Her gentle heart fluttered with pure excitement as she strode down the palace hallways, admiring everything she could in the short amount of time she had before she was to meet with the Pharaoh. Jade posessed insurmountable courage and strength on the battlefield, but now she felt weak, even vulnerable to the eyes of whom she had devoted her life to three years ago.

"I see you were able to find your way through this maze, Jade."a familiar voice echoed. The blonde looked to her comrade with a nervous smile.

"Reia...thank you for recommending me to join you and the Pharaoh tonight."Jade told her humbly, concealing her shyness behind her cascading rays of light. "I...never deserved this, nor your friendship."

Reia didn't shift her gaze downward to meet with Jade's mesmorized hazel orbs, maintaining her focus on their destination. "I simply chose you because you are the only one person I know whom I can trust...and grow fond of. Your companionship has meant more than you know, Jade, and please accept this evening as a mere representation of my gratitude to you."

Jade smiled brilliantly, tucking away Reia's meaningful speech deep inside her heart to treasure forever. Never in all this time had she even thought that they were so close. The sheer thought of their tightening bond gave her the shivers as they turned a corner and beheld a gloriously decorated banquet hall. Royal blues and other magnificent colors draped over every object, giving the chamber the image of a painter's canvas, his artwork at last completed.

A lone and presiding figure stood at the opposite end of the hall, his back facing the duo until he pivoted around to meet eye-to-eye with his guests. Jade dropped to one knee the instant he looked at her, hiding her blushing face from his beautiful eyes. Reia too knelt in respect, but not so deeply as Jade did, she now accustomed to greeting him formally. He smiled and placed one hand under each of their chins to lift their gazes to meet his own.

"Welcome, ladies..."he told them, bowing as a gentlemen would as if they were ladies of the court. "Reia, it is indeed a pleasure to see you again. And I presume your companion is the honorable Jade?"

He reached out his hand for the golden haired teen, taking it and placing a soft kiss to her long fingers. Jade blushed again and bowed her head once more to acknowledge her obedience. "My Pharaoh..."she began, her voice shaking consistently. "I...It...I'm honored to be with you and Reia this evening, Great One. May I please say what a privilege it is to serve and protect you?"

Yami chuckled slightly under his breath, catching a cautious stare from his guardian, giving him the signal that Jade was overwhelmed by the meeting, let alone the invitation to spend the evening. So he quickly cleared his throat and spoke. "The pleasure is all mine, Jade. I'm more than happy to have two beautiful, as well as lionhearted warriors of Khemet join me."

This is how it went every time, Reia mused to herself. All the formal greetings and expressions of gratitude being exchanged had bored her for days on end since she had come into the Pharaoh's service of being his personal guardian. Couldn't they just stop and get on with the evening? This was not exactly what Reia considered entertaining nor delightful, however, these were the customs and she had no choice but to abide by them.

"...Your surprising strength astounds me, Jade. It's comforting to know that there are brave souls like you willing to protect your homeland." Yami commented after Jade had replied to his inquiry of her service to him throughout the years.

Reia then cleared her throat politely. "Great One, I know that the guest of honor usually is to sit at the Pharaoh's right hand, so may I suggest Jade be given the privilege?" The blue haired beauty shot Jade a half smile, a truly rare sight, as Jade's insides locked and froze in place.

Yami grinned and nodded in agreement. "Of course, Lady Jade, please..."he then motioned for her to take the seat on his right, watching her hesitantly situate herself. Reia set herself down with ease to his left, fighting the urge to laugh at Jade's attempts of concealing her anxiousness. "Lady Jade...?"he said, halting her fidgeting. "You do not have to be so nervous and formal around me. I won't have you beheaded for improper manners."

"Thank you, my Pharaoh. I guess I am acting a little on edge."she replied, relief pouring out through her nostrils in a deep sigh. "But...one last formality, if I may, Great One?" Yami nodded, adding a smile as she lifted her glass. "I'd like to propose a toast to Khemet's greatness under the rule of a truly dignified Pharaoh who knows no fear and fights for honor, not victory. To the Pharaoh!"

"To Khemet's legacy."Yami added, he too lifting his glass.

"...To her king." Jade and Yami looked at Reia surprisingly as she smiled, holding her glass with a steady hand. After a brief pause, the three sipped from their drinks and returned the glasses to their original positions on the lavishly decorated table.

Jade then began to snicker, Yami joining in, however unsure why, and Reia just sat there with a blank look on her face. "I've always wanted to try that, and now Reia chimes in with this glorious three word speech! Taking all my glory before the Pharaoh, are you now, Reia?" Jade teased with a toothy grin.

Reia angled her eyebrow upwards, deciding to play along. "But remember, Jade, it was I who taught you how to defend yourself with words, not just your sword."

"I believe she learned from the best then."Yami laughed, popping a grape into his mouth as the two women continued.

"Oh, so that's how you're going to play it, eh? Fine, I can fight by those words."Jade shot back, a smirk spreading across her sweet complexion. She then took another sip of her wine, its richness soaking into her tastebuds. "And just who was it who came to me for advice when one of the commander's approached you about marriage-?"

There was sudden silence as Jade's face turned blank, emmitting no more giggles of amusement.

"Jade..."Reia called curiously. No response. "Jade."Nothing.

Jade tried to desperately to draw in the necessary air to breathe, but found her efforts useless as she toppled from her chair and onto the floor. Yami and Reia immediately acted and took their places next to her, Reia lifting the young warrior into an up-right position. "Breathe, Jade, please!!" Reia commanded.

It was still no use for Jade's lungs were collapsing for no reason, the blonde girl powerless in the situation. She groped for Reia's hand and held it with her all her strength. "Reia..."she wheezed painfully. "I...can't..."

"Don't say that, Jade!"Reia shouted, her emeralds beginning to glaze over in disbelief. "You're going to be all right, just keep trying! I taught you to never give up a battle without fighting first!" She paused for a moment and caressed the chilling hand. "Please Jade...you're all I have."

Jade let a weak smile form on her lips, sensing her inescapable end draw near with each passing second. "Reia, thank you...for all you've taught me...and..."she stopped, choking in agony. "...And for being my...my...fr-...iend."

Yami's head hung lowly when his newly discovered guest had taken her last difficult breath and fell backwards lifeless in her teacher's arms. He wanted to console Reia, but found himself at a loss for words as well as actions, until all he could do was rise up in pride, but with humility.

"I...will see to it that she receives the most honorable of processions, Reia."he managed to choke out, Reia still silent in horror. He gingerly touched her shoulder, trying to send a wave of sincerity through her. "...I'm sorry, Reia." Without another word, he left her alone with her solitude.

Death was lying her arms, and there was nothing she could have done to prevent it. She wanted to cry and mourn for her friend's death, but tears refused to come. After all her years of seclusion from emotions and refusal of embracing companionship, Reia's eyes only gazed down at the lifeless body draped over her arm, waves of shining golden hair dangling without meaning for existance.

How could she have let his happen? It should have been her, not this innocent girl who had only just begun to express how she felt to her and the Pharaoh. But no, fate had chosen Jade as the victim who was without fault to fall to such a despicable way to die. Whoever it was that did this to Jade, Reia would seek them out to see that her fragile friendship which she had just acknowledged not long before would be avenged.

But more than revenge had taken her mind's concentration, for a single clear teardrop began to roll down her cheek, only to fall onto the exposed skin over Jade's heart. This was it, every barrier she had previously placed in the past would now be removed as she pulled Jade closer and sobbed softly into the blonde strands, the tears getting lost amidst the pale yellow rays of sunshine.

"Jade...you've been a wonderful friend to me, and I will avenge your death if it's the last thing I ever do." Scooping the still warm corpse into her arms, Reia carried Jade out of the banquet hall and to the resting chamber of the dead, near the dungeons. The Pharaoh would be there and she could seek his assistance.

As she exited the eerily quiet dining hall, Reia caught a brief glimpse of two pairs of eyes in the shadows of the corridors. One pair was a piercing yellow, the other a delighted but confused azure. She narrowed her eyebrows down and quickened her pace on to her destination.

Seth growled frustratingly to his companion. "Why is she still alive?!"he grumbled quietly.

"It would appear the other one took the seat of honor."the other figure replied in an equally hushed tone.

"I can see that, Krayak!"Seth shot back coldly. "Didn't I make it clear I wanted Reia out of the way, not this worthless child of a soldier!"

Krayak looked back at his comrade who was glaring down at him with fierceness in his sapphire iris'. "Then if you want her out of the way so badly...why not do it yourself?"Krayak mused with a slight smirk.

"Don't forget you fool, I have the power to destroy you, so you better not fail me next time!"

"As you wish, Seth."

Seth sneered in displeasure and shifted his gaze back out into the empty hall. "I want her dead, Krayak, so I can kill the Pharaoh without her trying to be noble and sacrificing herself-! Wait a moment..."Seth paused and grinned wickedly, stroking his chin in a suggestive manner that made Krayak cock his head a little to the side in curiosity. "Of course...if she were to sacrifice herself, then I could easily take the Pharaoh's life and his power. It's perfect, Krayak!"

Krayak was silent for a few long and drawn out moments. "Excellent plan, Seth, but I would not underestimate Reia's fighting skills. She's killed more men than most those twice her age. Reia's not one to trifle with, that much is certain."

"I don't care, she'll be dead by the jaws of my dragons in a heartbeat. Your end is near, Pharaoh, as is that of your beautiful guardian..."

Chapter 14 - Leaving Without a Goodbye