Chapter 1: Prologue

The Nile secretive movement, a darkness in daylight, bringer of life to the people of Egypt. Long before the first Pharaoh signaled the start of their civilization by building wondrous monuments alongside the black shores, the Nile flowed freely. The Nile was the source of life for small bands of Wanderers who lived along the fertile banks. Fish and fowl were abundant and they were crocodiles and hippopotamuses to hunt each spring. Every year the river would flood depositing a layer of rich dark mud from which wild barley grew. These prehistoric people of the Nile harvested their bounty with stone blades and arrowheads. Life alongside the Nile was so dependent on the river that the Greek historian Herodotus would later call Egypt the gift of the Nile and the Temple of the World. Several millennia before Christ would ever be known the ancient Egyptian civilization the people worshiped the Pharaohs, rulers of Egypt as if they were Gods, ruling this great prospers land.

"Ahh I can't read this anymore!" A young man at the age of 17 said as he slammed the book closed. He looked at his older brother who could be identical to him, some even thought they were twins.

Both boys had spiky black hair, with crimson tips, blond banks that framed their sharp facial features and lighting bolts to run up in their hair. The only difference between them was their skin. The older one had dark tan skin while the one who slammed his book had a white skin tone with a tan.

"Atemu, I can't read this anymore it's so boring." The one with the lighter skin tone said.

The older darkly tanned boy turned to his brother, "Yami, I had to read it too, and you're learning about our land and the Pharaohs who ruled before us."

Yami sighed as he looked at the book. "Can we go train; I'll promise I'll read more but I've already been studying for hours."

Atemu sighed as he closed the book he was reading for fun and agreed. He learned long ago if he did what his younger brother requested when it came for him to study then he would do it. "Fine, only if you promise you will study afterword."

Yami quickly got up nodding his head. He may hate studying but he would always keep his word. He quickly grabbed his brother before dragging him off to the training grounds where they would practice self-defense and sword technics.

As the brothers arrived the training area they saw two of their cousins, Marik and Bakura training, One with bright platinum (nearly white with hints of blonde) hair with a psychopath gaze, and the other with pearl white hair training, those two where the torture guards inside the royal palace. They were also the best they had in torturing too.

Yami waited until it was a safe time to yell out to them, "Hey we want to train too." Both men stopped and stared at their cousin the prince of Egypt and his older brother the crowned Prince.

"Good, stop standing there and join up. Choose your partner, myself or Marik." The one with the white hair said.

"Thanks Bakura!" Yami said as he ran over to the man named Bakura while Atemu had paired up with the other one Marik.

Bakura smirked, "Got tired of your royal studies again?" Yami, "You know it." He took a self-defense stand before the two started their hand to hand combat.

Even though all four of them where good fighters, Yami was number one in the Kingdom, Atemu being the second strongest (even though he was crown prince) and then Marik being the third, while Bakura was the fourth strongest. Their other cousin even though he was a priest in training he was the 5th strongest in the kingdom in terms of hand to hand combat and skills with a sword.

After an hour of training the group was a little worn out but all stopped when the someone had called for them. "Prince Yami, Crown Prince Atemu, Lord Marik, and Lord Bakura sorry to interrupt you but the Pharaoh and her Majesty would like a word with you" a young servant girl stated. She was terrified of Marik and Bakura.

Atemu knew the girl was frightened by the two, "Thank you, Aoi right?" The servant girl perked up a bit when Crowned Prince Atemu stated her name "Yes, crown prince Atemu." The girl smiled, she didn't mind being a slave in this palace the royal family was very generous and nice. The girl bowed once more before she left to return to her duties.

Bakura was the first to speak, "Wonder what Uncle wants to talk to us about."

Marik responded, "Do you think it's about the last person we tortured."

Bakura, "Nah we didn't kill them and we got the information out."

The two princes minded their own business, they knew their father wouldn't call them for no good reason.

Once they arrived to the doors leading the throne room the guards made their presence known. "My Pharaoh and his Majesty, Crowned Prince Atemu, Prince Yami, Lord Bakura, and Lord Marik are here." The Pharaoh also known as Aknankanon and his wife Amara nodded as the group walked in.

Yami noticed their other cousin Seto was there. His biological name was Seth but he didn't want to be compared to one of the Egyptian gods so he went by Seto.

"My sons, and nephews, I have grave news." Aknankanon stated.

Atemu looked worriedly at his father, "Father what is it."

Aknankanon sighed as his wife, Amara, spoke, "The Roman Empire council as well as our own wants an arranged marriage if we wish to have a peace treaty."

Atemu knew this day would happen, but it didn't mean he was ready for it. "But father…"

Aknankanon stopped him, "Don't worry Atemu, we all know you are not straight. The Roman King had twins, a son and daughter. Atemu, you are to marry Prince Heba of the Roman Empire, and Yami you are to marry Crowned Princess Yugi of the Roman Empire." The two looked at each other, they knew they wouldn't be able to marry for love but this was ridiculous.

Bakura, "Hey Atemu, Yami at least they got the genders right."

Atemu sighed at this, "Yes, thank you for that father."

Amara spoke up again, "We are not finished."

Marik stopped laughing after he heard the rest.

Amara looked at her nephews with sorrowful eyes, "Seto you are to marry Lord Joey, Bakura you are to marry Lady Ryou, and Marik you are to marry Lord Malik."

Bakura and Marik were quick to voice their opinions, "We have to get married too!" Seto just groaned.

Bakura sighed looking at the others, "At least they got the gender right for us too."

Marik rolled his eyes, "Kura you're bisexual. Yami is the only one who is fully straight."

Seto sighed, "When do we meet them."

Aknankanon looked at his son's and nephews, "They will be arriving next month, please behave. Especially you two." He was staring at Bakura and Marik.

Amara, "We know you boys wanted to marry for love, but please understand, this is for the good of our Kingdom."

Atemu nodded, "We understand mother but can we ask but one request in this endeavor."

Aknankanon looked at his eldest son, "What is that my son."

Yami knew what his brother was thinking and spoke up. "Can the marriages be in one year so that we can at least get to know them as a person. We don't wish to have disagreements being forced into a marriage. We ask we get to know them."

Amara smiled gently and turned to her husband, "I don't think that's a bad idea honey."

Aknankanon nodded in agreement, "I will ask the Roman King this, and if I can't get you a year I'll try for half a year, is that alright."

Seto nodded, "Yes Pharaoh." Marik bowed respectfully, "Thank you."

The king shook his head, "It is the least I can do for you making this sacrifice. You may be excused now."

All five men started walking out. As they were walking out though Queen Amara stopped her youngest child, Yami. "Yami sweetheart, can you stay behind for a second."

Yami looked at everyone and said with his eyes go on without him before turning back to his mother and father.

Once the others were gone Yami spoke up, "Mother, what is it?"

Amara hesitated for a moment, "Yami…" she was thinking of the gentlest way to put this, "Yami, sweetheart, there is something you need to know about Crown Princess Yugi."

Yami turned and gave his full attention to his mother, "Mother… What's wrong? It must be bad if you couldn't tell me in front of the others."

Aknankanon gave a sad smile to his son, "Princess Yugi is dying."

Yami gave his parents a look of shock, "What?" Amara shook her head confirming what his father had just said.

Aknankanon continued, "From what King Solomon told us last week during the negotiations a curse was placed on his daughter before her birth, the curse is undiscovered."

Amara looked at Yami and sighed, "The princes also holds magic, from what the king assumed is the reason why she's dying."

Yami was curious now, someone other than himself was born with magic, "She holds magic? Is it like my shadows?"

Aknankanon nodded, "Yes my son, and from what we know hers is a power of light, rather than shadows."

Yami smiled slightly, the princess was the opposite of him, "Thank you for telling me."

Amara continued, "King Solomon also thinks Princess Yugi will be lucky if she lives another 5 years. Her health has been declining rapidly due to the curse."

Yami gasp in horror, "That's terrible. How old is she?"

Amara smiled softly, "She's 15." Yami's eyes widened, "She's only expected to live to the age of 20?" Amara nodded sadly

Aknankanon looked at his son, "With all that known, princess Yugi will be a lot weaker than everyone. So, we expect you to aid her in any way you can. The Roman King fought hard with our council trying to stop the princess from being put into the agreement, but the bloody bastards on our council wouldn't hear of it, greedy bastards."

Yami chuckled a little at his father's description of their council, he wasn't happy with a few of them and everyone knew it. "Father, I was already planning on helping her the moment you said we were to wed, now that I know she's dying, how could I not? But…" Yami looked at his parent's hesitantly, "Isn't there anything we can do to help? I don't think it's right someone so young should die in such a cruel way."

Amara shook her head, "Unless we can somehow find the witch or learn more about the curse then no. The king has been searching for the witch and for answers for the last 15 years."

Aknankanon looked at Yami, "Due to the princess poor health I expect you to still try to get to know her, and that you will be spending a lot of time in her chambers because of it. Our rule is until you wed you will not spend the night in her chambers, understood?"

Yami nodded, "I understand father." Amara, "Go on, the others are waiting for you."

Yami nodded and left the room.

Yami walked into the lounge area where he had been originally studying when he heard Bakura and Marik complaining.

Marik yelled, "I can't believe we have to get married to people we don't even know."

Seto sighed trying to remain calm, "At least Uncle is trying to by us time so we can get to know them first."

Atemu spoke softly, "They even made sure the gender was right for all of us."

Yami had just came into the lounge and sat down, he couldn't get what parents told him out of his mind. He ended up accidently speaking loud, "Well, I don't mind."

Bakura turned to Yami like he had gone mental, "These are arranged marriages, meaning we don't have a choice in the matter you bloody wanker, have you finally gone mental?"

Yami looked at Bakura, "I mean, instead of complaining shouldn't we try to make good? I mean there's nothing we can do to change the matter. Mother, Father, our council, and the Roman court agreed on this."

Atemu then turned to Yami and looked at him suspiciously, "Yami what did mom and dad tell you?"

Yami sighed, "Nothing important Atemu, but seriously you guys I don't think being friends with them will hurt. I mean they are being forced just like us. Plus, it's probably worse for them, they will be traveling to us, not the other way around."

The rest of the group groaned but agreed. Yami was making excellent points and they couldn't fault his logic.

Atemu looked at his brother once more, "Okay Yami, back to your studies."

Yami groaned, "Damnit, I was hoping you forgot."

Atemu gave him his famous glare to get his brother to start studying again. "You have to study more Yami. You are marrying a crown princess after all." Yami groaned again and got back to work.

Meanwhile in the Roman Empire:

"Father you cannot be serious – we have to get married to those Egyptians!" A young man who was close to shouting at his father.

He had soft amethyst eyes with dark hair sticking out everywhere like a triangle, amethyst tips and golden bangs framing his face. His skin tone was dark for a Roman Royal however he learned he took after one of his great grandparents.

Next to the screaming man stood his identical twin sister who like her brother, had soft amethyst eyes and soft facial features. She also had dark hair with amethyst tips much longer than her brothers and it was tied back so it wouldn't be defying gravity, it was also so long that it reached into the grove of her back. She also had the blonde/white bangs to frame her feminine delicate face. She also had decent curves for someone who was only 5ft.

Next to them there was 3 more just as upset as the man was. There was another girl who had white hair that went down to the middle of her back brushed down with brown eyes. Then there was a man with honey gold eyes and honey blonde hair. Finally, the last man had platinum blonde hair pulled into a ponytail.

"Heba, please stop." His twin sister stated.

The young man named Heba turned to his sister, "But Yugi, it's bad enough I'm being forced to marry but you and everyone else? That is just cruel! Especially for you considering everything."

Yugi looked at her brother, "Heba, despite what's happening I'll be fine, I have duties to the kingdom too. I'm still the princess after all."

The girl with white hair spoke up next, "We understand what you are saying Heba, but Yugi is right, you don't need to speak to uncle in such a cruel manner. There is nothing that can be done to change it now."

The man with the honey blonde hair, "Ryou is right Heba, all we can hope is that we can at least get to know them first before we are to wed."

The last man with the platinum blonde hair and fairly tan skin, "I just hope I'm not forced to marry a psychopath. It's for the kingdom Heba."

The Emperor looked at all of them, "Thank you boys, my precious niece and my lovely daughter. This is for the benefit of both kingdoms."

Yugi turned to look at her father, "I understand father, but can we at least get to know them for a few months before we are married. I don't know about you but I rather not bare the child of a complete stranger."

The emperor nodded, "Of course dear, anything for you."

Heba sighed with defeat knowing he wouldn't win this fight, "When do we meet them and where?"

The Emperor smiled sadly, "Next month, we are to travel to the Egyptian kingdom, so be prepared for travel. I will stay for two weeks and then leave you there until you wed. Once Yugi is wed she'll return to Rome with her husband so he can learn about our culture. Since he will be the next king and Yugi queen."

The girls held their dresses as they curtseyed while the men bowed, "Yes Father/Uncle." Before they walked out of the throne room. When they did leave, the boys left being angry and the girls upset.

Yugi spoke first "If you'll excuse me I'll be in my chambers." Yugi quickly dashed off as the tears fell down her face.

Ryou sighed "I'll go with her." Ryou quickly left and followed her.

Heba sighed in frustration, "It's bad enough he's forcing us to be married but the girls don't deserve this."

Joey turned to him, "Your right Heba, that's not fair to Yugi and Ryou. Especially since they will bear children." Malik, "Don't forget Joey, we can bear children too, just not as easily." Heba, "Don't remind me, all those tests done on us just so we can produce children where horrible."

Joey shivered, "Yeah that's right. Also, don't forget about Yugi, she's dying so it's even more cruel." Malik, "I wish we could do something to help her."

Heba sighed he already worried about his twin sister enough and now this, "Well we better go check on the girls, Yugi for sure is crying right now."

The boys went to go check on the girls, knowing they were not in the slightest happy with this endeavor.