Title: Loyalty of a Magician

Pairing: AtemuxMahado/Sealshipping

Season Eight. Round Four.

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

Warmth spread throughout his imprisonment, awakening him. Not everything seemed so stiff like before; the cold was receding.

Although he technically couldn't breathe anymore, he gasped, his heart starting again as he curled his hands into fists, the nerves in his body coming back to him.

He exhaled, opening his eyes to see the city moving below him at a rapid speed. A dull light surrounded him and he immediately had the knowledge of why he was summoned so late at night.

It didn't happen too often anymore. It had been three years since he had passed away, becoming a servant for as long as his master lived. Almost every night he had been summoned. But now, as time passed…as he healed, his visits were becoming less and less frequent.

He was suddenly in a dark candle-lit room, the scent of various incenses filling his nostrils, their smells calming him only a little.

Glancing around the large room, he attempted to locate his master with the limited light. He wasn't in his bed or at his desk…he did notice the curtains fluttering though.

Taking cautious steps, he walked out onto the balcony, glad that he could feel the refreshing breeze wash over his face. Opening his eyes again, he was filled with relief to see his master leaning over the railing, silently watching over his slumbering city.

He came within a couple more feet of his master, immediately going down on one knee, his hand going over his chest in a symbol of loyalty. "My pharaoh," he said, "I pledge you my full loyalty. Whatever it is you need yo-"

He half expected it when his pharaoh embraced him tightly, making him drop his staff with a light thunk against the limestone. He couldn't fathom what would make his master seem so distressed now, unless…

"What day is this, my pharaoh?" he asked, finally returning the embrace.

"It does not matter," the pharaoh replied, showing his servant that he did know, but it was not why he was acting so peculiar. The two remained like this in silence for a while, the servant comforting his master. "Mahado, please remove your headdress," the pharaoh lightly commanded, unhooking his arms from the magician.

Nodding, Mahado did as he was told, internally grateful that he was allowed to take the heavy piece off. Again, the cool breeze swept past him, messing his bronze hair.

Stumbling back since he had stood up, Mahado could feel the passion behind his pharaoh's sudden kiss. He embraced the other like he did most times, reminding himself of his place as he was made to step back until his back hit one of the pillars. The billowy curtain was caught behind him, but neither he nor his pharaoh seemed to notice.

"Mahado," his pharaoh whispered, looking up at him with those exotic red eyes. The sorcerer was surprised to find sadness instead of lust within those eyes, and he became even more concerned.

He'd say that eight out of ten times that he was summoned, he and his pharaoh would make love, continuing their relationship from when he was alive. Those other rare times would be just to talk and be with one another comfortably.

But tonight, he had never seen such sadness in his pharaoh's eyes before. "What troubles you so, my pharaoh?" he questioned quietly, becoming bold enough to let his hand stroke the side of the other's face.

As if his life depended on it, the pharaoh locked their lips back together. The smaller let a gust of air out of his nose, making Mahado shiver at the warmth of it. His pharaoh clung to him like he was a life preserve taking the taller by surprise as he was hit by the other's passionate energy.

He was overwhelmed but took it all in anyway since he couldn't figure out what exactly was wrong. Mahado pulled back, his hands on his pharaoh's shoulders. He silently knew that what he was doing was wrong since the other hadn't given him permission, but his own emotions had taken over for the moment.

"My pharaoh," Mahado found himself pleading, both of them panting from the intensity of their last kiss. "Please forgive my speaking out of turn, but please tell me what has you so troubled." With his dark violet eyes, he silently begged his pharaoh to not reject his request.

The smaller male sighed as he looked down, obviously not wanting to show his servant his eyes. "Mahado," he whispered again, softly reaching out and grabbing his servant's hand, silently leading them back into the candle-lit room and out of the moonlight.

His hand was let go as his pharaoh pushed him to sit on the lavish bed. It felt uncomfortable to be on the pharaoh's bed alone, even on the edge, as it was, but Mahado wisely kept the odd feeling to himself as he fixed his gaze on his jewelry-less pharaoh.

The orange shadows that danced on his bronze skin only made his pharaoh appear that much more downtrodden, and again Mahado out of turn took his master's hands in his own, urging him to say whatever it was he needed to say.

"As pharaoh it is my duty to follow the gods' wills and to obey my country. The day of my coronation to the throne, I pledged to uphold those oaths," his pharaoh spoke, forcing his words not to waver. "I would never break my promises."

Nodding, Mahado let his pharaoh take his own time to continue. Though, the longer the silence lasted, the more anxious he got. It was no doubt that his news would be bad, but what was it?

His pharaoh still refused to look at him. "Priestess Isis approached me today after one of my meetings with the ambassadors from across the sea. She told me that she had witnessed a future event." His last words sounded awfully forced. "There is to be a large battle for humanity in the upcoming months. To save Egypt I must…I…"

At this, the former priest feared the worst. "Please, my pharaoh. What is it?" he tried softly, feeling his hands being crushed by the other's ever tightening grip.

"I must…sacrifice myself, Mahado."

Those red eyes finally met his again, looking so distraught that it made Mahado's stomach twist and his heart ache.

"How many months?"

"…it is not certain."

Silence enveloped them for a while as they both absorbed the pharaoh's spoken words. Mahado could feel his heart quicken, but he kept his fingers moving around his master's hoping to sooth the other.

Again, the tension built and the sorcerer was hit by a sudden hug that left him clinging to the smaller male as he felt the other trembling slightly. He took to tracing random patterns along his pharaoh's bare back, unconsciously loving the feeling under the pads of his fingers.

His master was destined to die? What type of event would cause such a thing? Mahado couldn't figure out how such a thing would come to pass, but if he remembered Isis right, most of her visions were pretty accurate.

Turning his depressing thoughts away for the moment, he observed that he must have been summoned very late this night, as Mahado noticed Ra starting to rise off in the distance. He did nothing to change their position though, merely letting his pharaoh hold him for comfort.

Letting out a soft sigh, his pharaoh pulled back, looking up at him, and a different expression on his face that the magician couldn't quite figure out. It looked like a sad one, maybe desperate, but…he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Mahado?" the pharaoh whispered yet again, effectively holding his servant's attention. "I don't want to lose you again."

Smiling just a little lightened his mood, and Mahado pulled them both forward until their foreheads were touching. "My pharaoh, I will always stand by your side. It is my sworn duty."

It seemed that it was all the encouragement his pharaoh needed, but if Mahado knew anything, his pharaoh was the one to dwell on matters such as this. But it still didn't surprise him when their lips locked back together in a soft kiss, showing him that his pharaoh would be strong through whatever was to come to pass.