Fenny.

Yugi's POV

I walk the market together with my best friend Joey; I've loved the market ever since I was a kid. It's so colorful and there are so many things one can buy, and I want to buy some nice jewels again; I love jewels with rubies the most. The only thing about the market I don't like is that there are slave traders because I'm still terrified of them. Ever since some caught me in the dessert and brought me here to be sold, I've been terrified by them.

Joey's a little upset today because prince Aknamkanon, who is obviously named after pharaoh Atemu's father, said that he fears that Joey won't love him if he admits something he feels sorry for. I'm not sure what this might be about but I do know that it is silly to fear that. Joey simply can't stop loving someone. He even still loves his father, I know since he once told me that, though I really don't get why. His father abused him physically, emotionally and sexually. Joey literally jumped of a cliff because of him but he still loves him as much as he loves his mother, who tried to stab him! I saw him that night lying in his own blood and for a moment thought he must be dead and that Seto simply couldn't accept it. I still remember running to Atemu crying the words, "Someone killed him! Someone killed my only friend!"

I remember how Atemu calmed me and went back there with me. Once he questioned a guard on the way he calmed me, telling me that he wasn't dead yet and that he would make sure to get him the best healer if Seto hadn't already done that. Once there I heard Seto and Atemu talk and found out that Seto suspected Joey's mother, but I didn't think that possible. What mother could do something like that? Apparently his mother could.

She had also taken all of his lovely jewels that he had at the time; his cartouche and his Isis ring. But what was the worst for Joey was that the white dragon upper arm bracelet was gone too, the bracelet that resembled Seto's dragon and made Joey feel like he was always present.

If Joey is capable of still loving those parents, he will love Aknamkanon no matter what the kid did. After all how bad can it be? He is four for crying out loud! He couldn't have beaten Joey or tried to kill him like his father had done in the end too, just his father had used a huge shadow monster that is now sealed away in Joey's temple. Seto intended to destroy it, probably to take further revenge on Joey's father, but Joey insisted on keeping it. Since he's never used it I guess he simply wanted to keep it safe for his father's sake. It would be so like Joey to forgive his father and still keep that little bit of his memory safe.

I watch Joey closely and see that he doesn't show any interest in jewels or anything else. It is sort of normal apart from the fact that today he doesn't even look at the food that is on sale here. "Are you hungry?" I ask to get a reaction out of him.

"Not really, but thanks," he answers, much to my surprise.

Joey is always hungry; he wasn't at the start but the more he got used to the life in the palace and the great food here, the more he started to eat. Serenity once told me that he was a bottomless pit when they were kids, before their mother separated them. It seemed like he was back to that stage now, but today he must be too worried.

"Cheer up Joey," I say with a smile. "I bet you'll find out what Aknamkanon meant soon, and really how bad can it be? He is four."

"I'm not only worried about him," I hear Joey say and see the worried look on his face increase further.

"What else is it?" I watch him look to the floor deep in thought, but he isn't answering. "Joey, tell me. I don't like seeing you so worried; I'd rather see you smile."

I probably should talk to Atemu, he'd make Joey talk, but I'm not sure if Joey will be angry with me if I do. I know he won't stay mad, like I said he simply can't stop loving people, and I know that he likes me just as much as I like him. I see him smile at me now.

"Chill, Yugi. I'm fine and I'm probably worrying over nothing. I mean you're right, they're only four; what can they do?"

I hear him say that and see him smile, but the smile isn't reaching his eyes. He still worries about something he isn't sharing. That must be some sort of family trait, after all Serenity didn't tell anyone when she was pregnant until Atemu made her tell. She refused to tell because she was worried that Mokuba wouldn't like it, Aknamkanon won't tell what he's sorry for because he fears that Joey won't love him anymore, and Joey won't tell me why he's worried probably because he doesn't want me to worry too. "We're friends aren't we?" I ask him.

"Sure we are," Joey said "You know that don't you?"

I can't believe he fell for that one. "Sure, but if you're my friend you should trust me and let me help you. So tell me what you're worried about."

"I would," Joey says. "But to be honest I'm not really sure what it is I'm worried about. I feel like I'm missing something, like something is wrong with Mana rather than Aknamkanon."

Mana, Aknamkanon's sister, is named after an old friend of Atemu. She was like a sister but left the palace for a long journey before I came to the palace. I heard him talk about her very often though, and feel like I know her and miss her nearly as much as my husband does. Oh I love calling him my husband. I feared for so long that I would never hear him say 'I love you', and then when he does he is asking me to marry him as well! I could still squeal with happiness when I just think of that.

"Well whatever it is," I say hoping to calm my only real friend, "it can't be that bad."

"I hope you're right, Yugi," he says and smiles at me. We keep walking for a little, but he still seems worried and upset. I hope he'll calm again soon and that whatever worries him isn't really as bad as it seems to him right now.

Suddenly, I feel something lick at my leg and look down. "Fenny!" I scream after seeing the little fennec fox I raised, and that was my best friend when I was a kid, so I would always recognize her. She's a bit darker around the nose than the rest of her is, and the tip of her tail is unusually light; she is simply unique. "What are you doing here?" I pick her up and cuddle her before looking around. Gramps must be somewhere since Fenny has been living with him ever since I was captured by those mean slave traders. "Joey, can you see Gramps?" I ask since I can't find him anywhere. But the place is crowded, so maybe I'm just overlooking him since I'm still shorter then most people.

"No. I don't." I see Joey look around just like I do but there is nothing. "Maybe he's at the palace and Fenny followed your trail on her own," Joey says and I hope he's right.

He met gramps at my wedding and Gramps and Fenny are visiting about once a year. The last time was only two months ago and I really worry that she came back alone because something is wrong with Gramps. She is cuddling against me more then usual, not running around me like she always does, and she is shivering a little.

"Let's go back," I say "She looks scared to me."

"Now you're the one that is probably worrying for nothing," Joey teases me, but I see that he too is eyeing Fenny strangely and is probably just trying to calm me.

We both walk back to the palace, not looking at the goods on the market or anything else on our way back through the city, while Fenny is on my arm the whole time. Once at the gates Joey asks a guard, "Did the grandfather of his highness, Yugi, arrive today?"

I'm still amazed at how commanding Joey can sound considering what he's been through. He might be the strongest person I know, next to my pharaoh of course. The way Joey holds himself strong and proud shows nothing of the life he had as a child and teenager, or the hardships he had even after he arrived here at the palace back then as a bed slave just like I was. The only proof of those hardships were the scares that were still visible but made him look even more fierce, and I'm glad that he is such a great friend or I'd be scared stiff of him.

"No sir," the guard says, and I feel even more worried.

"Joey, what if something happened to Gramps?" I ask and look up at my friend.

"Then we'll find out and do whatever we can to save him," Joey says, completely calm, with a smile. "Don't worry, the old guy is sturdy. Nothing is going to get him down this easily and we'll get him out of whatever pinch he might be in. And maybe Fenny just missed you or lost him somewhere in the dessert."

I nod but feel little hope. Fenny is here; if she can find the way through the dessert to come to me she could find gramps too. Granted gramps is never in any place for long, unlike me now, but she didn't find me here in the palace; she found me at the market.

I follow Joey inside and we both walk towards the throne room where Seto and Atemu are discussing something with a few others that I don't really know. I saw them before but I never talk about political things, I gladly leave those to Atemu. Seto is always with Atemu, even when the other sacred guardians aren't, and Atemu wants one of them to be with me whenever I leave the palace. Ever since Joey's father attacked us at the market he is edgy when I'm outside and always wants someone with shadow monsters with me, preferably Joey or Seto since they are the two strongest of the sacred guardians; only my husband is more powerful then those two. I smile at him as soon as I see him but run towards him with Fenny on my arm and say, "Atemu, I think something is wrong with gramps! I need to find him!"

"You need to what?" he asks, and I can see that he really doesn't like that. It would mean that I won't only leave the palace, but the city as well. I haven't left the city since I first met him. I never really wanted to since I love him more then anything else, even more then the desert, but I need to help Gramps and no one within these walls can find him apart from me.

"I need to leave and find Gramps. Fenny came here alone and gramps is nowhere to be found," I say and look at him worriedly. "If I don't go, who can? I'm the only one here that knows the desert and my old tribe enough to find them. No one else can do this and I can't just stay and wait; he needs me!"

"It is dangerous, Yugi," Atemu says, and I see the fear in his eyes. "Can't it wait a little at least? In two months I could come with you. I'd feel much better if I can be around."

"What if it is too late? Please, Atemu, I'm begging you… I need to save him." I know begging always gets through to him. He can't say no when I beg and pout a little, and I can see in his eyes that he's getting weak. I love it that I can make him do what I want. I love it since it is proof of his love for me, and I would do the same if I could; I love him just as much. "You can send Joey with me; he'll keep me safe."

I see from the corner of my eyes that Joey doesn't seem to like it, and I wonder why since he said we would save Gramps if necessary. "Fine, but only with Joey and Seto with you," Atemu says, and I can see that Seto is relived; he looked terrified at Joey when he heard that he would go with me and probably without him. He hates leaving Joey out of his sight just as much as Atemu hates to leave me out of his, but Seto has to let Joey go when Atemu orders him to stay with me while he has to stay with Atemu. I don't really see why he's this worried. Joey is stronger than me and can keep himself safe, and he has proven that before. I also don't like that he is coming too; even in my new position as the Pharaoh's husband I'm a little afraid of him.

"Your highness," Joey says, and I don't like the tone. He is never this formal with Atemu. He is the only one who dares to talk back even more than Seto, and is only like this when he wants something real bad. "May we take the twins with us?"

"Why?" Atemu asks, and I too wonder about the reasons behind this request. "Wouldn't it be safer to have them here in the palace?"

"I'm not sure," Joey says. "It is complicated and hard to explain, but I saw them in visions and what I saw was sometimes really disturbing in a way that I never dared to say. I might be wrong, but I think something will happen if I'm gone for too long."

"Try to explain," Atemu orders.

"You tell me," Joey says. "Who does Mana hate, who isn't around anymore when she plays with fire, and who is the one who always very nearly gets hurt?"

"What are you trying to say?" Atemu asks, and I too start to wonder. Is he suggesting that Mana wants to hurt her brother? She is four but now that he says it, Joey only was in the palace the very first time she nearly burned her brother by accident. Ever since he hardly made it back in time to save Aknamkanon, who always very nearly got hurt; most of the time by fire, but once he was pushed into the pond in the gardens and nearly drowned. Mana also hates Joey, who is the only reason that Aknamkanon is still alive.

"I'm not sure what I'm saying, apart form that Mana looks thrilled when watching the fire reach her brother in my visions." He says and I feel my jaw drop, everyone else most likely doing the same as well.

"Maybe she just likes to watch the flames but I fear that she won't stop, and if she plays with fire around her brother again while I'm somewhere in the middle of the desert a few days ride away I'll never make it in time to safe the boy. Also I worry about Aknamkanon, who keeps something that he thinks is really bad a secret and until I know what it is I don't really want to be too far away from him. I understand your need to have me and Seto with Yugi; I don't like the thought of my best friend in the desert without me and Seto around either, but I also fear for the twins. And I think that a bit of seeing the country on a little journey might not be to their disadvantage either. Yugi could show them the desert as only nomads know it, and I really think that this is a wonderful opportunity for the future Pharaoh."

I see the more or less shocked faces of Atemu and Seto and know I look the same. Could a four year old like Mana truly want to hurt her brother?

"Can't we find out? I mean the millennium key allows us to see in someone's Soul room and find out what they think, doesn't it?" I ask, hoping that I can stop Joey from worrying about Mana and Aknamkanon.

"No, Shadi isn't around," Atemu says and sounds like he doesn't like to say it anymore than I like to hear it. "I sent him on a mission and he won't be back for a month. I didn't think we would need him now."

We look at each other until I say, "I have to go and save Gramps." I look at Atemu as begging as I can. I worry about the twins, but I also worry about Gramps.

"We can keep them all safe," Seto suddenly says. "And Joey is right. A little trip can be beneficial for the twins."

"Fine," Atemu says. "When can you be ready to leave?"

"Tomorrow morning," Seto answers, and I'm sort of disappointed. On the bright side, it does give me one night alone with my husband, how I love to call him this, but it also means I have to wait til I can look for Gramps for a whole night."

"Don't worry, Yugi," Joey says with a smile, and he seems relieved that he finally spoke about his worries and isn't the only one to look out for Aknamkanon's safety. "We'll find your Gramps and we will save him."

Authors note: Thanks to redconvoy and Leviathan of the Sea for the review.