Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Pharaoh’s Decision ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter Two:

The next day the eight remaining girls were sitting in a common room, with two guards posted at the door. All of them were nervous, each fearing they may be the next victim.

"I don't think any of us should go anywhere alone… except of course for being alone with the pharaoh." Muyet Sataobek said. The other girls all nodded in agreement.

"I wonder who killed Neferatari." Pebatama Memaatre wondered.

"I overheard the guards talking and there's a rumour that it was the high priest." Mai said.

"It could be. He looks like the kind of person who would be capable of such a thing." Tea said.

"But why would he want to kill Neferatari?" Sadeh Isetnofret asked.

"Who knows. Probably some demented ritual or something." Tea said.

"Do you… think the rest of are in any danger?" Enehy Beketaten asked nervously.

"If he didn't finish that ritual we are probably all still in danger." Tea said.

"If he was even the one responsible." Kiya Baktre said.

"Mai said…" Tea started but the blonde interrupted her.

"I said I heard a rumour I didn't say if the rumour was true or not." Mai said.

"Who else would want to kill one of us?" Tea argued.

"It might have just been someone trying to rob her." Pamiu suggested.

"Within the palace walls? Those types of crimes are only committed out in the city." Muyet said.

The girls all continued to discuss who they thought they killer could be and why they thought Nefertari had been killed. The guards searched the gardens for clues but there was still no sign of the killer and Seto was still considered a suspect by several people.

` ` ` ` `

Yami sat on his throne listening to another day's reports from life beyond the palace walls. Even though there was little he could do to stop the encroaching evil of the shadow games that seemed toe destroy a little more of Egypt each day, he was kept informed of all the problems. Seto stood at Yami's side as Tristan read the scrolls. Isis came into the room and interrupted Tristan. "Pharaoh, we need to talk."

"Can it wait?" Yami asked.

"No, it can not." Isis said.

"Very well." Yami looked at Tristan. "You are dismissed."

Tristan just nodded and left, knowing better then to argue one of the pharaoh's orders.

"I need to speak to you alone." Isis said, directing her gaze at Seto.

"So be it." Seto said. He glanced briefly at Yami then walked out of the room.

"What is it that you feel is so important and yet you can discuss it with me in front of Seto?" Yami asked.

"You are soon going to have to make a decision." Isis said.

"This has already been discussed. I know that I soon must choice a bride." Yami said.

"This decision has nothing to do with you picking your bride." Isis said. "I am afraid this choice will be one that is much harder for you to make as your vision is clouded by love."

Yami's gaze darkened. "Are you trying to tell me you think Seto is guilty?"

"I believe he is capable of such an act as his heart is jealous." Isis said.

"He is not guilty. Seto is not capable of murder." Yami said.

"Perhaps. But still this has little to do with the decision you must make soon." Isis said.

"And what is this decision I must make?" Yami asked.

Isis looked at the young pharaoh. "A decision of how much you are willing to sacrifice to save the world."

"What do you mean?" Yami asked worriedly.

"It has not yet been made clear to me what will happen, but I do know that soon you may have to cast love of out your life." Isis said.

"And by that you mean Seto… don't you?" Yami asked.

Isis nodded. "It would be the best for everyone."

Yami was silent. He couldn't see how that would be for the best, to lose Seto would be to lose his heart and the young pharaoh wasn't sure if he would ever be able to cast Seto away even to save the world.

"Yami…" Isis started, her voice considered.

"You have said what you came to say, you can leave now." Yami said firmly.

"Very well." Isis said. She turned and walked out of the room leaving Yami alone with his thoughts.

Shortly after Isis left Tristan came back into the room and proceeded to read the reports, though Yami paid no attention to what was being said.

` ` ` `

Tea walked up and down the long hallway, looking in every dark corner. "Kiya?" she called out as she walked along.

Menna noticed the girl and walked over to her. "What is the problem? And why are you out wondering alone? All of you girls are supposed to stay under guard."

"I was out walking with Kiya and she wanted to do more exploring then me. I told her that we should stay together… that it wasn't safe to go anywhere alone. But she didn't listen and now I can't find her." Tea said, beginning to cry.

"Do not cry, young lady. I am sure she will turn up safe and sound." Menna said. Though he was worried she would actually turn up dead. "Come along I will escort you back to your room."

Tea nodded, wiping her tears away from her eyes as Menna lead her back.

Mai looked up from braiding Enehy's hair when the door opened, watching as Menna led a distraught looking Tea back into the room. "What happened?" she asked as the captain of the guards left the room again.

"Kiya and I were out walking and she took off on her own and now I can't find her." Tea said.

"You think something happened to her too?" Mai asked.

"Maybe." Tea said.

"This is really starting to get creepy." Enehy said, shivering slightly at the thought that yet another potential bride for the pharaoh had been killed.

"Maybe she just got lost. We have to hope for the best." Mai said.

` ` ` `

The guards started searching for the missing young girl and it wasn't long before they found her, lying on the ground outside the palace. From the looks of her broken and twisted body it appeared as though she jumped or was pushed out of the window, breaking her neck when she hit the ground. Menna went to tell the pharaoh the disturbing news. Tristan was still reading reports and though nearly two hours passed and there was still no sign Seto, which worried the young pharaoh.

"Pardon me, Pharaoh. We have a situation." Menna said.

"What kind of a situation?" Yami asked.

"Another one of the girls, Kiya Baktre has been found dead." Menna said.

"What? How is that possible?" Yami asked.

"She and another girl, Tea Ptahhotep, had gone for a walk and apparently Kiya went off on her own and was killed." Menna said.

"Where did you find her?" Yami asked.

"Outside the palace. It seems she was pushed out the window, broke her neck when she hit the ground." Menna said.

The pharaoh frowned, two of the nine girls had now been killed and there were no answers to give their families, no justice to be had.

"What do you want me to do?" Menna asked.

"Just keep looking for clues to lead you to the murderer and keep a closer eye on the girls all of their lives are in danger." Yami said.

Menna nodded and turned and left the room. Yami sighed and rubbed his throbbing temples; he had a feeling things would get much worse before they got better… if they ever got better. Yami stood up and left to search for the high priest to tell Seto the news.

` ` ` ` `

Yami walked along the quiet corridors searching for Seto. His head throbbing as he thought everything that happened in the last few hours. The news of yet another one of the girls having been murdered concerned him but his thoughts were more centered on the conversation he had with Isis. He didn't want to believe her, but a nagging voice in the back of his head kept asking `what if she is right?'

Yami finally found himself in front of the temple doors, hoping that was where Seto had gone. He pushed the double doors open and walked in. Several monks were at work in the temple, all dressed in long purple cloaks. Most of the monks glanced at Yami when he entered before bowing their heads in respect. The others kept their eyes diverted from the pharaoh the entire time.

Yami stepped into a back room that served as Seto's private prayer chamber. Yami breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Seto knelt in front a statue. The statue was of falcon headed man with sun disk on his head - a statue of Ra. Yami stood silently for a moment not wanting to interrupt the high priest while he was praying.

Finally, Seto turned his head and looked at Yami, though he remained in a kneeling position. "What brings you to the temple, Pharaoh?"

"I came to find you." Yami said.

"Why is that, Pharaoh?" Seto asked.

Yami frowned slightly, normally in the temple Seto would call him by name and not refer to him as pharaoh. "I was concerned when you didn't return."

"I assumed your conversation with Isis would be a long one." Seto said.

"You assumed wrong." Yami said. `Why is he so upset? Did Isis tell him what she told me?"

"Forgiveness, Pharaoh. I did not mean to upset you." Seto said.

Yami's frowned deepened. He wanted to yell at Seto. He wanted to rush forward and take Seto in his arms. But he did neither. "Another one of the girls was found murdered today."

"What?" Seto asked, his eyes widening with surprise.

"They assume she was pushed out of one of the windows." Yami said.

"I have been here since I left you. The monks can confirm that." Seto said.

"I was not implying that I thought you had anything to do with it." Yami said.

"Others have already been making that implication for you concerning the first girl's death, they no doubt will be with this girl as well." Seto said.

"I do not care what they say. I care about the truth, and the truth is you are innocent." Yami said. "For now though I am in need of your protection as a killer is loose within the palace and could strike again at any time."

"I will protect you with my life." Seto vowed.

Yami smiled. "I know."

` ` ` `

Both men were silent as they walked side by side along the corridors of the palace. Yami stepped out onto the terrace, outside his chambers, from three stories up the sheer wall, he looked out over the gardens. After a long moment of silently watching the garden he turned to look at Seto. The high priest stood with his arms folded across his chest, he looked outwards across the garden but his cerulean blue eyes looked distant, an unnoticing of the gardens beauty.

"Seto…" Yami said. He was surprised at how quiet his voice came out. The high priest didn't turn to look at the young pharaoh. "Seto… look at me." Yami said, placing a gentle hand on Seto's arm.

After a moment Seto turned his head and looked at the pharaoh. "As you command, King Yami."

"Stop it." Yami said in a firm tone.

"Stop what, Pharaoh?" Seto asked.

"Acting like this." Yami said.

"Like what, Pharaoh?"

"Seto… please." Yami said. He could feel his crimson red eyes filling with tears. "Stop acting like there is nothing between us. Like… like it's all over."

Seto closed his eyes for a brief moment, as the sight of Yami so close to tears broke his heart. When he opened his eyes again they were bright with tears. He gently placed his hand over top of Yami's. He had wanted to distance himself from the pharaoh to make the pain of losing Yami hurt less, but he realized that nothing could lessen the pain. "But it is over."

"Our friendship isn't over. You are still my dearest friend." Yami said.

Seto smiled at Yami. Some how Yami always knew just what to say to put him at ease. "Thank you."

"For what?" Yami smiled. "It's the truth and has always been the truth ever since we played together as children."

"And it will always be the truth." Seto said. "Just like no matter what the truth will always be that I love you."

"As do I you." Yami said, and then lightly kissed Seto cheek.

They stood and watched as the sun slowly slipped beyond the distant horizon, shades of red painting the sky before all would go dark. They stood there even after the last of the colour had faded from the sky. They watched, with a certain kind of fascination, as the night sky fill with stars, their hands together on the railing of the terrace.

After a long silence Seto turned to Yami. "You have had a long day, and much to do tomorrow. It is time for you to get your rest."

Yami turned and smiled at Seto. "Only if you stay with me to watch over me as I sleep."

"That is a request I could never refuse." Seto smiled.

Yami's smile somehow brightened even further. And he readied himself for bed. "Goodnight my dear friend."

Seto smiled. "Goodnight, Yami. Pleasant dreams."

Seto watched for a moment as Yami lay down on the bed and made himself comfortable under the covers. He waited until the young king had obviously fallen asleep before lying down on the couch beside the bed and covering himself with a blanket, watching the pharaoh until he too fell asleep.

~`~`~`Start Dream sequence ~`~`~`

A thick, cold fog surrounded Yami and it was so dark that the pharaoh could hardly see two feet in front of himself. Inhuman screams echoed in the darkness around him and for the first time in his life Yami felt scared to be alone. Not knowing what else to do he started running, he ran fast and hard until his legs felt like lead weights. Sweating and panting to catch his breath his legs gave out from under him and he began to fall. Only the ground was no longer right beneath and he began to plummet through the fog. He fell, for what felt like forever, with a scream stuck soundlessly in his throat. Then as quickly as he had started to fall his descendent stopped. He didn't hit the ground, and there was no reason for his falling to have stopped he was merely floating in a place that was even darker then before.

/Welcome King Yami./ A strange voice echoed around him.

`Who are you? Where am I?' Yami asked.

There was no reply.

`What do you want?' Yami tried again to communicate with the voice.

/To give you a warning./

`What king of a warning?' Yami asked.

/Of terrible things that will soon occur. The world is in danger of being destroyed./

`From the shadow games?'

/From forces that seek to control it as their own./

`How can I stop it?'

/You must use the powers the gods have given you to stop this threat./

`How?'

/It will become clear in time./

`Tell me what I must do!'

/You will have to give up everything. You must give up your love now for if you don't in the end you will have to trap him in the same kind of darkness that you are in now, only there will be nothing but silence, and it will be for all eternity./

Yami's eyes widened this conversation was so much like the one he had earlier with Isis. He couldn't find his voice to reply or question the stranger.

/Heed my warning young pharaoh or all will be lost./

Yami felt himself begin to fall again. Suddenly, the puzzle around his neck suddenly began to glow, it glowed brighter and brighter until the light was almost blinding.

~`~`~`End Dream sequence ~`~`~`

Yami awoke with a start, sitting straight up on the bed, trembling and drenched in sweat. Yami's movement woke Seto.

Seto was instantly over and sitting on the edge of the bed, a gentle hand on Yami's shoulder. "Are you alright?" his voice filled with concerned.

After a moment Yami nodded. "It was just a dream."

"Do you want to talk about the dream to see if we can discover its meaning?" Seto asked.

Yami shook his head. "The dream was quite clear on what it meant."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Seto asked.

"Not yet." Yami said. He couldn't even look at Seto, not after what he had been told in his dream. He knew it was more then just a dream it was message from the gods of impending disaster.

"Whenever you are ready to talk I will be there to listen." Seto assured Yami.

"I know." Yami nodded slightly. `Though I don't know if I will ever be able to tell you…how can I tell you my dream when I know how much it will hurt you.'

Seto looked at the silent pharaoh for a moment, lightly rubbing Yami's shoulder. "Try to get some more rest."

Yami nodded and laid back down. He closed his eyes even though he knew sleep would not come. If he faked it long enough he was sure Seto would go back to sleep, leaving any further questions until morning.