Angel: (typing madly in three different documents)

Yami: ...what is she doing?

Y.Ang: -...- She is trying to avoid writer's block by switching between her three stories every time it hits her on one. So far it seems to be working, but the fact that those three stories are in three completely different categories (YuGiOh, Zelda, and KotOR), and the fact that Crystal is the name of a main character in two of them is making it rather interesting...

Angel: (throws a pen at the computer) No, Yami does not like a Jedi Master! He likes his wife the Queen you stupid computer! (throws a tantrum)

Yami: (sweatdrops, and wisely decides not to point out that is Angel's brain at fault, not the computer)

Angel: And Yami can't use the Force! (madly continues typing)

Y.Ang: (also sweatdrops) Mostly it's just names she messes up, which she normally finds quickly, but she seems to mess up events occasionally too.

Angel: And Maia isn't getting married! (gives up and angrily stalks away from the computer to fume in her room)

Y.Ang: (sweatdrops again and sighs) Well, I have nothing of importance to add. Except that you reviewers make Angel's day. Especially now that fixed their email problem and she actually gets notified of reviews.

Yami: Yeah, she was hopping around the house in delight when she found emails from on her hotmail account...even though she had already replied to most of those reviews...(sweatdrops)

Y.Ang: (shrugs) The holidays are making her weirder than normal. Anyway, Angel does not own YuGiOh! (holds up megaphone) Roll fic!

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh. I also do not own the Empire trilogy by Feist and Wurts, though I will be using ideas I got while reading those books in my story. Please don't sue me! (cowers)

Y.Ang: Oh yeah, Angel wishes to apologise for how much time passes over these last few chapters, but it really can't be helped, as she needs time to pass for her plot. She will do her best to make this time change as smooth as possible though.

Angel: (comes back) Oh yeah, I'm also going to try and bring some facts and stuff from the Egyptian arc series into the story. Don't worry, I'll try not to completely spoil the plotline of that arc, but I just want to bring some non-AU stuff into this story, lol. Thus there is a mild spoiler warning for this chapter. And its also going to be a nice long chapter too :D

Lonely Heart In Egypt

Chapter 22: The Future

It was another week later, and Yami, for the first time in about a month, woke up before his wife. She had her back to him, but he had his arms wrapped around her. Yami then thought wryly to himself that it was good that he woke up first for a change – he was getting slightly annoyed at being woken up by her every morning. His most memorable awakenings were from the day before, when she'd just literally pushed him out of the bed, and a few days earlier where she had used her magic to levitate him out of the bed, and then poured water on him. Despite being a powerful mage, Crystal rarely used her magic for mundane means, except when she was feeling playful.

Yami then yawned, and snuggled closer to his wife. He felt that she was awake now, but she didn't want to have to move to make him get up. He squeezed her stomach gently, and a slight 'fullness' there alerted him. Suddenly, the mornings she'd spent away from him, and her making sure he was awake and gone before her made sense. He grinned, and kissed his wife's shoulder. "So, have the midwives told you whether our child is to be a boy or a girl?" he asked mischievously.

Crystal gasped and twisted around in his arms. "I did not tell you I was pregnant! Which of my maids betrayed me?" she asked indignantly, and Yami could not resist a chuckle. "No-one said anything darling," he said, kissing her gently. She relaxed at that. "I see. None of my maids told, but I still cannot keep secrets from you my husband," she said with a smile as Yami kissed her forehead.

"Well, what have the midwives said?" he asked again, kissing her eyelids now.

She swatted him away, though she was still smiling. "They have said nothing. But it will be a boy," she said firmly.

Yami laughed. "Then my stubborn wife, let's hope it will be so," he said, sounding amused even when she hit him in the stomach for his light patronizing tone. "Oof!" he said as he rolled over, pretending to be fatally wounded.

Crystal rolled her eyes and hit him in the arm. "Oh, stop pretending to die. I know you're fine," she said exasperatedly as Yami continued to groan as thought dying. Her eyes then twinkled. "Oh well, if my husband is dying, I'll have to go find someone else to kiss," she said teasingly, sitting up and making as though to get out of bed.

Yami moved like lightning at that, frowning slightly as he turned her head to face him. "Not so fast, I'm not that dead yet," he scowled, kissing her. Unfortunately for him, Crystal could read his moods well enough to know he was just pretending to be upset.

She just grinned at him as he let her go. "Well, there's always next time," she said, her eyes still twinkling. Yami's eyes widened at that, and he was about to start protesting when she cut him off with another kiss. Laughing, she then ducked away from the arms that sought to encircle her, and rolled off the bed.

Yami glared at her, but she merely beamed at him as she darted out of his reach. She then poked her tongue out at him, and Yami jumped out of bed and pulled her back towards him. "You're not getting away that fast," he growled, tightening his hold enough so that she couldn't escape, but not so that he was hurting her.

She pretended to pout. "Oh bother," she murmured before kissing him again. She then turned slightly pale, and Yami gently guided her back to the bed so that she was sitting down before calling for the maid. The maid came running into the room at this point with her usual damp cloth, and Crystal lay down, putting it to her forehead as her colour paled further. She made a shooing gesture at Yami. "Yami, you'd better get going."

Yami merely frowned at her. "Crystal dearest, you're not getting rid of me. Council can wait until you feel better," he said, kissing her cheek before settling in beside her.

She smiled weakly at him. "Thank you," she said at last, before closing her eyes and trying to fight down the nauseous feeling in her stomach.

And although she still kept trying to push him away, he stayed by her side until she felt well again. Only once she was ready did he go and join his advisors.

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Yami's advisors had grown in the time since his wedding – he now had seven official advisors. They were: Isis, Seto, Mahaado, Akunadin (Yami's uncle), Karim (a trusted former member of Isaac's court), Shaad (a mysterious, yet trusted, man from Yami's father's reign), and Shimon (Yami's former mentor). These seven people were those responsible for the Pharaoh's welfare, and aided him in ruling the country of Egypt. All were trusted, and several were old friends of the Pharaoh or, in Karim's case, his wife.

Also, for the first time since his father's time, all the Millennium Items had a Holder, and were no longer scattered about in various safe locations in Egypt. Since finding Crystal, Yami had grown to trust others more, and thus allowed his advisors to hold and personally protect the Items. Isis held the Necklace, Seto held the Rod, Mahaado held the Ring, Karim held the Scales, Shaad held the Key, Akunadin held the Eye, and the Pharaoh himself held the Puzzle (Shimon had held an Item in Yami's father's reign, but was quite content to be without one now). These Items were occasionally used in the defence of Egypt, but the Pharaoh made sure never to become too dependent on them. Mostly, the role of the Holders was just to protect their Item from the wrong hands. (1)

Yami trusted his advisors, and for the most part, they trusted each other as well. However, Seto and Mahaado tended to argue a lot (particularly about security, which Mahaado was in charge of), Seto and Isis had little to do with each other (they had drifted apart on becoming official members of Yami's inner court), Shaad was too mysterious and cryptic for his own good, Karim had a rather bad sense of humour and took every slight as a personal insult, and Akunadin tended to be a grumpy old man, also with a rather poor sense of humour.

However, while they had their differences, they still managed to get along with one another rather well and rarely ever seriously argued with each other. Except for that one morning when Yami stayed back in his rooms with his wife.

When the royal couple quietly entered the council room, they found 5 of Yami's advisors forming a sort of circle around the other two, all looking between slightly amused and downright unhappy. Isis was shaking her head, and Shaad looked like he was concealing a smile. Crystal sighed upon recognising the two in the centre of the circle, and looked at her husband with a look of resignation.

Yami sighed also upon seeing Seto and Mahaado at each other's throats (fortunately not yet literally). No one was quite sure why these two suddenly didn't get along after a year or so of indifference towards each other (before the wedding), but since Mahaado had become an advisor, the two were often found arguing. Yami moved over to them, and coughed politely to announce his presence. Both stopped the moment they saw him, and sat down on their respective chairs, glaring at each other. Crystal sat down beside Yami, smiling slightly at the antics of her husband's advisors.

Yami frowned at the two arguers. "Before we begin business today, perhaps you could tell me what has upset the two of you so much?" he asked pointedly. He glanced at Mahaado for an answer, while Crystal raised an eyebrow at Seto.

Neither answered, and Crystal sighed. "Just leave the issue, husband. No doubt they were arguing over whose fault it was that that assassin made it to the throne room yesterday," she said, sounding tired as she frowned at the two offenders. Their shamed faces confirmed her suspicions.

Yami sighed and made a note to talk to the two of them later. Crystal then glanced at Isis. "Don't tell me you didn't foresee this?" she said with a teasing grin. Isis was about to retort, but the Necklace granted her a vision as she glanced at the Queen. Her eyes widened, and she practically squealed. "Oh, you're not!" she said in delight. Crystal blushed at that, while the remaining Council members stared at Isis as though she had grown a second head. Isis didn't see their faces though. "I can't believe you didn't tell me! Does Mana know?" she asked, and Mahaado's face perked up at that. He had recently taken Mana as his apprentice, as it had become apparent that his magic was far stronger than hers, and that she needed training. Also, it was an excuse to spend time with her.

Crystal just blushed again. "Anyway Isis, moving on to this morning's business..." she said, pleading to Yami to rescue her. He gave in. "Akunadin, what must we discuss this morning?" he asked, and Council began. Eventually, Yami explained his lateness by saying that his wife had been indisposed, and told that she was pregnant. Congratulations were offered, and Council continued.

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Several months later, Yami was relaxing in his private gardens with Mahaado, Isis, Mana and Seto. Council had finished, and there were no official duties he had to do today. So he was having a lazy day. Crystal would have joined them, but she had been tired and more moody than usual for the last few days, and had stayed in her chambers to rest. That, and she really didn't feel like moving far out of her rooms these days.

Mana was currently teasing Yami. Over the last few months, his wife had become progressively moody, and the target of her ire was most often Yami. He couldn't do a single thing right in her eyes, and had received numerous bumps and bruises from when he had dared to cross her when she was in 'one of her moods' . She tolerated and even enjoyed the presence of Isis, the newly-married Mai, and Mana, but for some reason Yami always got on her nerves. He had been rather stupid towards his wife that morning, and was sporting a handsome new bruise on his arm from where she had thrown a vase at him.

So Crystal wasn't the only one getting fed up with her pregnancy. She had been so different from her normally cheerful self, though the midwives assured Yami that that was normal. Neither husband nor wife was particularly pleased to hear that, though Yami wasn't sure if Crystal was unhappy with the news or just him. The news that she would be back to normal after the child was born was the only thing that had kept him sane these last few months – that and keeping away from his wife when she was grumpy.

Yami was brought back to the present by Mana poking his bruise, and he shot up and cursed in pain. "Mana!" he said crossly, glaring at her. But her innocent expression rivalled Crystal's, and he quickly forgave her – after all, being the target of Mahaado's scolding was punishment enough for her.

It was at that point that one of Crystal's maids came running into the garden, looking slightly out of breath. She curtsied before Yami, who looked at her curiously. "My lord Pharaoh, the midwife sent me to tell you that your lady's time has come upon her. She is having the baby," she said shyly. She then turned to Isis and Mana. "My lady's companion, Lady Mai, has asked for the presence of Priestess Isis and Miss Mana by my lady's side," she said before curtsying again. Both women nodded and flew up to Crystal's side.

Meanwhile, back in the garden, Yami turned pale at the news that his wife was giving birth to their child. He immediately wanted to go to her side, but knew the midwives and Crystal's friends would just chase him back out. Pharaoh or not, there were just some places he wasn't allowed. Seto came to stand before his cousin. "Yami, I suggest you find something to do for the next few hours, else you will drop dead of nerves and become the target of Crystal's ire once again," he said with a small smile. Yami sighed, and swiftly moved off to his library, worrying for his wife. Many women died in childbirth, and though he knew she had magic and the best midwives in the world on her side, he still worried.

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Several hours later, Yami was re-reading a passage of his scroll for the millionth time, unable to concentrate on what was usually an enjoyable piece to read. He glanced over at Seto and Mahaado, who had started challenging each other in various games, the most recent of them chess. They were surprisingly rather evenly matched, and both were staring intently at the board as though a way to win would suddenly appear before their eyes. After a few minutes had passed with the pair both staring at the board, Seto suddenly moved his knight, capturing Mahaado's queen. Mahaado then let out a crow of triumph and moved his priest over to complete the checkmate. Seto stared at the board in dismay, and started cursing as he saw how neat a trap he'd fallen into. Mahaado sat back in his chair, a satisfied smirk on his face. Seto then glared up at Mahaado, who gestured to the piece of parchment to his right, where he'd just made a note. "Seto: 4, Mahaado: 5," he said calmly, sounding rather pleased with himself.

Just as Seto puffed up, about to demand a rematch, Yami became aware of another presence in the room. He turned around on his cushion, and saw Mana standing there, looking slightly tired. He instantly forgot about his book, and leapt to his feet. "Mana! What has happened? Is she alright?" he asked pleadingly, nearly tripping over a cushion in his haste to get up. Both Seto and Mahaado looked up from their bickering as they heard Yami speak.

Mana glanced seriously at the Pharaoh, her expression blank. But rather than torment him any longer, she beamed. "Both your wife and baby are fine, Yami," she said, smiling at the relieved look that crossed Yami's face. "You can go and see her now," she said, and Yami was suddenly not in the room anymore. Mahaado, Seto and Mana all blinked at the speed in which the Pharaoh had departed, and Mana could have sworn that she saw a small dust cloud where he had been sitting. Shaking her head, she then turned to Seto. "Seto, you can go and visit her later if she's still awake and wants to see you," she said kindly before turning and leaving the room. Now that she knew Crystal was okay, she could start practicing her magic again. Mahaado followed her to make sure she didn't freeze the guards again (2), and Seto left the room not long after the other two left.

Meanwhile, Yami had raced up to the small apartment set up for Crystal to have the baby in, and a place for her to rest afterwards away from everyone else. He arrived at the door in record time, and the door opened just as he arrived, and Isis stepped out. She looked rather startled to see Yami standing there. "Ah, hello Yami. I just sent Mana to look for you..." she said, surprised that he was already there.

He nodded. "I know, I just saw her," he said, and Isis blinked at him. 'Wow, he sure moved fast,' she thought to herself. Yami then continued. "So can I see her now?" he half-pleaded, and Isis smiled. "Yes, you can. I am the last one here, so you two can have some time alone," she said gently, stepping out of the room and letting the Pharaoh inside.

He quickly made his way over to the bed, where a tired looking Crystal was sitting. "Hi Yami," she said softly, smiling at him. Yami kissed her forehead, then looked down at the baby in her arms. She smiled at seeing the direction of his gaze. "Yami, meet your son," she said, beaming as she looked down at the small child wrapped in her arms.

Yami stared at the baby. "He's so small," he said wonderingly, and Crystal giggled. Yami looked up at her. "What should we call him?"

She smiled at the baby, gently bringing her free hand up to stroke his cheek. "I thought we should call him Atemu, after his father," she said with a smile. (3)

Yami stared at her. "You remember that?"

She smiled. "Of course. It sounds like a good name for our son. Besides, no doubt he'll be just like you in looks and nature, so being your namesake as well will suit him," she said dryly. Her expression then softened. "I know Atem was the name your father called you by, and you tried to forget it after he died, using only your nickname – you put your childhood behind you when he died, and when everything changed. But this way your childhood will not be forgotten, and your name will still be honoured through your son." Crystal then faltered. "Of course, if you have another name for him..." she said, trailing off.

Yami shook his head. "No my darling, Atemu sounds perfect for our child. Like the name I had when we first met...it is a wonderful name, my dear," he said before sighing. "I'm just so glad you're both alright," he said, kissing her gently again.

Crystal smiled sheepishly at that. "Speaking of which, Yami, I'm sorry about how I've been acting these last few months. I haven't been myself, and I'm honestly sorry for all the times I attacked you," she said softly, but Yami merely smiled.

"It's alright, I know you weren't yourself. Although, you did pack a mean punch sometimes," he said dryly, gesturing to his arm. "But it's alright now. I forgive you, Crystal," he said with a smile.

Crystal beamed. "Good. Now, would you like to hold your son?" she said, before giving Yami no choice as she handed little Atemu to him. Yami looked rather startled, and Crystal had to admit the fear on his face was rather comic, but he soon calmed down upon realising he wasn't going to drop or hurt his son. He stared down at the baby. "He's so tiny," he said again, smiling at Atemu. Crystal smiled; glad to see the adoring look in his eyes. So many lords of Egypt didn't love their children, and treated them solely as heirs – not loved ones. But Yami already seemed to love his son, and of that she was glad. "He looks like you," she said with a soft smile, moving over so that Yami could sit beside her, and they both merely watched their son for a short while.

As Yami slightly shifted his hold on the boy to make himself more comfortable, little Atemu yawned and opened his eyes, staring up at his parents. He blinked his narrow-looking lavender eyes, and frowned lightly before closing his eyes again. Crystal started laughing at that. "Oh, he's definitely your son. He already has your scowl," she said in amusement, gently pulling her baby back into her arms. Yami scowled at her comment, and she laughed again. "See? Exactly the same," she said with a grin, and Yami glared at her. "At least his eyes aren't completely mine," he said, referring to the purple colour – a combination of his red and her blue. Crystal smiled, nuzzling her son. "They are your shape though. He's your son through and through," she said, before grinning. "No doubt he'll be just as annoying and mischievous as you too."

Yami scowled again at that, but his annoyed look vanished as he studied his son. The couple stayed there quietly for a several minutes, simply enjoying the moment and each other's presence. However, such peace was soon disturbed by knocking on the door, followed by Yugi's excited yell. "Crystal, Crystal, can we please come in?" followed by Seto's scolding. "Yugi, she could be sleeping," he said, but he was drowned out as Mokuba and Yugi both opened the door and peeked inside to see if Crystal really was asleep. Upon seeing her both awake and smiling at them, both boys turned around to poke their tongues out at Seto, and bounced over to her side. Both were extremely excited (indeed, Yugi had been bouncing around the castle even more than usual for the last month or so), but tried to be quiet so as not to wake the baby. Both climbed onto the bed and sat down beside Crystal on the opposite side from Yami. Yugi was near her head, and Mokuba was next to him. Seto took a more dignified approach, and walked over to stand on Crystal's side of the bed and look over the boys' shoulders. He smiled in greeting at the Queen. "Crystal," he said as he bowed his head, and she smiled at him before turning her attention back to the baby.

Yugi was grinning from ear-to-ear. "So is this your baby?" he asked excitedly. Crystal nodded, looking at Yami and smiling. "Yes, he is Yugi. This is Atemu," she said, turning the baby so the boys could see him properly.

Seto raised an eyebrow at the name, but said nothing. Yugi squealed in delight, and Mokuba just grinned. "Atemu? That's like Yami's real name!" he said proudly, and Crystal nodded. "Yes, it is Yugi. Do you want to hold him?" she asked, and Yugi's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "Can I really?" he asked excitedly, and Mokuba pouted. "You can hold him next, Mokuba," Crystal said gently, before explaining to Yugi how to properly hold the little Prince. Yugi was very gentle, and Crystal smiled at him. "Yugi, meet Atemu. Atemu, meet your uncle Yugi," she said with a smile at Yugi's delighted expression. As Atemu opened his eyes to stare up at the newcomer, Yugi cried out in delight. "Oh, his eyes are the same colour as mine!" he said, looking very happy. "Just like Mum's eyes," he said, looking sad for a moment, then smiling again as he looked at his little nephew.

Mokuba then pouted again. "Is it my turn now?" he asked Crystal, and she nodded. Yugi pouted as well, but Crystal remained firm. "Sorry Yugi, but Atemu and I need to rest. So let Mokuba hold him for a little while before we both go to sleep," she said gently. Yugi sighed and carefully handed Atemu to his friend, who looked just as enchanted by the little Prince as Yugi had been. "He's so small," Mokuba said, before looking up at Crystal in fear. "What if you lose him? What if he crawls away and we can't find him?" he asked seriously, and Crystal hid a smile.

"Mokuba, he won't be able to move on his own for some time. Besides, there will always be someone there to watch him in case something does happen, and I'll be there most of the time too," she said with a smile at the relieved look on Mokuba's and Yugi's (who had also appeared quite terrified at the prospect of losing Atemu) faces.

Seto raised an eyebrow. "You'll be there most of the time?" he asked, although he'd known that she was going to do that.

Crystal nodded, returning her baby to her arms. "I'm not going to let my baby be raised by strangers. A child needs to be with his parents, not raised by nursemaids and guards. I've already spoken with Yami about this, and I absolutely refuse to be a mother in name only," she said stubbornly, cuddling Atemu closer.

Yami sighed, and rested his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Crystal, I already promised you that our child would be yours to raise. And no-one can say otherwise. There are benefits to being Pharaoh," he said with a dry smile.

Crystal then turned around to look at him. "And you're going to help me," she declared. "Pharaoh or not, you are going to be a proper father to this baby, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it," she said stubbornly, and Seto chuckled. He remembered telling Yami that his marriage would be 'interesting' due to Crystal's stubbornness and this was one such occasion where she demonstrated that she was going to win, Pharaoh or not.

Yami looked slightly surprised, but nodded. "I know my love, thought I wouldn't have it any other way," he said with a smile as he gently stroked his son's cheek. Crystal beamed at him, and then yawned. She blushed as the others all looked at her. "Oh, excuse me. But I am sleepy," she murmured, and a maid rushed over to take the little Prince and put him in a small bed prepared for him while Crystal slept. Yugi and Mokuba then moved off the bed, and Crystal smiled at them and thanked them for visiting. They seemed a little sad to be leaving so soon, but as Seto ushered them out he explained that they could visit again tomorrow when Crystal wasn't so tired. Besides, it was nearly dinnertime.

Crystal then snuggled down into her bed, too exhausted to think about eating. She just wanted to sleep until morning. She could just eat then. Yami gently smoothed her hair away from her face, smiling at her. "Darling, I'll come back here later, after I've eaten and informed the court that tomorrow there will be no court except for urgent matters," he said, leaning over to kiss her softly.

She yawned again. "Ok then. I'll see you when I wake up then," she said sleepily, before closing her eyes, practically falling asleep right away. Yami stayed and watched her for a few moments, and then moved over to look at their son. He smiled in contentment, then quietly left the room.

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3 years later, Crystal was awoken by a small hand tugging on her sheets, and an insistent little voice. "Mama! Wake up!"

The young Queen of Egypt opened her eyes to find herself practically nose-to-nose with Atemu, who was staring intently at his mother with his purple eyes. "Mama! Yug's bein mean!" he protested, continuing to tug on the sheets.

She sighed and sat up, glancing around to the other side of the bed. "Atemu, where is your father?" she asked, turning her attention back to her 3-year-old.

Atemu frowned. "I don' know; I think the big room," he said, meaning the throne room. Atemu had inherited quickness from both sides of his family, and had learned to speak at an alarming rate. Sure, his speech wasn't perfect, but he could communicate what he wanted to. He shortened words when he needed too, and often made up names for people, like for Akunadin, which he couldn't pronounce. He didn't seem to be able to pronounce 'grandfather' either, and just called Isaac (who was of course enchanted by his little grandson, and often travelled to court just to see him) 'granpa'. "But Mama, Yug's bein mean to me!"

Crystal sighed again. "Atemu dear, what happened?" she asked wearily. "And what time is it sweetie?"

Atemu frowned again in thought, his expression the mirror image of his father. "Lunch is soon, Mama. Papa said to wake you 'p," he said proudly. Crystal mentally cursed Yami for that: it was his fault she was so tired in the first place. "And Yug' jumped out of a pot 'n scared'd me!" he complained, and Crystal sighed again. "Well, Atemu, you are supposed to be with Mahaado this morning, so please go tell him. I need to get dressed, and then I will go talk to Yugi and your father," she said, smiling at her son, who beamed at her and disappeared again. She shook her head in amusement. "He is so much like his father," she said to herself before moving over to her dresser. A smirk lit her face as she slid her bracelets onto her wrist. 'Oh, this is going to be fun...'

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A short while later, a woman's piercing shriek was heard in the throne room. Yami winced as he heard it, and rather reluctantly moved off his throne to approach his possible attacker. "Crystal, darling, what is it?"

Crystal was looking rather unimpressed, though Isis found it amusing that she managed to look completely awake and stunning as always while actually being dead-tired. "Don't you dare 'darling' me!" she snapped back, jabbing a finger into her husband's chest.

Yami fought to keep the smile off his face, as he knew she was more likely to attack him if he did smile. "Crystal, what is wrong?"

She glared at him, and jabbed him again for good measure. "Atemu woke me up this morning, asking me to stop Yugi scaring him. He said that he had looked for you, but couldn't find you. Explain to me why your little brother is scaring my son, and why you conveniently weren't around to sort the problem out yourself."

Yami sighed. "Darling, I had nothing to do with this!" he protested, holding his hands up in surrender. Crystal's eyes narrowed at that, and he hastily explained. "Crystal, I merely got up early so as not to disturb your rest. I have been here in the throne room all day, and have not spoken to or seen Yugi or Atemu since dinner last night," he continued, hoping Atemu had not told her that Yami had sent him.

She crossed her arms. "Be that as it may, you are going to go sort out this problem."

Yami sighed. "Crystal, why me?" he asked, and Seto winced. Yami then also realised his mistake, and hastily sort to rectify it. "Darling..."

Crystal puffed up, looking rather unimpressed. "Don't you 'darling' me! And I'll tell you why you are going to deal with this problem. The problem is your brother, Atemu is your son, and your friend Mahaado is the one who is supposed to be watching him," she said, glaring at said friend, who quickly left the room. The enraged Queen then continued. "You are also the one who got Atemu to come and wake me up, and you are also the reason I am so tired to begin with! So I suggest you go sort this out before I do something drastic," she half-threatened, and Yami beat a hasty retreat.

Some of Yami's advisors snickered, and Crystal turned on them. "What cause have you to laugh? I can easily turn my wrath upon you lot, as you are just as much to blame. If it weren't for you lot, Yami would not have been tied up here, and Atemu would not have woken me up," she snapped. The male advisors then quickly bowed their heads or turned away, muttering apologies.

Crystal looked rather smug at that, and stalked over to her seat next to Yami's throne. She then sat down, and Isis came over to sit beside her. "You know, one of these days, Yami will realise that you're not actually going to hurt him," she said in amusement.

Crystal then beamed at her friend, all trace of hostility gone from her face. "But it's so much fun!" she protested playfully.

Isis sighed. "I think Yami will not want you getting pregnant again. Act or not, you seem to take your mood swings out on him far too much, and have him running ragged. Though I must admit, it is rather entertaining to see the great Pharaoh humbled by his wife, and scrambling to do your bidding."

Crystal smiled. "I don't mean to take it out on him...sometimes...but I just get so angry sometimes and well..." she trailed off, looking slightly sad.

Isis smiled softly at that. "Do not worry, Crystal. Yami loves you, and knows that you do not always do it on purpose. Besides, you make sure that his ego never gets too large," she said with a chuckle, and Crystal also smiled. "If you want proof that he loves you, the fact that he's still here is a good sign."

Crystal winced. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

Isis laughed. "The closer you get to term, the worse you get Crystal. But you're not truly mean to him – you're just stubborn, and are ensuring that he doesn't leave the care of his son to you alone," she said. "But regardless of how you sometimes act – and trust me, you were far worse when you were carrying little Atemu – you have Yami at your beck and call. You could yell at him and embarrass him in front of the whole court of Egypt, and yet he would still come running if you asked for him, and do whatever you asked."

Crystal smiled, and looked down at her skirt at that, gently smoothing the material over her knees as she blushed like a young girl. "I know," she said softly, before placing her hands over her stomach. "I just wish this baby would hurry up and be born."

Isis looked alarmed. "You are not due for another month yet, Crystal. Do not wish a curse upon yourself."

Crystal chuckled. "Oh, don't worry Isis. I have a feeling this baby won't be around for awhile yet, but I still wish it would just be over with. I feel tired all the time, my mood swings are annoying me (even though they occur far less often then when I was pregnant with Atemu) , and I often feel as though I should strangle Yami for putting me through this," she said, though her cheeky grin indicated that the last was not said in seriousness.

Isis chuckled. "You are partly to blame for allowing him into your bed, Crystal," she said in amusement, and the young Queen blushed. Isis then glanced over Crystal's shoulder. "Ah, it looks like your darling husband found his mischievous little brother and his friend," she said, looking rather amused at the downcast expression on the friends' faces. She also noticed that Yami looked rather happy at having found another target for Crystal's ire.

But the twinkling expression on Crystal's face told Isis that he wasn't going to get off that easily. But for appearance's sake, she turned on the two 11 year olds and proceeded to lecture them, after which they turned a rather nice shade of red and beat a hasty retreat.

Yami turned triumphantly to his wife, sure that she was no longer angry at him. However, her frown told him otherwise. "Don't think I'm done with you," she warned. "You haven't wormed your way out of a punishment yet," she said, then spoiled the grumpy effect by smiling slightly. Yami however was too busy pouting to notice, and sat down on his throne to sulk, much to the amusement of Isis, Seto, and Mana.

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Unfortunately, such antics were not to last. After a discussion in Council, it became apparent that one of the neighbouring lords was feeling a little rebellious, and was subtly trying to take over certain areas of Egypt. Although Yami hated to leave his wife behind, especially when she was so close to giving birth, as Pharaoh he was required to lead his army and, to put it bluntly, crush the invaders. He was gone for just over two weeks – the lord suddenly found a reason to be elsewhere upon realising he faced the Pharaoh and his entire army.

Also, true to Crystal's predictions, her baby was born early – in fact, the baby was born the day before Yami was due to return. Yami had received the news (via a fast messenger) that his wife had gone into labour, on his way home and had then ordered a forced march in order to see his wife and second child.

The moment he arrived at the palace, Yami left his soldiers and their horses in the care of Joey and the stable masters, and rushed to his wife's side. It was mid-afternoon, the day after Crystal had given birth (he hadn't been far from the palace when he ran into the messenger). He knocked on the door of her quarters, and heard a soft 'come in.' Eager to see his wife, Yami then entered the room.

Crystal was sitting up in her bed, nuzzling her sleeping child with her nose. She looked up as Yami entered the room, and a delighted smile lit her face. "Yami, you're back!" she said, looking relieved and pleased at the same time.

Yami then quickly moved to kiss her softly in greeting. "Yes, we managed to stop the invaders. Actually, they practically started running when they saw us," he said in amusement before looking at the baby. "And it seems that I am back not a moment too soon. You just couldn't wait for me, could you?" he asked, pretending to be hurt.

She laughed. "I am so sorry, my lord, that this baby did not wait for the great Pharaoh," she said teasingly, and Yami frowned at her. "Sorry darling, but you know I love to antagonize you," she said softly, kissing him again.

He pouted. "A fact of which I remain painfully aware after the last few months Crystal," he said, sounding cross.

Crystal laughed. "Then it will no doubt annoy you further to know that I was faking most of my mood swings this time around. I was only pretending for most of the times I was mad at you," she said, grinning again at the shocked look on Yami's face.

Yami then closed his mouth, though he still looked surprised. "You truly take such delight in hurting me?" he asked, sounding wounded.

She smiled. "Sorry Yami, but its so easy to tease you. No, this time around my baby was nicer to me and didn't cause me half as many mood swings, did you sweetheart?" she said, cooing to her newborn as she did so.

Yami raised an eyebrow at her, still looking slightly upset, and she blushed. "Oh, you'll survive dear. And I forgot to introduce you, didn't I?" she asked sheepishly. "Yami, meet your daughter," she said, handing the baby over to him.

Yami stared down at the little girl in his arms, and, just like with his son, immediately fell in love with her. "By the gods, she's even smaller than her brother was," he said in wonder, and Crystal smiled. "She looks just like you, Crystal," he said, gently tracing a finger across the tiny girl's cheek. She stirred at that, and opened her eyes to reveal their soft blue colour. She blinked up at her father for a few moments, and then yawned and went back to sleep with no further acknowledgement.

Crystal chuckled at the bewildered look on Yami's face. "Oh yes, she is definitely like me," she said in amusement.

Yami frowned briefly at his wife before handing their precious daughter back to her mother. "Well, what is her name?"

Crystal smiled. "I was waiting for you to return before I named her. I was thinking...of naming her after my mother," she said quietly, and Yami gently squeezed her shoulders.

"I think Charlotte is a good name for our daughter," he said softly. "Speaking of which, has your father been contacted?"

Crystal nodded, her attention absorbed once again by her daughter. "He actually arrived here a few days ago. He took Atemu with him on a tour of the temples in the area. They should be back sometime today – they stayed with the temple of Bastet last night rather than return here to the palace. Isis sent a fast messenger to tell the news, and they should be back soon," she said softly, smiling at little Charlotte.

Indeed, true to her words, less than an hour had passed before there was knocking at the door, followed by Atemu's excited squeals. "Mama!"

She called out that they could come in, and Atemu bounded into the room, rushed over to the bed, and climbed up to sit next to his mother. His grandfather moved at a much less energetic pace, and came over to kiss his daughter's cheek. "Hello my dear," he said in greeting, before his attention turned to his second grandchild.

Meanwhile, Atemu was staring at the baby. "Mama, who's this?" he asked curiously, a slight frown crossing his young features. He'd known his mother was pregnant, and Crystal had patiently explained that that meant a new baby was coming (which was why Atemu was so excited), but he obviously felt a little apprehensive now that the baby was actually here in his mother's arms.

Crystal smiled at her son. "Atemu, this is your little sister, Charlotte," she said, turning the baby so her first-born could see it better. She then tensed slightly, prepared for an outbreak of that awful sibling rivalry she'd heard so much about.

But Atemu didn't frown, didn't say he hated the baby, and didn't act jealous at all. Instead, he grinned again. "She's pretty," he said, beaming down at the little Princess. "She's like you Mama!" he said proudly, quite in awe of the small baby.

Crystal smiled at her son's compliment. "Yes, she is quite pretty, isn't she?" she said, feeling herself relaxing. Atemu honestly looked enchanted by his little sister, and when he asked if he could hold her, Crystal said yes, after showing him how to do it properly.

Isaac smiled at his granddaughter. "Charlotte?" he asked softly, sounding a little sad.

Crystal nodded. "This way, Mum will always be there," she said quietly. "I know she would have loved to see my children," she said sadly, before quickly changing the subject to lighter things.

Over the next few days, Crystal and Charlotte had a stream of visitors. Crystal had refused to see anyone until after her husband and son saw the new baby, so no-one else had seen little Charlotte. The new heir to the Isirian throne (4) enchanted all of her visitors, particularly Mokuba and Yugi, who fought over who would get to hold the little princess first.

Over the next few weeks, Yami was a near permanent fixture by his wife's side. The only way he left her side was if his advisors practically dragged him away from her. He knew his duty, but he much preferred to spend his time with his wife and newborn. Eventually he conceded to the inevitable, but he still spent as much time as possible with his family.

Atemu had also rarely left his mother's side, and Crystal wondered if he wasn't a little jealous of the attention his sister was receiving – after all, he didn't remember that he had been fussed over just as much when he was a baby too. However, it was obvious to all that Atemu doted on his little sister and just wanted to spend time with her and his mother, as he always wanted to hold Charlotte, and he loved to just watch her when she was sleeping in her little bed.

He was also fiercely protective of the little princess, as was shown when Yugi accidentally held her wrong as he was talking to Mokuba. Much to the surprise and amusement of his parents, Atemu had charged over to his uncle and demanded that Yugi take better care of his sister or he'd be in big trouble. Yugi had also been rather astonished at the determination on Atemu's face, and had quickly returned the baby to Crystal, who still looked rather amused.

Yami had chuckled and ruffled his son's hair, while Crystal declared that Atemu was most definitely Yami's son. Atemu had looked rather proud of himself at that, as he doted on his father and wanted to be just like him.

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When Charlotte was almost a year old, Crystal was walking with her in the gardens, trying to ignore the guards hovering over her shoulder. There had been an assassination attempt on the Queen a month or so earlier, and Yami, true to his over-protective self, had organised round-the-clock security for her in addition to the guards she had usually had with her. Now that she had Charlotte with her as well, there were even more guards with the Queen.

Once Crystal settled herself down on the fountain, Charlotte still in her arms, many of the guards dispersed to guard the entrances to the garden, in addition to the guards already stationed there. Crystal sighed as she watched them – she found the guards a nuisance, and knew that they could be of much better use to the palace's security elsewhere. However, she knew Yami was just worried about her, and so put up with it.

Another reason for having so many guards suddenly introduced himself, as the energetic 4-year-old Atemu raced into the garden, looking extremely proud of himself. "Mama, mama!" he called, beaming from ear to ear.

Crystal shifted her hold on Charlotte, and turned to look at her son. "What is it Atemu?" she said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. She had come to the garden in order to practice her magic – particularly, her magical shields. It had become apparent that she really needed to revise that particular branch of her magical abilities.

It seemed that she had succeeded in hiding her annoyance, for Atemu's smile didn't fade for a moment. "Mama, I beat Mahaado!" he trilled, looking excited.

Crystal looked surprised at that, but quickly hid it. "You did? Oh, I'm so proud of you!" she said, hugging her son with one arm while being careful not to squash Charlotte. Mahaado had decided to play some simple card games and the like with Atemu that morning to keep him occupied and to give him something fun to do while teaching him at the same time.

Another voice spoke up, announcing Yami's entry into the garden. Evidently, he'd been following his son. "Atemu, there's no need to gloat. Mahaado was just tired, and you may have hurt his feelings by cheering so much," he scolded, though the smile on his face showed he didn't real mean it.

Mana, who had just appeared, thoroughly startling a few of the guards, strode over to the royal family, grinning. "You're wrong there Yami; Mahaado's fine. Sure, he's sulking a little, but he'll be fine," she said, smiling at Atemu.

Atemu beamed. "Hi Mana!" he said happily. Atemu quite liked Mana, and seemed to look on her as a sort of older sister. Indeed, there had been an amusing incident last week when Akunadin had been scolding Mana for some fault or another, and Atemu had leapt between them to defend her, saying that 'no-one should yell at Mana that way!'

She smiled at the little prince. "Hello Atemu, Crystal, Yami," she said, inclining her head to each of them. Atemu then turned his attention to his father. "See, 'haado's fine!" he said triumphantly. Yami sighed, and then smiled at his son. "Well, good on you for beating him. You're a very clever boy," he said, and Atemu beamed at the praise.

Atemu then bounded over to Mana. "Mana, can you please show me some more magic tricks today? They're so cool!" he begged, and Yami and Crystal both raised an eyebrow at the young magess.

Mana looked rather sheepish. "Hey, I was told to keep him busy a few days ago. What else could I do?" she said, and Crystal's frown deepened.

"I hope you didn't show him anything too dangerous," she said, frowning at her friend.

Mana looked indignant at that. "Certainly not! I just showed him some little showy tricks – you know, little sparkles of light, sleight-of-hand, moving objects around without touching them...just simple little things like that."

Crystal smiled at that. "Well, that's alright. How about you show us all some magic tricks then, Mana? I admit, it would be nice to see magic used as entertainment for a change," she said softly, as Yami came to sit beside her on the fountain. Atemu sat at his parents' feet, and cheered as Mana used her staff to summon little sparkles of light in all different colours.

However, as she watched the display, and showed the same delight as her husband, Crystal could not shake the foreboding feeling in the pit of her stomach. About halfway through Mana's act, she suddenly heard a soft feminine voice in her head. 'Do not worry my dear. Your enemy will not strike for a few more years yet, and you will be prepared when he does.'

Crystal breathed a sigh of relief at that, causing Yami to look at her strangely. Yet she remained unaware of her husband's reaction. 'Thank you, Mother,' she thought to herself, smiling as she glanced up at the sky. Years of being exposed to magic meant she did not question the sudden appearance of those words in her mind, nor did she doubt the truth of them.

'Then we have at least a few years of peace together; a few years to enjoy the presence of family; and a few years to simply live,' the Queen of Egypt thought to herself, smiling. What would come would come, and she would be ready for it when it did. But for now, she was simply going to enjoy having her family around her. She smiled down at Atemu, who turned around to beam at his mother when Mana paused for a moment in her spell casting, and turned her head to look at Yami, who kissed her softly.

'Yes, life is good,' she thought to herself as she looked down at little Charlotte, who smiled in her sleep. She kissed her daughter's forehead, then turned her attention back to Mana's display.

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(1) These people are all members of Yami's court in the Egyptian arc, though obviously some of them have made up backgrounds (Karim for example) to suit my story. Also, though the Millennium Items have come into the story, they will not play a major role. Both the guardians/priests and Items were just brought in to show that they do actually exist, and that Yami really has changed since he met Crystal. He's more organised, trusts more, and is more passionate about everything – i.e. protecting Egypt. So he created the council and now uses the other Items.

(2) Yet another manga reference. Mana sneaks into somewhere (I forgot where), and freezes the guards to get past them. When she is discovered, there is a funny little conversation between herself and Mahaado where she realises that she can't unfreeze them.

(3) I didn't know Atem was Yami's real name when I started this story, but since I know now, I decided to bring it in. Atemu (slight difference to Atem, and what some believe is the correct version of Yami's name) seems a cute name for their kid after all (shrugs) For the purpose of this story, Yami's real name is Atem, but his nickname as a child was Yami (because of his mischievous nature, as I think Yami means 'dark one'), and the name stuck when he became Pharaoh – mostly because he willed it to be so. Few even know he had another name. Crystal explains more about this in the actual story.

(4) Charlotte would be appointed Queen when Isaac died, because Crystal is Queen of Egypt, and thus could not rule a different country (therefore, her daughter inherited her position – there still needs to be a Queen after all). Crystal could be appointed as regent for Charlotte if needed, but Charlotte is now the actual heir. Atemu is not the Isirian heir because he is the male first-born, and will thus be the next Pharaoh of Egypt. So the position fell to the couple's second born – Charlotte.

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Angel: So ends chapter 22 – there is now 2 more chapters to go. It was hard to find a point to finish this chapter, but I think I did alright. Once again, apologies for how much time passed, but I think I did a good job of making it flow smoothly.

Y.Ang: Oh well, at least you finished the chapter. And it's a nice long one too, for a change. In fact, its easily the longest yet! (feeling supportive)

Angel: But I go back to school on Wednesday :(

Y.Ang: (sighs) Oh well. You'll survive

Angel: But its Year 12! My last year of school! And I really need to study heaps this year! (panicking)

Y.Ang: (unsympathetic)

Angel: (glares) Anyway, as I posted in my profile thingy, this means that updates will be rather slow this year for this story, as I really need to concentrate on my school work. I'll try to update as often as I can, but it will most likely not be until the holidays and such. I'll do my best though!

Y.Ang: Please review! Angel likes reviews! And she will reply to them, because she loves you guys so much:)

C YA!! Angel