A/N : Hello! How are you all? Writers block struck with this chapter, hence the longer delay than i'd wanted in updating. Just for those of you who asked, No, Hina isn't completely bold. She's just had a very horrible and unexpected hair cut that is very uneven and close to the scalp in places. I had to look up people having their heads shaved etc. as punishment and it isn't nice. Anyway... the aftermath of last chapters capture. Again, Writers Block, so I think it's come out okay, I certainly hope so! As ever, hearing your thoughts on this is always very gladly received. please enjoy! Xx

Disclaimer : I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 14

Hina felt herself gradually gain consciousness and immediately wished she hadn't. She could feel the slashes across her back and smell the scent of blood in the air. With the reality of been awake came a realisation of just how disappointed she was to be alive. She was in agony, she'd been tortured and hurt, and she'd failed in the only task that had mattered to her. She had failed to escape. Hina's head was pounding and her whole body felt sore. It was only when she attempted to work a bit of warmth back into her muscles by flexing them that pain hit her hard. She gasped out as she realised how badly damaged her back was. Besides the slashes into her skin, the surrounding areas had clearly bruised over, increasing the discomfort. Hina was lying on her front, her head turned to the side, a soft pillow beneath her right cheek. She wanted to move, but knew if she even tried… it didn't bare her thinking about. Hina needed to push herself up off the bed, but she could feel the thickness and heaviness of bandages smothering the broken skin on her back. It occurred to her instantly that stretching or creasing the broken skin would result in serious pain. It was dark and Hina couldn't see what room she was in. She could feel the bed bellow her was comfortable and that scared her more than anything else. Her bed in her confinement room wasn't comfortable, it was hard and nasty. So if she wasn't in there, where was she? She felt weak. She made to run her fingers through her hair. It was then she felt the short locks, barely an inch long from her scalp. Tears immediately brimmed in her eyes. For a short moment, she believed it to be a dream, but no. It had really happened. He'd really hacked away at her hair in the middle of the street. She forced herself up into a sitting position and gasped at the pain splitting across her back, tears escaping her eyes. Well done, she thought sadly, he'd finally gotten what he wanted. He'd broken her.

"You're awake," A voice spoke from the darkness. Hina didn't even have the energy or will to recoil backwards away from him. Bakura switched on the light and bathed his room in electricity. Hina saw her surroundings and couldn't feel anything towards it. She bowed her head, unable to look him in the eye. She saw his feet stop just before her.

"Look at me." He ordered and Hina obeyed, not wanting to cause herself any more pain. She'd suffered enough. Her icy blue eyes met his and what he saw there made his stomach twist uncomfortably. That fire that had always burned so vividly in her eyes wasn't there. They were dull in comparison. He knelt down before her and glared into her face. She stared back, her expression blank. Had she given up? Had he really broken that spirit that had enticed him so much? He'd won? If he had, it wouldn't feel much like a victory. In the end, he hadn't wanted that spirit to break. He'd been secretly willing her to win.

"Why?" He demanded rather harshly. Hina stared blankly at him, not wanting to speak, but knowing she must.

"I… I don't know… my king." She replied. Hearing her address him like that suddenly stabbed at Bakura's chest and a huge wave of regret settled over him.

Hina saw the change in him physically as well as emotionally. His hair softened as did those eyes that sent terror coursing through her veins. He clutched at his head as though suddenly getting a headache. Hina stared confused.

"I'm… I'm so… so…sorry," He gasped, even his tone had changed. It was gentle, caring and almost comforting. He looked up at her and Hina actually inhaled a little. The eyes had changed shades. There was kindness and compassion in those eyes. He lifted his hand and caressed her face, a slight pink tint spreading across his cheeks. His fingers gently touching her skin actually felt calming. Hina stared wide eyed at the man, her heart pounding. He withdrew his hand and stood up, turning away from Hina. She watched completely taken a back. When he turned back to her, he was back to his usual self. He glared down at her.

"What was that?" Hina asked before she could stop herself. She drew back almost immediately, afraid he'd hurt her.

"Don't ask stupid questions," he scowled, turning away from her.

"I'm sorry," Hina apologized quietly, ashamed of herself again. She just had to risk getting into trouble. She didn't want to hurt anymore.

"Rest. I have work to do," He spoke sternly still refusing to look at her. Hina hung her head, wishing she still had hair long enough to hide her face. As it was, she only had tiny little tufts close to her scalp. She hated what she'd gone through, she hated the man for doing it to her, but something about him dragged her in. The odd and rare occasions she saw some other side to him that she'd never expected to see before. If she was never meant to get away, if she had to spend the rest of her life bound inside the walls of this hideous palace, seeing the rare moments of kindness Bakura displayed would be almost worth it. Without another word, Bakura began to walk towards the door. Hina wanted to say something, but found she was unable to string together anything. She had no idea what she wanted to say to him. Instead, she watched him leave the room, the door swinging shut behind him. Hina laid back down, every tiny movement she made sending fresh new waves of pain crashing through her nerves. When she was lay back on her front, tears immediately sprang from her eyes. She buried her face in the pillow and tried to stifle the sobs she could no longer hold back.

Time went by faster than Hina had realised after that point. She had accepted this was her fate. She would stay inside the boundaries of the palace walls like the prisoner she really was. Since her attempt at escape, security on the walls and inside the palace had increased, so if she had ever dared attempt to run away again, it would be almost impossible. The thought however wasn't even something she'd contemplated. Hina wasn't risking the pain again. It was too much, too unbearable. In the first two days after she'd regained consciousness in the Kings room, she'd remained there. He barely ever came to see her, but someone was sent to her to help heal and redress the wounds. The girl who had been sent was one she vaguely recognised. She was a tiny petite girl with blonde hair. It was Ayaka, the girl she'd spoken to on her arrival in the Kings City. The girl had smiled politely at Hina when she'd first arrived. Hina had wished then she'd taken more time to get to know the girl a little better and befriend her. It was as Ayaka had taken off the old bandages to examine the wounds that she'd spoken.

"Oh, Hina, what have you got yourself in to?" she'd whispered sadly.

"Ayaka, I'm sorry," Hina had whispered, tears leaking out of her eyes as she gripped onto the pillow, preparing for the pain that would inevitably come as she tended to the slashes up her back.

"What for?" The girl had asked in response starting to clean the cuts. Hina gritted her teeth at the feeling.

"I should have tried harder, I should have accepted your friendship," Hina whispered. The girl stopped what she was doing and crouched down next to the bed, her gaze meeting Hina's.

"You have been through a lot. I never held it against you," She whispered back earnestly.

"Hina, I was the first to attend to you after these" She gestured towards Hina's back, "Were inflicted upon you. I found something on you and I took it, not wanting the King to find it. You should have it, I don't know why, but I know it's important to you," Ayaka spoke quietly. She then slipped her hand inside her dress and pulled out a card. Hina's eyes instantly widened.

"My card, my Dark Magician card!" She exclaimed taking it from the blonde girl. She ran her fingers over the worn image and felt a sense of happiness wash over her. She still had this; she still had part of him left.

After those first two days, she'd been moved back to her room in confinement and was oddly glad for it. The bed was uncomfortable and every movement she made caused her great pain, but she wanted to speak to the man in the cell next to hers. Upon arriving back in the stone walled cell, she sat down by the hole in the wall despite the splitting agony it caused her. After several minutes alone in the dark, when she knew the guards would have gone, she spoke.

"It's me, Hina, are you there?" She whispered, her fingers brushing over the hole. Fingers instantly found hers and clutched onto them.

"I'm here," The man whispered back. Hina breathed a sigh of relief.

"You've been gone a while, I think," The man spoke a small chuckle in his voice at his lack of concept of time.

"Yes… I… I tried to escape," Hina whispered her explanation, her back twinging as if to painfully remind her of her failed attempt.

"I'm guessing if you're back here, it didn't go to plan," He replied. Hina shook her head and set off into a rushed explanation of what had happened.

Hina was unsure of how much time had passed since then, the only indication she had was the growing of her hair. Other than that, she had no clue. Each day just merged into the next with no defining events to tell them apart. She'd seen nothing of the king in this time either. It was as her hair had grown a few inches long that he visited her.

She was laid out across her bed, her arms wrapped around her protecting her from the chill. Her back had healed well, the bruising gone completely and the only evidence left was the ten raw scars that ran up and down her back. She would have them till she died. Hina was drifting in and out of a restless sleep when she heard the door unlock. It jolted her out of sleep and she sat up and stared at the door as it was opened up. She felt her breath catch in her throat as she recognised the silhouette before the person had even entered her cell.

"My King," Hina whispered the greeting politely, not wanting to antagonise the cruel man. He stepped into the room, pulling the door closed behind him. He walked over to the bed and sat down on the end of it.

"Since when have you obeyed me and called me King?" He asked harshly through the darkness. Hina wanted to reply with something along the lines of 'since you whipped me and cut my hair off' but held back. The wounds may have healed, but the scars on her back served as a painful reminded not to provoke this man. When she didn't reply, Bakura felt annoyed. He'd given her the perfect opportunity to retaliate, but she refused to lash out at him like she used to. He wanted to get her back, the feisty girl who'd fought against him with every ounce of her soul. In the dark, it was hard to tell, but Hina could sense the change in him. She could imagine the softness in his eyes as his personality switched.

"I never wanted… wanted this," He whispered through the dark. Now she could hear the change in his tone, could hear how soft and kind it was. It intrigued Hina. Who was this man?

"I tried… I tried to fight it…" He continued. Hina wasn't sure what he was talking about. Fight? Fight what? Without realising it, she'd edged closer to the man.

"I never… I was too weak…" He continued as if Hina wasn't there. She suddenly found herself feeling desperately sorry for him, without truly realising why. She reached out to him.

"No, I can feel him… please…" He whispered. Was he crying? Hina couldn't be certain, but it sounded like he was crying.

"Ryo?" another voice spoke. Hina placed her hand on the Kings arm just as the man from the cell next to hers had spoken.

The King went rigid. He stood up, pushing Hina's hand away from him. What was happening? Who was Ryo? The king turned back to her and immediately, Hina could tell he was back to his usual self. Through the dark, she could imagine his glare surveying her like a predator. Was he going to hurt her? She hoped not. She didn't want to feel pain, not anymore.

"Come," He demanded and without another word, he wrenched open the cell door and waited for her to get up. Hina did as she was told and headed out of the cell, wishing she had time to speak to the man in the cell next to hers. She wanted to know who Ryo was, and she couldn't exactly ask Bakura. She looked back into her cell and saw a hand clawing onto the edge of the hole desperately.

"Ryo! Ryo is that you! RYO" He shouted out before the door swung shut. Bakura led the way, walking a little too fast for Hina. She struggled to keep up, due to the fact her legs had been chained, restricting her movement greatly. Since she'd returned to her cell, she'd been forced to wear theses as to prevent a further escape attempt.

"Where are we going?" Hina asked quietly. Bakura glanced back at her and saw how she was struggling to keep up with him. He slowed down, allowing her to catch up.

"I'm moving you to new accommodations," He replied irritated at her question. Hina caught on and fell silent as they walked, refusing to ask anything else. When they stopped, Hina looked up. She'd been gazing at her feet as they'd walked and hadn't paid any real attention to where they were going, but now she gazed around. They were in a well-lit corridor, decorated like most of the place was, in gold. She found herself stood before an ordinary dark wooden door. She glanced at Bakura, who was stood waiting. What did he want her to do?

"Well?" He demanded glaring at her.

"What?" She asked perplexed. He growled at her and shoved her forwards and threw the door open. He practically dragged her inside and let go of her.

Hina examined the surroundings, confused. The room was big with a high ceiling and hard wooden floors. There was a plain rug at the foot of a large double bed which was positioned before a ceiling to floor window, curtained by a rich blue fabric. There was a small table to the right of the room and a small sofa positioned before a TV on the left. Across from the bed, a door was set into to the wall. Hina turned around and stared at the King.
"I thought you were moving me from my cell?" Hina asked perplexed.

"You will stay here. I will have guards positioned at your door so I will know instantly of your escape should you try again." he spoke sternly. He turned to leave but paused, his back to her.

"I will try and make up for what I did to you," He whispered, the soft tone back in his voice. Before Hina could say another word, he'd left.