Yugioh Atem, The Foreign Guard

Chapter 9 A losing Battle

I DON'T OWN ANYTHING

TW: VIOLENCE, BLOOD

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As Amani was dressing the next morning, a knock sounded at the door. Opening it, she found a small boy holding a tray with a cup containing what seemed to be wine. "The high physician said this is for you." Amani took the cup with a word of thanks before closing the door. Just as she suspected it was wine, but there seemed to be something else in it. Writing it off as herbs, Amani quickly swallowed it and finished getting ready before heading down to the kitchens for a quick breakfast with a few other palace staff who didn't choose to eat in their room.

The day's normal mundanities followed, but Amani found it harder to keep her eyes open. While she had been bored, she had never been to a point where she was essentially sleeping upright. Pharaoh Atem noticed her odd deminor, but said nothing of it as the meetings ended; the sound of the doors shutting jolting her awake. When she was about to leave, the Pharaoh called out to her to stay for a moment as the court filtered out the doors.

"Is something the matter? You have been acting strange all morning." Amani fought back a yawn and met Pharaoh Atem's gaze.

"Please pardon me Pharaoh Atem, Hesy-Ra sent me this cup of wine this morning and the herbs he mixed in is making me drowsy." The Pharaoh nodded but clicked his tongue at the way she addressed him.

"Atem is just fine Amani, and you are excused; lay down and return when you are in better shape." Amani nodded and bowed before retiring to her chambers. When she stepped in, a thick scent of lavender coated the air, fogging her already clouded mind. She walked towards the bed, but couldn't remember getting into it before she closed her eyes.

-

Atem sat in his tree overlooking the town twirling a lilly between his thumb and pointer finger. Thoughts of his own childhood rose as the young of Thebes squealed through the streets. He had always been close to Mahad, Seto, and Mana when he was young, the three of them always getting into trouble. With seto, they fought often and most of the time it was over foolish things like who caught the most on a singular hunting trip or board games like senet or hounds and jackals. Seto lost against Atem everytime and he would pester him for it jokingly.

Mahad was more often than not breaking up the fights with the two rivals and by the time they were introduced to the young Mana, he helped pick up her messes and scold her for them. Atem chuckled lowly to himself at how little their personalities have changed. His thoughts now shifted to their newest addition. He had to admit, it was a breath of fresh air to have someone new around. He had grown tired of the uniform and bland days that seemed to muddle together.

Make no mistake, he still enjoyed his friend's company, but Amani was different. Though she didn't smile directly at him often, when she did, the world seemed to brighten. Her features were soft, but in the same sharp. Her eyes were angled like cats, only furthering her image as sekhmet. Atem paused twirling the lily and looked down at it, it's soft blue petals arranged in staggering patterns revealing the small yellow petals inside. Beautiful, pure, one of a kind, perfect. He looked back to the town and let out a sigh. Now was not the time.

Footsteps alerted Atem of someone's arrival and he quickly scurried down the tree to meet them, it had to be important if they sent someone into such an off limits area. Mahad appeared behind a tall bush and kneeled on the ground. "My Pharaoh, please pardon my intrusion, I would not have come if it wasn't as urgent as this is." Atem ushered the man to stand and when he did, the look of panic that showed on his face rattled Atem to his core, it had been quite sometime since Mahad had ever made such a face, the events that had caused it were things Atem refused to think of again. "It's Amanishakheto, when Heshy-Ra heard that she wasn't feeling well he went to check on her, she wasn't in her chambers."