all disclaimers apply

Yugi awoke panting and angry. What cruelty was this!? He was expecting another steamy dream!

/YAMI!/

The once king was already awake. //I'm here aibou.//

/That wasn't pleasant at all./

//I know.//

/What the heck was that all about!?/

Yami's tone was depressed and saddened. //I wish I knew. I wouldn't wish that upon any family, not even a sworn enemy. What could have happened to cause such cruelty? I wish I could remember! // In truth, his heart knew, but could not respond. It was just his mind that failed to remember.

/Well, at least we know the result of that well, interaction from the previous dream. Wonder if more dreams will appear? Hey, what if there is some force making us dream these dreams?!/

//Yugi, too many questions at once. I've been thinking similar thoughts however. Perhaps there is an unknown force...but most likely some distorted twist of fate.// Yami trailed as the glanced at the Millenium Puzzle resting upon one side on Yugi's desk.

/Oh./ Yugi replied, somewhat disappointed in the vague, ambiguous answer.

//Perhaps my mind and heart are fully awakening and other portions of them being used...allowing dormant remnants of my memories to surface, especially since different parts of the brain are used when one is awake and when one is asleep.//

Yugi gave him a blank stare. The ancient spirit had to chuckle and the seriousness of the conversation needed some drastic uplift. //Aibou, if you studied more, you'd learn and this stuff wouldn't shoot over your head faster than a duel monster from a card.//

/I DO study./

//Let's take an inventory shall we? What's on your desk now? Let's see...one shoved aside mathematics book, one unopened english book on the floor. One notebook full of meaningless doodles rather than notes. Two duel monsters magazines open on the desk, one female fantasy magazine, also open...shall I go on?//

/You've said enough. Sometimes you are such a poor sport Yami!/

//I speak only the truth.//

/Only because you are such a rotten liar./

//Back at you partner! But, as a king, I HAD to be better than this...I think. Kings cannot always reveal truths, especially if it would have a very negative effect upon others within his presence.//

/How do you know that?/

//Common sense. Think about it. Wait, don't think. You'll confuse yourself. // Yami teased with a wink.

/YAMI!/

Elsewhere, in an underground city buried deep in Egyptian sands...

"Sister, some of these ancient scriptures are cryptic! I cannot decipher them at all!" a frustrated Marik yelled as he tried to read some newly discovered items within the pharaoh's tomb.

"Perhaps because they are for the pharaoh only."

"Why?"

"They are written by the High Priest as a personal letter to his king. They may have had some sort of code language between just them."

"Do you think Kaiba would decipher them?"

"Kaiba denies his past. Our only hope is the pharaoh himself."

"But the pharaoh is preoccupied enough. He seeks his past, but if he knows of nothing now. He would not understand the cryptic writings either. I bet he can't even read hieroglyphs sis."

Isis said nothing. It was true. Until the pharaoh regained his memories, he likely knew little of his culture, language, or anything else dealing with his ancient past. She watched as her brother continued to rummage through the items from a hidden vault that he'd accidently triggered upon the wall of the pharaoh's tomb when he had leaned against a wall stone. Marik found another item, this time a ring with an inscription upon its inside.

"Hey sis, a ring, but it's not like the pharaoh's other rings." Marik said as he rolled the ring in his hand and tried to read the inscription on its inside in the faded torch light.

"In unity, my love. In honor, my duty." Marik translated. "Even this reads strangely. I do not understand it."

But Isis did. Call it female intuition or just a haunch, she sensed the meaning of the ring. "This is interesting news indeed. The pharaoh had a queen. This is a ring she may have given him."

"So? It was common for pharaohs to have queens very soon after assuming the throne. In fact, it was common for pharaohs to have many females." Marik commented, with a hint of jealous bile seeping up in his voice. While his dark side had been destroyed, he still had a little contempt for the pharaoh who had so much and gave him so little.

Isis ignored her brother's intent and continued on the previous subject. "So, perhaps our pharaoh was one step ahead of the game all along?"

"I do not follow."

"What is a primary task of any newly crowned pharaoh?"

"Produce an heir to secure the bloodline's position and power."

"Exactly."

"Ahhh, I get it. You think he had a child. But there is no mention of a child or wife in the scriptures or in this tomb of his. Wouldn't the queen at least be mentioned?"

"Unless those who designed this tomb wished her to remain unfound as well as any offspring?"

"As in taking a queen not of royal or noble birth thus an embarrassment to the bloodline?"

"Perhaps, but maybe it was something more."

But Marik hadn't got past the tainted blood part. "Maybe our mighty pharaoh wasn't as prim and proper as we thought. He was young. Maybe he made a mistake for once in his life?"

"Marik, don't think such things! You saw the ring. Whether she was a commoner or not, she became a queen and it appears to have been out of love, not out of necessity."

"You're a hopeless romantic sis. Guys are dogs. Doesn't matter if they have the title of king or flea bag. We all think alike in some respects, especially of the female persuasion. It's simple biology sis."

"Then perhaps I should think about leashing you up at night before you corrupt our own bloodline eh?" Isis half teased, half threatened.

"Now me? I thought we were discussing the pharaoh here?" Marik asked, his eyes trying innocence as best as possible. He wanted the subject changed and fast. His night life was none of his sister's business and he wanted it to remain that way.

"I will place a call to Yugi Motou's grandfather and perhaps his grandfather's archaeological friend, Hopkins about these writings. Their experience and perspectives may shed some light on these." Isis had a feeling that with so many present beings having hints of an ancient past, that Yugi's grandfather too, shared a similar fate and that it would only be a matter of time before he too, remembered events long past.

Meanwhile, back in Yugi's room, Yugi had maintained an upperhand in the little game of tease with the pharaoh.

"Pharaoh's got a girlfriend! Pharaoh's got a girlfriend!" Yugi sang.

Yami had appeared outside of the Puzzle and was simply staring at his partner with a raised eyebrow. Sometimes his light could be so immature.

Yugi stopped singing and dancing about the room upon seeing the not-highly-amused pharaoh. "You're no fun Yami."

"Why do you willingly make a fool of yourself aibou?"

"Eh? I'm having FUN. F-U-N, Fun! Makes a person H-A-P-P-Y and not all dark and dreary like you seem to be." Yugi shot back in defense of himself. Sometimes his spirit friend was more like a pet rock...cold and unmoving.

"Tsch." Yami replied with disinterest, but in actuality, it was a classic rope-a-dope tactic. He knew something Yugi apparently didn't.

"That's it. That all you got! Heheheh, not much of a challenge King of Games. You're actually a bore." Yugi taunted. He was in a playful mood and really wanted to lighten the ancient king up. The recent dreams were beginning to put a strain on both of them.

Yami's eyes narrowed as he took in his partner's challenge. For a moment he contemplated a course of action. Then, found the simplest conclusion. He knew something his partner wasn't paying attention to. A smirk formed from his lips as his eyes raised into amusement. He was responding to Yugi's challenge, only without words. Yami beckoned his light forward with a finger...a challenge to 'bring it on.'

"You'll see! I'll take you on! We'll see who's the King of Games!" Yugi yelled aloud. Just as he launched forward with a pillow, Yugi's mother opened the door. The spirit of the pharaoh had dissapated with a wide smirk just before she did so. It was too late for Yugi to stop his attack. His pillow whacked his mother in the face.

"ooopppssss...sorry mom." Yugi said as he cringed and shrank back. If looks could kill, Yugi's mother just killed him twice over. Within his spirit room, Yami was laughing. Sure he didn't like getting his aibou in trouble, but in some cases like this one, the poor little sap just deserved it.

Yugi's mother huffed and tried to find the right words for the situation. But she couldn't find a proper lecture for this moment. Relaxing her anger, she prepared to depart. "Why do I have such a weird kid?" She commented to nobody in particular as she departed. Just before shutting the door she made one last comment to Yugi. "Your grandfather wants you to assist him in the game shop."

"'kay mom." Yugi replied bashfully. Once the door was shut, he concentrated and entered Yami's soul room. /You're so gonna get one of these days Yami./

The pharaoh continued to laugh. //But not today aibou. Not today.//

Later that evening...

Yugi was busy fumbling over homework. Yami was within his soul room, sleeping. As was common for Yugi, his mind drifted from school work to anything other than such. Gazing up at the constellation Orion through his room's skylight, Yugi closed his eyes and allowed himself a visual daydream. He had no idea, that once again, as in times before, Yami's dreams would transgress minds.

The angry young king paced before his throne. The priests and great vizier were uneasy with concern for their king. Moments earlier, the anxious news of the queen in labor was announced and now, the young father was back in the throne room, obviously distraught. Suddenly he stopped, his eyes widening as he remembered something. With cat-like grace and cheetah-like speed, he spun about and rapidly departed, his cape trailing in flight. The Great Vizier and priests were not surprised with their king's actions. He seemed to have a sixth sense about things anyway. Perhaps he sensed something was amiss.

Pharaoh Atemu stormed back into the birthing chamber, shocking those within. The guards outside, simply gave way. While taller, stronger, and armed, they knew of their king's mystical powers. They would not challenge or even try to sway the king's intent.

"For what do we owe this intrusion to?" Atemu's mother asked.

Atemu didn't reply. He watched as his child quietly suckled its mother's breast. The women in the room were very careful about preventing the infant from crying. All outside the room must be convinced that the child was dead. He stepped cautiously over to his wife and met her concerned eyes. With a gentle hand, Atemu brushed her bangs from her sweaty forehead and lightly kissed it. She knew this was his way of asking for something.

He stepped back from her, his eyes never leaving hers. "May I have the honor of naming our son." he asked softly. His wife nodded in approval.

"He shall be named Anhur. May his name prove his destiny, for such a cruel act that is to befall his life. May he become strong and rise above this as a man and as a warrior. And may he redeem himself as the rightful heir to this kingdom when fate deems it such." Pharaoh Atemu said as a tear scampered down his face. He then kissed the infant on its bald little head and spoke to it. "A thousand apologies my son. You may never forgive me and I will never ask you to. All I ask is that you learn that this was not my judgement. I will write all this down in secret and pass it on to you for when you're older. Please rise like the eagle in the warm desert air and fly beyond anything life throws at you. Shriek with fury and strike with talons, any who dare oppose you upon your call to your destiny."

(Author's note: "Anhur" is the Egyptian name for a being very similar to the Greek god, Ares--the god of war).

The young pharaoh then respectfully nodded to his mother and wife before departing once again. He allowed the tears to flow as he exited. Somehow he knew he had looked upon his son for the last time. He returned to the throne room and tried to hide the tears by wiping them away with his cape. But, it was obvious the king had been crying. While the tears were real for the king, they were also perfect for the realism of the news he was about to tell his court.

With a hushed, low and rough tone, he spoke. "The infant...did not...survive."

All who heard him bowed their heads in sorrow. It was common for infants to die. Egypt had a high infant mortality rate. Very few survived to childhood. From royalty to street rats, death knew no status.

The Great Vizier, Shimon, closed his distance between himself and the young pharaoh. He wanted to hug and console the young man who was obviously very shaken about the news. But, Atemu stepped away. He was actually having difficulty with his own emotions being torn between extreme anger and sorrow.

"Please Shimon, let me be." Atemu spoke softly as he once again, departed the throne room. He wanted to be alone. In great respect to their king and the event that had just occurred, all allowed him to be as such.

Elsewhere in the palace, the infant was being wrapped in thin bandage like cloth. He had to appear dead. Just enough clearance was given with the facial strips to allow the baby to breathe normally while still giving the presence of being completely covered. Atemu's mother whispered a magical spell upon the child...asking it to remain silent and still. As she strode down the palace halls with the child in her hands, most thought she was taking the child to the mummification chambers. Within the birthing chamber, Atemu's wife, the queen, sent one of the king's falcons with a strip of papyrus tied to a leg on a mission. It flew out of the open window of the room and with all the speed it could muster, to its destination.

Atemu's mother, alone in the halls, ducked into a secret passageway, known only to the royal family. It was an escapeway that led beyond the palace walls.

Within moments, a young man with a donkey arrived with the falcon at a covered portion of the palace walls. He simply looked as if he were resting in the shade from the intense heat of the day. The once-queen opened a portion of the wall. She exchanged the infant for the falcon and was also given a bundle that closely resembled the one she had just given the man. With a spell to unlock the one she had placed upon the infant and a brief thank you, she departed back into the palace. The young man, secured the infant and as casually yet as quickly as he could returned from whence he came.

to be continued...