Chapter Fourteen

Later in the evening, after supper, Seth summoned his young pupil to his study. He had to tell Sagira as well as Yaminah what he was foreseeing. He didn't feel it would be safe to just tell one. When Sagira arrived, she sat down in her appointed chair, and glanced over at Yaminah, with a small smile. It had been a long while since she had actually seen the the witch. Before either of them could exchange a greeting, Seth came in, looking slightly frazzled. "Master Seth, is everything alright?"

"Yes yes. Everything is going just fine. I don't have much time to talk so I need you both to listen carefully. I feel something is going to happen down there this time around. I am not sure what, but I want you both to be on your guard."

"Of course..." Yaminah wondered what it could be that Seth had really seen. She knew her lover wouldn't say with Sagira present though. It must've been really bad.

"Are you going to come down later?" Sagira wanted to know. She had come to stand beside Seth, not really wanting to leave without him.

"If time permits, yes. Otherwise, I want you to come back on the sunset of the third day. Mahadou and I have worked things out so that you will not be missed too much."

"Alright, Master Seth." Sagira nodded her understanding. Yaminah put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be careful."

"See that you are." Seth glanced up at Yaminah again. He wanted a quick word before they left. "Go and get your things together now."

"Okay." Sagira left them to go back to her room She only had a few things to do.

"Seth, what is it you saw?" Yaminah asked, as soon as the priest had closed the door.

"It's that ruffian Benikan. He will hurt Sagira as soon as he gets the chance. He wants to use her to get to the palace's treasury. Unfortunately, Sagira is under the Sedjem curse, and will give him the information he requests. However, if I know those thieves, and I do, they will take it to drastic measures to save their own asses."

"If I can prevent it, I will." Yaminah replied. "You know I can't go against the fate of the gods. It will be my neck."

"Yes, I know. Damn, I wish I had been able to prevent her from being cursed in the first place." Seth shook his head. "All we can do is hope for the best, I suppose."

"I'll do my best to protect her, Seth. You know that. We should go." Yaminah kissed him softly, before going to retrieve Sagira.

Mahadou watched the young princess pack, and then repack her small bag several times. He shook his head. "You're going about it all wrong, Princess. May I lend you some assistance?"

"Of course." Mahadou had been so distant lately, Sagira welcomed this unexpected visit from her teacher.

"It's not right, the circumstances you must be under to live here." Mahadou remarked.

"It's not so horrid. I get to see my brother." Sagira replied, though she partly agreed with her teacher. "Master Mahadou, have you been angry with me?"

"Of course I haven't. Whatever gave you that idea?" Maybe her second sight really is coming in. I must speak to Seth about this as soon as he is free.

"It's just that lately, you've been so cold and distant towards me. That's not like you." Sagira allowed her true feelings to come out.

"Yes, well. As you know, there has been a lot of conflict around the kingdom because of the thieves and various other things. I have been highly preoccupied. You should not be concerning yourself over it, Princess."

Sagira was taken aback by his snappish tone. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to pry, Master." She bowed her head. "It's just...we never get to talk anymore."

"Things will return to normal once we have tamed those thieves, and squared away the trade situation to the east." Mahadou smiled reassuringly . "For now, you just concentrate on your lessons. Kingdom business is not your place, or yu concern." He stood up then. "I hope your visit with your brother is a pleasant one." He didn't bother to mention his own real feelings on how it would go. It would not have done any good. He turned to go, then stopped seeing a robed figure in the doorway. "Good night, Princess..." He left, wondering if this was the mystery escort Seth had mentioned that would be taking Sagira to the thieves' village.

"Goodnight, Master." Sagira nodded to the robed figure, and without a word, the two left the palace via magic.

Bakare narrowed his eyes on Sagira when she first appeared. He was looking for the food that he was supposed to get from the store room. "Where is the priest?" He asked after a moment. Yaminah had gone into his hut to get some wine.

"He couldn't come this time." Sagira replied, evenly. She studied Bakare silently. He looked like he had been in a fight. "What happened to you?"

"Nevermind that." He hugged her gently, before leading her inside. They would discuss the food at a later time. "How have your lessons been?"

Sagira shrugged. "The usual. Although...Master Mahadou has gotten a bit more strict with me of late." She poured herself a glass of water. "I...heard about what the Pharaoh did to the village a while back...I'm sorry."

Bakare growled. To him, Sagira didn't seem sorry at all. "I just bet you are." "There is no food. You realize what that means, don't you?" He spoke quietly, but smoothly, leaving no room for argument.

"She goes back." It was Yaminah that spoke. She was at Bakare's side. "It is not her fault that Seth couldn't come." She laid a hand on Sagira's shoulder.

"That's just too bad, now isn't it?" Bakare gave Yaminah an even look. "Now I understand why he sent you with her. He thought you'd be able to get him a waiver. Well, that's not going to work." He pushed Sagira bit roughly into her pallet. "Sagira is mine now."

Sagira gasped. Seth had told her things would not go as smoothly. He had warned her. But it had not prepared her for this.

"There's no need to shove her! She has nothing to do with what's going on at the palace, and you should know that." Yaminah said now.

"You stay out of this!" The thief king growled. "Sagira is mine now, and no longer any concern of the Pharaoh's or his people." He turned to his sister now. "As for you..." He tossed some rags at her. "Put these on. I won't have my sister gallivanting around the village looking like a spoiled brat."

"Leave her alone." Yaminah glared at him. "She's just a child." She had promised Seth she'd protect Sagira if she could. And she intended to do just that. She grabbed Sagira's arm. "Come on, Sagira. You're going home." But she was surprised when she felt a cold point at the back of her neck.

"Let my sister go." The thief king spoke with a deadly quiet. He pulled Sagira away from Yaminah, and then glared at the witch. "How dare you betray me." His voice remained quiet. "All for that priest! I had no idea that your loyalty had switched sides."

"Bakare..." Yaminah began, but it was no use. Bakare was on a role now.

"I knew you loved him, but I thought you were trying to keep the peace between the kingdom and us." Bakare had moved them outside. "Now I see that I have been wrong. You were always on their side!" He shoved Yaminah away. "You don't think I can take care of her either, do you!"

"It's nothing like that!" Yaminah shouted back, preparing to defend herself. "Listen to yourself! You're mad." Yaminah was taken aback when Bakare raised a hand to slap her. "What are you doing!"

Bakare stopped short, realizing what was happening. "I...I'm sorry." He grunted turning his back on his old friend. "I guess the last few month have been hell for me..Every time I had to say good bye to her, it felt like a piece of me was being ripped away..." He glanced into the hut, where Sagira was standing in the middle of the floor, in rags. She had a horrified expression on her face, as she stared at the king of thieves. "What are you staring at, you twit?" He came over to her. "I'm...sorry...you have to stay."

"But, I promised Master Seth I'd come back on the third day..." She began, but Bakare had already walked inside. "Brother, please. Father's people will only come after you if you try to-" Bakare whipped around, and smacked her hard. She fell to the ground, and held her lower lip stunned.

"HE IS NOT YOUR FATHER! OUR FATHER IS DEAD! HE KILLED HIM! ALONG WITH OUR MOTHER. THAT BASTARD TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM ME, AND I WON'T HAVE IT!" Bakare stormed out of the hut then. He glared at Yaminah. "If she's gone when I re turn, I know who to ask."

Yaminah just scowled at him, and went inside to tend to Sagira. "It's going to be alright, Princess. I see now why Seth did not want him to keep you indefinitely. He has gone mad. Things will end up badly if you stay here."

"You heard what Bakare said. You can't take her." Benikan stood in the doorway now. He had a sling on his arm.

"No one asked you for your opinion, ass. What happened to your arm?"

Beni smirked. "I injured it, of course. What else." He walked over, and looked at Sagira. "You've gotten so tall. Don't you want to stay here with your brother?"

"I miss him, but...that's not my brother. He's never hit me before." Sagira felt tears spring to her eyes. "I want Master Seth..."

"Then I will go get him." Yaminah said softly. She laid Sagira down on her pallet. She knew Seth was likely to come if she went back and told him all that was happening.

"If you bring him back here, there will be more trouble." Beni told her, as she left the hut to return to Seth.

"Nothing he can't handle, I'm sure." Yaminah retorted. She saw Bakare up ahead. She decided to try once more to reason with her old friend.

"What." Bakare didn't turn around when his friend approached. "I thought you said you were going to take Sagira back."

"I am. But we need to talk. Bakare, you're not yourself." Yaminah sat down beside him. "I know what the Pharaoh did to you hurt. Believe me, I am more than aware of it. He hurt me too, in case you've forgotten. Sagira, on the other hand, she...she loves him, Bakare. And why shouldn't she? He's given her a chance at life. Just look around your own village. Most of the children are sick, and dying."

"Don't you dare assume I don't know what's going on in my village. I'm well aware of the situation at hand. Another reason why I despise that Pharaoh." Bakare snarled. "As for Sagira. She's forgotten her place." He stood up. "The Pharaoh has spoiled her so much she doesn't know what it means to be poor anymore." He faced Yaminah. "I want her to remember what it was like to be hungry." He turned heading back to his hut, and his sister.

"That's not fair." Yaminah replied sharply. "As her older brother, you should put her before your own selfish needs! She'd do it for you if it were the other way around." Her voice rose with every syllable. "You always said you'd do anything for her, didn't you? Well, this is what she wants. Let her stay where she will! Be the brother you used to be!"

At that, Bakare turned around, and glared at her. "You have no room to talk. You claim to hate the pharaoh and all that he stands for, yet you are always at the palace with that damned priest! Hypocrite."

Yaminah's eyes widened. "Bastard! You know there's more to it than that! But you wouldn't know anything about my feelings, because you don't know how to love!" She slapped him hard across the cheek.

Bakare's eyes widened. He slapped her back. "Don't slap me because I' m right!" He growled. The next thing they knew, they were fighting on the ground. Bakare was about to go after his with his knife, when he realized what they were doing. He stood up. "What the hell has gotten into us...?"

"Your sister. We both want what's best for her, and we have different opinions of whata is best." Yaminah stood up. She wasn't hurt too badly on the outside, but inside...She glanced at Bakare. "Damn you..." She turned from, and ran towards the palace. Now it was personal. If Bakare would hit her, she could almost imagine what he was capable of doing to Sagira if she defied him.

(A/N: Ahhh. Finally, Chapter Fourteen! Man, this fic is getting more and more difficult to write! Thank to Aubrie-sama and everyone who have stuck with it. Aubrie, I hope I am still doing Yaminah-sama justice. She does get hard to figure out after a while!)