Love eternal (book 5)

Chapter 6: unexpected growth

   I sit frozen in place at the other end of the long dining room table. Heba and Atemu peer at me with varying degrees of complacent acceptance and tearful disbelief.  Yugi and Seto sit beside me, silently staring across at my children. There are no words to describe this situation. Atemu's tear filled eyes are going to haunt me for as long as I live while Heba continues to stare at me with unblinking attentiveness. Seto stares at my daughter with a perplexed expression while his fingers are curled around the small duel monster card shaped pendant that hangs around his neck.
   "Heba, sweetheart," Yugi says softly. "Please say something." Heba's eyes don't even flick over towards Yugi but remains firmly fixed upon my face. I can't detect any emotion in her eyes. It almost seems as if she has shut herself off from her emotions so then she can remain ever composed. Always the rock to stabilize her brother's emotions and insecurities. "Heba?" Yugi tries again, his hand squeezing mine as he looks upon our daughter with a growing sense of anxiety and concern. She blinks slowly and begins to shake her head, her hands coming up to roughly rub her face.
   "I don't understand it." Atemu murmurs. "How can father have two souls?"
   "This wasn't his first life." Heba mumbles as she turns to look back at her brother.
   "That's right." Seto says seriously. "Your father and I both lived a life before this one. We lived in ancient Egypt long before we brought into this time."
   "We know who our father is." Heba answers coolly. "We don't need an explanation on who he is, we only want to know how there can be two souls inside of one being." Her eyes flash with irritation as she glares at my former priest with pure agitation.
   "I don't know the answer to that question."
   "Then you're useless in this situation." Heba snaps.
   "Heba!" Yugi exclaims in shock and surprise. "How could you say such a thing to your uncle Seto?" She simply remains silent and turns her face away from us, her expression unreadable. There is a moment of silence where Atemu sits like a statue his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape. I meet his gaze and he gasps and looks away. His eyes now firmly trained on his lap and avoiding any glance in my direction.
   "Atemu." I say softly. He flinches at the sound of my voice but musters up enough courage to glance in my general direction. "You look like you have something to say." He shakes his head slowly, his tricolored hair swaying with the movement.
   "Not at all father." He whispers. His head remains bowed and his eyes return to his lap.
   "There is no need to be hesitant my son," I reply gently, leaning back in my chair with my arms crossed across my chest. "Tell me what is plaguing your mind." Atemu glances over at Yugi and then Seto before dropping his gaze once more. It would seem that having an audience smothers out the flame of my son's courage. "Would it be a bother to speak to my children alone?" Yugi looks at me with a shocked expression with Seto simply rises from the table without a single word. I remain motionless and silent as Yugi hesitantly leaves the table and follows after his former rival, leaving me alone with my children and their silence. "Now then, whatever the pair of you have to say I am more than willing to hear it?"
   "How long have you known about this second soul of yours?" Heba asks with a voice as cold as ice, if not colder. Her eyes pierce through me like swords making my heart ache but I stamp down the pain and force my expression to remain calm and neutral.
"Just as long as you have." I reply smoothly and calmly. "This is a shock for me as well as your dad, your uncle and yourselves."
"How did you not know about this?" She storms. "It's within you! You should have known if something was wrong!"
"I'm not clairvoyant Heba. I can't claim to be able to know everything." She storms to her feet, her hands slamming down on top of the table as she glares viciously at me. I meet her gaze calmly as Atemu remains silent. Atemu never even lifted his gaze from his lap throughout the entire conversation.
"You expect me to believe that you had no idea about any of this?!" She practically screams. "You must have known and just chose to keep it a secret! I know you father, there are no such things as horrible surprises with you. Everything is planned!"
"Shut up!" I blink in confusion and glance over at the source of the outburst. Heba looks just as stunned as she stares at her brother with a shocked expression. Atemu glares at his sister with flashing amethyst eyes that glow from within the tan contours of his face.
"Atemu?" She whispers softly.
"I told you to be silent!" He growls lowly. "You are not allowed to speak, your emotions are clouding your moral judgement. So sit down and be silent." Heba remains frozen in place and I can't help but glance between my two children with a growing sense of surprise. Atemu has always been a gentle, kind and caring child, it is peculiar to see him being so aggressive and dominant. I blink in surprise as he leans back in his chair, crossing his arms across his chest. He looks almost regal, like a pharaoh. A small, secret smile dawns my lips as I look upon my son. There appears to be more of me in him than I expected.
"Atemu," she says finally. "Why are you angry with me?"
"You are accusing father of harming himself and everyone he cares about on purpose." He says smoothly. His eyes glance over at her pointedly, she flinches under his gaze. "Do you not hear how selfish and childish you sound?" Tears begin to prickle in her eyes and her hands begin to tremble. "Heba, please just sit. We are all worried and your anxiety is taking a severe toll on you." He says with a gentler voice. Heba remains motionless for a moment before slowly sinking down into her chair, her hands shielding her face from view. Atemu places a gentle hand on her shoulder before returning his eyes to me with a determination that I can't help but be awed by.
"I never wished for anything of this sort to ever happen." I say slowly. "Believe me, I never even believed it to be possible."
"Tell me about this other soul." Atemu says seriously, his voice beginning to sound more and more like mine the closer I listen. "What is he like?"
"Exactly as I was before I met your dad." I say with a humorless laugh. "Cold, distant, emotionless and desperate."
"Desperate for what exactly?" Atemu asks with an overwhelming intrigued expression.
"Anything to fill the void." I answer with a note of skepticism and suspicion. "To rid me of this loneliness that was all consuming. Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Have you tried asking him what he wanted?"
"Asking who what they wanted?" I ask with confusion.
"Your other self." Atemu says seriously. "I think that if you find out what he wants then you can find inner peace."