Iali: Welcome back!
Yami Bakura: -appears out of nowhere- You're out of soda Iali! Go get some more!
Iali:-narrows eyes- You can't boss me around!
Yami Bakura: Wan' a bet?
Iali:-evil smile- Bring it on! –Kicks Yami Bakura's ass- Told you!
Yami Bakura: I hate you.
Iali: -gasp- Just for that. You have to read the disclaimer!
Yami Bakura: -groan- Do I have to? Can't my hikari or Kaiba do it?
Iali: -looks thoughtful then drags Seto out from shower- Read the disclaimer! It's your fanfic.
Seto: -looks pissed- Iali does not own YU-GI-OH in any way, but they're a few of her original characters that she owns. Can I go now?
Iali: -pats Seto on head- Good Seto! You get a cookie for that! –Gives cookie-
Yami Bakura: Hey! I want a cookie!
Iali: -smirks- That was the only one I had.
Yami Bakura: -glares while ring starts to glow-
Iali: Oh shit! I better start this fanfic before I'm killed! Please enjoy and please R&R!
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Ok, the last chapter ended with Iris starting her journey to the capital. I'm going to skip the ten day journey across the desert and skip to the day when they arrive just before they get there.
You gazed at the sky in thought, going through worst case scenario #567. You had a lot of time to think during the ride and had successfully come up with everything that could go wrong when you reached your destination. They ranged from the logical to the insane.
Ok, we reach the palace just fine, no mutant kitties or plague. I walk up the steps to the throne room without tripping or being attacked by a gigantic bee. I get to the audience chamber without knocking over the vase or having to choose between the fate of the world and my hair. I go to bow to the Pharaoh, and I trip and land on my face you thought with a smirk at yourself. You were actually thinking normally, was that a bad sign or a good sign? You shrugged, ignoring the butterflies in your stomach.
"Are we there yet Kira?" you asked the servant walking besides you. Kira gazed up at you, seeing as you were ridding a camel and she was walking.
"Almost" she panted out. You flinched with compassion and stopped your mount.
"Ride with me Kira" you say, holding out your hand to her. She looked like she was going to argue, but then she obviously remembered how stubborn you could be when it came to things like this. She sighed and clasped your hand.
"Alright, but only until we reach the city" you smirked victoriously and leaned down to help her up. Suddenly you leant out to far and when she tugged, you fell out of the saddle. "Iris! Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine" you say, face in the sand. You sat up and started to brush the sand from your face with the help of Kira.
"Did you do that on purpose?" Kira questioned, her graceful hands cleaning your eyelashes.
"Ugh, no, I'm not that found of sand as to go around eating it" you say jokingly as you spit out sand. When you were clean as you were going to get, you mounted once again, Kira right behind you. The rest of the day was uneventful till you reached the city.
When you reached the outskirts of the city, Kira dismounted and took her place at the side of your beast. You sighed wishing she didn't have to walk, she was the only friend you would probably have here. You kept quiet, knowing she would refuse to ride in open view and therefore have her masters judged.
As you rode through the city, you couldn't help but wish you had more eyes to see everything with. You kept looking franticly from each side of the road, trying to take everything in at once. It was just so big! You nearly fell out of your saddle again from how much you were squirming.
"Enjoying yourself daughter?" You smiled happily at your father.
"Very much father" you say, the excitement clear in your voice. You slowly realized your father was leading you away from the caravan and towards a travelers' haven.
I guess I'm not going' to meet the Pharaoh after all you thought as you discarded all the things you were going to say to him. Your father rented a room for you and settled you in it.
"I'm going to go have my audience with the Pharaoh and then I'll be back and we can go to the festival. Pray for luck while I'm gone."
"Alright father, may your audience go well."
--At the palace--
The Pharaoh Yami lounged in his throne, watching his guest arrive. The whole room was made of gold and it only made the Pharaoh seem stronger and wealthier. His clothes were of the finest quality, as much of the things he owned were. He looked wise for the youth he was, and strong and full of pride. He wore only his crown, puzzle, arm pieces, and chest plate. His kilt was a plain white, his taste simple and clean. His sharp eyes gave away nothing and spoke of a mind always at work. He instantly took in the old merchant, Daragon, with these sharp violet eyes. The merchant bowed respectfully to him and his advisors along with the high Priests.
"The merchant Daragon," Yami said as he inclined his head with a regal air.
"My Pharaoh" the man answered in respectful tones as he bowed low.
"Please, take a seat" the Pharaoh said as he waved to one of his servants who promptly brought pillows for him to sit on. They were softer than anything the man had ever sat on and he felt a little more at ease. "I'm glad to see you have made it here safely. But has something happened to your beautiful daughter, Iris I believe, for I don't see her."
"She was ill, my Pharaoh, when we arrived. I left her at a travelers' haven to rest." The Pharaoh frowned.
"Then she should be here. My doctors could take a look at her."
"It is alright, my Pharaoh, it is nothing really."
"I insist" the Pharaoh said as he motioned over a priest. "Seto, would you go with this man to fetch his daughter?"
"Of course my Pharaoh" the priest named Seto answered.
"Thank you. Daragon, we will continue discussing trading plans when you get back." The merchant nodded, not letting a single sign of worry escape him.
"Of course my Pharaoh."
--With you--
You lay on the ground, bored out of your mind. You had nothing at all to do.
I wonder if father would be upset if I went to the festival now you thought as you slowly stood up. Your hair was still bound by a scarf and you reached for your cloak. Just to be sure, you glanced outside your window. You could actually see your father! You smiled happily but it was cut short when you saw that he walked with a priest and guards.
Have they come for me? You wondered as you pulled on your cloak. You shrugged it off and quickly decided to run for it. You were out the backdoor when your father spotted you and let out a starteled cry for you. You quickly took off and heard the yells of the guards behind you. You ran with everything you had.
You had lost the guards a little while ago, but you were still afraid to stop. Your lungs felt like they were on fire. You took a corner sharply when you collided with a wall. As you fell, a pair of arms shot out from the wall and wrapped around you. You then realized that the 'wall' wasn't really a wall, but a man. You realized with horror that he was a priest, and the very same priest you had seen with your father. Both you and the priest, unknowingly, looked like this at the same moment - -; surprised at how easily you had been caught.
I ran in a circle you thought with a miserable groan. You had yet to realize that a lock of your hair had fallen out of your scarf.
"Are you Iris, daughter of Daragon?" the priest asked.
"I am" you answered coolly and the priest smirked. He lent closer till he was talking in your ear, causing you to shiver slightly and involuntarily.
"Funny, I thought only slaves didn't shave their hair." You could feel the priest smirk and tug at your lose strand of hair as your body went numb and you fainted.
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Iali: It's not really funny yet, but I promise it will be!
Kaiba: I thought this story was about me.
Iali: It is!
Kaiba: Then why have I only showed up twice?
Iali: - -; I'm new at this you know!
Kaiba: No excuses! –Grabs millennium rod- You better work harder, or else.
Iali: Hey! That's no fair! –Yanks millennium rod from Kaiba's hands- Now it's even!
Kaiba: Umm, -tries to flee-
Iali: -kicks his ass- Why do they always run? Please R&R! Thank you!