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Yugi's POV

I can't believe it; it's still the same here with the others to sit around the fire and tell each other stories. I have many new stories that I learned in my time at court and tell them about my life there, and the nice garden that is like a little oasis but not nearly as perfect like an oasis is in it's natural way. The garden is too planned, too unnatural, but better then nothing. They've heard from Gramps that I haven't changed at court and still love the desert and consider it my true home. That's the only reason they still trust me and I know that. I'm glad that Joey and Seto seem to understand and stay a little ways away from me while we're here. I will need to talk to them later though.

I think I know where the slave traders might take my grandfather, but I still hope to find an old friend of mine in Merimda. It's very likely that the traders passed this city and maybe sold some slaves here already, and there is one person who will know for sure if that is the case. He's an old friend of mine, the only problem is that he might be in another city again already. Tristan had mentioned in Giza that he was going for Merimda the last time he saw him, and I hope that he is still there. He is travelling from city to city to rip off people, and is great at it,and he has his ears everywhere.

But for now I walk over to Seto and Joey, they're still with the twins a little further away. "Hey guys. I need to talk to someone in Merimda tomorrow if I can find him. I guess I know where to search for Gramps, but I can't be sure until I find him. But for tonight we can stay with the tribe, you four as well."

"Thanks Yugi," Joey says with a smile while Seto looks weary.

"By the way I mentioned that Mana and Aknamkanon have no idea about the dessert, and the people that watch out tonight will keep an eye on them too so you both can sleep through the night again. I know you haven't for a while."

"Yugi," I hear Jaden and turn around to look at the boy. "I want to ask you something."

"What is it Jaden?" I ask and see him eyeing Joey and Seto sceptically and add, "Don't worry about them, just ask away."

"Can I come with you and find mummy?" he asks. "Tèa said that Mana and Aknamkanon need to be watched more than I, and I could help with that. I could sleep in their tent and make sure nothing happens. I know the desert just as well as you do, and I want to help mummy."

"That is a bad idea," I hear Seto say and notice his glare at the poor child. I'm impressed though that Jaden isn't faltering under that glare at all. It's like he doesn't even notice the glare. "He will just slow us down further."

"Look who's talking," the child says and looks right at Seto. "I bet I'm faster then you, slow poke, and unlike you I wouldn't get lost."

"How dare you!" Seto nearly roars, and I'm glad to see that Joey is holding onto one of his arms and whispers something to him. He must be trying to calm the proud man.

"It is only true," Jaden says. "I bet you're the kind that has to waste time by looking at some stupid map because you don't know my desert, while Yugi and I only need the desert sand and the desert wind to tell us where to go. They're the true mother and father of a child of the desert, but you wouldn't get that."

"Jaden, please stop," I say, fearing what Seto will do to the poor child. "High priest Seto is very strong so you better behave. And now listen, we already have two children with us and Seto is just afraid that another child will slow us down; and even though you won't slow us, we will need to carry more food and water and that will slow us. You aren't as strong as Joey and Seto are and might get endangered if we run into some trouble, and Joey and Seto already have to protect me and the twins so they won't be able to keep you safe too."

"Why? Is the little guy too weak for that?" Jaden asks me and points at Seto, and now Joey has to really hold on to him to stop him from taking his rod into his hand.

"Jaden, please apologize right now," I say and hope he will. Seto's temper is fearful and Jaden doesn't have a pharaoh for a husband like I have, so he better not infuriate Seto any further. Seto is already mad at me and would probably love to find some poor guy to let his anger out on.

"Why? I only asked something," Jaden says.

"Jaden, listen, I have a great idea," Joey says, and I hope it will calm Seto a little. "How about you prove yourself by keeping an eye on the twins 'til we're packed up and then we'll decide depending on your performance. Okay?"

"Fine, I'll go and bring them to a tent," he says as he takes one hand of each of the children. "Come with me you two. I'll show you where you can sleep," he says and runs off with them.

"I hope this will go well," Seto says.

"I doubt it," Joey says coolly. "But I have my necklace and can get there if need be, and I guess then he'll have to understand that he has to stay."

"I really hope this works because if he keeps pushing me I'll shut him up, permanently," Seto says, still upset and sets up their tent.

I decided I would go to some of my old friends because I want to talk to Tèa, maybe she can talk some sense into the boy since she always had a way with the little ones. I just hope that she doesn't still have a bit of a thing for our dear pharaoh like she used to ever since she saw him as a child at a market. She'll hate me for being his husband if she still loves him but maybe she'll still help me, after all we grew up like siblings. She was my annoying sister, and I the wimpy brother who was to be avoided at all costs. I love her anyway, though we never did much together.

I say goodnight to Joey and Seto, and go to find her and talk her into talking to Jaden.

A little later I know that it was much easier than I thought it would be. She is already married and happy with her husband, looking after Jaden with him since his mother is gone and obviously doesn't want Jaden to go out and risk his life with us. After that I go into a tent and cry myself to sleep, like every night without my Atemu. I wonder what he might be doing now that he's all alone in his bed, well hopefully anyway. He still has all his bed slaves since he hates slavery and doesn't want to risk them getting a bad master, but I doubt that any of them are with him now. They never are when I'm in the palace, but I still fear it a little. But most of all I miss him… I wish he could be with me right now; I long to feel his strong and protective arms around me.

Like every night, I dream of my dreamy and perfect husband and I'm disappointed when I wake up and can't see him anymore. I slowly get up after crying a little again. I'm still a cry baby but I'm happy that I managed to stand up against Seto. It sure wasn't easy, especially since he really is scary, and I don't get how someone as little as Jaden can talk to him like he did last night.

I walk out of the tent and see that everyone is staring at the twins close to the dying fire. I see that Mana is staring at Jaden like she usually does at Joey. I watch Jaden walk over to the twins, absolutely cool, and take a little knife out of the sand. He holds it into her direction and says, "You never play with those. They're dangerous." I see that there's a dead scorpion pierced up on the knife and watch Jaden turn to Seto and Joey, who were standing a bit further away. "Told you I could keep an eye on them. Now you have to take me."

I stare at Seto who looks like he wants to kill someone but he looks at Joey with his death glare, probably because he said that they could give Jaden a chance not believing that he could do it. But Joey looks strangely cool and calm like he had been expecting this, and I wonder if he had seen it in a vision.

"Not bad kid, but did you think that she could have moved her hand? You could have hurt her just as easy, so that wasn't such a good idea," Joey says. "I think that wasn't thought through at all. You could have hurt her, and I think that we shouldn't take you because of that."

Now I get why he is so calm, he must have known it. By the way Seto looks at him he must have figured that out as well and is not happy that he didn't know himself beforehand. He obviously didn't like it when Joey kept something like this from him.

"But I saved that little boy," Jaden insists.

"Yes, but I could have done it too since I knew this would happen since last night, and I wouldn't need to throw a knife in the direction of a four year old girl and risk hurting her. And save your energy. I know that you want to throw that knife to loosen my cartouche from my neck to prove that you don't miss, but let me tell you, I can hold still but a four year old doesn't always do the same," Joey explains and I see Seto move in front of Joey, who just adds, "Calm down, he really is good in this and wouldn't miss."

"You're mean," Jaden says "You knew all this and still let me hope."

"Would you have stayed if I told you last night?" Joey asks with a smile.

"No," Jaden admits and looks upset.

"Listen boy, I swear that I will find your mummy and she will come back to you, but we'll be faster and more efficient if you stay so if you want to help your mummy you need to stay here. Promise me to be good," Joey says.

"Never," Jaden says and stomps away. He still is upset and I bet he's going to try to follow us, but Joey would probably know that too and stop him… I hope anyway.

Seto starts packing now that Jaden is gone but still looks angry at Joey. He probably didn't like to hear about a knife flying by Joey's neck close enough to cut the necklace that held his cartouche. I know that I wouldn't like it, especially since Jaden is only 8 years old; he could always miss. So I assume that Seto is even more worried about Joey's safety than I am, considering that they're married.

Joey takes Seto's hand and whispers something to Seto and I see him calm a little and hold on to Joey. Their relationship is different than the one I have with Atemu, but I bet they're just as close. And they know each other very well, which might be the reason that Seto worries so much. Joey would always do anything he can to save his friends and family and even risk his own life without a second thought. His love truly is limitless while Seto would only go that far for Mokuba, and of course Joey. Even the twins aren't important enough for him to risk his life without thinking about it.

I saw proof of that when I told him that Mana had pushed Aknamkanon into the Nile and that there were crocodiles. He had stayed calm and simply asked where Joey was. The second I said that he was trying to get Aknamkanon out he ran like his own life depended on getting Joey back out. It was the same way he rode to the market when Joey was facing his father all by himself. I bet that the only thing Seto truly fears is losing Joey one day, especially since Joey can be a little reckless.

Once Seto and Joey are done packing we five ride into the city and I look around the market, hoping all the time that the one person I need to talk to is here. Luckily I don't need to look for long before I see him standing in the crowd. Seto is buying some food to get us to the next city when I see my old friend. I try to sneak off but Joey notices and I whisper to him, "I need to talk to someone, but he won't talk if he sees you with me."

"Fine," he whispers back. "But stay in sight or I come after you. Seto will kill me if I give Atemu a reason to kill me."

I chuckle a little. Like Seto could ever kill him. The worst Seto would do is lock Joey away in his room for his own protection, which would definitely be worse to Joey since he hates it when Seto gets overprotective. I walk over to my friend who is trying to rip off some people with a game of his. Three little colored stones under three cups, and then he moves them around and they have to find the right colored stone. He says the color, and I bet he is cheating somehow because I've never seen anyone win in that game. But he is so fast with moving the cups that they never are truly sure and believe to be wrong anyway. It is really hard to keep them all in check.

I walk over and say, "Hey Duke, how are things?"

"Perfect, your highness," he says, and I'm not surprised that he knows that I married Atemu since I last saw him. He truly has his eyes and ears everywhere. "I knew you'd be stopping by soon."

"How?" I ask, and I'm sure he knows already what I want to know.

"I saw something that will interest you greatly," he says and smiles at me after looking over all of the jewels that I'm wearing today. I should have remembered to get rid of some because I bet I've lost them all in a few minutes. "I'm just not sure if I remember the details." I knew he would say that and give a sigh as I pass the smallest ring to him to see if the news is really about what I hope it is. He looks at it and then says, "Your Gramps wanted me to say hi to you."

"When was it and who was with him?" I ask but already know that it is basically hopeless. I eye Joey once, he is watching and frowning, and I just hope he won't interfere and scare Duke away. Cheating is against the pharaoh's law and if someone finds proof he'll get in trouble, and that's why he will never talk openly to anyone who might get him into too much trouble. I bet he only talks to me because he only sees me as the pharaoh's pretty little toy that he just likes a lot, but he clearly doesn't see me as a threat. I'm not surprised; I'm much too small and weak to be a threat to anyone, and Duke is slender but tall and can get through the smallest places since he can move his body perfectly.

"I'm not sure," he says and holds his hand open, and with another sigh I put in another ring. It's always better to start with the smaller things since he might stop talking if the ring is too little and I have nothing left that he truly wants. This way he will slowly feed me information's 'til he has what he wants, and that is always the most valuable thing I have. "Oh yeah I remember. He was with some slave traders." I give another sigh, this is going to take a while, and I just hope that Joey can keep Seto away from here.

I'm just about to pass him another ring when I hear Joey behind me. "I hear you have an interesting game there. I want to try."

"I'm busy," he says but looks at Joey's millenniums necklace and the diaDhank he's wearing.

"Oh but I really want to, and I'm sure you don't want to see me upset." I watch Joey; he looks threatening and I'm sure that Duke is as good as gone. "Don't think about running. I know that you have a way through that little way over there, and I know where you run from there already." I see Joey point to the same place where Duke had eyed for a second, probably thinking about his way out.

"Fine. One game but then you leave," Duke says and Joey just smiles.

I watch how Duke lifts all cups once, fast to show Joey what color is under what cup, but instead of looking to the game Joey just looks into Dukes eyes. "You never see them if you don't look," Duke points out.

Joey just smiles and says, "Don't worry. I'm the luckiest guy alive, so I'm sure I'll guess right. Go ahead."

I watch how Duke mixes them, looking into Joey's stare with his own green eyes every now and then. Usually Duke watches the person as closely as Joey watches him but Joey's stare seems to unsettle him a little. "Okay. Now tell me where the red one is."

"Easy," Joey says with a smile and moves his hand slowly to point at one of the cups without even looking at them.

I see Duke's eyes fixating on Joey, now staring right back until Joey suddenly grabs his hand and presses his fingernails into his wrist. Duke opens his hand under the pressure and in it was a red stone. I knew he was cheating.

Joey uses his other arm to throw the cups over and says, "Would you look at that. I found the stone. Just strange that there is only blue, yellow and another blue one under the cups. Isn't that cheating?" I see Duke's face pale since he was already trapped in Joey's grip. He tried to pull free but Joey managed to hold on to him. I turn around and see Seto watch the whole thing from a distance and wonder why he isn't coming. Joey must have told him to watch from there for some reason. "Now I could send you to the shadows but I'll give you one chance to make up for all the bad things you've done. So tell me, what do you have to offer on that account?"

I stare at Joey and hope that this will work as well as bribing Duke with my jewels. "Okay. I have a great idea." I see Duke eye the millennium necklace once more before he too looks around and sees Seto standing further away, noticing the rod with his eyes as well. "I bet he's sometimes boring, so how about I spend some time with you honey? I love tough guys."

"Oh that was a mistake," Joey says. "Would you like me to tell Seto that? Because then you'll be begging me to send you to the shadows for the rest of your really long life."

I see all the color drain from Dukes face. "Okay. What do you want?" he asks.

"I want you to answer every last one of Yugi's questions and return his rings," Joey says.

"Deal," Duke says "The group of slave traders currently has five members and they had two cages for slaves, which were nearly empty at the moment. They always travel from Pelusium* along the Nile river, from there to inb-hD and then along the more western rivers of the Nile to Alexandria*. I guess they'll be in Zau* in a few days time. It wasn't so long ago and they always take a few detours to look for tribes. They also bought some crooks from the prison here to resell them for a higher price."

"Why Zau?" I ask. "Wouldn't it be better to travel along the river?"

"Yes for you, but there are no settlements," Duke explains. "Nothing to trade and get food for the slaves or sale some of them."

"Okay. Thanks for your help Duke," I say and ask Joey to let go of Duke.

"Sorry for hurting you, but I don't like it when someone is bulling Yugi," Joey says with a smile "And about the cheating I hope I won't catch you again because I will tell Seto your offer then, and you don't want that."

I see Duke look over to Seto who has been glaring at him ever since Joey needed to hold on to him and Duke looked a little flirtatious towards Joey while making the little offer. Seto clearly didn't like that.

But at least I have a chance to reach Alexandria before the slave traders since I know a short cut. I just hope it will work since the waterholes along that way are even less stable than the other one and we might need to make a detour to the river. It might actually be faster to stick with it from the start, and we can at least leave Zau to our east and travel along the Nile arm that goes to Alexandria, but if the waterholes are fine we'll definitely beat the traders.

* Pelusium is an old City that was at the most eastern part of the Nile Delta (the area where the Nile was spread out into smaller rivers and went into the sea.) But the part of the river dried out later and with that the people there had to leave the city.

* Alexandria wasn't founded under that name until long after this story takes place but it has been proven that there was a city before (leading back to around about 3000 B.C. making it fitting for the time this story is in.) just no one even knows what culture lived there. It could have been Egyptian or maybe Greek or something entirely different, but for this story I made it Egyptian, but since no one even knew it was there for a long time no one knows the original name either. To make it easier I just use the modern name instead of making one up.

* Zau is known as Sais now and was located east of the river arm that is leading to Rosetta. It is much further east then Alexandria and only about halfway between Merimda and the coast. Later there was a small city, and even later a Greek city further west on the river that is closer to Alexandria but the oldest findings I found out about where much later.

Authors note: Thanks to dancing elf for the review.

And who belives that Jaden will listen and stay home? Well you find out what he'll do in the next chapter.