AN: I had to rewrite this whole chapter because the sequence of events didn't feel right. Hopefully I didn't miss any mistakes.
Chapter Three: Lights in the Window
"Are those normal?" Mana finally asked Kisara after they were finished for the day.
"Are what normal?" Kisara replied.
"Those lights in the sanctum, didn't you see them? Every so often a window would light up as if there was a torch burning behind it, then the light would disappear."
"Oh. Those," Kisara said.
"So you know what they are?"
"Let's not talk about it until we get back to the servants' quarters."
"Does it have to do with… him?"
Kisara put her finger to her lips. "Yes, and that's why I'd rather not talk about it until we can talk in private."
Teana had been put on serving duty that evening, and had been gone all throughout dinner. Kisara had saved her a plate of leftovers, and the two of them were sitting by their usual spot by the fires, guarding said plate. Most of the servants had left, save Rashid, who Mana guessed was always the last to leave - as he had been yesterday.
Then, Teana came running in, face pale with excitement.
"Girls, you're not going to believe this!" she said.
"Teana, what is it?" Mana asked as Kisara pulled out a chair for her.
"Sit down and breath, Teana," the white-haired girl instructed Teana, who took a few exaggerated deep breaths before launching into her explanation:
"The Red Beast is leaving the sanctum!"
"Teana, is this another joke?" Kisara asked.
"No, I promise it's not, the Grand Vizier arranged for him to come and watch the ritual games - under guard and masked like usual of course - and the procession is leaving the sanctum now. As in right now!"
"I know what 'now' means," Kisara said flatly.
"Come on, come on, let's go try to get a glimpse of him!" Teana insisted.
"Teana, shouldn't we finish dinner first-?" Kisara began, only for Teana to haul her off her stool and start heading for the kitchen doors. "Mana, help me out here!"
"I'm pretty curious, too, Kisara," Mana replied. "I know we probably won't see him with his mask off, but seeing him in person at all is still not something that happens very often."
Kisara sighed. "Outvoted again, I suppose…" she muttered. "But we should stay quiet and avoid attention! The Lord Regent and Crown Prince are bound to be in foul moods as it is; they always are when the Beast is allowed out. Lord Regent Aknadin in particular…" She trailed off as they left the kitchens, crossed the hallway, and exited the palace from the courtyard door they had gone through the previous night.
Mana wasn't sure whether it was from cold or nervousness that she shivered once out in the palace garden. A procession of guards were already standing outside the door of the sanctum. Quite a few of them looked anxious, gripping their spears in white-knuckled hands and shooting glances at the sanctum's sealed front door.
Then, with a deep rumble, the doors unlatched and slowly opened, revealing a wide black maw. Two figures emerged from the darkness inside. One was the young man from earlier, now garbed in a blood red robe with his head bowed as if in penance for his close proximity to the accursed creature.
The figure beside him was shrouded entirely in a blood red robe with a hood, with a black metal mask carved in the likeness of a lion hiding his face. He looked smaller than Mana expected for someone who had demonic lion blood running through his veins, and if Mana wasn't mistaken, the red robe he wore seemed too big for him. However, he seemed to radiate an aura of power - not quite menacing, just imposing - that made her inclined not to care. Thick chains securing the Beast's wrists emerged from the too-long robe sleeves, and another insistent clanking of metal as he walked testified his ankles were bound as well. The last measure of caution was when a shaking, hyperventilating guard hooked a third thick chain to a heavy metal collar around his neck, hidden in the folds of the hood. Two more guards grabbed the chains securing the Beast's wrists which, together with the chain attached to his neck, was almost like a lead attached to an animal to drive it forward.
Mana shivered as she was reminded of her dream and the heavy, ungainly helmet used to subdue the abused lion.
The guards surrounded the Beast and his caretaker, and the whole procession began to move, the guards pulling the Beast along. The Beast started walking obediently, but far from happily. He gave a snarl - muffled behind the mask - with every tug of the chains, and when he walked it was with his head held high, as proud as one could conceivably be when one were chained up and being pulled around like a camel on a lead.
The Grand Vizier's student laid a hand on the Beast's arm, and as the procession passed Mana saw him give a reassuring, almost tender look to the half-demon.
Mana frowned as the procession went past. It almost looked like the Grand Vizier's student was fond of the Beast. Further, that the Beast, somewhere in his apparently savage heart, reciprocated, as he stopped growling when the young man squeezed his arm in reassurance. That didn't mesh with the story Kisara had told her - that the Beast was monstrous and dangerous, and the Grand Vizier was his caretaker out of necessity, because no one else dared go near him. Friendship between the Beast and his minder had no room in the history that had been laid out for her.
However, the moment lasted only that - a moment - before the procession moved past and the Grand Vizier's student's face turned impassive and serious again. His grip on the Beast's arm tightened, becoming sterner and controlling to match the guards pushing the creature forward.
Mana felt a shiver as the procession stopped, and the Beast looked right at her. Behind the dark, impassive eye-holes of the mask, Mana could see a pale gold glow, like the pupils of a cat when a lamp shone in its eyes.
Then the guards yanked on the chains, forcing the Beast to keep walking.
A crowd of maids and manservants had gathered in the courtyard to watch the procession go past, and the guards now had the twofold job of keeping the Beast secured and keeping the curious, nervous onlookers away from him.
From her angle, Mana could barely see the procession anymore, so she pulled back and fought her way through the crowd to get a better look.
"Watch where you're going, girl!"
"Ow! Hey!"
"Pay attention!"
"Sorry!" Mana called to all of the irritated people she had accidentally knocked into. She finally stumbled to the front of the crowd, right in front of a massive, opulent door on the side of the palace wall - less massive and opulent than the front door, of course.
"That leads to the ritual game chamber," Teana's voice whispered, making Mana jump.
"Hey!" Mana yelped.
"You ran off, and I didn't want you to do something reckless," Kisara excused, stopping to catch her breath.
"I've… heard of the ritual games. But what actually happens down there?"
"No one knows, really," Teana said conspiratorially. "It's rumored that Lord Regent Aknadin and the other nobles perform black magic rituals down there, to punish criminals and protect Egypt's borders."
"Teana! Not so loud!" Kisara hissed under her breath.
The door to the ritual game chamber slowly swung open, revealing a staircase leading down into pitch blackness. A short old man in fine robes and a blue hat ascended the steps and stood in the doorway. Although he was wizened, his eyes shone with a jolly light, and most of the wrinkles on his face were smile lines.
"Who's that?" Mana whispered.
"That's the Grand Vizier, Siamun Muran," Kisara whispered back.
"Your Highness," he said to the Beast, inclining his head. To Maahad, he said, "I'm glad to see you up and about, Maahad. Both of you."
"Yes, Master," the boy, Maahad, said. "The Lord Regent is prepared for us in the ritual chamber?"
The old man nodded. "Yes! And Lord Aknadin assures me it's going to be an entertaining one this time. Come in, come in!"
The procession of guards approached the open door, and Mana watched as the Beast and Lord Maahad, surrounded by the guards, descended into the ritual game chamber. The doors slowly creaked shut, leaving the nervous crowd of servants alone to disperse back to the servants' quarters.
"Did you see that?" Mana asked Kisara and Teana as they entered the servants' quarters.
"See what?" Kisara asked, pausing at the door to her room.
"The way the Grand Vizier's apprentice looked at the Beast," Mana replied. "It seemed… affectionate. More than I expected."
"I didn't see it," Teana said in confusion. "Are you sure that was how he looked at him?"
"It was only for a second, Teana, but I saw it," Mana said adamantly.
"I… suppose living with anyone for a lengthy period of time, even a monster, would promote harboring a fondness for them. Even if it was either that or going insane - Lord Maahad hardly ever leaves the sanctum and doesn't talk to anyone, remember?" Kisara said.
"...Maybe," Mana said. But something felt… off… about that explanation. That kind look Mana remembered didn't look begrudging at all.
It was only for a second. Maybe I saw it wrong?
Mana shook her head. "I'm going to sleep. More work tomorrow!" she said, trying and failing to sound enthusiastic.
Kisara smiled. "Hey, you've done great for your first few days," she said reassuringly.
"And we're glad to have you here," Teana said. Then she quickly corrected, "Well, not here, but… I'm glad that we can be friends."
Mana nodded, feeling a little bit better.
It was still ages before she stopped tossing and turning and fell asleep. She was exhausted, but just like last night, there was so much to think about.
And it all had to do with a certain first Prince.
There's something missing here. Something wrong. Everyone knows that the Red Beast is a feral creature. Why would they bring him to watch the ritual games? He would hardly appreciate them. Is it just so Lord Maahad can watch them? No, maybe they need him for whatever's going on down there? He is part demon. If what Teana said about the ritual games are true, maybe they need… I dunno, demon stuff from him. Blood or something. But the Grand Vizier did imply that the Beast and Maahad were there to watch… And then there's the way Lord Maahad looked at the Beast… are they friends? Somehow?
"Ugh!" Mana grumbled, kicking her legs in frustration. It was driving her crazy, knowing something was up but not being able to put her finger on what.
Mana didn't remember falling asleep. However, she found herself dreaming about the lion again.
Again, she was standing on the riverbank. Again, she saw the lion fighting and snarling to get free of the helmet locked over his head. Again, she approached him, whispering that she wasn't going to hurt him.
And just like last night, she didn't wake up when she touched the lion. Instead, she found herself kneeling, face pressed against the lion's shoulder. She felt the lion's tail flick around her body, as if shielding her, and the lion slowly stopped growling.
Mana awoke the next morning, the heat of the lion's body evaporating from beside her, and found that her pillow was damp and her mouth tasted of salt.
The next morning, Mana couldn't focus.
"New girl, you need to keep cleaning!" Rashid said sternly. "We cannot fall behind!"
"S-Sorry…" Mana apologized.
"Are you okay, Mana?" Teana asked her from her spot chopping vegetables.
"Y-Yeah, I just didn't sleep well last night," Mana replied.
"Again?" Teana asked. "Are you feeling okay? You're not sick, are you?"
"I don't feel sick," Mana murmured.
"Back to work, both of you!" Rashid insisted, before walking away to another section of the kitchens, gripping his temples.
"Rashid seems stressed today," Mana observed innocently at lunch, the first spare minute the girls got to talk.
"Well, I expected it, considering what today is," Kisara said.
"What… is today?" Mana asked. She heard Father say some kind of event was coming up, but he hadn't said what…
Mana quickly pushed away thoughts of Father.
"Today is the anniversary of the Pharaoh's death, Mana," Kisara said ominously. "The day he succumbed to his illness."
"Lord Aknadin and Lord Seth are always in bad moods today," Teana explained.
"I'm assuming… do they mourn him?" Mana asked.
Kisara frowned. "Yes, but his death and what that demon did to him have permanently tainted his memory. It's hard to remember him without remembering the Red Beast, too. After all… Some people say that the stress of caring for the creature caused the Pharaoh's illness."
"Not to mention, the Red Beast is always in a bad temper on this day, too. More misbehaved, more violent."
"Does he… know the significance of today?" Mana asked. "Does he… miss the Pharaoh? You told me that the Pharaoh tried to raise him as human for a while, before he died."
Kisara's frown deepened. "I can't say for certain-" She suddenly broke off, looking fearful.
"You ought to watch your tongue when you speak, girl," a new voice hissed.
Mana whirled around to see a man in opulent robes, wearing a headdress decorated with a cobra and a gold false eye in his eye socket.
Kisara and Teana were already prostrate on the floor, and after the shock had passed, Mana decided she should be on the ground, too.
"Lord Regent," Rashid said nervously. "I'm sorry, sire, I thought you had gone with the procession to the tomb!"
"The procession hasn't left yet," the man said flatly.
Mana's heart pounded. This was Crown Prince Seth's mentor! The Lord Regent of Egypt!"
"O-Of course, sire. What do you need?"
"I wanted to be sure everything was prepared for our return here. I would have sent a messenger," he sniffed, looking around the kitchen with disdain. "But all of the servants are indisposed at the moment. Preparing our horses for the procession or else dealing with that Beast." He glared down at Mana with such venom it was a wonder she didn't drop dead. Mana kept her head down and tried to keep her mind blank. She had heard the rumors that the Eye Lord Regent Aknadin had possessed some kind of dark power - to steal thoughts with a glance and read them like a scroll.
"That monster doesn't understand the significance of this day," Lord Aknadin spat. "If he misses anything about my lamented brother, it was that the Pharaoh gave the wretched creature the freedom to go where he pleases, instead of locking him up like the demon he is!"
Mana squeezed her eyes shut, not sure why Lord Aknadin was shouting at her.
"Don't ascribe human grief to that misshapen thing when there are those among us who actually grieve the loss of the Pharaoh!" Lord Aknadin snapped. "Do you understand me, girl!?"
"Y-Yes, sire," Mana stammered out, inwardly pleading for him to stop.
Lord Aknadin stamped his sandal-clad food inches from Mana's head, before he turned with a snap of his flowing robes. "Make sure that dinner is prepared for us when we return!" he barked at Rashid.
"Of course, sire," Rashid said quickly as Lord Aknadin left the room.
Rashid kept them working all day, worrying and nitpicking the smallest thing. More serving girls had been called to deal with the Red Beast, so they were horribly understaffed, too. Mana planned to ask Kisara about the strange lights she'd seen in the sanctum, but she was too exhausted.
Again, she dreamed of the lion, of snuggling up next to the massive predator and losing herself in the warmth of his fur, the rise and fall of his ribs, and his slow chuff of contentment as he relaxed into her touch.
Then, her vision went white, and suddenly she was kneeling on the ground sobbing, much younger from the chubby look of her hands and legs. She looked up, tears pouring down her face, and saw a face, shrouded in darkness, and a hand reaching out to take hers. The last thing she was aware of before awakening was a voice, faint and echoing like it was shouting down a long tunnel: "Why are you crying?"
Then she was back in bed, still hearing the faint echo of the voice.
She slowly sat up, not sure why she had woken up so suddenly.
Then, she heard it.
The faint sound of someone crying.
Mana frowned, cupping her hand around her ear. Was she really hearing that? Who would be wandering around the palace garden crying at this time of night?
Did they need help?
Mana slipped out of bed, pulling the linen sheet off of it and wrapping it around herself like a shawl. It wasn't much, but it made her feel safer. Less likely to get caught.
Yeah, Seth had only "strongly advised" them to stay indoors at night, but Mana knew that "strong advice" from nobility were often intended to be orders under a painted coat of politeness. She was hoping to avoid getting caught outside at night if she could, thank you very much.
She crept out of her room and down the hallway. The crackling torches threw convulsing shadows up on the walls, and Mana nervously pulled her bedsheet tighter around herself. She quietly edged the servants' quarters door open and slipped out into the courtyard.
The courtyard was bathed in moonlight, but somehow, the sanctum still looked dark and lonely. Mana bit her lip and walked quickly past it.
As she came around the corner of the palace, she saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned, and saw a figure hunched in the shadow of the fig tree, shrouded in a hood like herself. Their shoulders shuddered as they quietly cried.
"E-Excuse me?" Mana asked.
The figure's crying stopped with a little gasp, and they jerked their head up, revealing a face shrouded behind a mouth wrap. Mana stepped back, the breath leaving her as she saw a pair of bright purple eyes, wild and inhuman. Then, like a shadow, the figure jumped up and scrambled behind the tree.
Mana held out her hand, feeling a sense of deja vu from her dream. "Wait! S… Sorry, I… didn't mean to scare you."
The figure peered out from behind the tree, bristling.
"Why are you crying?" Mana asked.
The figure rubbed their eyes as if trying to hide the evidence of their crying.
"It's okay," Mana whispered, sitting down on the grass and holding up her hands to show she didn't have any weapons. "I promise, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help."
The figure's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but they edged a bit further out from behind the tree.
"Why are you out here?" Mana asked. "Do you live at the palace? I don't think I've seen you around." Of course, I've only been here two days…
The figure pulled back a little, bristling slightly.
"W-Wait, wait!" Mana cried, only to clap her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry, I don't want to pry-"
The figure suddenly jumped over the tree roots and landed in front of Mana, peering at her closely. They leaned forward, and Mana scooted back.
"U-Um… what are you…?" Mana asked nervously.
The figure then pulled back, and darted away.
"H-Hey!" Mana whispered as loudly as she dared, jumping up and running after them.
The figure moved like a cat, staying completely silent but still managing to run fast enough to leave Mana in the dust.
"Hold on! Wait!" Mana called quietly after them, stumbling to a halt when she saw what they were running for - the sanctum.
However, the figure ran past the sanctum and ducked around the back of it, and Mana took a breath and ran after them.
However, as she ran around the corner, the figure was just… gone. Mana looked around frantically, even taking a glance at the darkened sanctum windows. Nothing.
Mana bit her lip nervously, looking around again.
"Who… who was that?" she whispered to herself.
