Rated PG-13 for: Suggestive themes, sexual content, language, and some angst. Mostly for the lusty themes, though

Character pairings: YamixTeana (YugixTea) (some other pairings like TietxAya [or TristanxSerenity]) Also, many love triangles: two people love Aya, Yami loves one girl while two others love him... It gets confusing, I know

Dance the Forbidden Dance

God's Prayer

There is something so strangely haunting, luscious and passionate about forbidden love. It's that fact that you can't stand by the one you love, the one your body and soul wishes to endure. Maybe it's because you know it's something no one can punish you for. Maybe it's because it's a dirty little secret, something you and your love share. Or maybe it's because as you grow older, it's something you can hang right in front of their eyes and they don't notice.

To dance the forbidden dance is to sign your death warrant. To love without legal right is to give your soul to the devil and slide beside them, your bodies bumping each other, curving and bending in perfect unison trying to dodge who would tear you apart.

In ancient Egypt's time, if you loved someone of higher or lower class then yourself, then your love was considered "forbidden".

If a soldier loved a dancer, it was considered ridiculous.

If a general loved a worker, it was considered scandalous.

And if a prince loved a servant-girl, it was considered dirty.

That's all she was at first.

She was once a servant.

Now she's a legend.

.

.

It was a three-second deal.

One - two - three -

They passed. Atem, who was overseeing the militia and the Imperial Order, standing beside his father with great power, saw her go by. He turned at just that moment, his cape out behind him, his father looking in the other direction.

The servant girl - Teana - passed him as well. She was carrying a clay pot in her arms, bring water to her master, a noble. She turned her head for one moment, and happened to catch eyes with the Prince, standing far away, his jaw dropping.

It happened.

Neither of them forgot what the other looked like.

Instantly, Atem turned back, his cheeks a little flushed, tuning back into what his father had been saying. Teana also looked away, remembering that she had to bring water to her master. She closed her eyes and tried not to look back, afraid that the Prince would scoff at her or something. Her long hair was behind her shoulders, hiding her scarred shoulder blades. She looked back for a second, and her golden eyes widened in surprise.

The Prince had turned back to her. He looked once more, a small, friendly smile on his face, then gave a small wave.

Teana gasped, then, blushing, went back to what she was doing, her life just a bit more glamorous then it had been. Her heart sped up, then slowed, knowing, feeling, she would never see him again.

Ankumanukanon turned to his son, inquiring why he was waving.

"Oh, nothing," Atem had answered.

.

.

The Prophecy, the one who would lead the country with great vigor, passion and dignity...

He turned thirteen just a few days ago.

Yami pushed the curtain aside, walking in the sunlit room. The Prince repositioned the wide, golden necklace settled on his chest, fixing it. It felt heavy on his bare skin. Pulling his transparent cape around into his hands, fiddling with it, he looked around, trying to see who had called him here.

"Hello?" He called, narrowing his eyes. He dropped his cape and turned, carefully keeping a close eye on the far windows and another on the entranceway. "Anyone here?"

"Oh! Atem," a voice called from the far reaches of the room. A young girl, maybe his age, was sitting at the foot of a column, staring out the windows. She stood, smoothing her tunic, pushing her crimson cape out of her lap. Her black hair was pulled back with a cloth, and she quickly grabbed it and pulled it out of her hair, smiling. The glossy sheaves of hair flooded her shoulders, her bronze skin glowing. She walked over to where Yami was, coming out of the shadows.

Yami groaned.

"Aklia," he said, giving a tired, playful smile. "How.... Amusing."

"What? You don't greet me like you know me," she said, standing before him. Yami shrugged.

"I've known you for too long to be affected that much anymore," he said, looking down at his hands. In his head, he was cursing to himself, angry that he had to deal with this girl. This girl, this, this... This bitch, he thought, smiling to himself. She had always been there, taunting him with the inevitable fact of their intertwined fates.

His fiancée.

However, outside, he looked up at her, his eyes closed, his lips pulled into a smile. He reached out and took Aklia's hand in his own, pulling her closer to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"What did you want me here for?" he asked. "I mean, you just arrived this morning. Aren't you tired? It's a long journey back, especially after a only a few days..."

"I'm not leaving," Aklia explained, lifting her head. Yami was taken aback.

"What?"

"You heard me," Aklia said, backing up a bit. She tightened the grip she held on Yami's hand. "Atem, my parents are leaving. I'm not." Yami shook his head, an annoyed feeling creeping into his soul.

"Why not?" Aklia let his hand drop.

"I thought you knew," she said slowly. A look of disbelief crossed her face. "Don't tell me you don't know."

"That depends," Yami said, his arms crossed before him. "What am I supposed to know?" Aklia gave a light laugh, one that echoed throughout the vast chamber.

"Atem," she said, stepping closer once more. "You're joking, right?" She took both his hands in hers and drew them to her, settling them on her heart. Yami's heart quickened. A blush crept into his face, not that Aklia noticed. Her eyes were closed.

My hands... Yami thought, shaking. It was true; his hands were right above her breasts, which was making him increasingly uncomfortable. Aklia didn't seem to notice at all.

"Didn't your father tell you? You recently turned thirteen, correct?" she said, opening her dark brown eyes. Yami nodded slowly, trying to pull his hands away from her body. "Well... Soon you'll be Pharaoh. You certainly can't rule without a wife, now, can you?" Yami stared at her.

"What?"

"We're to be wed when the flowers bloom, Atem. The beginning of spring."

It was currently the very end of winter.

.

.

Jono laughed.

That was all his reaction consisted of.

Laughter.

"It's not that funny," Yami muttered, frowning. Jono covered his mouth with his hand, then keeled over once more, snickering. "Must you laugh like that?"

"I'm sorry, Yami," Jono said, putting his hand on Yami's shoulder. "I didn't mean to laugh like that, it's just that... It's so funny.... You looked so surprised... Weren't you engaged to her, like, five years ago?"

"...Maybe..." Yami said, looking at his feet. He hopped onto the edge of the wall, casting his eyes up at Jono. Jono leaned back, crossed his arms, and smiled.

"Well, what do you think? I'm two years older then you, and I'm still not married."

"What about Maia?"

"...Legal marriage, Yami...." Jono said, lowering his voice. "Even if I did marry her, who knows what type of trouble I would get in. It's scary, Prince-sama. Very scary. I mean... She's a worker. Technically," Jono said, putting on a mocking voice, "... She's 'not good enough' for someone like me." Jono touched the sword on his belt, letting it's weight reassure him. "What does that mean? Smart enough? Pretty enough? Rich enough? Anyway I see it," Jono said, closing his eyes and crossing his arms, "she's good enough for me. Hell, she's better." Yami stared at Jono, many thoughts running through his head.

Both were silent for awhile. This portion of the conversation had ended, so they sat waiting for another topic to arise.

"...Jono?" Yami said finally, cocking his head. Jono turned to him, putting his arms down.

"Yes?"

"How do you know if you really love someone?" Jono stared at him, open-mouthed.

"How do I know if I really love someone?" Jono repeated, staring at the darkened sky. Stars dotted throughout the darkness, marking where the gods lived. Jono smiled an chuckled, the breeze picking up his hair. "Let's see...."

"Well... I can't explain it, Yami," he said, trying to explain. Yami sighed. "I mean, you always think of this person, and you would do anything for her. You know, maybe even break the law. And you always want to be with her, no matter where you are or what you're doing. And..." he trailed off, not needing to explain himself to his friend. Yami gave a half-smile, and then looked out over the city. Torches and fires, small lights and the glow of the city shined through the darkness, cutting it like a knife. The glow of other cities, far out in the desert, down the Nile River, reflected into the darkness as well.

"... I wish someone like that would come for me," Yami said wistfully. Jono turned to him, surprised.

"What about Aklia?"

"What about her?"

"...Well... You are engaged to her." Yami shrugged. He sighed and turned back. His cape was picked up by the soft desert breezes, the warm night making him feel drowsy.

"That's only to make sure that I carry on the dynasty," Yami explained. "I think about her, but when I do, I get a heavy feeling in my stomach, one that I don't like."

Jono laughed again.

"That's an example of a negative feeling, Yami. I hate to break it to ya, but I don't think you truly love Aklia."

"You're right; I don't."

.

.

Khonsu was doing good tonight.

The moon was full in it's reflection. Yami stared into the river, sitting on the stone ground, legs crossed, leaning forwards. He looked up into the night sky, closing his eyes, silently wishing for a miracle.

Or someone close to it.

"Please," he begged, his voice echoing. "Please, let me love someone with the same intentions as Jono. Bring someone to me that I can love like he loves Maia." Nothing moved.

Silence.

He looked over a the plants, the beautiful flowers that bloomed in the beginning of spring. They were growing buds, meaning they would bloom in a few weeks time.

That's when he would wed Aklia.

"Damn," he said, throwing a rock into the river. "Please, being me someone before that time. I don't want to marry Aklia; I don't love her." Yami remembered confronting his father that day, right after Aklia told him that. It was true; he hadn't been told, in fear he would react badly. The announcement was going out the next day, after everything was finalized. He could almost hear his father's booming voice over the courtyard, as soon as the sun rose....

...You may rest easy, knowing that the Prince of Egypt has been assured a healthy wife, providing many a chance to continue a great legacy... Someone to stand beside him in times of turmoil, to comfort him when he is at war... Our country's future is in their hands... Their wedding will be grand, when the flowers bud and bloom...

"I don't want her," Yami muttered. "I want someone that I can love."

He didn't know that 'like Jono' to the gods, meant 'forbidden'.

.

.

A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, I have 54738975 other fics, but you see, this one I have almost typed. SEEE?? THIS way, I dont have to worry about typing the rest of the chaps. I can just post them when I remember them. LOL. Yea. I have chaps 1-5 already typed, and i just type it at random. I most likely wont update for awhile. Im almost done with WAF and DF, so... I currently have already typed the last chap to WAF, and all I needa do is finish chap 7. So… tata.

TO ALL WHO READ EMOTION: that was a one-shot. I may put up one more chap. That's it. So… for future reference, PLEASE don't ask me to update a one-shot. PLEASE??? Anyway….

Shibby-One