Take My Soul Away by Le Petit Chaperon Rouge
A/N: thank you for reviewing! I love you all! Ice-cream for everyone! phew, finally another chapter up. I'm truly sorry it took so long, but my finals are in may and I have been studying all the time. After my finals I have 3 months holiday, so I'll have plenty more time to update! I'll try to get the next chapter up by next week, but I'm not sure if I can make it.
Chapter 5. Freedom at a price
Shizuka woke in the late morning. She sat up strait, and saw Bakura asleep in the cushions on the floor. At his feet laid a brown leather bag. Filled with stolen goods, Shizuka supposed. Quietly she got up and walked up to the bag. Carefully she opened it. Just as she expected it, it was filled with jewellery and money. Suddenly an idea struck her. She could take the bag, and walk out. She could take his horse too and ride to the palace.
But on the other hand… That would be stealing too. She never stole a thing in her life. This man may have killed everyone she knew, and she was furious about that, but she didn't know if this was the right thing to do.
She glanced up to Bakura, who was still sound asleep. He looked remarkably innocent when he was asleep. Carefully stepping over the cushions Shizuka tried to open the window, when suddenly somebody grabbed her ankle. Shizuka shrieked as she fell down onto the cushions, next to Bakura. His chocolate brown eyes stared at her accusingly.
"What were you doing?" he hissed.
Shizuka stuttered: "I.. I just wanted to open the window….I swear.."
Bakura kept staring at her unbelievably.
"Don't you think I didn't hear you rummaging through my stuff"
"But…"
In one swift movement Bakura was on top of Shizuka. One hand on her waist, and the other one softly caressing her face.
"I'm not planning to let go any time soon, so you better get used to this place, darling"
Shizuka's eyes started to tear again. "Why…" she sobbed.
"Because I want you…badly"
Shizuka was shocked. She stared to squirm and tried to get away from Bakura. But he had no intention of letting her go. He kept his composure, but inside he was confused. Why did he just say that? That was ridiculous…..although it was true.
Softly he planted his lips on hers, just to let her know he didn't mean to hurt her. But she just started to squirm harder. After a few more seconds he got annoyed. Irritated he got up. She just grabbed one of the cushions sobbed into it.
Bakura went to the stable, and mounted his horse. He needed to think. He wanted her…so badly. But he didn't want to hurt her. Yet he didn't know for how much longer he restrain himself.
At the palace
Anzu sat next to the Pharaoh, while a great meal was served. Slaves brought great golden plates filled with fruits, bread and meat. When the table was full, the Pharaoh dismissed everybody.
"So Anzu….tell me what happened yesterday in the desert"
Anzu didn't know where to start. She knew she had to obey to him, but she had no idea how to answer.
"Well…it started with a sandstorm" She answered politely.
"And then?" he asked
"There was a man…in a red cloak. That's all I remember. When I woke up everybody was dead…"Her voice started to shake. "And my best friend…. and maid….was gone." A tear slipped down her cheek. The Pharaoh gently wiped it away.
"Excuse my emotionality, my Pharaoh, but Shizuka was like a sister to me."
The Pharaoh smiled a bit.
"If Shizuka is alive, then my men will find her"
Anzu smiled too, and looked into the beautiful magenta eyes of the Pharaoh. He was handsome, oh yes, he was. He had dark hair and mysterious eyes. A beautifully sculpted body and not to mention he was rich and powerful. His personality was defiantly not what she expected. She knew he loved by the people, but she thought he wanted to sleep with her right after she arrived here. They did share the same bed that night, but to Anzu's relief, nothing had happened.
The few times they touched, the Pharaoh was gentle and loving.
Suddenly the doors burst open, and one of the High priests came rushing in. He was tall with chocolate coloured hair and fierce blue eyes. Anzu quickly looked down. At this moment she was no more then a slave, and for slaves, especially women it was forbidden to look strait into the eyes of man. Of course, she had stolen glances of the high priests, but she was careful enough not to let them notice she was looking at them.
"Seth…what is the problem?" The Pharaoh asked annoyed.
The High priest Seth whispered something in the Pharaohs ear. He just nodded and got up.
"I'm sorry, my beautiful Anzu, but I have business I need to take care of" he gently took her hand and brushed his lips against it. Anzu blushed deeply and bowed deeply in respond. Smiling slyly the Pharaoh left followed by Seth. Anzu sighed and decided to pay a visit to the royal gardens. There she just strolled around and looked at the beautiful flowers.
The sun was high in the sky, when Anzu decided to sit down at the fountain. She looked into her reflection in the water, and solemnly watched the water ripple as she finger stirred through it.
Anzu had no idea how long she had been there, she must have fallen asleep. The only female High-priestess , Isis came to wake her.
"Anzu, the Pharaoh is requesting your presence in his chambers. Anzu nodded and followed Isis inside.
When Anzu entered the Pharaohs chambers, all the windows were darkened by deep purple curtains. The Pharaoh was on the bed lying in his stomach, his face buried in the pillows.
"Pharaoh?" Anzu asked. He just grunted. Carefully she sat down on the bed next to him.
"Sometimes….I hate it to be Pharaoh" Anzu looked at him worriedly. And he continued. "You have to make so many decisions…day in, day out….everybody is relying on me…..and I have nobody to rely on but myself."
Anzu felt sad for him. She laid down next to him and carefully snuggled up to him. He turned around to face her and wrapped his arms around her. Anzu moved a bit closer, their noses were almost touching.
Atem moved even closer, and carefully brushed his lips against hers. Soon it became a real kiss. Atems kisses were eager, yet gentle. When he broke the kiss, they remained in each other arms until daybreak.
The next morning Anzu woke, and noticed the Pharaoh stare at her.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked smiling.
Anzu smiled too and answered: "I did my Pharaoh. How about you?"
"Don't call me Pharaoh, just call me Atem" With that he gave her another kiss, before getting up.
Shizuka was bored, this must have been the third or fourth day she was locked in the room with Bakura. Bakura went out only at night and over day he slept. When he was awake, he counted his money, or showed of the jewellery he had stolen to Shizuka. Sometimes he would bring a piece of jewellery specially for her. She was flattered, of course. But she couldn't stop thinking about it that it was actually some one else's.
After about a week, Bakura finally let her leave the house. For 2 hours a day she could walk through the little town freely. Shizuka enjoyed her new found freedom. Everyday she could wander freely through the town, altough it was a small town full of strage looking men, thiefs just as Bakura Shizuka suspected, no one had ever bothered her, the only looked, and then proceeded whaterver they were doing. Sometimes Bakura even gave her a bit of money to spend on something she liked.
One day Shizuka was just randomly strolled around town when she came of end of town. She set one step into the desert when somebody jumped in front of her with the crack of a whip.
"And just where do you think your going?"
Today was Anzu's second time that she was in the throne room. She sat on a chair next to the Pharaohs throne. Atem would occasionally smile at her and ask her something, but a real conversation was impossible, because constantly their was a thief or villain that had to judged over was brought up. Around the afternoon, when they were enjoying some drinks and food, guards brought in to two kids. One older boy around 12 years and his little sister, she was around 5 years old.
"they tried to steal apples on the market" one of guards said. Atem raised an eyebrow.
They children were trembling and their eyes were red form crying. The guards pushed them roughly to the ground. The punishment for stealing was 10 beatings with a whip. Atem knew it, the children knew, and Anzu knew it too. He swallowed. The boy was lod enough to responsible for his actions while his sister…He couldn't let that 5 year old get beaten? Maybe a night in jail would be enough….
Anzu looked terrified. She looked at Atem. He seemed to be lost in thoughts. She tried to get his attention.
"Atem…" she whispered. But he didn't notice.
"The boy will receive normal punishment, as for the girl….a night in jail will do"
Anzu looked at Atem. He had spoken those words so coldly, like couldn't care less about those children's fate's.
The boy dragged into the middle of the room when a man with a whip stepped in. the girl was dragged away. The girl looked up to Anzu and screamed for help, for that she got a hard slap across the face from the guard who was helping her. Anzu was shocked. Right then, the beating had begun. High priestess Isis turned her head away and closed her eyes. Anzu covered her mouth, as if she had to vomit. She squinted her eyes shut, but that didn't make the screams from the boy go away. It seemed to last an eternity.
When it was finally over, Atem asked:
"Anzu, my dear, are you alright?" She just nodded weakly. And caught a glimpse of the boy how he was carried away. His back was red from the blood mixed with the dirt on the floor. Anzu sighed heavily. She wasn't sure if she would ever get used to this…..
A/N: please RnR!