Okay, this chapter is short but cute, I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!
Chapter 10
"Okay, I want you two to show me this room that would have been mine," Yugi said as they made their way below deck.
"Oh, Yugi, I don't think they ever intended to leave empty handed. The room we're in is fit for royalty," Mira commented quietly as they passed other servants in the hall.
"So, show me," Yugi said back.
Malik and Mira both took one of his hands and led him through the twisting corridors of the ship. When they stopped they were outside a door like all the others, but when the door was opened it was more like what Yami's room looked like. Though the door appeared ordinary, the inside reminded him of home. Mira was right, they never intended to leave empty handed.
The room had a bed, dresser, dressing screen, and tall mirror just like Yami's did, but there were slight differences. The bed was made up with white sheets and blankets instead of a deep crimson like Yami's eyes. The bed frame was made of Oak instead of Chestnut wood. So was the dresser, it too was made of Oak wood, as was the frame for the mirror. There was jade green gossamer hanging above the bed, its curtains flowing down to brush the floor. Yami didn't have one of these in his room, but he did have a strong canopy with dark brown curtains tied back by black ribbons. It was the dressing screen though, that reminded him of home. On it were designs of cherry blossom trees, people fishing, elaborate fan designs, dragons, and people dressed in kimonos bowing to one another.
As Yugi stared at the dressing screen he wondered if Yami would notice if he switched it with the plain dull and boring one in his room. No, he probably would notice, besides the dressing screen tied this room together, if he took it out for his own selfish reasons the whole room would fall apart. He couldn't do it.
"You're right Mira, they never intended to leave empty handed. Oh, close the door; I have something for you two," Yugi said going to sit down on the bed.
Malik closed the door and he and Mira joined Yugi on the bed. Yugi reached into his pockets and pulled out the six apples he had taken from the table at breakfast. He held them out to both Malik and Mira, three for each of them. They didn't even question it, but took the food graciously and started to eat it with a dying fervor. Yugi laughed as juice and bits of apple were splattered on both sides of his face.
"You guys can eat more slowly, the apples aren't going anywhere," Yugi said as he wiped his face clean with his sleeve.
"Sorry," they both said as they bowed their heads in shame.
"Eat; you won't be able to get a proper meal until lunch," Yugi urged when he noticed the two had stopped eating.
"Oh, Yugi it isn't a proper meal. Not like the ones we had back home anyway," Malik said solemnly as he slipped an apple under his pillow for later.
"Yes, we were talking with some of the other servants while you were with Yami on the deck and they told us what the meal was at lunch time," Mira put in also looking sad.
"What is it?" Yugi asked concerned.
"It's very watered down gruel and potatoes," Mira said looking at the bed sheets.
"And it's the same every day; there is no difference between one day and the next. At least at home we received meat, real meat, on the ships," Malik said bitterly looking away.
Yugi stood up but then sat down just as quickly. There was nothing he could do, as a foreign Prince engaged to their Crown Prince, there was only so much power he had. Until he became their blessed Royal Wife, his power was limited in the way that they treated their servants or slaves. True he could request that his servants be given something more substantial, but he didn't want to make enemies this early in the game. And requesting that his servants be treated differently from the rest was a good way to get exactly that.
"I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do but slip you food in private," Yugi said lowering his head in what his two servants believed to be shame.
"That's enough," Malik said.
"Yeah, it's not like we can ask for more that would be too strenuous on our kind hosts," Mira said rubbing Yugi's back in reassurance.
"You both are to kind too me," Yugi said pulling them both into a one armed hug.
"We only reflect the nature of our Master," Mira said with a small smile.
"For our Master is the kindest of all beings," Malik put in.
"Even more kind than that of Prince Ryou in England?" Yugi asked in a teasing voice.
"Well when you put it like that," Malik started.
"I guess it's debatable," Mira finished.
"Oh, what would I do without you two?" Yugi asked laughing.
"Live your life in boredom," Malik and Mira said at the same time.
Yugi threw back his head in laughter. It was true, with them around his life had been full of laughter and mischief. Without them, he could only imagine how dull it would have been. Day in and day out of boring meetings, without funny faces of which he would have to hide his laughter for and squeeze the smile off his face. Dull dinner parties with no whispered secrets as he was presented food, and had it taken away. Balls and Galas of being forced to dance with Nobles, and being unable to slip away to dance with his servants, going around in circles, grabbing his siblings to join in. All of them laughing and shrieking in an undignified manner in front of the guests that had come to see them. Yes, his life indeed would have been dull and boring without these two around. He thanked Kami, for their existence.
There was suddenly a knock upon the door, which jolted him out of his memories. Yugi motioned for them to hide the apples, while he got up and went to get the door. Before he opened it, he made sure that all traces of the food were gone, and Malik and Mira were standing in a dignified manner that befit their titles. Once both had nodded to him, he opened the door.
The girl on the other side gasped and curtsied before him, not even daring to look him in the eye. In her hands was a tray and on it was what looked like two bowls of water with potatoes floating in them. Behind her was another servant holding a tray with chicken, green beans, and rice. Sitting beside the plate on the tray was a small pitcher of what looked like milk and a small single glass, how they were keeping it cold on this ship was beyond him. Yugi stood aside so both could come in. They placed the trays on the bed bowed and curtsied again before rushing out. Yugi could only assume that his two servants weren't allowed in the galley to eat with the rest of the servants, because that's where the Guard Ushio Zankokuna was.
Closing the door behind them Yugi poured a glass of milk and handed it to Mira. She drank the liquid, and then poured a glass for Malik and he too drank the liquid. Last Yugi poured a glass for himself, and found that that was all there was. Someone had been very sneaky in allowing him three full glasses of milk, one for each of them. Then he sat down and motioned for them all to eat. Yugi cut up some of his chicken into bite size pieces and added it to their gruel, hoping it would make it more tasteful, but highly doubted it. Indeed, even though they made sure to take big spoonfuls with at least one piece of chicken in each spoonful, their faces still scrunched up in distaste.
Yugi had to force himself not to laugh at their faces, no matter how funny they were. Distasteful food was no joke; he knew that better than anyone from the time that he had visited India. But that was a long time ago, nearly five years ago. Yugi shuddered at the memories, as they came back to him of his time in India. When Mira touched his knee concerned, he just shook his head and gave them a shaky smile. He had to stop thinking about that, it had been bad enough living through it, he didn't need to think about it too.
Yugi, Mira, and Malik finished their meal and Mira collected the two trays as well as the dishes and put them out in the hallway. She then came back into the room to see Yugi and Malik lounging peacefully on the bed. She couldn't help it, she had to disturb them. Running over she bounced on top of the two males making herself comfortable. She didn't stay comfortable for long though as both males pushed her off attacking her mercilessly with tickling fingers on her sides. She shrieked with laughter, as the two males continued to tickle her.
"Are you planning on doing that again Mira?" Yugi asked still tickling her.
"N-no!" She gasped out. The tickling ceased immediately as the two boys cuddled against her, holding her between them.
"That's my Mira," Yugi said lovingly like one would to a sister.
The three eventually fell asleep in the early hours of the afternoon, only by that time Yugi was squished between his two servants. If they had stayed awake only a few moments longer they would have seen Yami, Bakura, and Marik quietly open the door to the room.
"Oh they look so, um what was that word again?" Bakura cooed looking at them.
"What word?" Marik asked.
"The word, that that servant girl in Japan used for the Prince. Um, kawaii, yes that was it kawaii. They look so kawaii," Bakura cooed again looking at the three with the Prince nestled between the two of them.
"And what does kawaii mean?" Yami asked.
"Cute, they're so cute," Bakura answered.
"Then let's let the cuties sleep. Though I must admit, I'm a little miffed that Yugi doesn't cuddle with me like that," Yami said looking a little put out.
"He barely knows you, Yami. Give it some time and I'm sure he'll be cuddling with you like that in no time," Marik assured him shutting the door.
"One can only hope," Yami answered as they made their way down the hall.
See, cute, and the wheels start to turn. I'll try to make the next chapter longer, but it all depends on the perfect cut off point. Maybe I should make the next one a cliffhanger, well we'll see in any case! Thank you to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed User and Guest alike. Please review. Midnight ;p