I guess this chapter proves that it may take a long while, but those chapters will get there eventually, and don't worry, this story will finish!

In the mean time I'm trying for Elven fun, and a new Transformers story, so stuff enough!

No more delays, here is the new chapter!

King's Protection

Atemu gave recognition of an audible slash of the riding whip to his horse, his eyes narrowed, "Hurry it up men!" he yelled, his voice a bit hoarse from the lack of water and the heat, but they couldn't afford it to stop and drink, he wouldn't let them stop!

"Use those whips, that's what they're there for!" he barked and concentrated on the desert in front of him, he checked the sun for directions as he heard his minions driving their poor mounts even faster.

'They're gonna have to be put down by the time we get back to the palace, but so be it! We must get there on time! We MUST!' the Pharaoh thought as he gritted his teeth.

Yugi felt tears forming in his eyes as he heard the whips coming down, knowing how the bite feels for himself. But he would never hurt his horse, he would never! His tears blurred his view before they stuck to his lower eyelid, drying up in the desert's heat to leave a crusty layer of salt that made his eyes irritate. 'We shouldn't be out here at a time like this…' he thought to himself, it was madness.

A small cry escaped his dry lips and he felt crimson eyes upon him.

He looked up, squinting his eyes against the whirring dust the hooves of horses summoned over them.

"Yugi, give me the reigns" Atemu said and snatched the ropes away, his steed was more adapted than the mare, and she would run better besides him.

"Grab the sadle, we'll be back at the palace shortly" Atemu grumped and looked ahead of himself.

"Servants and Guards! Take care of the horses, raid the village for any more supplies and bring them to the castle, take the villagers with you! Take anything you can find! We need to prepare for siege, incoming civilians and the enemy! Fortify the palace, I want every spot guarded!" Atemu cried the orders, hardly caring about the proper order as his minions would know to sort them out anyways.

He got off his stallion, patting the exhausted creature before a servant took it away.

"Atemu! What's gonna happen!" Honda asked as he approached the Pharaoh, "our troops are falling back, but why?"

Atemu turned around and looked at him, "we're gonna need to defend the palace... within a day we will have survivors reaching us, the enemy will be shortly after that, we're gonna need to prepare!" he answered and laid his hand on Honda's shoulder, "Honda, I've known you for a long time, I have no doubt about your strategic insight" he whispered, to keep from others hearing what he was saying.

Honda narrowed his eyes and nodded, "Yes, my Pharaoh, as you wish" he said out loud, "…thank you for your trust…" he whispered in return and left, knowing that one should never stay around for long to receive Atemu's cold stare again.

"Where's Ryou?" Atemu bellowed as he entered the palace, "I want him to the throne room, now!"

Yugi gently took care of his mare along with the other servant, he lovingly stroked the nose of the creature as he brushed the manes.

"Oh…" he squeaked as he saw Atemu enter the palace, the memory of their conversation being brought back to him…. Atemu's obvious preference for Mastani had hurt him, and he shivered.

"No…. I will not be a bad servant…" he whispered and made haste to follow the Pharaoh, "He will be proud of me! I'll be a good servant!"

Atemu walked on silently as the small group of servants followed him, they would be strictly briefed on the current situation and they would be crucial to Atemu's defense.

Ryou was one of them, he walked closest to the ruler and had his head bowed, his thoughts up to the coming fight, and how to support Egypt's fleeing minions.

Atemu looked behind him into the hall, seeing how Yugi had obviously followed them, "I'm sorry Yugi… this is no meeting for children" he whispered quietly and quickly closed the door behind him, proceeding to lock it.

Yugi followed the group, his short height made him a bit slower in pace than the others, so he felt himself lingering a bit behind.

As he rounded the corner and entered the hall leading to the throne room, he saw how Atemu closed the door behind him.

"Pharaoh, please wai….!" He started but a sharp streak of pain ran across his forehead as he ran up against the closing door, falling back onto the hard ground.

As he brought a hand up to his nose, feeling how blood dripped down, his view on the closed door began to blur with salt tears, "Atemu…" he squeaked as he heard the door being locked.

"Ryou… I take it you've heard?" Atemu asked as he sat down on the throne.

"Yes, my Pharaoh, I've indeed heard…"

"Well then… I'm not going to be denying the facts: we cannot harbour those seeking shelter, we have nor the food, nor the place, nor the time…. And nor the right situation… for such an action"

Ryou bit his lip and nodded, knowing that Atemu was right, but that still wouldn't take away that many would die while hoping to be saved.

"We're busy preparing for the raid, and you are going to be assigned specific duties, complete these duties even if it demands your lives!" Atemu spoke harshly, his mind working overtime just as not to forget any detail.

The servants listened closely as Atemu began assigning chores, and the group rose quickly when he dismissed them.

Atemu watched the servants leave, Ryou being the last one, and he frowned.

"Owh, and Ryou…. Should anything happen for the worst…. I want you to take care of Yugi"

"……" Ryou looked back and nodded, "Yes, Pharaoh, I shall" he answered and left Atemu to his thoughts.

"Yugi?" Atemu whispered as he entered his room, hearing how someone quickly rose and tried to stop the little sobs that he had heard when outside of the royal chambers.

"Yugi? What's wrong?" he walked towards the bed where Yugi was kneeling, his head bowed down, "… nothing, my Pharaoh…." Yugi whispered, his voice broken, "c…can I do something for you?" he asked, feeling how a hand grabbed his chin and forced him to look up.

Atemu widened his eyes as he saw the dried blood on Yugi's upper lip, some spots had remained even when Yugi had tried to wash it off carefully.

"Yugi…." Atemu whispered as Yugi moved away from him and lowered his head ones more.

"I'm s-sorry….. I suppose I will never be as good as Mastani…. But I try….. and if that's not good enough…. Then send me away…." Yugi whimpered and gripped the sheets of the bed tightly, "Please, I'd rather be send away….. I can't bare the shame of knowing that I'm worth nothing….I rather die in the desert!" he cried and shivered uncontrollably.

Atemu narrowed his eyes and gripped the boy tightly, hugging him as he moved next to Yugi, "Shh… don't say that… you're a good servant Yugi" he whispered and stroked the boy's back, "I'm proud of you…I am"

"No… you aren't….. you never show it!" Yugi sobbed, "You always look at me with anger, you never tell me something!"

Atemu looked at the broken angel in his arms, feeling guilty to have caused such hurt, "No… I indeed never did….." he admitted and slowly started to trail his fingers over Yugi's shoulder, "and I am sorry, I'm so very sorry Yugi!" he kissed the boy's hair and gave the smaller body a slight squeeze, "give me another chance… I will do better…"

Yugi slowly looked up, seeing how there was no anger anymore, only care, and he nodded, "I'm afraid, Atemu…." He whispered, and Atemu nodded, "I understand that"

Yugi felt how Atemu wanted to put him at ease, and he was surprised that the older male was so gentle. He turned and slowly placed his arms around Atemu's neck, kissing him softly and uncertainly on his jawbone, "I… I never did……. I….. I would…." He muttered, feeling how his face became red.

Atemu looked down and detected the uncertainty immediately, "Yugi… you're not sure about this…I wouldn't do it with you against your will" he answered, a bit more direct than he intended.

"But… I want to….. I'm just…… nervous" Yugi answered meekly, watching how Atemu grinned in amusement, "nervous?" the Pharaoh repeated before turning serious, "that's putting it lightly…. …..you may stop at any given time" he whispered, and kissed his servant tenderly………

Snipped out for censor reasons, sorry xp!
Yugi relaxed and let his body come to rest, his head rested on Atemu's chest and he looked out in front of him, his brow furrowing into a frown as he licked his lips to speak the words: "I don't want to call you Atemu"

"…What do you want to call me, then? If it's not Atemu… what then?" Atemu frowned as he looked at the naked angel on top of him.

"I want to call you Yami… the darkness surrounding me, shielding me from the swords of day" Yugi whispered, tears filling his violet eyes and Atemu quickly rose to kiss them away, "then… I'll be your Yami"

Yugi smiled as he relaxed, hearing how Atemu drifted off to sleep.