The next morning, Anzu woke up. She dressed in her peasant clothing and put her hood and mouth mask on. She left her room quietly so guards wouldn't hear her. With money in hand, she set out to the market to try and buy her a strong horse.

She fingered the note Atemu gave her in her pocket.

"Do not fear for him...I'll find him Anzu," He then made her promise to stay put. She wouldn't have it.

The market was packed in the morning. People yelling to try and sell or buy products. Many shops had beautiful jewelry that Anzu was tempted to buy, but was steered away with thoughts of Seth being killed.

She finally found an old man sitting by a selection of beautiful horses. Each one was properly groomed and healthy to the bone.

"Milady. Interested in buying a horse?" the old man said kindly. Anzu smiled as she looked at one of the horses.

"I am,"

She spotted a beautiful horse with tan skin with a black mane and tale. The horse also had black muzzle. Anzu went to it and started to stroke its strong neck.

"Your so beautiful." She said as the horse looked at her. She then looked at the old man.

"I'll take him." She said happily.

"Ah, a wise choice, my finest buck-skin. He's 500 rubes though. Can you pay?" the man said with doubt in his voice. Anzu smiled again.

"Just 500 rubes? He should be more, but no matter." Anzu untied the horse and handed the old man a sack of rubes. "Heres the money. Good bye." She said as she led her horse away.

Anzu led her horse to the royal gardens were a spring of fresh water was. The horse, looking thankful, drank the water. She stroked the neck of her horse.

"What shall I call you?" she said as the horse lifted its head to look at her. She stood there thinking, and then a name came to her. "Anubis. I shall call you Anubis," Anubis gently nudged her with his head like he agreed with the name.

"You have a little habit of coming back here," a rich voice said from behind her. She turned to see Atemu mounted on a pure black horse about the same size of Anubis.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll leave." Anzu said as she turned her horse around. She then mounted Anubis.

"Why did you buy a horse?" Atemu asked kindly. Anzu lowered her moth mask and looked at him.

"I think he was treated wrong," She lied. Atemu frowned at her.

"You promised Anzu. Do not leave me," he said. Anzu looked hurt but steered her horse to face away.

"You mustn't go! They will surly kill you and your brother! I don't want that to happen to you!" Atemu said calmly but seriously. Anzu held the reins to Anubis tight in her grasp.

"No! I must get him home!" she yelled as she pressed the sides of Anubis, making him run.

I'm sorry...

"Anzu!" Atemu yelled as he started to chase after her.

Their horses ran through the labyrinth of a market. Anzu was ahead.

Stop chasing me! Her mind screamed.

"ANZU! STOP!" he yelled after her. They came to the kingdom gates and ran into the desert. This time, Atemu's horse had the advantage. His horse was built to run through the desert sands, Anzu's was not.

His horse got up right besides Anubis.

Atemu jumped off his horse and knocked Anzu off her horse and both went flying. The Pharaoh landed right on top of Anzu.

He got up coughing sand out of his mouth, so did Anzu. Seeing the position he was in, he quickly rolled off onto the sand. "Are you ok?" he asked as he coughed some more. She nodded her head.

They both sat there in the sand.

"Anzu, please understand. I don't want you to get hurt." Atemu said quietly. Anzu looked at him, anger flaring in her heart.

"Why? Why did you save me before? You're trying to save me now." She answered quietly. Atemu leaned over, and pinned her to the ground. He put a hand on her cheek and kissed her passionately. Anzu blushed at his sudden move. They stopped kissing and looked at each other.

He kissed me...

"Atemu? Why?" she whispered. Atemu stroked a strand of hair out of Mariana's face and smiled softly.

"I'm in love with you..." he admitted. Anzu blushed when he said this.

"When I saw you being chased by those men, I couldn't help but help you in your need of rescuing. Then when you passed out, I saw the beauty in you and so fell in love."

Anzu was touched. She also felt love for him.

"Highness, I'm so sorry. My burden is leaning on you and... I-I love you too," She began to cry softly. Atemu got her on her feet and held her gently in his arms. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she rested her head on his chest.

He kissed her on her head and then got her on Anubis. He mounted his horse and looked at her.

"Don't worry. We'll get you brother back. I promise."


Later that night, Anzu lay in bed. Atemu had sent his most trusted guard and his right hand man to watch over her for the night.

She sighed and got up from her bed. Peering out the door crack, she saw the guards standing in front of the door. She then put her plan into action.

She silently crept to a small trap door. She slipped into it and crawled in its small tunnel. The tunnel led to an opening outside of the kingdom's protective wall. Anzu crawled out of the tunnel and looked around.

There stood Anubis ready to ride into the night. She approached him and stroked his neck. He nudged her affectionately.

"Good boy. Now, lets go." She whispered to the horse as she mounted him. Anubis started to trot quietly until they were a safe distance away from the walls. He then broke into a fast gallop.

I feel sorry for breaking my promise to the Pharaoh, but I have to save my brother!

The full moon lit the desert sand with a soft blue glow. They couldn't get lost, the horse shoes marks from earlier were still there.

It wasn't long until Anzu could hear the sound of falling water. The waterfall came into sight.

The falling water looked like diamonds falling from heavens from the moon's light.

Anzu saw no one in sight. She patted Anubis and took out a small oval shaped object. It was a flute like musical instrument called an Ocarina. Seth gave it to her when she was 8 years old.

She brought it to her lips and played a song Seth taught her. He said it was called a 'lullaby'.

As she played the song, she could see an image of Seth playing the lullaby to try and get a 5-year-old version of her to sleep. The vision brought tears to her eyes.

"What a beautiful melody. Did your brother teach you that song?" chuckled a voice. Anzu stopped playing the ocarina and put it away in Anubis' saddle pouch. She looked around frantically. No one was in sight. She was beginning to get scared.

"Can you not see me? Why do you think I wanted to meet you on a full moon?" the voice asked coldly. Anzu slowly looked at the moon, but only to see a shadow of a man hovering in mid air!

"How?" she gasped in terror. She then remembered what she was there for. "Weres my brother? Give him back!" she yelled at the man. The man frowned and lifted his hand gently.

A blue light surrounded Anzu as she was lifted off Anubis and into the air. She was then thrown onto the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Anubis reared his front legs at the man.

He paid no attention to the protective horse.

Anzu sat up and tried to catch her breath. She looked up at the man, who gave her a smirk. She glared at him.

"Why do you do this to me? To my brother? Just leave us alone!" she yelled at the man. "Who the hell are you?" she then screamed. She felt a sharp slap across her face. The man was in front of her. She could see a scar running down his right eye.

((now who could that be....))

"You watch your mouth or you brother will pay with his life!" he yelled at her as he grabbed her neck and lifted her into the air with one hand. She tried to struggle, but he was very strong.

"Lets get friendly first," He said with a chuckle.

"My name is Bakura,"

Mariana looked at him with a scowl. He smirked at her.

((dun dun duuunnnn))

"Your quite lovely when mad," he said. Anzu spat at him. Bakura yelled in rage and held his hand to slap her. She waited for the blow but it never came.

"No...it would be rude to harm one with noble blood." He dropped her to the ground. She looked up at him in confusion.

"Let us go!" Anzu screamed in pain. Bakura raised both hands and a fireball formed in each hand. He then made a giant circle out of them.

"I think...not," he laughed as he threw the ball of fire at her. But instead of hitting her, it captured her inside of the ball. She couldn't get out.

Inside the ball was heating up the temperature. She turned to Anubis who was rearing in panic. She tried to point toward the kingdom but the heat was draining her strength... eventually fainting.


Morning came and Atemu went to Anzu's room to check up on her.

"Pharaoh." The guard said.

"Good morning Honda," Atemu said calmly. He then looked at his right hand man.

"Is she okay?" he asked quietly," Jounouchi was the same age as Atemu and acted just like the rookie he is.

"She's doing fine!" he said with a smile.

Just then, Anubis came galloping in. He reared at the sight of the Pharaoh.

"Anubis?" he gasped. Jounouchi and Honda grabbed the reins and tried to calm the horse.

"Easy boy! Whoa. Easy now," Atemu said to the horse as he gently patted the back of Anubis. He then glanced at Jounouchi.

"Go and check on Anzu." He said as he tried to stop Anubis from nodding his head up and down.

"Sure thing," Jounouchi said as he opened the door.

Not much longer, Honda discovered the tunnel. He then told the Pharaoh that Anzu escaped.

"I should of known. You two get a horse to ride. We need to get her and Seth home safely." Anubis, trusting Atemu, allowed him to ride him.

"Lets go!" Atemu yelled angrily as Anubis broke into a run.


A/N

Ahh! Another chappie gone by...the reviews really helped me update! Thanks to all! COOKIES!

To LittleAtemu: I hope your doing better Shiro!!