Arabian Nights - Yami Yugi x OC

Chapter 2 - Appearing Before Seto

edited 9/4/2020

The caravan to Egypt is long, hot, and stifling. The entire fourteen day journey, I was only allowed out once a day to stretch my legs. At least I was allowed to change into my favorite sari - a jade green one made of the finest Elyahari silks with a simple gold trim - before Baba forced me to appear before Seto.

Baba leads me into the throne room of the palace with Askari trailing behind me. King Aknamkanon is sitting in a gold throne on the dais. Standing next to him is a boy who looks no older than eighteen. His violet eyes burn with the fire of resolve, yet they hold a kind warmth in them. His blonde bangs hang in his face, framed by his dark, red tipped spikes.

Woof.

Kneeling on either side of the king are six people, probably his council. Five men and one woman. Each of them is looking up at me. I want to look down at my feet, but I am a princess. I do not look down when in the presence of royalty. At least, Baba and Umi never do. I also don't look down because I don't want to look away from the violet eyed boy. Is he staring at me? No, I'm just imagining things.

One member of the council stands out to me. He appears to be younger than the rest. He has cobalt blue eyes — I think I packed a sari the same color — and his robes display his toned arms. His headpiece has a serpent that seems to look into my soul. My gaze quickly moves from him back to the violet eyed boy.

Baba bows to the king, and Askari and I bow with him. "King Aknamkanon. I am Ali, Sultan of Riyawah. This is my daughter, Zariah, and my son, Askari. I wish to foster a trade agreement between our two nations," Baba says in his announcement voice.

"Rise," King Aknamkanon says. We do, and I stand a little straighter than I did before.

The boy from the council steps in front of the pharaoh and takes a knee. "My pharaoh, I wish to speak with King Ali's daughter in private," he says. "I have already made arrangements with her father to court her."

King Aknamkanon looks at me. "You are dismissed, Seto. She looks as if she will do you well."

How I hate being treated like an object! I'm a woman, for Allah's sake! Not a statue!

The boy, whom the pharaoh addressed as Seto, approaches me and takes a knee again. "My princess, I am the high priest, Seto."

I bow to him. "I am Princess Zariah." I look to Baba, asking for his permission.

"Go. But know this, Seto. If she is not back here by dusk, I will send every guard that traveled with me to find her," Baba instructs.

"Of course, King Ali." He bows his head before rising and offering me his hand. Even though I don't want to, I slip mine into it, and he leads me out of the throne room.

"Where are you taking me, Seto?" I ask.

"The gardens," he replies, exiting the palace. Although the air is dry and dusty, the fresh air in the gardens is still nice. "Though, no flower's beauty could be equal to yours, especially in that dress, Your Highness."

"It's a sari," I correct him. "It was my mother's. She passed away. Famine. I was thirteen. And please, you do not have to be so formal when it's just us."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Seto says. "What was she like?"

I smile as I remember the late sultana. "Umi was...good. Gentle. She always put the needs of herself last. The people of Riyawah loved her dearly, but not as dearly as I or Askari. Whenever I catch Baba staring at me, he will always tell me that I look just like her."

"My mother passed as well," Seto says after a moment of silence. "And I never really knew my father. You're lucky you still have your father."

"I'm not sure about that. Sometimes, he's so obsessed with running the kingdom that I have to be the one to care for Askari. He will sacrifice his own well-being for Riyawah's. Sometimes, I miss him being just...just Baba." I glance at the ground, remembering the times back before the famine. Before Askari was born, Baba, Umi, and I would always have time for each other. It was Baba who wiped away my tears when Umi died.

"There is...a sense of duty that comes with ruling," Seto says, looking up at the cloudless sky.

"Baba tells me that my sense of duty is just like my mother's."

"You speak so highly of your father," he remarks. "My father left my mother and I. The bastard."

"I'm sure he had his reasons," I insist.

"Not that I remember. I was a boy when he left," Seto says, biting his lip.

"Someone had to instill your sense of duty in you. Who was it?" I ask.

"It was one of my fellow council members, Aknadin," Seto replies. "He would always push me to do my best and he never tolerated failure."

"You show great loyalty to your pharaoh," I remark. "He did well."

"My loyalties lie to the future pharaoh, Prince Atem," Seto says. "He was with his father this afternoon."

Atem. So that's his name.

"Are you and Prince Atem close?"

"Our relationship is professional. Yet I know him like he's my brother."

I nod, and we keep walking in silence. Okay, so Seto's not that bad. But I still wish I knew Prince Atem. There's just something... different about him. Sure, he's got that cool regal air around him that would make any girl in their right mind swoon, but there's something else to him. I want to know what it is.

"Tell me about Prince Atem," I say eventually. I don't even know I've said it until the words leave my mouth.

"He's a good man," Seto says. "He cares deeply for those around him and for his people."

"It sounds like he's a great man," I remark.

We continue to walk and talk for a few hours longer before going back inside for dinner. I keep stealing glances at Prince Atem, and I can feel his eyes on me a couple of times. What is this sexy man doing, staring at me?

After the meal, I choose to retire to my room. I don't exactly want to think about him out loud with Baba or Askari around.

"Princess?" someone asks as I leave. I turn around to see the last person I would expect to speak to me.

"Prince Atem," I reply, giving him a small bow. "My name is Zariah. Is there anything I could do for you?"

Atem smiles. Oh, Allah, it's sexy. "I just wanted to let you know that I noticed," he says.

Oh, no. He caught me staring? "Noticed what?" I ask, playing it off.

He leans in closer. I can feel his breaths tickling my cheek. "I noticed you staring," he whispers.

Busted.

I smile back at him, praying to Allah that he doesn't see the blush rising in my cheeks. "Me too," I whisper back. "Every time I looked up at you, you looked away."

"But why were you not looking at Seto?" Atem asks, moving away slightly. "I saw you with him in the gardens."

"According to the laws of Riyawah, I have to marry by my eighteenth birthday in twenty days' time. Seto wanted to court me," I admit.

"I trust Seto's judgment. He was wise to court a beautiful lady like you. Till next time, Princess Zariah." He takes my hand and kisses my fingers softly before retiring to his own room.

Oh, Atem. What are you doing to me?

A/N: I feel like that first interaction between Atem and Zariah was a little sexual.....