Another upadate. Wow we type fast.

M: cough slave labour cough

What's that supposed to mean?

A: If I remember correctly we typed up this chapter.

They did?

Unfortuantly.

Y and Y: The effort nearly killed us.

Ah! How did you get free! Noooooooo!

Before anything else happens.

Disclaimer: We do not own Yu-gi-oh. -pulls out loudspeaker- I REPEAT WE DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH.

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"You have a lot of explaining to do. " Lilita informed her husband as he entered the room. Yami turned to her. "What do you mean?" He asked her.

"You said you'd be back soon you weren't." She replied simply. Yami walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. He began to murmur his heart-felt apologises. Lilita melted, "Just don't do it again," She warned, "Or I'll stop covering for you." The Pharaoh drew back. "That was low." Lilita nodded.

"You deserved a low blow." She reminded him tartly. He sighed and sat on the bed.

"You're probably right."

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Akeifa jolted awake in the morning yelling, "I'VE GOT IT!" Then promptly clutched at his head. No, he thought, Not a hangover. I only had a couple of Osiris's Fire's last night didn't I? Why now?

On cue, Neftis walked in with a mug.

"Where did you go last night?" She asked passing him the mug.

"Huh?" Akeifa mumbled, draining the mug, then winced at the taste. Neftis put her hands on her hips and glared at her brother.

"Come on. We came back her then you disappeared. What happened?"

"I can't remember." Akeifa stated slowly.

"OH! HORUS GIVE ME STRENGHT!" Neftis yelled in exasperation. Akeifa glared at his sister through mahogany eyes.

"Don't, take that tone with me." He snarled. Neftis quickly backed down,

"Sorry. So what have you got?" She asked from a safe distance.

"I have a plan to stop that idiot wiping us out." Akeifa declared dramatically.
"Really?" Neftis asked sarcastically.

"I do actually. You are going to become the Great Royal Wife's head of household."

A long pause grew.

"WHAT!" Neftis shrieked.

"Calm down." Akeifa ordered, "It's perfectly logical. Today you and the other wenches go to the palace to try for the post. So you simply impress the Queeny and stop the problem advancing." Neftis sank onto his bed.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this." She muttered faintly. Then she turned to her brother. "Why do I have too? How can I stand out against the others? The Pharaoh knows me remember?"

"We'll just work round that." Akeifa said encouragingly. He switched to a business man's voice. "Now run along and get ready for your test thingy."

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Two hairdressers, a manicurist, a pedicurist and three other maids later Lilita was ready for greeting the public. She'd rather go out as she was but she had to keep up appearances. She glided through the palace to the throne room. Yami was already there, obviously bored. Here the daughters of nobles and random other people would meet the Royal couple. Then the Great Royal wife and the other girls would go to a different part of the palace and would be tested. It was going to be a long day. Soon after she had sat down, the guards opened the doors and the families began to stream in.

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"Calm down, it'll be fine." Akeifa assured his agitated sister, "No-one will recognise you."

"Oh yeah," She demanded, but she had to admit her brother had a point. Most thieves knew her by title not sight or name. She kept a much lower profile than the King of Thieves. To enter the palace unrecognised he'd put on a cloak, sandles, and kilt. His hair was distorted by a spell as was his face. The only thing that screamed wealth was the diamond pendant. "Here we go." He whispered as the two of them slid into the flow of people.

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"Lord and Lady Ankh and their daughter Sarina."

"Lord and Lady Regolia and their daughter Crysta."

Lilita lost interest in the titles, and just listened for the girl's name.

"The jewel merchant Se-Horus and his sister Neftis."

Yami jolted back to reality. Neftis. The girl from the city. But her brother was called Akeifa not Se-Horus. He looked at the pair. The girl looked familiar but the man was a stranger. That pendant! Akeifa had worn that pendant. He was about to call the guards when he remembered Joey's words, "I'll tell you if you promise not to act on what I say." He was the Pharaoh, but he wouldn't break a promise to his friend.

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"That's the man." Akeifa whispered. Neftis looked up at the man walking up to the thrones.

"River merchant Shanaar and his daughter Aryarchic."

"That's my main competition right?" She asked her brother. He nodded then hissed.

"What is it?" Neftis asked apprehensively.

"The Pharaoh's recognised us." He replied quietly.

"So why isn't he acting on what he's no doubt heard?" His sister demanded.

"I don't know and don't rub it in." The albino snapped. The Great Royal Wife stood.

"Ladies, please follow me."

"Bye." Neftis hugged her brother tightly then followed the other girls out.

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Akeifa slipped away as quickly as possible. He wasn't going to give Yami more time to react. He escaped from the palace and headed back to his own territory, the places that he knew.

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Neftis didn't like the look of that girl. Aryarchic. She looked sly and deceitful. Neftis admitted that she probably was both, but at least she didn't look it. They stopped in a large chamber. The Royal Wife turned to them.

"To become mistress of the Royal household you must show your talent in many ways. You must be: able to command the servants, organised and you mustn't be lazy. She looked around the room at the girls' faces.

"Can any of you dance or sing?" She asked suddenly. Practically every girl put her hand up. The Royal Wife nodded in satisfaction.

"What instruments can you play?" She asked then added, "If you can play."

One by one each girl spoke. Lilita was disappointed that most played the flute. She played the flute and didn't think that other flutist playing to her would bring her any satisfaction. The next most popular instrument was the tambourine. Lilita stalled a sigh. She didn't think that the tambourine counted as an instrument. A small minority said lyre. Lilita had only heard a lyre played once. She'd loved it but never found another such instrument. The Royal Wife decided that she's turn away the flutist. She needed fewer people in the room anyway.

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That evening, Neftis was glaring at the room she was staying in. She had to share it and hated sharing. A room was for one person, it was private. She didn't like sharing that privacy. Fortunately, for the moment, the other girls were in different rooms gossiping. Neftis never was a gossiper, instead she was a listener. She sighed and sank onto the floor of the balcony. It was boring just staying in this room. Standing, she went to the chest of clothes that she had been given. After spelling it shut, she decided to go and explore. She'd find the servants quarters and see what she could learn. She left the room and walked with an air of purpose, so nobody would send her back to her room. She swiftly turned a corner and froze. Coming down the corridor were the boy's from the Claw. She frantically search the corridor for an exit, as she searched her memory for their names. She found the names, but not the exit. Duke, Joey, Tristan and Malik. She lowered her head and attempted to scuttle past them.

"Hey you!" She cursed quietly. She turned, her head still cast down.

"Yes?" While looking down she saw four pairs of feet approaching.

"Who are you?" One of them asked.

"Are you one of the wanna bee's?"

That stung. She raised her head and gave them a death glare. The boys jumped.

"Neftis?" Malik breathed in astonishment.

"What are you doing here?" Duke asked.

"For your information I'm looking for the servants quarters and don't refer to me as a wanna bee. It's rude." She retorted.

"But it's a fact." Joey quipped, and winced when she shot him another glare. Malik folded his arms.

"Give us a reason not to turn you over to the palace guards." He ordered. The black eyed thief stamped her foot like a child.

"I haven't done anything yet have I." She shouted. Lowering her voice she added, "Yami didn't turn me in, neither should you." She turned to storm off. Tristan caught her arm.

"Why are you here?" He asked, "I find it hard to believe you're here for fun." Neftis began to wrestle her arm out of his grip.

"Why should I reveal my purpose of being here?" She demanded. The other three surrounded her.

"We'll turn you over to the guards if you don't." Duke replied. Neftis visibly deflated.

"Another one of the girl's here is the daughter of Akeifa's rival. If she's picked then she'll have the power to wipe out all of her father's enemies including Akeifa, myself, Seti, Geb, Ores, Hotempt, Se-Osiris and all the other thieves that support us." The silence that followed was disturbing. But Joey moved back to let her through.

"Thankyou." She told him and began to walk down the hall.

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Finished. For the time being...

K: Can you two at least tell us why we slaved over the computers.

-KQ smiles slyly- Some closer and see. -thump-

Look away Yugi. Your innocent eyes don't have to see them making out.

Yugi: Ewwwwww. -runs away-

M: Do they have to do that ?

We could.

M: -grins- Why didn't I think of that.

A: AHHHHH! I'll say goodbye on the authoresses behalf. Goodbye.