Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters (unless otherwise stated) Kazuki Takahashi does, nor do I make any money from these stories.

22

The following morning Yugi woke to find himself alone in bed, getting up and after getting dressed he went to find his lover, he found him on the balcony "Atemu?" he said quietly

Without turning Atemu answered him "Hmm."

"Are you alright?" Yugi said as he walked up behind Atemu

"I'm…not sure."

Yugi moved round and knelt in front of him, taking Atemu's hands in his he looked at him "Is it bothering you that much?"

Atemu looked back at Yugi "It was the first one I'd ever witnessed."

Yugi sighed and leaned his head on Atemu's knee Atemu absently started to stroke Yugi's hair, he sat quiet knowing Atemu would say something eventually, he wasn't disappointed.

"I think what made it worse was that he was my uncle, I had to watch my own uncle die."

"Do you not think he deserved it?" Yugi asked quietly

"Yes he deserved death but did it have to be so horrific?" Atemu asked a slight anger lacing his voice.

Yugi pulled himself away from Atemu and stood beside him "I think it did."

Atemu turned swiftly "What!"

Yugi closed his eyes "You never saw the woman wail as they held their dead babies, you never saw the despair in their eyes when they knew that no one could help them." he paused "Get dressed I want to show you something."

Atemu watched him as he walked away he stood up "Who are you to give me orders?!" he asked Yugi sharply

Yugi turned to look at him "I thought I was your lover but it seems I was mistaken!" Yugi growled before he left the room.

Atemu poured himself a goblet of water and took a sip in contemplation before throwing it across the room, "Damn it!" he yelled, he was upset at his father for making him watch Akhenaden's execution and he'd just taken it out on Yugi.

Yugi walked down the halls in a bad mood Aknamkanon saw him and noticed his mood "Yugi is everything alright?"

Yugi sighed, "No pharaoh it is not."

"Come, join me for breakfast and tell me about it."

The two walked to the dining hall and sat down, after the servants had placed their breakfast in front of them and left Aknamkanon spoke "What has happened Yugi?"

"I don't think it is my place to say."

"Yugi." the pharaoh said sternly

"I told Atemu to get dressed as I wanted to show him something."

"And?"

"He asked me who I was giving him orders."

"I see, how did you reply?"

Yugi shrugged "I just told him that I thought I was his lover but I guessed I was wrong."

"Do not worry Yugi I'm sure it'll sort itself out soon."

Yugi gave him a half smile "Maybe." He whispered quietly to himself unaware that the pharaoh had still heard him.

The pharaoh was not happy, Atemu may have just hurt his relationship with the only one he has ever loved, they both looked up as the dining hall door opened and Atemu entered. Yugi stood up "I think I just lost my appetite." Yugi said to the pharaoh

"Sit back down Yugi I think Atemu wants to talk to you."

"How do you know?"

The pharaoh grinned, "I know that look he's wearing."

"Will you stay?"

"It is not my place to stay Yugi."

"Please I think you might be interested in this."

"You really think that?" Yugi nodded "Alright Yugi I'll stay."

Atemu joined them at the table "Good morning father." He said quietly,

"Good morning Atemu." The pharaoh replied as the servant placed Atemu's breakfast in front of him, as she left Atemu sighed, he noticed that Yugi had yet to look at him

"Yugi, I, I'm sorry I should not have taken it out on you."

Yugi looked up and Atemu flinched at the hurt he could see in his eyes "No you should not have done, it was not an order Atemu I was simply making a request."

"I know I just…" he paused "Alright Yugi I will come and see what it is you want me to look at."

"Thank you." Yugi gave him a soft smile

The pharaoh looked at the two "I think" he said suddenly "That if you do not mind Yugi I will join you."

Yugi turned to him "Not at all pharaoh I would be honoured if you would join us."

"Then we will leave after we have finished eating, will we be walking?"

"No pharaoh we will need horses."

Aknamkanon motioned a guard over "Please see to it that there are 3 horses available and have a party of six guards made ready." The guard bowed and left the dining hall

The three men walked towards the stables "Where are we going Yugi?" Aknamkanon asked

"There is something I want you to see, it's not far."

"Where is it?" Atemu asked

"It's just outside the town I lived in."

Atemu was surprised when Yugi mounted the smallest horse "Yugi?" he said

Yugi couldn't help but giggle at the look on Atemu's face "Karim has been teaching me."

"Oh."

Once the three men were mounted they were joined by the guards, the palace doors opened and Yugi led the small party out.

After an hour of steady riding they soon made it to Yugi's hometown.

The people although surprised to see their pharaoh and the crown prince riding through the streets still stopped and bowed paying them their respects.

Yugi pulled up on the edge of what looked like a field of shells and got off his horse he was followed by the pharaoh and Atemu.

"What is this place Yugi?" the pharaoh asked as he looked over the ground where he saw small oval shapes between two and three feet in length and eighteen inches wide.

"These." Yugi said quietly "Are the graves of the babies killed by the brokers, their only crime? They were either one of twins or two of triplets. We marked them out like this so we would not disturb those already buried when digging fresh graves."

Atemu looked over the field "How many are there Yugi?" Atemu asked wondering if he really wanted an answer

Without looking at him Yugi replied "At the last count, 273."

"WHAT!" Aknamkanon said shocked to the core.

They followed Yugi as he walked through the small gate and pointed to a much larger oval "That large one there." He said quietly "Is Minkah's wife, we buried her here so that she could guide the little ones to the afterlife." Yugi dropped to his knees and pulled a small lotus blossom from his tunic and as he laid the bloom on her grave he whispered a small prayer, he hadn't noticed the pharaoh and Atemu had kneeled with him.

After paying their respects to the dead Atemu led a visibly upset Yugi from the field of shells and over to his horse, he held Yugi tightly "Yugi?"

"Yes?"

"Having seen this I now agree with you Akhenaden deserved the death he got." He looked back at the field "And I'm glad I got to see that bastard die."

Yugi looked up at him "Atemu I didn't bring you here to change your mind I just wanted you to know why I felt the way I did."

"I know, but until seeing this I never realised the scope of his crimes."

"You know what the sad thing is Atemu?"

"No, what is it Yugi?"

"Every town and village has a field like this."

The pharaoh joined the two young men in time to hear what Yugi had just said about every town and village having a field like this he growled to himself, if he had seen this before Akhenaden's death there would have been no need for the dogs, brother or not he would have ripped him apart with his bare hands.

Bringing his anger into check he spoke quietly "Come on let's go back to the palace I have seen enough."

As they rode back Atemu rode up to his father "I owe you an apology father."

"For what my son?" Aknamkanon said surprised

"I was angry at you this morning for making me witness Akhenaden's death, but after seeing that field I'm glad I did."

"Is that part of the reason Yugi was angry and upset this morning?"

Atemu hung his head "Yes I was angry at you but I took it out on him, and I know I should not have done."

Aknamkanon smiled "Just make sure he knows that."

The rest of the journey back to the palace was done in silence, as they approached the palace gates they swung open.

Aknamkanon, Atemu and Yugi were surprised to be met by Bomani and Minkah.

The pharaoh dismounted and the two guards bowed "Rise." The pharaoh said, "When did you arrive back?" he asked

"We arrived not long after you left the palace sire."

"I see, were you successful in your endeavours?"

"Yes pharaoh." Bomani said "We caught them after a sandstorm had blown over and weakened them."

"Were you not caught in it as well?" Atemu asked

"Yes prince Atemu we were, but we managed to find shelter in one of the rocky outcrops, they however, were not so fortunate." Minkah said

"I see, where are the prisoners now?"

"Four have been locked up and a fifth a young boy is also locked up but away from the others."

"Four?" Aknamkanon asked, "I thought there were six of them?"

''There was pharaoh but two died in the sandstorm, we did bring their bodies back with us, what would you like us to do with the dead?"

"Use them to feed the crocodiles."

"Yes pharaoh." The two men left to do their pharaohs' bidding.

"Showing no mercy father?" Atemu asked surprised that Aknamkanon would order such a thing

"To these bastards? no, none what-so-ever." He turned to Atemu

"And you will not be made to witness the punishment this time."

"What will it be?" Yugi asked

"I don't know yet. Now if you will excuse me I have a meeting with Bakari I must attend."

Atemu and Yugi watched as Aknamkanon strode through the courtyard and into the palace itself.