Chapter 1
The Battle of Bosworth occurred on August 22, 1485 marking the end of Richard Plantagenet's rule over England. Lancaster had won and York was put to shame. A few of the Rose Crusaders had been captured and were awaiting trial while many suffered the pain of death.
Of those who suffered death was one Lord Crawford. Lord Crawford had rode to battle alongside the king as well as Seto Christian Rosenkreuz, battling for a Yorkist victory. However, the young Lancaster knight called Tristan of Wales had smote the white haired lord with his sword, staining the ground with crimson blood.
Henry Tudor now King Henry VII, had took the throne and began the Tudor dynasty. He married Tea, Princess of York to create unifying ties. His mother, Margaret Mai Beaufort had remarried and was now Dowager Queen Margaret Mai Beaufort Wheeler. Henry's reign proceeded with his creation of the Court Star Chamber…
"Gyaa!" the sound of a white haired peasant screamed as a guard brought a whip down on his back. Ryo Bakura had struggled not to scream, but the last crack had been brought down on his old wounds… wounds that had yet not healed. He didn't understand what they were doing, they had accused him of stealing in the market, but he had done nothing.
The guard laughed, his beady black eyes twinkling, "Heh, he can feel pain!" Ryo Bakura's wide, innocent brown eyes stared at the wall before him. Why, oh why did this always happen to him? Back in the Arabian lands, they also accused him of stealing. He was sick of it, so he packed his things one night and boarded a ship to England. But his bad luck followed him here too… and here he was, being whipped for a crime he did not do… at least back in the Arabian lands, he was only starved for a couple of days.
As the guard whipped the helpless foreigner, the doors to the dungeon opened, revealing a young man with tri-colored hair. "What do you think you're doing to that man?"
Startled, the guard turned to look into fierce violet eyes, "My king, I-I-I was j-just teaching him a lesson!" Fearing he would be reprimanded for insolence, the guard shut his eyes, "You needn't have taken this job," the guard shivered wondering what the king would do. Would he lock him up with all the other criminals here? "You could have sent this peasant to the Chamber." The guard was baffled; he wasn't being reprimanded at all!
The king gestured towards the scarred albino, "Well, I think he still has some life left in him. Why don't you hand him off at the square." The guard knew it was an order not a suggestion.
Ryo sat numb, aware that the king had shown his disgust for him. He felt his form being dragged up, towards the sun… and its people. He was aware now that whispers were being passed. He heard many, "Hmph! Serves him right for stealing my bread!" "Pity! I tell you Isadora; it is the parents' fault! Why I-"
The guard had tied the albino's wrists and ankles down and began to spin the wheel.
Ryo heard a splat and felt something run down his leg. Then another collided in his face; a trickle of the substance ran down his throat… egg he guessed. His head began to spin as blood rushed up and down with the wheel's spinning. There was laughter and taunting. Ryo was now aware of the tears running down his face, oh how he wished he never left the Arabian lands and the smell of the wondrous spices and the mysteries of the alchemists!
The rich, silky light blue cloak did little to keep her warm in this Northern weather. Ilanah Arella walked through this 'modern' town, ignoring the stares she was receiving from various Northerners. "Princess," her bodyguard, Marik Ishtar was walking alongside her, his purple cloak wrapped around his tanned form. His semi what white hair had always been an interesting subject to stare at when Ilanah was bored. Marik's voice had dropped into a whisper, knowing fully well how the young princess did not wish to attract attention due to her status, "Princess, are you sure you do not want me to acquire some horses? It would be much easier and safer to do so." Ilanah rolled her hazel eyes, inwardly chuckling at her bodyguard's protectiveness.
It seemed odd that a bodyguard like him was worried about her. Sure, it was his duty, but it was quite queer since he was only twenty, just a year older than her. "Marik, I appreciate your concern, but I am quite certain that we will be fine. And how many times must I ask you not to call princess?" She knew what was coming next, "Nevertheless, Ilanah, we cannot take a risk," he gestured for her attention, "Stay here, I will get the horses."
The young woman stood, feeling restless every moment. She heard laughter from a crowd and her curiosity awakened. She turned to see Marik heading towards her; she signaled to him that she was going to see what was so interesting.
Ilanah stood on her toes wondering what everyone seemed so happy about. She jumped and caught sight of white hair and pale body. She jumped again, aware that her clothes underneath were jingling (A/N: She has Arabian clothes, so there are gold designs attached to her clothes… think of an Arabian dancer), but she cared nothing for it. As she jumped she caught sight of scars running across the pale boy's body.
She gasped in horror! They were torturing him! Ilanah ran back to her bodyguard, her black hair splashed across her face. "We have to help him!" Her bodyguard looked at her curiously, "Help whom?" "That boy! They're torturing him! Please Marik, we can't just stand back and watch them do this!" "Ilanah, this is a different country, we cannot just tell them to back off! Plus he is probably being taught a lesson." Ilanah growled in anger, "I felt that he's innocent! I command you to help him!" Marik sighed as her eyes radiated anger, 'Always an angel at heart…'
"But what do you want me to do? We can't just be seen." Ilanah gestured towards him and whispered in his ear.
Ryo felt himself being caked with rotten food, wondering why he deserved this. Suddenly he felt the wheel stop and the sound of an arrow whizzing near his ear. Great, now they were hurling arrows at him. The ropes on his hand drizzled away and Ryo felt himself being carried off… the sound of a horse galloping across town.
Ilanah had watched as Marik rode his horse to the pale boy. She had fired her arrows (they were hidden under her cloak) and missed the man spinning the wheel of death as she termed it. The second arrow had pierced the back of the man's heart.
Marik rode the black horse through, his purple hood over his head and shadowing his face. Pulling out a knife, he cut the pale boy's bonds and carried him off to his mistress.
Ilanah nodded her approval and appreciation, her hood also up over her head. "Thank you my friend. Now let us go back our lodging." Together, they rode off into the woods, ignoring the outcries and threats of the people behind them.
"What!" King Henry 'Yami' bellowed as a peasant informed him of the news. "Calm yourself my love," Tea said soothingly watching as her husband leapt from his chair and paced before the throne. "How can I be calm Tea? A person is freeing our prisoners when they should be punished for what they have done!"
Tea blanched, fearing that the king would take out his anger on her. She steadied her voice to keep calm, "Well, put it this way," the king stopped pacing and turned his glaring eyes on his wife, "At least it you had sent that boy instead of Seto Christian Rosenkreuz."