V.E.: I am pleased to present you all with the next installment in what has to be my most popular fic in progress. It gives me great pleasure to…wait a minute, why am I sounding like some priest or commencement speaker?!

I'm sorry for sounding so formal. I know you guys are probably annoyed right now, it's been a long time since my last update. And I'm sorry to say my out internet connection is responsible for that. What can I say? Writers are easily distracted.

Still, I was also trying to figure where to go to next on this. I'm pretty sure all of you liked it how I got the two into playing a game, so I'm going to be using that again this chapter.

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

"Water falling down from the sky so often? Now I know you're crazy!"

Kisara just chuckled at the young boy's wide eyed face, the senet board pieces moving exactly as their game masters wished them to.

"It's true, that's how most of the crops in the village got water. And then in the colder months, it turns into white and fluffy snow."

Atem cocked his head in an adorable manner, obviously still confused.

"White….and fluffy?"

Kisara really laughed then, rubbing her sticks together.

"It's basically frozen water. I guess it's something you need to see to believe. My homeland is much colder than here, where every day is hotter than any summer I ever knew."

Atem watched her reverently as the pale haired girl threw the sticks and moved her senet pieces.

"You know Kisara, I don't know sometimes whether you're telling the truth or making this all up for a joke."

Kisara pretended to be offended at that.

"Why would I make this up? This actually happened! That was where I was born and raised!"

Atem smiled as Kisara's face broke the bluff.

"I know, I know. It just sounds so cool."

Kisara simply smiled as the younger boy took his chances at rolling the sticks.

"I suppose something that is so different may sound cool at first, but once you live it with for a while it sort of loses the wonder."

Atem cocked his head at her like so, throwing his sticks in the process.

"Is that how you feel about this place?"

Kisara laughed at that, gesturing to her arms to show largeness.

"Here, I think I could explore this palace for the rest of my life and still not know everything about it."

Atem nodded with a small smile as he moved his pieces then gestured to the board.

"Me too. Your turn."

Kisara smiled as she took up the sticks, looking back on the events on the last couple of weeks.

Since the night Atem had showed up to her room, almost every night since then the young prince stopped by the pale girl's room to play senet. Though most of the time, Atem was teaching her more than he was playing her. Still, Kisara had gotten better though she doubted she would ever beat the tricolor haired prince. He was just too good.

During these games, the two would often talk on just about anything: how their days had gone, old stories. Atem in particular was very intrigued about Kisara's stories before she came to the palace. He had thousands of questions and Kisara was currently his favorite answer giver.

Kisara tried to keep her stories limited; she could talk on just about everything on her homeland except when it came to the incident with her dragon. It wasn't the fact she couldn't talk about it, she just didn't want to. Her ka, felt sacred to her. It was a secret not to be disclosed to just anyone. Even Atem wasn't ready to learn about it.

She also omitted the details of her life in chains while moving south. Mostly she just described the sites she saw and some of the interesting people she had seen.

The third thing she wouldn't talk about was Seto and the night she escaped. That was something she would never tell anyone.

Still, even with those limitations, Kisara never lacked for anything to tell the young prince. Just about everything seemed to astonish him.

During these nights, she sometimes bit back about questions on Mahad and Mana. If Atem wanted to, he could have told her yet he hadn't. Still, she did wonder how they were doing. Mana seemed like a sweet girl though somewhat energetic. Mahad, on the other hadn, was someone she had questions for. Particularly on that vision she had after the magical duel.

A gentle intrusive voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Kisara?"

The pale haired princess in training looked up to notice that in between her thoughts, the young prince had rolled and moved his pieces into another win.

She half sighed and half groaned.

"Alright, how do you do that?"

His smile seemed more of an evil smirk on an innocent face as he answered.

"Do what?"

Kisara voice showed she didn't buy it.

"Win. ALL THE TIME."

To that, the young prince just shrugged.

"I don't know. Shimon and my father says it's because I'm blessed with the luck of the Egyptian Gods."

Kisara shook her head at that.

"I'm not sure about that."

Atem quirked his head at her words.

"You don't really believe in the gods, do you Kisara?"

Kisara shot the young boy an even look.

"I get the feeling you'd have the same sentiment about my gods if you visited my homeland."

Atem nodded to that.

"Fair point, I guess. Actually, there was some prophecy about that when I was born. Nephthys said that the day I was born she foresaw that I would gain the title 'King of Games,' but I'm not entirely certain what that means."

Kisara lifted her senet piece with a quizzical look.

"That you are so good at games that no one will be able to challenge you, let alone a girl two years older than you?"

Atem laughed at that.

"Hey, at least you last longer than Mana, she can never really stand still and concentrate that long."

Kisara quirked her head in interest.

"Really?"

Atem nodded his head enthusiastically, getting into the story.

"Yeah. One time she got so frustrated, her magic set the curtains on fire!"

Kisara gulped.

"That sounds dangerous."

The young prince waved her concern away.

"It's alright, she's gotten better with magic."

"Are all magic users like that?"

Atem shook his head at the pale girl's question.

"Not exactly. Mahad and Shimon told me Mana has a lot of power, but not a lot of control. The more she learns to use it, the better she'll be able to control it."

Kisara smiled in thanks.

"I didn't know magic worked that way. Sorry, people who can do unusual things where I come from aren't looked upon that nicely, like my Amma."

He spoke up in a quieter.

"Your grandmother, right?"

Kisara's blue eyes went downcast.

"She might as well have been my grandmother. She found me abandoned in the forest when I was just a baby, I don't really remember anything of my parents."

Atem was silent before he replied solemnly.

"I guess it may not be the same, but I can understand. I don't remember my mother at all."

She perked up in interest at that.

"Really?"

He shook his head and went on.

"Yeah, nothing. I've asked, but no one answers me. Shimon said that if I wanted to know, I would have to ask my father, but when I tried he just went really quiet."

"Maybe it's a difficult subject?"

Atem still looked thoughtful at that.

"Maybe, but I still wish I knew something."

Kisara had honestly no idea what to do as she watched the sad looking boy across the senet table, the windows revealing only the dark of nighttime. She had never been in a close type of relationship that had her offer comfort to someone, she only knew Amma's warm comfort and Nephthys' slightly gruff one.

Before she could react in anyway, a streak of light flashed in the distance of Kisara's window before a large noise echoed loudly like a large animal.

BOOM!

The noise made Atem cringe and jump while Kisara remained relatively calm, the cat who had been taking a nap woke up and dove under the covers. She caught the young boy's agitation and inquired curiously.

"What's the matter?"

Atem only shivered, huddling into himself more.

"Hate….that…"

Kisara looked out her window as the light flashed again and the large sound returned, making the prince cringe again.

"It's only a little storm, nothing like during harvest time. I guess Thor is swinging his hammer in practice right now."

She turned back to her young opponent to find something she had never seen in the young prince before, fear.

"Are you okay?"

He only gulped as he looked at her, going still as the lightning flashed again and the thunder sounded even louder.

BOOM!

Kisara held her gaze on the young boy for as soon as the noise ended, Atem sprinted over to her bed and dived under the covers to join the white kitten.

She cautiously walked over to her bed and sat down, her hand gently touching the large hidden lump that was the Crown Prince of Egypt.

"Atem…?"

The light must have flashed again, but a while ago since the thunder was slightly lesser, but still noticeable as Atem cringed.

Kisara went under the covers then to discover Atem crouched into a ball, his hands over his ears.

She then reached her hands towards him, removing his hands from over his ears and causing those ruby amethyst eyes to look right at her.

"Kisara….."

BOOM!

At the larger sound, Atem cringed again, but Kisara's grip held him in place.

"You're scared."

Atem tried to deny it.

"A prince isn't supposed to be scared, he's not supposed to show fear."

The calm Nile blue eyes of the older girl calmed him somehow.

"It's okay to be scared."

"But….."

She squeezed his hands comfortingly.

"Someone once told me that you can only be the bravest when you're scared."

BOOM!

Atem still flinched, but not too much. Neftis curled near him and purred. He gave the cat a nice scratch before turning back to her owner with pleading eyes.

"Can I stay here tonight? I don't like being in my room alone when this happens."

She only had to think about it for a moment as she drew closer to someone who could become her younger brother.

"Of course you can stay."

BOOM!

This time it was very loud, but Kisara didn't cringe. She never cringed as she looked like she saw through the sheets wonderingly.

"Well, Thor must be in a huge battle right now."

Atem looked at her questioningly.

"Who's Thor?"

'The god of thunder and lightning in my homeland. The travelling storytellers said that when these storms happen, Thor is swinging his hammer and calling down his righteous fury. Most likely he is facing the frost giants."

Atem shot her a leveled look and wry smile.

"No offence Kisara, but your gods are weird."

Kisara's smile responded the same.

"So are yours."

Atem simply smiled again as he petted little Neftis, who purred in response.

"So exactly how does that story start? About your gods, I mean."

Kisara smiled as she remembered the green forests and cold winters of her homeland, feeling not so far away with the words she was speaking.

"Well, it all begins with the Great Tree…"

When she came to, Kisara was unaware how long she had been asleep. The last thing she remembered was Atem finally falling asleep after going into Baldor's death and her closing her eyes to rest.

Then, suddenly and unceremoniously, the sheets that had been cocooning her and Atem had been ripped away and the sun was blaring as she tried to open her eyes.

She blinked the back shut as she tried to rub the sleepiness out of them before opening them again.

Priest Aknadin and Vizier Shimon did not look happy standing over the bed, just as Atem was blinking awake in confusion. Pharaoh Aknamkamon was in the background, but still looking at the both of them very intently.

Suddenly, Kisara would give anything to be anywhere, but here.

She just stood in frozen silence as Atem yawned and rubbed his eyes open.

"Whuzzah going on? Ra risen yet?"

Then he saw who was there, but he seemed still sleepy so didn't fully register their expressions.

"Oh, good morning Shimon, morning Father."

Vizier Shimon was the first to speak.

"Your Highness, may I inquire as to why you're in here and not in your room?!"

Atem seemed to wake up at the volume and replied.

"Oh, I was playing senet with Kisara last night and I didn't want to go back to my room so I slept here."

Kisara cringed as she looked at her hands balled in her lap.

"I'm sorry."

Aknadin favored her only a small glance before the Pharaoh turned his royal purple gaze toward his son.

"At the very least, you should have sent word you were here, Atem. The guards were searching the palace in a frenzy when you weren't found in your rooms."

Aknadin continued the thought after that.

"Not to mention what will happen when it is heard that you were sleeping in this girl's bed! The court will not…."

Atem's innocent reply cut the priest off.

"What's the problem?"

That got the whole room looking as the Crown Prince went on with big innocent eyes.

"I mean, Kisara's supposed to be my sister and it's alright for family to sleep in beds together. And Mana and Mahad sleep together all the time and they're not related. So how's that bad?"

Kisara had to take a moment to appreciate the priceless dumbfounded expression on Aknadin's face. It was just as frozen as the day she first saw him, after her pending adoption had been announced.

Not even noticing, Atem grabbed Kisara's hand and hoisted her off the bed pulling her along.

"Come on, Kisara!"

As the two vanished through the door, Vizier Shimon turned toward the departing pair.

"Well, I didn't expect that."

Pharaoh Aknamkamon waved a hand in front of his younger twin brother.

"Well, it's been a long time since I've seen this happen."

Shimon nodded then gestured to the doorway.

"Should we go after them?"

Aknamkamon shook his head, a smile starting to coming out.

"Oh no, this is exactly what I wanted to happen and I don't think Atem would like it if we were to interfere now. Moreover, let's wait until Aknadin comes out of his shock and then talk to the Sacred Guardians. This is something we need to bring up."

XXX

Kisara had been utterly silent as Atem dragged her through the puzzling maze that was the palace, wondering at his words earlier. She wanted to ask some questions, but he didn't say anything as she continued to let him lead her.

Finally, Kisara's eyes lit up in recognition at the garden she had come to with Lady Nephthys, but they didn't stop as the prince still guided her into the gardens to meet a surprising sight.

Mana was smiling brightly and laughing while being chased by a rather annoyed looking Mahad for the piece of papyrus rolled up in her hands.

"MANA! Give that back!"

"Not until you catch me!"

Mahad groaned as he continued running back and forth.

"Why didn't I bring my wand with me?"

The little girl responded with her own little quip.

"Because Master Rashidi said you're not supposed use magic to catch me!"

Mana kept laughing until she stopped in her tracks as she saw her best friend and the pale haired girl watching them, her face almost blank.

Mahad caught up then and snatched the scroll out of her hands before turning to see what the young girl was looking at.

Kisara raised her hand in an uneasy wave.

"Umm….hi…?"

Immediately, Mana ran over and glomped Kisara.

"Finally! We were waiting forever!"

Atem shot a mad look at his friend.

"MANA…"

Mana turned her irritated eyes on her best friend.

"Well, it's no fair you got Kisara all to yourself. We watched her with you earlier too!"

That really reddened the young prince.

"MANA!"

The two seemed to descend into squabbling while Kisara was left on the outside feeling a little clueless.

Mahad stood next to her.

"Don't worry, this happens at times."

Kisara turned to him with an uneasy smile.

"This is a surprise to see you two again."

Mahad nodded in acknowledgement, his eyes burning curiously though not as obvious as the young prince.

"As it is you."

"ARE TOO!"

"AM NOT!"

"Oh yeah, prove it!"

At the new direction of the conversation, the two older siblings of the group looked at each other. Mahad speaking first gravely.

"We better got stop them before they make a big mess of things."

Kisara favored the apprentice magician a wry smile.

"Is this what it's going to be like every day?"

Mahad gave a small smile in return before turning back.

"More like every day, then it's me fighting with Mana. Now let's go stop them before they blow something up. AGAIN."

V.E.: Yes, I am later. Yes, I have a lot of ongoing stories. Just review!