It had not been easy by any means nor was it fun but Ryo spent most of the rest of their time trying to explain, what Noah was doing and what he was planning. Though explaining that was the last thing Ryo wanted to do but from what Mokuba had told him, it was obvious that Seto and Yami hadn't explained. He could understand why but he could also tell that Mokuba really wanted to know and it was clear that Seto and Yami weren't going to tell him anytime soon.

"Ryo, w-will N-Noah c-come back and hurt me like that?" Mokuba asked tears in his eyes.

"No, no kiddo. I promise you! Seto, Yami and I will never allow him to hurt you like that or anyway ever again." Ryo told him hugging him tight.

Mokuba sighed and snuggled into Ryo's embrace. He believed him Ryo had never broken a promise to him and after seeing the way Seto and Yami stood up to Noah he believed they would protect him too.

"Come on kiddo time for your treatments and then bed time."

"Ryo w-will you r-read to me when you tuck me in?"

"Would you like me to?"

Mokuba smiled, nodded and hugged him.

"Okay kiddo lets go."

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

Meanwhile the big five were discussing things over.

"So your hit man knows what to do, right?" Gansley asked.

"Of course he does! I made sure that he knows that we're going to do what is necessary to scare that brat into running away." Nezbit said.

"Anyone come up with a way to do that?" Leichter asked.

"I've got an idea." Crump said.

"Well don't sit there tell us what the plan is." Gansley said.

"What so you can take all the credit! I think not!" Crump said.

"Give us a clue." Johnson said.

"Fine I'll approach the brat and …" Crump said.

"You you'd scare him!" Johnson said.

"Oh and just who would you suggest?" Crump asked.

"I shall do it, it was my plan after all. I thought of hiring the hit man and it was my idea that the kid should be run off to throw the king into distress." Nezbit said.

"You! I think I could get that little brat to talk to me!" Leichter said protesting believing he could do better than the others.

"It was my plan to approach the runt I should be the one to do it." Crump said.

"I'm afraid not, me or Nezbit would have a better chance of gaining the runts trust. But don't think for an instant Nezbit that this means you will get first shot at taking over for the king. We've made a packed that we'll rid ourselves of Master Yami then we'll share both duties of both jobs." Johnson said.

"I'm still not sure if we are able to chase him off that we should have him killed if he returns." Nezbit said.

"Don't tell us you're going soft! What would you prefer we hold the brat hostage or kidnap him and wait? Then what? What do we do with him? Let him go? What if he talks and tells that we were responsible for the king's death?" Leichter said.

"Yeah then the whole kingdom will turn on us!" Crump said.

"Who do you honestly think the people would believe us or some little orphaned brat!" Johnson asked.

"Not to mention that few people in this kingdom trust us!" Crump said.

"I suppose you're right." Nezbit said.

"Now let's hear more of this plan to run the brat off Crump." Johnson said.

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

The next day Seto over Yami's objections started to show Mokuba around the castle grounds a little more. Yami protested that there'd be time for that later, after they get more work done. But Seto wanted at least a couple of hours with the kid before work.

As they were walking, they saw Joey and a couple of other guards talking.

"Katsuya." Seto called.

"My king, what can I do for you?"

"This is Mokuba, I need someone to act as his official royal guard."

'Great so the others were right he was choosing me for the job!' "My king I respectfully request not to have this assignment. I mean no offense my king but I came here to work me way into becoming a knight not to become a babysitter." 'Babysitting a snot nosed brat is not what I signed on to do. Despite the others warning I don't believe he'd punish me that severally!'

"So, you're turning down the assignment?" Seto asked.

"I know you're upset my king but please understand I…"

"No, it's perfectly all right I understand. Report to Honda for your first assignment as a full guard."

Joey was excited he'd stood up to the king and passed without punishment! He couldn't believe it!

"Come on kiddo let's go I need to speak with Honda about this."

"S-Seto."

"What's up kiddo?"

"Y-Yami said you'd l-let Ryo be m-my guard."

Seto looked and the kid and squeezed his hand. "We'll see kiddo. If that's what Ryo really wants rather than official knight duties will talk."

Mokuba hugged his arm.

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

A few minutes later Seto spotted Honda and the other knights polishing their swords and armor. They preferred to do their armor and swords themselves rather than let the stable boys' do it. The stable boys' do the horses and their stuff.

"Mokuba, see that fountain over their in the middle of the court yard." Seto asked as Mokuba nodded. "Take your toys and go play over there for a few minutes. But be very careful."

Mokuba carried the blue eyes white dragon and dark magician in his belt and the baby dragon in his arms but Ryo had fixed a small loop in the front of the belt for it when he wanted it.

"Okay big brother." Mokuba said running off to the fountain.

Seto walked over to Honda and saw Otogi sweeping up.

"Otogi." Seto called.

"Yes, my king."

"If you go over there and keep a close eye on Mokuba and make sure he stays safe. Then agree to watch him and keep him safe on short notice. I'll make sure you're assigned permanently to the stables." Seto said.

"Are you serious, sire?" Otogi asked.

"Perfectly." Seto said.

"Anything you wish my king!" Otogi said running over to watch Mokuba. He didn't really want to but between having to clean all the restrooms in the castle, cleaning the ones used everyday daily and the others once a week or just cleaning up the stables and taking care of the horses plus being asked to watch the kid he was more than happy to change assignments!

"Honda, Katsuya has been made a full guard with full duty."

"Really sir?"

"Yes, he's to be assigned to the armory and alternate between it and tower duty. Full duty!"

"F-full sir?"

"Full!"

"But sire, full duty is from 6 am to 9 pm with only a 10 minute break every 2 hours."

"And your point being?" Seto asked.

"No, no point sire. I'll be sure to tell him." Honda said.

"Mokuba! Come on let's go." Seto called. Mokuba ran over and grabbed his hand. "Come on we need to talk to Ryo and then I have to get back to Yami before he kills me."

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

After Seto, left Bakura and Duke walked over.

"So what was that all about?" Duke asked.

"It seems Katsuya was an idiot and turned down the king." Honda said.

"So what he reassigns him to Otogi's duties that he let him off of." Bakura asked.

"Actually he's assigned him to alternate between the armory and tower duty. Full duty."

"Full! But that's, that's like a 16 hour shift!" Duke said.

"Not to mention you only get one 10 to 15 minute break every two hours." Bakura said.

"Plus the armory is totally hot and cramped!" Honda said.

"Yeah and he wants to be a knight." Duke said.

"Not now he won't. There's no way!" Bakura said.

"Bakura's right no ones ever advanced from being there. I've been on duty in the tower and in the summer time its murder it's so hot up there you can sometimes barely breath!" Duke said.

"I had to take duty in the armory when everyone was down with the flu and at least the tower you get air when or if the wind blows. You got no wind no nothing down there!" Bakura said.

"I had duty down there that same year but my shift was at night. It's scary and spooky down there!" Honda said.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but we never had full shifts there. Most shifts on both are normally part time and only 8 hours each." Duke said.

"Yeah that's normal. But we gave Katsuya fair warning what would happen if he turned down the assignment." Bakura said.

"True he was the one who screwed up and didn't listen!" Duke said.