Mid-S: HIYA! ^__^ Wow, I can't believe I've gotten so many reviews already!
O_O I LOVE YOU ALL! ^O^ Sorry about the long wait for the chapter, but it's
been tough to write so much in a short amount of time. Anywho, here's some
review comments:
SILVER DRAGON SOVEREIGN I: Glad you like the plushie and the fic. ^_~ I do what I can to make people happy. ^_^ *gives her a bag of lollypops* Thankies for the review!
RU-CHAN: Hey, thanks for correcting me on that one. ^__^ It's always good to know what I need to change. Here *hands her a box of chocolate* Thanks for having the guts to tell me what I did wrong. ^_~
SHADOW CAT: This story has a plot? O_O LOL! ^_~ Thanks for the sweet review hun. *glomps her and gives her a picture of Seto and Jou*
HUSH PUPPY 1: Nice new name Blade-Chan, I like it! ^_^ It reminds me of my shoes. LOL. You know I'm just joking. You're right, I should stop listening to those idiots. *tackle glomps her and gives her a Yu-Gi-Oh! Subtitled DVD set* Enjoy darlin'! ^__^
ESCACHICK: Good to know that Seto was a gentleman. I'm glad he was nice to you, because if he wasn't, he wouldn't be pretty no more. ^_~ Thankies for the sweet review hun! *tackle glomps her and gives her a Anzu Voodoo doll* For all your killing needs. LOL.
Otogi: I hate all of these goddamn reviewers! Especially Hush Puppy 1 and Escachick. BITCHES!
Anzu and Honda: YEAH!
Mid-S: *gasps* You DARE insult H-Chan and Chel-Chel? *gets out axe* You insult them, you're insulting me and NO ONE INSULTS *ANY* OF MY REVIEWERS AND LIVES, YOU GOT THAT?
O, A and H: *gulp and run away*
Mid-S: Hmph, bastards. Sorry you two, I'll go give them a piece of my mind (or rather my axe ^_^) and make sure Otogi suffers in this chapter. *starts planning evilly* Have fun!
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If fire could take human shape, it would be the beautiful boy standing in front of Seto Kaiba.
His skin was lightly tanned, with messy golden blonde hair that slightly fell into his eyes. But that was what caught Seto's attention the most.
They where the strangest color. Honey-brown and filled with so much emotion. Seto felt like he could stare at them forever.
He had seen fire on many war camps, where good men who fought for just causes, died and the others who fought for greed and wealth lived. So when he thought of fire, he immediately thought of death.
Until then, he had never thought of fire as being something pure and alive. This beautiful Saxon in front of him was alive with obvious pride, defiance and anger that he was sure if anyone touched her, they would surely be burned. Though it would be an exquisite torture.
He found himself wanting to tangle his hands in the soft blonde hair, touch the boys pale skin and look into his honey eyes for the rest of time.
Jou stared into the ice eyes of the black jaguar and shivered.
Seto Kaiba was his enemy, a creature that had been born in fire and blood, in a vision that had not been seen for a thousand years. This man before him was death and destruction.
And yet he couldn't look away, for he was looking at the unwritten future. It called to him; evil, unknown and challenging just like the knight in front of him, the man with the soul of darkness.
"Curse you!" Otogi spat, glaring at Seto in full hatred. "I was sent to find the healer! What are you doing here?"
Seto's expression became more predatory, and his eyes seemed to shoot poison at the black haired man. "I wanted to make sure you encountered no difficulty," He said, his gaze trailing over Jounouchi. "Release him."
"The Saxon bastard came at me with a knife!" Otogi said, his grip tightening on the blonde. "I could have been killed."
Seto said nothing, while his gaze traveled to Jou's neck, where Otogi's blade had drawn blood.
"I can see the graze danger you where in," He said sarcastically and then repeated, "Release him."
At his back, Jou felt Otogi stiffen slightly and tighten his grip on him even more. The blonde knew the green-eyed man had no intention of letting him go. Otogi shifted and pulled his sword away from Jou's neck, to point it at Seto. But before he could, the said boy's blade was at his throat. It was set right under Otogi's chin, pressing dangerously hard on the soft flesh. Otogi's eyes widened slightly and he paled. He cursed as all the color drained out of him. Jou felt him stiffen as the curse stopped abruptly. He saw the reason why as a ribbon of blood went down Seto Kaiba's blade.
"Release him or die." He said with such a fierce calm that Jounouchi shuddered. Otogi suddenly stood very still.
Jou sensed his fury, the battle inside him, and.the fear. Jou felt it too, for the blade that Kaiba held was close to his own cheek. If Seto lost control of the blade, it would surely cut him. But he didn't need to worry. The man was so controlled and cold that he was certain no heart beat within him. Maybe this wasn't the man in his vision, for at that moment, he was sure Kaiba was going to kill Otogi.
"I have often thought," Seto told Otogi, "that the best solider is the one who has experienced both ends of the blade." The tip of the blade was pressing harder on the black haired one's neck.
"The experience of one makes for a better understanding of the other. It is a wise man who understands this. It is a fool who does not." Smirking, Seto looked Otogi strait in the eye.
"Tell me Otogi. Are you wise? Or are you a fool?" (1)
Ever since Seto had become a knight, he knew what type of man Otogi was. He sold his knighthood to the highest bidder and Seto found it quite pathetic.
His cause was far different. Kaiba was a bastard by birth and knighthood was his only resource. He had chosen knighthood as means of getting what he had been denied at birth-the duchy of Legai-which he had vowed to take-by blood if necessary-from the father he despised.
Yami of Normandy and he shared many things-their bastard birth, their ambitions and war. They had first met in the battle against the Moors, who had hidden a chest of gold that was rightfully theirs.
Seto had saved Yami's life that day. Yami's horse was cut under him and he had been pinned down. If it hadn't been for Seto, he would have died.
When Yami asked how he could repay him, Seto calmly said by giving him half the gold. If it had been any other man Yami would have refused, but now with all of Seto's army protecting the left side of him, he thought it would be best if he handed over half instead of all the gold. It was still a discussion about who served whom. (2)
But Otogi had no such ambitions as honor, power or wealth. Yami's brother, the bishop, paid him and he cared little for anything but the kill. Otogi was a bloodthirsty man and Seto knew it.
Above the tip of Kaiba's sword, Otogi's face was filled with rage. He cursed but the sword pressed harder on his flesh as more blood dripped down the sword. Finally Otogi lowered his own sword and Jou felt the grip in his hair ease. He quickly stepped away from him. Seto nodded. "It is a wise man who knows his limitations. So now you know how it feels to have your flesh cut open and bleeding freely. (3)" To prove his point he turned the sword effortlessly in his hand and put a half circle under Otogi's chin.
"So you know how it feels." Seto told him, smirking.
Otogi's breath hissed through his teeth. He was pale again, this time from pain. He swore again, his breath wheezing in and out.
"This will not be forgotten!" he promised as his terrified gaze remained on the long blade that held his own blood. His fear penetrated the air.
"Curse you to the fires of hell Seto Kaiba!"
Seto only shrugged, his arm moving easily beneath the armor. "Many people have wished for that already," Then in that same unemotional voice, that seemed to put an even greater threat to the words, he told Otogi. "Put down your sword or I will be forced to kill you."
Otogi hesitated. Then slowly, one by one, his fingers uncurled from the handle of the sword. His emerald eyes showed no surrender, but instead a cold, dark light glowed in them and Jou wasn't sure which man was more dangerous.
"Why are you even here?!" Otogi hissed at Kaiba, "I was sent to find the healer. There is no need for you and that cursed barbarian to be here."
There was a slight movement and out came a solider with a slightly curved knife. He stood closer to Kaiba. Seto only nodded his head slightly as if he sensed the other man's movement.
The warrior had no armor on, but seemed deadly enough. He had dirty blonde hair, slightly darker then Jou's own. His skin was tanned and his eyes a mystical purple. You could never know what he was thinking. His mouth was curved into a slight frown, perhaps in annoyance to Otogi. On his right arm, there was a thick gold bracelet with an ancient encryption. He held the blade in the same hand and seemed to dare Otogi to come near.
Jou watched him in stunned fascination, for he reminded him of Shadi's stories about the dark-eyed Ancient Egyptians. The only thing different was that this man's eyes where violet.
A second man stepped to Seto's left, as if showing that he was of great importance also. The second warrior took off his helmet to revile pure silver/white hair. His eyes where a warm brown and he seemed to look pityingly on Otogi.
Jou noticed that he was younger then Kaiba, if only by a few years and he reminded him of their king Bakura. But the Saxon king was dead thanks to Yami the Conqueror. A deep feeling of hatred for the Norman's reappeared in his stomach.
"Would you like me to separate the head of the bishop's dog from his shoulders?" The violet-eyed warrior asked, his voice showing that it would be a great pleasure too.
Otogi ignored him, turning to the younger boy. "So, you've brought the young bastard with you also?" he sneered at him. "I didn't know we needed the *royal* presence to get a healer from the Saxon country side."
Jou watched in curiosity as the seemingly innocent white-haired boy's eyes narrowed and he made a move to strike Otogi with his sword. He would have struck him down had Seto not interfered.
"It's not worth it Ryou," He told him, lowering his voice at the next sentence. "The time will come but not here, not now. Far more urgent things have to be done." The young warrior put down his blade but didn't resheathe it.
Seto Kaiba's gaze swept through the destruction, to Shadi's bruised condition, to Serenity laying on the ground and finally to rest on Jounouchi. Again Jou felt that strange feeling, like ice piercing through his body, as that cold gaze stayed on him.
With Otogi and his men under swords of Seto's men, Kaiba slowly inspected the damage to Oaken Arvin.
"It would seem Otogi," Seto said, his tone first superior and then cynical, "there is much need of me here. It is obvious that Saxons are very dangerous. An helpless monk, an old woman and a young boy."
Young boy? Jou thought in anger. I'm seventeen, and by the looks of it, he can be no more then eighteen or nineteen.
Kaiba's gaze went again to Jou and he felt the same sensation that the brunette was somehow touching him. Then Seto bent down to one of Shadi's manuscripts, picked it up and turned the torn pages unexpectedly gently.
"Maybe the monk threw a book at you? This one perhaps." With surprising gentleness, he set the book on a table that had somehow managed not to be destroyed. Jou frowned at this. This man was quite different then any other he had seen or met before.
"Perhaps, this young girl over powered you and sent you fearing for your lives." He went on to suggest, turning to Serenity.
Then, turning back to Shadi, he glared down at him. "Look at me old man." How quickly he converted to the Saxon language startled Jou.
"Ti mene nestrasis." (4) Shadi snarled, refusing to obey as he stared down at the dirt floor.
Jou heard the hatred in his voice and knew that Kaiba had heard it too. Because hatred crosses all barriers of language. His breath caught when he heard the ancient Celtic curses Shadi muttered.
Be silent my dear guardian! He thought pleadingly as he glanced at the knight. Shadi would pay dearly if Seto so much as guessed the curses that where being hurled at him. Jou doubted that his bones could endure too much more.
Kaiba took off his glove and crouched down in front of Shadi. Jou was certain that his guardian was in deep trouble. So it surprised both him and Shadi when the brunette took the man's chin and lightly made him look into his eyes.
Shadi put his hands over his face and moved his fingers slowly, as if blocking himself from the Norman and muttered things over and over in Celtic.
Only Jou knew the curses the man was calling upon. All the evil creatures, diseases and some things that even he didn't understand.
The blonde was stunned when Seto didn't even strike his guardian. Instead he just removed his hand from the place on his chin and stood up.
"Don't think to hex me old fool. I don't believe in such things." He said in a cold voice, his face expressionless.
"You will believe," Shadi promised him. "When your eyes fall out of their sockets." Seto ignored him and turned to Serenity, who was sitting on the floor, holding her head in one hand. The redhead whimpered slightly and tears fell onto her cheeks. Jou was ready to go to her side but she glanced at him quickly and he understood with that simple gesture.
Don't move.
"I won't hurt you." Seto told her with surprising gentleness that startled everyone in the room.
"Though god knows you have enough reason to fear me." He told her in Latin, not realizing that only his men (and Jou) understood him. "And even more reason to doubt what I say."
Serenity looked at the ground, avoiding his eyes. Jou watched him with curiosity and wonder. He seemed to actually care about his little sister. Then he finally said in English.
"Look at me." Eventually, Serenity did. The bruises that appeared on her from the beating she had received from Otogi on her face. Anger flashed through Seto's eyes.
"What have you done to her? Release her at once!" He ordered the solider who guarded her. The man was obviously terrified of him and let Serenity go. She automatically ran to Jou, who hugged her tightly.
"If it were left to you Otogi, you would kill all the Saxons including the healer!"
Jou's gaze fastened on Otogi. Until then, he thought that the black haired solider wanted him to heal someone. What could Kaiba possibly mean by that accusation? Why would Otogi want him dead?
As if he had heard his thoughts, Seto turned to him. His ice-blue eyes fastened on the blonde in a far different way. His gaze came to the small cut that Otogi had inflicted.
"My apologies sir. The king would have been offended if he knew you where treated in such a way." Jou's eyes narrowed slightly and Serenity moved to stand beside him. Jou straitened proudly, and spoke in Latin, his words filled with loathing and hatred.
"You surely speak of King Bakura," He said defiantly. "And you are right. He wouldn't tolerate his loyal subjects abused this way, nor would he tolerate foreran tyrants on English soil."
Seto was mildly surprised to find out that this beautiful boy could speak Latin as well as he could.
"I speak of Yami of Normandy," Seto informed him. "Your new king."
"Yami is not my king," Jou said, straitening even more. "Saxon England will never bow down to him. The road to the throne is a long and dangerous one." He spoke, denying all that he knew, that England was already lost to the Normans. And that there was nothing he could do to change it. But he wouldn't bow to this knight that had destroyed his people.
"Yes the road is a long and dangerous one," Seto agreed coolly. "But I assure you. Yami *will* be king."
Something glittered on the floor that caught Seto's eye. He bent down and picked up the gleaming object. Jou held his breath when he saw the gardening knife that Seto held.
He twirled it in his hand, the same one that had so easily drawn blood from Otogi and then comforted a young girl. Again, Jou found himself wondering about this man who had two sides.
The brunette ran his finger over the blade and Jou frowned when he put the finger in his mouth. Seto looked at him.
"Oil of rosemary," he commented, watching for the younger boys reaction. When there was none, he continued. "I have been told it is most effective against fever.and often found among a healers medications."
Jou's stunned gaze met his ice one and the blonde shivered as the vision of the black jaguar, with blood red eyes came back to him.
A creature born in fire and blood.
The words echoed off the walls but Jou was the only one who seemed to hear them. Seto brought his hand up and saw the weariness in the honey eyes and the tension in the blonde's body, as if he was bracing for a blow. Instead, he walked up to him and brushed back some of the flaxen hair that hid his eyes.
He felt great warmth in the boy's skin and a golden fire burned with in his eyes. Seto had the urge to pull back his hand, lest he be burned, but at the same time he wanted to touch more of him.
The contact was brief though, as Jou pulled away. The fear and anger in the blonde's heart was like a raging storm and he wanted to hit the brunette. How dare he touch him without his permission?! And yet.there was a part of him that wanted the boy to keep his hand where it was.
"I am the healer you seek." Jou said, telling Kaiba what he had already guessed.
Jounouchi tried to sense the soldier's emotions but he couldn't. It was like a big stone wall was blocking the brunette's thoughts and feelings from him. That wasn't something everyone could do.
Seto turned the blade around, holding out the handle to him. Jou looked at him suspiciously, not being able to tell what the boy was thinking in giving him back the knife.
"Don't think of using it against me," he warned. "You don't need to fear me. I need you out of here safe and unharmed." Then he turned to his men and with a voice that held all his urgency, he told them, "Far too much time has been wasted already." His gaze turned to Otogi, who was still in the same place, with Kaiba's guards surrounding him.
"Make ready to leave at once. Gather your herbs and medicines, for time is of the essence if Yami is to live." Jou stared at him in surprise. So this is what he was needed for?
"I will never heal the Norman butcher who has caused all of my people so much pain!" he said, the anger replacing his surprise.
Seto turned to him slowly and Jou thought of him exactly like the jaguar in his vision. Kaiba's eyes narrowed at him dangerously, his gaze like a thousand icicles piercing into his soul.
"You will puerulus (5)," he assured and then added. "Or all of Naigai will pay the price. The choice is yours."
Seto saw the hatred burn in those honey eyes. He knew the blonde was trapped, with no choice but to come with them, for he knew the boy cared about the villagers too much to let anything happen to them.
The agony of the choice was plain for all to see, the helplessness and heartache in his eyes. Jou glanced at Serenity and Shadi, and they knew that his decision was made. But Jou didn't want to give this Norman bastard the pleasure of knowing he had gotten to him.
Instead, he turned around and started up the stairs to the herbal. With a nod, Seto sent Malik Ishtar to follow him.
The warrior with the curved knife politely introduced himself-Malik Ishtar- to Jou. Jou's earlier thoughts where right, Malik was Egyptian. But how he came to work for Yami, he'd never understand.
"Does Seto Kaiba send you to guard me and make sure I don't escape?" Jou asked in his own language, certain that the purple-eyed warrior wouldn't understand. But Malik did. He smiled.
"Let me help you with those," He told Jou in the same language, stunning the boy into silence. He put his hand on his shoulder and Jou sensed compassion in his touch. "So nothing may be forgotten." Jou nodded slowly.
When Malik saw that Jou was leaving portions of herbs in the bowl and looked at him questioningly.
"The villagers will need some while I'm gone." He explained and was surprised and grateful when Malik just nodded. They got everything Jou needed and left the herbal.
*****
Jou saw Kaiba's entire army mounted and waiting for him, while Otogi's were far away from them. He noticed Otogi's eyes narrow at him and he wondered about the brunette's words. Had Otogi come to kill him?
Farewells were hastily said, there was no time for more. Shadi gently laid his hand against Jou's cheek. "God goes with you my child. He will return you to our care." He dared to say no more, for Seto was watching them impatiently. But Serenity paid no attention to them.
"Have you got the crystal Jouno?" she asked hastily.
"Yes," he told her, holding the jade crystal tightly in his hand. The power of it swept over him and he welcomed it.
"Be strong mio fratello. (6)" Serenity whispered to her brother, hugging him tightly. "Remember they cannot harm you. You must escape at the first chance you get." Jou shook his head.
"No Sere, I can't! I can't risk the lives of innocent people like that." With one final hug, he left towards Seto. Shadi and Serenity followed him. Tears started flowing down Serenity's cheeks as she watched her brother leave. Jou's own eyes filled with tears as he walked by Kaiba's horse, looking longingly at his little sister and his guardian, knowing very well that he might never see them again.
Suddenly, Jou saw someone he wished he hadn't.
"Desiray!" He cried, running over to a wounded man who was lying on the ground. Jou knew him to be a shepherd and a dear friend to Serenity and he.
He was bleeding from the side of his head where a long gash had been made. He moaned in pain every time he moved it seemed.
"Soldiers," he whispered in delirium, his word thick with the pain he must feel. "You must escape." He told Jou.
"Yes 'Iray. Do not speak now." The blonde told him, stroking his long blue hair lightly. Desiray opened his silver eyes slightly, but closed them again, moaning with pain. Anger filled Jou's soul.
Norman bastards, he thought bitterly. They'll pay for this.
Rain started to fall heavily, quickly soaking them all.
"Leave him." Kaiba commanded, his cold gaze directed to Jou. He turned to face Seto, his eyes burning with anger.
"He is badly injured," Jou said, struggling to keep his voice calm. "I need to close the wound." Then he added his voice full of the hatred he felt towards the brunette; "Surely even you understand that."
Seto's eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. Jou shuddered as he thought the boy looked like Lucifer himself.
"I understand very well puerulus," He informed him. "Leave him where he is or you can be sure of his death."
"You wouldn't kill an injured man!" Jou protested.
Seto drew his sword with a loud clank. "The choice is yours." He said.
Their gazes locked. Yes, he thought bitterly, just like the choice between the well being of his people or their death was also his.
"Forgive me Desiray," he muttered, stroking his face with a gentle hand. "Serenity will take good care of you."
The silver-eyed boy opened his eyes slightly and took Jou's hand in his. "I will find you," he promised in a whisper. "And they will pay for what they've done with their blood." The boy groaned and he closed his eyes again. He had lost consciousness.
Jou's heart ached with pain, for they where childhood friends and he hated that 'Iray had to go through so much pain.
He eased his grip as he saw Serenity rushing over to them.
"Now, if you please," Seto said impatiently. He experienced slight self- loathing at what these people had suffered, but there was a more urgent place the healer needed to be.
Serenity heard the anger and impatience in the Norman's voice and whispered to Jou, "Go now Jouno, I will tend to his wounds. Remember what I have said."
Jou stood slowly and looked at Seto, his eyes full of anger at this horrible man who had destroyed his life. He felt the pocket where the knife Kaiba had given back to him was. What a mistake he made.
"Hate me if you will puerulus," Seto told him. "But we must be going." He reached down, his arm encircling his waist and pulled Jou infront of himself on the same horse. Jou's legs dangled on either side and he looked mournfully back to Oaken Arvin.
He might never return again, for this was part of the future he couldn't see and his eyes filled with tears for those he loved.
Cries were heard in the air and Jou lifted his gaze skywards. High overhead, his small eagle soared on the winds of the gathering storm, calling mournfully as it followed them to the unknown future.
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(1): A fool, duh! ^__^ I love my job.
(2): And I think it always will be. ^_~
(3): Woah, a little gruesome there ne? O_O
(4): It means 'You don't scare me' in Croatian. I thought that since it's not a popular language, Shadi would like to use it so Seto doesn't know what he's saying.
(5): It means 'little boy' or 'young *slave*' in Latin. Seto will use this word ALLOT. Trust me. ^_~
(6): It means 'my brother' in Italian. Serenity will probably call her brother this more often too.
Mid-S: Okay, 10 pages and I'm tired out! O_O I'll try to get Otogi to suffer a little more and I hope that everyone liked that chapie. ^_^ R&R onegai? Arigato!
SILVER DRAGON SOVEREIGN I: Glad you like the plushie and the fic. ^_~ I do what I can to make people happy. ^_^ *gives her a bag of lollypops* Thankies for the review!
RU-CHAN: Hey, thanks for correcting me on that one. ^__^ It's always good to know what I need to change. Here *hands her a box of chocolate* Thanks for having the guts to tell me what I did wrong. ^_~
SHADOW CAT: This story has a plot? O_O LOL! ^_~ Thanks for the sweet review hun. *glomps her and gives her a picture of Seto and Jou*
HUSH PUPPY 1: Nice new name Blade-Chan, I like it! ^_^ It reminds me of my shoes. LOL. You know I'm just joking. You're right, I should stop listening to those idiots. *tackle glomps her and gives her a Yu-Gi-Oh! Subtitled DVD set* Enjoy darlin'! ^__^
ESCACHICK: Good to know that Seto was a gentleman. I'm glad he was nice to you, because if he wasn't, he wouldn't be pretty no more. ^_~ Thankies for the sweet review hun! *tackle glomps her and gives her a Anzu Voodoo doll* For all your killing needs. LOL.
Otogi: I hate all of these goddamn reviewers! Especially Hush Puppy 1 and Escachick. BITCHES!
Anzu and Honda: YEAH!
Mid-S: *gasps* You DARE insult H-Chan and Chel-Chel? *gets out axe* You insult them, you're insulting me and NO ONE INSULTS *ANY* OF MY REVIEWERS AND LIVES, YOU GOT THAT?
O, A and H: *gulp and run away*
Mid-S: Hmph, bastards. Sorry you two, I'll go give them a piece of my mind (or rather my axe ^_^) and make sure Otogi suffers in this chapter. *starts planning evilly* Have fun!
/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~ /~/~/~/~
If fire could take human shape, it would be the beautiful boy standing in front of Seto Kaiba.
His skin was lightly tanned, with messy golden blonde hair that slightly fell into his eyes. But that was what caught Seto's attention the most.
They where the strangest color. Honey-brown and filled with so much emotion. Seto felt like he could stare at them forever.
He had seen fire on many war camps, where good men who fought for just causes, died and the others who fought for greed and wealth lived. So when he thought of fire, he immediately thought of death.
Until then, he had never thought of fire as being something pure and alive. This beautiful Saxon in front of him was alive with obvious pride, defiance and anger that he was sure if anyone touched her, they would surely be burned. Though it would be an exquisite torture.
He found himself wanting to tangle his hands in the soft blonde hair, touch the boys pale skin and look into his honey eyes for the rest of time.
Jou stared into the ice eyes of the black jaguar and shivered.
Seto Kaiba was his enemy, a creature that had been born in fire and blood, in a vision that had not been seen for a thousand years. This man before him was death and destruction.
And yet he couldn't look away, for he was looking at the unwritten future. It called to him; evil, unknown and challenging just like the knight in front of him, the man with the soul of darkness.
"Curse you!" Otogi spat, glaring at Seto in full hatred. "I was sent to find the healer! What are you doing here?"
Seto's expression became more predatory, and his eyes seemed to shoot poison at the black haired man. "I wanted to make sure you encountered no difficulty," He said, his gaze trailing over Jounouchi. "Release him."
"The Saxon bastard came at me with a knife!" Otogi said, his grip tightening on the blonde. "I could have been killed."
Seto said nothing, while his gaze traveled to Jou's neck, where Otogi's blade had drawn blood.
"I can see the graze danger you where in," He said sarcastically and then repeated, "Release him."
At his back, Jou felt Otogi stiffen slightly and tighten his grip on him even more. The blonde knew the green-eyed man had no intention of letting him go. Otogi shifted and pulled his sword away from Jou's neck, to point it at Seto. But before he could, the said boy's blade was at his throat. It was set right under Otogi's chin, pressing dangerously hard on the soft flesh. Otogi's eyes widened slightly and he paled. He cursed as all the color drained out of him. Jou felt him stiffen as the curse stopped abruptly. He saw the reason why as a ribbon of blood went down Seto Kaiba's blade.
"Release him or die." He said with such a fierce calm that Jounouchi shuddered. Otogi suddenly stood very still.
Jou sensed his fury, the battle inside him, and.the fear. Jou felt it too, for the blade that Kaiba held was close to his own cheek. If Seto lost control of the blade, it would surely cut him. But he didn't need to worry. The man was so controlled and cold that he was certain no heart beat within him. Maybe this wasn't the man in his vision, for at that moment, he was sure Kaiba was going to kill Otogi.
"I have often thought," Seto told Otogi, "that the best solider is the one who has experienced both ends of the blade." The tip of the blade was pressing harder on the black haired one's neck.
"The experience of one makes for a better understanding of the other. It is a wise man who understands this. It is a fool who does not." Smirking, Seto looked Otogi strait in the eye.
"Tell me Otogi. Are you wise? Or are you a fool?" (1)
Ever since Seto had become a knight, he knew what type of man Otogi was. He sold his knighthood to the highest bidder and Seto found it quite pathetic.
His cause was far different. Kaiba was a bastard by birth and knighthood was his only resource. He had chosen knighthood as means of getting what he had been denied at birth-the duchy of Legai-which he had vowed to take-by blood if necessary-from the father he despised.
Yami of Normandy and he shared many things-their bastard birth, their ambitions and war. They had first met in the battle against the Moors, who had hidden a chest of gold that was rightfully theirs.
Seto had saved Yami's life that day. Yami's horse was cut under him and he had been pinned down. If it hadn't been for Seto, he would have died.
When Yami asked how he could repay him, Seto calmly said by giving him half the gold. If it had been any other man Yami would have refused, but now with all of Seto's army protecting the left side of him, he thought it would be best if he handed over half instead of all the gold. It was still a discussion about who served whom. (2)
But Otogi had no such ambitions as honor, power or wealth. Yami's brother, the bishop, paid him and he cared little for anything but the kill. Otogi was a bloodthirsty man and Seto knew it.
Above the tip of Kaiba's sword, Otogi's face was filled with rage. He cursed but the sword pressed harder on his flesh as more blood dripped down the sword. Finally Otogi lowered his own sword and Jou felt the grip in his hair ease. He quickly stepped away from him. Seto nodded. "It is a wise man who knows his limitations. So now you know how it feels to have your flesh cut open and bleeding freely. (3)" To prove his point he turned the sword effortlessly in his hand and put a half circle under Otogi's chin.
"So you know how it feels." Seto told him, smirking.
Otogi's breath hissed through his teeth. He was pale again, this time from pain. He swore again, his breath wheezing in and out.
"This will not be forgotten!" he promised as his terrified gaze remained on the long blade that held his own blood. His fear penetrated the air.
"Curse you to the fires of hell Seto Kaiba!"
Seto only shrugged, his arm moving easily beneath the armor. "Many people have wished for that already," Then in that same unemotional voice, that seemed to put an even greater threat to the words, he told Otogi. "Put down your sword or I will be forced to kill you."
Otogi hesitated. Then slowly, one by one, his fingers uncurled from the handle of the sword. His emerald eyes showed no surrender, but instead a cold, dark light glowed in them and Jou wasn't sure which man was more dangerous.
"Why are you even here?!" Otogi hissed at Kaiba, "I was sent to find the healer. There is no need for you and that cursed barbarian to be here."
There was a slight movement and out came a solider with a slightly curved knife. He stood closer to Kaiba. Seto only nodded his head slightly as if he sensed the other man's movement.
The warrior had no armor on, but seemed deadly enough. He had dirty blonde hair, slightly darker then Jou's own. His skin was tanned and his eyes a mystical purple. You could never know what he was thinking. His mouth was curved into a slight frown, perhaps in annoyance to Otogi. On his right arm, there was a thick gold bracelet with an ancient encryption. He held the blade in the same hand and seemed to dare Otogi to come near.
Jou watched him in stunned fascination, for he reminded him of Shadi's stories about the dark-eyed Ancient Egyptians. The only thing different was that this man's eyes where violet.
A second man stepped to Seto's left, as if showing that he was of great importance also. The second warrior took off his helmet to revile pure silver/white hair. His eyes where a warm brown and he seemed to look pityingly on Otogi.
Jou noticed that he was younger then Kaiba, if only by a few years and he reminded him of their king Bakura. But the Saxon king was dead thanks to Yami the Conqueror. A deep feeling of hatred for the Norman's reappeared in his stomach.
"Would you like me to separate the head of the bishop's dog from his shoulders?" The violet-eyed warrior asked, his voice showing that it would be a great pleasure too.
Otogi ignored him, turning to the younger boy. "So, you've brought the young bastard with you also?" he sneered at him. "I didn't know we needed the *royal* presence to get a healer from the Saxon country side."
Jou watched in curiosity as the seemingly innocent white-haired boy's eyes narrowed and he made a move to strike Otogi with his sword. He would have struck him down had Seto not interfered.
"It's not worth it Ryou," He told him, lowering his voice at the next sentence. "The time will come but not here, not now. Far more urgent things have to be done." The young warrior put down his blade but didn't resheathe it.
Seto Kaiba's gaze swept through the destruction, to Shadi's bruised condition, to Serenity laying on the ground and finally to rest on Jounouchi. Again Jou felt that strange feeling, like ice piercing through his body, as that cold gaze stayed on him.
With Otogi and his men under swords of Seto's men, Kaiba slowly inspected the damage to Oaken Arvin.
"It would seem Otogi," Seto said, his tone first superior and then cynical, "there is much need of me here. It is obvious that Saxons are very dangerous. An helpless monk, an old woman and a young boy."
Young boy? Jou thought in anger. I'm seventeen, and by the looks of it, he can be no more then eighteen or nineteen.
Kaiba's gaze went again to Jou and he felt the same sensation that the brunette was somehow touching him. Then Seto bent down to one of Shadi's manuscripts, picked it up and turned the torn pages unexpectedly gently.
"Maybe the monk threw a book at you? This one perhaps." With surprising gentleness, he set the book on a table that had somehow managed not to be destroyed. Jou frowned at this. This man was quite different then any other he had seen or met before.
"Perhaps, this young girl over powered you and sent you fearing for your lives." He went on to suggest, turning to Serenity.
Then, turning back to Shadi, he glared down at him. "Look at me old man." How quickly he converted to the Saxon language startled Jou.
"Ti mene nestrasis." (4) Shadi snarled, refusing to obey as he stared down at the dirt floor.
Jou heard the hatred in his voice and knew that Kaiba had heard it too. Because hatred crosses all barriers of language. His breath caught when he heard the ancient Celtic curses Shadi muttered.
Be silent my dear guardian! He thought pleadingly as he glanced at the knight. Shadi would pay dearly if Seto so much as guessed the curses that where being hurled at him. Jou doubted that his bones could endure too much more.
Kaiba took off his glove and crouched down in front of Shadi. Jou was certain that his guardian was in deep trouble. So it surprised both him and Shadi when the brunette took the man's chin and lightly made him look into his eyes.
Shadi put his hands over his face and moved his fingers slowly, as if blocking himself from the Norman and muttered things over and over in Celtic.
Only Jou knew the curses the man was calling upon. All the evil creatures, diseases and some things that even he didn't understand.
The blonde was stunned when Seto didn't even strike his guardian. Instead he just removed his hand from the place on his chin and stood up.
"Don't think to hex me old fool. I don't believe in such things." He said in a cold voice, his face expressionless.
"You will believe," Shadi promised him. "When your eyes fall out of their sockets." Seto ignored him and turned to Serenity, who was sitting on the floor, holding her head in one hand. The redhead whimpered slightly and tears fell onto her cheeks. Jou was ready to go to her side but she glanced at him quickly and he understood with that simple gesture.
Don't move.
"I won't hurt you." Seto told her with surprising gentleness that startled everyone in the room.
"Though god knows you have enough reason to fear me." He told her in Latin, not realizing that only his men (and Jou) understood him. "And even more reason to doubt what I say."
Serenity looked at the ground, avoiding his eyes. Jou watched him with curiosity and wonder. He seemed to actually care about his little sister. Then he finally said in English.
"Look at me." Eventually, Serenity did. The bruises that appeared on her from the beating she had received from Otogi on her face. Anger flashed through Seto's eyes.
"What have you done to her? Release her at once!" He ordered the solider who guarded her. The man was obviously terrified of him and let Serenity go. She automatically ran to Jou, who hugged her tightly.
"If it were left to you Otogi, you would kill all the Saxons including the healer!"
Jou's gaze fastened on Otogi. Until then, he thought that the black haired solider wanted him to heal someone. What could Kaiba possibly mean by that accusation? Why would Otogi want him dead?
As if he had heard his thoughts, Seto turned to him. His ice-blue eyes fastened on the blonde in a far different way. His gaze came to the small cut that Otogi had inflicted.
"My apologies sir. The king would have been offended if he knew you where treated in such a way." Jou's eyes narrowed slightly and Serenity moved to stand beside him. Jou straitened proudly, and spoke in Latin, his words filled with loathing and hatred.
"You surely speak of King Bakura," He said defiantly. "And you are right. He wouldn't tolerate his loyal subjects abused this way, nor would he tolerate foreran tyrants on English soil."
Seto was mildly surprised to find out that this beautiful boy could speak Latin as well as he could.
"I speak of Yami of Normandy," Seto informed him. "Your new king."
"Yami is not my king," Jou said, straitening even more. "Saxon England will never bow down to him. The road to the throne is a long and dangerous one." He spoke, denying all that he knew, that England was already lost to the Normans. And that there was nothing he could do to change it. But he wouldn't bow to this knight that had destroyed his people.
"Yes the road is a long and dangerous one," Seto agreed coolly. "But I assure you. Yami *will* be king."
Something glittered on the floor that caught Seto's eye. He bent down and picked up the gleaming object. Jou held his breath when he saw the gardening knife that Seto held.
He twirled it in his hand, the same one that had so easily drawn blood from Otogi and then comforted a young girl. Again, Jou found himself wondering about this man who had two sides.
The brunette ran his finger over the blade and Jou frowned when he put the finger in his mouth. Seto looked at him.
"Oil of rosemary," he commented, watching for the younger boys reaction. When there was none, he continued. "I have been told it is most effective against fever.and often found among a healers medications."
Jou's stunned gaze met his ice one and the blonde shivered as the vision of the black jaguar, with blood red eyes came back to him.
A creature born in fire and blood.
The words echoed off the walls but Jou was the only one who seemed to hear them. Seto brought his hand up and saw the weariness in the honey eyes and the tension in the blonde's body, as if he was bracing for a blow. Instead, he walked up to him and brushed back some of the flaxen hair that hid his eyes.
He felt great warmth in the boy's skin and a golden fire burned with in his eyes. Seto had the urge to pull back his hand, lest he be burned, but at the same time he wanted to touch more of him.
The contact was brief though, as Jou pulled away. The fear and anger in the blonde's heart was like a raging storm and he wanted to hit the brunette. How dare he touch him without his permission?! And yet.there was a part of him that wanted the boy to keep his hand where it was.
"I am the healer you seek." Jou said, telling Kaiba what he had already guessed.
Jounouchi tried to sense the soldier's emotions but he couldn't. It was like a big stone wall was blocking the brunette's thoughts and feelings from him. That wasn't something everyone could do.
Seto turned the blade around, holding out the handle to him. Jou looked at him suspiciously, not being able to tell what the boy was thinking in giving him back the knife.
"Don't think of using it against me," he warned. "You don't need to fear me. I need you out of here safe and unharmed." Then he turned to his men and with a voice that held all his urgency, he told them, "Far too much time has been wasted already." His gaze turned to Otogi, who was still in the same place, with Kaiba's guards surrounding him.
"Make ready to leave at once. Gather your herbs and medicines, for time is of the essence if Yami is to live." Jou stared at him in surprise. So this is what he was needed for?
"I will never heal the Norman butcher who has caused all of my people so much pain!" he said, the anger replacing his surprise.
Seto turned to him slowly and Jou thought of him exactly like the jaguar in his vision. Kaiba's eyes narrowed at him dangerously, his gaze like a thousand icicles piercing into his soul.
"You will puerulus (5)," he assured and then added. "Or all of Naigai will pay the price. The choice is yours."
Seto saw the hatred burn in those honey eyes. He knew the blonde was trapped, with no choice but to come with them, for he knew the boy cared about the villagers too much to let anything happen to them.
The agony of the choice was plain for all to see, the helplessness and heartache in his eyes. Jou glanced at Serenity and Shadi, and they knew that his decision was made. But Jou didn't want to give this Norman bastard the pleasure of knowing he had gotten to him.
Instead, he turned around and started up the stairs to the herbal. With a nod, Seto sent Malik Ishtar to follow him.
The warrior with the curved knife politely introduced himself-Malik Ishtar- to Jou. Jou's earlier thoughts where right, Malik was Egyptian. But how he came to work for Yami, he'd never understand.
"Does Seto Kaiba send you to guard me and make sure I don't escape?" Jou asked in his own language, certain that the purple-eyed warrior wouldn't understand. But Malik did. He smiled.
"Let me help you with those," He told Jou in the same language, stunning the boy into silence. He put his hand on his shoulder and Jou sensed compassion in his touch. "So nothing may be forgotten." Jou nodded slowly.
When Malik saw that Jou was leaving portions of herbs in the bowl and looked at him questioningly.
"The villagers will need some while I'm gone." He explained and was surprised and grateful when Malik just nodded. They got everything Jou needed and left the herbal.
*****
Jou saw Kaiba's entire army mounted and waiting for him, while Otogi's were far away from them. He noticed Otogi's eyes narrow at him and he wondered about the brunette's words. Had Otogi come to kill him?
Farewells were hastily said, there was no time for more. Shadi gently laid his hand against Jou's cheek. "God goes with you my child. He will return you to our care." He dared to say no more, for Seto was watching them impatiently. But Serenity paid no attention to them.
"Have you got the crystal Jouno?" she asked hastily.
"Yes," he told her, holding the jade crystal tightly in his hand. The power of it swept over him and he welcomed it.
"Be strong mio fratello. (6)" Serenity whispered to her brother, hugging him tightly. "Remember they cannot harm you. You must escape at the first chance you get." Jou shook his head.
"No Sere, I can't! I can't risk the lives of innocent people like that." With one final hug, he left towards Seto. Shadi and Serenity followed him. Tears started flowing down Serenity's cheeks as she watched her brother leave. Jou's own eyes filled with tears as he walked by Kaiba's horse, looking longingly at his little sister and his guardian, knowing very well that he might never see them again.
Suddenly, Jou saw someone he wished he hadn't.
"Desiray!" He cried, running over to a wounded man who was lying on the ground. Jou knew him to be a shepherd and a dear friend to Serenity and he.
He was bleeding from the side of his head where a long gash had been made. He moaned in pain every time he moved it seemed.
"Soldiers," he whispered in delirium, his word thick with the pain he must feel. "You must escape." He told Jou.
"Yes 'Iray. Do not speak now." The blonde told him, stroking his long blue hair lightly. Desiray opened his silver eyes slightly, but closed them again, moaning with pain. Anger filled Jou's soul.
Norman bastards, he thought bitterly. They'll pay for this.
Rain started to fall heavily, quickly soaking them all.
"Leave him." Kaiba commanded, his cold gaze directed to Jou. He turned to face Seto, his eyes burning with anger.
"He is badly injured," Jou said, struggling to keep his voice calm. "I need to close the wound." Then he added his voice full of the hatred he felt towards the brunette; "Surely even you understand that."
Seto's eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. Jou shuddered as he thought the boy looked like Lucifer himself.
"I understand very well puerulus," He informed him. "Leave him where he is or you can be sure of his death."
"You wouldn't kill an injured man!" Jou protested.
Seto drew his sword with a loud clank. "The choice is yours." He said.
Their gazes locked. Yes, he thought bitterly, just like the choice between the well being of his people or their death was also his.
"Forgive me Desiray," he muttered, stroking his face with a gentle hand. "Serenity will take good care of you."
The silver-eyed boy opened his eyes slightly and took Jou's hand in his. "I will find you," he promised in a whisper. "And they will pay for what they've done with their blood." The boy groaned and he closed his eyes again. He had lost consciousness.
Jou's heart ached with pain, for they where childhood friends and he hated that 'Iray had to go through so much pain.
He eased his grip as he saw Serenity rushing over to them.
"Now, if you please," Seto said impatiently. He experienced slight self- loathing at what these people had suffered, but there was a more urgent place the healer needed to be.
Serenity heard the anger and impatience in the Norman's voice and whispered to Jou, "Go now Jouno, I will tend to his wounds. Remember what I have said."
Jou stood slowly and looked at Seto, his eyes full of anger at this horrible man who had destroyed his life. He felt the pocket where the knife Kaiba had given back to him was. What a mistake he made.
"Hate me if you will puerulus," Seto told him. "But we must be going." He reached down, his arm encircling his waist and pulled Jou infront of himself on the same horse. Jou's legs dangled on either side and he looked mournfully back to Oaken Arvin.
He might never return again, for this was part of the future he couldn't see and his eyes filled with tears for those he loved.
Cries were heard in the air and Jou lifted his gaze skywards. High overhead, his small eagle soared on the winds of the gathering storm, calling mournfully as it followed them to the unknown future.
/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~ /~/~/~/~
(1): A fool, duh! ^__^ I love my job.
(2): And I think it always will be. ^_~
(3): Woah, a little gruesome there ne? O_O
(4): It means 'You don't scare me' in Croatian. I thought that since it's not a popular language, Shadi would like to use it so Seto doesn't know what he's saying.
(5): It means 'little boy' or 'young *slave*' in Latin. Seto will use this word ALLOT. Trust me. ^_~
(6): It means 'my brother' in Italian. Serenity will probably call her brother this more often too.
Mid-S: Okay, 10 pages and I'm tired out! O_O I'll try to get Otogi to suffer a little more and I hope that everyone liked that chapie. ^_^ R&R onegai? Arigato!
