Our Destiny (original title: Destiny)
No.01 – Abandoned
"What are you doing!"
Anzu could not believe what she was seeing. Her sparkling blue eyes got wide at the sight. Her mother was not standing by the gate to greet her like the usual; instead numerous dark muscular men were going in and out of her mansion and taking some of their valuable furniture.
Among those men stood a skinny man, who was less tanned and wore a clean white robe. He was also holding a pen and a sheet of papyrus. He was recording something as he was instructing the tanned men around. 'Where are father and mother?' Anzu rushed into the mansion and looked quickly, hoping that they would magically appear and surprise her. But they did not. Just then, the skinny man turned and looked at her direction. He smiled slowly intending to look gentle but failed. He looked like a shriveled old goblin. His teeth were yellow and crooked; his eyes where long and disturbingly bright.
He exclaimed delightfully, "You must be their daughter." His eyes narrowed and his nose flared as his eyes scanned her. She felt dirty under his gaze. Immediately, she felt frightened and intimidated. But she managed to ask him a question.
"Who are you," she added, "And where are my parents?" Once she opened her mouth, questions never ceased to stop. "What are you doing in my house?"
His brows sloped to one side and he answered her.
"Why, let me introduce myself. I am Gahiji and I have absolutely no idea where your parents are."
Gulp.
"Perhaps. You, young lady, know where they've gone to."
His soothing yet slimy voice tickled her. It made Anzu get goosebumps.
"…Why..why are you looking for my parents, they haven't done anything wrong."
She was not sure if what she said was completely true, she never knew what they were up to. All she knew was that her father was a merchant and both of her parents were good-hearted, generous folks. They were always the first to help the needy, and never in her life she saw them argue or fight with one and other. She was proud of them.
The man begun to laugh hysterically.
"What is so funny?" Anzu's face looked a little flushed. She looked up at the skinny man.
"Hahahahaha! Oh, your parents have done something very wrong." He snickered and continued, "They owe me lots and lots of gold."
"What?"
This man is lying.
Anzu's mansion was the largest of the town. It even had a little water fountain in the yard to show the wealth of the family. Unlike most of the women in ancient Egypt, Anzu was educated like boys. Most of all, her parents were good family friends with the mighty Pharaoh himself. Why would her father owe this man …anything?
This is non-sense. They must be some sort of bandits… or else nothing makes sense!
"I do not believe you."
"Oh, really? Then, where are your parents?"
"Maybe they have gone somewhere important."
"Where their own daughter does not know of?"
"What are you saying…"
"They've fled, you foolish girl. Your own parents abandoned you."
"…"
"And since they still owe me a lot of gold pieces, I have no choice but to take all their valuable possessions in the house. Their due date has long passed."
"Wait. You… you can't do this!"
Anzu stretched out her arms to protect their priceless living room decoration from Gahiji's reach. It was given by the Pharaoh long time ago when her great-great grandfather worked at the palace. He pushed her aside and held the gold statue of Osiris in his long skinny fingers. She fell on the ground. Her ivory robe got tainted as the sand dust clung to it. The shiny marble halls were now filthy with muddy footsteps of strange men in her house. Her eyes began to water.
Usually Anzu was fearless and bold. She was famous for her confidence and optimism in town, but without her loving parents to look after her, and seeing her home falling apart, she could not help but to lose her cheerful spirit.
She just sat there doing nothing, just waiting for things to make more sense. And somehow better.
But no miracle was going to happen that day for her.
After few minutes, the house became completely vacant. All she could see was bare walls, naked and ashamed. Gahiki, who seemed to have totally forgotten about her existence, gave a last tour around the house to make sure there was absolutely nothing valuable left in the house. And then, his eyes landed on Anzu in dismay.
The sun was almost setting and the dimming light of burning orange sun light, Anzu's beauty magnified. Her creamy brown hair looked almost see-thru, and her perfect silhouette showed her curves. This attracted the creepy man's eyes. He thought to himself, 'I didn't know the girl was this beautiful.'
He walked towards her, knelt and lifted up her chin abruptly.
Her perfect eyebrows arched inward at his sudden grasp. Her watery blue eyes shone and reflected nothing but misery. Her long eye lashes slightly vibrated.
"You don't look too bad. Actually, very impressive… I might even be able to sell you at a pretty high price."
"Don't touch me, you creep."
She slapped down his hand and glared at the man. He snicked and stood up. He dusted his white robe, making Anzu cough. Then, he called one of the working men.
"Take her to the slave market and bid for the highest price you can get."
"Yes, sir."
The bulky man reached out his overly muscular arms and took Anzu by her thin wrist. He pulled her forcefully and dragged her out of the empty mansion, which Anzu could no longer call home.
"Let me go! No. NO! Mother! Father! NO!"
Her wail echoed through the town.
And not a single person came out to help.
I published this story with another account. But I forgot the ID and the password. So I decided to re-write it with this new account and continue. I really like this story. I altered the title a little.
I don't necessarily like-like Anzu but she is the only female character I like from Yu-Gi-Oh. She has good chemistry with all the characters… especially with Seto. Seto will come out much later in the story, so please be patient! Stay tune.