Chapter 7

Drowning

King Aknamkanon kicked his powerful red-black tail, moving through the throne room. His son still hadn't returned, and Seth had told him that the Prince had gone to the healer's home. But Atem was supposed to be back by now…

"Father!"

The merKing looked up, joy in his deep crimson eyes as he spotted the black-silver tail of his son. He suddenly blinked. There was another merboy with the Prince, and he had royal coloring.

Atem smiled at his father as he swam up to him, his cerise eyes sparkling. "Hello Father."

"And who is this, Atem?" Aknamkanon said with a slight frown. He had to admit, this was one striking merboy. The child's tail shimmered with purple and sapphire blue, fading smoothly into each other, the fins translucent violet with blue dotting it.

Atem chewed his lower lip, his eyes falling to the seafloor. "Well, um, this is Yugi. Ryou and Bakura found him after a storm a while ago, and they wanted him to go home with me since he had royal coloring."

Aknamkanon swam around the boy, examining him with a critical eye. "How old are you, Yugi?"

"Seventeen, sir."

The merboy's voice was a little shaky, but surprisingly firm and steady for one first meeting the King of Atlantica. He seemed nervous, but he was confident. "How did you come to meet the healer and his mate?"

The boy's striking violet eyes traveled down. "I can't remember, sir. I don't have any memory of the time before I was found by them."

The King felt sympathetic. It wasn't often that they met a merperson that had lost memories, but it did happen, and it was a tragedy when it did. "I'm sorry, my boy. And how long have you known my son?"

Aknamkanon blinked in surprise when his own son entered into the conversation. "A week, Father. When I went to see Ryou and Bakura he was there, and we've been getting to know each other this whole time." Atem darted back to Yugi's side, his hand skimming over the other's arm.

The King smiled a little knowingly at this. He had seen love before, and he knew that his son had finally found his soulmate. "A whole week you waited to introduce him to me? A shame on you, Atem. I would rather have met your mate sooner."

Atem's crimson eyes widened. "F-Father!"

Aknamkanon laughed, his voice deep and booming. "I remember meeting my own mate, Atem, and I do believe that I have never seen you smile like that. It's easy to see that the two of you are in love." The King chuckled as Yugi blushed, the small merboy's eyes turning away. "Do not be embarrassed, Yugi. Welcome into my home!"

Yugi smiled shyly. "Thank you, sir."

"Please, if you're truly my son's mate, then call me Father."

Atem's smile lit up the ocean, and he hugged his father happily. "Thank you Father! I'm so glad you understand!"

The merKing chuckled again, and then nodded in the direction of Mahado as the sandy-tailed merman gestured. "I'm afraid I have some business to attend to, we have a couple that want to marry, so I need to go and give them my blessing. Until later, my sons. Enjoy your time together."

As Aknamkanon disappeared around the corner Atem tackled his little mate, bowling the merboy head over fins. Yugi squealed, fighting the tanned arms that encircled his waist. "Atem!"

"He accepted you, Yugi! He really did! We didn't have anything to be worried about, it all worked out!" Atem cheered, nuzzling his face against his aibou's pale neck. "I can't believe it really worked!"

Yugi laughed, kissing Atem's forehead gently. "Neither can I. I didn't think we could pull it off. Now come on, do you have to do this in the open? Can't we go to your room or something?"

Atem chuckled, his voice dropping to a purr. "My little aibou, so shy and modest…"

Yugi blushed, and then followed Atem as the merPrince flicked his black and silver tail, swimming through the palace.

Atem closed his door behind Yugi, and then wrapped his arms around his little mate from behind, nuzzling the side of Yugi's throat. The merboy gasped, his violet-blue tail stiffening in shock. "You're so beautiful, Yugi… I love you so much…"

"A-Atem…"

Atem twined his dark tail around Yugi's, sending those amazing feelings of heat spiraling through the other once more. Yugi moaned as the sensation, coupled with the feel of Atem's lips skimming over his throat and ear, shot through his body, making him shiver in delight.

Atem tugged him over to the bed, floating down to the covers and running his fingers through Yugi's tri-colored hair. "Yugi…"

Yugi whimpered slightly, unused to the feelings pouring through him. While on the surface he had never really had a relationship with anyone, and even so, these feelings were much different from any he could get while in a human body. Everything was new and strange, and yet, Yugi was loving every moment of it.

Atem finally kissed Yugi full on the lips, his mouth soft and warm. Yugi moaned against the touch, wrapping his pale arms around Atem's neck and drawing himself close to the merman's strong body.

Their lips parted, and then Atem reluctantly drew away, leaving Yugi panting and feeling rather… hot. The violet-eyed being frowned as he watched his mate draw away. "Atem, why did you stop?"

"Because, my little one, if you are to be wedded to me properly, then you must be pure on the night of our wedding. It is a tradition among the merpeople, and I do not intend to take your innocence before it is rightfully mine." Atem replied, swimming away from the bed.

Yugi blinked. "Even if I offer it to you freely?"

"Even then. I'm sorry, Yugi, but I would rather that we follow the ways of my people in this aspect. It would please Father, and we need to do everything we can to remain in his favor. If he finds out that you were human, things could go horribly wrong. Father hates humans." Atem said softly.

Yugi frowned, looking down. "Oh… I see."

Atem smiled at his little mate. "Don't worry, Yugi. It will all come in time. Besides, there are still some things you do not know as a merperson, and that will come, I promise. But humans and merfolk are much different, and I don't want to rush you."

Yugi smiled gently. "Thank you for that, really. It so… strange, being down here, after living my whole life as a human. I hope I can get used to it."

At that moment the door burst open, and Atem looked around in shock as he saw his father in the doorway. "What was that?"

Atem's eyes widened. "Father!"

"A human? This little merboy was a human?.!" Aknamkanon thundered. "Atem, you know very well the penalty for this! Humans are vile creatures, they killed your mother, and they've killed many of our people! How could you allow one into our midst?.!"

"Father, please, you have to understand!" Atem cried, swimming between his father and his mate. "I love him, he is my soulmate! We called out to each other before we had even met; we were destined to be together!"

"I'll not have it!" Aknamkanon roared, his hands clenching into fists and his crimson magics flowing around them. "No human is going to steal my son from me, like they did my wife!"

Yugi cried out, trying to swim away from the merKing's wrath, but not able to go far. Atem kept himself between the two, desperate to protect his little mate. "Please, Father! You have to understand!"

"There is nothing to understand here, Atem. Now MOVE!"

"NO!"

With a roar of rage Aknamkanon pushed his son violently out of the way, and then pushed his fist towards Yugi, releasing the stream of magics that had been collecting around it. Yugi screamed out once more, throwing up his arms to block his face as though it would help.

But the pain never came.

Yugi opened his eyes to see Atem floating in front of him, his arms spread wide as he protected Yugi. The former human swallowed, reaching out a hand towards his mate. "A-Atem?"

Atem's body suddenly went limp, floating down to the seafloor and coming to a stop on the sand. A cloud of blood spewed from his chest, staining the water around them red as Aknamkanon looked on in shock. "W-What have I done… Healer! Send for the healer!"

"Atem?" Yugi whispered, still in shock at what he was seeing. His eyes were locked in Atem's blank crimson gaze, the merPrince's eyes staring endlessly into his own. "Atem, answer me!"

There was no response.

"ATEM!!"


MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!! -coughs- I mean, uh, wow, what a cliffhanger! Please review!