Mate in a Village

Chapter 3: You Weren’t There

Yugi clung to the Pharaoh tight as they rode with great speed back to the palace.

They entered the stable and came to an abrupt haut, flying dust waist high.

“My, you’re back Milord,” said the younger of the stablemen.
“And looks like you found your long lost item.”

Yami smiled as he helped Yugi down from Anippe.
“Yes. The God’s luck was with me as I rested my eyes on this beauty.”

The said boy blushed furiously.

“Aye, Sire. That they were.”

Seto stormed in moments later with the girl, Dalila, holding him by the waist as though she were in the course of a sandstorm.

Yami smirked.
“Took you long enough.”

Seto dismounted and helped the girl down.
“Well, one usually takes second place when the other starts first.”

“Are you implying that I cheated?” Yami asked.

“Of course not, my Pharaoh,” Seto said with mock shock.
“So what shall the fate of these two be?”

Yami looked to the girl first.
“Well, the maids have worded that they were short of staff recently. That is, if you are better apt at another chore…”

“Oh, no, Sire. A maid’s work would be plenty enough.”

“Fine then. Seto, you can show her to the maid’s quarters.”

“I shall. This way,” the man beckoned as the girl followed.

As she exited, she and Yugi shared a glimpse of each other as she smiled, Yugi returning the action.

Yami noticed this but did not say so.

“Are you ready?”

Yugi looked up at him then the floor, nodding quickly.

Yami nodded once and thanked the stablemen before leaving.
He walked with Yugi in tow behind him, head hung low.

“Yugi…” said Yami as he stopped.

Yugi looked at the man but did not dare so in his eyes.

“Yugi, please walk beside me.”

Yugi was socked at this soft command.

‘Walk beside him? Why?’

Yugi nodded obediently taking the strides to stand at the man’s side.

Yami again started to walk as Yugi walked right in step with him. As he placed his right foot down, so did Yugi. Same with the left.

Yami sighed but continued as he came to his door and opened it as he heard the younger beside him gasp.

Yugi looked up to see walls lined with gold and silver with little trinkets that were hand carved from other elements of nature. There was a large opening at the opposite end of the room, covered in transparent drapes, leading to a balcony. Placed against one of the walls was a bed that seemed to be as big as the River Nile was wide, covered in silky red sheets to warm the slumbering dweller on the cold nights.

Yugi took in all the sights he possibly could when his gaze landed upon the other occupant in all his glory.
He immediately took a severe interest in the floor.

Yami removed the weight of the crown from his head and walked over to his other.

Yugi heard the pattered footsteps as the man came closer, his breath quickening.

Yami stopped before the quivering boy. He reached out a hand and touched under Yugi’s chin as the boy flinched at the contact. Yami continued his action and brought the other’s chin up so their expressions faced each other but their eyes did not meet.

“Look at me,” Yami whispered.

Yugi did so, hesitantly.

Their eyes locked.

“Why are you so scared, little one?”

Yugi, again, looked away.
“I am but a low slave, you’re Majesty. I do not deserve to be in the same room as you. The others down at the farm told me that Pharaohs beat peasants like me.”

Yami was taken aback at the comment. Not just the words themselves but the softness, the innocence of it.
It was the first time he had ever heard such a beautiful thing.
He embraced the younger in a tight clasp.

Yugi took a sharp intake of breath at the contact as he blushed.

“Never think that,” Yami said softly.
“Never think you do not deserve this.”

‘What is this?’ Yugi asked himself as an odd feeling aroused in his stomach.
‘Is this friendship?...or love?’

Yami backed from the close hold and looked at Yugi.
“Would you like to see more of the palace?”

Yugi nodded.

Yami smiled.
“Alright, then. Follow me.”
He extended his hand as an offering.

Yugi took it with only slight hesitation.
**

“And this is the kitchen.”

Yugi looked in the room at the many utensils, made of either metals or wood, hanging from the ceilings and walls as well as the pots and little meat.

“Would you like to meet some of the cooks?”

Yugi nodded absentmindedly as he still looked at his surroundings.

Yami looked back up to see whom he was thinking of.
“Paris.”

The man carrying a large pot looked over.
“My lord. What brings you here?” he asked as he placed the container down.

“I was just showing Yugi around and he wanted to meet you.”

“Yugi? Ah, the newcomer, yes.”

“I see word travels fast,” Yami said with a smile.

Paris chuckled.
“That it does, Sire. That it does.”

Yugi looked at Yami, then Paris, both smiling and talking as though they were friends which puzzled him.
‘Does the Pharaoh have any ill friendships with his servants?’

“Well, we had best be off. We still have a bit more to see.”

“Good day, Pharaoh.”

Yami nodded and lead Yugi out.

“What did you think of Paris?”

“Oh…he was nice,” Yugi answered.

“Hmm.”
Yami looked out a passing window.
“My. It is getting late. We had best hurry or we will be late to supper.”

“Supper?” Yugi asked.

Yami looked at him.

“What is supper?”

“It is a meal.”

Yugi opened his mouth to say something but drew back.

“Is there something you would like to ask?”

Yugi looked hesitant.
“W…With all do respect, is it not a bit late to be eating?”

“What do you mean?” Yami asked, confused.

“Back at the farm,” Yugi explained, “we ate when Ra was in the middle of the sky. He about ready to sleep now.”

“You…you only got one meal a day?”

Yugi nodded.
“Don’t you?”

Yami was, needless to say, a bit pissed and perplexed.
How could someone deny a creature such as this the right to eat three meals a day?! How was he able to stay standing, much less work hard hours, with such a diet?

“Well, you are at the farm, no longer. Now, you are in the palace where you will get as much food as you could possibly eat.”

Yugi looked up.
“Really?”

Yami smiled and nodded.

Yugi smiled back.

The Pharaoh was happy to see the little charge happy.
**

“Ah. You’re here. We were wondering when you’d arrive,” Kaiba said with a smirk as Yugi and Yami entered.

“We?” Yami asked, raising an eyebrow.

“This is Jounouchi Katsuya. He is a traveler from Japan and he is a very good friend of mine.

Yami gave his cousin a suspicious smirk, returned with a ‘look’.

“I am very pleased to meet you, Pharaoh,” the man bowed.

“It is good to meet you as well, Jounouchi. And please. We are all friends. Call me Yami.”

“If you would like. You can call me Jou.”

“Oh, forgive me. This is Yugi. He is a…friend of mine, as well.”

Jou held out his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Yugi.”

The boy hesitated but took the hand in a shake, nonetheless.

“Well, shall we sit to eat?” offered Kaiba as he gestured toward the table.

They all took their seats as five servants came out with many silver platters covered in victuals: fried and steamed fish, loafs of bread, wine and beer, vegetables and fruits, and buffalo meat.

Yugi’s eyes widened at the sheer amount of food placed before him. He had never seen so much in one place his whole life!

Everyone had already started piling food onto their plates. Yugi looked back down as his own bare dish. He reached over and took a piece of fish and a bit of potatoes along with some leeks and bread.

When the meal was finished, they had decided to go to their own chambers to rest for the next day.

Yugi followed Yami to his room once again.

“Oh. I forgot to send for some bed clothes for you. I’ll be right back.”

Yami left the room leaving Yugi alone.

The boy took the time to again to look at all the objects in the room, memorizing it for all its worth.
After a few minutes, Yugi walked over to the private balcony and looked at the dark land below. He could see the people walking back to their homes from a heard days work ready to eat a meal themselves. He looked up to see the River Nile. Oh, how beautiful it was. He loved the Nile. He owed so much to it. He felt obliged to it in so many ways.

Yami entered the room again but was silent as he closed the door. He turned and saw the little light out on the terrace. The moon shone on him, her light creating an outline of radiance around the angel. Yami looked him down and back up, taking in all his features. His perfect curves, his milky white skin so uncommon in Egypt, his violet pools for eyes so uncommon wherever he graced his presence and his luscious lips forming a perfect mouth he wanted so much to smother with his own. But the boy wasn’t ready yet. He could wait…for now.

Yugi turned around with a sigh. When he spotted his Pharaoh, his face somewhat brightened. He grinned and walked over taking the clothes presented to him.

“Thank you.”

Yami smiled back his answer.

Yugi turned around and slipped the sweat covered shirt off his body.

Yami looked with a frown.

“Where did you get those?”

Yugi turned his head to look at the questioning man, then his back. There nestled more than a couple dozen whip lashing marks that had healed over time but left nasty rope-like scars.

“Oh…those.”

“Those?”

Yugi smiled sadly.
“I don’t know where I got them. I’ve had them since before I can remember.”

“Before you can…what?” Yami asked narrowing his eyes.

Yugi heaved a sigh and turned around to face the other.

Yami’s eyes widened at the sight. His upper body was very well built from all the hard labor it suffered, yet located on his chest and torso were severe cuts and gashes and burn marks. There were fewer on his front side than his back but it was enough to bring up the subject.

“What happened?” Yami whispered.

Yugi was tracing a particular scar that crossed his right pectoral muscle.
“I don’t know.”

“How can you not know?” Yami asked meeting the other’s gaze.
“How could you forget something…like that?”

Yugi took a breath, “I was found washed up on the banks of the River Nile. Why is unknown to me. Somewhere along my journey, I lost consciousness and forgot all of who I was. I don’t know where I came from, who I was, who my parents were…I didn’t even remember my own name. But for some reason…‘Yugi’ kept repeating in my head.” He let out an airy chuckle. “For all I know, it could have been my father or a brother or a friend…hell, it could have even been a son I sired young. But who’s to say that I’m young? Not me. I don’t know my age.”

There was a moment of silence.

“Dalila was the one who found me about three years ago. Her father would not let me stay so she handed me over to the only other person she knew who had room for an almost dead boy. She gave me to Alshid, the farm owner you found me with. He nurtured me back to health. He gave me food, water and a place to live in return for a laborer. I did his household chores: cared for the plow horses, washed the farming tools, cooked meals, prepared baths. It was a more than fair trade. He treated me better than he did the others…I don’t know why.”

Yami walked to the boy and wrapped his arms around him.
“I had no idea…”

“How could you? You weren’t there.”
Yugi lifted his hands and hugged the other back.
**

They lie in bed, Yugi spooned up to the sleeping Yami, Yami’s arms around the, most likely, younger. Yami had wrapped his arms around Yugi’s body sometime in the night…which Yugi didn’t seem to care much.

Yugi stared at the wall he faced, his tired eyes blinking as a gust of wind came from the balcony.

‘I feel…safe. Is this what it’s like to be held? Is this warmth? My warmth from the bitter cold past I know nothing of?’