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

Thoughts

"Speech"

Chapter 23

Yugi woke up to the bright rays and sighed. He walked out to the balcony and knelt down. He then closed his eyes and prayed to his mother and Grandmother and Aknamkanon and Anippe and everyone else he used to know. Prayed for strength…to let go.

When Mana woke up, the first thing she saw was Yugi on the balcony. A small, sad smile adorned her face as she quietly watched her friend. "Yugi," she called softly. The white-skinned male slowly turned around and looked at her. "Come back in side," Mana gently ordered. It was four days since the encounter and Yugi's health had started declining. With him out there, Mana feared he would get sick in the cold morning air.

Yugi sighed and stood up from his place and walked inside. Even with help from everyone, he doubted getting over Atem was going to be an option. Yugi walked over to the bed and sat down, leaning against Mana.

"Something bad is going to happen."

"What do you mean," the noble asked. Yugi looked at her.

"I don't know, but I think I know how Isis feels when she sees a less-than-favourable future. Something just feels…off."

It was during their dinner that Yugi's feelings came true.

"On order of the Queen, the slave Yugi is to be sold on the market," Master Bomani announced. So, again, Yugi was dragged away, and this time her order overruled the document. He was taken to the market, with Mana running behind him, as well as Kisara and Seto.

Everyone gushed and whistled, bidding going high for him. Buyers were fascinated with his white skin and history. In the end, a man on the distant outskirts of a neighbouring town outbid them all and took Yugi home. Runihura made sure no one from the palace nor the city could buy him. In the end, she got what she wanted. Yugi out of her way.

The last sight Yugi saw of his home was Mana collapsing on the ground screaming, Kisara holding her and Seto yelling at the guards. He wanted to run to them and hold Mana, telling her it will be okay, but he was already gone.

Runihura watched from a tower as Yugi was dragged to the market and sold. And she watched with glee as the cart he was on rolled out of the city and away for life. She smiled widely and quietly laughed. Finally, victory against the little brat. Oh, how her plans were going to bloom.

Atem watched his new wife as she stood by the window, and wondered what was going on in her head that made her smile so.

"Runihura, what is going on in that head of yours? What makes you smile so," he asked, coming up behind her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Nothing, milord," the Queen answered as she turned around to face her husband. "Just rid of a little nuisance, that's all." Runihura smiled and kissed her husband. Atem raised an eyebrow but kissed her back. I'll find out later what she means.

Mana stood up shakily from her spot on the ground and Seto placed his arms around her waist. "Are you going to be alright," he asked. Mana nodded, knowing he meant until they reached the castle. Kisara stood up too and looked up at the castle.

"She watched." Seto looked at his lover with a questioning look. Kisara pointed at a window. Seto followed her finger and growled at the unmistakable sight of Runihura's back in the window.

"That woman will not get away with this," he whispered as he and Kisara helped Mana back to the palace.

"Why? Why would she do this? What is so threatening about Yugi?" Mana kept chanting questions like these as she was led back to her chambers. The couple sat her on the bed and collapsed beside her.

"Well, maybe she's afraid that Atem will come to his senses and plead with Yugi to take him back," Kisara offered.

"Yeah, but why," Seto countered. Kisara sighed.

"Yugi said there was something about her he didn't trust. He did say that he thought she was plotting against the kingdom." Both adults sat up and looked at each other shocked. Then down at the girl who spoke.

"What?" Mana looked that the two and nodded.

"He told you. Do you not remember?"

"To be fair, that was a lot of information he gave us that night," Seto argued and Kisara nodded in quite agreement.

"Yeah yeah, but you understand what I'm saying. Atem and Yugi's relationship had a lot of trust in it, and Atem still trusts Yugi with his life, so…" Mana trailed off to let her elder friends finish the thought.

"So if Runihura decided to do anything, she would need Atem's trust," Kisara added to it.

"But she would lose it or be denied this if Yugi told him she was up to something," Seto continued.

"Therefore causing whatever she was planning, say take over the kingdom, to be foiled and she would spend the rest of her days in the dungeons," a new voiced finished. The three on the bed sat up to look at the newcomer. Mahad stood in the doorway with Dalila. Mana smiled at her teacher and friend.

"I can't believe he's gone," Dalila whispered as the group sat around the table, soothing drinks in hand. Mana sighed.

"I know what you mean," she replied. "Now we have to make sure the group doesn't fall apart in his absence. We have to do Yugi's job."

"It wasn't his job," Mahad reminded.

"No, but we depended on him for everything, especially to keep the group together," Seto countered his friend's statement. "We kind of pushed it on him and he accepted it without question or complaint." Everyone nodded.

"So, where's Isis," Kisara said, changing the subject. Mahad smiled.

"Out for a delivery. Lady Haqikah started having contraction this afternoon," he answered.

"Good for her," Dalila praised. "She and her husband have been trying for some time. I'm glad they were able to have children." Mana and Kisara nodded in agreement.

"I don't get what the big deal is about babies. They're ugly, smelly, and trouble," Seto mused as he took a sip. Kisara frowned.

"I didn't know you felt that way Seto. Guess I'll have to find someone else to help create my children." Seto nearly choked on his drink while Dalila and Mana exchanged shocked glances and Mahad wore an embarrassed smile. Seto started coughing while looking at his lover.

"What," he managed to choke out. Kisara glared. She opened her mouth to speak but someone beat her to it.

"Some say children are the proof of love between two people," Atem said as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apple. "And trust. At least, that's what Father told me." And he walked back out. Everyone stared at the door, half-expecting him to come back, but he didn't.

"I guess that means he'll never have children with her," Mana muttered.

"I don't think he'll have children at all." Everyone looked at Kisara. "What? I'm just saying. He won't have children with Queen Runihura because they don't even trust each other, let alone love. Everyone is still wondering what happened. And to marry someone else other than Yugi would be cruel because he won't ever truly love them. Any children he would have wouldn't be born into the life they deserve. And if he does ever come back to his senses, he can't have children with Yugi unless Isis or Mahad knows some sort of magic or something like that that can allow men to have children… Then Atem will never have children." Kisara took a deep breath after she stopped talking. Everyone kept staring at her. "What?"

"You hardly ever talk," Mana explained cautiously, still staring at her pale friend. Kisara shrugged.

"That was incredible," Isis said as she walked in. She sat down next to Mahad.

"So," Mahad prompted his lover. Isis smiled.

"Lord Manu and Lady Haqikah are the proud parents of twin girls," Isis beamed. Everyone gasped and cheered.

"It has turned into a good day," Mana whispered. A big warm hand grasped her own and Mana looked up to meet her teacher's gaze. Mahad smiled quietly and Mana nodded, slowly joining the conversation.