HD: hehe, sorry for the looong wait!

COH: HD doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! This is a shame.

Alvar: -nods-

Bea: -rolls eyes- yea such a shame.

Cole…

Chapter 6

The sun streamed through a huge window it hit the cream face of one Ryou, who stirred, blinking his emerald eyes at the hot morning sun and raised his head from his arms that rested on Malik's bed. Ryou had sat by his friend's side all night, scared that maybe he wouldn't make it. Yugi, Jou and Amaya slept soundly in other small beds. Ryou stretched his aching mussels and spun around at the squeak of the door opening.

"Wow, calm down it's just me, Amber-Lee, Princess Amber-Lee." A beautiful woman steeped in, she reminded Ryou of Amaya. "Your Ryou…right?" Ryou nodded. "You're friend Jou told us yesterday." Ryou gave a soft 'oh' at the information. "I came to see f you and your friends are alright?"

"The healers said that we should all be alright although…"

"Although what?" Amber-Lee asked softly with keen interest.

"The healer doesn't think Malik will survive, he said if we pray and offer sacrifices to the Gods he may survive." Amber-Lee snorted at the comment and Ryou looked up confused at her.

"I'm sorry it's just, are you going to put the faith of your friend's life into the hands of make believe people." Ryou looked more confused. "Uh…never mind. I should go; my brother is waiting for me. I'll send a servant to get you and your friends' breakfast." Ryou gave a small bow and Amber-Lee nodded and turned to leave. "Oh and Ryou, you don't have to bow." Ryou smiled. A yawn distracted Ryou and looked around and saw that Yugi was sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Yugi, you're finally awake!" Ryou cried softly, not wanting to wake up the others.

"Hey Ryou." Yugi smiled softly, lightly hugging the snow-haired boy.

"I'm glade you're awake!" Ryou smiled warmly.

"Where are the others?" Ryou bite his lip.

"Their here…" He wasn't quite sure what to tell him.

"What is it Ryou?" Yugi asked slowly, he always knew when his friends were lying.

"It's nothing! Their fine!" Ryou didn't sound too convincing and tried to hide Malik from the young Prince's view.

"Who's fine?" They both looked around to see Jou sitting up and rubbing his honey eyes.

"Jou!" Yugi smiled brightly.

"Hello Yugi, how are you?"

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"Fine, Ryou how's Malik?" Ryou shook his head franticly to warn the golden haired boy, who didn't get the message.

"Why do you need to know? Is something wrong with Malik?" Yugi looked into Ryou's emerald eyes, Ryou couldn't say no to the amethyst eyes.

"They found him near the Nile, they think he may have been dragged there after they found out he wasn't you…" Yugi stared horrified over Ryou's shoulder at the patched up figure whose chest rose slowly.

"Malik…" He climbed out of bed and walked over to the blonde Egyptian. He knelt down beside the bed and took his friends hand in his two smaller ones.

"Yugi…" Ryou knelt down and hugged the Prince. Jou knelt down on his other side while Yugi cried gently.

"It's my fault…" Yugi whispered.

"No its not, you didn't do anything, it was the bandits." Jou argued.

"What's going on?" The three looked over at Amaya who was sitting up and staring at them with confused glassy golden eyes.

"Maya, you're away!" Jou got up and hugged the younger girl.

"Are you three alright?" She noticed Malik and her own eyes filled with tears. "M-Malik…?" She didn't move but buried her face in Jou's shoulder. The four sat like that not moving. A knock at the door startled them all, Ryou found his voice first.

"C-Come in." The door opened and three servants walked in balancing trays landed down with food and drink.

"Princess Amber-Lee though you all must be hungry." The first servant informed them, bowing and placing his tray on the table, the two others followed. They left the room and the four friends didn't move none were hungry. Yugi wiped the tears from his cheeks and stood up on stiff legs.

"I-I think we should eat something it won't do us any good to starve to death." They nodded and each took a small piece of food and ate quietly. Deciding the silence was too much Yugi broke it with a question. "What happened to you Jou?" Jou swallowed his food.

"Well when the bandits attacked my horse went crazy and ran the other way, but I caught up with Amaya, she had Ryou with her, and we headed towards the palace. What happened to you, we couldn't find you?"

"Well when we were attacked I got pushed off my horse, a bandit almost stabbed me so I tried to run away, another got a hold of me, he figured out I was the Prince, and tried to kill me, I managed to escape and dragged myself away." They nodded and lapsed into silence again all not sure what to do or say.

"Mmmhph…" They jumped at the odd muffled noise.

"MAILK!" Amaya yelled, realizing the scours. The others rushed to their friend's side. Malik's violet eyes were half opened and his breathing was ragged.

"Malik, are you alright?" Ryou asked anxiously. Malik weakly nodded but winced. Amaya took his hand.

"I'll get the healer." Jou left the room in search of the palace Healer while the others looked down at their weak friend; they found it odd as Malik was always the one taking care of them, him and Jou, not the other way around. Yugi wiped his eyes. Jou returned with the Healer, who pushed them aside and instantly checked Malik over. They stood back and waited.

"He should be fine, give him a few days rest and he'll be back to normal." The healer informed them, washing his hands in a small bowl of water. The four grinned and sat around Malik. There was another knock at the door and the Healer opened it, on his way out, a messenger stood in the doorway.

"I have an important message for Prince Yugi." Yugi stood up.

"What is it?"

"In three rises of Ra the Pharaoh wishes you to be present in court." He bowed and left after the Healer. Yugi looked back at his friends.

"In three days, that's not long…" Amaya muttered. She cast a sideways look at Ryou who didn't meet her eye.

TBC…

HD: UH…sorry for not updating for ages! I've been busy!

COH: we hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Alvar: thanks to: HOPPY-SAN2345, Mariah-Pegasus, Hedwig-the-MellenniumOwl, and Yana5! THANK YOU!

Bea: More gore!

Cole: pft.

COH: please review!

HD: ja ne!

HappyDevil, Bea, COH, Cole and Alvar!