Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Thoughts

"Speech"

Chapter 1

It was a hot midsummer's day as the Pharaoh paced by his door. His wife was inside, giving birth to their son. King Aknamkanon sighed as he rubbed his face. He hated waiting…For anything. He continued pacing as he had for the past five hours. Then, he heard it. The wonderful sound of a baby's cry. He rushed inside and smiled at the beautiful sight of his wife holding their child. Queen Anippe looked at him, breathing heavily, sweat on her body, eyes shining, and a huge smile on her face.

"Look at our son," she whispered as she stared down at the little bundle of joy in her arms. Aknamkanon smiled and reached out for their child.

"Come, my son. The people wish to see their prince," said the Pharaoh as he walked out to the balcony. Anippe finally closed her eyes and slept.

The Pharaoh walked through the curtain and held up his son. There were deafening cheers heard from below. The little baby smiled as he looked down at the huge mass of people beneath him. He giggled and his father held him close to his body and squeezed his nose. The baby gurgled and grabbed his father's finger. Aknamkanon quietly laughed as he looked down at his son. He then turned to his people and said, "I give you my son…PRINCE ATEM!" The cheers grew louder with the announcement.

You will do many great things in this life my son.

The days went by quickly, with person after person to congratulate the royal couple on receiving such a blessing in the form of a cute, healthy young boy. On the seventh day, something occurred. One of the ladies-in-waiting had been pale for some time. Close to when everyone retired, the lady escorted her mistress to her chambers when Queen Anippe turned around and asked if she was alright.

"Yes, milady," the servant answered. "It's just the baby, I think. It's to come any day and I worry about when that time will come." Anippe smiled and gave her friend a hug.

"When that day comes, Tsarina, I'll be there. You're my best friend. And if it's about the treatment, don't worry about that either…Last I checked, you were still a noble. Now get some sleep or else the baby will pop out from stress…Tsarina, are you alright?" The latter shook her head and Anippe glanced down at the floor and gasped. Liquid was running down the Japanese woman's legs. Anippe got her friend as she fell and called for help.

Eight hours later came the cry of a newborn child. After the continuous screams of a woman in pain. Anippe cradled the child and handed the bundle over to Tsarina. "It's a boy, which means you'll name him…Yugi, right," she asked. Tsarina's eyes sparkled as she nodded and reached for her child. But once she saw his face, her eyes grew wide with worry.

"Anippe, he-he looks li-like your s-son," she whispered. Anippe nodded, worry in her eyes as well.

"Don't worry, I'm sure everything is fine," she said to assure them both.

"It is a bad omen." The Pharaoh sat in his throne, while Anippe stood below, facing him beside Tsarina. Aknamkanon had looked the baby over and was shocked. This boy was a mirror image of his own, other than the fact that this one was Japanese, not Egyptian, and he had soft amethyst eyes while his son held a demanding crimson gaze. Tsarina glanced down at her child.

"Please sire, what are we to do? He's my son after all, but I don't understand why the similarities." Tsarina cried softly and Anippe held her.

"Maybe the similarities are meant to happen." Everyone turned to the back of the room where the old physician Auset walked in, her daughter Isis close behind.

"What do you mean Auset," the Pharaoh asked. He didn't care for the old lady. Every time she came, it made him shiver inwardly. Auset smiled as she walked up to the women and handed Anippe her son. Atem giggled, and Yugi responded with a giggle of his own. Anippe glanced at her son and brought him closer to Yugi. Once they saw each other, little fingers reached out. Tsarina and Anippe smiled at each other. Maybe looking the same wasn't as bad as they thought.

"Maybe they'll be best friends," little nine-year-old Isis mused. Everyone looked at her and her smile disappeared. She backed up into the shadows.

Her mother smiled. "Yes, asenath, that could happen." Isis stopped listening but no one really cared. She was currently being dragged slyly out of the throne room by ten-year-old Mahad. Auset shook her head. "They don't realize we know, do they?" A collective head shakes responded. Auset sighed. "There is nothing wrong with having two children that look the same. It's what fate decided; now let it be, other than going for the alternative. Killing a child because he looks exactly like someone is a bit too harsh, I believe. Ending his life before he has a chance to live! Not the work of the fair, just, and caring Pharaoh your people believe you to be." Auset smiled and vanished from the room.

Anippe and Tsarina looked at each other and smiled. In their arms, their identical sons giggled and Atem grabbed Yugi's hand. After a few minutes the newborn children fell fast asleep, Atem still holding tightly onto Yugi's hand. The two women smiled at each other again then glanced up questioningly at the Pharaoh.

"Husband? What do you think," Anippe asked. Aknamkanon brushed his hand over his face, deep in thought.

"We'll do as Auset believes. She's never steered us wrong before. So if it's what fate wants, then let fate guide their lives."

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