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The Pale Savior	By : SasatheShy Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 6244 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh, nor do I make a profit off of the writing of this story. It is for fan purposes only.

Chapter List
- 5
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Chapter Six: Puzzle

--

   Nearly a week had passed since Yuugi’s arrival at Atemu’s palace. That first morning had been the hardest for him, his nerves having been strong, but the progressive days were flying by, and he was becoming accustomed to his current routine.

   With his hands no longer blistered and red, Yuugi was assigned his first tasks in his new home. He had to make his Lord’s bed, clean the floors, and help carry trays of food. And every day he’d spend much of his time alongside the Lord, becoming educated on Atemu’s busy schedule, also needing to be there in case his Lord grew thirsty or needed help with anything. It was hard, but Yuugi was managing quite spectacularly. Lord Atemu was impressed, and though he struggled against change, Yuugi had over three hours of free time each day. This was when it was most boring, for he was too shy to speak with the other servants, and had nothing to do.

   Though he did not speak to them, the servants of the palace (the lot of them women) boiled over with a heap of gossip on who he was, and what he meant to their Lord.

   “He is so cute!”

   “I can see why the Lord has chosen him as head servant.”

   “How do you suppose Lady Salihah will react when she comes home?”

   “What are you saying? That our Lord Atemu is possibly very close with that boy?”

   “He hides what he is poorly. That is all I’m saying.”

   The women conversed daily, over laundry hours and kitchen hours. Yuugi was the current hot topic, and he would be for a very long time. The only one Yuugi wasn’t afraid to speak to was Anzu, when she was available. The two were becoming good friends, and enjoyed seeing one another. Yuugi learned Anzu had been fond of medicine since she was a little girl, and miraculously escaped from becoming a slave to this gruesome man. To her utmost luck, Seth found and purchased her, sensing her talent. Yuugi respected Seth greatly. The man had saved them both. Yuugi also wondered what the people in the massive village were like, and whether they were happy with Atemu’s ruling or not. None seemed to disgrace Atemu, to his thankfulness.

   Waking up on his fifth day in luxury, Yuugi yawned loudly, stretched his muscles, and stood to dress. He opened the nicely weaved basket at his bedside, and pulled out a lovely dark blue shenti. He slipped it on. It supported his genital area, which he was glad for. It was always embarrassing working for Gahiji wearing a loose shenti with nothing underneath, and he knew that dozens of men and women back at the village (as well as Katsuya and Ryou) had seen his dried buttocks, plus more. His new clothes covered him fully, and made him appear important.

   He looked in the tiny copper mirror provided, another new experience for him. He never knew what he truly looked like. Never could he see his reflection in the murky drinking water given when he was a slave to Gahiji, and though he was able to see now, he could not say whether he liked his face or not. Staring back at him were two very wide, purple-hewed orbs, small pink lips, and a round, small nose. His least favorite feature had to be his ears. They were pretty big, but he supposed others would disagree, having heard from Katsuya that ladies loved a man with big ears. Yuugi did not understand what Katsuya meant, since the blonde also had claimed that women loved a man with big feet. And his were small.

   A few sudden knocks caught Yuugi’s attention. He faced his bedroom door, smiling. He knew who it was even before answering. “Come in.”

   The door opened wide, and in stepped Atemu. “Good morning, Yuugi. Did you sleep well?”

   “Yes, thank you.” Yuugi bowed. “Good morning, Atemu.”

   Atemu was pleased. Though the Lord was his new master, Yuugi never once used Lord when speaking to Atemu. The other servants thought Yuugi to be disrespectful, and most were stunned that their Lord did not seem bothered at all by Yuugi’s choice.

   “Your hands look like new,” Atemu smiled, gently taking them in his own. He did so every morning, having this need to touch those delicate, soft hands. “I am glad. You look refreshed. Are you feeling well?”

   Yuugi nodded. “Yes.”

   “Good,” Atemu said, slowly releasing Yuugi. “Good. Well now, I have a meeting for this afternoon that may take time, and -- well, I know it can be rather dull for you having to wait for me.”

   Blushing, Yuugi bowed his head. It could get pretty boring.

   “So,” Atemu continued, “I think I may have a solution.”

   He reached forward, taking Yuugi’s hand in his. It was too damn difficult to not touch Yuugi. Atemu ached every day, unable to think much of anything else! Even the Puzzle, for which he may or may not have seen glowing so bright, did not matter when his thoughts turned on Yuugi. All he cared to think about, currently, was figuring the best way to share his royal mattress with the adorable young lad, if not just for one passionate night. But no, he’d be a patient man. Soon, very soon, he would ask Yuugi to become what Salihah was to him. He would ask Yuugi to become his concubine.

   “Come with me,” Atemu said. “I have something I want to show you.”

   Doing as told, Yuugi followed Atemu into the grand halls, and down a new path. One dislike he had about the palace was its many winding corridors. The palace was a large maze, and Yuugi knew it would take a lot of effort to memorize which areas were off limits, where the infirmary was, the kitchen, and beyond.

   Atemu brought Yuugi down a deserted, skinny hallway. There was only one door present, small and made of old wood. Taking hold of the handle, Atemu pulled it open. Displayed within were shelves full of toys. Yuugi’s eyes widened, and he could not help but smile. He saw animal figurines and bouncy balls, oddities and wooden dolls. The one thing that caught his interest the most was a box filled with strategic, well-designed puzzles and board games in shiny boxes of emerald, ruby, and sapphire. Moving ahead of Atemu, he eagerly picked up the one on top, taking on the role of a happy child.

   “Most of these belong to me,” Atemu said. “I was quite spoiled by my father as a child. Even before I became a Lord, my family was quite wealthy. I do not know why I had not thought of this room before, but if you ever find yourself feeling bored, you are welcome to anything in here, Yuugi.”

   “Really?” Yuugi wanted to make sure. Never had he seen such awe-inspiring things. He really was feeling like a kid again, gazing at the puzzle pieces in the ruby box.

   “Yes,” Atemu said, chuckling. He gaped, surprised when he felt a hand around his waist. It took a moment for him to realize that Yuugi was hugging him. “Yuugi?”

   “Thank you.” Yuugi said quickly, sniffing. “I -- I am sorry, Atemu. I did not mean…”

   Shaking his head, Atemu elatedly returned the hug. “I’m glad to make you happy.”

   And Yuugi was. He held the puzzle close, and immediately sat to work on it come afternoon when Atemu left him in the hallway while he attended his meeting.

   At first, Yuugi struggled with it, not sure what to do. It was his first time putting together a puzzle. But once he understood that the broken pieces were to form a picture, it was much easier for him to decipher where each piece was meant to be placed, and not even halfway there he got an idea of what the image was going to be.

   “It’s animals,” he muttered. “Horses? No, I think they’re camels.”

   In under two hours, he had put together his first puzzle. A herd of camels beneath sheltered, mysterious trees painted blue and green. Behind the herd was a setting sun, with some exotic birds, colorful and small. They graced the citrus sky. Amongst the camels was a calf, and it reminded Yuugi of the real one he had seen when he was brought to Atemu’s palace.

   “I did it,” he said, giggling. “I put it together.”

   “Well now, would you look at that.”

   Startled, Yuugi jumped and turned to find Atemu peering over him, looking at the puzzle. Next to Atemu was a black Sphinx cat Yuugi had gotten used to, named Magic. The cat remarkably never seemed too far from Atemu’s side.

   “You managed to complete it,” smiled Atemu. “That one took me days as a child. Of course, it is one of the easier ones.”

   “It was fun.“ smiled Yuugi. “You’re meeting is done?”

   “It has been almost two hours, Yuugi.”

   Yuugi gaped. “That long?” Wow. He had been really indulged in the puzzle and the fun it provided.

   “Yes. Time to clean up the puzzle.”

   “Clean up? What do you mean?”

   Atemu tilted his head some. Kneeling down, he reached out to take apart the puzzle, and when Yuugi understood, he grasped his Lord’s arm. “No! Don’t! Don’t take it apart, please?”

   Stunned, Atemu turned his head slowly. The look he gave off made Yuugi tremble, and release him rather swiftly.

   “I mean,” Yuugi gulped, “Does it have to be taken apart?”

   “That’s how puzzles work Yuugi,” Atemu said. “You put them together, take them apart, and start all over again.”

   “But…” Yuugi eyed the camels. They looked so happy. “But…”

   “How about I have a table set up in your bedroom? That way, you can put together as many puzzles as you like, and keep them completed. Would you like that? I can even help you with this one, if you’d like?”

   Twirling a finger around his golden bangs, Yuugi nervously glanced up at Atemu. “You mean it?”

   “Anything for you.”

   Why? Why was he treated beyond good? Yuugi could not read Atemu, but even so the tranquil Lord delivered Yuugi certain courtesies the other Pale Faces truly deserved. But he took the offer, anyway, He enjoyed how the Lord pampered him. “Thank you.”

--

   Come evening, Yuugi quietly sat with Atemu for dinner time, munching on a piece of bread. The day had gone by rather quickly. Instead of visiting Anzu, he asked to stay in his room, and work on the puzzles. During that time, there was a single incident where a cat had somehow sneaked its way into his bedroom, and knocked over some pieces to a certain one he had currently been working on of people dancing and playing instruments. He yelled at the cat, then chased it down, and tossed it out of his room, making sure the latch was firmly sealed. Though he often found the kittens in the palace to be cute, they could often be menaces, and the number of cats bugged Yuugi since day one. He decided that perhaps Atemu would not mind the discussion.

   “Atemu?” He swallowed, a little nervous. “May I ask you something?”

   “By all means.”

   It was at that exact moment that a familiar black Sphinx cat jumped up onto the table, helping itself to a small piece of fish. It was Magic. He comfortably leaped to the floor, plopping down to eat his meal.

   Yuugi watched him, surprised that Atemu had not punished him for getting on the table. “Why are there so many cats around here?”

   “Ah,” Atemu chuckled and looked down at his loyal friend. “That is due to my title as Lord. Every Lord was appointed an animal companion that fit well with what his title described. As the Lord of Tranquility, I found myself being comforted by cats. Magic down there, he is my most trusted, and has been with me since the beginning. Unlike the other cats with me, he is immortal.”

   “He is?” Yuugi gaped, glancing down at Magic. The Sphinx had finished his fish, and was now licking his front paw. “Does he know?”

   “I think he does,” Atemu said. “He is a good friend, and stays by my side.”

   “What animals were chosen to be with the other Lords?”

   “Well, I do not know about the two mysterious Lords,” said Atemu. “But Lord Bobasa has his filthy rats, and Lord Seth, as you saw, has his glorious sparrow hawks. Horus is like Magic, immortal.”

   Yuugi smiled at Magic. “Wow.” Getting out of his seat, he leaned down to pet Magic’s naked, smooth skin. Magic purred loudly, turning on his side, making Yuugi and Atemu laugh.

   “He’s immortal, but he still acts like a cat should,” Atemu said.

   “That’s a good thing,” Yuugi believed.

--

   Atemu spent that next week more and more with Yuugi, finding it to be too difficult to stay apart for long. The two’s sprout of attachment was far superior than two peas in a pod. Together, they already solved six of the thousands of puzzles Yuugi was welcomed to piece together. Though many were never kept imaged for long, the ones Yuugi loved most were situated on a long table in his bedroom, as promised by Atemu. To Atemu’s demise, while Yuugi saw him as nothing more then a good friend, the Lord worked hard for the opportune moment to make Yuugi his.

   In a way, Yuugi was his already. The Pale Face cutie was his servant, his head servant. They dined together, played games together, and Atemu even showed off the magical gardens, which ended up becoming Yuugi’s favorite place in all the palace.

   The two settled in the gardens on a scorching afternoon. Atemu sat on a royal white chair, basking peacefully as he watched Yuugi play with a silver Egyptian Mau kitten no more than a month old. The little kitten pranced about in the grass, summoning Yuugi’s radiant laugh, which Atemu loved hearing. Yuugi brushed his hand over the kitten’s backside. The kitten stretched high, adoring the attention. When the petting ceased, the kitten tilted its head and flopped onto its back, rolling cutely left and right. Laughing loudly, Yuugi brought his hand down on the cat’s stomach. The cat relaxed. It closed its eyes as it dramatically became tired.

   “Silly thing,” Yuugi said. “How typical of a cat.”

   “She seems to like you,” hinted Atemu.

   Yuugi picked up the little kitten. It mewed softly, sniffing the air. “You think so?”

   Getting to his feet, Yuugi carried the kitten over to Atemu. He took a seat on a chair next to his Lord, smiling as the kitten turned, curled up, and yawned.

   “Look at that. The little one’s worn out.”

   The kitten, indeed, seemed to preference Yuugi. This was not the first day she’d come around to play. Yuugi gently ran a finger along that fuzzy little head. The kitten had fallen asleep.

   Atemu then got an idea. He knew Yuugi was lonely in the afternoons. Perhaps another friend was exactly what Yuugi needed. “Would you like to keep her?”

   Gaping, Yuugi stared up at Atemu, uncertain. “R -- really?”

   “Yes. She can keep you company when I’m away. We can let her stay in your bedroom, train her proper. Seems she’s been outcast by the mother, and I don’t think she wants to part from you. It makes fine sense to me.”

   Yuugi smiled widely. “Thank you, Atemu.”

   “Best think of a name for her.”

   Blinking twice, Yuugi looked down at the silvery fur ball. He nodded. “I think I’ll call her Puzzle.”

   “Puzzle?” Atemu asked. “Whatever for?”

   “Well, she seems to switch from being wide awake to being fast asleep so fast, it makes her puzzling but unique.”

   As if on cue, little Puzzle mewed loudly, yawning as she opened her blue eyes.

   “Well,” Atemu shrugged, “She seems to accept it.”

   Glad to hear this, Yuugi hoisted Puzzle up and cuddled her gently. Puzzle mewed, then sniffed Yuugi’s nose. She then batted at Yuugi’s golden curls. Yuugi laughed, shaking his head. “Ah. She’s attacking me.” Puzzle batted again, then stopped. She sniffed Yuugi once more. Admirably, she gave her new master’s nose a sandpaper lick, causing Yuugi to gasp. “That tickles.”

   The days seemed to be growing longer. Atemu prayed that Seth’s return would be satisfactory. The wise Lord of Intellect had been gone for the whole two weeks now, searching his best, without a doubt, for the Sennen Puzzle. Atemu grew impatient, for both the Puzzle and for Yuugi. At least with one, he could most likely gain.

   He leaned forward. Resting his arm on the chair’s own, he nervously glanced at his gift. “Yuugi?”

   “Yes, Atemu?” Yuugi giggled, having difficulty focusing on anything else but his new kitten.

   Hesitating for but a moment, Atemu requisitioned, “Yuugi, do you like it here?”

   Yuugi was surprised, wondering if there would be consequences if he answered wrong. However, he knew how he felt and so answered honestly. “Yes. I do.”

   “I am glad,” Atemu said gleefully, and without knowing he had removed a great heap of relief from Yuugi’s heart. “I have one meeting this afternoon, but it may be a bit long. So, we will be having a late dinner. However, I think that is best because, well -- there is something rather important I wish to discuss with you tonight.”

   That caught Yuugi’s attention. “Important?”

   “Yes,” Atemu said. “Very important, but it can and must wait for tonight.” It must be at a convenient hour when no guards or servants could eavesdrop from the tall hedgerow corners. “Will you be ready to join me for a late meal?”

   “Yes,” Yuugi nodded, his nervousness on alert. “I will be ready.”
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The Pale Savior