Teana slept a peaceful sleep. She hasn't slept this well in a long time... She was reluctant to get up and so she decided getting up a couple minutes later would not be so... bad. She cuddled more and more into her pillow, or... what she thought was her pillow. She hesitantly opened her eyes just a crack and then closed them again, only to quickly open them wide again. She took in a sharp intake of breath due to her surprise. Her pillow... was Atem's strong, well-built bare chest. She tried to get up, but his bare arms were tightly around her back, keeping her in place. Atem was snoring lightly and when Teana struggled to get up, he only held her tighter.
Teana was frustrated, she was trying to avoid an already awkward situation. She didn't want Atem to wake up, with her on top of him. Luck would have it, that at that very moment Atem woke. Like his wife, he fluttered his eyes half open and then upon seeing a blurry vision of her, he opened his eyes wide in shock.
"Teana?"
"Ah, good morning Atem." She greeted nervously.
"What...where?! Ah." Atem stuttered realizing that he was just in his room and... the very awkward position he was in. Atem instantly loosened his arms and Teana rolled off of him and onto her side on the bed, facing Atem.
Both of them avoided each other's eyes.
"Ahem." Atem coughed. "Well I...we ...should get ready now." He said, still avoiding Teana's eyes.
"Yes!" Teana chirped. They both instantly got up and went their opposite ways.
Atem sighed. "She does not love me." Atem told his friend.
"Why do you think that?" Mana asked.
"A couple of days before Julian left, she told me her feelings were deep for him."
Mana gasped. "You mean that..."
Atem vigorously shook his head. "No...I do not think so. At least I hope not, apparently the Emperor has found a bride. Teana claimed he was a childhood friend of hers. We were fighting and when I asked if she had deep feelings for me, however, she did not respond."
A smacking noise was heard as Mana reached her arm out to hit Atem's arm. "Ow. What was that for?"
"You big idiot!" She insulted. "How could you ask her something like that? What if you were in her position?"
"Well then I would answer truthfully."
"Which is...?" Mana questioned narrowing her eyes.
"That I do indeed love her." Mana's eyes widened and then she broke into a grin.
"Aw. Little Temy' is in love!" She sang.
"Mana!" He scolded. "This is not funny, I am in love with my wife. There is nothing wrong about that."
"Who said there was something wrong? I just think it is adorable." She chided.
Atem groaned and put his hand on his forehead. "It does not matter. She does not return the feelings."
"You cannot be sure." She reasoned.
"Did you not just hear what I told you?"
"Did you not just hear me telling you what a big idiot you are?" Mana argued.
"There you are Mana!" Footsteps were heard and a hand was placed on her shoulder
Mana looked up to see whose hand it was and blushed a deep pink. "Mahad."
Mahad bowed his head at the prince. Atem nodded. "Time for your lessons Mana."
Mana pouted. "I cannot." Mahad raised an eyebrow. "I am giving Atem advice about women." She whispered, although loudly.
Atem groaned. "Oh." Mahad said surprised and a bit amused.
"Clearly our Prince is in desperate need of my help..." Mana gestured.
Mahad rolled his eyes smiling and taking a seat. "Problems with your beloved?"
"No, my sister!" He sarcastically remarked. Mahad and Mana eyed each other. This was serious. "So tell me Mana, why am I such a big idiot as you put it?"
"What?" Mahad asked in shock.
Mana ignored him. "Well Prince, you chose a horrible time to ask her something like that!"
"What question?" Mahad asked.
"I asked Teana if she had deep feelings for me as well." Atem explained.
"Oh, I see. There is something wrong with that?" Mahad asked.
"Men are so clueless!" Mana exclaimed. "Teana will tell you she loves you when she is certain and when she wants to. You can't force her to love you! If she truly loves you, she shall say so when the time is right. Asking her if she loves you when you are fighting? Pff. You may love someone, but that does not mean you may not want to say some not so nice things to them, ahem- that you don't mean of course... when you are angry! Why there would be some words I would use that would be quite the opposite of love, if I was angered enough." She hinted making a face.
Mana continued. "What have you done to make Teana fall in love with you since the wedding? Have you showered her with gifts, spent time with her just talking and listening to her? I think not, or I would not see her always in the company of Jono, Hondo, Maibe or Shukura...or even mine." She looked at him accusingly.
"Well..." Atem began.
"Well nothing. You have been horrible to her! Neglecting her like that! Women do not like being neglected!" She shouted, crossing her arms.
Mahad was listening very carefully. Perhaps he could use the advice Mana was giving on the girl herself, although he had hoped for more advice that would have been more useful for her.
"Every female is different." Mana said thoughtfully. "Teana is the sweet, romantic type. I am sure just simply talking and spending time with her, will be enough. Get her flowers and apologize or something."
"What about you Mana?" Mahad tried to casually ask.
"Hm?"
"What type are you?"
"Oh, I am not the sweet, delicate type. I like to have fun! Do something exciting! Like... um" She turned her lips inward, thinking. "I do not know...maybe go swimming and do something exciting." She shrugged. "Anyways...Atem, do that!"
"Alright." Atem agreed, smiling. Mana could indeed be of some help in serious situations, regardless of her unserious personality.
Teana went into her room, to relax a bit after spending some time with Jono and Hondo. Those two were quite the handful. She took a deep breath. She had no idea how they ate so much! Where did it go all? They were both not fat or very husky. If only she could be like that. Teana walked over to the vanity to fix her hair when something caught her eye.
Flowers... Roses... Blue exotic ones. They were neatly displayed in a ornate glass vase. What was that doing here? She walked over to it and put her nose to the flowers to smell the freshly cut roses.
"Mmm..." She murmured. They smelled wonderful. Her eye caught a note, neatly folded next to them. She was surprised to find that her name was neatly printed on the outside. She shrugged and opened the note. 'Who on Earth would send me roses now? That is usually a romantic gesture is it not?' Then Teana's eyes widened in realization. She looked inside as small scrawled handwriting was written.
A beautiful person like yourself,
Deserves something beautiful like these roses.
Blue like your eyes,
And exotic like you.
Teana recognized the writing as Atem's right away. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw at the bottom of the page, his name written out.
Atem
This type of rose was the same one Atem had placed in her hair when he first took her to the courtyard. Now the new question was, 'Why on Earth did he send these roses to me now?' She bent down her head to sniff the roses again. They really had a nice fragrance to them. In the meantime, the door opened and Atem entered.
"I see you received the roses I sent you."
Teana did not notice him come and was a little shocked to hear him. "Oh!" She said. "Yes. Thank you. That was very sweet of you." She smiled shyly.
Atem grinned, glad to have made Teana happy. "Of course."
"I...so, what occasion do I um... owe this pleasure?" She nervously asked twiddling her fingers.
Atem paused for a second trying to think of how to respond. "Not an occasion really, is it not everyday an occasion for a man to spoil his wife?"
Teana blinked. "Well, yes of course."
"I also wanted to try to apologize once more..." he began his eyes pointedly looking at the floor. It was a difficult thing for him to do, Prince of Egypt, to apologize to anyone really. "One, for my lack of attention and time towards you and two, for my lack of good behavior during the time Julian spent here in the palace."
Teana blinked again, her head and neck moving outward then inward a little, shocked at Atem's forwardness in his apology. She certainly had not expected this. She expected their quarrel to go on for at least some time more. Atem was very stubborn.
Atem walked closer to her and gently grabbed her hand and rubbed it with the thumb of his other hand. "I was jealous of the relationship you two shared. I envied him." He admitted. "But it is my fault alone that the bond that you share with him is not as strong as the one we share."
Teana opened her mouth to speak, most likely to apologize herself; but Atem put a finger in front of it and stared directly into her eyes. "However, I would like to start over." He removed the finger from in front of Teana's mouth and clasped both her hands, not leaving his gaze on her eyes. "I want to spend time with you. You and I."
Atem looked to the flowers. "Those roses, the exotic blue ones, are the flowers I associate most with you. When I first took you to the courtyard, it was the first time I saw you in a different light. You were so beautiful in the moonlight. It was the first time that I thought that this wedding arrangement would not be so bad, if it were with you."
"Atem...I..." She started, once more trying to apologize, herself.
She was however silence by a sudden kiss from Atem which she completely and immediately melted into. She gently wrapped her arms around his neck and instantly lifted up her right heel as she fell deeper into the passionate kiss. She missed Atem. She missed him... the Atem from before they were married and the one who was there at the start of their marriage- an Atem that was happy and was with her. She missed his kisses. She could only wish that they would stay this way.
Yay, they finally reconcile! ^_^ I think it's time they made up, didn't they? :) Atem is finally honest with Teana after receiving some lady advice from Mana. Teana herself is just overjoyed that Atem finally tried to make amends and accepts him immediately, because that's what happens when you truly love someone. You forgive them for the tiny little arguments (or big) you have.
***NEW POLL: I have a new poll up regarding this story on my profile so please be sure to check out and vote!
**Please be really patient with me for this next update. I'm EXTREMELY busy nowadays and will be especially in December. I may not be able to update until after then. Rest assure that this story will be continued though.
**Also, Bright Eyes Illusionist and The Man With Imagination, how did you guys know what I planned to write in my story! :D lol Those suggestions were what I had already outlined before you even suggested them!
**Thanks to all my reviewers and readers!
Until next time, (Please review!)
~Startistica