Tea looked up at Kaiba, not really enjoying the feeling on what he was planning to do. A glitter of fear glazed her eyes as they stared into Kaiba's icy stare.
Kaiba reached into his jacket, pulling out a rather large bullwhip, pointing it towards her, that smirk never leaving his face. "A little inspiration can do wonders Yami." He then grabbed Tea by the collar of her clothing, dragging her outside. Tea screamed, struggling to break free, screaming out to Yami to help her.
"Tea!" Yami tried to go after the two but Joey and Tristan held him back. "Let me go. Don't you hit her Kaiba!"
Kaiba dragged Tea onto the dirt ground, his foot pressing onto her head. Ripping Tea's dress off, revealing her undergarments, he used one hand to yank her bra off, running the tip of the whip on her back.
"Kaiba no!" Yami cried out, struggling through the doorway while Joey and Tristan continued to hold him back. "Don't do this reverend. We know not where your sister and my brother are."
"You lie!" Kaiba snapped, bringing down the whip onto Tea's back. The searing pain ran through the coarse of her veins, crying out in unspeakable pain.
"Don't do this! Stop it!" he managed to break free out of Joey and Tristan's hold, trying to make his way towards Tea and Kaiba but the two managed to stop him by tackling him from behind.
"You still wish not to tell?" Kaiba's twisted grin remained plastered on his face.
"We know nothing!"
"If you say so." He looked down at Tea, continuing to snap the whip relentlessly over and over again on her back. The screams of torture had yet to die down as he made several slash marks on her back, most of them bleeding. After whipping her, he released his foot from her head, gazing down at her fallen body, kicking her in the stomach.
Yami couldn't bear to watch anymore, closing his eyes, trying to hold back his tears. "Please reverend, I beg of you. Don't do this anymore. Can't you show some mercy?"
"I can show some mercy once I know where your brother is."
Yami knew exactly where Yugi was but he had no intention on telling him. "I know nothing," he hissed. "She knows nothing!"
"Lies! I gave you a chance and you blew it!" he lifted the whip up, ready to strike when a familiar voice called out.
"I know where your sister and Yugi remain."
Kaiba suddenly looked up seeing Shadi and Ryou on their own horses. "You do?"
"We know exactly where they are." Ryou repeated.
"Where? Where are they?" Kaiba's voice had a hint of desperation.
"Ryou! Shadi! Don't tell them where they are!"
Shadi closed his eyes, taking a long look up at Yami. "I'm sorry Yami," he muttered to himself as he spoke to Kaiba, his eyes still on Yami. "Hotaru and Yugi are in the crystal caves of the abandoned forest grounds."
Yami's eyes widened. "Shadi no!"
"Those caves?" Kaiba smirked. He then placed his whip inside his jacket. "Joey, Tristan, let's go." Kaiba climbed inside the carriage while Joey and Tristan climbed onto the horse, riding off. Yami crawled over to Tea, tears in his eyes. Gently, he sat her up, relieved that she's still alive. Tea groaned in pain as she bent over slightly.
Ryou and Shadi jumped off their horse, making their way towards them. Shadi knelt beside Tea, looking over her wounds. Ryou, however, stood a few feet back from the three knowing full well that if he saw the blood, he would send Tea straight to her death.
"Come, let's take her inside." Shadi slowly lifted Tea up with a bit of help from Yami. He then turned to Ryou. "Go to the cottage and get one of the herbal potions from Ishizu's cabinet."
Ryou nodded going back to his horse, climbing on and riding off into the night.
Finally, they reached the house and started to lug her up the stairs to Yami's bedroom, laying her on her stomach on the bed.
"A brave girl indeed," Shadi ran his fingers through a strand of her hair. "Normally, those who receive that kind of whipping do not usually survive."
"How could you Shadi?" Yami sneered at him.
"Yami," Shadi looked up at him. "It was meant to happen. I have done a reading last night and the outcome is not all good."
"What do you mean?" Yami looked at him confusingly.
"The two sides of the cross showed an ace of spades and hearts which usually meant a pair of lovers and on top to that, it was a joker. Those three, when together, symbolize a tragic death to them."
Ryou entered the bedroom with a bottle full of yellow liquid. Shadi poured some of the liguid in his hand, running his hands all over Tea's back, releasing a fragrance of magnolia. Yami noticed Tea gritting her teeth, trying hard not to scream in pain. He took her hand, kissing it softly, massagin it with his strong hands hoping to calm her down.
Ryou bandaged Tea's wounds, massaging her shoulders and neck softly. Soon, he leaned towards her neck, brushing his lips against it before parting his lips.
Luckily, Shadi and Yami managed to notice this as they grabbed Ryou by the shoulder, pushing him away from Tea. "Don't even think about it Ryou." They both said.
"You know Hotaru, maybe after one day when we get married, we can finally escape the untold horrors of Salem."
Yugi sat next to the fireplace. Hotaru was lying on his lap, gazing into the fire.
"It may seem a while," Yugi messed up Hotaru's hair playfully. "But I know it will happen." Suddenly, they both could hear horses and men from outside of the cave.
"My father…" Hotaru's eyes widened. "They found us."
Yugi stood up, helping her up as well, pulling her close, whispering in her ear. "I love you. Just remember that."
"You wouldn't leave me would you?"
Yugi closed his eyes, resting his head on her as he had done so earlier. "I couldn't bear to leave you." He kissed her head before tilting her head slightly upwards, pressing his lips onto hers.
"Aw, look at that reverend Kaiba. Two love birds in the air." Hotaru and Yugi were quite startled as they looked up seeing Kaiba, Joey, and Tristan.
"Hotaru," Kaiba's eyes flashed with anger. "How could you with this twit."
"Kaiba…" was all Hotaru could say.
"Yugi," Joey started to bind his wrists with rope. "You're under arrest for the crime of witchcraft." Tristan and Joey started to drag Yugi away.
"Yugi!" Hotaru tried to go after them but Kaiba grabbed.
"Hotaru, forget about that puny twit."
"Kaiba, he's no witch!" she struggled to break free from his grasp. "Yugi! Yugi!"
"Hotaru!" Yugi too was struggling to break free from the ropes that held him.
Kaiba had slung his sister over his shoulder, carrying her out of the cave.
"Put me down Kaiba!" Hotaru cried, pounding her tiny fists on his back.
"I do this to protect you Hotaru." They both went inside the carriage and rode off into the night.
~*To Be Continued*~