Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Paradise Lost ❯ Sleepy Kings and Horses ( Chapter 1 )

“Ummm…Pharaoh? Wake up.”

“Huh? What? Oh, it's just you Simun. What is it?”

“You fell asleep sir. Again.” Atemu groaned. That was the second time today, and the twelfth time this week.

“Are you feeling alright Pharaoh?” Shada asked, staring intently at him. Atemu nodded.

“I'm fine.” He said quickly, sitting up straighter to prove it. `It's not my day. No, scratch that. It's not my week. They're gonna haul me off to see a healer if I fall asleep again.' Despite his valiant attempts to stay awake, the teenager was sound asleep again within twenty minutes.

“Do you think he's alright?” Isis asked, leaning around Seto to look at Atemu. “This sort of behavior isn't normal, even for him.”

“It's been a tough week for him.” Mahaddo argued. “After all, there have been three different sets of visiting dignitaries, and custom dictates that he drink with his guests. You know how much he hates alcohol in any form. It makes him tired.”

“You would know.” Seto commented. Mahaddo looked around hopefully for something to throw at the irritating bearer of the Millennium Rod. It was too bad that Seto was a cousin of Atemu's. Pharaoh's best friend or not, Mahaddo still couldn't do much to Seto. He was, after all, one of the two remaining relatives Atemu had. One of two, and only two. Yugi was, no doubt, off in the stables. Horses were the boy's life. They were what occupied all of his free time not already taken up by his cousin. Unfortunately, due to increasing duties, Atemu had to spend more time on his throne and less with Yugi. Mahaddo was absolutely certain that Yugi was jealous. After all, Seto and Mahaddo had to spend a great deal of time with Atemu, whether they liked it or not. Mahaddo liked it. Seto didn't.

Right about then, a pair of guards led a young man in.

“We caught this one breaking into a tomb. What should we do with him?”

“Hmmm…Well, Atemu likes to deal with Tomb Robbers personally, so…lock him up until the Pharaoh can see him.” Mahaddo said, casting a sideways glance at the slumbering ruler.

Thus, the afternoon passed. Atemu spent most of it asleep, waking for short periods of time to apologize for his actions, and then to conk out again. When, at last, he was free, it was to grab Mahaddo by the collar and drag him into the stables. Once there, he collected Yugi and three horses, and three riders galloped for the city. The Pharaoh and his companions took care to avoid the wealthier parts of the city, emerging into late afternoon sunlight in the poorer part of the city. Almost at once, people flooded into the streets, making a path for the riders, but otherwise lining the street on both sides. Mahaddo grinned when he heard Atemu swearing under his breath. They moved along slowly, with gracious nods and smiles, until a kitten shot out of the crowd and into the open area. A little boy was right behind, hands outstretched to catch the run-away pet. He tripped, and fell, kitten in his arms, right in front of Atemu's horse. Startled by the very large stallion in front of him, the child wailed. Now, Dune (the horse) was quite a patient creature, but to have this tiny thing making such a noise by its feet, and holding a cat, which he despised, well, he panicked. Whinnying, Dune reared. Atemu saw the danger at once, saw that the boy was going to be trampled to death, and acted on instinct. Throwing himself from the saddle, he hit the ground and rolled, grabbing the squalling child and huddling protectively around him. Dune's hooves came down hard and fast, and the crowd went silent at their ruler's cry when those hooves hit him. Yugi and Mahaddo leapt to the ground, both running to calm the frantic horse. Even so, Dune came down on his rider a second time, earning a second yell. Yugi grabbed the reins and pulled the horse down, holding the horse's nose between his hands and speaking to him in a soft voice.

Meanwhile, Mahaddo was with his friend. Carefully, he rolled the tightly curled teenager to the side. A collective gasp rose from the surrounding people when they saw the pool of blood where the Pharaoh had been. “Atemu, it's okay. Yugi calmed Dune. You can unroll now. We should get you inside so I can-” An irritated voice issued from the vicinity of Atemu's head, effectively cutting the priest off in mid-sentence.

“I'm not going anywhere until you find this child's mother. If I let go, he's going to-OW! He bit me! Let go you little savage! Mahaddo! Go find his mother! NOW!” From within the protective cage formed by Atemu's arms, chest, and legs came the angry hiss-and-yowl characteristic to a cat about to attack. It was followed by a yelp of pain, and several curses that would have made quite a few of the guardsmen at the palace blush. “Little monster! MAHADDO! Where is she!? There isn't going to be much of me left if you don't HURRY UP!”

“I found her.”

“Thank Ra!” Atemu unrolled, allowing the boy and his cat to scoot quickly into the waiting arms of the young woman who stood close by. Now that he wasn't protecting a child, the extent of the Pharaoh's injuries could be seen. They weren't too bad, at least, not in the eyes of Atemu, Mahaddo, and Yugi. The surrounding people were worried. There was a long gash down the Pharaoh's right leg. This was the main source of the blood. It was bleeding profusely. There were cat-scratches all over his face, and a bite mark on his arm.

“Come on. Let's get you inside.” Mahaddo said, extending a hand to help his friend up. Atemu took it, stood, then yelped in pain and surprise and sat down rather quickly, clutching his ankle. “Atemu? What is it? Are you all right?”

“If I was alright, do you think I would be down here?” Atemu growled. “I think broke my ankle. Must've landed wrong.”

“Great. You're gonna owe me big for this one.” Mahaddo bent down and scooped his Pharaoh up as if he was a baby. Gasps rose form the crowd at such strength. Cradling Atemu to his chest, Mahaddo hurried through the door way indicated by the young lady, and disappeared from view, though the people stayed outside for a while. Their wait was rewarded by a quiet “Hold still. This is going to sting.” Followed by:

“What is going to- Yeow! I thought it was going to sting, you crazy excuse for a mage! I know what a sting is! Sting is an ant bite. Sting is a bee sting. Sting is sneaking bread out of the kitchens when it's still too hot to be handled! That was not sting!”

“Would you stop squirming? It's making this job a lot harder for me, and a lot more unpleasant for you.” Bonk “What was that for?”

“For saying that. I don't squirm. Worms squirm. The Pharaoh doesn't.”

“Well, how `bout we test that worm theory?”

“You wouldn't.”

“I would. Now, quit moving. I said- y'know what? I'm through with being nice. Yugi? Sit on him please.”

“You got it.”

“Yugi don't-oomph!” The deep sound of Mahaddo laughing blended with Yugi's bell-like tones and floated out into the afternoon sky.