AN: Thankyou to all of those who have reviewed i'm glad to hear you're enjoying my fic...here's the 15th chapter

Chapter 15

The sun was only beginning to rise above the horizon casting a warm golden colour across the Nile and the buildings situated along it banks as it did so. Meanwhile a topless, young, blonde Egyptian boy hurriedly made his way through the inner palace gates, gold armbands glinting in the light of a new morning. It had been a long jog as the pharaoh had rebuilt his palace on an elevated section of the river bank, now it could over look the Nile, the city of Cairo and surrounding land; the young boy found that stairs were a waste of his time and energy. He paused briefly, panting slightly as he tried to catch his breath, lean bronze chest rising and falling with each one he made, gold handled dagger still secured safely around his neck.

Tall, elaborately decorated pillars of finely carved stone caste shadows over the floor as the sun's light flowed in though the large windows that looked out over Egypt. The blonde boy reached the entrance he had been searching for, the door guarded by two palace guards who remained superior to him. After hastily stating to them that he had been summoned by the pharaoh himself they stepped aside and allowed him access. The pharaohs' private room was the same gold tinged colour like the rest, though it contained more lavish decorations.

The boy bowed briefly in front of the tri-haired pharaoh sitting in the throne that was stationed in the centre of the room.
"Yugi, go play outside for while,"
The boy heard the pharaoh say, turning his head slightly he watched what he recognised as the pharaohs favourite young partner exit through another door. He had seen Yugi a few times when patrolling the palace and city though they never really talked, Yugi being nearly two years younger and almost under the constant eye of the pharaoh.

"Pharaoh, you summoned me," the blonde stated keenly, responding to the pharaohs indication that he could speak.
"These murders have been going on for nearly eleven years and never has so much progress been made since you were recruited into my legion of guards, but…"
"Pharaoh! You can't be serious… if it's because of my age…it doesn't matter, as you said the most progress was made by me!" the blonde retorted haughtily.
"Malik, your barely 17," the pharaoh commented, as he eyed the young boy who stood before him, "This man has needlessly killed over a hundred Egyptian citizens, some of which were the most highly trained guards I have seen during my reign as pharaoh," he added, fearing the young guard wasn't considering the likeliness that he could die if he accepted the task at hand.
"Pharaoh… this is something I have been training for since I registered to become one of the guards!" Malik replied hotly, his fists clenching slightly in frustration. He needed to be able to do this; if not the few years he had spent training would have been for nothing.

"I see you feel passionately about this, ever since you came here you have trained enthusiastically night and day and I have never asked you why; until now," the pharaoh spoke, looking down at Malik. Malik stiffened slightly, why? Why was he so keen on finding the silent Egyptian who had murdered recklessly for eleven years?
"He' a common enemy, and I seek him for revenge after finding out he killed my parents," Malik lied.

He watched as the Pharaoh looked into his eyes asif he was looking into the depths of his soul searching for a hint of something...
"I have decided..." he heared the Pharaoh begin though almost like he hadnt truly decided, "you can go, youridentity will be that of one of my own slaves," The Pharaoh had decided, "you're quite talented, i'm sure you can eliminate these two however if on the off chance you seem to be losing get out of there; there's no use in you dying too, everything will take place tonight."

That was all the Pharaoh said beforehe was dismissed and led back out of the palace.

……………

Even though the sun had long since risen Bakura still wanted to claim what he thought was his, and Marik showed no signs of concern as he walked boldly out into the street ignoring the presence of the occasional patrolling guard units. It was obvious that they posed no threat to him.

Bakura took care of breaking into what he recognised as the old mans house startling a slave woman who Marik had no second thoughts on silencing before she had the chance to think about calling out to her master. With her now lying dead on the entrance floor they proceeded further into the house. Pausing at the cental room and listening for any other persons who may be present at the time Marik headed towards the rear of the house while Bakura veered off to the left where a younger servant girl was scrubbing the floor.

Pulling out a small dagger from the folds of his cloak he snuck silently up behind her before pressing the blade of the dagger softly against her throat as he grabbed her around her waist. She didn't make a sound but shuddered in fear as she tried to glance back at him.
"Oh no you don't," Bakura muttered, as the slight outside breeze moved the palm leaf of the tree outside the window making the sun dance across his face and reminding him of how little time he had.

He wiped the blood off of his blade on the girls rags looking at the blood that streamed out of the cut across her throat before feeling slightly annoyed he didn't have a chance to play with her before he killed her. Nudging the body to the side with his foot he set off further down the hallway and into one of the adjoining rooms; sure enough his real reason for coming here – the pretty boy from that night – was there in one of the plainer rooms.

The pale skinned teen smiled curiously at him.
"My friend and I have come to take you away from here," Bakura commented with a smirk as he heard the distinctive sound of a lifeless body hitting the floor. The boy was still looking curiously at him but stood up all the same as another thud reached there ears, this old man must have had more slaves than he thought; rich bastard.
"Who are – " the boy began to ask before Bakura suddenly grabbed his hand and proceeded to lead him towards the front of the house, covering the boys eyes with his hand as they walked down the hallway skirting around the dead girl.
"Where are – "
"Some where far better than this place, your old master won't be bothering you anymore," Bakura muttered as he caught sight of Marik stashing his sword within the hooded cloak before following them out into the street once more.

……………

"That didn't go to bad," Bakura finally spoke after they were nearly half way back to the temple. Naturally there was no answer though now his new pet clung fearfully to his arm as though afraid of being separated in the daytime crowds. Bakura smirked running a hand threw the boys white hair causing the boy to look up at him questioningly, he smiled in return throwing an arm around the boy and glaring at a group of by passers; things were looking up for him.

As they neared the temple Bakura took the lead with the pale skinned slave while Marik followed at a distance that suited him. Suddenly Bakura stopped and told him to stay with Marik before suddenly running off towards the front of the temple.

……………

The boy looked around and then up at the emotionless expression on Marik's face, the scent of death swirled with the air around him. He looked away eager for the other man to return and he did, but he wasn't alone with him was a younger teenage boy about a good three years younger then himself.

Bakura stormed up to Marik and pushed the boy in front of him.
"I found him in our place," Bakura stated hoping that Marik would draw his sword and cut him in half, or something else that would rid him of this boy. However Marik said nothing or did nothing in response to him but instead crouched down in front of the boy.
"Mokuba…" Marik spoke in familiarity, the boy laughed before pulling something out of a fold in his kilt and showing it to Marik.
"Brother summons you both as soon as possible!" The boy reported, Marik nodded and stood up again watching as the boy ran back into the streets. Bakura was bemused, then it clicked, what the boy had shown Marik must have been one of those damn letters from the High Priest, meaning the kid must have been he who was delivering them; that was another thing Marik hadn't shared with him!

Bakura sighed as he watched Marik walk in a slightly different direction towards the main section of town before shifting his attention onto that of his new boy.
"What's your name?" Bakura asked, not remembering if he had heard the old man speak it the first time they had met or not.
"Ryou," The boy spoke slightly absent minded as he gazed up at the older boy.
"Well Ryou you're going to have to come with me, I can't just leave you sitting around here," Bakura informed him before leading him along in a different direction to both Marik and the Priest's kid brother.

It was the same since he had discovered who was writing the damn letters, after all – and now especially – it wouldn't look to good if the priests younger brother walked up to the estate with no guards and Egypt's worst murder and thief walking casually beside him.