Chapter 10- The End of it All

Saio stood there, looking at her handiwork. Her body slowly stopped glowing and she immediately collapsed forward, the Paladin catching her, sinking down to the floor. Atem was next to her in seconds, looking her over. Saio could feel the blood pouring out of her, and suddenly felt scared. She'd screwed up. She looked to Atem in a slight panic, meeting his gaze.

"Father...I...I'm so sorry..."

Her breaths were short and fast, surprising even her.

Atem shushed her.

"Sshh.. you're going to be fine. Just keep looking at me. Alright? Just keep your focus on me. Don't look anywhere else."

Atem was trying not to panic. With his palace half destroyed and his court and healers down, he didn't have a lot of options.

He took off the top of his tunic and pressed it down, making Saio wince painfully.

She gripped him and whimpered softly.

"It's alright, sweetheart. Daddy's got you. He won't let anything happen to you. You'll be alright." Saio tried to focus on his words, but they seemed to be getting farther away. She focused on his elegant rings and his smooth, tan arms. It was hard to ignore him shirtless. Ra, was he handsome. Her head felt lighter, her eyes heavier, and she could no longer feel her blood flowing.

The darkness was endless. She couldn't move, see, or hear anything. Yet she was aware. She couldn't feel or think. So what was this? Limbo? Purgatory? She couldn't even feel the Paladin anymore.

*...well...I...c...an...*

*P...pala...*

*save...your...strength...*

*...what...is...*

* we're...dying...kid...*

Dying? Over a flesh wound? Surely not. But then she remembered. And now it made sense. The reason Atem never let her do anything. Tried to protect her. Was it from this? How do you protect someone from death? Maybe he tried because he wasn't able to save her mother from it?

*...not...a...kid...*

She felt a weak chuckle.

No. No no no. The mantra repeated in his mind. No no no. All in one instant she had over thrown her body. And the wound was basically pouring all life out of it. The blood just kept flowing. He couldn't stop it. His tunic was already soaked through.

"Come on, baby. Don't do this to me. Osiris, I swear to Ra…." Memories of Saio's young life flashed before his eyes, and he felt the lump in his throat. He stopped himself.

"Don't give up. Daddy isn't giving up on you."

He felt tears prick his eyes. He wouldn't be left alone. He wouldn't let her be alone. He eyed the puzzle and bracelet. If he had to do that, it was an option. He gasped panicked as he fiercely thought. It was ironic that the whole time he had been planning for his death. Never hers. Suddenly two more hands were on top of his.

He looked over.

Sakura.

She leaned against him, breathing heavily. He closed his eyes, tears falling. They hit the puzzle and it glowed. Sakura's hands glowed as well.

"We won't...let it happen, Pharaoh...if we go...we go together." For the second time in his life, he prayed.

Suddenly Saio could open her eyes. She could move. She was in a place that resembled the palace, yet wasn't it. A man stood before her, waiting patiently. She slowly sat up and looked herself over. All wounds were gone. Was she dead? She looked up at the man.

"It is nice to see you, young one. Do you know who I am?"

She took a second, the dog face immediately recognizable.

"Of course I do, sir. You are Anubis, Lord of the Dead." She stood and bowed, one foot in front of the other. Anubis looked impressed.

"Atem taught you well. Be glad you aren't meeting Osiris today."

He made a somewhat disgusted face at his comment.

Saio looked up.

"If I may ask, am I dead? Is that why you're here? To judge my heart?"

Anubis merely smiled.

"In a way, yes, but not in the manner you are thinking. Right now, you have two people who love and care about you very much. And are literally dying to save you."

He produced a small orb to which she could see. Her eyes widened.

"Father...Sakura..."

They looked beyond exhausted. Saio looked at Atem, her heart skipped a beat. Was he crying? "Father...he's crying?...so I really am dead?" "Yes and no. I am willing to forego your premature entry into the afterlife if you can pass this test." She wasn't shocked as he produced the Millennium Scales. A feather on one side, and her heart on the other.

"Just answer these simple questions correctly, and you'll be back to the living before you know it."

"Alright. I'm ready."

Anubis laughed.

"They all say that. Now, tell me. Do you love your Priestess?"

"Of course I do. She's like my sister."

The scale tipped upwards.

"Good. Do you love yourself?"

Saio didn't understand. These were obvious questions.

"Yes. You have to first love yourself before you love anyone else."

"That is very true. Now. For the last question. Do you love your Father?"

Saio blinked. "Of course I do. He's my father." Saio blanched as the scale tipped back down. Anubis was frank. "That's not what I asked you." Saio swallowed, eyeing the scale. She looked at Anubis, knowing lying was pointless.

"I do. I love him very much. I want to rule beside him. I want to live my life with him. I want to love him always."

The scale moved only slightly. She continued.

"I want to help him with his burdens, I want take care of things for him and help him run the kingdom from the sidelines. I don't need great power to prove I can rule alongside him."

The scale tipped up equally.

Anubis nodded.

"And what of your age? Atem was only slightly older than you when he had to take on responsibilities. I understand he does not want the same for you."

Saio wasn't worried about that.

"He can take me on when he sees fit. But he will have me always."

Anubis just smiled.

"Now that is a good answer."

The doors behind her opened.

"You are now free to go. On one condition. You must tell him what you told me."

Saio hesitated.

Anubis reassured her. "You will be healed. You have already given your test as payment. You needn't worry about that."

Saio turned.

"But what about Father and the others? What about the palace? It's in ruins."

Anubis smiled.

"The Pharaoh can fix that. The priests are not dead, young one."

Saio felt a great sense of relief. She bowed again to Anubis.

"I thank you...and maybe one day...I can meet Osiris..."

Anubis shook his head, amused.

"Sooner than you think, young Princess. And don't forget. You must tell him, or you'll be right back here."

She smiled at him and stepped through the doors and next thing she knew was looking at Atem's tear stained face. She smiled, sitting up. Anubis was right, other than Atem's blood stained tunic, there was no longer a wound. Atem was looking her over, she could see there was still panic in his eyes. He had never hugged her so fast and so tight. She could hear him sob in her ear. Her fingers found his hair and the back of his neck and she just held him to her.

"Ssshhh...it's ok, Father. I'm ok now."

Atem swallowed. "I nearly lost you..."

"And yet here I am. I saw Anubis. He gave me a test."

Atem stiffened.

"Obviously I passed. But I have something to tell you."

She gently released him, wiping the tears from his eyes. She took a deep breath; it was now or never.

"I love you."

Atem smiled. "I love you too, darling."

"No, I mean I love you. I want you to choose me. I want to rule along side you. I want to spend every hour helping you. Being by your side. I love you."

She suddenly realized the significance of what she had said.

"But...I...I understand if you don't feel the same way..."

Her face was red. Tears came to her eyes at the thought. Atem cupped her face, kissing her fully. Saio leaned into the kiss almost immediately, as if she had been waiting for this moment her whole life. Sakura smiled as she watched this.

Atem gently broke the kiss and moved her hair out of her face.

"I would want nothing more. But you don't have to be in a hurry. You are still young. But it is up to you."

Saio just smiled up at him.

Seto just looked up in disbelief. Actually, no, with this being Atem, he could believe it. It had taken a few days for Atem, Saio and Sakura to fix the palace, and for everyone to get back on their feet. There was no longer a Wall, as Atem no longer felt it was needed. This did nothing to deter Seto at the news.

"So...you want me to cancel all your meetings with possible suitors...because you've chosen your daughter."

"So you were listening." Atem smirked, his head resting on his arm, Saio standing near him, his hand in hers.

"And this," Seto gestured to where Saio was standing.

"You know this isn't protocol. Even if this is approved, she can't technically be standing there."

Atem frowned. "The only approval you need is mine, and you have it. If the committee has issues, they know where to find me."

Seto pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I get that, Atem, I do...but.." he sighed.

"You make my job so hard, you know that?"

Atem smiled sympathetically.

"I do. And I'm sorry, Seto."

Atem stood.

"We will discuss this later. It's late. I think we should retire to bed."

Saio nodded and took his hand as they descended the stairs to the throne. They lay in bed together, entwined in the covers.

"So,"

Atem fiddled with her bracelet.

"This is what you really want, then?"

Saio snuggled up to him.

"It is."

Atem smiled as he stroked her hair.

"You know, it's quite a handful. You sure you and Sakura can handle it?"

Saio laughed.

"As long as I am with you, I can handle anything." And she drifted off to sleep, no longer plagued with dreams of darkness but in anticipation of the future days she would spend with her Pharaoh at her side.

Epilogue

Atem walked down the hall, light from the palace blinding him as it reflected off the floor. The bright morning light also reflected the glint of the bracelet that was nestled in the crook of Atem's arm. His newly appointed Queen was next to him, in an elegant white silver gown and wearing a crown resembling Atem's.

Saio reached over, helping to shield Atem's face from the light, and they both smiled at each other, ready to take on the day, any challenge, together.