Unfinished Gems

Sands of Time - 13 - FIN

Solomon knew what he was about to do was potentially very dangerous...however this woman had taken an open interest in his grandson, and he had to know. Particularly considering some of the rumors regarding the crown she wore.

The Phoenix Crown was made for only one person, and that was a queen who seemed to move in and out of the history books on a whim.

Avatre, the Undying Queen. Many scholars assumed they had found her tomb, only to learn that the real one had been hidden elsewhere and they had simply stumbled across one of her many female lovers. Some had claimed she didn't exist at all, except her picture kept appearing in other important areas...all of the same woman. The most striking factor was the revelation that her image appeared in dynasties that occurred long after she should have died.

The only thing that stayed his hand was that all accounts of the mysterious figure claimed the same thing. That the queen was benevolent, kind, just and would not harm the innocent.

Solomon took one look at her gaze and knew...this wasn't a normal young woman. This was someone who had lived longer than anyone else had been alive.

"I should have guessed someone who spent as much time as you did investigating tombs would have figured out my identity," said Lotus calmly.

"A queen who lives outside of time. Avatre, the Undying Queen," said Solomon.

She calmly sipped her tea, not really caring he had found her out. It wasn't like she was trying to hide it after all.

"I have no intentions of harming your grandson. Quite the contrary...I'm very invested in not only keeping him alive, but seeing him flourish."

"Why?" asked Solomon.

"What do you know of my legend. Specifically I mean?"

"It's said that you have taken mostly female lovers, or at least those are the only ones that have been found. Most of the time they are mistaken for you until proven otherwise," said Solomon. That was the main reason for why he was concerned for her interest in Yugi.

"There's a reason for that. After a certain incident, I swore to the gods to never take another man into my bed until my husband was either given a second chance or laid to rest. And after five thousand years, he's finally returned to me."

Solomon stared at her.

"You think Yugi is your husband?" he said incredulously and more than slightly alarmed.

Lotus gave him an annoyed look.

"Don't be ridiculous. Yugi is clearly an innocent, and I wouldn't dare take Luna's claim. No, my husband is the spirit trapped inside his Puzzle. Yugi is simply his reincarnation, which is likely the only reason he was able to solve that thing in the first place. The resonance between him and the soul contained in the Puzzle was out of sync until recently."

Solomon stared at her. She continued to drink her tea.

"What do you plan to do with my grandson?"

"Until the spirit in the Puzzle is either freed or put to rest, I intend to stay in Domino and help Yugi whenever possible. Items of power such as the Puzzle always attract headaches...case in point, my crown which originally was just a simple birthday present. And considering the powers that dwell in that Puzzle are often tied to darkness and messing with souls, he's going to need all the help he can get."

Solomon thought back to what he knew about the Undying Queen. All of it pointed to one thing...her nature was that of a protector and Great Mother Goddess.

All in all, his grandson couldn't have found a better 'big sister' type to keep an eye on him.

Did not make the potential relationship she had with the spirit in the Puzzle any less awkward, since it could possess his grandson.