The night was young; the temperature seemed to settle down after a long day of miniscule work around the village. Masika flopped on her bed still sweating up a storm. "You'd think that living in Egypt would make you more tolerable of heat!" A sigh passed as she caught her breath. It was not the regular heat of Egypt she was complaining about, it had been in fact the heat from the fire that her father tended to in his jewelry making business.

With metallurgy still new, her father worked mostly with gold; crafting things for the Pharaoh and such. She spent most of her time helping her father in the shop, hoping to one-day meet the Pharaoh or one of his council, but she knew that was very unlikely.

How unlikely it was that, she still worked with her family even after having moved into a house of her own? She had lived on her own for over a year, but still looked forward to seeing her family every day at work. Most her age would have opened business for themselves and left their families in the dust. Somehow, though she hated to admit it, her lifestyle didn't feel right. She didn't feel like she belonged down in the village with the peasants and traders and slaves. She felt she was supposed to be in the Palace, helping the Pharaoh. Maybe it had been her high respect for herself, but she didn't think of it as such.

Sighing she got off her bed and went to grab some food. "I guess I truly will be down here all my life," she mumbled, not noticing how much she'd been ignoring. A man cleared his throat behind her, forcing her to jump and turn on a dime. "Holy Ra, you scared me," she breathed, trying to calm down.

"I didn't mean to frighten you," he sat on her chair, "did you have fun at work today?"

'There's got to be something wrong between us! He's so… dejectively calm. Its always the same routine, this, that, this, that. I can't be with him much longer. I can't take it anymore,' her thoughts came with a fake smile so he wouldn't suspect anything. "It was the same as always."

"That's good," his nonchalant tone was getting too much.

"Look," she sighed, anger bubbling from inside. Where was this anger coming from? Hadn't she been happy when she walked in? Regardless, she sighed, "I'm not feeling much for talking." She made her way to the door, grabbing her cloak.

"Is everything alright?" he questioned, watching her drape it over her shoulders.

"Yeah," she faked another smile, opening the door, "I'm just going to go for a little walk." She turned, slamming the door behind her and jetting out of sight, heading to her own recluse.

'I just feel there's something bigger, something waiting for me. Like I'm not supposed to be trapped with Kontar's monotone idea of life.' She passed a heavy sigh, allowing herself to sit at the edge of her private oasis-of-sorts. There was a small pond of water and one or two trees, and the mound of sand that masked it from the village. She found herself lying on the peak of the mound, staring off at the not-so-far palace; where she wished to be.

"I want to just leave all this behind," she sighed. 'I don't want to make jewelry or makeup all my life; I want to do something; something spontaneous. With Kontar holding me down that'll never happen. I'll have to end it. I have to.' She slowly decided to sit up, and only then was it that she noticed a shadowy figure with a horse drinking from her pond. "Who's down there?" She called, scaring the person enough that they fell in. Slightly shocked she ran down the mound to help them out of the water. A young male, one she hadn't seen around before; he seemed to be a normal peasant by appearance, but there was an air about him that said 'notice me, I'm important'. "Are you okay?"

He removed his cloak, revealing rather nice – yet drenched – clothes underneath. He twisted the fabric, trying to empty it of water, but to no avail. "Yes, I'm okay. Thank you for asking. If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing out so late at night?"

A brow rose, "I can ask you the same thing."

He stuttered for a second, thinking he'd been caught, but then realized that this girl was not one of his attendants and he allowed a sigh of relief to pass. "Yes, indeed you can. I guess I just needed to escape from life, that's all."

"I understand. Want to talk about it?" she gestured to where she had been on the mound. Giving him a strange look – he seemed very familiar – she waited his response.

"Hmm, sure. I don't know how long I can stay, but it sounds okay with me," he allowed a soft smile to pass over his figure as they took seats on the mound; he hadn't been figured out, always a good thing.

"So what's got you down?" she asked, a sincere look in her eyes.

"Everything is just so stressful, sometimes I'd like to just come and walk around the streets of the village. I'm always working so I never have time to leave and come visit."

"Hmm. I would trade lives with you in an instant," she smiled lying back onto her cloak, draped over the sand.

His brow raised, "And why is that?"

"My life is always so routine, go to work, make jewelry for the Pharaoh, make makeup for the people, come home, rest for about 5 minutes, Kontar comes in, so monotone, so melancholy, always the same things coming from his mouth," she sighed, imitating him "how was your day?" A shudder passed her, he was slightly creepy – why had she gone out with him in the first place? Her parents – and it was starting to get really cold.

Noting her shiver the drenched boy stood up.

"What is it?" she asked, looking up to him.

Silently he walked over to his horse, grabbing the blanket that rested on its back and brought it to her, wrapping her in its warmth, "I cannot ignore you being cold."

She smiled, a deep red filling her cheeks as he sat back down. "Thank you," she managed to spit out.

"I apologize for interrupting you," he gestured that you should continue.

"Hmm, it's okay. Well, I'm just so tired of everything being routine. When I get home I am SO kicking him out of my house and out of my life," she smiled, being able to say that made her feel strong. He snickered seeing her confidence.

"I can understand where you'd want some change, we really should change lives," he smiled.

"Yeah, but there's only one problem, I'm a girl, and you're a guy," her eyes locked with the deep crimson of his own. They sat, silently, locked in each other's eyes until a chill ran down his spine and made him shudder. The cold desert air didn't sit well with his wet clothes.

"I apologize sincerely for this display, but I can't go around getting sick."

She looked at him confused until she saw him remove the damp shirt off his back and lay it so that it may dry out in the air before retaking his seat next to her.

"You'll get even more sick by sitting out here wearing next to nothing," she began to unwrap herself.

"Wearing wet clothes will bring sickness faster however," his smile seemed to hide something.

She removed the blanket and hoist it upon him, "You need to be warm, but tell me more about you. I've done all the talking almost."

He looked relatively shocked that she just bestowed him with the generosity he gave her. Was it because she didn't know who he was? Would it matter? "Well, you know that I work all day and I hardly ever get to come to the village and just visit."

Her entire expression showed that he had her attention better than a storyteller before naptime. He couldn't help but snicker. "What kind of work do you do?"

"Well, very important work. I make sure everything is running smoothly and try to keep the peace."

"So it's pretty important?" she gestured.

A shrug followed by a slight nod.

"We should trade lives! If I tell you something will you promise not to make fun of me?" the red tint deepening every second she looked into his eyes.

He smiled, 'Holy Ra, she is definitely a very open person'. "I promise."

"Well," she shifted her eyes to the Palace, causing him to begin worrying, "I've always felt like I've had a greater calling, like I'm not supposed to be just some jewelry maker's daughter. I feel like I should be doing something important," she blushed some more as she saw the bewilderment on the stranger's face.

"I guess you would be really happy if we were to trade lives," he smirked.

A sudden wave hit her from out of the blue, "I just remembered, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Masika, you can call me Masi though."

"It's nice to meet you Masi. You can call me Amun," he winked.

"A pleasure to meet such a kindhearted person in these parts. I'm sure if you were to get out of work and visit the village you would enjoy yourself," she smiled, allowing herself to get lost in those eyes yet again. Something about him drew her closer.

'I can't let myself get too close to her… but, I'm so drawn to her, I don't understand why though. There's just something about her that makes me want to know more,' his thoughts raced, 'Wait! I shouldn't think so forwardly! If she finds out who I really am –' his thoughts cut themselves off as he realized just how close they had become; lips less than a hair's breadth from touching. 'I really don't care anymore.' His final thought before their lips met, a light delicate kiss at first, until a strange emotion overwhelmed him and he couldn't help but take her cheek in his hand, leaving the kiss to deepen itself.

Eyes closed, hands on the other's face, the tongues danced happily at the strange sensation of kissing a stranger. They finally parted, panting for air as the other had left them breathless, hands still holding onto the other, foreheads lightly touching. A small laugh came from Masi.

"What is it?" he zoomed out, looking at her squarely.

"Nothing. I just- I just kissed a stranger," she smiled, a deep blush accompanying the dazed look in her eyes.

"We're not so much strangers, we've been getting to know each other," he smiled, trying to make it less odd.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just, new. Something new. Just how I wanted," she sighed, lying back against her cloak, shivering again. Amun couldn't help but notice her shiver and began feeling guilty by hogging the blanket. He exchanged glances between her and the blanket many times before coming up with an idea.

"Amun?" she asked, cutting him off as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Yes Masi?" he questioned.

"Will I ever meet you again?" she turned her gazed to him. Shock written over his face; he hadn't thought that far.

"I would assume so. I would much enjoy seeing you again," he was despondent, talking to himself mainly; the effect of the kiss still on his mind. "Either way; sit up."

"Hmm?" she wondered why he was ordering her around, but she did as he asked. Her eyes trailed him as he came and sat right behind her, drawing her into his lap before wrapping them both up in the blanket. 'And I thought I was open with strangers?'

"This way we can both be warm," he smiled, holding her in his arms.

She nodded to him, thinking softly to herself, 'Now I know, when he ordered me, he didn't sound like some commoner from the village. He sounded so in charge, like it was normal for him. Not to mention his confident air about him. His facial features, they seem so familiar, I just – I can't place it. But he must work in the palace, only there would he be working so hard that he'd never be able to come and see the village.' A mischievous grin graced her face, being so happy as to have figured out about him.

"I would enjoy seeing you again as well," she allowed herself to lean into his embrace, catching the sweet scent of foreign fruits and trees, those that would only be found in the palace garden.

He seemed relatively confused, 'She really is so open, she's sitting here sinking into my arms after having only just met me. Granted we did kiss, but that's not like a sign that we're best friends already. Is she just that trusting? I would hate to see what would happen if Bakura and his men tried to take her. She'd probably go willingly.' At his last thought he chuckled inwardly. 'I wonder what strange fate it was that led me to meet her,' his gaze shifted from the

stars above down to the girl he held close.

"Amun? How did you find this place?" she questioned, this had been her recluse that no one knew about, so how did he find it?

"I found this place a long time ago, I would come here to think, I just never knew that anyone else knew about it. I may have to find a new place to go and think," his words carried on the light breeze.

"Please don't," she sighed. "No one else knows about here, just me and you. I don't want to chase you off."

He really didn't know how it was that they were so drawn to each other; was it in the stars maybe? Frankly, he didn't really care, all that mattered was him and her, right then, right there. He was pulled from his thoughts as Masi seemed to be fighting within herself. She was squirming a little in his arms, as though fighting to break free. He allowed his hands to relax their grip and she pulled herself away.

"Is something wrong Masi?" concerned crimson met her saddened auburn. She shook her head as she started to walk down the mound, instantly followed by Amun.

'I can't believe I did all that! I'm still with Kontar! If he had found this place and found me with Amun… Amun would be beheaded by the Pharaoh! How cold I put him in such a dangerous position?' Her thoughts stopped her from hearing Amun as he ran up behind her.

"Masi? What's wrong?" he asked. He wasn't quite sure why he cared so much for this girl. Pushing the questions from his mind he focused on her.

"I shouldn't have done that," she sighed, focusing her eyes on the man in front of her, noting he had returned his shirt to his skin. That didn't change the fact that they were halfway between the village and the oasis, but it didn't seem to matter. He tried to understand what she meant; it didn't seem to make much sense, but he then remembered Kontar and began blushing.

"I understand your emotions," he sighed sadly. "But I thought you said –"

"I did, and come tomorrow, we won't be together," her gaze transfixed on the ground. "But right now – back there –"

He sensed her distress and pulled her into a hug, "I understand, and it's okay."

"No its not! If we had been caught, the Pharaoh would behead you! No matter how close you are to him!"

He held her back some, how did she come to this conclusion that he was close to the Pharaoh? "What?"

"I know you work in the palace, that's the only reason I haven't seen you around the village," she sighed. "but the Pharaoh would've beheaded you if he knew!"

He laughed, beheading himself? Like that would happen.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing," he silenced himself, gazing into her eyes, "We will meet again Masi, I promise you."

A smile graced her as her cheeks began to burn once more, "I'll be looking forward to it, but I should get home."

A nod came from him as he pulled her in for one last kiss before turning past her and heading for his horse back at the oasis. "Goodbye for now Masi."

She couldn't help but allow her cheeks to burn more, her fingers touching gently to the lips he just captured. 'This is going to be interesting,' she couldn't help but laugh. She had asked for something spontaneous, and there it was, falling into her lap. In a dazed sprint she made her way home, noticing that Kontar had not even moved.

"Did you enjoy your walk?" he asked, so dully.

"Yeah, I got a lot of thinking done," the smile she'd worn home faded quickly.

"You sound disappointed," he turned to look at her.

"No, I'm not really disappointed," she hung her cloak back up, noticing the damp spot from where Amun had been sitting – barely suppressing a snicker. "But, we need to talk."

"What's wrong?"

"I just – Kontar, this just – it doesn't feel right anymore," she tried to break it lightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Us, the entire concept of it just, doesn't feel right with me," she choked on her words.

"Are you breaking up with me?" he blinked, speechless.

"Yes," she sighed sadly.

"What have I ever done to you? I never did anything to hurt you or use you! I never did anything!"

"Exactly! I don't like that everything, everyday, its always the same! I need something new, it just doesn't feel right," she sighed, thinking of her higher calling. He never knew about this feeling of hers, nor did she feel she could trust him with it.

"Fine! I'll leave, but I'll tell you this, if you always want something new every time things become routine, you'll die alone," he stormed out, enraged.

A heavy sigh passed over her, she didn't want to make him angry, but she didn't want to be with him. She never really like him, she just stayed with him because her parents asked her to. Moping around her house she found herself rather restless. She didn't want to be home, but she didn't want to be outside. She wanted to disappear, but she couldn't.

"Am I doing the right thing? I've fallen for Amun, after having only met him tonight. I just broke up with Kontar – which is for the best, either way – and my parents are going to yell at me about it tomorrow. I have to get some sleep," she tossed and turned in bed, trying to release herself from what had just happened. She sighed, unable to think anymore, unable to feel, unable to do anything she closed her eyes; a strange scent filling her nose, that scent of foreign fruit she smelled on Amun. "Huh?" she looked around, he wasn't there, but his scent was. She got up walking over to her cloak, sniffing it. "So it was you. You smell like Amun." She gave her cloak a look of resentment, how dare it wear his scent! Pausing for a second, she lifted her cloak from her rack and threw it above her covers. Settling back into bed, she drew the cloak up under her cheek, breathing in the scent of this new heartthrob; slowly it lulled her to sleep.