REWRITE!

Yeah...three months of haitus, I FINALLY post chapter 44 of Timaeus and then BOOM! Epiphany and i come back with an even more kick-ass chapter! Phew!

In the future I hope to avoid rewrites AFTER I post the chapters, but thus is the unexpected world of a writer (shurgs)

Anyway, i'm ULTRA proud of this chapter and how it turned out! i ended up splitting ti so this is the first half and the second half WILL be finished this weekend and will be posted next week :) after that I have about six chapter prewritten and ready to go so I will be able to update weekly again! YAY!

Things have also finally calmed down with work so hopefully I'll be able to write at a mroe steady and consistent pace.

DEDICATIONS: FOR VAL! Belated birthday gift ;) and whose advice helped me rewrite these chapters even better using all the scenes and events I wanted but in a way that really climaxed the story! YOU ROCK GIRL!

And of course for Aramithe Ipswich for being such an awesome Beta! THANK SO MUCH GIRL!

as always read, review, comment, crituque, ask questions and go nuts!

Chapter XLIV: Strength

Timaeus pinched the bridge between his eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Yugi," he said with a bite of impatience. "We've had this discussion already and I'll not have it again. Now hurry and dress. We're already late." He gestured a gloved hand towards the neatly folded pile.

Yugi grimaced, his fingers brushing the flimsy, almost watery material of the silk. "I'll look like a helpless damsel in that," he protested, glaring at the clothes childishly. He was seated on the bed, naked. Bundled in his lap was Timaeus' first under-armor given to Yugi as a gift not two ten-days before. The shiny silver color was bleached gray from the sun, and not the day before had been stiff from salt-spray, stained in places, and reeked of sweat, salt, and the sweet perfume of Yugi's skin. The heat had fixed the dampness, and a night of soaking and vigorous scrubbing had tamed the worst of the stains.

Timaeus' green eye visibly twitched while its blank twin flashed an impatient glare. Closing his eyes and sighing again, the Trierarch inhaled sharply then ran a hand through his silver forelock with a loud exhale. "You'll look like a Magistrate." He protested, brushing his hand over the champagne silks Rhebekka had given Yugi his first night as Timaeus' consort.

He'd worn it sparingly since. The looseness of those flimsy silks, the way they moved independently over his skin like water, prickling against what was normally bare skin like the legs of insects: made him feel naked. Exposed. Oddly restricted. Timaeus had been overwhelmingly understanding about his hesitation, but never failed to remind him that such was the fashion of Locri—whose winds were fierce—and of a proper Magistrate.

"You won't impress anyone looking like a sea rat."

Yugi bit his lip with a frustrated growl. "Just…" he paused, eyes pleading. "Just one more day," Yugi compromised, rubbing his shoulder. "The men are still uncertain of me," he confessed. "I thought perhaps…" He paused, chewing on his lower lip.

"Dressing like a Trierarch would help." Timaeus smiled sympathetically. "Alright." He placed a comforting hand on Yugi's shoulder and sat next to him. "The silks will make you look more like a Magistrate, though."

"I suppose," Yugi snorted and got to the other side of the bed, stripping his small clothes and shift as he did. "But I want to look like a Quartermaster." He tied the lacings tight. "And I still don't want to wear it."

"I know." Timaeus crossed his arms, watching Yugi's nude form stand and slip the armor on, and licked his lips. Inch by inch, smooth honey-milk skin disappeared beneath the shield of faded silver, yet the tightness of it did nothing to conceal Yugi's lean limbs and soft curves. He watched him tie the lacings and then pull on his boots with a pair of cute, experimental kicks.

"Will you need me this morning?" Yugi asked.

Timaeus blinked as if coming out of a long daze. "Pardon?"

Yugi rolled his eyes then smirked, taking long strides towards him. "I said," he purred, curling himself flush against the other's body—his seductive amethyst eyes leering. "Will you need me this morning?"

The words ghosted over his lips and the elder trembled beneath Yugi's fingers. Then he snatched the scruff of Yugi's collar and pulled him up just enough to meet his eyes, like he was a naughty kitten.

"Clever little imp," Timaeus said with a passionate hiss and stole a quick kiss before setting Yugi down.

Yugi fixed him with a frazzled glare and wiped some imaginary dust from his uniform. "Well?"

"Not this morn," Timaeus answered. "I'll need new reports of our inventory to see how the repairs are faring, and check our coordinates, but they're nothing Malik and Ryou cannot tell me," he explained and started up the stairs to the stern. "You see to the food and the doctoring, and we'll converse tonight at dinner."

"Very well," Yugi agreed.

"Good," Timaeus smiled then jokingly sent him off with a brush to his lower back. "Now off you go, I fancy myself a spot of breakfast before a long day of working."

"You'll get nothing unless I serve it, you tease," Yugi snapped playfully over his shoulder. Then he spun and stole a quick kiss from the other's lips and was off before he could catch him. "I'll be in the galley!" He giggled when he heard the other utter an oath that ended in "imp" but made no move to chase him.

The deck was empty and the sky was still dark, but peaks of a new day sun bathed the clouds a mesh of dark pink, deep red, and bright violet. Quickly and quietly, he strolled down to the mess deck where the crew still slumbered and snored in their hammocks looking no more threatening than sleeping children. Yugi snorted, shook his head dismissively, and departed down the steps.

The ship's stores greeted him with a grin of well-organized scuttlebutts, racks of dried meats, baskets of onions, garlic, and potatoes, and a wall of jars stuff with dried Kemetic fruits and vegetables known to keep for long intervals. Giddily, Yugi slid down the ladder and counted, making tallies on papyrus as he went. His optimism drained once he finished.

"Half a dozen scuttlebutts of water," he triple-counted, "four baskets of potatoes, six of garlic, seven of onions, and less than twenty jars of dried goods." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. The empty baskets and clear glass jars mocked him from the corner. "That'll never be enough to ration between a crew of thirty men for a ten-day." He nearly collapsed in defeat but didn't have time to think of that now.

The sun was coming and the men would be rising soon. He'd be damned if they started bickering about their morning meal being late. Grabbing an empty basket, he stuffed it full with potatoes, onions, a few cloves of garlic, and a rack of dried beef for stew and rushed to the galley

Blessedly, the men still slept.

Fire burning in the stove, hands washed, and utensils clean, he set to work chopping onions and dividing beef. The spread was a simple mix of thick potatoes and plump onions chopped and stirred with a mixture of garlic and beef. The galley's stores hadn't depleted, at least. Drink would have to be ale for the time being.

Counting plates, he set aside four for Timaeus and himself, Otogi, and Rhebekka. A humble meal, he admitted, but one rich enough in nutrients that no one was likely to get sick or Sekhmet forbid, catch scurvy.

Gathering the spare plates, he slipped up the back stairs to the infirmary, stopping first in the Surgeon's quarters where Rhebekka slept naked under a blanket of furs. She muttered and snored, rolling like a drunkard and muttering curses when her growing stomach got in the way of her movements. Yugi blushed and tried not to chuckle, and set her plate on the table next to a mug of water and a small plate of dates. Low rations or not, Rhebekka had a babe to feed.

A groan erupted from the adjacent room. He spun back to the front. Otogi twitched his recovering arm barely in the hammock, giving it a few experimental waves and circles.

"Stop that!" Yugi snapped and set the food down. "Do you want to tear the ligaments?"

Otogi snorted, grumbling. "It's not tender anymore. When can I use it again?" he demanded.

"Not fully for a whole ten-day," Yugi said firmly. "And when you do use it again, go slowly at first or you're likely to dislocate it again."

"Aye," Otogi relented, and moved into a sitting position to eat. The man had grown increasingly lax as the days had come, which Yugi did not blame him.

""Tis only been a day." Yugi pulled up a stool and offered a comforting smile. "You won't get better overnight, but if you rest and let your wounds heal, you'll be fine in a day or two," he promised with a soft chuckle. "But I'm afraid you won't be seeing active duty for at least a ten-day and by then, we'll be back in Atlantis."

"That is what worries me," Otogi admitted, taking a large bite of potato and beef. "It's the idleness that I detest," he scoffed, and rubbed his wounded arm just under the joint and crushed the sheets beneath his fingers. "I know the Trierarch does not think any less of me, but I can't stand just sitting here, doing nothing, contributing nothing, feeling—" He suddenly paused, realizing he was not alone. He looked away from Yugi's solemn expression, with one of self-disappointment. "Forgive me," he apologized. "'Tis not something you discuss in the presence of the Trierarch's consort."

"You feel helpless, do you not?" Yugi finished. Otogi turned to him, surprised, but Yugi only smiled sadly. "You feel helpless and trapped and unable to do anything but stay still like a bird with a broken wing."

Otogi's eyes widened in shock.

The lashes of Yugi's eyes swept across his cheek and he smiled softly. "I understand completely. I felt that way for some time before the Trierarch rescued me."

"Aye…" It was all Otogi could say. He winced when he put pressure on his arm and pressed a hand towards the joint. Yugi shot up and checked the wound. "'Tis alright." Otogi insisted. "It's just the joint. It still aches sometimes."

Yugi's eyes lit up. "I know just the remedy." He darted across the room to a large cabinet where Rhebekka kept her bandages and supplies, and pulled down a large basket filled with multicolored liquids. The bottles clanked with a chiming sound as he fished through them. Then with cry of victory, he pulled out a small jar filled with a russet liquid and uncorked it on his way back to his patient, and carefully dumped the liquid on his fingers. Otogi hissed when the fingers pressed against his skin, then moaned when the soothing ache started to dissipate.

Yugi recorked the bottle and set it down on the table. "Just a dab on the fingers and rub it over the ache if it bothers you again." Yugi smiled.

"Thank you." Otogi smiled back gratefully and sighed. "I promise to rest easy. I may detest being idle, but I trust your judgment. I can survive a day or two."

Yugi blinked then beamed brightly. "I'm pleased." A loud groan and a chorus of rumbles started from downstairs. Yugi sighed understandingly and hopped off his stool. "Finish breaking your fast," he ordered gently. "I'll see to rest of the swarm."

Otogi watched him depart with a friendly wave, which Yugi was grateful for.

The men piled in to the galley not long after, raising their mugs and grabbing bowls in gestures of thanks as they did. Ryou had even been kind enough to flash him a smile before departing. No doubt the Sailing Master would be breaking his fast in the Navigation room with the Trierarch, Yugi guessed. Raphael and others simply took their food and departed in a solemn silence that was, at best, tolerance. A handful of others, lilac-eyed Malik being the chief rebel-rouser, flashed him hard, disapproving glares before leaving with a shake of the head. Yugi only frowned, saying nothing.

He ate his own meal in silence, stealing only a few quick glances at the door. Only when he was certain Timaeus wasn't coming did he set the meal aside to deliver later, and finished his own meal from the kitchen. The galley was a cacophony of chatter and cheers, groans and grunts and rough rasps and scratchy coughs. Yugi looked up, one solider in the corner, red-haired and taller but younger than the rest, spoke only a few words to his companions before grunting. His cough was scratchy and he settled it with a swig of ale. Yugi recognized him as one of the riggers during the storm. He'd had that cough for a few days and though the cough had seceded, the soreness of his throat clearly hadn't.

Thinking quickly, Yugi bolted to the infirmary. Ignoring Otogi's bemused expression, he grabbed the basket of vials still sitting on the counter and started for the stairs. Rummaging through it on the way back down, he pulled it out with a victorious, "There you are!" Composing himself, he hurried to the red-haired soldier and offered a vial of clear liquid that smelt of vinegar and garlic.

The two men stopped talking and they stared at him with curious confusion.

"For your throat," Yugi clarified. "Take one gulp now, and one with dinner if it still bothers you," he instructed kindly.

The red-haired solider blinked at the vial then at Yugi. Confusion etched across his features, but he took it with a gracious smile and tucked it into his belt. Yugi frowned but, satisfied, turned back to the kitchen. Other men stared at him briefly before returning to their meals. Out of the corner of his eye, Yugi noticed another man rubbing his temples fiercely, growling through gritted teeth. Yugi shifted through his basket again and pulled out a small jar of clear paste and placed in front of him with instructions to apply it. "Do not ingest it," Yugi warned firmly. The man shrugged but took the bottle anyway.

He passed several other men who subtly expressed some sort of ache and offered what remedies he could. Some simply smiled and accepted the offer graciously. Others did not seem to care. Some had the nerve to snap at him, but Yugi chose to ignore that. When they finished, the men piled quickly from the halls, leaving their plates and dishes behind. Out of pride, Yugi waited until they were gone before gathering them up quickly and letting them soak in the kitchen's tub.

He had better things to do than wash dishes.

He plopped onto a stool and rubbed his temple. Doubt crept over him like the shadow of a fierce storm. Clearly the previous night's display hadn't been the promising sign he'd misread it as.

"No," he corrected himself with hard, determined eyes. Something had changed. It had not been obvious or quick, but it was there. There was now a steady acceptance accompanied by a begrudging, if earnest, respect where before, there had only been icy hostility. It wasn't much, but it was a change and Yugi found it pleasant nonetheless.

The men's trust in him was growing—that fact above all the others filled Yugi with pride. He suspected his new role as Physician and Chef had something to do with that. Working with Timaeus as a Trierarch and Rhebekka as Cook and Surgeon had given him a role, a purpose where before he had simply been the Trierarch's consort. Repairing the ship, assisting with navigations, and those small moments with when he treated the wounded and prepared tonics had given the men proof of his usefulness and it felt wonderful to have a place one more. Not simply a title and position but an actual duty to keep himself busy. It was a liberating freedom, one that made him feel solid and useful once more.

They men trusted him, but did they respect him? Once the excitement died away and the job began, it was clear the men had not expected anything from him. True, he had proven himself, but he'd had done so with Timaeus or Rhebekka. Now he was on his own. It was Timaeus who was their Trierarch and Rhebekka who was their Quartermaster. Yugi was a stranger—a third party they respected simply because they were told to.

Rhebekka considered him friend as well as an ally. Ryou and Otogi, and others accepted him openly but even they, he feared, saw him as a comrade rather than a commander or a brother-in-arms. When they addressed him it was all smiles and pleasantries and when they spoke it was with a familiarity they never showed in Timaeus' presence.

Others met him with a cool acceptance, having yet to witness his strength and abilities on their own. Though he doubted his sudden "replacement" of their Quartermaster once news of her condition became public helped soothe those fears. Most, he gathered, trusted him only because the Trierarch did though. Raphael was one such soldier. The rest, like Malik, had no illusions, despised him nor were they subtle about it—spoiled and stubborn who trapped their Trierarch with his charms. But they had changed, Yugi reminded himself. Their opinions of him had, and he'd done nothing more than whatever he could.

And he would do that now. He stood, reinvigorated. With determination in his step, he plucked some herbs that had been drying, and a few vegetables and liquids for a base, and placed them all in his basket reserved for tonics and ointments to brew later. He grabbed the list of rations he'd created and started for the main deck, but not before grabbing the untouched plate he'd made for Timaeus.

X X X

Yugi all but barged into the Navigation room and found Timaeus and Ryou embezzled in a heated discussion, and all but slammed the plate down with hard, demanding eyes. The glare Timaeus gave him would've sent any other man into a fit of apologies: Yugi simply matched it

"Little one, what business is this?" There was a hidden bite in the question.

"You made me Quartermaster," Yugi reminded. "My duty to ensure everyone on this ship stays well-fed. I'll be damned if I have my own husband starving himself."

Their brows narrowed and eyes locked and slit into glares of determination. Ryou stood silent in the background. Then Yugi pulled the papyrus from his belt and handed it to Timaeus.

"What is this?" he asked, curious though his glare had not faltered.

"I tallied our rations," Yugi explained, curtly. "I haven't had a chance to go through all of them."

"Unless another storm takes us off-course," Timaeus countered, scrutinizing the information then raising an impressed eyebrow. "You're certain of these estimates?"

Yugi nodded. "I haven't surveyed everything, but that's what I've rationed so far."

Yugi thought he saw the shadow of a smile grace Timaeus' face, but too quickly it was gone and he turned his gaze towards Ryou. The Sailing Master jumped to attention. "We shall reconvene in one hour."

"Understood." Ryou dismissed himself with a bow and left the two men alone.

Timaeus looked at Yugi. His eyes had not changed, but now he was grinning. "Little gem," he purred, dangerously low and seductive. Yugi fought down the urge to flinch. "Never, for as long as we are married, undermine me in public again."

Yugi blinked. "Public? It was only Ryou. And he's terrified of you, if you have not yet noticed."

Timaeus snorted, rose, and slid to sit on the table. "He respects me, as do they all, but I will not repeat myself. I am the Trierarch, little gem. My authority must be absolute. Scold me, hit me, do whatever you wish in private, but when we are here, we must be a united front."

Yugi frowned. "And a united front means I'm supposed to agree with you and not call you out on your foolishness?"

Timaeus laughed. "Quite the opposite," he corrected. "In fact, I know many women—the Queen of Atlantis, in fact—who were rather fierce with their husbands. Powerful women respected, even feared, but she never once questioned the King in public. Private, however, was a different matter. Are your own brother and sister not the same?"

Yugi paused for a moment, pondering. When he did not answer, Timaeus continued. "It does not do well for the people or the army to have their leaders, their commanders, arguing, regardless of how nonsensical the situation is. Do you understand?"

Yugi sighed. "I understand." And he meant it. But then his eyes opened, and with a determined stare, he pushed the plate forward. "But if it means making sure you take care of yourself, I reserve the right to say so."

Timaeus snorted. "You're always were a fearsome thing," he commented. Yugi grinned when he picked up his spoon and started eating.

"I am pleased." Yugi bowed respectfully and turned to go. He stopped when Timaeus grimaced.

"Yugi…" Timaeus called with a disgusted cough.

"Yes?" Yugi asked, still grinning.

"This is cold," Timaeus complained.

"Then next time, you'd best eat it when it's hot." He smiled sweetly. "And it better be finished when I come back for your plate in an hour," he warned, honeyed and playfully sweet.

"Imp," Timaeus snorted. Quick as a viper, he grabbed Yugi's hand and spun him to face him and grabbed his chin. Yugi gasped in shock, but his body was singing. Timaeus grinned at him, leering. "I mean it, Yugi. Undermine me again, and I will be forced to punish you." He let the word linger and sealed it with a fierce kiss to Yugi's lips.

Yugi panted when he pulled away and wiped his mouth, glaring. "I understand," Yugi growled with a smirk of his own. "You do realize that was your second kiss?" he teased threateningly. "You won't get any more for the rest of the day."

"I will survive," Timaeus teased back, returning to his meal. Yugi rolled his eyes and left. Over his shoulder, he heard a satisfied murmur of "Hmm… garlic…" and smirked.

X X X

Ryou stood outside the navigation room with curious eyes fixated on the basket Yugi had left there. He jumped when he heard the door open, and sighed when Yugi stepped out.

"I have never met another person brave enough to talk to him like that," he confessed, awed and a little frightened. "Not even the Quartermaster."

"Aye," Yugi admitted with a slight shiver. His wrist still tingled where Timaeus had touched him and his lips still burned from the fierceness of his kiss. "We seem to have that effect on the other."

"Indeed," Ryou nodded, breathless. "Is he… eating?" he asked, attempting to sound casual.

"He is." Yugi nodded. "How long till we reach Locri?"

"'Tis what we were… discussing," Ryou confessed. "We agree it should be no more than a ten-day, but our supplies are low and much is spoiling. We're not sure if we should continue straight and restock in the South, or travel to a port closer but out of the way."

Yugi grimaced. "Are those truly our only options?"

"Depends on our storage." Ryou closed his eyes. "If we can ration enough food for a few extra days, then we can continue on straight." When he opened them again, they were dull with worry.

Yugi opened his mouth to speak. "I…" he started, paused, then smiled. "I'm sure all will be well," he said reassuringly, and departed down the steps.

X X X

He spent the rest of the day on deck. Watching the men work the riggers and ready the sails—the oars not needed on such a blustery day. He made quick work of seeing to the affairs of the ship—and was dismayed when he found there were none. At least none the men were telling. One younger and more bashful than the rest had kindly asked him if the Quartermaster was about and looked horribly embarrassed when Yugi told him she slept still. Smiling, Yugi offered his own assistance but the lad simply bowed his head and shook it off as unimportant. That had been most of the morning, though the others who asked for his co-Quartermaster were not nearly so polite.

The evening had not gone much better. By then, Rhebekka was awake and about, and the men flocked for her attention, but she dismissed them all with a wave of her hand and a snap of her tongue before disappearing into the Navigation room.

Yugi pressed his fingers to his temples and closed his eyes, exasperated. He'd never felt so useless. Even his old habit of brewing tonics had done little to ease his frustrations. His gaze fell to the men below. It was too hot for formal armor, so with flushed faces and the sweat of labor clinging to their skin, they worked bare-backed in the hot sun. The red tinged of sun baked their naked skin, hissing when their labor pulled at the rash. Yugi recognized that dark flush and fished through his bag for a large clay jar. Securing it tightly, he rushed down the steps and into the throng.

He tried to find his voice, but it was lost on the winds. Finally, he spun to the throng, held the jar high, and shouted, "For the burns!" The crowd stopped, and several red-faced men turned to him. This time, he did not falter.

"Your skins are burnt," he said to one in particular and opened the clay lid of the jar. "I have an ointment that will help." He was about to explain its contents when he heard a cold snap.

"Mind your business elsewhere." Yugi spun and saw Raphael at the rafters. His own fair skin was deeply flushed as well, but he showed no discomfort. Yugi's eyes hardened. Though his words were not unkind, the tone was meant for that of a curious child wandering too close to danger, not of a Quartermaster. Yugi would change that now.

"Your concern is well meant, Watchman," Yugi said evenly. "But not needed. If you do not wish my help then I will respect your request and not offer it." His lashes brushed the surface of his cheeks and he spoke again. "But you do not speak for all, and if there are any men who would like to take advantage of my arts, it is their choice. You may be strong from a life at sea, but you know little of the fierce intensity of the sun as I do," Yugi reminded them all, and placed the jar on a nearby crate.

One of the younger men sporting a particularly red looking arm eyed the jar curiously. Like a duck wading the water but not wanting to appear hesitant. Yugi understood and scooped a small amount of clear gelatin onto his fingers and held it out to the man for his arm. He offered his arm hesitantly and Yugi rubbed it over the burn.

"'Tis only aloe," he smiled. "Apply to the skin and do not ingest it and all will be well."

He turned to the other men all who eyes him curiously.

Yugi's smile did not waiver. "You are all welcome to use it if you wish. Apply a little with your fingers and let it sit. It will help with the pain."

A sharp bit of laugher barked through the crowd. "Is this how you seduce your men?"

The cold, razor sharpness of the words cut through the air like dagger piercing Yugi's back through to his very soul. A collective string of mumbled gasps and whispers followed in the space of a breath and Yugi stopped.

Recognizing the voice in an instant, Yugi turned and fixated his hard, even eyes and the thin line of his mouth towards Malik standing in the shrouds with an obvious swagger. A smile slit his face. The shipwright's own ocher skin, contrasting sharply with the shock wheat-color of his hair, and corded muscles from a lifetime of carpentry at sea gave him intimidating aura to counter his meager height but his gleaming eyes were cruel like two sharp blades.

Yugi lost all breath in his body, "What?" he demanded, voice sharp and even.

Disliking the response, Malik jumped down and stomped towards him. All the swagger on his face gone and replaced with a rage of absolute disgust. "Don't pretend you care for any of us!" he snapped in a long drawn-out hiss. "I truly believed the Trierarch wed you for peace. I'd say it was for a pair of slim hips and pretty breasts." His face shook in disappointment. "The King liked you. Ryou liked you. Even Otogi vouched for you…" His smile returned: a malicious, knowing grin. "Now I see the truth. Do you treat him with your pretty little tonics?" His words were laced with derision and disappointment. "To think. The Great Trierarch of The Eye, The Magistrate of Locri, the Leader of the King's Dragon Knights, fell for a whore from Kemet with pretty eyes."

Yugi's bones liquefied into fire and hand and back shook as pure rage filled him. His blood, and his fingers curled into fists piercing his own skin. The rest of the crew was silent, waiting, watching. Searching for any kind of weakness.

Malik snorted at Yugi's silent fury. He closed his eyes with an arrogant shake of the head "Don't even try and deny it, we all hear the sounds you make at night. The worst part is you don't even want h—"

The blow came so swift and sudden that Malik was sent sprawling to the floor. He blinked once and nursed his wounded cheek where he'd been struck, and spun a mixture of fury and shock on his face. Above him, Yugi stood, his clenched fist at his side. All around them the crew stood stunned and silent.

"Recant your words." Yugi demanded, his voice low and dangerously calm.

Malik's fury gave way to confusion and he blinked. "What?"

"I said recant your words!" Yugi snapped taking a step forward. The pride in his arch made him look taller and the sun blazing behind him gave him a royal elegance that commanded authority.

"I care not what you think of me, but your words insult your Trierarch, my husband." Yugi emphasized the words, harshly. "You question his judgement and his decisions by questioning his choice to marry me. Regardless of how it transpired, he is mine and I'm his. I am his Consort, his Magistrate. You question my loyalty and faithfulness to that rank. You insinuated I had no right to be there. You insult him as your Trierarch, and I as his chosen Quartermaster. I care not for your opinions of me, but I will not let your insults against him go unpunished!"

He spoke with such volume and authority that for a long moment no one spoke. Not even the wind dared to stir and interrupt his rage. Even Malik, with all his bravado, remained firmly rooted in his place on the ground, staring at the younger with a kind of submissive fear he only afforded the Trierarch.

"Stop!" The harsh commanding bass accompanied the heavy click of metal boats creaking across the blanks. Yugi growled in muffled rage and spun to whoever dared to interrupt his judgement, hands flexed. Timaeus caught his wrist before he could flinch. His eyes hard and the line of his lips harsh an unyielding. The redness behind Yugi's vision vanished in an instant as the cold exterior of the Trierarch replaced the warm eyes and playful smile of the man he was coming to fancy.

"That's enough," Timaeus commanded, cold and clear. The dismissal hurt more than the actual words and Yugi suddenly found he couldn't speak.

"I-I" he felt he should apologize somehow, but he didn't want to. Malik had questioned his right to be at Timaeus' side, and worse he had insulted Timaeus himself, though Yugi guessed Timaeus did not know the full extent of those insults. How could he bring himself to apologize for what he felt was justified?

Timaeus fixated him with cold, emotionless eyes and Yugi's face dropped to his feet, dejected. No, he resolved himself, through a clench fist and closed eyes. He would not lose Timaeus over this. Not when their partnership has only just begun to heal.

Timaeus released his wrist but Yugi made no move to follow.

"So many warnings," Timaeus stomped forward, his voice shadowed and free of humor. "Did I or did I not, make myself perfectly clear about the subject of brawling onboard my ship?"

His eyes fixated on Malik still on the floor. He dropped his face to the floor but not before Yugi caught the glimpse of a terrified boy over his shoulder. "Was I not clear, perfectly clear, of what would happen?" Timaeus demanded with barely concealed rage.

"Was I?" He shouted, and it came down with the force of an executioner's blow.

A wave of guilt overcame Yugi suddenly. The deadly promise Timaeus had made all those months ago, still fresh in their minds. The punishment for a second offence if caught brawling: Confinement to the brigs. Yugi remembered them well, the ones Menk and Maat stayed in the three-day journey it took up the Nile to Djanet. Angry as he was at them then he still did not like seeing them there. Angry as he was at Malik now, he couldn't stand the thought of him spending the rest of the voyage there. Not with Locri still ten days away. He'd learned his lesson, Yugi decided looking at him now. Insults or not, they didn't warrant confinement.

"Wait," Yugi interrupted, firmly. Timaeus spun to him with a raised eyebrow. Yugi didn't dare meet his eyes. "I struck first." He confessed.

Malik's head shot up. The deck was silent.

Timaeus' brow arched higher. "Did you now?" he asked suspiciously. "That is not like you, Ujalah," Timaeus said, absent and affection or terms of endearment. "I find it highly unlikely you would act out for no reason?"

There was a visible flinch in Malik's face, but Yugi kept still.

Lifting his face, eyes closed and voice level, he said. "Whatever reasons I may have had do not matter. It was I who struck first, and even if I did not it was a first offence. On both our parts."

Timaeus' face did not change. "Are you certain of that? A first offence on both parts?"

Yugi nodded, only then did he rise to face his husband. "Yes. He was not one of the few who attacked me. Nor did he strike me this time. There is no need for further penance."

"A warning then," Timaeus nodded after a moment "Very well."

Yugi nodded and departed for the galley. Before he did, he gathered the aloe and placed the clay pot on a nearby plank. "For the burns," he explained again. "Spread a little on the red skin. Let it absorb. Do not ingest it."

With the final warning, he turned away and descended down the steps.

X X X

Timaeus watched Yugi go, and with a titanic effort, resisted the urge to kiss him as he left. Watching Yugi fight not only with a display of strength but also spirit, defending his right to be at Timaeus' side. Nothing had made Timaeus more proud. He doubted even the most skeptical of his men would question Yugi's loyalties after this. Still, there was a time and place for rewards and the deck was not one of them.

He needed time to get Yugi alone, to reward him properly, and ensure his confidence only grew from this whole ordeal. It ached him to keep his cold exterior, but he even now as he watched his young lover depart, he could sense the men's eyes on him, looking for weaknesses. That would be addressed now.

"Trierarch?" Malik rose, his movements clumsy, as the crowd gathered around him.

Timaeus spun delivered a swift, heavy blow straight to the boy's gut, knocking him over and stealing the breath from his body. "Do you take me for a fool," he hissed just low enough for Malik to hear. "Or are you truly this stupid?" Malik's answer was a string of chocking gasps. Timaeus rolled his eyes in disgust. "You're fortunate of my Consort and Quartermaster's kindness," he snapped. "I would not have been so merciful."

Her stormed away, and spun to face his crew. "Gentlemen," he said, eyes shadowed and voice dangerously low. "When I told you all to behave yourselves…" He raised his chin revealing a dangerously pleasant smirk and eye bright with disapproving fury. "What. Made you think I was joking?"

WOOHOO! I'm so proud of Yugi this chapter...it really shows just how much he's grown and matured. He's come along way since day one, but don't worry its not over yet ;)

Next Update: July 15th (the goal)

NEXT TIME: Yugi and Rhebekka encounter a problem, Yugi has a brilliant idea, Malik shows some humility and Timaeus makes good on his promise.

As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questions and go nuts!