For Vaiarc, for winning the Yugi Summer-Themed Contest at Pointyhairluv on DA

(I apologies in advance for the quality of this Vaiarc, sorry I couldn't do better...)

Alright, this story ended up ten times longer and completely different to my original plan; much darker, but still with a happy ending. It's also the 3rd attempt. I will admit, I wrote the first 2 sections, and then the final one, so the one in between may be a little messy.
I will put this, though:

I have never written a proper Romance fic before.

So this is my first attempt; constructive criticism appreciated XD

Notes to aid the story:
1) A Pharaoh 'comes of age', as I've put it, at the age of 18. Before that, the High council basically have control over the Pharaoh's decisions and the running of the country.
2) It was believed the sun-god, Ra, went on a 12-hour trial every night, fighting off enemies until the following morning when the sun rose again, symbolising Ra's triumph of darkness.
3) Atem's name is a secret in this version, to sort of align with the Memory arch but more for the ending of this fic...
4) In The Japanese version (Yup, I'm actually using sub reference XD It just works better for the story) Mana always called Atem 'Prince', so Atem's reference will switch between Prince, Pharaoh and Atem, depending on the focal character in the paragraph.

Also, I've actually gone a little symbolic in placing this story at night time.. well, there are two reasons, can anyone figure them out?

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

"This is talking"
'These are thoughts'

Forbidden Love

The quarters of High Priest Mahaad were sickening hot. Even with the number of cooling enchantments he had placed upon the area, the harsh heat of the Egyptian sun seemed to have penetrated the thick palace walls and become trapped within the relatively cramped room. With large stacks of books and parchment lining one side of the room, while a rack of separate potions, perfumes and herbs walled the other, the scents of which now rose in the heat and mingled to create a nauseating aroma, it was little surprise that the High Priest spent no more time here than was necessary.

Mana stifled a yawn, but allowed her body the luxury of a comfortable stretched. Leaves of parchment were scattered all around her, various spells jotted messily across each one, some so quickly she knew she wouldn't be able to decipher them later. The heat of the room also prevented the ink from drying, and so much of the apprentice magician's notes were running into each other. Her mind was not on her magical studies, however. As she stared into nothingness, a face formed in her mind, the face of a boy she had known from childhood to this present day, free of the grief, stress and worry that had creased his handsome face for the past number of weeks. His brilliant violet eyes shone with the warmth and determination she had always admired, eyes so deep and unnaturally wise she had often found herself lost in them...

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Mana reached over and gripped the staff the lay on the floor next to her tightly,
"Cut it out Mana," she thought to herself, raising the blue staff so it was pointing at the cluster of notes before her, "you know it can't happen."

She knew she should probably stand and take a more controlling position before attempting to cast a spell, but that would take too much effort. Besides, it was a simple spell. At the very worst, she may scatter her notes instead of organising them.

"Alright..." she thought to herself, taking a deep breath and focussing completely on the pages before her. She choose a centre page, and willed all those around it to lift themselves off the floor. She smiling when three of the pages lifted with ease, gliding slowly towards the focal page, which others shook and slowly began to raise.

But despite the pride she felt in herself for her spell succeeding, as she watched the pages slowly hover towards each other, she couldn't help but worry about her lifelong friend, and whether the tests Mahaad and the other Priests were challenging him with were too powerful... or were even successful.
"I hope the Prince is ok..."

"Mana?"

Mana yelped and threw her arms in the air in shock, scattering her notes upwards in doing so. She did not turn her head upwards towards them, however, but spun around to glare at the person standing in the doorway. "Don't scare me like that Mahaad!"

Said magician stood with a small pile of parchments in his arms, a look af surprise and mild annoyance on his face as he watched his students notes flutter down and scatter around is already disorganised room. He noticed that a number of books had been moved, while many of his carefully drawn out spell parchments lay spread out on his bed, on the floor or on one of the shelves on the potions rack. "Mana, I thought I gave you a spell book to work from..." he said in a firm, disapproving tone, "You are not permitted to look through my notes, you are not ready for those spells."

The young apprentice, completely unaffected by her teachers tone, shrugged and simply said, "The book you gave me was boring," before leaping to her feet. She spun around and clenched her staff with both hands, not caring to mask the eagerness in her voice. She didn't need to, not around Mahaad. "How is the Prince? Is he alright?"

Mahaad smiled; he had wondered why Mana was still awake so late. "Don't worry Mana, the Millennium Puzzle accepted him as it's new possessor without any trouble.

" Mana let out a sign of relief, "That's wonderful!" she beamed brightly, clapping her hands slightly. She spun around and threw her staff carelessly towards Mahaad's bed, letting it land and bounce with a few soft thuds. Before the elder magician began to voice his disapproval at her abuse of one of her greatest tools, Mana darted past him into the corridor, and sprinted down towards the stars, "I've got to go see him!"

"Mana wait!" Mahaad called after the young girl, but she was already dashing around the corner and out of sight by the time he had managed to step back out into the corridor. "The Pharaoh is resting Mana!" he called after her in vain, sighing and shaking his head.

"You are such a foolish girl..." the Priest thought to himself as he walked into his room, a simply wave of his hand shuffling all of Mana's notes into one neat pile near his own.
"Don't you realise he is the Pharaoh now? Things will never be the same between the two of you again, it can't be..."

He moved to his bed and placed the parchments he had just collected at one end, while trying to organise the ones Mana had scattered all over it.
"He is the Pharaoh now Mana... He thought as he piled the papers to the side, placing Mana's staff against the wall at the side of the room, "You have to let go of your feelings for him..."

Atem groaned and turned over once again, struggling to find a comfortable position that would help him get to sleep, but in vain. His mind was far to busy to allow him any rest. Now that he was Pharaoh, the High Priests had 'expectations' for him...

"What can I do? As I am not of age the High Priest's have more control over my life than I do... She could always... I mean, I don't even know how she feels but, if she did, maybe she could...?"

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden shift in the air, and the Pharaoh fell completely still, but was careful to keep his breathing relaxed so as not to alert the person in the room that he was awake. He had always been able to sense the magic of others, it had been something that had surprised and delighted his teachers when he was younger, but even mere hours after gaining the Millennium Puzzle's powers he noticed his senses were far sharper. He concentrated on the source of the shift, then smiled.

"You know Mana, the guards of this palace are of little use if they can't kept a mere apprentice magician from entering my room," he said, rolling over on his bed and focussing his eyes on the area, hidden in the shadows, where he knew his friend was standing.

"I knew you wouldn't be asleep," Mana's spoke quietly, making Atem's smile widen. He loved the sound of her voice; it always sounded so musical and happy. Even now, when she was speaking quietly, Atem could hear the joy within her heart through her words.

The Pharaoh was taken aback, however, when a fast padding sound erupted from the darkness, and suddenly a large body landed on his bed near him. He had to catch himself before he yelled in surprise. "Mana!" he whispered loudly, "Do you want to get caught? The Priests wouldn't stand for this!"

Mana giggled and sat up beside the Pharaoh, smiling brightly even though she knew he couldn't see her, "Oh come on, it's no big deal! It's not like we're doing anything..." she trailed off slightly and blushed, suddenly remembering she was sitting on the Pharaoh's bed, in the middle of the night, when the king was quite possibly half-naked. "Oh..." She said awkwardly, giggling nervously, "I guess this, uh, would look a little suspicious, huh?"

Atem coughed uncomfortably, and thanked Ra for taking the 12-hour trial of darkness that now hid his reddened face. He smiled, though, and chuckled, "I don't think we need to worry, I'm sure they would understand."

"Yeah..." Mana agreed, shuffling slightly before stopping herself. If the Pharaoh felt anything like she did right now, any form of movement was going to make him nervous.
"So... Pharaoh, huh?" Mana smiled, trying to break the silence that was beginning to descend between them, "That's a nice title; only took you sixteen years to get a hold of it," she joke.

"Yes is it... something..." Atem said awkwardly, turning his eyes away from where Mana was seated, allowing them to fall, instead, on the Millennium Puzzle resting on the table beside his bed.

Mana blinked and tilted her head, "Prince? Are you alright? You don't seem yourself..."

"What? Y-yes, I'm fine Mana," he smiled, shaking his head and falling silent.

Mana pouted, not at all pleased that her friend would try to lie to her like that. Though, to be honest, she was more worried as to why he would lie in the first place.
"He's been through a lot since his father died..." she thought, remember the horrible day over a month ago that the Prince had been told his fathers mysterious illness had finally taken him. He had been so confused; happy that his fathers pain was over, that he was to meet the Gods and travel the afterlife, but the sudden loss of his most admired figure took it's toll on the Prince.
"Maybe he needs some cheering up..." she thought, smiling.

"Alright!" Mana announced, probably a little too loudly considering Atem instantly tried to hush her as she jumped off the bed. "Put on some clothes."

"What? Why?" Atem asked, bewildered. "Argh!" he hissed, shielding his eyes as Mana flared a ball of magic to light in the palm of her hand, her back to him.

"Come on, we don't have all night," she said, spinning around once she was sure the magic in her hand was stable. She blushed when she noted the Pharaoh's chest was bare, but quickly shook her head and brushed it off. "Go on, it's too cold for just your shendyte," she said, indicating to the garment he wore around his waist, "get your tunic."

Atem, who was still sitting up in his bed, smiled and shook his head. "There's no use trying to argue, is there?"

"Nope!" Mana beamed, and Atem rolled his eyes.

"Fine," he said, getting out of bed and reaching for his tunic that lay neatly folded near his Puzzle. As he pulled it over his head, he asked, "So what are you planning? If you're going after the gazelle meat like last time I hope you remember the kitchen workers are an angry group."

Mana chuckled at the memory, "Ah, good times, good times... but no, I'm planning a little something from the old days..."

Atem pulled his head through his tunic and frowned. "Wait a minute..." he muttered, and Mana chuckled.

"Mana, we shouldn't be doing this..." Atem muttered, but followed the young apprentice all the same, moving as quietly as he could through the courtyard.

"I know, isn't it great? It's just like when we were little!" Mana beamed, yelping slightly when Atem suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her behind one of the dozen sphinx that flanked the path to the castle entrance.

"Quiet... someone's coming..."

Mana could feel the heat rise to her face as the Pharaoh's voice whispered in her ear, and she became aware that his hand was clenched firmly around hers. Instinctively, she held it back, closing her eyes and praying that her beating heart would slow down.

She did not see who it was that had almost spotted them, nor did she notice them leaving, until she felt a slightly tug on her hand. Opening her eyes she turned to Atem, who was wearing a mischievous smile she had not seen him wear in a long time.

"We nearly got caught..." he said.

Mana smiled, "Yes we did."

"I forgot how fun this was," Atem admitted, chuckling quietly. Mana laughed also, but partially from nervousness. When she tried to pull her hand away, however, Atem's grip tightened once again, "Um," he smiled slightly as she looked back at him, confused, "Let's, um... let's just... It'd be easier to..." he swung his arm slightly, then nodded uncomfortably, and strode onwards, keeping Mana's hand in his own.

Mana couldn't stop the smile spreading across her face; she trotted up next to the Prince and fell into step by his side. It may be just to make sure they weren't separated in the dark, or to offer each other comfort as they pressed against the walls and snuck outside the palace boundaries, but that didn't stop her enjoying the warm feeling fluttering in her stomach at the simple contact.

And something told her that the way the Prince kept smiling back at her suggested he was thinking similarly.

Atem had never been out of the palace at night time before, and had he been honest with himself he would have had to admit, it made him nervous. Especially as he walked through the narrow streets, where any number of thieves could have been laying in wait in the shadows. He had kept a brave exterior, however, and allowed Mana to direct him on where to go.

Now he stood atop a large, sandy dune, overlooking the Nile and the floodplains full of what he knew to be lush green reeds. In the night, however, they were invisible, the water casting a beautiful reflection of the moon, stretched across it's surface like a path from one side of the river to the other. Something about it make the surrounding darkness seem less threatening; rather than worrying of what sort of danger lurked beyond the moons light, Atem found himself thinking only of how he was now standing here with Mana, holding hands, all alone.

He felt a slight tug on his hand, and looked over to find Mana sitting on the sand, trying to silently order him to do the same. He obliged, and soon they were both staring across the river, eyes taking in the beautiful shimmering glow of the moon on it's surface and the stars they could see in the sky beyond the opposite bank.

"So..." Mana said, and both teens turned to look at each other. Atem couldn't help but admire Mana, and how the light of the moon bounced off her skin and made it shine an eerily beautiful, pale colour. "Are you ready to tell me what's wrong?"

Atem frowned; he didn't want to ruin the mood with such things, "Mana..."

"You know I won't give up until you tell me," Mana smiled, leaning over and nudging him slightly with her shoulder. "Don't you like being Pharaoh? Is that it?"

"What? No, no, that's not it..." Atem shook his head, turning his attention to the river once again. As he watched the light of the moon dance across the river-waves, his mind was elsewhere. It had returned to his room, and the issues that had haunted him there. "Except..."

"Except?" Mana asked encouragingly, tilting her head her head. It was never difficult for the Prince to open up to her when they were alone; had she not managed to catch him alone all those weeks ago, he would probably still be bottling up his grief from his father's death. She was always there to listen, and he always did his best to return the favour.

"It's just... There are only three things about being Pharaoh that bother me Mana..." Atem said, picking up a handful of sand and allowing it to drain slowly from his hand, "The first is the worry that I will not live up to my fathers legacy, but that's a fear I know I will have to overcome in time... The second issue is that of my name; this taboo on saying it aloud, on even letting people know what it is, what does it mean? It has never happened to anyone else before..."

Mana had often wondered the same thing; ever since she had known the Pharaoh she had just referred to him as 'Prince', or even 'Your Highness' in there early days. She had not learned of the taboo until Mahaad had explained it to her, and yet he refused to say why no one was to know it. Apparently it was an order given by the previous Pharaoh, the Princes father, when he was merely a year old. The reasons behind it were known only by the High Priests.

"Well..." Mana offered, though she was not entirely sure of the words forming as they came out of her mouth, "Perhaps your name is important... for some reason? I mean, I've heard of spells that are activated by a single word, perhaps your name is the key to something?"

"Are there really spell's like that?" Atem asked, blinking when Mana smirked at him.

"Someone wasn't paying attention to his mentors," she said in a singsong voice, poking the Pharaoh's arm and making him chuckle.

"Well, that does seem the more likely possibility..." Atem mused, "But why not tell me...?"

Mana threw her arm's around dramatically as she said, "Because the High Priest's are too caught up in there own self-importance to think of telling you," she announced, smiling as the Pharaoh laughed aloud at her antics. Once he had quietened, she announced, "Come on, two down, one to go. What's the next Pharaoh issue!"

Atem's smile quickly vanished from his face, and was replaced instead by one of nervousness. "Um, well," he mumbled, in a voice quite unlike his own, "It's... It's nothing, never mind..." he said, avoiding her eyes.

"Prince?" Mana whispered, giving his hand a comforting squeeze. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Atem's eyes drifted down to his and Mana's joined hands; did he really want to risk this? Their friendship was absolute, but anything more was a mere fantasy. A dream he dared to hope would one day come true, but now seemed impossible...
"I've had these feelings for so long... and now it seems that she may..." Dare he hope? "She may feel for me what have felt for her all this time... If that's true..."
He tightened his grip slightly on Mana's hand and took a deep breath.
"I have to tell her..."

"Mana..." Atem started awkwardly, his heart pounding so quickly against his chest it hurt, "Over the past month, the trials of the Millennium Puzzle have taken over any other obligations I've had to fulfil upon ascending the throne... but now that they are over, the High Priests have decided that... That..."

Mana was beginning to worry; why was the Prince so nervous? "Prince..." she said, hoping she was offering encouragement rather than making him more nervous than he already was.

Atem took a deep breath and shut his eyes. He couldn't look her in the eye for this. "They have decided that I need to choose a queen..." Mana started slightly at this; Atem could feel her jump though his eye were closed, "One of high status... possibly of royal blood or another high status in society..."

"...Oh," Mana said, subconsciously snapping her hand away from Atem's. The Pharaoh understood her reaction, but it did not lessen the feeling that his heart had been stabbed.
"A... A queen..." she muttered.

Atem didn't like the way she said that, "Wait, Mana I-"

"No, it makes sense, right?" Mana smiled and nodded enthusiastically, turning her attention once again to the stars, her hands resting on her lap, which continued to shine despite the heartache both teenagers were feeling, "I mean, a Pharaoh needs a queen, doesn't he? And... it makes more sense if she's... if she's..."

Atem clenched his teeth as tears formed in Mana's eyes, blinking hard to control his own emotions from flowing in the same way, "Mana please..." he whispered, unable to speak clearly, reaching out and touching her cheek. She flinched at his touch as first, but Atem reached out and placed his hand on the side of her face, turning her towards him. Tears streamed down Mana's face and she clenched her eyes shut.

"I'm s-sorry my Prince!" she sobbed, "I don't know what is that matter with me, I... I'm just-"

"Mana, please, listen to me..." Atem whispered, his voice cracking despite his attempts to control it. He could feel the tears welling in his eyes, but blinked them away. He thumbed away the tears on her face, but the pain was too much for Mana. She shut her eyes tight and lowered her head, and Atem was suddenly aware that tears were starting to flow down his own face now, "Mana..." he choked, leaning forward and lowering his head so it rested against Mana's, "Please Mana, don't... This... Mana, we don't need... to do this, we can fix this..."

Mana sniffed, trying desperately to control her tears. She had always feared the news that she could not be with the Prince, she had even expected it... But nothing could prepare her for this, for this pain she thought could only be inflicted without a weapon. And now it was worse, because she now knew her feelings were returned. "We can't... We c-can't fix this..."

"Yes..." Atem took a deep breath, he's voice shaky but controlled, "Yes, we can Mana... there's a way..." He pulled away and tilted Mana's head up to face his own, her eyes were still shut tightly. "... Mana? Mana... look at me..."

The young magician hiccoughed slightly, but opened her eyes to meet Atem's; those brilliant violet eyes that now shone with emotion. He smiled warmly, and brushed some hair from her face;
"I never want to lose you, Mana..." he whispered, his face leaning closer to her's as he spoke so quietly she could barely hear him, "You are my light, my life... Without you, I can see nothing but darkness in my future..." His eyes slid closed and Mana's heart skipped a beat, but against her hopes he leaned his forehead against hers, their lips almost touching. Ever quieter, his breath brushing across her skin and making her shiver and close her eyes, he whispered those four, wonderful words she had dared to hope she would hear one day;

"I love you Mana..."

They both tilted, and at that moment their lips met. Fresh tears formed in Mana's eyes as, slowly and softly, Atem kissed her, his hand still resting on the side of her face and catching her tears as they fell. She cherished every second of this precious moment, this moment she had thought only existed in her dreams.
"I love you too..." she muttered tearfully as they broke for a moment, quickly kissing him once again, "Always... I love you..."

Atem smiled and breathed a short laugh of relief and delight, brushing the tears from Mana's face before taking her in his arms and hugging her tightly. She sniffed, wrapping her arms around the Pharaoh's torso and leaning her head against his shoulder. He never wanted to let her go.
"Then we'll make this work... I promise you..."

Mana's heart plummeted with dread, "But... how?"

"We're already nearly there..." Atem smiled, "Women of high status..."

"But I'm..." Mana began, but choose to let Atem finish.

Atem allowed his arms to slide further down Mana's back, then leaned back slightly. Mana did likewise, leaning back to look straight into Atem's eyes, her arms around his waist. The smile on his face instantly warmed her heart.
"You're already in training Mana... and I know you can do it..."

Mana's eyes grew wide as realisation struck her, a smile forming on her face, "I could become a priestess..." she muttered, and Atem nodded, skill smiling. "Oh my... Prince, I'll do it... I'll become a Priestess and then..."

"We can be together..."

Mana pulled her arms away from around Atem's waist and, still smiling, leaned up and kissed him softly on the mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck as his tightened around her waist. When they separated, both just stared into each others eyes, blue and violet lost in a swirl of love understood only by those who shared it.

Later, as they both lay together in the sands by the Nile, Mana's head resting on Atem's chest and arm wrapping around his waist, the Pharaoh's arm lying across her back, Atem looked down and stroked the hair from her face. "Mana?

"Yes Prince?■ she looked up, finding his eyes in the semi-darkness as the moon began to set.

"My name is Atem," the Pharaoh said, smiling at the shocked look the spread across the girls face as he said so. He lowered his voice and placed a finger to his lip, whispering, "But it's a secret... Ok?"

"Of... Of coarse..." Mana smiled and lay her head back against Atem's chest, closing her eyes and listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat. "Atem..." she whispered quickly, noticing how the rhythm quickened slightly when she said it. She laughed quietly, then hugged the Pharaoh tightly, "I love you... Atem..."

"I love you too Mana..."

Special thanks to the Koopiskeva's 'Momentum' AMV on Youtube for really setting the mood for me when writing that sad scene.
Thanks to all who have read, and most of all I hope you enjoyed, especially you Vaiarc!
Bay Bay!
Bayleef