(Three days later)
The caves sparkle with gold and jewels from the raid still, the Thief King laughs merrily and watches the kidnapped girls forced to dance and then cry for their dead family. I wish I could tell them to stop; it will only lead to punishment. I've seen it many times over the years. Hema drinks and laughs with the King while I stand in the shadows, I'm safe-at least as safe as I can be- I don't have to hide, but I want no part in the celebration.
I spoke to a young boy last night that was kidnapped. He said the Thief King has made a mistake in attacking the Southern Village. The boy said the Pharaoh's son had friends in the village. He was sure the Pharaoh would be looking for the thieves as soon as the news spreads.
Egypt may be a huge place, but news spreads fast, and the Pharaoh listens for the welfare of his people, but his friends were like an extension of his family, and believe me his family is very well taken care of. The Prince is never without at least four bodyguards, not that they are actually needed. The Prince, like the Pharaoh, knows how to take care of himself.
The Pharaoh will not be happy the Southern Village was burnt to the ground.
The celebration goes well into the night, and as the sun peaks over the horizon Hema heads to his chamber, as I help take the kidnapped to the cells in the darkest part of the caves.
With the kidnapped locked away, and the thieves asleep, drunken no doubt, I wonder the caves. Some lead a long way from what I know. I got lost down here once, lost track of time. The Thief King nearly killed me thinking I had run for help, lucky for me I had found a hidden why into a town the King wanted to raid. I showed him the way, and for that he spared my life. Needless to say that was the last time I got lost, or lost track of time for that matter.
Heading back to my chamber, I pause hearing something I'm unfamiliar with.
I take off running to the mouth of the cave, flinging open a hidden trunk I pull out a horn, face the cave, and blow it as loud as I can. The sound intensifies as the cave echoes the sound deep into the network of caves waking everyone instantly. I drop the horn and run to my chamber. I have done what I can, I am no fighter and the Pharaoh's men will show no mercy.
I hear shouting, the clash of weapons, the screams of death, the sound of running, and soon I hear the door to my chamber open. I stand as far from the door as possible. I must look like a defiant child, as I know I do not look afraid. Hema taught me to never look afraid even if I felt like crying.
Two men came toward me, one tall with bright blue eyes, brown hair, and the robes of a Priest. The second I recognized, a little shorter with dirty blonde hair, and wore a robe of worriers, Marik, the Pharaoh's general. I stare at the two as they approach me.
They seem to be in no rush, the others are probably dead then. These two wouldn't waste their time on me if the King was still loose.
I don't struggle as the blue eyed man grabs my arm and pulls me out if the chamber. I gasp as we past the main chamber. I see Hema lying on the ground, blood spilling out of his mouth and nose, his right hand missing. Not far away a royal solider lay dead, several deep cuts cover his chest, blood pooling around him. Before I can see more I'm pulled from the room, passing soldiers and others in Priest robes as we head toward the entrance of the cave. Once outside I see soldiers everywhere, some getting ready to go back into the caves, some shackling a few of the thieves, other shouting at the thieves demanding to know where the kidnapped are.
Marik puts steal shackles on my wrists and ties a rope from the shackles to a horse before walking off. The blue eyes Priest following him.
"Adofo, have you found the children?" Marik asks one of the soldiers.
"No sir, none of them are talking."
I huff to myself, earning the attention of another soldier who quickly turns toward me slapping me across the face. I don't even flinch.
"Chigaru, stop hurting the prisoners. That's for the Pharaoh to decide, not you." Marik calls over his shoulder.
"He was mocking you, sir."
Marik turns to look at me, just as I roll my eyes at the solider beside me, "Prisoner, what is your name?"
"Yugi." I say simply, bowing slightly before lifting my head to look the general in the eye.
"Were you mocking me, Yugi?"
"No sir. I just find it funny you would think the thieves would tell you anything."
"You are a thief, are you not?"
"I am no thief." I say sadly looking away from the general.
"Then why were you in the caves?"
Thinking that I would rather not tell my life story to someone I didn't know, I thought back to how I had escaped punishment with the King, "I can take you to the kidnapped children."
Marik looks at me questionably, seeing the change in me immediately, "Tell me where they are."
"I'll have to take you, the caves are confusing, if you get lost you'll never be found. Keep me in shackles if you wish, a sword to my throat if you'd like. You'll never find them without a guide."
Marik seems thoughtful for a minute before looking behind me, "What do you think Prince?"
I freeze at the mention of the Pharaoh's son. Is he really just behind me? I feel fear build within me as I wait for his answer.
"I think you, Seth, and I can handle a little guy like Yugi." I release a breath I didn't know I was holding as the Prince answers in a calm voice.
Seth-the blue eyed Priest- pulls a key from his pocket, releasing my wrists. Marik pulls a sword and leads me to the mouth of the cave, "No suprises." He says.
I simply nod and start the long walk to the depths of the caves. Seth and the Prince pause several times, checking ever chamber we pass. All of which are empty, though I'm sure all but the kidnapped are out of the caves by now. We walked past the King's chamber, the treasure room, and the oil supply room.
"I don't like this." The Priest says. I stop and turn toward him.
"Would you like to go back?"
"No, we continue." The Prince says. I glance up the young Prince for the first time, the low light leaving shadows across his face and body. I see his star shaped hair, similar to mine, but different, his eyes a bright blood red, the look on his face scaring me a little. Obediently I turn back to the cave and start walking again.
The closer we get to the cells, the more I feel like something is wrong. I slow down listening to the cave around us. I don't hear anything, but the feeling won't go away. Just as the cells come into sight I hear something. I stop, causing Marik to run into me.
"What are you-" Marik doesn't get to finish his question as a thief jumps from a crack in the cave wall, nearly cutting the Prince. Marik and Seto lunge toward the attacker as the Prince dodges the knife in the thief's hand. The thief is soon dead on the ground, his throat cut by Marik.
Seto turns to me, a look of hatred on his face, "You planed this didn't you?"
I step back, but don't run, "No." I look to the Prince, who's glaring at me. I kneel down, bowing my head, "Prince, please, I didn't know. I would have said if I knew the thief was here. Please do not kill me. I did not know."
Marik pulls me to my feet, I see the Prince looking at the cells filled with the kidnapped children, and glance toward me.
Marik pulled me away from the cells back the way we had come. Once we were out of the caves he bound my wrists again and told Chigaru to watch me, before heading back in with several other soldiers.
