A/N You know the drill; I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, only Safiya, since she lives in my head.

A/N I had originally wanted to avoid talking about the shadow games and the Shadow Realm, but they are playing a role in the third part of this series, so I figured I should probably work them in here and explain them. If I confuse any of you readersor you feel that it seems out of place, I'm dreadfully sorry. oo

To my reviewers: Thanks for reviewing, you guys are truly great. I just hope you'll forgive me if this chapter seems choppy. I'm going to post the next chapter right away justbecause I'm really not happy with this one. And now that I have tainted this chapter in your minds, please read on and if you feel it in your heart, review and make me feel better.


As afternoon gave way to evening, their conversation shifted from their future to the shadow games. Safiya had heard of the games, but had never seen one, and she wanted to know more about them.

"Atemu, I have heard that since you were a young boy you have been a master of the shadow games. Some even go so far as to call you the king of games."

"It's true that I am rather good at the games. But all of the royal officials, the high priests and priestesses included, play the shadow games with a high level of proficiency. That is how we protect our people."

"You protect the people with games?"

"In a sense, yes. We practice with each other, sharpening our skills, preparing for the day when someone brings evil into our land. You see, while most countries and nations fight wars, which are paid for in human lives, we Egyptians play shadow games. When a threat rises up, take for example the Thief King Bakura, I am generally the one to oppose the threat, although more often than not, Seth fights by my side. In the case of Bakura, he and I would play a shadow game with our guardian monsters.

"These games are slightly different than those you would witness in the palace. These games are often played on the outskirts of my realm as Pharaoh and the stakes are very high. In the end, the winner takes all. For lack of better word, I will refer to each opponent as a 'player.' Each player calls out his guardian monster or monsters, and the creatures wage a fierce battle. Once a player's guardians are destroyed, he is left for dead."

"Wait, I don't understand. What do you mean, 'left for dead'?"

"I'll explain it this way. A guardian monster is an extension of a person's soul. Every time the monster is wounded, the player feels it. When all of a person's guardians are defeated, it is believed that that person's soul is taken into the Shadow Realm to wander forever. But in the case of the tomb-robber Bakura, it's a little different." He lowered his tone and furrowed his brows in confusion. "I have defeated him several times, and he always seems to return. It's as though he has the ability to somehow escape the Shadow Realm… But that's another conversation in and of itself."

"I see. And if I am to be queen, I'm guessing that I will need to learn the shadow games, as well?"

"I hadn't thought about that, but yes. As queen, you would fight by my side or in my place if the need arises. I will start training you after we are wed. But enough of the shadows, I find them to be depressing. Let's get back to talking about you and me." A mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes as he leaned towards her, bringing his lips close to hers.

She laughed, and turned her face so his lips fell on her cheek. "You are hopeless. Ra forbid that anything ever happen while you're in one of these moods. You would sooner allow Egypt to fall to ruin than leave my side."

"That's not entirely true," he paused dramatically with a smile tugging at his lips, "because I trust that Seth would save Egypt for me."

She had expected him to deny it, and she couldn't help herself but laugh at his response. She fell backwards onto the bed in fits of laughter, and Atemu soon joined her.

After a few more hours of talking and planning, the two succumbed to sleep. Safiya slept well for the first night in many months, no longer having to worry about Seth's reactions. The warmth of the Pharaoh lying beside her was a constant reminder that she was finally safe.

A few hours into their somewhat peaceful slumber, Atemu awoke and bolted up to a sitting position, sweating heavily.

"Atemu, what is wrong?" His violent motion woke Safiya, who was now very concerned.

He turned his face away from her and held his head in his hand. "I had a nightmare."

She began to massage his back, trying to relieve the tension in his muscles. "Do you want to tell me about it?" She whispered softly.

His body shuddered beneath her touch as he began to recount his vision. "If it had been more fantastic or unbelievable, I might not be in such a state. But what I saw in my mind's eye, I have seen with my own eyes." He turned to look at her. "When you came to me the other night, you were near death. My caretaker and I did the best we could to tend to your wounds, but there was one we neglected."

"My eye?"

"Yes, and when he opened your eye…" He shuddered again. "That vision is forever burned into my mind's eye."

"Would it help to lay those visions to rest if you saw how it is healing?" She quietly offered.

When he made no effort to respond, she rose from the bed and turned her back to him. She removed the bandage from her left eye and gently rinsed her face with water.

She returned to him with her hair fallen over the left side of her face, concealing her eye. "Just remember Atemu that I in no way blame you for what happened. I love you and nothing can come between us as far as I am concerned." Knowing that he needed to deal with his emotional pain on his own, she waited patiently, wanting him to make the first move.

When he didn't move for some time, she reached out and delicately took hold of his hand. She then lifted it to her face and guided him in moving the hair away from her eye.

What he saw was vastly different than what he remembered. Over the course of one day, the whole eye had glazed over and had become a blue color that matched her right eye. The gash across the center of her left eye was a cloudy shade of white and stood out against the eye's now glassy texture. Before he knew it, he was staring, amazed at the change. He found himself mesmerized by the strange beauty of the healed eye.

"Atemu, what do you see?"

Her voice startled him. "Not what I remember." He removed his hand, letting her hair fall down to cover the eye once again. He kissed her softly on the lips and then lay down and quickly drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

"Sleep well, my Atemu."