Hi again. Here I am with a new update, and a very long chappie on that. This fast update is for my wonderful reviewers S2Teennovleist and Tessie only. I luv U so much!

Oh, a little explanation of the titles in this chapter. Majesty is only for royalties, but highness is used for noblemen, never for a royal.

XXXXXXXX-change in time

Discalmer: I never owned YuGiOh! or the pic this fic is based on, but the plot is mine.

XXXXXXXX

Malin

Yuniko sat outside the sable and watched the stableman Watson clean and trim the horses. Her own horse, a young cream colored full blood named Starlight, was happily playing with her friend, Firebay, a young bay with the color of fire. Starlight's silvery mother Moonray was being trimmed for the moment and at her side Catmother, as the stableman called her, was feeding her kittens.

She longed for her own mother. The prince was away for a meeting in the nearby village and the king was too busy for her, as always. She had busing herself with lonely games ever since the queen was banished. But she had promised to return, so the princess waited for her.

"Your majesty. Would you like to come with me and my son for a ride to the forest?" the stableman asked kindly. "Starlight seems to be longing for some freedom after being locked up in the stables all winter."

The princess smiled happily at the suggestion. "I would love to," she answered cutely.

"Well, then I should start planning on a way to convince your father to let you go," Watson said with a tired sigh.

"He will never allow it if you ask him," Yuniko smiled.

"I guess, so what does your majesty suggest?"

The princess blinked slowly before she looked back up at the stableman with innocent slyness. Watson laughed of amusement. It was the castle's little secret, but the one who actually ruled the kingdom in a few questions was no other than the eight year old princess. The guards laughed in silence behind the king's back whenever the princess showed up and decided instead of the king, who was mad for it most of his time.

"Go tell our dear king where your majesty is going and change and I will have the horses and Kay ready when you get back."

Yuniko happily patted Catmother's head as goodbye and started off towards the white castle. In the early spring the clinging ivy at the east side was slowly sprouting with new life. The courtyard was alive once again with people running with their different tasks. Dogs ran around and some puppies tried to jump up into the princess's arms, but she gently put them back down. Above the towers of the castle a wild eagle circled, watching over the princess. It had been since it learned to fly two years ago and had protected the little girl when needed. He was named Guardian, for he was the princess's undefeated protector. The sky was innocently blue, just like Yuniko's crystalline eyes, but most inhabitants of the castle believed nothing could be more innocent than the princess's eyes.

Blissfully and with the grace of a dancer the princess moved in a straight line towards the open gate of the castle. She knew her father was in another pointless meeting about the new year's different issues and blessings.

Suddenly there was a yelling from the great wall surrounding the castle with its courtyard and small village, where the servants and slaves lived. Someone wished entrance to the castle.

The gate was open due to the prince's absence and many visitors at this time a year. But even if the castle was open for travelers, suspicion was the keyword always going around, mostly to keep the princess safe. She was the most precious treasure of the castle after all, why she was called "the treasure" during attacks and robbery.

Today it was a big family who wished for the castle's safety. Yuniko stopped in her tracks to study them before she went inside, she would have time to look them up later.

She went through the mass of halls and stairs to come to her father's whereabouts, gaining one and a few greetings from the servants. She knocked on the door with her small hands and was almost immediately let in, her knocking recognized.

"What do you wish for, seeking me out now, daughter?" the king said with suppressed annoyance.

"The stableman Watson suggested taking me for a ride. Starlight needs the motion after being locked up. Will his majesty let me go?"

There was just a few who managed to control their expressions. Others had to bit their lips, cheek or tongue to stop the sounds of laughter threating to come up. They all knew the king couldn't refuse his daughter anything.

"If that is all you wished for, then go ahead and have fun," the king said, smiling kindly at his daughter, whose purity always melted his heart until it was beating warmth throughout his body.

"Thank you," Yuniko said and curtsied for her father and turned to leave. "And we have guests at the gate," she said as an afterthought.

In her room Yuniko dressed into a pair of soft, white pants and a simple white shirt. The shirt was warm enough, but just in case she put on a blue tunic before she wrapped a broad belt around her slim waist, held together with a round silver buckle with a difficult design and a flashing ruby in the middle. A pair of soft, high boots clad her tiny feet and she took on a leather wrist glove, just in case a falcon or something would drop down to playfully nipple her ear or just telling her they were around if she needed them. At last she wrapped a deep blue hooded cloak around her shoulders.

Knowing smiles and winks greeted her when she walked towards the exit to finally go for her ride. Even dressed as a boy she was very cute and just as loved. There even was a rumor in the lowest circles of slaves that the princess could tame the devil himself to eat from her hands.

When she reached the exit she once again saw the small caravan of carriages, now inside the gates and close to the stables. She didn't need to fear them and she was everything but shy. Watson and Kai stood ready beside the stable with the horses, throwing suspicious glares at the travelers.

Everything seemed to slow down as the princess moved in a straight line towards the stableman and his son, which would lead her close to the carriage. Slaves slowed down and looked up, guards reached their weapons unconsciously and even the dogs stopped in their paths, watching the scene. Guardian glided low, ready to protect the precious princess if needed.

The courtyard, a moment ago filled with life and laughs, was suddenly silent, cold and uninviting. The newcomers all felt the hard and suspicious glares at them from everywhere, except for one little girl.

The older of a set of female twins, totally different in attitude, had an evil glint in her keen, mud-colored eyes. When the princess was about to pass them, she let out her foot to trip the pretty boy, as she thought it was. But Yuniko stopped once she felt the leg being put out in her path.

Starlight suddenly neighed in anger, and the other two horses had to be held back by force by two stablemen, Watson and his son. Even the horses in the stable fought against the ropes tying them to place.

Yuniko didn't turn towards the now mad girl. She looked straight ahead like the princess she was, her wavy hair moving in the soft breeze.

The newcomer opened her mouth to say something to make the other react, but a few puppies started to snap angrily at her. Guardian lowered himself and landed at the roof of a carriage, making a sound deep in his throat. The older dogs were growling, all showing their white lines of sharp teeth threatening and their fur stood straight up in anger.

"You should be thankful," the king said slowly, nearing the trembling caravan. "Humans can control their actions, but the animals can't. If that daughter of yours had actually tripped the princess, she would have died, ripped apart by the dogs."

A guard, standing closer to the princess and the little girl than the others gave the stranger child an icy look. "She just saved your life brat. Move away from the princess, or you will be attacked."

The little girl finally registered how silent the yard was and how many hard and murderous glares were aiming her way, from slave to the king. She slowly moved her foot away and the princess started to walk again, as if nothing had happened, never giving the other as much as a glance.

The humans went back to their tasks, once in a while firing hostile glares at the travelers.

"You should be careful with who you are picking a fight. The princess has many friends among the animals, however much I may dislike it," the king said to the leader of the small caravan as his daughter easily calmed the horses and dogs. Guardian rose from the carriage to land on top of the stable and watch the princess from there for the while.

"That was… the princess… your majesty?" the man asked nervously.

The king nodded and watched his treasure sit up on Starlight and fire a charming smile his way. The castle's inhabitants were soon back into the happy chattering and dreams of the new year as Starlight happily jumped around with the skillful princess on her back before she followed Watson and Kai.

"But she was dressed like a boy," the girl who had tried to trip the princess spoke up rudely.

"Her majesty dresses like she wants to," a guard answered for the king, aiming an icy glare at the girl who obviously lacked tact as well as common sense.

The king accepted the caravan of travelers to stay inside of his walls, but he couldn't protect them if they harmed the princess.

The carriage was granted a place near the great wall, since the guards weren't too friendly with them and they wanted to avoid troubles.

"That stupid show-off," the mean girl said to her twin sister. "She thinks she is so high and mighty. I'm gonna show him, her, whatever, that no one messes with me. You'll help me, wont you Malin?"

Malin, the younger of the twins, nodded carefully. Her sister Mina would never leave her alone if she refused her anything.

The twins could hardly anyone guess were twins. Malin was timid and shy, a very sweet girl but she was always afraid. Her skin was bronze-colored and her blonde hair was unnatural pale. Her eyes also held that rare purple color. If she hadn't looked so strange she would have been loved dearly by those she met. But she wasn't. That was her sister.

Traveling wasn't the safest way to grow up, always surrounded by people she didn't know, always fearing what was hidden in the dark nights. She couldn't even trust her own family. They were thieves. They used her as a bait to lure their preys to them. But this time they had been warned. This castle, which they had had in thought to ease from a few weights of gold, was protected by more than humans. The huge golden eagle above them, the dogs running around and the horses in the stable… it seemed too dangerous to try to steal anything from here. Their little falcon didn't stand a chance if the eagle attacked. Besides, even the slaves didn't trust them, and would of cause not tell them anything.

"Mother said that we should stay away from the treasure chambers of the castle, but I won't. Not now when that show-off lives in there. She may think she is smart, but I know she is as trusting as all the others we have fooled. You will pretend to befriend her and lure out where the treasure is hidden. Then I alone will take some of it with us."

XXXXXXXX

The princess was blissfully riding with the two others. She loved the feeling of freedom she got whenever she could just ride out like this. But she knew it wouldn't last forever. She was a princess from the beginning to the end, and she had a kingdom to take care of. But she also was wise enough to know who to trust and who to be careful with. This far though, she had had the servants, slaves and soldiers to protect her. Even the dirtiest of slaves in the castle loved her.

"Your majesty, we should rest and let the horses lose for now. We can eat the food we brought too," Watson said gently as he rode up to her.

Yuniko gave him a smile and stopped Starlight so she could jump off. She removed the halter and stepped back as a sign Starlight was free to go playing.

The young horse looked disappointed for a second, but then she lovingly nuzzled her playmate and started to run off, just feeling the spring in the air.

Watson and Kay also released their horses. They knew better than others that it was safe to let them lose as long as the princess was with them. Animals were simply drawn to the pure hearted royal girl and came to her whenever she called.

Guardian caught a rabbit on the field and landed on a stump, not too far from the group, to eat it in peace, keeping an eye at the treasure.

Two years ago, just when he had learnt how to fly, the young golden eagle hurt his left wing and was unable to. Another eagle was about to kill him to feed herself when she appeared. The princess had healed the wing and he was soon flying again. Ever since then he had watched over the girl, saving her as she saved him. He lived under a roof of the castle and was able to fly in if he wanted to, though he rarely did. But he fed himself and had nothing to tie him to the place he lived in. He just wanted to see that the girl was fine. It was no promise since his simple mind didn't work as a human's, he simply saw the girl as something similar to a mate, just… not a mate.

"I would say I envy you, princess Yuniko," Kay said as he stared at the impressing king of heaven. "But when I look at Guardian I wonder if I really do. Are you not afraid of all wild animals running around you?"

"I feel when I should be afraid," Yuniko said simply over her cup of hot tea. "And along with the animals I have no fear. Besides, it is not just Guardian who watches over me. The forest hides more eyes than you can count. You want me to call him out?"

Watson gave her a nervous look. He didn't know of everything the princess was capable of doing, and the way she had said that sent shivers down his spine.

"Please let it be, your majesty. I like my picture of you as it is. Please do not jeopardize it."

Yuniko smiled kindly and understanding at him though Kay seemed a little disappointed. Just like oh so many boys in the castle, as well as in the village outside, he was in love with the blue eyed beauty. Even in her mare age of eight she attracted a lot of eyes not only because of her title as a princess. But Yuniko seemed totally oblivious of the longing looks from the boys around her. They could never guess how very well aware of them she was.

When they had eaten Kay took the young princess for a walk while Watson collected herbs and plants for the healers in the castle as they had asked him, as well as a few he could use to clean the horses' skin.

Kay talked lowly with the princess, throwing longing eyes at her every once in a while. He was two years older than her, but oh how his heart arched at the thought of himself being a son to a stableman. However much the princess acted and talked to him as one of her class, he knew as well as everyone else she had to do her duty as a princess and marry to a prince or high nobleman. The mare thought made him sigh with depression.

"Something is happening."

Kay looked up from his shoes to look strangely at the princess.

"Something is moving far ahead of us."

The princess looked straight ahead with a slight frown on her beautiful face. Kay couldn't sense, hear or see anything off with their surroundings. But the wind that blew slightly harder was cold.

"We have to return to the castle. Things are not safe here anymore."

Yuniko turned on her heel and quickly strode back to where Watson still was collecting herbs. She whistled for Starlight, who came galloping together with the other two. Guardian squeaked slightly from his stump and flapped with his mighty wings. He felt the strangeness in the air, just like Yuniko and the slightly nervous horses.

"Stableman Watson. We have to return to the castle," the princess said with demanding voice, something she rarely used. "It is not safe here anymore, I can feel it."

Watson was on the horseback immediately and led the way back to the castle.

Yuniko glanced backwards to watch the forest with its unknown fear become distant. She couldn't see anything, not feel eyes upon her or something stretching out for any of them. Guardian was gliding high over her and couldn't see anything ether, even with his so much sharper eyes.

XXXXXXXX

Malin sat outside the stable waiting for the princess. She had been there for about an hour and was by now quite hungry. Dark clods of rain were heading towards the castle from north when she finally heard the stomping on horses. She was surprised to find that they were galloping towards the stable.

The three horses came into the little thieve daughter's view, and she could tell the horses were uneasy. Even the riders had looks of anxiety written over their faces. They had probably been riding for quite some time for the horses to be dripping with sweat.

"It is still there, but we are out of danger," the girl who was the princess said lowly as she jumped off her almost exhausted horse. "You have to calm the other horses and clean Starlight. I must inform father about this."

"Your majesty, what is happening?" the stableman asked anxiety, worried because the princess was.

"I do not know yet. But I will find out. But the birds do not stop singing a full hour before a storm."

"Storm?" the other boy who had followed the princess said and turned his head towards the dark clouds.

"It will be another of the hard spring storms," the princess said calmly. "You, the girl over there."

Malin hid quickly and her heart jumped into her throat.

"I have already seen you girl. You need to warn your family." The princess came around the corner and looked at her with concern. "The wind is coming from north. Tell your family to place the carriage along the north wall and you'll be protected against the rough wind. Trust me, I have seen it before."

The princess started to walk off towards the castle, throwing warnings all around her, making the people turn their heads towards the north and started to cover what could be covered and placing things to be shielded from the wind. They all took it very calmly. They were all used to storms.

Malin ran over to the caravan at the south wall to tell her family about the storm.

"Mother, there is a storm coming. The princess told me we should place the carriages along the north wall. She told me it is not safe here."

"I know better than anyone how to protect my own carriages, you stupid girl," her father snapped at her. "And I say that we do not need to move since the wind comes from the east."

Malin couldn't say against her father, or she would be beaten.

There were yelling at the great wall and high pitch neighing of horses. A brilliant black horse galloped all the way to the stable. The young man who rode was dressed in a deep blue cloak and gave orders to the stableman who silently took them, a proof the man was used to give orders and to have them obeyed. He started to run towards the castle, before he noticed the caravan. He made his way over to it and was met by Malin's father.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the man asked. No one could see his face since it was hooded and the sky was darkening fast, but he had a sword at his side and he had nice clothing. Malin supposed he was a nobleman.

"We are travelers and is seeking night camp here, your highness," Malin's father said calmly over the wind which picked up in speed rapidly. "The king himself accepted."

"At the south wall with an incoming storm? Take your carriages to the north wall if you wish to survive this. Spring storms strikes hard and fast. You have just a few minuets to move away from this wall. Lightning may strike into the towers and with the hard winds the projectiles will hit this wall with killing force."

"But the wind is coming from east your highness," the leader of the caravan tried.

"What are you thinking with?" the man yelled impatiently. "Or have you never been inside a castle's walls? The wind blows in different directions on the ground. It is an illusion. But the wind comes from north. Now move away from here and you may save your lives."

"Brother!"

The man turned around and met the running princess, still clad in cloak and pants. She jumped up into his arms and he swung her around in greeting.

"Brother, father wish to talk to you." She then moved her crystalline eyes to the caravan. "Have you not moved yet? Hurry up before…"

Thunder flashed and the boom was heard just two seconds later. Hugging the princess tight to his chest Atemu ran to the castle's safety, leaving the caravan to its fate.

Malin trembled and tugged her mother's sleeve. She was scared.

"Move the carriages," her father said lowly as rain suddenly splashed down at them as if the sky had just dropped a bucket right over them.

XXXXXXXX

Malik lay quietly face down on his bed. Rain had started to fall outside in heavy drops and seemed to mirror his mood. His sister had scold him as soon as he had come home, telling him his mother was home and just out for the evening with her little company before she would have a week off to spend with her two children.

He was still worried about Yugi. No, he was scared. His heart beat painfully slow and hard against his ribcage and he felt cold. His usually warm skin was freezing, but he didn't bother to pull the blankets over him. It wouldn't help.

Voices outside his closed door told him his mother was home. He had actually longed for this, to spend some time with his mother. But with Yugi at the hospital he couldn't find himself to enjoy the usual fantasies he kept having every time his mother was to come home.

His door opened and cast light into his dark room, revealing him on his bed. His mother sat down at the edge.

"Isis said you haven't been home for two nights, Malik. Why?"

"They asked me if I would sleep at their places," Malik said, not explaining who "they" were or why "they" would ask him for a sleepover.

"Malik, I haven't seen you like this before. Don't tell me you are in a gang."

Malik snapped and rose from his bed.

"Why do you keep believing I will just lead myself into trouble? I'm no kid anymore. I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone to hold my hand."

"Malik!"

The young boy fell silent under his mother's flashing eyes.

"I can not believe you. I know you are in the age to be rebellious, but this? What have you messed yourself into?"

"Nothing, mother. We were just grouped up for a project and they took care of me. You would like them if you met them."

"So what's with the heavy mood of yours? You have done something."

"No, but one of them is at the hospital for reasons we don't know. And it's not because he was in a fight, he just… fainted and hasn't awoken yet."

"You started school this Friday and you actually think we will believe that you have befriended someone?" Isis said from the door. "How old are you, Malik? Still in grade school? By now you should know you can't lie to us."

"I'm not lying. I have the numbers if you want to check them up. But the four of us have something in common. We all have siblings. But I am the only one who has a sister. How ironic she has to be such a jerk when the others' are so nice."

Isis stormed into the room and grabbed Malik's arm to hit him, but she quickly jerked her hand back.

"Malik, you're freezing," she half yelled.

"I know, its cold moron."

Mrs. Ishtar touched Malik's cold skin and he had hardly time to react before he was forced into his bed and covered with three layers of blankets.

"You will sleep now and tomorrow you will leave me those numbers so I can check your so-called friends up and you will come home directly after school," his mother scold him before wounding up the elevator and leaving the room.

Malik stared at the closed door. He hadn't eaten anything since that drink Bakura had served him this same noon, but he couldn't say he was hungry. He kicked off the blankets and put on his nightshirt before curling up into a tight ball between his sheets, trying to gain some heat.

XXXXXXXX

The storm was over, but not without damage. Lighting had hit the highest tower and the metal spear at the top was stuck in the south wall, just where the caravan had been just moments earlier.

Yuniko had spent the night in her brother's room but hadn't been able to talk to her father. But she couldn't feel it any longer, that evil from before.

"Morning, my little princess," Atemu whispered in her ear as she began to stir.

Dozy crystalline eyes looked up into smiling night blue orbs. Her brother's mass of wild, tricolored hair stood out so he looked like a hedgehog. The little princess smiled sweetly and nuzzled her brother's chest.

"Do you think Guardian is fine?" the tiny girl asked carefully.

"You mean that stubborn suitor of yours?" Atemu teased. "I believe he is fine. That golden eagle knows how to protect himself."

"What about the caravan?"

The prince sighed in annoyance. He hoped that man had taken his word as an order and moved his family out of harm.

"Let us go and see if they made it," he said smiling.

Yuniko kissed her brother's cheek lovingly and crawled out of his embrace. "But first I have to see if Guardian is fine."

Atemu chuckled, amused at his sister's way to always get the last word. They all knew where the eagle lived, but the princess was the only one who could go near him and be safe. A servant had tried once, and he never went anywhere close to the tower. The eagle's sharp claws had made deep scars on his back and shoulders.

The princess dressed in a long, baby blue dress. Her brother had made sure to place a few cloths for her in his room. It wasn't rare the young princess wanted to sleep in his bed. She needed the human contact that was always denied her from everyone else.

While the heir went to the small dining room where the royal family ate in private the princess took the many stairs up into the tower where Guardian lived. The older servants complained about all the stairs, but the quick and agile princess wasn't bothered about that matter. She was still young and healthy and made it to the top of the stairs without breaking a sweat.

Guardian lifted his head from under his wing when he heard the light footsteps of the princess in the round room under the roof and peeked his head through the open window.

"So you made it Guardian. I am so happy for you," the young treasure said and looked at him with eyes sparkling in the morning sunlight.

The huge golden eagle made inside and playfully nibbled the princess's perfectly wavy hair. In return she patted the soft feathers in his neck, easily finding his pleasure spot which made him lower his head to allow her better access. The princess scratched the eagle's neck for a moment, before she let go and went to the window to see what the storm had cased this time.

Guardian, satisfied with the little morning fluff, clumsily walked over to the other window and flew out to get himself some breakfast.

XXXXXXXX

Malin's family's small caravan went over the damage from the storm. Flying projectiles had crushed the caravan's provisions carriage and one of their horses had died. The rest had made it to the north wall without too serious damage. Right now, though not said out loud, they were thankful for the warning from both Malin and the nobleman from the day before. The north wall had invited for much more safety.

The younger of the twins were freezing. She was soaked to the bone and was afraid she would be sick if she couldn't find warmth soon. But she wasn't alone. Everyone from old to young looked like drowned rats and a few of them were sure to die from the flu.

Mina suddenly grabbed her sister by the arm and dragged her away from the family.

"Why did you not just stick to the plan?" Mina asked furiously.

"She knew I was there. She told me to warn you from the storm," Malin defended. "The princess is sharp. I can not trick her."

Mina slapped her sister across the face. "You are making excuses. I do not need to hear them. You know what I want to know and you will give it to me like the good girl you are. I will take your food today too as punishment."

Malin's stomach suddenly grumbled in protest, and Mina laughed at it. "See. If you do as I say you will be able to fill your complaining stomach."

Yuniko saw it all from her high position, though she couldn't hear the voices. She knew from what she had seen that the little girl from yesterday night was bullied. The other was the one who had tried to trip her.

Sighing in slight depression, knowing there was nothing she could do for the other, the princess went back down to eat with her family.

XXXXXXXX

A day at school had never been so long. Malik just waited for the last period so he could visit Yugi at the hospital, completely ignoring his mother's treat. The teacher said that Bakura had called that Ryou was ill and he had to stay with him. Malik thought he knew why. Ryou had looked completely destroyed when they had left the hospital the day before. He hadn't cried, but his helplessness was worse than tears.

Yami was home too. He had tried to be at school in the morning because his mother had forced him to, but he soon had to go back home. He couldn't even hear what the teacher had said, or remember what he had said, more than that the older Atemu was allowed to leave.

Seto was in school too, forcing himself to concentrate at his work, but his thoughts managed to sneak back to Yugi once in a while anyway.

The minuets felt like hours, and Malik still was cold. No, he was freezing. A fever was rising steadily during the day, and when the last bell finally rang, the Egyptian boy was pale and blushed from the fever.

Seto and he walked to the hospital together, Malik denying the fact he wasn't feeling well. Seto didn't say much about it, but at least helped the younger to stand when his legs wanted to give in under him.

"You didn't need to come here just because of a slight of fever," the nurse, whose identity card read Lili, said before the boys could ask about Yugi.

"No, we're here to visit a friend," Seto said patiently.

"Not with him being in such a bad shape," Lili said, but Malik gave her a begging look, and she sighed. She had never been able to look at a sick person without trying to help.

"Here, swallow this and the fever should go down steadily," she told him and gave the tanned boy a drug to force the fever down.

"We're looking for a boy named Yugi Atemu. He's sixteen and in a dreaming state," Seto said.

"Oh," Lili voiced, knowing who they meant. Yugi was the only one in the entire country to be in that dream state. "Come with me."

Nothing had changed in the young boy's face. It was still neutral and his wavy hair fell over his pillow like oily black and blue water. It was still shiny and the curly blond bangs framed his sweet face.

"He looks alive still," Seto said lowly.

Malik nodded at the statement. Even in his strange state Yugi looked alive, more so than yesterday.

XXXXXXXX

It was late afternoon and Malin was wandering around with high fever looking for the princess. She fell once in a while, but no one helped her up again. She felt sick. She wanted to cry for the pulsing headache. But she couldn't she was so hungry and could hardly see straight. Mina had promised that she would have food once she knew where the treasure was located.

But there were more problems. Malin's fever rose still and she could soon not make out any faces.

She heard someone walk up to her from behind, but she couldn't react. She was exhausted and hungry. Once again her legs gave in under her and she fell backwards.

XXXXXXXX

Malik felt how his fever still rose, in spite of the drug he had been given. But the drug made him sleepy as well. His eyes went in and out of focus and Seto had to support him again when he started to fall.

"I'll call a doctor," Seto said and left Malik to lean against the bedside.

Malik looked over at Yugi's face again and met his green eyes. The Egyptian boy smiled slightly and fainted into Yugi's outstretched arms.

XXXXXXXX

Yuniko looked at the unconscious, feverish girl in her arms. She had just found a moment to go outside to look for the bronze skinned girl, and when she finally found her, the girl fainted on her.

"Sister? Who is that?" Atemu asked, concerned for the stranger child's health.

"She belongs to the caravan, but she is sick," the princess told him calmly. "I guess her family does not like her too much, or she would not walk around like this. She could die. Will you help me take her to Lisa?"

The young prince nodded and lifted up the unconscious girl in his arms, offering her some warmth from his body, and carried her inside. The princess walked before him and was well aware of the evil eyes that stared superior at her. Her fast working mind put two and two together and now knew what the caravan really was. Just another bunch of thieves.

XXXXXXXX

When Seto returned to Yugi's room with Lili he found something he wasn't prepared for. The nurse quickly went to bring Dr Lou so he could study this new situation. Seto walked closer to the bed. Malik lay on top of Yugi using the small boy's chest as a pillow. He lay as if he had been sitting on the edge of the bed and just fallen over the other, a slight smile still visible on his face. But that wasn't the strange thing. What was strange was Yugi's position. His head rested lightly at Malik's and his arms were gently wrapped around the bronze skinned boy. They looked like they had fallen asleep like that, in each other's arms.

Letting react take over Seto ran to find a phone and call Yami.

XXXXXXXX

Malin woke up slowly. The first thing she noticed was that she was warm and lying on something soft. Warm hands touched her face gently and low voices reached her ears.

"She will be fine. The child is lucky you care, my princess. Please keep blessing her with your care, and I am sure she will be just fine soon."

"Thank you Lisa. It means a lot," another, very soft and beautiful voice said.

"Father wanted me to see him this afternoon," another voice said. This time male. "Samuel is outside if you need anything sister. Be safe will you."

"Of cause brother. I am always safe."

Two set of footsteps went out of the room she was in. Malin started to stir, believing the one left was gone as well as her mind didn't work properly.

Something weighted down beside her and she looked up into a beautiful face framed with curly blonde bangs and black and blue wavy hair.

"Yugi?"

The other smiled down at her. Wait… her? Wasn't she supposed to be a boy?

With sudden realization Malin blinked and stared with wide eyes at the princess leaning over her.

The princess smiled and leaned closer to whisper in her ear.

"Welcome to Scotland Malik."

LINELINELINE

To update the next chapter I must have at least five reviews. It's not worth it to keep writing if no one is reading it.