Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ My Slave for All Time ❯ Knowing Where You Belong ( Chapter 9 )

—I'm officially free for another year. Onward to summer break and work throughout the week. Ugh…anyways, the personal stuff has subsided. Everything's more or less as normal as my life can get. So I should be able to make my every Friday updates now. Yay!

 

—Many thanks for the good luck wishes, readers! =)

 

—To recap: Yugi's at that age where he's confused about his sexuality. I'm sure everybody goes through it. Oh and Atemu has a poisonous snake near his feet. Wonder who put that snake in his bed?

 

Chapter 9 - Knowing Where You Belong

 

The asp fit in perfectly with the darkness. It was only thanks to the dim light from the moon outside that Yugi was able to see the snake coiled up near the Pharaoh's feet. Atemu moaned and started moving. Yugi wanted to hush him or hit him over the head with the goblet again, but if he moved the asp might strike. And the Pharaoh would be seriously hurt.

 

“Pharaoh, be quiet.” Yugi snapped, quietly. The snake hissed and slid over Atemu's ankles and settled near his calves.

 

The Pharaoh chuckled in his sleep and whispered, “Mmmm…Yugi.”

 

Yugi took a slow step back as the asp hissed again before falling quietly. Yugi couldn't tell if it was awake or asleep. Thankfully, Atemu was sleeping peacefully. I pray the Pharaoh doesn't kick in his sleep, thought Yugi as he watched the snake.

 

This was probably Malik's doing. He wanted to run down to Malik's room and strangle the young man, Anzu's husband or not. But if he left Atemu alone, the Pharaoh might wake up and the asp could bite him.

 

Yugi's naked butt was getting a little chilly. He decided to put his shenti back on. Yugi took a couple steps back, keeping an eye on the asp. The snake was still as stone and probably just as asleep as Atemu was. Once fully dressed again, Yugi continued to watch over the Pharaoh. He sat on his cushions, still keeping an eye on the asp.

 

“No way am I going to touch that thing.” But then Yugi had an idea. He stood again and took his dagger from his clothing. He crept over to the asp and slowly, very slowly slid the blade under the snake's belly. The asp moved slightly and Yugi froze, sweat drops crawling down his face. The snake stayed still and Yugi couldn't tell if it was still asleep. He waited for what seemed like eternity before he was sure.

 

Without hesitation, Yugi swung his dagger and hurled the asp across the room towards the balcony. He held his dagger sloppily at the ready to cut the creature's head off. Nothing happened. He couldn't see where the asp had landed. It was still in the room though. He had to defend his sleeping friend no matter what. Yugi quickly exited the room and grabbed the nearest torch on the wall. He came back in and inspected the Pharaoh's bed. No snake, thank the gods.

 

Yugi held up his torch and walked carefully through the room, searching every place he stepped. There was a faint hiss and Yugi stopped. He looked around nervously. Suddenly, a pain struck his ankle and Yugi saw the asp burying its fangs into his foot just above his slipper. Yugi gave a loud cry of agony and fell over, the snake is embedded in his ankle.

 

There was a flash of metal and both the asp and its head fell away from Yugi's foot, separately. Yugi's hand immediately shot for his ankle. He gripped it tightly above where the snake had bitten him to keep the poison more or less contained.

 

Someone touched his shoulder. It wasn't Atemu. Yugi turned and saw Otogi. He was slightly startled to see the young man with his black, zigzagging ponytail. He wore a simple, white shenti and a white headband around his forehead. In his hand was a spear like all guards carried.

 

“Are you all right?” Otogi asked.

 

“O-Otogi…how—?”

 

“I was patrolling the hall and I heard you cry out. Hold still.” Otogi said, straightening Yugi's leg.

 

“Don't!” Yugi shouted and covered his mouth while Otogi sucked out the poison.

 

“Thank you.” Yugi said when it was all over.

 

“We're not done yet.” Otogi said, helping Yugi to his feet. “Come on. I'll take you to Master Mahaado. He'll help your leg.” He saw Atemu still dozing on the bed. “How can he sleep through this?”

 

“He's drunk.” Yugi said blankly. Otogi supported his friend as they walked out of the room.

 

“Otogi, who's Master Mahaado?”

 

“He is one of the Pharaoh's priest and the king's best friend. Master Mahaado is also in charge of palace security and he's teaching me swordplay. I think I'm as good as your father.”

 

“No one can compare with my father's sword skills.”

 

“If you say so…”

 

———————

 

When Rehema first heard of Yugi's snake bite, she ran down to the guards' wing where Otogi had taken Yugi to see Priest Mahaado. Rehema found Yugi lying on a cot with a bandage around his left ankle. The slipper from his left foot was missing too. Yugi looked pale, but seemed to be feeling all right.

 

There was another boy there too with his black hair pulled back in a lightning-shaped ponytail. He had very clear, green eyes and he didn't look so good.

 

“My Yugi!” Rehema shouted and practically tackled Yugi on the cot.

 

“Oof! Reh…”

 

“Oh my Yugi, are you okay?”

 

“Until you nearly flattened me I was fine.”

 

Rehema began to cry and buried her face in his shoulder. “Oh Yugi, Yugi, Yugi, my dear! I'm so glad you're all right. When I heard the servants gossiping about the asp in the Pharaoh's room, I asked about you. They said that you'd been bitten while protecting our king from the snake.”

 

“You rushed right over. Otogi and Priest Mahaado got all the poison out and bandaged me.” Yugi said.

 

Rehema looked over at Otogi, the boy on the other cot. “Thank you for saving him.”

 

Otogi—who had accidentally swallowed a drop of poison—was sick as a dog. Not deathly ill, but just plain sick. “He's my friend. Yugi would've done the same for me.”

 

Yugi smiled up at the ceiling. “Thank you, Otogi.”

 

Rehema nuzzled Yugi's shoulder. “Oh Yugi. I cannot wait for you to come with me to Aswan.”

 

“Reh…I…” Yugi's voice trailed away. She had come down here because she'd been worried about him. She cared for him, despite how…slightly annoying she was.

 

“Where's At—I mean, the Pharaoh?”

 

“He's in a meeting with my grandfather. They're discussing the turmoil in Aswan.”

 

“What turmoil?” Otogi was alert now.

 

Rehema sat on the edge of the cot. “Aswan is full of corruption and criminals. Once we were peaceful and crime was a small part of our lives. But then…it got out of hand. No one really knows why, but it did. My grandfather sent word to the Pharaoh and he sent a small group of soldiers to help us. The crime wave lifted for a time, but it settled back in again. That's when my grandfather and I decided to speak with King Atemu ourselves.”

 

“I'm sorry, Reh.” Yugi replied. “I really am.”

 

“My lady, when are you going back to Aswan?” Otogi asked.

 

Rehema looked at him. “In two more days, why?”

 

“Please, may I come too?”

 

Yugi heaved himself up on his elbows and he and Rehema both stared at him. “Otogi, what for?”

 

“My older sister ran away to Aswan when I was about your lady's age. My lady, please let me accompany you and your grandfather back to Aswan. I want to find my sister and make sure she's still alive.”

 

Rehema nodded. “Of course you may.”

 

Otogi lay back down and sighed. “Thank you.” He soon began to snore softly.

 

Rehema looked at Yugi. “You may come too.” she whispered. “Grandfather won't mind.”

 

“I…belong to the Pharaoh. You have to get his permission first.”

 

“No. He doesn't have authority over you. He said you were a servant here. You can leave anytime you want.”

 

Yugi felt a little hurt. Yes, he was a servant, but he also considered himself Atemu's friend, not just his slave boy. “Reh…”

 

“You don't want to come, do you?” she asked in a hurt voice.

 

“It's not that, Reh. I don't know yet. This just seems so sudden.”

 

“Well, you have two days to think about it.”

 

“True. I'll think about it.”

 

“Good.” Rehema hugged him and left, feeling satisfied.

 

———————

 

Yugi felt like walking around the next day. His foot still hurt, but he used a big stick as a cane to help him walk. He immediately went to the dancers' wing to speak with Anzu. Tale was the first to spot him.

 

“Lady Tale, good morning.” Yugi said, looking up at her face though his eyes strayed to…other parts of her body. Dammit, he just couldn't get passed those huge boobs.

 

“You have the whole palace talking, boy.”

 

“Talking?” About Rehema's outburst or the snake bite, he thought. Either one is quite a story.

 

“They say you defended the Pharaoh. Killed an asp that was going to bite him.”

 

“Actually, I wasn't the one who killed the snake. My friend, Otogi, killed the snake when it bit me. I found the asp in Atemu's bed and—”

 

“Were you in the Pharaoh's bed?”

 

“No. The king passed out in a drunken state and I helped him into bed.” Yugi explained about how he managed to get the asp off Atemu's bed and how he'd been bitten, then Otogi saving him.

 

When he was finished, Tale patted his shoulder gently. “You're a good man, Yugi.”

 

“Thank you, my lady. I was looking for Anzu. Do you know where she is?”

 

“I'm afraid not.”

 

“Oh. Well, I'll just look for her.” He started to hobble towards the nearest corridor, but Tale touched his shoulder.

 

“Anzu and Malik ran away.”

 

Yugi looked up at her in disbelief. “What?”

 

Tale looked ancient and more motherly now. “Before the sun was barely awake, Malik and Anzu stole my camel and some supplies and ran away. My son and my best dancing girl are gone.”

 

“Did they leave any sort of note or—” He stopped when Tale shook her head. Yugi felt weak and light-headed. “Anzu…”

 

“They were happy together, Yugi. Pray that Anzu delivers a healthy child.”

 

Yugi frowned. “I'll pray that Malik doesn't fill his child's head with vengeance.”

 

Tale's eyes widened. Before Yugi could say another word, she grabbed his arm and picked him up off his feet and carried him in one hand to the same room where Yugi had first met Malik.

 

“Go ahead and beat me if that's what you're going to do!” Yugi snapped. “You knew he was plotting against the Pharaoh. I did feel pity towards Malik's situation when Shimon told me his story. I truly did. I debated on whether or not to abandon Atemu. But in the end, I stayed. I believe he's changed. I don't care whether you or Malik believe it or not! Now Malik's gone and tried to assassinate Atemu not once, but twice!”

 

“Be quiet!” Tale hissed. “Malik was not trying to kill our king. He knows better than that. The first night, he came to the Pharaoh's chambers to save you. His intent was to kidnap you and take you far away to safety.”

 

“I never asked to be rescued.” Yugi said, bitterly.

 

Tale seemed to ignore this comment. “On the second night, I found Malik carrying a sack of some kind. When I asked what was in the sack, he replied, `It's a gift. For someone I know. Mother, I want you to know that I love you and I love Anzu. Anzu knows what happened, but she doesn't believe it. I'll let her think that it's a bunch of nonsense. She's worried about Yugi. I'll make sure she doesn't worry again.' I warned him not to get hurt or discovered, because I would not come to his aide like before. He said no more and that was the last I saw of him.”

 

“Malik planted that asp in Atemu's bed! He wants to kill the Pharaoh! Does that mean nothing to you?”

 

“Hold your tongue, boy.” Tale said in a voice that made Yugi think of a beast about to pounce upon its prey. “It is true that I have never thought highly of our great king since he raped my son, but I would never encourage Malik to kill him. I can only assume that when he heard you were bitten instead of the Pharaoh, Malik felt ashamed and ran away, taking Anzu with him. I still protect Atemu, but I can never face him after that night a year ago. Did you know that it was one year ago this day that Malik was raped?”

 

Yugi said nothing and looked away from her glance.

 

“Of course you did not. My son will return someday, I pray. And perhaps he will have his nine children with him. Just maybe, not all nine of them will despise the Pharaoh.”

 

“Maybe…” Yugi replied. He sat down on Malik's cot. “I don't know what to do now. My best friend ran away with her husband and my other friend is due to leave for Aswan to search for his sister. I'll be alone.”

 

“I heard of Lady Rehema's love for you. Why not go to Aswan?”

 

“Atemu probably won't let me.”

 

“Are you truly bound to him? From where I stand you are as free to come and go as any other servant. Correct me if I am wrong, please.”

 

“I wish I could, Lady Tale. I really don't know.”

 

Tale sighed. “I will not tell you what to do. I have a feeling you will do what you want when the time comes.”

 

Yugi nodded. He stood and limped to the door. Tale picked him up again and carried him back to where they had been. Yugi's stick was lying where he'd dropped it. Tale picked it up and gave it to him.

 

“Lady Tale?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Out of curiosity, whatever happened to Malik's father?”

 

Tale didn't look at him as she answered, “He was at the wrong place and the wrong time. Some fools sacrificed him along with an entire village.”

 

“Sacrificed? For what?”

 

“Power.” Tale whispered.

 

Yugi took that as his cue to leave. He limped across the palace to the guards' wing. He asked the nearest guardsman where Otogi was. After getting directions, Yugi went to search for his friend.

 

When he found Otogi, Yugi told him about Anzu running away, being pregnant and married. After the explanation, Yugi felt more lost than he had. He had always been closer to Jounouchi, Honda and Anzu than Otogi. But now, Otogi was his last friend. If Yugi stayed, he'd be completely alone. If he went to Aswan, he'd be in a new place with strange faces and a lover he didn't exactly want.

 

“What do I do?” Yugi asked Otogi.

 

“It's not for me to decide, Yugi. You have to decide where you belong. My passion has always been swordplay, weaponry and such. This makes me perfect for being a soldier in the Pharaoh's army. But I want to know that I have more to fight for than just Egypt. I want to make sure my sister's still alive so I can fight to protect her too.”

 

“I hope you find her, Otogi.”

 

“What's stopping you from coming too? You could come with me and Rehema and help me search for my sister.”

 

“I thought it wasn't for you to decide.” Yugi said.

 

Otogi laughed. “I never said I wouldn't offer friendly suggestions.”

 

Yugi smiled. “Good point.” He stood. “I'll help you, Otogi.”

 

Otogi straightened. “Beg pardon?”

 

“I said, I'll help you. I'll go to Aswan with you and Rehema.”

 

Otogi smiled. “Thank you.”

 

———————

 

After he told Rehema that he would come with her to Aswan, Yugi went to find the Pharaoh. Rehema had begged him to dine with her and Lord Abubakar. Yugi refused, telling her that he had to let Atemu know that he was leaving day after tomorrow.

 

Atemu was in his chambers, eating alone and staring at Yugi's empty cushions. When Yugi entered—with barely any limp to his step—Atemu jumped up and grabbed the boy's shoulders. “Yugi, you're alive!” He hugged him against his bare chest. “Thank Ra! I was so worried. I thought you were dead!”

 

Yugi pulled away from him. “I'm still here no thanks to you. If you hadn't been so damn drunk, I wouldn't have gotten bit!”

 

Atemu felt the sting of words like an arrow to his heart. When he saw Yugi walk-limp to his cushions, his heart broke. “Yugi…I…when Rehema said those things…”

 

“I'm leaving with Lady Rehema.”

 

The Pharaoh half fell, half sat on his bed. “What I have done? Yugi, please don't leave. Stay awhile longer. What have I done? Whatever I did when I was drunk, I apologize. What—”

 

“Stop that.” Yugi snapped, turning to face him. Atemu was crying! Crying because he was leaving. Yugi sighed and softened up a little. “I'm not leaving because of anything Rehema said. My friend, Otogi, is going to Aswan to find his sister and I'm going to help him.”

 

“Yugi, please…” Atemu sobbed. He got down on his knees and clutched Yugi's shenti. “Don't leave me. I'm sorry for anything I've done to you.”

 

“I don't have anything else here. Anzu ran away with Malik.”

 

Atemu looked at Yugi for a minute, then got to his feet and took a step back, tears still in his eyes. Before he could say anything, Yugi said, “I met Malik. He and Anzu got married and Anzu's carrying his child. I was offered the chance to leave after hearing about Malik, remember? But I chose to stay.”

 

“You did? But you're still leaving.”

 

“My leaving now has nothing to do with what you did. I know you're a better person than you were. I always believe that people change.”

 

“I still have nightmares about that night. Some end with Malik killing himself. Others end with Tale killing me. The most recent have ended up with Malik changing into you…”

 

Yugi shivered. He partly ignored that. “Sometimes I don't know where I belong. I'm going to search until I know.”

 

Atemu looked away from him. “Do what you wish then.” He was surprised when Yugi hugged him. He felt his heart sped up and his breath quicken. Yugi had hugged him once before. But, unlike that one, this hug lasted longer.

 

“You have been a good friend to me, Atemu. I promise not to forget it. I'll send word back to you when I'm in Aswan.” Yugi said. This was the first time he was close to the Pharaoh or even had a chance to actually touch him. His skin, though the same shade of brown as Yugi's, was soft and tender like a child's skin. Unconsciously, Yugi ran his hands up and down the king's back. He was entranced by how smooth and finely muscled it was.

 

Atemu felt his groin throbbing painfully. Had Yugi finally submitted? Did the slave boy realize how much the Pharaoh had come to love him? He groaned quietly as Yugi's fingers ran up and down his spine. He pulled away gently to cup Yugi's chin in his hand and placed a far better kiss on the slave boy's lips.

 

Yugi was shocked out of his wits by the kiss. No! He wasn't supposed to do this again! What had he been thinking?! I'd been thinking how soft the Pharaoh's skin was, Yugi thought sarcastically to himself.

 

When Atemu pulled away, he saw how shocked and uncomfortable Yugi looked. “Yugi, I'm…I didn't mean to, I thought—”

 

The slave boy didn't return the king's gaze. “I leave the day after tomorrow.”

 

“Please return as soon as you can.”

 

“I don't know how long it'll take to find Otogi's sister. And even then…I might not return at all.”

 

“Then come for a visit. I will miss you.”

 

Yugi didn't say anything. “I might if I can.” He chickened out and decided not to rat on Malik. It was probably better in the long run. Atemu would've sent an army to search all of Egypt for Malik and Anzu. Who knows what they would have done to them.

 

———————

 

Yugi's time came sooner than he thought. The gods must have sped up time to see what would happen. I guess the gods want to know which path I'll choose, Yugi thought. It didn't bother him much, except Atemu never came to say good-bye to him. But Shimon did and Isis was with him.

 

“Good luck, Yugi. Be careful in Aswan. You and your friend take care.” the priestess said.

 

Yugi nodded. “Thank you, Lady Isis.”

 

“You will always be welcome here, dear boy.” Shimon said.

 

“Maybe I'll come back, sir.” Yugi whispered. He looked up and thought he saw Atemu staring down at him from one of the balconies. “Tell Atemu…that I'll miss him too.”

 

“Of course.” Shimon replied.

 

“And tell Tale that…I wish her well.” Yugi said, more to Isis than Shimon. He bore no ill will towards Tale. She was only a mother concerned about her son and future grandchild. She never asked to be part of Malik's hatred and scorn.

 

Otogi tapped Yugi on the shoulder. “Let's go. It's fair weather in the direction we're headed.”

 

Yugi nodded and said his last farewells before turning and leaving the city.

 

———————

 

Three days later, they were a third of the way to Aswan. Everywhere Yugi looked was sand, sand and more sand. It brought back painful memories of his trek through the desert as a captured slave. At least, this trek was far better to endure. He was with better company.

 

“Oh Yugi, my dear, I know you'll love Aswan. My grandfather will make it better now.” Rehema said.

 

“Reh, you and your grandfather will help Otogi and me track down Otogi's sister, right?”

 

“Of course! Anything for you, Yugi dear.” Rehema said. She hugged him and almost made him loose his hat. Yugi adjusted the cloth covering his head while the girl hugged him. He was starting to wish he hadn't decided to share a camel with her.

 

Otogi walked next to Lord Abubakar's camel. He didn't mind walking. He had said that he was used to walking a lot. Yugi found himself wishing he knew Otogi better. When they were growing up, Otogi had always been around his father or off somewhere by himself. A lot of the young girls in their village had been madly in love with Otogi, which had always made Honda and Jounouchi jealous. But no one had ever known too much about Otogi. He was always a loner.

 

Yugi wanted to strike up a conversation with Otogi, recollecting about their childhood or their village. He tried, but Otogi barely answered him at all. He looked extremely determined to get to Aswan.

 

Well, Yugi thought, he is looking for his only living relative. The rest of his family was killed along with all of my family.

 

“Oh gods…” Yugi breathed, shakily. He really was alone!

 

“Yugi? What's wrong?” Rehema asked.

 

“N-Nothing, Reh.” Yugi replied as steady as he could.

 

That night, he slept with the pack animals and cried himself to sleep. He'd lost his parents, then Jounouchi and Honda, and now Anzu. What was left? Who could he go back to?

 

Atemu: I will miss you.

 

“Where do I go from here?”

 

Atemu: I won't ever loose you.

 

Yugi sat up. He realized that…there was something he could go back to. There was someone who needed him as much as he needed them.

 

———————

 

Rehema woke the next morning and gasped. “Grandfather! One of our pack horses is missing. But his supplies are still h—”

 

“Yugi's gone too.” Otogi exclaimed.

 

“My Yugi!” Rehema cried. She jumped to her feet and called out, “Yugi! Yugi! Yugi dear! YUGI!”

 

“I found something.” said Lord Abubakar. He held a small strip of papyrus. He read the hieroglyphics on it. “It says, `My lord, I have dearly enjoyed your company as well as Rehema's. But I just realized that I left my dearest friend back in the Pharaoh's palace. I wish you all a safe trip home and I hope you will help Otogi find his sister.' It's signed in Yugi's name.”

 

Rehema began to cry. “He left me! How could he leave me?!”

 

Otogi patted her shoulder. “Don't cry, my lady. Yugi won't forget you. I'll bet he'll come visit us someday. Until then, I swear to protect you from any riffraff that we might encounter in Aswan.”

 

Rehema nodded and turned back towards the city of Cairo. “Good-bye my darling Yugi.”

 

—Notice Yugi said “my dearest friend” in his message to Lord Abubakar. He's still not sure about his feelings yet. Oh, but he'll come to his senses. ;-)

 

—Next update: June 1 - heh…see ya then!