Yami was walking behind his palace. Sun rays beamed across the Nile. Reed and cattails whispered. Servants and ladies-in-waiting were following closely behind the pharaoh and his three-year-old daughter. Delphinium laughed a pure laugh filled with innocent that stirred many of their hearts. She pulled her hand away from Pharaoh Yami's and ran ahead.

"Look, look, Yami!" She cried, holding up a beautiful deep purple flower. She stooped down all of a sudden and held out an exact same flower. "Another one!"

"Yes, my little one." Yami answered, smiling affectionately at the treasure sent from heaven to him.

"There's another one!" She bounced over to another site, causing the ladies-in-waiting to have to chase after her. Yami strolled slowly behind them, his heart light and happy from watching his little girl grow up. Yes, she was going to be a fine young lady, he mused, watching his future little queen gather a whole bouquet of lovely violet blossoms. And no one but she alone shall inherit my throne. I shall not get married. No. And the next empire will not be ruled by my son, but by my daughter. She will be a fine queen and I shall bring her up as one.

A wail suddenly reached Yami's ears and his head snapped up from where he had been thinking. He broke into a run, regardless of his priests' protest about his position.

"Delphinium?" He looked about wildly as he followed the cry and reached a marshy part of the banks of Nile.

"Pharaoh Yu-Gi-Oh," a lady-in-waiting appeared from behind the tall papyruses and brought forth the daughter of pharaoh over to the king of Egypt. "Our princess had taken a fall. She shall be alright." Yami looked down upon his little daughter and bit back a laugh. For even on her tear-stricken face, she was covered with mud from head to toe.

"Yami!" She wailed again as she ran forward toward her father. "I fell into the Nile!" Yami knelt down and took the little girl into his arms, mud and all, despite of the disapproval heard from behind him.

"Hush, now, little one, you'll be okay." He soothed as he stood up with her in his arms.

"I wanted to pick a special pretty flower for you." Delphinium pulled away and looked at him with her innocent amethyst eyes. She held out her hand. Clutched tightly in her fingers was a stalk of violet delphinium.

"This is a lovely flower, Delphinium, and I shall treasure it always. Forever."

"Forever, Delphinium. Forever." Yami murmured, then all of a sudden woke up, drenched with his own perspiration. He bolted from his position and looked around his surrounding, finding himself in bed in Yugi's room. His lighter half was still asleep beside him. Yami shooked his golden bangs out of his eyes. The pharaoh soundlessly got out of bed and walked over to the window. His mind wondered as he gazed out at the silver moon.

Why? He thought. What's wrong with me? It has been almost a week and by each day, the visions get more and more intense. Tonight, I actually saw what happened on that exact day. It was the most intense of them all. On all the other nights, all I've been seeing was a shadow of her. Tonight, I saw everything. He gave an almost silent sigh. My poor Delphinium, how she had suffered because of the position I had set her in. Nevertheless, she was willing to do anything to please my will. I still remember her, ever so golden and happy. Always too willing to sacrifice herself for a good cause. She was the life of my life. Without her, I would feel as if part of me was missing.

*Flashback*

Joyful laughter filled the long halls of the palace. From where Yami was talking to his advisers and priests, he could hear the happiness in that voice. He looked up from the scrolls in front of him and smiled gently at the sound.

"Your Excellency, please…" A cranky adviser looked exasperated as Yami turned back to their conversation. Delphinium laughed again as she ran away from her chambermaids that were puffing and huffing, chasing behind her.

"My lady, do slow down a bit." One huffed, her face turning red from lack of air and exhaustion. Delphinium slowed down and stopped. She turned back and waited for them to catch up.

"We're not as young as we were anymore. Please, might we settle on something a little more…mild?" The other finally caught up with their little lady. Delphinium cocked her head and studied her 'playmates.' In the position as pharaoh's daughter, she hadn't had many playmates, if she had any at all.

"I'm sorry." She apologized in her pure, naïve voice. "Am I wearing you out?"

"Quite," the first snapped. She was hasty tongued and didn't understand why she had to serve this…imposter of a princess. The priests and pharaoh's advisers were right. This fraud to be banned to the desert to die, not to inherit the next throne, as they all guessed.

"We wouldn't dare complain, my lady," the second quickly cutted in before she got them all got in trouble. "What she meant was that––"

"I can say what I mean to say and am more than happy to say it by myself!" The first snarled, her eyes flashing. Delphinium took a step back, looking confused. "You, my dear 'Princess Delphinium,'" she began sarcastically, pointing a bony finger at her. "Don't think you're so much better than the rest of us. Pharaoh Yu-Gi-Oh found you by the banks of Nile. You needn't think the rest of us are for you to beckon and call with. One day, soon, this is all going to end!"

"Enough!" They all turned around and were horrified to see the one and only ruler of Egypt himself standing powerfully before them. The ladies-in-waiting dropped to their knees, shaking as if the temperature had just dropped to fifty below zero. Delphinium mustered a dignified proper curtsy before running over to the mighty pharaoh.

"Yami? Is it true?" Her eyes, so very like his own, were beginning to tear up.

"You." Yami motioned with his finger to a royal guard. "Take care of this. And we shall continue the same subject tomorrow." He dismissed everyone. "Right now, I would like to have some time alone."

"So is it true, Yami?" Delphinium was not the sort to sob nor cry, but while she asked steadily, two perfect tears fell from her eyes, like pearls, and rolled softly down her cheek. Yami sighed and picked her up.

"Yes, my love. It is true."

"Is that why everyone hates me so much and no one wanted be near me?" So the young princess had noticed everyone's whispers and avoidance.

"Yes." He sat down on his golden throne, carved with intricate figures and signs. He set her on his lap and cuddled her. "Delphinium, are you happy here with me?" He was afraid to hear the answer, for one so young would truly speak her heart.

"Yes." Delphinium looked up at him solemnly with her large violet eyes. "You're my favorite person in the whole world, Yami. And I want to stay with you forever." From the tone of her serious little voice, Yami had no doubt.

"Do you have any desire to be queen?"

"Do you?" The little princess smartly directed the question in a different direction. Yami was startled, but his little damsel was serious. She knows, Yami realized as he took a sharp intake of air. She knows what's expected of her from me. My desire. But I'm only doing it because I love her.

"If it is not your wish, then it is no longer my desire." He answered quietly, yet there was truth in every word.

"If it is your desire, then it shall become my wish and my…" Her tiny voice added genuinely. "…destiny." The young pharaoh had never seen such determination and seriousness from Delphinium before. Every time he sees her, she had grown a bit. But she was still young and had much to learn. Yet today, she seemed to be on his level, just as wise and full of knowledge.

"It is my wish for you to be queen one day, for you have the spirit and wisdom for ruling Egypt. And also, because I have no wish to get married nor do I have the desirement for sons as my future ruler." Yami looked her steadily in the eye. "You are everything I want and wish to have and you shall be my only." From that simple phrase, Delphinium understood and she never forgot…even to this day.

"Then it is also my desire and wish to become the queen of Egypt and to inherit your throne. Your wish shall always be my wish and your desire shall forever be mine."

*End of Flashback*

Poor Delphinium, she had no wish to be queen at all. Yami thought ruefully, watching the moon change into the sun. Light began to shine upon this earth as the golden ball emerged from behind the curve of the horizon.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Yami jumped, his muscles immediately stiffened and he felt the hairs on his neck stand up. He heard Yugi grumpily slam the alarm off and rolled over in his bed. Yami would never get use to Yugi's alarm clock.

"Yugi!" He turned from the window, where he'd been standing for the past while, while his spirit and soul were back in Egypt, five-thousand years ago. But now that he belongs in the Millennium Puzzle, Yami took up his new responsibility––Yugi. He doesn't mind, even though Yugi wasn't Delphinium. Sometimes, Yami could almost see Delphinium in him. They were both naïve and filled with innocence, yet another part of them seemed impossibly sophisticated…like they've been through hardship no one had ever experienced.

"Time to wake up, or you'd be late for school." He walked over to the bed and pranced on the lump underneath the quilt. "Come on, get up!"

"Leave me alone, Yami, it's too early to get up." He could hear Yugi's muffled voice murmur under his pillow. Yami rolled his eyes and flicked his bangs away from his eyes.

"Yugi!" He commanded, grabbing hold of the sheet. "Get up! It's time for school!" Seriously, waking up a fifteen-year old could be such a hard task. "Get UP!" Yami yanked the sheet and exposed of Yugi, who curled up into a ball. Yami stared at the figure, knowing his eyes would burn through Yugi's back, making him to have to get up. It worked.

"I'm up, I'm up." Yugi complained as he sat up in the bed and rubbed his eyes. "But Yami, I would have thought you were on my side. You know how school is. Why don't you just teach me at home? Why do I have to go to school anyway?" Yami suppressed the smile curing on his lips as he prepared to retreat back to his soul room.

"Because you have to learn all about the modern technology that I don't know about." He said back as he went back to his Millennium Puzzle.

"Yami, you're so stubborn sometimes." Yugi grumbled as he got ready for school.

"Come on, Daphne, we don't have all day! We're going to late for school." Kaiba called from the living room the fifth time. "Come on out, I won't make fun of you!" He insisted.

"My goodness, Seto! How can I wear this to school? This exposes WAY too much! I mean, just look at my legs!" Daphne's voice called from the second floor as she refused to leave her room for Kaiba to inspect her. Kaiba sighed. His cousin had been acting this way since an hour ago, declaring that the school uniform was absolutely shaming her.

"Daphne!" Kaiba said firmly. "Come down here now!" He buried his face in his hands. "Good lord, save her from this day." He muttered. Soft footsteps were heard from the foyer. Kaiba looked up.

Daphne had shed her deity-like outfit and was wearing Domino High's school uniform. Her beautiful ebony black hair had been brushed until it was satin-smooth. It was fine, but very thick, and so long that the shimmering black length of it fell below her hips. She still had on her golden Egyptian adornments including today a drop-tiara like gold band on her forehead with an amethyst at the point. The dark violet gem brought out the mysterious depth of Daphne's eyes, Kaiba noticed as he jumped to his feet and picked up his silver briefcase.

"You look great, now let's go."

"Seto, don't you think this is inappropriate? Do you actually approve?" Daphne looked at him with disbelief, cocking her head so that her wind-chime earrings tinkled charmingly. Her exoticness and sheer beauty send Kaiba's eyes to the floor.

"I, personally, have no opinion, besides the fact that we're going to be later than my usual time." Kaiba hustled Daphne down the hallway and opened the Kaiba Mansion door, where the limo awaits for them right outside.

"Seto!" She protested. Over the weekend with her new cousins, Daphne had found out about Kaiba's attitude toward the whole world and secretly, she had been trying to thaw the cold, hard, dark mask. But however, as she learned from Mokuba, Kaiba had already developed feelings for her in his heart. Though he's rough and tough on the outside, Daphne found out Kaiba was just a big marshmallow when it comes to Mokuba…or maybe even her.

"Into the car." He ordered as he opened the door for her. Kaiba lectured her in the limo about what she should say and how she should act at school. He warned her that some boys at school were bold, unlike the way in Egypt. After they arrived to school, he took her to the office where they settled some issues and uncertainties.

"Come on, you're in my same classroom." Kaiba led her to their class, where few students were already milling around, talking and chatting with their friends.

"Hey, Daphne!" A cheerful voice called as Daphne stood by the door, unsure of what to do. She looked around and her eyes brightened up when she saw Téa.

"Morning," she greeted as she walked over to where Téa was standing. "What are you guys doing?"

"Oh, Joey and Yugi are just having a duel and we're watching." The brunette filled her in. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Yugi. You haven't met him yet."

"May I, Seto?" Daphne turned for permission to Kaiba. He nodded coldly.

"Go ahead." He whirled around and walked over to his desk, taking out a thick, hard-back black book. Ignoring everybody's stares, he opened it and began to read. He looked up at Daphne and raised an eyebrow. Then, he gestured toward Téa ever so slightly with his chin that Daphne smiled. She blew her willowy cousin a kiss before following Téa willingly to the row of window desks. She soon noticed the two teens dueling. Ryou and Tristan were each cheering the two on.

"Hey, you guys, look who's here?" Téa called an intermission to the game.

"Hey, Daphne!" Tristan flashed her a smile as quick and as bright as the sun. He looked at her and Téa, with amusement, could almost detect a blush forming under her friend's dark handsome look.

"What do ya think of Domino High?" Joey lazily leaned back on his chair, almost falling over from the result.

"Well, I don't know." Daphne laughed. Her voice sounded like the tinkering of a bell. "I haven't quite seen it all yet." She turned to Yugi and remembering the manners Kaiba had taught her, she delicately held out her right hand. "Morning, my name is Daphne."

Yugi's eyes widened as he fixed his gaze on Daphne's face. Téa didn't blame him. She had done the same thing when she first met Daphne. She guessed now it was something about the way Daphne's mysterious violet eyes were framed by her arched brows. It gave her a look of intrigue, like a smooth skinned actress in an old spy movie. She hadn't always admired the enigmatic look. But since their introduction, Daphne and her captivating beauty didn't intimidate her anymore. She felt though as if they've known each other forever.

//Yugi!// Yugi jumped. Yami had never spoken to him with such intensity in his voice before. In fact, it was so intense that the tri-color haired teen could almost detect panic under the deep, rich tone. //That hair…that smile…the laugh…that girl…//

/What's wrong, Yami?/

//Yugi, I know that girl!// Yami choking over his own words. Yugi studied the smiling girl in front of him.

/How do you know her? I don't./ He frowned. He's certain that if he had ever been introduced to this girl, he would definitely remember her. /I'm certain that I've never even met her before./

//Of course not.// Yami gasped for air. //I knew her from Egypt. The Egypt in my time!// Yugi wondered why Yami was so worked up. His yami had never got so hysterical over any girl…except…

/Do you mean––// No…it couldn't be.

//Yugi, it's…it's…it's HER!//

/Who?/ Yugi asked, confused as he felt his yami all of a sudden stop breathing. /And calm down, Yami, you're getting excited./

//It's HER, it's HER! It has to be!// Yami shouted in his soul room. //Her beauty…it's none anyone can achieve today!//

/Who, Yami?!/ Yugi could feel a huge headache coming up from the way Yami was shouting in his head. He felt his Millennium Puzzle grow hot.

//Let me OUT! Let me out!// The teen could feel his dark half trying to break out of the Millennium Puzzle.

/Yami!/ Yugi gritted his teeth against the pain and held his place, though he was literally rocking back and forth on his chair from the way Yami was trying to break out, trying to keep Yami from popping out beside him. /This is school! You can't just…pop out! And besides, what if it isn't her!?/ Yami's soul room grew quiet and cool. It was so silent that Yugi was afraid he had offended the former pharaoh.

/Yami?/ He asked tentatively telepathically. /I'm…sorry, I didn't mean––//

//You're right, Yugi.// Yami's voice quietly apologized. //I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry, aibou, if I hurt you.//

Now that Yami was controlled and back to his old thoughtful ways, Yugi had time to really check Daphne out. The foreign girl's eyes were sparkling as if she knew something he didn't and her smile was playful and engaging. In fact, from simply looking at her from the outside, Yugi could tell that Daphne has a captivating personality.

/She's beautiful, Yami./ He said seriously. /And her eyes…it looks like a duplicate pair of yours./

//Really?// Yami sounded pleased and proud. Yugi nodded. /And her way of speaking, it sounds almost just like you. But how do we find out if it is really her?/

//There is only one way.// Yami told him. //On her left ankle, there would be a small stalk larkspur impression on the skin. No one ever knew it was there, it was done so no one would mistake an imposter for a princess.//

/Larkspur? Delphinium./ Yugi realized. Yami nodded with approval.

//But, Yugi,// Yami hasten to add. //It's not simply her looks, I feel…different. Whole. Complete. Like I haven't felt since five millennia ago.// His voice was far away and fanciful. //She's grown up so well. Just look at her. I never got a chance to watch her grow up. She inherited my throne when she was only nine.//

/Nine?!/

//Yes, when the Shadow Game got out of control. When I created the Millennium Items.//

"Yugi?" Yugi was jolted out of his deep conversation with Yami as he felt Téa elbowed him. "What's taking you so long? Daphne's waiting." Yugi looked up and realized Daphne was still waiting for him to shake her hands. He blushed and stood up.

"Oops," he took her hand and shook it heartily. "Welcome, Daphne, to Domino City." Before anyone can say anything more, the teacher walked into the class and cleared his throat. Students scurried back to their seats.

"Class," he began, motioning Daphne up in front of the class. "Today, we have a new student. Would you please introduce yourself?" Daphne walked up to the front of the class. She was immediately given the once-over. A couple of boys actually had the nerve to wink and give low whistles.

//She still remembered her lessons.// Yami told Yugi proudly. //She walks with the grace of a queen.//

/You think she'll still remember you?/

//She has to,// Yami voice sounded sad all of a sudden. //Her past was too painful to be forgotten.//

"Well, hello," Daphne felt uncomfortable but she managed to look smooth and elegant in front of the whole class. They stared at her expectantly. "My name is Daphne and I'm new to Domino City. I moved from Cairo, Egypt, and I'm staying with my cousin." She prayed that's all she had to say. But the teacher looked at her and smiled.

"And who's your cousin?"

"My cousin? He's actually attending this class at this moment." Daphne had a teasing look in her eyes. Yugi felt nervous all of a sudden.

/Hey, Yami?/ He concentrated quietly.

//Yes, Yugi?// Yami's voice was patient and wise.

/Do you think I'm the cousin she's talking about?/ Yugi asked anxiously. But he and his darker side never finished this conversation, for Daphne went on to answer the teacher's questions without stopping.

"I do believe you all know him pretty well. He is Seto Kaiba."

/NO!/ Yami gasped, shocked, then Yugi could feel him no more. Everyone grew silent and Kaiba looked up from his book to find every single pair of eyes in the room was on him. Him. The sixteen-year-old CEO of KaibaCorp, his own high-tech multi-international corporation. Seto Kaiba––the most cruel and ruthless of all businessmen, the coldest and darkest of all students. He smirked and stood up. As long as the attention was turned on him, he might as well as use this to his own advantage.

"May I address the class?" His voice was crisp and delivered like a dare. The teacher nodded. "This is a word of warning beforehand," he began pleasantly, though his cold, hard dark blue pools spoke every word for him. "If any of you, and I do mean ANY of you," he made eye contact with everyone in the whole class. "Dare to hurt my cousin in ANY way…I swear on the grave of my parents, I will find you, I will haunt you down, and I will kill you." Nobody missed the poison and venom laced into his voice. The room was dead silent as his voice turned cocky and sarcastic once again. "That is all I have to say, thank you." He sat back down and opened his book once more.

/Yami?/ Yugi was worried. This feeling had never happened before. Now, he felt as if Yami had never existed, as if he was not in the Millennium Puzzle anymore. As if Yami had…

Yugi gave a yelp as he felt himself flame up into a blazing fire. In truth, it was so hot that Yugi had trouble breathing. His face was red and his Millennium Puzzle got too hot to touch. It's Yami. The wreath of Yami had returned.

//Yugi.// Yami's comforting tone was now as cold and as hard as Kaiba's, though not directed as Yugi. //Let me out.//

/Yami!/ Yugi gasped. /You've got to cool down. I…I can't breathe. You've got to control your anger!/

//LET ME OUT!!!// From the lack of oxygen and Yami's thundering voice, Yugi fell out of his chair, grasping his throat. There was a loud clatter as the chair fell to the floor and everyone turned. Yami cooled down immediately and he asked concernedly.

//Yugi? Are you alright?//

/Yes./ Yugi gasped for the fresh, delightful air. Now all eyes were reverted to Yugi. The teacher scowled.

"Mr. Muto?" The teacher addressed him sharply. "Are you capable of sitting in your seat properly?"

"Yes, sir," Yugi climbed back into his chair. "I'm sorry, sir. It will not happen again."

"I certainly hope not! Class, please settle down and be seated! We have wasted enough time as it is, let the class begin. Miss Daphne, you may be seated."

Yugi felt a force on his back and turned. There, two rows down, his eyes met Seto Kaiba's icy blue, unrelenting, unforgiving gaze. Yugi gave him a quick smile and turned away, his heart thumping against his chest, only to turn to meet the familiar laughing violet-blue eyes. Except this time, the eyes that were laughing, were thoughtful and serious, almost as if she knew exactly what Yugi was thinking and exactly what was going on.