The nurse paced impatiently at the front desk, watching the main entrace doors with frustrated brown eyes. That Reia woman was holding up her plans for the remainder of the day and she was already late. She could imagine her boyfriend waiting at the cafe' tapping his foot because of her absence, but she couldn't do a thing about it. She was assigned to the wound treatment of Reia Landon and her date had to wait. Job's always come first you know. (A/N: lol, that's how it is with my mom at least. she works on labor day for cryin' out loud!)

"Curse that girl!" she shouted angrily, receiving an immediate 'Shh!!' from the secretary at the desk. "Oh I don't care! If she's not here in the next thirty seconds, I'm gonna-!"

"Sorry, Nurse Val!" Reia's voice penetrated the nurse's fit. "I got held up on my way here!"

'I don't doubt it...' the nurse said to herself as she slapped a smile on her face. "Hey Reia! How's that shoulder doin'?"

"Better, thanks." Reia replied, rubbing the wounded area tenderly. "Thanks to a certain someone..."

Val noticed the almost starry-eyed look in Reia's glimmering emeralds, like they were gazing deep into the universe and had found the most beautiful of stars. She smirked and led Reia down to the nearest hospital room available, and as she opened the door for her patient she spoke. "Is that why you're late?" she said slyly.

Reia's head snapped back to look at Val, observing the chuckles that came from her. "Nice try, Val." Reia told her with an equally, though disappointing grin to match Val's. "Someone else caught my attention and insisted I meet his brother."

"Oh?" Val said, adding intrigue to her voice as she began to remove the bandage covering Reia's still healing stab wound. "And who was this brother?"

The blue haired woman sighed, dreamily, but heavily, as if she was un-happy she met the man. "...Seto Kaiba."

"SAY WHAT?!"Val shouted, nearly dropping her cutting tool to help remove reluctant bandaging. "You mean the richest AND hottest guy in Domino just pulled you aside and said 'hi'?"

"Well...it wasn't exactly like that."

"Don't you even dare to leave me hangin', or I'll go after the real knife and cut your whole arm off!" Val said, gesturing down at the bandage. Reia laughed a bit at her nurse's threat, and nodded in reply that she would tell what happened.

"I was on my way here, when his little brother, Mokuba, whom I didn't even know just came up to me. We talked for only a few seconds and he immediately said I had to meet his brother. Of course, I was both shocked and nervous. I had never met this man before and just showing up in a billionaire's office is not exactly polite. Nevertheless, Mokuba insisted. So I get there and..."

"And you fall to the ground he's so hot!"

"...No."

"He falls to the ground you're so cute!"

"No..."

"Oh wait! I know what happened! He was so amazed at how beautiful you were, he jumped out the window to his death because your beauty just killed him!"

"NO!"

"...Then what happened!?"

Reia shook her head in frustration. "You want me to continue telling you the story, or are you gonna lose your job when I tell your boss you read romance novels while sorting out prescriptions for patients?"

Silence.

"Thought so." Reia said with a grin. "Now anyway, I walk in there and I see him, and yes, I thought he was very very very cute. But there was something in his eyes that I couldn't understand..."

"A forbidden love that has lasted for centuries, and now he has come back to take you -!....Sorry, please continue."

"I promised Mokuba I'd come back sometime and we could spend the day together, but then Seto said he'd also look forward to seeing me." She stopped and looked down at her hands, recalling the gentleness he spread over them when they first met. It was almost like a fairy tale, but that could never be. They were two completely different people and she had swore long ago she'd never fall in love.

Val sighed in envy of her patient and friend, readying a small needle and tube to attatch to Reia. "Man, I wish I was you...anyway, time for your medication. You will feel sleepy and you'll wake up in about an hour. I'll make sure someone's here to help you get un-hooked...and get you hooked up with Seto Kaiba."

Reia smirked and wished she could playfully shove Val, but her position rendered her powerless in the situation, so instead she flinched a little when the needle punctured the tender skin of her shoulder, sending her off into a dreamy slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The main hall echoed with political chatter, mindless rambling about the weather, and frantic calls of servants here and there. But there was one intelligent conversation being held near the throne of the Pharaoh. It was between the ruler himself and his commander of the palace army, the two of them exchanging thoughts about the recent threats from the surrounding lands.

"Is it possible to send a small batallion north to take care of the supposed resistance movements?" the Pharaoh suggested, perching his chin upon his hands as his royal blue cloak draped over his shoulders majestically.

"I would've done that, Great One, but I'm afraid I can't spare any more brigades for fear of palace security." the commander replied, rather bleakly, hearing the Pharaoh sigh heavily in frustration.

"Commander Yehri..."Yami spoke deeply, straightening his back in authority. "If we don't stop these rising mobs, there will be no palace or kingdom to secure. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly, my Pharaoh." Yehri said in immediate reply of his Pharaoh's superiority. "I will send a brigade at once to deal with these who deny your supremacy."

As the commander pivoted around to leave his Pharaoh's presence, the dark voice of his ruler halted him. "Yehri..." Yami said, rising to his feet to approach his trusted friend. "I thank you for allowing Reia to serve in the palace. Her presence is indeed appreciated."

Yehri smiled and bowed humbly to his king. "It was my pleasure, Great One. Reia has certainly earned her reputation and she will serve you always." With that, Yami nodded his head in dismissal of his beloved commander and shifted his gaze to the right, seeing Reia stand there in perfect silence.

She was unshakingly still, but was poised with her lance so she could attack at any moment if a threat should be imposed against her Pharaoh. Yami admired her ferocity, but detested her constant blank stare, as if her mind was on nothing but her duty. Well, in a way that was good. A keen eye makes the unstoppable warrior.

He turned around and took the few steps back to his throne, using his arm to push his cloak out of the way as he sat down. He caught Reia's watchful gaze and smiled warmly at her, which she was determined to not respond to and only snapped her attention back to her duty.

'Why does he keep staring at me as though he expects something more of me?' she asked herself. 'I've already pledged my life in his service, what more can I give?'

The questions had boggled her for days, but she could never answer them because she didn't how to respond in all actuality. He was the Pharaoh to her, nothing more, nothing less, and her responsibility was to protect him at all costs.

Her thoughts were then rudely interrupted by a dark and forboding man that dared enter the Pharaoh's throne room. She immediately tightened the grip on her lance and shifted it forwards slightly to prepare for striking if the need be, but when she saw the look in his eyes her weapon nearly fell from her grasp. The alluring azure taking her conciousness captive when she at last caught herself before gazing deeper into their mesmorizing depths.

"Forgive my intrusion, Great Pharaoh..."the mysterious man said in a powerful, but secretive voice. "But I bring news from my sorcery brethren."

'Sorcery...?...Brethren...? This man must be...!'

"Yes, High Priest Seth. Please continue with your report." Reia heard the Pharaoh reply, urging his supreme sorcerer to tell him the news.

"We have at last deciphered the Curse of Ra, Great One!" the priest replied with delighted enthousiasm that Reia sneered at. No curse in her book was considered 'good news', let alone anything to sound so...happy about. "With it's unrivaled power we can destroy whatever opposition we wish!"

Reia saw Yami's expression almost harden into displeasure, obviously not glad to hear the news. She could tell that he didn't believe in the use of curses to seek greater power, despite his kingdom receiving numerous threats for the past several months. He stood up and approached Seth, a merciful glare evident in the scarlet colored orbs.

"I've told you before, Seth that I will not use these mystical curses to hurt those who are against me. I will fight my battles without your chaotic evil sorcery and enjoy the honor of victory, not the indignity of murder."

She wanted to applaud his striking words they were so true, but the presence of two important figures in her kingdom still stood before her, so she refrained from any such action. Yet in her mind she still praised her Pharaoh's determination to avoid further corruption of his land.

"Y...Yes, my Pharaoh. Forgive me." the high priest replied with almost deceitful humbleness that Reia didn't believe to be sincere. "Never again will I dishonor you by use of these treacherous rituals. I will do away with them at once."

As he turned to leave, he strode by Reia again, gazing at her curiously, but longingly. "This is Reia, Seth." Yami's voice rang with impeccable deepness. "She's been appointed my guardian. Reia, may I introduce High Priest Seth, master of the dragons."

"High Priest..."Reia said, bowing her head in respect, though she felt he deserved none due to the recent 'mishap' this priest just had with the Pharaoh.

"It is a pleasure, Reia." Seth replied, his eyes still staring into her's lustfully. "I earnestly hope our paths cross again."

'If they do, it will be too soon...'Reia told herself sarcastically, adding another nod in response as the priest finally took his leave of the duo. Yami exhaled deeply, catching Reia's attention immediately. "Is something wrong, Great One?" she asked him, curious of his behavior.

"I've never truly trusted him, Reia..." he replied, walking down the steps to stand next to her. "But he's a valuable asset with his dragons who protect my kingdom, yet even still, I sense a distilled bewilderment whenever I see him. However, he is a considerably nice man if you remove the smug attitude and overly proud position."

"I see..." Her sentence trailed off into a long pause between them, her mind diving for the correct words to say in return when she realized she should mention his stunning speech. "What you said about the curses are true, Great One. They are powerful and evil sources of destruction that are the coward's way out. Your decision to never let them be used during your reign is unsurpassed by any Pharaoh of the past and I am grateful Khemet has been blessed with such an honorable ruler."

He blushed furiously at her words, not desiring to take such credit for her statement when he finally looked back at her. Etched deeply into her face was a hidden hurting when she mentioned 'curses', as if the word struck her like a sword each time it was spoken. He assumed that a curse had somehow affected her in the past, but it was not his place to inquire about such a matter. Instead he smiled in gratitude and gestured that they venture down the corridor to his chamber, insisting he wanted to take a bath.

As he opened the doors to step into his drawing room, he saw Reia's lance tremble in her hand and he laughed. "Do not worry, Reia. I'll send for a male guardian to protect me during this time."

She sighed in relief and swallowed her nervousness, awaiting the guardian who was to protect the Pharaoh who still smirked playfully at her, trying to get her to smile. But his effort was in vain as finally a young man arrived with a sword attatched to a belt on his waist. As the newly arrived soldier entered the abyss of the Pharaoh's drawing room, Yami gestured that Reia could roam the palace if she desired and he would send for her once he was finished.

So she walked along the paths that wound about the palace, each corridor a new mystery to unlock as she rounded every corner with curiosity. The whole time she had been alone with just her thoughts as her company she growled, not wanting to deal with what her mind desired to discuss.

"The Pharaoh certainly finds your presence to be of comfort, young Reia." a nearly ominous voice said from down the hall.

Reia tightened her hand around her lance and prepared to strike, but the corridors were dark and dimly lit so she couldn't make out who it was that had spoken. "Who are you?" she replied into the darkness.

"A warrior for his Highness, just like you." they told her, stepping forward into the light. His face was a light blue along with ebony markings, his eyes a blazing yellow, and he had raven hair that fell down his back - symbolizing that he was a mage of the shadows. "I am Krayak, shadow mage to the Pharaoh."

"I have heard the tales of you spoken amongst the other soldiers I served with. Your magic is unrivaled by none, or so it has been said." Reia said, withdrawing her lance.

"Merely stories, young Reia. They mean nothing to me, only the Pharaoh's safety is of importance." Reia nodded in approval of that statement. "But I have heard of you also, Reia. The rarity of your kind - a woman with the tenacity to destroy all opposition she is faced with. It is no wonder the Pharaoh asked for you to be his guardian of soul."

"An honor I never deserved, but am grateful for."

Krayak laughed amusedly at her constant humble demeanor. "So formal...for a desert warrior." Reia's eyebrow sky rocketed at his words, unsure of their meaning. "I have sought you out, Reia to warn you of the traitor that walks these very passages every day, and he is determined to take the Pharaoh's life."

"...And how do I know you're not this traitor of whom you speak?" Reia shot back harshly, digging into the personality of the matter.

He chuckled again and spoke. "Precisely. You must be wary of everyone, young Reia. Anyone could be the traitor. I take my leave of you..." As he brushed past her, he stopped, their backs facing eachother. "You must guard him with your life, Reia. He is our only source of good left in our corrupted kingdom."