Sands of Time
By: Neko-chan
A/N: See!! See!!!! I'm updating! (Wow...this is amazing for me! *blinks*) Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed! You guys are great! *huggles all reviewers* And...I just wanted to tell you guys that the more reviews that I get, the more often I update. I know that it's stupid, but I pay more attention to the stories that I get the most reviews on than the ones that I hardly get any reviews on. But I _will_ try to keep on updating this story! (And I think that it's MUCH better than my previous Yu-Gi-Oh! ficcies! Go me! Whoo-hoo!) Anyway, keep on reviewing and I'll see ya in chapter four! ^_~
Disclaimer: Neko-chan no own. Neko-chan NEVER own. Neko-chan is a poor, poor author (aren't we all?) and she works for peanuts. (Or reviews...*hint hint* ^_~)
Chapter Three
The burning Sahara sun looked down upon the gathered men, each one grim and prepared to lose their lives for their families, their nation...their Pharaoh. Each man was dressed in full battle gear and the look in their eyes told onlookers that they were ready--and welcomed--Death. They were prepared to meet Anubis and all of his minions.
"An enemy is getting ready to besiege us," Yuugioh yelled, brandishing his sword high. "WE WILL NOT LET THEM TAKE US!! Death to all who stand in there way and let them pass!! Our nation is depending on you! _I_ am depending on you!! DO NOT DISAPPOINT ME!!!!"
The legions roared their approval and began to march. Step by step, they plodded on through the burning hot sand. Some didn't have sandals--they would be the ones suffering the most. No stops would be made until nightfall; and by then, their feet would be covered in blisters, open sores oozing their misery, crying out in pain. They would be the ones that succumbed to an early death. _Anything_ would be better than the misery that they were about to endure. But no one cared. All that mattered was the defeat of their enemy and the victory for Egypt. Their Morning Star--their Pharaoh---needed them.
Yuugioh walked among his subjects, but he did not see them for who they truly were. Why should he? He ruled over them--that didn't particularly mean that he cared for them. They should care for _him_ and that was that.
"That was an inspired speech, Sire," Kaiba commented as he walked three steps behind his sovereign. He was the only one who dared walk so close to Yuugioh. If it had been anyone else, Yuugioh would have had them killed long ago. But he found Kaiba's small rebellions amusing, so he didn't mention it to anyone else. As he had mentioned before to his advisor, he was the King of Games--and he was playing a game right now, though Kaiba might not have realized it...yet.
"Thank you," the young Pharaoh replied as he inclined his head at his prostrate army members. "It...came...to me last night while I bathed. Do you think that the army legions will take heart?"
"Certainly, Highness. Why would they not? After all, have you ever _truly_ lied to them?" was the chuckled answer. Kaiba smiled brightly, but his blue eyes remained as dim as ever. He, too, knew that the game they played had to be played just right. Or, some day--and some day soon if Yuugioh had any say in it--he'd find himself headless.
Yuugioh smiled wickedly to himself and didn't answer Kaiba's last question. They both knew the answer to it, but neither of them would say the answer aloud. After all, the answer was: Always. Yuugioh always lied to his subjects. He had that right and he didn't care what other people thought of it. He was ruler--he could do whatever he wished. And that was that.
The Pharaoh gestured for a young servant; the young man practically crawled to his master, his head shaved and touching the ground. "Bring me my chariot," Yuugioh commanded. "The army awaits and we have Greek cities to attack before we all grow old and die."
"Yes, my Evening Star," the slave replied softly, never taking his eyes from the sand covered ground. "Does my most glorious Morning Star wish for anything else while my unworthy self is here to serve you?"
Yuugioh cocked his head. "Yes, some beer for myself and Kaiba. But be quick about it. We all leave in less than an hour."
"As your Highness wishes," the man groveled. He touched his hand to his forehead, then slowly reversed, never presenting his back to his King. To do so would mean inviting death. And Yuugioh wasn't as swift with his death punishments as some other rulers. Everyone knew this; just as everyone knew that his power was absolute. Their Pharaoh wasn't just king, he was King.
"We leave in an hour?" Kaiba asked softly when the slave man finally left. "Why the hurry?"
Yuugioh shrugged elegantly. "We must assemble all of our chess pieces before our enemy has the time to do so also?"
"But what if our enemy has already done so?"
Crimson eyes glared at the taller advisor. "Explain yourself. Now."
Kaiba looked down at the ground, then darted a glance at Yuugioh out of the corner of his eyes. "My intelligence--my spies--have told me that our 'enemy' has already assembled his chess pieces in all of the major Greek cities. He was already prepared for our next move. He is probably already preparing for our next move as we speak right this very minute. If my Sire allows me to say so, we're one step behind our enemy."
"Damn!" Yuugioh abruptly yelled out. The soldiers closest to him winced. Their Pharaoh's temper was on the rise, and that meant DEATH to all who stood in his way. "How can this be? We only _received_ news of our enemies movements just this past week. How can he already know what we're planning on doing before we can actually decide what we're to do? It's...uncanny."
"If my Morning Star allows me to speak once again, all of this reminds me of you," Kaiba replied. "All of this planning, this knowledge of movements before they've happened, this preparing ahead...it's _exactly_ like you."
Yuugioh paused and his expression turned thoughtful. "What is our enemy's name, by the way? No one has yet to tell me. All I know that he is in Greece."
Kaiba's expression remained carefully blank. "Our enemy's name is Yuugi, Sire."
Crimson eyes widened. 'No...it can't be...by Ra, it can't be...impossible...he wouldn't...couldn't...why would he? No reason...no reason at all...it _can't_ be...it CAN'T!!!!!' Yuugioh carefully arranged his facial expression. "Are you _sure_ it's Yuugi?" he asked monotonously. Kaiba _couldn't_ know what this all meant...could he? The young man studied his advisor intently. Kaiba _did_ know what this all meant......damn him to the lowest levels of Hell! He deliberately refrained from telling him about Yuugi sooner! It looked as if their game had just gotten a little bit more difficult...a little bit more complex.
"Yes, I get my information from a reliable source. I'm positive that our enemy goes by the name of Yuugi. Why, Sire? Do you recognize the name?" A little hint--not much, but enough--of smugness entered into Kaiba's tone. And Yuugioh hated him a little bit more.
"Assemble the horses. We ride _NOW_!!!"
* * *
"Prince?" Jou asked tentatively as he quietly padded into Yuugi's throne room. The smaller man looked back and grinned softly.
"Hello, Jou. Did you do all of the things that I asked of you? We need those things done quickly, in preparation for our next move."
Jou inclined his head. "Of course I did, Sire. What General would I make if I couldn't follow orders? And my intelligence has just told me what our enemy's next move is. This information is new--we can use this to our advantage, if we work quickly. We need to act NOW, Highness!"
Yuugi raised a hand. "No, Jou. We don't need that information. I know what our enemy's next move is. I know all of his moves--now and in the future. In fact, I know how this will all end. Your spy network is completely unnecessary right now. But I _do_ thank you. You've been loyal to me all of these years, but I don't know how to reward you."
The taller man looked thoughtful. "Could you tell me how you think this will all end?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in question.
Red eyes, so much like Yuugioh's, crinkled in inward amusement. "Just wait and see. Wait and see."