Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters (unless otherwise stated) Kazuki Takahashi does, nor do I make any money from these stories.
23
The pharaoh sat in his study with Bakari and Hasina; he was reading the papyri concerning what Bakari knew of the 'Baby Brokers' that they had just given him. "Is this everything?" the pharaoh asked
#Yes pharaoh it is. #
"Then I must thank you for your hard work Bakari this will aid me greatly in deciding their fate."
#Will they die? #
"Yes they will die, but I have yet to choose a method."
Bakari wrote something down and gave it to Hasina "Are you sure Bakari?" she asked
Bakari nodded, Hasina turned to the pharaoh "Bakari wishes for me to leave."
"Then you may leave."
Hasina stood up, bowed, and left the room.
"What is it you don't want her to know about?"
Bakari handed him a note #If I may pharaoh I have a suggestion. #
"What is it Bakari?" the pharaoh asked
#What about the Assyrian method of flaying of the skin? #
The pharaoh thought about then shook his head "No, I want to prolong their death."
Bakari smirked #The Assyrians have a way of keeping the victims alive, they will feel every cut the knife makes. #
The pharaoh returned the smirk "In that case I think that will do nicely."
The pharaoh could see that Bakari wanted to ask him something else and he had a feeling he knew what it was "Is there something else?"
Bakari looked at the pharaoh and blushing handed him a note from his pocket, from the state of it Aknamkanon could see it had been written for a while, he opened it and slowly read it whilst hiding a smile, it read #Pharaoh how much would I need to buy Hasina from you. #
"Hasina is a valuable servant." Aknamkanon said thoughtfully
#So, I cannot buy her? #
"No, you cannot."
#I see #
Aknamkanon could see how upset Bakari was and that was what he wanted to see "The reason I will not sell her to you." Bakari looked up at the smiling pharaoh "Is because she is free to go with you should she wish."
#She is? # He wrote
"If Hasina truly wants to go with you, and I must hear it from her then yes, she is free to go."
#Thank you pharaoh, thank you! #
"I would also prefer it if you said nothing to her".
Bakari looked at the pharaoh his eyes narrowed in suspicion, #May I ask why? #
The pharaoh smiled "I think I will be able to judge whether she truly wants to leave with you or not if the question catches her by surprise." Aknamkanon paused "Please my friend, do not be offended, but Hasina is a favourite of almost everyone here and they would never forgive me if I let her leave without being sure it was really what she wanted."
Bakari relaxed #It will be as you ask my pharaoh. #
"Thank you."
Bakari stood up, bowed then left the room.
It wasn't long before the pharaoh called everyone to the throne room
"I wonder what your father wants to see us about?" Yugi asked Atemu quietly
"I don't know but it must be serious, he doesn't usually hold meetings when Ra has passed halfway across the sky."
It wasn't long before the council, the priests, the pharaoh and Atemu and Yugi had taken their places. The pharaoh cleared his throat "I have called you all here for two pieces of business." He paused, "Bakari, Hasina please step forward."
The two mentioned walked towards the dais and knelt before the pharaoh
"Stand both of you." Bakari and Hasina stood up head still bowed.
"Look at me Hasina." Hasina looked at her pharaoh and he smiled "Tell me do you wish to leave with Bakari?"
Hasina tensed then nervously looked at her pharaoh "Yes my pharaoh I would." She lowered her eyes and said sadly "But I know it is not possible."
The pharaoh smiled "Nothing is impossible." He looked round the throne room "Let it be known that from this day forth Hasina is no longer a slave nor servant but a free woman, and, that she freely gives herself to Bakari."
Everyone in the throne room politely applauded "You may leave the palace as soon as you have your things packed, and Hasina?"
Hasina looked at the pharaoh with tears in her eyes "I…I can leave my pharaoh?"
"Yes Hasina." The pharaoh smiled "Go with my blessing."
"Thank you pharaoh, thank you so much!" She said before bowing before him again.
Smiling Bakari took her hand and they left the room.
The pharaoh waited a few minutes then a guard walked up to him and whispered something in his ear. "Thank you."
The guard stepped back and everyone wondered what was going on, usually the guards were not allowed to approach the pharaoh in that manner. After a few moments, the pharaoh spoke.
"Fetch the prisoners!" he commanded. Everyone talked quietly amongst themselves as they waited; soon the guards arrived with the four heavily chained baby brokers. "You have been bought to answer for your crimes how say you?"
They remained silent "You have nothing to say?" Karim asked
Still they were silent the pharaoh looked at the four men and delivered his judgement.
"As a warning to others that such crimes will not be tolerated, I have chosen as your punishment the Assyrian method of flaying you alive, your flayed skin will then be displayed outside the city gates and your carcasses used to feed the crocodiles."
Kamenwati stared at the pharaoh in defiance "You do not have the skills to do that!" he said angrily
The pharaoh smirked "Shimon kindly show in our guests."
The old advisor bowed "As you command pharaoh."
The four prisoners watched as Shimon opened the doors to the throne room and bade the men standing outside to enter. The men stood at the door and Aknamkanon turned back to the prisoners "These men are Assyrian and they are well practiced at the art of the flaying of the skin." He paused to let the information sink in then slowly continued "They have agreed to administer your punishments which will be carried out tomorrow." He paused "You will be taken to the old snake pit on the outskirts of Abusir where the flaying is to take place, you will be flayed one by one being kept alive until the end." He turned to the men guarding the prisoners "Now get them out of my sight!"
The pharaoh closed his eyes and tried to bring his anger into check before he turned and spoke to Bomani for a few minutes before angrily turning to the now pale youth "You would aid these men for your own financial gain even though your own family were among their victims?!" the pharaoh was angry and had already decided that the youth would pay a harsh price for his stupidity. "Although your actions do not warrant a death sentence, it is clear that you have no loyalty to either your family or Egypt herself." The pharaoh sat back and pondered for a moment "Therefore you will be taken to the Basalt quarry at Wadi Hammamat where you will work until the end of your days."
"Excuse me pharaoh."
"What is it Shimon?"
"We have recently had word that slaves are needed at Shellal granite quarry."
Now, the pharaoh was not a stupid man by any means and he knew why Shimon had suggested this, the younger prisoners, and slaves at Shellal were treated fairly well until they reached 21, the age of adulthood, he considered what his advisor had suggested and sighed, "So be it. Minkah!" he called to his guard
Minkah bowed "Yes pharaoh."
"Take this boy to the granite quarry at Shellal."
"As you command pharaoh." Minkah bowed again before he led the boy out of the throne room.
"Everyone is dismissed." The pharaoh said tiredly
"Pharaoh?" Karim said
"What is it Karim?"
"Will there be witnesses to the execution?"
"No, there will not, not this time." There was a collective sigh of relief as everyone left the room, everyone that is except Shimon.
"Out with it Shimon." The pharaoh sighed
"My pharaoh?" the old advisor asked
"I know you want to make a comment on the punishments I have just dealt."
"I was just wondering, why so severe?"
The pharaoh closed his eyes "Yugi took me to his hometown today, he wanted to show Atemu something and I asked to go with them." he opened his eyes and looked at Shimon "I felt I needed to go, and I'm glad I did." Aknamkanon paused, "Shimon I saw first-hand the damage these people had done." Shimon noticed the distain in the voice of the pharaoh when he said the word people.
"What did you see pharaoh?" the old man asked, wondering what sight could have upset his pharaoh so much.
"I saw what I thought was a field of shells until Yugi pointed out what they were." The pharaoh looked up at his old friend "They were the graves of the children they had killed."
"How many?" Shimon asked quietly.
"273." The pharaoh said simply.
Shimon grabbed the arm of the throne to steady himself, the sheer number had shocked him, he knew the figure had to be high, but he never dreamed it would be as high as that.
"You know what makes it worse Shimon?"
"No sire, I do not."
"Yugi told us that every town and village have a field like it."
Shimon watched as a weary pharaoh got up and without another word walked out of the throne room.