Well, here's the next chapter just like I promised. Hope you like it!

Warning: Sorry to all Seto fans but he is older (though I don't really see that as a bad thing…) in this story and I've made him the villain. I'm really sorry about that! I have nothing against him, but he just seemed to fit in with the part! Also, there are hint's of Yugi x Téa in later chapters.

Note: This chapter takes place on the same day when Yugi is taken to work on the building outside the palace.

'thoughts'

"speaking"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! and I do not own the Prince and the Pauper

-I-

The Pharaoh and the Pauper

Chapter 2: A Prince named Atemu

-I-

He watched from the doorway of his balcony as the sun rose above the city, showing him the different parts of the kingdom. As the sun shone its early morning rays, he saw clearly the buildings surrounding the palace, as white and clean, not one different from the other. These were where the 'richer' part of the population lived, never worrying about starving, never working hard like the other part of the people of Egypt.

The Prince looked out at the suburbs of the city, at the rickety huts made of mud. That was where the other part of the population lived, the peasants and the slaves, the ones that had to work to survive.

"Slaves, such a harsh word," the prince spoke to himself, blowing some of his blonde bangs away from his eyes. "Why can't everybody be treated the same?"

His gaze turned towards a small pile of rubble just outside the palace. There had been a shadow game last night, and the monsters summoned had completely destroyed one of the buildings that belonged to the Priests and Priestesses. No doubt they'll be dragging some more slaves and peasants over to fix that problem. The Prince sighed at the thought.

"Those poor people. I wish there was someway I could help."

Knock Knock!

Atemu turned at the sound of a knock at his door.

"You may enter."

The door opened, and a young servant girl walked in. She had short brown hair and deep blue eyes, and she was carrying a tray of food. Atemu smiled at his friend.

"Good morning, Téa," he greeted his childhood friend as she placed the tray down on his bed.

Usually, Atemu would've eaten with his father, but since the Pharaoh had been taken ill, he had been told to eat all his meals in his chamber.

"Good morning Atemu," Téa greeted warmly. "Sleep well?"

Téa was one of Atemu's oldest and closest friends. She may only be a servant in the palace, but that did not stop them from becoming close friends as children.

"Not really." Atemu sat down and started to eat. "I've been troubled by a horrible dream lately."

"A dream? What kinda dream?"

"Well, let's just say I don't think I'll make a very good Pharaoh."

"Oh come on Atemu! You'll make a great Pharaoh. You have the biggest heart I know, and you have the Millennium puzzle."

The Prince looked down at the mystical item around his neck. It was true, he did posses the Millennium puzzle, one of seven magical Millennium items, but how would that help him become a great Pharaoh?

"Atemu, you'd better hurry up," Téa spoke up after a few moments of silence. "You know how much High Priest Seto hates you being late."

Atemu groaned. Today, he would be spending most of the day with High Priest Seto. Since his father was ill, and may other Priests and Priestesses were busy with other things, Priest Seto had become Atemu's teacher, teaching him the history of Egypt, the Gods, the Pharaoh's, and how to write. Atemu knew that Priest Seto hated him, and he hated him the same. It was no secret that Seto wanted the thrown, and unfortunately for him, Atemu was in the way.

"Let's get this over with."

-I-

Atemu entered a small room, situated behind the thrown room and the main hall, and saw that the High Priest Seto was there, waiting for him, and by the looks of it, he was annoyed. Atemu smiled to himself.

"You're late," Seto said as soon as he saw the Prince of Egypt.

"A Prince is never late, you were just early."

Seto growled to himself. He really hated the Prince, and his cheekiness. But no matter what, he had to be 'kind' to the Prince. After all, they were the orders from the Pharaoh himself.

"Yes, you're so right your highness," Seto said sarcastically. "I must've been early. Please forgive my mistake."

Atemu frowned at the Priest. 'Why in the name if Ra did I have to be stuck with him as a teacher?'

"Anyway," Seto continued in his normal voice, "there has been a change of plan. Instead of having your normal lessons today, I've decided that you should see how to deal with your subjects. After all, when you become the Pharaoh, they will come to you with their problems. And as you'll be almost as powerful as the Gods of Egypt, it will be up to you to help them."

Atemu didn't show it, but he was relived to hear this. This meant that he wouldn't be studying some old boring text about a certain pharaoh all day. It was a nice break from the normal routine.

"Now, today it is my turn to see to the public. Whilst I am in the thrown room, dealing with those worthless people-"

"They are not worthless people!"

"You," Seto carried on, ignoring the Prince's comment, "will stay hidden behind the silk clothes that are hung behind the thrown. You will not be seen, and you will not be heard. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal."

-I-

For the whole of the morning, and the first half of the afternoon, Atemu stood behind the silk cloth, listening to Seto as he gave 'advice' to the good people of Egypt. More than once, Atemu wanted to come out of his hiding place, and help the people himself, for High Priest Seto was not doing a very good job. Most of his answers were the same; "just pray to the Gods". He wasn't helping them at all. Atemu wanted to help them. He knew that his father had told him to do as the Priest said, but he had to do something to help them. So, that's why he did it. He had suddenly come out of his hiding place, and had starting yelling at the Priest, in front of the people of Egypt, that he was doing nothing to help them, and that the Gods wouldn't have want his people to be treated this way. Then, after his little speech, he had stormed off before he did something that he would really regret.

Later that afternoon, Atemu stood on his balcony, leaning on the wall at the edge, staring down at the city that was to become his one-day. He looked down at where the rubble had been this morning, and saw that there were several people now working very quickly in rebuilding the building that once stood there. And as Atemu looked closer, he saw Priest Seto walk over to the workers, and talk to one of the guards.

"Enjoying the view?"

Atemu looked up at the source of the voice. Standing him was another one of his closest friends, Ishizu. She was a Priestess in the palace, and the owner of the Millennium necklace.

"You could say that."

"I heard what happened with the High Priest," Ishizu said, standing next to the Prince. "You really must learn to control your anger, if you want to become a great Pharaoh, like your father."

"What's the point? I'm never going to be like father."

"Yes you will, young Prince. I know you will."

"How can you know! My life is a mess at the moment. My mother is dead, and my father is dying. Soon, I will become the Pharaoh; soon, I will become the morning and the evening star. But I don't want that kind of responsibility just yet. I'm only 16 years of age, I cannot become pharaoh at such a young age! So how can I be a good Pharaoh when I am too young! Not to mention the fact that my life is the same day in and day out."

"But many pharaoh's in the past have started their reign at that same age, some even younger, and they have become some of the best rulers Egypt has ever seen. I am sure that you will join them."

"But how can you be so sure?"

Ishizu placed a comforting hand on the Princes shoulder.

"Just trust me."

Ishizu turned and walked away, leaving Atemu on his own with only his thoughts. He sighed to himself. How could Ishizu be so sure that he'd make a good pharaoh, when he wasn't sure of himself? And he wished that something interesting would happen. He hated doing the same thing every single day. It got really boring after a while, even for the Prince of Egypt.

"You lowly peasant! Why aren't you working faster like I ordered! You need to be punished. Hit him!"

Atemu looked up slightly. That sounded like the High Priest. He looked down at where the peasants were, and saw that one of the guards was whipping on of them, with Seto watching. From what Atemu could tell from this distance, the peasant looked no older than him, and he had very familiar hair. Atemu's anger began to build as he saw the Priest was talking to the now weak peasant.

"You'll try?" Atemu heard Seto shout, outraged. "You won't try, you will! It seems I'll have to teach you a lesson myself!"

Atemu gasped as he saw the Priest take out his Millennium rod, the eye on the front beginning to glow. He was going to send that poor boy to the shadow realm, for no reason at all! No one deserved to be treated like that! The peasant boy was lifted off his feet by the force of the Millennium item. He had to stop this.

"STOP!" Atemu shouted. He saw the Priest stop, and saw the peasant falling to his knees. "What is going on here?"

Atemu saw Seto straightened up slightly, and put the Millennium rod behind his back.

"I was just teaching this peasant a lesson," Seto called back.

"By sending him to the shadow realm? Priest Seto I will not let you treat an innocent person like this! Send him up to my chamber!"

"What!" Seto yelled back, outraged.

"You heard me! Send the peasant to my chamber at once!"

Atemu turned around and walked back into his chamber, his anger still at a high. How dare Seto do that to an innocent peasant? What had he done wrong? He opened the doors and went to find some guards so that they could send for the doctor. But as he walked down the corridors, a thought appeared in his mind…

Was it just him, or did this peasant boy look a lot like himself?

-I-

To be continued

-I-

Please R&R! The chapters do get better, I promise. I'll update as soon as I have time.