"Mahad?"

"Yes, sire?"

"Who is that man?"

Mahad blinked at Atem's question, gaze fixated on something. The court magician and guardian of the pharaoh turned his electric blue eyes to where the shorter man's stare was, chuckling when he saw where it landed.

"Forgive me sire, but I don't know his name, all I know is that he's the court musician and is training to be your new personal guard." Mahad answered honestly.

Atem frowned. A court musician and his personal guard? That sent a suspicious tingle down Atem's spine. "Is he now?"

"That's what I heard, sire."

The person was sitting on a stool placed in the garden, playing a harp, their fingers plucking the strings with profound grace. He was wearing a white robe, gold armbands adorning his arms, while a scabbard lay innocently by his side. The birds and animals were circling around the person, looking content and listening to the music he was playing.

Atem, from a distance, knew that even with the stranger's back turned, had an inkling that the figure was attractive but found no stirring desires to know what was on the stranger's mind. He was merely curious on why the stranger was in the private garden, since no one was allowed to go in there.

"Is he really allowed in the gardens at such times like this?" Atem asked. "And why does he have two positions in my palace?"

Mahad shrugged. "I don't know, your Majesty. The guards reported that he is strong even with such small frame, he's been tested and proven worthy by besting even the elite of our guards."

Atem whistled, impressed, quirking a brow. "And being a musician? Is he bad?" The pharaoh didn't hear Yugi's music because they were far away.

"No, sire. I heard he was unparalleled and one of the best in there. The musicians and dancers love him to no end because of his music, last I hear." Mahad said.

Atem hummed, his amusement growing by the single notion of this person. Unparalleled and even defeating his best soldiers? How cool was that? The strangeright have had some kind of practice in the past to earn such skills.

Atem sighed and turned on his heel, dismissing himself from where they were watching the stranger, Mahad following him obediently.

"We best be on our way, Mahad. I still have a meeting to attend to."

"Of course, your Majesty. As you command."

Little did the Pharaoh and Magician know, the stranger stopped playing his harp, watching as they walked away with curious violet orbs.

XxXx

The second time the pharaoh met the stranger in the garden was in the celebration of his birth. Atem was on his way to the banquet hall, dodging Noble women and men alike who tended to flirt with him. It didn't repulse him, just made him a tad bit uncomfortable when they got into his personal boundary. Atem wasn't aroused when women threw themselves at him, it irritated him, because they were nothing to him, only viewing them just like any other human, bland and strange.

'If one more Noble throws themselves at me, I swear to Ra that I'll kill myself' Atem thought.

Unlike others, Atem didn't feel any desire to be with anyone, nor was he craving for any sexual contact. He just didn't see the point in it. It wouldn't bring him any pleasure nor closure.

One thing was sure, Atem had no preference.

The celebration, as always was grand, held in an open hall serving as the banquet area. Servants, nobles, and commoners were all invited, laughing and dining to their hearts content.

Pharaoh Atem sat on his throne, bored out of his mind, dressed in his finest garment, gold adorning his frame, a goblet held in his hand.

Atem hated celebrating his day of birth, since all of the unwanted attention was focused on him, it made him tense even though he had been ruling for more than a year now. He popped a grape in his mouth and sipped the wine that was in his goblet.

"My pharaoh, the entertainment is here," Shimon, one of Atem's advisors, announced.

Atem nodded. "Send them in."

Shimon bowed and turned to the messenger boy, signaling him to bring the musicians and dancers, which the boy wasted no time in doing so.

The musicians and dancers all went in, lining up obediently, filling the once empty space in the middle as they set down their instruments. The dancers all positioned themselves in their formation, Atem leaning his cheek on his hand, watching with mild interest as the dancers began their dancing and the musicians playing their music.

Atem wished that something interesting would happen, he was so bored, sipping on his wine while he watched the performance with tired eyes, the nobles were oogling at the dancers, their eyes showing hunger and lust that Atem did not possess.

It went like that for half an hour, the dancers doing their best and having the time of their life as their limbs twisted and their bodies twirled with practiced grace, when it was over, the crowd had applauded until the dancers all bowed and left, the only one remaining was the stranger that Atem saw.

Atem's brows shot up as the dance master announced. "Your Majesty, allow me to present this lovely little lotus, who has such a talent for music that none can compare. He will be performing by himself. Allow him, sire?" The man asked with a deep bow.

Atem nodded and sighed, leaning back on his throne. "Very well,"

The violet eyed stranger bowed as the dance master stepped back, the white skinned man sitting on the stool of ivory situated in the center where the musicians once sat. A lotus flower pin was tucked neatly behind blonde bangs, his aquablue robe spilling to the floor like rivulets of water, a golden sash held the garment in place, showing off his petite waist.

The stranger looked so simple in his outfit, flute placed on those cherry red lips.

The stranger caught Atem's eyes for a second. He saw the fire, the simple gaze that the stranger held like they were equals.

To gaze upon the pharaoh without permission was a sin but clearly, this man, this boy, did not care for such thing, for behind those irises there held power and authority, it made Atem feel intimidated. Just who did he think he is?

Atem opened his mouth to speak, perhaps to scold the boy but his eyes had darted down and shut, his mouth blowing on the hole of the flute, creating an unexplainable melody, so alluring and beautiful it made the nobles go silent and Atem lean forward.

Who is this man and why did he not listen closely to him playing the instruments?

'Such Talent..' Atem found himself thinking, his eyes wide with awe.

The rest of the night was spent with music, food and drinks, and hymns to the Gods.

The stranger, after his performance, let a tiny smile cross his face.

XxXx

A few weeks after Atem's celebration, he was almost assassinated and killed on the spot, if not for the mysterious stranger saving him.

Atem was sitting inside the throne room that day, listening through the meetings and complains with a bored mind, a nobleman was complaining in front of him, which caught no interest from Atem, but the pharaoh kept his ears open in case there was something important he might've missed. .

"--Our crops are low, sire and the commoners are running rampant in the streets. Thieves are getting worse--" the nobleman was cut off as Atem's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching as he turned his forty stare to the Noble, opening his mouth slightly.

If it weren't for the arrow that suddenly flew to him at lightning speed.

Atem's eyes widened, blood rushing through his ears, drowning out the sound of his court and the Noble's scream of alarm. The world vanished infront of Atem's eyes, time slowing down as the arrow neared itself to Atem.

'WOOSH!'

The arrow was caught by a hand and then snapped in half, the broken pieces scattering to the floor. A figure stood in front of the Pharaoh, eyes glowing in the bright light with fierce protectiveness.

"... Magician?" Atem gasped out, feeling his heart palpitate from the surprise at the swiftness and sudden appearance of the black and blonde haired stranger.

The man glanced at Atem for a bit. "Yugi," he replied, voice a silky tenor, introducing himself briefly, his other hand was holding his sword tightly, knuckles white with barely restrained anger. "A coward who attacks from the shadows, is no fighter at all."

Yugi's voice reverberated around the room, shaking the one who attempted to assassinate the pharaoh, to the core.

They fired another arrow, this one a bit weaker in speed. Yugi raised his sword and sliced the arrow in half. The assassin tried to flee, his figure finally seen as he fled through the window.

With deadly precision, Yugi gave chase, his feet silent and bare as he chased the assassin, his sword clanging as he ran. He had quickly seized the man without so much as a sweat, taking him down in one fluid motion.

For the first time, Atem felt something stir within him, a curiosity so strong he had no control over it, an attribute he thought he did not possess.

When they had brought the criminal in front of Atem and had sentenced him, Atem turned to the white skinned stranger now known as Yugi with barely restrained admiration.

"Tell me stranger, who are you and where do you came from?"

Yugi bowed and then looked up at the pharaoh, his stare indifferent as he tilted his head. "I go by many names and from where I came from I have lived and served everywhere. The name I go by now is Yugi."

Seth narrowed his eyes. "Don't you know that it is disrespectful for you to look the Pharaoh in the eye, Magister Yugi?"

Yugi glanced at Seth cooly, and hummed. "Is it?" He said softly, his aura suddenly flairing, something not seen by untrained eyes, but enough for Seth to detect it made him shiver in fear.

Atem sensed the onslaught of a very large portion of power coming from Yugi and raised his hand up to silence Seth. "Please Seth, restrain yourself," he rubbed his temples, Yugi's words not making sense to him. "You have lived everywhere?"

Yugi turned back to Atem and nodded, Seth growled slightly but did not make a sound. "I have,"

Atem pursed his lips. "And where did you learn to fight and play such graceful music? Surely you have a teacher."

Yugi shook his head, blinking his eyes slowly, almost boredly. "I have no teacher, I was born with it, I teach people music if they deserve it." He said.

Atem groaned in frustration inwardly, Yugi was an enigma that he could not figure out, running his fingers through his spiked hair, he sighed and spoke. "Very well then, since you saved my life and brought the assassin to his feet, I will allow you to make a request. What is it that you wish, Yugi?"

Violet eyes glimmered as Yugi hummed, the hand holding the sheath of his sword, tapping at the side, his head tilted in contemplation before he spoke, in a voice that was hypnotizing, his eyes glowing with a fire that no one could extinguish.

"Simple, I wish to be your friend and personal guard."

Atem raised a brow, surprised at the simple yet dangerous request. "You wish to be my friend and personal guard? Isn't that a bit risky?"

Yugi raised a brow, his eyes challenging. "You said that I am allowed your favor, yes? That is my request, Pharaoh, Ruler of Upper and Lower Khemet, The Morning and The Evening Star."

Atem's eyes widened, the challenge in Yugi's tone not missing his trained ear. Oh yes, Yugi was one intriguing man, and the pharaoh felt a thrill rush through him, at the challenge that Yugi placed, it looks like Yugi was setting his traps. Such a clever man with a mysterious psychic.

Atem smirked, sitting back down on the throne. "Interesting, you even know how to manipulate your words," Atem murmured and shook his head. "Very well, I will allow your request, though, be prepared with the onslaught of threats in your life at your public request."

Yugi crossed his arms and chuckled. "Why should I fear something so minimalistic? The people do not scare me." He said.

Atem chuckled to himself, and stared with amusement in his eyes at Yugi's stance, calm, cool, and relaxed like he was used to this. He probably was, Atem thought. "Confident now aren't we?"

Yugi smirked, eyes glinting with the same fire again. "Shouldn't I be?"

"You are a very interesting man, Yugi. For that, I will grant your request."

Yugi closed his eyes and bowed, hand over his heart, the lotus pin singing like song birds. "Thank you, Great pharaoh, son of Ra, Protector of the people of Upper and Lower Khemet." Yugi said. "I won't let you down."

Atem clapped his hands together, the meeting ajourned and done for the day after Yugi's bold announcement.