HD: here I am again with a new chapter
COH and Alvar: YAY!
Bea: just get on with it!
Cole: HD doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh…yet…
Chapter 14
Ra rose steadily into the sky and cast his golden rays over the Nile and lit the streets, sending rats running away for a dark corner to hide and wait for the cover of night.
Malik walked calmly down the sunlit halls, his bare feet slapping gently against the stone and his soft humming filling his ears.
He didn't notice the approaching form of Marik until he ran straight into him.
"Ah!" Malik fell back but was caught by strong hands around his waist that brought him into a strong chest.
"You should be more careful." A deep amused voice spoke into Malik's ear, hot breath fanning against the softness of his skin.
"I would if people restrained from running into me." Malik snapped, pushing himself away and dusting imaginary dust off his clothing.
Marik gave him an amused smile. "It was no problem at all, Malik, o and good morning to you too."
Malik just pushed past and marched off muttering angrily under his breath about guards who should watch where they walk.
Malik was stopped once again by Amaya who smiled at him in greeting.
"Hello Malik, what has gotten you into a bad mood today?" She asked, tilting her head.
"Marik." Malik spat the word like poison. "He ran into me then started acting all cocky and egotistic!" Malik growled.
Amaya rolled her golden eyes and followed Malik as he marched on, still growling.
"I think you are over reacting." Amaya said, examining her nails casually.
Malik stopped, causing poor Amaya to run into him, and glared at the girl. "Do not start with me Amaya; you are exactly the same when Princess Amber-Lee is concerned."
Amaya glared back. "That is only because she is arrogant and overly royal."
"She kissed you once on the cheek and you are complaining?" Malik smirked.
Amaya threw her hands up in frustration and marched off angrily.
"I see your point." Malik mocked after her retreating back.
Amber-Lee watched Bakura from the doorway. The thief was busy sharpening his dagger and watching the gardens below.
"What do you think of Amaya?" Amber-Lee asked after a long time of silence, broken only by the rhythm of the dagger scraping the rock repeatedly.
"The Lord's brat?" Bakura asked, pausing to look sideways at Amber-Lee.
Diamond-white eyes narrowed but nodded all the same.
"She is alright I suppose, fierce and controlling." Bakura went back to his work.
"What do you think of Ryou?" Amber-Lee asked much too casually.
Bakura's fluid movements ceased abruptly and Amber-Lee smirked behind her white bangs.
"Why?" He asked suspiciously, keeping his voice neutral but there was still a slight quiver to the tone.
"I am not blind Bakura." Amber-Lee grinned with the look of a cat that had just caught a delicious bird.
"Good to know." Bakura placed the stone and dagger down and turned to the Princess who left the room with the golden hem of her dress fluttering behind her.
Bakura shook his head and looked back down into the garden. Among the trees planted for the Pharaoh and his Sister was a small albino boy, moving gracefully around the assorted flora.
Bakura's dark eyes followed him and his slim form, eyes filled with longing and hunger for the innocent youth.
Ryou shivered as he felt eyes follow him around the garden. He looked shyly around him but there was nobody there. He had found the garden by accident and was too thrilled by the small paradise to leave.
"Hello Ryou, enjoying the Royal gardens?" Ryou nearly jumped out of his skin as he was caught.
Ryou spun around to find Amber-Lee admiring a lotus she had just picked. Her eyes regarded the guilty look that crossed Ryou's face.
"I am sorry, I did not…"
Amber-Lee interrupted with a wave of her hand and walked forwards, standing directly in front of the white-haired boy. She was around Malik's hight which made her taller than Ryou which made her even more daunting for poor Ryou who was already frightened.
"Would you like to go for a walk?" Amber-Lee didn't wait for an answer but linked arms with Ryou and half dragged him on into the garden.
Ryou followed in a daze that he had not been punished for being in a Royal Garden, he wasn't even allowed in the garden in Yugi's kingdom.
Amber-Lee paused by a stone bench and invited Ryou to sit; she took the seat beside him and twirled the follower between finger and thumb as she watched a flock of birds in the distant.
"So Ryou how is Yugi?" Amber-Lee turned her sharp eyes on him and he felt like she could see through him and he frightened him further.
"He is doing much better now." Ryou nodded, he fiddled with the hem of his clothing and felt Amber-Lee and the unseen eyes watch him.
"And how is Amaya?" Ryou turned confused green eyes on Amber-Lee in puzzlement. "Well?" Amber-Lee urged as if he were a young child trying to find a forgotten word.
"She is well…" Ryou trailed off and looked back at the palace.
"You seem uneasy." Amber-Lee prodded.
"I, this will sound foolish, but I have the feeling that someone is watching me…" Ryou hung his head, his cheeks going a rosy-pink.
"Does not sound foolish at all." Amber-Lee muttered standing. "I shall see you soon Ryou, enjoy the gardens."
She made her way to the palace and left Ryou behind.
Yugi watched Jou and Amaya argue arrogantly, but all in amusement, over Amber-Lee and her attraction for the Lord's daughter.
"Even if she were attracted to me, I am not the least bit attracted to her so it would not work!" Amaya snapped.
"You do realize that you just made no sense." Malik grinned, watching the two from were he sat beside Yugi.
"The point is!" Amaya snapped. "I hate Amber-Lee and Osiris can have my soul before I ever have any attraction to her!"
"Be careful of what you say Amaya." Jou mocked warned, grinning broadly at the enraged girl.
"You are all impossible!" Amaya yelled and stomped over to the door, wrenched it open to come face-to-face with Amber-Lee.
"Hello Amaya." Amber-Lee greeted formally, the smirk never shifting from her lips.
"Princess." Amaya snapped rudely, pushing past her and down the hall.
"I think she may be growing to like me." Amber-Lee smirked.
"I think she is." Jou grinned.
Amber-Lee turned back to the others and walked into the room. "Yugi, Atemu is waiting for you at the front of the Palace, whenever you are ready."
Yugi's face lit up and he grabbed his cloak, yelling a hurried goodbye before dashing out.
"What is that about?" Jou asked, rounding on the Princess.
"Just my brother courting Yugi, now where do you think Amaya went?"
Ryou was walking back to Yugi's chambers when he came across a bored looking Bakura.
Ryou felt his cheeks colour red at the site of the ex-thief and tried to slip past unnoticed. But his planes failed.
"Ryou?"
Ryou stoped and prayed to which ever God or Goddess that was listening to let him disappear! There seemed to be no Gods or Goddess that were listening to him.
"Bakura." Ryou nodded politely.
"What are you doing wandering the halls?" Bakura asked, circling Ryou as if he were prey, which he did feel like indeed.
"I was on my way to see Yugi…" Ryou gulped and watched Bakura uneasily.
"But the Prince has left with the Pharaoh only moments before." Bakura was smirking now.
"I suppose I will just have to find Jou, Malik and Amaya." Ryou was pleased that he had not stammered on his words.
Bakura stopped a look of thought on this face. "I suppose you will."
Ryou let out a quiet breath he had not realized he was holding and nodded weakly. Ryou was saved by an angry Amaya who was marching towards the two.
"Come on Ryou!" She grabbed his arm and dragged him away, almost pulling his arm right out of the socket.
Bakura looked on with frustration and annoyance, his lips curling into a frown. How was he supposed to get Ryou on his own when he was surrounded by his friends?
A devilish plan unfolded in his mind and the corner of his mouth turned up.
"This will be fun." He growled and walked into the shadows.
Yugi rushed outside, his eyes scanning the steeps for Atemu. He found the Pharaoh waiting at the foot of the stone steeps, Marik standing back.
Yugi's face lit up and he ran down the steeps, taking two at a time, to reach the waiting Atemu.
Atemu turned when he heard Yugi's approach and smiled sincerely at the young Prince.
"You came."
Yugi nodded and his smile grew. "Where are we going?"
"You will see soon enough."
A litter appeared, carried by four strong servants, it was decorated with deep purple curtains, gold and purple pillows. Yugi's eyes widened in awe and Atemu smirked as their ride came closer and was lowered.
"After you." He helped Yugi in and then climbed in himself.
"Is this the surprise?" Yugi asked happily, playing with the edges of the pillows as the litter was carried off, the curtains stayed back so that Yugi could see all of Egypt.
"Half of it, there is more to come."
Yugi grinned at Atemu. "Now you are just spoiling me."
"This is nothing." Atemu smirked back.
Yugi giggled and looked out as they rode towards the Nile where Atemu's private boat sat at the bank, the team of boat men were ready and prepared to set sail. Yugi gasped and turned back to Atemu.
"Is that boat your's?"
"Yes." Atemu nodded, the litter stoped and against dropped gently to the ground and Atemu got out then helped Yugi out again.
Marik rode up beside them and dismounted. "The men are ready to leave, sire."
Atemu nodded and turned to Yugi. "After you."
Yugi boarded with Atemu behind him with Marik bringing up the rear.
"This is so amazing." Yugi sighed, walking along the deck.
"It was my great, great, great Grandfather's." Atemu informed him, following him as he walked around, looking at the whole boat. "I thought we could take a trip down the Nile…"
They spent the trip sitting on silk cushions, eating assorted foods and talking. As dusk fell and turned the waters dark the boat made a graceful arch and started back down the Nile to their starting point.
Yugi got up from the low table and made his way to the bow of the ship, taking in the sky as it began to fill with small stars. Atemu followed him and stood beside the shorter boy, watching the content look on his face.
"Back home, Malik, Jou, Amaya, Ryou and I would watch the stars at night from my balcony." Yugi smiled, remembering the days back when marriage, love and future lives didn't trouble them.
"Before Amber-Lee ran away she, Seth and I would sneak into the gardens at night." Atemu sighed as he thought of his younger sister. She had been so happy and carefree as a child but now, like Atemu and Seth, she was serious, on guard and much different.
"Did you ever find out why she left?" Yugi asked, turning his amethyst eyes to face Atemu's ruby ones.
"No, she never speaks of it." Atemu faced the glittering water.
The boat finally pulled along side the bank and Marik pulled down the ramp for Yugi and Atemu's decent. The ride back to the palace was in content silence and Atemu walked Yugi to his rooms.
"I had fun today." Yugi smiled shyly, as his cheeks flushed rose pink.
"So did I." Atemu's hand reached up and his knuckles grazed along Yugi's cheek, Yugi in turn lent into the touch. Atemu's head lent in and his warm breath flowed over Yugi's lips and his eyes slid shut.
"Yugi, there you are!" The two jumped apart as Amaya and Ryou approached. "We have been looking for you everywhere."
Yugi blushed as he realized what the two had walked in on and mumbled about being with Atemu.
"I shall see you latter than Yugi." Atemu took his hand and kissed his fingers, making Yugi blush more.
With a nodded to Amaya and Ryou he turned and left.
"Did we interrupt something?" Ryou asked a glint in his eyes.
Yugi just hurried into his rooms.
"I think we did." Amaya snickered.
TBC…
Bea: uck! So much sap!
Cole: you should write something that doesn't involve romance and Yaoi.
COH, Alvar and HD: GASPS OF SHOCK! no Yaoi? Are you mad?
Cole: no, but I soon will be.
COH: the world needs Yaoi!
Bea: you're all crazy!
Alvar: HD would like to thank the anonymous reviewers:
Sarah/Ryoulover4ever: Thanks for the review! Thanks for the ideas; I've already starting to put them into motion, Louis huh? Hehe. shudder basement closet, one place I wouldn't want to be. Silent treatment is a good idea! Yami I'm ignoring you!
Bea: good! evil grin
Anyway, please review, I love hearing from the both of, try to be good Zicura
Bea: No way! Be evil! Be a YAMI!
glares
COH: and of course to all our signed reviewers
PLEASE REVIEW!
HappyDevil, Bea, Cole, COH and Alvar