Yu-Gi-Oh 1. Fate of the Damned

Wow, I actually went back and revised this sorry excuse for a fanfic

Wow, I actually went back and revised this sorry excuse for a fanfic. :o Yay for me!

I wrote this a long time ago and on a whim gave it to a friend to read. She said she really liked it and I should continue, but I didn't feel comfortable posting it until it was fixed up a bit.

So, here it is in all its edited glory, my first vampire fic ever written:D

Notes: There will be two couples in this story: Bakura/Ryou and Marik/Malik. Have you guys figured out they're my favorite couples? xD Originally I had Yami/Yugi and Seto/Jou in here too, but decided to cut them out. I just don't want this story to turn out as long as (or longer than) Opal. That would just kill me. x.x

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-gi-oh or any of its characters and I make no profit from this story.

Ch 1

A young boy with long ivory hair raced through the dark forest around him, his tattered cream colored tunic flaring out behind him, while his bare feet pounded against the dirt and his thin, pale arms pushed the underbrush away from his face.

Ryou's breath came in desperate gasps as he made his way through the dense brush, the trees around him closing in and bringing with them a feeling of claustrophobia. He was tired, cold, and could not recognize where he was, but at the moment he didn't have the energy to waste thinking about it.

Ryou pushed himself onward, even as his body screamed for air and the blood pumped in his ears. He couldn't be caught, not now, not when he had gotten so far. That place, that prison that had held him captive for far too long was finally behind him. He would not go back. He could not go back. Just trying to escape was an immediate death sentence, but actually going through with it…well, he didn't want to think about the tortures that would be bestowed upon him if given the chance.

The boy let out a cry as he felt his foot catch in the roots of a twisted tree nearby and fell face first into a patch of muddy water connected to a swamp a short distance away. The intensity of the putrid water's stench hit his nose full force as he lay there, causing him to retch loudly.

Moaning in pain and panting quietly, Ryou allowed himself to finally glance at the surrounding woods.

The night sky barely showed through the mess of limbs and leaves from the numerous trees around the fetid water. The darkness of the forest pressed in around him and as he got to his knees he found himself wrapping his arms around his thin frame, desperately searching for comfort.

These woods seemed evil, full of hatred and death. Shivering, he pulled his clothing closer for warmth and looked down along the ground, but could see nothing except the mist which rose from the water's surface nearby. It had completely covered the dirt surrounding it, giving the whole scene an eerie feel.

His breath finally slowing down, the boy stood shakily and listened intently for sounds of approaching feet. Ryou was deathly afraid of the demons trailing behind him, making sure to look back over his shoulder for any sign of their approach. In his mind, he kept imagining that he saw them closing in on him, snarling and panting in rage, their eyes rolling at him and fangs bared.

Yet as he stood there, listening, he heard nothing except the rustling of leaves and the bubbling of the swamp. Shoulders slumping, he allowed himself to relax for the time being.

The boy pushed his hair behind his back and wiped the remaining water from his chin. How had he gotten into this situation? It all seemed such a blur now that he thought of it.

He remembered his friend, Malik, explaining how he and Ryou were to escape from their prison, the hell hole they had been born into. Ryou still didn't know why he had gone along with Malik, a boy who always tended to go too far whenever it concerned those important to him. It must have been due to his utter desperation to escape from his current slavery, to stay alive and not resign himself to his destined fate of being a meal for one of those monsters.

In his head, he heard Malik's explanation clearly. They were supposed to wait until the two guards came to choose the prey for the night from the lot of humans in the barracks, and then they would strike. Malik, who was the strongest of the two, would rush them and take the demons by surprise while Ryou slipped through the doors leading to the outer hallway during the ensuing chaos.

The white haired human had to run down the concrete pathways and through the difficult and seemingly endless maze of rooms until he reached the doors leading to the outside courtyard. Thankfully, he and Malik had been collecting information about the passageways over the last few weeks from those human's who had been lead to the outside, only to be brought back due to selection error.

Of course, not only would he be dealing with the path, but the likelihood of meeting demons on the way. Ryou just had to hope he'd either run into no one else during his journey or if he did, they'd be slower and less agile than him.

His blonde friend would then meet him outside after pushing his way through the hordes of people and creatures who were sure to scatter during the escape attempt and following him on the path. Once they had reached the courtyard, they were to run flat out towards the fence hugging the contours of the prison and climb without looking back.

Ryou was to pause at the forest's edge beyond the fence to see if Malik was following. Whether he saw his friend or not, he was ordered to continue onward.

Of course, this plan immediately went awry once Ryou had gotten outside. He and Malik had not expected so many demons to come to the guard's aid and so were forced to split up, Ryou heading towards the eastern portion of the camp and Malik continuing forward into the southern woods. The white haired boy had climbed the fence and gotten away unscathed, but he did not know the fate of his tanned friend.

Without spotting Malik, he continued into the forest, followed closely by sentinels. After minutes of running, he had lost them during the chase, landing himself so deep in the forest he couldn't tell one direction from the other.

Away from the noise of the prison and the demons, he could take the time to wonder why on earth he had even considered such a plan. Come to think of it, he had never done something that stupid before in his life. Yes, back in the prison he faced a life of fear, wondering when he would become food for the demons or their pets, but out here he was without his captor's protection from the other inhabitants of the world.

Out here, without the aid of anyone or anything, he risked being torn apart by some hellish animal which lived deep in the wilds. At least in the prison he knew what was coming and could prepare himself for his fate. He knew that whatever lived out here wouldn't give him time to come to terms with his grizzly death.

Ryou sighed to himself and started trudging around the putrid smelling water, his feet making a slopping sound in the mud. Why had he been born into such a world? A horrible place where humans like him were merely bred for food, sustenance for those he feared and hated with all his being?

He remembered back to his childhood spent in the dingy, overcrowded rooms with other humans. Most were dying from either illness or decay, and it was these that would be fed to the demon's monsters. The other healthy and beautiful humans were to be given to the demon masters.

Ryou's family was one of many that had been dragged away and fed to those beasts, leaving him alone and without the luxury of a surname. He was haunted nightly with nightmares of his kin, who were always faceless and nameless, except for one. The only relative he remembered vividly was his younger sister, Amane, yet his memories of her didn't offer him any type of solace from his miserable life. In fact, all he could see of her in his mind was the image of her face as she was dragged from his arms, kicking and screaming, to her death, the leering smiles of the guards holding on to her staring back at him.

Thinking back to that time, Ryou felt a boost of energy surge through him. He would make it out of these woods alive and he would find somewhere he could live peacefully, away from the things that had filled his dreams and his waking hours with terror.

A loud snap to his right made the boy's heart skip a beat and he turned his head toward the sound. A dark figure began to emerge from behind the trees across the water, moving closer and seeming to realize it wasn't alone. As it turned to him, the dim light breaking through the trees illuminated its dark cloak, the hood casting its face in shadow. The boy let out a horrified whimper as the monster stepped into the clearing and made a low rattling sound as it locked onto the white haired intruder.

Ryou's mind screamed at him to move but his feet refused to listen, remaining rooted to the spot. He was too caught up in shock and surprise at the monster's sudden appearance to do anything rational.

The boy's eyes widened and his heart leaped to this throat as he saw a fleshless, bony hand reach up and slowly remove the hood of the cloak, revealing a skull underneath, the eyeless pits looking at the shaking figure before it as the skeleton took another step forward. Ryou heard the rattling sound again and realized it must be the thing's bones jostling against each other as it moved.

His hands flew to his mouth to hold in his scream and at this movement, the monster moved forward with startling speed, barreling through the murky water with its arms outstretched.

Screaming, Ryou pulled himself from his stupor and turned quickly, running from the clearing. His footsteps could be heard as he rushed for the trees, his ears picking up the sound of the monster behind him. Terrified, Ryou doubled his pace and began to pray to any god that was listening to take pity on him and aid him in his escape.

It was as he was being chased by this nameless skeleton that the fact he still had no idea where he was slammed into him with the force of a sledgehammer. He panicked, beginning to lead the beast through random patterns through the trees and underbrush. Hell, he was already completely lost, why not try and lose the thing in the darkness? Maybe he'd get lucky and it would lose interest.

Fear gripped his heart as the forest only seemed to grow denser the further he ran. How far into the woods had he traveled? How long would it be before he reached the edge of the trees and was able to see the light from the stars and moon? Would he even survive the night in this place? This one monster couldn't be all that lived within the cover of the trees.

Suddenly, the noise behind him stopped and the boy looked behind him quickly. The skeleton had disappeared! Ryou ran another few yards before he stopped and listened intently through the trees around him, but nothing reached his ears. Had his pursuer actually given up? Panting for air, he looked around him, seeing nothing but bark and the ever present darkness.

Not only was this confusing him, but Ryou thought of it as a bad sign. Why would the creature leave now after it seemed so intent on catching him?

A low, masculine voice behind him made his blood run cold. "Well, what do we have here?"

Ryou faced the man, his heart pumping in his ears and sweat breaking out over his skin. His eyes widened to the size of saucers as he took in the man's appearance.

The other had dark black hair that cascaded down to his shoulders in waves, his piercing yellow eyes watching Ryou intently. The man wore pants made of a black, heavy material and a shirt that seemed like it had been made from the finest blue silk. Beautiful polished black boots could be seen adorning his feet and Ryou suddenly became aware of just how dirty he must have looked next to this man.

Shifting his weight and swallowing audibly, the human noticed the final and most frightening features this man possessed. Huge ebony wings sprung from his back, their sides brushing against his shoulders and hips as he unhooked the deadly claws which had been holding them together.

"W-Who are you?" Ryou asked quietly, his fingers grasping his tunic unconsciously. What was he? Was he some new form of demon Ryou had never seen before? He couldn't have been from the camp, seeing as how all those demons were gnarled and ugly, and they lacked wings.

"The better question, little human, is why are you in our Lord's woods?" The man asked, stepping closer, his breath running along the boy's skin. Before Ryou could step back, a clawed hand shot out and grabbed his upper arm, pulling him flush against the other's chest. If he weren't so panic stricken, he probably would have blushed.

The white haired human watched as the man's wings spread out behind him, their wing span almost reaching from one tree to the next. He squeaked and grasped the other's shirt as they were lifted in to the air, the black leathery appendages stirring up gusts of wind as they moved.

Reaching the top of the branches, the man paused, holding his position and addressed the human. "To answer your earlier question, I'm a demon of the first class, one who serves the vampire lord ruling over these lands." he grinned, showing his short fangs. "We're lucky that servant didn't get a hold of you, pretty one, or else you would have gone to waste. My master will appreciate a fine gift such as yourself."

Blinking dumbly, Ryou stared into the demon's eyes. He had escaped one prison only to land himself in another. Whatever god existed must be laughing at him.

"Why did it stop chasing me?" He found himself asking, his voice containing a slight waver and as he waited for the answer the arms around him tightened.

"The beasts in these woods know to stay out of sight when we demons are around. They are only to come before us when they're called upon."

Looking away, the demon made it apparent the conversation was over. With a flutter they tore off into the night, the wind howling in Ryou's ears. He wound his arms around the man's neck, gripping the back of the other's shirt firmly while he wrapped his legs around the other's waist to keep from falling below to his death. He didn't know which was worse, being chased through the forest by a moving skeleton or flying through the air with a demon.

The cold rushed into him during the ride and he wished he had some sturdier clothing. These prison clothes were no good when it came to the elements.

The journey seemed to take hours, Ryou spending the time wondering and fearing where he was being taken. The demon had said something about being in his Lord's woods, so that meant someone owned this ghastly land. What kind of man or beast would make a claim to it?

Slowly, the sound of laughter and cries made its way to his ears and Ryou risked a quick glance below them. What he saw made him press closer to the demon and his breath catch in his throat.

Demons. Hundreds of them were in the plains below, leading along terrible monsters as if they were harmless pets. Ryou hadn't noticed the trees thinning during their flight, but could now see the forest had cut off several yards back, looking just as sinister as they had before.

Raising his eyes, he looked further toward the horizon and saw under the moon's light that the plains expanded far outward and were lost in the shadows of the mountains beyond. Rocks and boulders were strewn here and there along the dirt, but it was mostly a clear path. His eyes moved from the mountains to the castle nestled between them which towered above the ground, its towers appearing to touch the sky. A huge field of dead grass led up to its gates and as they came closer, Ryou took in the building's appearance with apprehension.

It seemed like it would house someone who was obsessed with death. The walls were black with dust and grime and some spaces in the stone were chipped and cracked from time's assault. From what he could make out, there were few if any windows, all of which were shut tight and covered with black tapestries to keep out the light. The scene almost stopped the boy's heart.

"We're almost there, little human." The deep voice startled Ryou from his thoughts and he looked up at the handsome demon's face. The yellow eyes stared back at him and the lips curled into a smirk.

Ryou gulped quietly.

The demon pulled his wings back and they began to drop from the sky. Air rushed past them as they plummeted toward the ground, the human crying out and holding tighter to the other's neck.

Their descent ended suddenly as the man opened his wings, catching an air pocket and gliding gently the rest of the way to the grass. His boots hit with a dull thud, the wings hooking back behind him. Ryou was then placed on his own two feet and turned around in the demon's arms, forcing him to look forward. The man behind him began to walk, shoving the boy in front of him. "Move along, human. Our Lord will want to get a good look at you before daylight."

As they walked through the field toward the Lord's castle, other demons had noticed their arrival. Their eyes rove over Ryou's for, making him feel uneasy as he quickened his pace. Though he did not wish to meet the master of these fiends, he also didn't feel comfortable being so close to the monsters themselves. Seeing the faces looming around him proved to be too much and the human opted to just watch the path instead.

Ryou stuck close to his guide for safety as they walked. He didn't trust the mob of monsters around him for even a moment. They'd probably tear him apart and eat his entrails before he had a chance to scream, let alone explain that he was supposed to be visiting their master, whoever it was.

The boy had never heard about any vampire lords in the regions close to his old prison. Vampires were always thought as a fantasy to him and the other humans trapped within the demon's hold, something that was never seen but was still talked about. Now that he was going to meet one, the old stories rushed back to him full force and he had to swallow the lump forming in his throat.

He was noticing less and less feet near him and chanced raising his head, surprised to see the demons and their pets were leaving, going back to their usual business. Ryou watched them over his shoulder with awe, but a rough jerk on his arm made him turn his head forward.

The black haired man pulled him up to the tall double doors that led into the castle, releasing his arm in order to force the heavy doors open. Ryou could see the muscles of his arms and legs straining and couldn't imagine something that required a demon to put forth that much effort.

With a creepy squeak of their hinges, the doors swung open and revealed the main hall of the castle. It was jet black, but from the little light flooding in from the outside Ryou could make out pillars to the sides of the path in front of him. They were painted a deep crimson while their gold trim glinted in the moonlight. He tried to see further, but the darkness consumed everything beyond a few meters.

The winged demon took his arm once again and brought him past the threshold and into the hall of the castle, the doors giving an ominous groan behind him as they closed once more, trapping him in.

TBC

Hrm, not the best (to me, at least) but still better than it was before. I'm not sure if I'll finish this story. Like I said, I started it awhile ago and pretty much forgot the plot. o.o;

If people like it, then I'll force myself to continue. I guess I'll just write this along side Opal.

Want me to continue? Leave me a review and tell me you enjoyed the fic. .


	2. Put to work

It's finally here! Chapter 2 of Fate of the Damned, coming atcha.

Don't worry all you Opal lovers, I'm going to get Opal ch 12 finished soon for you.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-gi-oh or any of its characters and I make no profit from this story.

Ch 2

His guide's boots tapped noisily against the beautiful black marble tiles of the entry hall as they walked through the darkness. Ryou was completely blind within the castle, his eyes unused to the miniscule amount of light which permeated the room. His pupils dilated and his feet faltered with each step as he tried to feel his way down the pathway without tripping.

The demon grunted at his movements, grasping his arm painfully and practically dragged him along, Ryou trying to keep up. Minutes passed them by until his demon companion brought him through what felt like a doorway and into a wide, open area. Immediately upon their entrance, the torches hugging the walls began to light one by one, slowly bringing the room into view.

Rubbing his eyes at the sudden firelight, Ryou scanned his new surroundings, fear clenching his heart with each passing glance. The walls and ceiling were stained a deep crimson, almost as if blood had leaked into every crevice of the room and had been allowed to remain where it settled. The tiles under his feet were pure white, the black from earlier having disappeared at some point during his trip through the dark. Ryou shivered. These new tiles reminded him of sun bleached bones.

Flags and crests of houses long ago were hung over the red stone walls, their colors flashing in the orange glow of the torches. Beneath each of these banners stood severe looking demon guards with leathery wings, yellow fangs and large talons, their bodies covered in heavy armor. There were twenty of them in all, their backs straight and tall while their eyes were fixed before them, not acknowledging the new arrivals.

Tearing his eyes from them, Ryou instead looked far in front, near the very edge of the room. There, chiseled out of the rock itself, was a marbled throne, its natural markings weaving together to create an image of immense splendor. This had to be a seat of power, as it was elevated high above the ground on a platform where it could survey over all. The dais, along with the throne, was spectacularly made. It had been cut from pieces of the mountains located outside of the castle and draped in linens the color of fine wine.

Ryou couldn't help but be impressed.

He felt the demon beside him steer him toward the throne, the other's gait much less hurried than it had been earlier. The two passed the guards on either side of the room on their way, the men not sparing them a glance, causing sweat to build on the boy's brow. He was beginning to get unnerved by not only their appearance, but their utter lack of interest in him. Yes, it was unhealthy for a demon of any sort to pay attention to you, but when they refused to look at him, it made him feel as though he was being labeled a 'dead man walking.'

Finally coming to a halt, Ryou was forced to his knees facing the seat, hair hanging limply over his forehead. He waited with bated breath, ears perked for any sign of movement nearby. He knew the master of the house should be arriving soon.

Right on cue, the muffled sounds of heels clinking against marble reached him and Ryou stiffened. He saw the black haired demon kneel next to him out of the corner of his eye and felt the man's clawed hand rest against the back of his neck, quietly instructing him to show respect and keep his head bowed.

As the footsteps grew louder, Ryou couldn't hold back his curiosity and cautiously raised his eyes, looking through his bangs and catching sight of a tall figure coming into the room through a hidden door behind a low hanging war tapestry. The person headed toward the throne and as they reached the dais they were illuminated by the light.

It was a man with waist length white hair and ghostly pale skin, just like Ryou's. From the back, they could have been twins, but when the man turned around and sat in his throne, his face visible, he was so shockingly different the boy almost recoiled. The other's eyes slanted menacingly, giving him a cold and cruel expression, while his pupils were a misty blue, much different from Ryou's own emerald green.

He was well built, but not overly so, and dressed in a silken navy blue long-sleeved shirt and illustrious ebony pants, the material of which appeared thick and unworn. The elegant vest hugging his torso was of an icy blue, accenting the man's eyes and the rich sapphire color of his floor-length cape, which scraped the ground as he moved.

However, his most alarming feature became apparent as he opened his mouth to speak, the surface of the two sets of elongated fangs glinting in the light.

'This must be the master of the house.' Ryou thought, his mind coming to a strangled halt as the vampire's voice broke through the silence.

"What have you brought me, Dorei?" the man asked, placing his elbows atop the arm rest of his throne. "It doesn't appear to be a demon of any sort, it's much too ugly to be a personal slave, and I'd be appalled if you had decided it was worthy of being one of my meals."

Ryou was a bit shocked at the 'ugly' statement. Did he really look that terrible? He figured his years in the prison had been poor for his health and done little for his appearance, but hadn't the demon described him as pretty earlier? Perhaps vampires had different opinions as to what was attractive.

"Master," the black haired demon beside him said, his tone respectful, "I found this human traveling through your forest during the early hours of the night. I did not know where he came from or his purpose for being there, but I believed he would be of some worth to you. The boy must be able to perform some sort of helpful task, sir, if you order it of him."

"Hmph." The vampire snorted, getting to his feet and coming down from the dais, stopping a few feet from Ryou. The boy felt the master's eyes on him and ducked his head lower. He was being appraised like a steer at an auction, and his cheeks burned with embarrassment and shame. It was times like these the boy wished he had never been born a lowly human.

"Get up." The sudden order took Ryou by surprise. He jumped to his feet, keeping his gaze trained on the floor. He wasn't certain whether the vampire had been talking to him or the demon servant kneeling with him on the floor, but Ryou would rather follow a command which hadn't been directed at him than unintentionally ignore one that was. The punishment for the latter offense was sure to be greater.

Feeling a hand grip his chin painfully, Ryou looked up, coming face to face with the master of the house. The other man turned the boy's head to the sides, scrutinizing his features. Forcing Ryou's eyes on him once more, the vampire asked, "What were you doing in my lands, human?"

Ryou didn't dare meet the man's stare, option to stare at the other's shirt. He swallowed to clear his throat and stuttered out his response. "I w-was running."

The master raised an eyebrow, jerking the boy's head forward, demanding more of an answer. "What were you running from?"

The human started shaking slightly, fearful of what the vampire would do to him when he told the truth. If this man knew where he was from, would he be returned to the demons or killed on the spot for being a runaway? Opening his mouth, he compelled his voice to work. "T-the demon prison, sir."

"The demon prison, eh? How did you manage to escape, human? I've heard news of attempts in the past, but no one has ever actually freed themselves." He peered at Ryou with more interest. "Tell me what you did."

"I had help distracting the guards from my friend, Malik. It was his plan, I just followed it and was able to run away."

"Ah, I see. So you reaped the benefits of your friend's work. Well then, where is your genius accomplice?"

"I-I don't know, sir. We were split up at the prison gates."

Ryou's chin was released from the vampire's grip and he listened to the man laugh cruelly. "After all this 'Malik's' planning, you two are still not together. Who knows? He may have been recaptured feet from the fence and taken back for torturing. Those demons do believe that punishments are the best element of an attempted break out."

He watched Ryou's expression twist into one of worry and panic. Grinning, he gripped the human's throat and threw him back to the floor. Returning to his throne, the vampire master sat, watching the boy struggle to his knees. He considered this captive quite amusing, and as he made himself comfortable he asked, "What does this Malik look like?"

The boy held back a sob as he took up his earlier position. Not only was he giving them both up as fugitives and providing the details behind their break out, but now he was expected to lead this man toward his only friend. Ryou felt disgusted with himself, but it was either answer the vampire's questions or suffer the consequences brought about by his defiance.

"He's about my height, with shoulder length blonde hair, dark skin, and violet eyes, sir." Ryou said, quietly. He didn't understand why this man was so interested in Malik. Was he possibly thinking of bringing the blonde here to the castle? If so, then at the very least they would be together again and his mind would be at ease knowing neither of them had to endure the horrors within the prison's torture chambers.

The master's movements paused briefly, his eyes glazing over, and Ryou gasped as an odd feeling surged within him. It was gone as quickly as it had come, and the boy didn't understand what had happened. He heard the vampire mutter to himself, then the echoing footsteps of his shoes as they tapped against the stone dais once again. The feet halted in front of him just as before, but this time Ryou was not told to stand. Instead, the man spoke to him calmly.

"This human partner of yours resembles my half brother, another vampire lord who reigns over the southern region of this area. I'm going to bring the human here to my castle where he will stay until he is acceptable, and then I will give him to my brother as a gift. Hopefully your friend will entertain him and keep him out of my hair for a decade or two."

Too shocked to think, Ryou lifted his head and stared wide-eyed at the vampire. "W-what?"

His question was met with a wicked smirk. "You heard me, human. Your dear friend will be given to my brother. You, on the other hand, I can use. First, you need to be made presentable." The master motioned for the black haired demon to stand. "Dorei, take this human to his new quarters and leave him in the care of the main house slave. Then, gather a few men and search out the blonde human. I want him found and brought here in relatively good condition. If he is already back within the demon prison, do what you must to persuade the guards to hand him over. Report to me the moment you return."

The demon, whom Ryou supposed was named Dorei, nodded and bent down, taking hold of the boy's neck and pulling him up to his feet. The two left the room, heading to the right and down another dark hall. Ashen faced and depressed, Ryou didn't even care about keeping himself from stumbling, nor did he notice that now as he passed through the pathways and rooms the lights flickered on to show the way. No, he was far too upset over what had been said in the throne room. The master vampire was going to bring Malik back to the castle where they could be together, only to rip them apart in order to send the blonde as a present to another ruler.

The boy felt sick to his stomach. Would nothing in his life go as planned?

Ryou was still immersed in his misery when he was herded down a flight of stairs and into a dank cobble stoned hallway. The firelight emanating from the wall's brackets shown within his eyes as his bare feet slapped lightly against the floor with each step. Dorei had remained silent the entire trip, but as they reached a large chamber door at the end of the path, he turned to Ryou and spoke.

"This door leads to the slave quarters. I will let you in and leave to do as my master asked of me. Find Otogi, he is the head demon among the servants and will have you cleaned, fed, and put to work. The master will inform Otogi when he has chosen a specific job for you. Until then, follow the other's instructions." The demon steered him through the door and closed it heavily behind Ryou, sealing him inside.

The human squinted. He could barely make out shapes and objects lying against the walls or on the floors. He began walking forward, the candles lining the walls jumping to life, just as they had when he exited the throne room. Eyes adjusting quickly, he made his way into the area, taking in the sight of suits of armor and numerous gruesome paintings which served as decoration.

He continued on silently, the only sounds in his ears being the beating of his heart. Soon, he came upon a fork in the corridor. The chattering of people could be heard from the right path, while silence seemed to suffocate the left. Sucking in a breath, he went to the right, the voices becoming louder until their echoes leaped from one wall to the next.

Suddenly, the floor sloped awkwardly and Ryou teetered on the edge, trying desperately to regain his balance. His motions may have saved him from falling head first down the stone incline, but they didn't help conceal his presence from the occupants in the room below.

Only now did Ryou take the time to observe the slave chambers which were laid out across the expansion of the floor. This room must have been at least fifty yards long and twenty-five yards wide, and it was filled to the brim with lesser demons, all of whom wore black or silver tunics much like Ryou's, only they were cleaner and well kept. Upon closer inspection, he also noticed that these tunics were secured sloppily around the servants' waists with a strip of clothe, making them appear as more of an ensemble than an enlarged shirt.

The human gave a small 'Hm' in his throat, eyes roving to the demon's faces and discovering with a start that they had turned their attention to him sometime during his study of the room.

Gulping, Ryou cautiously slid down to the level stone below and stood as still as his fear would allow. He couldn't stop the nervous quivering, however, when a wingless male demon with long black hair pulled into a ponytail moved from the group and stepped closer. He wore a crimson shirt along with dark pants and shoes and had deep green eyes, not unlike Ryou's. Once he was within a few feet of the boy, he spoke and his voice was cold and steady.

"What is it you want, human?" he asked, the material of his clothing scraping slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Why are you so deep in our master's castle?"

"I-I was ordered to see the head servant, Otogi, and be placed in his care."

The man raised an eyebrow and began circling Ryou, sizing him up. The boy shifted uneasily, his cheeks burning from the feeling of being watched. It was unnerving having some three-hundred odd demons gazing at him, most of them with hungry expressions. He picked at his clothing without really meaning to, fully aware of his haggard appearance and the fact that he hadn't bathed in weeks. It was a shameful idea that a horde of fiends were cleaner than him.

The demon finally stopped pacing around him, returning to his spot in front of Ryou once more. "I'm not seeing why the master would want to keep you alive since you don't appear to be of much worth, but the master's wisdom exceeds mine." He said, his arms falling to his sides. "I am Otogi, the one you've been sent to see and the manager of sorts. It's my job to make sure everything here runs smoothly and no servant is out of place or boundaries. If the master has ordered me to take you into my care, then I shall."

Otogi called over a small male demon with waist length blonde hair and a rather revealing silver outfit. He began instructing the lower servant in a strange tongue while Ryou, red faced, forced himself to look anywhere but at the boy's face or lower body. The conversation ended swiftly, the boy racing off to retrieve a bundle from behind one of the beds which filled the room and when he returned Otogi waved his arm at them as an order to move along.

The little demon glared at Ryou as he passed, tucking whatever he had grabbed into the sleeve of his own tunic and tilted his head toward the passageway, indicating the human to follow him. The white haired boy obliged, glad to leave the servant quarters behind, and made sure to stay a few paces behind the demon, the years of human to demon etiquette he was forced to learn kicking in. 'No human, no matter how high of rank or noble of birth, should travel within four paces of a demon.'

After a few minutes of walking, they reached the fork in the path Ryou had come upon earlier. This time, he followed the blonde demon down the left hallway, his senses being assaulted by the nauseating smell of a marsh about thirty feet in. He covered his mouth and nose with his hands, the sleeves of his tunic only able to trap some of the stench.

The silence that had filled this way when Ryou had first passed it was slowly dissipating and being replaced by the croaking of frogs and humming of insects. Blinking in confusion, the human continued on, always careful he remain far behind the other. Not long after the smell was becoming unbearable did Ryou see a light forming in the distance. The flaming lights hung on the walls were lessening and being replaced by the soft light ahead the farther they went.

The dismal stone around him fell away gradually until they came out of the darkness and into a secluded part of the mountain, the rocks around him serving as the perfect form of protection and concealing anyone inside it from view. Nestled in the heart of this location was a large pond with weeds and other plants growing around its edges while insects and amphibians filled the air with their music. Ryou could also see fish speeding by under the surface, illuminated by the moon and stars, searching for food.

'Well, that would explain the smell.'

Keeping well apart from his demon companion, Ryou looked to him for instruction. He had a pretty good idea of what was expected of him, but didn't want to risk a beating or scolding by moving without instructions. The blonde boy didn't leave him waiting long.

"You are to bathe and get dressed in the proper attire of a servant of our master. Then, you will go up to the first floor of the castle to clean the libraries and sitting rooms. You are to work quickly and quietly. A slave is to be neither seen nor heard, but their job is still to be finished in due time." He dug the bundle he had acquired from behind a bed in the slave quarters from his tunic and tossed it to the ground at Ryou's feet.

Ryou bent to pick up the black tunic and silver belt (which is what he recognized they were) and heard the demon's feet hitting the stone as he went back down the passage.

Good, he didn't feel like having someone watch him as he bathed, anyway.

Slipping out of his tattered and worn clothing, the boy slid into the icy water, teeth chattering and limbs shivering. He gave himself time to adjust to the temperature before taking a deep breath and plunging under the water, wetting his hair. Ignoring the fish that scattered in alarm at his sudden movement, Ryou scrubbed his hair and skin viciously, fighting a losing battle against the grime and dirt caked in after weeks of abuse.

Coming up for air, he panted slightly, wiping his bangs from his forehead and out of his eyes. Leaning back, the boy allowed his muscles to relax for the first time in ages, the scent of the water only bothering him minimally. He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, taking in the crisp night air like it was a delicacy. How long had it been since he was able to sit, completely care free, and watch the stars? Had he ever even been allowed? If he had, he couldn't remember.

Several more dunks into the water and Ryou thought himself clean enough for his purposes, especially since he had no soap to use. Climbing up the bank and attempting to stay relatively unsoiled, he seized his new outfit in his hands and dressed quickly, careful not to muss up is hair when he pulled the shirt down over his head.

Squeezing the excess water from his white hair, Ryou flung it back behind his shoulder, listening to it hit his back with a wet smack. He hesitated before deciding to stuff his old clothing into his shirt sleeve and started back up through the tunnel.

------------------------------------------------------------

Ryou scrubbed the floor vigorously, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He had made it up to the first floor and managed to find most if not all of the libraries and sitting rooms. He would have never made it if it hadn't been for the lights that followed him wherever he went, almost like magic. The cleaning supplies laid out for him in the corner of the first room were a big help, too.

Hours had gone by while he worked, the job at hand taking his mind off Malik for the time being. In a way, he was thankful for this short reprieve. Right now, he sat hunched over on his hands and knees, back aching, cleaning the tiles of the last sitting room.

Sighing, he sat up and wiped his forehead, arching his back faintly and listening to the pops this action caused. He scratched his head and yawned as he plopped the brush he had been using back into the bucket of soapy water at his side. Dropping his arms to his sides, Ryou moved around uncomfortably, stopping when his legs were crossed out in front of him, his bottom on the floor.

The boy closed his eyes and allowed his head to roll back, arms flung out behind to support his weight while his hair pooled over his back and shoulders. He was snapped to attention, however, when the sounds of voices outside were heard. Perking his ears, Ryou got to his feet and collected his equipment, hurrying out of sight. Like the blonde demon had said, servants are to be neither seen nor heard.

Slipping under one of the heavy curtains hung over the windows, Ryou peeked around the cloth, and glanced into the hallway. The voices came closer until finally a pair of demons came into view, one male with short brown hair and a dark outfit like Dorei's, and the other female with shoulder length black hair and a severe looking face. She, too, wore pants and a shirt like Dorei's, only it accentuated her more feminine features.

Ryou's heart jumped to his throat as he saw who was between them. The two demons were dragging a very familiar blonde across the floor. He may have been torn, bloodied, and bruised, but the white haired boy would recognize his best friend anywhere.

Malik had arrived.

TBC

Holy monkeys, I'm really sorry for the late update. I bought the Sims for PC and I've been addicted to it ever since. I downloaded some Yu-gi-oh skins for the game, so right now I'm trying to get my virtual Bakuras and Marik and Malik together. xD

Hoping you all enjoyed this chapter. I tried to make it a little longer than the first chapter to make up for the wait. :/ Don't worry, I'm going to finish Opal ch 12 next, then over the weekend I'm going to make myself finish ch 13 of Opal and ch 3 of Fate. They should be up by Monday or Tuesday if Sims doesn't get to me first.

Any questions you may have for this story will (hopefully) all be cleared up next chapter.

Please leave me a review if you enjoyed the story. It helps motivate me to stop playing Sims long enough to write when I have nice reviews. xP


	3. Reunion

Ryou left his cleaning supplies lying forgotten next to the wall and trailed after the guards stealthily, careful not to make

Thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter. You all make my day.

Also, I'm extremely sorry for taking so long to get this written and uploaded. I've been both sick and lazy these last two weeks, and I apologize for that.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-gi-oh or any of its characters and I make no profit from this story.

Now, without further adieu, ch 3!

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Ryou left his cleaning supplies lying forgotten next to the wall and trailed after the guards stealthily, careful not to make a sound and draw attention to himself. He stuck close to the stone beside him, hands gliding along its rough surface to guide his footing, which had become unsure once the light around him dissolved away. Apparently, the lamps within the halls knew when to illuminate one's path and when to veil them in darkness.

The boy closed the distance between the guards and himself, eyes narrowing to scrutinize his friend between them. From this angle, he had a clear view of the unconscious boy's wounds - a busted lip, bruised cheeks, both eyes black and swollen, and several cuts adorning his arms, legs, and what could be seen of his chest above the neckline of his tunic. His hair was greasy and limp, much like Ryou's earlier that night, and his bronzed skin showed almost black with dust and filth.

Ryou had to force back his tears at the sight.

The demons dragged the blonde human to the throne room, where Ryou suspected they would be offering him to their master. Swallowing, the boy followed as far as he dared, stopping just outside of the heavy double doors that led into the crimson room where he had met the vampire just hours before. With ear attached to the door, he listened intently for voices from inside.

"Ah, I see you have brought the other human as I've instructed." The silky tone of the vampire master reached Ryou clearly through the mahogany wood barring him from the conversation. "Take him down to the servant chambers and have him cleaned and fed. Maybe once he's had a bath that disgusting stench of illness and sweat will be gone from my castle."

He heard the mumbling of the demons in answer, then the clinking of their boots against the marble floors. Ryou panicked, tearing away from the door and rushing into the first room he found, which turned out to be a library. He ducked between two book cases and under an overstuffed couch which was set against the wall, only barely fitting thanks to his poor physical condition. He positioned himself so he could see through the array of old, dusty books and out into the hall, perking his ears and waiting for the demons to pass with Malik.

They didn't take an extensive amount of time, and once their steps and muffled talking quieted, Ryou crawled out of hiding and made his way back to the sitting room where he collected his supplies and raced down the path to the servant rooms.

He slipped into the large scale area moments after the demon guards, mindful of the other servants huddled near the archway, hoping to catch a glimpse of the newcomer. The boy discarded his bucket of soapy water and brush near the wall and navigated through the crowd, stopping mere feet away from Malik who was still within the guards' grasp. His heart was pounding in his chest and his breathing came out in short gasps as he watched the head servant, Otogi, enter the circle of onlookers and make his way to the three new arrivals.

"What is this?" The black hair demon asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Another human slave being kept for our master?" The others immediately grew silent as the superior pair of fiends began to speak.

"Not quite. This one is to be fed and healed until he is in decent condition, then he will be offered to our master's brother as a gift." The woman said, her voice not completely feminine. Her male counterpart nodded and brought Malik forward, tossing him haphazardly to the ground in front of Otogi. "Begin his treatment now or else he may not survive the coming weeks." They left without further explanation, their boots beating against the stone floors as they went.

Otogi put his hands on his thin hips, eyes narrowed. 'Assholes.' He thought venomously. Alas, an order was an order. He glanced down at the blonde lying in a heap at his feet and raised his head, spotting Ryou. Waving the human over, he clasped the other's arm in a clawed hand and spoke calmly. "Take this boy to the sick tent," he pointed to one of the few covered areas of the room, "and cure him at once. You will be staying by his side until he is well. Understood?"

Ryou bowed his head respectfully, grateful when he was released and the demons began thinning, uninterested now that the main show had ended. He dropped to his knees beside Malik, running a hand through the gnarled mop of hair and tried hard to keep his emotions in check. Swallowing audibly, he stood and heaved his friend up, hands settling under his armpits as he pulled the other boy across the floor, through groups of servants, and finally into an unoccupied tent, its material ripped and patched in several spots.

It took several moments to get Malik settled atop one of the beds, the boy's weight, though minimal thanks to years of improper nutrition, being a challenge for Ryou to lift. Once the blonde was positioned comfortably on the blankets, the white-haired human went off to gather a bowl of water and medical supplies. He was only able to collect a few bottles of ointment and salve, along with a single roll of bandages. Apparently, the demon servants didn't feel it necessary to offer too many of their important provisions to a human.

Placing the bowl of relatively clean water and other items on the bedside table, Ryou reached for a rag lying abandoned on the floor and dipped it into the cool liquid, wetting it fully. Squeezing out the excess fluid, he moved to clean the grime and dried blood from Malik's tanned flesh, grimacing as infection and puss oozed from the open wounds. 'No wonder he's out cold.' He was sure it would take weeks of recuperation for the blonde to be up and walking again, though hopefully he would wake soon and be coherent enough to tell Ryou what had happened. He couldn't deny he wished desperately to hear the other's voice.

After tending to Malik's arms, legs, and torso, he wiped the cloth across the boy's face, jumping back as those violet eyes opened suddenly, the pupil's dilating with fevered delirium. The blonde gazed fearfully around the room for a few seconds, then focused on Ryou. Recognition shown in his eyes and he stopped the nervous fidgeting which had started upon his return to consciousness.

"R-Ryou?" he choked, reaching feebly. Mentally slapping himself, Ryou went back to Malik's side, grasping his friend's hand firmly. He felt tears slide down his cheeks and heard the soft patter as they came to rest on the blankets of the bed. He brought the tan digits to his lips and kissed the blonde's fingers lovingly, happy beyond belief Malik had woken.

"I'm here, Malik. How are you feeling?" he asked breathlessly, leaning over the other and placing the wet rag over his forehead. "I've been so worried about you." He whispered as an afterthought.

Malik smiled tiredly, reciprocating the gentle embrace of Ryou's hand. "I guess I'm alright, if you don't count the nausea, headache, raging pain throughout my body, and the feeling that I'm bathing in my own sweat."

The pale boy chuckled lamely, setting the blonde's hand back on the bed. "You'll heal in time. Don't worry, I promise to take excellent care of you." He took a jar of ointment and the bandages from the table nearby, depositing the roll of cloth near the other's limp hand as he pried off the cap to the container and scooped some of the white substance onto his index finger. He then put it back in its prior place, its top next to it, and returned to the task of dressing the blonde's wounds.

As he applied the medicine and bandages to Malik's injuries, he attempted to strike up a conversation and decided he might as well ask the question that had been plaguing him ever since his friend had returned.

"What happened to you?" his tone was soft and delicate so as not to upset the boy. He didn't want Malik thinking he was expected to talk about his ordeal, but rather to let him know that he was willing to listen if the blonde wanted to.

His companion was silent for a minute, then his lips parted. "I'll tell you, but first I need a drink. My throats too dry for such a long story."

"Oh! I'm sorry! Of course!" Ryou hurried to fulfill the request, snatching a spare cup from one of the other tables and dipping it into the bowl of water. He wrinkled his nose as he helped Malik drink. 'It may be dirty, but it's better than nothing.'

Once the other drained the offering, the white-haired boy replaced the mug where he had found it and sat on the sheets beside his friend. He heard the blonde clear his throat, and instantly perked his ears, ready to listen.

"Well, as you can tell, I've been roughed up since last we saw each other." He gave Ryou a weak grin. "It was the demons in the prison that did this to me. I only made it a few hundred feet into the woods before they caught up and tackled me to the ground." Malik grimaced. "They were so angry. So very angry that we had escaped."

Ryou clasped his hand as the blonde swallowed harshly and continued. "At that time I didn't know if they had captured you as well, so I refused to admit I had an accomplice. They beat me until I could hardly move, then carried me to the prison and down to the dungeons for punishment."

Biting his lower lip, the smaller of the two released the blonde's hand and lowered himself to the blankets, arms wrapping securely around Malik's fever heated neck and shoulders and held him close. "Oh, Malik." He murmured, planting a chaste kiss to the tan cheek. The other turned into his touch, nuzzling against him and closing his eyes. "Please tell me what happened next." Ryou heard his friend's breath hitch at the request and tightened his grip.

"It was terrible, Ryou. They strapped me to some sort of metal chair found in one of the torture rooms deep within the prison, and once I was tied down they used any type of weapon they could find to cause me pain. Knives, teeth, fists – anything that was available. I'm eternally grateful that you weren't there with me. I don't think you could have survived the experience."

"I don't think so, either." Ryou said, bringing Malik closer. "You've always been much stronger than me, a quality I've secretly envied for as long as we've known each other." The blonde lifted one of his hands and encircled the younger's delicate wrist, thumb kneading the smooth skin affectionately.

"It was a good thing you weren't there." Malik repeated, shifting toward his bedmate. "The 'session' only lasted thirty minutes or so, but it seemed like an eternity to me. Then, just as they were about to end my life, the door to the room is thrown open and we're interrupted by a band of high class demons in armor. These new demons strutted in as if they owned the land, easily tossing aside any of the prison guards who got in their way, and stopped right next to me, still bound to the seat."

A hush fell over the room, the blonde having gritted his teeth at the memory. "What did they say?" Ryou prompted, pressing his cheek against Malik's and trying his best to calm the other boy.

"I was almost completely out of it at this point." He confessed, his lengthy pause over. "I remember hearing something about a vampire master by the name of Bakura ordering I be brought to him, no matter what claim the prison had on me. The guards began to bicker and argue at this news, but when the higher fiends withdrew their weapons and moved to strike, they conceded and allowed me to be taken away."

"So, his name is Bakura, huh?" Ryou muttered absentmindedly. 'I'm probably not allowed to know his name since he's considered superior to me. I need to watch what I say around anyone other than Malik from now on. I'd hate to slip up and be disciplined.'

"You didn't know?" a voice broke into his thoughts, startling him.

"Huh?" The white-haired boy sputtered, staring at his friend. "No, I didn't know about any vampire lord in this or any other region."

Malik sighed. "Ryou, you really can be dense sometimes."

The younger's cheeks puffed out in spite of himself. "What are you talking about? No one in the prison ever mentioned anything about a vampire lord named Bakura living nearby. I would have heard it if they had!"

"Apparently you wouldn't have, since they did mention it. Plenty of times, in fact."

Ryou blushed heatedly and held his tongue for a moment before replying. "When did all this happen?"

"Oh, every so often one of the demons would gossip about the subject." Malik said, giving him a smug look. "Anyway," he said, breaking the friendly atmosphere, "I have a few things I want to know." Ryou nodded, showing that he was paying attention. "First, why are you and I here in Bakura's castle?"

'Great.' He growled to himself. Now he was obligated to tell his friend what was in store for him. Just perfect. "Um, well, I'm supposed to stay here and be the vampire's servant. You, on the other hand, won't be here for long."

"What do you mean?"

Ryou braced himself for the inevitable reaction. "You…Bakura plans on presenting you to his half brother when you're well and in better condition."

A look of confusion passed over Malik's face, then bled into one of pure fury. "He's giving me away to a family member like I was some sort of pet!?" The blonde was absolutely seething as he attempted to sit up. "That bastard, how dare he?! I didn't escape one hell just to be tossed into another one!"

"I know you didn't." Ryou said, rising and balancing himself on his elbows above his friend, effectively pinning him to the spot. "Neither of us anticipated this scenario, but there's nothing we can do about it, not unless you think you're up to battling a vampire lord and his hordes of demons."

His friend looked away, eyes narrowed in anger. Ryou took the rag from Malik's forehead and wiped the older boy's face once again before tossing the piece of cloth into the water bowl. The gentle action helped quell the blonde's rage, at least for the time being, and he listened as the other spoke.

"Bakura said he was going to offer you to his half brother because of your similarities in appearance." Ryou sat up, emerald eyes never leaving the blonde's face. "He's probably only keeping me here because of our own resemblance."

Malik soaked in this information, a thought striking him. "You said he knew I looked like his brother, and this is why he chose to send his demons after me?" At Ryou's nod his eyebrows knitted in concentration. "How would he know that?"

"I'm not really sure. He was speaking to me about my escape from the prison and you were brought up somehow. He seemed interested in you and asked me how you looked, so I described your skin color and hair. After I did, he went still and this strange feeling came over me, and once it was gone he said that you resembled his brother."

"It sounds like he used a mind trick on you." He glanced in Ryou's direction, clarifying when the younger boy shot him a baffled expression. "I've heard that vampires have special powers that allow them to read your mind, among other things. It wouldn't have mattered if you had lied to him, he would have found the truth eventually and you most likely would have been punished for wasting his time."

"Oh." That was a frightening revelation, the fact that he couldn't even have his thoughts to himself. It was no wonder this Bakura had such a strong hold over the castle, he could simply listen for any hint of rebellion and snuff it out immediately. 'Out of all the castles in the region why did I have to end up at this one?' he sighed. Nice to see his terrible luck hadn't run out yet.

Malik suddenly yawned and burrowed deeper into the covers, eyes drooping. Ryou smiled and stood, taking hold of the blankets and covering his friend, tucking him in in a motherly manner. He waited for his friend's breathing grew even, then left, intent on taking a bath and finding a meal. He would bring some food back for his fellow human as well, sure that Malik would eat it once he woke up.

Exiting the tent, he searched for Otogi, discovering the demon near the back of the room ordering a group of childlike servants to do some chore or another. He lingered in the shadows until the man was finished and moved forward, catching his eye. "Sir, I wished to ask your permission to take a bath."

Otogi paused and considered him. "Well, I guess it would be alright. You have been in the sick room for quite some time now and you humans never did have decent immune systems." He waved him off. "Go ahead, then, but don't take too long. I want all the servants in bed soon so we can get an early start tomorrow."

Bowing as he backed up, Ryou turned and made a beeline for the archway. He didn't want to come into contact with any of his peers, the dirty looks they sent him showing they felt the same way. Once safely out in the hall, he slowed his steps to an acceptable pace and walked the path down to the bog.

The smell of rotting plants and stagnant water filled his nose, alerting him that he was drawing near. Breathing through his mouth, he hurried along the stone floor, fingers sliding along the walls lazily. Moonlight filtered through an opening in front of him and the familiar sound of insects and splashing of fish reached his ears, offering their own unique forms of soothing relief to the night's earlier hardships.

He stripped quickly, folding his black tunic and belt neatly and placing them on the ground near the edge of the water, then slipped into the marsh with a shudder. He scrubbed his hair and skin quickly, Otogi's words still fresh in his mind. He couldn't take his time right now, he was needed back in the slave quarters as soon as possible.

The water dripped from him as he scrambled out onto the bank, cleaner and less worse for wear. Snatching up his clothing, he dressed and hurried back the way he had come, turning the corner which led to his new lodgings once he reached it. Finding his way to the entrance without any problems, he entered unnoticed.

Ignoring the dull roar of the demons talking amongst themselves as he explored the area, he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of food lying around unguarded. He didn't know where the kitchens were in the castle (or even if that was where he was to get his meals) and didn't want to risk getting lost within the many winding halls to find them.

Nose quivering, he picked up the scent of some type of soup and upon inspection of the room he spotted a female demon a few yards away serving others from a large cooking pot with a crackling fire underneath it. Following the servants example, he took up two bowls from a crate on the ground and stood in line, patiently waiting his turn.

When the man in front of him was finished, he scooted up to the woman and held out the bowls, thanking her quietly when she reluctantly filled them. Weaving through the demons standing by and slurping their soup, he made his way to the patched tent and maneuvered through the flap and to Malik's side, mindful of his goods.

Setting one of the steaming bowls on the bedside table, he went over to a vacant bed and sat, eating his meal hungrily. His stomach still ached when he had swallowed the last few drops, but he couldn't go back. He had received several glares by just getting two bowls, there was no telling what the others would say if he asked for more.

Discarding his dish on the floor, he lay down and pulled the blankets up to his nose, curling into a protective ball on the lumpy mattress. It wasn't much, but it was certainly better than his sleeping arrangements while living in the prison.

Gaze never leaving his friend's peaceful face, he allowed his body to relax and awaited sleep to claim him.

TBC

Wow. I seriously wrote about 5 pages of this in one night. .

Hope you all liked it and thought it was worth the wait. (Probably wasn't, but whatever) Next chapter – stuff will happen. Excited, aren't you? :P


	4. New Task

Time passed slowly while trapped within the walls of the castle, and the pale young human watched absently as the prospect of

HOLY. SHIT. This chapter took me forever to write and I'm still not very happy with it. . Hope you all have a better opinion of it than I do.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-gi-oh or any of its related characters and I make no profit from this story.

Ch. 4

Time passed slowly while trapped within the walls of the castle, and the pale young human watched absently as the prospect of his freedom drifted further from his grasp. The longer he remained on his knees scrubbing floors and dusting decade-old furniture, the harder it would be to adjust to a life without a master if he ever found himself in such a position.

Though, no matter how many sneers he was forced to endure and the amount of hours he lay in bed with sore and stiff muscles, deep in his heart Ryou was somewhat thankful for this reprieve from life outside. He may have been doing the work of a slave, but here, under the title of servant, he was kept fed, clean, and protected from the dangers of the wild. The threat of demons and their pets ripping him apart for food or just mere entertainment no longer resided at the forefront of his mind, but now only took up residence in his late-night reflections.

Malik, too, was doing well under the circumstances. His health improved to the point where he was able to move about without aid, and, like Ryou, had gained multiple pounds now that he had access to three meals throughout the night. It also didn't come as a surprise to the other boy when the blonde began building a muscular physique and formed a new tendency to develop an attitude with his superiors. This defiance had quickly been restrained by his fellow human's quiet reproaches and constant surveillance of his behavior, for Ryou feared what trouble Malik would get himself into if he acted on his revulsion of the situation.

Ryou hated having to coerce his friend to submit and follow commands, but he shuddered to think of the alternative. It was hard enough to accept having Malik torn from him and taken to another area of the country, he didn't wish to take on the added worry of the other being executed for treason.

At the moment, though, he refused to allow himself to linger on such dreary thoughts, and continued his walk with Malik to fulfill their cleaning duties. The two's sandal-clad feet slapped softly against the stone floor leading from the servant quarters as they went, making their way slowly to the stairs leading to the upper floors. Their voices echoed off the walls as they spoke to one another about minor events, too worried about being overheard to talk about anything of importance.

Ryou adjusted his black tunic, shifting the material over his shoulders as it began to droop. "This thing is a size or two too big for me." He complained, glaring at Malik as the other boy chuckled.

"Maybe if you'd eat a little more you'd grow into it." The blonde said, poking his friend in the ribs and pulling back his hand when Ryou moved to slap it away. "It's true, even though we have access to food now, you only eat about half of what I do."

"That's because I'm not a glutton and I only eat until I feel full." The smaller boy replied, folding his arms and ignoring the bucket in his grasp as it swung and bumped into his stomach at the movement, the water within it splashing against the sides. "I think I look fine, definitely an improvement from my life back in the prison."

"Yes, that's true." Malik was silent for a moment as he picked at his own tunic, noting how the silver material bunched near his waist thanks to the crudely tied soot-colored belt. "We both are doing much better now that we're here in this castle, I have to admit. I still don't appreciate being kept as a slave, however." He ended with a growl, violet eyes turning to the ground and an angry scowl forming on his lips as his arms dropped back to his sides.

"It's really not that bad." Ryou soothed, running his hand down his friend's sleeve. "Ba – I mean, the vampire master doesn't bother us unless he needs a specific type of work done for him, and the other slaves don't want much to do with us, either. So it's peaceful, at least."

"What about the vampire's brother?" the older boy's voice dropped. "My future master. How do you think he treats his subordinates, especially one who is given as a gift?"

Ryou winced at the words and his steps faltered. Malik was right, what about Bakura's brother? Would he be kinder toward the blonde? Cruel? What if he was just uncaring, like the white-haired vampire? There were so many questions concerning the tanned boy's fate, and they would not be answered until the night the other vampire master visited the castle and they were given the opportunity to see his manner for themselves.

Malik noticed his companions pause, and bit his tongue, furious with himself. "Look, forget what I said. I'm sorry I brought it up."

"No, we can't push it to the back of our minds and pretend it's not going to happen." Ryou murmured, a deeply rooted sadness beginning to fester in the pit of his stomach. "This other vampire will be among us soon, and we need to have prepared ourselves beforehand for the hurt that is to follow his arrival."

The elder human looked away, giving Ryou a moment of privacy as the boy wiped away the tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. When Malik turned back, his friend's cheeks remained dry.

"Don't worry, Ryou. Somehow, I'll figure out a way for us to see each other. It may not be every night, or even once a week, but as long as you, my one true friend, aren't completely taken from me, I'll be able to endure any amount of shame and ridicule at the hands of my master." He stopped at the foot of the rocky stairs and embraced the other, giving him a gentle squeeze before releasing him once more. "Now come on, let's get the night's work finished so we can rest."

Ryou nodded, biting his lip to keep it from trembling. He trailed behind Malik as they ascended the staircase, a small light up ahead indicating they were close to the first floor of the castle. This was where their labor was to start, and from here they would move on to the second and third levels, cleaning the rooms indicated to them earlier by Otogi. It didn't bother Ryou that they were given many more tasks than the other slaves – on the contrary, he was happy to have something he could throw his mind and body into and gave him the opportunity to forget his troubles. Any activity that brought him reprieve from his grief was time well spent.

Noticing Malik was far ahead of him now, Ryou hurried to catch up, bucket clanking noisily as he ran. Side by side, they continued through the halls, taking care to be as silent as possible. Slinking through the shadows, they came upon the first room, a sitting room, and both sighed as they took in the sight of new dust and grime which had gathered over the previous day.

"Honestly, how is it that all this dirt keeps coming back, no matter how often we clean?" Malik asked, snatching a brush from the bucket and dropping to his knees, water sloshing onto the floor as he moved. "Every night we scrub, polish, and dust until all of our assigned rooms are spotless, then the next night we come to clean and it looks as if nothing has been done."

"Yes, this castle is strange." Ryou agreed, placing the bucket on the stone floor and well away from the finely sewn rugs lying nearby. Removing a cloth from an inner pocket of his tunic, he padded over to the mantel above the unlit fireplace and set to work, wiping away the grime from the darkly stained wood. "Perhaps this is just a normal occurrence in a vampire's lair. The air can begin to smell decrepit at times, and the atmosphere is almost stifling when you first enter a room that has been overlooked for a day or two. I know this may sound foolish, but I believe this building is decaying under our feet."

"From what I've seen in just these past few weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if you were right." The blonde muttered, throwing himself into his task of washing the floors. His nose wrinkled in disgust as he scraped away a rather tough stain, fingertips turning white from the effort. "Damn floors." He growled, glaring at the snicker from his friend across the room. "Would you want to switch places with me, Ryou? I'm sure dusting couldn't possibly compare with the elation cleaning floors brings you."

Ryou shook his head, still laughing. "No thanks, Malik. I wouldn't want to part you with such an entertaining chore."

"Jerk." Malik huffed, releasing the brush and sitting back to rest. "You're lucky I like you so much or else I wouldn't volunteer to do all these grueling jobs."

"I know. Thank you, Malik. I appreciate your compassion." Ryou offered him a sweet smile, then turned and moved onto one of the exquisitely tailored chairs, clearing away the layer of dust that had accumulated over the course of the day.

A silence fell over the two, the only sound in the room being the gentle swishing of the pale human's rag as it swiped over the surface of the leather chairs and Malik's deep, even breathing. The tan boy exhaled loudly, then dried his hands on his tunic and kneaded his muscles, shifting uncomfortably on the rough stone floor. His eyes wandered once again to Ryou, who had paused and was now standing with his head cocked to the side and his gaze locked on the open door behind Malik.

"What is it?" the elder asked, lips clamping shut when his companion held up a hand and leaned forward, obviously listening intently to something. Malik blinked, then he, too, perked his ears, trying to discover what had Ryou acting so strangely. He frowned after a moment when he recognized the thud of boots in the hallway coming toward them.

'Who?' the blonde thought, body tensing at the prospect of a threat approaching. 'Is it just a guard passing by or something more?' He swallowed and jumped to his feet as a male demon in armour appeared in the doorway, sword in hand.

The guard halted and upon seeing the two humans take a defensive step back, re-sheathed his weapon and placed his hands on the frame of the door. "Don't cower from me, humans, I was not sent to take your lives." At their uneasy glances toward one another, he continued. "The master has sent me to collect you. It seems he has thought up a decent use for you, after all. Now come, I have much more to do and you are holding me up." Arms falling back to his sides, he left, closely followed by the two young servants.

The three walked through the winding halls, Malik and Ryou staying a safe distance behind their demon consort. They passed suits of ancient armour, rooms sealed off from peering eyes, and stairwells leading to the top and basement floors of the castle. While the white-haired boy wrung his hands warily during the trip, the blonde curled his into fists, arms shaking and knuckles whitening from the force. He didn't trust this demon or their new master, and until he was physically hauled away from Ryou and his current home, he would protect himself and the other boy from harm.

They had traveled to the other end of the castle by the time the demon stopped outside of a dark and heavy looking oak door, the sudden change in pace causing the two humans to almost bump into the creature's back. The boys peered curiously as the guard knocked loudly, waiting patiently to be given permission to enter. Both Malik and Ryou stiffened when the muffled voice of the vampire master, Bakura, reached their ears, his irritated tone sending their hearts racing. The guard gripped the knob and opened the door, stepping into the room beyond and motioning for the others to enter as well.

Huddling close together (Ryou out of fear and Malik out of the desire to keep his friend safe), the boys made their way past several chairs and other pieces of furniture and over to a window on the other side of the room where their current master stood, silhouetted by the moonlight flowing in through the glass. The vampire came forward to meet them, waving away the guard irritably. "I merely wanted to see the pale human, not the blonde. Why have you brought both?"

The male demon bowed low. "Forgive me, master. They were together when I found them, so I allowed the blonde to come, too. I am sorry for going against your wishes."

Bakura growled. "Do not do it again. Now leave, I tire of your presence." He watched the guard leave and once the door shut with a click, hiding them from view, the vampire glared at the humans. "You," he pointed to Malik and a snarl fell from his lips, "step back. You are not to be a part of this conversation."

The blonde narrowed his eyes a fraction, but did as he was told, slinking to one of the corners of the room and dropping down to sit on the hard floor. He watched his friend and their master quietly, taking in each movement and attempting to guess what was going on by Ryou's reactions. The other boy didn't look as though he was being threatened, so Malik relaxed somewhat and let his mind wander.

"Servant, I have ordered you here to tell you of a job I have thought you able to do." Bakura began once he was sure the elder human wasn't within earshot. "I have seen you making much progress these last few weeks, and I am pleased to find you are no longer completely distasteful to the eye." He grinned wickedly at the blush of shame coloring the smaller boy's cheeks at his comment and persisted. "Since you are no longer a disgrace to your race, I've decided to allow you the position of Keeper."

"Keeper, master?" Ryou asked, unsure of what the vampire was referring to. What would he be keeper of, exactly?

"Yes, Keeper. You will be in charge of the welfare of someone quite important to the future of this castle and to the progression of my family name. I expect nothing less than the highest levels of proper care from you, and anything lower will be a disappointment." The vampire came closer, nose only a few inches from Ryou's. "Believe me, human, you do not want to disappoint me."

Ryou shrunk back, nodding his head nervously. "Yes, master. I will do as you say."

"Good." Bakura stepped back and motioned for the boys to follow him as he walked past the pale human and toward the door. Throwing it open, he left the room with the smaller males at his heels. "I will show you to your charge's room, where you will be spending the majority of your time." he said, head still facing forward. "Your blonde friend, of course, will not be joining you. He is to remain in his current status as a lower servant." Glancing back at Malik, the vampire narrowed his eyes. "Do I make myself clear?"

The white-haired human discreetly signaled to his friend, continuously nodding his head and lowering his eyes to the floor submissively. He desperately hoped the other understood his message and did as he told him. Ryou's heart leaped to his throat when Malik set his jaw, but a moment later his nerves settled as the tan boy mimicked his earlier actions.

Bakura snorted, but accepted the answer, returning his attention to his path. He was trailed by the two humans until they reached another flight of stairs leading to the slave housing, where he held out a hand to indicate he wished them to stop. The vampire crossed his arms before him as he kept his back to the boys, listening to their bare feet slap against the floor tiles as they halted. When only their breathing could be heard, he turned to address the taller human.

"Go to Otogi and tell him I have assigned the pale human servant to complete a specific task and to not expect the boy downstairs until early next morning. If he has any questions, he may come to me. Now, leave us."

Biting his lip, Malik slinked away toward the servant area, eager to find Otogi and inform him as to what was going on. He didn't like the idea of Ryou being assigned a unique post - one which led him far from the blonde's watchful eye – so he ordered himself to be more alert to any signs of stress or fear from his young friend. 'At least until I'm given to the other vampire lord, that is.' His face fell at the thought, and he moved on, mood taking a turn for the worst.

Back upstairs, Ryou was watching his master and shifting nervously. He didn't want to be alone with the other male, and he was also frightened as to who his 'charge' would be. He had taken care of people before, yes, but those had been friends and family of his, not a complete stranger. Not to mention whoever they were going to meet was considered important to his master, so if something were to go wrong, all blame (and punishments) would be transferred to him. The boy jumped when Bakura's terrifying gaze met his and the vampire raised his lip in disgust.

"Stop quivering like a coward and come with me." Bakura growled, continuing on his way.

"Yes, master." Ryou whispered, head lowered as he followed obediently.

Now just the two of them, they trudged onward through a few more extravagant hallways until finally Bakura halted outside of a beautifully decorated mahogany door, it's intricate designs catching Ryou's attention and drawing him closer in fascination. The vampire reached for the knob and entered the room, immediately being surrounded by a din of childish shouts and cries. The human behind him covered his ears, desperately trying to expel the horrid sounds. What on earth was going on?

"This," his master said, raising his voice to be heard over the racket, "is your new charge." He waved toward a young toddler near the center of the room who was currently in the middle of a tantrum and apparently the source of all the noise. "Meet my heir, Yukio."

Ryou stared incredulously. This boy was being placed in his care? His eyes widened as the child - who did look remarkably like Bakura, with the exception of his icy blue hair – hurled a rather heavy looking object at the head of a frantic female demon who was dressed in the normal garb of a servant. 'She must be his current caretaker.'

The boy didn't even acknowledge his father and the human in the room, as he was much too intent on his abuse of the woman a few feet away. More toys flew through the air, propelled with surprising force from such a young child, and each item was accompanied with a loud snarl or hiss from the little boy. Whatever had been done before Ryou and his master had entered the room had obviously upset him.

"Master!" the female demon gasped, having finally taken notice of the new arrivals and raced to bow before the vampire lord. "I did not realize you would be coming here!" She grimaced as another projectile hit her squarely in the back, but she did not move from her position at her master's feet.

"Yes, I did not inform you of my planned arrival tonight, though I'm sure you will be happy with what I am about to reveal to you." He motioned for the woman to stand, which she did, a confused expression on her face. "This boy," he waved in Ryou's direction, "will be replacing you as Yukio's guardian. You are to leave at once and see Otogi so you may be reassigned to another job."

The woman stood slack-jawed and completely stunned for a moment, then bowed once and left the room, practically running by Ryou in her eagerness to leave. To be honest, the human couldn't blame her. He had only been in the child's company for a minute or two and already he wanted to pull out his hair in frustration. With the prospect of caring for this boy for the rest of his time in the castle looming in his mind, he came to the conclusion that he would much rather be scrubbing floors with Malik.

"Well then, I'll leave you to your work." Ryou started at his master's words, flashing him a horrified look. The man ignored him, and, after shooting his now sullen son a quick glance, left the servant and the boy alone.

"Um." Ryou said, remaining as far from the vampire child as possible. "Hello, there." He squeaked when the boy, Yukio, climbed to his feet and came up to him, bypassing a queen sized bed and its deep red awning, two lovely embroidered chairs, and a finely carved wooden toy chest and dresser on the way. He came to a stop a meter from his new caretaker, and tilted his head, puffing out his small chest defiantly.

"My name is Yukio." He blurted in his childish voice, hands coming to rest on his hips. "I'm the heir to my father's castle, so I'm in charge when he's not around. You have to listen to what I say and do what I tell you to. If you don't, I'll tell father you're being bad and he'll punish you. Okay?"

Taken aback by the admonition, Ryou stared transfixed. Mentally shaking his head, he took control of himself once more and knit his brows as the child's words sank in. This boy had apparently gotten his way for quite some time now, seeing as how he believed he made the rules and everyone must abide by them. It was going to be hard dealing with Yukio in a kind and caring manner, he was sure of it. For now, he would play along with the boy, and hopefully, through gentle persuasion and decent role modeling on Ryou's part, he would change in his ways.

"Alright, I understand." The white-haired teen answered, falling to his knees in a polite manner. "My name is Ryou, by the way. It's nice to meet you, Yukio."

"Ryou?" Yukio raised his lip, the resemblance between him and his father uncanny. "That's a stupid name. That demon had a dumb name, too. I guess all slaves are boring like that."

"Yes, I suppose." Ryou said, trying to keep calm. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

The young vampire crossed his arms and turned his back to Ryou, returning to his forgotten toys and flopping down to the floor with a thud. At first, Ryou thought his question was to go unanswered, but then the boy spoke. "I'm twenty-two years old, servant."

"Twenty-two?" The human gaped, wondering if Yukio was just fooling with him. The boy, however, seemed completely serious as he lost interest in his new companion and went back to playing roughly with an assortment of blocks and wooden figures. 'Twenty-two years old? He doesn't look a day over four!' Ryou thought, tapping his chin thoughtfully. 'Though, now that I think about it, vampires are legendary creatures who are known to live many hundreds of years. Perhaps it takes them longer to grow than a human would. In that respect, his age makes sense.'

Shrugging, he sat on the floor across from the boy, making sure to stay well out of range of his throwing arm. 'It would probably be best to not tell him my own age. His ego is already inflated enough, he doesn't need to know he's older than his concierge.'

"Hey, servant." Yukio yelled suddenly, tossing a figurine in Ryou's direction. "Go get me something to eat, I'm hungry."

"You're hungry? Do you want me to find you some blood?" Where was he going to get blood? He surely wasn't expected to cut himself up in order to provide his master's heir with sustenance. Was he?

"It doesn't have to be blood. Stupid servant, don't you know that legend about vampires only eating blood is only half right? We can eat other things, so go get me something different."

Sighing, Ryou clambered up and stretched his back. He might as well stick with his earlier plan and do as the boy said. "Okay, I'll get you something to eat." He conceded. "Though, I can't leave you here while I'm gone, it's too dangerous. Your father needs you to stay safe, and he'd be angry with me if I left you all alone. So, why don't you come with me? If you do, then you can pick out something you'd like to eat instead of me picking something for you." Ryou crossed his fingers behind his back as he finished his statement, hoping the child would comply. While it was a good point that he would get into trouble for leaving Yukio alone, he also didn't know where the kitchen was located.

Eying the human critically, the toddler nodded, agreeing to go with the older boy. "Fine. I don't trust you to pick out something good, anyway." Abandoning his playthings once more, Yukio got up and proceeded to leave, not caring that Ryou was far behind him.

'Now I understand why that demon was in such a hurry to leave.' Ryou thought, mumbling under his breath, as he ran after the boy, wondering what exactly he had done to deserve such a dreadful task.

TBC

Finally. Stupid chapter. :K

I'm not sure if some people are confused by this, but this story takes place during the night hours. Since Bakura is a vampire, all the activity in the castle takes place at night while the daylight hours are for sleeping. So, Ryou and Malik are forever to remain in the darkness.

Yes, Bakura has an heir. He's a little bastard, isn't he? –snuggles him- Some of you may not like the idea of Bakura having a son, but believe me, this kid is going to be essential to Ryou and his master's relationship. So, deal with him. xD

If you're wondering where Yukio's mamma went, you'll find out later.

Oh, and Marik will show up soon, too, don't worry.

Also, just want to restate this so no one gets confuzzled from now on: In this story, vampires don't just drink blood. Yes, I know, I'm going against all the other vampire stories (that I know of), but it works better for this fic if they aren't just limited to guzzling blood.

Also again, I AM working going to post Yami/Yugi and Seto/Jou lemon interludes for Opal soon. Give me a few days. :p

Did you like it? Do you still wuffle me? Then review, please!


	5. The Master Arrives

The white-haired human gasped loudly and leaned heavily against the wall beside him, trying to catch his breath and remain on

Since it took me so damn long to get this chapter written and uploaded, I won't put anything extremely important in the opening notes so it's more convenient to ignore them.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-gi-oh or any of its characters and I make no profit from this story.

Ch 5

The white-haired human gasped and leaned heavily against the wall beside him, trying to catch his breath and remain on his feet. He could hear the angry chatter of Yukio ahead as the boy called for him to hurry, and it only filled him with a weariness he hadn't felt in years. He wiped his forehead and pressed his cheek against the wall, collecting his thoughts and taking time to enjoy the sensation of the cool stone against his heated flesh. He was rudely torn from his moment of serenity, though, when yet another yell sounded from down the hall, making him jump slightly and sending his heart thumping with anxiety.

Deciding he'd better return to Yukio, Ryou stood straight and stretched his back painfully, holding the stitch in his side dejectedly. 'Three nights,' He told himself as he shook his head and jogged onward to catch the small terror that he had been assigned to watch, 'Three whole nights of doing nothing but traipsing after Yukio, feeding him, clothing him, putting him to bed, and eventually leaving his side to stumble down to the slave housing to catch a few precious hours of sleep, only to wake up the next night and do it all over again.'

He felt tears stinging forming at the corner of his eyelids, and his eyes narrowed in fury and frustration. 'I've hardly seen or spoken to Malik, and he'll be taken away soon. All I want to do is spend these last few days with my best friend before he's passed off like some cheap housewarming gift, but it's as though fate is refusing me even this simple request.'

Setting his jaw, Ryou came around the corner at the end of the hall which led to the upper stories, panting for breath and sweaty from his attempts to keep up with the vampire child. This was where he found Yukio, his tiny hands placed upon his hips and a grim scowl adorning his face.

"What took you so long?! I was waiting here for a long time, you know! You humans, you never were any good at anything. I still don't know why father keeps you around - you're as worthless as a dog without legs!"

Ryou blinked at that, wondering where Yukio had heard such a unique, albeit strange, simile. Mentally rolling his eyes, he stepped within close range of the boy and gave a short, stiff bow, hiding the sudden curl in his lip at the action. Damn he hated treating this kid like royalty.

"I'm sorry, young master." Ryou apologized, wincing at the salutation he was forced to use when addressing the boy, "It won't happen again." Straightening once more, he held back his own glare he wished so badly to direct at Yukio and instead put on his usual submissive, neutral expression.

"It better not." The young vampire sneered (which only made him look more like his father, if that was even possible) as he showed Ryou his back and continued toward his play room at a surprising pace for one so short. His human attendant pursued him, making sure to keep a good distance between himself and the boy, as was the proper way of doing things between a slave and his master. Yukio smirked, enjoying the power he held over this human and the other servants of the house, all because of his lineage.

"It's nice to be able to give the slaves orders." He threw over his shoulder, sharp eyes watching the human for a reaction. How would his silent keeper respond to him? With anger? Disdain? Maybe a bit of sorrow at his position? Anything would be better than the taller boy's usual soft replies and unyielding compliance. Yukio was surprised, however, when Ryou offered him a bit of a smile and focused his eyes on a spot near the vampire's ear.

"I wonder, young master, if the slaves revere you for your accomplishments or simply because they are ordered to do so."

Yukio paused, gaze not leaving the human's face. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean that there are two types of respect, young master - that which comes from fear, and that which comes from admiration for the ruler. You see, if a group of people cares for their leader and appreciates his good deeds and concern for their well-being, they will be more inclined to fight for him. If people only follow their leader because they fear him, they will not hesitate to abandon him when he is in danger or need of their help." Ryou's smile widened a fraction. "I was just curious as to which respect the workers of this house held for you."

The young vampire frowned in thought and he glanced at a spot on the wall. He felt the human servant's eyes on him, but ignored it for the time being. "I'm sure it's the first one." He spat, turning up his chin and continuing through the hall and up the stairs toward his room.

Ryou chuckled and went to catch up, knowing full well Yukio had taken his speech a bit more seriously than he was letting on. Hopefully the boy would think on what he had said and change his attitude – God knows he needed to. If not, then at the very least the idea of his servants turning on him during his rule might make somewhat of an impact on him.

Running up the stairs and past a few rooms, Ryou came to Yukio's playroom, the door of which was wide open, revealing the ocean blue walls and whitewashed lining, large expanse of rugs, plush furniture, and toys within. He also caught sight of his charge, who had planted himself in the corner of the room nearest to one of the gorgeously designed windows and was smashing two figurines together with alarming might. The moonlight filtering through the glass behind the boy gave an eerie glow to the vampire's icy blue hair and pallid skin, leaving Ryou with a feeling of fright and nervousness that had not been unfamiliar to him within the last three nights.

An uncontrollable shiver raced up his spine, only to be ignored by the young human as he made his way over to Yukio and sat within a few feet of him, eyes roving over the sea of games and playthings surrounding him, and then to the toy box situated near the opposite wall which was completely empty. 'I'll probably be expected to clean this up.' He groaned inwardly and climbed to his feet, ready to begin his work.

"Where are you going, servant?" the boy beside him suddenly asked, his misty colored gaze locked on Ryou's now still form.

"I'm going to clean this room up a bit so no one trips and hurts themselves. Your father would probably be disheartened if his heir were to be injured." Actually, Ryou couldn't care less about Yukio hurting himself, just about the punishment he'd receive if that were to happen. In fact, his life would be much easier if the child were to suddenly…disappear, but since that was extremely unlikely (he wasn't dumb enough to try anything with the master vampire ever watchful over his home and occupants it held), he'd just have to deal with the boy and hope one day he was relieved of this position, like the female demon before him.

His charge nodded his approval and returned to his violent play with the figures, losing interest completely in his caretaker. Ryou drew an irritated expression at this, then bent and began collecting toys from the floor, his arms quickly filling and requiring him to make a trip to the toy box and toss his burdens into it's depths before he could go back for another arm full.

The human worked restlessly throughout the next ten minutes, alternately bending to scoop up figurines and other assorted objects and dropping them into their container on the other side of the room. Soon, the floor was practically spotless except for the furniture dotting the room and the items surrounding Yukio in the corner, and Ryou sighed in relief, glad to have completed his chore.

Upon returning to the young vampire's side, he slumped to the floor in a tired heap, bottom thumping loudly on the rug beneath him. Silently watching Yukio, he noticed the boy would suddenly pause in his play and look around him, apparently searching for something. Curious, Ryou snuck a quick peak at what the boy was currently holding (a knight in his layers of armor and a dragon covered in glossy hand-painted scales) and thought that perhaps he was trying to locate a damsel in distress among the other things littering the floor.

Scanning the area, the white-haired human spotted the unmistakable yarn hair of a maiden lying half-hidden under a pile of blocks to his right. Freeing her from her wooden cell, he handed the beautifully clothed doll to Yukio, offering the boy the warmest smile he could muster.

"Is this what you're looking for?" he asked, motioning the figure in the small vampire's direction.

Yukio stared hard at the doll for a moment, then snatched it from Ryou and returned to acting out the rescue scene unfolding on the playroom floor. With his attention on his toys, he didn't see the scathing look the human shot at him.

Huffing indignantly, Ryou sat back, ordering his arms not to fold in front of his chest like they wished to do. 'The little jerk could have at least acknowledged my help, but I guess he's too good to thank a servant.' No sooner had those words passed through his mind did he hear a tiny voice, almost inaudible over the sounds of wood and cloth roughly smashing against one another, murmur, "Thank you."

Stunned, the human turned back to Yukio, but didn't see any sign that the boy was paying him any notice. Had he heard what he thought he did? Had this little snot actually thanked him for his help? Ryou twirled a lock of hair around his finger idly, adjusting his body into a more comfortable position. Perhaps this kid wasn't a lost cause, after all. If he could be polite during his play time (even in the smallest of fashions), then just maybe he could be civil in other areas of everyday life.

'I'll have to see if I can get him to move away from the shadow of his father and become his own person.' Ryou told himself. 'If I can, I think he'd actually grow into a ruler this land could respect and fight for. It's obvious he's bold, strong, and courageous – three traits a king should have – and with time and training, he could switch these qualities from a negative standpoint to a positive one.'

A crack resonated through the air which made Ryou jump and immediately turn his head to the source of the noise. He was shocked to find that the maiden, who was supposed to be saved by the knight, had lost her arm to the dragon and the knight was no where to be found. Blinking in confusion, he looked to Yukio for an explanation.

The boy just grinned leisurely at him and said with immense glee, "The knight decided he couldn't win, so he ran and left the weak damsel behind. Smart, huh?" Then, quite calmly, as though none of this was odd in any way, he went back to tearing the limbs from the maiden.

'This might take more work then I originally expected.'

--

Malik yawned, a tanned hand covering his mouth and hiding the show of fatigue from the rest of the world. He was so tired from the backbreaking labor of scrubbing floors and dusting age old furniture that he could hardly walk a straight line. Without Ryou to help, he had a larger work load and no one to share it with, leaving him twice as exhausted as he had been before the other boy was relieved of his regular slave duties. The blonde also found himself missing the conversations they used to hold and the tinkling of his friend's light laughter whenever he thought up a decent joke or jab at their superiors' expense.

Closing his mouth with a click of his teeth, he lowered his arm back to his side and went about his early-morning-pre-bedtime business, which consisted of a quick bath (after the demon slaves had finished their's, of course), a brief stop in a clump of reeds near the pond to take care of his late night business, and a light meal of bread saved from his earlier dinner. Once all of these were accomplished, he returned to his cot in the slave quarters (which was conveniently situated near the far wall and away from his demon peers) to fall into the blissful throws of sleep. This morning he was met with a bit of a surprise, however, when upon arriving at his bedside he found none other than Ryou lying atop his covers and appearing to be extremely content.

With jaw practically hitting the floor with disbelief, he hurried past those shuffling near him and leaped in the air a mere three feet from his bed, barely missing his friend's back when he hit the thin sheets beside him and bounced from the force of his landing. Malik's grin (which was almost splitting his face from his happiness at seeing his friend once again) widened considerably at Ryou's reaction, the boy jumping a foot or two into the air and his wide eyes turning to the blonde. When he touched back down and his heart recovered from its fevered pace, though, Ryou's expression matched the other's.

"Malik, you jerk!" he cried, tears of joy beginning to pool at the corners of his eyes. "Was that really necessary?" He smiled when the tanned boy wiped away the crystalline droplets before they could fall, and happily took the invitation when Malik spread his arms wide, offering Ryou a warm, welcoming embrace after three days of being without any form of human comfort.

Holding his white-haired companion close to his heart, Malik placed a kiss to the shorter boy's temple, enjoying how Ryou's bangs tickled his nose as he did so. Sighing cheerfully, he tightened his embrace and moved one arm to wrap around his friend's waist and the other around his shoulders, fingers splaying in his snow-white hair.

"So, who do I have to thank for your company, Ryou?" he whispered, closing his eyes to block what little light the candles in the room offered to its occupants. "I've hardly seen you these past nights, let alone had the chance to be near you. What makes tonight different?"

"Oh, Yukio had some warm blood for a twilight snack and it made him sleepy enough that I could get away with putting him to bed a little early tonight. I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to come here and speak with you instead of taking orders from the 'young master.' Usually when I come down here after putting Yukio to bed you're already fast asleep, and since I know how hard you work each and every night I don't have the heart to wake you."

Malik chuckled, his breath washing over Ryou's forehead and lulling him into a deeper sense of safety and ease. "I wouldn't mind getting less sleep every night if you were to wake me. Believe me, it would be an hour or two well spent." The blonde felt the other nudge his head against his chin and moved to accommodate the boy, allowing Ryou to nuzzle into the crook of his neck. "I'd rather be awake speaking with you than asleep and experiencing the nightmares of what faces me in the future."

Ryou detected the bitterness in his friend's voice, but chose to ignore it. He was already well aware of how he and Malik felt when it came to the tanned boy's rapidly approaching departure from Bakura's castle-like home and didn't much wish to reflect on it right now. No, he'd rather enjoy the other's presence and steer clear of the subject. "I'll remember that for tomorrow." He replied, giving the tanned flesh under his lips a chaste kiss and turning his head, cheek resting against the blonde's collarbone.

Silence reigned for a moment, then Malik spoke, his voice soft. "I take it life with Yukio isn't too pleasant?"

Ryou snorted uncharacteristically. "What gave you that idea?"

"He's really that terrible, eh? Alright, on a scale of one to ten, ten being Bakura-level awful, where would you say he falls?"

Without hesitation, the white-haired boy replied, "A nine." His answer was met with a low whistle from his companion and he smiled when the fingers in his hair massaged his scalp affectionately.

"Wow, that is pretty bad. I can't believe you're still sane and in one piece."

"Me neither."

A shout from one of the demon servants interrupted their conversation, slashing through the air rudely. "Would you humans be quiet?! You're not the only ones who have to work tomorrow night and the rest of us would like to get some rest, not listen to you chatter on all day. Now, be silent or Otogi will hear about this."

Malik snorted and was about to reply, but Ryou stopped him at the last moment with a firm smack to the chest. The blonde growled low in his throat but did nothing more, heeding his friend's request to do as he's told. After throwing the glance at the servants nearby and frowning in irritation, he rolled to the side, back facing the demons and Ryou still glued to his chest, and closed his eyes, willing himself to fall asleep.

It didn't take long for Ryou's soft, snuffling snores to reach his ears, signaling the younger one was in a deep slumber, and Malik couldn't help but release a low laugh. The boy was too cute for his own good. This thought brought new ideas to light, and, unbidden, words flew through his foggy mind, startling him somewhat with what they implied.

'I hope Bakura doesn't start thinking of Ryou as anything more than a slave after I leave.'

A flash of fear went through him at this, followed by a streak of possessiveness. 'I'll have to make sure that before I leave, Ryou knows and understands that he can never be with that man.' The blonde swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat. 'Even if it means defying Bakura and refusing his wishes.'

Curling further around the pale boy in his arms, Malik ordered his thoughts to cease and allowed his eyelids to droop, letting the flickering of the torches nearby and the sounds of his companion's deep breathing carry him into unconsciousness.

This welcomed ease did not last long, however. Quite abruptly, he was awoken in the late afternoon, tanned flesh covered in a layer of sweat and heart pounding madly. He glanced around in a state of unease, immediately picking up on the fact that Ryou was nowhere in sight. His mind panicked, running over information from the past four days and slowly formed an answer as to his friend's disappearance. He was with Yukio.

"Damnit." Malik muttered, throwing his blanket to the side and rolling out of bed. "I let myself lose control for a minute there." Scanning the faces of those close to his bed, he decided that most had taken no notice of his actions as they continued with their nightly business. Grateful for this reprieve, he groaned and popped his back, figuring he might as well join them. "The sooner I get my work done, the sooner I can come down and wait for Ryou to return from watching Yukio."

Yawning and hopping to his feet, Malik flattened the creases in his tunic and mussed up his hair, preparing for a trip to the pond to bathe. He had taken a single step when –

"Human! Get over here!" Otogi's voice rang authoritatively throughout the area, easily catching the attention of all. "Hurry up, human, I haven't got all night!"

Malik drew his hands into fists at his sides, knuckles whitening under the pressure. God, he hated this life of servitude and following orders. If he ever escaped from his captors, he promised to find Ryou and take them both somewhere far from demons and vampires alike. For now, he would just have to submit. God damn it.

"You need something, sir?" the tanned boy asked, bowing stiffly to his superior.

"Of course I need something! Why else would I be speaking to you?" Otogi barked, hands coming to rest on his narrow hips. "I want you to go help clean the welcoming and dining halls with some of the other workers. We have important company coming tonight and the master wants his castle spick and span."

Malik's ears perked, intrigued by this new information. "Company? Who is it?" His inquiry was met with the black haired demon's angry glare and raised voice.

"That is none of your concern, human! Now, get out of my sight and upstairs to finish your assigned chores." The master servant went to leave, the heels of his boots knocking loudly on the stone floor, but appeared to change his mind at the last moment and faced Malik once again.

"One more thing, boy. Once you've finished the halls, I want you to aid your little friend in the care of Yukio tonight. The child is always a handful during times like these and the master does not want to be embarrassed in any way by his unruliness." His eyes met the lower servant and narrowed maliciously. "I want you and the pale human's interaction to be nothing but professional business, understand? No worthless banter, no unnecessary contact, and you are not to be seen or heard outside of the young master's company. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly." Malik breathed, far too excited to take notice of Otogi's harsh rules. He was going to spend time with Ryou! Yukio was going to be a pain in the butt, but he'd dealt with aggravating people before, so he was relatively certain he could handle himself properly.

Bowing again when Otogi left, he could barely contain his eager grin until the man was out of sight. Clapping his hands and hollering fervently to the exasperation of the other slaves, the blonde raced out of the servant quarters and in the direction of the pond, dead set on washing up and completing his chores in record time so he could be with Ryou as soon as possible.

The white-haired boy in question was unfortunately not feeling the same elation as his human friend at the moment. Ryou was held up with Yukio in the young vampire's bedroom, trying with all his might to keep the child entertained and his cries of exasperation at bay. Trapped in a room with this boy when all he wanted was to be outside was pure torture and he wasn't sure how much more he could handle before he reached his breaking point.

"I want out of here!" Yukio yelled for what seemed like the thousandth time. "I hate being in here all night, it's boring! I want to watch what's going on and see who's coming to visit us!"

"I know you do, young master, but I was given specific orders by Otogi to keep you here in your room while the castle is tended to." At the curl beginning to form in Yukio's lip, he sputtered and wracked his mind for something to say that would soothe the child. "Well, err, it has been quite awhile since we first came in here to wait." Ryou stole a glance at the clock and saw it to be only nine o'clock. 'It's been an hour! Is this kid saying he can't stay in one place and be silent for an HOUR?'

The small boy suddenly jumped to his feet and padded over to Ryou's legs, the movement frightening his caretaker immensely. The human hadn't been expecting Yukio to come within such close proximity of him, a lowly human and servant, and what came next astounded him further, for the boy had never done it before.

Upon reaching Ryou, the vampire snatched the material surrounding the taller male's tunic-clad leg with a tiny hand and tugged roughly, his childish voice echoing through the room a second later. "So you're saying we can go?" he asked hopefully, the unusual expression of glee washing over his face disturbing the white-haired human greatly.

"Um, I guess we can." He conceded, hoping the boy would release him now that he had gotten what he wanted. To his horror, Yukio's grip tightened, and for the life of him he couldn't brush the child away. Ryou didn't want to outright tear the boy from him, but at this point that's what it might come down to.

Yukio's thin fingers lingered in the human's clothing as he pulled Ryou along beside him, the two leaving his bedroom and entering the halls together. He smiled and hurried forward, intent on getting to the welcoming hall before the company arrived, and didn't appear to notice as Ryou flailed next to him, desperate to keep up with the boy's frantic stride.

To Ryou's relief, they made it to the main hall soon after leaving Yukio's bedroom, and he was still in one piece. Sighing under his breath when the boy relinquished his hold on the human's garments, Ryou watched him scamper a few feet away to bother a servant who was putting the finishing touches to the columns. Pitying the poor soul who was now in his ward's sights, the white-haired boy studied that room, awed by how the tiles appeared to sparkle under the light of the torches. He noted that the flames were much brighter tonight than they had been when he first arrived at the castle.

While slowly making his way down to the front doors and taking in the magnificence surrounding him, he paused when he saw a familiar mop of blonde hair nearby. Excitement bubbling within him, he ran over and laid a hand on the other's shoulder, a grin unfolding on his lips when the servant turned and violet eyes widened.

"Ryou!?" Malik cried, standing straight and drawing his friend into a hug. "I didn't think I'd see you down here! Otogi told me to go see you after I finished here."

"Come see me? Why?" he asked, his own arms winding around his friend's shoulders.

"He wanted me to help you take care of Yuk-" The blonde cut himself off, holding Ryou away from him and staring the pale boy in the eye. "Ryou, where's Yukio?"

Giggling, Ryou pointed to where the little vampire was bombarding the other slaves with questions. "He's over there, bothering anyone within earshot."

"Ryou, this is bad." Malik whispered, bringing his companion closer. "Yukio isn't supposed to be here! Bakura wanted him out of the way for most of tonight so the kid didn't do anything to embarrass him."

Dropping his arms back to his sides and feeling Malik do the same, Ryou gnawed the nails of his fingers in thought. A moment later he spoke, "Okay then, I'll take him back to his room." Brushing imaginary dirt from the front of his tunic he added, "If he refuses, I'll drag him back. I don't think Bakura would mind as long as Yukio wasn't hurt in the process."

"Good thinking." Malik chuckled, starting toward their young master. "Oh, and I'll help you if you need me to. I've been itching to do something like this since the first night you were made his caretaker."

Smothering their laughter as best they could, the pair jogged over to meet the young vampire, but jumped when a booming voice hit their ears and caused the rest of the room to go silent.

"Get out of here, you worms! Our company has arrived before schedule, and he is not to see such filth when he enters our master's home!"

At this announcement, all the lower demons raced to do as they were told, bumping into one another in their haste to leave. Ryou and Malik, however, stayed where they were, the blonde having had the sense to snatch Yukio's collar so the boy wasn't lost in the confusion. Searching for the source of the voice, the two spotted a winged guard near the front entrance, his back to them while he pushed open the doors.

"Damn, we need to hurry, Ryou." Malik said, picking up the child at his feet and tossing him to Ryou, who caught the boy awkwardly. Grabbing his friend's upper arm, the blonde pulled him to the side, walking swiftly along the perimeter of the welcoming hall in the direction of a hidden path which would lead them straight to the servant quarters. From there, he planned to lead their little group back to the upper floors and Yukio's room.

Ryou held Yukio close to his chest in an effort to keep him quiet. The child was screaming up a storm at being handled so roughly, and was also angry that his chance to see their visitor was going to be thwarted once more. Speaking softly to him as they hurried along, the human apologized and promised that they would return just as soon as they were given permission. The vampire didn't seem too happy with this, and continued to fight tooth and nail to be released.

They had almost made it to the passage when a gust of air blew past them, forcing them to stop in order to keep their footing. Closing their eyes as their hair whipped about their faces, they didn't see the figure looming ominously before them, his black cloak billowing at his feet.

Malik was the first to recover, gasping when he caught sight of the stranger and noticed the similarities between himself and the man standing in their path. Whoever it was took hold of him and Ryou, dragging them forward and inspecting them closely. His violet eyes blinked and stared, first at Malik and then Ryou, before coming to the bundle in the white-haired human's arms.

Yukio, realizing they had halted, twisted to see why his caretaker's heart had started racing and his muscles had stiffened. He spotted the new arrival and his face lit up as he held out his hands, shouting, "Uncle Marik! I didn't know you were visiting us tonight!"

The man, Marik, laughed, bending until he came face to face with all three boys. "Well, well. What's going on here?" He grinned, lips parting and showing a pair of sharp fangs.

With a start, both humans came to the same conclusion. This was the vampire lord of the southern region - Malik's new master.

TBC

You know, as I sit here in my 'I Love You Beary Much' boxers, I still can't believe how little writing I've done in the past month. It's just sad, unlike the bear couples making out on said undergarments.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get more done this month. I'm looking forward to finally finishing Opal and getting this 'Fate of the Damned' show on the road. Also, it'll be nice to get my other stories rolling. Whee!

This chapter was incredibly irritating to write, but for what it's worth I think it came out alright. Not good, but not terrible, either.

Whelp, Marik is here. Aren't you all just wetting yourselves with excitement? I know I am. xD

Again, we'll find out about Yukio's mom later. Probably next chapter or the one after that.

Did you enjoy this chapter? Then leave me a review and let me know!


	6. Caught

The two humans stood rooted to the spot, completely stunned at their realization

Lol, I suck so bad.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-gi-oh or any of its related characters or concepts.

Ch 6

The two humans stood rooted to the spot, completely stunned at their realization. This man, this _vampire_, was Malik's new master. Oh, why did he have to show up so soon?! His arrival at the castle meant Ryou and Malik were to be split apart, the blonde taken back to the southern realm while Ryou stayed in the north with Bakura, looked down upon by the master of the house and the other servants alike - forever damned to a life of servitude and loneliness.

Both boys snapped out of their panic-laden trance when the vampire, Marik, cleared his throat irritably, fingers gripping their shoulders roughly and hauling them closer. He smiled, though it held no warmth, and spoke once again. "I said, what's going on here?"

When neither answered, his face transformed, mouth becoming a ferocious snarl and expression growing demented as he attempted to hold back his anger. "Answer me, little humans. Why are you carting around my nephew when my brother is nowhere in sight? Am I to believe that he has placed his heir in the hands of such untrustworthy filth as you?"

First to break from his stupor, Malik nodded his head as he swallowed past the lump in his throat. This man's very presence was a threat, sending the tan human's survival instincts into overdrive, leaving him with a desire to run rather than answer questions. He noticed that Marik was watching him through narrowed eyes, his attention having focused on Malik at the human's earlier movement. Fighting his rising alarm, the blonde spoke in a rush.

"Yes, Ryou and I were put in charge of Yu-" he caught himself before he could say the full name, knowing that if he did, the vampire lord would take it as insolence. Hoping to cover his mistake, he corrected himself and moved on hurriedly, "-the young master while the other servants prepared the castle for your arrival, master Marik."

Straightening to his full height, the vampire gave them a piercing look, his eyes glazing over ominously. They gasped when, to their horror, an odd sensation rushed through them, Ryou recognizing it immediately as the one he had experienced when Bakura had used one of his vampire mind tricks on him the night of his arrival. Malik, too, guessed as to what was going on, and an immense feeling of helplessness overcame him when he could not end the assault on his mind.

Locating the information he wanted, Marik cut the connection between their minds, eyes refocusing and cold smile returning to his face. He watched the human's regain themselves slowly, taking pleasure in the pale boy, Ryou's, fright and his doppelganger, Malik's, resentment. Then, he looked to Yukio, whose arms were still held out, waiting for Marik to take him from his human caretaker.

Obliging his nephew, the elder vampire grabbed Yukio, prying him from Ryou's stiff grasp and pushing the human slave away once the child was against his chest. He snorted, holding Yukio close and ignoring the boy's constant pawing, intent on his look-alike's reaction to the treatment of his friend. Upon inspection of his mind, Marik had found that Malik's wish was to protect Ryou from harm and the evils of the world, which would be hard to uphold once he was taken away to live in Marik's own castle. He grinned to himself at that. 'Bakura's big surprise is ruined, now. I know what he was planning to give to me and I can't really say that I'm not happy with his choice of gifts.'

The blonde human didn't disappoint, rushing to his friend's side as the other stumbled over his own feet, fingers closing around one thin wrist and helping to steady him. When Ryou had righted himself and Malik was sure that he was steady, he glared at his future master, anger overtaking his common sense.

Marik chuckled, unafraid of such a weak creature, and glanced from the humans down to Yukio, who was acting uncharacteristically childish. His small face was pressed into the elder's neck while his hands fisted and pulled at the tight black shirt under them in his excitement. The young vampire hummed happily, nuzzling his uncle's throat as his short legs dangled on either side of the blonde vampire's denim–clothed hips.

The taller man grimaced, hoping the boy wouldn't tarnish or otherwise ruin the deep wine hue of his pants, seeing as how they had been a gift from a friend of his in the East.

Bouncing him a bit to get a better grip on the boy, Marik turned in the direction of the throne room where he expected to find Bakura, or at least someone who knew where to find him, and started on his way, throwing an emotionless, "Hurry up, servants, I haven't got all night" over his shoulder. Hearing the patter of unsure footsteps behind him, Marik quickened his pace, a large smirk plastered on his lips as the sounds increased in momentum, signaling that the humans were hurrying to catch up with him.

Marik's heavy boots thumped audibly along the tiles beneath him, the echo this caused sure to reach Bakura's ears and alert him that his company had arrived. This would be better, since it meant less waiting time for the blonde vampire lord. He paid the demon guards no mind as he passed, oblivious to their salutes and polite bows, far too used to the actions to care or notice. Reaching his destination, Marik motioned for one of the servants still lingering nearby to open the door for him, not batting an eye when the order was clumsily obeyed.

With Yukio in his arms and the two human servants in tow, the vampire lord of the southern region made his way inside the throne room, gaze roving over the front of the room in search of his brother. He frowned when he didn't see the unmistakable mop of white hair or those haunting blue eyes, nor did he sense Bakura's presence within the room.

'Where is that bastard?' he growled to himself, walking up to the throne and dropping Yukio on the floor near the dais. 'He should have heard of my arrival by now. He's probably just taking his time, the lazy bum.' Marik climbed the stairs and, to the surprise of everyone else in the room, sat unceremoniously in the master's seat, adjusting himself so he splayed across the seat and arm rests of the throne lazily. He waved impishly at the stares he was receiving, enjoying the spotlight immensely.

"So, what does my brother do for fun around here?" the blonde vampire asked, his voice booming off the walls. The servants stood still, some with their mouths agape at this man's - this vampire's - atrocious behavior. It certainly was not leader material in their opinions, but none of those present were ignorant enough to voice their thoughts on the matter.

Marik smiled smugly, switching his position in his brother's seat. He loved messing with the help. "Well? Does anyone have any idea what 'Master' Bakura does when he isn't being a prick?"

"My free time, dear brother, is spent in the privacy of my room." A voice spoke out from behind a tapestry to the side of the throne, its tone one of agitation. "As to me being a prick, I don't believe my servants will be giving you their views on that subject. Not if they intend to keep their tongues, anyway."

The blonde vampire started, sitting up in the seat and looking around the side of its high back, catching sight of Bakura pushing aside the tapestry and entering the room. 'Damn hidden passages.' He thought as he grinned toothily, showing off his canines to his less than impressed half-brother. "Ah, there you are, Bakura. I thought you'd forgotten I was visiting tonight."

The master of the house growled as he made his way to the front of the dais, releasing the magic surrounding him which cloaked his presence from his half-brother's keen senses as he went. Bypassing Yukio, who had jumped to his feet in his anticipation of seeing his father, he gave Marik a repulsed look when he stopped and raised his eyes to meet those of dusky violet. "I can't forget about you, Marik, you never give me the chance."

Climbing out of the throne, the unnaturally tan vampire hopped down from the dais to land silently next to his younger half-brother, slapping the other on the back. "I know deep down you don't want to forget me, Bakura. You just enjoy acting the part of the disgruntled little brother." He joked, giving the pale man another hearty slap on the back, eager to rile him up and send him into a fit of rage. An angry Bakura was entertainment, indeed.

Shoving the other away roughly, Bakura snarled and whirled around, eager to yell orders at his subordinates to ease his embarrassment at the situation. He hated when Marik tried to make a fool of him, especially when it was in front of those who were expected to fear and respect him. The thought of his servants joking about him later almost sent the white-haired vampire into orbit.

Waving away his heir's enthusiastic hands which insisted on snagging his pants, Bakura stepped forward, gaze surveying the nervous expressions of the guards and servants in the room, before landing on two easily distinguishable faces near the middle of a group of demons to his right. They may have been attempting to hide behind the much larger creatures, but the white-haired vampire knew his two human slaves by both sight and scent. His eyes narrowed malevolently and he adopted a more menacing stance than was his custom as he came closer, motioning the others surrounding the two boys to distance themselves.

The master's unspoken order was followed immediately, leaving both boys out in the open and defenseless. Ryou gulped and began to play with his hands and tunic, while Malik stood tall and forced the rising dread back into his belly. He had to stay strong, both for himself and his friend.

Bakura closed in on his human subordinates, stopping mere feet in front of them to the clear dismay of the pale boy, Ryou. The vampire chuckled under his breath, enjoying the fear he instilled so effortlessly in the younger of the humans. Though, this was not the time to be thinking of such things – there were questions which needed to be asked and punishments to be given.

Turning to Ryou, he spoke softly and evenly. "Might I ask, little human, why you are out and about when I specifically said neither you nor Yukio were to be seen until I deemed it the appropriate time for your appearance?"

Ryou gulped and attempted to answer, though his mouth was far too dry and throat far too constricted to say anything coherent. A few stuttered words left his lips before he was able to pull himself together and take control of his flustered tongue. "I-I was just…u-um…taking the young master to see if the h-hall was finished." When Bakura remained still and silent, he pressed on valiantly. "The young master was becoming very restless, and I wanted him t-to work off some energy before your company arrived. I didn't want him to be overly rowdy and embarrass you when the time came for him to show himself, master."

Internally wincing, the white-haired human waited for his vampire lord's reaction. He wasn't sure if his excuse was decent enough to save him some painful punishment, but perhaps it would protect him from an untimely death. Bowing his head, he peeked at Malik from the corner of his eye, asking the other with his soft gaze if he had done well. When his friend refused to give him a return stare, his heart started pumping madly as a fresh wave of terror surged through him.

Bakura studied the thin, pale servant, noticing his nervous glances in the tan human's direction. Raising his chin, the vampire snorted and concentrated on the blonde, intent on dealing with the white-haired boy later. "What explanation do you have for being out in the open, I wonder?"

Without missing a beat, Malik answered in a steady voice, "I was ordered by the head servant, Otogi, to assist Ryou in the care of your heir. I met with the both of them in the entrance hall and we were about to head back to Yukio's room when your company literally dropped in on us."

Malik's confident answer, and the fact that he had neglected to address both Bakura and Yukio as 'master,' did not elude the other servants and guards in the room, nor did it pass by Marik, whose ears perked instantly. Eyebrows rising into his bangs in surprise, he moved closer to the conversation, intrigued. He found himself to be enjoying this human's show of bravado and attitude, and imagined what fun it would be to break such a boy. He grinned wickedly, mind spinning. Yes, he would take great pride in tearing this boy's courage and pride from him, one painful tug at a time.

Bakura growled, not as enthused with the blonde human's answer as his half-brother. He detested insubordination, and the idea that it was coming from a lowly human made it far worse an offense in his mind. Springing forward with feline grace and speed, he wrapped a clawed hand around the tanned boy's throat, squeezing lightly, for he only wished to cut off the human's air supply.

He was awarded for his actions when Malik gagged and choked at the sudden loss of oxygen, his hands jumping to his throat and tugging at the deathly pale and icy skin of the vampire lord, trying to dislodge those cruel fingers from his windpipe. He gasped brokenly when he was shaken rather violently and brought face to face with Bakura, the vampire's eyes having turned a darker blue than normal in his anger.

"How dare you challenge me, you impudent little fool! I grow weary of your rebellion and will tolerate it no further." His grip tightened, causing Malik's pink tongue to dart from his lips as the boy panted desperately for air. "Now listen, human. I am your master, the vampire lord of the northern region, and you shall respect and address me as such."

Malik gargled and kicked out his legs, trying to hit his captor in the shins to knock him off balance. His attack was easily avoided, and it only brought more of Bakura's rage to the surface.

"You still insist on fighting me? Disgusting human, you've pushed me too far." Flexing the fingers on his other hand and showing off the sharp claws adorning each digit, he bared his fangs and prepared to inflict a heavy amount of damage on the fiery slave. His arm had just begun to thrust forward when the cry of anguish and fear from the pale human (Ryou, his mind quietly reminded him) caught his attention and made him pause, his eyes falling on the tear-streaked face of the young boy.

It was this distraction that gave Marik the opportunity to step in on his future slave's behalf, placing a hand on his half-brother's shoulder. He felt Bakura tense under his touch, but a moment later the white-haired vampire recognized him and calmed, head swiveling to the side to look over his shoulder at the darker male.

"What is it, Marik?" he asked, still aware of the struggling human in his grasp and Ryou crying pitifully a few feet away.

"I merely wanted to remind you that you're currently strangling my gift, dear brother. A gift I was actually looking forward to receiving."

Bakura blinked, shock evident on his face. How had Marik found out?

As if reading his mind, Marik smiled and said, "I caught the two of them with Yukio in the entrance area. I wanted to know what they were doing with my nephew, so I did a little mind sweeping and discovered what was to become of that blonde human you have there." He pointed lazily to Malik, who had begun to turn blue. "I must say, I was extremely pleased with the information I found."

Bakura grunted, slightly disappointed that his secret had been revealed earlier than planned, and released Malik, watching as he slumped to the ground and lay coughing and gagging, drawing air into his burning lungs. Arms falling back to his sides, he turned away from the blonde servant and walked past Marik and his sullen heir toward his throne, well aware that as he left, Ryou ran to his fellow human's side and dropped to his knees to try and help the other.

Climbing the stairs in a huff, Bakura sat heavily on his throne, eyes roving over the servants and guards in the room, contemplating whether he should order them to leave or allow them to stay and hear the next conversation. Deciding he didn't wish for the castle to be filled with even more gossip than it already had, he waved the demons away, instructing Ryou and Malik to stay behind with Yukio. Once the room had cleared, he crossed his legs wearily and set his elbow on the arm of the throne, rested his chin atop his hand, and spoke.

"I'm a bit upset that you discovered my gift early, Marik. However, what's done is done, and I didn't have a back up present to give you incase a circumstance such as this arose, so you're stuck with the blonde human."

Marik grinned wickedly and placed himself behind Ryou and Malik, grabbing hold of the boys' collars and hauling them to their feet unceremoniously. Inspecting the pale human quickly, he raised his lip and flung him away, uninterested – the boy just wasn't in his taste. He heard a loud cough erupt from his future servant, followed by a raspy cry of indignation at the treatment of the boy's friend, and laughed outright when the shorter male pushed at his chest, attempting to free himself.

"Where do you think you're going, human?" he asked, bringing Malik flush against his chest in a vice-like grip. "I may not hold any concern for your pathetic friend over there," he gestured to Ryou, who was still lying on the floor from Marik's rough treatment, and took in Malik's livid expression with almost childish delight before carrying on, "but that doesn't mean I hold none for you. No, I'm exceptionally interested in you, Malik." The vampire nuzzled the other blonde's hair, pleased with himself when his actions garnered the expected response.

Malik gasped and fought the vampire lord harder, shoving against his chest and moving his head as far away from the larger man as it would go, repulsed by Marik's false show of affection. "Let me go!" he shouted to the best of his ability, his throat still sore from Bakura's earlier assault. "Stay away from me, you undead bastard! How dare you treat me and Ryou like this! We are NOT slaves!"

Both Marik and Bakura threw their heads back and howled with laughter at Malik's outburst, chests heaving unnecessarily with mirth. Getting themselves under control, the two vampires smirked cruelly, and Bakura's voice echoed through the room.

"Not slaves? Funny, I could have sworn that scrubbing floors, dusting furniture and shelves, and babysitting under orders were considered the work of slaves nowadays. What do you think, Marik?"

"Oh, you're quite right, brother." The blonde vampire answered, liberating the feisty servant from his hold and laughing when the boy stumbled away from him and over to Ryou, helping the other into a sitting position and giving both him and Bakura dirty looks. "He appears to be a slave to me."

Bakura straightened in his seat and glanced at the floor near the dais, catching sight of Yukio sitting passively on the cool tile. Believing it would humiliate the tan human further, he called to his heir. "Yukio, my son, what do you think?"

Yukio jumped, unprepared to be pulled into the conversation, and turned wide eyes on his father. When he found the elder vampire watching him keenly, he twisted around and returned his attention to the two humans huddled nearby, one looking terribly angry, and the other, Ryou, near tears. The child locked gazes with his caretaker for a split second, then moved onto the blonde next to him and, after focusing on to the boy's furious eyes, opened his mouth to speak.

"Yes, father, nothing but slaves." He smiled nastily at the tanned human and peered up at his father when the older man's laughter could be heard once more. His chest swelled with childish pride at having pleased his father, but when he looked back at the two servants on the floor, the look of hurt on Ryou's face made the bubble inside him deflate somewhat. Yukio puffed out his cheeks, unsure as to why he cared what a human thought about him, even if that human was Ryou.

Bakura, unaware of his son's internal struggle, composed himself and stood, making his way down the dais steps and to Malik, offering him a patronizing leer. "Well then, it appears that you are the only one here who believes yourself not to be a slave. Since this is the case, one can only assume that the majority is right, and you are in fact a slave." Mentally calling to one of the demon guards in the hall, Bakura ordered the creature to his side, quickly cutting off the connection when the demon reacted, pushing open the doors and entering the room with the clang of his armor.

"You called, my master?"

Bakura held up a hand, wordlessly telling the guard to be silent. Lowering his arm, he narrowed his eyes and reached for Malik, hauling the boy to his feet and whispering in his ear. "As a slave, you are to respect me and all your other superiors. When you don't, you will be punished severely." He pushed the blonde into the guard's waiting hands – not surprised when he began to thrash furiously - then snapped his fingers, catching the attention of a female servant and another guard, who entered through the opened doors and walked swiftly to their master.

Calling the woman closer, he instructed her to take Yukio back to his room and watch him until the boy's current caretaker could return to his duties. The servant quickly did as she was told, and once she and Yukio were gone, Bakura turned to the second guard. "You are to take the pale human down to the lower level of the castle where he will be disciplined for disobeying my orders." He said, pointing at Ryou who sat dejectedly on the tiled floor. "Do not hold back – he is not as fragile as he appears."

The guard bowed low and grabbed Ryou, pulling him to his feet as though he were a mere toy. The boy cried out at the contact and attempted to pry the thick fingers from his arm, Bakura's words having seeped into his mind and sent him into a panic. The demon grinned down at him, glad to have been assigned such an amusing task as this, for he had always enjoyed watching torture sessions.

Ryou's continual sobs and pleas fell on deaf ears, neither vampire nor demon caring what he had to say. His voice soon faltered, and in that moment he heard another voice rising into the air and drowning out his cries in both pitch and volume. He recognized the sounds as shouts of outrage which were bursting from Malik's lips, his dark friend having doubled his efforts to break free from his captor at the idea of the smaller boy being savagely beaten. Ryou expected the other's sudden increase in energy was caused by the blonde's memory of his suffering at the hands of demons weeks prior, a incident that was still fresh in both their minds. Just recalling what happened to his friend brought new tears to brim at the pale youth's eyelids, and only one sentence ran through his psyche – 'It's going to happen again.'

Bakura moved to Malik and yanked none-too-gently on his sun-kissed locks, silencing him. He then glared into those haunting violet eyes and hissed dangerously. "Be silent, slave! You have nothing to worry about, for your beating will be far more harsh than your companion's." Untwisting his fingers from Malik's thick tresses, the vampire lord stepped back and waved the guard's away. "Get them out of my sight. Oh, and be sure to take them to separate rooms for their punishment - the building dread of what's to become of the other human is half the fun."

"Yes, master." The guards said, bowing their heads respectfully as they tugged on their captives, pulling them toward the hallway.

"Wait a moment." Marik spoke up, striding calmly over to the demon holding Malik. "I'd like to come and watch, if that's not too much trouble. You see, I have a few things I would like to discuss with this human when you're finished."

"If my master allows it, I can not decline your wish, my lord." The guard glanced to Bakura, who nodded his head, and in turn nodded to Marik. "If you will follow me, my lord."

The guard left, Malik held securely to his chest and the tanned vampire in tow. All three heard the heavy footfalls of the other demon as he carted Ryou away in the opposite direction down the hall and to a staircase in the southern wing of the castle, which would take them to the lower levels and a room perfectly stocked for just such a disciplinary occasion.

Malik's group was on its way to a similar room, though this one would be located far from Ryou's, as was Bakura's order. The young human hated the position he was in, but could think of no way to get out of it, partly because he was too preoccupied with what was about to happen to both him and Ryou. That bastard vampire had been right, the fear of the unknown was begging to bother him.

The clanking of the demon guard's armor and the soft swishing of Marik's cape were the only sounds that echoed through the halls as they made their way to a flight of stairs ahead – stairs Malik recognized as those he used to get to and from the slave quarters. His stomach churned. 'It's going to be humiliating if any servants see me like this. They won't let me live it down for the rest of the time I'm here.'

They came to the staircase leading down into the darkness of the lower level soon enough, and Malik was forced to go first, his wrists seized firmly by the guard so as to prevent escape. He trudged slowly downward with his two cohorts following close behind, teeth kneading at his bottom lip and mind racing anxiously. 'What exactly did they have planned for him? He certainly wouldn't be killed, since he was to be given to Marik as a gift. Right?' He was jarred from his thoughts when his feet hit the stone at the bottom with a thud, and he shook himself and continued on, head held high and back rigid.

The three males walked through the dimly lit passages somberly, the atmosphere surrounding them reminding the young human of a funeral procession. He allowed a shiver to roll down his back at that notion, willing his face to remain stony and aloof. No point in giving the demon any more pleasure than he was already getting from the experience.

Minutes crawled by, and each passing second brought them closer to their small journey's end. Malik's heartbeat increased when the hallway widened and doors began springing up around them, indicating they were getting close. His throat constricted harshly and his body screamed for him to run, though he knew it was an impossibility.

His heart plummeted into his stomach when their pace slowed and the guard led him to an ancient and heavy looking door on the left, the demon offering him an evil sneer as he grabbed the handle with his free hand and braced himself to open the heavy barrier between Malik and a painful dose of reality.

"Are you ready, little human?"

The boy set his jaw and stared defiantly in the larger creature's eyes, muscles taunt and body filled with adrenaline. "Let's get started already, demon. I have other things to do tonight."

Marik snickered under his breath at the rage blossoming on the guard's face and shook his head. This was going to be quite the show.

TBC

My brain hurts. X.x

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, because it almost killed me. (Tch, as if all the others didn't. xD)

Next chapter : Ryou and Malik get the shit beaten out of them, and then Marik and Malik have a nice lil talk. You know, before he passes out. :D

You WILL find out about Yukio's mom in the next chapter. (YES, FINALLY.)

Please leave me a review, as I am a humongous review whore.


	7. Punishment

HOLY SCHNIZZLE, IT'S CHAPTER SEVEN, YO!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh or any of its related characters or concepts.

Ch 7

Ryou moaned pitifully as the demon guard's arms flexed around his torso, the muscles bulging and straining under the inky-black skin as his hold on the small human tightened. The ache in the boy's chest doubled due to the added pressure, and now the immense pounding in his temple was overwhelmed only by the lightheadedness that had begun to set in the closer they came to their destination.

To say Ryou was completely terror stricken was an understatement. His pulse raced, his palms were virtually dripping with sweat (as were the white locks of his hair), and a part of him was worried that he may just wet himself before he even received his punishment. Well, that or pass out. Either way, it didn't make much of a difference – he would embarrass himself no matter what happened.

His thoughts jumped from one thing to another, first to earlier tonight when he had been caring for Yukio and was in relative safety, and then to the meeting with Bakura and how the vampire lord had condemned Ryou to punishment without batting an eye. Both situations appeared fuzzy to him now, even though they had only happened a short time ago. Perhaps that's just what the fear of imminent pain and destruction did to the human mind.

The demon carrying Ryou against his leather-adorned chest grunted and tossed his head to the side, flipping his shoulder-length silver hair out of his face crudely. The small human recalled wearily how the guard had shed his heavier metal armor and pawned it off on another demon after the first few minutes of their journey, grumbling that it would only impede his performance down in the torture chambers. Ryou sighed miserably at this, thinking that the last thing he needed right now was for his tormentor's job to be made more convenient before their 'session,' for it would inevitably lead to a longer and more brutal episode for the fragile human.

The larger man's hold on the human tightened once again, forcing Ryou's back closer still to his large torso and causing the boy to whimper in return, squirming desperately in an attempt to get remotely comfortable. When his actions proved to be futile, Ryou sniffled quietly and went slack in the demon's arms, eyes tearing up and hope draining further. How was he going to get out of this?

'I'm not.' He thought sadly, lids lowering heavily over glazed eyes. The human could feel his salty tears start to travel down his ashen cheeks, one trail ending in a continuous drip from his sharp jaw line, the other pooling momentarily in the corner of his mouth before it, too, ended near the point of his chin.

'No, wait. I shouldn't think like that.' He reasoned. 'Not everyone is against me. I still have Malik on my side. As long as he's here, I'll never be completely alone.'

However, his next thought sent him deeper into his pit of depression. 'But he won't be here much longer, will he?' A silent whimper. 'Soon, he'll be forced to leave with that…horrible vampire lord.'

Ryou sighed internally, realizing that Malik would probably try with all his might to keep that from happening. 'But it will anyway. This is, and has always been, out of Malik's control. As long as we are who we are - what we are - we will never be able to make our own decisions, no matter how hard we fight.'

Another batch of tears dribbled down the small human's cheeks, and he sniffled gently. 'Yes. When Malik leaves, I'll be all alone under Bakura's rule; no friends, no allies – nothing but demons, that horrible vampire child, and, of course, the vampire lord himself.' Ryou sniffed again and hung his head, opening his eyes to watch the white-washed tiles pass under the demon's black-leathered boots, his vision growing bleary from crying.

The boy didn't know if he could handle such a thing. Complete isolation could ruin one's sanity, especially someone like Ryou, who was starting to reach the proverbial edge. 'Not a single soul in this castle other than Malik cares for me or my welfare.' A broken smile turned his lips, his tears falling faster. 'When he leaves, my hope and happiness go with him.'

It was then that Ryou came to a decision. Until it came time for his friend to leave him, he would have to spend as many of the remaining days with the blond as he could - try to memorize everything about him, from the tips of his hair to the contours of his skin. Then, when he was taken away, Ryou would at least be able to remember him as he is now; courageous and unbroken.

There were two particular problems facing his plan, however, and their names were Bakura and Marik. Would the vampire lords keep the two humans apart after they were dealt their punishment? Just how far would they go in their cruelty?

Ryou flexed his arms tiredly, not surprised when the demon's hold remained strong. 'I can't make that judgment yet. All I know is, it's up to Bakura and Marik what happens to us after our punishment has been dealt. At this point, all I can do is gather my hope, and place it all in the choices that are made on my and Malik's behalf.'

Tears drying, the pale human glanced up from the demon's path, noticing that his surroundings had changed. Gone were the clean tiles of the main hall and upper floors, and gone was the smooth stone and decorative tapestries of the walls Ryou had grown used to seeing over the past few hours.

Here, the walls to either side of him were lumpy and dirty and lined with small, metallic candle holders, their wicks aflame and supply of wax already decreased to a dangerous level. 'They must always be burning,' The boy surmised, 'Or else the body of the candle wouldn't be so low.' Either that, or Bakura punished his servants on a regular basis. That conclusion seemed as plausible to Ryou as the first.

Though there were several candles, they offered little light to their visitors, as they were spaced far from one another, leaving the hall in almost complete darkness. Ryou figured this would make their usefulness moot, but considering he was in the home of a creature he hadn't known existed until just recently (and therefore didn't completely understand its actions) he couldn't be sure if offering sufficient light had been their true purpose from the start.

His transport's boots stomped oddly over mismatched and decrepit rock, the guard almost losing his footing once or twice when his toe became lodged between the poorly laid flooring. He gave a soft hiss and whispered a curse, jostling Ryou angrily and hastening forward, murky-brown eyes now concentrated on his feet. The pale boy in his hold peered up at his face, studying his slitted pupils curiously, only to look away when the demon returned the stare.

Quivering, the small human took in his surroundings, realizing they must be nearing the room where his punishment was to be held. It should be no surprise to him that the environment leading to such a place would be one of grime, darkness, and heart-stopping silence. He gulped, gripping his captor's arms tightly until he heard the crinkling of the leather arm guard under his thin, pale fingers. 'I have to stay calm.' He told himself, his breathing becoming harsh. 'I can't let the fear get to me. I have to try and be brave, like Malik.'

Gradually, solid metal doors began appearing on either side of the two males, the sight of large deadbolts securing each handle leaving a sick feeling to settle in the pit of Ryou's stomach. 'Stay calm!' He repeated, taking a deep breath to try to steady his nerves. 'Don't worry, it won't be so bad. Maybe this demon was teasing me earlier. Maybe he isn't as malicious as the others.' The young human gave the guard a fleeting look, studying his amused expression with concern. 'Or maybe not.'

Ryou lowered his eyes to the stone beneath the creature's boots, a pitiful sob threatening to spill from his parted lips. This wasn't fair! He was being punished for something that was out of his control! Bakura wanted his servants to follow his orders, but he also wanted them to treat his son, his heir, as the young master of the house. So what was Ryou supposed to say to Yukio when the boy all but demanded that he be allowed to leave his bedroom? Was the servant supposed to tell the master "No?"

The human boy 'hmphed' delicately. He knew the reality of the situation, and thus realized that, either way, he would have been punished. Saying "No" to Yukio would be like saying "No" to Bakura, at least in the vampire lord's point of view. "I can't win." Ryou whispered, hanging his head to rest his chin on one of his hands. "No matter what I do or say, I'll always be the slave, and Bakura will always be the master."

"That's right." The guard said, his thick, gravelly voice slicing through the depressing atmosphere and making his captive jump in his arms. "Glad to see you figured that out so early in your career." He offered Ryou a toothy grin, adding airily, "Though, this means I won't get very many chances to dole out punishments to you on the Lord's behalf."

"Career?" Ryou repeated, aghast, tilting his head to stare into the demon's face. He had never thought forced labor to be a career, and certainly wasn't going to start believing it anytime soon.

"Yes, career." His captor answered, grin fading to a mere smirk. "I know you don't want to hear this, human, but your life-long job is to be Lord Bakura's servant. You will live out the rest of your mortal days here and you will die here, under his rule. I suggest you get used to the idea and follow your orders like a good slave, or you'll be frequenting these punishment chambers far more often than you wish, I'm sure."

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Ryou nodded, slumping back into the demon's hold dismally. The guard chuckled at the boy's submission, amazed at how easy it was to break him. Of course, he was only human, and humans were the weakest of all creatures in these lands. So, it shouldn't come as too big of a surprise that this one, who was especially small and frail, would give in quickly under the pressure of a slave's life.

"Hm, I do believe I'm going to enjoy myself." The larger male said, throwing Ryou haphazardly over his shoulder as though he were nothing more than a bag of grain. At the human's frightened gasp, he smiled wide, deciding he'd have a little more fun at the servant's expense. "What do you say, boy? Since you seem to understand your place and are willing to try harder to stay in Lord Bakura's good graces, wouldn't you agree that this means it's less likely that I should see you again in the coming weeks?"

He took Ryou's silence to be his fearful answer of 'Yes,' so he continued gleefully. "Well then, I guess I'll have to take advantage of tonight, then, won't I?" He felt the child's hand's twist into the material of his tunic near his waist, those thin, claw-like fingers digging into the skin of the his lower back. Hissing quietly, he jostled his cargo, and quickened his pace, eyeing the nearly black expanse of hallway ahead of him. They would be arriving soon, he realized excitedly, pupils dilating both out of necessity for light and anticipation for what was to come.

The tapping of boots slowed soon after Ryou's sudden transfer to the guard's shoulder, and with a heavy heart, he peered over the demon's head and caught a glimpse of an upcoming door, its exterior as dusty and dank as the others they had passed. However, upon closer inspection, he saw there was one exception – this door had no lock. Anxiety rising, he prayed to any deity listening that this was not their stop, but his last bit of hope was dashed and his fears realized when the demon stopped in front of the door.

One of the guard's arms held Ryou's legs securely to his torso, while the other reached out to push the heavy steel door inward and open them a path to the room beyond. This was it, the pale human realized, fresh tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. It was time to receive his punishment.

Ryou gripped the other man's tunic desperately, a crazed idea flashing through his panic muddled mind – something about refusing to let go of his captor or be removed from his perch on the larger male's shoulder. As quickly as it came, the boy dismissed the thought as insane. He could fight all he wished, but it wouldn't change the fact that he'd eventually be extracted from the guard's body, and his punishment would probably be increased tenfold for his insolence.

The two entered the dark room, the demon moving to set his captive on the stone floor, and Ryou reluctantly allowing himself to be lowered onto his shaky legs. The human flinched as the door creaked shut and slammed with a resounding _clang_. Nervously, the white-haired young man swiveled around to glance at his new surroundings, mouth going dry when his vision adjusted to the low light offered by the few candelabra along the walls.

There was metal _everywhere_ - chains hanging from the ceiling or attached to the floor, thin stone slabs encased in webs of iron and balanced against the walls, and racks upon racks of axes, swords, whips, and knives, all assembled neatly in their metallic holders which had been welded to the wall to the right of the entrance.

Ryou sobbed, his hands immediately flying to cover his mouth in horror at what he saw. The mere presence of so many tools of torture was making him quiver, and he couldn't bring himself to imagine what was going to befall him within the next few hours.

The guard grabbed hold of the human's shoulder, turning the boy around to face him as he grinned devilishly into that deathly pale face. "Ready for your punishment, boy?" the male demon asked, his nails digging into the black tunic beneath his fingers. Without waiting for a reply, he roughly separated his captive from his garments and hauled Ryou to a pair of chains hanging from the ceiling. He then proceeded to clamp the shackles around his prisoner's frail wrists, making sure the boy was secured and facing away from the demon and the room's only exit.

Chuckling nastily, the larger male sauntered over to the weapon wall, making a show of choosing one of the many whips secured against the stone. Finding one that met his tastes, he pulled it from its place next to its brethren and returned to Ryou's side, snapping the weapon noisily.

"Don't worry, you don't need to answer. Believe me, nothing you say will make a difference, anyway."

Crying softly from humiliation and fear, the servant boy slumped in his chains and succumbed to his fate.

Far away, on the other side of the castle, a certain blond haired human was also suffering the same fate, though his was decidedly more brutal. The deafening silence of the hallway outside the single occupied chamber was only disturbed by the sounds of pained cries, throaty laughter, and the smack of leather on flesh emanating from within the four stone walls.

The hours ticked by slowly for one of the chamber's occupants - the one human among the trio - whose consciousness had long been lost to the blinding pain of his punishment. The demon guard and Lord Marik, however, had been far from growing bored with their cruel form of entertainment.

Time had been an issue for neither, and they would have happily continued the session had the boy not given into his pain. Once the slave had grown silent and his legs gave way under his weight, his eyes now veiled in the darkness of oblivion, there was little incentive to inflict more damage. What was the point of torture if you couldn't enjoy the fruits of your labor?

Thus, Malik was released from his chains, his body falling lifelessly to the floor near his discarded tunic and creating a dull and sickening smack as it impacted with the stone below. The demon guard smiled smugly to himself after watching his captive crumple, proud of his work, and looked to the blond vampire lord to his left, quietly awaiting his next order.

Marik ignored the yellow-skinned creature for the time being and cocked his head to the side, studying his doppelganger's bloodied back and shoulders. He would never admit it to another living soul, but he had been impressed with the slave's tolerance for torture. The boy had bitten his tongue mercilessly to hold in his screams, his back bowing so splendidly with each blow from the whip as he tried in vain to keep his dignity.

Yet when it came time for the sharper instruments, the slave's body and self-control had had enough. With the first slice of a blade over his sweat-drenched calves and arms, the human's cries had begun to pour from his throat, filling the room with the most exquisite sounds of suffering Marik had ever had the pleasure of hearing.

The vampire grinned crazily at the memory, knowing he would be craving to observe this boy's pain for many years to come. 'I shall have to remember to thank Bakura for giving me such a thoughtful gift.' The tanned vampire lord chuckled listlessly. 'But I'll have to be sly about it. Wouldn't want to inflate my dear brother's ego any further, now would I?'

Turning to the guard, Marik nodded once then jerked his head in the direction of the door, wordlessly ordering the demon out of his sight. The creature bowed low, his armor clinking noisily (he had not shed it in favor of his leather under-armor, like his comrade) as he made his way past the heavy steel door and into the hallway beyond, leaving the two blonds alone in the punishment chamber.

Remaining still, the vampire waited until the guard's footsteps were mere patters to his sharp ears before turning his sights back to the human on the floor. When he was sure he and his new servant were alone, he maneuvered himself around the smaller male's motionless body (being mindful of the boy's hair and blood splattered appendages splayed out over the cool stone) and found a level patch of rock near the slave's hip, where he dropped gracefully into a squat and reached out to tap the naked flesh of the young man's arm.

"Come on, human, don't be such a child. I assure you, it could have been worse." The vampire watched the slave's upper back rise and fall with each of the humans' shallow breaths, the boy's continued silence beginning to wear on the lord's nerves.

"Alright, that's enough." he growled, moving closer. "Searing pain is no excuse to lie unconscious when I wish to speak to you. Now, get up." Marik waved a clawed hand past the other's face, forehead wrinkling with annoyance when he was not immediately met with an identical pair of violet eyes.

"I'm serious, servant. Get up." A sharp claw slid lazily along Malik's cheek and jaw line, the point slicing gradually into the soft flesh and drawing rivulets of hot blood to the surface. Marik eyed them with longing, forcing himself to swallow his hunger for the time being. 'I can eat something later.' he assured himself, wiping the blood from his nail onto the child's silver tunic. 'I'm sure I can do much better than the blood of a slave.'

Deciding it wasn't worth waiting around for the other blond to awaken, the vampire stood and made to leave, taking a graceful step to the side before the sound of a low groan halted his feet. Raising an eyebrow delicately, he turned to see the young boy blink blearily and shift his position on the floor with a pained wince. Surprise flashed along the elder's features momentarily, only to leave soon after as he caught himself and shifted his expression into one of passivity.

"Awake, eh? And here I thought you weren't going to answer my calls."

Blood-caked lips parted gently as Malik pivoted his head, trying his best to glance at his future master. His throat worked feverishly as he fought to speak, a groan being heard in lieu of proper words.

"I'm sorry," Marik said nastily, raising a hand to his ear, "but I didn't quite catch that. What was it you said?"

The smaller blond gave him the dirtiest look he could muster, opening his mouth once more in an attempt to speak. "C-" A whimper. Swallowing, Malik tried again. "C…calls?" He asked, voice hoarse.

"Yes, calls." The vampire lord answered, smirking as he made his way back to the boy's side. "Have you really forgotten that we vampires have mental powers far superior to yours, little human?" He followed his question with a condescending snicker, bending to run his fingers down Malik's torn back whimsically.

The young male hissed, his back arching away from the touch instinctively. "S-stop!" he demanded, though the usual bite in his voice was muddled by the agony tearing through his body. He moaned softly, hating himself for being weak.

"Now, now. Malik, was it?" Marik paused, waiting with mock politeness for his servant to answer. He grinned when all he received was a glare, and proceeded. "Malik, there's no need to hate yourself for being weak. It's simply something you must accept as a part of humanity. Besides," the master shrugged matter-of-factly, "no one expects any more from you."

Malik fumed, angry tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Shut up!" He demanded feebly, moving sluggishly along the stone floor in an attempt to put some distance between himself and the vampire. He gasped when he felt a hand grip his wrist possessively, the other man's fingers vice-like over the thin flesh.

"I'd be careful with my words, _slave_." The elder said, voice low and oozing with disdain. "I'm sure you've heard how we vampires deal with those we deem useless." Marik narrowed his eyes, releasing the boy's wrist and crawling closer to the mortal in a predatory fashion. "If you don't learn to hold your tongue, you and your little friend may end up like all the other vermin who lost their appeal."

Malik's courage wavered at the threat, his shoulders slumping to the side as he drew his arms closer to his sides. "You and B-…Master Bakura wouldn't hurt Ryou, would you?"

Marik sneered and leaned his upper body over the small blond's back, laughing cruelly when Malik turned his head away sharply, disgusted when he felt the vampire's breath travel along the exposed curve of his neck. Face stopping mere inches from the child's locks of sun-kissed hair, the immortal pulled back his lips, bearing his fangs as he whispered into the other's ear.

"Personally, I have no interest in your pale friend. My brother, however, I'm not so sure about. It is his decision as to whether or not he disposes of this 'Ryou,' and I must warn you, Bakura can be highly unpredictable." Hot breath seared past Malik's ear, making him squirm as Marik continued. "I suggest your companion do as he's told and not make a fuss. If he refuses, I don't doubt the likelihood of him suffering the same fate as Kali."

Worried as to the answer, Malik asked hesitantly, "Who is Kali?"

"You mean who _'was'_ Kali." The blond vampire corrected, grinning impishly. "Why, she was someone very close to my dear brother. Well, a certain part of him, anyway." He snickered. "She's the one who gave me my sweet little nephew."

The tanned youth jerked in surprise, catching himself in time to stop his head from swiveling around to stare at the larger man. Instead, he opted to gaze at the rocky floor, lost in thought. "She…she gave you…?" he whispered, mind churning with confusion. This 'Kali' person was Yukio's mother? 'But, I haven't seen anyone other than servants taking care of the brat.'

"Ah, that's because Kali is no longer with us." Marik said, catching his captive off guard. He could hear the younger male's breath quickening, and smiled wistfully. "As I've said, she met the same fate that befalls everyone who becomes a burden to my brother and I. After having Yukio, and thus furthering our bloodline, her usefulness became moot, leaving no other alternative but for Bakura to see to it that she be disposed of immediately."

Malik couldn't believe what he was hearing. He blinked slowly, pressing his cheek against the cool skin of his shoulder in thought. 'Bakura killed the mother of his own child? Why? It wasn't as though the woman would be much of a problem, right?'

"Wrong, human." Marik interrupted, nosing against the mortal's ear. "With her around, my brother would have to deal with competition as to who controlled Yukio. You see, an heir can be a good bargaining tool if you are of the higher class." He inhaled the other's intoxicating scent of blood and sweat, exhaling loudly through his nose. "Bakura was merely watching out for the future of his land."

"Does Yukio know?" Malik inquired softly, lids getting heavy with fatigue. He shook his head harshly and bit his lip, trying to keep himself conscious. The last thing he wanted was to fall under the curtain of sleep with his new vampire master so close.

"Of course he does. He also doesn't care, seeing as how he's better off without her." Marik shifted, raising himself into a crouch. "Now then, I must be getting back to my welcoming party." The tall man stood and wiped the dirt from his pants, snorting as he finished. He then turned to address the blond on the floor. "I will call for a servant to retrieve you in a few minutes. Remain where you are, alright?"

With a malicious laugh, Marik strode to the door, his cape flapping against his thighs gently with each step. Before leaving, he paused to look over his shoulder, expression serious. "Listen to me, slave," He said, tone filled with warning. "I suggest you and your friend take my words to heart, and do as you're told. If you don't, I can't promise you your safety."

Malik closed his eyes, breathing as deeply as his bruised chest would allow and listened to the vampire's footsteps as he walked down the hallway, heading in the direction of the stairs leading to the upper floors. Sore, bloody, and on the edge of consciousness, the young man whimpered delicately and laid his head flat on the cold stone beneath him, sighing shallowly.

As he counted the passing minutes in the empty chamber, Malik curled his arms under his chest and waited for his transport to arrive, mind filled with feverish worry for the only other person in the castle who could understand the severity of their situation.

TBC

Holy hookers, Batman! This took me F.O.R.E.V.E.R. to update. D: I'm really, really sorry, you guys. I have no idea why it took me so long to get my ass in gear and get this thing typed up.

Hopefully, it met everyone's requirements for a decent update. ;

If there are major problems with this chapter (and I'm sure there's bound to be one or two, since it's 2:42 in the A.M.) I promise I'll fix them soon.

I think next I'll finish Support Part 2 and get that out of the way, then I can try to crank out ch 8 of Fate. Look forward to it. :3

Reviews for the ita? –grabby hands-


	8. Healing

um, Malik gets brought back to the servant chambers by a demon servant

Well, it's certainly been awhile, hasn't it? D:

I'm really, really sorry that this fic is taking so friggin long to update. The good news is that I'm out of school for the summer and therefore have absolutely no reason to be lazy. So, since I now have all the time I need AND I have the other two chapters planned out, they should be updated more frequently.

Hopefully.

I'd also like to give a quick thank you to my friend Harutemu, who has been online helping me get this bitch of a chapter written. Thanks a lot, hun. :3 You manage to get my muses off their asses and help me get stuff done. Ilu hardcore.

Anyway, without further ado, here's chapter eight of Fate of the Damned.

Enjoy! :3

Ch 8

The first thing to register in Malik's foggy mind upon awakening was the sensation of being lifted into a pair of strong arms. Groaning softly, he opened his eyes and blinked hazily, lids weighted down by both fatigue and pain. When his vision cleared and he was able to focus on the face of his transporter, he quickly realized it was none other than Otogi, the head of the demon servant quarters. Surprised by this, it took him a moment to react to the sight of the fairly familiar face.

The young demon, upon noticing that Malik had regained consciousness, took advantage of the stunned silence and made his way toward the heavy door of the underground chamber, glad for the reprieve from the human's incessant ranting.

Predictably, the peace didn't last long.

Once his bearings had returned to him, Malik shifted painfully in the ebony-haired demon's arms and groaned softly, the sensation of his tunic rubbing against his back pure agony. Grasping the course material shakily, he loosened the article around his upper body and allowed it to pool at his lap. Wondering when exactly his tunic had been wrapped around his nude body, he eventually came to the decision that he had better things to occupy his mind – namely, the many questions he was eager to have answered. Where was Ryou? Where were they to be taken? Were they to be separated? What was going to happen to them?

Unfortunately, all he managed to croak out was a soft, "Where…?" which fell short of what he'd intended to ask. Otogi seemed to understand his concerns, thankfully, and managed to answer most of his unspoken questions.

"I'm taking you back to the slave quarters, if that's what you're asking." Sneering, he glared at nothing in particular as he made his way to the door, his demeanor confusing Malik until an explanation came in the form of the demon's next huffed comment. "Normally," Otogi said, negative mood radiating from him in waves, "I'd have another demon do such a demeaning job, but this request was made of me by Master Marik himself, and I'd rather not upset him."

Momentarily lost in his angry thoughts, Otogi let slip some of his complaints on the matter, unaware that Malik could hear the soft mumbles. Grumbled protests such as, "Why on earth did I have to be the one to run into him in the main hall?" and "Doesn't he realize this is a job for a lower slave?" fell from the demon's lips, surprising Malik and making him perk his ears in an attempt to hear more. After all, it never hurt to have some incriminating information regarding the head demon stored away.

Despite the pain in his shoulders and back, the blond forced his head lower in order to hide the devious smile that was practically splitting his face in two, disguising the movement with a well-timed moan of distress. He only hoped Otogi mistook the small tremors in his shoulders as a mere show of pain, rather than the result of holding in his desperate chuckles.

Reasons behind his unexpected 'generosity' now explained, Otogi went on to discuss what was to happen once they reached their destination. "When we come to the slave quarters, you'll meet with your little friend in the healing tent, and you'll both be given the medical supplies allotted to human servants. Afterward, your fate rests in the hands of your masters." Here, Otogi paused to shift the blond's body in his arms and reach for the door handle, pulling it open with a heavy grunt.

Once the creaking of the hinges quieted, he gripped the boy closer to his chest and made his way out into the hall, taking a moment to glance down at the mop of blond hair brushing against his arms and crimson top. "To tell you the truth, I have more hope for you then your friend, boy. At least your new master seems to hold somewhat of an interest in you. That Ryou fellow has a tough path ahead of him, I'm sure of it."

Grimacing, Malik raised his head and shot the demon the most venomous look he could muster before collapsing in pain in Otogi's hold. The man laughed cruelly at the pitiful attempt at defiance and took another step forward, making sure to jostle the boy unnecessarily in the process. "Keep it up, human, and you won't have to worry about your friend much longer. You'll be killed for your insolence, and he'll have the opportunity to suffer under my master's rule, alone and unwanted for the rest of his existence."

This statement seemed to have the desired effect, and the blond clamped his jaws shut and bit his lower lip forcibly, trying to keep his mutinous tongue from getting him into further trouble.

As the trip back to the upper floors continued and the dingy walls of the dungeon area passed him by, Malik closed his eyes to keep the hallway from spinning, and leaned heavily against the arm supporting his head. _Just you wait_, he thought savagely, _I'll prove myself to this 'Marik,' earn his trust, and put myself in his favor. Once that happens, I'll have more say in what happens in this castle then you'd ever think possible, demon. _

Grinning despite himself, Malik allowed his body to relax, and dreamed of better days to come.

Whilst his friend was being brought up to the infirmary tent, Ryou remained lying still and passive on his belly, the covers of the sick-bed wrapped snuggly around him. He had made his small journey from the dungeons back to the slave quarters a few hours earlier, and, after getting bandaged and receiving a hearty cup of warm water, was now swimming in blissful, drug-induced unconsciousness.

Miraculously, his dreams were not filled with cries of agony and streams of blood, but instead merely consisted of foggy woodlands, the distant sounds of childish laughter, and an anonymous figure who only seemed to appear before him in silhouette.

As the medication wore off, Ryou's mind began to deviate in and out of the world around him, his drooping eyelids opening every so often to catch a bleary glimpse of his surroundings. When he heard a small disturbance nearby, he warily rubbed his face into his stiff pillow and turned his head toward the bed to his right, glancing over the top of the side-table and water bowl to catch sight of a mop of blonde hair and tanned skin.

It took a moment to collect his thoughts and gather the energy to focus, his tired eyes following the dark figures moving near his bed. The mixture of sounds and colors confused him, the shadows filling the room and the flickering candlelight making it hard to recognize one person from another. Finally, one voice managed to break through Ryou's daze and alert him that Malik had joined him in the ward.

"Ouch! Not so rough!" Malik cried, his skin crawling from the pain and mishandling by the sorry excuse for a doctor and that cold-hearted bastard, Otogi. "I'm injured, remember?" Grasping the stiff sheets of the hospital bed beneath him, Malik watched as Otogi yanked the silver tunic from around his bloodied legs and tossed it to the floor to join an equally bloodied black tunic. The dark-skinned boy could only assume the other tunic belonged to Ryou.

The doctor turned to send his exposed patient a hateful glare, his yellowish skin and goat-like horns glinting in the low candlelight as his crimson eyes narrowed at his newest 'patient.' "Be silent, human!" He shouted, voice booming throughout the tent and jostling both Ryou and Malik with the severity of it. "You will receive whatever treatment we decide to give you, and you will be thankful for it!"

Sniffing disdainfully, he scrunched up his already ugly face, the features becoming monstrous in the flickering light, and continued in a slightly calmer tone. "Believe me, it is not every day that I allow humans into my infirmary to take up bed space and pilfer our supply of much needed medications. So, for as long as I must put up with you, I expect you and your friend to keep your mouths shut and lie still, so you may heal and I can be rid of you both as soon as possible."

"Yes, slave." Otogi spoke up from the washing basin near the front of the tent, his arms elbow-deep in the soapy water. "You would do well to follow the good doctor's orders. Wouldn't want your stay here to be unnecessarily painful, now would you?" He sneered cruelly at the irate stare the blonde was sending his way, having no qualms against berating the young human. When he was sure his point had been made, he turned and scanned the room for the bald-headed doctor, towel-drying his hands absently.

Thanks to the other's stark white tunic, he was easy enough to spot in the back corner of the exceptionally dim room, the upper half of his torso hidden from view by the door of a medical storage locker. Raising an eyebrow as he watched the man dig through the various shelves and haphazardly placed medical tools, he gave his hands one more thorough rub with the hand-cloth before throwing it aside and meandering over to the older demon.

"Sorry for the intrusion." Otogi muttered, coming to a stop next to the older male. Crossing his arms over his blood-red shirt and shifting his stance, he leaned close to the doctor so as not to be overheard by the humans and whispered quietly near the other's ear. "I know this will be a problem for you, but I must ask you to keep these two humans alive and relatively intact."

Pausing in his rummaging, the doctor turned to study the younger demon's face, his expression becoming one of confusion. "Why so worried about them, Otogi?" he asked, glancing into the storage locker to locate a roll of gauze. Spotting the desired item near the back of a lower shelf, he leaned down to grasp it, his hand pausing on the tightly wound fabric. "Growing a bit attached to the humans, are you?"

Snorting loudly at the accusation, Otogi stood straight and glared daggers at the doctor. "Of course not, you idiot!" he growled, having to remind himself to keep his voice down when a pair of curious violet eyes turned to study him from one of the few sick-beds situated around the tent. Composing himself, the ebony-haired demon let his arms drop to his sides, his fingers absently gripping his black pants in irritation.

"Look, it's not that I personally care about them." He murmured, crouching to come face-to-face with the doctor. Placing one hand on his knee and the other on the floor to balance himself, he explained the situation. "It's just that these two humans have managed to find a bit of acceptance in Master Marik and Master Bakura's eyes." The look of shock that crossed the older demon's face affirmed Otogi's view that the idea of this was preposterous. Grinding his teeth together, the younger man reluctantly continued.

"So, since the Master's seem to find something worthwhile in these two humans, we can't allow them to die on us. I don't know about you, but getting punished for allowing a human's death is not something I wish to undertake." Glaring at the floor, Otogi seemed to be seriously considering something as he whispered, apparently to himself, "I can't imagine how far my reputation would fall if that were to happen. I would lose all respect from my subordinates."

Observing the younger man silently, the doctor acknowledged his fears with a quiet "Hm." He, too, realized the repercussions of such a punishment, and decided a bit of reassurance was needed in order to alleviate their worries. Picking up his gauze, the doctor closed the doors to the wooden storage locker with a gentle _clack_, and motioned for Otogi to stand. When the dark-haired demon was level with him, he stepped closer and murmured, "Don't worry, Otogi. I will take this assignment seriously, and will not allow the humans to die – for both our sakes."

Unraveling a good portion of the gauze, the older male tore the piece off using his teeth and claws, and moved to hand it to the somewhat calmer demon beside him. Nodding his thanks, Otogi took the offered gauze and wandered over to the tanned human with a subdued pace, silently conveying his reluctance to deal with Malik. He'd had quite enough of the blond human tonight, and didn't feel he could keep himself from strangling him if he had to listen to one more of the boy's whiny tirades.

Completely understanding Otogi's unwillingness to deal with the strong-willed human, the doctor moved to stand beside his companion at the edge of Malik's bed. Expression becoming one of concentration, the elder demon directed his patient to roll over onto his belly and flatten himself on the straw mattress, so as to ease the strain on his wounds.

As the human grudgingly moved to comply, the horned-demon reached for a bowl of premixed salve on the side table near the sick bed. Dropping his roll of gauze to the sheets below, he placed the bowl near the boy's elbow and glanced around for some cloth he could use. Locating a hand cloth on the floor near the tent's entrance, he walked over and scooped it up.

When he straightened, he saw another rag draped over the washing basin's edge, its material slightly frayed from overuse. Deciding to bring it as well, he grasped the second cloth and returned to Malik's bedside, his heavy leather boots making loud clunking noises on the stone floor. Submerging the two pieces of cloth in the water basin located on the work table next to the sickbed, he wrung the extra water from the material before placing the now damp fabric next to the bowl on the stiff white sheets.

Now prepared for what was to come next, the doctor dipped his index and middle fingers into the grey-tinted balm located in the bowl. Smearing the substance on the rest of his hand, he looked to see if his dark-haired companion was also ready to continue. Seeing that the man had also dropped his gauze and was reaching into the ointment bowl, the yellow-skinned demon nodded toward Otogi to gain his attention. As the younger male glanced at him for further instruction, the doctor gave his directions in a clipped tone.

"I will be taking care of the boy's back, seeing as I have more experience with such injuries. You will be caring for the lashes on his arms and legs." When Otogi nodded his understanding, the doctor continued. "First, you need to wipe away the congealed blood and dead skin from around each injury. This will aid in the recovery process."

Directing Otogi's attention to the damp cloth on the bed, he waited until he received another affirmative nod before moving on to the next step. "When you have finished cleaning each wound, you will rub the ointment into each mark until most of the blood and flesh is covered. Do not press too roughly on the lesions, as unnecessary force can upset the enflamed flesh and cause added pain. Don't worry about any minor bleeding, since it's common in wounds such as these."

Gesturing toward Malik's mangled back as an example, he continued. "As for the remaining injuries to his chest and face, they will have to wait until we have the larger wounds covered and are able to turn him over without causing excess damage." Nodding his assent once more, Otogi held the cloth over the torn skin of Malik's legs and waited for the doctor to give the signal to proceed. When the doctor moved to grab the second damp cloth on the bed, the dark-haired demon turned his attention back to the human's tanned legs and began to clean away the gore surrounding the boy's gaping wounds.

As the two demons began to meticulously clean and treat the large gashes adorning Malik's body, his gasps and grunts of pain radiated throughout the tent. Body protesting the feel of roughened hands roving over his torn flesh, the blond tried desperately to keep from squirming in pain. While he was trying to comply with the doctor's orders to remain flat and still, he also didn't wish to vocalize the agony that he was in. He wasn't about to give the demons any satisfaction in knowing that he was momentarily at their mercy.

Ryou watched his friend's treatment silently, his groggy mind able to sympathize with the other boy's plight. Before he had received medicine to dull his own pain, he had been in near agony from the whip lashes and fiery burns adorning his body. Now, he merely floated in and out of consciousness, his misty eyes taking in the occasional image of the doctor flitting about the healing tent, or a glimpse of a passing servant through the open flaps of the tent.

When he noticed Malik's painful grunts had faded to mere whimpers, and then to complete silence, he readjusted his head on his pillow to gain a better view of the other boy, noticing that he was now turned onto his back and appeared to be sleeping. Taking in the sight of freshly wound bandages, Ryou was a bit surprised that he hadn't noticed the doctor and Otogi finishing their work. 'That pain medication must have really gotten to me.' He thought, eyes roving the darkened tent in search of the two demons.

Managing to locate them near the entrance, he watched as they whispered to one another, their faces cast in shadow from the light from the candelabras nearby. Their bodies appeared stiff as they spoke, as though their conversation were exceptionally grim. Wondering if what they were discussing pertained to Malik and him, he glanced back at his friend, starting when he caught dark violet eyes inspecting him.

Though the candlelight was low and the shadows surrounding them were murky, Ryou could still make out the pained look on his friend's face. Feeling as though he should offer the other boy some encouragement, Ryou finally parted his lips and attempted to speak. The first attempt ended with him merely managing to force out a guttural noise, so the pale boy swallowed thickly and tried again. This time, he was able to say the other's name in a quiet murmur, but even then his voice cracked violently and caught the demon's attention.

The doctor turned quickly to study his two charges, his already hideous face scrunching further in his annoyance. "Listen, humans," He said, pointing toward their beds with one clawed hand, "I don't want any problems from either of you. I want you to rest for the day, and then be out of my sight by sundown. The medication I've given you is of my own creation and is extremely potent, but that doesn't mean it can offset patient ineptitude. You will need to keep your workload light for the next few nights in order to keep your wounds from reopening. Do you understand?"

Ryou nodded slowly, catching a mirrored movement from Malik out of the corner of his eye. Relived that his stubborn companion was willing to cooperate, he watched Otogi and the doctor exit the tent and disappear into the gloom of the servant quarters outside. With the excitement of the scene now over, the pale young man could feel the pain medication taking affect once more, causing him inherent drowsiness.

Yawning cutely, he shifted under his blanket, the course material irritating his bandages and naked flesh beneath, but not enough to cause him to cast off the only source of warmth he had. Suddenly, he wasn't sure he could stay awake for much longer, even though he now had Malik to keep him company. Eyelids drooping heavily, he turned his head and stared passively at the slightly blurred figure in the next bed, the older boy's vibrant blond hair contrasting sharply to the bleakness of the rest of the room. Catching Malik's gaze once more, he sent the blond and lazy smile, glad when he received one in return.

Pulling his blanket up to wrap more firmly around his shoulders, Ryou addressed his friend. "Are you feeling a little better now, Malik?" he asked, his voice muffled by the edges of the blanket's rough material.

"Yeah, I guess." The other sighed, shifting slowly and sucking in a pained gasp. "Ouch! Man, that bastard did a number on me." Furrowing his brows in a show of pain, he noticed Ryou shift and pull a concerned expression. Wishing to alleviate his friend's worries, Malik smiled gently and spoke in a soft whisper. "Don't look at me like that, Ryou. You should know by now that I'm a tough little shit."

Grinning proudly, his words brought a laugh from the pale youth's throat. Glad to hear such a wonderful sound, Malik continued his reassurances. "Don't worry, Ryou. It's nothing I can't handle." Glancing up at the canvas top of the tent, he placed his hands gently on the blanket draped over his belly and took a deep breath, trying to relax his aching muscles. "No matter what, I'll take whatever these assholes can throw at me. If it gets me closer to getting out of this hellhole, then I'm more than happy to deal with it."

Not quite understanding how a lashing was getting Malik closer to anything other than an early death, Ryou decided to stay silent. He had always been able to tell when the cogs in his companion's head were turning, and knew that the blond had some sort of a plan forming. He also knew from experience that once Malik had an idea in his head, nothing short of a deity-induced miracle could stop him from acting on it. That's how they'd managed to get into this mess in the first place, after all.

'Though, I have to admit, this is much better than the prison we were in earlier.' Ryou concluded, allowing his drowsy eyes to close at last. At least in _this_ prison, he didn't have to worry about being eaten nearly as much.

A few minutes passed by without incident, the only sounds filling the room being the shifting of covers and the soft breathing of the two boys. Just as he was about to cross over into blissful unconsciousness once again, Ryou was tugged back to reality by a familiar voice.

"Hey, Ryou." Malik said, the sudden break in the peaceful silence adding an edge of urgency to his words. "What do you think we should do from here?"

Not recognizing the hesitant tone of the blond's words, Ryou forced his tired eyelids open and gazed at the figure in the next bed, his expression one of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Malik stated patiently, "what do we do after all this is over?" Glaring at the top of the large tent, he elaborated further. "What do we do once it's time for me to leave? I doubt that Marik guy will want to stay here for very long, since it doesn't seem like him and Bakura get along well." Dropping his voice to a low whisper, Malik said in a hushed tone, "What'll happen when we're separated?"

Silence filled the dark room once more, only now it was heavy with anxiety and a sense of all-encompassing fear. Fear of the unknown and fear of a loss greater than either of them could imagine. After being together for such a long time, how would they get by on their own? How could they wake up every night and realize that they'd never speak to one another again?

Fighting to get his sluggish brain to think clearly, Ryou furrowed deeper into his covers and stared hard at Malik's serious expression, a heavy feeling settling in his chest when he realized the blond refused to look at him. Swallowing thickly, a sudden queasiness overtook the younger boy, and he decided he wasn't ready to have this conversation. He had a hard enough time thinking of Malik's eminent departure when he was in good health; throw in a mountain of pain medication and a warm bed and he was almost too woozy to remember his own name, let alone process something this serious.

When the pause began to feel as though it would span an eternity, Ryou finally answered his friend, deciding it best to speak truthfully. "I'm…not sure." Maneuvering himself onto his side in order to take the strain off his stomach, the pale boy bit his lip and tucked his hand under his chin meekly. "I don't know what we're going to do after this. The entire situation is a hellish fiasco, what with me being Master Yukio's keeper for the rest of my natural life, and you getting passed over to that blond lunatic like you were a housewarming gift."

Chuckling humorlessly, Malik agreed with Ryou's views. This was indeed a fiasco – the worst he had ever faced in his life. He either defied his 'Master' and got himself killed, or did as he was told and end up thousands of miles away from the only person he had ever given a damn about. He was truly at a loss as to how to move forward without either of them getting hurt. Yes, he still had his plan to get into Marik's favor, but even then, could he manage to trick the man into bringing Ryou to live with them? Would the blond vampire be able to do such a thing?

"I have to figure out a way to get around Bakura." The blond youth stated, more to himself than his companion. If he could earn Marik's trust and find a means of working his way around the pale vampire's authority, then maybe he could 'persuade' that psychotic oaf to take Ryou away from Bakura. It's not as though the pale vampire were very fond of the quiet boy in the first place – he simply enjoyed using him as a babysitter for his brat of an heir.

'I think I could do it.' Malik thought, breathing deeply. But now the question was whether or not Ryou would be better off with Marik. Taking earlier events into account, the blond human couldn't be too sure of the answer. In fact, from the looks of things, the pale boy was doomed no matter which house he occupied.

Not understanding the meaning behind Malik's earlier statement, Ryou figured he'd simply let it go. He was too tired to ask any more questions, and he figured it was better that they both get some rest, rather than staying up all morning talking. If he knew Otogi like he thought he did, the demon would surely send them off to work the moment they were well enough to walk a straight line. Wanting to finish the conversation on a positive note, he spoke lightly and with a tender edge to his tone.

"Don't worry, Malik." He whispered, holding out his hand to catch the other's attention. "I'm sure we'll figure something out." Wiggling his fingers, he waited for Malik to understand his gesture.

Smiling affectionately, the blond reached out to grasp the offered hand, noting how much smaller it was compared to his own. Wincing slightly at the inevitable pain in his shoulders, Malik decided to ignore it for now. If this made the pale boy feel better and helped him sleep easier, then he would endure the pain. It's not as though he couldn't handle it, since it was only a minor ache now, thanks to the medicated cream and fresh bandages. Compared to the agony he was in earlier, this was far from unbearable.

Squeezing Malik's hand fondly, Ryou curled his free hand closer to his throat and nuzzled into his pillow, eyes closing gratefully. It was only a matter of moments before his tired body gave into the lull of sleep, and his grip on the other's hand went lax. Breathing deeply, he fell into a deep slumber, his dreams clear of the phantom images from earlier.

Not quite ready to sleep, the blond youth tightened his grip and kept their hands entwined. He wasn't sure when next he would get the chance to share such a peaceful moment with Ryou, and so figured it wouldn't hurt to have it last a few minutes longer. Gaze roving over the other's face, he took in the sight of porcelain skin and softly fluttering eyelashes. Feeling a sense of true tranquility in that moment, Malik let himself bask in the sensation, his mind beginning to wander and pass into a daze, thanks to the medicine having finally begun to act on his system.

'Ryou's very pretty like this.' He thought passively, surprise registering in his mind the moment he realized what had passed through his musings undeterred. Had he really just called his friend 'pretty?' Blinking stupidly, Malik strained his eyes in the low light to study Ryou further. After another few moments of observation, he came to the conclusion that it wasn't an unfair judgment, and that the other boy was in fact rather beautiful.

Blushing a deep red, he turned back to look at the ceiling, the heat in his cheeks spreading throughout his face and down his neck. Embarrassment overtook him for a moment, but with a sudden shock, something far more frightening came to his attention.

It did seem clear to him now that Ryou was attractive, and even if it had taken him awhile to notice, it was probably an inevitable discovery. So, what would happen when others finally came to terms with the obvious? "What will I do if Bakura realizes what he has?" He whispered fearfully toward the ceiling, his mouth going dry. Gulping at the notion that such a thing would come to pass, Malik's foggy mind cleared and he wondered if he would get any sleep that day worrying over the younger boy's future.

Squeezing the other's pale hand anxiously, he assured himself that even if Bakura noticed that Ryou was attractive physically, his ego and status would discourage him from acting on his newly acquired knowledge. It certainly wouldn't look good to the subordinates of the castle and the people occupying the rest of the land if their vampire master were to suddenly find interest in a lowly human slave.

Closing his eyes and taking in a calming breath, he felt a little better about the situation. 'No, he won't try anything.' He thought with a note of finality, 'Not when he has so much riding on his image.'

He only prayed that he was right.

TBC

Notes:

Alright, I realize that not that much happened in this fic. I'm sorry about that, but you will be happy to know that a lot is scheduled to happen in the next one. :D So, there's that to look forward to.

Also, I know Otogi is coming off as a gigantic assbag right now, and there's a reason for that. Believe me, he's going to be doing some growing through this fic (along with Yukio and a few other choice characters). He will not always be such a giant bastard, but be warned it will take him awhile to get to a lesser level of assholary.

Look forward to the next chapter as soon as I can manage to get it done. I'm hoping I can get it done in under a few weeks. (I shall cross my fingers)

Please leave me a review. I love them so.


	9. Call to Dinner

I'm very sorry for the wait. I have no excuse. This chapter is a tad longer to make up for it.

Ch. 9

For both Ryou and Malik, waking up turned out to be far harder than falling asleep.

Now that the majority of the pain medicine had worn off, their bodies began to protest the harsh treatment they had received the night before. Any minor movement or gesture was agony on their marked backs, and each step they took caused the muscles in the boys' legs to burn with fatigue. Groans of pain and sharp intakes of breath accompanied the two human servants as they rolled out of bed and prepared themselves for the night, both hoping the workload would be lightened on account of their wounds.

The evening hadn't been made any more pleasant by the doctor's own special greeting. After a quick check of their injuries (which by now had mostly scabbed over due to the healing salve), he spouted off orders for them to visit Otogi in the supply area of the slave quarters. Of course, it would have been easier and far more convenient for the Head Servant to simply visit Ryou and Malik himself to tell them his plans for the night, but this castle had never been run with a slave's convenience in mind.

With his orders given, the doctor proceeded to offer them a series of angry grunts and shouts, demanding they dress and clear out of the healing tent to make room for more deserving patients. Malik had wished to point out the lack of injured or ill demons lined up outside the tent, but wisely held his tongue. He didn't need to start his first night back to work with a snarky remark and another whipping for his effort.

Unsurprised to find they were not offered fresh tunics, they grudgingly clambered into their bloody clothes from earlier and washed their faces in the water bowls beside their beds, mindful of the bandages adorning their injuries. Figuring they would have time to visit the bog and bathe themselves fully, they decided they would simply have to wash their clothes then and hope the soggy material didn't upset their lesions.

So, having been figuratively (and almost literally) kicked out of the tent, the two began the painful trek to find Otogi. Their bare feet slapped lightly against the cool stone floors of the servant quarters as they went, their eyes finding it hard to adjust to the dim lighting of the large room. Working their way from the healing tent (located in the far right of the room), they walked several yards before they reached the edge of the sleeping area, which spanned almost the entire right side of the slave quarter's expanse. Finding it difficult to bypass the random assortment of cots strewn about with the aid of the candlelight, they made their way slowly through the throng of demons getting ready for work, and those who were simply milling about.

Crossing his arms and flicking his eyes upwards to peer at the stone ceiling arching high above their heads, Malik signed deeply, the lashes on his chest objecting the action. Lowering his gaze, he noticed a large number of glowing eyes peering at them from the gloom, and glared halfheartedly. It would appear that the other slaves were more interested in watching them pass than getting ready for the grueling labor of the night. The blond youth couldn't exactly blame them for their inattention to duty, but nevertheless, he found it extremely irritating.

"I wish these idiots would get back to their own business." He muttered, leaning close to Ryou so as not to be overheard. "I hate this feeling of being constantly watched."

Nodding in agreement, Ryou continued on, careful not to stub his toes on the uneven stone floor or the edge of a cot. He could hear his friend carrying on under his breath, his grumbles drowned out by the collective murmurs of the demons crammed into the sleeping quarters, their numbers easily reaching into the fifties. It would appear that a majority of the slaves had already woken and begun their work, or were simply lazing about in the cooking area located in the far left corner the room, hoping to scrounge up what they could of breakfast before beginning their nightly labor.

Thinking about the kitchen area had Ryou's stomach rumbling angrily, and it was only then that he realized he and Malik had yet to eat. Rubbing his midsection apologetically, the pale-haired boy snatched at his friend's shirt sleeve in order to get him to pause. When the blond came to a halt and fell into a confused silence, his gaze flickering from Ryou's hand to his deep brown eyes, the younger boy lowered his voice and spoke.

"Malik, are you hungry?"

"Well, I…" Taken aback, the taller boy assumed a perplexed demeanor, his head tilting to the side and his brow furrowing. After a few moments, understanding dawned, and he realized why Ryou had asked. "Yeah, I am, actually." He answered, grabbing the other's hand on his sleeve and squeezing it gently. "Are you?" Honestly, Malik was used to going for long periods of time without adequate food, so the hunger gnawing at his stomach wasn't too bad. However, if Ryou needed something to eat, far be it from him to refuse the shorter boy a meal.

"A little." Ryou replied sheepishly, acknowledging the kind gesture with a nod of his head before releasing Malik's shirt sleeve. He noticed that the blond immediately let go of his hand when he moved to pull away, and was thankful that his friend wasn't babying him too much. "Would you like to go get something to eat really quick, before we go see Otogi? I don't want to start work on an empty stomach." He continued, dropping his arms to his sides, his fingers playing with the material of his tunic.

"Yeah, that sounds fine to me." Grinning, Malik motioned for his companion to follow him and made his way through the cots toward the back of the room. It took several minutes to get past the last of the beds and crowd of demons, but they were finally able to break through the throng and reach the kitchen area in the far corner. Bypassing the few low wooden table and chair sets around the perimeter of the area (only a few of which were occupied), the two boys came to a stop near the three large fire pits set against the wall.

There was a short line of demons before them, so they took their time in collecting one wooden bowl and spoon each from the stone-carved counters jutting from the adjacent wall. Glancing over quickly to peer at one of the cooks - if they could even be called such a thing – Ryou noticed the woven basket set beside the dark-skinned demons bare foot, the material of his silver tunic rubbing against it idly as he moved. Noting the strong smell coming from the basket's direction, the pale boy supposed it contained the rice and herbs used in making their breakfast for the night.

Making a small noise in his throat, Ryou raised his eyes to look at the cooks face, surprised to see that this demon looked somewhat normal. Though his head was adorned with devilish brown horns like most of the other demons here, he had sleek auburn hair which cascaded down his shoulders in gentle waves. Used to seeing servants with dark, dull hair (or, in the case of a few of the guards, no hair at all), the sight of something different made the pale-haired servant blink and try to better focus in the dim light.

The cook's skin appeared darkly tanned in the low candlelight, the toned muscles of his exposed arms appearing to shift gracefully as he worked. Dipping his wooden ladle into the pot, he would collect a generous amount of white goop and dump it unceremoniously into each bowl presented to him. He did all this with a stern expression, his pale lips set in a thin line and brow furrowed slightly in thought.

Of course, it wasn't his skin color or hair that caught Ryou's full attention. What was truly shocking, besides the fact that he was relatively handsome for a demon, were the cook's eyes. Unlike the rest of the servants (with a few exceptions, such as Otogi), his pupils were not a muddled brown or deep crimson, but were instead a bright blue.

Blushing slightly, Ryou cast his gaze to the ground and tried not to outright stare. What on earth was wrong with him? Was he really checking out a demon? 'Have I really sunk that low?' Sighing halfheartedly, the pale boy followed his friend from the counters to the line nearest the counters and hoped his momentary mental lapse hadn't been noticed.

While patiently awaiting their turns, the two boys were constantly aware of the hateful glares they were receiving from the slaves around them. Time seemed to drag on endlessly as the line dwindled and the demons and two human boys moved closer to the enormous cooking pot set over a fire pit near the corner. Both Ryou and Malik's stomachs growled as the smell of food, no matter how fowl tasting it may turn out to be, reached their noses, and their steps forward became hurried as they came near the front of the line.

Minutes more passed, and they finally reached the cooking pot and the handsome demon cook, their bowls held out expectantly and their eyes downcast. Ryou's face burned as he stood there waiting to have his bowl filled, not daring to steal another glance at the young demon when it would be so utterly obvious. Both boys had realized early on that it was best if they humbled themselves in front of the cooking staff, since it wasn't worth suffering starvation to uphold one's pride. Now more than ever, Ryou was extremely happy that his stubborn friend agreed with this notion, taking on a meek demeanor whenever he came into contact with a demon from the kitchens.

There was a noticeable pause in the cook's movements, his ladle stopping inches from the surface of the white bubbling porridge. Several tense seconds passed by, the murmurs of the slaves behind them easily heard in the sudden stillness of the moment while the heat from the fire pit licked at both of the boys' ankles. Swallowing thickly, Ryou truly hoped the cook would take pity on them and offer them a ration of food, if only so Malik didn't cause any sort of scene out of blind fury at their unfair treatment.

Thankfully, the demon's hesitation only lasted a short while before he dipped the ladle into the pale goop and gave the two humans a scoop each. As the food sloshed dangerously in his bowl, Ryou released a nervous breath and bowed his head further, quietly thanking whatever god existed for taking pity on them.

With full bowls in hand, the two made their way from the line of glaring demons and over to one of the open tables on the outskirts of the kitchen area. Sitting in the stiff chairs, they placed their bowls on the tabletop and dug into their porridge. Surprisingly, the food didn't taste too horrible tonight, though that may have had something to do with how hungry they were. Polishing off their breakfast quickly, they stood and took their bowls and spoons to a bucket sitting next to the stone counter, placing the items gently into the soapy water within.

Having finished their food, they now turned their attention to the front of the slave quarters. There, tucked into the right corner of the room near the entryway, they would find the supply area and, hopefully, Otogi.

Walking a straight path from the kitchen area toward the front of the room, they spotted a familiar figure near the entrance to the quarters. The man's back was turned to them, and he appeared to be giving orders to three of the demon children occupying Bakura's hordes of slaves. The kids - two boys and a young girl - looked to be around eight years of age (though it was hard to tell the true age of demons) and were all wearing shabby black tunics. All three had closely cropped dark brown hair and matching eyes, and their skin color was an odd shade of olive green. Small black horns erupted from their temples, while an array of multi-colored scales decorated their cheeks, elbows, and lower arms. Considering how closely they resembled one another, it could only be assumed that they were somehow related.

From the wild hand gestures, mop of ebony hair, and stiffened shoulders, the demon spouting off orders to the children could be none other than Otogi. Throwing each other knowing glances, Ryou and Malik took their time in getting to the head servant, wary of catching him in what appeared to be a tantrum. Slowing their pace, they shuffled along toward the front wall, ears perked to see if they could catch any of the dialogue being thrown about during Otogi's rant.

All too soon, they saw the head demon step back, allowing the three children room to escape him and carry on to with their work. Each grabbing their own bucket of cleaning supplies, the children quickly bowed their heads in a show of respect to Otogi before hastily making their way to the slave quarter's entrance. Ryou watched them practically run from the room, and felt pity rising in his gut. No child, demon or otherwise, deserved such treatment.

Unbidden, memories of his own childhood assaulted him. Even now, he could picture himself – small, weak, skeletal – living out his days at that proverbial feed lot; that prison where he and Malik were being raised as nothing more than servants or livestock. Honestly, he wasn't sure which was worse: living the rest of your life in servitude to someone who couldn't care if you lived or died, or finding your end at the hands of a hungry demon.

Glancing down at his bare feet, Ryou rubbed the sudden moisture from his eyes and tried to compose himself. 'It won't do me any good to cry over my past.' He thought, frowning. 'Crying never helped me before, and it won't help me now. In any case, it won't earn me pity from my new master or the rest of his slaves.'

A sudden shout made the white-haired boy jump and tear his gaze from the floor, only to find an irate Otogi stomping toward him and Malik with murder in his eyes. Swallowing thickly, Ryou could only find solace in the fact that his tears had subsided.

"There you are!" Otogi yelled, jaw set sternly and eyes blazing as he came to a stop mere inches from Ryou's face. "What took you so long? There's work to do!"

Taken aback at the outburst, the smaller boy took a step back. He had figured Otogi wasn't one to enjoy the early evening and all the work that came with it, but he honestly hadn't been expecting such a reaction to their appearance. One would think that by this point in the night, the unsatisfying task of forcing the servants out of bed and getting them started on the night's work would have been almost completed. Having that done would be a huge weight off the ebony-haired demon's shoulders, so there shouldn't be a logical reason for Otogi's fury at their tardiness.

The demon in question began shouting expletives and threats at the stoic blond beside Ryou, Malik's expression one of utter boredom. At first surprised at the other's lack of reaction, Ryou slowly began to understand. Smiling softly, the pale boy acknowledged his friend's silent message: This was Otogi they were dealing with. Nothing more, nothing less.

Suddenly, the irate man's actions made a bit more sense.

At the annoyed grunt from Otogi, Ryou returned his glance to the incensed demon, noticing the man glaring at him heatedly. Realizing that perhaps smiling at a time like this was not a good idea, Ryou stood up straight and let his arms relax at his sides. Dropping his smile, he attempted to take after his best friend and put on the sternest expression he could muster. The head demon offered him a simple sneer in return, but opted to turn back to Malik and spout off more derogatory words, leaving the pale boy with the impression that he had managed a stony exterior more appropriate for the situation. Proud to have finally done something correct, Ryou listened closely to whatever mountain of a tangent Otogi was currently climbing.

"-Completely unacceptable! I don't care if you were in the sick tent! I don't even care if you've managed to lose a limb or severed a major artery! When evening comes, come hell or high water, you are to drag your worthless carcasses here to receive your orders for the night! Having lived through a life-threatening injury is not an excuse when the good doctor has released you from his care!"

Not really listening to the tirade, Malik stood passively and let his mind wander. Every few moments he'd look from one corner of Otogi's face to the other to make sure that his eyes didn't glaze over and give away his inattentiveness. The last thing he needed or wanted was to give the dark-haired man another reason to nag them incessantly.

Finally, after what felt like hours of complaining followed by massive amounts of insults, Otogi took a deep breath and put on his "I'm very important and you need to listen to what I have to say" face. This usually meant that he had reached the end of his tirade, and was now composed enough to give them their long-awaited orders. All Malik could think was, 'It's about damn time.'

Standing tall to give off an air of superiority (and probably to steal attention from his comically reddened face, Ryou supposed), Otogi cleared his throat with a hearty cough into his fist and began to speak once more. Albeit a little raspy from his earlier yelling, the head servant's voice was noticeably calmer as he addressed the two human boys with his arms crossed causally in front of his chest.

Ryou found it hard to believe Otogi could consider himself menacing in the gaudy purple button-down top and tight black leather pants he was wearing, but chose to ignore the demon's posture. It wouldn't do to think too long on the subject and end up laughing in the head servant's face.

"Anyway," Otogi continued, deciding to get to the point, "enough about that. There is work to be done around the mansion and I can't stand around all night wasting valuable time to inform you both of your inherent human deficiencies."

'I bet you could.' Malik thought dryly, trying desperately to keep his face a controlled mask of attentiveness and polite concern. In actuality, his greatest wish at the moment was to throttle the demon in front of him, consequences be damned. Oh, what a wonderful scene that would make – Otogi turning blue in the face while the other demon servants stood nearby, dumbfounded by the scene.

Malik smiled wistfully as his imagination ran wild with the idea. Yes, the high it would give him would almost be worth the swift death he would receive for murdering the head servant.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, human." Otogi growled, his emerald eyes piercing as he glared at the taller of the two boys. The demon turned up his nose, snorting softly as the blond complied with the order. Taking in the young man's relaxed stance and the return of his bored expression, Otogi huffed, but let the issue drop. "I don't have time for your games. Master Marik's welcome dinner will be held later tonight, and the dining hall needs to be cleaned and set before then."

Placing his hands on his hips, the dark-haired demon gestured toward the cleaning supplies in the corner of the room with a nod of his head. "One of you will be taking a bucket of water and some rags to the hall to begin helping those who are already there. The other will see to the young master and get him ready for dinner." Staring pointedly at Ryou, Otogi made a quick decision. "Since Master Bakura has already trusted you with the care of his heir, then you will be the one to care for our young master."

Groaning inwardly, Ryou swallowed past the lump forming in his throat and tried to imagine what hell he would be put through by the undoubtedly excited boy. It was obvious Yukio cared for his uncle, so the idea of a dinner spent with the oddly tan vampire would make the child horribly impatient for the coming hours to pass. Ryou could imagine few circumstances worse than an overactive and increasingly bratty charge.

"I suppose that leaves me to clean the dining hall." Malik stated, cutting through the silence which followed the demon servant's announcement. He was irritated that Ryou was to be sent to the opposite end of the castle to take care of Bakura's heir, but at least the younger teen wouldn't be forced into doing labor so soon after his injuries had healed. Malik wasn't worried about himself since he knew his limitations well, but the white-haired boy still seemed a bit tired and unsteady on his feet. He would have to look at Ryou's new chore as a blessing, rather than a nuisance.

"Of course that leaves you with the dining hall, idiot. There are only two of you, after all." Otogi sneered, ready to get rid of the two slaves before him. "However, before either of you start I want you to visit the bog and bathe. I can't have you smelling like filth around our masters, now can I?"

Ryou shook his head at the rhetorical question while Malik simply stared forward, looking put upon. Satisfied with the silent answers, Otogi waved the two boys off to their work and turned to begin addressing a group of female slaves gossiping near the front of the room.

With a wary glance at one another, the human servants wandered over to the area filled with empty buckets and rags, the blond snatching one of the wooden containers as he walked past. Heading through the open doorway of the slave quarters, Ryou and Malik made their way to the small pond located nearby. The sound of bare feet loud on the cobbled stone of the hallways, the friends chatted quietly about the work ahead, Malik making sure to promise the other that he would stay out of trouble and not cause a scene.

Once arriving at the edge of the bog, the boys stripped and quickly washed themselves in the stagnant pool, Ryou's nose scrunching at the amount of insects atop the water. Dunking themselves beneath the surface of the slightly acrid pond, the servants scratched their scalps and ran their fingers through their sweaty hair in an attempt to clean the locks of dirt and grime.

Finishing in a matter of minutes, the pale-haired youth stepped out first and proceeded to squeeze excess water from his hair. He heard Malik come up behind him and stepped to the side, allowing the other to snatch their tunics from the empty bucket, the both of them having preferred the container over the muddy ground. Dressing slowly so as not to upset their newly mended wounds, the boys enjoyed the tranquility of the moment - something which came rarely in the house of Bakura.

Clothed and ready for work, Malik took the bucket and rags in hand as he waved Ryou ahead. Following the pale youth through the dimly lit halls, he watched as the wet locks at the boy's lower back weaved back and forth with each of his careful steps. The innocent movement brought attention to the slim waist hidden under the loose fitting tunic, one of his friend's many features currently causing the blond concern. It wasn't the fact that Ryou was underweight that bothered the older teen, but rather the idea that the pale servant could inadvertently draw attention to himself with his looks alone.

Malik scowled as old thoughts assaulted him once more – dark thoughts concerning the fearful event of either Bakura or someone else from the house eventually noticing Ryou's appeal. With the youth's rounded face, pale complexion, and soft features, it wasn't hard to envision such a situation coming about, especially since the young man was completely oblivious to how he appeared to those around him.

Sick at the idea of a demon or the vampire lord himself finding interest in Ryou, Malik hoped the other teen would be able to keep a low profile in the castle – at least until Yukio lost interest in his new caretaker. Hopefully at that point, their 'master' would forget that Ryou ever existed and allow the young man to go on with his meager life as a servant. It wasn't much of a future, but it was better than the pale boy becoming the play thing of a sadistic vampire lord.

Reluctantly parting ways at the top of the first floor stairs, Malik headed toward the kitchens and dining hall while Ryou made his way to Yukio's quarters. Huffing with irritation that he was going to be forced to put up with dozens of anxious demons fluttering about and tossing around orders, Malik crossed his arms and glared at the polished floor tiles of the hallway. Honestly, putting all this work into a party for that horrible vampire's equally awful brother was like a sickening and dismal joke.

If anyone deserved a party, it was Ryou and him. They had put up with enough bullshit to fill the entirety of the manor's basement, and it didn't appear that their hardships were anywhere near finished.

Mind wandering into dangerously bleak territories, Malik didn't notice his arrival in the dining hall until a shrill-voiced female servant began harping at him to get out of her way. Offering her a lazy smirk in reply, the blond teenager gave her a mocking bow as he stepped clear of the walkway, his elbow rubbing against the smooth satin of a wall scroll. The female demon turned up her flattened nose at the action and walked swiftly past the human boy, her shoulder-length honey colored hair looking frazzled and haggard. Malik could only imagine that working all evening in the kitchens and scrubbing the floors of the dining hall didn't leave much time to get gussied up.

Taking a moment to look around the room before heading off to work, Malik took in the sight of the gorgeous high ceilings, decorated with numerous paintings of war murals and battles long past. The walls, too, were adorned with scrolls and assorted art, each picturing a bloody scene from a massacre and other macabre scenarios. Raising a fine eyebrow, the young man wondered why vampires wished to revel in the horrors of the world. One would think that after an eternity of seeing the absolute worst of man and the beasts of the world they'd be tired of it all.

Aside from the room's less-than-wholesome ornamentation, the rest of the room appeared like any other you'd find in a hall of royalty. The long wooden table stretching from one end of the hall to the other was stained a rich smoky black, while the matching chairs contained beautiful seats with cushions the color of fine red wine. More than the furniture, it was the collection of expensive cutlery and plates that caught Malik's eye and drew his attention. He had never seen silverware and glassware that shined so wonderfully in the bright candlelight of the chandeliers hanging over his head, and he wondered what it would be like to be offered the chance to eat off something so clean.

Shaking his head, he realized that scenario would never occur, since he was just a lowly slave in Bakura's household until that Marik person took him to the Southern Realm to keep as a pet. Humorlessly, he wondered if perhaps the blond vampire would be kind enough to give him a shiny new bowl to use when he reached his new home.

Ryou sighed quietly as his mood dropped to a level of "miserable" he hadn't experienced in quite some time. Taking care of Yukio was about as simple as pulling an uncooperative tooth from a mule. The boy was constantly demanding jobs of his caretaker that Ryou frankly didn't care to do (such as being his playmate when tearing the stuffing out of his plush toys became dull), and the servant was nearing the edge of his sanity. If he didn't get a reprieve soon, he only hoped he could make it out into the safety of the hallway before he began spouting a slew of curses no child needed to hear, even a bratty vampire child.

"Servant! I need to take my bath before Uncle Marik's dinner party! I can't show up dirty or Father will be furious." Yukio spouted succinctly, not moving from his seat on his cushy bedding.

"I realize that, young master." Ryou said, doing his best to clean up the few toys left haphazardly strewn on the floor of the boy's room. He was glad the tiles and decorative area rug had remained mostly clean and stain-free in his short absence, since that meant less work for him now that he was fresh out of the doctor's care. "I wanted to put away your toys before dinner, since you might be tired afterward and wish for me to go back to the servant quarters."

Ignoring Yukio's muttered words of "I won't be tired," Ryou continued addressing the child's worries. "If you wish, you can get undressed and wait in the bathroom while I call someone to fetch some hot water and locate a nice suit for you."

"It's cold in there. I don't want to."

"Alright, if you wish." It honestly wasn't worth fighting with this child. No matter his point or how lightly he put his words, Yukio would usually refuse point blank to do anything Ryou suggested of him.

After another few minutes of Yukio's complaints and unneeded reminders, Ryou had gathered the remainder of the toys on the floor and put them away. He had also stuck his head out into the hallway and stopped a group of passing servants to inform them of his need for hot bath water. Though they gave him some smarmy comments in return, they eventually agreed to fetch the water, if only so they didn't have to remain near Yukio's quarters. It appeared that no one enjoyed being around the little tyrant for longer than was necessary.

Well, except the child's uncle, but he seemed to be a bit touched in the head, so that could explain his affection for Bakura's heir.

With the bath eventually filled with steaming water and Yukio's fancy suit laid out crisply on the bed, it was time to get the boy to take his bath. This turned out to be a bigger challenge than Ryou had feared, since, despite his earlier words, the child was like any other and wished to drag his feet when it came time to clean up. Luckily, the pale servant had enough patience left to wait out Yukio's fumbling and complaining, and eventually goaded him into stripping and hopping into the bath.

Quickly collecting the discarded clothing, Ryou dropped them into a laundry basket in the corner of the comfortably-sized bathroom and set about the chore of washing his charge's hair and shoulders. He refused to baby the boy any further, and after rinsing and ringing excess water from Yukio's hair, the pale-haired teen gave the child a stern order to finish washing while he went to fetch the clean clothes from the other room.

Once the bratty heir was dressed and his hair relatively dried thanks to some vigorous squeezing with a plush towel, it was time to sit and wait to be called for dinner. Ryou was generally surprised at how well Yukio cleaned up, his miniature black suit making him look quite dignified while bringing out the icy-blue hue of his wild and untamed hair. It actually gave the child some character, though his caretaker was reluctant to admit such a thing. Ryou was interested in seeing if Yukio was able to contain his more irritating personality tonight in order to better fit the image of a prim and proper heir.

The time ticked by slowly as the young servant tried desperately to keep Yukio entertained. He tried telling the boy stories, listening to any of the useless and snide chatter his young master had to offer, and even going so far as to attempt to soothe the child with songs. Nothing he tried worked for long, and by the time an exhausted female demon came knocking to inform them it was time for dinner, Ryou was thankful for the reprieve.

That was, however, until the woman dropped a verbal bomb neither he nor Yukio had been expecting.

"By the way, human, Master Bakura says he wishes for you to join his son at the table. He wants you to be there in case the young master needs anything or must be escorted back to his rooms."

Shock kept the pale-haired teen in place, his mouth agape in flustered bewilderment. He was going to be joining the master vampires for dinner? Was Bakura insane? Why would he want a lowly servant sitting at his table if not for-

Slowly, the truth behind the vampire's actions began to dawn on Ryou. It wasn't that Bakura particularly liked his company, it was because of Bakura's vehement dislike of his family's company. The master of the house would give anything to get this night over with as smoothly as possible, and if that meant keeping Ryou close in order to drag Yukio out of the dining hall if the boy began to act up, then that was what simply had to be done.

In fact, the young human was sure that if Bakura could get away with it, he would have called the entire dinner off and sent Marik back to his own home, never to be heard from again. Unfortunately, etiquette called for him to treat his brother with at least a little dignity – otherwise, the horrible man might take it upon himself to teach his pale sibling why it was unwise to earn the ire of a family member.

Slowly nodding his assent to the demon in the doorway, Ryou waited for her to leave before turning to Yukio and taking a moment to wipe non-existent dust from the sleeves and shoulders of his blazer. Surprisingly, the child put up with the compulsive action, his own surprise at the idea of his caretaker sitting with him at dinner leaving him more compliant for the moment. He wasn't sure how to react knowing that the pale-haired human would be there to claim some of his Father's irritable remarks and casual putdowns. It would be nice to know he wasn't the only one being held under the older vampire's scrutiny for the duration of the meal.

"Well, then." Ryou said, finished with his nervous nitpicking. "Are you ready for dinner, Master Yukio?" At the young vampire's jerky nod, the two headed for the door and out into the hallway, following the female servant until they reached the entrance to the dining hall. The demon bowed to Yukio and excused herself, hurrying off to take care of the rest of her night's chores.

With a deep breath, the pale-haired servant turned to his charge and ushered him toward the door. Giving the child a few moments to collect himself, Ryou opened the door as silently as he could and allowed Yukio to walk past him into the brightly lit room. Taking in the decorations, the painted ceiling, and the two equally poisonous glances directed at him from the beautifully crafted dining table, the teen gulped and patted down his hair self-consciously, hoping that tonight didn't end in disaster.

TBC

Notes

WHOO! This chapter is finally done.

I don't know if you all noticed, but I'm trying desperately to change my writing style. I really need to work on keeping the unnecessary detail to a minimum in order to move the story along. I realize these chapters seem to drag on and nothing gets done, but please believe me when I say I'm trying to fix that.

Anywho, the next chapter will be filled with Bakura and Marik shenanigans and dinner banter, so look forward to it!


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