Disclaimer: I don't own YGO…duh!
PLEASE REVIEW! MY QUESTION FROM LAST CHAPTER IS IMPORTANT! I REALLY WANT TO KEEP THE CHARACTERS IN CHARACTER!! What do you think of Malik's behavior??
Chapter 15: The Family Beauty
Three hours. It had been three long hours since Malik had left her, and Kazejin was already bored with her activities. She stretched the white cloths out, smoothly over the rocks, like she had seen her own slaves do many a time. Kazejin knew they would dry flat and without wrinkles quickly in the stifling Egyptian sun. It was close to noon, yet Kazejin wasn't sure what to do with herself. She had finished the laundry, so she supposed she should prepare lunch.
Presently, Kazejin heard voices approaching. She tensed, muscles taught. She didn't know who was coming; Malik hadn't mentioned her having companions as she worked, yet she supposed other slaves used the pool as well. However, it may not be any slave approaching at all. It was quite possible Marik was coming for her, or some other man.
Peering through the doorway, from her poolside view, she could see three figures. She broke into a smile upon instantly recognizing them.
"Everyone!" she cried out joyously, running towards them and embracing them together.
Anzu laughed light-heartedly. "Hello, Kazejin."
"Hello yourself," Kazejin replied with a big grin.
Shizuka bowed. "Lady Kazejin, are you feeling any better?"
Kazejin slapped Shizuka's shoulder playfully. "Cut it out with that "Lady" stuff, Shizuka."
Shizuka laughed. "It's a habit."
Kazejin turned to the third member of the party. "Mai! How are you? Are you enjoying servant toils?" Kazejin asked teasingly.
Mai broke out into a tangent. "Oh, hun, you should see what I had to do this morning! I had to bake bread! I got all the cornmeal stuck between my fingers! It was so gross, and it will probably take weeks to get out. And then, stupid Jounochi snuck up behind me and poured flour into my hair. Ugh! I'm a wreck! So filthy. My beautiful locks…" Mai motioned to her hair helplessly.
"Nice to see you, too," Kazejin smiled wryly. "Always about you, dear sister, always about you."
"Well, sorry, Kazejin, but I care about my appearance. We can't all be little tomboys like you."
Kazejin just smiled and shook her head, happy to have her sister by her side. "Mai, even with that flour in your hair, you are still beautiful."
Mai laughed, knowing it was true. "You could be, too," she said thoughtfully.
Kazejin shook her head. "Not like you," she said wistfully. "And besides, there can only be one family beauty, so I'll have to be the family rebel."
"That you are, little sis."
"So, Lady Kazejin," Shizuka asked, "how are you feeling? You were looking so ill earlier. I am surprised you were sent out to work. I thought you would still be unwell."
"The scrapes were minor, Shizuka," Kazejin said, gazing towards the sky, trying to avoid Shizuka's bewildered face.
"If you say so, my Lady."
Anzu remained silent, but only stared at Kazejin suspiciously. Kazejin gulped. Anzu was keen, cleverer than the other two; Kazejin had long suspected that Anzu knew something was different about her, but, thankfully, she never said anything.
Mai, picking up on the awkward pause, looked at all three if them in turn. "What's with the quiet, guys? What is going on?"
"It's nothing," Anzu picked up cheerfully, exchanging glances with Kazejin, "I was just about to tell Kazejin about where we live."
"Tell me about it in the kitchen, then," Kazejin shielded her brow with her forearm, and stared up at the sun. It was nearly at its highest. "I have to make lunch now."
Kazejin jumped off the rock, tripping over her new garment, and slid in the sand. She cursed Malik for giving her such a ridiculously long dress. He's not even here, and he's still bothering me, she thought to herself.
Mai pointed at her side. "See? Tomboy!"
Sure enough, Kazejin had a huge sand streak up her side, turned mud from the slick rocks. She shrugged. "That's me."
Together, the quartet trouped down to the kitchen. Kazejin poked around. It was small, and relatively clean. On the ground, near the fire pit, was a basket of dates. Kazejin picked those up, along with a jagged piece of metal, and began to slice the dates carefully. She then grabbed cinnamon and sugar from adjacent storage jars, and coated the dates with them. Finally, locating some sticks, she poked half the dates onto them and held them over the fire.
Mai looked impressed. "And where did you learn to cook, sister?"
Kazejin beamed from one of her favorite memories. "Remember Bobasa, our chef? I would always hide behind him to escape dress fittings. He was so fat that no one could see me behind him. He
would hide me, and show me how to cook different things…" Kazejin changed out the dates, cooked for uncooked, and her eyes became sad suddenly. "What do you think happened to him?"
Anzu spoke from behind her. "I don't know, Kazejin. None of us do. You can't worry about it."
Kazejin sighed, and stood up, lunch finished. She clambered up the stairs, suddenly weary, her companions in tow.
"Kazejin," Anzu burst out, "Don't give up! For now, let's try to escape when the opportunity arises."
Kazejin stared at Anzu, taken aback. Anzu was so logical. She always knew how to keep Kazejin focused, something Kazejin had come to appreciate so much. My friends, Kazejin thought, her heart squeezing. I don't know what to do. Anzu is the brain. Shizuka is tender and sweet. The comforter. And Mai. Self centered, but not selfish to the core. Oh, sister, you pretend everything is normal to stop us from getting upset. I am supposed to be the leader. The one they look to; the one who uses her physical strength and fearless will to protect them. How do I tell you all what I am feeling? That losing Kamen has made me weak? I feel so vulnerable, in this town that is not my own. I miss my father and mother. The loss of them is killing me. Loss. I was never afraid of anything, until the day I saw our home burn. I had an epiphany that day; I realized that if I had to watch everyone die, I would die. I can't do without you. I am weak without your support. Loss. My greatest fear. To attempt escape could be to lose you, too. Defiance could kill you, and that is something I am not ready to accept. Kazejin remembered Malik's threat. And that is why I obey, she thought fiercely, for them. As much as I hate it, I will do it to keep them safe.
"Escape?" Mai questioned, her tone light. "My dear sister, why would you want to escape, when you have been with that handsome man the whole time? Shizuka told me you slept in his room. With a man like that around, why bother leaving?" Mai punctuated her question with a giggle.
Kazejin rolled her eyes. "Mai, he's such a…"
"Yes, Kaze, why bother leaving?" a voice interrupted.
Kazejin jumped. She knew who was behind her, and she thanked Ra she hadn't finished saying what she was about to say.
As if on cue, Malik walked around to the front of her, and spoke. "Care to finish that statement, darling?"
Kazejin shook her head rapidly.
"Oh, but I insist." Malik stood between her and Mai, his tone teasing, yet firm. Kazejin looked down, her gaze focused on a rock on the desert floor, blowing about. What am I going to say?! He knows I was about to insult him. Oh, Ra, why do all my friends have to be here? What if he threatens them? Curse me! Curse my mouth!
Luckily, Mai stepped in. "Well, my lord," she cooed sweetly, "she was probably going to say that you were such a wonderful, handsome man who helped her get better. Nothing more than that."
Malik chuckled. "Somehow, Lady Mai, I doubt your sister would say anything of the sort about me."
"Oh, so you know my name?" Mai asked flirtatiously. "I suppose my dear sister has told you about me, then."
"Oh yes." Malik raised his eyebrows. "I know much about you, dear. I have heard you are quite fun."
"Hm. Depends on who you ask. I'll have to show you exactly how much fun I can be. But, I have more fun at night than during the day."
Kazejin flushed at her sister's boldness, but also watched the interaction with some interest. Not only did Mai get Malik's attention away from Kazejin, but he was taking an interest in her. Kazejin sometimes wondered how Mai did it; she easily ensnared whatever man she chose with her wiles.
"I'll take you up on that," Malik continued, "but for now, Kaze and I are going to have lunch together. All of you will take your leave now. Return to your quarters, and rest until someone gives you more work to do." Malik waved them all away, as though no better than gnats, but not before tossing a devilish grin at Mai. Mai blew him a kiss, winked at Kazejin, and followed Anzu and Shizuka into the stairwell. Unfortunately, both had departed as soon as Malik had ordered them to, and, as a result, Kazejin had no one to share her eye roll with.
"Your sister is quite captivating," Malik commented, his head still turned towards where Mai had been only moments ago.
"Yes, she is," Kazejin replied softer than usual. She worried for Mai. Mai was too beautiful, too flirty. She was terrified that Malik might try to sleep with her, and Mai would probably give in. After all, Mai had said before that she found Malik attractive.
Malik turned to shoot her a grin. "What if I bed your pretty sister? Would you attack me? You both look nothing alike by the way," he teased. "Where did you come from?"
Malik was only playing with her, like usual, but the comment stung Kazejin anyway. Kazejin wasn't ugly, by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, she was prettier than most girls. However, any woman that stood next to Mai paled in comparison. Kazejin had Mai's face, but she didn't have her glamorous light hair, or her perfect body. Kazejin had small breasts, a straight, small torso, and a big bottom. Mai had large boobs and a curvaceous figure, with a proportional backside. It seemed she always appealed more to men, and Kazejin grew tired of being constantly compared to her.
Malik seemed to catch her crestfallen face. "Jealous of your sister?" he asked knowingly.
"Not jealous," Kazejin replied thoughtfully, "just envious."
Malik looked at her, expecting her to continue, but Kazejin presented the dates to him instead. "Lunch?"