“Let me go, Vile Worm!
Release me!” I was certain my words could be heard throughout the entire palace. No doubt that was why Pharaoh Yami
suddenly appeared. I dropped to my knees and faced the floor.
“What is going on here?” I heard
the mighty pharaoh demand.
“Begging
your pardon, great pharaoh,” I heard one of my captors explain. “This woman is meant to be a gift to you from
a city to the south. She claims to have much respect for you, but will not cease her struggle.”
“She
seems to be quiet enough now,” the pharaoh noted in amusement. I couldn’t stop a smile. Soon, I felt a soft, gentle
hand under my chin, lifting up my face. I was instantly captured by the crimson eyes of Pharaoh Yami.
“Those
eyes,” I whispered, and reached out to touch him. Then I swiftly remembered my place in this situation and retracted
my hand. “Please forgive me.”
The pharaoh
laughed. It was a nice laugh, full of heart, like a child’s. “Dear girl, tell me, why do you struggle so?”
I looked
back at the floor, still kneeling. I noticed he stayed on one knee to keep level with me. “I am to be added to your
harem, great pharaoh. I know it is not my will but yours that will be followed, but I wish not to be taken until I am in love.”
“Ah.
I see.” He stood.
“A
silly ideal,” a captor sneered.
“But
it is an ideal that can be obliged. Take her to the servant’s quarters,” he ordered.
“But-great
pharaoh-“ the same captor stuttered.
All Pharaoh
Yami had to do was raise his eyebrows to shut the fool’s mouth. I looked at my pharaoh with grateful eyes. I bowed low.
“Thank you, thank you, great pharaoh!” I exclaimed.
The kindness
of a pharaoh.
I wasn’t
sure what it meant to be a servant, but it /had/ to be less humiliating than the harem. I was pretty sure I could handle anything
but that.
I was
brought to one of many brightly-lit alabaster rooms. There were many well-dressed women, clothed in gold and silks. I felt
very out of place in my brown rags. Then my hands were untied. Finally.
A captor
walked up to one of the ladies. “Here is an addition to your ranks, Lady Amara,” he informed her. She looked me
over and then smiled.
“Very
well then,” she said. My captor left, to my complete relief. “What is your name?” the lady asked me. The
others were looking at me curiously.
“Setsuna,”
I replied meekly.
“Welcome,
Setsuna. My name is Amara. If there’s anything you want or need, you come to me, alright?”
“Alright.”
“Let’s
get you cleaned up, shall we?”
Her words
were preceeded by a warm bath and new clothes. I was wrapped up in light blue and white silk, a ringlet of gold with blue
stones placed around my neck, and many little gold bracelets on my left wrist.
“I’ve
never looked so beautiful,” I said in awe, when I was shown a mirror.
“Well,
you must have looked nice in those rags to the pharaoh. He’s requested you serve him dinner.”
My eyes
widened to ovals.
A few
hours later, I stood in the kitchen, gold platter in hand. “Alright Setsuna,” I said, tying in vain to calm myself.
“You can do this.” I recited what Amara had told me. “Just be polite, calm, and speak when you’re
spoken to.” I took a deep breath. “Alright. Let’s go.” I walked into the dining hall, smiling politely.
A man and a woman were sitting with the pharaoh. The man had the most extraordinary blue eyes. Amara had not mentioned them.
Perhaps she had not known. I supposed I should wait to see if I was given their names.
“Good
evening, Pharaoh Yami,” I said as politely as I could, setting the platter down before the three plates, I had thought
it was a bit overkill for one man, even if that man is the pharaoh.
“And
to you as well,” he replied, with equal courtesy. “But I never did get your name, did I?”
“I
am Setsuna, great pharaoh,” I replied with a small curtsy.
“You
were right, Yami,” the man stated. “She /is/ a great beauty.”
I could
feel the heat rising to my cheeks. There was no doubt in my mind how red they were.
Pharaoh
Yami just chuckled. “Setsuna, tonight I will be joined by Priest Seth and Priestess Aishisu.”
“Good
evening to you both,” I said meekly.
“She’s
adorable!” Priest Seth exclaimed. “Yami, surely you aren’t going to keep her all to yourself?”
I began
serving as Pharaoh Yami smiled secretively.
“Just
ignore him, my girl,” Priestess Aishisu told me. He’s like this with all the new girls. And the whole palace is
talking about /your/ grand entrance.”
I halted
between Pharaoh Yami and Priest Seth’s plates to look at her. “Me?”
“We
don’t have much excitement of that kind around here, child. And you may have awoken the dead with your yelling. It’s
not really a secret.”
I blushed
again, this time from embarrassment. What had I been thinking, making such a fuss?
“So
you don’t want to be taken until you are married. A noble quest.”
“Begging
your pardon, Priestess Aishisu,” I said. “But my words were ‘not until I was in love.’”
“Just
as noble.” She laughed. “The last time I heard a girl screaming like that, it was because she /wasn’t/ to
be in the pharaoh’s harem! Not that he goes there anyway.”
“I
have too,” Pharaoh Yami cut in.
“Twice!”
the priest laughed. “And both times you came running back like a rabbit from wolves!”
“They
were acting like wolves,” the great pharaoh pouted. “It’s a miracle I remained unscathed.”
“Aww,
it’s not east being pharaoh, is it?”
“I
should send you to the gallows.”
“If
I had a piece of gold for every time you used that threat, I’d be richer than you!” the priest laughed.
After
a couple hours, the diner began to wind down. Priest Seto was the first to say good night.
“But
before I go, I have a question of Miss Setsuna,” he was saying.
“What
is your will?” I asked.
“Fair
lady, would you spend the night with me in my chambers?” he asked.
The red
in my cheeks would put apples to shame.
“It’s
quite alright to slap him,” the priestess informed me while I was formulating an answer.
“I
will have to respectfully decline,” managed to spurt out.
“Oh,
really? Then I will see you all in the morning.”
“He
/has/ to start watching how much he drinks,” the priestess noted after he’d gone. “Well, if you’ll
excuse me Yami, I think I will turn in as well.”
“Of
course, Aishisu,” the pharaoh replied, getting up and kissing her hand. “It has, as always, been a delight.”
“You
get some sleep too. You’re staring to get circles under your royal eyes.”
“I
can only promise to try.”
“Alright.
Good night.” She got up to leave.
“Will
you be headed to bed as well, Pharaoh Yami?” I asked.
He watched
Priestess Aishisu leave before replying. “I haven’t been sleeping very well lately. But if you would clear the
table and join me for a small glass of wine, I would appreciate it.”
“Certainly,
Pharaoh Yami.”
“And
just call me Yami. Only when there are visiting officials do you have to address me so formally.”
“Yes…
Yami.” I proceeded to clear the table and brought out two small glasses filled with wine.
“Please,
sit,” he invited me. I took a seat beside him. “I like to get to know the people around me, unlike some of my
fellow rulers.”
“You
have sat like this with all the girls?” I asked.
“I
have tried. Some of them are insistent that it is not their place to see me on more social terms.”
“I
see. That is sad.”
“What
makes you say that?”
“Well,
because you to be a very likeable person, Yami.”
“Thank
you for saying so Setsuna. Why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself? Where are you from?”
“The
southern border. My family has lived there for many generations.”
“And
how is it you came here? Usually servants and gifts are only sent to me one boring day a year.”
I giggled.
“The governor wanted to be sure he was in your good graces before attending your gathering in a two days. I was chosen.”
“Most
women do not approve of being gifts.”
“I
go where the wind takes me.”
“As long as it’s not to my harem.”
“With all due respects, you seem
to share similar sentiments.”
The pharaoh laughed that wonderful
laugh again. “Excellent point, Setsuna. But I am sorry you were parted from your family because of me.”
“I do miss them. But in all honesty,
I wanted to leave.”
“You did?”
“I didn’t want to be there
forever. Not that I didn’t try to escape those men every night, but I was happy to have an excuse to leave.”
“You sound like Seth.”
“Priest Seth?”
“Yes. He also wishes to travel,
and does so whenever possible.”
“Sounds lovely.”
“I will have to mention your
desire travel to him.”
“You will?”
Yami smiled. “Yes, but realize
he is not always as he was tonight. Usually, he is quite the opposite.”
“How so?”
“He is usually quite business-minded.
He does like to joke a bit, but he’s very intense, much like the Blue Eyes White Dragon he guards.”
“I see.”
“Well, it is getting quite late.
You should be off to bed.”
“If you would like to talk more—“
Yami held up a hand to silence me.
“You. Bed. Now,” he said with a smile.
“Yes, my pharaoh,” I replied
with a smile of my own. I took the cups back to the kitchen and headed down to the servant’s quarters with a candle.
The next morning, I went to find Amara
to not only get my day’s orders, but to ask her something as well.
“Good morning Setsuna,”
she greeted me. “You are to bring Priest Seth his breakfast this morning.”
“Me?” I asked.
“Yes, and I’d get down
to the kitchen soon.”
“Certainly. But Amara, before
I go, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Could I have some writing supplies
to write home with?”
“Of course! They’ll be
waiting on your bed when you return.”
“A thousand thanks!”
“It is no problem. Oh, and be
quiet around Priest Seth. He had a bit too much to drink last night, I hear.”
If it was possible, I was more nervous
than I was last night. The only males I had seen in a state of undress were my father and little brother. Timidly, softly,
I knocked.
“Come in,” I heard a weak
voice say.
I walked in a found him still in bed.
The poor man looked awful. He was sitting up, blankets pulled up to his waist, and holding what I figured to be a cold compress
to his head.
“Good morning, Priest Seth,”
I greeted him quietly.
“Good morning, Setsuna,”
he whispered in a strained voice. My heart ached for him. I noticed also the curtain on his window was pulled as shut as it
would go, letting in only a bit of sunlight.
“Where would you like this?”
I asked of my tray.
“On my lap. I don’t think
I can move any further than that.”
“Yes, Priest Seth,” I replied,
and set the tray down. “Will there be anything else?”
“Not unless you know a remedy
for drinking too much wine.”
“Ginger tea usually works for
my father.”
“No thank you. I have tried that,
and it only makes my head ache more.”
“Then, no, I don’t.”
“You are free to go.”
“I sincerely hope you feel better,
Priest Seth.”
“I know you mean that. Thank
you.”
When I left, I saw Hikari, a fellow
servant, with a breakfast tray of her own. Everyone knew she was sweet on Pharaoh Yami, or so Amara said. She said it was
completely obvious when they were together, something I had yet to see.
“Good morning Hikari,”
I greeted her.
“Good morning,” she replied.
“I hope you are adjusting well.”
“Yes, I am, thank you. Um, Hikari,
if you don’t mind me asking, why are you serving in your night clothes?”
She smiled and blushed lightly. “This
tray is for Yami. He’s seen me in much less than this.”
“Oh! I didn’t realize you
two were so close.”
“I try not to make it known.
I feel like I’m bragging.”
“You can’t help who your
heart leads you to.”
She smiled again. “True. And
from what I hear, your heart may be leading you to a certain priest.”
It was my turn to turn red. “I
doubt that. Priestess Aishisu said flirts with all the female servants.”
“He doesn’t ask them all
to his bed.”
“It must have been the wine.”
“If you say so,” she grinned.
“I should go now, but surely I will see you at a later time, yes?”
“I’m sure you will,”
I agreed, and she went on her way. I walked back to the servant’s quarters.
The second I entered, Amara had a new
chore for me. “Setsuna, I need you to help light the torches in the halls tonight. Find Hikari before it begins to get
dark.”
“I just saw Hikari!” I
replied. “Alright. I will find her again. Is there anything you need me for now?”
“No, we’re all set for
now. Things are slow for you now, but they /will/ pick up. Enjoy it while it lasts. Go now. Your parchment’s waiting.”
“Thank you Amara.”
“Be thankful for our kind pharaoh.”
“Believe me, I am.”
Dearest
Mother, Father, and Brother,
You would not believe how
kind the gods and our pharaoh have been to me. I am happy and thankful to say I am not sentenced to the confines of a harem,
but rather a servant, free to roam the palace. Our pharaoh is kind as well as great. While I was not able to run away, I have
still found happiness. Worry not for me. Worry for little Ankh. I’m sure he’s getting into far more trouble than
I. I will write as often as I can, as I am told my duties are bound to increase with time.
With
Love,
Setsuna
I looked my letter over with great
satisfaction. ‘This should calm their hearts,’ I thought. ‘I just hope they don’t think I’m
lying to them!’
With a glance outside, I noticed it
was getting to late afternoon. I decided to give Amara my letter to send and then find Hikari.
I asked Amara if she knew where I could
find my fellow servant. “She is likely to be wherever Yami is, and on a day like this, that would likely be outside
around the palace somewhere,” she told me.
“Thank you.” I turned to
leave.
“Priest Seth is likely to be
with them as well,” she off-handedly added. I just narrowed my eyes and kept walking.
‘The nerve,’ I thought
as I walked outside. ‘The man flirts with me once and everyone’s making wedding plans. Priest Seth could have
any woman of high rank. Why would he choose a servant?’
Then it dawned on me that the same
thought could be applied to Pharaoh Yami and Hikari. Still, I shouldn’t get my hopes up too soon.
Indeed, the three were outside walking
as Amara had guessed. I curtsied before Pharaoh Yami and Priest Seth. “Good day Pharaoh Yami, Priest Seth, Hikari,”
I greeted them. “I trust you all are well.”
“Hi Setsuna,” Hikari greeted
me.
“Good day Setsuna,” the
pharaoh replied. “However, I believe I did tell you to call me Yami, correct?”
“I am sorry,” I replied,
giving him the most innocent eyes I could.
“Don’t let it happen again,”
he replied, half-serious.
“She’ll have to soon,”
Priest Seth stated. “With all those governors coming for the festival tomorrow.”
“Oh, how could I forget?”
Yami exclaimed.
“Because you hate it when officials
visit,” the other two replied simultaneously.
“Oh, right.”
“Look on the bright side,”
Hikari stated. “There’s the festival.”
“Very true, my lovely.”
“Hikari?” I asked. “I’m
very sorry to interrupt, but I’m supposed to help you light the torches in the palace this evening.”
“Wonderful!” my fellow
servant exclaimed. “But I wasn’t going to start that for a little
while yet. “Walk with us awhile.”
“There /is/ something I would
like to discuss with you, since you have some time,” Priest Seth told me.
“Of course,” I replied,
and continued walking with the trio. “What is it you wish to ask?”
“I will be traveling to _________
in seven days time. The trip will acquire some assistance. Would you care to come with me?” he asked. “Yami has
told me of your wish to travel.”
I smiled as I bit my lip. The pharaoh
had spoken the truth. “I did tell him so. It would honor me to accompany you.”
“That’s kind of you to
say, but I’m afraid the honor lies with me.” Wow, Yami was right. He was completely different now. But he was
still able to give out complements, and therefore still able to make my cheeks turn crimson.
Both Priest Seth and I listened to
the others until Hikari decided it was getting dark enough to start luminating the palace. We bid the men farewell and I followed
her about the palace, lighting torches as we went. It was a good way for me to see the palace, as I hadn’t had much
time to travel it. By the time we finished, it was very late.
“Well, tomorrow promises to be
busy day,” Hikari stated. “I think I will be off to bed now.”
“To your bed or Yami’s?”
I teased.
“Yami’s, of course,”
she laughed. “It has been quite some time since my bed has been slept in. I daresay Priest Seth would not mind you in
his chambers.”
“Because he’s nice to me
he wants me in his bed?” I inquired.
“I could be mistaken,”
the girl admitted. “But he seems different around you.”
“Different? How?”
“It’s as if his very being
becomes softer, gentler. But as I said, I could be wrong. But in these matters, it’s not very likely.” She smiled.
“Can you find your way from here?”
“I believe so.”
“Good night then.”
“Good night.” I headed
off into the direction of the servant’s chambers. Or, the direction I thought they were in. I soon found myself lost.
“Alright Setsuna, how are you going to get yourself out of this one?” I asked myself. Then I remembered something.
The hieroglyphics on the walls. I can read. A very bit. A very little bit. The more recent the event, the closer it was to
the throne room, right? I could definitely find my way from there. I don’t know how to read very well, but hopefully
it would be enough to get me to the front of the palace.
I scanned the walls with my torch.
It seemed to be the announcement of Yami’s birth. Good. I was close. In my hurry down the hall, I knocked into someone,
throwing me to my feet. I prayed it was not the same for the other. “Please, forgive me,” I said, and looked up
into the blue eyes of Priest Seth.
“It is quite alright. Here, let
me help you up,” he said, holding out his hand. I picked up my torch and took his hand. It was unbelievably soft, like
Yami’s had been. It was amazing when I compared his soft hands to my course ones. “Now, what are you doing up
so late?” he asked me, breaking my thoughts.
“I-
I lost my way after Hikari and myself were finished,” I replied. “I was trying to get back to the front by what
I could read on the walls.”
“That’s very clever.”
“Thank you, but I suppose I should’ve
been watching my step as well.”
Priest Seth smiled a bit. “I
could show you the way,” he offered.
“That would be wonderful, Priest
Seth.”
“Seth,” he said softly
as we began to walk.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“Call me Seth.”
“As you wish,” I replied.
“If you don’t mind me asking, Seth, why are you up at this late hour?”
“Not at all. I was simply unable
to sleep. Visits from other officials tend to cause me a lot of stress.”
“I see. I suppose I’m rather
lucky then.”
“How so?”
“I have no worry of impressing
them. My fellow servants and I just have to make them comfortable.”
“When you put it that way, I’d
have to agree. However, many men will need to be comfortable the next few days.”
“Between us all, I’m sure
it can be handled.”
“You’re very optimistic.
I would think you’d be more nervous, being new here.”
“Optimism is my only ally at
times, so I try to be positive. Sometimes it /is/ hard, but fortunately I am in no such time. Actually, I’m in awe of
how well things are going.” I took a moment to look up at him. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”
Seth smiled again. “That is quite
alright. You have a lovely voice to listen to.”
I returned the smile and felt my cheeks
go crimson yet again. “I’m glad you think so,” I managed to say, but decided we needed a new subject. “Is
the palace chaotic when officials visit?” I asked.
“When this many visit, yes,”
he answered. “Every governor in Egypt
is coming.”
“I don’t think I’ve
ever heard of Pharaoh Yami calling such a gathering, even for a festival.”
“I’m telling,” I
heard him softly say.
“What did I do?” I asked,
a bit alarmed.
“You called Yami ‘pharaoh’
again.” His stern blue eyes were suddenly light and playful.
“Well, that /is/ what he is,”
I replied, relieved and a bit angry he had given me such a scare.
“Would you like everyone calling
you ‘Servant Setsuna’?” he asked.
My eyebrows furrowed. “I suppose
not. But for Yami, being called ‘pharaoh’ is a sign of respect.”
“Yami gets the respect he deserves.
He believes he’s done his duty correctly when his people are happy, and a personable atmosphere is part of that.”
“You’ve known him for very
long, haven’t you?”
“Since we were children. We are
cousins.”
“Oh, I wasn’t aware of
that.”
Seth smiled. “Well, now you are.”
We arrived at the servant’s quarters entrance.
“I suppose this is where we say
good night,” I said.
Seth looked at me boldly, almost longingly.
“Once again, I wish to ask you to my chambers, but I think I already know your answer.”
“Seth,” I began. “You’re
very kind-“
He held up a hand. “I know, you’re
not in love. But know you are the only one who is not.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. “You’re
in love with me?”
“Since the first moment I saw
you.”
I arched an eyebrow. “You were
drunk.”
“That may have been the first
time you saw me,” he replied. “But it was not the first time I saw you. My eyes laid their first upon you moments
after Yami’s did.”
I was thoroughly confused. “You-
You couldn’t have. Yami was the only one who came in.”
“I did not fully come in the
room. Hikari and I were in the doorway Yami came from.”
“You saw me… like that?”
“Just as your first sight of
Yami was his eyes, that was my first sight of you. You have eyes that could see the soul of a person.”
I was speechless. I can usually tell
what people are feeling, but see into their souls? My cheeks were apple red. That seemed to be happening a lot lately. I raised
my face to Seth’s and kissed his cheek. He moved his face to kiss my lips. It was an amazing feeling. I could feel his
hands on my waist, tracing up to- I pulled away from him.
“I am sorry,” Seth whispered.
“It has been to long since I have the company of another. I had gotten carried away with my actions.”
“Do not worry on it,” I
replied. “I liked the kiss.”
“I’m glad,” he replied.
“Because I liked kissing you too.”
The palace was indeed in an uproar
the next morning. The previous night seemed like just a happy dream. Then I saw Seth with Yami, Priestess Aishisu, and some
others. The look shared between us reminded me that his kiss was no dream, but a reality.
“Now, what is /that/ look?”
Hikari teased, bringing me back to the present and the bed linens we were carrying.
“N- Nothing,” I stammered.
“Something happened between you
and Priest Seth. It must have been very good. He put stars in your eyes during the daylight hours.”
“Did he?” I asked coyly.
We reached our destination, a guest room. It was the last that needed to be prepared.
“Please Setsuna,” Hikari
pouted. “Please tell me.”
“Ok,” I said. I did want
to tell her, but not with all those people around. “Something did happen with Seth last night.”
Already, my fellow servant was in awe.
I was unsure why, and voiced it.
“No one calls Priest Seth by
his name alone, except Yami,” she explained. “You’re the only one other that him I’ve heard call him
without his title.”
“Honest?”
She nodded.
“By the gods,” I whispered.
“He really did mean it.”
“Mean what?”
“He told me he loves me.”
Hikari let out a happy yelp. I fluffed
the last of the pillows and looked over our work, smiling.
“Come on,” I said, still
happy. “We have to be at the main entrance to greet our visitors.”
Awhile later, Yami was giving us all
a ‘pep talk.’ Hikari and Amara told me it was something he always did when there was a great number of visitors.
“Greetings, Everyone,”
the King of Games welcomed us just inside the palace’s entranceway. “I won’t lie to you, some of these men
are bakas of the worst kind. Try to tolerate them. I’m quite fond of you all, and I don’t want to have to dispose
of anyone.”
I gulped. Dispose?
“But look on the bright side,”
he was continuing. “I could be a baka too. Giggles followed. “Alright. Amara, take over.”
Amara took a place in front of us all.
As she told us about protocol and the order of rooms, I saw Seth, Priestess Aishisu, and the others I’d seen earlier.
Yami spoke to them in whispers while Amara finished up. I paid attention to her, I swear. Despite all appearances, I was nervous,
but optimistic. How hard could it be to escort someone to their room?
I got my answer about a half hour later.
I found out from Yami’s introductions to the governors that the men with Seth were also Yami’s priest’s.
I didn’t catch specific names though. That was annoying.
I don’t think I had ever seen
Yami look so regal, except for when we met. His eyes were stern, but still twinkled amusement to us all. He stood straight
and tall, undertaking a presence that seemed bigger than himself. His priests and priestess stood behind him, four on each
side, each bearing their Millennium Item. A little showy, I thought, but none of this was up to me. I was just there to carry
the luggage. The next to arrive seemed willing to make sure we knew that.
“Setsuna, Hikari,” Amara
said. “Show Governor Nobinaro and his escorts to their rooms.”
“Yes ‘mam,” we said
together.
“Hey there, ladies,” the
governor said to us, giving s both a hearty smack on the behind. We glanced at each other, but held our tongues.
“Please, Nobinaro,” Yami
said calmly. “Do not treat my servants in such a manner.”
“Of course, sire,” the
baka replied. “I meant no offense.”
“Indeed,” the pharaoh replied.
“But please try to remember that /everyone/ in my palace is to be treated with the utmost respect.”
“Yes, sire.”
“Ladies, show Governor Nobinaro
to his room.”
“Yes, sire,” we allusion
again.
“Everyone in /my/ palace is to
be treated with the utmost respect,” the governor mimicked our pharaoh. I could feel Hikari’s anger rising with
my own. Yami is a great man, undeserving of such mockery. But again, we were forced to hold our tongues. Hold it not been
on Yami’s direct order, this vile creature would be getting a double earful.
“Pharaoh Yami would not appreciate
such behavior,” I hear Hikari say, bringing me down from my thoughts. I looked toward her. Governor Nobinaro was fondling
her breasts.
“And who do you think the ‘great’
pharaoh will believe?” he asked. “You or me?”
“Me,” Hikari replied, pulling
herself away from him. I ran out into the hall looking for someone, anyone. This had to stop. Priestess Aishisu was walking
toward us.
“Praise Bastet,” I whispered.
I ran up to the priestess and bowed at her feet. “Priestess Ashisu, I beg you help,” I pleaded. “Governor
Nobinaro, he’s, he’s…”
“Take me to them,” she
responded.
“NO! Stop at once!” I heard
Hikari demanding from the room. The priestess entered, bringing her powerful presence into the room.
“Remove your hands from the girl,”
she stated in a stern voice.
“Oh, are you going to tell on
me?” the governor spat back.
“She won’t have to,”
Yami said, entering the room.
“Yami!” Hikari cried. The
governor was stunned, allowing her to escape his grasp and run to her love’s arms.
“Guards!” Yami called.
Two appeared. “Kindly escort this man to the dungeons. He is henceforth stripped of his title, and be treated lower
than a commoner.”
“WHAT?!?!” the former governor
yelled.
“Kindly lower your voice,”
Yami requested. “Raising the dead with your speech will not accomplish much.”
“Your reign will not last long,
siding with servants,” Nobinaro predicted. With much added fuss, the guards took him to the dungeons. His escorts looked
lost. Happy, but lost. Yami faced them, still holding Hikari close to him.
“You are all welcome to stay
for the duration of the Festival of Amun-Ra,” he said. “But after, you are to go back to your lands.”
Various ‘Yes sire’s’
followed. One woman sprang forth and knelt at Yami’s feet. Her eyes were sad, but bore a newfound joy. I decided I’d
rather not think about what that poor creature had been through.
“A thousand thanks, great pharaoh,”
she said, her eyes full of the respect Seth had spoken of. “The gods have blessed you with extreme kindness and goodness.”
“Thank you for saying so. Now,
let us all go down to the main hall to begin the festivities.” Nobinaro’s former escorts left the room to go downstairs.
“Yami, how did you know what
was going on? My necklace told me, but you…” Priestess Aishisu was confused.
“You told me,” he smiled.
“That polite rush you left the conversation in. I knew something was wrong, so I followed you. Why don’t you join
the others?” The priestess nodded and left. He turned his attention to his lover. “/Now/ will you let me protect
you, love?” he asked.
“Yami, that could have happened
to anyone of us,” she replied.
“But it happened to this country’s
future queen. Why do you insist on the station of a servant?”
I couldn’t believe my ears. They
did realize I was still here, right?
“Because, I would just be sitting
around bored until we are wed. After that, I will discontinue my station, I swear.”
Yami sighed. “As you wish. Perhaps
you should go get changed now. I’m sure the others are wondering where you are.”
“Alright.”
“What about you, Setsuna? Are
you dancing tonight?”
Oh. I guess he did notice me. “N-No,
I’m not,” I replied. “Just serving.”
“What a shame. Off to where you
need to be, then.” I headed off to the kitchen where chaos was sure to ensue.
I was wrong. Chaos was already running
rampant. Servers, cooks, random hungry dancers, and food was all around me.
“Setsuna!” one of the cooks,
Jerad, called me. As soon as I turned, there was a tray jammed in my direction. I took it and got the hell out.
The main hall was a different scene.
The dancers were beginning their routine in the middle of the room, while, Yami, his people, and his guests were scattered
about the rest of the room. Other servers were walking about, offering the delectables on their trays. I decided I definitely
liked it better out here. I began to walk. As soon as I got near Seth, he stopped me. I knelt brtween him and Yami.
“I heard you and Hikari had some,
er, ‘excitement’ today,” he said. “Are you alright?” His blue eyes shone with concern. For me.
“I’m fine,” I assured
him. “Hikari got the worst end of the baka. I never thought I’d be relieved to /not/ be found attractive. Hours
de vours?” I offered, smiling.
“No thank you,” he replied.
“At events such as this, Yami and I usually wait for the main course, right Yami?”
“Uh-huh,” the pharaoh replied,
staring straight ahead. We looked to see what those crimson eyes were fixed on. It was Hikari, bedecked with jewels, scantily
clad, dancing beautifully.
“Ah, I should have known,”
Seth stated, “Tell me Setsuna, why aren’t you dancing as well?”
“All the others had it mostly
memorized by the time I arrived.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong,
but don’t most young girls learn this dance?”
“Most, yes. I was far too busy
at home to learn with the other girls my age. I didn’t want to make them look bad because of it.”
“You couldn’t if you tried.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, my cheeks are
red again. “That’s very kind of you to say. I should get back to work now.” My knees were killing me.
“If you insist,” he replied.
“I’ll just have to find a way to get Pharaoh Glazed Over talking instead.”
“I /can/ still heard you,”
Yami reminded him.
“And?”
“Gallows, my friend, gallows.”
“You wouldn’t do that to
me.” I took the opportunity to leave the two men.
I didn’t talk to Seth again until
much later that night. It was very late, but finally mostly everyone was in bed or on the way to. I was walking with Seth
my chambers, at his request. We were silent most of the way, until we reached the main door.
“Once again, I’d like to
ask you up to my chambers,” he said.
“Are you going to keep asking
me that until I say yes?” I asked.
“Or until the world ends. Whichever
comes first.” We smiled.
“Perhaps another night,”
I reply. “But I can’t say I would mind another kiss.”
Seth happily obliged. He then bade
me good night and began to walk away. But not toward his chambers. They were on the second floor, I was sure of it. So why
was he heading down to the dungeons?
The mental battle with myself began.
It was none of my business what he was up to, but why would the high priest need to go down there? I couldn’t think
of a single reason. Against my better judgment, I followed him.
As I maintained my distance from him,
I could start to hear whipping and a man’s cry of pain. His voice sounded vaguely familiar. I peeked around the corner
Seth had just turned. There stood Yami, in a pain white robe, probably his night garment, a knife with its halter around his
waist, and a black whip in his hand. Nobinaro hung by his hands from the ceiling.
“What do you think you’re
proving?” Seth asked the pharaoh.
“Seth,” he replied, sounding
is if Seth should know the answer. “He would be tortured anyway. I just want to be the one doing it.” Another
crack of his whip. Another cry of pain from the former governor. “At least for tonight.”
Seth gestured toward the knife. “And
just what do you plan to do with that?”
“This man shouldn’t be
allowed to breed.” Yami took the knife from its sheath and cut of the man’s genitals in one swipe. I preferred
not to think about how long he had spent sharpening that. I had to get out. I ran, hoping they couldn’t hear my bare
feet. I collapsed outside the main door once more and began to cry, unsure why. Seth must have seen my shadow or something,
as he was soon by my side with Yami, who’s hands were covered in blood. I cried harder when I saw them.
“Y-You’re gonnna- gonna
touch Hikari with those filthy hands!” I said. “How dare you?!?!?!”
“Setsuna, that man is evil,”
Yami stated as Seth took me in his arms. I neither fought him off nor returned the embrace.
“You bloodied your hands.”
“He won’t die.”
“How can you know that?”
“It’s been done before.”
“What?!?!”
“Please Setsuna, shed no more
tears for him.”
“He should be pitied.”
“I see.” He stood up and
walked away. My heart was breaking, both from what I had just seen and what I had just said. But I had meant it.
Seth continued to hold me until I could
cry no longer. I must have fallen asleep from the tears, as the next thing I saw was a pillow. It was also light outside.
And Seth was sitting beside the bed. Then I noticed it was not my bed I was in. I buried my face back into a welcoming pillow.
“Are you still unwell?”
Seth asked me carefully.
I lifted my head once more. “I
shouldn’t be here,” I said, getting up. “I should be getting my daily duties.”
Seth cut off my way to the door. “It’s
alright. I told Amara you weren’t feeling well.”
“Where’s Yami?” I
asked quietly.
“You wish to see him?”
he asked, sounding surprised.
“I wish to apologize.”
“I see. I believe he is in the
throne room.”
“Thank you.”
I walked downstairs to the throne room,
where the pharaoh indeed was, sitting upon his throne, watching some dancers with his visitors. He looked bored from his mind. I approached him and bowed.
“Setsuna,” he said. “Please,
approach.”
I did so, then spoke. “Pharaoh
Yami, I wish to apologize for what I said last night. My words were uncalled for.”
“Not entirely,” he replied.
“You spoke only what was in your heart and should not have to apologize for such.”
“My words hurt you, and for that
I apologize.”
“My actions hurt you, and for
that I apologize. You may go now.”
“Yes, my pharaoh.” I bowed
and then went to find Amara.
“Are you sure you are well enough?”
Amara asked me when I asked about the day’s work.
“Yes, quite sure,” I replied.
“It was probably just a morning bug.”
“Alright then. Today you are
to help in the kitchen and with serving, but at six o’clock, you are to bring
High Priest Seth his dinner in his study.”
“Is his study near his room?”
“Yes. The next door down.”
“Alright.”
“Have a good day, Setsuna.”
“You
too, Amara.”
To Be Continued in P2
