Hiiiiiii...

So so so so SO sorry about the late absence -.- I really am. But shit went down and we went places and gah. xD

I own nothing.

"Mornin', brat."

Ryou groaned weakly, pushing face deeper into his pillow as the door slammed shut with a bang. Completely exhausted, still in pain, and sleepy, Ryou merely pulled the blankets up around himself further, thinking it was Bakura's voice he heard.

"I'm talkin' to you!" Ryou's eyes snapped open, and he bit down on his lip hard, shaking his head. No no no! Not him, he terrifies me... "C'mon, get up!"

"Leave me alone." Ryou mumbled into the pillow, sniffing. "I-I am not in the mood-"

"I don' give a shit!" Joey snarled, grabbing the blankets and yanking them firmly off of the bed. Ryou gasped, and curled up into a tight ball to try and hide himself. "Come on, time for yer to get up. Now."

"... No." Ryou mumbled, shaking his head. He nuzzled the pillow a little more with his fluffy white head, slim white arms reaching around to hug it. "Do you have any idea how long I was forced to stay up for last night?" He yawned sleepily. "Due to Bakura's... Antics."

"Oh, boo hoo." Joey rolled his eyes. "Tell someone who cares. Bakura's up and about, 'aint he?"

"I am but fifteen." Ryou argued. "And Bakura is... Actually I have not inquired him regarding his age..."

"He's twenny-sev'n." Joey muttered, his hands on his hips. "I don' care. I gotta waste my day lookin' after you now, and you're not wastin' it in bed, you hear?"

"Bakura said that I earned my keep at nights." Ryou mumbled, not budging from the bed. "He said that it was perfectly acceptable for me to spend my days in relaxation..."

"Well, it don' help me." Joey snarled. "Don' ya get it? Bakura was dumb enough ta ban Maliks food fer two days. He's the one in charge of the ship, an' I'm in charge of the crew. And I know Malik workin' his eighteen-hour days of hard labour with no food'll kill 'im. So get up, and help on the deck."

"I beg your pardon?" Ryou slowly lifted his head, frowning. "I-I do not understand... Why is Malik being deprived of his food for two days?"

"Why do you think?" Joey bent down to pick Ryou's clothes off of the floor. "Touchin' ya. Bakura's bloody protective of his lil' boys. 'E knew 'e was gonna get in trouble if he was caught. Now hurry up and get dressed."

"U-U-Umm..." Ryou nodded as he slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. His stomach twisted in guilt. Malik. He was in trouble now, all because of what Ryou did... Let him do. "I suppose so..." He held down a yawn as he brushed his hair out of his face, and blinked as Joey threw his clothes at him. He pulled them on silently, blushing as Joey refused to break his gaze with the teenager. "I-I think that I am-"

"Let's go." Ryou gasped as Joey cruelly grabbed at his bony pale wrist, yanking him into a standing position. "Pissed 'round enough as it is..."

"O-Ow!" The whitenette cried out, as Joey squeezed the still-tender skin, but the blonde didn't let up, pushing the door open and dragging Ryou out onto the deck. The sun was already quite high up in the sky, the rippling ocean sparkling as though it were encrusted with diamonds. It was quite pretty, really. "Y-You are hurting..." Ryou whimpered as he was pulled down the small flight of stairs, and across the main deck.

"Oh really?" Joey snarled, pushing open the door that let to below deck. "Tell someone who cares. Bloody 'ell..."

"Wh-What is it you are wanting me to do?" Ryou was beginning to get short of breath, his arm feeling as though it were about to break off. "I-I am not good at any labour, I am afraid."

"Well, guess what, princess." Ryou gasped as Joey pulled his little frame towards him, and stared wide-eyed into his coffee-coloured orbs. "You're gonna get good." He snorted, walking again. Ryou's lower lip trembled, and the uncomfortable feeling int he pit of his stomach grew. "Bloody pansy..."

"Th-That is not nice..." Ryou sniffed, keeping his eyes set on the grimy, dark floorboards, afraid he would lose his footing. Joey made a low rumble in the back of his throat, rather reminiscent of Bakura.

"Why don' you understand that I don' give a shit?" Joey pushed open a rough door, cobbled together with crooked, rotting planks, and shoved Ryou inside. "There, Devlin." Ryou gasped as he slid a little on the slimy boards, and shot Joey a glare.

"And who is this?" A black-haired man with brilliant green eyes grinned. "Have I finally got that kitchen-hand I've been asking after for weeks?"

"Nah." Joey snorted, and rolled his eyes. "He's only helpin' ya wash up fer a bit. Ya hear Ryou? Any funny business, then..." He let the sentence dangle in mid-air, cold and threatening.

"I-I understand..." Ryou twisted his hands together, keeping his eyes down on the grimy floorboards. He felt sick. Why was Bakura letting this crazy man treat him like this? Perhaps he does not know what he is like...

"Ignore him." Devlin smiled as Joey slammed the door behind himself. "He's just a bit pissy right now because he's all but lost his hardest worker." He paused in his heavy scrubbing of a blackened old pot. "He's not a bad guy."

"Well, he most certainly seems like it." Ryou muttered, his gaze still on the floor. "What is it that requires my assistance?"

"You're cute." Devlin announced, shaking his head slightly. "I have a bucket of fresh water there." He jerked his head towards a leaking pail set on a rough-hewn table in the corner. "Grab a rag and wash out the cups and knives in it. Bakura and Joey hate their drink and food tasting salty. When you've done that, there's a bristle broom in the next room, you can work on the floors. And then dry the plates and make sure they're stacked nicely. And then-"

"Excuse me." Ryou cut in meekly, his face flaming. "But... I-I do not believe that I am able to perform all of these tasks... I-I am very sorry, but I-"

"-You can light the fires in the stove for lunch." Devlin raised an eyebrow. "Look, Malik usually helps out, and it has to be done, or no one gets their lunch, and I don't wanna piss Bakura off." Ryou blinked as Devlin grabbed a rag off a tabletop, and pushed it into Ryou's chest, who took a step back, caught off his guard.

"A-All right then." Ryou sighed as he slumped his shoulders. There wasn't really much point in arguing. He'd learned that in the grand scheme of things, Ryou was pretty much insignificant in everyone's eyes- Save Bakura. And Malik...

Ryou put the thought out of his mind as he despondently plodded towards the corner, plunging his hands into the cold water. Was there even any point in washing them? There was no sort of soap to be found, the water wasn't even hot, and there was no sort of brush, or anything really, to scrap away the grime that was fixed to the knives.

Is that how all of the crew really see me? Ryou bit his lip, his stomach churning unpleasantly, with both nerves, and hunger. He hadn't eaten yet that day. Am I really only perceived as a lazy whore? Because that is not true! It is not!

Bakura is right. Ryou blinked quickly. Whores get paid. I am not... So that makes me even lower than a whore. A slave. How can I sink from a heir to a title, to a poor fishermans' son, to a bedroom slave the way that I have? It just seems unjustified and extremely unfair... But then, again, I do suppose that the sad fact is that life has never been very fair to me.

Sometimes, I feel as though it will never be fair...

"Is 'e still in there?" Ryou jumped as Joey pulled the door open, his hands tensing on the coarse horse-hair brush. He kept his dark eyes lowered, on the grimy floorboards.

"Yeah." Devlin frowned. "But he hasn't finished what I told him to-"

"Bakura wants 'im." Ryou cried out as Joey walked across the small, dark room, and grabbed at his arm. "Now."

"Ow!" Ryou gasped as Joey tugged at him firmly, his teeth gritted. "Must you pull-"

"Shut it!" The broom clattered to the floor as Joey yanked Ryou out of the room, who gave Devlin a last desperate look, before the door was slammed shut.

"I-I do not understand." Ryou kept his voice low, and eyes lowered. "What is it that he wants me for?"

"We're 'bout a day away from London." Joey pulled Ryou along behind him as he walked down the narrow, dark passage. "And Bakura wants ta sort out 'is loot."

"His what?" Ryou blinked. "I-I beg your pardon, but I do not know how I can be of any assistance-"

"I got 'im!" Joey cut through Ryou, as he pushed a warped door, reinforced with iron, open. "'Ere ya go." Ryou felt a hard shove between his shoulderblades, and he gasped, forced into the room, his bare feet sliding a little.

"Ryou." Bakura stood up, and gave him a smile Ryou didn't like. The room was lit only with a handful of wax candles, burned low, and cast ominous shadows about the room. The only furniture in the room was a roughly made wooden table, and a chair behind it. There were a few chests against the walls of the room, all locked. "So glad you could join me."

"Wh-What is it that you require my assistance for?" Ryou's stomach ached with hunger, and he was exhausted. If Bakura wanted to play any games, Ryou was in no mood at all.

"This." Ryou blinked as he further stared at what was on the table, slowly walking towards it, curious. It was littered with items of little value- wooden cups and bowls, steel knives, and brass candlesticks- and also more expensive goods- A short stack of pewter plates, an array of silver spoons, a handful of goblets, and a few thin books. Ryou reached out to one of the books curiously. "Not that." He slapped Ryou's hand away lightly. The teenager frowned. "Not that rubbish. This." The white-haired teen stared at the middle of the tabletop, where Bakura had laid out the most valuable things of what had been stolen from his fishing village.

Most of it was his.

"No!" Ryou's eyes widened as he stared at the jewellery, the gold ornaments, the finely painted miniature portraits in golden framed, and the big thick Bible, inlaid with gold. "This is mine!"

"Yes, I gathered that when I saw this." Bakura held up one of the miniatures. Ryou blinked. "You were such a cute child there. How old were you? Eight, nine?"

"I was eleven." Ryou gritted his teeth, and exhaled deeply. "Why do you have my family's things?"

"Why do you think?" Bakura rolled his eyes, exchanging a look with Joey for a moment, who was standing behind Ryou. "Ryou, why else would I invade anywhere? We steal, and sell them off to make money."

"B-But..." Ryou stared down at the precious heirlooms spread out on the table. "Now my parents are dead, these are mine..."

"Come on." Bakura was getting a headache. "Are you that stupid? I took them, they're mine."

"No!" Ryou protested, snatching up what Bakura thought was just a cheap gold pendant. "I want this." He also grabbed one of the portraits- Of their whole family, Mother, father, sister and brother. "And the Bible. You can't sell that for much."

"You're demanding." Bakura scowled, and pulled the Bible closer to him. "Look at this. Gold, in the cover. How can I not sell that for much? Even if I have to take it out-"

"No!" Ryou panicked, and pulled it back in his direction. He set his pendant and portrait down on the table, and flipped open the front page. "Look." Bakura stared, frowning. The front pages had been turned into a long, rambling family tree. "There's me." Ryou jabbed his finger at one of the very bottom names. Ryou James Cooper, 1617- Was written neatly in black ink. "This Bible's been in the family since the Fourteenth century. You can't sell it!"

"Is that really all you want." Bakura stared down at the diamond-studded necklace, and string of pearls, a number of gem-encrusted rings, and the finely carved gold and silver trinkets. "What about this shit? All of these..."

"We used to have more." Ryou slowly picked up the portrait and the pendant, which he clutched to his chest. "But they had to be sold... Please, I only want these three things. The portraits too, if you really don't want them."

"A portrait of a treasonous, exiled Court member and his family?" Bakura snorted. "I'll have the frames, but you can keep your worthless pictures. And that cheap gold thing, and your Bible too."

"Generous." Joey muttered behind Ryou, who turned around, and glared at the blonde. "What?"

"Nothing." Ryou's slender little arms strained somewhat, as he picked up the hefty tome, cradling it in his arms. "Nothing at all..."

"Put those in my room." Bakura dismissed Ryou with a wave of his hand. "But gimme the picture." Ryou's hand tensed on the miniature. "I just want the frame, okay?"

"A-All right." Ryou slowly set down the painting, and clung to his Bible and pendant. "You swear?"

"I swear." Bakura sighed. "Christ, Ryou. I don't give a shit about that junk. I just wanted you to come in and tell me how old this stuff all is."

"O-Oh." Ryou relaxed, just a little. "Was there no other valuables that you found?"

"On that rock?" Bakura muttered. "Ryou, you yourself know that you were the only family with anything worth taking. Half the reason we only nicked from there is because we were running low on food."

"So, you killed about sixty people just for food?" Ryou gasped, incredulous. "How could you be so heartless?"

"Whatever." Bakura brushed aside the demand, prodding at the jewellery. "How old is this stuff? Is it real?"

"You cannot tell?" Ryou tilted his head to one side.

"What am I, a jeweller?" Bakura snarled. "Just tell me." Ryou shot him a look, and sighed, still hugging the book close.

"The diamond necklace is sixteen years old." Ryou stared off into space, numb. "It... It was my mothers. She wore it the day of her wedding. The ring matches... It's her engagement ring..." He ducked his head, trying to fight back tears. "She could not wear it when we lived in the village, it would attract attention. The ruby and sapphire rings were gifts... They are about ten years old, I-I cannot remember precisely..."

"The pearls?" Bakura pressed, lifting them up to survey them in the candlelight. "They're nice..."

"My mother received them as a birthday present five years ago." Ryou rubbed at his eyes with a free hand, resting his chin on the large Bible. "They were from France. The necklace was made in... I think Holland, and the rings are made here in England." Ryou sighed, his eyes drooping, tired. "May I please take my leave? I am weary, and hungry..."

"Sure." Bakura shrugged, as he looked down at the gold with gleaming eyes. "Joey, take him up to his room, and then order Devlin to sort out the cutlery, and what needs replacing." Joey nodded, and grabbed Ryou's shoulder, turning to leave. "Oh, and before you go." He rested his elbows on the tabletop, clasping his hands together, and resting his chin on them. "Ryou, I must know, what exactly is so special about that gold lump?"

"This?" Ryou held up the pendant on it's fine little gold chain. "W-Well..." Oh dear. When he finds out, I am sure that he is going to take it from me... But I cannot lie, and I must say something... "It was my great grandfathers." Ryou looked down demurely. "It was a gift to him from someone."

"Who?" Bakura snatched the pendant from Ryou's hand, and stared at the engraving, eyes narrowed. It was a shield, with a rose, and a lion. Where have I seen that before...

"Q-Queen Elizabeth." Ryou whispered, clinging to his book. Bakura froze, and stared at Ryou, with his mouth hanging open. Holy shit...

"The Queen gave this to you." He muttered in disbelief, shaking his head. "Your family has a personal gift from Queen Elizabeth."

"Y-Yes..." Ryou felt like crying again. He is going to take it away from me now, I know it... He cannot, it has been handed down for four generations... "Please, It is the family's most treasured possession, especially after we lost so much... You cannot take it!"

"A personal gift, from Gloriana herself." Ryou slowly shook his head, staring at Bakura. "An exquisite pendant, engraved with the crest of the most beloved Queen that England has ever seen, that has passed through her own hands. Now tell me, Ryou. Does that not sound as though it could fetch a very handsome penny?"

"N-no!" Ryou protested, Joey's hands tightening on his shoulders. "You- You promised that I could have it! You promised that the gold and jewellery was all that you would be taking. I beseech you, you must-"

"Send Ryou back to his room." Bakura set the pendant down on the tabletop, amongst the rings and brooches and necklaces. "And then put him back to whatever he was doing."

"Got ya." Joey nodded, as he started to walk away, grabbing Ryou tightly.

"No!" Ryou cried out, struggling against the blonde while still trying to hold his extremely heavy book. "Bakura, you said I could have it! You said that was mine! Please, you don't know how much that means to me!"

"Come on..." Joey easily pushed Ryou through the open door, who shook his head, tears forming in his eyes.

"B-But..." Ryou sniffed. "He said it was mine... He promised, he swore!"

"One of these days." Joey smirked, tugging Ryou along the narrow, very dimly-lit hall. "You will learn, to never, ever trust the word of a pirate."

And there is my craptastic update. Enjoy.

R&R!