I know everyone expects Mia to cause trouble, but she won't show up for a few more chapters, and if she does, it will be minor.

Chapter 9- Welcome to the Palace

Yuugi, Ryou, Bakura, Marik, and Malik were making their way to the palace.

"Bakura. Marik. How did you ever convince Grandfather not to send guards to escort us to the palace?" Yuugi asked.

Bakura smirked. "All we had to do was remind him that we are former thieves who have gotten out of many tough scrapes, and some were with the Royal guard. I think he knows that we could easily take out any man that would try to attack us." Bakura said.

"And knowing that we have beaten over a dozen people when it was just the two of us made him feel a lot better." Marik added, a smirk also on his face.

"One of the perks of having former thieves as husbands is that we know that they'll be able to handle anyone that they come across." Malik said.

Yuugi shook her head. "In any case, that will just be less people that the Pharaoh will need to put up in a room at the palace." Yuugi said.

"Well, it'll only be three rooms, Yuugi. I mean, Bakura and I will share a room, and I know that Marik and Malik will share a room, which means that there'll only be three since you'll have a room by yourself." Ryou said.

"I suppose that is true. I just hope that the Pharaoh does not mind having us all come." Yuugi said.

"Well, Heba's the one who wrote you saying that the Pharaoh agreed to let you come. I'd say that it was fine with him." Ryou said.

Yuugi nodded. "I would just like to know how Heba managed to convince the Pharaoh to allow Bakura and Marik to come. No offense to either of you, but I don't think that either one of you would have been at the top of the Pharaoh's guest list considering that past that you two have." Yuugi said.

"I take no offense, Yuugi, but I have a feeling that Atemu and Yami had something to do with it." Bakura said.

"Just remember that you're to behave while at the palace. If anything goes missing, I am certain that you will be the first one they look at." Ryou said, glaring at Bakura.

"The same for you, Marik, and If you slip up, you'll be going without sex for a month." Malik added.

Marik paled. "I won't do anything! I promise!" Marik said quickly.

Bakura started laughing.

Ryou looked at Bakura and said, "Bakura, if you slip up, you'll be going twice as long without sex."

Bakura paled. "I won't, Ryou!" Bakura exclaimed.

Yuugi shook her head. "I really need to be around couples that are not sex-crazed." Yuugi muttered.

"Why?" Bakura asked.

"Because that is all that you two think about." Yuugi retorted.

"Well, I really don't think that your brother will be much different." Marik said.

Yuugi glared at him. "At least he and Atemu had the decency not to talk about it as openly as the two of you tend to." Yuugi said.

"Hey! There's the palace!" Malik said, pointing ahead.

They could see the majestic palace in the distance.

"I didn't know that the palace was so big." Yuugi said.

"Neither did I. We're going to get lost." Ryou added.

"No, you won't. We know the palace pretty well." Bakura said.

Ryou and Malik glared at Bakura and Marik.

"Hey. That was before we gave up being thieves, so don't start lecturing us. We just remember it from then." Bakura said defensively.

"Just checking." Ryou said.

"I am so bored. I wish that Atemu didn't have to be in that meeting." Heba said.

Jou smiled. "You know that even though Atemu's not the Crown Prince anymore that he does still have some duties to Egypt. Seth does, too, and I am bored out of my skull just like you are." Jou added.

"What do you think that we should do?" Heba asked.

"I'm guessing that tormenting the council is out." Jou murmured.

Heba rolled his eyes. "That would be hard when you consider the fact that the council is in the meeting with Atemu and Seth. Besides, I don't think that Atemu and Seth would like to hear that we were torturing the council." Heba said. As an afterthought, he added, "Besides, I'm just thankful that they agreed to let Yami become the new Crown Prince so that Atemu and I could be together. They could have refused and forced Atemu to marry a girl, and that would have been the end of the two of us."

"Oh. I guess I see your point." Jou said.

Heba sighed and laid down on the bed. "I'll be glad when Yuugi, Malik, and Ryou get here. We'll be able to have people to talk to then." Heba said.

"Speaking of which, when are they supposed to arrive?" Jou asked.

"I don't know. I think that it might be soon, but I'm not real sure." Heba replied.

"Will they be able to get in the palace?" Jou asked.

"Yeah. The Pharaoh gave me a parchment that I sent Yuugi that allows them in. All she has to do is show it to the guards at the gate, and they will be allowed in." Heba said.

"Out of curiosity, how are we getting in the palace?" Ryou asked.

"Don't worry. The Pharaoh gave Heba a parchment which shows the guards that he invited us here. All I have to do is show it to the guards at the gate." Yuugi replied.

"Of course, I could always sneak us into the palace." Bakura said, grinning mischievously.

"No you will not!" Ryou said sharply.

Yuugi shook her head. "That won't be necessary, Bakura. We can get in without it being an underhanded or sneaky way." Yuugi assured them.

"Can't we do something that's at least a little underhanded?" Marik asked.

"No!" Yuugi, Ryou, and Malik said at the same time.

Bakura and Marik jumped a little.

"Geez. You don't have to bite our heads off." Bakura muttered under his breath.

All three shook their heads.

Soon, the group arrived at the palace gates.

"Halt! You are not allowed to enter." a guard said.

"My name is Lady Yuugi of the Mutou household." Yuugi said. She took out the parchment and said, "His Majesty Pharaoh Aknankanon invited us here."

The guards looked at the parchment and saw that it was from the Pharaoh since it had his seal.

The gates were opened, and the group went on it.

"man. You handled that well." Bakura said.

"It's a part of my station, so I have to know how to handle those types of situations." Yuugi replied.

"Yuugi!"

Yuugi, at the sound of her name, turned and found Mana running up to her and hugging her tightly.

"Hello to you too, Mana." Yuugi said, returning the hug.

"Mana, what have I told you?! You do not treat guests like that!"

Yuugi looked to see a man with brown hair and green eyes approaching. She saw that he wore the clothing of a priest. "Mana committed no wrong, Priest. She is a friend, and I do not mind." Yuugi assured him.

"Forgive me, my lady. I was not aware that you knew Mana." Mahado said.

"Master, this is Yuugi. She's Heba twin sister." Mana said.

"You are?" Mahado asked.

Yuugi nodded.

Mahado smiled. "Welcome to the palace, Lady Yuugi. I am Priest Mahado. Forgive my outburst earlier." Mahado said.

"There is nothing to forgive." Yuugi assured him.

Mahado called several servants over who took their things into the palace.

Mahado turned back to Yuugi and said, "Please, follow me."

Yuugi nodded, and she along with Bakura, Ryou, Marik, Malik, and Mana followed Mahado into the palace.

"Yuugi!"

Yuugi turned only to be pulled into a tight hug by her brother.

"I didn't realize that you were getting here so soon." Heba said.

"It's good to see you, too, Brother. Did you not want us to get here this soon?" Yuugi asked, feigning hurt.

Heba laughed. "No. I'm glad you're here." Heba said.

"Yeah. You can save me and Heba from going insane from boredom." Jou added as he gave Yuugi a hug.

"What about us?" Malik asked.

Jou and Heba also hugged their two cousins.

"Mahado, is the meeting over?" Heba asked.

"Not yet. I was excused so that Mana could go on with her training. We had just finished when they arrived." Mahado said.

"You didn't have any trouble getting in, did you?" Heba asked.

"No. As soon as the guards at the gates saw the parchment, they allowed us in." Yuugi assured him.

"Come. I am certain that the Pharaoh wishes to meet you." Mahado said.

The group headed down the halls to the throne room.

Yami and Atemu were just coming out of the room.

"Yuugi, when did all of you get here?" Atemu asked, surprised to see her and the others here.

"We just arrived." Yuugi replied.

"It is good to see you again." Eternias said.

"Yes. Likewise." Yuugi assured him.

"I thought that the Pharaoh and the Queen would like to meet her." Mahado said.

"Yes. We would." Aknankanon said.

The group parted so that Aknankanon and Amara could walk up to them.

Yuugi, Ryou, Malik, Bakura, and Marik were about to bow when Aknankanon halted them.

"There is no need to be formal here. I am pleased to meet you, Lady Yuugi, although they did not tell me that you were such a beautiful girl." Aknankanon said.

Yuugi blushed lightly.

Yami couldn't help, but think that Yuugi looked very cute with that blush on her face. "Thank you, my pharaoh. I am grateful that you allowed us to come here." Yuugi said.

"Think nothing if it. Heba will be my son-in-law, so his family is welcome here." Aknankanon said.

"Have you been shown to your rooms yet?" Amara asked.

"Yami and I will show them now." Atemu said.

"Very well. We will see you dinner." Aknankanon said.

Atemu and the others led Yuugi and the other four out of the room.

"Eternias, you were correct when you told us that no amount of words would be able to describe Yuugi's beauty. She truly has a beauty to rival all others." Aknankanon said.

"Yes. I have never seen a more beautiful girl." Amara agreed.

"I know that Yuugi is beautiful, but there is much more to her than that. She is not shallow like some of the ladies are." Eternias said.

"I think that I will like getting to know her." Amara said.

"Yes. She is Heba's sister, so it would be nice to get to know her." Aknankanon agreed.

Heba was in Yuugi's room with her.

"I'm glad that you're here, Yuugi. You have no idea how bored Jou and I get when Atemu and Seth are meetings, and everyone else has to go about their duties. The most we have is our studies, and that doesn't occupy us enough." Heba said.

Yuugi smiled as she sat on the bed. "Well, I did come here to see you, and it will be nice to be able to spend time with you." Yuugi said.

"I know that Atemu will happy. He always feels a little guilty that he's pretty much leaving me on my own, so he won't have to feel like that for a while." Heba said.

"Heba, when you and Atemu are married, will you have more duties than now?" Yuugi asked.

"You know, I haven't even thought to ask. I assume that I will, although it would most likely just be for appearances sakes since I would be his spouse. I think that that would be the only reason." Heba replied.

"I'm glad that the Pharaoh allowed us to come here. I missed being able to see you considering the fact that I hadn't seen you in so long. That two weeks just wasn't enough time." Yuugi said.

"I know what you mean." Heba agreed. He suddenly brightened and said, "Hey! You'll be here for the ball!"

Yuugi blinked in confusion. "What ball?" Yuugi asked.

"The Pharaoh will be holding a ball in a few weeks for visiting ambassadors, and you'll be here then." Heba said.

"I guess I'll be rather bored that night." Yuugi said.

"Actually, because of your station, I'm sure that the Pharaoh will invite you." Heba said.

"Would that mean that I would need a date?" Yuugi asked.

Heba nodded.

Yuugi groaned. "Great. If the Pharaoh does invite me, then that will just give whoever I end up going with the chance to grope me." Yuugi said.

"Isn't there someone that wouldn't?" Heba asked.

"Not of the suitors that I have had." Yuugi replied.

That night, dinner was rather informal with only Aknankanon, Amara, Atemu, Heba, Yami, Yuugi, Ryou, Bakura, Marik, Malik, Jou, Seth, Eternias, Yuesei, Isis, and Mahado eating dinner there.

"I pray that your journey here was an uneventful one, Yuugi." Aknankanon said.

"It was, Pharaoh. Ra was merciful to us." Yuugi replied.

"Marik and I could have handled anyone that came at us." Bakura said.

"That I would believe considering you once fought off two dozen of my men and escaped from them." Aknanaknon said.

"That's in the past." Marik said.

"And that is where those type things will stay." Malik added.

"Since you will be here, there is a ball in a few weeks, and I think that you should all come." Amara said.

"She's right. Technically, Yuugi, Ryou, and Malik are of the house." Atemu added.

"That will require you to have dates." Mahado added.

Yami felt jealously clench his heart at the thought that Yuugi would be going to the ball with another man.

Yuugi sighed.

"is that not agreeable to you?" Aknankanon asked.

"It's not that, Pharaoh. It's just that, well-" Yuugi wasn't sure how to put it.

"Yuugi has the same problem that I do where her suitors are concerned." Yami supplied.

"In other words, they want you for your power, wealth, and looks." Amara surmised.

"Yes, and that would give whoever the perfect chance to do those things." Yuugi said.

Bakura smirked. "Why worry? You broke one guy's jaw when he did that." Bakura said.

"I don't think that would be dignified at a ball, Bakura.' Yuugi said.

"That would be understandable, although considering all those that would be watching, I do not think that anyone would try anything." Aknanaknon said.

"I don't know about that, Father. All the women that throw themselves at me have no shame in where they do it, and I don't think that decorum really matter to them considering how they act." Yami said.

Seth laughed. "Oh, yes. One embarrassed herself in front of the court by her actions, especially since she pretty much claimed that she would be the next queen of Egypt." Seth said.

"That was certainly undignified." Amara stated.

"Some just do not care, I'm afraid." Aknankanon agreed.

"And with my luck, I would be with one of the ones that wouldn't care." Yuugi said.

Mahado and Isis were rather surprised at Yuugi's words. They saw that she shared the same problem that Yami had. They were also pleased to see that she hadn't once looked at Yami in a seductive way. In fact, they noticed that the looks she gave him were nothing but friendly.

After dinner, Yuugi and Yami took a walk in the gardens.

"I honestly don't know what I'll wear to the ball." Yuugi said.

"We have an excellent seamstress, Yuugi. She can design you a dress, or Isis can. She does that as well." Yami said.

"I don't want to inconvenience anyone." Yuugi said.

"This is what they do. It won't be any trouble, and there's plenty of time." Yami assured her.

"Once Heba hears this, he won't give me a choice." Yuugi said.

Yami smirked. "I'm not giving you a choice, either." Yami said.

"All right. I guess I have to find a date now." Yuugi said.

"We both do." Yami said.

"You haven't found a date yet?" Yuugi asked.

"Not yet." Yami thought. 'But I might soon.' Yami thought.

Hope you liked it.

The next chapter has plotting behind Yuugi and Yami's backs going on. Don't worry. It's nothing bad.

R&R.