Arabian Nights - Yami Yugi x OC

Chapter 5 - Courtships

edited 9/6/2020

"Zariah!" someone calls from a distance. I know who it is, and I can't say I'm too pleased that he's here.

I swallow my guilt, gently pulling out of Atem's strong, warm embrace. "Baba," I say, lowering to my knees.

"So this is where you ran off to. With Prince Atem," Baba remarks. "And just what were you doing?"

I can't speak. I know that if I tell him I don't want to marry Seto, he'll be angry with me and only be more adamant that I go through with it.

"She and I were just talking, sir," Atem says, stepping up behind me. "Your daughter and I have a lot in common, and she's a lovely person."

Baba smiles warmly, and I rise from my knees. "That she is, Prince Atem," he agrees. "From what I have seen of your high priest Seto, she will do him good."

I feel my heart crack as I watch Atem's face fall. "Good day," he says, turning to leave.

Oh, no. Please stay.

But I'm stuck watching him walk away. How I wish he could take me with him!

"It is better that he leaves, hubibi," Baba says. "You are promised to Seto, not to the crown prince of Egypt."

Right. Allah forbid I make any decisions of my own for once. Much as I want to speak my mind, I know my place. Women are meant to be seen and not heard. "Yes, Baba," I say.

Because what else is there to say?

Now back in my room, I want to be alone, to the point where I even send Nahla off. I've noticed her flirting with Mahad lately. What in Allah's name could that be about?

What do I do? What's going on with Atem...it's so strange to me. Maybe it's because he makes me feel normal. Like I'm not a princess. Like Baba's not trying to decide every bit of my life for me. Why can't he groom Askari to be Sultan instead of marrying me off? Why can't I choose for myself for a change.

Looking out on the balcony, I can see the waves of the Nile lapping at the shore, and it makes me ache for Riyawah. The water is landing on the riverbanks in near perfect intervals, almost as if it's instructed on how to land.

"I know how you feel," I whisper. "Moving in uniform like that. No choice but to just fall. Keep your mouth shut and do as you're told."

It doesn't respond. Of course. It's water. It can't speak.

Just like me, it's speechless, and it can't do a damn thing about it.

********

I avoid eye contact with Atem and Baba at dinner time. It hurts too much. Looking at Atem means being reminded of what could be. Looking at Baba is a painful reminder of what is.

I won't even look at Nahla. Not Askari, who's shoveling food into his mouth like he's never eaten in his life. Sometimes I wish I could be him. Askari's got it good. He's got all the glory of being a prince, but none of the responsibility that comes with being sultan. He can look at the world and find the good in it, even when you're sure there's none. I want to be like him. I want to have choices.

The only time I look up from my plate is when the sun begins to set, casting the sands of Egypt into beautiful shades of gold and soft pink. My appetite has long since left me, but the feeling I get from seeing the sunsets for a moment. The sun never sets like this back home in Riyawah. And it casts the sands in different colors every night from what I've seen. It doesn't have rules to follow, a kingdom to tie it down. Much as I would like to be the sun, I can't.

Not feeling hungry, I excuse myself early to go to Askari's room. I know he knows that something's up with me, and he always seems to have a way to make me feel better.

I don't know how, but somehow, he's already there when I arrive. Little insect's psychic or something.

"Something you want to talk about, Ry?" Askari asks.

"No," I lie, grabbing one of the pillows and hugging it to my chest.

"I won't even dignify that lie, ukht," Askari replies.

"Neither would I." I let go of the pillow and sit up. "Why can't you be sultan instead of me having to marry?"

Askari shrugs. "I just didn't want to. I'd rather find some fine-lookin' lady. To be honest, Riyawah feels kind of, I don't know, small."

"Riyawah being small is exactly what makes it so perfect for me," I say.

"What's the real problem?"

I don't want to tell him what's really wrong, but he'll bug me all night if I don't. "I...I don't want to be like Umi," I say reluctantly.

"You don't? But you're always talking about how you want to be just like Umi."

"I do! But at the same time, I don't."

"I'm confused."

"Umi was married off for an alliance with Elyahari. Lucky she loved Baba or things might be different."

"So...what are you getting at here?"

"I don't want to be married off for Baba's convenience, Askari! I don't want to be another pawn."

"I don't see what's so bad about Seto. He gave me a pretty good fight earlier when we sparred."

"It's not that."

"Ah, I see how it is." His smirk says it all. "Don't tell me. You have the hots for the prince."

I take the fabric of the hijab I thought to slip on before dinner and use it to cover my blushing cheeks. "No."

"Stop lying, ukht," Askari groans.

"Maybe?" I pull the hijab off my head and let it drift to the floor. "It's not like I have a choice, Askari. It doesn't matter how I feel."

"Yes, it does!" Askari says. "Zariah, for someone so strong, you are such a pushover sometimes!"

"I'm a woman, Askari. And I am a royal. I don't get to make choices," I remind him.

"That doesn't mean you can't still decide some things for yourself," Askari says. "One of those things being if you want to pretend Umi was still alive and sleep in my room tonight, the way we used to with her."

I nod and tuck myself between the blankets, cuddled with Askari. "This isn't quite the same without Umi," I whisper.

"I was thinking that too," comes Askari's reply. "Do you miss her?"

I fight the tears threatening to stream down my cheeks. "Lots," I say.

Umi would know what to do.

A/N: WHOOOOOOOO IM BACK BITCHES!!!!

Okay, first, I am SO sorry I haven't updated this book in so long. I was also aiming for a longer chapter for my comeback, but baby steps.

Second, I've been vague about Zariah's mother. Tell me in the comments if I should do a chapter featuring a flashback of Zariah's mother.