Bound
Chapter Seven
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I just want to mention that if you haven't already, please read my author's note which is at, I think, the beginning of chapter three. It is important and judging by a few reviews, I don't think everyone has read it. Also, I will not use Egyptian names because, let's face it, that would be confusing for an extreme amount of people.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lady Shizuka was not surprised. Her dear brother and the Lady Mai had just arrived at the Great Hall and announced their engagement. Everyone -- except Mai herself by some amazement -- had known of Jounouchi's feelings; however, Lady Mai's feelings had been on the line. Nobody had really known. Except me, Shizuka thought smugly.
"I do say that's wonderful!" Otogi congratulated the happy couple which had proclaimed their joining to take place in around six months.
Mai subtlely motioned to the glorious, golden rings dangling from her earlobes. Each had a tiny ruby embedded into the center of the circle. Shizuka grinned and reached out to touch them. She examined them closely.
"Aye, brother, I've taught you well in the art of spoiling a lady!" she exclaimed with a teasing nudge.
"Where's Yuugi? I wanted him to be here when we told you all," Jounouchi asked of no one in particular, his eyes scanning the room briefly. Each person shrugged.
"I'm not sure. I have not since him since yestereve," his sister replied offhandedly before returning to examining Mai's earrings.
"Well, that won't do at all! I'm going find him." He kissed Mai quickly, earning a surprised yelp from her, before stalking off to find his best friend.
~*~*~
"Seto, have you seen my brother? He has been gone since this morning," Isis asked, approaching the High Priest from behind. She was about to question him again when finally, he answered her a few minutes later.
"No," came the short and somewhat irritated reply.
Isis shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to react to his coldness. "Okay then, thank you." She bowed slightly, though he couldn't see it, and walked out of the sacrifice-preparation room.
She jumped when she felt his hand close around her arm a few moments later. She turned slightly with an inquisitive gaze fastened on him.
"Isis," he began slowly as if he was uncertain, "I would tell you about something I witnessed the other day concerning your brother."
She gasped, alarmed. "Is he alright?"
"Yes, yes, he's fine," Seto replied impatiently. "He was meeting... quite intimately, in fact... with that slave who had the sennen ring."
"Intimately...?" she questioned hesitantly. He nodded firmly.
"If I were you, I would watch him carefully around that thief," Seto said with much distaste. Isis's features hardened.
"Well, you are not me and I do not distrust my brother." She looked at him scornfully and turned to walk away.
He grabbed her again and pulled her to him. "I'm not finished yet!" he told her angrily. She raised a palm and moved it harshly across his face. Seto's hand automatically rose to his face to rest on the spot where she had slapped him in her rage.
"Do not think you may order me around either," she all but spat. He said nothing, his surprise holding him quiet, as she stormed away.
~*~*~
A hand snaked out to wind its way around Bakura's mouth. Bakura started and his sense of instincts kicked in. He swiftly flipped the offender on his back and buried his foot in his chest. Bakura's eyes widened and he stepped away while Malik made a soft choking noise. Bakura made a sympathetic look and reached down to help Malik to his feet.
"Are you always," he coughed, "this hostile?"
Bakura chuckled and mumbled an apology. As he waited for Malik to regain his composure, he realized with a start that he was staring with glazed eyes as Malik's glorious blond hair waved in the cool, night wind. He whipped his head around to the side to try to hide the blush he knew must be there. Apparently, Malik didn't notice it.
"Well, you have my word that I'll never again try to surprise you," Malik muttered. "But enough of that. Follow me."
Bakura did as told and followed Malik into the temple that was familiar to them both. He spared the beautiful sennen items a glance, but Malik did not stop at them. He walked further into the temple.
Bakura was about to ask how much longer it would take -- they had been walking for quite some time -- when finally Malik stopped abruptly at two enormous doors.
"Wow, what have they in there? Giants?" Bakura asked sarcastically. Malik smirked.
"You are half right."
Bakura's curiosity was peaked. He said not a word as they entered the small chamber behind the doors. His curiosity was disappointed when he didn't see anything peculiar about the room.
"I see nothing special," he pointed out. Malik walked up to a stone table which had three stone tablets, each about the size of a human hand, resting on it. Bakura noted with slight surprise that they were Shadow Game monster tablets. These were the smallest Shadow Game tablets he had ever seen though; the others were human-sized.
"These are God monsters," Malik supplied, coming up behind him. "You asked me how I planned on getting the Pharaoh's power; this it it. The three Egyptian God monsters are the most powerful Shadow Game monsters in existance. Our priests even had to confine them to smaller tablets in order to control their monstrous powers.
"They are Slifer of Good and Evil, Obelisk of Light and Darkness, and Ra of Earth and Sky. If one was to possess all three, he would be unstoppable. The Pharaoh knew their powers were too great, so they are not even allowed to be summoned into Shadow Games unlike the other Shadow Game monsters," Malik finished with finality. Bakura reached a hand out to touch Ra's stone tablet, but Malik drew his hand back quickly.
"Don't touch them, for I do not wish you to die," he told Bakura, then thought to himself, At least not until I have all of the sennen items, too, including your sennen ring.
~*~*~
"So you don't actually remember your parents that well?" Yuugi asked.
Anzu shook her head. "No, I was young when they died. What I remember of my mother was sadness though. Sometimes when she'd look at me, she'd just start crying. I never understood why and I tried hard to please her."
Yuugi looked sympathetic at the least. His father had been harsh, but his parents had both loved him deeply. "She was full-blooded Egyptian?"
Anzu nodded. "Yes, I remember her as very beautiful. She had long, black hair, but she had blue eyes like me. I don't remember much about my father though. He wasn't around that often."
"I'm sorry," he offered lamely, feeling that he wasn't helping much. She raised a delicate eyebrow at him skeptically.
"Are you even allowed to apologize to anyone?" she asked. He seemed to really contemplate this question before shrugging.
"I don't know. That was the first time I ever did."
"I'm honored," she replied, but Yuugi could hear the sarcasm in her voice. He decided not to question it. He had gone through three stages dealing with her and her attitude. First was outrage, second was denial, and he was now at stage three which was flat-out not caring. He didn't understand it one bit and he didn't try to.
He could tolerate two people in Egypt not being afraid of him. But he had to admit, not even Jounouchi was as outspoken as this slave girl. He was horrified and disgusted to admit it to himself, but he was infatuated with her. To her, they were equals. He found himself with a preference of spending time with her rather than with his court of non-slaves.
"And after your parents passed away, you went to live with your cousin?" he questioned her.
"Yes, my aunt and uncle kindly took me in though they struggled to survive themselves," she paused with tears gathering in her eyes, "I shall never repay them for their kindness with their untimely deaths. And now look at me; I'm sitting with the most powerful man in Egypt and my dear cousin is laboring in the fields -- that is, if he's even still alive." At this, she broke down in tears. Yuugi cringed.
"Oh, Ra..." he muttered. He had no idea what to do for a crying woman. Just a few minutes before, she had been ranting and raving, just generally disrespecting him and now she was hysterical with tears. What would he do? He awkwardly patted her on the back and was startled when she turned to him and threw herself into his chest. He could feel his bare chest quickly becoming moist with her tears, but to his astonishment, he didn't mind.
He listened silently as she began babbling, more to herself than to him. "Everyone's dead except for my cousin. I make one friend in this horrible place and she tells me that she probably won't be a concubine anymore because she's getting older. I'll have no one! No one!" Her crying got louder and he restrained the urge to yell at her to shut up. He had been at stage three, but he was now returning to stage two. He couldn't believe all that he had allowed this girl to do. She was crying on him! Her tears could dirty him!
After a few minutes, she quieted and apologized. He laughed.
"It won't hurt your pride to apologize?" he asked, mocking her earlier question. Anzu glared at him.
"I was brought up with manners, I'll have you know!" she snapped.
"I've decided," he began with regality, "that you will live here as my in-house servant beginning immediately. My other in-house servant died recently."
He pretended to ignore her blatant look of horror. She was rendered speechless and though he wouldn't admit it, it bruised his ego severely. His other in-house servants had been ecstatic and joyous. Anzu looked as if she'd rather be out whoring.
"No! Why me?!" she exclaimed tearfully when her voice finally returned to her. Yuugi about fell over.
"Why you...? Listen, girl, there's slaves who would kill for the opportunity I'm giving you. Go get whatever rags you may own and get back here," he ordered her, losing any patience he had left.
She crossed her arms defiantly. "You don't allow your slaves to have any possessions. Remember?" she pointed out as haughtily as possible. He paused, then nodded.
"Fine! Get in that room! It will be yours. You may sleep tonight, but starting tomorrow, you'll begin your duties," he said angrily, pointing to a door on the left.
She drew herself up pridefully, tilted her chin up an extra bit, and stalked off to her room.
~*~*~
Anzu tossed and turned in her sleep. A person watching her would know right off that she was indeed having a nightmare. She moaned fitfully as she dreamt.
---
"Mother!" a little girl cried out painfully. "Why you take me 'way?" She tugged at her mother's arm as she wailed loudly.
The mother spared her bright daughter a brief glance before continuing her swift run, weaving out from behind boulders only when it was safe. When no one was around. She picked her two-year-old daughter up to carry her as she ran. The mother faught back her own tears in order not to frighten her daughter. She couldn't stay there anymore. She didn't know how safe they'd be in a village, but maybe the horror wouldn't follow them there. They had to take a chance.
Little Anzu looked over her running mother's shoulder and her tiny, blue eyes widened when her gaze landed on a monstrous, blue form beyond. She squinched her eyes shut tightly and clung to her mother tightly.
"That bastard... leaving us..." her mother muttered angrily. Anzu stared at her curiously, but didn't have the courage in her little heart to ask who her mother was talking about.
---
Anzu shot awake in bed with a start. She hastily wiped the thin layer of perspiration from her face. Taking a deep breath to calm her quick heartbeat, she laid back down and attempted to fall asleep, hoping against hope that the dream which had haunted her since childhood would not come again any time soon.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
NEXT CHAPTER: Anzu has another dream and tries to get situated in her new 'duties' with Yuugi, whatever they might be. Yuugi presents Anzu with a surprise. Seto tries to get back on Isis's good side.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next chapter might not be very long, but I'll do my best. I hope you all like it so far; please review and let me know! Thanks for reading. ^^
Chapter Seven
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I just want to mention that if you haven't already, please read my author's note which is at, I think, the beginning of chapter three. It is important and judging by a few reviews, I don't think everyone has read it. Also, I will not use Egyptian names because, let's face it, that would be confusing for an extreme amount of people.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lady Shizuka was not surprised. Her dear brother and the Lady Mai had just arrived at the Great Hall and announced their engagement. Everyone -- except Mai herself by some amazement -- had known of Jounouchi's feelings; however, Lady Mai's feelings had been on the line. Nobody had really known. Except me, Shizuka thought smugly.
"I do say that's wonderful!" Otogi congratulated the happy couple which had proclaimed their joining to take place in around six months.
Mai subtlely motioned to the glorious, golden rings dangling from her earlobes. Each had a tiny ruby embedded into the center of the circle. Shizuka grinned and reached out to touch them. She examined them closely.
"Aye, brother, I've taught you well in the art of spoiling a lady!" she exclaimed with a teasing nudge.
"Where's Yuugi? I wanted him to be here when we told you all," Jounouchi asked of no one in particular, his eyes scanning the room briefly. Each person shrugged.
"I'm not sure. I have not since him since yestereve," his sister replied offhandedly before returning to examining Mai's earrings.
"Well, that won't do at all! I'm going find him." He kissed Mai quickly, earning a surprised yelp from her, before stalking off to find his best friend.
~*~*~
"Seto, have you seen my brother? He has been gone since this morning," Isis asked, approaching the High Priest from behind. She was about to question him again when finally, he answered her a few minutes later.
"No," came the short and somewhat irritated reply.
Isis shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to react to his coldness. "Okay then, thank you." She bowed slightly, though he couldn't see it, and walked out of the sacrifice-preparation room.
She jumped when she felt his hand close around her arm a few moments later. She turned slightly with an inquisitive gaze fastened on him.
"Isis," he began slowly as if he was uncertain, "I would tell you about something I witnessed the other day concerning your brother."
She gasped, alarmed. "Is he alright?"
"Yes, yes, he's fine," Seto replied impatiently. "He was meeting... quite intimately, in fact... with that slave who had the sennen ring."
"Intimately...?" she questioned hesitantly. He nodded firmly.
"If I were you, I would watch him carefully around that thief," Seto said with much distaste. Isis's features hardened.
"Well, you are not me and I do not distrust my brother." She looked at him scornfully and turned to walk away.
He grabbed her again and pulled her to him. "I'm not finished yet!" he told her angrily. She raised a palm and moved it harshly across his face. Seto's hand automatically rose to his face to rest on the spot where she had slapped him in her rage.
"Do not think you may order me around either," she all but spat. He said nothing, his surprise holding him quiet, as she stormed away.
~*~*~
A hand snaked out to wind its way around Bakura's mouth. Bakura started and his sense of instincts kicked in. He swiftly flipped the offender on his back and buried his foot in his chest. Bakura's eyes widened and he stepped away while Malik made a soft choking noise. Bakura made a sympathetic look and reached down to help Malik to his feet.
"Are you always," he coughed, "this hostile?"
Bakura chuckled and mumbled an apology. As he waited for Malik to regain his composure, he realized with a start that he was staring with glazed eyes as Malik's glorious blond hair waved in the cool, night wind. He whipped his head around to the side to try to hide the blush he knew must be there. Apparently, Malik didn't notice it.
"Well, you have my word that I'll never again try to surprise you," Malik muttered. "But enough of that. Follow me."
Bakura did as told and followed Malik into the temple that was familiar to them both. He spared the beautiful sennen items a glance, but Malik did not stop at them. He walked further into the temple.
Bakura was about to ask how much longer it would take -- they had been walking for quite some time -- when finally Malik stopped abruptly at two enormous doors.
"Wow, what have they in there? Giants?" Bakura asked sarcastically. Malik smirked.
"You are half right."
Bakura's curiosity was peaked. He said not a word as they entered the small chamber behind the doors. His curiosity was disappointed when he didn't see anything peculiar about the room.
"I see nothing special," he pointed out. Malik walked up to a stone table which had three stone tablets, each about the size of a human hand, resting on it. Bakura noted with slight surprise that they were Shadow Game monster tablets. These were the smallest Shadow Game tablets he had ever seen though; the others were human-sized.
"These are God monsters," Malik supplied, coming up behind him. "You asked me how I planned on getting the Pharaoh's power; this it it. The three Egyptian God monsters are the most powerful Shadow Game monsters in existance. Our priests even had to confine them to smaller tablets in order to control their monstrous powers.
"They are Slifer of Good and Evil, Obelisk of Light and Darkness, and Ra of Earth and Sky. If one was to possess all three, he would be unstoppable. The Pharaoh knew their powers were too great, so they are not even allowed to be summoned into Shadow Games unlike the other Shadow Game monsters," Malik finished with finality. Bakura reached a hand out to touch Ra's stone tablet, but Malik drew his hand back quickly.
"Don't touch them, for I do not wish you to die," he told Bakura, then thought to himself, At least not until I have all of the sennen items, too, including your sennen ring.
~*~*~
"So you don't actually remember your parents that well?" Yuugi asked.
Anzu shook her head. "No, I was young when they died. What I remember of my mother was sadness though. Sometimes when she'd look at me, she'd just start crying. I never understood why and I tried hard to please her."
Yuugi looked sympathetic at the least. His father had been harsh, but his parents had both loved him deeply. "She was full-blooded Egyptian?"
Anzu nodded. "Yes, I remember her as very beautiful. She had long, black hair, but she had blue eyes like me. I don't remember much about my father though. He wasn't around that often."
"I'm sorry," he offered lamely, feeling that he wasn't helping much. She raised a delicate eyebrow at him skeptically.
"Are you even allowed to apologize to anyone?" she asked. He seemed to really contemplate this question before shrugging.
"I don't know. That was the first time I ever did."
"I'm honored," she replied, but Yuugi could hear the sarcasm in her voice. He decided not to question it. He had gone through three stages dealing with her and her attitude. First was outrage, second was denial, and he was now at stage three which was flat-out not caring. He didn't understand it one bit and he didn't try to.
He could tolerate two people in Egypt not being afraid of him. But he had to admit, not even Jounouchi was as outspoken as this slave girl. He was horrified and disgusted to admit it to himself, but he was infatuated with her. To her, they were equals. He found himself with a preference of spending time with her rather than with his court of non-slaves.
"And after your parents passed away, you went to live with your cousin?" he questioned her.
"Yes, my aunt and uncle kindly took me in though they struggled to survive themselves," she paused with tears gathering in her eyes, "I shall never repay them for their kindness with their untimely deaths. And now look at me; I'm sitting with the most powerful man in Egypt and my dear cousin is laboring in the fields -- that is, if he's even still alive." At this, she broke down in tears. Yuugi cringed.
"Oh, Ra..." he muttered. He had no idea what to do for a crying woman. Just a few minutes before, she had been ranting and raving, just generally disrespecting him and now she was hysterical with tears. What would he do? He awkwardly patted her on the back and was startled when she turned to him and threw herself into his chest. He could feel his bare chest quickly becoming moist with her tears, but to his astonishment, he didn't mind.
He listened silently as she began babbling, more to herself than to him. "Everyone's dead except for my cousin. I make one friend in this horrible place and she tells me that she probably won't be a concubine anymore because she's getting older. I'll have no one! No one!" Her crying got louder and he restrained the urge to yell at her to shut up. He had been at stage three, but he was now returning to stage two. He couldn't believe all that he had allowed this girl to do. She was crying on him! Her tears could dirty him!
After a few minutes, she quieted and apologized. He laughed.
"It won't hurt your pride to apologize?" he asked, mocking her earlier question. Anzu glared at him.
"I was brought up with manners, I'll have you know!" she snapped.
"I've decided," he began with regality, "that you will live here as my in-house servant beginning immediately. My other in-house servant died recently."
He pretended to ignore her blatant look of horror. She was rendered speechless and though he wouldn't admit it, it bruised his ego severely. His other in-house servants had been ecstatic and joyous. Anzu looked as if she'd rather be out whoring.
"No! Why me?!" she exclaimed tearfully when her voice finally returned to her. Yuugi about fell over.
"Why you...? Listen, girl, there's slaves who would kill for the opportunity I'm giving you. Go get whatever rags you may own and get back here," he ordered her, losing any patience he had left.
She crossed her arms defiantly. "You don't allow your slaves to have any possessions. Remember?" she pointed out as haughtily as possible. He paused, then nodded.
"Fine! Get in that room! It will be yours. You may sleep tonight, but starting tomorrow, you'll begin your duties," he said angrily, pointing to a door on the left.
She drew herself up pridefully, tilted her chin up an extra bit, and stalked off to her room.
~*~*~
Anzu tossed and turned in her sleep. A person watching her would know right off that she was indeed having a nightmare. She moaned fitfully as she dreamt.
---
"Mother!" a little girl cried out painfully. "Why you take me 'way?" She tugged at her mother's arm as she wailed loudly.
The mother spared her bright daughter a brief glance before continuing her swift run, weaving out from behind boulders only when it was safe. When no one was around. She picked her two-year-old daughter up to carry her as she ran. The mother faught back her own tears in order not to frighten her daughter. She couldn't stay there anymore. She didn't know how safe they'd be in a village, but maybe the horror wouldn't follow them there. They had to take a chance.
Little Anzu looked over her running mother's shoulder and her tiny, blue eyes widened when her gaze landed on a monstrous, blue form beyond. She squinched her eyes shut tightly and clung to her mother tightly.
"That bastard... leaving us..." her mother muttered angrily. Anzu stared at her curiously, but didn't have the courage in her little heart to ask who her mother was talking about.
---
Anzu shot awake in bed with a start. She hastily wiped the thin layer of perspiration from her face. Taking a deep breath to calm her quick heartbeat, she laid back down and attempted to fall asleep, hoping against hope that the dream which had haunted her since childhood would not come again any time soon.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
NEXT CHAPTER: Anzu has another dream and tries to get situated in her new 'duties' with Yuugi, whatever they might be. Yuugi presents Anzu with a surprise. Seto tries to get back on Isis's good side.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next chapter might not be very long, but I'll do my best. I hope you all like it so far; please review and let me know! Thanks for reading. ^^