Chapter Five

Nefertari had been right about being tired of late since the day she arrived at the palace she had been having lessons with Shimon though it was mostly spent reading scrolls nearly all day and learning all the laws, she sighed pinching her nose trying to ease the headache she was getting from reading the scroll's again after all she had been in this room for the best part of the morning Shimon had left her here since he had to join the Pharaoh in the throne room to go over important matters she moved from where she was sitting taking a little break to move around the room so meany scroll's lined the wall's and the only real light in the room came from the torches that hung on the wall's she sighed again stopping she had't gotten to spend any time with the Pharaoh since she got here she knew that might happen after all he had his people to look after and a wedding to sort out but she wanted to get to know him a little better before they got married she jumped a little when she heard the door open and thought it might of been Shimon returning but it was Mana and she smiled they had become close over the last few days.

"hay how's your lessons going Nefertari?" Mana asked walking over to her.

"there going fine but at the moment i think i need a break other wise i'm going to lose it being in here all day again...did't you have lessons yourself with Mahad?"" she asked looking at her.

"i did but i'm guessing like Shimon he joined the Pharaoh in the throne room..so this is what you've been reading then" Mana said looking at the scroll that was laying open on the table.

"yes it's a lot to learn believe it or not that's the third scroll i'v read to day and i still have three more to go" Nefertari said sighing.

"well good thing i'm here" Mana said taking her by the hand and leading her out of the room and down the long hall's.

She could't help but chuckle as Mana lead her by the hand it was sweet it was like having a sister and a best friend rolled into one though she had to cover her eye's when they got outside since it was so bright to day, but once her eye's got used to it she could see Mana had lead her out to the gardens she had been here a few times before when she would take walks around the palace as she learnt which hall way lead where so she would't get lost though she did the first few times but she always found someone who could lead her the right way but she was starting to find her way around now, so it did't happen so much her attention went back to Mana who still had a hold of her hand and they only stopped when they came to a blanket with some food laid out on plates.

"i thought you might like to eat outside in the garden and get some fresh air for a while" Mana said letting go of her hand.

"thank you Mana" she said smiling at her as they both sat.

Atem sighed walking along one of the hall's alone trying to ignore the pounding headache that he was starting to get due to the long meeting though the wedding stuff had't been which caused the headache it had been the problems that had been happening along the border village's had been attacked and villagers had been killed this time though he knew who was behind it though it was the thief's Bakura and Marik and from what he had learned they were heading this way which made him worry about his people and about his future wife they were dangerous and if they learned about her who knows what they would do he shook his head trying not to think about it, that's when he heard laughter coming from the garden and he followed and he spotted Mana sitting with Nefertari and he could't help but smile with all the meetings and wedding planning and her own lessons they had't been able to spend any real time together, he walked over to them neither of them noticed he was there.

"may i join the both of you" he said making them both jump.

"Pharaoh of course" Mana said with a smile.

He smiled when Nefertari moved a little to make room for him and he sat down next to her Mana had picked a nice spot it was slightly shaded from the heat which helped the headache that he was getting, Nefertari passed him some fruit and he took it from her he could't help but think how lovely she looked to day in her outfit it was a pair of cotton trousers like his but black in colour which matched the top that had slight sleeves that sat just below her shoulders also her hair was up as much as it could get due to it's length and since it was rather hot he was with out a top though he had a red cape over his shoulders and wore cotton trousers he guessed him being topless was the reason she blushed a little before watching a bird hop about on the wall's of the garden.

"you know i better go back and finish my lessons with Mahad before he get's mad and starts looking for me" Mana said getting up.

"you don't have to leave Mana" Atem said watching her.

"you know how Mahad can get plus i don't think even Nefertari would be able to help me this time have fun" Mana said before mouthing the words talk to her to him before she left that made him chuckle so that's why she wanted to go back inside she was trying to help them out a little in her own way.

"so how have your lessons been going Nefertari?" he asked making her jump a little.

"they've been going well Shimon is a good teacher though he asks me to resit everything i'v read when i'm done reading all the scroll's he's given me to read" she said.

"trust me i had to go through that myself it's also harder for a kid to stay put and not sneak off when he was't looking my father the Pharaoh before me he used to get so mad when i did that" Atem said chuckling as he remembered those times.

"sounds like you were handful at times" she said chuckling along with him.

"i had my moments what about you?" he asked.

"....."

"something wrong?" he asked seeing the sad look that showed on her face.

"not really it's that just my childhood was't..something i enjoyed that much" she said.

"i'm sorry to hear that ..do you mind telling me about it you might feel a little better if you talk to someone about it" he said she gave a slight smile before taking a deep breath.

"being born with pale skin i was treated badly at time's apart from Panya who took it upon herself to look out for me but the other girls would tease me about it and my eye colour along with the colour of my hair and even the other older women who trained the other's were the worst one's for that...sometimes it felt like i was being punished for what my mother did" she said trying to keep her voice from cracking since she had't really talked to anyone about this not even Panya.

"why would they do that?" he asked.

"my mother slept with a man who payed respects" she said.

"your father" he said.

"i never knew him and i never knew mother though Panya said i looked like her" she said finding even harder now to keep her voice from cracking.

"how..could you not know your mother?" he asked.

"the moment i was born...they took me from her and kicked her out for what she was done like i told you i have never been with a man i have never been around one in till now for the maidens it's forbidden ...i have no idea if she's even alive or not i used to blame her for the way i was treated but now i feel sorry for her ..all because she fell in love with a man she should't have well that's what i'v always told myself anyway" she said unable to keep her voice from breaking or tears falling from her eye's.

It broke his heart to hear that and to see her cry she had carried that around for a long time he moved closer pulling her into a hug she was a little shocked at first but she soon wrapped her arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder, he stroked the back of her head to try and calm her down also he could't help but noticed how well she fitted perfectly against him and how it felt to hold her like this for the first time, and he found it hard to let go when her sobs became dry heaves and she pulled away a little.

"i'm..sorry for.." she said.

"don't be i should't of asked if you were't happy about talking about it so i should be saying sorry" he said.

"don't be i'm glade i told you...and your right i feel a little bit better after keeping it all to myself for years" she said.

"ok then..also you have nothing to worry about no one will treat you badly again not ever most of all in the palace and if they dare do tell me and i'll deal with it promise me" he said brushing away a stray tears from her face.

"i promise Atem" she said.

"i'm glade to hear that...also i know we have't been able to spend a lot of time together since you arrived so later to day i would like to take you somewhere so meet me at the stables if your not sure where they are ask Shimon and i'll meet you there" Atem said standing and she stood with him.

"of course...i'll see you then" Nefertari said.

"in till later then..Shimon came looking for her did you" Atem chuckled as they both looked his way.

"yes Pharaoh though if i had known she was with you" he said.

"it's alright Shimon i was going to retire for a while anyway before an other meeting..in till later" he said kissing her hand before leaving.

She watched him leave and she could't help but smile she had worried that this marriage to a man she did not know or had never seen would of been a loveless one but maybe she did't have to worry about that so much, she almost forgot that Shimon was there in till he cleared his throat which made her jump just a little.

"enjoy you time with the Pharaoh Nefertari?" Shimon asked with a smile.

"yes i did but back to lessons right" she said.

"indeed come along my dear the slaves will tidy this once we leave" Shimon said walking with her now.

"shimon do you know where the stables are?" she asked.

"of course why do you ask" he said.

"the Pharaoh asked me to meet him there later" she said.

"well after your lessons i'll take you there myself so you are not late" Shimon said.

"thank very much Shimon i mean that" she said.