The next month was havoc. Atem was busy planning Lady Eva's departing ball. The two were friends since childhood so he knew it had to be special. Yami's arm had healed so he had stuck to his job of guarding Eva. She didn't mind, of course, in fact, she enjoyed the company of someone who she could really talk to. And not one of her guards who answered in her favor just to please her.
The vampire who attacked Yami had his trial and was found guilty on many charges. He was tortured by Marik and Bakura, and on occasions Atem. His torture continued for a week and a half before his body became too weak and he died.
"Enter," Atem said signing another paper. Mai walked in, along with Anzu.
"Your majesty we've found traces of the Resistance at our old station down by Salt Creek," Atem nodded.
"Was there anyone there?" Mai shook her head.
"No one was left behind and there was no clue as to where they were headed," Atem nodded and dismissed them.
"Don't let Yami know, after what he overheard last time he thinks his brother Yugi is dead," The two nodded and left the study closing the door behind them.
Atem sighed as he remembered the last time Yami overheard a conversation in his study.
Mai and Anzu entered the study ready to deliver the usual causality report.
"How many?"
"Twenty Your Majesty," Atem frowned.
"Out of our forty soldiers sent and only twenty survive," Mai frowned, her brother was among the soldiers killed.
"And how many humans died?"
"According to our sources thirty out of fifty," Atem nodded.
"Your Majesty there's something you should now," Atem motioned for Mai to continue, this had also grown Heba's curiosity as well. He stood beside Atem's desk, a bandage around his arm from a wound.
"There's one soldier from the human army in particular that died," Atem frowned he didn't like the sound of that.
"Who was it?"
"Yugi Motou," Mai said with a downcast look, Atem's eyes widened.
"What?" a voice from behind called out. The sound of glass crashing brought everyone's quick attention to the door. At the doorway with open hands where a glass tray was placed, stood Yami with wide eyes.
"Yami…" Yami didn't stick around. He turned from the room and ran down the hallway. "You two go and tend to the wounded, I want the names of the deceased. Heba go with them please." The three nodded and Atem took off in the direction Yami went in. He could hear the fast pumping of Yami's heart and followed it down many hallways.
He soon found Yami sitting against the wall down a dead-end hallway. His knees were pressed up to his chest and his face rested on his knees. His body shook as he sobbed, his fingers bled from where the glass had cut him. Atem frowned and approached gently, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Yami lifted his head but didn't look at Atem.
"It's all my fault," Yami whispered his voice broken from crying.
"It's not your fault, you couldn't have prevented this," Yami frowned.
"I told my parents I would protect him, I failed them, I failed Yugi."
Yami started sobbing again, Atem pulled him towards himself. Yami wrapped his arms around his waist and cried into his chest. Atem ran his fingers through his hair, as a way to calm him down. However he could heal the visible wound, the invisible wound would take much longer to heal. With time and patience, it would eventually heal, like all wounds eventually do.
They stayed like that until Yami had cried himself to sleep in Atem's arms. Gently he lifted him up off the floor and into his arms. Carrying Yami bridal style he headed back to his room. He gained many glances from his servants and others, but a quick glare sent them away. After arriving at their room Atem knew Yami wouldn't want to be alone at this time. Nor should he be, so Atem laid him down on his own bed and covered him with the blanket. Pushing bangs out of his face Atem noticed Yami was sleeping peacefully, he smiled.
'I'll protect you Yami, I promise'
Atem was brought out of his flashback by someone snapping their fingers in front of his face. Coming back down to reality Atem noticed it was Yami who had a worried expression on his face.
"Atem? Are you alright?" Atem jumped and nodded.
"I'm fine, just remembering something," Yami nodded and drew his hand back to his side, "Something I can help you with Yami?" Yami nodded.
"Seto actually sent me here with a message," Atem raised an eyebrow.
"And what would that be?"
"He said that the ball preparations for Lady Eva's ball are finished," Atem nodded.
"Thank you, and how is Lady Eva?"
"She's resting at the moment, she said she felt a little overheated so I took her back to her room and had the maids fetch her some cool water." Atem nodded with a smile "I wouldn't be surprised if Eva would be over hearted, she's never done well in the heat."
An hour later Atem had decided to give up on his paperwork and left to go relax in his room. He ran into Heba who had an annoyed Yami beside him.
"What's going on?"
"Bakura and Marik are at it again," Yami answered annoyed. Heba rolled his eyes.
"We tried to call them down but the two won't stop fighting," Atem nodded.
"And why is Yami limping?" Yami blushed and avoided eye contact, Heba smiled at Yami's awkwardness.
"He tried to break the two apart, and he ended up being pushed away and landed on his foot wrong," Yami cheeks were now dusted a light pink. Atem nodded.
"Alright then Heba, get Seto and Otoogi to get the two under control, and by that, I mean to separate the two until they calm themselves," Heba nodded.
"And who's going to bring Yami to Isis?"
Before Yami or Heba could speak Atem swept Yami up into his arms, bridal style. Yami yelped as he was picked up and pressed against Atem's chest. Yami's blush had grown darker and was now the colour of a tomato.
"That satisfy your question?" Heba nodded with a smile. "Very, I'll go try and get the two knuckleheads separated."
"Wait, Heba!" Yami called, but Heba acted as if he didn't hear him and left heading back to the lounge. Yami scowled and crossed his arms, Atem chuckled and headed to the healing chambers.
Isis sighed as she wrapped Yami's ankle.
"Those two will never learn will they?" she mumbled to herself. Yami smiled and winced as she tightened the bandage. Isis finally finished and stood up.
"It should be healed in a few days, just stay off it and it should be fine. Come and see me in a few days and we'll check on it," Yami nodded. Isis headed into her office closing the door behind her. Yami tried to slide his boot back on but soon found it difficult with the bandage.
"Just hold it," Atem said as he gently lifted Yami into his arms and carried him towards their room. This time, however, Yami didn't say anything he kept quiet with a blush on his cheeks.
As they reached the room Atem ran into Heba who was dragging a very unhappy Bakura.
"I see you got them separated," Heba nodded with a sigh.
"Finally, took us like an hour but me, Ootogi, and Seto finally got them separated," Bakura smirked at Yami in Atem's arms.
"Comfy Yami?" Yami blushed and glared at Bakura.
"Shut up," both Bakura and Heba smiled before heading off down the hallway. Atem entered their bedroom and laid Yami down onto his bed.
"Do you need anything before I go?" Yami shook his head and shifted until he was comfortable. As Atem left Yami's room he spared one last glance at Yami. He blushed when he saw Yami taking off his shirt. Quickly he left the room closing the door behind him. Atem sighed covering his face with one hand.
'Yami, I swear one day you'll be the death of me'
{Timeskip, 8 Days Later}
Yami's ankle had finally healed and he was able to return to his duties. At the moment he was with Princess Eva while she was getting fitted for her dress. The dress was made of dark blue fabric and fell to the floor. Over the skirt was a black sheer skirt attached to a bronze belt around her waist. The top of the dress had thin spaghetti straps, a bronze strap that wrapped around her arms attached to the top of the bodice also had short sheer black sleeves attached to it.
"Alright Princess, you can take the dress off and I'll have it finalized for tomorrow night," the tailor said with a smile, Eva nodded.
"Thank you Miss Clara," Miss Clara nodded and led Eva to the dressing room.
After Eva had changed she and Yami headed to the gardens.
"How's Atem doing? he seems pretty busy," Yami shrugged.
"I haven't seen him much, when I'm asleep he goes to bed and when I wake up he's gone again," Eva nodded.
"Atem had a tendency to do that when he's nervous," Yami smiled.
"Yes he does," Eva could see the look in his eyes.
"You like him don't you?" Yami blushed and shook his head repeatedly.
"Of course not, we're just friends," Eva smiled.
"I'm joking Yami, calm down," Yami chuckled nervously, the blush still present on his cheeks.
When Yami got back to his room for dinner he found Atem in the middle of the room being measured.
"You waited until the last minute again didn't you," Yami said leaning against the wall. Atem glared.
"Shut up, I was busy," Miss Clara rolled her eyes.
"Yes and I have plenty of time on my hands to do this now," Yami could hear the sarcasm in her voice and smiled. "You'll be lucky if I'm able to get this done by tomorrow night, good day your majesty"," Miss Clara then left, smiling at Yami as she left. Atem sighed as he sat on the bed.
"I think I might have pissed off our tailor," Yami smiled.
"you think, I'm surprised she hasn't murdered you for how many times you've done this to her"," Atem glared.
"And how many times have you pissed her off?"
"Only once," Atem looked shocked.
"I think she likes you better than me," Yami smiled and answered the door as a knock came. A maid walked in with food trays.
"Where shall I put them Your Majesty?"
"Just on the table," The maid nodded and set them on the table, she bowed and left the room closing the door behind her.
~Hours Later~
Anzu opened her door and quietly closed it behind her. She quietly headed down the hallway towards the back entrance. However, on her way, she bumped into Mai.
"And just where are you going hun?" Anzu glared.
"Step out of my way Mai."
"Not until you tell me where you're going," Anzu sighed and pulled her into a spare room as one of the guards was walking past on patrol.
"If you must know, I'm meeting with an old friend, he lives outside the city so it makes it difficult to meet each other during the day," Mai lifted an eyebrow.
"Alright fine, go meet your 'old friend'," Anzu smiled. Mai placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Just keep your hood up, it would be a shame if someone were to see you," Anzu rolled her eyes and lifted her hood up, and left the room. However, unknown to her Mai followed shortly after. She knew something was up and she was going to get to the bottom of it.
~Desert~
As Anzu got closer to the ruins she noticed Dartz was already there.
"Took you long enough Anzu," Anzu glared.
"Not my fault little Miss Blondie stopped me from leaving," Anzu sighed and leaned against a chunk of wall. "Whatever, do you have it?" Dartz nodded. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a sword. Anzu grabbed it analyzed it.
"It looks just like the real thing, and it already has the stuff on it?" Dartz nodded, he pulled out a bottle from his pocket.
"Poison from the Hasta Snake(1), the poison kills you slowly from the inside," Anzu smiled.
"And you'll be there tomorrow night correct?" Dartz nodded.
"Of course, after all, someone has to make sure you pull this off," Anzu glared but nodded.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow night," Dartz nodded and left the ruins to get ready for tomorrow night. Anzu put the sword into a hidden pocket on the inside of her cloak and started back towards the palace. Mai had been watching from a distance, she couldn't get too close without the male vampire or Anzu sensing her. She wasn't able to hear much but she saw the mock sword that looked like Yami's sword which Anzu tucked away.
As Anzu departed, Mai rushed back to the palace, luckily getting there before Anzu did.
On her way back to her room, Anzu ran into Mai who was heading to her room.
"How was your 'old friend'?" Anzu glared.
"Like it's any of your business," Mai rolled her eyes as Anzu walked past and into her bedroom.
Author's Note:
(1) I have no idea if this is a real snake, but I literally just made this name up. But if it is a real snake name then I'll change it later.