What was he going to do now? He had no power, nothing. It was the same feeling as before, helpless and vulnerable. He cursed under his breath.
"Well Pharaoh? I'm waiting." Bakura reached into his sleeve and produced a sharp dagger.
"Last chance." He held it against Isis.
"NO! Please Bakura. stop this now!"
Isis was his best friend. The one who had saved him, made him laugh. She had been there every time he need her. How could he let her die?
"Please Pharaoh," she sobbed, "don't listen to him. Take Yugi and get out of here!"
But he couldn't, he wouldn't. He knew Bakura would have no mercy. He needed more time. "Bakura, do you swear to me that you will leave this city and let Isis go?"
"Of course your highness." He smirked
Atemu made his way over to Yugi and took him down off the horse.
"Yugi," he said softly, "I promise you'll be ok but you have to go with Bakura now."
Yugi squirmed out of the Pharaoh's grasp. "No. I don't want to go!" Panic rose in his voice.
"Yugi please. Just trust me."
Yugi burst into tears. He grabbed onto Seto's arm. "Please don't take me!" Atemu picked the small boy up with ease as he tried to fight back. "It'll be alright," he whispered "I'll come to get you I promise Yugi." Atemu wiped a tear from the small boy's face.
"I'm scared" he said but didn't resist this time.
With one arm Atemu took his sword from his belt and pointed it at Bakura. He pushed Yugi forward so he was between them.
"Keep to your word." Bakura nodded and lifted the dagger from Isis's neck.
No one moved a muscle as Bakura put Yugi on his own horse. Yugi turned to look back at his father, "he's going to kill me, just like my dream."
Atemu lowered his sword, "what,Yugi what dream?" His voice suddenly raised in alarm. "What dream?!", He shouted again, But the horse had already kicked off into a trot. Yugi only gave a teary smile back and then they were gone, true to Bakura's word. The thieves moved from the palace following their leader.
There was silence in the palace as people looked to their Pharaoh for words of wisdom but Atemu had none. He moved towards Isis as she stood, a little shaken.
"How could you?", she asserted, her voice calm but slightly bitter
"How could you send your son away?"
"Isis, Bakura would have killed you. He would have killed many more. I had no choice" he replied without much passion.
"When you're a father you don't need a choice. You are all Yugi has in this world." She glared at him, concern emitting from her brown eyes. "I'm going to assemble our soldiers. We can still catch him." She brushed she hair back off her face and turned her back coldly on him. "I hope you realise what you've done."
Hadn't he just saved her life? Wasn't that worth something? He gritted his teeth. It was a game he was always playing with the thief, whether he wanted to or not. In-order to win he would have to out smart his opponent. Had he done the right thing by handing over Yugi?
The most beautiful place in the palace gardens; a hidden courtyard surrounded by luscious flora and flowing water. He had been there before. He felt so safe there, listening to bees hum while dipping his feet into the cool waters. The sun was beginning to rise and there was a refreshing smell of flowers in the air. Was this a dream? Everything else seemed so distant. He wanted to lose himself in the garden, to escape all the noise. Yugi closed his eyes. He was about to let sleep prevail when he smelt an awful sent. It was musty and earthy and it filled his nostrils, subtle at first and then it began to dominate the garden smells. He heard a rustle of leaves and then a voice. He spun around and suddenly came face to face with the thief who had kidnapped him.
"You shouldn't be out here alone my dear" he said moving closer so he was right beside Yugi's ear. Yugi was about to respond when a voice that was not his own seemed to take over.
"Bakura, what are you doing here?" The voice was strong and unyielding.
"I just wanted to say thank you." He said slyly
"I told you I won't help you. I know you just want to use me for you're own means. If Atemu catches you here-"
"To hell with Atemu! The Bastard took everything from me!"
Yugi felt like an intruder. This wasn't his dream. It was someone else's. He was in someone else's mind.
"Woman!, Bakura yelled, "You will help me or I will destroy you and everything you love"
"You won't! I will never let that happen!"
He could feel Bakura's heat on his skin. His musty smell was intoxicating.
Suddenly he felt a fist collide with his jaw. He clutched it painfully.
"No Bakura, Think about what you are doing."
Yugi felt his body stagger backward through the water. Felt hot tears on his cheeks. It was as if someone was controlling his actions. Bakura drew closer.
"Don't. Please I beg you!" He felt his arm tremble.
He looked down at the reflection in the water and saw not his own face but the face of a woman. She lifted her hand and shot at the thief. A red burst of energy fizzed and bubbled towards him at great speed tearing at his face. The thief screamed in pain as the substance burned it's way into his skin. He lunged at her but she was too quick. She dashed through the water sending beams of red in all directions. The thief dodged many of the blasts sent to his face but could not stop the others from thrashing at his body. He rolled towards the safety of the garden wall until the shots died down. Yugi felt his body weaken. He was panting heavily.
Bakura moved out from behind it again.
"Guess I have no choice then." He panted, "Your power is strong today but I assure you, you will not get the better of this thief." He moved to the balcony staggering slightly. Yugi tired to make sense of the conversation he had just heard but his head felt woozy. He felt the garden go dark and the feeling in his chest he was becoming accustomed to, burn his airways. He was in the desert again, the winds pushing a strong breeze down the waters of the Nile. He choked and gasped for breath. He felt a tightness grow around his wrists and he struggled against it. He looked for a way out of the dark but all he could see was the Nile. It's cool waters sucking him downward into a black void.
Yugi's eyes snapped open as he tired to figure out where he was. He pulled at his wrists again and realised they were tired behind his back. "Help! Please help me!" He wheezed. He managed to roll into a sitting position to allow more air into his lungs. He felt a bloody tear run thick down his cheek, suddenly realising that if he didn't take more besa herb his condition would get worse like it did before. He had to be calm he couldn't let it win. He cried out as a wave of pain hit his chest. It was worse than before. He wanted to cry but he couldn't. There were only bloody tears. After a bit, the feeling died down. Slowly but surely his breathing strengthened and he sucked in as much air as he could.
"Would you look at that." Came a raspy voice from behind him. "Probably the last of his kind I'd say." Came another. There were two men close to him, he could smell that same musty smell that he had in his dream. He couldn't see them. He was facing into the evening sun. White tents where pitched along the Nile and there was a lively feeling in the air. Men where laughing and music played softly in the background. He remembered his village again and for a moment thought he was back in his peaceful home on the hill. He closed his eyes. He wanted that peace more than anything now. He wanted to be back in a place where things made sense. Where he wasn't afraid anymore. He had so many questions. They drummed in his head like rocks.