Yu-Gi-Oh was created by Kazuki Takahashi. I claim no ownership of any of the series, or characters in the series; further more I do not and never will earn any money for writing fan fiction of any sort including this fiction.
The Dragon's Child
Chapter 26: Unfamiliar Feelings
…Jou sobbed quietly and went about washing himself. He was disgusting. He knew it, he had always known he was different; and now that prick of a governor knew it. He felt sure that the world would soon know it as well.
There came a wrapping at the bathroom door and the boy stiffened in dread.
"Young man? Are you alright? It's me Sugoroku..." His voice strained through the wooden barrier. Jou relaxed slightly. The doctor was better than that bastard Kaiba. The door cracked and the man peeped in. "May I come in? I would like to examine you. Lord Kaiba tells me you are distressed and possibly injured."
Jou sighed out a very quiet, "Ok."
The elderly doctor entered. Jou began to get up. The man saw he was having trouble and came over to assist him. Jou flinched and blushed finding it embarrassing to be getting help out of a bathtub from a geriatric geezer…ok that was harsh...the man seemed really kind.
Worse still was the humiliation of having his body bared for the old man. The man chuckled quietly, "You can relax young man. You haven't got anything I haven't seen before. I'm a doctor…remember?"
Jou nodded but quickly grabbed for a cloth that was offered to him wrapping it around his waist and he was even surprised to feel the man stretch behind him and grab a robe for him to put on. Jou took it gratefully and covered himself letting go of the towel that was probably meant to dry him off but he didn't care if the robe, which was made of the softest fabric he had ever felt, was damp.
The man motioned him to take a seat on the carved marble bench by the fancy marble bath tub.
"Have a seat and let me look you over," Sugoroku offered. Jou tottered to the proffered seat and sat gracelessly with a quiet thud. The old pulled out a wand and conjured up a stool to sit on.
He noticed Jou's look of amazement and surprise. He opened his mouth to say something and closed it. Jou spoke instead. "So it's true. Magicians use batons to make tings appear out of thin air. I never thought I would see it." Jou relaxed a bit forgetting his troubles in the light of fascination and curiosity.
If it weren't for his own astonishment at the boy's obvious wonder he might have been insulted but he gathered that this strange boy didn't know better…
"Ah…you have magic but you act as if it is foreign to you still," The man smiled thinking on the strange young man in his midst. He offered the wand to the boy to inspect. Jou took it cautiously and inspected the thin shaft of light wood. It was smooth and slightly pliable. Sugoroku explained the object to him, "Yes a wand is a convenient and common conduit for conducting magicks. Really a generic thing…most of the more powerful wizards, warlocks, and other magic users have a much more personal conduit. Those you call magicians are hoaxters. Charlatans…frauds…don't believe their slide of hand magic. Most magicians bring entertainment and distraction so thieves can pick your pockets. Those are the harmless ones. Others sell fake magick and cures to the ill or fake hope, which is in its own way worse."
"Sorry I didn't mean to offend ya," He instinctually reached behind himself to play with his hair forgetting he held the wand and accidentally jabbed his ear. He winced and flushed handing the mean little stick back to the doctor. The old man could not stop the light chuckle that bubbled up inside his chest.
"It's quite alright," he sighed and smiled at the lad, "If you would like I could give your some lessons…in the magical arts."
Jou smiled and nodded, "I'd like that thanks doc."
"Alright…now about this bleeding I heard about…" The man changed the subject and began his examination.
Unknown to either of them the young governor had been listening. His hand flexed angrily as the blond talked so openly to the old man when he had been shut out. Seto turned stone faced and looked about the room. The maids had turned down his bed and made things ready for the boy to rest. Seto growled he didn't understand his conflicting feelings and he had nobody to ask. His brothers were both too young and Atem would get smug. He sure as hell would not talk to that idiot Ootugi.
A voice was cleared and there at the door stood his head maid. She bowed, "Excuse me Lord, but your guests are all here…I thought it best that they stay in the southern wing…since…"
"That should be fine," he interrupted her impatiently. He never liked mincing words and he sure as hell had too little time for some awkward servant to spit out whatever meaningless drivel he or she must spew.
"Dinner will be served promptly at 6 chimes of the clock," She bowed and waited to be excused.
"Very well…make yourself useful and inform my brothers…and prepare the room across from mine for the king."
"Very good sir," She straightened and turned sharply leaving like a chilled breeze…
In the southern facing wing a young maiden paced quietly through the halls. She admired the lovely artwork hanging on the walls…inside her chest ached it was him she knew it after all these years she would be reunited with Katsuya. A soft hand gently clasped hers, "Mo-Mistress Eiko?" The young woman with ruddy locks blushes and held the taller woman's hand. Her cherubic face marred with worry.
The elder of the two stared blindly past her and spoke quietly, "It's alright…we are safe here." She squeezed the girl's hand and smiled, "Daughter."
"Mother…is it…Big brother is here…isn't he?" The elfin girl smiled sadly as tears mingled with her long lashes making cast off gems that sparkled in the orange light of the evening. The white haired being knelt and hugged her child. And nodded.
"Shizuka we must wait…it isn't yet time for our reunion. But He is here I've seen it. He's here and he's safe." The girl buried her face into her mother's chest and sniffled…
…Keith almost forgot his precarious situation and snorted. Those losers cuddling…well Ryuzaki was cuddling Haga. Ryuzaki was snoring loudly and looked happy as a clam. Haga grumbled in his sleep.
"Those two are rather useless," The cloaked man groused. Keith almost felt bad for the two thinking the man was about to dispatch them…but better them than him. Then the man turned and walked back through the thicket past Keith.
"Get a move on Keith," He hissed.
"What about them?" He jacked his thumb back at them as he turned to follow.
"Not worth our time…if they make it back to the camp our leader can deal with them," The man rasped.
Keith shrugged, "Fine." He followed the man envying the two insignificant wretches lucky enough to fall beneath the man's notice…