Sorry it has been FOREVER! I suddenly found inspiration and a little time to write another chapter! I've been working on it for a while and I'm having some issues writing out how I want the story to go from here, so please just bare with me. I know how I want it to go in my mind, but putting in words is more difficult. If anything seems off with this chapter or if anything is unclear, please forgive me!
Read and Review!
Muah!
Anzu hurried away from the construction sight, cautiously watching for signs of any royal guards. She searched for any familiar street or landmark, but could not distinguish one vendor from another. Confusion and anxiety soon set in as she realized she did not know her way back to the palace. Still, Anzu continued to make turns and head down various passages, hoping to find something she remembered. After walking for what felt like forever, she realized she was not in the market district of the city any longer. Toothless grinning men replaced the friendly jugglers and snake charmers. Scantily clad women with veiled faces replaced the jewel crafters and joyful dancers. A hooded figure headed her way, evoking fear in the girl. She turned, only to be met with yet another unfriendly face. She turned town an ally, foolishly hoping to find help or a way out of the district. The men cornered her.
"Well, well, well, what did you bring me boys?" chuckled a third man, walking towards her from the ally. He was muscular and broad, with scars adorning his bare chest. One of his eyes was covered with a leather patch. His goons simply laughed as they pushed her towards him.
"Please, I'm sorry, I just got lost," Anzu muttered, stabilizing herself against the man's frame, then slowly backing away.
"Only one kind of woman walks these streets. You picked a bad place to get lost, hussy," the leader spat as he tore her veil away, causing the top of her dress to rip.
"No, please, I'm from the palace," she tried to explain as she desperately clutched at the material to keep herself covered. He ignored her and shoved her to the ground.
"What do you know, a royal whore boys!" The others snickered as they each grabbed an arm, placed them over her head, and held her down against the dirt. Anzu was frantic now. These men were going to rape her and she was powerless to stop them. She writhed and cried out, but her mouth was swiftly covered with a callused hand. The main thug began to remove his pants and lowered himself over Anzu's terrified body.
"I'm going to enjoy this," he murmured as he fumbled with himself and prepared to mount her.
"Are you?" asked a new, unexpected voice. Anzu's eyes widened with hope. The confused man turned only to be met with Bakura's fist.
"Bakura!" she cried out with relief. The other two men ran at him, but he evaded both and proceeded to knock the knife out of the leader's hands. Eager to help, Anzu scrambled for the dagger. She and one of her captors fought for it, but she was able to bite him furiously on the nose and he grimaced in pain. Anzu then tossed the dagger to Bakura, who wielded it successfully on the other two men.
"Why you!" the injured assailant lunged for revenge on Anzu, clutching her frail neck in his grasp. She pounded him with her fists and aimed her kicks toward his groin, but she was unable to inflict any harm. Desperate for air, she vainly attempted to pry his fingers away from her throat. He was too strong. Suddenly, the man's expression changed and his grip loosened. He then collapsed, revealing the dagger buried deep in his back. Bakura stepped over him and consoled his distraught love.
"Are you alright Anzu?" he asked, taking her face in his hands. She nodded as she rested her head on his shoulder. He tightened his embrace, hoping to cease her trembles.
"You saved me…thank you," she whispered. Bakura simply stroked her hair. He was not about to let some cheap thugs take his oldest and dearest friend in such a heinous manner. She was pure, he could tell, and he intended that she stayed that way. At least for now…
"They got what was coming to them. I despise rapists," he muttered with distain. Without warning, Bakura's expression changed. He heard the rapid succession of hooves clamoring along the pathway, meaning only one thing. He grabbed her hand and started to head further into the ally, but a guard called out to them.
"You there! Stop! Turn and show yourselves!" he demanded. The voice sounded vaguely familiar to him, but he could not think of where…Bakura knew their situation was hopeless. Anzu's headdress had been torn and he had no disguise. Unless they recognized either of them, it was unlikely the pair could avoid been captured. The men would assume he had in fact kidnapped Anzu, no matter what either of them professed.
A single armed man approached and slowly, Bakura began to turn towards Anzu. His eyes met hers momentarily, and he tried to give her a sign, letting her know he would find a way out of this.
"Anzu!" the man called out, dismounting and stepping toward her cautiously. He motioned for his men to stay back and stand guard.
"Seto!" she cried as she embraced him.
"What happened? Did this man harm you?" he asked angrily as he fumbled with her torn dress.
"No Seto, he saved me!" she replied.
"Saved you? By ripping your dress?" Seto argued, skeptical.
"It wasn't him! He killed these men who attacked me!" she pointed to the bloody bodies of her attackers discarded nearby.
"Is he the one who kidnapped you?" Seto demanded, trying to get a better look at the man's face.
"Kidnapped? What? No, I ran away! Completely on my own!" she protested.
"But why?" Seto questioned. He could think of a few reasons. All of the palace drama was surely taxing on her. Perhaps she just wanted to get away, not realizing the dangers of the city. He had also wanted to see this friend of hers she had known from the desert. Perhaps that had been her intent.
"…to find him…" she muttered, turning to Bakura. Seto stepped closer to the mysterious figure. This was the man that Anzu claimed resembled his lost cousin. His heart beat faster and faster as he neared him.
"I believe thanks are in order, Sir," Seto said with a shaky voice as he looked upon Bakura. "And I have been told some interesting things concerning your past by our princess here. "
"I have no memory of my past," Bakura mumbled as he finally raised his head and his gaze to look at Seto. The priest was startled by his appearance. All of the features were the same. His white hair was unmistakable. This man was identical to the cousin he remembered. Even more disheartening was the glimmer of gold around his neck, forming the shape of the Millennium Ring.
"Ryou? It…it cannot be!" Seto exclaimed in a disbelieving whisper, overcome with emotion. He was almost certain his cousin stood before him, back from the dead.
"My name is Bakura. Or at least that's what they called me," Bakura replied, crossing his arms.
"Who?"
"The people who found me and cared for me," he responded, not wanting to give away Anzu's family just yet. He wasn't sure how close she was with this royal or why he called him Ryou. Wait, wasn't that the name of the long lost prince Anzu had mentioned before?
"And where are you from?" he demanded.
"Kul Elna, the village your king ordered to be slaughtered!" Bakura spat.
"Anzu, how did you know him if he was from Kul Elna?" Seto asked, concerned.
"A cloaked man brought him to us when I was very young. My uncle's caravan had stopped at Kul Elna for supplies and we took him in after seeing the stranger's display of the Ring's power. He stayed with us until the destruction, when my father came and rescued me. Please Seto, try and understand," she pleaded, sensing some anger from her friend.
"I don't care about where you come from Anzu, although I would like to know if you have anything else you'd care to share," he asked, trying to take in all that he'd just learned. A cloaked man brought him to Kul Elna? If this was in fact Ryou and that had been him in the village, Isis surely had something to do with it. This made it only logical that Shadi had been the one charged with such a task. He had been her guardian at the time and would have been willing to do almost anything for his love. Anything except kill an innocent child, perhaps. The same child he knew in his heart was the rightful heir to the throne of Egypt.
"No, Seto, all of my secrets are now revealed," she said as she hung her head. "I just hope we can sort all of this out somehow."
"I have no doubt in my mind you are in fact our lost prince. Your appearance, your age, your story, it all makes sense," the priest explained.
"Ha! Me, a prince?" Bakura spat.
"Please Bakura, give us a chance to investigate! You could be the rightful Pharaoh!" Anzu pleaded. The thought of her oldest friend being king was too exciting. He had been through so much, deciding his fate was mediocre and criminal when in fact he could have been destined for greatness.
"And just what do you propose we do? Welcome me back into the palace? I think your fiancé would have something to say about that," replied the thief.
Seto sighed. It would not be easy to convince Bakura of his past without talking to certain people, risking rumors. Isis and Atem would become raving lunatics if they caught wind that Ryou might still be alive.
"We will find a way to safely place you behind palace walls. There are countless items I could show you to prove…"
"Like irons and chains in a cell? I don't trust you," Bakura snarled, turning and starting to walk away. Anzu ran after him.
"Bakura wait! Please, we're trying to help you!"
"Why should I trust him, hmm? I don't know anything about him!"
"You should…because I do. And if we're right, then he is your cousin," retorted Anzu.
"Cousin?" asked Bakura blankly, somewhat startled. A true family member before his eyes? The possibility of knowing his real family never seemed in fact real. Anzu and her people had been kind to her and they were all he ever expected to consider kin. The thought of knowing a blood relative was overwhelming.
"Yes," Seto started, "my father is your father's brother. Atem is your half brother, through your father. You also have a sister."
Bakura needed time alone, time to think. Too much had happened too soon and he needed to ponder everything over. Let all of the details sink in. He took a deep breath and reassured his composure.
"Do what you must, but I will not trust to hope. Do not search for me. When the time is right, I will reappear, expecting answers," Bakura declared. He clutched Anzu's hands for a moment, kissed one softly, and then nodded his head in a discreet bow towards Seto as he walked backwards into the alley.
Seto nodded, then motioned for Anzu to climb on his horse so that he might return her to the palace.
"We need a good story for you to tell Atem," Seto decided, knowing the truth would put their plans in jeopardy.
"I could just tell him what I told the guards. I said I was a maid going out for the princess, sent out to purchase a secret gift for the king. "
"He is sure someone kidnapped you, but if you can convince him otherwise, that might be our best option," Seto replied, hoping for the best. Anzu was clever and he knew she could persuade him to believe her. Deep down, he knew that Atem would enjoy having his brother back, but not at risk of losing his claim to power. He might not even believe it was Ryou, especially with Isis at his side, corrupting his every move. She was like a poison, deadly... with the potential to wreak havoc on the kingdom if given the chance...or rather, another chance. Seto refused to let that happen. He would do whatever necessary to ensure that this dilemma was solved properly. He had to know the truth.
"ANZU!" Atem cried as he rushed towards her. He had been informed of her safe return to the palace and immediately headed home in order to see his bride and find out whose neck he needed to wring. "Where were you? Are you hurt? I will kill any man who dared harm you!"
The startled girl hugged him gently, trying to break his strong embrace. She pulled back and looked at him sweetly.
"I am fine, dear," she mustered. "I went out on my own."
"I can't believe it! Why would you do that? What could possibly drive you from this place?" Atem demanded, tossing his hand in the air, as if to draw attention to the flair and elegance of the palace. Anzu had a few answers, but she knew better than to speak her mind.
"I simply ventured out to purchase a gift for your majesty in total secrecy. I wanted it to be a surprise."
"The city is full of dangers Anzu! A princess is seldom permitted beyond the palace walls, especially without proper protection!" Atem replied sternly.
"A nation in uproar, concerned for your safety! For hours we were panicking! You must not leave without telling someone, Anzu!" said Isis, who was standing behind her son.
"I realize that now," she said with a bowed head. "It will never happen again."
"Come, I will escort you to your room," Atem said, placing an arm protectively around her. "You should rest after such an eventful day."
Anzu nodded. She was in fact exhausted. As she left the throne room, her lowered gaze spared her the pain of noticing Aknadin glaring in her direction.
The regent was not happy. His nephew's wife to be was a complete embarrassment to his family and the royal name of Egypt. She has just created a panic within the realm for no reason, but Aknadin was not sure he believed her story. She could have easily sent out a maid with instructions. Something made him feel as though there was more to the story than they had all been told. He would question Seto on how he really found her and her true intentions.
He sighed as he drank from his wine filled goblet. Anzu was such a hassle. She was beautiful yes, but there were many other lovely girls throughout the land that either Atem or Seto could easily marry. Though he despised the girl, perhaps unfairly because of her father and because of his own brother's fondness for her, he had made a promise to her mother. Iania had slept with him in hopes of helping her daughter's chances. Surely he could sympathize with a parent desperate for their child's well-being. In return, Aknadin assured her he would be fair and rational in his judgment. That did not mean he would necessarily rule in favor of the contract. He knew that Anzu didn't really want to marry Atem, but perhaps rather his own son. She wouldn't be happy with Atem, but did he want her happiness to be a priority? Perhaps with the right queen at his side, Seto would find more initiative to strive to become pharaoh. There were a series of mixed emotions surrounding his feelings toward her becoming his daughter in law as apposed to niece in law, but he supposed it wouldn't really matter. If he could at least make Seto pharaoh, then he could choose his own bride, even if that meant the Anzu, the desert rose, blossomed from such a promising pedigree. Aknadin grinned. His judgement would indeed be fair.
He was a man of his word.
