Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters (unless otherwise stated) Kazuki Takahashi does, nor do I make any money from these stories.

This is one of those pesky 'filler' chapters, tying up loose ends and setting the scene for the next stage

36

Shada had heard the quick exchange between the two prisoners and after the guards had locked the door to her cell he walked to the main door with them but instead of leaving he stayed in the shadows, he needed to find out what was going on so he could inform the pharaoh.

When Jahi was sure that the priest had left he moved to the front of his cell, "What are you doing here Masika?" he asked

"I thought that would have been obvious I'm here to marry crown prince Atemu."

Shada heard the old man sigh, "Masika you know very well I told you and your parents that the contract had been refused and that prince Atemu did not want to marry you."

"Yes well." The girl said defiantly "He hadn't meet me then, but I knew that if I came here so we could meet he would soon change his mind."

"And did he?" Jahi asked, knowing full well that nothing or nobody would make prince Atemu leave the worthless street-rat he had taken up with, especially since the gods including Ra himself had already approved of the union

"No." she said sullenly "But believe me uncle I will make him change his mind."

"I doubt that very much." Jahi said

"But uncle you and mother have been promising me since I was a little girl that I would marry prince Atemu." She said sulkily "So what went wrong?"

Jahi sighed, "He just wasn't interested."

"But you could have forced him to marry me." she whined

"No, I could not." Jahi snapped back "So just drop it!"

The two were quiet for a time and Shada was about to leave when he heard Jahi ask the girl another question, "Tell me, how did you get into the palace anyway?"

Masika shrugged "I just told the guards who I was and why I was here."

Knowing it wouldn't have been that simple Jahi asked, "What else did you do?"

"I just demanded to see the pharaoh, he finally agreed to see me but I had to leave the rest of my caravan outside the palace gates."

"What did you do to warrant being sent down here?"

"Nothing." The girl said trying to sound innocent but Jahi,

knowing Masika as he did wasn't buying it.

"Masika." Jahi growled "What. Did. You. Do?" he asked again.

Masika sighed, "I showed the pharaoh the marriage contract signed by him and my mother, and he gives it straight to a peasant who said it was a fake and the pharaoh believed him!"

"I see." Jahi said as he went to sit down, something stopped him,

"Wait! The pharaoh never signed that contract!"

Masika smirked "I know, I did."

"Are you insane!" Jahi yelled at her.

"But uncle." The girl said "I practiced the signature for two weeks before I signed that scroll, it was perfect."

"That scroll should have been destroyed the moment I said it had been refused! Do your parents know anything about this?" The old man demanded.

"No." Masika said, "They allowed me to travel to the palace but they don't know anything else."

"Then why would they allow you to travel here?"

"I said I wanted to visit you as I hadn't seen you for a while."

Jahi sighed as he ran a hand through his thinning hair, "I hope your parents are not made to pay for your crimes."

"What crime? I have committed no crime!" Masika shouted at her uncle.

Jahi shook his head as he paced his cell "Do you even realise just what it is you have done?"

"So I signed the pharaoh's name what's the worst that can happen?"

"You foolish child." Jahi said tiredly "Signing the pharaohs name without his permission or just cause in his absence is an instant

death sentence."

"I had a good reason for doing it!" Masika snapped.

Jahi ignored her and sat down "I doubt it." He muttered to himself.

Shada, having heard enough left the dungeons and made his way back to the throne room.

Earlier when Yugi and Ma'at had been asked to come to the throne room the two men, Atsu and Sadiki had continued to move Yugi's belongings along, with some extra furniture to the small house that Yugi and Ma'at would be using before the ceremony. They had finally finished that task and were now being shown to the throne room to see if there was anything further for them to do.

Everyone looked up when one of the large doors opened and the guard entered and approached the throne, he knelt before his pharaoh "I am sorry to interrupt my pharaoh but Atsu and Sadiki have finished their task."

"Very well show them in." The pharaoh commanded

The guard stood, bowed then went to get the two men.

The pharaoh was talking to Ma'at, Atemu and Yugi when the two men arrived, they knelt and waited for their pharaoh to speak.

"You may rise." Aknamkanon commanded, he clapped his hands together and one of the council members appeared carrying two small parcels of coins.

"Please take these coins in payment for helping Yugi, you have done well."

Atsu looked at his brother who nodded "Thank you pharaoh but one parcel will be enough."

The pharaoh sat back on his throne "Why do you say this? I thought you would have taken all that was offered."

Atsu smiled "My brother and I feel that we should only receive a fair days pay for a fair days work and we have not done enough to warrant both parcels pharaoh."

The pharaoh looked at the younger brother Sadiki "Do you agree with this decision?" he asked watching the young man closely to see if he'd been coerced into agreeing, however when the young man nodded his answer the pharaoh saw nothing but complete agreement with his brother.

"Very well then." Aknamkanon said as he stood up "Take this money and our thanks for your aid."

"Thank you." Atsu said with a smile.

The two men bowed and were just about to leave when they were stopped by a woman's soft voice "Wait! I would like a word with these two before they leave."

They all turned to see the goddess Isis walking towards the throne, feeling afraid Atsu and Sadiki fell to their knees and held their foreheads to the sandstone floor, the rest of the court knelt down on one knee whilst The pharaoh and Atemu just bowed from the waist, "You can all stand up, there is no need to bow before me." The goddess said as she turned and stood next to Aknamkanon.

"Why are you here Isis?" Ma'at asked, knowing that her fellow goddess wouldn't come to the mortal plane unless it was important.

Isis turned to Ma'at and grinned "I am here to grant a request made by Yugi earlier."

"You are?" the pharaoh asked in surprise

"Yes I am." She turned to Yugi "Can you remember what it was Yugi?"

Yugi thought for a moment then looked at Isis "I think so."

"Good." Isis smiled "Say nothing I need to find something out first."

Yugi nodded and stepped back

"What did you request?" Atemu asked Yugi quietly

"You'll find out in a minute." Yugi whispered back as he watched what was going on.

Isis stood before the two men "Tell me, how long has he been unable to speak?"

Atsu answered her "He lost his voice a few years ago after a sickness great goddess."

"So his voice wasn't taken as a punishment?" Isis asked

Sadiki shook his head, as Atsu replied, "No great goddess it wasn't."

"Very well then." Isis began to glow a little before she chanted something under her breath; the golden glow surrounded the silent brother for a few moments before dissipating.

The room was silent until the goddess Isis spoke "How do you feel?" she asked

Atsu was about to question the goddess when she held her hand up telling him to stay silent.

"Well?" she asked patiently.

Sadiki looked up at her and opened his mouth and to everyone's shock whispered "F…f…fine."

Isis smiled and turned to his shocked older brother "Give him about a week and he'll lose that stutter and speak normally."

Atsu fell to his knees before his goddess "Why have you done this?" he asked fighting back his tears.

Isis smiled "I was just granting the request Yugi made."

Aknamkanon turned to Yugi "When did you do this Yugi?"

Blushing Yugi looked at everyone "When Atsu said his only wish was to hear his brother speak again I asked Isis if she could help him."

"And I waited until they had done as Yugi asked them to do to see if they were worthy, which they have proven."

Sadiki also got to his knees "Th…thank you m…m…mighty g…g…goddess."

Aknamkanon stood up and smiled at the two men, "Now go with our blessings."

Both men stood up and bowed to the pharaoh and then turned to Yugi "Thank you master Yugi." Atsu said as he and his brother turned to leave the throne room, they stopped at the door and bowed as Shada entered.

Isis was just saying goodbye to the pharaoh, Atemu, Yugi and Ma'at when Shada reached the throne he knelt and waited.

"Ra has told me to tell you that if you need him pharaoh just call him."

"Thank you great goddess." Aknamkanon bowed

Isis looked at Yugi "I'll see you again soon, I hope." She said as she vanished.

Yugi, knowing what she meant blushed and a chuckling Atemu put his arm round his little love.

Aknamkanon turned to Shada "Is she secure?" he asked his priest

"She is my pharaoh although…" Shada stopped not sure whether he should continue or not.

"Go on." The pharaoh said

"When you said to put her into a more comfortable cell I think she expected something akin to one of the guest rooms."

"I take it she was disappointed then?" Atemu asked

"Oh yes." Shada smirked, then his look turned serious "I did find out something interesting though."

"What you find out Shada?" the pharaoh asked.

"That the girl and Jahi are related." Shada replied.

A/N

Okay I think that did what I wanted it to; next we'll have Shada explaining what he'd heard and the pharaoh and Atemu's reaction, the first night of Atemu and Yugi being apart and the arrival of Masika's parents,