Hana: well...here's the next part of the last chapter, enjoy :D

Chapter 4

-As Told by Sheriti-

After Mahado forced Mana and I to go to our rooms, and bed, I just ended up laying there for half the night staring up at the ceiling racking my brain for answers. The girl's image was stuck in my head. But I swear I know her from somewhere. Who was she?

Then the Isis mentioned my sister, Layla. I know she's dead, the pharaoh said so 5 years ago, but…what did, or does, she look like? The girl in the throne room earlier this evening had bright blue eyes that seemed to pierce into you and get answers easily and white hair, with a bit of blue shining it up. Is that what Layla looked like?

WHY THE HECK CAN'T I REMEMBER WHAT LAYLA LOOKED LIKE? I screamed that question a total of a million times before my eyes actually got droopy enough for me to sleep.

I think I worried so much that I DID sleep. I closed my eyes and drifted off to once upon a dream where your heart takes control and you just follow what it says. Where I could relax for more then 5 minutes.

-Dream Land-

"Run, run away from here, from the fire. Away from town and wait…"

The words went through my head like a broken tape recorder, which my head always seemed to be, playing over and over and over in my head as I ran away from where the town was getting burnt to a crisp.

Those were Layla's last words to me before saw her run to battle for the umpteenth time. I sighed when I came to a spot, this should be far en- I was in the middle of thinking when I heard a horse gallop. It got closer and closer.

Scared out of my mind, I turned and ran the opposite way…the way I WASN'T supposed to go, back towards town.

But in reality you really couldn't dream about beating a horse in a foot race…or a grown man on a horse in a foot race. The man was wearing a tan mask and had pitch black eyes that were like little black beads starring down on a rag doll. When he saw the rag doll he wanted, also known as me, two tiny indentations were formed around where his lips would go, as if he were smiling. Great…!

He jumped off his horse and tackled me to the ground. Luckily he only managed to knock me down but not get on top of me. I scrambled back up and tried to run away but the horse ran in front of me. The man grabbed me by the arms and twisted them behind me in a painful way so I couldn't move them with out breaking one of them, or so it felt.

I know this because I moved every which way to try to get loose. Unfortunately the more I moved the more pain I got and the tighter his grip got on me. As soon as I stopped long enough to manage to take a look-see at who had me exactly, I wanted to scream.

I recognized the outfit as one of the thugs that was burning down our village. I tried, I really did (not), but I couldn't hold it…I screamed out the first, and only person that I knew would come help me.

"LAYLA!"

"Shut your mouth!" the thug kicked my back and causing me to fall in the sand.

"M-make-" I was going to sound as brave as Layla but the stuttering sounded so much better…so much more, me! Plus I screwed it up with the stuttering, so I shut up.

More horses came up from the background. Ahhhh! I started to scream in my head. His friends! He brought his friends! The wailing continued, as the horses became closer and closer.

But it was the opposite for sure. These horses belonged to the people that were apart of the Pharaoh's Court. One of them was in a long; it looked like a pale tan, cloak type thing. It covered his head. He kept shouting out orders that I couldn't quite make out and then the guards started fighting off the thug. Oh I wish that would have worked!

The thug was too big a chicken to fight for himself so he had to use me as a shield. The guy in the light tan cloak told them to not attack until I was safely down but if the thug started to run for it attack at will. The last part of the sentence scared the crud out of me. Especially since the guy did run for it. Shoving me up on the horse and riding away. No hope for me what so ever.

Tears streaked my dirt face and reveled my skin as I whaled and yelled out…sadly nothing came out when the yelling started. I continued to try. I think the horse could hear me.

All of the sudden the horse went haywire and bucked both of us. I tumbled off its back and into a rock. When getting to the rock I simply just snuck behind it hoping the hugeness of it would cover my body so the thug wouldn't see me.

IT WORKED! The thug ran off, after the horse. The tan cloaked man yelled something to his men and they went chasing the thug. The man in the cloak stayed behind and dismounted his horse. Slowly but surly he started walking towards me soon coming right in front of my hiding spot.

The last thing that was in this dream was what I saw and did. The cloak's hood that covered the man's face came off and reveled his long white hair with a pointed beard and a mustache to go with it. His eyes were a light shade of black but that was only one eye…the other was a gold one. A fake, gold, left eye that was creepy looking.

He offered his hand out to me and I don't remember taking it…I do remember telling him two words though. "Please Leave." That really showed my gratitude but the last thing I was going to do is trust a stranger with a horse.

-End-

There was a flash of darkness then the hurt came with the blinding light. The stupid sun's blinding light.

I shot up, expecting to be on the sand, by the rock, where Akunadin should have left me. Expecting to be there five years younger, and in the past five years of my life I just dreamed up. I was expecting it, but not hoping for it.

But when I woke up I was in my room, or the room I slept in at the palace for the past 5 years of my life. I was in my bed with the woven blanket that I made when I first came here, almost falling off the bed from me tossing and turning in my dream. I looked next to me where Mana and the Pharaoh were unexpectedly the ones who opened my window to let the blinding light in.

"Did you have to open the window?" I asked groggy. I fell back down on my bed with a THUD and threw my pillow over my face. Remembering the dream. Sure…NOW I remember what happened…5 years later! And that's not even what the heck I wanted to know! I want to know that LAYLA LOOKED LIKE!

"Are you OK?" Mana asked taking the pillow from me. I shot up trying to steal it back from her but she had it out of reach and I wasn't going to get out of bed. "We heard a scream from your room."

"Did you have a nightmare?" The pharaoh's strong voice asked concerned. He did that a lot towards me. But I didn't care; I just want him to be non-weird today…if that could happen.

"I…uh…don't remember" I lied. I didn't want to tell him that I gained a BIT of my memory of 5 years ago, and if he was acting weird, like yesterday, chances are he would just ask a load more questions.

They both gave me compelled looks. I just smiled innocently at them. We sat there with an awkward silence for a few seconds and then I asked the question that broke it all.

"Why were you guys down in this part of the wing anyway?" I asked looking at them their compelled looks rubbed off them and turned onto me. "There's nothing down here is there?"

"Actually Mahado was looking for you before he left, and Shimon wanted you to hurry up and get started on your morning chores."

"Why me?" I asked wanting to pull the blanket over my head but instead I got the pillow thrown back at me. Then I realized what the Pharaoh just said. "MOHADO'S LEAVING?" I yelled out. He covered his ears like sound just blasted at him…which in this case it did, but no one really cares about that do they?

"Yes." He said, by now Mana ran out to go talk to Mahado, my guess she had an appointment with him to that she completely forgot about. "He's going to go retrieve some of his power and use it to fight off Bakura?" he asked it in a state of a question, like he didn't get it himself.

"The rest of his power?" I thought on it. Mahado told me about that and what he didn't say I got out of Shimon. Basically Master Mahado had too much power for his own good so locked a majority of it away and now he was getting it back made since but not the last part. Why would he go after Bakura?

"I'm sure he'll be fine." The Pharaoh said reading my eyes. I looked at him and didn't say anything just looked. His purple eyes reminded me of when we WERE kids and I was in this same bed looking at him when he told me about Layla. Those were those same eyes.

After a short while the Pharaoh left and I got into my long tan-white dress thing and put my hair up the way I've been told to a million times. (The dress thing is sorta like Mana's `cept longer…like down to the knees longer.)

Finally after like a while longer after being told to I got out of my room and headed to Shimon first. That's where I got my first scolding of the day, about slacking off and coming when orders are given and blah blah blah blah blah.

I got my long list of chores that needed to be done that day, so I went to get see if Master Mahado was still here. On the way I had to pass Isis. I tried being really quiet, and I did. But I also tried to ignore what I heard in there, couldn't do that much.

I heard her talking to Shada about Mahado and how he might not return. I gulped. Then ran out of there just not as silently as I wanted to…Shada and Isis peaked out of their room and saw me dash by. Well…there're two more scoldings!

As I came towards the outside of the palace I could see Master Mahado and his men just leaving. Then that's when I heard Manna's voice. She was tugging on Master Mahado's cape like thing yelling out "TAKE ME MASTER PLEASE!"

Mahado kept walking I ran up and in front of him. He looked at me like I was about to get murdered…and he was the one who was going to do it if we didn't move our sorry little butts away. Jeez Master Mahado stop acting like Seto!

"Kakra, please get out of the way." He had a tense voice as if holding back every fiber I his body not to just walk away, which was good right now! The bad thing was, was I am not budging! When he tried to go around I followed. He wasn't going to get past me, not until I told him!

This just may be the stupidest thing I have ever done and probably will ever do! I thought to myself but for his sake…it's got to be done…

He sighed, "What do you two want from me?" He asked, making Mana end up next to me, and he starred at us both. Mana didn't know what I did so I let her go first. Though I think mine was more important. Basically she just begged him to come again.

"Isis said you may not come back…you'd be d-d-" I couldn't finish it. The picture of Master Mahado dead just didn't fit…he was basically like my father since I came here. "Please take us Master," I said getting down on my knees. "Just one of us at least…?" okay official evidence here…this is the most pathetic thing I've ever done and will do.

Suddenly a man's hand reached down and pulled me up by the collar of my dress. Mahado drug me and Mana together once again. Making sure we were both paying attention before he talked. "Did Isis tell you that directly Kakra?" then he saw Isis waving him down. He gave me a look…the look that I really didn't want to see so I looked to the ground. "I'm going to guess that that's a no…" I looked up and gave him an innocent smile. He let out a sigh. Shaking his head. "I can't take you girls with me. Your magic's just not strong enough. You need more work on it. You're just going to get in the way." Mana left running towards the town but I didn't say anything. I just slightly tried heading back to my room but he stopped me before I could get very far (not fair!) He grabbed dressed bye the shoulder sleeve making it so when I took another step I fell to the ground.

"COME ON LET ME GO!" I said wanting the let me go to mean let me run away before you can scold me.

"I'll talk to you when I return." he said starring at me like I stole something out of the pharaoh's tomb.

"If you return," I mumbled under my breath then caught what I said. He glared at me and went off to talk to Isis before he left for good. I didn't think twice before I ran off and bumped into the Pharaoh.

Again with out thinking twice I just clung on to him and started crying. The surprise is…he let me. After I settled down a bit we went over by the gardens area, where I told him everything. About Isis's vision about Master Mahado, what I just said to him, and how I was getting about 20 scolding today.

Off in the distance we heard Mana yelling at a horse to pay attention. We ran up to her.

"MANA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I yelled rushing up and grabbing the bag she was trying to throw on top of the horse's back.

"I'm going after Master Mahado!" she cried out. "He can't do it on his own."

"He's the master you realize," I said without thinking again. She glared at me.

"Mana I'll go," the Pharaoh piped up. "You need to stay here and protect this place for me."

"NO!" we both objected. "You're not going alone!" Mana said. "Take me with you!"

"B-b-b-but I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT!" I complained wanting to go save Master Mahado.

"I can't take both of you!"

"I came to you and told you about Isis vision!" I declared.

"I got the horse ready" Mana protested.

"I'm going to take Mana." I let out a disappointed 'uh!' and glared at him. "Sorry Kakra, but Mahado said himself that you were the lowest on your magic skills." I nodded reluctantly.

"I understand that! But I still need to go! WHAT IF BAKURA IS THERE?"

"Bakura?" Mana asked confused. "Who's he?"

"EXACTLY!" I yelled out. "She doesn't know!"

"I'll take Seto with me."

"WHAT?" That is NOT what I was going for! I gave up and just watched as they rode off and then Seto followed.

I watched and prayed to Ra that they'd all be safe.

I did all my chores but consistently went back to the front of the palace where the Pharaoh would return. There was nothing for the longest time, until finally I saw a huge stone tablet in the distance.

"THEY'RE BACK!" I yelled out of pure joy. Shimon was behind me cringing when I yelled. I gave him a look that basically asked if I could greet them.

"You did your chores for today, go on." I ran up in front of Seto's horse as they stopped. The girl on the back of the horse was the same girl from that night…well last night I guess it was. I looked at her, she seeming to be glaring at the back of Master Seto's hat, and then away to the pharaoh and Mana.

"PHARAOH! MANA! HOW DID IT GO? Where's Master Mahado?" I looked behind them, hoping to see his horse but there was nothing. "Did he have to do something before he came back?"

No one said anything. I looked at each of them, all seeming like some one was dead…and someone WAS dead. The tears came from nowhere, they just appeared there and were rolling down my cheeks. The Pharaoh got off the horse and came up next to me. "You want to go lay down for a bit?"

I shook my head and we followed Master Seto and the girl to the throne room where I had a feeling that everyone was waiting for the arrival of Master Seto, the Pharaoh…and Master Mahado.

I walked slowly with Mana and we entered the gigantic throne room where, I was right, EVERYONE was. Isis flipped out when she saw the pharaoh but all we could do was put our heads down. Tears fell to the ground from where Mana and I stood.

"He's dead." the girl said smug like. I glanced at her, the familiarity was perfectly clear to me. "Serves the idiot right-" that's all I heard I got angry at her for the word choice.

"DON'T insult Master Mohado!" I screamed.

"Kakra, you stay OUT of this!" Master Seto yelled. I looked at him.

"Let her stand up for herself F-W-T-H." the girl stood up for me…wait…SHE STOOD UP FOR ME! Seto and her went on for a while about what F-W-T-H stood for (freak with the hat) and how she was being disrespectful or something like that.

I took a step forward. Master Shimon and Pharaoh reached out to grab me from getting closer but I got away from their grip. I looked the girl in her pale blue eyes. "Who ARE you?" I asked.

She took a bow and announced herself as "Kanika Queen of Thieves" I got pulled back by the pharaoh when we found she was no longer bound up by the ropes. Seto and her went on AGAIN about how she did that, how (you know what you read all this already lets just get to the trial…wait…I mean PAST the trial to the battle thing)

Kanika turned into a different person…or fox…or something. She had fox ears and red streaks in her white hair. I tried to stay away with Mana but didn't quite get to do that. The Pharaoh summoned something and it hit Kanika in the back of the head with out her realizing it. She was passed out and I didn't want her to hit her head so I ran and tried to catch her…it doesn't help that I trip on air.

I fell forward and basically tripped but I did it in the right place. Her head hit my back making me gasp a bit but that was nothing from what happened before. The Pharaoh smiled down at me. I looked up innocently.

"Lets put her in the cell where she can't cause any more problems." Seto ordered to the guards. The guards hurried and got her off of me and started walking off.

"WAIT!" I called, scrambling to my feet. The guards stopped as the whole room looked at me, great. "I-I think she deserves better then that." I looked at the knocked out Kanika. "You all heard Shada earlier…he said her soul was nothing but sorrow." I took my gaze off of everyone and then to the floor. "I don't know what kind of sorrow but I have a feeling I can relate to her…in some ways."

"She's right," I heard the Pharaoh's voice next to me. I looked up and to my not-so-much surprise he was there looking at me. "Give this girl one of the rooms for our guests."

"Bu-but Pharaoh, do you really expect-" Seto complained…it was obvious that he hated her as much as she seemed to hate him…maybe less but I don't know.

"Just do it." The pharaoh said and put his hand over his head has if he had a major headache. I smiled at him and mouthed out 'thank you'. He gave me a smile and I watched as the guards went off and gave Kakra a room.