Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! yada yada ya…what else is there to say?

Chapter 10: The Nubian Princesses

Malich rushed with the Pharaoh over to the Nile River. Yami walked over and began washing out his hair.

"Really though, I don't see the need for me to be there to greet the Nubians. But, you said I ought to know something, right? About them?" Yami inquired.

"Well…yes," Malich replied, "Do you remember the last time you met them?"

"Yes. Actually, it was my first and last time."

"Yes, and I believe your parents were still alive then," Malich concluded.

"Well, yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" Yami looked at him.

"Everything, sire. You see, your parents and the King of Nubia had a little conference. Now, see, there are four princesses…."

"I am well aware of that, Malich. Continue, please. You're stating to drift away from the road," Yami used a metaphor.

"Sire, it's been planned this way for years, and with Ancient Tradition working with it…."

"Get on with it, Malich!" Yami roared. Malich wasn't about to say anything yet.

He pulled out some clothes, " I packed these too. You ought to get rid of that peasant outfit, and make ready to see them. Then, you can put these on, "Malich handed him the crown and Puzzle.

"Malich, I wouldn't regard what you're about to say as "bad news," would I? Is that why you keep straying away from the path, "Yami replied.

"My lord, in all honesty…."

"Spit it out, Malich!" Yami roared, "It's not like my life hasn't already been ruined today!"

"Because you're now eighteen, you have to choose someone to marry," Malich replied quickly, tensing up.

"WHAT? WHY WASN'T I TOLD ABOUT THIS?" Yami roared.

"I truly thought you knew ahead of time, sire. Only at the square did I find that you didn't. I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but you must choose a wife within the year, and it must be from the four Nubian Princesses," Malich explained. "And don't look at it like it's a bad thing. At least you have a choice! If there was only one princess, you would be FORCED to marry her."

Yami groaned and sighed as he went behind a near bush and changed into his royal attire. After coming out from behind it, Malich grabbed his arm and hurried him to the palace.


On reaching the palace, they used the back entrance. But Yami stopped as they went up the stairs. There were two young mages standing guard there. He went to inquire the long, black-haired one.

"Excuse me, but where might the guards be? This is not your job," he said.

"It is now, your highness. It seems that you're running low on guards. You have some for the front entrance, but we're your rear guards."

"May I have your names?"

"I'm Mokou," the black-haired boy spoke, "and that's Naoh." Naoh had short, di-green hair. Then, the one named Mokou continued, "We're servants for Lord Seto."

Yami raised an eyebrow, "So he has servants now, does he?"

Mokou gave him a long stare, "I believe it's only customary." Yami knew what he meant, for one reason or another (gees, there's that phrase again!). (This reason will be explained MUCH later in the story. I will make references back to this point.)

Yami then continued up the stairway. Malich led him to the throne room, but kept him in a corridor off to the side.

"I'll go introduce you properly," Malich said.

"No, that won't be necessary," Yami said, but it was too late. Malich was off and running.

The princesses were all seated on layout chairs. Some sat, and some lay on them. Malich approached them.

"Oh look, one of HIS servants is here!" the light brown haired one cried.

Malich faltered, hearing her excitement, "Well, I…er, present to you…King Yami." Yami didn't move from his place. The four women stood up and looked around.

"Well, where is he?" the blond one asked.

"Er…just a moment," Malich replied and rushed back to Yami.

"Sire, what are you doing? You're supposed to go out there!"

"I'm NOT going out there. Maybe I don't want to be introduced formally. Maybe you disobeyed my command. Maybe I just don't want to see them, period. Maybe there are two reasons for this. Maybe, memories of their past visit still reside in my mind. Maybe this new news you just gave me makes me regret even coming back here with you. Maybe…." Yami was interrupted.

"No, no more "maybe" 's! I know they were a little rowdy and liked playing some small harmless pranks on you last time…."

"Harmless?" Yami cried out, "You call them almost drowning me, a harmless prank?"

"Sire, they probably weren't aware that when they pushed you into the Nile, you couldn't swim at the time," Malich retorted, "Now, you're going out there!" and with that, the servant shoved his master out into the open. Yami stumbled and his crown came loose, but he caught it and repositioned it back on his forehead.

Yami looked behind him to glare at Malich, but the servant was gone. The Pharaoh sighed and walked off to meet the Nubian Princesses. Eventually, they stood before him. Yami's eyes widened. Those little trouble-making brats had blossomed into beautiful women over the years.

He walked over to meet each one individually. The first girl that he came upon was the one with long, light-brown hair. She held out her hand. Yami took it to kiss it, as was customary at the time.

"Whom might you be? My memory seems to have faded over the years," Yami said, looking up. (Sounds ironic, doesn't it?)

She giggled, "I'm Sentis. Of course you don't remember me. I wasn't born when my sisters last saw you."

"Indeed?" Yami replied. He hoped that her sisters hadn't rubbed off one Sentis over the years, just incase they were still full of mischief, though he very much doubted that. But, a little voice inside his mind told him that looks aren't everything.

The next princess was a raven haired one, with piercing blue eyes. She held out her hand and he kissed it.

"I believe you were…Isis, correct?"

"Yes, my Pharaoh," she replied with an air of calmness and dignity.

"A pleasure to see you again. I'm sure many have told you that you truly do live up to your name." Isis blushed madly, as she had just been compared to the beauty of a goddess (Isis, in fact).

Yami moved on to the next woman, whom had long, blond hair. She held out her hand. Again, he kissed it.

"Miaa, I presume?" he said, remembering Miaa quite distinctly. Miaa was the princess whom drove the others to pull all of those pranks. But, she also was the most beautiful when younger. And by the looks of it, she hadn't changed (beauty-wise) by much.

"It's an honor to see you again, King Yami," she said.

Yami, happy that he was now to the last one, walked over to the last princess. He stuck out his hand, ready to take hers. This princess had short dark brown hair, and a gleeful look in her eyes. She stuck out her hand. Yami was just about to take it, when instead; she shook hands with the Pharaoh.

Yami was shocked, but shook her hand all the same, tired of kissing hands. The girl's sisters sighed, and put the heads in their hands in shame. She had done it again.

"I prefer not to have all that…you know…formal greeting stuff. Shaking hands will do," the princess replied.

"Ah, yes, Teana, if I remember correctly," Yami said.

"Indeed, sire. I'm happy to be here," Teana replied.

At that minute, Malich appeared, "Lunch is ready, your highnesses." Then, he ran off, again.

Yami led the Nubians off to the dining hall. All the while, the Princesses looked around at the palace they would be staying at for some time, and each hoping they would stay forever. For indeed, over the years (they had known about this plan far back, unlike poor Yami) each girl had developed a small feeling for the king. And each one hoped that this feeling would grow over the time spent in Egypt.

In the dining hall, Yami sat at the head of the table, with two princesses seated to his right and left. There was one other place set, at the other end of the table, directly across from Yami.

"King Yami…" Miaa started.

"Yami, just Yami, please," Yami replied.

"Oh, alright then, Yami, might I ask whom sits at the other end of the table?"

"He should be here momentarily," Yami replied. Sentis, meanwhile, was looking around the room. Mages were centered at certain places. She was just as enthused as commoners were with mages, for in Nubia, they were very scarce.

Then, another mage entered the room.

"Ah, here he is, Yami replied.

Seto sat down, as usual, seeming not to notice the four women at the table. He just waited for his food, as usual.

"No offense, Yami, but I would just like to know why a mage dines with you all the time," Miaa stated.

"For one reason or another," both Yami and Seto replied. The four girls were confused, no doubt about that. (That phrase was there again! Ah!) They wanted to know what reason though. Little did they know that one of them would find out soon enough. Then, Seto finally seemed to notice the guests.

"So, you must be these Nubians I keep hearing about," he said.

"Excuse me, but might we know you, from our last visit?" Sentis inquired.

"You might. I mean, I was just transferred to the temple before you came," Seto replied.

"I mean, you look sort of familiar," Isis stated.

Seto rolled his eyes, fed up with their curiosity, "This might help. He took his mage hat off. Back then, he hadn't worn the mage clothing. But even though the girls had hardly seen him last time, all of the girls gasped. They remembered him now.

"That's right, you were that new mage at the temple," Isis replied.

Sentis blushed, "No one could forget that face."

"I'm flattered," Seto replied, half sarcastically, putting his hat back on.

Malich then came back in, with other servants following, with their midday meal. Except for a few questions asked by the girls, it was a pretty silent lunch. That is, until Seto asked for the salt.

"Could someone please pass the salt?" Seto inquired, looking at his unseasoned food.

"Here," Teana replied, holding it out for him. He looked up and was just about to take it, when he stopped. He looked at Teana a bit strangely. It was the first time he had ever taken real notice of the princesses. It was the first time he had ever really noticed their beauty, especially Teana's.

"T-thank you," he replied, a tad shaky, and took the salt from her. Teana took no notice of his awkwardness and went back to her food. Seto's heart was pounding. But why, he asked himself. This was nuts. He couldn't control the rapid beating of his heart. What was wrong with him? It felt like he had just run around the perimeter of the palace two times. A believe me, it's a BIG palace. The mage tried to take no notice of it and tried going back to eating. But it was very difficult, with the feeling that your heart has climbed up your throat and stuck there.

He felt this way through the rest of lunch, and left hastily after it ended. Everybody just watched him leave, with puzzled expressions on their faces.


Seto walked quickly back to the mage's temple. He rushed in through the front, passing his fellow mages, and Mokou and Naoh, whom were waiting for him near the entrance. He passed by them without a second glance. The two young apprentices looked at each other and shrugged.

Seto rushed to his room and plopped down on his bed, quite out of character. He put his chin in his hands, with his elbows on his knees. What was going on with him?

The commanding mage passed by Seto's door, and then stopped. He retraced his steps and looked through the entrance. He had never seen Seto in such a position before, or at least since the boy's parents died.

Heishin came in, set his staff down on Seto's bed, and then sat next to his pupil, "What troubles you, Seto? I do believe I have never seen you in such a slump before." Seto said nothing. He just continued staring at the stone floor.

"Seto," Heishin replied, "am I not like a father to you?"

"Yes sir," Seto replied.

"Then speak up! What is the matter?"

"I'm not sure," Seto still stared at the floor.

"Was there trouble at the palace?" Heishin asked.

"No, not really. It's just something that happened at lunch," Seto said.

"Really now? We're getting somewhere…. Tell me, Seto, what happened?"

"Well, I…I just started feeling a bit strange all of the sudden, and the feeling's still there," Seto said.

"Hmm, what kind of feeling? Come now, perk up! We both know that you never do anything right when you're not in a good mood. And you have lessons in a bit. Come now. Do you know what made this feeling start?" Heishin inquired.

"I might know what made it start, but I'm not certain," Seto replied.

"Seto, I order you to tell me what happened!"

Seto put his head in his hands, "It was a Nubian, I think." Something inside told him that he didn't want to reveal everything he thought to Heishin.

"A Nubian?" Heishin looked at him strangely. Then, his eyes widened, "A Nubian…I see." He recalled the Pharaoh's special guests that had just arrived. He stood up and walked back to the entrance of Seto's chamber. "You should be fine."

Seto suddenly looked up, "Am I, Heishin? Will I be okay? Will this feeling ever go away?"

"I can't answer that for you, Seto. That depends on you: on whether you feel you really love her," and with that Heishin left.

Seto's mouth dropped. What was Heishin talking about? Him…in love? That was crazy! Or was it? Seto had always trusted Heishin. Heishin was a wise and powerful mage. That was why he was the head mage. And why would Heishin, acting like a father for poor Seto, lead him in the wrong direction?

In a way, though, it made some sense to Seto. So, he finally gave in to his feelings. He was in love with Teana.


Whoa Nellie…that was…expected. It had to be. How else would they have gone back in time? Of course Seto's in love with Teana! That makes the whole story revolve!