I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters and plots.

However the following characters (their powers and such) used in this fan fiction ARE mine:

Lady Aurora Phoenix

Lady Natara Fear

Lady Sapphira Star

Blaze

Chaos

Havoc

Now I know this will be different from typical stories thus the reason it is in the fantasy genre but I wanted to give Atem a family and have a way to keep an eye on him even while he was nothing but a spirit in the Millennium Puzzle... This way I could do just that. This is my first fan fic so forgive me if it is not to your liking.

"Isis Speaks Her Mind"

Pacing back in forth before his throne, Atem tried to concentrate on the battle he would soon be facing. He was not sure when it would occur but he felt it would be soon. He just was not sure he could pull this one off. He knew he had to for the sake of his kingdom. But his mind was clouded with doubt. His opponent was ruthless and cunning. He was going to have to think the same way. The scent of jasmine somehow caught his attention. Looking around he could not place it. There were no such flowers in his throne room. In fact they were not in his palace at all.

"I am going mad," he muttered.

"Lack of sleep will do that to a person, your majesty," a quiet voice responded. Atem jumped and spun around to see Isis standing at the door way.

"How did you…? Oh yeah. Never mind."

"Sire, may I please speak openly with you?"

"As you wish, Isis," Atem relented. He was too tired to fight with anyone today. Too many strange things had happened to him and he was not sure how much more he could take.

"Forgive me for being so bold, but I have watched you carefully since this stranger arrived. Others have as well. Ever since she has arrived, you have not been sleeping well. You wander the halls at night. You have a scar on your shoulder that you refuse to tell anyone how you came about it."

"You know where it came from, Isis. I am certain of that," Atem stopped her. "I know what your necklace reveals to you. Being the vision I had that night sparked from the puzzle, I know your necklace had to have been affected as well. This scar is a mark. A chosen mark. I have felt strange since then. Stronger. The puzzle has never made me feel this way. I have seen spirits, talked to them even. My people would think me insane." Atem sighed heavily. "I think the visions I have been having are pieces of her past. As if someone is trying to give me a clue to just who she is. I was told that if I protect her she will protect me. I do not know just what I am supposed to be protecting her from though. Her enemy surely was destroyed in that last battle. How anyone survived it I will never know. There are her friends, as well. They are scattered somewhere around this land and yet no one has been found." Frustrated, Atem threw himself into his chair.

"My Pharaoh, please. You must not beat yourself up over this." Isis tried to persuade him as she took a step toward him with her arms before her. "That was her war. You helped her thus far. You are a good pharaoh. Sometimes, too good. You seem to have given yourself over to her and it is hurting you in the end." Dropping her arms, Isis took a shaky breath. "If it does not stop, it will hurt others," she finally said, lowering her eyes. Atem shook his head.

"No, Isis. I do not believe she will be a problem. She is here to recover. Then she goes on her way. Everyone will have nothing to fear. Enough people are at risk in the battles to come. A stranger to our lands should not be placed at such risk." Isis raised her gaze again to give him a searching look.

"That is not what your heart wants." Atem raised an eyebrow at her.

"So you know my heart now do you?"

"I mean no disrespect to you, Sire. Believe me," Isis bowed as he stood yet again to begin his pacing. "Your actions speak much louder than words. I know where your travels take you at night. To her room. You spend hours there every night while the rest of the palace sleeps." Taking a daring chance, Isis stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on his arm just below his armband. Atem stopped pacing and looked down at her hand cautiously before looking her in the eye. Flustered, she continued. "What I do not understand is why? Why are you so drawn to her?" With a heavy sigh, Atem looked down at the floor. To be honest with himself, he had no real answer to that question. He did not even truly understand it. He knew that Isis was right about his heart not wanting to let this stranger go. He just did not know why exactly he was reacting like this.

"Honestly, Isis, I do not know…" he finally said after a brief hesitation. Another sigh escaped his lips. "I am not sure what is happening to me. I can think of nothing but this stranger. Maybe it is curiosity. How she survived that crash? Is she who I have been praying to the gods for? Can she help us? The fact that I know nothing of her may be what is drawing me to her. There are nights where it seems like someone is calling to me. Trying to get me to understand something just out of my reach. To make things stranger still, I think she has spoken to me." Isis eyed him curiously.

"That is impossible, Sire. She has been unconscious for so long. We would have known had she awakened."

"That is just it." Atem looked at her intensely. He wanted so badly for Isis to understand what he was saying. He just was not sure how to get the idea across in a way that she would believe him. "She did not speak with her lips. It is a voice in my head. A soft, gentle voice, filled with pain. And guilt," he added as he remembered her blaming herself for the planet's destruction. "She is… I do not know. I only know that she has alone here and could use an ally. Someone she can trust. If she really is the one from that vision a few weeks back, then she will not trust anyone in or with Power. She will fight them actually. I have enough on my mind with the enemy we have already. I do not need some woman from the sky adding to the chaos."

"I understand." I think, Isis added to herself as she dropped her hand and nodded in respect to her Pharaoh. There is more to this feeling of his than he is willing to even admit to himself, let alone me. Just how deep does it go? She wondered as a small voice coughed to announce her presence. Startled, Isis and Atem turned to look at a friend of the High Priest Set's.

"What is it, Kisara?" Atem asked abruptly.

"Priest Set has asked me to inform you that the stranger is stirring. He feels it will not be long before she wakes." Kisara bowed shakily and waited for Atem to dismiss her.

"Thank you. I will be there shortly." Atem looked at Isis. "Are we done here?"

"Yes, my Pharaoh." She sighed after a brief pause. She was lying and she wondered if he would notice. There was something more she had needed to tell him. Something important. But now was not the time. "We are." With a curt nod, Atem briskly walked passed her and out into the hall, his cape flowing out behind him with every step. Isis just lowered her head and sighed. He had so much on his mind. There was no way she could tell him what she knew now. She did not think he would be able to take it if she told him anyway. So without a word, she turned and followed him toward the stranger's room.