Ack! I am sooo sorry…but alas…what can you do? Enjoy.
Bloodshed
Two beautiful violet orbs flickered open when the sun shone brightly into the lavish room. There was a brief moment of unawareness before Malik recalled what had happened the night before. Oh how amazing it was. The aftereffects were still rippling throughout his body. However, when he opened his eyes, he realized that he was no longer holding the precious little jewel that became his own last night. He quickly turned over in the bed, and he found that white haired jewel sitting up in the bed.
Malik watched silently as Ryou reached his hands over his head and stretched out his last ounce of sleepiness. O what a magnificent sight it was. To see the young boy's limber body stretch, and the lithe muscles flex under the pale flawless skin.
He reached out a hand, and gently ran his fingers across the silky plane, causing Ryou to peer over his shoulder. The smaller boy gave the Pharaoh a pleasant smile, as he turned around completely and flopped down on the bed, resting his face inches from the Pharaoh.
"Morning." Ryou smiled.
How wonderful it was for Malik to wake up to this in the morning, it made him want to live through the rest of the day. He didn't need to reply, he simply brushed a piece of the boy's pure white locks away from his deep brown eyes and moved in for a gentle kiss.
Pulling away, Malik noticed what seemed to be a look of slight concern on his Ryou's face, and felt prompted to say something.
"What's wrong?"
Ryou glanced away. He had yet to tell Malik what he had come to tell him...but, he didn't want to ruin these perfect moments that they were having, and so, he kept it to himself. But it was really starting to bug him. Surely by now Bakura had noticed that he was missing, and it was only a matter of time before the tomb robber showed up at Malik's doorstep, with the look of death in his eyes. No...that wont happen. And Ryou would just have to keep telling himself that everything was going to be ok. That way, he wouldn't have to spoil anything by telling Malik that Bakura was coming back.
After a lengthy silence Ryou looked back up at Malik and smiled before he gave him a short peck on the lips.
"Everything's fine." He said before he hopped off the bed and donned his clothing, which was only his little white kilt, seeing as how his other garments were destroyed on the journey the other night night.
"You confuse me, you know that?" Malik said softly while sitting up on the bed.
Ryou cocked an eyebrow playfully as his brown eyes seemed to gleam.
"How so, my Pharaoh?"
Malik moved to the edge of the bed and sat up, pulling Ryou over to him and situating the boy between his legs.
"Sometimes I could swear on the Holy Staff of Amun that your troubles go higher than the heavens." Malik wrapped his arms around Ryou's small waist and pulled him in until his body was resting up against his own. "But when it comes time to tell them to someone, it's as if they all disappear, and all you can do is smile and worry about someone else." He eyed Ryou with that look that said "now isn't that the truth". "That's why you remind me of...well, me; somewhat."
Ryou tilted his head to the side; he wasn't quite sure what the Pharaoh was trying to say.
"I don't mean all the way...hell; the day I start to worry about someone else...it'll be apocalypse. What I mean...my dear little Ryou...is the fact that, you never tell anybody what you are thinking. And I've learned this the hard way...but that can lead to a man's undoing. I'm living proof."
Ryou opened his mouth to respond, but evidently, that wasn't what Malik was looking for.
"Shh." He placed a finger up to silence him. "You don't need to defend yourself. I know you only do it for other people's good. And for that, I want to thank you. Thank you for the other night...i-in the garden, for not judging me, and for listening...no one has ever given me that much. I've been given rubies and gold, palaces and countless riches. But what you did for me that night can't be replaced."
Ryou stood there in silence. He didn't think what he did meant that much to Malik. And he certainly didn't think that this almighty Pharaoh would ever THANK him for such a small deed. But what Ryou didn't realize, was that Malik was thanking him for so much more than simply listening to what he had to say. No, Malik was thanking him for coming back, for listening, and for giving him a chance; a chance that no one in the world would have ever given him. Not that Malik blamed them. He didn't deserve a chance. He had already blown it a million times. He killed his own brother, he murdered countless civilians, he tortured his palace servants almost every day. It was amazing that someone as pure and innocent as Ryou could look past all of that.
But that's probably the only reason he looked past it all. Because he was naïve and he put too much trust in human character. Ryou always saw the good in everyone, and believed that the good could always conquer over the evil.
Malik sure hoped he was right.
"Phara-um...Malik." Ryou, paused and looked down, biting his bottom lip. If ever there was going to be a time when he told him about Bakura, it had to be now.
"Yes?"
"Um...n-nothing, never mind." This would have been a good time, but he still couldn't do it. Mostly due to the fact that he didn't know how Malik would take it. He shook his head a little and glanced back up at Malik, giving him a weak smile.
"Ok then, if you ever decide you're going to tell me what you have to say, I'll be here." Malik smiled back at him as he hugged him close. 'My Ryou, my precious jewel...I'll always be here.'
Moving Ryou aside, the Pharaoh stood up and put on his royal robes for the day.
"I have work to do today, if you don't mind, you can hang out in here." He said while applying his jewelry. "I'll be back in later to check on you and I'll bring some lunch ok?" He looked over at Ryou, who nodded in response and sat back down on the bed. It was going to be another lonely day for him.
"Oh and Ryou." Malik smiled looking at him
Ryou perked his head up slightly. "Mmm?"
"I don't think you'll fit into my robes, and I can see that what you're wearing isn't much, so I'll have the palace seamstress make you something today...and don't worry. It won't be finished until I approve of it. And I've got some things in mind." He winked at Ryou, who could only grin widely and node in response. After all, it wasn't ever day that you had your clothes made for you by the same people who make the Pharaoh's lavish garments.
With that, Malik turned and exited the room, shutting the door behind him. Ryou was left in a slightly better mood, than he thought he would initially be in. After all, Malik said he would come back, so Ryou wouldn't have to be alone all day.
He lowered back down on the bed and turned around so that he could stare out the huge balcony window that was at the opposite end of the room. The bright sun caused him to squint slightly as he looked at the azure blue sky. There was nothing else he could do to pass the time away, so he simply lay there, trying to make shapes out of the passing clouds.
* * *
The day passed by rather slowly, as did most Egyptian days. Ryou didn't do much, and he was quite bored. Malik didn't come in as often as he would have liked, but he did mange to stay long enough to have lunch with Ryou, which was something that Malik said he didn't get to do too often. Other than that, it was a boring uneventful day, of which Ryou wished could have gone by much faster. After about an hour, making shapes out of clouds had lost it's appeal and so there was nothing left for him to do.
He noticed that Malik had some scrolls on a desk and some more in an old oak bookshelf. It took him a while, but Ryou read through most of them, and he was surprised that most of them were about the priests of Ra, and the God himself. But as he continued to read through them, he noticed that they were quite boring. Some were about something called the Ishtar History, of which Ryou had no clue what that was about, or why Malik would be reading it. Others had a lineage of the Pharaohs and a detailed biography about all of them.
Ryou simply snorted as he let the papyrus scroll roll back up. He threw it back on the desk and flopped back down on the bed. All of that boring reading was starting to give him a headache. Plus, the sun was setting and it was becoming harder to read the documents; not that he wished to continue anyway. 'Poor Malik.' He thought. Malik probably had to read and memorize all of that before he became Pharaoh.
The pale boy was just beginning to doze off when a sound by the balcony caused him to peek one eye open and glance in that direction. He saw nothing. 'Just the wind Ryou.' And that probably would have been it, had the wind been blowing. It was a deadly calm night, no wind whatsoever. So when the sound reached his ears again, Ryou felt prompted to speak out.
"Who's there?" He questioned as he moved cautiously off the bed. Against his better judgment he inched closer to the balcony archway, keeping his eyes focused on the railing.
He heard the vines below the balcony rustling.
"He-hello?" He spoke nervously.
Moments later a hand reached over the railing, pulling the white haired tomb robber up and over the side.
Bakura smirked at the dumbfounded look on his Ryou's face as he leaned against the railing and crossed his arms.
"Bakura! You...how did? What...?" Ryou was unable to speak as he stumbled closer to him. At that moment he prayed to about every god he knew the name of that Bakura wasn't here to kill Malik. Because it was his own damn fault that he didn't warn him earlier that day.
"Why do you look so shocked, little Ryou?" Bakura asked, with an obvious note of anger in his voice. He moved away from the railing, advancing on Ryou, and looking at him with that stare...that angry, yet hurt expression that Ryou feared so much.
"I...well I..." Ryou was at a loss for words. What was he supposed to say? He backed up slowly as Bakura continued to walk closer to him. He moved as far as he could until he felt the bed behind him. Looking around, he knew that Bakura had him cornered. Why did he feel so afraid of him? This was almost the same fear that he had the first night he was with Malik... 'Holy Amun'.
"What? You didn't think I would come for you?" Bakura asked rhetorically. "Come on Ryou, when have I not?" He shook his head, and glanced at the frightened boy.
"Bakura...."
Bakura moved right up to Ryou and placed a hand under his chin. Lifting the boy's face up to his own, Bakura glanced over the expression on his love's face.
"Ryou, you don't have to be scared anymore." Bakura whispered comfortingly as he placed his lips on Ryou's.
Ryou shut his brown eyes, expecting for the kiss to deepen, but was totally caught off guard when a hand whipped across his cheek with brutal force.
"A-ah!" He cried, placing a hand to his cheek as he fell back onto the bed. He glanced up at the tomb robber, tears forming in his eyes. Bakura looked more threatening than he ever remembered seeing him before. His expression was one of remorse, but also one of satisfaction...like he had been waiting to do that for a while.
"Don't you ever run away from me again! You hear?" Bakura loomed over the frightened boy and gripped his arms, shaking him harshly. "Ryou, do you understand?!"
Ryou sobbed lightly as he closed his eyes.
"Answer me Ryou!" Bakura ordered.
"Yes! I promise! I promise..." Ryou turned his head to the side, and tried to wriggle free from Bakura's grip.
"Good." Was all that Bakura said before he let go.
"Bakura I-" Ryou started, but he quickly shut his mouth when Bakura glared at him.
Ryou stayed silent, and he heard footsteps coming closer to the room. The familiar creamy voice filled his ears. Malik was coming back.
"C'mon, let's get out of hear." Bakura ordered, pulling Ryou up from the bed by the arm and starting off towards the balcony.
Ryou was hesitant...he didn't want to leave like this...he couldn't...not without saying good bye.
"N-no." He stammered, not sure if that was a good thing to say.
"Excuse me?" Bakura still had his hand wrapped tightly around the boy's arm. He tightened his grip, pulling Ryou into him as he dug his nails into the soft tender skin.
"I said, let's go." He whispered venomously, with Ryou's face a mere inches from his own.
Ryou shook his head violently, pushing away from Bakura. He could hear the footsteps; they were right outside the door.
"Ryou! Come on!"
"No!" Ryou pulled his arm free and whipped around just in time. He saw Malik opening the door, and faintly, Ryou heard a soft clink behind him.
Malik walked through his bedroom door and saw Ryou standing by the bed.
"Hello." He smiled. "How was your day?" Malik walked closer to him and noticed that the boy had been crying. What's more, he noticed a red mark across the boy's pale cheek. "Ryou?" He questioned with un certainty.
Ryou didn't say anything; he just flung himself into the tan boy and continued crying.
Malik had no clue what happened to Ryou today. But he did his best to consol the boy.
"Ryou, please tell me what happened." He demanded softly. He held Ryou in his arms as the two sat down on the bed.
Ryou looked up at Malik. He had to tell him. There was no doubt that Bakura would be back, and he would indeed be out for blood the next time.
"Um...Malik" Ryou choked through his sobs. "I-it's about Bakura." Ryou could feel Malik tense up at the very name. This wasn't going to go too well... "Well..."
"Well what?" Malik urged him on.
"I...well, Bakura he was..." Ryou said, silencing the Pharaoh. Malik continued to look at him; his eyes narrowed, and became more menacing. "Bakura is going to come for me...I just know it."
"He didn't last time." Malik smirked, almost wickedly. "If he truly loves you he would have been here by now."
Ryou opened his mouth to reply, but there was nothing he could say to defend Bakura. If he did say something then Malik would find out that Bakura had in fact been here to rescue him. But there was still that little taunting question in the back of his mind...why had Bakura not come the last time? Oh hell...what did it matter? He wasn't some helpless little princess that needed rescuing from the evil villain. If he had wanted to leave bad enough, he could have managed on his own...and he most certainly wouldn't have come back. But still...that did not cover up the fact that he didn't even mean enough for Bakura to want to come back for him.
"Ryou, why are you telling me this?" He asked curiously
"Well...I guess...I'm worried about you." Ryou looked up, quickly regaining his focus, wholeheartedly trying to clear his mind of those plaguing thoughts.
Malik's eyes widened at that statement.
"Look, Ryou, I appreciate you worrying about me and all...but you actually think Bakura could hurt me?" Malik almost had to laugh at his own words; but had enough self control not to when he saw how much this whole thing seemed to be hurting Ryou.
"Well...n-no, I guess not. But...do you promise you won't hurt him?" Ryou asked with concern.
"If it means that much to you...no, no I won't hurt Bakura. I'll just stay out of the way when, no IF he comes, and let you make the choice."
"The, choice?" Ryou looked at Malik, slightly confused.
"Yes. Because he's going to want to take you back right? Well, it's up to you to decide if you want to stay or leave." Malik didn't have a hint of worry in his voice. It was almost as if he knew that Ryou was going to stay with him.
Ryou felt the last of his cool wet tears slowly trickle down his moistened cheek. When that time came, what would he do? At this point he hadn't the faintest idea.
"I just don't want anybody hurt." He whispered
"Well, don't you worry...no one's going to get hurt. Not me, not Bakura, and certainly not you." He held Ryou tight and kissed him lightly on the forehead, wiping the last of the small boy's tears away.
Then he stood up from the bed and walked toward the door, only turning around when he heard Ryou call out to him.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"Me...I uh....I've got more work to do...but I'll be back soon." With that he turned on his heels and walked out of the room closing the door behind him.
"Oh..." He muttered, sounding slightly disappointed.
Ryou did feel slightly relieved that Malik didn't seem to be taking this too harshly. This was good. Everything was going to go smoothly, Bakura was going to come back, and Malik was going to be out of the way so that there would be no confrontations; just the way he wanted it.
There was only one stitch...Where was he going to go?
* * *
Malik sat alone late that night in his throne room, contemplating all that had taken place a little over an hour ago. As he sat there, slumped over in his gilded throne with his head flopped carelessly in his hand he only seemed to sink further and further down with each passing moment. Every time his thoughts would bring him back to that look that was in Ryou's eyes...
Yes, maybe he told the boy that he still had work to do, but that was just a bear-faced lie, only a ploy to get him out of the room for the time being so that he could get his thoughts in order...if that were even possible. No...he just couldn't stand to be in the same room with him. He knew that Bakura had been there tonight, even in his own damn room. These things didn't pass him by. But, Malik was just waiting for Ryou to tell him; waiting for him to say something, anything about Bakura being there. And Malik found himself becoming highly pissed that Ryou thought he could keep secrets like that.
No matter. This little bout of insolence would not go without reprimands. Ryou would pay for his petty dishonesty. After all, Malik had tried everything to get Ryou to talk. He had held his tongue and his temper; being patient and trying to comfort the boy, but none of it seemed to do any good. Malik couldn't help but let his emotions get in the way again. It hurt him to think that, as nice as he was being to Ryou, the boy still felt as if he had to keep secrets from him.
But what did this warrant? Should Ryou be beaten? Whipped? Starved? Malik didn't take kindly to any of those punishments...seeing as how he had to deal with all of them as a child...but that did not dismiss the fact that Ryou had been dishonest and therefore deserved reprisal.
Just as Malik was making up his mind that a good beating was in order for the young slave boy, a familiar, and so un welcomed face popped in through the double doors.
'Oh great.' Malik whined mentally as he shoved his head in his hands. Just what he needed; a sprinkle of Yami atop his soup of utter turmoil. What other wrath could the Gods rain down upon him tonight?
"How's it hanging, my little feather pillowed cousin?" Yami asked with a smirk while he pranced up the dais and stood right next to his fuming famous relative.
Initially, Malik had made up his mind that he was going to ignore the nuisance, and whatever rubbish he might have brought along with him. But at that comment he snapped his head up and narrowed his violet orbs so much that he almost seemed to be squinting, but still looked highly threatening.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" He hissed drawing his face in closer to Yami, who looked annoyingly pleasant.
"Oh, nothing, you big fat pile of clay!" He joked; playfully punching the now seething Pharaoh in the arm. Malik however, was far from a joking mood.
"My dear, dear cousin." Malik spoke, "I'm afraid that your metaphorical nonsense is about this far away from getting your head chopped off." He sneered as he made a minute distance between his thumb and forefinger.
"Gaah!" Yami whined as he irreverently wrapped his hands around his neck and made a chocking noise. "Please spare me."
"Oh, I wasn't referring to that one." Malik sneered.
Yami immediately put on a more serious face and groaned as he instinctively doubled over and made a protective barrier around his genitalia with his hands.
"You wouldn't." He responded in all seriousness.
Malik; now thoroughly pissed off, reached for the sheath that was tied to his sash and whipped out the dagger that was incased within it all in one swift motion.
Yami instantly put a huge amount of space between himself and that dagger as he hopped as fast as he could down the steps, still glaring at Malik.
"Don't tempt me." The blonde hissed before putting his weapon away.
"Honestly Malik, one would think that you'd show me just an ounce of kindness since I'm related to you." Gradually Yami inched his way back up to his previous position, almost as if he were wading into the waters of the Nile, while on constant lookout for a hungry crock; namely Malik.
Malik shot him what had to be one of the most apathetic looks as yet again he slouched down in a most un regal manner and blew a piece of his whitish blond bangs from his forehead.
"I am determined to knock you off your high horse one of these days." Yami stated, casually crossing his arms while giving his cousin a nasty glair.
Malik's only response was to sink lower in the gilded throne and grunt as he looked in the other direction. He didn't need to be knocked off his high horse, he liked it up there; nobody could reach him.
"Yoo hoo!" Yami called, waving his hand in front of a seemingly empty stare. "Anybody ho--AH! Let go! Let go!" Before he had the chance to move away, Malik shot straight up and latched on to the older boy's arm, twisting it severely in a direction that it ought not to be.
"Owowwoww...legolegolego!" He whined.
Malik could only growl as he dug his nails into his cousin's flesh and continued to twist his arm. All the while Yami was whining and trying to move in such a way that would alleviate the pain.
"Are you going to go away if I let you go?" Malik asked with a smirk.
Yami only nodded, being too preoccupied with trying to free himself.
"Answer me!" Malik yelled with a sudden twist on Yami's arm.
"Oww oww! OK! Yes! Whatever! Just lemme go!!!"
"As you wish." Malik abruptly released the whining teen and pushed him down the steps. Yami landed on his rear with a thud, followed by a loud groan.
After a moment, when he could feel his ass again, Yami ungracefully picked himself up and began to walk away, while massaging the red marks on his arm. Mumbling to himself, he was suddenly hit with a stroke of genius that he knew would get on Malik's last nerve without getting himself killed.
"You know Yami...word is starting to spread about your little birthday party." He narrowed his eyes playfully as he turned around to see what sort of look Malik had on his face.
"I thought I told you to go away!" He snapped.
"This is an important issue my dear cousin."
Malik simply grunted as he threw his head in his hands and rolled his eyes. 'Somebody wants to die tonight.'
"No, I'm serious!" He walked closer to Malik. "A few of the nobles that witnessed the..um, disrespect, I should say, from the one slave boy have seen him walking the streets!" Yami widened his eyes and waved his hand for emphases. "Such things are un heard of! Malik, you really should have killed him. Because now word is starting to spread that you...well that you just can't kill anymore! I mean, they see him walking the streets as a free man, when only weeks ago you'd kill for something as small as the palace cooks not having your favorite wine!" Yami crossed his arms, seeing that his words were having an effect on the young king. Malik...this sort of thing can make you lose everything that you've worked so hard for, the people could up rise if they found out that you were weak. You don't want them uprising do you? And the palace servants know that you've had the same bed slave for a while now. They know you've taken care of him. Malik, you can't do this." Yami turned his back and started to walk away from the throne. Reaching the mahogany doors, he put a hand on the frame and turned around, eyeing Malik as if he were at his funeral.
"Stop looking at me like that!" Malik hissed sitting up straighter in the throne.
"You've lost it haven't you?" He asked. "You can't kill anymore, can you?" And with that, he walked away slowly, leaving Malik in the lowest state possible.
What had just happened here? Malik was feeling horrible when he had walked into the throne room earlier, but now, it went beyond horrible...
* * *
Malik had tried desperately to ignore the taunting in his head that was only two seconds away from making him snap. He had been sitting in his throne for Ra knows how long, but he just couldn't shake this unnerving feeling.
'You're becoming soft.' The voice teased. 'You couldn't even kill a fly!' He had heard about every single rumor that was flying around. Thanks to his cousin, now his fears were affirmed. "The people aren't scared of you anymore." Yami would tease. "If I were you I'd be more careful with my reputation…you don't want them uprising do you?" Yami's words replayed over and over in his mind. That was the last thing that he wanted to happen. If all of the people of Egypt revolted against him, he knew that he wouldn't stand a chance. But he wasn't scared at the moment…no, he was too angry to be scared. He had spent a lifetime building up his monstrous façade. He wasn't going to let it be torn down by a couple of peasant boys. Suddenly Ryou had stopped being attractive to him, and became nothing more than an annoying pest that was ruining his already pathetic life. Over and over again he would ask himself why he couldn't kill the stupid brat, and over and over again, he failed to come up with a answer.
He couldn't stand it anymore. Maybe he couldn't kill Ryou, but that didn't make him soft. Or did it? There was also the haunting fact that he had kept Bakura alive as well, using the excuse that Bakura would be of use to him…but knowing damn well that Bakura would sooner rot in the cell then ever do anything for him. Bakura wouldn't do a single thing for him, even if he were forced to. And because he let the bastard live, now he was paying for it.
Now, he didn't even want to go back into his room. He was afraid that if he did, he might kill the little runt. He was too frustrated to do much of anything, so he went to the one and only place where he could be alone, his private sanctuary. He needed to do some serious thinking, without being interrupted.
* * *
It looked and felt the same as it did every time he went in there, the darkness of early morning felt eerily welcoming, although bitter cold. But ever since Bakura and Ryou were brought to him, he was not able to find peace in his garden anymore. Because now every time that he came to it, he wasn't there to relax, but to think. Ryou and Bakura had caused him enough problems, why was he still putting up with them? Damn it all…there was only one way he could fix this problem, and he needed his servant to help him…
"Litho, I need you to do something for me." Malik spoke softly to his loyal servant as they sat alone in the throne room later that day. He had not went back to his room at all, even though he promised Ryou that he would. Now it was midday and Malik hadn't even slept at all.
"Yes, my Pharaoh?"
"Remember that girl that you brought to the temple a while ago?"
Litho slowly nodded his head.
"Find her." Malik stated evilly before he descended his throne and walked out the doors.
* * *
Now, there is a reason why Litho is Malik's most trusted servant, and that is because he never fails at anything. In mere hours he had found the girl and sent her straight to Malik's room, where he was waiting for her.
As she was thrust into the room, Malik noticed that she looked even more horrified then at their previous encounter. And for this, he was pleased.
Ryou, who was sitting on the bed next to Malik, briefly made eye contact with the girl, he could have sworn that he had seen her somewhere before. Trying to jog his memory; Ryou sat there as he stared at her. The girls amber eyes and light brown hair were familiar, but he just couldn't place it.
"Malik…" Ryou spoke softly to him, almost asking a question, but when he saw the look on Malik's face after he said his name, the only thing he could do was back away from him.
Malik had that look in his eyes again, Ryou hadn't seen it in a long time, but it was that killer look that scared him so much.
Malik turned his attention away from Ryou, and directed it back to the girl.
"Well, I suppose you're wondering why I've called you here?" He asked, raising his eyebrows slightly.
All she could do was tremble as she inclined her head slightly.
"I'll have you know you were a lucky one. None have ever been in here and left alive…with the exception of little Ryou here." Malik smirked at her as he grabbed Ryou forcefully and hugged him close like a little toy. "That was a mistake."
With that he pushed Ryou away from him and hopped off the bed. Gripping the terrified girl by the arm he opened his door and drug her out of the room, throwing her to the floor in the hallway. She didn't know what else to do, so she got up and started running. She ran down the hallway, but this, Malik had planned on. He raced back into his room and grabbed his bow and arrows from the corner. Coming to a halt in the middle of the hallway, he raised the bow and gracefully pulled back the string, arrow in hand, poised and ready for an attack. But his hand was trembling, and when he turned his head to the left, he saw a frightened looking Ryou standing in the doorway, on the verge of tears.
"Malik…" He whispered, too scared to do anything.
'Ignore him!' Malik's conscious shouted. 'Do what you love…kill!' That was all it took. Malik felt the sudden anger and hatred course through his veins as he thought about all the things that had been said about him. "You're nothing but a big weakling!" "You're growing soft!" That was it. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. All of that was going to stop…sooner or later. No matter how many arrows it took.
Pulling back the arrow even tighter, a wicked smile pulled across his face before he released it, sending the arrow soaring through the air, as it whistled its
song of death. The girl had almost made it to the throne room doors when Malik heard the unmistakable sound of bronze piercing flesh, followed by an anguishing moan. He watched amusedly as she fell to her knees, and he smiled as a few moments later she fell the rest of the way to the ground, her blood staining the white marble floors red.
He glanced back over to the left and saw that Ryou had left. At the moment, this didn't bother him. He wanted to torment the girl one last time before she died. So he walked over to her, listening to the heart wrenching moans coming from her. When he arrived at the end of the hallway he knelt down and grabbed a fist full of her hair, jerked her head up so that her could look into her almond amber eyes one last time.
Ryou silently stood by the door to Malik's room, making sure to remain unseen. Tears were pouring down his cheeks. Malik was killing her, and there was nothing Ryou could do about it...
"I'm sure you've heard the rumors little girl. I'm not what they say I am, am I?" He laughed as he dropped her head back down to the floor.
"N-no…you're not…you're a sad man…who's going to die…never knowing what being a human…feels like."
At that, Malik could feel his blood began to boil. He knelt back down to her, and looked her right in the eyes. All the while, Ryou was catching on to every word.
"What is your name?" He asked harshly.
She did not answer him.
"What is your name?!" He repeated.
"It's…Shizuka." She said quietly.
"Shizuka, huh? Well, Shizuka…I'm going to hunt down your family and slaughter them…just as I did to you." He said wickedly.
"Jou…nou..chi…" She said, but that was her last word because Malik; unable to stand her anymore, pulled out his dagger, and finished the job by slicing her throat.
'Shizuka!' Ryou's mind screamed. "No!"
Malik looked over and saw Ryou, bounding down the hallway towards himself and the now dead girl.
"Shizuka!" Ryou yelled aloud as he dropped to his knees, and picked up the girl's bloody body, placing it in his lap and cradling her back and forth. "No...no!"
Her blood was staining his fine garments, but he didn't care.
Malik at that moment could have shot himself with an arrow. Did he just kill somebody that Ryou knew? Although his insides were screaming, all he could do was snort and make a nasty comment while turning to walk away.
"She's not worth soiling your clothes over Ryou." And he made his way back to the room.
"You're wrong." Ryou said bravely as he looked in Malik's direction.
"Oh really?" Malik smirked, not even bothering to look around. Mostly because he couldn't bear to see Ryou's grief stricken face.
"It's you who isn't worth it Malik." He said nastily.
Malik felt his heart sink...it was the truth...but it hurt so much coming from Ryou.
"One of these day's you'll get what's coming to you...and you'll see...there will be no one there to help you..." He paused for a moment before he spoke again. "I'll be damned if I ever do."
Malik could take no more of this. He didn't say a word more to Ryou, he just continued walking until he reached his room and he slammed the door behind him, leaving the helpless boy out in the hallway alone, still holding the dead form of the girl.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Please forgive me! I know it has been over two months and that is why I have given you an extra long chapter! I swear on the holy grave of Aser that it will never happen again!
And forgive me for one more thing as well… I didn't have much time to revise this chapter…in fact I wrote the whole damn thing in the library and updated it before my hour on the computer was up…a little hasty, yes…but I hope it's still good. And by the way, I'm glad you all enjoyed the lemon so much!
