Chapter Seven – Millennium Tear

Aria POV

Time seemed to slow as Aria turned around to see an unconscious Yugi, collapsed on the floor.

She heard gasps from those around her.

"Shit, I knew he needed to rest." Marik said as he went to have a closer look at Yugi.

Aria slowly to two steps forward, her legs shaking.

"Yugi…"

Her voice was only a small whisper, not that the boy in question could hear her anyway.

Marik laid a hand to Yugi's forehead, "Shit, he has a really bad fever and it's getting worse. We need to get him to the healer's house and fast!" as he spoke he lifted up his ill friend.

He set off at a rather swift pace, trying not to jostle his small companion; the others followed trying to keep up. They quickly reached the healer's house.

Aria was in a daze; she couldn't believe Yugi had fainted. Shouts from outside the room brought her back to her senses.

Looking around she saw that she was in a moderately large room sat beside a bed.

Yugi was lying in the bed, drenched in sweat and his face screwed up in pain.

His fever must be really awful… I feel so bad for him… I can't imagine how he must be feeling…

Absentmindedly she reached out a hand and gently stroked the blonde bangs out of his face. More shouts came from the other side of the door, this time Aria listened in.

"This is all your fault! If you hadn't spent so much time before coming to find us we wouldn't have needed to go to that stupid tomb as the idiotic Princess wouldn't have nearly been caught by that bastard!"

Aria winced at Kaiba's shouts, her hand resting on Yugi's forehead.

"I was trying to gather information on said bastard! And the Princess is not idiotic! Plus Yugi didn't just faint from exhaustion, that knife that was thrown at him was coated in a slow-release poison, which, because he walked so much, combined with the desert heat, his blood pumped it round his body faster! Oh, and another thing: if you hadn't gone to that 'stupid tomb', as you put it, Yugi wouldn't have the Pharaoh back right now!" Marik shouted just as loud.

Aria heard a few gasps at the last part but they were drowned out by Kaiba's next shout, "And what have you found out, Marik? Please enlighten us in what you have found out about the person that's so determined to kidnap that perpetual child."

Aria heard the sound of someone being slammed into a wall.

"If you have any will to live, Kaiba, I would not say another foul mouthed word about the Princess. Or you might just find a dagger through your ribs while you sleep!" Marik's threat hung in the air for a few seconds before Kaiba responded.

"I would have expected more from you, Psycho. I thought you couldn't sink any lower, but I guess I was wrong. Should have known you'd choose an assassin's way of murder rather then a more noble direct approach. Then again you are a filthy snake, your actions from the beginning are proof of that."

Tears of anger stung Aria's eyes, he could call her whatever he wanted but he would not insult Marik and get away with it. She stood up and stormed out of the room.

Walked right up to Kaiba and slapped him with all her strength leaving a red hand mark on his cheek.

"How dare you say those things about Marik! If he is a filthy snake then you, Seto Kaiba, are a pleasure to be around! What is with you and your arrogant behaviour! Your head is stuck to far up your own arse that you can't see what's missing from your life! Marik may have done some stupid things in his past but he has friends, friends who have forgiven him for those things and would do anything to help him! I bet you don't have a single friend like that! I bet that the only reason you brought them to Egypt was to repay them for something! But that's not what friendship is, Seto Kaiba, friendship isn't about repaying a debt, its about doing things for others out of the goodness of your heart! That is if you even have a heart left! You, Seto Kaiba, are a cold, heartless, self absorbed, lonely, insulting, miserable, loathsome, friendless jerk! I hate you! I don't see why Yugi tolerates you, you bastard! All you do it go around acting like you're better then everyone else! I absolutely detest you, Seto Kaiba, and I pity anyone that has ever had the misfortune of having to put up with you! I hope you die sad and alone; you're a sorry excuse for a human being!"

Aria turned and ran, she ran as fast as she could. Tears rolling down her cheeks.

Everyone just stood in shock as she ran past. She reached her destination: a small spring hidden in a cave, never once having slowed her pace, and fell to her knees at the edge of the water.

Her body shook with rage as tears fell to the floor. Aria wasn't one to normally lose her temper like that but hearing the way Kaiba had insulted someone she considered family had really rubbed her the wrong way.

In truth she didn't really want the man to die sad and alone, though she feared that if he didn't change he would. Slowly she began to calm down, she took a small crystal vial from her pocket. She'd grabbed it, as she'd run off.

I want to help Yugi, I need to help him… to do that I need to forget about Seto Kaiba and focus on making something to heal him… I have to stop the poison before it kills him… I have to make the Millennium Tear…

Aria stood up and left the cave; she would return there once she had all the ingredients needed.

Walking around the market in town she managed to get everything she needed, everyone insisted on giving it to her for free. They probably felt sorry for the Princess, as she was running around frantically with tearstains on her cheeks.

After collecting up everything she went back to the cave. She knelt in front of a medium-sized rock. She would use this to prepare the ingredients.

Firstly she crushed up the herbs and berries, using a small stone, to get out the juices. She then put the juices into the vial. After that she got some water from the spring and added it to the contents of the vial. She added the final ingredient, one of her tears. Then held it close to her.

The Millennium Pendant, as she'd named her pendant that was roughly as old as the Items, started to glow turning the potion she'd created gold.

She headed back to the healer's house, cradling the Millennium Tear to her chest.

Ignoring the calls from the healers that Yugi needed rest, she entered his room.

Her eyes teared up; he was in even worse shape then before.

His skin was extremely pale and looked paper-thin, his eyes were sunken and his lips blue, his breath was shallow and ragged, he was covered in sweat despite his constant shivers.

He was dying.

Aria rushed over to his side.

This has to work, this has to save him. He can't die, I won't let him.

She put two drops of the potion onto his cut, which was now a sickly green colour and smelt foul.

Carefully she opened his mouth and put two drops on his tongue, closed his mouth.

"Please swallow, Yugi, it'll make you better. I promise" She had to whisper to keep her voice even.

Yugi swallowed, it was a slow, painful looking movement, but it would help get the cure into his system.

Aria sighed a little, relieved that she had been able to get a possible cure into him. But now only time would tell if it would be enough to save Yugi.