Chapter One

Ancient Egypt 5,000 years ago.

Pharaoh Aknamkanon had just passed away and his son, Atem, along with Priest Set, and Mahad were traveling back from the funeral. Atem was trying to hold his head high and anyone who didn't know him wouldn't have known that he was actually breaking inside. Set and Mahad were worried about their soon-to-be pharaoh and wondered what they could do to make him feel better.

What they didn't know was that ahead there was a cave that was inhabited by a young girl only a year younger than the soon-to-be pharaoh. She was an accomplished thief and saw this as an opportunity to rob the oncoming envoy. What she didn't know was that this one action would change the rest of her life and the life of the pharaoh forever.

Mana

She waited silently. She knew that if she made one sound it would all be over and she could be killed, but she was willing to take the chance to rob the grieving prince. It wasn't that she didn't feel sorry for the pharaoh's son, but she couldn't sympathize with him either. Her family had abandoned her and she had had to survive on her own. A band of thieves had taken her in and now she was forced to steal in order to survive. She had been stealing to support herself and she wasn't about to give up this opportunity even if the boy was grieving. Not to mention the fact that he could have her killed on the spot.

Once they were closer, Mana realized her chance had come. She jumped from her hiding place and landed right in front of the young pharaoh on his own horse. The boy jolted and the guards were worried for a moment, but she didn't give them much time to realize what was happening as she slipped the Millennium Puzzle from around the boy's neck. He looked completely entranced by her and she allowed him to be.

Once Mana was sure the young man wouldn't notice what she had stolen right way she roundhouse kicked one of the teenager's guards and took off with his horse. There was some yelling and cussing behind her, but once she was out of earshot she didn't care. She needed to get away and she knew exactly where she was going to go. She just hoped she wouldn't be followed.

Atem

His father was gone and now he had to rule Egypt. Alone. Atem didn't know if he was going to be able to do it. He didn't feel ready even if his father had made sure he knew a large part of what he needed to and that he had loyal advisors working alongside him. When Atem's father had given him the Puzzle he had worried that he would fail, but now he felt as if he had a piece of his father with him.

The Puzzle had been important to his father. It was a symbol of power and it held sway over the other Millennium Items. It showed that he was indeed Pharaoh, but Atem hadn't wanted to inherit it so early. He had wanted to rule by his father's side as coregent, not alone as he was expected to do now. He was only sixteen and he was nervous that the people would come to hate his reign.

As Atem rode back from the entrance of the Valley of the Kings he tried to project a happy persona so that his advisors and his people didn't have to worry about him, but he knew he was failing. He was having a hard time keeping a stoic look on his face when all he wanted to do was cry.

He never expected a girl to fall from the sky and land in front of him on his own horse.

He only had a second to look over her brown hair, tan dress with no shoulders, and her expressive green eyes. She was beautiful and he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms, until he felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. As she jumped from his horse, the girl kicked one of his guards from his horse and took off. That was when he noticed the Millennium Puzzle was gone. The little minx had taken it and he was going to get it back and maybe something else as well.

He calmed his guards before convincing them that he would be fine going after the female thief himself. He didn't want them to influence or make any sudden movements towards the girl when he wanted her all to himself. He also didn't want them to punish her just yet. He had a plan to make the next few days bearable.

He took off in the direction the girl went and rode hard. It wasn't long before he saw her dust cloud and worked his horse so that he could catch up with her completely. She was laughing and he could see the gold of the Puzzle glinting in the sun. He smirked as he came up beside her and she met his violet gaze. Her eyes grew wide in terror and he took that as his signal to jump from his horse and take her from hers.

They landed hard in the sand and rolled a little bit before he had the thief pinned beneath him. She was breathing hard and her chest rose to meet his. She still had the Puzzle gripped in her hand so he took his hand and placed it over her fist. She narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't move.

"Are you going to kill me now, Pharaoh?" she asked in a hard voice.

"No thief. I am not," Atem replied. "I have different plans for you."

Mana

"I see. I don't think I like the sound of that," she shot back. She tried to kick him off her, but he thwarted her attempts. "I would appreciate it greatly if you would release me."

The boy above her chuckled which only served to make her more upset. She had to admit to herself that he looked better when he smiled. She remembered the face he had been making when she had taken his Puzzle and had decided she liked him better smiling.

"I don't plan on releasing you, thief. You have given me much joy this day," he stated.

She met his violet eyes and looked over the plains of his face. He was dark-skinned just like her, but his hair was a mixture of blonde bangs and black hair with red highlights set in five spikes. His red cape hid his broad shoulders, but Mana could see the muscles in his arms. His chest was wide, but defined and Mana could see everything through the thin fabric of his tunic.

"You should smile more, Pharaoh," she observed. "You are more handsome when you smile."

The young pharaoh looked shocked as he processed her words. He smiled and her heart fluttered a bit in her chest. She took a deep breath in a vain attempt to keep a noticeable blush from her face. He leaned closer so that his bangs were just barely touching her face. This distracted her greatly and she hardly felt it when he softly urged her fingers to relinquish his Puzzle.

"What is that you were going to do with my Puzzle, thief?" he questioned.

She took a deep breath as his words ghosted against her face. It was warm and inviting, but she knew she had to hold herself back from doing anything drastic. "I hadn't decided really."

"So, this was a game then?"

He raised a sculpted eyebrow and she just nodded. There wasn't a better answer and if he thought it was a game or that she had done the deed on a dare then she would let him. She didn't need to further her chances of being executed.

"You are very interesting, my thief."

"I don't belong to you, Pharaoh," she snapped. "I don't belong to anyone but myself and I plan on keeping it that way."

"You plan to continue speaking to me in that matter?"

"I was just being honest," she whispered. "I've had enough of being controlled and used by men." The smile left his face then and he leaned away from her. He looked her over again, but she couldn't figure out what he was looking for.

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter seems so short, but it seemed like a good place to end. I do not own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh characters they belong to their respective authors.