Two Worlds Apart
Chapter Six: A New Friend and A New Headache
Lunch had come around, everyone gathered around the table. Atem sat at the end of the table while the other princess sat near him, Anabell sat the furthest from him, sitting beside Aphrodite since she seemed to be the only friend she had here for now. Sara of course was flirting heavily with Atem while Natalia, feeling she didn’t need to flirt, she only needed her unique beauty to gain his attention.
Anabell sighed, feeling at this point she didn’t have much of a chance. She felt someone nudge her as she glance to her right to find Aphrodite wagging her eyebrows toward Atem, “Flirt” she whispered. “I…don’t know how” She whispered back. She never had the need to flirt or mate with anyone. “Oh for god’s sake” Aphrodite murmured, waving toward Atem. “My Pharaoh!” She called out to gain his attention from the two other princess, earning a rather angry glare from them.
Of course it didn’t faze Aphrodite in the slightest, unlike Anabell who shivered, ‘They are more frightening than most nightmares I’ve been in’ she thought to herself. “During lunch, were you to announce in which order you will be courting with us?” She asked. “Oh yes. It will be in the order in which you arrived. It will began with Princess Sara, then Princess Natalia, Princess Aphrodite and last Princess Anabell” he replied, it almost seemed he had given Anabell an apologetic glance for placing her last.
She smiled in reassurance as he continued, “Tomorrow will be the first day I will spend with you, Princess Sara” “I’m very excited what is planned for us my Pharaoh” she spoke in a seductive manner. “And here I thought you’d be the flirty one” Anabell jokingly grumbled toward Aphrodite, earning another jab in her ribs, but Aphrodite smiled, shaking her head.
Lunch had become quite weird for Anabell, thankfully she had a friend to chat with her and distract her while Atem was being swarmed by the two other princesses. Atem would peer over now and then to Anabell and Aphrodite as they chatted about anything that came to mind. He wanted to join in their conversation, but he did not want to be rude to the princesses already trying to converse with him.
As they stood, Atem was pulled aside by Mahad and down the hall, out of sight from the other princesses. “What is wrong my friend?” Atem asked, concerned by his old friend’s actions. “I’m sure Seto has spoken to you about Princess Anabell” Atem sighed, “You do not need to worry. I know Seto is concerned she could be here to hurt me, but I do not believe it is so”. Mahad shook his head, “No, I’m not here to warn you about her. I’m here to warn you about Seto. He may confront her. All of us feel a strange energy from her and Isis is trying to convince Seto that it’s nothing for us to worry over, though she can’t get through to him”.
“Strange energy?” Atem mumbled to himself, but nodded “I will be sure to take care of this. I only hope he doesn’t do anything too rash”. If anyone would know about Anabell, it would be Ysera, but he couldn’t afford seeing her now in broad daylight. The two parted ways as Atem made his way to the princesses, “Tonight at dinner, we will have a celebration in honor of your arrival. I will be busy most of the day as I prepare for tonight. If you need anything, please ask any of my priests”.
He smiled and bowed his head as the rest of the princesses did the same. Just as they did, Atem stole a glance to Anabell her had her head bowed. He wanted to know more about her, but he had to stick with his own schedule. No need to cause an unnecessary uproar with the other princesses. As Atem took his leave, Sara and Natalia glared darkly toward Anabell. They were about to storm up to her, but Aphrodite stepped in their way. She was definitely taller than all of the girls, easily causing the others to step back.
“I don’t believe she belongs here. Just look at her! Her hair and eyes already tell us she’s different” Sara screeched as Natalia nodded in agreement. “Oh, I didn’t know we were judging by someone’s appearance. After all, it’s not like she came overseas from a different country. I also suppose her people look different to you as well, because I bet you anything her people look like her” Aphrodite glowered down to them.
They fumbled with their words, unsure of what to say, but before they could continue, Aphrodite turned to Anabell “Come on, these princesses aren’t worth our precious time”. Anabell was dragged away by Aphrodite’s iron grip. She turned her head to see Sara and Natalia puffing out their cheeks in anger.
“Thank you for standing up for me” Anabell bowed her head as Aphrodite shook her head, “You don’t have to thank me. It’s what a friend would do”. She gazed up in surprise by her statement. ‘Friend?’ Anabell question as a smile grew only wider the more she repeated it in her head. She lunged forward, hugging Aphrodite around her waist. Aphrodite was taken back by her action, but decided to hug her back.
“I think I’m going to get some rest for tonight. You should do the same” Aphrodite said as she made her way to her chambers. Anabell sighed blissfully. She had earned a friend in this grueling ordeal and she hoped it would make her stronger to go through with winning Atem’s heart. Someone gripped her wrist roughly, pulling her to an empty hallway. She yelped as she turned to see Seto dragging her away. “What are you doing?” She questioned, but he didn’t reply until they were out of sight.
He turned around with a furious gaze as she coward a bit. “I don’t know who you really are, but you can’t fool me like you have with everyone else. If you do anything to bring harm to this kingdom or the Pharaoh, you will answer to me” Seto growled, bringing his face so close, Anabell felt her face would melt by the intense glare he was giving. Before she could answer, he turned on his heels and left. She sighed, ‘When did I become such a coward. Agh! I would have showed him how to respect a woman if I was in my true form’.
It was true, she had become someone different since she changed to human form, but at the same time it was a good thing. If she acted too much like her usual self, it would cause suspicion. Anabell ran her fingers through her hair, obviously done with today, but she still had tonight to deal with. “I might as well rest…” she turned, defeated by the recent event as she dragged her feet back to her chambers.
Anabell sighed, feeling at this point she didn’t have much of a chance. She felt someone nudge her as she glance to her right to find Aphrodite wagging her eyebrows toward Atem, “Flirt” she whispered. “I…don’t know how” She whispered back. She never had the need to flirt or mate with anyone. “Oh for god’s sake” Aphrodite murmured, waving toward Atem. “My Pharaoh!” She called out to gain his attention from the two other princess, earning a rather angry glare from them.
Of course it didn’t faze Aphrodite in the slightest, unlike Anabell who shivered, ‘They are more frightening than most nightmares I’ve been in’ she thought to herself. “During lunch, were you to announce in which order you will be courting with us?” She asked. “Oh yes. It will be in the order in which you arrived. It will began with Princess Sara, then Princess Natalia, Princess Aphrodite and last Princess Anabell” he replied, it almost seemed he had given Anabell an apologetic glance for placing her last.
She smiled in reassurance as he continued, “Tomorrow will be the first day I will spend with you, Princess Sara” “I’m very excited what is planned for us my Pharaoh” she spoke in a seductive manner. “And here I thought you’d be the flirty one” Anabell jokingly grumbled toward Aphrodite, earning another jab in her ribs, but Aphrodite smiled, shaking her head.
Lunch had become quite weird for Anabell, thankfully she had a friend to chat with her and distract her while Atem was being swarmed by the two other princesses. Atem would peer over now and then to Anabell and Aphrodite as they chatted about anything that came to mind. He wanted to join in their conversation, but he did not want to be rude to the princesses already trying to converse with him.
As they stood, Atem was pulled aside by Mahad and down the hall, out of sight from the other princesses. “What is wrong my friend?” Atem asked, concerned by his old friend’s actions. “I’m sure Seto has spoken to you about Princess Anabell” Atem sighed, “You do not need to worry. I know Seto is concerned she could be here to hurt me, but I do not believe it is so”. Mahad shook his head, “No, I’m not here to warn you about her. I’m here to warn you about Seto. He may confront her. All of us feel a strange energy from her and Isis is trying to convince Seto that it’s nothing for us to worry over, though she can’t get through to him”.
“Strange energy?” Atem mumbled to himself, but nodded “I will be sure to take care of this. I only hope he doesn’t do anything too rash”. If anyone would know about Anabell, it would be Ysera, but he couldn’t afford seeing her now in broad daylight. The two parted ways as Atem made his way to the princesses, “Tonight at dinner, we will have a celebration in honor of your arrival. I will be busy most of the day as I prepare for tonight. If you need anything, please ask any of my priests”.
He smiled and bowed his head as the rest of the princesses did the same. Just as they did, Atem stole a glance to Anabell her had her head bowed. He wanted to know more about her, but he had to stick with his own schedule. No need to cause an unnecessary uproar with the other princesses. As Atem took his leave, Sara and Natalia glared darkly toward Anabell. They were about to storm up to her, but Aphrodite stepped in their way. She was definitely taller than all of the girls, easily causing the others to step back.
“I don’t believe she belongs here. Just look at her! Her hair and eyes already tell us she’s different” Sara screeched as Natalia nodded in agreement. “Oh, I didn’t know we were judging by someone’s appearance. After all, it’s not like she came overseas from a different country. I also suppose her people look different to you as well, because I bet you anything her people look like her” Aphrodite glowered down to them.
They fumbled with their words, unsure of what to say, but before they could continue, Aphrodite turned to Anabell “Come on, these princesses aren’t worth our precious time”. Anabell was dragged away by Aphrodite’s iron grip. She turned her head to see Sara and Natalia puffing out their cheeks in anger.
“Thank you for standing up for me” Anabell bowed her head as Aphrodite shook her head, “You don’t have to thank me. It’s what a friend would do”. She gazed up in surprise by her statement. ‘Friend?’ Anabell question as a smile grew only wider the more she repeated it in her head. She lunged forward, hugging Aphrodite around her waist. Aphrodite was taken back by her action, but decided to hug her back.
“I think I’m going to get some rest for tonight. You should do the same” Aphrodite said as she made her way to her chambers. Anabell sighed blissfully. She had earned a friend in this grueling ordeal and she hoped it would make her stronger to go through with winning Atem’s heart. Someone gripped her wrist roughly, pulling her to an empty hallway. She yelped as she turned to see Seto dragging her away. “What are you doing?” She questioned, but he didn’t reply until they were out of sight.
He turned around with a furious gaze as she coward a bit. “I don’t know who you really are, but you can’t fool me like you have with everyone else. If you do anything to bring harm to this kingdom or the Pharaoh, you will answer to me” Seto growled, bringing his face so close, Anabell felt her face would melt by the intense glare he was giving. Before she could answer, he turned on his heels and left. She sighed, ‘When did I become such a coward. Agh! I would have showed him how to respect a woman if I was in my true form’.
It was true, she had become someone different since she changed to human form, but at the same time it was a good thing. If she acted too much like her usual self, it would cause suspicion. Anabell ran her fingers through her hair, obviously done with today, but she still had tonight to deal with. “I might as well rest…” she turned, defeated by the recent event as she dragged her feet back to her chambers.