Hey all! I know its been a long time and i am terribly sorry but its been crazy with starting school and all. So here is the latest chapter of Slave in a Pharoah's Heart! Please read it and review it.
Warning: torture. A bit of an understatement but you know *shrugs*
I don't own Yugioh or the characters. Though if i did Atem would be all mine. lol
Yugi felt everyone staring at him as he sat next to Atem and ate. Here has was in the finest clothes gold could buy. Eating the finest food from the finest cooks in the land. Beside him was the Pharaoh focused on his food rather than everyone who was staring. Yugi tried to focus on his food but there was one particular set of eyes that pierced through his very being. He looked up and found them. The eyes of his once fellow slave Jou.
They seemed to see right through to his soul. What was the worst part was the fact that Jou was stuck sitting on the ground while Yugi was in chair almost as grand as Atem's. Yugi gulped and looked away.
"Does something trouble you love?" Atem asked gently.
"Uh no." Yugi said. Atem nodded before Yugi spoke again. "Actually can you refrain from calling me love?"
"Do you not like it?" Atem asked his eyes flashing curiosity.
"Um it's not that. It's just I don't feel comfortable with it yet." Yugi said looking at his food.
"Well how will you grow comfortable with it if I do not call you it?" Atem asked.
Yugi was stuck. Atem was right. He nodded letting it go. "May I be excused?"
"Is the food not pleasing to you?" Atem asked.
"I'm just tired." Yugi said.
"Alright. Do go rest." Atem said.
"I will." Yugi stood and left. The guards bowed to him as he walked by. Yugi hated that but said nothing and kept walking.
It had been about four months since Yugi had been back from the fights. Atem had kept his word treated him with the utmost love and respect. Yugi would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. But the problem was Jonouchi. While Ryou and Malik became their masters' lovers and had as good a life as Yugi, Jonouchi insisted on staying a slave. Yugi has tried time and time again to convince him he could be with Seto, but nothing worked.
Sighing Yugi walked into the room Atem had given him. It was filled with fine decor and furniture. He went to his clothes and changed into something more comfortable before climbing into bed. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep.
"Be quiet. Close and lock that door." Yugi jumped awake to a voice only to have his mouth covered and a dagger at his throat. He stayed perfectly still though his breathing became rapid.
"Gag him and tie him. We need to go now." the voice said.
"Can't we have a bit of fun with him?" a second whined.
"No." the first whispered harshly.
"Oh fine." the second said. He quickly shoved a cloth deep into Yugi's mouth and managed to tie him despite all of Yugi's struggling. "If you don't hold still I'll be forced to use my dagger."
"You will not. He must be in the best shape possible for trade." the first said.
"Fine but we won't get anywhere with him struggling like this." the second said.
"Just knock him out." the first said clearly annoyed.
Yugi tried to scream but the gag muffled it.
The second slammed the handle of his dagger into Yugi's temple. Yugi watched darkness take over his mind as he collapsed to the bed unconscious.
Yugi jumped awake an unknown amount of time later. His head was killing him and he had no idea where he was.
"Well now look who's awake." a raspy deep voice said.
Yugi looked to where it came from. A harsh looking man stood a few feet away from him. He had a large jagged scar on his left cheek.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Yugi asked trying to sound confident.
"I am your new master. And you are in my land now." he smirked.
"Y-your land? We're not in the capital?" Yugi felt himself go pale.
"No. You're in my land and under my control. After all its not as though your precious pharaoh wants you." he smirked.
Yugi gulped. "O-of course he does. H-he loves me."
"Oh yeah? Then where is He?"
"W-well he probably hasn't had t-time to-"
"You've been here for an entire day and an entire night."
"What? N-no I couldn't have been." he tried to stand but short chains on his wrists and ankles kept him for doing so.
The man laughed. "You aren't going anywhere. As I hear you've been trained well enough to be a king's slave. Well then I suppose you've had some rather cushioned job as a slave huh?"
Yugi remained silent.
"Well that ends now. You will be mining." he smirked an evil smirk.
Yugi couldn't get any more pale as his stomach twisted. He now knew where he was he in Arsingale. The mining kingdom. It was a dirty kingdom filled with wealthy traders and slave miners. It was Egypt's greatest enemy kingdom. The life expectancy of any slave is 6 months very few made it to a year. And the ones who did were the ones built for mining. Yugi was not.
"You will be kept alive for as long as possible but do not think this will give you any special treatment. You make a mistake you will be punished." the man walked to him and grabbed his face roughly. "Let's see if your precious pharaoh comes for you."
Yugi tried to pull his face away. The man only held tighter. Yugi winced. He knew there'd be bruises where the man's finger were.
"Now. Sao and Kaso will be taking you. Don't try anything stupid little one." he smirked and let go of Yugi's face harshly before leaving.
Yugi felt his eyes water. He was done for. He wouldn't last a day in those mines and the man knew that. He knew who the man was. He was the king of this kingdom. He was harsh cruel and downright evil. He had no doubt he was the one threatening Atem's kingdom. And now he was stuck here. Atem would be furious. Possibly even start a war.
Yugi hung his head as the tears fell. He heard the door open but he didn't pay attention to it. The chains were taken off of him but again he wasn't paying attention. He didn't fight the men as they chained his arms behind him and practically dragged him out.
It took half to get to the mines. Half a day he spent in a caged wagon in an uncomfortable position because he couldn't get more comfortable due to the chains. Once there he was dragged out of the cage and taken down into the mines. There in the middle of it he was forced to his knees with his chest shown a moment later a whip was cracked down on his chest. He screamed out. It continued. He knew why. He was being taught. This was what happened here. There was no escaping, no special treatment, no kindness or mercy. He was considered lower than dirt here. The only escape he'd get was death and he'd soon beg for it.
After the whippings he was thrown in a cell and left there with no treatment for the open gashes on his chest. He managed to pull himself up and sit against a cave wall. He let the tears fall as he silently cried. He'd never survive these mines. He'd never see Atem again. He eventually cried himself to an exhausted dreamless sleep.
~At the Palace~
Atem slammed the doors to his general's room open. "Marik!"
Marik looked from his desk to his pharaoh and immediately got up and bowed. "My king."
"He's been stolen." Atem growled.
"Who my king?" Marik asked calmly.
"Yugi! He's been stolen and i want him found. Now." Atem growled.
Marik looked at him. "I will find him."
"Good." Atem growled before leaving.
He went to Yugi's room. It was clear he was taken from bed. There was sign of great struggle. "He put up a fight. But to who. Damn it." Atem slammed his fist on Yugi's desk. "Yugi. Where are you. What are you enduring right now?"
~Time skip With Yugi~
He felt like he would collapse at any moment. The tools were much too heavy for him and he'd been doing this for 8 hours straight now. His legs felt like they'd give way. He knew the consequence.
He'd watched it many times that day. 10 had collapsed where they worked, 5 of them too weak to work again that day. Three died right there in front of him. He tried to tell the guards they were sick, weak, and near death but the guards just ignored him. He begged for them to help. Begged for them to do something but they just shoved him against the cave wall and threatened to whip him 30 times for insolence. He couldn't take another whipping like the day before's. So he gave in and nodded.
He hated that he couldn't do a thing about the slaves being treated this way. Not that he was any different. He was a slave once again. He knew that being anything more than that wouldn't last. He just didn't realize it wouldn't be Atem to send him back into it.
He attempted to lift the tool again. To get more strength from somewhere, anywhere to continue but it was no use. He couldn't. He could do it anymore.
A guard came over with a whip in hand. "Work."
"I can't." Yugi whimpered. "Please. I've been working all day."
"Does it look like i give a damn?" he cracked his whip on the ground making Yugi flinch. "Work now."
Yugi gulped and tried to pick up the tool. It was too heavy. His muscles couldn't take it. It fell back to the ground with a clatter. The guard growled and whipped Yugi's back. That was all it took. Yugi fell to his knees as he screamed. He felt his knees bust open on the very stones that were once under his blistered feet.
"Get up." the guard growled.
"Please. I can't." Yugi begged, tears falling down his dirt covered face.
"I said get up." the guard whipped him again.
Yugi screamed again. He knew no one would stop the guard or help him. He was on his own. He had no one.
The guard was about to crack his whip again when a siren rang through the caves. He sneered at Yugi. "You got lucky boy." he grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. He threw him into the line of slaves. Chains were put on each of them before they were walked back to their cells.
There Yugi collapsed to the ground thankful the day was through. He didn't know how much more he could take.
~Long Time skip~
Yugi's been in the mines for six weeks now. Each day they were woken at what Yugi assumed was the crack of dawn. It was freezing. Every night he nearly died of hypothermia. They were given a minimal amount of water and a small piece of stale bread for food. After that they were taken from their cells put into chains and into a line then taken to whatever job they were on that day. Yugi more often was put on mining the walls with many other slaves.
He hadn't had a bath in all the time he'd been there and the dirt just piled on him. His hair was greasy and matted and it had lost much of it shine in its color. It now looked all black instead of black with vibrant colors. His feet were as black as the dark dirt he stood upon every day. His hands, covered in blisters from the weight of the tools. He had been wrong. Working for Aknaden wasn't hell. This was. This was his life now.
He'd given up on Atem coming for him. He'd never see him again. Never would he have real clothes again or eat real food or even sleep on a real bed. He was done with all that. That life was gone and it was never coming back. He was born a slave and he'd die a slave.
He stumbled as a guard pushed him forward. He wished they'd just kill him already. They killed at least 20 a week. Why should he be kept alive? What angered him the most is that he felt the need to beg for death. He had never once begged for death. He knew nothing awaited him in the afterlife. No god accepted slaves. He knew that.
"You're a lucky one." the guard said.
"How would you say that?" Yugi asked
"We can't kill you. We were given specific orders not to." the guard said.
"So i'm lucky to live the rest of my life in hell?" Yugi challenged.
"Watch your tongue." the guard growled.
"Why? Its not like you can kill me." Yugi growled.
The guard grabbed Yugi's hair and pulled him back.
Yugi gave out a cry as he stopped. He didn't struggle or fuss. He'd learned early on that's only caused more pain in the end.
"I may not be able to kill you boy. I can sure as torture you." the guard sneered in his face.
"You have no reason." Yugi said.
"Who gives a damn? You think anyone here cares about whether or not i have a reason to torture you? You're nothing but a lowly slave. Look up. You're beneath dirt. If you died here no one would see it. No one would care. Accept it." the guard sneered.
"I have accepted it. I know i'll never see the sun again. I know i'm going to die here. I don't care anymore." Yugi said.
"Good then you understand i can have some fun with you." the guard smirked.
Yugi paled. In the three weeks he'd been here he'd learned that rapings were extremely common here. Though it hadn't happened to him yet he prayed it wouldn't.
"Y-You wouldn't.." Yugi trailed off.
"What? Rape you? Hell no. You're scum." the guard said throwing him to his knees. Yugi winced as he landed on jagged stones. A moment later the whip cracked on his back. Yugi screamed. "Stay up." the guard sneered. "The moment you fall i take you get a worse punishment."
The whip came again.
Yugi screamed.
Soon it became a rhythm. CRACK! scream CRACK! scream CRACK! scream CRACK! scream CRACK! Scream.
Yugi was barely keeping himself up when another guard walked over. "Move along. He needs to get to work. The king is coming today."
Yugi's eyes widened.
"Fine." he grabbed Yugi and pulled him up. "Lets go. You're on the wall today."
Yugi just nodded as they walked. He was soon shoved to an area and his chains were taken off. They shoved a tool at him and he began his job.
It didn't take long before the king showed up. He had ordered for Yugi to be brought to him. Yugi felt like collapsing when the guard chained his wrists and took him to the king.
He was pushed roughly into a room before door was slammed shut behind him. Yugi noticed there were no guards in the room. Either the king was incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.
"Ah there he is. My favorite slave." the king sneered.
Yugi just stood silent as he glared at him.
"What? No love for your king?" the man smirked.
"You are not and never will be my king." Yugi growled.
"Is that so? Hm well what do you think little one? Want to hear how your dear pharaoh is doing?" the king asked a cold grin coming to his face.
Yugi glared at him. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh nothing. Just that he's self destructing. He tried to force his army into my lands a week ago."
Yugi paled. A week ago!? Why hadn't he heard of it!? Surely the guards would have rubbed it in his face!
"Wondering why you didn't know?" the king sneered. "Well the answer is simple. I'd told them to be quiet."
"Why? You love to see me suffer. You love to point it out that Atem will never come for me. That he'd given up weeks ago." Yugi growled.
"Why because I wanted to see your reaction myself when I told you about it. After all he tried."
Wait so he didn't succeed but then what happened?
"What did you do!?" Yugi demanded. He was tempted to charge at the bastard in front of him. "What happened to Atem!?"
"Oh don't worry. He's fine. He retreated with his tail tucked. Like the sniveling dog he is."
"He's not a dog! And he's a better king than you'll ever be!" Yugi screamed and ran at him his anger taking over.
Yugi barely got within a foot of the bastard and the king had him in the air by his throat. Yugi kicked his feet as he tried to bring in air.
"You really think you can take me on? Huh? I've killed rats bigger than you. I can snap your neck right here right now." he smirked.
Yugi choked. "Th-then...do..it." He meant it. For six weeks now he'd been beaten and whipped more times than he could count. He had lost more than half his original body weight. He was disgusting and hated himself. He has nothing left and just wanted it all to end.
"Oh no." the king dropped him. Yugi immediately collapses to his knees gasping and coughing in air. The king kneeled down in his face. "I want to make you want to, no, need to beg for death. I want to hear you beg for this miserable life to end." He stood back up. "Now get on your feet." Yugi shook his head. The king growled and grabbed his hair tightly causing Yugi to scream out. He yanked him to standing.
Yugi hated his life. It's only been six weeks. There was no way he was making it to the life expectancy. He'd never survive long enough for anyone to get him.
"Now get back to work." the king motioned to someone. Two guards came in and grabbed Yugi.
"I can walk." Yugi growled struggling.
"Too bad. You're at the mercy of others. Don't you just love your life?" the king smirked as Yugi was taken out. He was taken back to where he had to work.
~at the palace~
Atem screamed in frustration as he threw a vase. He had been searching for Yugi for weeks. Nothing. Not a damn thing. And worst part is he had to stop looking because another kingdom wanted to start a war.
He'd failed Yugi. He'd let him down. Everyone assumed he'd been killed or traded by now. Just the thought of it made him sick. His dear Yugi, dead? No. He'd find him. He swore to the gods he would.
He was about to go train when Marik came in. He bowed. "My king news on the rival kingdom."
"What is it?" Atem demanded.
"They plan to attack tonight." Marik said.
"You sure of this?" Atem asked.
"Positive my king." Marik said confidently.
"Very well. I want my kingdom guarded strongly. No one gets harmed. I want all women and children brought to the palace where is it safe." Atem said as he put his crown on.
"Yes my king." Marik bowed and left.
Atem sighed. "I'm sorry Yugi please hang in there a bit longer. Wherever you are." he prayed before leaving.
~time skip~
Twenty weeks. Twenty weeks Yugi's been here. Twenty weeks of being whipped and beaten over and over. He'd once tried to escape. He knew it was suicide. That's what he was hoping for. An end. An end to this miserable life of his.
The king loved coming and forcing him to listen to the details of the war. Every Egyptian soldier that had been killed every detail of how they were killed. Yugi had vomited on more than one occasion from details alone. Thankfully as far as he knew Atem Seto Marik and Bakura were Ok.
Another day for him to hear it all. For him his to be chained so tightly his hurt while he was forced to kneel on jagged stones and listen to what could possibly be happening to Atem.
He was brought into the king's room and forced to his knees. He winced. Looking up he found the king standing with his usual smirk only something seemed...off. He seemed too happy.
"So little one." he smirked.
Yugi just stared at him with a blank expression.
"Care for a roommate?" the king smirked.
Yugi's eyes widened as guards came in and threw someone down. Yugi felt his heart drop at the blonde scruffy hair. "J-Jonouchi."
Jonouchi got up. He was chained and clearly beaten. He was covered in bruises. He looked down at Yugi then glared at the king. "I'm going to kill you. What did you do to him?"
"What do you care?" the king smirked.
Jonouchi growled. "What do you do?" he moved forward but was grabbed by a guard.
"Doesn't matter. Take Yugi back to work and put this one under coal work." the king said.
Yugi was pulled up to his feet and walked out while Jonouchi was dragged out with him struggling. Yugi walked with his eyes down and mouth shut. He was done fighting. He just hoped he died soon.
Jonouchi looked at him. "Yugi."
Yugi stayed quiet and kept his eyes down. He'd learned not to answer anyone except the guards and the king. His hands hung loosely as the chains rattled around. Yugi could see Jonouchi looking him up and down out of the corner of the his eyes. He had no doubt he was examining the condition he was in and frankly he didn't care.
Yugi was pushed to his area for work and given a tool. He started working. He heard a shuffling and Jonouchi shouting as he was dragged away.
Yugi sat in his cell staring down when Jonouchi was thrown in. he wasn't surprised to find him having gashes from a whippings. Looking away he went back to staring down. Jonouchi pulled himself up and leaned against the cave wall. He looked to Yugi.
"Yugi." Jonouchi said
Yugi looked at him.
"What...happened to you?" Jonouchi asked.
Yugi just stayed silent.
"You're not the same. What did they do?" Jonouchi asked.
Yugi snorted a bit. "What haven't they done?" His voice dry and raspy.
"Why are you here?" Jonouchi asked.
Yugi shrugged. "Taken from the palace and brought here."
"Oh. I'm sorry." Jonouchi said. "Well you tried get at all? Escape? Fight? Anything?"
Yugi looked down. "I tried to escape once. I knew it was suicide to even think about. I got maybe ten feet before whip was around my throat and I was pulled back."
Yugi had enough. He couldn't take it anymore. He just wanted to die already. He knew his plan was insane. Suicide. And that's what he was counting on. The suicide part. He needed this to end.
Yugi glanced at the guards there was one every fifteen feet. One of them was bound to kill him. He prayed it'd be fast but he highly doubted it.
Yugi took a deep breath before throwing his tool and taking off.
"Hey!" the guard yelled.
Yugi ran. Before he knew it a whip cracked and wrapped tightly around his throat. He had maybe a second to react before he was pulled to the ground. He coughed and grabbed at the whip as he barely brought air in.
A guard walked over and took the whip off. Yugi immediately gasped. The guard grabbed him and pulled him up. "You'll pay for that little stunt."
Yugi was taken to the center of the mines and all slaves were told to stop working. The guard tied Yugi's arms up on a post. Yugi now stood there tied with his chest shown.
"Listen up!" the guard yelled. "This is what happens to those who try to escape!"
The guard went to the coal stoves and took an iron rod. He stuck it in the hot coals. Yugi gulped as he tried to get free. Whippings he could take. Beatings, starvation. But this, no. he couldn't do it. All he could picture was Atem branding him and he didn't want to remember him that way.
Soon the rod was red hot the guard pulled it out. Yugi struggled more. He begged for him not to do. Swore that he'd never attempt it again. The guard just ignored him and trailed the tip of the rod down his chest making sure to do it with just the right amount of pressure and slow speed. Yugi screamed as tears rushed. He heard the other slaves all gasped.
The guard did a few more trails before tossing the rod aside. He then took a steel tipped whip from another guard. He truck Yugi purposely aiming for the newly formed burns. Yugi screamed until he lost his voice. Then he could do nothing but attempt to scream as nothing came out. The end of the torture couldn't come soon enough.
By the time it was over Yugi couldn't stand anymore. He just hung there with his head hanging. The rope was cut and he collapsed to the ground. Two guard dragged him to his cell.
"When was that?" Jonouchi asked in horror.
"My 10th week here." Yugi said quietly. The guards didn't like it when they talked.
"I can't believe it." Jonouchi said softly.
Yugi rubbed some of the dirt off his chest to show the scars. Jonouchi gulped.
"Oh ra." Jonouchi said softly.
Yugi leaned back against the cave wall. His eyes closed from exhausted. He hoped he didn't wake up the next morning.
Yay! An update! Hope you enjoyed! I got my laptop fixed so now i can update! Please review!
