A/N: Okay, decided against my previous judgment. This is the last chapter, guys! Hoped you guys don't hate me that much. Really, really wish I had more ideas than this but I don't know if I can work anymore. I'm soooooo tired. Oh well…. Here's the epilogue… and once again, I would like to thank the people who supported this fic and my other works. Really grateful…

EPILOGUE

It was a tad ironic that Pharaoh Atemu fell in-love because of dreams that he would wake up in the middle of the night for. It wasn't a pleasant sight, let's get that straight, nor was it really calming to see the workaholic pharaoh so distressed over something.

He, however, did not expect that he would thank his dreams later, when he falls in-love with his cousin. Of course there were disagreements and conflicts, there were trouble and villains, but they knew better than to break a promise between them.

There will be more challenges and threats, and they know they're powerless to stop that. But they would still be together despite all of those and cling to each other in times of sorrow and grief. There was so much life was going to give them and they were bent on accepting them full force.

Of course the Nubian attacks were carefully and well countered and defeated, a blow in the men's pride, but that'd show them not to mess with Egyptians. It bore good news to the people, especially to their pharaoh, who was struggling to be the same Atemu he was before.

"My pharaoh, you must leave your chamber once in a while," Shimon wisely advised from outside the door, hearing the monarch sigh inside.

"I'm quite fine here inside, Shimon," the pharaoh answered, "The scenery here is far relaxing than that of outside."

"As you wish, my lord," the vizier didn't have the choice but to agree to his king's wishes. But that didn't mean he wouldn't convince the priests to try and talk the monarch out of it.

Knowing Shimon was already gone, Atemu sighed again in relief. The memory still haunted him but it didn't scare him that frequent as he had expected. Which was more than welcome.

The nightmares were still there, and the casual flashbacks but Seth was always there to embrace him when the fear gets the better of him. That he was utmost grateful for. But still, they both knew he wouldn't live that long. And he knew Seth despised it with every fiber of his being.

"You know you won't get better keeping yourself shut out from the world," Seth said, interrupting the pharaoh's thoughts. Atemu turned around and embraced his cousin. "Forgive me, I simply wish to have time for myself," he answered.

"It is understandable, Atemu," Seth replied, "Worry not, they understand. But the people are getting curious why their king had not graced them with his presence."

His lover sighed, "I know. I can't run away from my duty forever, right? I'll visit them later this afternoon," he answered.

"You know that this won't end like this, Atemu," Seth suddenly said, "We won't have a happy ending in this lifetime."

The pharaoh bowed his head and nodded, "We're not the kind of people who can easily forget everything and be left alone. We have obligations and a kingdom to protect. I know, Seth," he agreed.

"But that doesn't mean I'm not going to love you, either," he added.

"I wish I can do something to change everything and save you," Seth whispered, hugging his cousin closer. The other rested his head on his shoulder and closed his eyes; everything seemed to be at peace with only them existing in their own world.

"A lot of things have happened but we must understand that what's done is done, we can't take back what happened before but we can prevent them from happening again," he answered after a few minutes before breaking the contact and staring at his priest.

"I did not like what happened to me, and I know you despised people for letting Ranmen do what he did to me. I'm not going to like what will happen to me in the future yet that's how things will be. But we have to move on. Perhaps I had to suffer to realize that I still have things to learn, perhaps we were meant to be in-love and then be separated to understand that we will have a better life in our next," he started and kissed his priest lightly.

"I was born to love you and rule our people but my life does not extend to watching our people grow and make Egypt proud. It is not my destiny, Seth."

"Destiny can be altered. I will not rely on fate, and you know that."

Atemu chuckled sweetly before embracing his lover, "I know. And I love you for that. I love you for making me realize that some things are meant to be changed. But we cannot deny that I will not live long."

Seth shook his head, "I won't let you go."

"You will be Egypt's next pharaoh when I die. Have you not realized it yet? Our love brought us together despite our bitter ending. And besides, didn't your father want you to rule the kingdom? Well, you're finally achieving that dream."

"Don't ever remind me of him." Seth warned.

"Will you not forgive him? He is your father, Seth. He is my uncle. Forgive him and just let him be," Atemu tried, "I know I have no right to interfere but he was but a man who was corrupted by his dream of seeing his son on the throne, which would be rightfully his."

Seth opened his mouth to speak but thought otherwise, he looked away as the other gaze at him seriously. "I'm going to die, Seth, and you're going to take my place as pharaoh. You'll be a good pharaoh. I'm so proud of you."

"What if I don't want to? What if I refuse?" the priest dared ask.

"It is your choice," Atemu said, smiling at the only one he loved. Seth stared at him and he looked away. He knew that smile. He knew what would happen afterwards and what he'll promise. That smile…

"There's going to be another 'us' in our afterlife. I'll make sure of that," Seth promised, fiercely hugging the other, "I'm not going to let this destroy what we have. I'll defy the gods if I have to, I'm not going to let them take you away from me."

Atemu blushed at the proclamation before reprimanding him, "That's blasphemy, my beloved priest."

"Anything for you, my dear Atemu," the other whispered and kissed him, preventing any word to be uttered until the next morning.

XXX

Pharaoh Atemu and High Priest Seth, after two years, were cruelly separated by fate. But they were ready for it. They were aware of it, but no one told them that it was still going to be painful.

They say that the eyes of the people can see all, and to them, what drove the priest to kill the one he loved was obligation—that he had a duty to Egypt and to the gods. But that was not the case. It was out of love, it was the request his pharaoh asked of him.

It was never easy to have the one you love to be taken away from you. It would tear you apart and inch by inch try to destroy you. The priest may have suffered some difficulties accepting his cousin's death but they were confident that he would live through and follow his pharaoh's wishes.

He would be the pharaoh but things wouldn't be the same anymore. The wind was changing, the river ever flowing fast as if it was running after lost time. The tombs of his fellow priests were almost full, he was witnessing his world's transformation.

What struck him the most was not the fact that he had fulfilled his pharaoh's wish. It never was that. It hurts more to finally uncover that gnawing pain inside of him that it should have been his Atemu standing here in the balcony, watching the kingdom he protected, flourish.

Seth shook his head. He had survived long enough and saw through that he had fulfilled his Atemu's wish. He was ready to follow everyone else and hand his crown to another. Wasn't that what he wanted all this time?

It was really surprising, he realized. Just a couple of years ago, he was trying to convince his pharaoh not to leave his side and be the pharaoh. Just a few years ago, they were together and nothing else seemed to matter. Back then, Mahado was still there to watch over them and make sure he wouldn't unconsciously hurt the pharaoh again. Then, Karimu was still annoying Shadi endlessly and Isis was staring at them, wishing they'd face reality and act like normal, mature priests. Shimon would still be there, pretending he wasn't that old to be greatly concerned and panic at their every reckless move.

It reminded him of everything that happened. It had reminded him of their laughs and threats when they were children, reminded him of the love between him and his pharaoh that never lasted long but bloomed nevertheless.

It was better to love than to never have loved at all. Perhaps it was true, perhaps it wasn't. He had to accept things as they are, he couldn't defy fate this time. It had won and he was ready to accept that.

They're all gone now. Every one of them—Mahado, who died attempting to take revenge on Bakura and chose to serve Atemu even in his death; Karimu, in his valiant attempts to save the pharaoh from his untimely doom; Shadi, who had thought wise to seal his fate to his Millennium Item to guide their king in the afterlife; Shimon, who finally admitted that he was getting old; and Isis, who had died all of a sudden in a desert.

He didn't have someone to turn to anymore. He was surrounded by new faces, new generations and new times.

You need not do this… I know it hurts you…

The whisper flowed with the wind innocently but its effects were greater. He knew it was Atemu. He sighed to himself and closed his eyes. I fulfilled your wish, Atemu.

It was his time to leave too and enjoy the next lifetime. Seth chucked, after all this wait…

Three thousand years would be a long time, he realized, but if things will work out his way, the wait would be well worth it.

He just knew it will be.

XXX

A/N: I have to admit, this wasn't the best that I could come up with. I read 'You'll Be Safe Here' and honestly, I wrote differently then. I liked that style better than this. But then again, all the things that happened in this story have exceeded my expectations. I was intending only about 10 chapters or even 12 but who would think that it'd reach 23 chapters?

It's 2:12 AM now and I definitely do not have any idea how I'm going to wake up later. Anyway, once again, thank you for all the reviews and support. I hope the next fic will get the same (if not more) treatment.

And yes, if you've noticed, I'm not quitting on this fandom. Thanks to various people for that.