Chapter 17

Families Reunited

After flying over the desert with their other spirit friends following close behind the dragons either running or flying, they arrive at the palace. Possessed by joy of returning to the palace, the Egyptians, followed by Yugi, Ryou and Jonouchi, slid off the dragons. Just glancing at their childhood home was bringing tears to their eyes. Taking Yugi's hand into his, Atem led them all into the palace with a smile across his face.

Just entering the palace gave the other four Egyptians a hard time to contain their excitement. When they entered the throne room, everyone of their families were there, unexpectedly waiting for them. To see their sons finally return, the families all went to their sons to welcome them back.

Watching Bakura, Seto, Marik and Malik were hugging their families, Atem, Yugi, Ryou, Jonouchi, Aknamkanon, and his queen all smile, glad to see that the families are finally reunited after nine long years since Aknadin's attack.

Hugging his mother and little brother Mokuba, Seto could not hold the tears back and showed them how much he missed them, not a single tear for his traitorous father for he was the reason they had to leave.

While holding his mother close to him, Bakura could not contain the sorrow he felt when he left the palace with the others.

With his sister Ishizu and adopted brother Odion holding him tightly in their arms, Malik released all of the sorrow he had locked up in his heart through the tears he shed with Marik watch his childhood best friend and lover being held so warmly by his brother and sister.

Then at the corner of his eye, Yugi saw a familiar old man along with two adults, and two teens enter the throne room. Noticing him look at the people that had entered the throne room, both Ryou and Jonouchi saw them and they recognized them as their families. Seeing the tears in their eyes, Atem gently pushed Yugi toward them. When he turned back toward his prince, Atem only nodded with a smile.

Overwhelmed with joy of seeing them again, Yugi, Ryou and Jonouchi ran over to their families with Yugi running to the old man, Ryou to the two adults and Jonouchi to the teens. When they saw the boys running over to them, they too had tears in their eyes as Yugi ran into the old man's arms, Ryou into the warm arms he knew that belonged to his parents and Jonouchi immediately wrapped his arms around the girl who held him just as tight.

Crying in his shoulder, Yugi could not control how excited he was to finally be with his grandfather. Ryou couldn't help but sob in his mother's chest as she and his father held him like he was a little boy. Jonouchi was shedding tears as he held his little sister Shizuka as she cried in his chest.

Turning to the boy that entered the throne room with Shizuka, Jonouchi said, "Have you been taking care of her, Otogi?"

With a nod, Otogi said, "Of course, ever since you and Ryou left to find Yugi."

Smiling at his friend, Jonouchi said, "Thank you."

Approaching his prince, Atem place a gentle hand on Yugi's shoulder and Yugi turned toward him, still hugging his grandfather. "When did you know my grandpa is here?"

"When I returned here with Shadi, I happen to meet your grandfather here. When I told him about you, he was glad to know that I know you and that you were safe in the woods with the others."

And so, with everyone being reunited with their families, Aknamkanon announced that they will have a feast for the return of the prince and the others. With the preparations underway, Atem told his father and mother about the relationships of the Egyptians to the white teens from Dartz's castle. To hear that his son and his friends are deeply in love, Aknamkanon smiled at Atem and said with a hand on his shoulder, "Then we will have to prepare a wedding for the eight of you."

So, for the past few days, everyone in the palace had prepared not only a feast, but also a wedding for the four couples that will take place in the Spring. Yugi, Ryou and Jonouchi stayed at the palace with Atem and the others. When it came time to send invitations, Yugi, Ryou and Jonouchi had requested that their friends Honda and Anzu to be invited as well and the Change of Heart was the spirit that happily went to give the invitations to them.

When Spring warmed the earth, the wedding for the four couples took place in the palace in the desert. Many friends from around the area and the spirits had gathered to attend the wedding of not only the young Prince and the Egyptian prince, but also their friends. Honda, Anzu and their twins were able to get their invitations and were able to come to their friends' wedding. As they said their vows that day with the others, Atem and Yugi tightly held hands, they are close to be linked together forever. At the part they complete their vows to always be with their now marriage partner, the four couples didn't waste time as they went for the kiss that binds them together.

A couple years have past, Atem, Yugi, Bakura, Ryou, Seto, Jonouchi, Marik and Malik still live in the mansion in the woods and the five Egyptians still work in the gold mines with Yugi, Ryou and Jonouchi keeping the mansion clean and raising their families together. From time to time, they would visit the palace in the desert to visit the Pharaoh and their families that had waited for them to return after nine years of Aknadin's attack.

To be honest, Atem was very grateful of his uncle's traitorous attack when they were nine. If it weren't for him, Atem would never had started the new life that led him to meet Yugi that faithful morning.

Some day when spring is here One song

We'll find our love anew My heart keeps singing

And the birds will sing Of one love

And wedding bells will ring Only for you

Some day when my dreams

Come true