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I dedicate this to her , by far the best vaseshipping writer around. I hope it will reach her somehow.
Watching Mana practice her magic was one of Atem’s favorite pastime activities. Before his studies were separated from hers and he joined Mahad’s lessons on casting elemental spells, they would have much fun together. During that time, Mahad had a tighter schedule, meaning that those lessons were one of the few moments that they could see him; and joking around with the outcomes of Mana’s miscalculated spells was enjoyable.
Nowadays, both he and Mana focused on their own duties. She was on the path to becoming a great magician, he knew that. Meanwhile, his attention was mainly on his father and how he handled his day-to-day. He joined him in visiting nearby cities, sat through even the most dreadful meetings, met with various people from various backgrounds; he read and read anything and everything he found in his father’s most used studies, and so on…
In the evenings, however, he allowed himself to take a break. And since he saw Mahad more often during day time, he preferred sharing this time with Mana. She would usually be training for tomorrow morning’s lesson or reading through a scroll Mahad had recommended. Atem didn’t mind that if her attention was on something else, he simply enjoyed being in her presence.
So, with his subdued interest in magic and not-so-subdued fondness of Mana, he spent his nights watching her practice.
That evening as he walked toward her room with a scroll under his arm, he planned to do the same. He had not finished his reading yet, but he didn’t want that to interfere with his time with Mana, thus bringing his work along. He hoped it wouldn’t upset Mana. She liked showing off her skills to Atem, she would smile brightly when he expressed fascination and stand proud. And when she couldn’t produce the desired effect, she would be embarrassed, swaying her hands over his face and mumbling phrases like “You didn’t see that!” or “That one doesn’t count!”.
Sometimes Atem wished she would miscast just to see her get frustrated like that. Mana had a habit of laughing when she was nervous, even in her childhood. And even though it wasn’t as mesmerizing as her joyful laughter, Atem liked that too. It was funny, and Mana knew he found it funny, which added to her frustrations. A continuous teasing would follow suit and… It was childish. Most importantly, it was what Atem needed. A careless moment where he didn’t have to think about his appearance or the words that came out of his mouth or anything.
Suddenly he caught himself standing in the middle of the hall, smiling in a daze. He cleaned his throat and fixed his posture. Well, he did care about his appearance now and didn’t want to be seen in such a silly way.
Once in front of her door, he knocked twice and waited. He got no response. “Mana?” he called to her, knocking once more. But it seemed she wasn’t hearing.
Would it be impolite if he opened the door regardless? She should be expecting him around this time of the day… "I'm coming in, Mana," he said and entered the room.
Mana's room was smaller than his, yet she somehow managed to make a mess bigger than he could with his own belongings. He would usually comment on that fact, and Mana would say something along the lines of how she found her own order in this chaos. But right now, she wasn't there.
There was a small piece of paper at the spot he usually sat. Mana had left him a note, mentioning that she was with Isis and didn’t know when she would return. This left Atem standing and staring at the paper in his hand, feeling slightly disappointed. But it was no matter, they could always see each other tomorrow or the day after that…
He only wished it wouldn’t take long to see her as he walked out of the room.
Tired, frustrated, and sweating, Mana cursed her past self for asking Mahad for a more challenging spell. She had spent half a day trying to understand the mechanics of it with Mahad, and come evening, she was trying to recreate his examples.
“Even if you are capable of doing it on the same day you learned it,” said Isis, “you’re not going to accomplish that in your current state.”
Mana let go of her wand with a simple woosh of her hand and sighed deeply.
“It’s normal, Mana. Mahad only recently started this spell, didn’t he? Don’t go hard on yourself.”
The fact that it was a new spell was the reason for her frustrations. The spell named “the Soul of the Everlasting” was essentially a more complex freezing spell. The freezing spell stopped the object's movements. Everlasting, along with stopping the movement, paused the object’s presence. Any object under it would be immune to erasure and untouched by time, like a flower that could never wilt or a person that could never get old.
Caregivers and magicians who specialized in rejuvenation often practiced this spell because of its properties to stop any scar or injury from worsening with each passing second. The injury would be under effect and paused until a remedy was prepared. Isis was one of the few people who had mastered it for a similar reason.
This was a special spell for Mana, as she had mastered the freezing spell faster than any other. Naturally, she had assumed this one wouldn’t take as much time either. Yet she had been disappointing herself since Mahad agreed to show it to her. There was no way she could let the Prince see her fail over and over again, let alone admit to Mahad that she couldn’t do it tomorrow morning.
“I just don’t want to walk up to Master's study chamber in the morning and tell him I couldn’t do it.”
“It wouldn’t be your first time. Even if it was, his duty is not to force you to memorize and perform instantly. He wants you to understand and learn. These things take time.”
Mana pouted. “But it shouldn’t take time for me! He was so surprised when I did the freeze spell so quickly, he was so proud of me. And I want to be his best student, you know. I want to have a difference…”
Isis appreciated her determination and how she tried various ways to achieve her goals; it contrasted with her usual carefree attitude. She smiled and stood up. “Alright. Let’s try one more time.”
Actually, I’m doing the same thing , thought Atem, while he sat silently next to his mother and read through the papers in front of him. But it’s not as fun…
He must have sighed heavily enough to alert his mother, that she felt inclined to speak to Atem at that moment. “Is there a specific reason why you are here tonight?”
“No. I wanted to study, that is all.” Atem responded without lifting his head. Of course, when there were other people around, he wouldn’t do such a thing. But in private, his relationship with his mother was no different than any other mother and son in their lands.
His mother thoughtfully tapped her finger on the desk in front of her. “Atem. Look here for a moment.”
Her son turned his head with questioning eyes. “Yes?”
“I’m proud of you very much, for not holding off on your responsibilities and thus having a head start. You're becoming the man that your father and I always dreamed of."
Atem smiled softly. “Hopefully, I’ll give you even more reasons to be proud of me in the future. It’s what I’m aiming towards.”
“I know you will.” The Queen stood up and made her way toward her terrace, motioning with her hand for Atem to follow her.
The view from this terrace was one that Atem really liked. A small garden hidden with bushes and trees could be seen. There was a small and shallow pond where Atem used to play in his youth. Next to it was a bench where his mother used to sit and accompany him. She would laugh when he clumsily fell, then encourage his brave little man to get up on his own. And no matter how muddy his feet and hands got, she would never hesitate to embrace him after he ran to her.
The location of the garden was the best thing about it, as it was right underneath the pharaoh’s study chamber. No matter how busy he got, Atem remembered, he made sure to check up on them several times and let them know that he was with them.
“But not even the Pharaoh doesn’t expect you to give all of your energy and attention to your responsibilities right away, I hope you’re aware of that.”
Atem looked away. He was not aware of that. “I don’t think I understand what you mean.”
His mother exhaled and looked at the garden as well. “There should be a balance in your life. Yes, you are ahead of what is expected of you when it comes to your duties as a prince. But that shouldn’t be all that you stand for. At the very least, that’s not what I want for you. You are young Atem, I want you to experience your youth in many different aspects.” Atem suddenly felt a warm touch on his shoulder. “You won’t be able to live this life as other people do. You are born with a duty, a responsibility that no one else can shoulder. People, everyone, will depend on your existence. That is why I want you to be able to find simple pleasures in the most troublesome times and live only for yourself while you still can.”
Atem nodded, although absentmindedly. “I see…” As he watched the tree sway in the night breeze, he continued. “There are other things I enjoy doing. I like going hunting. I read scrolls that Mahad himself prepares. There is no need for you to worry about me.”
“What do you do all day with your father? What do you pay attention to?” his mother asked, suddenly changing the subject.
“... My father, of course. I observe him and the people around him, mostly.” Atem tilted his head, an embarrassed smile visible on his face. “I will admit, it gets boring sometimes. I catch myself thinking of other things.”
She laughed, finding the fact that, the Almighty Pharaoh was not as captivating as he thought he was, amusing. “And what does he do, when he is successful in catching your unwavering attention?”
“He... well, a lot of things. Where should I start…?”
She turned to Atem. “Let me ask you this; do you see him take a break and feel at ease? Do something other than performing his responsibilities as a pharaoh?”
Atem stopped and thought about it. “Yes.”
“When?"
“When we are alone.”
She smiled. “You’re right, because you're not a responsibility, you are a core part of his life. When he's with you, he's not only taking a break. This is time that he sets aside, especially for you. You may not realize this on your own because you can’t observe it from the outside. You watch him to learn the responsibilities that you will one day acquire, and you follow in his footsteps. But you will never see him spend time on any other activities because… he doesn’t have any left.” She smiled in a way Atem would call bittersweet. "He's not the young man he used to be, spending his time with his friends or on other mundane things..."
She pulled Atem close to capture him in an embrace. “If possible, I want to see you happier than he ever was at his age.”
In his mother's arms, though it was warm and comfortable, he felt out of place. It was as though he was a small child once more. However, assuming that leaving her embrace sooner than she let him go would break her heart, Atem stood still. “I will-”
“And if possible, I would like to see you with people you want to make happy…”
Atem looked up and stared at his mother for a long minute. He could handle any responsibility of a pharaoh; that was what he was born to do. And he really wished to make his parents proud more than anything. But he wasn’t expecting such a request at the time. Sure, he was of age; it wouldn’t be considered bizarre but…
After the silence started to agitate him, he gently shuffled away and asked with a quiet voice. “This soon?”
“Hm?”
“Do you want me to have children so soon?” He felt his voice waver for the first time in a long time. “I haven’t met… I mean, there is no one… Uh, is there a suitable woman you want to introduce to me? Is that where this conversation is going?”
He thought his mother's answer could not come any later, as he felt his stomach churn. He wouldn’t reject his mother's wishes (as it would also mean rejecting his father's wishes, Atem supposed), but… he knew that he would forever regret never trying that one thing… sharing that one thought. A wish…
“No,” she finally replied and saw his son visibly relax his muscles; she couldn’t help but laugh softly. “I meant that I want you to have people you care for around you. Everyone will care for you, Atem, everyone. But finding those special people you care for is rare. A person so dear to your heart that you cannot let a day go by without seeing them. Otherwise, something would be missing, it would feel incomplete. Or someone that adds worth to your day, someone that brings comfort to you.”
“Mahad is a very valuable friend, someone like him, do you mean…?”
“Yes, I approve of your friendship with him. He’s a hard worker, and I know he cares for you, not just your crown. I believe he is deserving of your attention.”
His mother turned her back toward the view and walked back inside.
“Though I wasn’t necessarily suggesting you start your own family right now, I assumed that you would have already found a suitable partner. It seems I was wrong.”
Atem followed her and made a noise that stated otherwise. “I never thought about it.”
It was a lie. He had thought about it. Only, it was just a fantasy, it could never be true. Hence, it wasn’t worth mentioning to his mother.
His mother was amused. “You may put some thought into who would make a fitting royal wife when the time comes. But I wasn’t talking about that.” She sat down on the cushion and met Atem’s eyes when he sat next to her. “You won’t need to think about it when you meet her .”
Atem couldn’t maintain eye contact. He understood perfectly what she meant. One look into his eyes, and she would see the yearning for something so pointless.
“Maybe you’ll make her your Great Royal Wife, and you won’t have to think as hard on that subject.”
“Like you and my father?”
“Hm, yes, like us.” She was pleased that Atem had a correct idea of her relationship with the Pharaoh. Though she wouldn't have minded being the lesser wife, being this close to her husband and earning such respect and value in her lover's eyes made her happy.
Atem sighed; he was anxious about this topic. “Well, it’s not a given that I will meet her, right? Maybe I should let that thought go. I will have bigger problems to worry about. Surely I will have a wife I care about. If she’s a good mother and a kind person, that should be enough. And the Great Royal Wife issue can wait for now.”
“You’re right. A good wife is enough,” she said, finishing his sentence a few seconds later. “But the woman you love will make those problems seem much more minuscule. I just want you to remember that.”
Could she stop it, please… Atem silently begged when he felt his cheeks heat up.
“Atem?”
“Yes?"
“Was I wrong in my earlier assumption?”
“...what assumption?” Atem bit his lip. He had made a very wrong move, playing dumb in front of his mother. Now she definitely knew. He immediately averted his eyes. “I mean, as I said, I didn’t think about it.”
Now he was definitely making his situation worse.
“Do I know her?”
I am done for, Atem thought. “You know everyone, mother.”
“I think you know who I mean.”
Atem inhaled a sharp breath. He didn’t think his mother would have a specific person in mind. And she was probably correct.
He relaxed his tensed shoulders and looked at his mother. “It’s not important, really. I just think she’s a kind person… um, she’s a good friend, like Mahad.”
“Like Mahad? Are you sure?”
“I mean, not exactly like Mahad, but… I’m happy that I know her. She would be a great wife and a nice, caring mother. But I don’t think she wants that kind of life. She works hard to become an exceptional magician, she wants to make Mahad proud. She trains day and night and has many goals she wants to achieve. I never heard her talk about a marriage in her future. I think she wants to be more like Priestess Isis.”
His mother wanted to comment on his statement, but she hardly saw Atem opening up to her as he did right then. Not to mention the awe on his face when he talked about his friend was enough to convince her not to interrupt Atem.
“Besides, it’s not important. If she gets to achieve her dream, which I know she will, she will be here. We will be together in a different manner, but she will be close. I’ll always see her and know she’s doing well. That’s enough for me.”
“And if she gets married, will it still be enough for you?” To that, Atem’s head snapped upwards, and the calm features on his face vanished, looking at his mother with a shock he couldn't hide away.
“I… yes.” Atem managed to say.
"I see... I suppose you are more like me, in that sense. I wouldn't have minded your father being with other women as well, so long as I was near him. Being able to look into his eyes, being in his presence, knowing that we were in close vicinity... I took pleasure in thinking of these simple things... However, that life wouldn't have made me as happy as I am now. And after all these years, I'm afraid he has turned me into a woman with higher expectations! I don’t think I could bear to see your father with someone else from now on!”
“I told you, it’s not like you and father. She’s just important to me, that is all. If she wants to marry and finds someone who could make her happy, give her all his attention, and dedicate himself to her, then it would mean he’s deserving of her companionship. Therefore, I will allow their marriage.” Atem paused for a moment. “It’s strange to think that a random man could be able to give her such simple yet important things, but I can’t. It’s unfair,” he said silently.
“Why is it unfair if she’s just an important person?” his mother said with a playful tone.
“Because… uh… it's difficult to explain. "
“You need to make up your mind, Atem. You’re thinking about it the wrong way. Focus on what you can offer her instead of what you might be missing." She lifted a hand to put it on his cheek with a gentle touch. "And remember that you have so much more to offer and give than anyone else.”
“She doesn’t care about luxury. She deserves love, care, time, and attention. I can only give so much of those…”
His mother shook her head. “You are my smart boy, you will figure out what I mean.”
Atem raised an eyebrow, but before he could say anything, she pulled him into a tight hug once more. "My pride and joy..." she murmured as she patted down his unruly hair.
In the late hours of the night, Isis finally called their little study session off. She had been tired when Mana entered, to begin with, and now she was exhausted.
“Mana, I think your progress so far is good enough,” she said with a finality in her voice.
The young mage had accomplished to pause a drop of kohl to dry out on the carpet for almost a minute. Although she wasn’t satisfied with herself, she didn’t want to be a burden to Isis any longer. With a wave of her hand, her wand vanished and she sighed. “I appreciate all of your help tonight, but the Prince has bested you in being a study partner, we have to admit that,” Mana said, smiling sheepishly. “He’s just way more patient.”
“I wouldn’t dare challenge him to anything, any day. Not to mention the fact that no one could win your favor over him in any subject…” Isis replied with a smirk she hid by turning away from Mana.
“Well, he is the best at everything. Sometimes I think I might be jealous!” she said, ignoring the last comment.
“Why would you be?”
“I don’t know… You know, he’s very good at sorcery. He was better than me when we had a shared lesson. I know that he doesn’t even have to try.” While she started to gather her books, she continued. “I won’t really get jealous, obviously. But I know that I will never reach his level.”
“His level is not one anyone can reach. It wouldn’t be fair to you if you started to compare yourself to him.” Isis comforted her. She knew that Mana adored the Prince; her words now did not make sense. Until…
“It is not about comparing each other, I want to be… you could say… worthy? I don’t know how to describe it.”
…suddenly, it did.
With a playful tone in her voice, Isis asked. “What would you be worthy of? You’re talented enough to be Mahad’s student, successful enough to reside in the palace, valuable enough to be the crown prince’s friend… you’re worthy of many things.”
“And I am eternally grateful to the gods for blessing me with this life.” Mana’s eyes wandered outside the window behind them, and she trailed off. “I guess I should not ask for more.”
Behind Mana’s faint smile, Isis saw hesitation. Perhaps she was regretful, or simply bored. In any case, she wanted to assure Mana of her comfort. “Is that guilt I hear in your voice?”
Embarrassed, Mana covered her mouth with her hair as she played around with it, it was another habit from childhood that Mahad had tried to get rid of countless times. It would not suit a well-recognized magician, he said, if she really wanted to become one. But with the stress of the moment, Mana completely forgot.
“I do feel guilty sometimes…”
“Would you like to talk about it? It could be of help to you, maybe it isn’t such a big issue.”
Mana thought about it, but eventually, she shook her head. “I’m not sure if it’s something I should be sharing right now. But, maybe, another time? A time when you are also rested?” she asked with gratitude radiating from her face.
“I'll listen whenever you feel comfortable,” Isis told her before congratulating her little achievement and sending Mana off to her own room.
Guilt was an emotion that could be explained easily, yet difficult to make sense of, all the same. That was what Mana thought, at least. She had not committed any wrongdoings, but she couldn’t live peacefully knowing that she could wish something bad unto someone so important to her. She wondered when the gods would strip her away from this life as punishment… surely they wouldn’t take their judgments being perceived as wrong lightly.
She wanted to erase these thoughts from her mind, but how could she? The source of this neverending dream was right there! And he would always be there, if she decided to go through with her goal. Spending the rest of her life directly serving him and his family… sounded good and horrendous at the same time!
Her prince...
Mana sighed, she could say it with such ease. Of course, he was everyone's prince. But when she said it, it meant her Atem, which was completely different. It could also be disrespectful, Mana feared. That was why she would take this fact to her grave.
"You look troubled."
Her eyes which were glued to the ground as she walked, moved up, and she saw Atem standing in front of her. It seemed he had been waiting for her at her door.
Mana put on a smile to erase that worried look he carried. "I was thinking, that is all." She looked around but saw no guards.
"I told them to wait around the corner," Atem said after noticing what she was checking.
"Alright... Ah, wait, were you waiting the whole time I was gone?!" Mana exclaimed without controlling her voice, yelling out of shock at that late hour of the night. She had just realized that Atem was actually, really there, in the flesh. "I can't believe I made you wait for so long! I must have imagined writing the note then, that must be it..."
Atem couldn’t hide his smile. Assuming that she had only imagined leaving a note, rather than assuming he didn't enter her room to read it in the first place, was such a Mana thing to do…
He touched her upper arm in a soothing manner and leaned close. "Don't worry, I saw your note. I came here recently to tell you something important. I wanted to be the first to ask for a portion of your time tomorrow."
"Oh... I don't know, Prince. I started learning a new spell, and I'm not making the progress I want yet. I might have to study all day tomorrow." Mana said, frowning. "I apologize, I hate declining your offer, but I don't want to let Master down."
"Really? It must be a very tricky spell to wear you down like this."
"The Soul of the Everlasting." Mana managed to say while trying to suppress a yawn.
"I remember that one. It was very challenging to learn, but it was worth the effort. A very useful spell, yes." Atem told her, then looked down for a moment in thought. "Let me help you learn it tomorrow, then. You'll be able to study, and I'll be able to see you."
Mana's eyes glowed in curiosity, and Atem saved his last statement by stammering some words. "Because I know the spell, and I'll watch over you," he said quickly.
Mana sighed and looked away, considering his offer. Then she heard him talk in a more quiet voice. "And maybe you, too... uh... ehem. And because I wanted to see you today." Atem firmly said, though his voice was still low.
She couldn't help but smile. "Really?"
"My daily routine wouldn't be complete without talking to you, Mana." Atem cleared his throat again, looking toward the corner of the hall. "And a prince's routine must be taken seriously... I'm sure you're familiar with this," he said with a tone of voice that Mana often mocked for being too rigid. Nowadays, he only did it to make her laugh.
"Yes, yes, of course, my prince," Mana said, giggling. A small smile was left on her face. Looking down, she said, "I wanted to see you too."
“Then… meet me after dinner. I’ll be done with my preparations.” At Mana’s questioning face, he simply replied, “For your studies.”
“But wouldn’t that be too late?”
“Trust me, we will have more than enough time.” He gently squeezed her upper arm as a way of telling her goodbye. “I’ll wait for you in the courtyard.”
After that, he walked towards the corner he mentioned before and disappeared from her eyesight. Mana couldn’t help but stare in the direction he left from. She felt a tingling sensation throughout her body.
No matter how many times she tried to get herself out of her delusions, whenever they talked, whenever he spoke to her as he looked deeply into her eyes, she would be sucked back into the endless pit of “but he’s my best friend” and “but he’s royalty”. Neither of which sparked joys in her heart.
As she entered her room, Mana thought to herself, why should she upset herself by thinking of such things? Instead, she chose to relive that moment in her head. When he said that he wanted to see her, the way he lovingly touched her… Alright, maybe she was reading too much into that physical contact. It didn’t have to be loving.
But it sure was fun to think of it like that, she thought, and let herself drop onto her bed.
Waking up was not Atem’s favorite part of the day. Ever since his training and studies became more serious, he started thinking that the amount of sleep he got was not enough, making getting out of bed harder. However, that day, Atem woke up with excitement in his heart.
As he got ready, he thought about whether this would affect his focus during the day but later dismissed it. He would make sure that he got everything done. Because it was his life, from then on. He would become busier and busier with each passing day; and Mana would also be in his life, every day, so he needed to get used to it.
He then made a promise to himself. I won’t let Mana distract me from my duties… and I won’t let my duties distract me from Mana.
Of course, assuming that she would be in need of him that much put a blush on his face. Was he getting ahead of himself?
Leaving his room, he exhaled. He was starting to overthink, even though it didn't change anything. No matter what their relationship would turn out to be, his promise would stay the same.
His morning went as usual, and around noon, he excused himself by saying he needed to attend to a personal matter of great importance. He was permitted to spend the rest of the day as he saw fit.
And finally, there he was in the courtyard. He sat on the ground and took one deep breath as he started his grand surprise for Mana. One he called, The Eternal Nursery.
He had time to think about his mother's words. As always, she was right. Atem had so much to give to Mana, an unlimited amount even, when it came to the bond between them. He knew what she would like or dislike, just as he knew what she needed at any time.
When the sun set and the stars started to blink in the sky, Mana arrived. Atem was already done with setting up the area. He saw her approaching and quickly jumped up to his feet.
"Wait, stop there!"
Mana was surprised by his sudden shouting, she quickly checked for a potential wild animal or worse.
Atem walked over and stopped a couple of steps ahead. Reaching his hand for her to take, he told her, "Walk slowly."
She had a puzzled look on her face as she held his hand. What was he talking about? It was just the same old garden that they walked past every day… In fact, it was so plain, her expectations of any kind of "preparation" had been lost. Had he finally lost his mind due to the exposure to the scorching sun?
"You scared me, Prince. I thought I was about to get attacked or something-"
As she took one step forward, Mana was silenced by an invisible wall she had just walked through. Her eyes tightly shut, she felt as if she was drenched in water for a moment, before going back to normal.
Standing completely still, Mana could sense that she was in a different environment, fear took control of her instantly. Mahad had told her about some sort of pocket domain before, in which the enemy could teleport you to an area of their own creation in which they had an upper hand in combat.
She would have assumed she and Atem had been ambushed in a very unlucky moment if it wasn't for her hand in his. He calmly moved his thumb over the back of her hand.
"It's okay, Mana. You can open your eyes. It was only for that second."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Mana carefully peered through and saw that they were still in the garden, but some things had changed. The pink-hued yellowish sky was still bright, there was a basket next to the place Atem previously sat, and a piece of cloth was sprawled on the ground.
Mana harshly pulled her hand away and stepped back. "You won't fool me, whatever you are."
Atem raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"
"You think you're so smart… You went overboard, I'm afraid, you made this delusion too perfect. My favorite time of the day, my favorite place, my favorite activity, my favorite person! You just assumed I would buy it because I'm an easy target?"
"It's… uh… Mana, it's not an illusion. Hm… I guess you're right to be scared. How should I prove it to you…?" Atem didn’t even have the time to appreciate that he was her favorite person, he didn't want to scare or stress her out any longer.
Mana suddenly gasped. "That explains why there were no preparations when I arrived at the garden! Atem… where is he? What did you do to him?" Her fear of safety gave its place to fear of something happening to Atem, she lunged forward to hold him by the collar. "How dare you mimic his appearance?"
"Mana, calm down, please. This is not going as I planned…"
"You're right to be disappointed because I'll make you regret the day you chose to target me and the prince. Now tell me," she said and held him by his cheeks with one hand. It was a power move she had learned from Priest Seto. Surely it would work on this weakling who dared to mess with her. "Whatever you did to Atem, I'll do to you tenfold."
Atem couldn’t move in the position he was in. His mind was in shambles. On one hand, Mana was extremely worried, and he wanted to do something to comfort her. But… he had never seen such a protective side of her. He was amazed by how she threw everything aside when she thought he was in danger. Not to mention, the way she looked right then was… undeniably beautiful. Fierce and strong. He liked it a lot.
On top of all of that, she had addressed him by his name. It had been so long since he had heard her say his name. He hadn't realized that he had missed it this much.
Then just as quickly, Mana let him go, covering her mouth in shock. "It is you! Ah, I cannot describe how scared I was!" she said, her voice muffled.
"You're right, I should have thought that you might get scared. It wasn't a good idea to make it a surprise…" Atem said quietly. "But thankfully, you could see that there was nothing wrong."
Mana put her hand on her chest to even her breathing. "Yes…"
"Really, how did you do it? You were so convinced."
"I… I could read you."
He tilted his head. "How does that work?"
"Your face is unreadable at all times, Prince. It's like looking at a stone slab with eyes that watch you, waiting for you to make one single mistake." Mana looked down, feeling a rush of embarrassment. "The only time I feel like I can see any emotion is when we are alone. I know that you consider me a close friend, and you don't try to hide whatever is on your mind. It makes me feel trusted. So it's not something I can overlook easily."
When she looked up again, she saw that he was looking at her also. Perhaps waiting for the moment when their eyes would meet. "Anyway, whether an enemy took control of your body or mimicked you, it wouldn't have been able to copy your facial expressions. I noticed it when I came closer."
"It's a good thing you know me this well. Otherwise, I don't even want to imagine what kind of situation I would be in right now." Atem said in a teasing tone, wanting to lift the tension off of her shoulders.
Mana gasped in terror. "Oh, no! I was so disrespectful, wasn’t I? Clinging to your collar and threatening you!"
"And holding my face as if you were Seto, don't forget that…"
"Yes, that too! Do you think anybody saw it? I can't imagine the punishment I'd face!"
Atem laughed and put his hands on her shoulders. "All I saw was a magician in training whose top priority was to ensure my safety, I can assure you that you are in the clear." He then moved his hands away before touching her cheek with his palm for a brief moment. "I'll put in a good word for you."
Mana was still a little tense about the possible consequences but didn't want to push on it further. Because, more importantly, there was still no explanation for the place they were in.
"So, if this is not an enemy domain, what is it? Where are we?"
"Oh, right!" Atem was glad they were finally on the main topic. "The area you are standing in right now, from right behind you to that wall, is under the effects of the Soul of the Everlasting."
Mana's eyes bulged. "This entire garden?!"
"A small portion of it. Having the whole garden would drain me."
Mana took a few steps forward and looked around carefully. When she paid attention, she could see the fully grown and long grass had preserved its shape as it was being blown by the wind. The same could be said for the leaves. She even saw a butterfly standing still, mid-flight.
The sky was colorful in a way she liked the most, where she liked to watch it the most.
"This place is so pretty, Prince…"
"I agree. And I also thought it could also serve a purpose. I can explain the details of how I stopped the garden and the sky in their own individual time intervals and-"
"You paused the sky ?! The sky? How?!"
Atem chuckled. "Well, not the sky itself. Only what you can see from this point of view. I made sure it was during sunset."
Looking at him, Mana managed to smile weakly. She felt like she was melting.
"Prince, this is the best surprise I have ever seen. And the best gift I’ve ever gotten. Only you could make it pretty and useful at the same time…"
He was happy that Mana liked the surprise, even if it almost gave her a heart attack at the start.
"Knowing what you needed was all it took." Atem simply said and guided her to the area with the basket. "Let's sit for a while. I'm sure you studied even before coming here."
Mana nodded and sat down, still observing her surroundings. True to the nature of the spell, objects only moved when she moved them. It was so strange to be inside of an area affected by Everlasting yet not being affected yourself.
"I thought that we could talk about what you understand and what you don't understand first. Observing an example on a greater scale might help you catch details you didn't see before."
And so, they talked about the mechanics of this new spell, and Mana thought about how different it was compared to a lecture. Unlike Mahad, Atem was not responsible for actually teaching anything. He simply enjoyed casting spells and researching them, and he shared his knowledge with Mana. To him, he was only talking about an interest of his. But as he intended, Mana was really learning.
He answered all kinds of questions for her, silly or meaningful. He allowed her to go off-topic as much as she wanted. He watched her try the spell on her own. She was starting to come to terms with failing countless times. It was okay if she couldn't do it the first time, the tenth time, or the hundredth time. They had an endless amount of time, and Atem had an endless amount of patience, only for her.
"But, how is it safe for us to be here?"
"You see, I didn’t pause the area as a whole. I stopped the ground, the grass, the trees, and the position of the sky that could only be seen from here, all individually. It's not a completely frozen area."
"But the wall-like thing I passed through…?"
"Hm… It is something like a cloak, so that we can spend time here as much as we want."
Mana looked at him curiously. "So it's a separate spell?"
"Yes. When we exit this place, it will be as if no time has passed outside of the cloak."
"Wait… spells that play around with time are dangerous. Are you saying that if I spend a year here and leave after that, I will be one year older and, say… Master will be the Master from today?"
Atem nodded. "Exactly."
Getting up from her spot, Mana exclaimed. "Prince, isn't this really dangerous? Let's leave!"
"It's alright, we're not going to spend that much time. And I talked to Mahad about it. He told me it wouldn't be a problem if I don't pass my intended time. Come, sit down."
Even though he was sure of himself, Atem knew Mana would worry about this in the back of her head.
"Alright. I'll remove the enchantments altogether, I believe you studied enough already."
Atem positioned his one hand with his palm facing upwards, then put his other hand on top of it. A brief flash of light could be seen shining through his fingers, and suddenly, the soft color of the sky faded away, and the plants and the leaves resumed their structure without movement. The sky was as dark as when Mana first approached the garden.
"Ah, I was beginning to get tired…" Atem said, yawning, and in a not-so-royal fashion, he rested his back on the ground. This could've been perceived as unbelievable to someone else, but to Mana, it was just a regular night with him.
"I hope you didn't push yourself too hard," Mana told him, concerned for his health. As the spell he had been holding stable required full attention and power, it must have been draining.
"I did push my limits, but it won't be a problem. I'll count it as focus training." Atem mumbled with his eyes closed. He was starting to get a headache, now that his body was as relaxed as it could be. "I am not that qualified in Everlasting. Since I'm not training to cast spells, I'm only a beginner. Someone like… Isis, for example, can hold on with a larger area, for much longer than I can."
Mana dropped her gaze, and she fell swiftly next to him. "You can do all of this… when you're just a beginner, huh?"
Atem nodded. "I would've liked it if I had the time to keep learning about magic like you do. Sometimes it makes me feel like I'm wasting away potential…"
"You're really powerful, you know that, Prince?"
Atem opened his eyes and turned his face toward her, and saw that she was watching him. "I appreciate you saying that. It's what I want to achieve, after all."
"No, really. I truly think I know you better than anybody. To think that you are capable of doing this as a beginner! And when you talk about wasting your potential… it baffles me. I bet you could master anything you tried with ease. But you certainly don't have the time for it, or even have an interest in it. So, will you always think that you will never reach your full potential? Because if you ask me, there is no point in thinking about such things."
Atem shook his head. "No, I only think like that when it comes to sorcery. It's relevant to my interests and something we have in common. But I've come to terms with it." His gaze returned to the sky once more. "Besides, there are far more important things I have achieved. I want to be strong and dependable. Because whatever the situation might be, I want my people to be able to look at me and feel secure."
Then, his eyes met hers. He moved his hand a little closer to hers. "This goes for you too. I have to be powerful so that I can be the first person that comes to your mind to fix any problems. I don't know if I can succeed at everything I take a chance at, but if you feel like I can do it, that's enough for me."
Mana sighed. He was so devoted to his lifestyle. Too selfless for his own good, maybe. "Just… don't put pressure on yourself, please. I wouldn't want to see you fatigued from working and frying your head!"
Atem chuckled at her remark. "Well, that's why I have you, right? To remind me to take a break every now and then…"
"Mhm… yeah." Mana said as she stretched her muscles. "I wish we could take a break forever…"
He rolled his eyes. "That wouldn't be a break anymore, actually."
"Okay, a new start at life, then!"
"How exactly?"
"Like being born somewhere else and having a different turn of events shape your life. For example, I often think about where I would be today if my parents lived in a different city back then…"
Atem had never given that a thought, but thinking on it now, if her parents had lived in a different city and thus lived to see today, Mana would probably still be with them. She wouldn't have been found and discovered, Mahad would probably have another disciple by then. Atem never would have met her, he never would have known of her existence.
Mana noticed his frown immediately. Poking his cheek lightly, she smiled. "No need to be upset over it. I'm sure when I meet them again, they will be very proud of me."
"I'm sure of that." he replied before asking, "So, in this other life, what do you do? Do you practice magic?"
"No, I live a simple life. I help my mother around the house. I cook. My days are all the same. And I'm happy." Mana said simply. "Not that I'm not happy here, but I get overwhelmed easily. When that happens, I think of that life."
"It's good to know you're happy there… but I don't think I'd be content in that life without you…" Atem said quietly.
Mana laughed. "That's easy to fix, though! We are friends in that life too!"
"But your parents' choice of accommodation doesn't affect me or my family. I would still be born here, as a prince. How would we even meet?"
"Prince, even when daydreaming, you're so strict. Don't try to make sense of it. I'm not talking about the actual past and its consequences. I'm imagining a whole different world! You can be anything you want. You can be a prince or a merchant's son. It doesn't matter to me, if you want to be friends, we'll be friends."
"Hm… then I will be… a traveler from distant lands."
"And when you come to visit my village, we'll become friends!"
"I'll have to live there for a while then. Hm… I suppose I can sell my jewelry to pay for a room."
"No need, you're always welcome to stay at my house."
Atem nodded, lost in thought. "But I can't stay for long. Adventures await…"
"Then I'll come with you! Is that okay?"
"Of course. It'll be much more enjoyable if I have you by my side."
Little by little, they immersed themselves in creating this made-up world, where there were no responsibilities, no duties, no work, and no pressure. They only had each other, and their only concern was how to have fun each day.
"You know, I think I will be able to do magic there as well," Mana told him.
"That's good to know because I don't want to keep paying those innkeepers who ask way too much."
"Waaay too much!" Mana agreed. "Instead, I'll just whip up a house in a place we like, so we can stay there for as long as we need. And when we're bored, I'll shrink it and carry it in my satchel."
"A portable resting area is just what we need. Easy and efficient, good thinking, Mana. This is why I love traveling with you." Atem paused for a moment before continuing. "I mean, I would have loved it. You understand what I mean."
She nodded with a big smile on her face. "I feel the same way."
Atem yawned and turned to his side to face Mana. "Imagining another life for myself is fun. Thank you for letting me in on it."
"I know, it's even better when we do it together!" Mana replied cheerfully. Meanwhile, she wasn't returning his gaze on purpose. With a meek voice, she talked. "But… would you really want another life?"
"... Why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know… You're royalty, a prince. Not only that, you're the heir to the throne. Surely this is as good as it will get. How would having a different life benefit you in any way?” From the corner of his eye, Atem saw that she was fidgeting with her hands. “I daydream like this pretty often. I wish that we were free to do as many silly, mundane things as we wanted. But I can’t stop feeling guilty for wishing something worse for you.”
Pushing himself with his arm, Atem pulled himself up to a sitting position. “Come here.” With a concerned look on his face, he held her hand and pulled her up as well. “How would that be worse for me?”
“Wishing for a slow and quiet life means you would have a worse life than this, that is for sure,” she said with her head down. “But that’s not what I want, really! You are my best friend. Of course, I want you to have the very best of everything…”
“Mana…”
“I don’t think you are not deserving of your position or your life. I think you are perfect just the way you are, and my wish for a different life is only for the fun of it.”
“Don’t feel guilty for that, please.” He held her hand tighter and brought it closer to him. “I understand you perfectly. I mean, if I imagined a life where I was the same, but you were a princess, that wouldn’t mean that I think you’re unworthy of marriage now, it would only mean that it would be more convenient. Just like that, my being a commoner would make it easier for us to run away and do whatever we wanted. So don’t ever feel guilty. You’re not wishing for something worse for me. It’s just a fantasy.”
Mana stayed silent, motionless, not breaking eye contact. In response to her staring gaze, he smiled to assure her. However, it had no effect whatsoever, she kept silently watching him, unmoving.
He gently swayed her hand. “That was the end of my speech.”
Mana nodded.
“Is there anything you want to say?”
Mana shook her head.
“No more feeling guilty, then?”
Mana nodded.
Atem huffed. “Did I say something wrong?”
Mana’s eyes finally moved, and she stared at the ground. “I don’t know.”
He thought about the things he explained to her when-
Oh. Right.
It had felt so natural to him since he thought about marrying Mana before. But she didn’t know that. It was normal for her to be shocked upon hearing it, Atem thought.
“No, you didn’t say anything wrong,” Mana said suddenly. “Thank you, I feel better now.” Her smile awakened something pure and warm in his heart.
“That’s good,” Atem mumbled, looking away. It seemed Mana wasn’t going to share any opinions on that. Instead, she chose to spare him the embarrassment. He was eternally grateful. “To clarify, I don’t want you to be a princess. I mean, you could be. It’s not a necessity…”
Mana laughed wholeheartedly. “Now look who’s talking! After that whole speech that you gave me too!”
“Uh…”
“It’s fine, I know it already, Prince. It’s just a fantasy. For convenience.” Mana moved her hand in his -she couldn’t believe he was still holding it- and gave it a squeeze. “We would be together regardless.”
"Let's make it happen, then." Atem said, still looking in a different direction. "A convenient life."
Mana leaned over and tried to see his face. "When?"
"When we're reborn, and have a different life." He turned to her. "Meet me again, so we can do everything we planned together."
"Like traveling?"
"Yes."
"Riding horses?"
"Yes."
"Playing games all day?"
"Yes."
"Watching birds all day?"
"Yes."
"Playing pranks on people?"
"Yes."
"Marrying?"
"Yes." Atem answered without skipping a beat. "Wait-"
Mana tried to suppress an emotional smile. "So it wasn't just an example you thought of that very second."
"...That's actually not something we planned together. Did you ask because you wanted to throw me off?" he asked with a playful tone in his voice.
"Maybe… but I let you off the hook the first time, didn't I?" said Mana, she enjoyed teasing him.
Atem sighed. "Who knows… maybe we do get married in another life." Looking at her now, he could see that she wasn't questioning him.
"Maybe. In a simpler life, we wouldn't be afraid of admitting some things, I suppose." Mana chuckled. Was she being too obvious?
"I agree. Nowadays I'm left with freezing the time of the day you love the most so you can see it as much as you want, and hope that you get the message." Atem said, throwing her a look.
Mana bit her lip to make sure she wouldn’t scream right then. He was being as obvious as she was!
In a flustered manner, Mana managed to talk. "Well, I, um, I think I got it!"
He smiled innocently. "Hm, did you?"
"S-sure I did!"
"Alright then." Atem got up on his feet and offering his hand, he helped Mana up as well. "I think we got many things done tonight. You deserve a good rest."
"Yes… this study session was very useful and eye-opening ." Mana replied. Though she was kind of sad to leave him after such an important talk, she wasn't going to force him to stay longer. Perhaps in their next meeting, she would force him, but not that night.
"I'm glad." said Atem and gestured towards the way to her room. When she realized he wanted to walk her to her room, Mana wanted to jump and squeal at his kindness. But that would have to wait until she was alone.
When they were finally alone in their own rooms, when Mana was turning over and over in her bed with her hands covering her mouth to muffle her excited laughter and when Atem was lying on his bed and thinking of how she looked that night, they thought of one thing.
They would find each other in every life, no matter the distance, and be together. After all, how could they not be meant for each other?