Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Pharaoh’s Decision ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter three:

Seto could tell Yami was still upset in the morning but decided not to push him for answers, knowing the pharaoh would talk only when he was ready. Later that morning they walked through the garden, stopping at a small stone bench that was surrounded by the sweetest smelling roses. They sat in silence side by side on the bench for several long minutes before either spoke.

"About my dream last night…" Yami started to say when he was suddenly interrupted.

"Ah, Yami there you are." Pegasus said as he stepped over.

Yami glared at the older man. "What do you want, Pegasus?"

"I apologize for my interruption, Pharaoh. There is a situation with the girls." Pegasus said.

"What kind of a situation?" Yami asked.

"One that I thought that would be of great interest to you." Pegasus said.

"Just tell us what the situation is." Seto said, his voice dangerously low.

"Calm down, Seto-boy." Pegasus smirked as Seto growled. "Really, Pharaoh, you should keep your attack dog on a leash."

If looks could kill Pegasus would've been dead from the look Seto was giving him.

"Just tell me what came into here to say." Yami said angrily.

"You really should come and see to the situation yourself." Pegasus said.

"Enough of these games, Pegasus, tell me what has happened." Yami said.

"Come see for yourself, Pharaoh." Pegasus said.

"Fine. We will see to the situation." Yami said.

"I would not bring along Seto if I were you." Pegasus said.

"And why is that?" Yami said.

"Because the girls are terrified of him. After all he is the rumoured killer." Pegasus said.

"It is a foolish rumour with no bases of reality." Yami gazed darkened as he stared at Pegasus. "And if you were wise you would keep such comments to yourself."

"I will keep that in mind." Pegasus said.

"You do that." Yami said firmly. He turned and looked at Seto, his gaze much softer. "We'll finish this conversation later."

Seto nodded and watched as Yami walked off with Pegasus. He was concerned about this new situation but he was even more concerned about this dream that had Yami so upset. He stayed sitting on the bench for several minutes before getting up to walk through the gardens.

` ` ` `

Two guards were standing by the doors that led into the quarters of the palace were the potential brides were staying. They bowed their heads in respect when the pharaoh passed by.

The area the girls were staying included one large bedroom, a common room and a bath chamber. Two more guards were stationed in the common room, one being Menna. There were also two female servants there to tend to the girls needs. The remaining seven girls were sitting in the common room. All in the room turned to look when the pharaoh entered.

"What seems to be the problem?" Yami asked, as he stepped further into the room.

Pegasus hung back, several steps, with a smug smile on his face.

"The girls are concerned about the recent problems." Menna said.

"I assure all of you that measures are being taken to ensure the safety of each of you." Yami said.

"Except for arresting the one suspect that we have." Pegasus said.

Yami spun around and glared at Pegasus. "Seto is not a suspect."

"Are you sure about that?" Pegasus asked.

"Positive." Yami said in a firm tone.

Enehy started crying and jumped to her and ran out of the room before anyone could stop her.

"Enehy!" Tea called after the other girl. She jumped to her feet and ran after her, followed closely by Mai and Pamiu. The guards tried to catch the girls but couldn't move quickly enough.

"What was that about?" Yami asked.

"Fear." Pegasus said.

"What do you mean?" Yami asked.

"I told you they fear Seto and believe him to be the killer. And since you will do nothing to stop him they are in fear for their lives." Pegasus said.

Yami glared at Pegasus and looked at the three girls that remained in the room. "I assure you that high priest, Seto Horhotep, is not the one responsible for the murders."

The girls remained silent, though they wondered if since the pharaoh was so sure that Seto was not the killer that perhaps they were mistaken in believing the rumour that he was.

Yami looked at Menna. "Find the other girls before they get themselves into trouble."

"Yes, Pharaoh." Menna nodded, and quickly left the room.

As Yami stepped out of the room he glared at Pegasus who was smiling smugly, wondering if the older man had planned the whole thing. After leaving the room Yami breathed a frustrated sigh, wondering if he was going to be able to handle the impending disaster, especially when he was going to have to do it alone.

` ` ` ` `

Seto was standing before a flowering vine watching a small humming bird that flitted around from flower to flower drinking the sweet nectar. A loud scream suddenly shattered the silence and scaring the bird away. The scream was one of pure terror and pain, a chilling sound to hear. Seto turned and ran in the direction the scream had come from. He rounded a corner of the garden path and saw one of the girls laying face down on the garden path. Seto rushed forward and bent down beside the girl, rolling her over. He flinched when he saw the large wound on the side of her skull, blood covering half of her face. Her eyes were opened wide with fear and glazed with death.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" A loud booming voice, belong to Menna, shouted.

Seto looked up at the captain of the guards, knowing that being with this dead girl did not look good for him when he was suspected in the other murders. The other girls, Tea, Mai and Pamiu appeared behind Menna. Yami, who had been returning to the garden to finish his conversation with Seto, was quickly following after them.

Menna slowly approached then high priest. "Seto Horhotep, in the name of the pharaoh I arrest you for the murder of Enehy Beketaten."

"She was already dead when I found her." Seto said as he slowly stood up. He looked at Yami who turned his gaze away. Though in that brief moment he could see disappointment in the pharaoh's eyes and it broke his heart.

"You are under arrest." Menna repeated. He slowly approached Seto afraid of what the high priest might do to him.

"For what? I have done nothing." Seto said. He kept waiting for Yami to say something to make Menna drop this ridiculous charge but Yami remained silent.

"For three accounts of murder." Menna said.

"I didn't kill anyone." Seto insisted. He looked at Yami, who still would not look at him. "You know I am innocent."

"I know nothing of the sort." Yami said. He didn't want to believe Seto could kill anyone but the evidence, of Seto's guilt was pretty damning. Still refusing to look at Seto, for he knew it would break his stone cold resolve if he did, he continued. "Menna, take him into the palace to stand trial."

"Yes, Pharaoh." Menna said, taking hold of Seto's arm with a firm grip.

Seto didn't resist, or argue as Menna led him to the palace where he would stand trial for murders he did not commit.

` ` ` ` `

Seto knelt on the floor in front of the pharaoh's throne, his gaze fixed on a place on the floor. Menna stood to side of Seto, watching over the prisoner. Yami sat on his throne, still refusing to look directly at Seto not wanting to make this any harder for either of them. Isis, Shadi and Pegasus stood to one side to bear witness to the trial, but were all under strict order to not speak.

Yami closed his eyes a moment and took a deep breath, he opened his eyes again as he slowly released his breath. "Seto Horhotep you have been charged with murder in deaths of Nefertari Asetbiti, Kiya Baktre, and Enehy Beketaten. How do you wish to plea?"

"I plead not guilty, Pharaoh." Seto said. He still didn't look up, not wanting anyone to see the broken hearted tears that filled his eyes.

"You were found beside the dead body of Enehy Beketaten." Yami said.

"She was dead when I found her. I didn't kill her." Seto said.

"Can you account for your whereabouts for the time of each killing?" Yami asked.

"No, I can not." Seto said.

"All evidence points towards you." Yami said.

"I am innocent." Seto said. `You know I am innocent… why are you doing this to me?'

"In light of all the evidence I have no choice but to strip you of your title and impose the punishment of exile." Yami said. His tone was firm even though his heart was breaking.

Seto's head snapped up and he looked at Yami with tear filled eyes. "YOU CAN NOT DO THAT! YOU KNOW I DID NOT KILL ANYONE!"

"Do no speak back to the pharaoh." Menna said pushing Seto down.

Seto barely caught himself with his hands before hitting the floor face first. He moved back into a kneeling position glaring at the young pharaoh with angry and hurt blue eyes.

`I am sorry, Seto it is for the best…it's the only way I can protect you.' Yami thought. He kept a cold expression on his face even though inside he as crying knowing he was forever losing his best friend and lover. "Return the millennium rod."

Seto took out the rod and placed it on the floor in front of him, thinking of how happy he and Yami had been on the day they had both received the millennium items.

"You are to be taken to the village of Tepemkau on the furthest outskirts of the region where you spend the rest of your days." Yami said.

Menna pulled Seto to his feet with a rough tug on his arm. Seto's glare was dark as he looked at the pharaoh. Yami had only yesterday assured him they would always be friends, even though they could no longer be lovers, only to turn around and betray that friendship today. "May your soul be damned for this betrayal, Pharaoh." Seto spat, saying the word pharaoh as though it left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Do not speak to the pharaoh that way." Menna said tightening his grip on Seto's arm.

"He doesn't deserve respect." Seto said. He was angry and hurt, and Yami sat there with a cold and calm expression and that only served to upset him even more. "I will never forgive you for this."

"Take him away." Yami ordered Menna.

Menna bound Seto's hands tightly behind back before guiding Seto towards the door. Seto never looked back, still unable to believe that he had been tried and found guilty of murder by Yami. He couldn't understand why Yami had betrayed him like that so soon after assuring him that they would always be friends. Two guards met Menna at the door to escort Seto out of the palace and to take him away as Yami had ordered.

As soon as Seto was gone Yami closed his eyes and buried his face in face, trying to force back the tears that burned in his eyes.

Shadi waited a moment before stepping over to Yami. "Forgive me, Pharaoh, but why did you pass judgment so quickly on Seto?"

Yami lowered his hands and looked at Shadi. "I did what needed to be done."

"But, Pharaoh, Seto was innocent…" Shadi started to say but Yami interrupted him.

"I told you I did what was needed to be done." Yami said in a firm tone.

"And you made a wise decision, Pharaoh." Isis said.

"Now you can focus on the decision of choosing a bride and the girls will not have to live in fear any longer." Pegasus said. There was smug smile on his face as he looked at Yami.

`They should be in fear for the lives still as the real killer is still roaming free.' Yami thought to himself as he stood up and walked over to where the millennium rod laid on the floor. He looked down at it for a long moment; he could feel fresh tears burning his eyes but refused to let them fall. Slowly he bent down and picked up the rod. "First we need to find a new holder for the millennium or place it back in the tomb with the millennium ring."

"Might I suggest testing my brother Marik to be the new holder of the millennium rod?" Isis suggested.

"Very well, he will be tested tonight." Yami said. With the millennium rod still in hand he walked out of the room and retreated to his bedroom where he could openly weep at the loss of his best friend and not have to hide his tears and true emotion from anyone.

` ` ` `

They were nowhere near the village of Tepemkau when the castle guards stopped the camels. Seto looked around with a confused expression, there was nothing but desert as far as the eye could see.

"This is as far as we go." One of the guards said as he reached over and severed the ropes, which bound Seto's hands, with a large knife.

"This doesn't exactly look like Tepemkau." Seto said.

"Silence." The other guard snarled, hitting Seto and knocking him to the sandy ground.

Seto groaned as he hit the ground hard. "Disobeying the pharaoh's orders is a punishable offense."

"This is the order we were given." The guard smirked down at Seto.

"May the gods have mercy on your soul." One guard said before they both rode away.

Seto was left alone in the desert, dressed in no more then a simple white tunic to protect his skin from the blazing sun, and without any sandals to protect his feet from the scorching hot desert sand. With the midday sun was blazing down, the angry and hurt former high priest began to walk aimlessly through the desert. Seto knew he soon had to find shelter from the desert, because if the heat didn't kill him there were still the scorpions and deadly snakes that lived in the sands could just as easily take his life. The wind began to pick up making tiny grains of sand blast against his skin, making it feel like his flesh was trying to be ripped from his body. Thoughts of revenge consumed him, and were what kept him moving forward, even though he could feel the desert slowly killing him. Seto walked for what felt like an eternity before he stumbled and fell to the ground, he tried to get to his feet only to fail. He could no longer find he strength to keep moving, his body pushed passed its limits, so instead he closed his eyes and let the desert win.

` ` ` `

Nearly an hour later, two cloaked riders, riding a single camel stopped by Seto's motionless body that lay half covered with sand. The smaller of the two hoped off the camel and slowly approached Seto. He bent down and touched his fingers to the side of the man's neck. "HE'S ALIVE!"

The other person slid off the camel. "Are you sure, Yugi? I mean he doesn't look too alive to me."

Yugi Osorkon nodded. "He's alive and we have to help him."

"Alright." Joey Phyemra said. He removed his cloak and covered Seto's body the best he could to protect it from the harsh elements. "There is only room for two on the camel, you get on back and I'll hand him up to you and then I'll lead Horwedja back home."

"But, there is still several miles before we get back to Tepemkau. You can't walk that far." Yugi said.

"I'll be fine. You know Horwedja is getting too old to carry three people." Joey said.

"But…" Yugi tried to argue.

Joey gave a big grin. "I'll be fine. Besides I could use the exercise."

Yugi thought about it for a moment. "Alright, but if you start getting too tired you tell me and we will switch places."

"Deal." Joey smiled.

Yugi climbed onto the back of the camel and Joey handed Seto's unconscious body up to him. Yugi made sure the stranger's body was balanced as the camel stood up and began to walk forward as Joey led it by the reins.

` ` ` `

As sky began to turn from light to dark the ritual, to determine if Marik Inarus was fit to be the next holder of the millennium rod, commenced.

Yami sat on the throne, dressed in a fine white tunic and red cape, the millennium puzzle around his neck, gold bands around his wrists and a gold crown upon his head. Marik was knelt before the pharaoh wearing a hooded purple cloak; his ears pierced with golden hoops earrings, which matched the gold hoops around his neck. Isis, Pegasus and Shadi were the only three others in the room to bear witness to the ritual. Shadi was dressed in a simple tan robe and a white head wrap, while Isis and Pegasus were both dressed in their finest garb. Shadi stepped forward holding a wooden tray, with symbols to represent the gods carved into it, on the tray was the millennium rod.

"Marik Inarus, you have been selected to endure the trial to be the holder of the millennium rod. Do you accept?" Yami asked.

"I gratefully accept this honour, Pharaoh." Marik said.

Yami nodded to Shadi who stepped over to Marik. "If you do not pass the rod's test it will destroy you."

"I understand." Marik said. He greedily snatched the rod off the tray, having long desired the power the rod possessed.

A golden light enveloped Marik and a strong force slammed through his body. He tipped his head back, gazing up towards the heavens as the power flowed through him. Finally the light faded and Marik stood with the millennium rod clutched tightly in his hand. A small grin spread across his lips as he realized that at long last the millennium rod was his. Isis stood smiling proudly that her brother now possessed one of the millennium items.

"Congratulations, Marik." Yami said. Though secretly he had wished the rod had destroyed Marik and proved that only Seto had the power to wield it.

"Thank you, Pharaoh." Marik said as he stood up.

"Marik has learned the ways of the priest, perhaps now is also the time to give him the title of the new high priest." Pegasus suggested.

Yami glared at the man for a moment, naming a new high priest had been one of the furthest things from his mind, even though he knew it had to be done. "Very well." He turned back to Marik. "Marik Inarus, I bestow upon you the title of high priest and all the duties that go with it."

`This just keeps getting better.' Marik thought, his grin widening. "Thank you, Pharaoh."

"Now it is time to prepare for a midnight feast to celebrate this occasion." Isis said.

` ` ` ` `

Midnight feasts were rare, held on the most special occasions. They were joyous times, filled with finest foods, music and dancing. The grand hall was decorated and the food was prepared. Everyone dressed in their finest garbs for the midnight feasts. By midnight the hall was full of people, all laughing and enjoying themselves. All except for the pharaoh, Yami was in no mood to celebrate and knew he never would be again. For even if he could save the world from destruction he had already lost everything that was important to him when he sent Seto away.

Yami sat staring at the food on his plate, not feeling the least bit hungry. Marik was grinning the millennium rod held tight in his one hand, holding it so all could see, boasting that it was now his. He still sat his seat by his sister, who was still smiling proudly. Yami refused to let Marik take Seto's chair not when he had already taken so much of Seto's that day. Pegasus sat enjoying his wine, a perpetual smirk on his face. Shadi seemed to be the only other one whose mood was somber, as though he too missed Seto being there with them.

As the others mingled with crowd Yami stay seated staring at the food that still sat untouched on his plate. Pegasus stepped over to the pharaoh.

"You really should go and dance with the girls. Let them all know they are safe from Seto." Pegasus grinned.

"Silence." Yami growled.

"Really now, Pharaoh, you are the one who banished him for murder, you can not get angry at me for that." Pegasus said.

"I said silence. If you keep talking I will inflict a punishment on you far worse then the one I did on Seto." Yami said.

"Is there anything worse then what you did to him?" Pegasus asked with smirk, he knew how much his words were upsetting the pharaoh and was enjoying himself.

Yami turned and glared at Pegasus, his eyes blazing. The words held the harsh sting of the truth and it angered him. "Silence."

Pegasus laughed and walked off, leaving the pharaoh alone once again.

Muyet Sataobek walked over to the pharaoh, moving with a slow grace and a smile on her face. "Pharaoh Yami, would do me the honour of a dance?" she asked as she pressed herself close to Yami's seat.

"I am in no mood to dance." Yami replied.

"But a dance may be just what you need to lift you spirits." Muyet said.

"My spirits do not need lifting." Yami said.

"Then why is there no smile on your face?" Muyet questioned. She was determined to get Yami to dance with her and make him chose her. "One dance is all I am asking for."

"I said no." Yami stood and motioned to the guards. Two men stepped over. Yami spoke loudly and clearly. "Guards, take her away now. Since she refused to listen when I refused to dance with her she is now to be removed from the palace." The guards nodded and Muyet started to cry, everyone else just stared at the pharaoh in shock. Yami turned and glared out across the crowd of people. "This celebration is over. And there will be no further celebrations, of any kind, without my consent. Leave now."

Everyone blinked in surprise. The pharaoh had never spoken like that, he was always kind and gentle and he enjoyed the celebrations with a passion always partaking in the festivities. A few knew what happened to bring about the change in Yami, but the rest of the guests were clueless, whispering to one another trying to figure it out as they left.

"Weren't you being a little harsh, Pharaoh?" Isis asked after all the guests had left.

"No." Yami replied.

"But, Pharaoh..." Pegasus started but Yami interrupted him.

"I told you to be silent." Yami snarled, hitting the glass of wine out of Pegasus's hand.

"The rest of the world is not to blame for you decision today." Shadi said.

"Yes, it is." Yami said. He turned and left the room without saying another word.