*sigh* okay, I deeply apologize for not updating. My co-author disappeared and I can't get a response back, so I've been having some writer's block lately while trying to decide what to do with this story. If anyone is interested in helping me out, just pm me. Well, here's a short chapter to *hopefully* hold you guys for a while. Once again, I apologize for my tardiness, I haven't been on in a while and once I got on, I swear I read every new review I got! I appreciate your support and input on everything!

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Kagome sighed as she looked around her room. It was elegant, yet simple. She grabbed an odd looking fruit from the small wooden table located next to her bed. She took a bite and marveled at the designs that were carved into the walls. Moving in one fluid motion, she plopped back onto her bed and glanced up at her ceiling, suddenly feeling bored.

"Ugh!" she groaned and sat back up. She moved to the edge of the bed and thumped her foot restlessly against the cool floor. Atem had given her specific instructions to stay in her room until his meeting with the other guardians was finished and he could personally escort her around.

But, she didn't want to wait that long. She jumped up eagerly and smirked. "It wouldn't hurt for me to explore a little! What's the worst that could happen?"

She quickly went over to the door and opened it slowly. She poked her head outside and scanned around to make sure no one was around. Seeing nobody, she slipped out and closed the door behind her.

Making sure not to make a sound, she took off her sandals and laid them down on the floor. She made sure to look around one last time before charging off in a random direction.

Kagome felt a soft breeze flow through her hair as she ran down the hall, startling a few servants in the process. She apologized in a sheepish manner and continued running around. Soon though, her legs grew tired and her lungs ached, so she eagerly slowed to a walk.

In an instant, she felt the Egyptian heat catch up to her and she tried waving her hand in front of her face to cool off. She looked at where she was and tapped her chin with her free hand. "Which way should I go?" she murmured as she looked at two identical halls on either side of her. "Maybe, if I go this way, I can find a door that leads outside. Or maybe this way leads to a kitchen or something."

She patted her stomach weakly. "I am hungry."

A soft laugh sounded off behind her. She spun around and saw a young girl, perhaps only a few years younger than herself. She wore a very simple garb with little to no eye makeup on. The girl hurriedly put a hand to her mouth and blushed.

"O-oh, my lady, please forgive me! I did not mean to upset you in any way." The girl fell down to her knees. "Please accept my humblest apologies."

Kagome's eyes widened and she quickly waved her hands in front of her wildly. "Oh no! I'm the one who should apologize, I made you upset!"

The servant blinked in confusion. "My lady, there is no need to apologize for actions that were my own. I should have controlled myself better."

"…but, you didn't do anything."

"I have intruded on your privacy. Please, again, accept my humblest apologies!"

Kagome felt a bead of sweat roll down the side of her face and she smacked her face in exasperation.

The younger girl gasped and grabbed onto Kagome's leg tightly. "Ah! Please my lady, don't inflict harm upon your body because of my foolish actions. The Pharaoh would never forgive me if I let you do so!"

Kagome wobbled slightly from the constriction of her legs and patted the girl on the head awkwardly. "No,no, I wasn't…inflicting harm on myself, I was, you know…uh, just, frustrated."

The servant looked up in fear and hugged her legs even tighter. "My lady! Now I have become the cause of your frustration! I understand if you will have me punished!"

Kagome spluttered. "Punished? No, why would I punish you? You didn't do anything wrong. Come on, stand up." Kagome reached down and gently grabbed the girl by the arm and guided her upwards. The servant looked at her with mild curiosity.

"You…won't…punish me?"

Kagome laughed. "Of course not! Now, what's your name."

The girl looked around hesitantly before replying "Akila, my lady."

Kagome smiled. "What a pretty name! I'm Kagome, so please stop calling me 'my lady' I'm not anyone special."

Akila blinked her dark eyes. "But, you are the personal guest of the Pharaoh. You must be of some noble descent. The whole palace is talking about you, how you are from exotic lands to the East and you have been brought here to be a candidate to be the Pharaoh's queen."

Kagome could've sworn that her eye was twitching. "The Pharaoh's Queen?"

Akila nodded eagerly.

"…Ha! That's a funny joke! Oh, sweet sweet rumors. I would never be suitable for a Pharaoh!" Kagome laughed and snickered at the image of her and Atem walking down an aisle together in white garbs.

"Y-you wouldn't? Please excuse me for speaking my mind, but, you are a noble right? I heard you were brought here to make peace between this land and your own." The servant hurried out the words in a hushed tone and Kagome shook her head.

"Nope! I'm not even really interested in becoming a queen or anything of the sort." Kagome smiled at the dark-haired girl in front of her and shifted from foot to foot when she heard her stomach growl out loudly.

Akila stared at her, as though lost in her own thoughts and Kagome cleared her throat. When that got no response, Kagome tried it again, only louder. The servant just continued to have a dazed look on her face and Kagome sighed. "So, do you have any place where I can get some food?"

Akila gasped and fell, once again, to her feet. "Oh! My Lady! Please forgive this lowly human!"

Kagome groaned. "Akila! It's fine. I just need some food, so get off your knees and let's go eat." With her hunger getting the best of her, she couldn't help but be a little snappy, and came to regret it when she saw the servant's fearful expression.

"Of course! Please, follow me and I will have you served an excellent dinner with our finest food and drink!" Akila tittered nervously and bowed before leading the way.

"I don't need a full course meal, just something simple to hold me over until dinner…whenever that will be." Kagome muttered to herself, absent-mindedly patting her angry tummy.

"B-but only the best for you, my lady!" the servant turned and bowed abruptly, startling Kagome into bumping into her.

Kagome winced when Akila's eyes widened and she gasped. "My-"

Kagome quickly threw her hands over the girl's mouth. "Don't worry about it."

The poor thing was shaking by the time they got to a dining hall, from all the problems she had 'caused' along the way, apologizing profusely to Kagome.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Well, since we're here, would you like to sit down and get something to eat with me?"

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. "My lady! I could never… that's….that's an impossible thing to request of a servant like me! I would be punished for such an act.

Kagome blinked in surprise. "Really? I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable. Well…then do you think you could find me some food? I don't know my way around yet…"

Akila nodded sharply. "Anything for you! We have newly imported almonds or perhaps you would like something like roast oxen? We have only the finest herbs to season it."

Kagome looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow. "Um, do you have something sweet, like a mini cake or something? It's just so hot here…" she breathed out and waved her hand in front of her face in an effort to cool herself off.

"A…cake? I think I can find something. Are you really so hot?" Akila questioned timidly.

Kagome nodded with a roll of her eyes. "Of course I'm hot! It's only 100 degrees out!"

The girl sputtered and fumbled with her hands. "T-then allow me to find a fan, and I shall cool you off."

Kagome walked into the dining area and pulled out a chair to sit in before Akila could fuss over her more. "No, I'm fine. Really, if you do want to help, just that cake would be nice."

The girl finally accepted that and ran into the cooking area separated by a large stone wall. "Whew." Kagome sighed. She wasn't so sure if she liked the idea of being chased after and offered anything she wanted. Not if people like Akila would follow her around. Sure the girl was nice but…

After a while of waiting, Akila returned at a fast pace and placed a plate with a small slice of what looked to be a flaky cake in front of her. She waited silently for Kagome to take her first bite. Feeling odd at having being watched and supposing she didn't need to use any utensil to eat it with, Kagome hesitantly took a bite out of her treat and nodded in satisfaction. "It's good! Sweet, and with honey, and some type of nuts?"

Akila nodded in excitement. "Yes! Date nuts! This was supposed to be part of the banquet feast that's being prepared for tomorrow evening, but I managed to…find a slice lying around. Anything to please you…" the servant blushed and trailed off, eagerly watching Kagome finish the last bites and licking her fingers clean.

Kagome stood and Akila took her plate away, ran back into the kitchen, and hurried back just as Kagome was leaving. "Oh! Please, let me escort you back to your room!"

Kagome blinked. "That's not necessary, I think I can find my way back, but if it'll make you feel better? Sure, why not."

Akila smiled and Kagome shrugged, she supposed the girl wasn't that bad, once she got over her whole, "Oh my lady!" stuff.

Back at her room, with a few more disturbances from Akila, Kagome sighed and nodded to the girl. "Thank you for taking me back her, I guess I might've gotten lost without you."

The servant bowed. "Whatever pleases my lady!"

Kagome sighed. "If you want, you can go. I'm sure you have more important things to do than to attend to me." Trying not to be rude, but she didn't want to explore with the girl following after her. She wasn't even supposed to be running around and the other girl proved to be…loud.

Akila shook her head. "You are more important than simple chores! You are a guest of the Pharaoh himself! I'll just wait outside your room until you need me! I…I'll polish you sandals!" She looked determined as she bent down and started eagerly rubbing the shoes discarded by Kagome's bedroom door.

"Polish my sandals?" Kagome repeated incredulously. "That sounds…fun."

Akila hummed happily as she rubbed at virtually nothing but sand particles on the shoes. A soft set of footsteps barely noticeable caught Kagome's attention. Her ears perked up and she listened softy, tempted to use some of her powers to find out who was coming.

She didn't have to wait long, however, as Atem stepped out and smiled softly at Kagome. Some other man followed after him and Kagome recognized him instantly. Seto. She thought to herself and narrowed her eyes. That arrogant posture…it had to be the Seto from her time's reincarnation. There was no other way to explain the striking resemblance.

"Kagome." The Pharaoh greeted and then raised an eyebrow as he looked at the suddenly nervous servant rubbing Kagome's shoes before looking back at the owner of the shoes. "I'm sure you remember Seto from introductions earlier."

Seto gave her a curt nod and seemed to be analyzing her. "Of course I remember him." Kagome nodded back and the man narrowed his eyes.

"I have more important matters to attend to." The priest sniffed lightly and walked away, his cream colored cape swishing around behind him.

Kagome huffed. "Good seeing you too."

Atem chuckled. "I hope you'll forgive him, he's been in a particularly foul mood today. I'm not sure what's the matter with him. So, I heard you were exploring earlier?"

Kagome winced. "Ah, yes. I'm sorry, I was hungry."

"No, it's my fault for not having someone escort you around sooner, I should've known better." The Pharaoh shook his head lightly.

"Well, Akila over here helped me around." Kagome gestured to the girl who gave a startled squeak and dropped a shoe on the floor, the noise echoing in the silent hall.

"Good. If you want, I can have her be your personal servant during your stay." Atem's eyes never left Kagome's and she inwardly cried. "S-sure."

"I would be honored!" Akila cried out and jumped up. She quickly threw her hands over her mouth and bowed. "Forgive my outburst!"

Atem chuckled smoothly; a sound Kagome didn't mind hearing. "It's quite alright. So, it's settled. Kagome, there is much I would like to discuss with you."

He held out his arm and Kagome wrapped hers around it with a blush. "Yeah, I have a few questions."

Akila beamed at the two and bowed again. "I will be waiting here for your return my lady!"

Kagome nodded. "Okay."
~*~

Kagome watched Atem's face as he spoke, telling her of the things he knew, and pausing to see her reaction every so often. Truth be told, Kagome wasn't paying much attention to his words as they walked through a courtyard, and instead, she focused on his eyes and how much they sparkled with life with the help of the bright sun that was reflected off the sand beneath their feet.

"Is that alright with you?" Atem questioned her softly and she looked at him with a blank expression.

"I'm sorry! What was that?" she laughed sheepishly. "I was day dreaming."

Atem shook his head, hiding his grin. "Alright, I'll repeat it once more."
Kagome couldn't help but smile. Perhaps this situation wouldn't be so bad after all.