HD: I'm so, so, so, sorry for my slow updating!
COH: please don't hurt HD!
Bea: Or you could
Alvar: HD no own
Cole: just start the story
Chapter 13
Atemu had called a small meeting in the Throne room. Again it was only Amber-Lee, Seth, Marik and Bakura.
"We have locked down the castle for a rise and fall of Ra, we have searched everywhere a dozen times, and he is not here." Marik sighed.
He was tired; he had gotten no sleep all day and night and was getting angry with Atemu's constant paranoia.
Atemu rubbed his forehead and sighed. He was sitting on his throne and trying to keep from falling asleep himself.
"Alright, lock down is over." Marik bowed and left the room.
"Calm down, brother." Amber-Lee advised lightly.
"How can I?" Atemu seethed. "He could have gotten to you or Prince Yugi!"
Amber-Lee rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself and Yugi was protected by guards."
"Yes, but he was able to get into the palace, he could have gotten to either of you." Atemu argued.
Amber-Lee stood and looked down at her brother.
"Stop worrying about something that did not happen and concentrate on Yugi." She left him to his thoughts with Bakura following her.
When they had left the hall Amber-Lee headed for the doors leading outside instead of the staircase.
"Where are you going?" Bakura questioned her.
"We, Bakura, we are going to find out what he is planning." Amber-Lee took her cloak from a servant, handing Bakura's to him.
"We?" Bakura pulled the cloak on over his clothing.
"Yes. I do not plan on doing this myself." She led the way to the stables.
Meanwhile Yugi and friends were sitting on Yugi's balcony.
"What do we plan to do today?" Ryou asked, taking some food from the platter.
"Nothing that would evolves having a guard." The others nodded along with Yugi's statement.
"So what should we do?" Jou asked. They all sat in silence unsure.
"We could go look around the town." Amaya suggested.
"But to do that we would need the Pharaoh's consent and a guard." Yugi sighed.
Malik's eyes suddenly gleamed in the way they did when he had an idea.
"Malik, I know that look." Ryou sighed.
Malik grinned innocently. "I may have an idea…."
Marik swung the doors opened wildly, startling several servants and an unfortunate Lord that was in the frantic guard's way.
Atemu was sitting on his throne talking with some council members when Marik pushed past, coming to the foot of the Throne's platform.
"Marik?" Atemu stood abruptly and went down the steeps to meet the guard.
"My Lord." Marik puffed. "The prince and his friends, they are missing!"
"I can not believe we have gotten away with this." Amaya laughed as she pulled back the hood of her cloak. They stood on the road leading from the Palace to the village and town square which would surely be full of stalls.
"It was one of my ideas." Malik smirked, pulling down his hood and shaking out his soft blond hair.
"Let us pray to Ra that we are not caught." Ryou smiled softly.
"Ra will hear the voice of the Pharaoh's soon-to-be-spouse." Jou grinned wolfishly, capturing Yugi's small head in a mock-head-lock.
The others laughed and Yugi squirmed away from his friend and grinned. "So where to first?"
The group made their way around the village, dressed as simple common people. They ate a simple meal and marvelled at the fine items. The sky stained a rose red as they sat on the bank of the Nile and enjoyed the cool air.
"This day was perfect." Yugi sighed, lying back on the soft grass.
"And we can have many more just like this." Jou promised, lying next to his friend. Amaya and Ryou turned away, sadness slipping into their eyes.
"Perhaps we should turn in." Malik advised, rising to his feet and pulling Yugi and Jou up with him. "Amaya, Ryou, coming?" The two nodded and joined their friends on the walk back to the Palace, pulling on their hoods.
Little did the friends know, Atemu's day wasn't as enjoyable as their's. He hap spent the day conducting a search party, trying to find the missing Prince. He was more frustrated as he couldn't find his sister or her annoying thief friend.
"Where could they be?" Atemu seethed to Seth for what seemed the hundredth time.
"Who? The Prince and his friends or Amber-Lee and that annoying-Thief?" Seth didn't look up from his scrolls and Atemu felt more annoyed.
"Both!" He exploded, collapsing in a chair. "Where could they possibly be?"
A knock at the door stoped Seth's answer. After given permission to enter the door opened and in walked Marik.
"My Lords." He bowed. "Amber-Lee has been found. She has gone to find the Prince."
Atemu nodded. "Amber-Lee will surely find him."
Seth dismissed Marik while Atemu moved to the window, peering out at the sinking Ra, the rose-red light falling over his face.
Seth returned to his scroll and let the time slip away until word returned.
Bakura followed Amber-Lee As they left the palace once more.
"I told you asking Naji was a wast of time." Bakura growled. "That man is as slippery as a cobra; he would never tell us a thing."
"But did you see his eyes brighten when we mentioned the Prince? He is either in on it or is helping."
"Why are you so sure?" Bakura questioned, coming up beside his companion.
"Because Bakura, I grew up in court and am capable of knowing when one is hiding something." Amber-Lee stopped and smirked. "Like take that group of people." She pointed to a small group of five, all cloaked and dressed simply.
"What about them?" Bakura asked, only glancing at them.
"They are the Prince and his friends." Amber-Lee's smirk grew when Bakura's eyes widened.
"What?" He looked closer. "So they are." They exchanged a knowing look and took position.
The silence between Atemu and Seth was once again broken.
"What is it Mariku?" Atemu asked, moving to the guard.
"Amber-Lee sends word, she has found the Prince." Atemu looked relived at the news. Marik continued. "Amber-Lee also wishes to inform you that she and the Prince are in the Nile room." He bowed and left.
"What are you going to do now?" Seth asked, moving to stand by his cousin.
"I suppose I should talk with the Prince." Atemu nodded. Moving to leave.
Atemu found the Prince and his sister sitting by the Nile; both dressed in common cloths and Amber-Lee supporting bruised and bleeding knuckles. He watched as Yugi helped her wrap them in a strip of cloth and the two talked quietly.
He moved forwards and caught their attention.
"Brother." Amber-Lee stood and looked between the two Royals. "I will take my leave." She moved past Atemu who nodded stiffly to her.
Yugi stayed where he was, stiff and looking down at his hands. The silence was suffocating and neither knew what to say.
"I am sorry, my Lord." Yugi's voice was soft and laced with fear, he was uncertain of how the Pharaoh would react.
Atemu wasn't sure what to say, he hadn't been informed of what he had done.
"As long as it does not happen again." Yugi nodded, a blush stained his cheeks and Atemu noted how cute he looked so small and unsure.
"I bid you a good night." Atemu bowed and turned to leave but a small voice stopped him.
"Wait."
Atemu turned and saw Yugi standing on the steeps. "Yes?"
"My Lord I…" Yugi suddenly looked unsure. Atemu nodded, encouraging him on. "I-if we are to be married, perhaps we should know each other Instead of gifts, we could…talk…" Yugi trailed off and wriggled his hands.
"I would like that." Atemu smiled, causing Yugi to beam. "How about we do something tomorrow?"
"I would love to." Yugi moved closer and Atemu took his small hand, kissing his finger tips. The blush graced Yugi's cheeks again.
Atemu held out his arm and Yugi took it.
TBC…
HD: Hmm I thought this would be a nice place to stop…
COH: please REVIEW
Alvar: thanks to everyone for their support!
Cole: Just REVIEW
Bea: pft
HappyDevil, Bea, COH, Cole and Alvar!