Angel of the Night
Chapter 1: The Taking
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or it's characters. Safiya, however, belongs to myself and cherryblossom, my associate for this story. I suggest that if you have any questions concerning anything you contact me immediately.
Long ago, while the pyramids were being built, was a time unknown by history books. It concerns the four Egypts, yes four, North, South, East, and West, and the quarrel deciding who would bring peace and who would bring misery.
The four Pharaohs, Pharaoh Lisimba of the North, the lion Pharaoh, eldest and wisest of all; Pharaoh Sefu of the West, the swordsman, one who scorned knowledge and though only of battle; Pharaoh Yami of the South, King of Games, youngest and most cunning; and Pharaoh Malik of the East, the Master, hungering for power and must persuasive. East and West fought to dethrone the rulers of the North and South Egypts, resulting in much chaos on the borders of the four lands.
One summer night, while the sands lay still and heat seeped up from the ground, Pharaoh Malik and Pharaoh Sefu plotted together, secretly, to bring about the lion's downfall. Pharaoh Lisimba had but one child, a lovely daughter by the name of Safiya, the pure one. Sefu would attack Lisimba in the dead of night, overpowering his army with the combined forces of his own and Malik's army. Malik had acquired the help of two tomb robbers. One his own twin brother, known as Yami Malik, the dark side of the Master, and Bakura, one who had robbed several of the most heavily guarded tombs and escaped unscathed.
The two thiefs would creep into Pharaoh Lisimba's palace and take Princess Safiya; the kingdom would fall without their Pharaoh and the heir to the throne.
Sefu and Malik drew straws to see who would retain the beautiful Princess Safiya as their prize, Malik smiled, he had draw the lucky straw.
That done, the two parted silently. The attack would come the night of the new moon...
Far away from the borders of the kingdom, two weeks later, the beautiful Safiya wandered out onto her balcony. There was no moon that night, and the stars were beautiful. She smiled; her eyes twinkled as fitfully as the stars.
Then a maid ran into her room. "Your highness," she began, "You would do well to rest, and I have a message from your father." With that, Safiya was handed a scroll and the maid let herself out.
Safiya unfurled the scroll; she could hardly read it by the dim firelight and with no moon. Finally, she made out the words.
'My darling daughter,
I pray this reaches you in time. I am going off to fight with the armies of Western Egypt. If I should fall, you shall become queen. I send you my love; do not mourn too much for my sake if I am killed. Remember child, the lion will always watch over you.'
That was all. Safiya felt tears prick at her eyes. Her father's name adorned the bottom, Safiya walked out to her balcony again.
"Oh goddess Isis," she pleaded, "Greatest of all goddesses, goddess of magic, spare my father's life, I beg of you." Her eyes, dark in the night, scanned the sands of the desert. A small glow on the horizon showed her where the battle was. And she wept.
When sleep finally claimed the poor princess, her dreams were filled with screams and blood. She did not see the two shadows, darker than dark, slip through the curtains and into her chambers. One was tanned with blond hair, the other pale and silver-haired. They were the thieves Malik hired to kidnap Princess Safiya.
"Ow! Stop that! You're going to make me trip you buffoon!" Bakura hissed.
"YOU stop it, you'll wake her!" Yami Malik answered, also in a hissing whisper.
Safiya stirred and lay still.
"See?" Bakura whispered, more softly this time.
"Just shut up, do you have it?" Yami Malik retorted.
Bakura pulled a small vial filled with a green-gold liquid. "Yep."
Both holding their noses, Bakura crept silently over to Safiya's bedside and drew back to curtains surrounding it. Both nearly forgot what they were there for, staring at the sleeping princess seemed all that mattered in the world. Bakura shook his head.
"Stop that," he chided to Yami Malik, who was contemplating killing Bakura and running away with the girl himself.
"What? Oh, right."
Bakura uncorked the vial and held it under Safiya's nose. It was a powerful potion, whoever inhaled it would stay sleeping for three days and three nights. In a few seconds, the job was done. Re-corking the glass tube, Bakura and Yami Malik hoisted the sleeping girl onto a rug on the floor. Rolling her up in it and putting the rug in a traveling bag, they left the palace as silently as they had come.
No one bothered the two merchants with the big brown bag as they walked out of the city. They were much more preoccupied with the battle going on a few miles away.
"Pity, they'll all be killed," mused Bakura.
"Their own fault for not joining us sooner," Yami Malik grumbled, "Now shut up, we've got a job to do." And with that, they disappeared into a sliding panel of the palace walls.
For two days, the thieves crept through rat-infested sewage, dragging the princess with them. Finally, on the night of the second day, they reached the end of the secret passageway. They were on the border between South and East Egypt. Soon, they would be paid.
Stopping in a local tavern to wash away their filth and drink to their heart's content, the two thieves gossiped, placing the bag with the princess in it near the entrance.
After hours of merrymaking, the two decided it was time to head over to Malik's palace. They walked outside the tavern and stared in puzzlement at the bag next to theirs that looked exactly alike to their own. Deciding they couldn't take both bags and they could check to see which one the princess was inside (it would be too risky with so many people watching), they weighed each bag and took the heavier one. Incidentally, it also had a rug in it, rich brocade meant for the Southern Pharaoh's birthday present, but the thieves didn't know that. So they continued on their way and hurried across the sands of Malik's domain.
The owners of the brocade rug came out a few hours later and took up the bag with Safiya inside, trudging up to Pharaoh Yami's palace. Carefully, they set their package down and requested an audience with Yami. After being admitted into the throne room, they were greeted by the Pharaoh warmly.
The sun had just set, casting a golden glow around the dimly lit room.
"We present to the Pharaoh for his eighteenth birthday, this beautiful rug from Northern Persia!" one of the merchants exclaimed happily.
Drawing the rug out of its bag, they began to unroll it. Staring intently at the Pharaoh's face, the merchants did not see what exactly was printed on the rug they unfurled, nor did they see who was in it until the very end. Of course, it was too late then for them to roll Safiya back up and say it was a mistake.
Pharaoh Yami was entranced by the beautiful young woman lying on the rug, at the very end closest to him. It was the Princess Safiya, lying on her side, arm slung over her waist, sleeping peacefully.
Everyone in the room froze, they watched Yami intently, what would he do about this 'present'?
Yami looked at the merchants, they looked surprised, so this was not planned. This girl was not theirs. He had figured as much, she didn't look like a slave with the clothes she was wearing.
Staring at the girl once more, Yami took in her exotic appearance. Her hair was a dark mahogany brown in the setting sun's light, flowing over her shoulders. The color of her skin was slightly lighter than Yami's own peoples' sun-kissed tan, he supposed she was from the north, northerners were known for their light skin color. Her cheeks were slightly pink, as if she was blushing ever so delicately. Her nose was small, as was her mouth, set in a small pout. Her lips reminded Yami of the dark crimson rosebush he had been presented with last year by some ambassadors of another country, the plant itself had withered and died, but the memory was rekindled at the sight.
Yami cleared his throat. The merchants looked up at their Pharaoh expectantly. "Thank you for this wonderful gift," Yami began. "I assure you it is very much appreciated." Motioning for his slaves to dismiss the guests, Yami called his high priest to his side.
"Yes?" asked Seto curiously.
Yami gazed at the sleeping woman with recognition. "I think that is the Princess Safiya of the north. Lisimba's daughter. He was rumored killed in a battle a few days ago, we must keep her here," Yami sighed.
Seto nodded. "I shall have someone prepare a room," he turned to leave when Yami caught his shoulder.
"Giver her..." Yami hesitated, and then stiffened his resolve. "Giver her my mother's old room."
With a peculiar look on his face, Seto nodded and went to do as asked. He wisely did not question Yami's decision to place the young woman in his dead mother's room.
"Well Safiya," Yami whispered to himself, "We'll have a time figuring this all out." Turning away and waving some slaves to carry Safiya after Seto, Yami got up and went to dinner.
That is the first chapter. I think the chapters will be roughly around this long. like the chapter length from "Diamond Star." Note: I will not be around from november 27-december 2. and probably a little before and after that, im going on a trip. You can expect more later though. Please r&r, cherryblossom: if anything is wrong please tell me. Note: There will probably be only about five chapters in this story.
Chapter 1: The Taking
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or it's characters. Safiya, however, belongs to myself and cherryblossom, my associate for this story. I suggest that if you have any questions concerning anything you contact me immediately.
Long ago, while the pyramids were being built, was a time unknown by history books. It concerns the four Egypts, yes four, North, South, East, and West, and the quarrel deciding who would bring peace and who would bring misery.
The four Pharaohs, Pharaoh Lisimba of the North, the lion Pharaoh, eldest and wisest of all; Pharaoh Sefu of the West, the swordsman, one who scorned knowledge and though only of battle; Pharaoh Yami of the South, King of Games, youngest and most cunning; and Pharaoh Malik of the East, the Master, hungering for power and must persuasive. East and West fought to dethrone the rulers of the North and South Egypts, resulting in much chaos on the borders of the four lands.
One summer night, while the sands lay still and heat seeped up from the ground, Pharaoh Malik and Pharaoh Sefu plotted together, secretly, to bring about the lion's downfall. Pharaoh Lisimba had but one child, a lovely daughter by the name of Safiya, the pure one. Sefu would attack Lisimba in the dead of night, overpowering his army with the combined forces of his own and Malik's army. Malik had acquired the help of two tomb robbers. One his own twin brother, known as Yami Malik, the dark side of the Master, and Bakura, one who had robbed several of the most heavily guarded tombs and escaped unscathed.
The two thiefs would creep into Pharaoh Lisimba's palace and take Princess Safiya; the kingdom would fall without their Pharaoh and the heir to the throne.
Sefu and Malik drew straws to see who would retain the beautiful Princess Safiya as their prize, Malik smiled, he had draw the lucky straw.
That done, the two parted silently. The attack would come the night of the new moon...
Far away from the borders of the kingdom, two weeks later, the beautiful Safiya wandered out onto her balcony. There was no moon that night, and the stars were beautiful. She smiled; her eyes twinkled as fitfully as the stars.
Then a maid ran into her room. "Your highness," she began, "You would do well to rest, and I have a message from your father." With that, Safiya was handed a scroll and the maid let herself out.
Safiya unfurled the scroll; she could hardly read it by the dim firelight and with no moon. Finally, she made out the words.
'My darling daughter,
I pray this reaches you in time. I am going off to fight with the armies of Western Egypt. If I should fall, you shall become queen. I send you my love; do not mourn too much for my sake if I am killed. Remember child, the lion will always watch over you.'
That was all. Safiya felt tears prick at her eyes. Her father's name adorned the bottom, Safiya walked out to her balcony again.
"Oh goddess Isis," she pleaded, "Greatest of all goddesses, goddess of magic, spare my father's life, I beg of you." Her eyes, dark in the night, scanned the sands of the desert. A small glow on the horizon showed her where the battle was. And she wept.
When sleep finally claimed the poor princess, her dreams were filled with screams and blood. She did not see the two shadows, darker than dark, slip through the curtains and into her chambers. One was tanned with blond hair, the other pale and silver-haired. They were the thieves Malik hired to kidnap Princess Safiya.
"Ow! Stop that! You're going to make me trip you buffoon!" Bakura hissed.
"YOU stop it, you'll wake her!" Yami Malik answered, also in a hissing whisper.
Safiya stirred and lay still.
"See?" Bakura whispered, more softly this time.
"Just shut up, do you have it?" Yami Malik retorted.
Bakura pulled a small vial filled with a green-gold liquid. "Yep."
Both holding their noses, Bakura crept silently over to Safiya's bedside and drew back to curtains surrounding it. Both nearly forgot what they were there for, staring at the sleeping princess seemed all that mattered in the world. Bakura shook his head.
"Stop that," he chided to Yami Malik, who was contemplating killing Bakura and running away with the girl himself.
"What? Oh, right."
Bakura uncorked the vial and held it under Safiya's nose. It was a powerful potion, whoever inhaled it would stay sleeping for three days and three nights. In a few seconds, the job was done. Re-corking the glass tube, Bakura and Yami Malik hoisted the sleeping girl onto a rug on the floor. Rolling her up in it and putting the rug in a traveling bag, they left the palace as silently as they had come.
No one bothered the two merchants with the big brown bag as they walked out of the city. They were much more preoccupied with the battle going on a few miles away.
"Pity, they'll all be killed," mused Bakura.
"Their own fault for not joining us sooner," Yami Malik grumbled, "Now shut up, we've got a job to do." And with that, they disappeared into a sliding panel of the palace walls.
For two days, the thieves crept through rat-infested sewage, dragging the princess with them. Finally, on the night of the second day, they reached the end of the secret passageway. They were on the border between South and East Egypt. Soon, they would be paid.
Stopping in a local tavern to wash away their filth and drink to their heart's content, the two thieves gossiped, placing the bag with the princess in it near the entrance.
After hours of merrymaking, the two decided it was time to head over to Malik's palace. They walked outside the tavern and stared in puzzlement at the bag next to theirs that looked exactly alike to their own. Deciding they couldn't take both bags and they could check to see which one the princess was inside (it would be too risky with so many people watching), they weighed each bag and took the heavier one. Incidentally, it also had a rug in it, rich brocade meant for the Southern Pharaoh's birthday present, but the thieves didn't know that. So they continued on their way and hurried across the sands of Malik's domain.
The owners of the brocade rug came out a few hours later and took up the bag with Safiya inside, trudging up to Pharaoh Yami's palace. Carefully, they set their package down and requested an audience with Yami. After being admitted into the throne room, they were greeted by the Pharaoh warmly.
The sun had just set, casting a golden glow around the dimly lit room.
"We present to the Pharaoh for his eighteenth birthday, this beautiful rug from Northern Persia!" one of the merchants exclaimed happily.
Drawing the rug out of its bag, they began to unroll it. Staring intently at the Pharaoh's face, the merchants did not see what exactly was printed on the rug they unfurled, nor did they see who was in it until the very end. Of course, it was too late then for them to roll Safiya back up and say it was a mistake.
Pharaoh Yami was entranced by the beautiful young woman lying on the rug, at the very end closest to him. It was the Princess Safiya, lying on her side, arm slung over her waist, sleeping peacefully.
Everyone in the room froze, they watched Yami intently, what would he do about this 'present'?
Yami looked at the merchants, they looked surprised, so this was not planned. This girl was not theirs. He had figured as much, she didn't look like a slave with the clothes she was wearing.
Staring at the girl once more, Yami took in her exotic appearance. Her hair was a dark mahogany brown in the setting sun's light, flowing over her shoulders. The color of her skin was slightly lighter than Yami's own peoples' sun-kissed tan, he supposed she was from the north, northerners were known for their light skin color. Her cheeks were slightly pink, as if she was blushing ever so delicately. Her nose was small, as was her mouth, set in a small pout. Her lips reminded Yami of the dark crimson rosebush he had been presented with last year by some ambassadors of another country, the plant itself had withered and died, but the memory was rekindled at the sight.
Yami cleared his throat. The merchants looked up at their Pharaoh expectantly. "Thank you for this wonderful gift," Yami began. "I assure you it is very much appreciated." Motioning for his slaves to dismiss the guests, Yami called his high priest to his side.
"Yes?" asked Seto curiously.
Yami gazed at the sleeping woman with recognition. "I think that is the Princess Safiya of the north. Lisimba's daughter. He was rumored killed in a battle a few days ago, we must keep her here," Yami sighed.
Seto nodded. "I shall have someone prepare a room," he turned to leave when Yami caught his shoulder.
"Giver her..." Yami hesitated, and then stiffened his resolve. "Giver her my mother's old room."
With a peculiar look on his face, Seto nodded and went to do as asked. He wisely did not question Yami's decision to place the young woman in his dead mother's room.
"Well Safiya," Yami whispered to himself, "We'll have a time figuring this all out." Turning away and waving some slaves to carry Safiya after Seto, Yami got up and went to dinner.
That is the first chapter. I think the chapters will be roughly around this long. like the chapter length from "Diamond Star." Note: I will not be around from november 27-december 2. and probably a little before and after that, im going on a trip. You can expect more later though. Please r&r, cherryblossom: if anything is wrong please tell me. Note: There will probably be only about five chapters in this story.