Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

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Atemu sighed as he twisted and turned in his bed. He couldn't sleep. All of his emotions were mixing inside of him. His worry for Yuugi's well-being wouldn't allow sleep to embrace him and the anger in his heart towards Bakura refused to let his mind settle.

He turned once again, this time facing Yuugi's bed. He smiled as he imagined his son lying in the bed, turned towards him, smiling at his father. Atemu would smile back and wish him a peaceful rest. Both would say they loved each other and soon fall asleep. The thought of that night comforted Atemu. He felt as if tomorrow night, he would be able to smile at his son once again. He knew Yuugi would be safe in his arms once again.

As these thoughts entered his mind, any trace of Bakura left his heart. All his thoughts focused on Yuugi. Imagining his son smile again, he closed his eyes and slowly fell into the depths of a dream filled sleep.

XxX

Yuugi shook with fear in the corner of his cell. He couldn't stop thinking about the village that Bakura showed him. He had never seen such a terrible sight since he was a young child. But how could the shredded bandits even compare to the devastated village?

Yuugi sobbed as more tears fell down his eyes. He remembered the girl he saw huddled against the wall. His memory of her was the worst of it all. Accompanied with Bakura's terrible words of his father.

"NO! It's not true! Papa wouldn't do that! He was going to help those people!" Yuugi covered his ears and slowly rocked back and forth. "It's not true. Papa has to be a good man."

He sniffed. 'Please don't be angry with me, papa. I'm trying to believe in you. It's just so hard! Bakura . . . he says things about you. I try to believe they're lies. But . . . I'm so sorry!'

--

Bakura smirked as he heard Yuugi speaking to himself. 'I can't wait to send the prince back to his father, broken and fearful of the pharaoh.'

He imagined Yuugi trembling in fear of Atemu, screaming for someone to save him. Or perhaps he wouldn't react to his father at all! His soul would be shattered to pieces making it impossible for him to answer him.

He chuckled. The sight of a devastated pharaoh is one he didn't want to miss. Bakura stood up and sighed. 'I suppose it's about time I feed that brat. Though he barely deserves it.'

Bakura picked up the plate of food he had been eating. Some of the food hadn't been devoured and instead of getting more food from the stock that he had, why let the leftovers go to waste?

He walked over to the cage and smirked. Yuugi was still sitting in the corner, curled in a ball with his arms wrapped around his knees. His face was buried into his forearms.

Bakura unlocked the door and walked inside. He chuckled, as Yuugi hadn't raised his head. He set the plate down on the ground and watched the boy for a moment.

The thief turned around and made his way outside of the cage. He heard footsteps behind him but before he could move, a knife was plunged into Bakura's side.

--

Yuugi sighed quietly. He couldn't stand this silence. Being alone stirred up terrible thoughts and doubts. It was worse because no one was around to correct his negative thoughts. 'No one friendly at least.'

His mind focused on Bakura. 'He's the bad man here, not papa. I just wish there was something I could do to help, papa.'

Yuugi thought back to when he was just a young child. His memory had faded somewhat but he still remembered seeing the dead bandits in front of the palace. The day after that battle, Atemu gave something to Yuugi.

Atemu smiled down at his son. The boy held a dagger, small and thin. It was long but still small enough to keep hidden under one's clothes. Yuugi looked up at his father, confused. "Why are you giving me this, papa?"

"It's to protect you from people who would try to hurt you." Atemu sat down beside his son on his bed. "I'll always be here to defend you, Yuugi. But if there is ever a time that you need help, this knife will protect you."

Yuugi pulled it out from the belt around his waist. It was hidden under his robe. He was thankful that Bakura never found it. He brandished the blade as it twinkled gently under the dim torchlight. 'This is my only hope. I will be strong, papa. I will be brave.'

He tucked it under his arms making sure it wouldn't be seen. Yuugi returned to his previous fetal position and waited for Bakura to come. Luck was on his side, as he didn't have to wait long.

The door was unlocked and Bakura walked inside. Yuugi felt his heart beat faster with anxiousness. He remind frozen, keeping the dagger in his grip well hidden.

His body grew tense as Bakura chuckled and set something on the floor. He heard shuffling as the thief turned around. Finally, Yuugi raised his head. This was his one and only chance.

He quickly jumped to his feet and ran towards Bakura. He let out a cry and stabbed the thief in his side. Bakura growled in pain and his fist connected with Yuugi's left temple.

The boy was sent flying and skidded on the ground. Bakura pulled the dagger out and glared at it. He had been concealing a weapon all along. He growled, "How dare you."

Yuugi looked up at Bakura in fear. His plan failed! What could he do now?

The thief stared at Yuugi, his eyes burned with annoyance. "You have made your death wish, boy."

XxX

Atemu woke up from his dream with a gasp. He panted and wiped the sweat from his forehead. 'That was no ordinary dream. Could it have been a vision?'

He remembered seeing his son stabbing Bakura. Atemu never knew his son had the courage to inflict such a wound on someone. More importantly, he woke up before he could see exactly what kind of pain Bakura would inflict on Yuugi. On some level, he was glad. He didn't want to see his son put through such torture.

Atemu jumped out of bed and dressed himself. He stormed down the halls towards Mahado's chambers. He didn't bother to knock. In stead, he opened the door. "Mahado!"

Mahado was fully alert and looked at the entrance. "My pharaoh! What-"

Atemu took a breath. "We're leaving. Now."

XxX

Yuugi cried out in pain. Bakura kicked his side again, trapping him in the corner. He curled into a ball to try and protect himself. He knew it was pointless, but there was no way he could fight back. Not without his dagger.

"That must have hurt." He said flatly, in an uncaring voice.

Yuugi was almost convulsing from the pain. He didn't know how long the beating had gone on for. The hurt he felt made it feel like time was standing still. There was no end to it.

Bakura stood over Yuugi for a moment, staring down at the shaking prince. His piercing gaze turned to the knife he had been stabbed with. Bakura smirked as an idea came to mind.

He kicked Yuugi onto his back. The thief knelt beside him and grabbed his throat. "You've been a very bad boy, prince. And the laws that your father set down must punish all bad deeds."

Bakura held the knife tightly in his hand and pressed the tip against Yuugi's skin. The prince struggled but couldn't get away. Slowly, the tip of the blade broke Yuugi's skin. A tiny trickle of blood leaked out.

Yuugi cried out in pain as the blade slowly slid into his side. He grabbed Bakura's wrist and tried to pull it off of him, but his struggles were in vain. He screamed as he felt it scratch against bone and not stop.

Bakura stopped when the handle of the dagger was pressed against the prince's skin. He gradually pulled it back out and stood up again. Yuugi screamed while he cried and sobbed. Tears fell from his eyes. The pain was too much! Was he going to die?

Bakura smirked. "Do not blame me for your pain. It's Atemu's fault that you suffer."

He looked up at the stone ceiling. 'I sense the pharaoh is approaching. Damn that priest, Seto. I thought I killed him. Well, no matter. A dead prince is just as valuable as one that is alive.'

Bakura opened his robe and slipped the dagger into a pocket. He turned around and left the cage not bothering to lock the door. Yuugi's sobs echoed around the halls as a puddle of blood grew underneath him.

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I know it's really short! Sorry! The conclusion, next time!

As always, it's time to say hi to "Andrea"!

Hi babe! Thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked it! I just graduated grade 12 so no more school for me! (until college, anyway). Hope you liked this chapter! See you next time!