Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Thoughts

"Speech"

Chapter 19

Yugi walked through the halls, breathing hard, trying desperately to get to the stables before he broke. He collapsed onto the floor near the stall holding the former-Pharaoh's horse and broke down crying. Yugi sat there for a few minutes before hearing a soft whinny. He looked up with sparkling amethyst eyes and saw the dappled horse looking down at him. He smiled and hiccupped.

"Wow, now I have a horse worried about me," he whispered humorously. Yugi then stood up and opened the stall. The horse walked out and Yugi swung himself on the back. In a moment, they were out and well on their way to the oasis.

From above, in his chambers, Atem watched his "twin" ride out of the palace. He scowled. What was Yugi doing? And why did he walk out of dinner? What happened between them to leave my bride so troubled? I like it not. Yugi… What's wrong? Where did we go?

"Something troubles you, milord?" Atem jumped and turned around. Runihura stood right behind him in her nightclothes. Atem sighed. He walked over to her and took her hands in his.

"Nothing you need to worry yourself over my dear. Now go to sleep. I'll be back. I must go see Shimon for a moment," Atem said as he kissed her cheek and then left the rooms. Runihura glared after him. Really, leaving me like this, especially right after I just got here? What kind of future husband are you? Oh, that's right. One who's king, and about to bow to me, Runihura thought wickedly. She looked out the window her future husband had just been gazing out of. What captivated his attention so, she wondered. Runihura shrugged and returned to bed with one thought in mind: Something must be done about that Yugi character.

Said person was now lying on his back in the middle of the grass, staring up at the stars while the horse that bought him here stood grazing by. Yugi sighed. It was nearly a year ago that Aknamkanon brought him here. How Yugi wished he was here. Maybe things wouldn't be so complicated. But instead, Yugi was doing what he usually did. He was dealing with his pain alone. He didn't know how long he would lie there, but Yugi wouldn't leave until the horse stopped looking at him. Then would he leave, once it didn't show outwardly. How long that would take, though, was the mystery. So, until then, Yugi stared up at the stars, talking to his mother and the Pharaoh.

"I honestly don't know if I'll be able to get over this," he whispered. Above, the stars twinkled gently. The wind whispered through the trees, and breathed over Yugi's body. He breathed in deeply and sighed. "No mother, I don't know. I know there's more to Runihura than people think, I get a bad vibe from her, but what if Atem really loves her? Then what? Was everything that happened between us just a joke, some game to him? If it was, then there is no way I'd be able to get over it. Not unless I left. I wouldn't be able to look at him without hurting so much that I'd wish for death." The wind blew a little more forcefully. "I know. And I'd never do that, but that's how bad it would hurt. I'd never kill myself, because that would be despicable and just plain disrespectful to you mother, the one who gave me life. But Atem's become my life, and it pains me so to see him with someone else, especially after he promised his life to me." Yugi sighed again and felt the horse nudge his nose into his side. He smiled. "Yes, both of you are right. Atem's not the only one in my life, and I should be grateful that they haven't walked out on me or betrayed me as well." The horse snickered gently as the wind lazily blew across the boy. Yugi drew his amethyst gaze to the horse. "Thank you sire. I really needed this place," he whispered. The horse whinnied in response. Yugi smiled and sat up.

"About time we returned, don't you think?" He looked up at the creature expectantly. The horse seemed to nod his head. Yugi nodded too. "Then let's go back home."

It was well after midnight when Mana heard the quiet steps of someone not wanting her to hear him. Mana sat up in her bed. "Yugi, where have you been?" The steps hesitated, and then walked to her bed. Yugi sat down beside her.

"In a place of my own to think," he whispered. Mana frowned.

"And this place would be where," she asked. Yugi sighed.

"It's a place out in the desert that Pharaoh Aknamkanon showed a while before he died, before Atem proposed. It's a place I can go to be alone, and the Pharaoh made me promise I wouldn't share it with anyone unless I felt I needed to or it would be in my best interest to have someone there with me." Mana growled. "Sorry Mana," Yugi nervously laughed, "But I don't think I'll be telling anyone just yet." Mana opened her mouth to protest but Yugi placed his hand over it. "I promise to show you if I feel like I'm going to seriously breakdown and need help to get back up, okay?" Mana nodded and Yugi removed his hand. He kissed Mana on the forehead. "Now go back to sleep, mistress," he whispered gently.

Mana breathed while watching stand up. "Yugi," she called out suddenly. He turned around and looked at her. "Sleep with me," she said. Yugi smiled softly.

"If it is what you want," he answered. Mana nodded. "Alright." Yugi walked back over to the bed and climbed in beside her. Mana wrapped her arms around the smaller being.

"Goodnight Yugi," Mana whispered. All she was answered was gentle deep breathing. She smiled, and kissed Yugi on the forehead. "Sleep well, my friend."

Morning broke and Yugi opened his eyes to see Mana still sleeping. And her arm still holding him. Yugi rolled his eyes. Great, another situation where I have to get out of someone's arms so I can work, Yugi thought. He slowly sat up and Mana shifted. Her dark eyes fluttered opened.

"Good morning Yugi," she greeted as she stretched. Yugi smiled and slid off the bed.

"Good morning mistress," he echoed. A servant came rushing into the chambers.

"Mistress Mana, the Pharaoh wishes to see you," he said. Mana sat up and looked at Yugi.

"When," she asked worriedly. The servant balked.

"Right now ma'am. He's on his way here." Mana jumped and Yugi stared. They looked at each other. What? He's coming here?

"Why is he coming here," Mana asked, while keeping her eye on Yugi. The servant cleared his throat.

"Because he wishes to see Yugi as well but has the feeling he wouldn't appear to his summons."

"Of course I would go if he called." Mana stared at her friend. The servant and many others in the room stared too. Yugi sighed. "If His Majesty summoned me, I would go for he is the Pharaoh and ruler of this land. To disobey him is punishable and disrespectful. I wouldn't want my mother ashamed of me," he finished.

One of the servants bustling about piped up. "No one would blame you though, sir," she said. "It is understandable; especially what he's done to you. I can't see how you could."

"Not helping that much, Femi," Dalila whispered fiercely. At that moment, Atem walked into the chambers, Runihura at his side. Yugi froze and Mana scurried out of bed.

"Atem! Could you not have given me time to dress," she cried. Atem gazed at her.

"I thought you would have been up already. Forgive me, but I have urgent news and it cannot wait." Atem clapped his hands and all the servants left. Yugi was about to when he felt a hand grip his wrist. He looked down at the hand, then up to the troubled look on Mana's face, her eyes on him. Yugi nodded, letting her know he would stay. The grip on his wrist loosened a bit. Runihura frowned at the fact that Yugi still stood within the room. She turned to her betrothed.

"Were not all the servants to leave the rooms," she asked innocently. Atem glanced at her.

"Yes, and they did."

"He's still here," she informed, indicating Yugi. Atem sighed.

"I know, but he's no ordinary slave. Besides, if Mana wanted him to stay, he'll stay, no matter what happens." Atem walked towards the mentioned two. "I wanted you to be the first to know the wedding is in two weeks and I wish for you to be there."

Yugi gave him a sarcastic smile. "Yes, your Majesty, we'll be there, if we are here to attend. But that's not all you came here for, is it?" Atem looked at Yugi with wide eyes. Yugi doesn't hate me does he? Maybe not, but he is angry with you, considering you just confirmed you are marrying someone other than him. Atem mentally shook his head.

"That is correct. I wanted to ask you, Yugi, where the jewels went. I wish to give something to my bride, and I can't find the box anywhere. Where did you put it," he asked. Yugi glared, his amethyst eyes turning a dangerously dark shade of purple.

"Somewhere safe," he replied. Atem's crimson eyes narrowed. "I put them in a new place, seeing as how I am no longer welcome in the royal chambers, and will keep the location hidden. The box and its contents belong to me or someone who trusted me with them. You may be the Pharaoh but I will not give you what she asks for," he grounded out. Runihura sneered at Yugi, who was the only one to see the expression. "If that is all, Pharaoh, then you'll have to excuse me." Yugi then walked out of the chambers, throwing an apologetic look to Mana before disappearing.

Atem watched him go. He turned to Mana for an explanation but she looked at the floor. "Yugi has every right, you know. And I have no clue to where it is. He moved it before you reached the palace, and I doubt he's going to give up the location." Mana bowed to her childhood friend and followed Yugi out the door.

When she found him, he was sitting on the edge of the northern tower, feet dangling lazily as the warm Egyptian breeze blew over his skin. Mana sat down and sighed.

"Atem had no right to ask such a thing of you," she stated. Yugi shook his head, and Mana saw tears fall off his face.

"Atem had every right. He is the Pharaoh after all. I probably would have told him of he didn't say they were for her," he spat out the word. Mana looked at her friend in shock. She never heard such venom come from his mouth.

"Yugi-"

"I'm sorry Mana, if I scared you." So he knew. "But I can't stand to see them together. She's-" Yugi looked around. "We can't talk here," he whispered. "I'll tell you everything, but you have to trust me and come with me, okay?" Mana nodded.

A few minutes later, the two were out of the palace gates, well on their way to the oasis. Runihura watched them go and smirked. Alone time with Atem. Well, when he gets out of council that is.

Mana stood in awe as she walked into the dense foliage. "Yugi, it's beautiful. This is where the Pharaoh took you that day you and him went for a ride?" Yugi nodded. Mana looked around, then at down near the stream. "You came here last night didn't you?" Another nod. Mana sighed and Yugi sat down next to her and grabbed some grapes from the basket they brought. Mana followed his example and picked out some food.

They sat in silence for a while before Yugi put down his food and looked at the ground. Mana stared at him curiously as she popped a grape into her mouth, waiting for him to speak. Finally, he did.

"Sorry I didn't say anything before, but I really can't stand to see them together. Runihura is just using Atem and I don't know why yet, but I'm sure I could find out. She doesn't like me." Mana started to protest but Yugi held up a hand to stop her. "No Mana, she really doesn't. Runihura hates me and the fact I used to be Atem's fiancé, and maybe she thinks we still have that connection, but… She knows how to hide, that's for sure." Yugi looked at Mana. "At dinner, did you think we were having a friendly conversation?"

"Yeah, that's what it looked like, and the only one that didn't seem happy about it was Atem," Mana replied. Yugi smiled.

"That's interesting. The conversation was anything but friendly."

"What was it about?"

"Me, mostly. She wanted to know more about me…and Atem. She didn't really trust him to tell the whole truth. And the way she insisted that we get to know each other… I knew there was something wrong with her from the beginning, but I still don't know what. And neither of us were smiling during the conservation, until the end. I smirked when I pissed her off with a certain thought about her. And this morning, when I said I would never give them the jewels if he's just going to give them to her, she sneered at me. You didn't see it, did you," he asked, looking at Mana.

Mana shook her head. "No, I didn't. But, Yugi, are you sure about this? This is serious. It's almost as bad as you accusing her of plotting to take over the kingdom." Yugi looked at her sheepishly. Mana gasped. "Yugi! You're thinking that? Why?"

Yugi shrugged. "It's just the vibe I get from her. I don't think she's the right person to be queen, but maybe that's just me, no wanting to see Atem marry someone else other than me." Mana looked at her friend with sympathetic eyes. "I still love him Mana, and I don't know how to stop."

What to say to that, Mana had no idea. So instead she opted for silence and held Yugi in his misery.