Chapter 3

Chance Meeting

Riding through the forest, a carriage is on its way to Yugi's hometown. In the carriage are two members of the royal family. Scanning through a magazine he is reading, Prince Atemu's annoyance returned as he set his magazine aside. "Do I really have to go to this galleria, uncle?"

With a nod, Aknadin said, "Yes, you do, dear nephew since your coronation is next week. You have been due to stand before the people of this kingdom for some time now. While you were away at school, the ogres have become a lot more threatening."

"Oh and the giants have become more and more hostile." added Dartz, Aknadin's blue snake companion with a pair of mismatched yet mesmerizing eyes with one eye gold and the other a blueish-green.

Patting Dartz on the head, Aknadin praised him as he ran his hand down his scaly body the way he likes it. "But the giants have always been so peaceful." Atemu said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"The ogres were peaceful too, until they took your father apart. I had promised him that if anything were to happen to him, I would raise you as my own and teach you of your royal duties and I have kept my promise to my dear brother. Now, let's put on a smile dear boy for the people. After all, to them, image is everything."

At the town where the galleria is being held, a large crowd is waiting in the square as a statue of Atemu, Aknadin and Dartz was uncovered, making mostly the fan club go crazy at the sight of the statue of the prince. Watching Téa being so excited about seeing the prince, Yugi, Ryou and Serenity all shook their heads. The three were only there to try and get Prince Atemu to see their protest posters and be convinced to be against the elves, ogres and giants being slaves.

And so, when Aknadin came on the stage with Dartz having his body wrapped around the arm that is holding up his scepter, Aknadin is just making an announcement until the moment he said his nephew's name, causing Téa and her fellow fan girls cheer for Prince Atemu.

Grinning at the fan club, Aknadin then summoned Prince Atemu to the stage who simply waved and smiled at everyone. Seeing the prince from the fountain they were sitting at, Yugi, Ryou and Serenity took out their protest signs against elf, ogre and giant slavery.

Hearing the shouts of protest, Atemu turned to where he heard the shouts until his eyes caught a glance of a pair of amethyst eyes. Focusing more on the owner of those eyes, Atemu blinked when he saw a boy that looks almost identical to him. Except the boy looked more innocent and had fewer blond streaks in his hair but had a cute forelock in the center of his forehead and his tri-colored hair is dip in the same amethyst as his eyes.

To see that him and his friends main focus is their protest against the slavery of the elves, ogres and giants. Actually glad that there is someone against the idea of those creatures being slaves, Atemu then noticed a certain angered brunette march over to the innocent looking boy and snatch his sign out of his hands.

"What are you doing, Yugi?! You're embarrassing me here! And you," turning to her sister, "what are you doing protesting with him?"

Since neither of them answered her questions, Téa then said to Yugi, "Go straight home, right now, Yugi."

Having to be forced to leave, Yugi bid his best friend and his nicer sister farewell and started to leave. Feeling bad that the boy he was watching having to leave, Atemu continued to watch after him until he heard someone ask him from the crowd, "Prince, are you a fast runner?"

"It depends, why?" Atemu answered with a shrug. However, the moment he saw the look on their faces, he immediately regretted it. For the girl that asked him said to the others, "GET HIM!" and as they started to run to him, Atemu leaped off the back of the stage and began running for his life away from the crazy mob of fan girls.

On the path that Yugi is walking down to get home, he suddenly noticed that Atemu is running from the opposite direction of the path. When he had accidentally bumped into the boy, Atemu quickly held Yugi close with a hand over his mouth and they hid behind an old stone wall that happens to be there and he whispered to the squirming boy in his arms, "Keep still and stay quiet."

Leaning against the wall as much as he could, the two listened as the screaming mob of fan girls continue to run down the path. When the mob had disappeared from sight and their screaming ceased, Atemu released Yugi with the boy saying, "Well, Prince Atemu."

"Please, just call me..." Atemu started but then he froze the moment the two locked eyes on each other. Having to be this much closer, Atemu got a better look at the small teenager and he appeared a lot more cute and innocent. Also being so close, Yugi blushed at how handsome his look-alike is. What the two like the most so far from each other were the eyes. Atemu could feel a strong sense of pure light in the boy's amethyst eyes while Yugi admired the deep crimson pair that one could stare into all day.

Being the first to regain his senses, Atemu finished his sentence with just saying his name. Helping the boy up, he also handed him his bag that Yugi had dropped when Atemu forced him to the ground. Taking back his bag, Yugi said with the blush still there so he kept his head down, "Thank you."

"Are you heading somewhere?"

"Just home."

"If you like I can walk you home."

"No you don't have to, prince."

"Please just call me Atemu and it's the least I can do for knocking you to the ground."

"Well, if you insist, then thank you."

"Of course." And so, standing next to each other, the two continue walking down the path that Yugi was taking to get home. At first they walked in silence until Atemu broke the silence. "What's your name, Little One?"

Blushing at the nickname the prince had given him, Yugi answered, "It's Yugi Muto."

Repeating the name in his mind, Atemu had whispered to himself although Yugi was able to hear, "That name fits for someone who appears so innocent."

Blushing again, Yugi could feel his heart racing just by being next to Atemu, even though they've only just met. Coming to a hill, the two sit on it for a moment before continuing on. Leaning back against his arms a little, one hand being only centimeters away from Yugi, Atemu said, "May I tell you something?"

When Yugi simply nodded when he turned toward him, Atemu continued, "Having to be surrounded by a mob of fan girls, it's quite refreshing to meet someone who is not as crazy as them and whose main focus is your protest against the elves, ogres and giants being slaves."

Giving the prince a small grin, Yugi reply, "Well, as much as I hate elves, ogres and giants being mistreated, I really do hate that you have to deal with some crazy fan girls with one of my half sisters being the president of that fan club."

Thinking about that short brunette girl he saw at the square, Atemu couldn't help but ask, "Was she the one who told you to leave?"

Nodding his head, Yugi answered, "Unfortunately yes. Let me warn you; she is extremely obsessed with you it's creepy."

Leaning closer to the smaller boy, Atemu said in a some-what seductive yet sweet tone, "Thanks for the warning." With the prince being so close, Yugi's face became a lot warmer with a little deeper blush. Then suddenly, the two heard a voice not too far from where they were sitting, "Yugi."

To see that it's Téa with Serenity looking like she was dragged by her sister, Yugi could only curl into a tight ball as he prepared himself for what will be coming his way. "Yugi, come here this instant." Feeling the spell kick in again, Yugi is forced from sitting next to Atemu to walking over to his half sisters. "Shouldn't you be back at home, cleaning the house with Malik?" When Yugi simply shrugged his shoulders, she leaned close in his face with a nasty glare in her eyes and said, "You stay away from him. I'm going to be the one he wants at his coronation."

"I highly doubt that, Téa." Yugi thought to himself before saying, "We were only talking, Téa."

"Stop flirting with him." said Téa.

Even though the two were only talking, not flirting, the spell didn't really effect Yugi and a little smirk slowly spread across his face as he sensed a hint of jealousy from his wicked half sister. "Now go home with Serenity this instant." With the spell forcing him to leave with Serenity, Yugi just couldn't help but do as he was told while looking back to the prince.

Getting to his feet, Atemu reached for Yugi but Téa stopped him with a flirtatious look in her eyes. "Oh you shouldn't bother with him, he's a major weirdo. But surely I'm the one you want." as she giggled, Atemu kept his eyes on Yugi's retreating back and the teen kept looking back towards him until they were out of sight.

Once he had lost track of the boy, Atemu just had no choice but to look back at Téa as she continued flirting with him as she tried to appear seductive. "I know all about you my prince. I have posters and pictures. I've always imagined myself being with you. And at night, I would stand outside the castle walls and watch you walk through the halls and around the rooms you were in." Téa added as she gently set her finger tips on his hard-muscled chest.

Not liking the vibes he's getting from her, Atemu said as he back away slowly, "Tell Yugi I'll keep in touch with him." and then he made a dash away from the stunned girl.

Anger running through her system, Téa said through gritted teeth, "Well, I'll see right to it." To know that the prince might be more interested with her half brother instead of her, Téa stormed back to the house as the sun began to set.