Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Royalty ❯ Royalty Ch. 21 ( Chapter 21 )

Author: I love you guys! WOW!!! I appreciate all your support SO MUCH!!!

Bakura: And no one's picking on my Ryou…

Author: Good. So everything's all dandy, I have but a few replies to some reviewers, then on with the story!

à divastarz: I get a fic written for me if I win…and that sounds good enough, plus I'm competitive…so I would have done it anyways… ^^

à WeepingDragon: It would have ruined the mood if I put a note at the end! ^^ But look! The notes are back! MWUHAZ!

Ok! I'm done! On with the story everyone! I have 3 hours!

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Bakura had to be carried back to the palace by Malik and Yami, for he was completely worn from all the events that have happened. His body was certainly not in good health.

"He's ill…" Ryou commented softly when they entered a new bed chamber, setting the white haired teen upon the bed.

Bakura groaned and waved his concerned companions away, "For Osiris' sake stop fussing over me! I'm fine!" his body disagreed with him when he broke into a fit of coughs.

"I will have the servants get you robes and something warm to eat," the Pharaoh said, turning to leave, "and I will have my guards rid of those disgusting corpses in Malik's chamber…"

When the tri-coloured haired young man was out of sight, Ryou turned to leave as well.

"Wait…" Malik held the boy back, taking into account of the other's unsteady state, mentally and physically, "You should rest Ryou…worry about things later…"

The boy shook his head slowly and gently pulled away, "I can't stand around and let everyone take care of me all the time," he said softly, gazing up at Malik's violet orbs, "I know I am weak…but that is no excuse to take your care for granted."

"You don't Ryou…it's-"

"I want to help…I am just a bit shaken…but Bakura really needs help. His body has suffered enough from those ten months in the underworld, and now he has exerted so much energy…and he's ill from the rain…I can help…I can try…" seeing no resistance Ryou smiled softly, hugged the Egyptian then slipped from the room.

Sighing, Malik stripped of his wet attire, letting the heat of the candlelit room warm his nude body, and then returned to Bakura's side. Indeed the white haired teen was ill, his pale face flushed, and his breathing shallow and choked up. Carefully he removed the teen's clothes, with little protest. Then he examined the shoulder wound, wincing at the sight; it was deep and still flowing with blood as the fight must have kept the wound open.

"Sit up Bakura…"

With a grunt Bakura obeyed, moaning as he used the one arm to hoist himself up.

Malik twisted the wet tunic until it was a thick loose cord. Reaching out he winded the cloth around the older teen's shoulder, using his own wet clothes to help secure the rough wrap.

"Thank you…" Bakura said softly, looking at the Egyptian's handiwork.

Soon after, a servant arrived with a rich hot soup. She gazed in pity at the two boys before setting the bowls in front of them on a tray. "I knew you two very well Malik Ishtar…you and Marik were quite famous in the palace…I heard about your brother when the Pharaoh let out the news just now; I am so sorry…"

"Thank you for your sympathy," Malik said quietly, "but his death is at least not in vain…" he sniffed softly, "he rests in peace in the afterlife…"

"With such a kind soul, I can believe that…-Welcome home Bakura…"

The other teen gave a curt nod as the woman left, "She took care of my room when I was still a slave up here…" he explained as he used his good hand to eat his soup, enjoying the spices that spread through his body in a warm haze.

"It's still hard to believe that they are gone…Marik…and Jounouchi…" the Egyptian said quietly, ignoring his soup.

"I never knew that such a thing would happen…I never knew that they would die…they didn't deserve it…"

"My brother…my lover…I lost the people who were my family…what else do I have now?"

"Ryou…Pharaoh…and you have…you have me…" the teen said softly, barely audible. Bakura set aside his soup as Malik looked up, "Marik was my lover…he was your brother…and you lost Jounouchi, whom was your lover…and a valued friend of mine…They died for our sake…to set us free…for our happiness they were so readily sacrificed…I don't understand why the gods took them away…the ones we have given our hearts to…but…I know they are happy now…"

Tears rimmed the young Ishtar's eyes; reaching out Bakura gently enveloped the boy's hands in his own. "We didn't…even…get to say good-bye…"

"They will hear us…I will tell them when the time is right…" the white haired teen lifted the warm caramel coloured hands to his face, pressing his lips against the slender fingers, "In this world of death…you are the only person who can truly understand my grief…my sorrow…even my anger…you are the person I know I can share all my pain with, and listen…"

Slowly Malik rose from where he sat and crawled onto the bed, curling up upon Bakura's chest, their fingers still entwined, "For the longest time I have been alone…no one understood how it felt to have their virginity taken from them unwillingly…I thought Ryou…but then he fell in love with Yami…No one could understand how it felt to be Seto's favoured slave out of us brothers…but now…" he turned to gaze into the other's dark brown eyes, "there is someone there who understands my suffering…maybe even understands the torment I have gone through…someone who I believe that I can share my life with…"

"If you will let me open myself to you…and you to me…let us use our understanding to live for each other…"

The pooling tears fell from Malik's eyes as Bakura lowered his head, and pressed against his lips against his…

"It is going to scar…because I'm not so advanced yet…but I think I've healed everything…" Ryou said gently, rubbing the last drops of ointment on Bakura's back.

"Thank you Ryou," with a small groan the other teen sat up, "I am truly amazed by your ability to learn. It was a longer process than I would have anticipated with Jounouchi, but it's been four suns and I'm almost back in shape."

"I'm still sorry that I cannot erase the marks of your past…"

"Don't be…" the older teen smiled and kissed Ryou on the forehead, "I prefer the scars anyhow…my past shouldn't be erased but be kept to remind me of how valuable my life is now…"

Malik, who was nearby, nodded as he stood up and walked to the white haired teen's side, "Memories are painful…but they will build us to who we are…"

"And remind us not to become people that we have been or have faced," Yami added as he entered the healing chambers.

Ryou wrapped his arms around his lover's neck and kissed the young man, "How is your shoulder?"

"Absolutely fine, my compliments to your skills…"

The boy blushed at the compliment before rushing away to put away vials.

Yami smiled at his small lover, impressed by the pale teen's skill to heal, as if he was born for this task. It was only a few days ago that Ryou was extremely nervous with his medication.

Ryou and Yami entered the chamber late at night, both unable to sleep, still absorbing the events that have happened in such a short period of time; Malik and Bakura were sleeping soundly together in bed, pale body against the creamy brown one.

Yami gently shook Bakura awake, "Ryou is here to attend to you…"

The boy looked nervous, holding two bottles in his hand, which were trembling a bit. "I…I…I don't know if this is correct…but I have seen Jounouchi at work…and I think I followed the steps correctly…"

Malik, who had awoken to the whispers, gazed at Ryou, "Y-you…actually managed to make medication?"

Ryou looked away, "I'm not sure…if I did it right…but we can try…if Bakura trusts me…"

"Heh…" kissing Malik before pulling away and sitting up, Bakura replied, "Considering that you quenched my thirst more than once why should I know trust you?"

The boy immediately flushed and set one bottle down, and proceeded to uncork the other one and began to displace the contents upon Bakura's body. A disappointed look appeared on his face when the many cuts began to knit together, but only the smaller ones healed completely, the rest remaining shallower gashes.

The elder teen stroked Ryou's hair in reassurance, "I feel so much better already, thank you Ryou"

"It's not…healing fully…"

"To create such a strong medication takes experience," Yami said, taking the empty bottle away and handing him the other one, "it is amazing enough that you managed to successfully conjure up ointment on your first try…"

Nodding at the encouragement Ryou returned to his task at hand.

"I think he will be a wonderful healer…what do you think, Shizuka?" at the sound of her name the young female entered the room, her head bowed. Her face bore a sad smile, her glowing radiance gone, dulled by the pain of death; it was as if she has grown much older.

"Yes Yami-sama," the girl said, having refused to refer the Pharaoh by only his name but dropped his formal title, "he will be a wonderful healer indeed."

Malik and Bakura grinned at Ryou, who suddenly froze in mid step.

Slowly the boy turned, "Yami…you…"

"I'm freeing you Ryou…you aren't my slave anymore."

"But I want to serve you…Yami…"

"I love you Ryou…there is no way I can live my life knowing that you are still my slave…Besides," he beckoned to the young gardener beside him, "Shizuka needs someone to grow her herbs for, and I believe that you are the perfect person to be a healer…"

The younger Ishtar nodded his head in agreement, "If Jounouchi would have chosen anyone, it would have been you Ryou. You may not know but it takes great skill to master even the simplest spells and medications. For you to have made two potions in less than one day was truly amazing."

"And they worked too," Bakura added.

"Thank you…all of you…" a smile lit up Ryou's face, "it is the greatest honour that I could ever receive…Yami…I love you…"

"And I you…"

Turning to the young girl Ryou introduced himself, "You may know already…but I am Ryou…you are Shizuka…right?"

"I am…" the girl looked up at him, "I am Jounouchi's sister."

The shock was clearly evident in the young boy's face. Looking around he saw the looks of knowing upon all the others' faces. "I'm…I'm…"

"Don't be sorry," the sorrowful smile remained on Shizuka's face, "He didn't suffer…he died knowing someone loved him…he died knowing I, his sister, loved him…Malik loved him…he died knowing he had friends…I have no regrets because of that…I also think I grew up a little more…Life isn't as bright and happy as I have always perceived to be…I am not saying that it isn't beautiful, but there are the horrible realities as well…I think I matured from that…"

"He was a wonderful person…I wish I got to know him more," Ryou said softly.

"If you are as close a friend as he has said you to be…I think you knew him enough," the young girl replied.

Ryou nodded.

"I mainly called Shizuka here to attend the funeral ceremony of Marik and Jounouchi," Yami said.

Malik's gaze grew hopeful, "Did you find them?"

The Pharaoh felt bad for disappointing the Egyptian as he shook his head, "Seto played his disguise well…the bodies cannot be found…but some evidence suggests that they were burned…we found these by the palace walls…they will be used for their altars…" Reaching into his robes he withdrew a pair of golden earrings that mirrored those that Malik wore, and a broad clasp of Caduceus, the symbol of healing.

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Author: Ok…just to say quickly…these next chapters will be shorter because they are divided into sections to tie up the ending…hope you enjoy what is to come! Stay tuned! More chapters coming!