((... Hi... another new story... but this time, it's not my fault! It's CraftyLion's fault! She made this really awesome Thief King Bakura fanfic called Hasina... so that got me thinking about how uber-smexy the Thief King was... and I'm still on my Catwoman hype... and Bastet is a goddess of Egypt who has cats as her messengers... and-and-!
Yeah. So I had to and this is in no way completely and totally my fault... I'll accept no more than half-credit for creating yet another story... This is also my way of putting CraftyLion out there and thanking her for writing such a great story!
Kill me after you read it cuz... it's pretty frickin' dark in the beginning. I mean, I am a bitch when it comes to my characters. But I've never really put them through Hell and back... except for Gaara's True Light... but Gaara was only determined to make her retract her statement! And he's not a liar so he... yeah... and um... well, we're getting off topic!
In any case, the beginning will really suck because I AM going to willingly torture my character in the name of Pharaoh. Those of you who like Pharaoh Atem/Yami Yugi may not wanna read this. He is NOT my favorite character nor will I make him out to be this super good guy and blah blah blah. But on the bright side (?), he will be a capable Pharaoh who won't be all "obey me cuz I'm Pharaoh but I'm only putting on a front to hide how weak-hearted I am". He will be an asshole... not as much as the Thief King but yeah, he's gonna be a self-centered jerk who believes that his word is law and no one... can stand up to... him... eh-heh... I'm not doing too well in differentiating between the two, am I? I'm just gonna start the story now and let you judge. Bakura will have bits and pieces in this first chapter... And my character's name is pronounced "Bast-eer".))
Chapter 1: Blind No More
Bastir gazed up into the flames, the spectator in a crowd of spectators. She, like everyone else gathered, knew why the house was being burned to the ground. It had harbored a thief and his family. The thief was caught, house ransacked for stolen goods, and was to be made an example of. All she knew was that the thief would be executed after Pharaoh made his verdict. But no one expected the man to live, even if he managed to escape with both hands cut off for thieving. A man with both hands removed would be better off dead as his hands would be with him in the afterlife... that is, if the scales did not send his soul to the pit of Ammut's stomach.
Her dark eyes glared into the fire, knowing that this was the will of Pharaoh. He had commanded everything about everything. But then... why did something seem wrong about the situation? She looked down, her long black hair falling in waves around her face. And with a start, she saw a cat with vibrant gold orbs staring back up at her. It's tan fur reflected Ra's beams easily as it turned it's head to looked back at the fire. And that's when she heard it.
Screams. Cries for help, pleas of mercy. They were too young to be anything but children inside the burning building. When Bastir asked a nearby woman why there were still children inside, the response had been simple.
"They are the offspring of a thief."
But did that make that right? To kill a child for it's parent's sins? If the mother was a whore, the daughter would automatically spread her legs for any man with gold? The father was a thief so his son will die with no hands? Pharaoh... their living god... he was wrong!
She stormed through the crowd towards a nearby barrel of water, a large wooden ladle inside for easy access for those who paid. The dark haired woman did not think twice about giving up her coins as she tossed her bag to the man and started dousing herself with water as fast as she could. Her thin white linen dress soon clung to her body, her hair plastered to her scalp. She tore off the bottom part of her dress, exposing her tan thighs to any and all eyes. One man tried to stop her with the threat of punishment by Pharaoh but it did nothing to persuade her otherwise. She roared at the man, calling him a coward. She knew she would get in trouble for disobeying Pharaoh's rule of letting them children die. It did not matter. Better for her to save someone now than have their blood on her hands as the rest of the crowd would. She dunked the cloth into the barrel and wrapped herself in it before rushing into the flames.
Smoke threatened to tear the air from her lungs. She felt as if she'd jumped into the pit wearing a dry grass skirt. She maneuvered her way through the burning rubble, calling out for the children she'd heard. The young lady hoped she was not too late. And through the flames, she spotted them. Two young boys just barely reaching the top of her hips, one clutching an infant who looked dead. She couldn't think about that now- best to get them all to safety than to try to get them to leave the baby behind. So she wrapped the two in the remains of the once-soaked cloth and guided them out as fast as she could.
They barely made it before the doorway crumbled, the children crying and coughing at the same time. Bastir had a feeling she knew their youngest sibling was dead. And she pushed them along, making them move away from what was left of their home. That was before she found herself grabbed and forced by spear-point to the Pharaoh's palace. She had broken his decree, she had saved children that he had commanded to die. She was now the one to face his wrath.
Pharaoh Atem glared down at the young woman. He did not know her name, did not care to know it. He only needed to know what she was charged with- defying his word. His amethyst orbs met her onyx, boring into them in an effort to get her to beg for mercy. He wanted her to say she didn't mean it, that she would do ANYTHING to get on his good side again. But as much as he wanted her on her back side... she did not flinch. Her eyes were hard as the stone they emulated, kohl had run down her cheeks and smudged to give her a fiercer look. Her back as straight as possible for someone being forced to bow to him. Those full lips did not plead for his forgiveness.
Well, perhaps she was one of those females who needed to know when she was wrong. He would tell her and surely she would try to please him with words and actions. "You are charged with defying my decree. Those children would have grown to be thieves. Now that you have let them live, they will surely take that path. I am the morning and the evening Star and you are here to serve me. Apologize and I might show you mercy..."
Her dark eyes narrowed further. "Apologize..." The word came out as if laced with poison. "I have done nothing wrong. You sought to execute CHILDREN. I would never stand aside and watch that happen. I would rather die..." She spit at his feet, a scowl turning her beauty sinful.
Pharaoh bit back a hiss, infuriated. How dare this tiny female defy his demand?! "By the time I am through with you... you'll be begging for Anubis to take you..." Oh, he would make her pay. She would suffer every pain he could throw her way and when he was too busy, he would give her to the guards. He would keep her in a state of constant agony which she could only escape by passing out and death. She would be a broken woman and he would still be Pharaoh.
Bastir awoke to a pain that she never thought possible. Had it been minutes or weeks since she'd been imprisoned in the Pharaoh's dungeon? Her mind refused to let her think of the correct answer. It didn't matter. Her entire body was cut and bruised. She'd been whipped, branded, sliced, degraded, and abused in every possible way. Her body was no longer a temple for her husband-to-be, the doors to her chastity had been broken down by the battering rams of men who thought themselves to be warriors. To her, they were only cowards.
She'd fought them at first. She did as well as any woman could have. But they found chains and shackles... she was now bound by the ceiling and the floor, her limbs spread wide with her skirt ripped up even more. No longer was the thin garb white. No longer did it cover the needed areas. It was a sign that she was available for all... a whore to be used until the day she gave into the Pharaoh or died.
A low whistle brought her eyes up to the only window in the cell. From it's depths, she barely made out glowing scarlet eyes. "... they sure did a number on you... a lesser female would have given in after the first hit. Ra, a greater man would have given in the first cock shoved inside him..."
"... is that supposed to make me feel better?" Her words were whispered though it was not a choice. Her eyes flashed almost angrily and she wished she could move out of the light the window let in. The man with the crimson eyes seemed to be evaluating her position, taking in every wound she had gained since arriving in the dungeon as Pharaoh's personal guest. Before, such a calculating stare would have made her squirm in discomfort. But then again, what did she have to be uncomfortable about? This man was seeing just as much as the guards had but he could take no liberties. At the moment, she almost felt the mocking emotion of safety with this stranger.
"Just an observation. It's not like it isn't true, you know. Then again, it's not every day you see a woman make a fool out of the Pharaoh..." His words were quiet and his voice, though harsh, seemed to wash over her body. It made her shudder in slight pleasure at the tone then she groaned in pain. "... You could always give in. No one would blame you..."
She snorted lightly, no longer caring about this odd man. He could say whatever he wanted. "He is a fool... a true Pharaoh would have more trust in his people, not kill them before they even think of doing something wrong... And no. I will never fall under his rule again. I can no longer stand aside and let myself be lead by a shepard who would kill me for meat instead of wool..." She didn't see his face but his eyes seemed almost glad to hear her words. And then he was gone. She didn't know if he had left, only that she'd passed out again from pain and exhaustion.
Finally, Bastir's execution day had arrived. She was brought to a public stage, her clothes now barely covering her torso. She glared blankly up at Pharaoh as he regarded her with lustful eyes. "You are charged with disobeying my law. The punishment for such is death. If you beg for your life, I may show mercy and put you in a harem..." His tone was light like a cat toying with a mouse.
"... you would put me in a harem... with whores who have been defiled by your hands willingly...?" She croaked out a laugh, most of her body too sore to move and blood flaking off her bruised flesh. She spit in his general direction. "You have already killed me, Pharaoh... I will never open my legs for you... you are no god of mine!" A gasp of pain slipped out of her mouth as a spear protruded from her chest. Her black eyes wide as she gazed up into the stands.
A man with white hair and red robes glared down at her. Even from such a distance, she could see his smirk and knew who he was. A soft smile crossed her features. He was there, a man who was the complete opposite of the ruler of Egypt. She would not follow Pharaoh but perhaps if she followed the white-haired male, her morals would be met. It was a skewed thought, as the man was a criminal of the greatest cruelty. She blamed her lack of blood and her heartbeat slowing to a stop. Her dying thoughts were a curse for Pharaoh Atem and a blessing to Bakura, King of Thieves. And with them, the spear was pulled out with a harsh yank, blood coloring the rags she wore.
Bastir was dead before she hit the ground and Pharaoh ordered her corpse to be thrown into the desert for vermin to devour. He obviously thought that she wasn't worthy of a proper burial. Oh well, it was no skin off the Thief King's nose and he headed off quickly to avoid detection. He was in need of a drink.
((I will end it there... Yes, I killed her... But if I mentioned Catwoman in this, I think we both know she's going to return to life, right? She just won't be the same as before. I do have the next chapter planned kinda out and I did a double take of this chapter to see where I needed to add more detail and whatnot. Bakura will be in the next chapter a lot more than he was in this one. So lemme know if I should keep this going... when I can.))