Author's note: For those of you who have already read this, my editor, A.K.A. Good old Mum, found it unworthy of being published yet, so I redid a few things. Enjoy the improved version!

Disclaimer: I do not own YGO. It's so sad but it's true.

After Rianne had been pushed and shoved through half of the palace it seemed, the guard confirmed her suspicions by telling her: "Your going to the Pharaoh's bedchambers."

"What!"

He backhanded her across the face. The fact that she was going somewhere so private startled her.

What the hell does he want me in his bedroom for?

Rianne thought she knew the answer, but she didn't want to think about that.

Quite suddenly and without warning, the guard stopped in front of a huge gold door, and unceremoniously, shoved her inside before slamming the door behind her. She had been shoved into the room so forcefully, that she tripped and fell flat on her face. Rianne was so scared about what may happen to her that she almost burst into tears, when she realized she was gently being pulled to her feet. She looked up to find a pair of deep purple colored eyes looking into her reflective silver ones.

Is this the pharaoh? I had no idea he was so young! Oh my Ra he's gorgeous!

He spoke with a naturally soft voice as he asked if she was all right. Rianne didn't answer. She blinked slightly in confusion, as the pharaoh just smiled kindly at her. "What's your name?" he asked softly. This was all becoming very strange to her. Bakura had always taught Rianne to loathe royalty because supposedly, the pharaoh had burned down their village. Obviously it was a different pharaoh, his father perhaps, because the one standing in front of her was her age.

After a long period of silence, she finally answered his question. "My name is Rianne."

"'Holder of power,' interesting…" he murmured the name's meaning under his breath, looking thoughtful.

"What's interesting?" She asked.

He looked up, "Erm, nothing. I'm Atem."

Rianne just stared at him shakily. She was scared to death that if she were to offend him or some such thing, he held the power to end her life right then and there. She was also slightly mesmerized every time he moved, since he wasn't wearing a shirt.

…He's got more muscles than Bakura does…and that's saying something! Damn…

She had learned over time that it was usually better to stay silent in situations like this, so she did, her face reddening slightly.

"You're probably wondering why I asked for you in my bedroom, aren't you?"

Rianne nodded slowly.

"I thought it would be easier this way."

"What would be easier?" she asked, confused.

That has too much of a double meaning there…

"I mean that you would have been tried by the court and put through a lot of unnecessary ordeals. I thought it would be easier to just talk with you in private."

She had started to feel a bit more at ease, so she asked him "How old are you?"

He looked at her, surprised, before saying "I'm seventeen. Why do you want to know?"

"Just wondering." Rianne answered shyly. The truth was that it made her feel better to talk instead of just being silent. Atem looked at her searchingly before saying, "Come with me," as he took her hand and led her to the balcony that was across from the door. She was slightly suspicious, because no one had ever treated her this nicely before they had gotten to know her before.

She stood next to him on the balcony and looked at the fiery sunset. Atem glanced at her staring at the intense view as it reflected in her eyes.

"It's exquisite isn't it?"

All she could do was nod. She had never seen anything like it before. The view back home so much different than it was here. She could hardly tear her eyes away from the large orb of fire slowly sinking behind the great pyramids.

Despite the fact that Rianne never looked away, she noticed that Atem seemed more interested in watching her than the painting in the sky. She glanced at him then looked away again shyly.

I wish he would quit looking at me. I can't even concentrate- Oh Ra he's doing it again…

"Why do you keep staring at me?" she asked quietly.

"Your just really beautiful that's all." She blushed a furious shade of red and continued watching the sunset. Atem smiled warmly at her before continuing, "You don't need to be shy about it."

"Nobody's ever said that to me before. Ever."

Atem was still smiling as he responded. "I can't imagine why not…" Calmly he leaned over on the balcony railing and looked out at the sunset again. Rianne's nervousness had finally begun to dissipate when there was a loud knock on the door, before it quite suddenly opened. She and Atem both whipped around. In the doorway stood a tall man with long brown hair and hazel eyes, wearing a gold headdress.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you my pharaoh, but you are needed in the throne room." He spoke quietly as he stared down at the floor. Atem sighed deeply before saying, "Wait here" to Rianne. Then, before he left, he added a comment that was meant for her ears only. "I don't trust that brutish excuse of a guard with you. Frankly I don't trust any of them."

That's odd. Why would he feel the need to tell that to me?

When the door clicked behind him, she heard him tell the guard, "If you lay even a finger on her I will kill you myself," followed by an abrupt "Yes sir" before there was silence.

Why is he being so nice to me? It's strange…unless of course it's his way of seducing me… And that certainly wouldn't be a bad thing…

Rianne took a minute to compose herself, then looked over the balcony to see how high up she was. If she were to jump, it would mean instant death, and there was nothing to climb onto. Silently she turned around and looked around the room. In all the time that she had been there, she had never noticed its splendor.

There was a monstrous bed to the right of the door, and across from the bed was a huge bathroom, with a dresser next to that door. The walls were all painted in turquoise murals, with gold hieroglyphs that sparkled in what was left of the setting sun. Her mouth dropped open slightly as she took it all in.

She had given up on trying to escape for now; she knew there were guards posted outside because she could hear them bickering loudly. She saw a water clock in the garden below the balcony, and discovered that it was much later then she had thought, realizing at the same time how exhausted she was. Tentatively, she sat down on the balcony floor behind the thin curtain, enjoying the cool night air. Before she even knew it, she was asleep with a soft breeze blowing her hair lightly