I feel so guilty… I haven't updated this fic for practically three weeks! I just don't have the time… with school and all I can barely get on the computer (its not like I'm allowed to either). I'm really sorry… I'll update ASAP. Well, next chapter anyways. Okay, on to the next chapter, and under the request of a certain reviewer cough DreammistressJade cough Mahaato and Mana will be making an appearance VERY soon. But not this chapter.Sorry. Okay, now lets get this show on the road!

o o o o o

POV Saphira

Sunshine burst out of the window of my room, leaving me unable to close my eyes to sleep properly. I pulled the covers over my head in an annoyed groan, but the sunshine was still apparent. I then buried my head in my pillow, thinking 'It's too early…' Suddenly, I heard the rooster's crow. I crossly tried to ignore it, but I knew it signaled for me to get up and go to my lesson. I groaned again when I remembered that I had double lessons, and that Isis wouldn't hesitate to make it triple if I ditched this lesson also.

I glared outside at the crowing rooster, and started to strangle an imaginary rooster in the air, as I groggily got up to get dressed. I kept on thinking aloud, "Why me, Why me," but it didn't really help. I kicked the closet door before opening it, only leaving my toe burst with pain. I howled, and started to kick it with the other foot, but I stopped halfway before it touched the closet. I muttered curses angrily at the closet, but I knew I didn't mean any of them.

"Saphira! It's time for your lessons!" Called a servant that was passing by my door.

"Nyah…" I said groggily, still half asleep. I had no idea what it meant, I just said it.

I started to take of my sleeping gown, as I remembered why I didn't get enough sleep. I was too excited to fall asleep because today I was going outside the palace walls. I stopped for a second, my gown completely off my body as I screamed excitedly. An alarmed servant burst into my room, and stopped moving when he saw me without any clothes on. He blushed furiously and backed out of the room, and closed the door.

I stared dumbly at the door, and then realized what happened. I looked down at myself, and then grabbed a dress from my closet and put it on. My face was beet red all the way to the dungeons.

When I finally went down the steps, I ran to Isis' room, where she was reading scrolls. She raised an eyebrow as she saw me panting, and hid her surprise.

"I didn't know you were looking forward to our lessons," Isis said as she smiled wryly.

I remained silent, knowing that if I told her our plans, she'd definitely tell my mother and father. I just nodded and smiled, as sweat rolled down my face in tiny droplets.

Isis stared at me for a while, making me shift in my seat uncomfortably. She dropped her gaze, and unfurled a few scrolls on the stone table, and started to explain what was written on each one. Of course, I didn't pay attention. I was waaaaaaay too excited.

Third Person POV

Jou was sitting in his room, thinking about what he had done.

'What was I thinking?' he wondered, as he stared up the ceiling of his modest quarters. He rolled a sticky fig from the bowl of fruit on his wooden table, as he inspected it for poison. After he inspected it thoroughly and was satisfied, he took a large bite out of it, consuming more than half of the fig. After finishing the plum, he resumed thinking about his promise.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Jou turned around quickly, and saw Saphira at the doorway. Jou relaxed a bit and laid his head back.

"Aren't you excited to see me?" Saphira asked huffily as she took a seat next to her caretaker/godfather. Jou just glanced at her with his chocolate brown puppy eyes, and then closed them.

"I don't know," Jou said slowly, "Breaking your father's rules don't exactly make me jump with excitement."

Saphira narrowed her eyes threateningly and hissed, "Oh so now you're your going back on your promise? Some godfather you are. A liar too. I can't stand liars."

Jou just narrowed his eyes in return and replied, "Don't… you... dare use that tone with me. You know very well that I will follow my word, but I'm saying this is foolish. If your father finds out, not only I will be in trouble, but so will you."

Saphira turned her back to Jou and muttered, "I know. But he won't find out. Uncle Seto said he wouldn't tell daddy."

Jou snorted and said, "Do you really think that that two faced son of a jackal…"

Jou stopped speaking when he saw Saphira gave him a death glare. He stopped talking, but he did return the glare.

"Don't… you… dare talk about my uncle like that," Saphira hissed at Jou. She folded her arms across her chest as she continued to glower at her godfather.

Jou laughed and said amusedly, "Why are you in such an awful mood?"

Saphira looked down and muttered, "Isis is merciless. Miss even one lesson and she gives you double lessons and extra research or the whole Ra damned week." Saphira looked up quickly at Jou and said fiercely, "If you tell her I said that, I swear…"

Jou waved his hand as if to say forget about it and eyed Saphira, "But you really shouldn't say such curses."

Saphira grunted and said, "Aren't you going to take me somewhere?"

Jou nodded as he took two capes and two scarves to cover their mouths out of a roughly carved wooden closet. Both of them were made out of the same rough material, and looked like they hadn't been washed for months.

"I have to wear that disgusting piece of junk?" Saphira said in disgust, half in disbelief.

"You do if you don't want to be recognized," Jou said simply as he put on his own cape, which was supposed to be a nice shade of dark blue, but instead looked black from all the filth.

Saphira grimaced as she put on her own, tempted to hold her nose from the nauseous odor the cape was giving off. Jou motioned for Saphira to follow him, as he snuck quietly to the dirtiest part of the servant's quarters.

"You used to live here?" Saphira whispered in horror as they passed the many grimy rooms where up to 10 servants were working endlessly in.

Jou nodded, and pressed a finger on Saphira's mouth and suddenly stopped at what seemed to be a wall.

Saphira stared blankly at the wall, as if expecting something to happen. Jou muffled his laugh as he walked up to the wall. Saphira raised her eyebrow and whispered, "What now, is Sekhmet supposed to pop out of nowhere or something?"

Jou gave Saphira a look and kicked a loose brick near the bottom of the wall. Then, one by one, several fell out also, forming a hole big enough for a human child to pass through comfortably. Jou gestured at the hole, and Saphira stared at him in incredulity. When she did not budge, Jou pushed her forward lightly, and Saphira knelt down on her knees. Saphira looked back one more time in skepticism, as she squeezed through the hole. It took her several minutes to wriggle out of the gap in the wall, but she made it through. After Saphira was out, gasping for breath, Jou went through smoothly, as if he had done it for years. Then he reassembled the bricks as they were, and helped Saphira up.

Saphira mopped up her sweat with the moldy sleeve, and glared at Jou as if it was his fault she had to go through the gap. Jou raised an eyebrow as he motioned for her to walk beside him.

"That was stupid," Saphira hissed, as she unwrapped the scarf from around her mouth and nose.

Jou shrugged and muttered, "It's better then not going at all, right?"

Saphira just huffed and crossed her arms, not before hiding all her hair that was sticking out from under the hood of the cape. There was a long silence until Saphira asked Jou, "Why do you hate Uncle Seto?"

Jou barked with laughter at 'Uncle Seto' and muttered a barely audible reply, "Because he's a Ra damned traitor."

"Now, now Jou, that's no way to talk about those who can execute you," Saphira giggled, wagging her finger at her godfather.

Jou grinned and said, "No, this is; your uncle is a two timing son of a jackal that…" Jou stopped and almost seemed to hit himself at almost revealing the truth behind her uncle.

"That…" Saphira said, eying her caretaker to go on.

Jou shook his head and whispered, "I can't."

"Why…" Saphira demanded, until Jou pointed in front of him.

Saphira turned her head slowly, not knowing what to expect. She gasped at what she saw.

POV Saphira

Ra… so this is what has been outside the palace all along. This… paradise. I can't believe that I would actually see the outside world… I always thought I would be bon, raised, and die in the palace, but this… I just want to run away from home and never return.

Men at vendors were yelling at passing villagers to buy their things; whether it be fish, bread, or jewelry, they still were vigorously waving around their arms to catch their eyes. I stared, fascinated by the silver bangles on a jeweler's cart, almost reaching out to touch it. Freshly baked bread fumes wafted through the air, blocking out the other unpleasant smells in the air. Varieties of things I've never even heard from were in these carts, as I grabbed two of a strange looking fruit from a cart nearby, but the owner was too busy selling to other villagers to see me. I smirked as I handed one to Jou, who grinned and said admiredly, "You have your mother's talent."

I frowned and whispered, "What do you mean?"

Jou looked horrified that he said that aloud and shook his head. I paused to think about my mom as a thief, but the image looked so funny, I couldn't help laughing. People looked at me with interest as I passed by, making me feel uncomfortable. There was a boy with blood red eyes who stared at me, making me feel even more uncomfortable. He dropped the apple he was eating and started to follow me, but acted as if he was just walking past. His brown locks floated in the wind as he glanced at me from the side.

I shivered, and Jou, who's hand was rested on my shoulder, glanced at me and asked, "Is there something wrong?"

I shook my head, and looked back, and relief flooded through me when the boy wasn't in sight. Suddenly out of nowhere, I felt a tug on my hood, and I whipped around, and then realizing that my hood was off, I covered my hair with my hands and screamed.

o o o o o

I bet you all know who it is! Surprise, surprise. Kinda freaky though… most of this chapte is third person POV. I don't know why, but third person is always so much easier. Anyways, I think I'm losing my touch I guess it's because I haven't exercised my writing ability for two or more weeks. It's not like I'm that good anyways… Good thing for me is that I got 100 percent in writing in my end of the year test results last year! I just got them yesterday… I was really happy! But of course, it doesn't mean I'm a good writer or anything… Today is September 11, 2005, 4 years after the disaster… I feel sorry for one of my close friends, because today is her birthday… Ah well, I decided not to do review comment, for two reasons; one, I have to get off the computer in five minutes, just enough time to post this, and two, I don't want to risk getting this fic taken off. That's all for now, TTFN, all reviews much appreciated!