The next match in the tournament games! This chapter is a little longer than normal, but it is because I have a lot more to say in this section of the story. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.
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Yami and Ateyda both sat and watched the remaining matches that had not finished yet. Ateyda was a little let down that she did not get to watch Lamasse's match, but she amused herself with the others. She watched very intently on one certain fighter that had extreme skill. It was a wonder that his match had not finished yet, but as she watched further she noticed him only blocking and not throwing a single hit. He was just toying with his opponent. She sat next to Yami absolutely enthralled in the fight. She watched his every move in awe of his skill. She could not keep her eyes off of his movement and techniques. He was an amazing warrior.
She suddenly felt Yami push her dropped jaw back up into its closed position. She blushed a bit realizing she had been staring with her mouth wide open. Yami softly chuckled at her.
"He's quite a fighter," he said softly, "But I know one better." He stroked her cheek and then turned back as the last fight with the amazing warrior finally ended. The man's opponent finally gave up. He wore himself out without a single hit being landed.
"Remaining fighters, prepare yourselves for your next matches," the priest called out, "You will be given ten minutes to get ready for your next match-up!"
Ateyda went to a lavatory right outside the arena. She splashed cold water from a basin on her face. She felt all the pores in her skin contract with the coolness hitting her hot face. She looked into the mirror and viewed herself. Could she make it all the way to the final match? Could she win it? What would she do if she had to go up against a fighter like the one she had just watched? She heard the door to the lavatory open. She watched through the mirror as her brother walked inside. He pulled something from his pocket and put his arms around her neck. She saw a small silver necklace drop from one of his hands. He pulled it around her neck, and then hugged her. It was a small silver circle with a colorful inlay. It was a night sky with dark mountains stretching across the horizon. There were a few stars that dotted the navy blue sky. The silver around the edges etched into the blue in the shape of a moon watching over the serene landscape below.
"It's beautiful," she said staring at it through the mirror, "I don't think I've ever seen anything like it."
"I got this when I was still with the crusades," he said quietly with a look of remorse on his face, "I wanted to give it to you when I returned, but now is much better. Every time I looked at this I thought of you. It did not matter how much I missed this kingdom, or how hard it got out there living off the earth. When I looked at this gift I had bought my beloved sister, I felt you were right beside me telling me that you were there for me. Now I give this to you. I never want you to forget that you have a brother that loves you more than anything in this world."
She turned and hugged him. She had now finally forgiven him in every corner of her heart. He had not completely changed like she thought he had. Her old brother was still in there, and he was still there for her like he had been all those years ago. They heard the door open once again.
"Ateyda," Lamasse popped his head into the lavatory, "It is time for the second matches."
"I'll be right there," she said as her brother and Lamasse both walked back out into the arena. She walked over to a wall in the lavatory, and picked a long, thin staff from it. She twirled and flipped it around to get a sense of its balance. She nodded her head in agreement with herself. That was the staff she would use to win the tournament games.
She walked out into the arena and searched for her letter. She found it, but also found a very large, hideous looking man with striking blonde, closely shorn hair standing in the middle of it. He had tattoos all over his body and several of his teeth were missing. He reeked as if he had not bathed in at least a month. His eyes were very intent on her. He watched her very closely as she entered the ring and stood in front of him. Once again, her brother came to reside over her match.
"This shouldn' las' long," he said, "I wouldn' worry, little princess. I'll make it quick. You won' suffa' long. Too bad the Phara' likes ya' a bit. He's gonna miss you."
"I'd watch the threats," Ateyda said back savagely, "They will only be that much harder on you when I destroy you."
"I don' think so," he said smiling and then looking her up and down. He licked his lips and said, "I'll tear that pretty little body of yours to shreds, but let's make this match a little more interestin'. If I win, I get to have my way with ya'. If you win, you get to have your way with me." He started to laugh heartily while he demeaningly stared her up and down.
"How dare you say that about your queen, Artemun!," Mito screamed. This brought Yami's attention back to their ring. "She may be your opponent, but she is still your queen and you shall not talk of her in such a shameful way!"
"She may be queen," he said sneering back at Mito, "But she won't get my respect as a fighter. She is a woman, and she shouldn't be used for anythin' but a housekeeper and a companion in bed." He reached out stroked her cheek. She recoiled quickly and out of the corner of her eye she saw Yami jump up from his seat. Her brother walked up and smacked his hand away.
"I have not said for this fight to begin yet!," he roared, "So there is no contact with you opponent!" Ateyda could feel the heat of Yami's anger burning from across the arena.
"You disgusting, maggot," she hissed back at him, but then smiled at a thought, "All right, I will agree to your terms on one condition. If I win and 'get my way with you' as you say, then that means you will have to play a penalty game with the Pharaoh." She saw Mito shake his head, but she held up her hand for him to stop. She knew exactly what she was doing.
"Penalty game?," he asked, "No matta', there's no way I can lose against ya', and by the way, I like to be on top. It gives me more authority to do what I want." She thought Mito and Yami were going to storm the ring and take him out, but she turned and glared at them to hold them back. She was going to show this disease of a human being what the real power of a woman was. She was going to show him how mistaken he really was, and she knew if she took him down, there was no worse shame for a sexist pig like him.
"Let's begin this, maggot," she said calmly getting into her stance.
"I'm going to show you where your place is," he said smiling and readying his weapon; a naginata. It was much like hers except that one end had a large blade attached to it. He wielded it with extreme skill, but if he was as confident that he would win as he was acting, then he would not put all his effort into the fight. She would take him down with ease, but she had to make sure she would not commit the same mistake as him, and undermine his skills.
"Ateyda, are you sure you want to go through with this?," Mito asked her, "Give me the word and I will disqualify him."
"I do not need assistance in this fight, Mitonen," she said in a voice of warning. It was rare when she called him by his full name, but now he knew she was serious.
"You should 'ave taken 'im up on that offa'," Artemun said as he too went into a stance, "'Cause I'm gonna wear you out, but tha's ok. You won't fight me in bed then!"
"I'll shut your mouth!," Ateyda yelled as she came at him. He instantly swung the bladed end of his weapon toward her, but she jumped above it and landed one foot on it. She balanced there for just long enough to take a good swing at his head. As he fell back, she flipped in a backwards summersault and landed perfectly in her original position. She flipped her staff behind her back and laughed at his fallen form.
"Don't you think it is kind of hard to fight while on your back?," she jabbed, "But all the better for me. Stay down!" She screamed her last comment while she flipped her staff across his legs to make him fall again as he tried to get up. "You are quite slow. Do you think you will ever get up?"
He pulled himself up, and then came at her screaming, "You stupid little wench!" He tried to knock her down by using his long reach to smash his staff in her stomach. She quickly ducked beneath it and used her staff to jab him back in the stomach. As he doubled over, she kneed him in the face. He flew back from the blow, and she quickly dashed behind him and knocked him hard in the back of his head. He then fell forward and his face was smashed into the sandy floor below.
"When are you going to start fighting?," she asked him in an innocent tone, "I thought the match started already, but I can't really tell with you letting me slap you across this ring and all."
"I'd watch that mouth," he said as he pulled his face out of the sand, "It's going to get you in further than you want to be."
"What was that?," she asked putting her hand to her ear, "I can't really hear you that well with your face smashed in the dirt."
He did not say another word. He flipped around on his back and threw the blade end of his naginata toward her. She blocked it with her staff using one arm.
"You are undermining my skills," she said to him as he got up and grabbed for his weapon, "The only way for you to have a chance at winning this is if you look to me as an equal opponent. If you do not, you have signed away your life."
"No woman is my equal. Queen or not, you are nothin' but the Phara's toy! Did ya' actually think of yerself as his equal? A wife does nothin' but serve her husband in any way he sees fit!"
She ran at him, jammed her staff into the ground, and then flipped backwards kicking his head while she circled around. She landed, grabbed her staff, jabbed him in the face, and then hit him three times by whirling right, left, then right again. It all happened in a split second, and Artemun did not get a moment to react. He fell to the ground with his mouth and nose draining blood.
"Queen Ateyda wins!," Mito shouted. Ateyda smiled and bowed. The sexist prick did not get one hit in, because he did not chose to see her as a worthy rival. In a sense, she pitied his ignorance. She started to make her way over to Yami, but before she could, she felt Artemun attack her from behind. He had the blade from the naginata ripped off and at her throat.
"Put your staff down," he said as she let go of it and let it fall to the ground. Mito started to come at him, but Artemun propped the blade dangerously close to her throat. "I wouldn't take one more step. I won' be made a fool, you stupid bitch."
"Unhand her now!," she heard Yami scream, but that was the last thing she heard as she felt herself being pulled into Artemun's mind, and into a memory.
It was night time, and Ateyda found herself in a backstreet building. She was in a dingy room with barely any light. She saw to her left was Artemun. The door leading further into the building suddenly burst open, and a young man was thrown into the room. He looked like he had been beaten badly. His face looked almost entirely swollen, and he had cuts all over him that were bleeding through his clothes and down his face. She then saw Seto Kaiba himself walk through the door. A few of the men that came in with him, picked up the beaten man, and threw him across a table that was in the middle of the room. They tied down his hands and feet to the legs of the table. Kaiba had a knife in his hand, and was toying with it in front of the bound man.
"I need to know where you loyalty is, Ceremus," Kaiba said mockingly to the man on the table, "You have been my friend for many years, and now you deny me?!" Kaiba slammed the knife down into the table dangerously close to Ceremus's head. He cried out what little he could through his swollen lips. She heard Artemun softly chuckling beside her. Who would think something like this is funny? Throwing treats of a horrid death to an already broken man? She felt sorrow for Ceremus as she viewed his bleeding and weak form.
"We will have to teach you about loyalty," Kaiba toyed with him.
"I was your friend when there was no evil in your heart," Ceremus told him, "You have been corrupted. I will not help you in this stupid charade you are carrying on with."
"Stupid charade?," Kaiba fake laughed through gritted teeth. He grabbed the knife from the table and stabbed it into his shoulder and twisted it. Ceremus cried out in pain. Kaiba then removed the knife and nodded at one of the men who had brought him in. The man took a handful of what looked like a white crystals and rubbed it into the wound. It was salt. Ceremus cried out even more with tears of pain streaming from his face.
"Do you need more of an incentive?," Kaiba asked him, but before another word could be said the door flew open once again. This time a young girl came into the room. She looked no older than Ateyda, and looked oddly familiar.
"Keytara, get yourself out of here!," Ceremus screamed out as best he could.
"Kaiba," she scolded, "How could you do such a thing? He is supposed to be your best friend! Untie him now!"
"What makes you think I am going to listen to you, Keytara?," Kaiba said with hate growing in his eyes, "But I know what I can do with you." The two men behind her grabbed her.
"I know you love your cousin dearly, Ceremus," Kaiba laughed, "Your family has always been your weak point. You have committed a crime against me, and now I shall punish you for your deeds."
"Leave her alone, Kaiba!," he screamed, "Your grudge is with me! She is innocent in this!" Kaiba turned to Artemun and smiled while nodding him on. Ateyda could feel absolute glee come from him. He walked over to Keytara and started to beat on her. Ateyda was furious, and she charged at Artemun to stop him, but she remembered that this was a memory and it was all finished and done with already. She watched helplessly as the poor girl was beaten and the screams of Ceremus filled the room along with hers. The noises and the sight were almost too much to bear. She prayed that this memory would end soon. She wanted to scream in horror as she watched Artemun take advantage of Keytara in her weak and beaten state. She shut her eyes and let tears fall down her cheeks as she knew the girl's last few moments on earth were filled with grief, suffering, and being defiled by a creature like Artemun while her beloved cousin's screaming filled her ears. The last thing she felt was extreme pain and shame. The last thing she saw was Artemun enjoying his time while he abused her, and the last thing she heard were her cousin's cries as he begged it all to go away. Then she suddenly realized how familiar this all was, and it hit her hard as she remembered words that were spoken so long ago.
"My daughter," Lorena replied.
"You used to know her?," Ateyda asked, "What happened to her?"
Lorena's face grew stiff and she replied, "She died many years ago. Her cousin had a feud with a boy around his age. One night, they attacked him. She got in the way to protect him, and they killed her."
She gasped and her chest was filled with sorrow and hatred as she realized that Keytara was Lorena's daughter. She sat in witness of Keytara's death, just as she, in person, had witnessed Lorena's. How could one family have been hit so hard so many times? It all came from one man; Seto Kaiba. She felt herself suddenly become more solid, and the sharp edge of the blade that was cutting a few layers of her skin was back.
"Your majesty, I respect ya' in every way possible, but I won' let this bitch get the best of me. I was hired to do a job, and I'm gonna do it."
"You respect me?!," Yami screamed, "Someone hired you to do this? You disgrace your queen, and you threaten her life! That means you have disgraced me, and threatened mine. You lost to her. That means you must play a penalty game with me, but not only because of that, but now because you have attacked my wife. You will pay dearly!" The millennium puzzle started to glow, and Artemun started to scream. Ateyda thought her ears were going to explode from the man's loud bellow. She winced as he screamed even louder, but he stopped very suddenly as the millennium puzzle light extinguished. He looked down at himself, and started to place his hands on parts of his body as if searching for something.
"No! What have you done!," he cried out, "No! I cannot be disgraced like this!" He dropped the blade, and he was then tackled by Lamasse, Mito, and a few guards. They took him away while he screamed and writhed.
"Yami, what did you do to him?," Ateyda asked him with wide eyes.
"He needs to find out what women are really like and about," he explained, "And the only way he is going to figure that out is if he becomes one. I gave him an illusion."
Ateyda stared at Yami. She knew he had power, but she did not know its extent. I bet that isn't even the beginning of his strength, she thought to herself.
Yami took her hand and led her up to the dais that had Yami's seat. She was going to try and keep the horrid images that she witnessed at bay. She was afraid she would let out the howl of sadness that fought to get out of her right in front of everyone there, but she kept it back as best she could. She sat down next to Yami, and they watched the remaining fights. She instantly scanned the rings for the amazing fighter she had watched before. She spotted him instantly with his, long white hair that contrasted his lean, tan body. Once again his technique was as flawless as ever. This time he was not just toying with his opponent, but he was clearly enjoying himself. He blocked every move that was thrown, and soon after he would throw in a strong, powerful hit before his opponent could retaliate and bring up his guard. After a few more minutes, she saw the other fighter start to stagger. His attacks were weakening, not that they were much use to begin with against this other amazing warrior, and she could tell his senses were now slightly skewed. The amazing fighter then smiled and finished him off by kicking him upside his head with extreme force and power.
"Amazing," she said to no one in particular. She stared wide-eyed at the sight she had just witnessed, but before she could ponder on it any longer the priest came forward toward the rings.
"All further matches in this tournament will be held tomorrow at dawn. Tomorrow night, the final match will be held."
Ateyda grabbed her staff, and walked out the doors with Yami. Even though they chose to walk since the palace was so close, they were escorted by several guards. Ateyda walked alongside Yami with the echoes of that man's words reverberating in her head as he disgraced Keytara, and Ceremus's screams pounded in her veins. She loved the Pharaoh, and did not know how she would ever live without him, but she did not know if these new powers were exactly a gift. She did not know how much she could take if all the memories she viewed were as bad as the last one.
"What is on your mind?," he asked her seeing her furrowed expression.
"Nothing," she lied, "I am just tired. It has been a long day."
"You are keeping something from me," he said. He normally would let her tell him when she felt she was ready, but he wanted to know. Now that there was a strong bond between them, he could feel when something was plaguing her, and now he felt a short surge of sadness come from her. "What is bothering you, Ateyda?"
"I am fine. Do not worry about me."
"I know something is wrong," he stopped and turned her toward him, "This is what I meant; this right here."
"Meant by what?," she asked him. What was he talking about?
"I told you that you can talk to me about what you are thinking," he explained, "I know you try to be strong and take it up on your own, but you don't have to do that any longer. You are not alone. I know you do not want to show any weakness, but don't you understand? You are my queen, and I am here for you through anything no matter how large or how small it may be."
She looked into his deep, violet eyes. They sparkled at her like bright amethysts. Every time she looked in them, she felt comfort and solace. She could not think of anyone in the world she loved more. She wrapped her arms around him, and let her face fall into his shoulder. She did not care who was watching. He was right. She did not want to show weakness, but all that really mattered to her were the feelings and cares of her king.
"I need to talk to you about something when we get back to the palace," she said trying to push back the images until she could fully release them to Yami. It would feel better if she could tell someone about the sordid movie that was played before her.
When they returned to the palace, she led him up to their room. She walked out to the balcony to get some air. She finally stopped holding it all in and she felt her knees grow weak. She fell to her knees and had to hold onto the banister of the balcony to keep from falling over completely. She placed her hands over her eyes to try and cope with the scenes flashing before her. The images that had been in her head were so real. Every emotion that was running through the room ran straight through her.
"Ateyda!," Yami said running up to her and kneeling at her side, "What is it? Are you all right?"
She caught her breath, and removed her hand. She felt the breeze of the cool Egyptian night ice over her small streams of tears on her face. She latched onto Yami wanting him to make the all the pain she received from Keytara to leave her. He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her.
"What is going on, Ateyda?," Yami said as he held her tight, "What is wrong?" She knew he could feel the sorrow that drowned her.
"I have been having visions today," she started to tell him, "More of people's memories. I first saw Peynara's and then. . . Artemun's. . ." She lurched as another cry escaped her. She just shoved her face into the nape of his neck and let ever tear and sad thought flow out of her. She suddenly felt him jolt, and she felt herself relive all of the memories that she had witnessed that day. Peynara's were not as bad, but the whole time she shivered in fear that Artemun's memory would soon take over. Her fears were not for nothing. They all came back, and she cried harder as she watched it all being played again before her. Every pain, every fear, every emotion that was going through the people in the room was going though her, but something was different this time. This time, she felt arms around her. She looked up to see Yami watching the horror before him. His eyes were wide with shock, and his grip on her tightened. The memory finally came to an end, and she felt herself become solid once again. She looked up at him with her tear-soaked face.
"Did you see that, too?," she asked him hoping that she did not have to relive it again by telling him. He merely nodded. He pulled her into him very tightly, and whispered into her ear.
"I saw it all," he said in his deep, soothing voice. Just hearing it calmed her, and she felt herself becoming very sleepy. She was extremely tired from all of the fighting and emotions of the day. "I will help share the burden of these images. You are no longer alone to carry any heavy weights. I will always be here for you. I love you." She surprised herself when she smiled. She snuggled closer into him. Just the feeling of his touch, his warm breath flowing with the rise and fall of his chest, and the deep, velvety tone of his voice was enough to take away any cares or concerns away, but there was still one thing that was bothering her.
"I want something worse for Artemun," she said, "He needs to pay for what he did to Keytara. I don't want him to live. He shouldn't be blessed by the gift of life. Where did the guards take him? I want to kill him myself."
"Where did you get this vengefulness in you?," he said lifting her face to look at him, "It seems that I gave you more than some of my powers. Do not bring yourself to my level. You are too good for such a thing as revenge."
"How can I just let him get away with it? He can't just be let free without paying for what he did!," she started to panic.
Yami smiled and wiped a tear from her cheek, "Right now he is already paying for the crime he committed against you. What he did to Keytara is something that is to be left up to the Gods. On his judgment day, his deeds will be weighed on the scales of truth before Osiris himself. When the scales tip to show his cold, heavy heart, his soul will be fed to ammit, and he shall linger in a world of horror and despair. In the end, he will get what he deserves. So please, leave him be, you are too good of a person to be dealing with the judgment of men like him." She nodded, and got up. Yami went to bed while she went to the lavatory.
Ateyda washed up hoping to wipe away some of the aches she had in her body. She would have to fight again the next day. She did not know the letter that belonged to the amazing fighter she watched. She wondered if he would be her next opponent. She sat thinking about his movements and his techniques. In her mind she could see his every perfected move, and all of his precognitive defenses. He would be hard to beat, and she bet everything she had that if she made it to the final match, he would be the one she would fight against. She walked into their room to lie down, but she knew she would not be able to sleep. She kissed Yami's sleeping form, and went down to the palace's arena. She tried to imagine that fighter in front of her doing those flawless moves. She tried to contemplate how she would block a certain attack, or how she would counterattack without him using his powerful defense. She was hitting and defending as fast as she could get her body to move, yet her eyes were closed as she imagined the powerful warrior in front of her. She knew she would have to move fast if she expected to beat him. Every second that passed, she forced her body to move faster and harder, but when she made a certain hit, it landed on something. She opened her eyes to see Lamasse standing in front of her. He had blocked her hit with another staff.
"How do you expect to win tomorrow on no sleep?," he asked her.
"Did you see that fighter near the back of the arena today?," she asked him, "If I am to beat him, I need more practice than sleep."
"You do not have to worry about him," he said calmly, "I am up against him tomorrow. I will take him down, and then it is me you will have to worry about defeating."
"His techniques are almost flawless," she said leaning on her staff, "Are you sure you can take him down as easily as you are acting? Did you see the way he took down his opponent today? He is a fighter than should never be taken lightly." She looked over at him when he did not respond. He was looking across the ring deep in thought. She knew he was nervous. She could feel it from him. "I wonder who he is."
He turned back, "His name is Bakura. He is one of the best thieves around here. I know I have seen him around a lot lately, but I have nothing to arrest him for. I don't know why he entered the tournament games. I figured a man like him would want to maintain a low profile."
"A thief?," she asked curiously, "That doesn't make any sense. With fighting skills like his, he could make a lot of money, but maybe money is not what he is after. What do you think he wants?"
"I don't know," he said turning back to the other side of the arena, "All I know is that it can't be good."
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Ok, the whole thing about how Artemun talks. He is really sleazy so I made him talk in very broken English. I know that this is Egypt so he would speak broken Egyptian, but I had to make it broken English because, well come on, this is in English. Duh. Any questions? Email me Review please! Ja ne!
