Tea awoke the next morning feeling as though she were about to burst. She knew that she could no longer contain her love for her savior anymore than she could stop the Nile from flooding. Comforted by the knowledge that Yami would soon know of her devotion, Tea busied herself with arranging her smooth brown locks. She gave up after a few minutes, however, due to the trembling of her hands.
The pharaoh moved down the hallway with a determined air. His dragging feet, however, betrayed the anxiousness he felt about reaching his destination. Yami had lain awake all night, watching the moonbeams move across his chamber and brooding over his predicament. "If I tell her who I really am, she'll hate me." he informed his subconscious. Every time he appealed to himself this way, though, an annoying little voice had perked up with "But you love her, you have to tell her." Finally surrendering to himself, Yami had rolled over and vowed to tell Tea the truth the following morning.
At last, the princess heard Yami's tread in the hallway and, breathless, she flung open the door. A gaping Yami was quickly pulled inside and Tea nearly slammed the door in her excitement. "Sit." she ordered and practically pushed the pharaoh into a chair. Settling herself opposite him, she composed herself and gently took both of his hands in hers. "Tea, I.." Yami began, but he was swiftly cut off with a gentle finger on his lips. "Shhhh, let me say this while I can find the words." she pleaded. Tea gazed into his ruby eyes and began with a shaky breath, "Yami, I can't marry the pharaoh. Not because of what kind of man he is, but because I'm in love with someone else." Here Yami opened his mouth as if to say something, but Tea rushed on. "I'm in love with you Yami. I was a stranger here and you showed me nothing but kindness. I love you......." She trailed off, staring at her hands, which she had folded in her lap. It seemed to her that an eternity had passed before, without warning, a gentle hand caressed her cheek and turned her face up towards Yami's smiling countenance. He then twined his hand in her hair and softly drew her nearer to him. When their lips were mere centimeters apart, Yami murmured, "And I love you." Lost in their lover's euphoria, the couple failed to hear the loud, running footsteps outside until the door was cast open so hard it almost flew off its hinges. A young page stumbled into the room and prostrated himself upon the stone floor in front of Yami. "My lord Pharaoh," he said, gasping, "an urgent message from your high priest." With this he dropped a scroll in Yami's lap and departed as abruptly as he had arrived. Numbly, Yami raised his gaze to Tea's deathly pale, wide-eyed visage. Wordlessly, she rose from her chair and fled the room.