Fragile Frame

Chapter 1: Misinterpretation And Sorrow

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh. (See I am so mad I don't even use good English.)

Summary: The story takes place in ancient times that will involve almost all the Yugi-Oh! Cast. It will involve the infamous Thief King and his only partner, three extremely lucky orphans, two rather imperfect playmates/understudies, two foolish temple guards and many more. They are all brought together to live in what seems like happiness until anger and miscommunications lead to their down fall. R&R. Characters may seem a bit OC. Sorry.

"It hurts." A voice whispers as an older man with brown hair walks over to him. "Seth, it hurts." The boy cries as the man places a wet rag on his chest and says some prayers. The rag glows a bright crimson red color before disappearing leaving nothing but a hindering mark on the young boys chest.

"And that is what you get, Atemu. You should have known better then to go praying around at night. You're just lucky you didn't run into something larger. After all you can't completely summon the most powerful spirits." Seth said scolding the young prince.

Small tears became evident on the small tanned boys face. His dark violet almost violet red eyes glowed from the on coming tears. "Don't cry your Highness." Seth said sternly in a softer tone. He allowed his cold azure eyes to lose some of their frost.

"Don't call me that." Atemu said, as a few tears broke free from his overfilling lids. "Please. We're cousins. Why don't you ever use my name?" Atemu asked before taking it back. "Why do you only use my name when I am in trouble? Do you hate me?"

Seth signed. "Please your Highness, its time for bed. Let's hurry now, before his Majesty is awakened by our noise." He finished lifting the small boy from his place on Seth's bed.

Seth flinched at the though of his uncle having to be awoken from bed after being told his only heir and son was missing. Not to mention that Seth had him. He did not even want to consider the punishment.

"Seth." A sleepy voice whispered.

"No more talking your Highness I wouldn't want to wake your father. His Majesty would be angry if he knew about your little escapade into the desert in the 'dead' of the night." Seth said as he headed back to the northern side of the palace, for the third time that night.

There were six armed guards standing outside of Prince Atemu's door awaiting his return, as well as two very angry looking men. Seth sighed as he continued to carry his younger cousin towards his room. He felt the young boy's grip on his shoulders tighten.

"Where in the seven hells have you been?" One of the men asked as the six guards stood watching. Atemu hid his face in Seth's shoulders. Atemu was almost ten years old while Seth is a little over fourteen.

The man was very tall with bronzed skin and a long battle scar taking up most of his face. He wore a few golden bracelets and was dressed in a soft nightgown much like Atemu and Seth's. He had tattoo like symbols on the exposed sleeveless right arm of his nightdress. It read: "THE LAND OF ENDLESS SAND"

"I… I… was wa…" Atemu tried to talk but his father cut him off causing him to bury his head father into his cousin's well-toned bare tan shoulders. "No yelling." He whispered so only his cousin would hear.

"It's alright your Highness." Seth said quietly. "His Majesty just wants to know why you weren't in bed."

"Went walking." Atemu said quickly as Seth lowered him off his back.

Atemu's father quickly inspected his son's ripped shirt and skirt, like nightgown bottoms. His eyes then drifted to Seth who was looking to the floor as he had been taught to do as a child. He had to change bottoms because of all the blood Atemu had gotten on them but he could never tell the Pharaoh that. His shirt was also partly stained with Atemu's now drying blood mostly in the lower parts causing repulsive thoughts to cross the Pharaoh's mind. He looked at his nephew with anger and then back to his son. He had yet to notice the scar. Atemu was walking kind of off from the lost of blood so he staggered slightly as he tried to walk towards his father even though he was scared of him.

"Father," Atemu said quietly as his father pointed at him after shouting a command. A guard came to him and lifted him from the ground, where he had fallen due to the loss of blood. "I'm tired Father. May I rest now?" He asked looking with timid eyes at his father. He made sure to keep the scar hidden from him at all costs. He had the large guard take his son into the room and close the cloth before he turned his attention back to his seemingly forgotten nephew.

The second man left standing after the guards where dismissed was none other then the high priest himself. He wore engraved hieroglyphs on his bare chest just as Seth would too some day if he lived that long. His hair was long and gray indicating he was elderly and yet his body was no older then third-five. He also had many scars from past battles and dark skin. His eyes unlike the Pharaoh's were a deep ocean blue. They skimmed Seth over in shame.

"How could you?" He exclaimed moving closer to Seth who kept his head to the floor. "He is your cousin." The priest continued shaking Seth angrily.

"But," Seth tried to speak but his words were drowned out by the man's outraged voice. "Father." Seth tried but to no avail.

"How could you do that to him? He is only nine. Is something wrong with you?" He asked enraged as the Pharaoh watched with amusement. Seth did not look away from the floor.

"That's enough, Priest (1)." The Pharaoh said with a satisfied smile. "Just take him down to the Shadows we will deal with him later.

"Not there." Seth begged as his father began dragging him. "Please. I don't want to go to The Shadows." He continued until he and his father were out of site. Then the Pharaoh returned to his sleeping son behind the curtain.

Meanwhile back in the desert.

"Gods it's cold." A metallic blonde complained rubbing his dirty hands against his bare arms.

"Oh shut up Malik." A white haired boy replied kicking up some sand.

"I wanna go home. Thoth. Where are mother and sister?" (2) Malik asked looking back at the burning embers of their village.

Thoth's eyes widened, as he seemed to fear his own reflection in the flames of their village. His mother had awoken him and told him to hurry into the desert and escape towards the capital and not let anyone stop him. He had taken his best friend with him. That was all he had left now. Thoth couldn't bring himself to tell Malik what had befallen their home knowing it would infuriate him and cause him great sorrow. He couldn't inflect that kind of pain on the only thing he had left to care for.

"We're leaving." Thoth said suddenly turning to look back at the flames a last time before hurrying over a sand dune and sliding down the other side. He looked to find his spiky haired friend next to him. He smiled at him and Malik smiled back. As they began running towards the capital there he figured they could find some safe haven. Little did either of them know that would be the last time they would smile for years.

Back at the palace

"You two idiots didn't see him leaving his room?" The Pharaoh exclaimed raising a nine-tailed wipe above his shoulder. The two forms before him cowered in fear. They had simply been sleeping out on the balcony like they always did. They never slept in the Atemu's room.

The taller of the two had long locks of whitish blonde hair. He covered the smaller form that had short white hair to his shoulders as the whip came crashing down on top of them. His bareback bore many sores and bruises from previous beatings for nameless and countless reasons.

"Marik, Ryou?" Atemu's voice called innocently as he walked out into the hall. He looked around and found no one. He searched around the corner and found a piece of golden jewelry he knew to be Marik's. "Marik, Ryou?" He called weakly wondering where his friends gone.

"Don't you dare say anything or I swear to Ra, himself, I will kill both of you!" The Pharaoh exclaimed before walking off down the hall.

The blonde quickly picked up his shirt and put it on as he helped the smaller one up. The white haired boy had begun to cry just as he did every time he was yelled at.

"Marik, Ryou!" Atemu called in a low voice as he turned another corner. Suddenly he realized he was lost. He had wondered too far from his rest area in the palace. He felt the need to cry. He knew Seth wasn't coming to find him and he did not know what to do. "Marik! Ryou! Help me I'm lost!" He cried.

Slowly two heads peaked around the corner at the mentioning of their names. "Master." The white haired boy called out as he ran to Atemu's side. The other boy who wore a stiff solid frown upon his lips followed him close behind.

"What's the matter, Marik? Are you angry with me too?" Atemu asked innocently still in his ripped clothes.

The blonde rubbed course hands through his soft hair and nodded slowly. Atemu smiled and jumped into his arms. Ryou the white haired boy, smiled at them both. No matter how much pain they were in they could always comfort Atemu. Since he was the reason they were alive at all. Marik carried Atemu back to his room and placed him in his bed. Atemu slept for the rest of the night not knowing what marvelous and yet awful things would await him in the morning. While Ryou and Marik look up at the moon.

(1) I made it so Atemu and his family are not on a first name bases. As you can see, Seth calls Atemu, his younger cousin, Highness. While Pharaoh calls his own brother, Priest. Mostly because I don't remember what their names are in the anime. T.T it's so sad….

(2) Malik and Thoth are not Brothers. They just happen to live in the same house and call each other brother.

Atemu is Yami's real name if you were wondering. So Atemu is Yami.

Thoth is what I decided to Call Bakura and it is the name from the Anime from what my friend's told me, and what my DVD subtitles say. So Thoth is Bakura (Yami Bakura) Not Ryou.

Chapter 1 is done.

What do you think? Review please and tell me what you think. I don't care but please don't be too harsh. I will not accept Flames either. Don't questions my methods either. It will make sense in the end if any of you stick around to see it.

Yes I do know that Malik or Yami Marik was not around in the past but oh well I added him anyway. So there. All names, as they are final.

Goddess "-.-"