Oh boy, here we go again.

You know the drill guys, I don't have to tell you every time, especially if you've kept up with me this far lol.

Boyxboy don't like don't read. RATED M FOR MATURE

Thanks for waiting and for the awesome reviews. They keep me motivated! :D

Here ya go. Enjoy.

Chapter 5: For a Friend

~…***…***…~

The sunlight woke Atem from his restful slumber, and he rose to stretch his arms above his head. Chains were still attached to his bed posts from the night before, scuffed and a bit bloody. It had been several days since the Pharaoh had wanted pleasure in such a manner, although he always had such female slaves on call. Even then, he would abide his rule of remaining clothed to their eyes, and so when he desired as such, the slave girl would be called in and chained to the bed, facing away from the Pharaoh as he took her as roughly as he pleased. She would then stay there until he had cleaned himself up and put on his evening clothes. Only then would he release her. It was a method Atem quite enjoyed. However, those slaves were the ones that needed replacing the most. While there were always new faces, the king never needed to see them to feel the ecstasy he desired.

As usual, he went to the window and sat on the sill, looking out over the fields where the slaves worked. His kingdom was truly a beautiful sight and would only grow more so as the pyramids were completed. He gazed out to the largest completed monument; his family tomb. Buried there were his ancestors along with their vast wealth of treasure. It was heavily guarded all day and night to protect it from tomb robbers like the one that tried to steal the millennium puzzle. It, along with the rod and ring, had been stored in his family's tomb along with the gold and silver treasure. However, it was said the robber only stole the three items, escaping with two. He didn't try to take any of the treasure, and no one was sure why. The pyramid stood watch over the rest of the land, silent and mysterious as always.

Atem just remembered he had a personal slave now instead of those wretched females to serve him. He reached over to grab a mallet and used it to ring the gong next to him.

~…***…***…~

Yugi had been standing outside the huge door since dawn. He didn't want to be late, especially on his first full day. But since there was no window in his tiny little room, he had no idea when daylight came. So he constantly peeked out his door to see if the sun had risen, flooding the corridors with sunlight. Even before dawn, a girl about his age dressed in rags like him knocked on his door, bringing him bread and water for breakfast. He ate hungrily, knowing he wouldn't get anything else to eat until night. After finishing his meal, the girl took the plate and cup away. He had many questions to ask, but apparently she wasn't allowed to speak to him. Yugi didn't want to get her in trouble, so he kept his mouth shut.

Then, just as he had been ordered, at the first sight of light he left his room and stood waiting outside the door. Occasionally, several soldiers would pass through the halls in formation, brandishing their weapons as they patrolled the palace. They gave but a passing glance at the boy before continuing on their way.

I suppose that's one good thing about this whole ordeal, Yugi thought. The guards here don't even seem concerned with me.

Several hours passed and Yugi's feet got tired. He wanted to sit on the floor, but he didn't dare disobey the Pharaoh. Luckily, he soon heard the gong from inside his chambers and pushed open the door, stepping into the Pharaoh's private quarters for the first time.

It was a lavish room, even more so than the rest of the palace. Gold furniture littered the space, with copper mirrors hung on every wall. There were some flowering plants in the corner, giving off a wonderful smell. The floor was made of gorgeous stone and felt cool on Yugi's feet. An enormous bed with a hanging cotton curtain lay against one wall, and Yugi couldn't help but notice the chains attached to the posts, reminding him of the events of last night. A shiver ran down his spine but he tried his best to ignore it.

And there, sitting in the window, was the Pharaoh. He wore nothing but a white cloth covering his lower extremities, and Yugi's eyes wandered up to his bare chest. Realizing what he was doing, the boy quickly looked away and kneeled on the floor before him. Atem noticed him by the sound of his chain dragging across the floor and got down from the window.

"Good. You listen well, slave-boy," he acknowledged him. He motioned toward a wardrobe standing by the bed. "In there, you will find my daily clothes. Fetch them and dress me."

Yugi hurried over to the wardrobe and pulled out the tunic and cape, as well as the many pieces of jewelry. He returned to the Pharaoh and clothed him, carefully placing his jewelry on his arms and legs. Feeling the toned body, the soft skin of the Pharaoh made Yugi's own skin crawl with a feeling he never experienced. It was like touching a god, yet no different in truth than his own body. The boy's heart raced every time his fingers brushed across him. He made sure to avoid his gaze as he tied the eye piece around his head under his hair. When he was finished, Yugi kneeled on the ground and let the Pharaoh look at himself.

"Well, you're faster than those other two combined. Efficient and obedient. You're turning out to be a good choice, boy."

He turned to the door and glanced over his shoulder. "As long as you keep up, I'll have no need to hold that chain; at least until you do something… displeasing. Come then, slave. I'm hungry," he ordered and Yugi quickly jumped up and came to the king's side as they left the quarters and headed to the dining hall.

~…***…***…~

Another glorious banquet awaited Atem, this time for breakfast with hardboiled eggs, slabs of pork and beef, grains, fruit, freshly squeezed juices, and much more. The Pharaoh sat and ate while Yugi and the cooks watched on. Yugi felt a twinge of envy but dismissed it from his mind. Such thoughts would get him killed.

"Bring me a coconut, slave-boy," he commanded, and Yugi brought him a large, brown coconut with the top cut off, revealing the juice inside. He held it carefully to the Pharaoh's lips as he drank the milky liquid. It was difficult keeping his eyes away from the king's face yet making sure he didn't cause him to choke. But Yugi had the patience and skill to do so, having to deal with the guards' tactics of causing him to mess up during work. A rivet of milk dripped down the side of the Pharaoh's mouth, and Yugi picked up a napkin to dab it with. It was so strange being so close to a man with such power. But again, he felt that connection; he felt like he knew the Pharaoh from somewhere, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Atem noticed the boy was taking longer than needed to clean his face. With a hard shove, he pushed him away. "That's enough." The slave lowered his head and returned to standing behind him, watching as he finished his meal.

~…***…***…~

After breakfast, Yugi accompanied the Pharaoh as he went about his day. He brought him snacks, books in the form of scrolls, and anything else he required that he thought the slave boy would be able to handle. Mostly the king lounged around with Yugi's chain nearby. He would tug on it when he needed something and Yugi would run off to fetch it. At one point, the Pharaoh wanted to put his feet up as he was reading. But he found his usual footstool was being repaired. So instead, he ordered Yugi to get on his hands and knees and act as his foot rest. Luckily, Yugi's back had become very strong from working out in the fields, so it wasn't too much of a burden. Though he was pretty sure the king kicked him a few times on purpose.

Atem enjoyed the usefulness of his new slave, as well as the fact that he was shorter than him. Although he was the Pharaoh, Atem was shorter than most. But even when the slave boy stood, he could still look down on him. It made him feel even more empowered. Even now, he looked down at the boy under his feet and grinned. He couldn't have picked a better slave. Atem was hesitant at first to choose a male, but he wanted something fresh and new, and this boy was just what he wanted.

~…***…***…~

Three days passed. Every day until now was relatively the same. He waited for the Pharaoh to wake and followed him around doing whatever he was ordered to. Luckily, Yugi hadn't screwed any of his tasks up and thus hadn't been punished. Constantly in the Pharaoh's presence, he had so much less room to slack than in the fields. The guards could not kill any slaves unless they were in the presence of the Pharaoh, but the king could do whatever he wanted. At any moment, if he decided he no longer required Yugi's services, he could kill him on the spot. It was a thought that plagued the boy's mind day and night, but at the same time kept him on his toes so as to keep the Pharaoh pleased.

Yugi was in the Pharaoh's chambers, dressing him. He still wasn't used to being so close to the powerful man. Usually, the king was silent as the slave-boy dressed him, so Yugi was startled when he suddenly spoke.

"There is a meeting of the high council this morning. You will accompany me," he stated plainly. Remembering what day it was, a smile that Yugi couldn't see spread across his face. "I believe you might enjoy it, slave."

"Yes, my king."

When Atem had been fully clothed, they both left his chambers to find a squad of guards kneeling outside his door.

"Your majesty, we have come to escort you to your meeting," the closest one spoke.

Yugi was a bit confused. He never had guards escort him anywhere, so he wondered why they escorted him to meetings. Despite his curiosity, he kept silent.

The group walked in formation with the Pharaoh and Yugi in the center, surrounded by four guards. They brandished their spears, ready to attack anything that should try to harm the Pharaoh. As they approached the room, two more guards opened the doors for them, letting the Pharaoh pass. But they stopped Yugi in his tracks, grabbing him by the chain. He recoiled and fell to his knees, coughing, causing the king to pivot.

"What are you doing, fools? I never gave the order for you to stop him. Release my personal slave at once!" he thundered at the guards who immediately let go of Yugi's chain retreated away. The Pharaoh scoffed and looked down at the boy who was still on the ground, avoiding his gaze. "Get up. I already told you that you're going to accompany me during the meeting."

The boy stood and followed the king into the throne room: it was a magnificently open room with gorgeous black obsidian flooring and steps leading up to a golden throne. It was decorated with many tiny details and jewels that made it sparkle.

The Pharaoh gestured to a corner of the room, away from the throne but still in sight of it. "You will stand there during the whole meeting, and you will be silent. I will call upon you should I need anything. But other than that, do not move, do not speak, do not even breathe loudly."

"Yes, my king."

Yugi did as he was told. He could see the Pharaoh's arm from where he stood, so that if he called him he would know even without seeing his face. The doors opened from both sides and many palace guards entered, taking posts along the walls and near the throne, there to protect the Pharaoh should anything go wrong, he figured. He then watched as groups of people filed into the room, heads down, and kneeled before the throne. There were men dressed in robes of brilliant colors, men in nobleman's clothes, men in armor, and men dressed like the guards who had constantly watched him and his friends as they worked to death building the monuments to the Pharaoh's greatness. He recognized a few of them, including one of the ones that Honda got into a fight with and took him away. A chill ran up his spine when he saw them. It gave him a really bad feeling.

The meeting began and Yugi watched in awe at the way things were officially handled; problems in the economic state of the kingdom were addressed and the Pharaoh gave orders on how to fix them. The sorcerers gave reports on the sacrifices being offered to the gods. The men in armor devised battle strategies for the event that the kingdom would come under attack. He was surprised. Yugi always thought the Pharaoh just lounged about in the palace all day sipping wine and licking his fingers clean after each huge meal. Well, that part was true. But he did actually act the part of Pharaoh. He had a huge job to do, even if he had his servants acting under him in his place. The boy knew it before, but now it was only confirmed: the Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the land of Egypt. And Yugi was by his side every day.

It was several hours of speaking, and Yugi's legs began to wobble. He couldn't sit or even bend his legs to keep the blood flowing because of the Pharaoh's order. Finally, however, the last group of men came forward. It was the guards who oversaw the slaves working down below in the fields. Yugi flinched as the largest man who took Honda away stepped forward.

Atem smirked as the head slave-keeper stepped forward to speak. A low chuckle arose from his throat.

"Your majesty, I assume you remember what today is," the man spoke through his mask. "It has been five days, my Pharaoh. And if I remember your orders, as I always do, today is the day of punishment."

Yugi clenched his fists. Punishment? Yugi thought to himself. What could he be talking about?

The Pharaoh's smirk became an evil smile. "But of course." He motioned to the other slave-keepers behind him. "Bring him in."

Two guards exited the throne room and returned moments later with a male slave, so thin his skeleton was almost protruding through his skin. He was chained and held restrained by the two guards as they dragged his nearly limp body across the floor and forced him to kneel before the Pharaoh's throne. His head hung so low, Yugi couldn't see the man's face. But when the guard yanked it up by his hair, he almost gasped under his breath.

Honda!

His eyes were dull and lifeless, so unlike his usual feisty self. It was like all the hope had gone from his mind.

Atem's smirk became an evil smile. "So this is the worthless slave that thought he could fight his way out of servitude to my glory. I see five days in the chamber of silence has finally broken you. You'll make a fine example to your 'friends' of what will come should they defy me."

Yugi could barely restrict himself, the anger welling up in him trying to burst its way out.

How can he do that to Honda?! He's barely alive… why… why can't I do anything?! Yugi screamed at himself but kept his composure as calm as possible.

The head slave-keeper motioned to the man being held up by his hair. "Well then, your majesty? Shall I continue with the spectacle?"

Atem nodded, his voice almost ecstatic. "The meeting has come to a close. I will accompany you to the balcony, at which time you may slaughter him in front of all the other slaves."

Atem rose from his throne and began to move toward Honda, who did nothing to resist his fate. The Pharaoh loved nothing more than seeing the horror-struck faces of his subjects. And what better way was there than to kill one of their comrades right before their eyes? The thought sent a ripple of anticipation through his body.

But then something completely unexpected happened. He heard the sound of chains dragging across the floor and before he realized what had happened, Atem saw his slave-boy standing between him and the one to be killed, arms extended protectively. To his surprise, the boy looked directly at his eyes, meeting them with an intense gaze.

"Please! I beg of you, my king, don't kill him! He's my friend! If someone must take punishment, then let it be me! I will take on all of his wounds, fatal or not. But please let him go!" he cried out, his voice trying to be strong, but quaking with fear.

The guards stationed around the throne room had moved toward him, spears brandished and ready to impale him. But the Pharaoh raised a hand and stopped them in their tracks.

Honda recognized Yugi's voice, and somehow found the strength to look up at the small boy protecting him.

"Y-….Y-…Yu-….gi…" he stuttered, having no energy to speak.

Atem strode up to him and backhanded Yugi so hard that he went flying across the floor. He let out a yelp of pain but was silenced by the Pharaoh grabbing his chain and hoisting him up off the ground, almost hanging him.

"YOU LITTLE SHIT!" he roared. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! I SHOULD STRANGLE YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW!"

Yugi gagged, trying to breath but couldn't. His vision went blurry, and his arms started going limp. Just as he was on the verge of slipping into darkness, the Pharaoh threw him and he tumbled across the floor, hacking, gasping for air and clutching his throat. Atem loomed over him and smashed a foot down on the side of his head, compressing it into the floor.

"So you think you can dash into my meetings and stand in my way? You think you can speak your mind so plainly to me? You insignificant speck, you're nothing but dirt beneath my feet! I shouldn't even give your worthless life a second thought," he declared. But he looked back over at the man who caused his personal slave to act such a way, then back to the boy under him. He pressed his foot down harder, receiving a whimper from Yugi. "…however."

Atem looked down on the slave-keepers still holding the man. "Take him back to the fields and feed him. Make sure he gains his strength back."

The head keeper almost hesitated, confused by his order. But he simply grunted unhappily and complied, taking Honda out of the throne room. Atem waved his hand and the rest of the council filed out, leaving the room empty but for the Pharaoh, his guards, and Yugi.

The Pharaoh leaned down, his foot still firmly pressed against the side of the boy's head. He whispered into Yugi's ear with a poisonous voice.

"I'll take you up on your offer, boy. You will take your friend's punishment as well as your own for your…outburst. When I'm through with you, you will know your place so well that you will kill your own friends if I ordered it. And who knows: maybe I will."

~…***…***…~

Yugi whimpered as he lay on the Pharaoh's bed, chained by his arms and legs to the posts. They were still bloody from the last female Atem had taken, and they were already chafing his wrists and ankles. He was facing the wall, unable to see anything. He could only hear the Pharaoh removing his jewelry and clothing, such an unsettling sound amidst the silence in the room. He could feel his heart pounding in his head and found it hard to breathe while crying so softly.

The sudden creaking of the bed startled him and he felt the Pharaoh behind him as he grabbed Yugi's tunic and tore it off in one swoop, leaving him completely exposed to the king. He choked back a shriek as Atem roughly grabbed his neck and hip, again bringing his lips close enough to Yugi's ear to whisper.

"A virgin, huh? Heh…I can tell. All the better."

Yugi screamed in pain as he felt the Pharaoh's massive cock enter him without any kind of preparation. Tears poured from his eyes onto the sheets and he bit his lip so hard it cut the skin. The Pharaoh wasted no time and started an incredibly fast pace, thrusting hard and causing Yugi to cry out each time. He tugged on the boy's hair and dug his nails into his abdomen, drawing blood and making Yugi hiss. He didn't stop when he felt his cock covered with the boy's blood, and in fact only quickened his pace. Yugi could only alternate between sobbing and wailing, completely helpless against the king. He kept biting his lip, tasting the blood in his mouth. He prayed to Ra that he would go unconscious, that it would all be over soon. But the gods didn't favor him that day. The torture lasted for hours, and Atem laughed cruelly the entire time. It wasn't long before he lost his voice and became even unable to scream.

When Atem had finally had enough, he released the boy and left him. Yugi was barely conscious and barely acknowledged that the Pharaoh had stopped. Atem went into the bathroom and cleaned himself off; the water turned red with blood. He then dressed himself and went to the door, speaking a single sentence before leaving.

"Don't think I'm done with you, boy."

With that, he left Yugi chained to the bed and in horrid pain as he went about his day in the palace. The boy couldn't move, and so he was left alone in pain and suffering for half the day. A constant, low sobbing could be heard, the only sound he could make at that point. A part of him begged for him to die there, to bleed to death and to never hear the Pharaoh's voice again. But his wish was not granted as Atem returned after dinner, upon which he took Yugi again and again, ramming his cock into the slave-boy as roughly as possible. The torment didn't end for Yugi's body; he wanted to throw up, but there was nothing in his stomach. Each pitiful sound he made caused the Pharaoh to smile, and he gladly made it even worse with his verbal abuse.

"You asked for this punishment, boy. Are you enjoying it? Having your purity taken by the Pharaoh? "

Even if Yugi wanted to answer, he couldn't. By now most of the feeling in his body was gone, and he could barely hear the king's voice.

Finally, Atem decided the boy had been punished enough. Somehow, he was still alive even after losing so much blood.

Hmph. Kid's tough. I guess I still have use for him then. Maybe if I keep his friends out of the palace, he will learn to be more obedient the Pharaoh thought to himself.

He released the chains from Yugi's wrists and ankles and the boy fell limp onto the bed. "Get up," he ordered. But Yugi couldn't move. Tsk, Atem scoffed. He called in his guards who carried him out of the room and placed him down in his little closet. A few female slaves came and changed the sheets, taking the blood-stained ones to be washed. He then sent them away and dressed down to his nightwear, curling up in the clean sheets and falling into a calming sleep.

~…***…***…~

Yugi choked back cries and tears so as not to wake the Pharaoh sleeping in the room next to him. He lay on his 'bed' of straw shivering and twitching as feeling came back into his body.

Oh, Ra, he pleaded, why must this happen to me…I miss my friends…I miss the fields…I want to go back…I wish I could just crawl into a hole and die…but I won't give up…I made a promise. I will stay alive. Despite everything I…I can't ignore that feeling I had before. There's something about the Pharaoh I can't explain, and I won't die until I figure it out…no matter…how painful it will be…and I must protect my friends…

His fingers clawed at the stone floor, imagining the soft dirt of the slave hut. He tried to dig into it where his treasure was left buried. He missed his little treasure. It always brought him comfort when he was sad. But now it was gone, and he would probably never see it again.

"Father…mother…" the boy hoarsely muttered.

He cried silently in the dark as he tried to go to sleep, the thought of his old life filling his dreams.

~…***…***…~

End Chapter 5

I PULLED AN ALL NIGHTER FOR THIS and by all-nighter I mean I stayed up til midnight writing. That's late for me people.

Honda: FINALLY YOU SAVED ME THANK YOU WRITER

Writer: If only you knew…

Honda: Knew what? Wait…what happened to Yugi?!

Writer: -cries in a corner-I hate myself…

So yeah. Hope you guys liked it. I'll be working on the next chapter soon. You can check my progress on my profile, I update it when I get some progress done and I do that pretty often.

Leave a review if you'd like! They keep me motivated! :D

Stay tuned for the next chapter! (because of my one track mind, I'm gonna keep the titles a secret from now on ;)

Now I'm gonna go get some f#$%ing sleep.