The Pharaoh's Champion

The Pharaoh was aware of the silence that surrounded him.

The moon had waxed and waned since the tournament, and that fateful day. His Champion was supposed to be with him every hour of the day. Recently, he started to notice that she disappeared this time almost every day.

Curiosity gripped him, and he looked up from his book.

The library was a vast open space filled pillar to pillar with books, texts and scrolls from as far as their history could stretch.

She definitely wasn't here. Though in those rare moments, she was never gone for long.

He lowered his head back to his book, as he absentmindedly turned the page. Not paying attention.

There was a faint noise outside, too faint to actually make out what it was. A light breeze blew in from the open the window. He shrugged it off as a shiver slithered down his spine.

  It had been happening more since that time in the training room. Sometimes his mind would cast itself back to that time. The feel of her breath on him. How her skin felt as he held her wrists above her head. Her silken hair that he longed to feel fall through his fingers.

The Pharaoh turned his head, trying to quell the heat rising in his body.

Another breeze cooled his skin. The sound was still there.

Lifting off his seat, he wandered to the window. The view from the library looked out onto the palace gardens. The flowers and trees were in full bloom, it looked striking. Otherworldly in this barren desert land. He couldn't remember the last time everything thrived so much. On a passive perception, there didn't seem to be anyone outside. Dismissing it as his imagination, he returned to his book.

The sound grew louder. Again, the Pharaoh's ear pricked. It almost sounded like someone singing.

That voice? It was beautiful. He wondered who it could be. He didn't seem to recognise the song, but the more he trained his ear, the more he realised it was definitely someone singing.

Again, curiosity got the better of him, he scolded himself as he picked up his book walking out of the library and making his way to the palace gardens. The powerful footsteps alerted the soldiers that guarded the halls, making them stand to attention as he walked by.

It was a short walk to the palace gardens. A large muscular solider bowed and opened the door to the gardens for him. He nodded his thanks, and exited.

Soon he was at the bottom of the steps and on the grass of the gardens, he could hear the singing as clear as day. The voice was so ethereal, like nothing he had ever heard before. It was bewitching and commanded him to listen.

Who's singing? A superficial look at the gardens told him no one was here. Thr confusion starring to eind him up. Not satisfied, he walked to the back wall, following the sound.

The further he walked, the louder the singing became.

The gardens were open. At the back stood two tall, spindly trees. As he reached them he noticed a slender foot poking out from behind a tree. The trunk of the tree felt hot from the midday sun as he peeked around.

Sat on the grass, braiding her hair in the shade, was his Champion, Zahra. Singing to herself as she twisted glossy strands of her golden hair, seemingly oblivious to his presence.

In this moment, she was an enigma. She'd swapped the white dress her father often made her wear, for her fight suit. A testament to her strength and power. She sat so casually in it, like it was a comfort instead of being tight and firm.

These past few days, he wondered what might motivate her. She seemed so opposed to him. Always going against him and often being deliberately belligerent at times. Part of him thought it came from her overwhelming want to be treated in the way that she saw herself. She knew she was strong and dominant, and she wanted others to know that too. At the same time, she looked lonely and vulnerable as she sat against the tree, like she hadn't a friend in the world.

Quiet possible, the Pharaoh thought, she was so different to everyone, not just in the palace, but the country itself. Her attitude didn't help things either.

She was delicately deadly, like the ocean, you should never turn your back on. Yet her limbs still looked delicate and smooth, like the finest silk would just slip down her body.

Heat started to rise again.

Since she had become his Champion, their relationship left something to be desired. They barely spoke and when he asked questions, her answers where short and often snarky. What made things more awkward was that she always stood just a few feet away from him. She always smelt so… fresh, like a spring morning. If anyone came too close or entered the room unannounced. She pounced.

Then again… that was her job

Now that he saw her here, lost in her own world, it hurt him to see her looking so solemn. She was talented and determined and her striking appearance gave her a beauty that was previously unknown to him.

That hair… His eyes were drawn to it again as she twisted it further down. He had had dreams about all that hair.

Every time he thought about it, he would twitch. When they sparred in the training room just a few days past, her hair got tangled in his grip. When she saw him let his guard down for a second and break out of his pin, it glided through his hands like golden waterfall. He knew it was the softest thing to have ever past through his hands. When she had it up, the locks of hair would fall lazily to the side, it still shone and beckoned his eyes, like a maiden lounged on a long seat. On the flip side, while off her neck it was held in an innocent looking black clip, he knew it to actually be lethal throwing knife. The shimmer in her golden hair was mesmerising, putting his own polished, golden jewellery to shame.

Those amber eyes… he wondered. They held a fire and passion that he had never seen before. He was curious about her. So damned curious about her. Everything about her. Perhaps he should be the one to offer her an olive branch?

He suddenly retracted, he couldn't let his guard down again. Not like last time. He had akways been in control. Every sinew of his body under his command, it had to be, the strength of a nation depended on it. But that day. That damned day....

Her wrists pinned above her head. Her soft hair tangled in his grip. Completely at his mercy.

His body betrayed him then. When he realised, it was too late. His body threatened to betray him again.

A growl escaped his chest.

Zahra jumped to her feet, startled by his unannounced presence. If she was trying to hide her disapproval of him surprising her, she did a poor job.

After the shock subsided, her face turned a shade of deep red and she looked down the ground, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Forgive me, my Pharaoh. I wasn't aware you enjoyed sneaking up on people", she made her apology sound any but sincere, as she glared at him from underneath her lashes.

The Pharaoh met her glare and felt a small tug at his lip as he tried not to smile. Taking a deep breath in, he spoke in his authoritative tone. "You have been my Champion for little over two weeks now Zahra. Yet you still don't seem to trust me? Can I ask why?"

****

Zahra lowered her head. He was commanding, so damn commanding.

She had no answer for him. There was no reason for her to be treating him the way she did. If she kept this up, he would surely banish her from the palace, or worse. She knew she had to be with him all the time. Her own bed chamber was right next to his and directly connected by an inconspicuous door. But she needed to have an hour by herself and she loved the gardens.

She just wanted to sit here, just for an hour. 

She could never tell him why. Not since that time in the training room, she found her mind wandering at the most inappropriate times. When he was stood too close. When she was alone…

Just now , she could have sworn she saw something flash in his eyes, an intense carnal desire. She knew it was her mind playing tricks on her again. He was angry at her for leaving him and always being so argumentative, and he always look intense.

 Her shoulders dropped. "I am sorry, my Pharaoh. Truly I am. It was such a beautiful day and I wanted to sit outside. Since you were reading your book, I didn't think you would miss not having me there, just for an hour."

The Pharaoh softened his face. "In that case. Why don't I sit with you? The gardens are beautiful at this time of year."

Zahra's smile was genuine as she watched the Pharaoh sit down and lean against the trunk of the tree. She sat down opposite him, against the back wall, only a few feet away for him, and in this position, she could see the whole of the palace gardens under the shade of a tree.

No one would sneak up on her now.

She watched his eyes flicker across the page. He was so engrossed in this book.

  "Pharaoh, please. Can I ask what you are reading?"

He didn't look up as he answered her question, in the deep, strong tone he always spoke in. "It's old legend. One of my favourites, about The Forgotten Oasis."

Zahra gasped and the Pharaoh glanced at her, confused by her surprise.

 "That's one of my favourites too! The Forgotten Oasis is such a beautiful story. Father, I mean…. Tadal, would tell me that story every night when I was a child", she looked up to the sky and smiled at the memory. "I loved it so much. He used to tell me that The Forgotten Oasis held the secret to the miracle of life. That I was a miracle and that was where he found me", she huffed a soft laugh and was unnerved to see the Pharaoh staring right at her.

His demanding purple eyes seemed to penetrate to her very soul. It stole her breath. "Silly, isn't it?' she continued, shaking herself free. "Tadal wasn't the father I was born to. He used to tell me stories like that to make me feel better. He always swore they were true." She held strands of her bright gold hair and fanned them out. "As you can imagine, I was very different to the other children."

It was true. The Pharaoh had never seen anyone quite like her.

To have hair as golden as the desert sands, and skin with a light sun-kissed glow. He never brought it up, because it truly didn't matter to him how she looked, but now she had brought it up, he was curious.

 "And your mother?"

Zahra dropped her hair, and gave him a look that asked him to elaborate.

"Was your mother born to you?"

Glumly, she shook her head. "No, my Pharaoh. I don't know who my real parents are. Father found me as an infant and took me home. They brought me up as their own and always celebrated my… differences. Mother used to say that my hair is so golden, it's like the God Ra himself poured sunlight into me." She felt her choke on her last comment. "I… I miss her."

It's funny that in this moment, he would give anything to see that joyful look she had on her face when she was talking about the Oasis. He had never seen that carefree side to her before.

The Pharaoh closed his book. "I miss my father too."

Zahra felt her face burn red. Why the hell was she telling him her depressing life story? Why did he have this effect on her? How could he make her spill her emotional guts to him so-damn-easily?

She glanced up, for a moment, their eyes met. It was electrifying and the air seemed to charge around them.

"You have a beautiful voice too, Zahra."

A shiver darted down her spine from his compliment. "Th- thank you, my Pharaoh."

 She was mortified to find her cheeks flushing a burning red.

 "Tell me. What was it you were singing just now?"

 "Just a song I learnt as a child", it was true. She had learnt it as a child, though she didn't exactly know where she learnt it from. No one seemed to know the song, like she was singing in a forgotten language. She assumed that she had read it in a book, or made it up and it had stuck in her mind ever since. She sung it so often, eventually her mother and father learnt the sounds she was making and sometimes joined in.

  "Will you sing it for me? Once more?"

Again, like before, it was almost as if his command had its own hold over her. Before she knew it, she lifted her head to feel the sun smooth over her skin, then she was singing. Feeling herself getting lost once more.

The Pharaoh leaned in on a knee. Desperately trying to decipher the words. He was intrigued and her voice seemed to fill every corner of the gardens. He had never heard something so foreign, and alluring. The notes she hit were seemingly inhuman.

Suddenly, a man appeared from behind the tree. With lightning speed, Zahra extended her foot and swept his feet from beneath him.

The Pharaoh laughed lightly, recognising instantly who it was. "It seems your daughter will do anything protect me."

Tadal rubbed his sore backside, as Zahra leapt to her feet to help him up.

  "Oh, I'm so sorry, father. I didn't… I mean…I…"

Tadal raised a hand to silence her. "No need to explain, Champion. You were simply doing your job and I shouldn't have snuck up on you both. I thought I heard you singing. You know I always love to listen to you sing."

Zahra bowed her head in respect.

Tadal turned to the Pharaoh. "My Pharaoh, everything is in order for the Council meeting."

Zahra was intrigued. "Another Council meeting?", she rubbed her face hard, trying to wipe away the embarrassment.

  "Yes, another Council meeting, my Champion", his voice sounded harsh and immediately she felt a fool. It wasn't her place to question the Pharaoh.

He kept his eyes on his book as he turned the page.

  "Forgive me, my Pharaoh. It's not my place to question your schedule."

  "Yes, that may be true, but I thought you wouldn't mind the meetings. Since you don't have to attend, you get the time off."

Zahra rubbed the back of her neck, she had been sat for so long every part of her was aching.

"Actually. It's quite the opposite." She found herself admitting.

The Pharaoh looked at her, curious for deeper explanation.

"Last time the Council met, you left so upset and angry. I've never seen you like that before. Since then, truth be told, I worry."

The Pharaoh closed his book, his face never gave anything away, it gave her own battle face a run for its money.

"Zahra, what do you know about Shadow games?"

Zahra titled her head. "Not much. Just stories I heard in the Marketplace and palace gossip."

The Pharaoh rose to his feet and held out his hand.

  "Come. There's something I must show you.".

Zahra gazed into his serious face. In this moment, every shred of confidence and defiance melted away. She felt like a woman, no one had ever made her feel so vulnerable and normal before. He never looked at her with the same hunger or disgusting expression like the others did, there was respect, and genuine curiosity in his eyes.

And, maybe something else? She shook off the ridiculous notion.

Here, she was his Champion and he was her Pharaoh.

Obediently, she took his hand. So transfixed by the Pharaoh, she never noticed a beads of sweat trickling nervously down her father's brow.

 An ominous darkness suddenly enveloped her.

 Pain. All she felt was an immense pain.

 "Father!!" she screamed on top of her lungs.

  Suddenly, Zahra sat bolt upright in her bed, woken by her own screams, panting for breath and trembling all over.

  Before she could look up, Mrs Goodtree was knelt before her, her arms wrapped around her and she shushed her as she stroked her damp hair.

  "It's okay, baby girl. I'm here."

 Zahra gripped her tightly, like a drowning man clinging to a life ring, cold sweat sticking to her skin. "I was so scared." She didn't know if it's actually what she said through her sobbing.

  "I know, I know." She stroked her hair until the trembling stopped and her breathing slowed. "I was afraid too, when I first had the dreams."

 "You? You used to get dreams too?" Zahra sniffed and leaned back, wiping the tears and snot from her face.

 "Yes, sweetie. But they were more like memories of past lives. I've waiting through the ages for you." She placed her hands on top of hers. "It's time I told you where you're really from."

Zahra was so broken from the pain she felt. So mentally broken from the confusion. So emotionally broken from worrying about the life that seemed to lay in her hands. All she could muster was a nod as she waited for Mrs Goodtree to speak.

 The sounds of wind rustle through trees and birds chirping were replaced by the metallic din of the TV Mrs Goodtree had turn on in her room.

She took her hand and gave her a large sum of money . "I've been saving it ever since you left school."

 Zahra was speechless, all she could muster was a small whimper as the tears streamed down her face.

 "You know where you need to go."

Zahra sobbed even harder. The truth is, she had no clue. She just sat there, clutching onto the small tin box of cards and looking at the tears rippling in Mrs Goodtree's eyes.

Just then a special news bulletin sounded on the TV. There was a tournament that had started in a place called Domino City. She had heard of it, it was the Duel Monster's capital.

Her eyes widened. This couldn't be mere coincidence… first meeting that oddly clothed man in the alley, Mrs Goodtree's sudden weird behaviour and comments. Then suddenly she was clutching onto half deck of Duel Monster cards in her box. This couldn't be mere coincidence?

Then she had a moment of clarity, that maybe, just maybe... this was the higher calling she always knew was coming. Domino City maybe far from here, but it was a good place to start.