To Find a Hidden Love

Title: To Find a Hidden Love 5/11

Author: Daisey

Rating: R

Pairing: Atem/Katenen (Yami/Jou); mention of Yugi/Katenen (Yugi/Jou) and Atem/Seth (Yami/Seto)

Beta: Akuchan **hugs**

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters, just a few keepsakes, cards, and daydreams that are precious to me... (Not to mention VHS tapes, DVD's, manga... ^__^ )

Summary: A secret love affair is exposed upon the death of Atem's brother leaving the god-king to deal with not only the burden of his own grief but that of the lover's as well.

A/N: I have included some Egyptian/Arabic words in the text to add to the feel to the story; explanations/definitions will be listed at the end of the chapter.

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Herihor cast a concerned glance at the man walking mutely beside him. Ever since he had arrived at the High Priest's chambers and learned of their summons, Katenen had been silent. However, despite the guard's anxiety over their current situation, he couldn't help but feel a slight bit of relief; for the first time in over a week there was a light in those tawny eyes- even if it ~was~ one of nervousness. And Herihor couldn't blame him for that; even though the High Priest had been kind and companionable during the meeting, the enigmatic words of his final statement had left him more than a little anxious. Silently, the two followed the servants down the hall, hesitating just inside of the throne room's arched entry when they heard the sounds of an argument.

"… fate can no longer be put off!" the High Priest was saying. "Surely you cannot deny the words of the gods?"

"The `gods'?" Atem scoffed, causing both Herihor and Katenen to blanch at the disrespectful intonation and attitude. "The same gods that granted me Egypt and vowed that I would live a fulfilled and happy life? The `gods'…" he sneered again. "They have lied to me before; why should I believe in them now?"

"That is enough, Atem Nisu." Seth's voice was deadly calm, ice cold, and ~full~ of power. "You may be King of all Egypt and a son of almighty Ra, but that does ~not~ give you authority over the gods themselves. You have already displeased them with your refusal to worship. Do ~not~ anger them further by disputing their words." For a minute all was silent but, just as relief began to wash over the faces of the two listeners, Atem spoke again.

"Then perhaps it is ~you~ who is lying." No sooner had the last syllable left the god-king's mouth then the sky began to darken, casting the palace into a myriad of shadows. Within moments, the entire palace was as dark as pitch, save for the eerie glow suddenly emanating from the mysterious golden rod that Seth bore in his left hand. When the High Priest spoke again, his voice was low and dangerous, yet contained ten times the power that it had before.

"Atem Nisu, be silent!" Katenen and Herihor, overwhelmed by the power in that voice, fell to their knees and began to tremble. "Not only have you insulted us by your lack of homage, you now presume to question the word of the one we have consecrated as our mouth?" Seth's scepter grew brighter as, at the words `our mouth', his voice shattered into a ~multitude~ of voices, each one proud, angry, and as cold as the desert night. Instantly Atem was on his knees, gazing with reverence and fear at the manifestation before him. For the first time in his life, his gods had channeled themselves through his High Priest, and were speaking directly to ~him~. "It is fortunate that, until recent events, you have been a most loyal subject and a most fair and compassionate leader of our peoples; otherwise, you would be dead where you stand," the voices continued. "But rest assured, your disrespect will not go unpunished." The light from the golden rod grew painful in its intensity, temporarily blinding all within the range of its glow.

When their vision cleared, Katenen and Herihor gasped at the sight that met their eyes. Atem lay prone on the floor, his headdress several feet away, and his arms protecting the back of his exposed head. Seth towered over the cowering figure, scepter pointed menacingly at Atem's head. Despite his fear, Herihor rose to his feet and withdrew his sword, determined to protect his king.

"Halt!" the voices commanded. Seth thrust a restraining arm toward the guard, knowing of the young man's actions without so much as a turn of his head. "Your king is in no mortal danger. Sheath your weapon and enter. Bring with you the man in your keep." Reluctantly, Herihor put away his sword and extended a hand toward his companion. Slowly, Katenen rose to his feet and, together, they entered the throne room. "Come, Katenen," the voices commanded. "Bring your guard and stand by the side of your king for, as of this moment, your fates and the fate of all Egypt are as one." As the men hesitantly moved to Atem's side, the room began to lighten once again.

"Rise, Atem," Seth directed, his voice slowly returning to its normal tenor, "Rise and hear your judgment." Keeping his eyes affixed to the ground, the god-king stood, his posture one of abject humility. "As I have shared with both you and the guard called Herihor, I have been blessed with a vision from the gods. But, whilst I have told you the basis of that vision, I purposely withheld the interpretation… until now." Suddenly, the priest's intense blue eyes honed onto Katenen. "A dire threat is bearing down on Egypt even as we speak," Seth intoned, his gaze never leaving the blonde. "One that could, if not thwarted, completely destroy Her and rob the world of Her majesty forever. Only you, Katenen, hold the power to destroy this threat..." The priest paused, allowing for the three gasps of shock to be made as he turned his gaze back to the god-king. "…and only ~you~, Atem Nisu, can unlock that power."

For the first time since rising to his feet, Atem raised his eyes to his priest, their expression one of apprehensive disbelief. As he opened his mouth to further question Seth, Atem grasped at his throat, fear and shock chasing the other emotions from his eyes.

"Yes, my King, it is true." Seth answered the unspoken question coolly. "As punishment for both your lack of reverence and your refusal to accept their vision as truth, the gods have taken your voice. At first, you were merely to instruct Katenen: teach him the ways of a prince's consort…" noticing Atem's look of disbelief, the slender brunette interrupted himself. "That ~is~ what he ~is~, Atem Nisu," he averred sternly. "Yugi Re-Pat was his Merwet-Ib; of that there is ~no~ doubt." Keeping his sapphire eyes locked with the crimson ones of his king, Seth returned to topic. "…and, by teaching him, to unlock the necessary power to preserve your land. That task has not changed. Voice or no, it ~is~ your destiny to reveal Katenen's power and, only by doing so, will you regain the ability to speak. In the interim, the very man you are to tutor will be your sole tool of communication." This time, two pairs of eyes stared at him in shocked disbelief. "The training will commence immediately, as Katenen will accompany you to Yugi Re-Pat's entombment in his rightful place."

For the first time since the guard entered the room, Seth's eyes turned toward Herihor. "Escort Katenen back to your quarters and gather his things. He is to be provided with a suite of rooms here; in the royal wing of the palace." Herihor began to protest and, once again, the taller brunette silenced the shorter with a hand. "As reward for both the care that you and your Hemet have bestowed upon Katenen and the staunch loyalty you continue to exhibit, the gods have seen fit to remove you from your current post. As of tomorrow, you ~also~ will be moved into the royal wing… as personal guard and assistant to the consort of Yugi Re-Pat." With that final word, Seth turned and strode out of the room, stopping just inside of the archway where Katenen and Herihor had rested. "Do not be so morose," he said lightly, allowing a smile to grace his handsome features for the first time since he had left his own rooms. "Use the situation to your advantage. The sooner you learn to communicate… the sooner Katenen's power is unlocked, the sooner you can part ways and not have to deal with each other again." Turning his back on the group, Seth exited the room, his cape billowing behind him. As he walked back to his quarters, a smug smile formed on his full lips.

`Of course,' he thought to himself. `If all goes according to plan, being separated from each other will be the ~last~ thing that either of them wants.'

*****

"Khara!" Herihor winced as yet another curse word came screeching out of Katenen's bedchamber. For the past four mornings it had been the same: wake Katenen with the Sun's rising, drag his half-asleep charge to join Atem in the worship of Harmakhet, try and not cringe as Katenen stumbled through the unfamiliar text of praise, try and not grow angry as Atem taunted and insulted the blonde with his expressive eyes, escort a disgruntled and embarrassed Katenen back to his chambers, and then… "Khara!!" Heaving a sigh, the guard moved to the door separating the bed chamber from the rest of Katenen's quarters, knocking and asking the same question he had four times hence.

"Katenen-Neb, do you need some assistance?" The guard's hand was already on the handle and, with a silent chuckle, he silently mouthed the reply he had gotten four times before.

"Yes please, Herihor. And do not use `Neb' again, or I swear I will feed you to the jackals." Still chuckling, Herihor entered the room, his amused smile changing to a pleased one when he looked at his old friend and new master.

"Why are you cursing?" the brunette demanded, slowly circling around the slightly taller blonde. "You've almost gotten it this time!" Katenen's eyes snapped in frustration at the sight of his friend.

"You can forget the `I am so proud' routine," he said dryly, giving the guard a mock glare. "I could hear your snickering in here." Abruptly his playfulness turned to pleading. "Please Herihor, assist me with this," the blonde gestured helplessly toward the apron like gathering of linen that hung haphazardly from his narrow waist. Despite the blonde's consternation, the brunette couldn't help but chuckle again as he looked at the uneven pleats and the way that the apron- which was supposed to rest evenly just above the wearer’s knees- dipped to calf level on one side. "I do not know why ~he~ insists on my wearing this ridiculous garment," Katenen grumbled as Herihor made his way around, loosening the material in some spots and tightening it in others until the apron lay as it should. "I swear ~he~ does it to torment me."

"What did you think Atem would ~have~ you wear?" he asked shortly, reaching out and twitching one last wayward pleat into place. "Your healer's tunic? There!" he exclaimed. "Perfect."

"And what is wrong with my healer's tunic?" Katenen demanded almost petulantly. "It is who I am. This…" again he gestured toward the sheer linen robe, "This is not me." The blonde's next statement brought Herihor to the crux of the problem. "My Yugi would not approve." The words came out as a whisper. "All he ever wanted was for me to be myself." Katenen looked up as a gentle hand clasped his shoulder.

"Robes do not make the man, Katenen; you know that," the brunette chided gently. "And we are entombing Yugi Re-Pat's Xat this day, not his Ka. His Ka will forever remember you as he last saw you: strong, beautiful, willing to give your life to save his… his Merwet-Ib until the end." With tears in his eyes, Katenen brought his hand up to cover the one that Herihor had rested on his shoulder.

"Thank you, my friend," he replied thickly. "I don't know how I would have made it these past seventy days with out you." The blonde heaved a wavering sigh. "I just wish that you could be there today as well."

"I ~will~ be there," Herihor replied, his own voice suspiciously husky. "Anhay and I ~both~ will be. I know that we cannot be near you in body, but our hearts and our minds have been joined with yours in a bond that can never be severed. Rest assured; you will not go through this alone.” A knock at the door brought the two men apart and they both smiled through their tears as Anhay's kind face peered into the opening.

"Katenen-Neb, Atem Nisu's messenger is in the hall. He says it is time." Herihor chuckled as a look of playful irritation crossed the blonde's face in spite of his sorrow.

"I swear by Ra himself, Anhay, if you do not cease and desist with this `Neb' nonsense…" The petite brunette cut him off with an impatient wave of her hand.

"I know, I know. You will feed me to the jackals. Now come on," again she gestured impatiently. "You cannot keep Atem Nisu waiting." Sighing heavily, Katenen exited his quarters, but not without stopping to embrace the woman who had cared for him during his detention.

"I could never throw you to the jackals, Ima-Senet, no matter how much you torment me," he whispered, planting a soft kiss in her dark brown hair. "You are too close to my heart for that." Stepping away from Anhay, he thanked the couple again with one last, heartfelt glance, and was gone.

*****

The hot desert wind blew harshly across the vast, barren landscape, sending grating particles of sand whirling into the air to obscure the vision of any who dared to brave the harsh temperatures. A small caravan consisting of visiting dignitaries and the royal household, and led by Atem-Nisu, King of all Egypt and Katenen, consort to the deceased Yugi Re-Pat, wended its way through the dunes and the wind. If one listened carefully, they could hear the eerily played dirges being carried back toward the palace on the wind.

Just as the king's estate faded from view, the procession stopped and the pallet bearing Yugi Re-Pat's Xat was placed in front of the tomb that had been built for him. From a distance, Herihor and Anhay watched, tears streaming down their faces, as their king and their new master each picked up two canopic jars from the pallet and slowly entered the pyramid shaped vault. Katenen, as Yugi Re-Pat's Merwet-Ib, carried the Ha'py containing the Lungs and the Imset containing the liver; it was tradition for the deceased's mate to carry the two most vital of organs removed, in representation of the belief that true love was as essential to one's life as oxygen and purification. Atem followed the grieving blonde, carrying the Duamutef containing the stomach and the Qwbehsenuf containing the intestines. As soon as the god-king had disappeared into the torch lit passage, the pall bearers once again lifted the pallet and slowly entered the tomb. With that, even the musicians fell silent and the only sound that remained was the whispering desert wind.

Finally, after what was at once an eternity and a mere moment of time, a resounding echo of stone against stone was heard, indicating the closure of the sarcophagus. Almost in unison, the assembled mourners dropped their heads as the echo faded away. Suddenly the silence was once again breached; this time by a deep, keening wail that came from within the tomb. Despite the abruptness of the cry, all heads remained bowed save for two. Hearts rending at the desperation of their friend, Herihor and Anhay began to move through the crowd. Ignoring the stares and whispered comments, and completely disregarding all protocol of social stature, they made it to the entrance just in time for Herihor to catch Katenen as he stumbled back into the light, desolate and broken.

Without a word, he gathered the blonde into his arms, clearing him away from the door just in time for Atem to exit. Quickly the stocky brunette moved to the side, permitting his king to take his rightful spot in front of the tomb. However, much to Herihor's surprise, Atem gestured for the guard to join him in what would have been Katenen’s spot. Hesitating briefly, Herihor moved away from Anhay to stand by his king. After a moment, Seth exited the tomb and, standing just outside of the door, uttered the final incantations needed to preserve Yugi's Xat for the afterlife. Once the last word was spoken, the priest turned toward the gathering. Catching sight of the collapsed blonde in Herihor's arms, Seth's blue eyes filled with compassion. Gently he laid a hand on Katenen, quietly canting a prayer to the gods in askance for peace and healing. Moving to his cousin and king, the slender brunette repeated the prayer before turning and gesturing for the entrance to be sealed.

Slowly the group of appointed slaves slid the large portcullis blocks into position and, as the grating of stone against stone filled the air, Herihor silently offered his own prayer to the gods, thanking them for Katenen's unconscious state and for sparing the blonde the pain that his ~own~ heart felt as he watched that last block slide into place, sealing Yugi Re-Pat away for eternity. As the assembly made their way back to the palace, Herihor felt the weight of a gaze upon him. Turning slowly, so as to not disturb his burden, the guard's hazel eyes met the crimson ones of his king. The expression of pity and compassion in Atem Nisu's eyes as he dropped his gaze to the man in Herihor's arms stunned the stocky brunette into stillness.

Suddenly, in a gesture as tender as Seth's had been earlier, Atem laid a hand on Katenen's forehead and closed his eyes. Though the god-king could not sound his voice, Herihor could tell by watching his ruler's lips that he was repeating the prayer that the high priest had uttered… passing his blessing of peace and healing on to the shattered blonde. Almost as if in a trance, the guard watched Atem withdraw his hand and slowly move toward his palace. After a moment Herihor followed, Anhay at his side.

Whether due to the shadows of Sunset or due to the intensity of their grief, neither man noticed the High Priest standing off to the side, a satisfied smile on his face despite the tears of grief for his small cousin that had finally decided to fall.

Re-Pat- Prince

Merwet-Ib- heart's love

Hemet- wife

Khara- shit

Harmakhet- Egyptian God, Keeper of the sunrise

Xat- the body of the deceased, after the life force has left

Ka- life force

Ima-Senet- Gentle sister

Hapy/Imset/Duamulef/Qwbehsemf- names of the 4 canopic jars, named after the sons of Horus

**tbc**