Mokuba and Ryo though neither one really knew their way around just kept walking till they came to a fountain and sat down on it.
"Ryo, w-why does your b-brother hate you?" Mokuba asked.
"Well I'm not really sure, kid. You see Bakura well, he's always been a loner. He's not much on teamwork or family values. I think being here; he's learned to be a bit more of a team player. But for the most part he's still just a loner. We're 10 years apart. So, when he left home at 14 I was only 4. I heard from my aunt that Bakura had a dream to become a knight as well. But my parents had forbidden him to even try till he was 18. Well from what I understand, they finally agreed to 16 but then something happened that no one will ever talk about and they had a huge fight and he ran away from home at fourteen. He ended up in Master Pegasus' school and since no one has ever become a guard or knight till they were 16, he had to wait. However, he's also not the patience type. He insisted on trying out at 15 and he got it. After he got it, my parents were impressed by him. I don't think they ever really wanted me. Soon after he got appointed a guard, my parents dumped me off at my aunt's house and started to travel. I rarely saw my parents or Bakura. The only times I ever saw them were Christmas and sometimes Thanksgiving. If I was lucky, my parents would send me a birthday card. I've looked up to Bakura because of all the things he's accomplished but now I think it'd just be better if I go home. I know Master Pegasus would be disappointed that I'm going to be wasting his training but there aren't a lot of choices. I haven't even been here one full day and already he wants to get rid of me."
"P-please d-don't g-go Ryo, I w-want you here."
"Well at least someone does." Ryo said, hugging Mokuba tight.
"I hope the others are wrong about the king making Ryo a knight. I don't need or want my little brother hanging off me and getting in my way!" Bakura mumbled to himself watching Ryo and Mokuba. "Then again if Katsuya does the unbelievably stupid thing and turns down the king maybe he'll assign Ryo the job after all and he'll move into a room closer to the kid's. It's not as good as not having him here at all but at least he'd be out of my hair."
"I don't really know what I could have ever done to make him hate me. We've barely spent any time at all together. All I do know is that he hates me. It's almost like no one ever wanted or wants me around." Ryo said.
"I do a-and I k-know the feeling." Mokuba said.
"I can understand why. You don't question how Seto feels about you, do you?"
Mokuba smiled and shook his head. "I k-know Seto cares about me."
"Yes, there was just something between the two of you when you met. I could see it in his eyes. I think if Seto could have walked out of that basement the moment he saw what they did to you he would have snatched you up and taken off with you then and there."
"Y-you think so?"
"Yes, I do."
"Ryo, d-do you really think Yami l-likes me?"
"Well who gave you your toy?"
"Well the owner of the t-toy store wanted me to have it. B-but Yami t-told me that he w-wanted me to have it. He also s-said he w-would have g-gotten m-me one if he could have."
"Well after the way he acted when we met I can see where you'd be a bit reluctant to totally believe he wouldn't turn on you. But I think you should give him a chance. From what I've learned, he and Seto are close. You do want to make Seto happy don't you?"
"Yes."
"Maybe if you tried to spend more time with him you could find you like him. Do you trust him?" Ryo asked.
Mokuba nodded. "H-he saved me from Noah a-and he w-was nice."
"Well think about what I said kiddo. I think I'd mean a lot to Seto if you two got along."
"Yeah, y-you're r-right."
They got up and started walking again and soon they discovered that they were lost.
"R-Ryo w-where are we?"
"I wish I knew kiddo, but I can't say that I know."
"Hello there, lost?"
"Huh um yes as a matter of fact we are." Ryo said.
"My name's Malik, I'm a guard here at the castle and you are?"
"My name is Ryo and this is Mokuba."
"I've heard a rumor that there was a kid that the king planned on adopting. Word spreads fast around here. All it takes is one person to say something and it'll be all around the castle in an hour." 'So this is the brat that I may end up killing in the end. Well cute kid it's a waste really. But a job is a job.'
"Well if you wouldn't mind we really need to find our way back to the castle." Ryo said.
"Certainly, follow me." Malik said.
Mokuba clung to Ryo like crazy. Something about Malik didn't feel right.
"Right through there and you're on your way." Malik said.
"Uh, right, thank you." Ryo said, taking Mokuba and heading back towards the castle.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
"Hey, Malik."
"Marik, what did I tell you earlier!"
"Hey I couldn't resist! So is that the brat they want killed?"
"Have they confirmed that?"
"No but I think they're afraid if the king gets settled in and attached to that kid they'll lose their chance."
"So why do they want this kid dead so badly?"
"Well as I said it hasn't been confirmed. They want to wait and see what happens. I think they're afraid to talk to me too much, afraid someone's going to see."
"I know the feeling."
"You worry too much, Malik."
"And you don't worry enough Marik!"
"They may want you to kill that brat so that the king will be so distraught over it, it'll make him an easier target."
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
Ryo and Mokuba finally made it back to the castle. When they got closer, they saw Yami standing there waiting.
"Where have you two been? I've been looking all over." Yami said.
"Sorry we were walking and we got lost." Ryo said.
"It's fine, follow me. Ryo you should come along, we may need you." Yami said.
"Sure mind if I ask where we're going?"
"The doctor's office in the basement. We need to change Mokuba's bandages and we're going to put a special ointment on that in time will completely heal his wounds and make them disappear."
"What do you mean completely disappear and how much time?" Ryo asked as Mokuba tightened his grip around his waist.
"Well it all depends on the wounds. When Seto and I were younger and we'd get injuries that required stitches they'd put this stuff on and in a couple of days it's better. The deeper the wound the longer it takes to heal. The salve will completely make any signs of wounds disappear."
"I see." Ryo said, picking Mokuba up. "Sorry kiddo but it sounds like this stuff will help."
Yami was slightly jealous of Ryo's relationship with Mokuba. He was so close and he could only hope to build the same kind of trust. He knew the kid had bonded with him some but he also still felt a slight resistance to it. He knew that that was his own fault but he also knew that Seto wanted them to connect. He knew that just meant spending more time with him.
'I know he said he was going to change my bandages and all. But I wonder who or what a doctor is.' Mokuba wondered, clutching his toy and the back of Ryo's shirt at the same time.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
As they reached the doctors office Ryo was surprised at the way it looked. "Wow this place is more like a magician's haven than a doctor's office."
"That would be my apprentice's doing." Doctor Solomon said. "Yugi."
"Yes doctor?" Yugi asked.
"Clear off the examination table. We have a new patient and use your hands this time. I don't want you to be hunting all over the castle for my stuff."
"Yes, sir." Yugi said, slightly depressed.
"You'll have to excuse him, he's been learning magic and medicine so that he can someday combine the two. But for now, he's still learning. The last time I asked him to clear something off he tried a spell and took him a week to find everything because the spell went wrong and it scattered everything he was trying to move all over the castle and the castle grounds." Dr. Solomon said.
"It's all ready doctor." Yugi said.
"Thank you Yugi, could you find the salve and then get some bandages."
"The salve! Are you sure? I know the new shipment hasn't come in yet but are you sure you want to use the little there is left? The new shipments are not due for a couple of weeks." Yugi asked.
"The king's order." Dr. Solomon said.
"Very well I'll get it." Yugi said walking off.
"Now if you'll bring him in here and set him down." Dr. Solomon said, showing them to an examining table.
'Taking him in there is one thing; setting him down is the other. Getting him to let me go will be the hard part.' Ryo thought.
Just as Ryo thought once they got to the examining table he tried to set him down but he refused to let go. Yami, wanting to try to gain more of Mokuba's trust and to help out, walked over. Then he started to rub his shoulders.
"Come on kiddo, it's all right Ryo and I won't leave you. It'll be alright." Yami said hoping the kid would release him.
Finally, Mokuba released him just as Yugi returned.
"Doctor you're not really going to use this on him are you?" Yugi asked.
"Yugi I am simply following the king's orders." Dr. Solomon said.
"Yes, sir I understand." Yugi said.
"Now if you'll take his shirt and bandages off we can get started." Dr. Solomon said.