Of Love and War: Imprisonment
Author's note: Back again ^_^ I hope all of you are liking this so far. I guess now I have to push the plot along a little. *shoos plot bunny* Well, on with the show ^_^
Warning: Yaoi, Au, possible OOCness, etc.
Disclaimer: *glare* I only wish
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Another day… another few hours of standing in the darkened corner and watching the council and the prince battle. Otogi sighed, blowing a piece of his wild black hair out of his face. Things were getting worse. Worse as in the prince had just stalked out of the council room in a huff yet again. The council was whispering again, whispering and conversing on what to do with their stubborn ruler.
Otogi's pointed ears perked up. Confinement? Had he heard them right? But he must have. As impossible as it seemed…. The council was planning to confine the prince, strip him of his rank and announce a new leader. Without a doubt it would be Arthis, though they may decide to set up some younger, more easily manipulated unfortunate on the throne.
To make matters even worse, the king had died the night before. Now there was nothing standing between the council and the throne, nothing but the blood born prince himself. It was a simple notion for them, a simple yet effective plan. Confine the prince and tell the people that his human lover had killed him. Simple, and effective. It would drive the elven people to an even greater hatred for the humans they shared the world with. He had to warn Yami… somehow.
Otogi shifted when he heard a movement at the door. His eyes narrowed. A pair of bright blue eyes were peaking through, blue eyes he recognized instantly. There was nothing he could do when his own guards dragged Anzu into the council chamber, nothing he could do as Arthis smirked at the elven girl.
"Lock her away. We can't have her telling the prince of her plans," the council head ordered. Yet again, nothing he could do, even as the guard glanced toward him for permission. There was nothing he could do, nothing. Not if he wanted the chance to warn Yami before it was too late…
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"What!" Yami was livid, his eyes blazing with fury. Otogi stood calmly before him, watching the prince's every move.
"I wasn't able to stop them from locking Anzu up," he answered. "You have to get your lover out of he-" There was a sound in the corridor. Otogi snapped his head around, glancing warily out the open door. Sure enough, he could see the shadows of the guards approaching. "Listen prince, there isn't any time. If you fail to get out now I will do what I can to help," he told Yami, before slipping away.
Yami glared at the door. There was no time and they both knew it. He pushed Yugi behind him, shielding the boy with his own body. No matter what, whether or not they were to be confined within his own palace, he would not allow the boy to be harmed.
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Isis's clear blue eyes scanned the darkened hallway before her. It had been a restless night, one she could not seem to sleep through. It almost felt as if… as if someone were calling her.
Quietly, she made her way towards Seto Kaiba's personal chamber. If it were possible she wanted to ask him to look into something for her. She knocked at the door; sending him a telepathic 'push' with her mind both to let him know who it was and that it was urgent. The tall brunette opened the door, his eyes all but hiding his fatigue. Isis smiled; she had obviously caught him sleeping.
"Yes?" he asked her, his voice cold as ever. Isis gazed up into his equally blue eyes, expression determined.
"I need you to look into something when you have the chance," she told him. The mage tilted his head in a silent question. "I need you to scry out Prince Yami and young Yugi when you have the time. I have a feeling…" she answered. Seto nodded.
"I will, but in the morning," he told her. Isis nodded with a mysterious smile.
"Thank you," she said, and turned to leave as Seto shut his door. The Tower's High Mage sighed as she wandered back down the halls. The feeling in her soul was not leaving, only growing more restless. Something was wrong, and she could feel it.
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Isis wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping that night due to unsettled nerves. Ryou lay facing the celing above him, staring up into the darkness. He too was unable to sleep. Beside him, Bakura was snoring softly, the wind from his breath blowing his silver bangs too and fro and his arm wrapped protectively around Ryou's slim waist.
The young healer shivered, cuddling closer to the half-blood and the sense of warmth and comfort he provided. Something wasn't right. Some one close to him, that he had a strong connection too was hurting. It was some one very close, close enough to filter through the shield Bakura had wrapped around his empathic gift to protect him from most of his overwhelming power.
It wasn't Bakura. Ryou had seen and felt enough of the half-blood's violent nightmares to know the difference. If the dreams were any example, Bakura had not had a pleasant childhood. In fact it had been a very violent one. Ryou knew he had grown up on the streets as a thief and pickpocket, and that his parents had died early, too early for him to remember them well, but what else he knew of his bond-mages past was told to him through dreams and emotion.
Ryou shivered again, snuggling even further into Bakura's embrace. The feeling refused to leave. It was still there, still wrapping around him like a suffocating blanket. Beside him he felt Bakura stir and shift in his sleep. The thief was a light sleeper; Ryou was actually surprised he hadn't woken earlier. A single russet eye blinked open, glancing up at him still glazed from sleep. Ryou smiled and placed a light kiss on Bakura's forehead.
"What is it angel?" the thief asked him. Ryou smiled sadly, snuggling into his chest as Bakura's arm wrapped tighter around him. Bakura frowned when he didn't answer. "Ryou?" he asked again.
"It's nothing, just a feeling," Ryou replied, his eyes drifting closed. In reality the feeling was slightly more than nothing and Bakura knew it. If it kept Ryou awake this long, something had to be off.
"Ryou, I know it's not nothing," he told him, a warning tone in his voice. Ryou sighed.
"I just have the feeling… that something bad has happened, to someone close to me. I could be wrong, it's only an emotional feeling, but…" Bakura kissed the healer's eyelids, silently urging him to sleep.
"We'll figure this out in the morning angel. For now, sleep, or I'll call in Ishtal to make you," he threatened. Ryou smiled at him, peeking his eyes open..
"I'm glad one of us is brave enough to go near them at night," he answered playfully. Bakura chuckled.
"Just sleep angel," he told him, and sent a wave of calm through their link. Ryou sighed and relaxed in Bakura's arms, closing his eyes again. Bakura himself watched until the healer had fallen asleep, before returning to his own restless slumber.
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"You've got to be kidding me!" Joey exclaimed, eyes wide. He, Seto, Bakura, Ryou, Ishtal and Malik were in Isis' conference room that morning, all bearing beyond shocked expressions on their faces. Even Seto looked shocked.
"But, Yugi was…" Ryou's eyes were wide with both fear and anguish. They had just gotten the news that morning; the elven prince had been killed in his sleep by his human lover. Ryou couldn't believe it. Yami? Dead? It was too much. He buried his face in Bakura's chest. The thief wrapped his arms around the elf, eyes gazing steadily forward as he digested the sudden information. Isis sighed and shook her head, glancing at the report.
"I agree with both Ryou and Joey. This seems too far-fetched. Yugi was very young, and very innocent. I do not believe killed the prince," she told them. Ryou looked up, blinking tears out of his eyes.
"Then who…"
"I do not believe the prince is even dead," Isis told them. "Seto?" she asked. The half-blood mage nodded. He turned, stalking out of the room. Bakura's eyes followed him, watching the agitation in his step.
"What is he doing?" he asked Isis. Isis glanced after Seto, then turned back to the rest of the group.
"Seto agreed to scry out Yami and Yugi to see what has happened," she explained. "Last night, I think I may have sensed something as to what happened to them." Ryou's head jerked up.
"I may have felt something as well," he told the High Mage. "I felt… fear, anger… hurt… someone was hurt. With Bakura as my bond mage I can only feel the strong emotions of those close to me from any kind of distance but…" Isis nodded and glanced at her brother.
"Malik?" she asked. The younger blond nodded.
"I felt something… I think. Not an emotion, but… more of a feeling of unease," he told her. "It refused to go away." Ishtal nodded in confirmation.
"He was up almost all night until I put him under a sleeping spell," he explained. Bakura smirked.
"I was tempted to come get you to put Ryou to sleep," he chuckled. Ishtal only smirked in response.
"So, if Yugi didn't do this, and Yami's still alive… then why is the elfin council giving out false information?" Joey asked, pondering. At that same moment Seto burst back through the door in a huff, eyes blazing with rage. His breath was ragged as if he had run a long distance very fast.
"What is it?" Isis asked him. "What did you see?" Seto growled.
"I couldn't get through," he answered. Someone, or something was blocking me. But they're alive; I can tell you that. I wouldn't have even found a barrier if they weren't. Someone doesn't want them found," he answered, slumping into one of the soft chairs in the conference room.
"Are they alright?" Ryou asked. Seto shrugged.
"I couldn't tell more than that they're alive," he answered shortly.
"But why would the council give out that kind of information?" Joey asked, repeating his earlier question. Ishtal shrugged.
"To turn the elven people against humans? To gain control? Who knows. The council must have been livid when Yami returned with a human lover," he answered nonchalantly. Malik placed a hand on the older blonde's arm.
"The elven council inparticular has always been against the prince's attempts at communication between the races," he murmured. Isis nodded at that.
"That is true. As of now there is not much we can do to help the prince. When we get more information we will reconvene," she told them. The others nodded at that. "Dismissed." The small group filed out of the conference room, leaving only Ryou standing before a very tired looking Isis. Bakura leaned against the doorframe, watching his healer intently.
"Is there really nothing we can do?" Ryou asked. Isis nodded weakly, barely hiding her fatigue as she gazed at the young elf.
"For now we don't have enough information to do anything," she answered. Ryou smiled sadly and walked up to her, placing a hand on her forehead.
"You didn't sleep last night did you," he murmured. Isis smiled tiredly and nodded.
"I think my mental senses are a little more active then yours or my brothers," she answered. Ryou nodded, golden light glowing from his fingertips.
"You should sleep for now Isis. I'll tell Ishtal and Seto that you're taking a rest," he murmured, the glow increasing slightly.
"But…"
"Sleep Isis. Your mind is worn down from last night. We can't afford to have our High Mage falter on us," he answered. Isis nodded, letting Ryou's sleep spell overtake her as she slumped back against her chair. Bakura stepped up beside the healer and lifted Isis into his arms, laying her on a small cot near the back of the conference room that the High Mage often used when she could. The thief smirked at Ryou, wrapping an arm around the boy's waist.
"Don't worry love. Yami will make it. He's too damn stubborn not to," he murmured, kissing the top of his head. Ryou smiled, leaning into the thief.
"Thanks." Bakura smirked and waved a small piece of paper in front of the boys face.
"Besides… I think we might even see them, sometime soon…"
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Otogi crept down the darkened hallway, dressed in dark clothing to help hide his presence. His emerald eyes carefully inspected every corner of the hallway, making sure he wasn't seen. He approached a small ebony door at the end, tapping it twice before turning the knob and slipping inside.
"Who's there?" a voice from inside demanded. Emerald fire flared in Otogi's hand, revealing his face to those trapped in the darkness. From his dim corner, Yami's crimson light glittered in response, before dying in an instant. The prince was weak, courtesy of the specially made room that he and Yugi had been trapped within.
The room was constantly dark, with no light to give any impression of how small or large the room was. It was empty, with nothing to mark one side or another, no cot, no desk, a blank floor without even a discerning crack. It was unnerving really, a place without time, without space and without light. The walls themselves seemed to absorb any magic within them, slowly draining the prisoners of their powers.
Yugi had fallen into unconsciousness almost two days after their imprisonment, his body unable to handle the strain of loosing his small shielding power. Now Yami cradled him day and night… well… what he thought was day and night. There was no way to tell the time in the dim room. He just held Yugi close, praying that they would be freed before all hope failed.
"Has their been any news?" Yami asked the green-eyed elf.
"Little," Otogi replied, knowing that Yami couldn't see his reaction. "The council has told the kingdom that you are dead at the hands of your lover." Yami growled in response to that.
"And?" he asked.
"There is no plan to release you. They can't, now that the world thinks you're dead. Anzu has been arrested for allegedly assisting Yugi, though we both know that is preposterous. She is not to be executed since she's a noble, but she will be confined for life." Otogi fell silent then, waiting for some kind of response from the supposedly dead prince. There was a soft sigh, and the sound of someone shifting on stone.
"If we're trapped here much longer, the council may have its wish. We're not going to survive, or at least stay sane for much longer," Yami murmured.
"I may have a plan," Otogi told him shortly. Yami perked up at the comment.
"A plan?" he asked.
"Yes," Otogi replied. "Its risky. I'd have to go with you. If we're caught both Yugi and myself will probably be privately executed. You might live but…"
"Go on," Yami urged. Otogi took a deep breath before continuing.
"There is a new moon within the next two days. It will be completely dark then. I may be able to smuggle you two out then. It will be dangerous, you can't make a noise or we may be noticed. If we can get to the outskirts of the palace garden, and if *he* answers me positively, then I think we'll be safe," he explained. Yami nodded in the darkness.
"Thank you Otogi," he murmured. Otogi smiled.
"Until the new moon then…"
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Author's note: Well, there's chapter 3 ^_^
Yami and Yugi: We're getting out! Woo hoo!!
*smirks* I wouldn't make it that easy, now would I?
Yami: *glares* Evil…
*big smile* Yep ^_^ Well, not much Seto/Joey action there… but I'm working on it… I couldn't resist a little Bakura/Ryou ^_~ See ya next chapter, and don't forget to review ^_^