To those who responded that “Together Forever” is Ryou and Bakura’s wedding oath to each other, you are right!!

Note: This chappie skips ahead 5 years.

The Book of Prophecy

Seth walked in the gardens with eight-year-old Aria by his side. Tending the garden was Seth’s first daughter with Rayna. The little girl bowed to her father.

“Good afternoon, my father. Does this afternoon find you well?”

Seth pat the girl’s head. “Yes, it does. Aria, you may go play. You have finished your chores today and you have done a good job.”

Aria kneeled in front of her master. “Thank you, master,” the girl smiled.

“Just don’t wander off too far.”

Aria ran through the gardens, smelling the flowers that had come from overseas. Seth had taken her to see Rome. Her guardian had been a boy with blond hair and purple eyes. It was this same boy that she spent many hours playing in the gardens as little children.

Aria was skipping through the gardens when she found the little boy sitting on the ground, sharpening his dagger.

“Hello…..Aten!”

Aten looked up at her. “Hello, Aria.”

“Are you playing?”

Aten shrugged. “My father told me to sharpen my blade. So, that’s what I am doing.”

The girl heard footsteps behind her and saw Pharaoh Yami approach her. Aten quickly kneeled before the pharaoh. Aria kneeled beside him.

Yami stopped in front of the children. “Aten, you are in the gardens again? Sharpening your blade?”

Aten nodded. “Yes, my pharaoh.”

“You know that the gardens are no place for a child of low birth such as yourself! I ought to have you whipped until you learn your lesson!”

Aten just clenched his teeth. He had been so used to physical attacks on his body, the whip was nothing to fear anymore. It was just another fact of life.

Yami looked down at the girl. “Stand up, child. Let me look at you.”

Aria stood up. Yami scanned her carefully. Aria wore a thin linen wrapped around her chest which fell to her ankles. Aria wore a necklace with a red stone. That was the necklace of Seth, a physical warning to all that she was his and was not to be touched by anyone but himself.

Yami put his hand on her cheek. “Such a beautiful little child…..”

Aria looked into the purple eyes looming down at her and tried not to cringe. Seth came running to her rescue.

“My pharaoh, what is it that you wish from my servant girl?”

Yami’s lip curled at the thought of his desires. “I wish nothing more of her than for her to be a good little girl and join me in my chambers tonight.”

Seth shook his head. “My pharaoh, it is not time yet for her virginity to be taken! She has not reached---.”

Yami ran his fingers through Aria’s hair. “I do not care what she has or has not reached. She will join me in my chambers tonight. There comes a time in every servant girl’s life where she must be….’broken in’ so to speak.”

Seth took Aria against him. “This is not a horse you are talking about, my pharaoh. This is a child. Horses are ‘broken in.’”

Yami laughed. “You have such a high opinion of your servants, High Priest Seth. Servants are nothing more than horses. Better to break them when they’re young. This way they give you less trouble when they are grown up. For example….Aten, come here now!”

Aten stood up and kneeled at the pharaoh’s feet. “Yes, my pharaoh. What is it you wish me to do for you?”

“Cut yourself with the dagger.”

Aten gulped and closed his eyes. He took the blade of the dagger and cut the tip of his finger, making it bleed. Aria watched, her eyes widening as she shifted behind Seth’s legs. Aten held up his smallest tiny finger. “Is this to your liking, sir?”

“For now, Aten. Do you see, Seth? This is how servants are to be trained. They should be willing to inflict bodily harm on themselves to please you. It is your pleasure and satisfaction that should be their purpose. I do not care if your servant girl has been taken or not. My word is law! If you are not willing to break her, I will do it for you. She is to be at my chamber tonight when the sun sets.”

“My pharaoh--.”

Yami growled. “Have you broken her yet?”

Set shook his head. “Not yet, my pharaoh.”

Yami cupped Aria’s cheek in his hand. “If you have not done so yet, then I guess I will have the pleasure of doing it myself. When the sun sets, Aria, you will be mine.”

Seth growled low in his throat. If there was one thing Seth could not stand about Yami, it was his attraction to young children. Seth felt a rush of anger and possessiveness run through his body. Aria was HIS! Aria did not belong to anyone else!

Yami walked past the shaking boy and the scowling High Priest. Aria gripped onto Seth and ran to Aten, lifting him onto his feet.

Aria took Aten’s finger and kissed it. “Poor Aten….”

Aten shrugged, trying to calm himself. “It’s okay, Aria. That’s not the worst thing he ever asked me to do for him.” Aten’s body shuddered and he sheathed the dagger.

Aria ran to Seth and wrapped her arms around his leg. “Seth, I do not wish to go to the pharaoh’s chambers! Please do not make me go!”

Seth pat her hair. “Aria, don’t worry, my girl. Everything is going to be alright.”

“Aten Bakari!” Anubis called to the little boy. Aten ran up to Anubis, saluting him. “What are you doing in these gardens again?”

Aten lowered his head. “I came to sharpen my blade here.”

“So, you came to the garden to sharpen your blade? Do you like the gardens, boy?”

Aten nodded slowly. “Yes, my lord. I enjoy the flowers.”

Anubis growled and raised a hand to the little boy. Aten didn’t react until Aria threw herself in front of Aten. Anubis stopped his assault as the palm of his hand almost came into contact with the High Priest’s servant girl.

“Don’t hurt Aten, General Anubis! Aten is my friend! I don’t want to see him hurt!”

Seth stood beside the two children. “If you touch my servant girl, Anubis, you will live to regret it!”

“This little whelp is mine, High Priest! He deserves to be taught a lesson!”

Seth took Aten’s hand. “For eight years I have seen you kick this boy, beat this boy, and starve this boy until he can’t stand up. I can’t stay silent about this anymore, Anubis! If I find one more part of this child’s body that has been bruised by your hand, you will find yourself in big trouble with me. I know that is the last thing that you want.”

Anubis bit his lip and bowed in front of the High Priest. “Yes, sir!”

Aria kept her arms wrapped around Aten. “Anubis won’t hurt you anymore, Aten.”

Seth looked down. “If he touches you again, Aten, you run to my chambers.”

Anubis growled. “Let’s go, Aten!” Aten followed Anubis out of the gate with an uncertain look back to Aria and Seth.

Aria hugged Set again. “Thank you for helping Aten, Seth.”

Seth cupped Aria’s cheek in his own. Even after five years of owning her, he could not distance himself from how beautiful she was becoming. Her spiky, white hair had become longer and was down to her waist. Her body was slender and even now he found himself having a hard time denying her anything.

“I don’t like to see servants mistreated, especially when it comes to my own servant.”

Aria hugged him again tightly. “Thank you, Seth.”

Seth smiled. “I have to return you to your mother. You need to be clean when the pharaoh comes to retrieve you.”

***********************

Seth took Aria to her mother to be bathed. He couldn’t tell her the reason for the bathing. Seth didn’t have the heart to tell the mother that the reason she is being bathed is so she could please the pharaoh. He refused to subject Rayna to that thought.

Rayna was only told to bathe her and cover her body in the finest oil. Seth remained with Rayna and watched her bathe Aria, biting his lip nervously. He couldn’t fight the pharaoh. The pharaoh’s words were law. But, he could not allow Aria to lose her womanhood to not only a man who did not love her, but to a man who did not even enjoy women in the same way he enjoyed other men.

Seth bit his lip as his children surrounded him, hugging him and crowding around him to sit on his lap. Seth hugged the three girls who managed to climb onto his lap. The High Priest suppressed an urge to throw up thinking of how Yami could enjoy kids just as much as other men his age.

Seth watched Rayna bathe Aria. He was grateful that Yami gave him another chance with her after the birth of their first daughter five years before. Yami had threatened to take Rayna himself if she failed to conceive a boy in the next pregnancy. A streak of possessiveness filled him when it came to Rayna. He knew what a violent lover Yami could be and it disgusted him to think of what the pharaoh would do to the woman he had grown to love as much as his other wives.

When Aria was dressed in an ankle-length white dress, Seth called out to Aria. “Aria, come sit on your master’s lap.”

Aria ran to Seth and sat on his lap. She wrapped her arms around Seth’s neck and smiled up at him with her bright brown eyes. “Yes, my master?”

Seth looked down, gripping her skinny leg and shivering at the thought of Yami tainting her before her time. “The pharaoh wishes for you to please him in his chamber.”

Rayna covered her mouth with her hand. “He can’t!”

Aria’s eyes opened wide. Her body began to tremble. “W—What, master?”

Seth held her closer. “The pharaoh….is to……..He wants you to…..”

Rayna approached Seth slowly. “Seth, please….you can’t let Yami take her before her time! Please!”

Seth looked up at her. “I cannot stop Yami. He is pharaoh.”

Yami burst through the door. “Where is Aria, Seth? She is to be in my chambers now!”

The children crowded around Seth’s legs ran behind him, shivering.

Seth looked down at Aria, who cuddled close him when Yami entered. Seth sighed and shook his head. “You’re too late. Aria’s virginity has been taken,” Seth lied. “I have taken Aria’s womanhood this afternoon.”

Yami stood in front of Seth and growled. “You told me that you have not broken her yet! Do I need to examine her myself?”

Aria closed her eyes shut and gripped onto Seth tightly. Seth continued to hold her close.

“I have had the pleasure of breaking Aria myself,” Seth lied once more. “You cannot break her now.”

Yami clenched his fists. “You knew I was to break her myself, Seth! You openly defied me! Well, even if I cannot have her broken, I will take her into my bed! Give her to me!”

Seth clutched onto Aria tightly. “I will not let my servant girl go. She has been broken.”

“Good. Then there is nothing in my way when I make love to her.”

Aria let out a little whimper as Yami reached for her. She opened her eyes to see Ahmose, Seth’s fifteen year old daughter, jump in front of her father and Aria.

“Pharaoh, please don’t take Aria! I don’t want her hurt!”

Yami growled as he advanced on her. “You beg me for mercy? Do you know how dangerous that is?”

“Pharaoh Yami, it isn’t right to take Aria away!”

Yami grabbed Ahmose’s wrist. “You let ME decide what is right and what is wrong!”

Ahmose struggled to tear her wrist away. “You can’t take Aria! She’s only a child!”

Aria grabbed onto Ahmose’s robe. “No! Ahmose, don’t get in trouble for me!”

Ahmose shook her head. “I can’t allow you to treat Aria like this! She’s only an eight year old girl!”

“She’s an eight year old girl who needs to learn her place! She has to learn to please her masters!”

Seth narrowed his eyes. “She did please me in bed! I did teach her what her place is…under me!”

“I do not trust you, High Priest! If you have taken her womanhood, why is she not bleeding?”

“Because I am not a violent lover, as my many women will tell you!”

Ahmose grabbed Yami’s arm when he reached for Aria again.

Yami backhanded Ahmose, sending her to the ground. The children ran to their respective mothers, who gripped their children close. “Nobody grabs the pharaoh!” Yami sneered looking at the fallen girl.

Seth put Aria on the ground and she ran to Rayna. Seth kneeled before his daughter and gathered her to his chest, hugging her against his body.

“Ahmose! Ahmose, are you alright, my child?”

Ahmose wiped a trail of blood falling down her face. “I’m fine, father.”

Seth wiped her lip free of blood and kissed her forehead. “You struck my daughter and made her bleed!” Seth’s body shook in anger. “I will not tolerate my children being assaulted!”

Yami crossed his arms. “Ra gives me the power I need to do what I wish. Therefore, if you do not wish me to slay your daughter where she lays, I suggest you give her to me!”

Seth hugged his daughter tightly. “I don’t wish my daughter harmed.”

Yami growled. “GUARDS!”

The guards entered the room. “Yes, our pharaoh!”

“Take this girl to my chamber,” Yami said pointing at Ahmose. “If I cannot take your slave girl, I will take your daughter!”

Seth buried his face in her black hair and sniffled. Ahmose gripped onto Seth and looked up at her father.

“Father?”

Seth looked into her green eyes. “Yes….my child?”

“I love you, daddy,” she whispered before the guards forced her to her feet. Aria ran to Seth, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Seth reached up to Ahmose, but the guards were dragging her out of the room. “Pharaoh Yami, please reconsider! Ahmose is my last daughter alive who I fathered with Neferu!”

“Do not question my authority, High Priest! If I find my orders questioned in the future, I will eliminate your entire harem and I will find you decent women to give me an heir! I have already lost my patience long ago with you and your herd of females!” Yami loomed over Seth clutching onto Aria tightly. “You are not immune to being replaced yourself, High Priest! If you cannot father a child, I will have to do it myself, as much as I cringe at the thought! But, I will replace you if that is what I must do!”

Ahmose called out to her father from the hallway. Seth growled into Aria’s white, spiky hair.

“What are you going to do with my daughter?”

“I will use her as I wish! I will then use her as a test for a spell that I have found to make me have ultimate power! I would be more powerful than Ra himself!”

Seth stood up with anger. “You cannot use my daughter for that purpose! That is blasphemy! No being can be more powerful than Ra himself!”

Yami grinned. “I will be. I have read the necessary incantations! Now I need the seven Millennium Items to attain this power and I need spirits to inhabit them! You cannot tell me what I can and cannot do, High Priest. When I am the most powerful being in the universe, you do not want to be my enemy!”

Seth remembered the Book of Prophecy, a collection of ancient spells and incantations! That must have been what Yami had been reading.

The book was in the royal library. Seth narrowed his eyes. He had to destroy that collection of scrolls! Yami could not be allowed to become immortal!

Yami narrowed his eyes at Seth. “If you will excuse me, Seth, I must go and….enjoy your daughter.”

Seth held Aria close to him as he saw Yami leave the room. When Yami left, Seth collapsed in the chair, covering his eyes. “Ahmose…..my daughter.”

All ten of Seth’s women gathered around him, hugging him, stroking his hair, kissing his face and hands, and gripping him. Seth looked up and saw Rayna.

“Thank you, Seth. I’m sorry about Ahmose.”

Seth took a deep breath. He kissed each one of his ten wives. “Aria, come with your mother and I. Veria, please come, too. Goodnight. I will retire to my chambers.”

Seth took possession of Rayna’s hand. Veria, a thirty year old woman, took Aria’s hand and followed her master to his chambers.

They arrived in Seth’s chambers. Seth released Rayna’s hand and turned toward Aria.

“Aria, it’s time you prepare me for bed. Veria, please see to it that Rayna is prepared to bed with me tonight.”

Veria bowed. “Yes, my lord.”

Rayna watched Aria and Seth intently. Rayna watched her daughter for the first time preparing her master for bed.

Aria kneeled before him and removed his sandals and helped him disrobe. Aria went for a bottle of oil on the table beside the bed. The girl poured some of the substance on her hand.

Rayna tensed up as she watched Aria rub the oil on his shoulders. How far was Seth making Aria go?

Seth smiled and stoked Aria’s hair as she covered his shoulders with oil.

“Thank you for holding me, Seth,” Aria said with a small smile.

“I told you before, Aria. I want to protect you. I don’t want anyone to harm what is mine.”

Veria cleaned Rayna. “My lord, do you wish me to dress her?”

Seth shook his head. “No. She looks…as beautiful as the day I saw her.”

Rayna smiled and blushed.

Aria was rubbing oil into his chest and Seth took her hand.

“That’s as far as you go, my little flower. Take Veria’s hand and return to the others.”

Aria took Veria’s hand. Seth reached out for Veria and kissed her gently on the lips.

“Goodnight, my goddess,” Seth smiled at Veria.

Seth kissed Aria on the cheek. “Goodnight, my little flower.”

Aria kissed him back. “Pleasant dreams, Seth.”

Veria and Aria left. Seth stood up from the bed and approached Rayna.

Seth took Rayna’s hand and brought it to her heart. “I really do love you, Rayna.”

Rayna managed a smile. “Why did you wish to bed with me tonight, Seth? There are other women in your harem more worthy than myself.”

Seth lead her over to the bed and laid her down. Seth crawled on top of her. “I need the pleasure you give me tonight. Your body is as beautiful as the goddess Isis. I need your love to surround me tonight. I need you to give yourself to me.”

Seth rolled over, pulling her on top of him.

“Anything…..for the one I love,” Rayna whispered, smiling.

Rayna leaned over and brought Seth into a passionate kiss. Seth’s hands slid down her back and came to rest on her hips, pulling her closer.

Rayna gave a moan as her lover gently kneaded her skin, rubbing and caressing her. She kissed down Seth’s neck, licking a trail up his ear, following the path of a pulsing vein.

Seth moved his head to the side to give his lover more access. The woman’s tongue warmed up his skin and sent shivers of desire up his spine.

Seth’s hands moved up her side, letting his fingers drift up the bumps of her ribs, and rising to gently cup her breasts in his hands.

“Seth…..love you,” Rayna moaned as she whispered beside his ear.

Seth’s hands moved to her shoulders, bringing her down for a kiss. “My wife….”

Rayna smiled. “I never expected such an honor from anyone, Seth. I lived the life that I was forced to live. I never knew anyone would want to rescue me from that life….except….Bakura.”

“Bakura?”

“The thief who was whipped in Yami’s throne room.”

Seth stroked Rayna’s cheek. “I’ve fallen in love with you, Rayna. I could not imagine you living that life any longer.”

Rayna reached over and grabbed the bottle of oil. She squeezed some on her hands and began rubbing the oil into Seto’s chest and his stomach as she straddled his waist.

Slowly gyrating her hips on his manhood, the High Priest began fisting the sheets. Trying to resist the urge to enter her before she was ready, Seth let out a long, loud moan of desperation.

Seth, unable to take the pleasurable torture, grabbed the bottle and squeezed some oil on his hand. His hands went to her shoulders and trickled down to her breasts, covering the areas around the nipples with oil.

Rayna took her oil-covered hands and covered his weeping arousal. Her delicate hands wrapped around Seth’s manhood, stroking him rhythmically.

The High Priest sat up and let out another moan as he took Rayna’s left nipple into his mouth, enveloping it in his hot, moist heat. Rayna rested her head on his shoulders as he licked the peaking flesh. She pressed her lips to his neck as she felt his hands coming between her legs, rubbing gently between the folds of her body.

The woman’s arms left the hardened member of her husband and wrapped around his neck as he slipped one finger into her moist channel. A slight shiver rose up her back as her body accustomed herself to her husband once again.

They had been married for only twelve moons, and in that year, Rayna had seen him through the arranged marriages of three of his daughters, the illness of two of his youngest children, and the death of one of his women.

Rayna took possession of his lips again, dipping her tongue into his mouth with greed. Seth permitted very few of his women to be so demanding, but he never scolded them for it.

Seth slipped another finger into her, feeling her inner walls expand and allow him more entrance into her.

“Seth….let me make love to you,” Rayna whispered.

Seth removed his digits and allowed Rayna to slowly slide herself onto his manhood. Rayna kept her eyes locked on her husband as he slipped higher into her.

When she had become completely enmeshed with his body, she smiled and they locked each other in a deep, passionate kiss once more.

The High Priest cupped her buttocks in his hands, pulling her closer.

Rayna’s fingers ghosted over Seth’s chest, teasing his right nipple in return.

His wife began riding him slowly and taking staggered breaths. Seth thrust up into the heat above him, unable to contain himself any longer.

Rayna smiled as Seth laid back on the bed and took her hands. She continued to rock on her husband and bring herself up and down on him. The High Priest eventually took her hips and began moving into her with desperate movements.

“My wife…..oh gods,” Seth begged, his body now a mass of sweat.

Rayna’s head flew back as she continued to slam herself onto her husband.

Seth could feel her body beginning to convulse with her impending orgasm. Seth sat up once again and took her other nipple into his mouth, sucking greedily on the peaked flesh.

Rayna slammed herself onto Seth once more, her body releasing her passion with a final scream. Seth flipped her over on her back and began pounding into her.

His wife let out a scream of pleasure as Seth made love to her. Seth’s body shuddered and he let out a scream of his own as he spilled himself into her.

He collapsed on her, panting heavily, his body still flooding her with his passion. Rayna’s arms wrapped around him and held him closely to her.

Seth managed to catch his breath and look at her, his face dripping with sweat. “My beautiful Rayna….I love you so much!”

She smiled. “I love you, my husband.”

Seth removed himself from her and laid beside her. He held her in his arms until she fell asleep.

When she closed her eyes, Seth slid from the bed. He placed a robe over him.

Seto’s POV

I had to get rid of the Book of Prophecy! I didn’t want Yami to become more powerful than he is. An immortal tyrant would be the death of Egypt and its people.

I couldn’t let that happen!

I left my bedroom and planned my route to the library. Nobody was permitted to see me destroying the necessary spells. The garden path was the best route to the library.

Sneaking out of the room, I passed Yami’s chambers praying I would not hear the pharaoh taking my daughter.

Ahmose…always my most defiant daughter, but I loved her like my other offspring.

I left the palace and entered the gardens when a loud crash came from the pharaoh’s room and a cry of pain from Yami.

Ahmose must be fighting back. That’s my little girl.

Racing to the library, I looked around for the scrolls. I found them already unraveled and I scanned them.

This scroll says that a pharaoh would be born who would crave unlimited power. He would use this power to rule the world without mercy. ‘He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’ will become a plague on the world.

Impossible. Tell me this isn’t talking about Yami!

The next scroll told me that two children will be born of humble birth. A girl will be the offspring of a thief. She will grow into an extravagant beauty. The High Priest will make her womb large with child. This child would have the power to stop the pharaoh and destroy him, despite his immortality. This child will not take its first breath, having been murdered in the womb by the merciless pharaoh.

Impossible! I could never…..think of touching Aria that way!

This girl shall not stand against the Evil alone. The girl’s accomplice will be a boy, also born of a humble woman and a noble man. He will be trained to be a killer, but his heart speaks the language of timidity and submission. Together, this girl and boy will stand against Greed.

I read enough of this! I looked on the other table and I found the prophecy I was looking for.

This scroll discussed the legendary Millennium Items. Whoever owned these seven Millennium Items would achieve supreme power and immortality.

These Items numbered Seven and would be inhabited by spirits: The Millennium Puzzle would be the prison of the pharaoh. The Spirit of the Millennium Ring would be a thief who had the ability to harness Shadow Powers, dark powers of an Otherworld. The Spirit of the Millennium Rod had the ability to harness the energies of the Elements of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. The other Items had great powers. The Millennium Necklace would allow its owner the power to gaze into the past and future. The Millennium Eye would allow its owner to see into different dimensions. The Millennium Scales and the Key would be in possession of the protector of the Millennium Items. These items had the power of judgment and allowed their owner to unlock access into a person’s unconscious mind.

Whoever wielded all seven items would become immortal, powerful, and able to harness energies that were not of this world.

Is this what Yami is looking for? Is Yami looking for these items in an attempt to achieve world domination?

Yami is bad enough as a pharaoh. There’s more….

The pharaoh who attempts to achieve immortality will be a plague on this earth. He will be unstoppable. He will be immortal. He will murderer the born and unborn in his quest to possess all seven Millennium Items.

The pharaoh shall slay the young boy first, watching with satisfaction as his blood christens the ground. The pharaoh’s lust for blood will not stop with the boy. The girl, born of humble birth, and her unborn male child, shall perish at the pharaoh’s hand.

I opened the scroll that I found discarded on the floor. Inside was the spells, incantations, and instructions on how to charge the items with the souls of others. Without these spirits, the items would be without energy.

I took the scroll and torn it in shreds, destroying the spells. I took a stylus and altered the prophecy. No one must know about the true prophecy.

When I had destroyed the scrolls and altered the prophecy, I returned to the gardens.

From the pharaoh’s room, I could hear my daughter screaming, begging, pleading for the pharaoh to stop.

My daughter…he’s hurting my child. The child whom I pulled from Neferu’s womb…is being forced into pleasing the pharaoh..

Never have I felt so helpless.

Never before have I felt a strong desire to stand up against the pharaoh and everything he represents.

I pulled Ahmose from Neferu’s womb, I fathered her.

And now all I could do is listen to her suffer.

The pharaoh will not get away with this!