~Status Doesn't Matter~
Inu: Hehe, Hi guys. *Rubs back of head* I know I have a lot of stories going but listen! This is for a friend. It was meant to be a one-shot but when I planned it out, it was going to be so long I just decided to make it into a story.
Heba: Right and just so you know, Yugi and Yami won't be making an appearance. This whole story is centered on Unofficial Blindshipping (HebaxAtem). It starts out as Vanishshipping but I promise it won't stay that way! Also Tea/Anzu has the name Teana because it's her Ancient Egyptian counterpart. This has Tea/Anzu/Teana BASHING. And she is completely OOC and a raging bitch! Don't like then don't read!
Inu: Now that we got that out of the way~ On with the story!
Chapter 1
A young tri-colored slave watched as his childhood friend made the stupidest decision of his life. He wanted to stop him, believe him he did. But to do so would to be speaking out of turn which would then result in his death. So fated by status he had to stand on the side lines and watch.
"I accept your proposal."
Heba felt the words echo throughout the dead silent throne room. They repeated over and over and over in his head and his blood ran cold. Tears that could not fall brimmed his eyes. And against his better judgment he looked up
He saw the prince of Egypt Atemu walk down from the throne and face the princess of Greece Teana Mazaki. He snaked an arm around her waist and put a hand under her chin. He tilted her head up and leaned down till their lips met.
Heba felt his stomach turn and he thought he was going to be sick. He could not believe his childhood friend and secret crush was making out with a girl and Teana of all people! She hates his guts and all the other slaves' guts and Atemu knew that! To say he was hurt was a hug understatement. He felt crushed, betrayed, shattered, alone.
He turned and started back to the kitchen telling the other slaves he still had work he needed to attend to. He felt Atemu's eyes on his retreating back but didn't turn to look at him, and he hoped that hurt Atemu.
Heba stumbled into his room and collapsed on his mat. He buried his head in the pillow and began to sob his eyes out, the tears he held back falling freely now that he was out of sight. He didn't know how long he stayed like that but eventually he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw one of his friends Ryou.
Ryou was assistant to the Healer Isis and was dating a member of the Pharaoh's royal guards Bakura. He offered a kind smiled to Heba, which the boy did not return. He sat up whipping his eyes and Ryou sat next to him.
"Are you okay Heba?" Ryou was a kind boy and normally Heba would welcome the comfort but right now he was to upset.
"No, I'm not. Could you leave me alone Ryou?" He asked as he flopped back down on the bed draping a hand over his eyes.
Ryou sighed and shook his head. "As a doctor I can't do that. Keeping things bottled up does not help a person. Try talking to me about it, it may just help."
Heba stayed still for the longest time hoping if he didn't move maybe Ryou would leave. However seeing as that was not going to happen he sat up and turned to his Albino friend. "What there to tell Ryou. My childhood friend and crush is marrying a woman and a woman who hates all of our guts. On top of that he never told me about this plan or even asked for my advice like he always does! I don't even know why he is doing this!"
His tears fell again and he dropped his hands into his chest sobbing violently. Ryou pulled Heba into a hug and the door opened again closing behind the person softly.
"Oh prince, how you have fucked up this time."
Ryou and Heba looked up to see Bakura, Marik, and Malik. Marik and Malik were in a relationship as well and are also members of the guards. Marik and Bakura being higher than Malik.
Malik walked over to Ryou and Heba and sat next to them also pulling Heba into his arms. "Stupid question but are you alright?"
Heba shook his head and laid it on Malik's shoulder.
"I say we chain him in the basement and torture him for a little bit." Marik suggested turning to Bakura.
"I don't know about you but I don't want to die." He responded.
Heba giggled and shook his head. "He would kill you two before you had a chance to even get him down there."
"HEY!" Bakura and Marik yelled turning to Heba.
Heba looked up from Malik's shoulder and looked to them. His eyes were blood shot from crying and his cheeks were stained with tears.
He turned when the door opened and the last person he wanted to see walked in.
Atemu froze where he was when everyone in the room, minus Heba, turned to glare at him. He didn't even know Ryou possessed the ability to glare!
He looked between Malik and Ryou at Heba and felt his heart break at the sight before him. "Can everyone leave us alone?"
Malik and Ryou looked to Heba who sighed and lowered his head using his bangs to shield his face. "Go ahead I'll be fine." He whispered his words so only the two next to him could hear.
Ryou and Malik nodded and walked over to their boyfriends grabbing their hands and dragging them out.
The door clicked shut and the two Egyptians were left in dead silence.
Heba kept his head down and Atemu just stood there unsure what to do. After what felt like a eternity he let out a long sigh and walked over to the bed. He plopped down next to Heba and attempted to pull the boy into his arms.
Heba in response to this got off the bed and walked away from him. "Don't touch me." He spoke the words with venom and turned to Atemu sending the prince a heated glare.
"Heba what is going on!" Atemu snapped back standing up and slightly straighter than normal.
Heba cursed his luck. Now of all times Atemu was going to act like the prince he was.
"You will not talk to me that way!"
"Why because your higher up than me?" He didn't mean for the words to slip out, they just did. But now that he said them he didn't really regret them. Atemu hurt him and he wanted to hurt the man back. And if this was a way to do it then so be it.
Atemu flinched at the words and his back became slightly less straight. He looked to Heba with hurt in his eyes. "No, why would you even think that. You're my friend-"
"Some friend! You didn't even talk to me about Teana! How long has this been going on! Since she has been here?" Heba really hoped that was not the case. He has put up with a lot of shit since Teana was here; he told Atemu some of it but not all.
Atemu sighed and looked away. "I am not doing this because I want to. I am going in 18 Heba and Egypt needs and hair. And an alliance between the Egyptian kingdom and the Greece kingdom would do us good."
Heba flinched at the words. This is why he never told Atem his feelings, because he could never give Egypt an hair and because he was a slave, he was to low in status he was simply not good enough for Atemu. "Your father told you to marry for love, not because you have to."
"My father is a fool."
Heba felt those words piece his heart. Aknamkanon told him the same thing. Not to marry to improve his status but to marry because he loved a person. He thought that was the best advice he had ever been told and he believed in it.
He shook his head becoming increasingly pissed at his childhood friend. What had become of him? He was using his status more, he was going to date and marry a whore, all for what he considered the good of Egypt! What good would that type of king bring!
He lowered his head and clenched his fist. "Get out."
"What?" Atemu asked thinking he heard wrong.
Heba snapped his head up glaring at Atemu. "GET OUT!"
Atemu flinched not believe his childhood friend and a slave of his palace just yelled at him. Walking forward he drew his hand back and slapped Heba across the cheek knocking him to the ground.
Heba raised a hand to his cheek his eyes widening. He rubbed it and flinched when it throbbed. Pulling his hand back he looked at the blood on his hand. Atemu had hit him so hard his rings had cut through his flesh.
Atemu's eyes widened as he loobed down at Heba in both pain and sever regret. "Heba-"
"She's turned you into a monster." The words were so soft Atemu almost haven't heard them. Heba pulled himself to his knees and bowed on the ground in front of Atemu. "I am sorry to have displeased you my prince."
Atemu backed up in both horror and shock. "Heba….." He honestly didn't know what to say. So instead he turned and walked out of the room without a single word more.
Heba waited till the door clicked before he stood back up. He put a hand to his cheek and counted his scratches. "1, 2, 3… Three scratches. He got me good." He walked back over to the bed and collapsed onto it. Pulling the covers over his head he started to sob again.
~Morning~
He was woken by a fellow slave barging into his room and being told the future queen was going to be doing the inspection today. Heba dressed himself and stood in line with the others. Teana walked into the room wearing the finest Egyptian silk he had ever seen in his life. She carried herself with one of those, 'I am so much better than you' looks and posture that made Heba sick.
She started at the far right and began walking down. She didn't stop until she reached Heba.
"You are filthy and a disgrace. Get different cloths." She spat and Heba gave her a 'Are you a moran look'.
"With all due respect my lady, I am a slave and don't get paid to work here I can get new cloths." He spoke it with as much kindness as he could.
"Are you talking back to me?" She asked staring at him in shock.
Heba shook his head. "No mama I am n-"
"Guards!"
Heba paled as two of the guards meant to protect Teana walked forward and bowed.
"Take him to the dungeon! 50 lashes for talking back!"
Heba felt his heart stop at the number. No normal person could survive 40! The blood loss would kill you slowly not to mention the pain alone could put you in a coma! 50 would kill him! Then it dawned on him, that what she wanted she wanted to kill him.
The guards grabbed Heba's arms and began to drag him off to the dungeon. Heba fought at first but the guard smacked him across the cheek reopening the wound Atemu created.
The two of them chained him to a wall and the one of them went to get a whip.
"Are you sure we can do this without the Pharaoh's permission?" One asked.
"We were told to follow the lady's orders. That's what we are doing."
Heba heard the crack of the whip hit the concrete floor as the guard tested it. One of them then walked over and ripped his shirt open.
Heba flinched and began to quiver in fear as he bit his bottom lip to the point of drawing blood. The guard pulled the whip back and swung it forward breaking the skin on his back.
Heba screamed in pain, the sting of it hurt so bad he didn't know how he would make it past 10! He felt hot blood trickle down his side as the guard continued lash after last.
After about 20 something lashes the guards switched out. Having a hard time keeping the pace of it up. Heba's back had gone numb in some places and his thoughts were feeling a little hazy. He vaguely heard the basement door open and the sounds of people screaming for the guards to stop.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!"
He knew that voice. It was Bakura. Heba blessed whatever god decided to have mercy on him and he felt the chains get undone. He collapsed into someone arms that made sure to be extremely careful of his back.
"Heba! Heba! Can you hear me!"
Heba looked up to the panicked person and nodded his head. "R-Ryou?"
Ryou nodded and looked to Bakura who was still lashing out at the guards. "I don't care what anyone tells you! That bitch does not have the power to order a save whipped! You should ALLWAY'S check with Aknamkanon first! He is the bloody Pharaoh for fuck's sake!"
Heba stared to cough up blood and rested his head on Ryou's shoulder. "Ry, I-I don't fe-feel well." He shivered and Ryou started to panic.
"Bakura!"
The man nodded and walked over pick Heba up bridal style being careful to wrap his arm on the part of his back that looked okay. "We need to see the Pharaoh first. You two! Come with us!" The guards that whipped Heba nodded and followed him to the throne room.
Bakura ignored the guards yelling about a meeting and kicked open the doors to the throne room.
"What the hell are you doing were in a meeting!" Teana yelled and Bakura blew her off.
"Aknamkanon, you have a serious problem with your son's fiancé." He said the last word with extreme distaste as he sat Heba on the ground Heba set his head in his hands as he continued to shiver violently.
When he started to cough again Ryou and Isis were by his side in seconds.
Aknamkanon and Atemu got up and walked over to Heba in extreme confusion. The second they saw his back they gasped.
"Heba? Can you hear me?" Isis asked gently and Heba nodded his head.
"Can you tell me how many times they hit you with the whip?"
"I lo-lost co-count a-after fo-forty." He shivered again and Isis called for a blanket.
Aknamkanon looked to Bakura in pure anger. He liked the boy, he was a good friend to Atemu and he thought, no he knew, Atemu was in love with him. "Who did this?"
"Teana." Bakura stated and Atemu turned to glare at the woman.
"No I didn't!" She barked and Bakura glared.
"I heard it from the others! You're lucky I made it in time! If he died I would have had your head on a silver platter!" Bakura responded and Heba looked up at Atemu, curious to see what he would do.
"Others who? Other slaves?" She said the word with disgust as she turned to Atemu. "You going to believe some rats or me! Your fiancé."
Heba shivered again and began to cough. Atemu looked down at him and then shook his head as he started to walk away. "I don't know who to believe."
The door closed and for Heba, that was the last straw. He broke down into sobs in the middle of the throne room.
Aknamkanon kneeled down and put a hand on his shoulder. He could not believe the way his son was acting or why he was acting that way. Heba didn't deserve this and Teana didn't deserve the title queen. "I'm sorry Heba." That's all he could say.
~Later~
Heba had his back stitched and bandaged. He was given a week off of work to recover and every guard was ordered to see the Pharaoh with the punishment of a slave.
It was the middle of the night when a knock came at the door and Atemu walked in. Heba sat up in bed and turned to him, immediately bowing his head in respect. He had enough pain for a year.
Atemu sighed and walked over. He knelt down and put a hand on the cheek he had wounded caressing it gently. "Heba, please look at me."
Heba thought not to for a moment but ever so slowly he raised his head and his Violet eyes clashed with that of crimson.
"I am so sorry." Heba thought he saw tears in Atemu's eyes but it was so dark he couldn't be sure.
Atemu sat next to him on the bed and pulled the boy onto his lap. His hand lightly trailed down Heba's wrapped back and ever so lightly began to rub it tenderly. The light touch felt good on his back surprisingly and he let his eyes drift shut. "Why Atemu?"
Atemu rested his head on top of Heba's and lightly shook it. "I don't know Heba. I don't know. She tells that I can never have the one I truly love."
"And why is that?" He asked gently.
"Because our statuses are too different." He answered as Heba started to pass out.