Angel: Hello! I'm back! And I think Y. Ang is now in Japan, so some of you guys are safe from her now.

Y. Ang: (appears) I heard that.

Angel: Oops. Anyway, now I can truly understand why some authors take ages to update. Sorry if I ever criticised any of you guys for being slow! I understand now!

Disclaimer: I'm not typing it up again. I own nothing that is related to anime or a movie other than this fanfic, and the little merchandise I possess.

(view changes to a room filled with anime and movie stuff)

Angel: (sweatdrop) Umm……ok maybe I own a more than a little.

Y. Ang: In your dreams.

Angel: How do you think the room appeared to everyone in the first place?

Y. Ang: (sweatdrop) I'm sorry I said anything

Angel: (grins) And now, the fic!

Note: City references and stuff are from my Pharaoh game. Which I also do not own the rights for.

Lonely Heart In Egypt

Chapter 6 - The Dinner and the Library

Isaac sighed as he looked at the sundial. Crystal was late, and Yami had also not appeared. He was just starting to get worried when the Master of Ceremonies stood up.

"Princess Crystal!"

Isaac smiled in relief as Crystal walked into the room, looking as beautiful as she always did.

"Pharaoh Yami!"

Yami walked into the room as Crystal sat down. As everyone began to rise, he gestured for them all to stay sitting. He then took his place at the head of the table with Crystal on his right, and Isaac beside her.

As she sat down, Crystal tuned to Isaac. "Father, please forgive my lateness."

"You are forgiven, my dear. After all, you are here now, and clearly did not insult the Pharaoh in your absence."

She smiled, her eyes scanning the faces of the other nobles. One of them, the Prince of Kyrete, smiled flirtatiously at her as their eyes met. She smiled as politely as possible, and turned her attention to the meal being placed in front of her.

'She's so mine!' she heard the Prince say to himself by accidentally using her telepathic abilities.

She smiled. 'Dream on, lover boy,' she thought to herself.

Yami saw her smile. "What's so funny?" he asked curiously.

"Never mind, just thinking," she replied blushing.

Yami continued to watch her for a few more moments, but then followed her example and began eating his meal as well. As the meal started, Yami could hear parts of the many different conversations taking place.

"No, Selima Oasis is making the most for wood."

"Kyrete didn't pay their tribute last year."

This last statement was followed by a loud cough. "Anyway, Thinis is making a lot of money from exporting barley."

"Saggaro just built another small pyramid, did you know?

"Nara just imported chickpeas and sold them for less then they brought them for."

"Well, the Pharaoh had 50 sacks of gems stolen a week ago."

Crystal, who had been politely listening to the assorted conversations, reacted at this man's comment. "How dare you!" she shrieked.

Everyone stopped talking as Crystal stood up. "You stole those gems so that you could finally pay your yearly tribute. My father told me and no one except the Pharaoh and he even knew about it, so if you know, you must have stolen them!"

The man now looked dreadfully frightened. Yami also stood up, his eyes blazing with anger, "You dare to return here after stealing from me!"

The man fell to his knees. "My lord, I am sorry! I only stole the gems so that I could feed my people!"

Yami was about to reply, when Crystal stepped forward, "Do you swear in the name of the gods that you did this to feed your people?"

"Yes, my lady, yes! Please, please have mercy on me!"

Crystal's eyes softened at his pleading, and she turned to Yami, "My lord Pharaoh, may I please be the one to deliver the punishment to this man?"

Yami was surprised at the request, but he nodded. "You were the one who discovered his falsehood," he said as he sat down, watching the princess intently.

Crystal returned her gaze back to the cowering man before her, "You do realize that even though your intentions were good what you did was wrong?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Then I will spare your life."

The man, and Yami, looked at her in surprise, "You did what you could for your people, which is all any ruler should do. Because of this, your punishment is that you must retire as king of your nation, and give the position to your prepared, financially secure eldest son," she said with a soft smile at the older man.

"Thank you, my lady!" the man cried, "You are kind to an old fool."

She continued to smile. "You're welcome."

Yami then spoke. "This meal is over. I bid you all goodnight and farewell."

The nobles and Crystal rose and left silently. Yami then turned towards the ex-king who yet remained behind, still staring in shock after the retreating form of the Princess. "Be grateful that the heavens smile on you by sending you an angel to spare your life."

The man smiled, "I am a very lucky person, my lord. If it's not too bold to say, I think that you are lucky that such an angel cares for you."

"Luckier than you know. And, no, that is not too bold. Farewell."

"Farewell, my lord. Please thank the Princess again for me."

"I will."

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Yami sighed. He had to talk to Crystal, and she had left without a word. He knocked on the door to her room, and heard sudden silence.

"Crystal? May I come in?"

"The door's open."

Yami sighed again, and opened the door, finding Crystal sitting on her bed, staring at the ground. Yami came and sat next to her.

"Why did you let him go?"

She turned to face Yami, her eyes slightly red, "Because I would have done the same for my people."

"But if he stole the gems, he's probably the man that has been stealing from here for years. He deserved to die."

Crystal smiled sadly, "It's not he that has been stealing from you. It's more likely to be a tomb robber. Besides, letting the king live means that he must live with the knowledge of what he's done, and now he can still watch his children grow. He loves them, and he is a truly kind man. He would only have stolen from you in dire need, which it was. He's a friend of my father's, and his poor financial status has been known to us for some time. Better that he lives shamed with his family than dead for a crime he couldn't help. Besides Yami, so many that die deserve life, but can you give that to them?"

Yami fell silent. "Obviously, you have a lot to learn Yami," the Princess observed gently.

Yami nodded. "I suppose. I'll leave you to sleep now. Goodnight."

"Good night, Yami."

------------------------------------------------The next morning----------------------------------------

Yami yawned. Although it was late in the morning, he had not gotten much sleep. For some reason, he had stayed awake for hours before he finally dozed off. Tired though he was, he decided to go to his library. The cushions there were a lot comfier than his throne or any other seats in the palace.

As he approached the library, he heard laughter coming from inside. Yami was angry about that, as the library was his private one and no-one should be inside without his permission. Besides, when he was tired he was always grumpier, and today was no exception. He sighed, opened the door and moved to where the laughter was coming from. He could have sworn his heart skipped a beat, when he saw who was sitting in the pile of cushions.

Surrounded by the cushions and quite a few books, was Crystal. She looked like she had also only just woken up as she was still in her nightwear and a dressing gown. Her hair was messy, and tied back loosely with a white hair tie. She seemed unaware that Yami was watching her, and Yami wanted it to stay that way. Yami had a feeling that she would not want him to see her like that – no makeup, messy hair and such plain clothes – even though he still thought she looked beautiful. As he moved slowly towards her, he didn't take his eyes off her, and thus didn't notice he was about to trip over a stray book on the ground. At least, he didn't notice until it was too late.

When Crystal heard the loud noise caused by Yami crashing into the bookshelf, she jumped and snapped the book shut. She stood up, pulling from under the cushions the beautiful wooden staff that she sometimes carried around with her when she was alone. She was very good at defending and fighting with her prized staff. She moved towards the bookshelf where the crash of someone hitting it had come from, and found that almost all the books had fallen out of it, and the remaining few were about to fall.

Still slightly nervous, she prodded the pile of books with her staff to see if the person who had crashed was still conscious. When the books moved, she didn't think anything of it. So they were still conscious. However, when the pile began to move as the person underneath stood up, she shrieked and attacked the person.

"Hey, stop hitting me!"

She gasped. "Yami? Is that you?" she asked as the books all fell off him.

He groaned as the last few books then fell on his head. "Yes."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Yami said, just before he was nearly knocked unconscious by the last book to fall on him, which due to its size, landed rather heavily on his head.

"No you're not fine." Crystal said sternly, helping him to lie down on the cushions. She then used her staff as a focus point to summon her medicinal kit from her rooms. "What were you doing anyway? Were you trying to give me a heart attack?" she asked as she opened the box.

Yami looked quite sheepish. "No, I was actually trying not to disturb you. I succeeded for quite some time until I tripped over that book over there," he said, mock-glaring at the offending book.

Crystal blushed at hearing he'd been watching her, but laughed as he started glaring. She then started shuffling through the glass jars, bandages and the like in her box. "Well, looks like you obviously failed. And the maids taught me a little bit about natural healing," she said, correctly interpreting his puzzled look about the box.

She then pulled out one roll of bandages, a clean white cloth and some glass jars. As Yami was about to ask her what that were for, she asked him for his right hand. Yami was quite surprised to find that it was bleeding. He hadn't even noticed the pain, or the blood.

"These bookshelves are sharp," Crystal said absently, as she wiped the blood off his hand. She then opened the glass jar, smearing it's contents on her fingers.

"Now this might sting, so please try not to move your hand."

Yami nodded. As Crystal applied the cream, he couldn't help but flinch, so she gently squeezed his other hand. She then wrapped the bandage around his wounded hand.

"There! All done." Crystal said, giving Yami his hand back.

Yami smiled at her, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, stay here while I go get changed, and put this on your head."

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Angel: Well, was that any good?

Y. Ang: It was ok.

Angel: Aww, thank you.

Y.Ang: Your attempts to discreetly give away plot points aren't that great though. The points you've already given away are bound to make people suspicious.

Angel: Speaking of suspicious, what happened to Tea? I haven't seen or heard her for some time

Y. Ang: (shifty eyes) nothing...

Angel: (sighs) Please review!

C YA! Angel