V.E.: I don't know why, but I just got this idea for a oneshot and it won't leave my mind. I promise after this I will try and work on the next chapters in my other fics.

Please enjoy. At least if you can enjoy this. It is a little sad.

Aknamkamon knows he isn't getting better.

The court physician doesn't tell him. No words needed to be said because of the look in his eyes. In fact, it's merely confirming it. After all, he was the one inhabiting the body that was failing. He had suspected as much.

None of the rest of the court knows the truth; that the pharoah's cough is more serious than anyone realizes. Not Shimon, not his brother Aknadin. Not even his son knows.

He knows if he tells the court they won't accept it. He is the pharaoh, the living incarnation of Horus, the representation of the gods on earth. It hasn't crossed their minds that the pharaoh could be anything else.

But he isn't just a god. He is also a human, a human that can make mistakes and die just like anyone else. Very few know this side to him, it would be perceived a sign of weakness.

Well, it wasn't like he hadn't known this would come eventually. All pharaohs were bound to end up with Anubis and his scales weighing the deeds of their life. In that one way, he was equal with the rest of his subject. Despite how nice his tomb would be, he must die. He had long since come to grips with his mortality.

And compared to some of his predecessors, he had lived a good life. There had been fighting and unrest; but not as much as other pharaohs. For the most part, Egypt had been peaceful during his reign.

Aknamkamon hadn't gotten around to everything he had wanted to do, but for the most part he had enjoyed his life.

But there was one thing that made him scared. And it wasn't for him.

Atem.

He had hoped he would have lived longer before his son would take his place as pharaoh. Though in his opinion, no one was ready to pharaoh.

Some are born great, some are born to become great, and others have greatness thrust upon them. Aknamkamon was a little of all three.

In the back of his mind, he knows Atem will be fine. He wouldn't be alone, he'll have the Six Guardians to aid him. His son was strong, smart, and capable.

At the same time, Akanamkamon knows he won't see this. He won't see his son become great, marry, or even see his grandchildren.

That's what saddens him.

"Pharaoh…Pharaoh."

Aknamkamon woke up from his inner musings, blinking back to attention.

Shimon is looking at him concerned to his side with Atem right next to him wearing a similar expression. His brother had also paused in his speech. The eyes are all on him.

He knows he can't go on with this. At the very least he needed some rest.

Akanamkamon stood up and cleared his throat.

"That will be all for today. Aknadin, we'll have to continue this tomorrow."

Aknadin stares at his brother for a moment before sighing.

"As you wish pharaoh."

Aknamkamon nods his head to the court, the sign of dismissal. He gestured to his son who followed right behind him as they leave the court room.

Once they seemed to be a safe distance away, Atem breaks the silence of their shared walk.

"Father, are you alright?"

He turns to his son, his voice even and calm.

"Of course my son, why do you ask?"

"It's just you seem to be lost in thought a lot these days. This is the third day in a row you ended the court session like that."

Aknamkamon felt his face give a small smile. His son was perceptive all right.

"When you get as old as I am, you'll get sentimental too. It's a mark of getting old."

He gave a small chuckle that turned into a hacking cough, that did not sound good at all as he hunched over. Atem went to his side, his concerned look gaining some desperation.

"Father! Father!'

Aknamkamon regained control of his cough, for now.

"Don't worry. The court physician says it isn't that serious. I'm fine."

Atem's face relaxes slightly, but his voice doesn't lose anything.

"If you say so. But please get some rest."

For a moment, the scene flashes and Aknamkamon's eyes widened slightly. In Atem's place is a more feminine face with even darker skin and blood red eyes instead of the amethyst of his son's.

"You've been pushing yourself again! Don't deny it! I understand being pharaoh important, but you also have to take care of yourself. You may be a god, but it's okay to be human you know?"

Layla….

Aknamkamon blinks and he is back with his son. For a moment, he doesn't move.

Atem's face loses its sternness and gives way to confusion.

"Father?"

Instead of chuckling like earlier, Aknamkamon just gives a small smile.

"For a moment, you reminded me of your mother. She also scolded me like that."

With that note he turns back to walk, knowing his son is surprised. He never mentions her, it is an unwritten unspoken rule of the court not to speak of her.

Atem, nevertheless, continued to walk with him after he had regained his composure. But Aknamkamon knew what was in his son's heart, curiosity and a desire to know more about his mother.

So long had it been since he had thought of her. So long since he had even spoken about her.

He glanced at his son before turning back to his thoughts. Aside from his eyes, Atem didn't look much like Aknamkamon, instead taking after him personality wise. He took more after his mother appearance wise. His blonde bangs, tanner skin, lean facial structure, and eyelashes so thick that the maids gossiped what a shame it was that a boy had such nice eyelashes.

To Aknamkamon, it was both a great joy and a great curse that Atem looked like her. It delighted him to have a memory of her, a remembrance of their love and of what had been between them. And at the same time, it was like a knife in his heart. A reminder of what he had lost and his own foolishness.

He knew he should tell Atem about her, but if he did that he knew he wouldn't stop there. He would tell him everything and that was what scared Aknamkamon the most.

The closest Atem had come to knowing everything had been the day Aknamkamon took him to the underground temple. He was confused about it, but hadn't questioned anything afterwards.

If you knew the truth about everything, would you still look at me with such admiration in your eyes? I am not a blameless king. I have secrets that I hope you will never have to bear.

Aknamkamon returned to the present and realized his son and him had walked into the palace gardens. He then recalled something he had heard from Shimon earlier.

"Oh yes, how is the swordsmanship coming?"

Atem sighed, exasperated.

"Why does Seto have to teach me again?"

"Because he's the best swordsman and Mahad is busy with teaching Mana. Although, he doesn't seem to getting anywhere with her at the moment."

Atem smiled and laughed slightly.

"Trying to get Mana to do lessons is like trying to get Uncle to loosen up."

Aknamkamon smirked slightly, feeling a bit mean towards his brother.

"I suppose that's true, but don't have him hear you say that."

His son may find Seto a little difficult, but Aknamkamon knows that they are getting closer together with the swords lessons. He was fond of Seto as much as he is of Mahad, who watched Atem like an older brother.

Maybe it's also the fact that he reminds me of Aknadin when he was Seto's age. Perhaps that's the reason why my brother taken him under his wing.

He was just about to tell his son he was ready to return to his chambers when his eye was caught by an unusual sight.

"Oh my. It looks like Mahad was serious about getting Mana to act more lady like."

Ahead of them near the pond, Isis was strumming a harp and showing Mana how to play the notes. The apprentice magician followed along with polite interest and some curiosity, but she seemed to be making some big mistakes. The sound was not all that pleasant to Aknamkamon's ears.

Mahad must have asked Isis to teach Mana to act more womanlike since this was an area Mahad would know nothing about. Then again, it could have been a pretext for Mahad to talk to Isis. Old as he was, Aknamkamon was neither blind to the looks those two shot each other nor deaf to the rumors of them being sighted alone together. There was very little in the palace he didn't know about.

Aknamkamon smiled softly as Isis gave up trying to teach Mana instead just playing. Mana jumped right up and started dancing. For being clumsy at magic, Mana was a surprisingly good dancer.

He was as fond of Mana as he was of Mahad and Seto. She had been a good friend for his son and although she wasn't the most talented magician, he knew she was getting better.

Bright, energetic, cheerful, and in some ways a risk taker. She reminded him of Layla. Though Atem may look like her, Mana's personality was more like hers. If he had ever had a daughter, he would have liked her to be like Mana.

Aknamkamon turned back to his son, ready to be criticized for being caught up in his thoughts again, but found his eyes grow wider in surprise.

Atem wasn't looking at his father at all, instead his eyes were fixed completely in Mana's direction. The gaze was gentle, with almost a longing to it. The look was far away, but Aknamkamon could sense the emotions behind them.

In that moment, he was taken back to past days with a similar look being fixed on another graceful dancer with blonde bangs, dark skin, red eyes, and grace; that danced like the fire that burned in his own heart.

He smiled as the memories washed over him.

Yep, he's my son alright.

He cleared his throat and brought his son out of his own musings. Atem was startled before glancing at him father and blushing with embarrassment.

They return back to their walk, away from the music and dancing.

Finally, they arrived back at Aknamkamon's room. Atem looks over at his father, his previous concern back.

"You will get some rest right?"

Aknamkamon nodded, almost indulgently.

"Yes, yes, I will."

Atem smiled as he turned to leave.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow Father."

"You too. And Atem?"

"Yes?"

Aknamkamon couldn't help the smile twisting on his face so he turned his back to his son and opened the door to his room.

"You might want to be a little more discreet in your staring."

He closes the door, knowing very well the dumbstruck face on his son. In the confines of his room, he gave a great mental chuckle. He didn't want to chance a coughing fit again while his son was in hearing distance.

Well, I'll just have to trust in the future with everything. My son I know you will become a good king.

Never forget that justice is in the gods, my son. And I will be right there with them.

V.E.: Man, glad I got that idea out of my mind. Why do oneshots always sound better in my head?

I know what Aknamkamon looks like, but aside from the eyes I don't see much resemblance to his son. I read this line a while ago, "Effort?! You're mother's pretty that's why you're handsome!" I also saw a picture of her on deviantart(I know its fiction, but it would be kind of hypocritcal to say that on this site). So in my mind, Atem gets his pretty genes from her.

I'll probably post the picture if I decide to go ahead with a longer story about before Atem was born, about his parents and his uncle and his lover. Still debating it.

Layla means Dark Beauty, or Born at Night. Considering that Atem's future pseudonym Yami means Shadow, I thought it would the perfect name for her. I also have one for Priest Seto's mother.

Atem doesn't seem to grow up with his mother. At least, she isn't seen in any of his flashbacks(I'm going by anime). It's kind of implied she's dead. Whether she turns out that way in my story or not is what I'm still debating.

On another note, in my poll it's a tie between Boy's Academy and A Thief in the Night. Please vote now, I'm taking off the other two.

Please review!