• “Oh Young Pharaoh, I could never wear this…” Maat held her burning cheek as she came around the curtain for Yami to see.
    She wore a long, white silk dress that hung from her shoulders and hung around her ankles. There were two lengths of silk that hung from the tips of the top of the dress that flowed down her arms and wrapped around her middle finger. The head garment was decorated with jewels, and she wore at least fifty silver bracelets on her wrists and ankles.
    “You speak nonsense; it looks wonderful on you!” Yami said with a grin, clapping in approval.
    Maat felt the need to cover her thirteen year old body, but the sixteen year old Yami held so much pride in it that she couldn’t bring herself to reject his choice of clothing. She bent her head down, and walked back behind the curtain to take it off.
    Her head wondered off to the question the Pharaoh had asked; marriage to the Young Pharaoh? It had to be a dream. But he simply requested that she answered him at the ball. And that was in less than five hours.
    Maat’s head spun for a moment, but she caught herself from falling, and sighed lightly. She noticed Yami walk towards her, and she quickly popped her head out from behind the curtain to reassure her well being. After Yami sat back down, she turned red; being that boy’s wife would be heaven, but so many would reject even the thought of a maid being his betrothed.
    “Maat, are you ready?” Snapping out of her daze, she realized that she had changed into her regular clothes already, and was now simply standing behind the curtain. She quickly rounded about it and smiled lightly towards the Young Pharaoh.
    “I apologize for the wait, Young Pharaoh.”
    Yami shook his head in reply before smiling happily. “All will be fine as long as you wear that dress!”
    He laughed and Maat sighed. “As you wish, Young Pharaoh.”
    ~………………~
    “I’m so nervous…I wonder if I’ll find good suitors…” Tea muttered to herself as she put on her head garment. “Maat, are you ready?”
    Maat turned to Tea from the mirror, and tilted her head lightly with a smile. “Yes, I do believe I am.”
    Tea clapped while gasping lightly at Maat, who was wearing what the Yami had picked. “Maat! You look absolutely beautiful!”
    Maat modestly rubbed the back of her head and complimented Tea as well before there was a knock at the door. The two made sure that everything was in place, and they opened the door to see their fellow dancers. “Are you ready?” They asked with excited smiles. Tea and Maat nodded, and left to go to the ballroom; it was time to dance.
    The six girls walked into the large room, and many of the men realized quickly that it was time for the show. The room grew quiet when the dancing music came on, and the girls began to dance.
    Maat was anything but a graceful dancer; she was the clumsiest of the group. But when she danced, she kept a smile on, and laughed even when she messed up on an important part. The women reprimanded her lack of skill with glares; the men adorned her childlike personality with claps at the end of the song.
    “Pharaoh, how much could I get for that servant? She looks to make a fine wife.” An ambassador asked, eyeing Maat. The Pharaoh, laughing loudly, rejected the proposal.
    “She is the perfect wife, but she won’t be yours or mine!”
    “What do you mean?” The ambassador pressed. But the Pharaoh only chuckled lively, and offered his guest more wine.
    “Maat!” Maat turned to see the Young Pharaoh crossing the river of women to get to her, and she giggled at the sight. “You were great!”
    Maat thanked Yami graciously, but then suddenly felt glares. She looked at the jealous girls behind Yami, and nervously bowed her head. Many simply walked away, while others mouthed threats before stalking away. She shuttered; girls were scary.
    “Maat?”
    She returned her eyes to Yami’s and smiled. “I’m fine, Young Pharaoh. What were you saying?”
    Yami’s cheeks lit up in excitement as he stuck his hand out. “It is time to dance!”
    Maat’s face turned red as the music started on cue. Yami waited patiently, though his face screamed anticipation, for Maat to lift her hand. She paused nervously for a moment, the Pharaoh’s offer streaming through her mind, but then she finally accepted his hand.
    Off the two went to the middle of the ballroom; the prince had the gift of dancing first. Maat was nervous as she struggled to keep up with Yami. He gracefully guided her in their native dances, stepping forward and back when the music called for it. As the dance progressed, Maat’s nervousness faded, and soon the two were chuckling happily as the best friends they were.
    The Pharaoh grinned upon his son and, after the song ended, called Maat up to him. Everyone became quiet as Maat walked in front of the talk block holding the king’s chair. She looked up, knowing what she had been called for.
    Yami blinked in concern; what was going on? The visiting princesses grinned, hoping that the servant girl would be punished, but Maat only looked up nervously, waiting for the question.
    “Have you had enough time to think, my dear Maat?” The Pharaoh asked.
    Looking down, Maat nodded nervously. “Y-yes, my Pharaoh.”
    “Then, your decision is?”
    Maat was silent for a moment. She turned, looking at Yami with a red face, and then turned back to the Pharaoh.
    “…I agree.”
    The Pharaoh burst in laughter, and stood up while clapping. “Wonderful! My dear child, please go join your friends for now; we shall discuss the details after this wonderful night!”
    The crowd clapped in response to the Pharaoh’s joy, though confused, but everything soon returned to normal. The feast began after an hour.
    As they sat down, Yami demanded that Maat tell him what was going on, but she only responded with mutters and a red face. Eventually, he gave up, but insisted that she stay with him for the rest of the night.
    To say in the least, it was awkward for Maat. But the night passed, and the next day came in time.
    ~…………….~
    Have you seen Maat, Tea?”
    Tea turned to Yami with a blink. “She didn’t tell you? She said she was going to go help in the kitchen today.”
    Yami sighed in slight annoyance; he hadn’t seen Maat in a week. He knew something was up; ever since the ball she’d been on edge whenever she was around him. He wanted to know why, but she didn’t want him to know.
    “Do you know what the Pharaoh and her were talking about?”
    “I was actually going to ask you the same thing, Young Pharaoh. I’m afraid she kept me out of the loop as well.”
    “Well, if you find out anything please tell me. I’m worried about her.” Yami sighed before turning around and making his way to his room. Even if he went to the kitchen, she wouldn’t be there. She knew the palace and him too well. If she caught sight of Yami, she could hide just about anywhere; she knew the good hiding spots better than Yami himself.
    Yami opened his door and walked over to his dresser. Opening the top drawer, he pulled out his mother’s brooch, and stroked it with his thumb in silence. Was it time to give it to Maat, he wondered.
    ~…………….~
    Maat sighed, laying down in the garden’s grass. She had just finished discussing her future as the empress of Egypt. It was a long discussion.
    She was nervous; she was to go to a neighboring city to learn all the things required of a royal wife for two years. That would mean being away from Yami for two whole years. She didn’t know if she could bear it. But had to. It was all for Yami.
    ~…………….~
    “Maat? What are you doing?”
    She jumped, and turned around as she pulled her bag closed. Tea stood in the doorway, her mouth dropped.
    “T-Tea…I thought you were working.”
    “I finished early. Now what I want to know is what are you doing? I thought you were going to see the Pharaoh!”
    Maat looked down as she tugged at her cloak around her neck, and Tea stepped inside, closing the door. “Okay, talk. You’ve been hiding something from us ever since the ball.”
    The two girls look at one another, and Maat sat on her bed with a sigh. “I…I’m leaving today…for training…”
    “Training? For what?”
    “…to become Yami’s bride.”
    ~…………….~
    “She’s what?!” Yami screamed, standing up. Tea nodded, her hands balled up in her chest.
    “She told me just now; I came to get you as quickly as I could…but you must hurry to see her, Young Pharaoh! She will be leaving as soon as she can; she doesn’t want to say goodbye to you!”
    Tea didn’t have to say anymore; Yami sprinted out his room, his fist nearly crushing the brooch he held in his hand. And to think, he was going to give it to her today! Now she was leaving in order to become his bride.
    “Maat! Maat! Where are you?!” Yami ran along the outside of the palace, searching desperately for his oldest friend. “Maat!”
    He rounded the corner, and saw her crawling into her carriage. Yami sprinted as fast as he could, his heart was about to explode. “Maat!”
    Maat froze for a moment, but she slowly leaned out of the carriage window to meet with Yami. “Y-young Pharaoh—”
    “You idiot!” Maat flinched, “How dare you not tell me about this!”
    “I…I couldn’t bring myself to say goodbye, Young Pharaoh!” Maat sobbed, biting her lip. “I could never say goodbye to you…you’ve done so much for me!”
    “But to never tell me about this…Maat…I can’t bear the thought of you leaving for two years!” The two gazed at each other, eyes locked through so much more than just a stare.
    Yami broke the gaze, as his hands balled. Maat sighed lightly, and tried to cheer him up.
    “I-I promise I’ll write every day.”
    “…”
    “A-and I’ll finish my training and come back to you earlier than expected. I’ll be a great cook, and I’ll be able to finally help you—”
    “I don’t care if you’re the worst cook in the world!” Yami squeaked. “Just come back to me!”
    Maat’s eyes widened as he said this and his eyes shut in pain. Maat’s eyes watered as she cupped Yami’s cheeks. “I’ll never leave you.”
    “…and I’ll never leave you.” Yami lifted his hand out to her, and she put her hands under it. He dropped the brooch into her hands, and her mouth dropped.
    “Young Pharaoh…this is….”
    “I was going to give it to you…when I confessed my love for you.”
    Maat smiled happily as Yami looked down, and she tightened her grip on the brooch. “…Yami…I love you with all my heart.”
    Yami looked at her with a red face, and nodded. “I love you, too.”
    “I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
    “And I’ll wait for you every day.”
    “And when I come back, I’ll never leave your side.”
    Maat left shortly after that, and Yami, for many days, did not leave his window. He knew she’d return, but he could not wait two whole years. Little did he know, he wouldn’t see her for many years to come.
    This, is where the real story begins. The story of the Virus of the Girl in the Sands.