A/N: I want to thank the people who reviewed the last six chapters and 'To Trust Again'. You guys don't know how your reviews mean to me. So once again, thank you.

Oh, and by the way, I know I'm so sorry for hurting Atemu. But things would turn out fine for him, I hope. On with the story!

Before I forget, this fic (A Destiny Preordained) is dedicated to my top reviewers as follow (but not in any particular order): Yami Val, cherry fantasy, supernerd3333, Aura Serene and Arch Nemesis.

Chapter 7: Thoughts

Atemu slowly opened his eyes, all of a sudden unaccustomed to the light. He was sore all over; it was as if one thousand horses had run on him.

He was lying on something soft, something he was thankful for. But where was he? He could remember heading to the river and collapsing but nothing else after that. Did someone found him? Most importantly, who?

The memory of what Bakura did to him was still fresh in his mind. He rolled to his side, ignoring the pain as he did so and pulled the blanket on him.

Why did Bakura do it? He seemed nice despite his seemingly addiction in stealing stuff. And why was he so angry when he learned that Atemu was the Crown Prince? Was something wrong? Was being a prince really a curse to be loathed by anyone whom he'd meet?

"Atemu?"

The voice, hesitant and soft, caught his attention but he refused to move, the pain felt unbearable now that he felt broken inside and out. Then the bed shifted slightly and a hand rubbed his back, offering comfort.

"Stay away, please," Atemu whispered, closing his eyes. He felt utterly dirty, worthless… torn. He was beyond scared, he was terrified. What if his father learns of what happened and rejects him? He couldn't bear to lose the only parent he has left. No, he can't –

"The pharaoh will never do that, you know it, Atemu," the voice interrupted him. He opened his eyes and rolled to his back, crying in pain.

"Isis!" he gasped as he met his friend's gaze. Sometimes it made him wonder if his friend was just his mother reincarnated.

"Yes, my prince. I am here," Isis answered.

Tears brimmed Atemu's eyes, slightly ashamed that his friend saw him in such state. Isis gathered his prince's head and placed it on her lap, caressing his fair face like a mother would when her son wakes up from a nightmare.

"Does father know?" he asked.

Isis nodded.

"Yes my prince," she answered, "And has now ordered for Bakura's capture. He's blaming himself, you know."

Atemu made a move to rise but Isis stopped him. "You must rest, Atemu. You were battered badly and you're merely starting to recover from Bakura's deed," said Isis.

The prince jerked his head towards his friend, "You know?" he asked.

"The signs were obvious, my prince," Isis answered.

Atemu sighed, "Who else knows?" he asked.

"Only me, your father and the healers but I believe Seth and the others are already having suspicions. I forbade them to enter your chambers," Isis said.

"Thank you for doing that, Isis. Promise me one thing," he replied.

"Yes, my prince?" Isis asked.

"You must never let them know, alright?"

"As you wish, my prince," she said.

"And Isis?"

"Yes Atemu?"

"Thank you."

"You are welcome, dear prince," Isis answered before leaving the room as his healers entered with their herbs and other medicinal stuff. Atemu knew Isis will keep her word no matter what and he sighed in relief.

Bakura threw his bag of newly-acquired loot in frustration and growled in anger. How could Aoujii do that to him? Bakura scratched the thought from his head. How can Atemu trick him like that and manage to steal the very thing he guarded the most? That amateur!

So he somehow realized he was kind of infatuated with the prince but he was too late. By now, the brat will be back in the palace ordering everyone to look and kill him. Of all the people in the country, why the prince!

The thief growled as he slumped at his make-shift bed, his thoughts wandering off. Before he knew it, he was going back to when he was with Atemu, and then to …

His pleas for Bakura to stop…

His cries of pain…

His tears of being betrated…

'Bakura please stop!'

"Damn you! Damn you! How dare you mess with my mind!" Bakura shouted, shutting out those bad memories.

Said thief shuddered at the memory of seeing Atemu's weakened and bloodied body. He didn't deserve it, even if he was the pharaoh's son.

Now he didn't know what clouded his judgment and for once in his life, Bakura's mind started to have second thoughts and overwhelming guilt. It was too much for him.

He rose and mounted his steed. He would give anything just to have Aoujii, not that brat, back with him and he sped off towards Memphis.

A/N: Note, people, that he wanted Aoujii back so don't get confused. In short, he wants to have Aoujii by his side from then on.

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