A/N: I'm aware I had not done this in the last chapter and I am truly sorry. So I have taken the liberty of doing the task now; I do not own Yu Gi Oh or the characters involved. I also do not own the Duelist of the Rose plot (and neither does the company because it was based on a historical war), but I do own my Original characters.

…On with the story!!!

-Chapter 2-

Last time…

"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."

The dark prison echoed with the screaming of agonized criminals and innocents.

Sounds of whips and the rattle of chains bounced of the walls making inmates cringe at their own fate.

One particular cell was closed off with the king's top guards were stationed outside the door. This cell was shrouded in darkness, except for the little light the streamed from the torch outside his prison and the small barred window inside.

At the moment, it's occupant slept soundly, without any care of his fate or that of others. The thick brown hair that fell to his eyes was stained with sweat and his body lay limp, covered in blood and recovering from the abuse the night before. Here lay Seto Christian Rosenkreuz, a prisoner of war who wasn't going to be executed anytime soon.

A swish of a cloak and the sound of a gruff voice barking orders alerted Seto. The sound of the creaking door produced the tiniest smirk on his lips, as he knew who was in his presence. "King Yami," he drawled, "T o what do I owe the displeasure?" The visitor growled, clearly stating that he was not one to be messed with.

"So, you still have ways to make my kingdom suffer do you?" Seto snorted, "Oh yes, absolutely! While I'm locked away, I can still slip a message or two, telling fellow nobles to help me from this godforsaken place you call a prison!" Yami's hands fingered the sword on his waist, "Do not toy with me traitor!" Seto's blue eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim lighting. "Now why would I do that?"

Yami's eyes blazed with rage; Seto really knew how to aggravate him, after all, his presence alone was possibly worse than a conversation with the devil himself. "I received information that you had been communicating with that foreign prisoner for some time… Bakura I believe." "The innocent thief? Yes… I remember, they hauled him away this morning for his punishment."

Yami paced the small area of his cell, "The guards have told me you and the thief happened to be cell partners for some time." Seto raised a brow, "And?" "You and him were scheming!" Seto's laugh echoed throughout the prison, deafening the sounds of torture and malice, "Oh! What a riot! This has certainly made my day!" "I know you were up to something! I had dismissed that boy to the square!" Seto ceased his laughter upon hearing the boy's fate; left to a pack of vultures to feed off his liver. "You obviously had something to do with his escape!!!" Seto looked confused, fortunately, the king was unable to see his expression because of the dim light.

"Escape? Perhaps if your king were not so feeble minded," Seto's cold blue eyes glared at Yami from behind the bars. "You would remember I was stripped of my title, my power, and what standing I had in society." Seto smirked in pleasure as Yami's figure shook with anger before him.

Yami's cape snapped behind him as he turned to walk out of the dungeon. "One hundred lashes!" he yelled to the guards.

Seto cringed and sucked air through his teeth as intense pain washed over him once more as the guards dragged him to his punishment. "Been a cheeky little bugger haven't ya." The guard laughed as he shoved Seto on his knees and brandished the whip.

Seto felt the whip crack as it sliced through the air and left a long print along his back. The sticky ooze of blood seeped through his ragged clothes. He cringed with each whip, but refused to scream… "Seven!" The burning sensation made him growl, swallowing at the pain etched into his throat. "Thirteen!" Seto felt darkness wash over him as the whip continued to lash at his back… he welcomed the numbness, he welcomed the prospect of death.

A/N: It's a very short chapter… but the next one will be longer! - That I promise…