all disclaimers apply

Hours passed in what seemed like only minutes as Isis and Marik absorbed all the knowledge that the tomb offered. Isis could not believe what she was reading! All these years, for countless generations, the knowledge that had been passed on from one Ishtar to another...wasn't entirely true! Little, but very key facts had been omitted in their family history. Isis wondered why, but perhaps as they learned more within the tomb, the reason would reveal itself. How could her family not know afterall!?

"The ancient scriptures appear just as off as our family history." Marik replied softly. "There was another that bore the blood of the Nameless Pharaoh, his direct descendent. While he was but a child, wouldn't he have been first in line to inherit the throne after his father?"

"Something seems amiss brother. Something else, that we don't know of yet, appears to have been in play."

"But according to the ancient scriptures, the priest Seto and the Nameless Pharaoh were friends, competitive friends at that, but not enemies. The high priest was merely a pawn in that battle against the ultimate darkness. There would be little need to 'hide' the child would there?"

"Another force at play that we're not aware of yet?"

"Sister, once we've learned what we know, we should tell Yugi and the pharaoh himself."

"Yes. In due time. Let's make sure we get our own facts straight first. We will contact them with a summons to Egypt itself. They both may doubt all this unless they see it with their own eyes. I will make arrangements and send them plane tickets if they accept."

In Domino City...

Yugi tossed and turned in his sleep. He was in a very deep sleep, yet very restless.

"I must know! I grow tired of this game of cat and mouse. I cannot predict the future and Isis herself does not see the danger that you all speak of. I do not see why the child...MY son, cannot remain with us!"

"Atemu...my love...I cannot give you the answers that you seek. My heart is torn as well. I bore you a son and yet he has been stripped away from us for the benefit of us and the kingdom."

"Benefit of the kingdom? What benefit would it have for the future heir to become a street rat? Where ever he may be, it surely does not benefit him. I can't pass a single night wondering what kind of life he has."

"I was assured that he is with a loving family, being raised as their own."

"BAH! WE are his family!"

"Atemu...please...lower your voice. The walls have ears."

"If the walls have ears then they know of the child. It's difficult to hide that process."

Despite herself, the young queen giggled in her husband's reference to the 'act.' "Then perhaps we need to practice a little more silence, eh my love?"

Atemu's mood softened slightly. He knew he couldn't stay angry for long around his loving wife. For a moment he was silent...almost in thought. "We're not that loud are we?" he asked, lifting a quizzical eyebrow in curiousity.

"Actually, I was referring to just you."

"Me? But I--"

The young queen placed a finger upon his lips, stifling his words into silence once again. "Anhur will be fine. His destiny is grander than either of us could give him. You yourself proclaim that status is nothing. Have faith in him. And now...you have 'other' matters to attend to." she whispered in a silky purr as she snaked an arm behind him and ran a finger up and down his spine. She knew all her husband's favorite areas to be touched. "Shall we see how quiet we can be, hmm?"

Atemu's breathing was already deep and raspy, but for a fleeting moment he fought it off...enough to speak. "How many of these things do you wish to have?" he asked with a glint of humor within his voice in reference to the last child that was produced in a very similar situation.

"A little cocky aren't we?"

Atemu looked down upon himself in play of the reference. "Oh my dear, I hardly think it as 'little.'" the young pharaoh replied in his soft, deep bedroom voice.

"For being the King of Games, you take things too literally sometimes." the queen giggled in a whisper.

"Call it as you wish my dear, but this is a game you truly cannot win."

"Then you know nothing about women dear."

"We shall see..."

Yugi jolted awake in a cold sweat. "Oh this so has to stop!" he exclaimed aloud to no one in particular though he was aiming in a certain royal spirit's direction.

With a hearty yawn, said spirit awoke and inquired. //Aibou?//

With Yami awake, Yugi focused his thoughts more inwardly. /What was THAT all about eh?/ Yugi asked, imitating his mother's reaction to whenever Yugi found himself having done something his mother didn't want him to do or when he was just being weird.

Yami was silent for a long moment. //A dream.// was his only response though a sly smirk swept across his face. Luckily, Yugi could not see this.

/Yami, I can't believe I'm going to say this to you of all people but...you need to get laid! You're having way too many of these dream romps./

//But I was getting laid...in that dream.//

/I know. You need to stop./

//What do you mean? You just said it yourself...to get laid. Should I stop having sex in my dreams or stop dreaming?//

/BOTH!/

The spirit chuckled. Sometimes Yugi was just impossible.

/It's not funny!/

//But aibou, it truly is.//

/You're corrupting me Yami./

//You corrupted yourself Yugi. You and Joey have looked at plenty of those perverse magazines and tapes.//

/You know about those?/

//How could I not? Just as you see into my thoughts and dreams, I see into yours.//

Outwardly Yugi blushed. He'd forgotten that the link between them went both ways. Obviously the pharaoh didn't bring it up unless it was deemed necessary...like at this moment.

/Still, my mother would scream if she found out I was having other people's sex dreams./

Yami chucked again. //Your mother would do more than scream if she found out that her little child actually has a split personality thanks to one ancient spirit of a pharaoh.//

/See Yami, you've weirded me out!/

//You were weird enough before I came about aibou. Don't make me the scapegoat on that one.//

/I oughta charge you rent for using my body./ Yugi replied, unsure about how to continue the conversation yet wanting to change the subject.

//Rent? Technically not using your body. I reside within the Puzzle. You tend to summon me forth to 'use' your body. Therefore, it is a service rendered to you. The two factors cancel one another out.//

/You're too smart for your own good Yami. You overthink things that aren't meant to be./

//Force of habit.//

/Well...UNFORCE it!/

//???//

Ancient Egypt...

True to his unwavering desire of curiousity, Anhur was restless. He remained low for many months that swelled into a couple of years. He was intrigued and bothered by the royal prince. At the same time, he also saw the prince as a challenge...something or someone worthy of picking a fight with. To Anhur, it just seemed so right, so proper to challenge the prince. But, like his biological father, he listened to caution and knew to wait until the time was right. Patience, was something he had to practice regularly. He was unsure about what powers the young prince may have gained or already mastered. Only a fool would step forward against an opponent unprepared. So, Anhur knew he had one and only one thing to do...develop his kaa and master the dark games. He had heard the talk of a king of thieves whose kaa could nearly take on the gods themselves. But, the thief mastered the kaa through hatred. Anhur refused to acknowledge such evil into his heart. He had to find a way to produce strong kaa with virtue and goodness.

Anhur was also finding distractions in his quest...or rather some found him.

"You wear the colors of the royal family. Do you work in the palace?" Anhur asked as a young woman, slightly older than himself was looking over the breads and goods at the market stand he was working at for his step father. Anhur was quick to notice the colors beneath her rather dull, colorless cloak.

"You could say that. My station is the chambers of the young prince."

"Concubine?"

"To some extent. But the prince has little interest in females. We are only for show."

"What do you mean...only for show?"

The young woman glanced from side to side before speaking.

"The young prince...he favors other males. The servant boys get the action. Not us. We are present so as not to arose suspicion to allies of Egypt or of its peoples. I think at first the prince wanted to keep it a secret from his father."

"Does the king know now?"

"Yes, but he's trying to convince his son that it's just a phase. The prince is still young. He can be changed. There is growing concern throughout the palace that if this prince takes the throne, there will not be an heir in that blood after."

"Have you heard him speak of a jackal?"

"Yes, many times...with his lover."

"His lover!?"

"The prince is at that stage in life now. He takes a lover...a Nubian male he'd met during combat training."

"Interesting. But that aside...do you hear anything of the jackal he speaks of?"

"An animal of the darkness. Possible servant of Anubis himself. A handsome, dashing animal that hunts within the village, but seeks prey within the palace."

Anhur knew what she spoke of, but allowed it to fly over his head. He didn't want to tip his hand to the wrong people. Then, an idea formed within his head. He quickly changed the subject back to the previous topic. "So, the prince likes other men eh?"

The young woman nodded. As a thank you for the information, Anhur gave her a freshly made loaf of bread rather than having her pay for it and a light kiss on the cheek as a way of letting her know that she was still beautiful and admired by males even if the prince ignored her. She blushed and smiled graciously. As she departed, Anhur called back to her. She stopped after several steps and returned to him.

"Perhaps we shall meet again?" Anhur asked softly his eyes gleaming with interest.

"We shall see."

"May I have the courtesy of your name?"

"The princess, Kashir."

"P-princess!?"

The young woman quickly put a hand to Anhur's mouth to quiet him. "Not so loud. It's not often I get the opportunity to walk about the village in the guise of a commoner."

"Bu--But why are you a concubine? Shouldn't you be a wife?"

"I am, but the young prince has little interest in such. I was betrothed to him when I was but a child. So now, I simply bide my time as another useless female in a chambers where the bed is only shared with other males. Perhaps one day he will be forced to bed with me to produce an heir, but no more than that."

"I understand fair Kashir. I do hope to see you again still?"

Kashir winked at him. "You intrigue me bread boy. Perhaps I shall request your services in the palace in the near future."

"The name's Anhur. And yes, you will see me again. I promise you that."

Kashir turned and departed...just as Anhur pondered her last words. He ran after her.

"HEY! What do you mean about services?"

Kashir slowed her pace and allowed him to catch up before speaking. "I'll leave you to ponder that one, Anhur...son of Atemu and duelist extraordinaire." she whispered in his ear then took her leave while Anhur, wide-eyed, dumbstruck and sputtering just stood like a shivering rock.

to be continued...