Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! My fellow writers, an exciting turn coming up in the end, so please bear with me! (Oh, and love you QueenManaOfEgypt! Thanks for being so nice.)

Mana struggled to stay upright on the fast moving horse, and squeaked whenever she turned. The teen was riding a young mare named Juliana and was nervous, since it was rare that she was ever on a horse. The mare kicked up the desert sand violently, and there were dunes up ahead. Atem came up next to her on Sandbreaker, watching Mana through squinted eyes.

"Loosen up! You're too stiff." He shouted over the roaring wind, and she looked at him like he was crazy; however her hands were gripping the reins tightly.

"What?! I…I'm loose! Really!" she screamed, glancing carefully over her shoulder at the pursuing Mahado and other Egyptian riders. Some had bows and arrows. Hanging behind, they seemed to be waiting for something. Mana looked frantically back at Atem.

"What do they want?!"

"They're waiting to see if you're stable enough not to crash," He answered, and Mana thought this was strangely kind of them, until Atem finished, "If you were to wipe out, it wouldn't be good for their horses to fall because of it."

After a few more minutes, Mana felt like she had gotten used to the steady jostling of Juliana's back, and the wind whistling through her hair made it seem even…fun. That is, until the lagging villagers started firing arrows. She yelled when one narrowly missed her leg, and stared at the pharaoh for instruction. But she was horrified to see him pulling dangerously close to her horse, and motioning for her to scoot closer to Juliana's neck. He kept glancing at the upcoming sand dunes. She saw his plan immediately.

"Are-are you insane?! We'll…be killed or something!" she exclaimed, and he pulled his arm back out of the path of a straying arrow.

"Well if you've got a better idea, enlighten me! Get on, Mana!" Atem said firmly, riding even closer to her mare. Gulping, she pulled her other leg over to her left, and maneuvered her body until she was crouching on the saddle, holding onto it for dear life. Atem leaned forward on Sandbreaker and mouthed, Now.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins, and with a scream, Mana thrust forward, and landed sideways on the stallion's back. The pharaoh twisted halfway around, and helped her position herself right. He ducked below an arrow, and cursed. The second he turned forward, Mana clutched his waist in a death grip, terrified. He cursed again and looked up ahead at a very large hill of sand. Urging his steed to go faster, the king bent his head low and gripped the reins till his knuckles were white. Mahado shouted behind him, and he heard cries. Sensing that they were gaining, Atem raced up the hill, and before Sandbreaker jumped, the pharaoh silently prayed to Ra.

~Mana's POV~

I don't know what had happened, for my eyes were clenched shut. One moment we were thudding heavily on the ground, and then the feeling changed. My gut seemed to be dragged down, and yet we were moving up. Opening my eyes just a tiny bit, I saw a wall of sand. Then I realized that the king was riding up a hill, and by the looks of it, a steep one. My arms tightened against my will, and for some strange reason, I looked up, eyes wide, at the pharaoh. Time seemed to come to a near stop, and I stared at his face. Oh, his face. It was outlined clearly in the sun, shining bright, with dark shadows falling down his neck. His dazzling crimson orbs were squinted in determination and courage. A few beads of sweat glistened on his cheeks, and his multi-colored hair was swept in all direction by the powerful wind. Suddenly, the tugging in my stomach reversed, and the crashing of hooves against earth had ceased. My gaze turned to the ground, and I realized we were in the air. Sand whizzed past us, and I buried my nose in Atem's back. It was just us, alone, flying. Flying….

The stallion hit the ground hard, and sand sprayed under the flashing hooves. The king looked back, and was relieved to see that Mahado had not followed in the tremendous jump. It was a huge dune, and behind it lay some withered trees and a small river. A tiny oasis in a scorching desert. The sun was starting to set, and they sky turned orange with a hint of navy blue. Splashing through the water, Atem led his horse far down the river, and noticed that Mana was pressed into his back; her grip on him relaxing. A tiny smile tugged on his lips, and he felt a strange sensation in his heart. Although he couldn't predict what it was, he somehow could sense that it was a feeling of protection. He had to keep Mana safe from this world. In that instant, Atem made up his mind. He was to be Mana's lover. The pharaoh hoped with his entire heart that she would answer yes.