- 3 -

As the days passed, the mountains slowly loomed closer. During the mid-day heat, they stayed in their shelter and waited for dusk. Kaiba would practice with the staff, though so far it had only been used to encourage a viper to get out of their way. Meritaten would practice with the slingshot – much to the others' amusement, but she was slowly getting better. She was proud that she had killed a scorpion with it. Unfortunately, Kaiba wouldn't let her forget that her intended target was 10 feet away from the scorpion.

The terrain turned rocky as they entered the foothills. Around midnight, Meritaten called a halt. "We will rest until dawn. Now we will travel in daylight. It will be safer."

They traveled another day into the mountains, then set up camp. "We are close and they are probably aware we are here, but I want to share a wondrous sight with you. Rest now."

Meritanen woke them up before daybreak and led them out onto a ledge overlooking a small valley. "There are springs within the mountains. In the cool of the night, the moisture gathers as a light mist in this valley. The effect will only last a few seconds, so watch carefully as the sun comes up." They watched as the sun crested a rise and its beams were reflected off the mist. Millions of tiny rainbows were formed. They were everywhere, but just for a second or two. The sun quickly burned off the mist and the rainbows disappeared.

Téa was speechless, but Kaiba broke the silence. "Very pretty," he said without emotion, "let's get going." He turned and started breaking camp. Meritaten bent down, picked up several rocks and pulled her slingshot.

"No." Téa whispered urgently, grabbing Meritaten's arm. "I don't much like him either, but you have to understand him. There are only three things he cares about: his company, his dueling and his brother. Nothing else matters. He doesn't see the world the way we do." Téa smiled at her, "But I am very glad to have seen it. It was rare and wonderful. It's something I won't soon forget."

Meritaten reluctantly put her rocks in a pouch and the slingshot in her belt. Giving Téa a half smile, "Probably would have ended up hitting you instead of him anyway."

"The thought did occur to me." They chuckled in amusement, then went to help Kaiba load the camels.

"How long?" Kaiba said shortly as they mounted up again.

Meritaten pointed to a short plateau across the valley. "There is the entrance. It is about half a day's ride. We will probably be joined by a "welcoming committee" before we reach it though."

They slowly wound their way down toward the plateau.

"It's not far now." Meritaten called over her shoulder. They were riding through a narrow corridor of rock. "We will come out within a mile of the plateau. That is where I expect my people to meet us, so don't be surprised."

She was right. They exited the corridor and rode between five pairs of riders. In silence, they were escorted to the base of the plateau, where a group of children waited to take care of their mounts. As Téa dismounted, Mau climbed onto her shoulder and made himself comfortable. He nuzzled her ear and purred loudly. It helped ease her anxiety. She would see her friends soon. This is where they are, she was sure of it.

Meritaten held her head up proudly as she approached an older man at the entrance. "Welcome home, Meritaten!" He opened his arms to offer an embrace, but, as she stepped in to accept it, his welcoming smile turned fierce and his hand became a fist. She was knocked to her knees by the force of the blow. The men who had escorted them chuckled unkindly and with approval of the strike. Encouraged, the older man again raised a fist, but Kaiba's staff cracked down on it.

"I believe that is enough." Kaiba said, his face set. "Aren't you supposed to take us some place, or are you just here to beat on this girl?"

"Both." The man turned, flexing his injured hand, and led them into the plateau.

They had been given rooms in which to bathe and rest, Seto in one and the girls in another. Seto had argued with the man. He wanted to see his brother immediately, but eventually was assured he would be seeing him soon enough.

The girls dressed in the clean cloths provided to them – Meritaten showing her how to drape it correctly. Meritaten looked Téa over. Her white linen drape fit well and fell down to her ankles. She noticed that Téa had not put on any of the jewelry provided her. She reached down and picked up the band of gold and positioned it on her head so the lowest part of the turquoise stone hanging from it touched between Téa's eyebrows. The drop of gold dangling from the necklace around Téa's neck fell neatly into the hollow of her collarbone. She then slid the gold bands up Téa's arms and secured a gold chain around her waist. She applied kohl along Téa's eyes, red powder for her lips and cheeks.

Meritaten applied the same markings to her face and picked up the only piece of jewelry provided for her - silver chains. As Téa watched with growing awe, Meritaten placed the front chain across her forehead and then proceeded to weave the remaining chains through her hair in intricate patterns into a complex braid that fell to the middle of her back. The effect was like star-filled midnight.

A voice announced it was time. Téa picked up Mau who again climbed upon her shoulder and got comfortable. It was then she realized that the pouch holding the Puzzle was missing. She frantically searched the room until Meritaten stopped her. "It's not here. They have taken it with the others into the Great Hall."

They met Kaiba in the hallway. He was not at all pleased. He was dressed in a knee-length white linen "skirt" and a beaded collar. His eyes were also lined in kohl and his bare arms had bracers of gold. He held his staff as a wizard would. Meritaten was impressed, if only we can do something about his personality.

Kaiba looked them over and snidely said, "Trick or Treat." He turned to the guide and said, "Let's go."

The Great Hall was huge. For lighting, large cauldrons containing fires burned at specific points with smaller torches in between. The rock floor ran from the doorway they were entering to the raised platform at the far end. There was seating along either side of the walls, cut from the rock - the seats were filled with people. As they walked towards the platform, Seto and Téa were searching the crowd for friends and family with no luck.

"Where are they?" he savagely whispered to Meritaten.

"Patience, Kaiba."

He shot her a look and noticed her eyes never strayed from the platform they approached. A golden throne was upon a dais in the center of the platform, upon the throne was the Millennium Puzzle and a white cloth hung across the back of the throne. A pattern on the wall behind the throne was a pyramid; set into the pattern were the six other Millennium Items and the three god cards formed the crown of the pyramid.

About thirty feet from the platform, guards stopped them from getting any closer. Movement from the right side of the Hall caught their attention. The people they had come so far to find walked in and took seats closest to the platform. They looked unharmed and excited to see the threesome, although Bakura looked mighty confused as he looked at Meritaten. She gave him a wink.

Four people walked onto the platform. Kaiba recognized two of them, the Ishtar siblings. Yugi recognized another, Shaddi. Only Meritaten knew the last, his name was Osorkon and he was the leader of her people. They took up positions on either side of the dais.

"Now is the time for our Pharaoh's return. Let him come forth." Shaddi intoned in a loud voice.

Mau jumped off Téa shoulder, padded regally up the length of the floor, mounted the platform, then dais and gracefully leapt upon the throne. He turned and gazed at the audience as he sat tall, his tail curled round his legs. Marik stepped forward and put the chain of the Millennium Puzzle around Mau's neck, then returned to his position.

You have got to be kidding me. Kaiba was getting angry. These people are NUTS! His thoughts were interrupted though by a rumbling sound coming from the dais. All eyes turned to Mau as the Millennium Items and god cards all activated. A combination of light and darkness, surrounded the throne and blocked it from view for several minutes. When the air cleared, there stood the Pharaoh dressed only in the Millennium Puzzle and the white cloth that had been draped on the back of the throne which was now wrapped around his waist. He looked like Yugi though about ten years older. Those gathered in the Hall bowed to the Pharaoh, except Kaiba, of course. They locked eyes for a moment in loathing until Pharaoh's attention was drawn to Osorkon who was speaking to him. Pharaoh nodded and was led off the platform and into an antechamber.

Those in the Great Hall spoke excitedly as they headed back to their homes and work. Seto saw Mokuba running to him and kneeled down to catch his embrace. "I knew you would come, Seto. You always do."

"I always will." He whispered to his little brother.

Over by the rest of the gang, Meritaten watched Kaiba. She turned and in a soft voice said, "I see now what you mean. His little brother is lucky to have someone who would go to the ends of the earth for him."

Téa nodded, "But I think Seto is the one who is luckier. His little brother loves him no matter what Seto does."

As the guards then led the group back to their rooms for the night, Yugi expressed his disappointment that he hadn't been able to speak with the Pharaoh. Meritaten chuckled, "Yugi, he is a Pharaoh. If he wants to speak with you, he will call for you."