I don't own anything but Samantha (AKA Sam,), Helen, Myself and the plot!

~Chapter 2, Arrival~

~Heba~

It's a full day's trip to the palace and the tributes are presented to the King one hour after dark. On the way to the palace we stop for something to feed and water the horses. In this heat I could use some water.

"Excuse me . . . Sir. . . Could I please have a cup of water? I'm dreadfully thirsty from this heat!" I ask the blonde one named Joey.

"NO! It's not even noon yet! Nothing till then, GOT IT?!"

"Alright." I reply with a small sigh. Slinking back into the corner of the cage.

"What's this? A wise guy? You better shut it before I shut it myself!" Joey yells in my face. Frightened, I back up as far as I can in my corner to escape. Only to receive more ridicule from my prison warden.

"Scared are we?" He asks in a playful, sarcastic tone. Then he gives me the evil eye at me saying, in an extremely malevolent voice,

"You better be. 'Cause I'd rather kill you and save the Pharaoh the trouble of doing it himself. But sadly I have to wait and waste an entire day hauling your skinny ass all the way to the palace in the HEAT! When I can be doing better things with my time. So stay still, and stay silent and we shall be on our way. Alright?" With a quick nod from me, we head off. Riding with anger, fear, and heat hanging in the air the rest of the way, with no stops.

Arriving at the palace gates at sun down which means we have one hour till I'm to be presented to the King. Rushing I'm lead to a room where makeup is applied. I change into a soft blue, silk tunic with little, 5 pointed stars dyed into the fabric. A dark, black liquid is applied to my eyes, bringing out the amethyst.

It takes the whole hour to make me presentable to Great Pharaoh Atem. I had so many nerves I was both sweating and trembling a bit. Not so bad that I couldn't walk straight, but to where I had a shaking hand.

The time has come. Any second now they'll call my name and tell the Pharaoh what village I represent. While riding my train of "what if's" and "why's" I hear a woman say my name.

"Heba Akiiki-Male- from Kada-age 16. Enter now."

Getting up I slowly walk over to the huge gold doors, big enough for the gods to use. Look at me; I'm shaking like a leaf in a sandstorm. Taking a deep breath, I enter the room, keeping my eyes focused on the ground; I take 10 steps, like I was instructed by one of the women who prepared me. As I kneel in front of him with my head bowed I say,

"My Pharaoh, I was chosen for my purity from my village of Kada."

. . . Silence… It's a dead silent, and I can only expect the worst. Will the feed me to the shadows? Will he kill me? As questions race in my head, I don't hear the foot falls echoing though out the vast, hollow room. After, what felt like an eternity or two, I a finger appeared under my chin and forced up.

Those eyes, those beautiful, crimson, eyes, staring into my Amethyst ones. It's almost like he's searching into my soul. I can't believe what is happening now, but the Pharaoh is looking into MY eyes and holding MY chin! This gives me a chance to get a good look at his face.

Like I said earlier, he has an oval-ish face with a chiseled out chin, a normal size nose with a small point on the end. And his eyes, his crimson eyes that can pierce and/or search a man/boys soul.

"And, what of your beauty, little one?" He asks. Oh my RA! His voice is a deep, dark, sexy baritone voice that makes me want to melt and...Wait, did he just wave his eyebrows seductively at me just now?

"Well?" He asks me, I only realize I have yet to answer him.

"I am no beauty, your Highness. They only choose me because of my purity and probably just to get rid of me." I answer, mumbling the last part.

"What was that last part? Hmmm?"

"Nothing Sire!"

"Please, call me Atem!" He, uh, Atem tells me. "Find him a room in the palace..." is all I hear before I black out.

~Atem~

~One hour earlier~

Sitting in the throne room bored out of my mind. So badly I don't even try to hide it anymore. After an hour or so hearing "Chosen for my beauty" and "Chosen for my insistence" can be really boring, especially when they are neither beautiful nor "pure"

Dressed in black (The only reason being, I'm inside) cloth tunic. Black leather sandals on my feet (The day we figure out how to make a leather outfit, the day will become a national holiday, I swear to Ra) with the Millennium Puzzle around my neck. I sit side-ways in my throne with my head and feet dangling from either end when I hear the next "meal basket" announced by... well I can never remember her name.

"Heba Akiiki -male- age 18 from Kada. Enter now!" As he enters I'm taken aback by his beauty. I can only see him, no one else, hear only him when, kneeling and bowing, he says

"My Pharaoh, I was chosen for my purity, from my village of Kada, Egypt." voice of an angle sent from the gods of the heavens. Before I know what I'm doing I dash from my throne and lift his face to meet mine. As I stare into his huge Amethyst eyes I ask,

"And, what of your beauty Little One?" As his silence fills the room I studyhis face. He has the face of an angle with his round child-like face, smooth, silky skin. His full red lips and his huge Amethyst eyes.

"Well?" He seemed to realize he has yet to answer my question, only saying,

"I'm no beauty, Your Highness. They choose me for my purity and..." That is all I can hear, for he mumbles the end of his statement.

"What was that? Hmmm?" I ask.

"Nothing Sire!"

"Please call me Atem" I tell him. As I turn to one of my many servants to find him a room because he is to be a guest in my palace when I hear a thud. I quickly turn back to Heba and he's out cold on the floor. I call for someone to fetch the healer and to tell her to meet me in my room before picking Heba up, bridal style, and running to my room.

Max: Ok, ok, ok. I know I just split chapter one into two parts, but there is a method to this madness. I swear!

Helen: O'realy? What?

Max: Well, I plan on combining chapters 2 and 3, to make them both longer and make more sense. That, and I still want chapter 5 to stay as chapter 5, or I may have to insert another chapter to make my weird OCD thing this numbers happy. K?

Samantha (AKA Sam): *Glares*

Helen: *Sighs* K.

Sam: Ok. So R&R Please!