Scandalshipping is the main pair in this story, so if you aren't a Scandalshipping fan, I'd recommend turning back. Also, anything in italics is a flashback, and anything in between '...' is a thought from a character.

Also, if you're interested in being a beta to help with grammar, I'd really appreciate the help! I guess I can say that it is really what gets the best of me.

Disclaimer: I certainly do not own Yu-Gi-Oh (even though I wish I did) and some of the plot belongs to them too.

This is my first Scandalshipping fic, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)

Chapter 2

The morning sun cascaded over the horizon as it made its ascension towards the clouds. The blinding light peered through the offset balcony throughout east side of the royal palace. Its systematic appearance had set mental alarms in the minds of the priests who were greeted by its shining rays, and awoken them with its arrival.

Using his arms to shroud the blazing arrays of light, High Priest Seth cracked open a cerulean orb as he commanded his body to awaken from its lethargic slumber. After stretching out his limbs to further awaken his body, he ran a hand through his brunette locks which now reached to the nape of his neck. As he used his tongue to moisten his mouth from the fluff due to his extra amount of rest, he quickly sat up remembering the importance of this what seemed like a usual banal day.

Life in the palace had been excessively dull. Days dragged on, each feeling longer than the last. His once eccentric and busy life had now become a morbid routine: wake up, pray to Ra for his chronic journey in the Solar barque across the sky, perform a ritual on a commoner claiming to be possessed by spirits, and eat and sleep in between. Not even his arrest of the town drunk had brought him any excitement. His nights filled with lustful screams were now drowned in silence. These constant agendas had left his mind wandering aimlessly, but his lonely thoughts always returned to the topic newly changed destiny.

Soon after the arrival of his daughter, the high priest was informed that he was unable to see the prince or his new born child for period of two weeks due to the excessive rest the soon to be pharaoh needed to be able to regain his strength after giving birth. The priestess that casted this boundary between them believed that the high toll of stress that was brought upon the young prince's body during delivery was highly dangerous and needed time to heal until he may concede to any other activities, including visiting his beloved priest.

The brunette was highly displeased at this request, feeling that it was completely unnecessary and unfair that he wasn't given permission to see his love and their new addition to their little family. Even though the gesture was just to ensure his daughter's and his prince's safety, it certainly didn't alleviate the feeling of emptiness being away from the two people in the world that meant the most to him.

Realizing that today ended the span of time his love and their new addition were sealed away from the rest of the world, the priest quickly regained his bearings and readied himself. Adorned with his new headdress which was quickly replaced due to the demolished state of the previous one, he gathered himself in fresh azure robes along with his trusted golden rod and headed toward the priest's sanctuary.

Arriving at the room cloaked with incense, he noticed that his fellow priestess was already awake and reading off a long papyrus. Not noticing his presence, Seth walked around to the other side of the mahogany table where she sat. Hovering close by, he stood over her and tapped his foot in impatience.

Sitting her head up at the intruding sound, Isis kindly greeted him. "Good morning, High Priest Seth. I see you are up early."

Nodding his head in acknowledgement, he waited for some sort of sign from the unfavorable woman that he was finally allowed access to see his family.

"Oh, Seth! Please forgive my ignorance. Here," Pulling out a firmly rolled scroll from her amber saddle bag, she handed the blue eyed priest the letter, "I have a letter for you from the prince. When I examined his incision this morning he had asked me to give it to you when I saw you. I know you have been anxiously waiting to see him. Don't worry, he's ready to leave his bed chambers and roam the castle as he wishes. You're free to visit him and your daughter. I thank you for your patience. I'm sure it was difficult being away from your family." The priestess stated before continuing with the task before he had arrived.

Quickly snatching the rolled paper from the woman, the high priest unrolled it swiftly and began to read the beautiful hieroglyphs on the page.

To My Beloved,

Meet us at our special place where I first realized I loved you.

We deeply miss you.

~Your Highness

P.S. If you forget, you will be severely punished.

The blue eyed priest let out a sarcastic scoff at the last sentence. Releasing an audible, "I'd like to see you try..." he quickly sped away towards his destination after he realizing the ever so annoying priestess was staring at him with an amused smirk.

Two weeks have passed since the glorious arrival of the Kemet's new princess, Rhena. The people of the palace anxiously waited to see the brand new addition to the royal family. Even though her birth was still unknown to the public, she brought jubilance to all in the palace. Nurses, priests, and even noblemen tried their hardest to furtively sneak a peek at the mysterious new born babe who is to one day reign all of Egypt.

On Isis's orders, Atem had been confined to his bed quarters until his priestess believed he and his new addition were healthy enough to leave. Being the gregarious prince, Atem was overjoyed that his priestess finally gave him the "okay" to evacuate his quarters and do what he pleased. With all of the "warding away of spirits" and the strong aroma of incense, the prince was happy to comply. Fresh air was a necessity after being cooped up in a stuffy room for half of a month. Even though the gesture was just to ensure his daughter's complete safety, it certainly didn't alleviate the feeling of insanity being stuck in one place for so long.

Breathing in the fresh air that felt almost unbeknownst to him, Atem sat down cautiously and braced himself against his favorite Sycamore. Gazing at the captivating scene upon him, the young prince reminded how much he had missed the outside world. Never had he ever found a place more breathtaking than the palace's royal garden. It was like his own private oasis, unbeknownst to many but relished by it's small amount of visitors.

The day radiated beauty all around, with Ra's rays shining brightly upon the regal garden.

The Nile sparkled in the distance as the young prince listened to the calming sound of flowing water of the fountain. It's marble form held an immense amount of water as the flowing current let gravity pull it down past the five towers into the bottom basin. The beautiful fountain was the same fountain where the crimson-eyed prince's priests would bathe him. The same fountain where Atem had shared his first intimate moment with his love, Seth, and many more after. Atem could only think of how far his love has grown then since their first romantic encounter.

The prince soon let his thoughts wander to the new being he had held within him for the past nine months. I feel as though this is only a dream. Is this truly real? The prince pondered, but the evidence was laying in his arms, He gazed upon her with a heartwarming grin. The prince was truly a parent, and it had changed his whole world.

The soon-to-be-pharaoh was radiating with joy at his brand new creation. Not only was she important to the her parents, but also to her kingdom. The brand new baby would one day take her mother's place as ruler of Egypt, and Atem couldn't be more proud.

Inspecting her more closely, the young prince took in all of his daughter's many delicate features. Her smooth skin glinted in the sun with a hint of copper. The small mass of hair atop her head was a deep auburn, just like her fathers. Most of her features mimicked the priest's, including her deep cerulean pools that Seth attained. Only not including the hard gaze that Seth had always glued on his face. Atem secretly hoped that she would acquire the beautiful sapphire orbs from her father, and the gods had once again granted his wish.

Footsteps neared which quickly snapped Atem out of his deep thoughts. Now being a parent, his guard had strengthened even more knowing he had something precious to protect. His hard gazed quickly switched to a smile as he recognized the intruder.

"We have missed you."

"And I as well." The intruder said returning the smile as he sat down quietly under the tree shadowing the royals.

"I'm assuming you received my letter?"

"Yes, threat and all." The priest said sarcastically.

"Well, it seems that I don't have to follow through with it, seeing that you got here all right. My word still stands though."

"How could I forget?" Atem smiled wide at his question. Without saying a word, the prince handed over the small bundle to the brunette. He chuckled slightly watching the new father's awkwardness. 'Yes,' he thought, 'Seth was going to be a good father.'

"I can still remember it as though it was just yesterday."

"Me too. I still have the scars to prove it."

"Wasn't it worth it?" The prince asked, pouting childishly.

"More than anything in the world."

"Come on, Atem. It's perfectly safe, I promise! I've been up here countless times." A young child, just reaching adolescence, shouted down from high upon a limb of a massive sycamore tree.

"I don't know about this, Seth. It looks dangerous," retorted a younger, red-eyed child still safely planted on the ground. By the terrified look on his face, he didn't agree with the brunette's encouragements.

Branches began to rustle as the older started to descend to a lower branch. Snaps of twigs alerted the younger on the ground. A loud 'thump' of a branch folding back into position made the red-eyed prince jump.

"Be careful, Seth!"

Seth quickly reemerged into a lower branch a few feet from the ground. Hooking his arm around the base to steady himself, the brunette leaned down toward the smaller child and held out a slender hand, "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

The small prince blushed at his words. As much as he tried, he couldn't resist the brunette's offering. He trusted the blue-eyed boy with his life, and he didn't want to fill him with any disappointment. Taking in a deep breath of air, the smaller gained enough courage and finally gave in. His palms began to sweat with nervousness.

Reaching up to grab the other's hand, he was quickly pulled off his feet and in the arms of the brunette's.

"See, I told you there's nothing to be afraid of." He smiled. "There's a branch just a little higher up with an amazing view. Can you handle that? I understand if you're scared."

Although the thought of going up any higher had the young prince shaking in his shoes, he didn't want this boy to think of him as a coward. Swallowing a large gulp of air, he continued, "I'm not scared. Let's go."

"Alright. Just follow my lead and you'll be fine. Let me know if you need my help." Atem nodded.

He was feeling great! Adrenaline ran through his body as he scaled the giant tree. He felt as though he would be able to reach the stars soon at this rate. The features on the ground began to dim from the height, bringing him even more excitement. His heart hammered in his chest as the older began to praise him for his bravery and good climbing skills. He even told him he was proud of him! That day, the young prince decided that that was the most fun he had ever had.

Seth stopped ascending and began to walk carefully along a thick branch. "Here we are." Sitting cautiously along the outstretched branched, he summoned the younger forward, "Come, sit." The brunette patted the branch, inviting the young prince to sit.

Now that the red-eyed boy had gotten hang of the height, he began to lose his sense of cautiousness. Being so ecstatic about impressing the older, he ran towards the brunette forgetting how Seth had showed him.

"Atem, stop!" Was all that the young prince heard before loud snaps drowned out his voice. Before his brain could recognize what was going on, he felt the branch underneath his disappear.

He was falling.

Seth was falling.

They were going to die.

Because of him.

All he could do was pray to Ra that the two, or at least Seth, would make it out safe.

I'm so sorry.

He braced himself for an impact, but only warmth came.

What happened?

Opening his eyes, he came back into reality.

He was on the ground. In Seth's arms.

Blinking his eyes a few times to adjust to the fall, he soon realized that the older was underneath him, arms wrapped around his body. The two stared at each other with a look that Atem have never seen before. Seth's cerulean pools have never seemed deeper. The harshness they always held was now diminished and flooded with warmth and gentleness. What were they saying?

A rough, quiet voice spoke up, "I told you I'd always protect you." And then a cough followed, along with blood.

Tears brimmed the prince's eyes. Seth has risked his life for him. He could have died doing what he did. The thought made the young prince even more distraught, causing multiple tears slide down his face and land upon the brunette's chest.

"Don't cry, Atem. I'll be alright. I'm strong, remember?" He said weakly, running a shaky hand across the young prince's face wiping away the tears. "I promise to always protect you. Forever."

He stared into those beautiful pools once more. 'That look, there it is again. I think I know what it is this time. No, I'm positive I know what it is this time. There's no mistaking it. I've been feeling it all along, and now I know he does too.'

Love.

A comfortable silence filled the air as the two lovers basked in the remembrance of their love's first flame. Their love had always been forbidden. Scandalous. A disgrace to society. Never did they believe that their love would blossom into anything more than loving glances and secret kisses, especially becoming accepted. Their once a small flamed now burned into a spreading wildfire and created something beautiful. The savior of Kemet. The one who set in stone the safety of the people. The one would protect them from the dark cloud that overcame many souls. They had created the most important asset to their country and now the most important asset in their lives. Their daughter, Princess Rhena.

"I've been thinking about something, Seth."

"What is on your mind, Atem? Did something happen while you were in solitary confinement?" The brunette had to withhold from crossing his arms due to the sleeping child that lay comfortably in them, while he was engrossed in the bothersome thought of Atem and their child being away from him for the extended period of time. Feeling it was completely unnecessary for his loved ones to be sealed away from the rest of the world to "ward away spirits", he silenced his opinion knowing that there was no choice in the matter. He was just overjoyed that the painfully prolonged amount of time was now over and he was once again united with his family.

"No," Atem replied rolling his rubies at Seth's rash comment, "I have just been wondering what our child will call us by. Since neither of us are female, who will keep what name? Certainly both of us cannot be her father, that would be to confusing for her."

"Isn't it going to be confusing enough having two male parents? You can explain that one to her." Atem giggled inaudibly as the thought of either of them trying to explain to their ignorant child how she had come into existence. Her presence wasn't necessarily a natural occurance, more like a miraculous phenomenon to say the least. He would certainly have to pray to the gods above to get him through that difficult situation.

The newborn babe was nothing less than a glorious gift given to them to save their people from an ultimate downfall. Were Atem not able to generate an heir in time, Egypt would be subjected to the heinous ruling of his uncle's dark heart. Not only was Rhena the physical form of the regal pair's undying love, but also Kemet's ultimate savior.

The small babe must have felt her father's certain uneasiness toward the subject as he altered her position and a light flush marked his cheeks, as allowed a gentle coo to escaped her mouth. The new father gazed down at her with a hidden smirk, knowing that the new princess would one day be match to match with the brazen spirit that they both had acquired.

All that Atem could do was gaze in awe at the heart warming sight before him. Seeing his lover embracing the undoubting miracle they had created together had brought the soon-to-be pharaoh to eternal bliss. Eying the pair with a loving look, Atem could feel himself glowing with the overflowing love that he felt. Carrying her lithe form within him held an intimate closeness that Atem would never be feel again, but those disheartening thoughts were soon pushed aside due to the heartwarming sight of the newly found bond just created between father and child.

The prince was pulled back into reality by Seth's continuation on their difficult matter, as he attempted to draw Atem from the dream world occupying his deep thoughts, pressing him to retort to his sarcastic remark.

"Well...in my opinion, since you are the one who brought her into this world, I feel though you are obligated to be her 'Mother.' Plus, with you being the more feminine one, it would make more sense that-oww!" The priest's suggestions were utterly silenced as he received a light smack to his cranium making his headdress plummet to the ground and ascend into the sparkling pond.

"Atem! You're going to retrieve that, at once!" He retorted to Atem while his cerulean pools were condensed by a furrowed brow. "And don't thwart me when I'm holding her. Actually, don't thwart me at all!"

"You cannot tell me what I can and cannot do, high priest, I'm going to be pharaoh soon. Which means you must obey every one of my requests. Funny, shouldn't I be the one giving all the orders?" Atem retorted, quirking an eyebrow.

"In your dreams, your highness. I wouldn't get so demanding so soon, you're not in control yet."

"You just wait until the day that I become crowned. Then you will have to obey my orders or suffer severe punishment."

"Please, as if you could actually control me."

"I could, but I won't.'"

"And exactly why is that?" Seth questioned.

"Only because I love you."

Another comfortable silence filled the air as the two locked eyes in a loving gaze. Their little teasing increments always ended in a sentimental gesture, making them even more amusing.

The warm smile soon turned into a guilt-filled frown as Seth gazed toward the ground beside him.

"You don't understand how sorry I am." Seth spoke up. Atem pulled himself out of his memories and listened intently. "I thought about you every day. If you were in pain. If you were happy. If you missed me. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think about you. I swear if anyone even touched you-"

"Seth, it's alright. I will admit I was angry for a while, but I soon realized you were only doing your duty to your land and the pharaoh. It was childish of me to be angry at you for doing as you are told. It is your duty to my father and Kemet, and something that cannot be argued with."

A minute growl escaped his lips, "but I wanted to be there for you! It's my duty. I vowed to protect you. Our decision, her," he gestured to his daughter," was made together and I wanted to be able to aid you in any way that I could. You shouldn't of had to do this on your own. It wasn't fair. Why would my father do such a thing knowing what condition you were in!?"

The prince placed a hand on his love's shoulder, trying to console him, "Seth, do you think maybe your father had done this on purpose to keep us apart? If he was as accepting as everyone else, he wouldn't have driven us apart in such a difficult time." Looking away in disgust at the prince's questioning, thoughts flushed through his head wondering if his suspicions were true. Had his father done such a thing? Why would he want to separate him from Atem in his time of need.

Realizing his child's father was internally battling himself, he began with a softer tone reaching out and stroking their new addition face. "I do not wish to cause any turmoil between you and your father, I am just simply stating that we need to be more cautious now that it's not just the two of us we have to worry about."

"You're right. We need to be more cautious to whomever wants to get near her. I'll order more guards to watch the nursery. Also, I want more guards stationed outside your door as well. I was not pleased on the night of her birth when I found your room unattended. Especially in such a dire time."

"Please, don't tell me that I'm going to be followed into my bed chamber as well. You know that may be a burden to both of us..." he said with a wink, "but do not be unsettled Seth, I probably scared them away with my vicious threats and my deafening screams." Atem giggled. "I am surprised you hadn't scared them away by the way you looked when you arrived. Why were you all torn up, anyways?"

"That is what I have been meaning to tell you. I had wanted to explain to you when I had arrived, but that wretched woman kicked me out before I was able to." Seth gritted his teeth in agitation. "I had been watching the sky to track how long I had been gone. I was aware I had to be back before the ninth moon when she would arrive, so once it reached the eighth moon, I began my journey home when-"

A pair of footsteps approached interrupting Seth's record, "I am sorry to interupt, but your father has requested you, my prince." Another utterly annoyed grunt escaped the priest's lips. His disgust for his fellow priestess was written all over his face.

"I apologize, Seth. We'll speak further of this later." Atem apologized with a guilty look.

"The pharaoh requests you bring the child as well." The brunette woman requested. Seth gave a feral look toward the priestess and began stalking closely toward his lover when she retorted.

"There is no need to worry High Priest, the prince and your daughter are perfectly safe. It's just a simple meeting with a noble. I will return them to you soon." Bowing in a silent apology, Atem took their daughter from her father's hand and followed with the sleeping bundle is his arms looking back at his love.

Once the two had left, the priest soon realized something...

"Ra dammit, Atem! My head dress!" He exclaimed, and soon began to walk towards the glistening pond.

The prince would have to wait to discover what had happened that night for a while longer.

Woo hoo! Another chapter! I apologize a million times over for the delay. It seems that writer's block had got the best of me, unfortunately. But this delay has made me more motivated to update quicker. I never realized how difficult it would be to balance two stories at once, but then again, I am a newbie. Thanks to all whom read, and I hope you continue on doing so.

Woo hoo! Another chapter! I apologize a million times over for the long delay. I guess one could say that I have been succumbed by writer's block. But, it has motivated me to update quicker. I never knew how difficult it would be to balance two stories at once. Or maybe that's just me. Thanks again for all who have read, and I hope you continue following my story!

_Lex (: