THIS FIC IS AN AU! Thanks. Oh, and I don't own any of the YGO cast of characters. However, I do own MY characters, like Kyr and Remi.
Alternate Universe: In this story, it's like…a medieval setting, but with monsters as the YGO cards, and spell casters that cast magic card effects. The occupation of the characters will be one of the YGO types, such as warrior, spell caster, fairy, etc.
Now on with the story!
The figure strode straight into the tavern, no hesitation. He had obviously been here before.
The bartender stared at the brunette, scared stiff. "W-what can I getcha?" he asked, trying to sound menacing. It didn't work.
Seto Kaiba glared at him, and shook his head. He glanced around the murky room, and took in his surroundings.
There was little room, for the whole tavern seemed to be teeming with people and tables. The square room was filled with shouting noises and a faint sound of music somewhere in the back. The customers looked as if they were half drunk, and a few were even asleep, their pockets picked. It looked as if no one would wake up to a clear and fresh morning.
Seto studied the crowd, looking for his client. After a few minutes of fruitless searching, he found what he was looking for.
The man sat in the front of what appeared to be a rather small stage. On it, a small boy played some kind of instrument. The man was studying him intently.
Taking in his exits and possible weapons, Seto made his way towards the onlooker.
The man turned around, hearing the footfalls of the teenage boy.
"Ye the legendary dragon tamer?" he asked in a gruff voice. Seto raised an eyebrow, noting the man's dull brown eyes and limp blonde hair. "Well, are ye? Speak up, me lad!"
"Dragon tamer, yes," Seto said coolly, "legendary?" He scoffed. "Let's get started."
The man grinned widely, and offered Seto a seat. He snapped his fingers, and the small performing boy stopped. "Here, boy," the man snarled. The small child inched towards the man, his head bowed. Seto looked away as the man slapped the boy. "Ye call that playing?" There was another slap. "This man here will teach ye a lesson or two."
Seto's head snapped back. "What?"
"Ye be tutoring him," the man said simply, waving the bartender over.
"I don't give out lessons," Seto said flatly, preparing to get up.
The man got up and sighed. "Well, we'll see about that." He shooed the bartender away, forgetting want he had wanted. He gestured for Seto to follow him outside, to the stables. Silently, the small boy followed his two elders.
"Where me manners?" the man exclaimed, laughing robustly.
"What manners?" Seto muttered, but the man didn't hear.
"I be Guno, musician," he said proudly. "And that small bastard be me sorry apprentice."
Seto yawned. This wasn't what he had come here for. It was time to leave.
Guno turned around as soon as he reached the stables. In his hands were two large grain sacks. They were not filled with grain, but with gold.
"Here be yer reward," he said, revealing many missing teeth.
Seto stared at the money. It wasn't that big of an amount compared to his savings, but still, it was at least thrice his normal awards. "All I have to do is teach the boy how to play?" Seto asked cautiously.
"Yes," Guno confirmed. "That's all. With me around, that is." When Seto gave him a weird, Guno explained. "That small feller," he said, indicating the child, "needs a beating more than once in a while. He be trouble, idiotic runt. He be lucky to even have an instrument!" Seto nearly guffawed. The 'instrument' was so beat up, he hadn't even recognized that it was a violin.
Seto took in the small trembling child. He was scrawny with pale blonde hair and hollow blue eyes. The color of his clothing was impossible to tell, not only because it was so tattered, but reused so many times.
"Play fer him," Guno ordered.
The child quickly raised his violin and placed his chin onto the chin rest. His bow hold is wrong, Seto thought, as the boy got ready to play. He instantly knew why: the kid's fingers were all bandaged hastily. Someone had crushed them. Seto felt his anger stir against Guno, but it quickly resettled. What do I care?
Notes flew out of the instrument with precision and intonation. The child played a short piece out of memory.
No emotion, no feeling, Seto thought with amusement. Kinda like me. Ever since his little brother had been killed, Seto had only found comfort in dragons.
"Well?" Guno fiddled with the grain sacks, reminding Seto of his reward.
Seto was silent, deep in thought. "I'll see," he finally said. He got up and motioned for the two to follow him. Seto took hold of the sacks of gold and slung them over his shoulders. He set off at his pace, expertly dodging the few citizens wandering around the stables. After passing by many colorful venders and a few duels, Seto came to a stop in front of his hotel. He walked right in, Guno waddling in behind him with the child in tow.
After checking in at the front counter, Seto led the way to his room, up at the top of the building. The building was only three stories, about five rooms on each floor, each a suite.
Once the threesome entered the room, Guno's jaw dropped. The room was lavishly decorated, with paintings hung up by experts and rugs laid out perfectly. The main room branched off into three different ones. One was the kitchen, a stone paved alchove-like area. Another was the bedroom, with two beds. The last was the latrine, with its new sewage system.
"Guno, go to the store across the street and asked for two dinner meals," Seto said, tossing to gold coins at the portly man. He plunked the sacks onto the ground, and asked Guno to get a luggage boy for him. Guno left with a snap, happy.
Seto heaved a sigh and remember the small boy. He turned towards him now. "What's your name, kid?" Seto asked bluntly.
The child bent down to his knees, bowing his head. "Whatever master shall like to call me." His voice was barely above a whisper. Seto frowned. He leaned down next to the boy, and took his chin in his hand.
The young student was terrified. Seto gently rubbed the child's throat, knowing immediately that his pupil had laryngitis. When he patted the boy's back gently, the young one winced and whimpered. Seto blinked. Within a few seconds, the child's shirt was off. Seto soon saw the cause of the boy's pain.
All over the boy's back were scars and lashes. Bruises and burns also stood out.
"What the?" Seto's brow furrowed. "Who did this?" But he knew the answer.
"Master Guno," the small boy said. "I…I was a bad boy," he whispered fearfully. Then his eyes grew wide. The child looked into Seto's cobalt eyes and asked, "Will master punish me for being a bad boy?"
Seto was stunned. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "No, never," he said quietly after much thinking. Slowly, Seto got up. "We need to get you cleaned and bandaged. We've got to go see a healer."
The child shivered. "No more whips?"
Again Seto was shocked. "Whips?"
The child looked up at the towering figure, and quickly bowed his heads. "I'm sorry, master. That was a dumb question."
Seto crouched down again, and gently lifted the child off the ground. "I swear, never will I hurt you with a whip, or any other device like that." He didn't want the child to go through what he had gone through. Somehow, a protective aura reached out from Seto, and latched onto the child in his arms. Without another word, Seto headed out the door. He did ask a question, and got an answer.
"What's your name? Your real name?"
"Kyr."
Well, what cha think? Did I rush? Forgive me if I did. Please R&R! Next chapter will be posted as soon as possible.