AN: Okay, so I tried to make this chapter a little longer than normal because I'm going to be gone for about a week. (Meaning I won't be able to update for a week). I'll try to update as soon as I get back, when I can, so until then, please be patient. Thanks so much for reading PT!

Thanks to…

Carmen-Nemrac: lol. That's very true. I guess it's because…Bakura seems to be more of a control freak-like person than Ryou, who seems to have no problem playing another role besides the leader one, ya know? And thanks, I will have a good day!  Thanks for the review!

dragonlady222: Bakura will hopefully stay for good, and Ryou will also hopefully see that he is well-loved by (almost) all. Thanks for the review!

Anei: I'm sorry for hurting him so much! But he's got a bigger role in this story than the others, yeah? (Except for maybe OS). I'm glad that I'm doing something right about my characters. That's always nice to hear. Thanks for the review!

Anime WarriorSkye: Hehe, coolio. Thanks for the review!

The Vampire Prince: Why thank you! I'm glad you found it to your liking. Thanks for the review!

Chapter Twelve: Attending Class

Knives and forks clattered together as breakfast was taken in the dining hall. Ryou, feeling very vulnerable and unsure, gripped his silverware so tight that his knuckles were turning white. It had been a while since he had had to eat with these uptight, old fogeys. As always, their conversations were filled with chatter that meant nothing to the prince.

"-heard of the resistance in the outside villages?"

"-keeps a tight hand on those peasants, but I dare say…"

"Now that's a lie! Romans, here in Egypt?"

"-of the Guard is down, did you know?"

At the mention of Marik, Ryou nearly dropped his fork. He quickly covered his blunder, remembering his brother's warning at how vital royalty etiquette at the table is. When he glanced up, he saw his father's piercing gaze had caught his little mishap.

"Ryou, are you well?" asked the smooth voice the child knew too well.

"Yes, father. Quite well, in fact," Ryou answered, trying to keep a composed face. He struggled to do so, since nearly all eyes at the grand table turned toward him.

The Pharaoh studied his son's face before he reached for his goblet of wine. "Then I want you to stop spending so much time with that slave and start focusing on your studies."

"Yes, father," Ryou murmured, looking down at his half-eaten plate. He felt heat rise to his cheeks and he bit his tongue to keep down the torrent of retorts he wanted to throw back. Don't call Bakura a slave, you…

Since when had he grown so rebellious?

Before he could make any mistakes he would really regret, Ryou asked to be excused.

"Your history instructor awaits you at the library," was the curt discharge the little prince received.

Bowing, Ryou glumly started his way back to his room. History, first thing in the morning? This wasn't starting out as a very good day. First they reject him again from the infirmary wing, to see Marik. Then breakfast is all messed up, and now-

When he entered his room, the first thing Ryou noticed was the form sitting in the chair, in front of the fireplace. Ryou was a little shocked at seeing Bakura so deep in thought that he would have stayed where he was had the thief not turned around and frowned.

"What are you doing back from breakfast already?" the thief asked hurriedly, concealing his embarrassment at being walked in during a time like this. "Is something wrong?"

Ryou heaved a sigh as he trudged across his room and knelt in front of the small, squat bookcase. Pulling out some papyrus scrolls, the prince miserably explained, "Father wants me to resume my tutoring."

Tucking the scrolls under an arm and grabbing a leather pouch from the lowest bookshelf, Ryou disdainfully got to his feet. "I don't want to go," he complained as he reached for the door.

Bakura got it for him, and somewhat hesitantly asked, "Want me to go with you?"

Before Ryou could say anything, the thief had shoved the prince out of the room, closed the door behind them, and taken ahold of the scrolls.

Ryou, in a state of astonishment, stood still for a moment before he laughed at Bakura's antics as he led the way to the library, secretly happy about Bakura's company. The history lesson was so dreary, so dull, so soporific...having Bakura there would be a great relief.

The library was like a temple. It didn't have walls that surrounded it, but rather pillars of marble that bordered its sides. The smell of dust, papyrus, and musty old men was almost so overbearing that Ryou nearly wrinkled his nose. Knowing he would be scolded for such an action if his private tutor saw him, Ryou tried to keep a straight face as they ventured further and further in the labyrinth of rank tomes.

"My prince!"

Ryou perked his ears at the voice, looking for his instructor. Bakura, curious, also looked about. He found the man first.

There, standing next to a table, stood a frail short man who was old enough to be Bakura's great grandfather. Bakura nearly gapped when Ryou started walking toward the wizened man with twig legs, but kept his face blank, after a horrendous battle of emotions.

"Master Nobi, it's been a while," Ryou politely declared, offering the hand without his pouch of utensils.

The old man revealed a mouth full of gaps as he shook hands with the prince. He offered the prince a seat and took a step back, rubbing his hands together as he smacked his lips, thinking.

Master Nobi froze as Bakura took a stand behind Ryou, handing the prince his papyrus scrolls. A slave?

"Slave, move aside," Master Nobi wheezed, waving the white-haired teen away. He didn't want such a 'low-class creature' to obtain any knowledge he had to dish out. "No one should be disrupting the precious moments in which the Prince better learns himself in the history of his ancestors."

Bakura was seriously considering talking down at the man. However, his better judgment told him to stay quiet and ignore him, otherwise he would just be brewing trouble for Ryou.

Master Nobi was about to use those lungs that were covered in dust from not being used often when Ryou threw his hands up, looking shy.

"Master Nobi, Bakura will stay here," he said kindly, yet with force.

The instructor, knowing better than to go against such a gently put demand, gave Bakura a curious glance before clearing his throat. He changed his mode of focus as his back straightened and he suddenly gained the upright posture of a teacher. "Yes, yes…let us start with the roots of your fathers, my prince."

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It was so boring. Bakura was nearly dozing off, standing on his feet, listening to this wrinkled man just drone on and on and on. How could Ryou sit there and take this for…how long has it been? Two hours? Three?

Right when he was about to start growling in frustration, Master Nobi clasped his hands and announced, "My prince, you have made great progress today, for missing so many sessions in the past week. Let us stop here for now, and resume again two days hence."

Thanking Ra for this small stroke of good fortune, Bakura swept up Ryou's school tools and shook his head.

"I don't see how you sat through all that," the thief murmured as they exited the library.

Ryou gave a small smile. "It's…actually kind of interesting."

Rolling his eyes, Bakura had to grin. "Riiight…weirdo."

When they reached a fork in the path, Ryou swerved to the left. Bakura nearly dropped the papers he held as he doubled back to catch the child.

"Where are you-"

"I have another class in the practice field, near the barracks," Ryou said, glancing over his shoulder to see a confused Bakura.

"Another one?" Bakura asked, exasperated.

Ryou nodded, picking up the pace. "It's my favorite one, though." Quietly, he added, "Marik usually teaches it, so I think there will be a substitute today."

Shouts and clanging was heard not too soon after Ryou's words. Visibly, the boy brightened a little and his pace sped up again. Bakura was about to complain, but he couldn't help but feel a little happy when the child was so excited.

The outdoor path they took led them past barracks that were too familiar to Bakura. Choosing to ignore them, the thief followed the prince to the center, where a large cleared area awaited them.

Standing in the midst of all the sparring was a tall, white man. Hard gray eyes calmly viewed all the fighting, until they fell on the little prince and the thief.

"My prince, you are late," came a slow voice, a slight trace of a European accent laced into it.

Ryou, who couldn't believe his luck at having Alec for this session, quickly replied, "Master Nobi, the history instructor, kept me a little longer than expected."

"Let us start."

The little prince was caught totally unaware by the blank remark, and nearly dropped the wooden sword that was tossed at him. Pain shot up his right arm as wood struck fast and hard.

Letting out a small cry, Ryou immediately stumbled back and took on a fighting stance, holding his wooden sword with two hands.

"The blow could have been deflected with a simple right block," Alec barked, flourishing his own wooden weapon. "Again!"

He dove at the little prince, this time going for the child's left arm. Again, Ryou was too slow to bring up a block in time.

To Bakura, the personal bodyguard of the Pharaoh was moving quite slowly, despite the fact that Ryou was struggling with meeting the man's tempo. The thief itched to push the man into the speed that he had seen when they first met, yet he didn't budge since Bakura knew that Ryou would be disappointed if he took time from the child's favorite 'class'.

Yelping as Alec struck his fingers, Ryou's grip on the sword slacked and the weapon fell to the ground.

Alec stared at it before he barked, "Again."

Ryou, not used to actually being hit so hard, almost wanted to stop. No one had ever actually tried to strike him, and he knew that Alec wasn't hitting that hard but…it hurt.

Quit being a wimp, the prince scolded himself, standing up. He tried to strengthen his will as he took a deep breath. He gave a small nod to Alec, to tell that he was ready.

They sparred like this for a while, and slowly, Ryou started to get a few blocks in, here and there. The desire for a good fight was starting to eat away at Bakura as he watched, but the thief continuously shoved it away. He would get in a little practice later now, since his fingers were just itching to hold and throw a blade.

The next drill that Alec presented almost made Bakura frown.

"Maverick! Carlos! Quin! Stand around us." Alec made them stand around the little prince in a triangle before he stepped away and explained, "This next exercise is a three versus one scenario. The little prince is to fight three men first. Then, slowly, I will start to add more." Alec crossed his arms over his chest as Ryou stared at him, his eyes wide. "Any of the soldiers that go easy on the prince will suffer the consequences. This drill is here to provide practice for the prince. It will be more beneficial if the prince gets a good experience of what it is like to fight multiple enemies."

Bakura stepped forward to say something, but Alec beat him to it. "Keep your silence, slave."

Lavender eyes flashed in anger as Bakura glared at the European. Ryou cleared his throat and announced quite loudly, "I'm ready." He gave Bakura a look that said please-behave before he swallowed hard and faced his opponents.

"Begin."

Ryou landed one hit successfully, right on the soldier named Carlos's shoulder. It was hard enough to make the man fall to his knees. Then everything that happened next, happened too fast.

He saw it coming, but he was too slow to dodge it. The sweeping middle cut hit the prince full force in the stomach, sending him flying backwards. Ryou landed with a thud, and the breath was knocked straight out of him. The prince winced, reaching for his side. Ryou never got that far, because as soon as he saw the lower downswing coming, he rolled out of the way just in time.

Someone kicked him from behind, and the prince pitched face forward. He fell to his hands and knees before another person caught his side with an uppercut. The prince rolled with it before making it to his feet, dizzy. He didn't last up for very long because someone drove their wooden sword right into his side, sending him sideways and onto the ground.

Ryou was on the verge of crying, from the pain and from the helplessness. He didn't know when, but he had dropped his sword a while back. His ribs were hissing and his mind was screaming. He wanted this to stop, he wanted to tell Alec to make it all stop. But he knew he couldn't; looking like a coward in front of all these soldiers was not an option.

There was an incoherent shout as Ryou turned around, trying to face his opponents. Maverick, with his face crumpled into a ferocious war cry, dove right at the prince with his sword high above his head.

His feet tried to run backwards, but all they did was trip over themselves. Ryou fell backwards and threw up his arms in hopes of warding off the blow.

There was a thunk as wood hit wood. Ryou, who had unconsciously closed his eyes, opened them, to find a great looming shadow over him.

"It may be good experience," the low growl murmured, loud enough for everyone to hear. "But this fight, this so-called 'scenario'…this is plain bullying."

Ryou clenched his fists as he inwardly thanked Bakura. Alec steadily leveled his gaze at the thief, as if daring him to go on. Bakura did so with pleasure.

"And no one…no one bullies my prince."

Bakura grinned at Maverick, his humor too thin for comfort.

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AN: Well, I'm very sorry if it sounded rushed. Please review! I hope you liked this chapter…