A/n: Lookie! I updated! ;;; ahem, yesh.. well, After this chapter, I think There will only be one more, and its done, m'kay?
Disclaimer: Dont own it... unfortunatley.. -sniffle- the plots mine though, but its welcome to be borrowed. I also own Sarah, but I dont like her... She turned out too Mary-sueish, didnt she? sorry bout that folks...
"Here."
Ryou was awoken from his light doze by Bakura, -who he was leaning against in his sleep on the horse- shaking his shoulders gently. He gasped, waking up instantly –something he had taught himself to do years ago- and turned, looking up into Bakuras scarred and tanned face.
"What-" He was cut off by Bakura jumping down, tugging him down also, who's small legs weren't working yet since they were so stiff. The thief king rolled his eyes, scooping up the smaller boy, and walked towards his home with him in his arms.
"This is where you live?" The smaller boy looked slightly disappointed at the small rundown shack. Bakura nodded. Opening the warped door, and adjusting the linen sack on his powerful arms, he set the small boy down, who struggled to see in the gloom.
It was depressingly empty. A straw mattress on the floor, a fire pit, and a few pots here and there, along with a very worn mat. Bakura lifted the map, and to his amazement, Ryou could see a pitch black passage. Bakura lit a torch, and jerked his head to Ryou, signaling for him to follow. Ryou climbed down a steep set of stairs, and Bakura stepped out, leading the horse back in, and shutting the door after the pair.
"Lead the horse down." He said in his harsh voice, as he climbed in, handing the torch to the child, and re-adjusting the worn mat.
Ryou gulped as he walked down the steep flight of stairs, the reins in one hand, and the torch in the other. Bakura was silently bringing up the rear, lugging his haul of gold items.
Ryou gasped when the steps stopped, and he found himself in a large room. He could hear Bakura whisper a few words, and suddenly, the room was bathed in a soft light. Gold adorned wherever it could be hung or stood, and there were a couple of little alcoves leading off into the side, probably rooms. At one end was a large pool of water- an underground spring. It took Ryou a few seconds to take this in, while Bakura lead the horse over to the spring, where it drank noisily.
"Th-this place is…amazing…" He said. It was easily the flashiest house he had ever been in, including his old masters, who just kept him in the small room downstairs for weeks. Bakura smirked slightly out of pride, and walked over to the middle of the room, where there was the remains of a fire. He lit it carefully, before walking into one of the alcoves, and coming out with two steaks wrapped in a rag, a cask of ale, a wooden bowl full of millet, and a large sack of sawdust, which he dumped over by the horse, who pricked his ears forwards, and began to munch.
"Sit." Bakura said, motioning to one of the large cushions by the fire, placing the two steaks on a stone in the middle of the flames. Ryou silently nodded, settling into one, and taking the wooden bowl of millet from Bakuras hand, eating hungrily. Bakura grabbed a stick, slowly turning the steaks as he watched the child scoop the millet into his mouth.
"Didn't they feed you much?" He asked the smaller boy, who shook his head as he finished his meal, and looked at his sandaled feet.
"Why did you rescue me?" Rou asked again, looking right into Bakuras eye. The thief king sighed, and removed the nemis on his head, shaking softly as his pure-white locks fell into place around his neck.
Ryous eyes widened as he stared at the thief's hair, the exact colour as his. He reached out a trembling hand, and Bakura caught it, a deep sort of understanding in his cold brown eyes.
"How did you manage to stay so pale?" Bakura asked, quirking a silvery eyebrow. "I was that color once, but I was tan by the time I was seven.." Ryou looked down, miserably tracing a pattern on the dust as he let out a long sigh.
"I-I never went outside.." He whispered. "M-My father made sure I stayed inside all the time. I-I don't know why, but I always wanted to just play with all the other kids… When I was to start working, last year, all the other kids had these real hard jobs, and they would always get whipped if they slowed down, even though we were only five, but.." Ryou let out a long, shuddering sigh. "I-I never did. I was always out of the sun, and I was never whipped. Ever. The overseer, the one who watched us, not my old master… he said I was 'not to be marred', or something…. Ryou bit his lip. "I just wanted to be normal."
Bakura reluctantly let go of the childs hand, as he prepared the steaks, turning then slowly, before pulling them out, and placing them on a slab of pottery. He cut one in half, giving it to Ryou, along with a knife, having the other half, and the whole steak for himself.
A soft mew distracted the thief and the child, who spun around, to see a very fat cat looking at them.
"Wh-whos cat is that?" Bakura frowned.
"That's Bastet. If shes here, then Sarah…" He trailed off, and Ryou could hear thudding steps, and a bubbly "Hi!"
A young girl walked down the stairs and into the hall, a small sack dangling from her hand. She was around fifteen or sixteen –about a year younger than the thief- and had long black hair, and tanned skin. Her unusual blue eyes widened when she saw the small child, and she dropped her sack, gasping.
"Wh-who… Bakura…"
"For once in your life, you're speechless…" Bakura remarked dryly. "I have to record this…" Bakura walked over to a small desk, and pulled out a thin brush and some paint.
"Today, Sarah was speechless." Bakura wrote on an empty patch of wall. "She actually was too shocked to speak. This is some progress." He signed the date, and began to draw a crude but accurate picture of the girl, with her mouth shut, and filled in her hair. Ryou giggled, holding his hand delicately over his mouth. Sarah rolled her eyes, playfully shoving the thief king.
He stood back, admiring his handiwork. "There." He said. "People will see this for thousands of years, and laugh. Oh, and by the way, Ryou, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is Ryou. Hes another loose one." Sarahs eyes widened, as she bit her lip.
"So young…." She whispered to herself, gazing at the innocent child. Bakura nodded.
"Steak?" He asked. Sarah grinned, shaking her head. "No thanks; just ate. I was passing through on my way to Thebes, thought I'd pop in and say hi. Oh, and you watch Bastet for me? She should be having her babies pretty soon." Ryou looked at the cats stomach, and nodded.
"Yeah…" the child looked at the cat, slightly amazed. "I-Ive never seen a cat before," He whispered, looking amazed at the animal, as she delicately licked herself.
"Oh, she's just a lazy old thing; won't even catch a rat or anything. And of course, a cat never looks impressive when they're so pregnant." Ryou smiled, and Sarah grinned in return, ruffling his snowy hair, and bending over, giving the thief a quick kiss on the cheek. Bakura growled, rubbing his cheek.
"Quit trying Sarah, I don't like you like that." Sarah pouted, and turned away.
"Cant blame a gal for trying!" She said, running up the stairs and laughing. Ryou was wide-eyed, as he gazed Bakura, who was shaking in silent laughter.
"Um, why is she so happy like that?" He asked. Bakura stopped laughing, and looked down.
"She puts on a happy face to hide from the past…" He lifted his head. "She was a jewish slave as well, Ryou." The small boys chocolate eyes widened. "I was in the town when I was thirteen, and found her. She threatened to call in the soldiers if I didn't drag her along with me." He smiled in remembrance. "For a twelve year old, she was sharp."
"Th-then what?" Ryou asked. Bakura smirked slightly.
"Well, When we reached Luxor, we agreed to go our separate ways. We agreed to be friends though…" Bakura finished his last steak. "She's a street thief, and works as a whore sometimes when she needs the money."
Ryous eyes widened, and Bakura inwardly winced. Oops.
"Y-you just said a naughty word!" He giggled childishly. Bakura blushed slightly, before shaking his head.
"You never heard that." He instructed. 'Got it?" Ryou nodded, before yawning, half-closing his eyes. "Tired?" he asked. Ryou nodded. "Go lie down. Ill wake you up in a couple of hours, kay?
Ryou nodded, walking into the first alcove he saw, and his eyes widened with delight. The bed coverings were of a deep crimson and purple, the bed huge. He giggled, childishly jumping up onto the bed, and grabbing a purple velvet quilt, pulling on over his thin body, and resting his beautiful head on the silken pillows, falling asleep in moments.
Review for the poor children in africa who have no food! ((although.. what that has to do with this, I dont know... o.O))