court stood and filed out as well.

Pharaoh Aknamkanon was last to leave. He turned, looked over his shoulder, and locked eyes with me. His eyes twinkled. I was convinced his Pendant could read my intent.

But he didn't say anything, instead just leaving the hall followed by several guards.

"All this over one intruder?" Mana whispered.

"You have to understand, Mana, that whoever is willing to try to break into the palace in broad daylight is either exceedingly arrogant or lethally stupid. The Pharaoh is a god on earth, and he and the Sacred Court have the Millennium Items notwithstanding being the most respected mages in the country," Seth explained under his breath. "That one intruder thinks he can take on the Pharaoh and the Court, hence why he scaled the walls in daylight, when he knew a guard would spot him."

"But he ran away," Maahad pointed out.

"It sounds arbitrary, but that person could have planned to run so Aknamkanon would dismiss the threat. One drunken peasant climbing over the walls and waving a knife around is not worth the guards' time."

"It didn't work, though," I pointed out, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice. "Now the Pharaoh is on high alert. He'll have guards posted, stronger defenses, the priests will be anticipating a fight - now it would be harder than ever to attack again."

That stranger had unwittingly set back my plan. Now, everyone was going to be anxiously anticipating an attack, meaning I had to lie low for longer than I had thought.

"I'm kinda scared," Mana said. "The Great City is supposed to be one of the safest places in Egypt, and if it's not safe here…"

"Don't worry. I'm certain the Pharaoh will set things right soon enough," I replied, hoping the words sounded less forced than they felt.

Mana again dazzled me with her smile. "Thanks, Kay. You're right, the Pharaoh must know what he's doing. Besides, I know you'll protect me if something bad happens, right?"

Unsure what else to say, I nod, and Mana follows her chattering friends from her home village down the hall, presumably to her room.

"So… what was that about?" Seth asked.
"What?"

"'I know you'll protect me!'" Seth cried in an imitation of Mana's voice. "Honestly, what is the history between you two?"

"We met on the journey here. I saw her being chased by a lion and fought it off. She had lost her traveling party, so she traveled with me for a time before we found her caravan again."

"That's it?" Seth asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Seth, don't tease him!" Kisara chided. "You boys can argue who is smitten with which girl all night, but I'm going to bed."

Seth huffed. "Kisara, don't leave…"

"Why not?"

"Because… it's not safe. The intruder, and everything. Here, I'll walk you back. My room isn't far from yours."

They walked off down the hallway, dissolving into another argument they were desperately trying to be quiet about as they went.

Maahad sighed. "When those two finally can see beyond their own noses and arrange to be wed, it will be a happier, headache-free life for all of us," he said. "Are you off to bed?"

"Not to sleep. Kisara still needs to catch you up about what we were talking about," I replied.

Maahad blushed. "Not to impose, but could you come fetch me at that time? I have a certain affliction when it comes to falling asleep. I sleep deeply, and when I am tired I only must lie in an approximation of a sleeping position before I drift off," he said.

"Right. I'll be sure to find a way to wake you. Do you know if our chamber doors latch?"

"I don't think so," Maahad replied. "You'll have to avoid guards and servants who'll question why you're up that late."

"I can do that," I replied.

Maahad smiled gratefully. "Good night, Kay. I'm glad to have you as my friend."

He inclined his head and walked away, leaving me confused.

Friend? I barely knew Maahad; how could he see me as a friend so quickly and easily?

Foolish, Mother's teachings scorned.

But it was… hard not to be touched by it.