Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Fear Not The Guardian ❯ Childhood Friends ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5 - Childhood Friends

Téana opened her eyes and blinked against the brightness from outside. Moving her head to the side, she could see her younger sister was still asleep in her bed across the room from her.

" Rebecah?" Téana asked quietly, not sure if she was going to wake or not. The young girl stirred and groaned.

" Téana?"

" It's time, Becah. We have to go."

" But I don't want to…"

" We have to!" There was a note of urgency in Téana's voice, and Rebecah reluctantly stretched and got up. Téana pulled on a simple white robe and tugged a dark cloak that practically hid her from sight over the top.

" Come here, little sister." She picked up the five-year-old and pulled her cloak round them both, then grabbed a bag from her bedside table containing a few robes and their possessions, and ran.
There were already voices outside.

(A week later)

Bel um Fal watched, amused, as one of his courtiers desperately tried to organise everything for the feast that was being held. There were a few classy families in town, and Priest Seto had begged him to hold a feast. Apparently there were a couple of girls that were `fit to be queen' and Seto was one of many who wanted to see Bel um Fal marry.

He quickly moved back behind a curtain as a servant hurried past, carrying food to be laid on the lengthy table.

" Pharaoh?" came a voice behind him. He jumped and turned round to face a guard.

" Honda. You frightened me."

The guard looked petrified. " I'm sorry, my lord, I did not mean to…"

Bel um Fal gave him a half smile. " I was checking everything was going all right. I trust you are in charge?"

Honda shook his head. " Jono-uchi is. I expect he is preparing the guest list."

Bel um Fal nodded. " Is everything in order?"

" Yes, my lord. The dancers and musicians are practising. Shall I go and fetch them?"

" Yes. The feast will begin in a minute. If you see Yugi, tell him that I am in the main hall. I cannot think where he has got to."

Honda smiled, knowing full well where the young prince, brother of Bel um Fal would be. He was very mischievous, preferring to play tricks on the palace ladies and befriending the servants than be like his older brother, who dealt with the affairs of Egypt as if he had been doing it all his life.

" The musicians and dancers will be in the hall in five minutes my lord. I will make sure Prince Yugi is presentable."

Téana looked around nervously. Rebecah hid behind one of the other dancers as a guard came in, calling everyone together and telling them to gather their instruments and music. The feast was to begin in five minutes.

The tall guard ducked out of the cramped room again, and Téana felt someone tugging her skirt.

" Téana?" came a small voice.

" Becah, I want you to go and hide in one of the rooms near the great hall. When I have finished, I will call you. You remember the signal?"

Becah nodded.

" Téana, sweet, why don't we use Becah in one of our dances? She dances very well - you are an excellent teacher. That way we wouldn't have to hide her."

Téana stood up straight and faced the speaker. " Mintaka, if you're sure…"

" The others won't mind, will you girls?"

The other dancers shook their heads.

Téana sighed. " Only the ones we've practised. For the rest, Becah can stay to the side."

Mintaka nodded, then clapped her hands. " Come on, girls. Time to dance."

The feast had gone very well so far. Bel um Fal had met many nice girls from wealthy families aspiring to be the royal relatives, but none of them had interested him. The dancers had caught his attention though. Especially the one with shoulder length brown hair and startling blue eyes. He felt a pang as he remembered a girl from his childhood who had looked exactly the same. They had been so close, and when she moved away to Southern Egypt…

He shook his head. There was no point thinking about it now. She had gone and would most likely never come back.

Téana let her hair fall over her face as she danced. She wanted to hide the hot flush that spread over her every time she felt the Pharaoh's eyes on her. Even when she had her back to him, she could feel the intensity of his gaze.

Suddenly the dance was finished, and Téana allowed herself to meet his gaze. His eyes were so emotive - deep purples and light blues swirled into one. It took her breath away. He was still staring at her when the applause started, and when he stood up to lead the standing ovation she could have sworn he smiled at her.

" Excellent dancing," came his deep voice as the applause died down. " I shall have to recommend you. I would like to have you as palace dancers."

The girls behind Téana giggled and flushed bright red, but she stood transfixed. It was only when Mintaka tugged her arm to signal they would have to go, that she broke the stare and moved away quickly.

" Please, join the feast," he told them. They stood in a loose crowd, looking around. " I would like the dancers to join the feast as a reward for their hard work."

The other guests agreed, murmuring as the music started up again.

Becah joined her sister as the dancers moved towards the table containing food.

" I am hungry," she announced. Téana smiled.

" So am I, Becah. It's not going to be like this everyday, you know that."

Becah looked at the floor. " Why'd those nasty men come and try to take us away from the house?"

Téana sighed. " Becah - I told you. There was something wrong with what Daddy did, and the men didn't like it."

Before Becah could reply, a male voice came from behind her.

" I hope you are enjoying my feast."

Téana spun round, startled, and came face to face with Bel um Fal himself.

" Pharaoh!" she gasped, curtseying. " I - yes…it's lovely…" She felt the heat rising in her cheeks again, and looked away, embarrassed.

" You remind me of someone I used to know," he said softly, so only she could hear. " May I speak with you tonight?"

" My lord, my sister and I are going with the dancers tonight. We have to be in the next town by tomorrow evening, and it is at least half a days walk."

" I wish for all of you to stay here tonight, and one of the palace guards will take you tomorrow."

Téana curtseyed again. " Then I would be delighted to meet with you tonight, your Highness."

Bel um Fal gave the slightest of smiles. " Please, come and dance." He held out his hand, and Téana bravely placed her hand in his.

The dance was slow, and as Téana curtseyed while Bel um Fal bowed, the other couples already dancing moved apart to see who this new girl was. There were murmurings around the edge of the room, from disgruntled girls who Bel um Fal had politely declined a dance with, but Téana did not notice anything. The only thing she could feel was Bel um Fal's arms as they slid round her waist, and the only thing she could see was his eyes staring back into hers. They were so caught up the dance and each other that neither noticed when some courtiers moved back onto the dance floor, but still no one's eye moved from the unusual couple.

The dance came to an end, and Téana curtseyed again. Before he moved away, Bel um Fal caught her hand and whispered, " Tonight, by the fountain." Téana nodded.

Then he was gone, and Mintaka and Becah took his place.

" He likes you, Téana!" Mintaka hugged her. " Are you okay? You look a little pale."

" I'm - I'm fine," Téana replied. " No, I'm better than fine." She smiled softly. " He wants to meet me tonight."

Mintaka laughed. " If anyone denies the fact that he's interested in you, they can go dunk themselves in the Nile! Téana, sweet, you've got him at your fingertips!"

" Shh!" Téana scolded her. " He might hear!"

Becah tugged Téana's dress, asking to be picked up. " Is he the Pharaoh?" she asked.

" Yes, Becah, he is. Why?"

" It's what Daddy said would happen."

Téana's face dropped. " When?"

" He told me last night. He was in my room, in the hostel."

" But he's dead, Becah. He has been for the last month."

There was a slight breeze outside as Téana stood by the fountain, looking into the clear water. It reflected the moon, surrounded by a clear and starry night, and everything was still. The shadow of an owl flitted over her, taking her by surprise.

" What are you doing out here?"

Téana turned round at the sound of a voice. There was a slim young boy standing by a tree, staring at her.

" Um…the Pharaoh asked to see me."

" My brother does not usually come on midnight trips to speak to dancers."

" Your brother?"

" I am Prince Yugi."

Téana sucked in a breath. " Then perhaps you would recognise me, if you came out from the shadow that tree is casting."

Yugi stepped forwards silently. He studied her face, and narrowed his eyes. " The only girl you look like moved away ten years ago. You cannot be her."

" Perhaps she has come back."

Yugi frowned. " Rose of the desert."

" Little prince."

A smile spread across his face. " Téana!"

" Yugi. But you're not so little any more."

He embraced her. " Neither are you. What happened? Why are you here?"

Téana pulled away and looked at the floor. " My parents are dead. The house is lost. Rebecah and I had to escape and join the dancers to survive."

Yugi indicated to the fountain and they both sat on the edge. " Who's Rebecah? What happened?"

Téana gave him a small smile, and dipped her hand in the cool water of the fountain, swishing it from side to side. " Maybe I'd better start from the beginning."

Yugi nodded.

" Rebecah is my sister. She is five years old."

" I remember when we used to play in the palace gardens. You were the daughter of my father's advisor. Then you moved away."

" My father was unknowingly involved in a conspiracy against your father. One of his closest friends turned out to be a traitor to the Pharaoh. The organisation he was working for tried to dethrone your father, the Pharaoh. My father took us and moved away to Southern Egypt in shame, and trying to protect him, the Pharaoh and me and my mother. He didn't want anyone to use him again. Unfortunately, the head of the organisation found out where we lived and blackmailed him. He was forced to do work against the royal family, and he contacted the government. They saw it as a perfect opportunity for him to go undercover. So he did. No one suspected anything, and Father was able to keep the government one step ahead. That is why so many plans to dethrone your father, and now your brother, have been found out and prevented. My father was helping."

" But something went wrong," Yugi prompted her.

Téana nodded. " Last year, someone found my father trying to contact the government and reported him to the leader. We spent six months trying to hide, and when that didn't work we went back to our house. We realised they knew that we would try to lose them, and they wouldn't actually check our house, as that was the most obvious of places to go. It worked, and we lived normally for five months. But four weeks ago, they came. They crept in at night and murdered my parents. Becah and I hid from them, and they left us alone, thinking we had fled. The servants moved away, and Becah and I were left alone. We knew they would come back and try to take the house. We waited for three weeks, and then one day they were there. Becah and I escaped, and joined the dancers you saw here tonight. I don't know what I'm going to do now."

" My brother would let you stay in the palace. If you just told him…"

" Please, I don't want him to know. I don't want to look as if I have come crawling back, begging for a place to stay."

" You haven't Téana. You and your sister need a place to stay."

" He has already offered for the dancers to become the palace dancers and for us to stay, so I will accept that invitation. I don't want him knowing who I am, Yugi. Please."

Yugi thought about it and slowly nodded. " On one condition."

" Yes?"

" You allow Lady Mai to dress you properly again, and you have hand maidens."

" But the other girls will get suspicious."

" It doesn't matter. I'll come up with something. Oh, and my brother will probably be on his way."

" I'd better go."

Yugi placed his hand on her arm. " Why?"

" I don't want him to know who I am. Just tell him I felt ill and could not come."

" He had feelings for you, Téana. He still does, by the looks of it. I could see the way he was looking at you."

Téana shook her head. " Please, Yugi…"

" All right. But know this - he's bound to find out sometime. He's not got a thick skull, you know."

Téana gave him a fleeting smile. " I know, Yugi. Thank you."

Yugi watched as she fled into the night. He loved Téana, but in a brotherly way. It was Bel um Fal, his brother, who had feelings of love for her. If she did not reveal herself to Bel um Fal soon, he might get tired of waiting and find someone else. And Yugi did not want to be there to pick up the pieces of Téana's heart when it was broken.