DECLARAION: - This story has been written and produced by Cathrath (FanFiction. net ID: 609465). Distribution of any kind is prohibited without the written consent of Cathrath. If you should see this story posted anywhere other than FanFiction .net or under any other name it has been stolen so please notify the author. I do not own Yu-gi-oh.

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Chapter 3 - Serpent

Yugi made rapid progress over the next couple of days. Ishizu checked on his wounds regularly and reported that he was healing well. He had started to carry out some of the tasks allocated to him but only the ones within the apartments. Yami did not want to subject him to the more public duties until he was fully recovered. On the whole Yugi was enjoying his new life and his friendship with Yami.

The stories were rife throughout the palace of the Pharaohs 'twin' so when Yugi finally appeared in public with Yami he was the centre of attention, much to Yugi's discomfort and Yami's amusement. Weeks went by and people were soon accustomed to seeing the two of them appearing together. Yami and Yugi had become fast friends over the short time and Yugi was soon repaying Yami for the kindness he had shown him. Yami often confided in Yugi over concerns he had and problems of state that needed resolving. On the whole Yami was a good Pharaoh and his people loved and respected him. However, Yugi soon learned that there was a darker side. Yami's father had been assassinated and his mother had died soon after giving birth to him. His father's early death had meant that Yami had become Pharaoh at a very young age. His childhood had been cut short by the tragedy and now like Yugi he was in a position he had never expected to be in with no parents and little in the way of friends. On top of that there was always the threat that someone would try to assassinate him, in order to gain power, so trust was something that Yami could little afford. However, he gave it to Yugi, much to the annoyance of some of Yami's advisers.

It was a few months into Yugi's life at the palace when the first attempt on Yami's life came. It was a fiercely hot day and Yami was holding council in the main throne room with a high dignitary from a neighbouring country, both were seated on cushions around a low table in the centre of the floor. Yugi approached the table with a platter of fresh fruit and returned to the side to collect a fresh flagon of wine to refill their goblets. It was as he was pouring the visitors wine that he noticed something moving in the fruit. Yami was reaching towards the platter when Yugi shouted, dropped the flagon to the floor and roughly shoved Yami's arm away, causing Yami to loose his balance and roll off the cushions onto the floor. The guards shouted from the door and rushed to the defence of their Pharaoh. One of the guards was Honda and he drew his sword as he advanced on the boy who had dared attacked the Pharaoh. He raised his sword to strike.

"Honda stop", commanded Yami.

Honda obeyed his Pharaohs command and lowered his sword. He looked down at the boy who didn't even seem to have noticed that he had been in mortal peril. He was kneeling on the floor, breathing heavily with his eyes squeezed shut as if in pain and his hand clamped tightly over his left forearm. He became aware that the Pharaoh was standing beside him.

"Quickly give me your knife".

He obeyed and watched as the Pharaoh knelt down beside the boy holding the knife.

'Is he going to kill the boy himself?' Honda wondered in shock.

"Yugi, let me see you arm." Yami's voice was urgent.

Yugi slowly removed his hand to reveal a bite mark.

'A snake bite!' Honda thought.

"I'm sorry Yugi this is going to hurt." Yami said.

With that Yami sliced the boys arm deeply over the bite. Yugi cried out as the blood flowed freely. Finally the Pharaoh placed his mouth over the cut and began to suck out the snake's venom. Spitting out the blood venom mix. He then tore a strip off his robes and bound the cut.

"Honda, send for Ishizu quickly".

Honda nodded and left the room at a run. Yami held the now unconscious Yugi in arms, he had gotten most of the venom out but Yugi would still need help, if only he knew what snake had bitten him. The dignitary he had been talking to drew his sword and lashed out at the fruit platter sending fruit and juice everywhere. He held up what remained of the snake.

"An Asp," he said.

"Very dangerous. If it had bitten you, you would have been dead in minutes."

Yami looked down at the still unconscious Yugi with concern.

"Looks like the boy saved your life at the cost of his own".

'No,' thought Yami.

'I promised him nothing would hurt him again, please don't make me a liar Yugi'.

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Yugi could hear muffled voices.

"You got most of the venom out but some remained".

"Will he live?"

"I don't know. He's feverish right now. If he survives the fever then I would say yes."

"Please Ishizu if there is anything I can do...he saved my life".

"I know my Pharaoh but only time will tell".

'Well they sounded nice' Yugi thought.

'I wonder who they were talking about?'

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Yami sat beside Yugi's bed holding his hand. It felt so hot. Yugi tossed around in the bed gently moaning. He was fighting the fever Yami could tell but it was holding him in its throws. He knew that if he hadn't drawn most of the venom out of the wound Yugi would have been dead by now. He looked over at Ishizu who had just entered the room.

"Have you not slept yet my Pharaoh?" she asked kindly.

"No, I thought I saw a change in him around midnight and didn't want to leave him".

Ishizu approached the bed and laid a hand on Yugi's forehead.

"Yes, he would seem to be better, his temperature has dropped and he seems less distressed than yesterday".

"That is good", sighed Yami.

"Will you take a little sleep now?"

"No I will wait a little while longer".

"Very well, I will return shortly".

"Thank you Ishizu".

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Yugi slowly opened his eyes and promptly shut them again. The light was so bright it hurt. He tried again more slowly this time. He was in a small room with a window and lying in a comfortable bed. For some reason he couldn't move his hand. He turned his head slowly to see what the problem was. Yami was fast asleep and laying on his hand.

"Yami", he said weakly.

Yami's eyes sprang open.

"Yugi...?"

"Where am I?"

"In one of Ishizu's healing rooms," Yami said as he leaned closer.

"What happened?"

"You saved my life".

"I did...?"

It came back to him. The snake. It had been going to bite Yami.

"The snake...!" he cried.

"Dead, like you nearly".

"Thank you Yugi, you saved my life with your selfless act, and endangered your own life in the process, I now not only owe you my friendship but I owe you my life".

Before Yugi could answer Ishizu returned and noticing that he was awake fussed over him excessively. Yami slipped from the room quietly to get some much needed sleep.