What Is Forever?
By: Neko-chan
A/N: Anyway, the votes are in and everyone who replied and actually voted wanted this story to be yaoi/shounen-ai. For everyone who didn't want this, I'm sorry. But I did say that I would judge by majority rule. If you really don't want to read a yaoi story, I do have another Egypt story called "Sands of Time." It is NOT yaoi, nor will it ever be yaoi. I hope that this makes you feel better about the fact that this story will end up being yaoi. Anyway, enjoy!
Bakura: I still want to know what you're planning on doing with me.
LOL! Think about it, Baku-chan. There were FOUR pairs of eyes, three of them being brown. One pair was angry. Who could you possibly think that _that_ person was? D
Bakura: ...you didn't.
^________^
Bakura: Oh, Ra. You DID.
Chapter Three
"Who are these?" Kaiba asked softly, making his way fully into the tent. The four pairs of eyes seemed to catch his own gaze, drawing him nearer with the emotions hidden within them. Each had something unique that was completely different than about the rest, but each pair shared something similar with all the others: Mystery.
"Oh, these?" Morgan asked innocently, raising an eyebrow as she made her way to stand behind the four slaves that Kaiba was eyeing curiously. "These are our best slaves. Each one came from a different region. Ryou and Jyou came from the far lands---Ryou from Norway and Jyou from what we call England. This one here...well, Nam came directly from Egypt. We were able to get a fair price on him---he is worth far more than what we paid from him."
"And what of this one?" Kaiba asked quietly, gesturing to the smallest slave in the tent. Wide, purple eyes---eyes without fear, filled with an ancient knowledge that one wouldn't expect from one so innocent---stared up at Kaiba's profile.
"This one is Yuugi. We received him from a kingdom far, far away. Most of the known world has yet to know of this old and ancient kingdom."
"What is its name?"
"That is a secret, my lord."
Kaiba glowered and stared at Morgan threateningly. But all she did was smile at him congenially. He sighed and squatted down to take a closer look at the four slaves that interested him so. The first one---Jyou?---was the tallest, nearly as tall as Kaiba himself. His honey eyes stared at Kaiba, glaring, yet still with a touch of fear. But, other than that, Kaiba wouldn't have been able to tell that the young blonde man was afraid.
The smaller of the two silver-haired boys had wide chocolate eyes. In a way, they reminded Kaiba much of Yuugi's violet eyes. But there was something much more...childlike...in Ryou's eyes that wasn't seen in Yuugi's eyes.
And then there was Nam. His eyes were cold and murderous, filled with reckless anger. Though they were brown, like Ryou and Jyou's, there was still a hint of red to them. In a way, Nam looked...demonic. Would that be a good sign or a bad sign? In the end, it didn't really matter much. Kaiba would still buy him.
Yuugi looked up at all that was happening around him and remained silent. He would wait; he would wait. He did not know what he would eventually do, but he would still wait. What else was there to do? Besides getting killed, that is. And Yuugi would NOT die. Too many people were depending on him. Too many people needed him. And he must NOT let them down. He wouldn't...
Morgan bowed to Kaiba, holding her hand out for the payment as she did so. With barely a glance at the young woman, Kaiba tossed a bag full of gold coins into her outstretched palm. That done, the guards quickly made their way forward, gathering the four slaves into a small, tight group. Before they could leave the tent, Morgan stepped forward and into their pathway.
"My lord, if you would a moment..."
"Yes?" the High Priest asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Within my own people, I am known as an excellent Tarot reader. If... If you would only wait a moment, I would like to read the four slaves' cards. Would you allow me to do so, my High Priest?" Kaiba paused for a moment, then nodded his consent. Morgan smirked and waved Ryou, Nam, Jyou, and Yuugi closer to herself.
The four slaves did so, though wary as they made their way closer to the red-haired girl. Her smile gentled and she pulled forth an old and worn Tarot card deck from her robes. "Let it be known and let it be written down that you four were told what the cards say by Morgan Le Fay." She looked at Ryou, shuffled her deck and drew out one card. "Ahhh... Be wary of magic, young one. You will do many great things with it but, if you are not careful, you WILL be seduced by it." Another one, this time with a look at Jyou. "The master is not _always_ the master. Sometimes it is the other way around. Slave can become master if he so chooses. Remember this lesson." She looked at Nam and blinked. Yet another card. "Emotions hurt and they will always hurt. But they also have the power to heal. You know what you feel---your emotions are pure and true. Let it be known, ex-Tomb Robber."
Nam blanched and glared at her threateningly. He was about to say something, but she interrupted him before he could even fully open his mouth. Another draw of the card. "Ah. Yuugi... Your card is Death. Great changes will happen around you---some good and some bad. You will walk down a hard road. But, remember, you will cause great changes, little one."
Yuugi stared at her for a moment, then bowed his head. "Arigato, Morgan-san."
"Thadpah leibh," Morgan answered, inclining her head slightly at his thanks. Cruelly, she continued: "And shouldn't it be -sama, Yuugi?"
Violet eyes widened, then narrowed. But still, Yuugi remained silent.
Once again smiling congenially, Morgan turned her attention to Kaiba. "May our slaves serve you with all that they are able to, my High Priest. They are all hard workers and I'm sure you'll enjoy them greatly." The last was said with eyes sparkling and an eyebrow raised.
Kaiba reddened slightly then bowed in return, which was a great honor to bestow upon ANYONE. There was only one person that Kaiba was required to bow to and that was his Morning Star, his Pharaoh. And, even then, he rarely bowed to Yami.
"Merry met, merry part, and merry meet again," Morgan caroled as Kaiba and his entourage made their way out of the tent and headed straight for the exit to the whole slave market. Kaiba wouldn't admit it aloud, but he couldn't get out of the slave market any sooner. Good riddance to it all; and, hopefully, he would never have to return ever again.
* * *
"Ah, Kaiba, I was wondering when you would return---if you would EVER return," Yami commented slyly, leaning his chin on his hand. With a pointed jibe, he added, "I was somewhat worried about how long your absence was. After all, the slave market area is rife with thieves and murders. It would have been a great pain to find a replacement for you, my _lord._"
Kaiba's glare darkened but he managed to hold his tongue. It was hard to do so, but he managed to do it---just barely. "But I have returned to my Pharaoh's palace unharmed and unscathed," Kaiba replied with a subtle jibe of his own. It had become somewhat of a dance between the two---one would make a comment, wait for the reply, then make yet another jibe. It was an intricate dance and one that Kaiba couldn't afford to lose. If he lost the dance---the GAME, at least it was to Yami---he would lose much more than the game; he would lose his life.
"That is a wonderful thing to know, High Priest," Yami said in reply, smiling coldly. Kaiba shuddered. It was always a bad sign when the Pharaoh used his title and not his name. A VERY bad sign. "I do hope, however, that you haven't forgotten WHY exactly I sent you out, my lord."
Kaiba bowed slightly. When he was bowed down, Yami wouldn't be able to see the anger that was flashing in his eyes. "I did, my Pharaoh. The best slaves that I was able to find. I do hope you approve of my choices."
Yami yawned slightly and his eyelids fell down slightly, making them seem heavy-lidded. "Oh?" he asked in a bored tone. Kaiba winced; this didn't bode well at all. _Not at all._
"Yes, my lord. Shall I bring them in?" The only answer that the High Priest received was a impartial wave and a small, _royal_ (never common; oh, no, never common when dealing with the Pharaoh) yawn, covering his with mouth with a dainty hand. Kaiba shot his most trusted guard a look over his shoulder and the guard snapped to action, bringing forth the four slaves Kaiba had bought just an hour earlier.
One by one, Ryou, Jyou, and Nam made their way into the throne room, bathed and washed, dressed in the finest silks that Yami's household could provide. They looked more than what they were, sparkling in the sunlight somehow.
Finally, Yuugi stepped into the throne room, dressed in violet and gold. Everything seemed to freeze for a moment while Yami's gaze finally finished looking Nam, Jyou, and Ryou up and down, then turned to the purple-eyed young man. All fell silent.
"... You will not kill any of these slaves. Take one of the normal household ones and use him or her as the sacrifice for tonight's banquet. But you will not kill any of these ones. No hand shall be raised against them. Especially...the last one."
"His name is Yuugi, my Pharaoh."
"Does it even matter?"
A/N: BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! End of chapter three. (It might be a couple of days before I update this story. I want to update "Youth of the Nation" and "Bakura's Guide to Fighting...Dirty" before I put up chapter four on this. 'Kay? 'Kay.) I do hope everyone is enjoying it so far. Once again, I DO have a non-yaoi fic, "Sands of Time" (which I WILL be updating REALLY REALLY soon!!!). See you in chapter four! ^_~