Chapter 32- A Few Truths
"You'll never get away with any of this! I'll get you all for this!" Lydia growled.
"The Pharaoh will free us, and then you'll all pay for this wrong you have committed against us." Akerian added.
Heba mentally groaned. 'I swear that if they don't stop talking like this I am going to kill them and tell the Pharaoh that I had to kill them in battle.' Heba thought.
"You'll pay for what you did to my family! You had no right to do what you did!" :Lydia screamed.
"You and your damn brother should have never come to the village! We would have been better off without you!" Akerian said.
Atemu had had enough. "Gag those two!" Atemu ordered.
"Gladly." Bakura said. He and Marik gagged the two.
Lydia and Akerian glared at the two.
Marik and Bakura just smirked at them.
"Just following orders." Marik said.
"Those two are annoying. You would think that it was our fault that they tried to kill Yugi." Seth said.
"Knowing Akerian and every other member of his village, they all think that it was our fault." Heba said.
"Explain that one to me." Yami said.
"I can't. I don't understand Akerian's way of thinking, and I don't ever want to understand his way of thinking." Heba said.
"Well, I guess you're not alone in that." Bakura said.
"I'll be glad when Father deals with them." Atemu said.
"I agree." Yami added.
"Well, I'm just glad that this over. Or it will be when the Pharaoh deals with them." Heba said.
"When are they going to get back?" Amara asked, nervously pacing.
"Amara. Sit down. You are making me tired with all of that pacing." Aknankanon told his wife.
"Forgive me for worrying, Aknankanon. I am worried about our sons and our son-in-law." Amara told him.
"You need not worry about them, Queen Amara. I can sense they are close. They should arrive within the next half hour. Besides, not much could go wrong when you have three gods with you." Horus said.
"Three of the most powerful and fiercest gods at that." Yugi said.
"Agreed. They will do what needs to be done, even if it involves killing to get the job done." Horus said.
"I pray that they keep this woman Lydia alive. I want answers, and I want to have her killed in my own way." Aknankanon said.
"What will you do with the villagers?" Isis asked.
"If they were forced by this woman to help her, not much, but if they were helping her willingly, then they will be in serious trouble." Aknankanon said.
"I can tell you now that the village did it willingly. Every person in that village hated Heba and me with a passion. In fact, they loathed us. If the end goal was to kill me, then they would have helped willingly. Given how far out they are, Akerian believed that none of them would ever be brought out here to face you for their crimes. Akerian has no respect for you or the law. He thinks that he is above the law." Yugi said.
"Then he is about to find out that no one is above the law." Aknankanon said.
A guard entered the throne room and bowed. "My Pharaoh, the Princes have returned with the prisoners." the guard said.
"Then let us welcome them home." Aknankanon said.
Everyone was glad when they saw palace.
"Finally. I thought that we would never arrive." Anubis said.
"Can it, Anubis. It wasn't that bad." Set said.
"I'm afraid that I am with him on this one." Yami said.
"Well, gods have a bit more stamina than others. They have the ability to endure a great deal more than normal humans." Heba said.
"I'll just be glad to get these people in the dungeons so that Father can deal with all of them." Yami said.
"I know what you mean. For what they did, they deserve whatever Father decides to do them." Atemu added.
The group arrived at the palace gates. When the guards at the gate saw Atemu, Yami, and Heba, they immediately opened the gates for the Princes.
Aknankanon, Amara, and Isis met them.
"Did everything go well?" Aknankanon asked.
"Only minor injuries to everyone that went. There were a few of the people that were killed that attacked us. We brought the bodies back. We didn't know what you wanted to do with them." Atemu said.
"Throw the bodies to the lions." Aknankanon said.
Several of the soldiers nodded and went to do what they had been told to do.
"The others are to be out in the dungeons." Aknankanon said.
"Why are those two gagged?" Amara asked.
"That would be Lydia and Akerian. They won't stop talking about how they would get out of this and then would make us pay for this." Heba said.
"I got sick of it, and I ordered them gagged before someone ended up killing them just because they wouldn't shut up." Atemu said.
"I see." Aknankanon said.
"What about the children?" Seth asked.
"Hmm. We'll have to figure that out later." Aknankanon said.
Atemu motioned for Nadine and Ren to come forward.
The two did as they were told.
"Father, this is Marx's wife, Nadine, and their daughter Ren. They were held captive. Lydia would have killed them had Heba not stopped her." Atemu said.
"I see. I will need to speak to you about what happened." Aknankanon said.
"Of course, Pharaoh." Nadine said.
"Isis, take them to the healing chambers and check them over for any injuries." Amara said.
"Of course. Follow me." Isis said.
Nadine followed Isis with Ren holding onto her mother's hand.
"Anything we should know about?" Aknankanon asked.
"Other than the fact Lydia is a cold heartless bitch who doesn't give a damn about anyone, but her self, no." Heba said.
"That is rather harsh." Amara said.
""Your Majesty, when I got to where they were holding Nadine and Ren captive, that woman had a dagger to that little girl and was going to kill her all because she was angry that she had failed to do what she planned." Heba said.
"I believe that would be an accurate description of her then." Aknankanon said.
"You should all go and rest up." Amara said.
"A good idea." Atemu said.
They all headed inside while the guards were taking the prisoners to the dungeons.
"Yugi, when are they going to get back?" Mana asked.
"They'll get back soon, Mana." Yugi said.
"Why did Heba have to go?" Mana asked.
"Because it was something that he had to deal with. Don't worry about it." Yugi said.
A moment later, Heba, Atemu, Yami, Seth, Bakura, and Marik entered the room.
"Heba!" Mana exclaimed, going to hug her brother.
"Hey, Mana. You haven't been giving Yugi any trouble, have you?" Heba asked.
"No, I haven't." Mana said.
"Where is Hasan?" Atemu asked.
"Taking a nap." Yugi answered.
"How are you doing?" Yami asked, going over to Yugi.
"I'm fine. Just glad that everything went fine out there." Yugi said.
"Yeah. We managed to pull everything off. We stopped the entire village, captured Akerian and Lydia, saved Marx's wife and daughter and managed to get back here without killing anyone." Heba said.
"Should I ask why?" Yugi asked.
"You have no idea how annoying Lydia and Akerian are. They were saying the whole time that they would get out of this and that they would make us all pay for what happened." Atemu said.
"They're not going to get away with what they did, are they?" Mana asked, a little worried.
Yugi rubbed Mana's back. "No, Mana. The Pharaoh will not let them get away from anything. You don't have anything to worry about." Yugi said.
"Are you sure that you want to do this now?" Amara asked.
"Yes. I want to get this over with as soon as possible." Aknankanon said.
"But to have the trial so soon?" Amara asked.
"Amara, these people have brought a great deal of hardships to us. They endangered the life of our son-in-law while he is pregnant with our grandchild. These people would have killed him, and I want to know why." Aknankanon said.
"All right. I see your point." Amara agreed.
"First, I think that there is something else that needs to be done." Aknankanon said.
Marx was led down the hall with the Pharaoh although he was guarded by Marik and Bakura.
'I wonder what the Pharaoh plans to do to me.' Marx thought.
"Marx!"
"Daddy!"
Marx looked up in shock to see his wife and daughter standing in the healing chambers with Isis.
Ren ran to him. "Daddy! I'm so glad to see you!" Ren said.
Marx bent down and picked up his daughter. "I'm glad to see you, too, sweetheart." Marx said.
Nadine went over and hugged her husband. "I'm so glad that you are all right." Nadine said.
"I'm glad to see you. I thought that you were dead." Marx said.
"We're fine. Prince Heba rescued us from that vile woman." Nadine said.
Aknankanon stepped forward. "As you can see, Marx, we rescued your wife and daughter." Aknankanon said.
Marx set Ren down. "Yes, Pharaoh, and I thank you for that." Marx said.
"I would like you to tell me exactly what happened that led to you helping Lydia." Aknankanon said.
"Um, well-" Marx trailed off, looking down at Ren.
"Isis, would you take the child out for a moment? I'm sure that Mana and Ishizu would like to have someone to play with." Aknankanon said.
"Of course, Pharaoh." Isis said.
Ren looked up at her parents.
"Go on, Ren. We need to speak with the Pharaoh." Nadine said.
Ren nodded.
"Who are Ishizu and Mana, if I may ask?" Marx asked.
"Ishizu is my daughter. Mana is Yugi and Heba's sister. Mana is eight and Ishizu is seven." Isis answered.
"Go on." Nadine said.
Ren went with Isis.
"Now tell us what happened." Aknankanon said.
"We were in our home living normally when we were suddenly invaded and attacked by these men. The guards that we had there couldn't stop them. They took all three of us hostage and then took us to the village that Prince Heba and the others found us at." Nadine said.
"It was then that Lydia gave me that ultimatum. I could either come to the palace and kill Prince Yugi for her, or she would allow her men to rape my wife and daughter before they killed them. I have nothing against anyone here, but I couldn't let that happen, and certainly not to my daughter." Marx said.
"I see. Then you truly had no choice." Aknanaknon said.
"I understand that my actions were against the law, and that I have to pay for what I did, but I just wouldn't live with the fact that it would be because of me that that happened to them." Marx said.
"As a husband and father, I can understand that. Tell me. What do you know of the reasons for the others helping this woman and why this woman wanted my son-in-law dead?" Aknankanon asked.
"As far as the village, from what I heard, they just hated Prince Heba and Prince Yugi in general. They were willing to help her as long as it entailed killing at least one of them. Other than that, I do not know what their reasons were." Marx said.
"And the woman Lydia? Do you know of the reasons why?" Aknankanon asked.
"I heard bits and pieces. I believe that this Lydia blames Prince Heba for the deaths of her husband and daughter. She wanted Prince Yugi killed to hurt Prince Heba." Nadine said.
"Why would she blame them for her husband and daughter's deaths?" Bakura asked.
"I do not, Priest. I only heard a little bit. I'm sorry." Nadine said.
"Do not apologize. We already know more than we did before. I just don't see how this woman is connected to them. They have already told us that they do not know anyone by the name Lydia." Aknankanon said.
"I wish that here was more that we could do to help you, Pharaoh." Marx said.
"Marx, since you know that your wife and daughter are safe, would you be willing to tell the court everything that you have told me against Lydia and Akerian's village?" Aknankanon asked.
"Yes, Pharaoh. I would." Marx said.
"Good. We will be having their trial in an hour." Aknankanon said.
"Yes, Pharaoh." Marx said.
"I can't believe that I listened to you! We were all so glad when these two bastards left the village!" Akerian said.
"You were the one that wanted to do this and get rid of them! You wanted them to die!" Lydia shot back.
"If it wasn't for you damned grudge against them, this wouldn't have happened!" Akerian said.
"Grudged?! Those two were the reason that the damned pharaoh had my daughter and husband executed. If Heba hadn't come back, Vivian would have been married to that damned Prince Atemu!" Lydia screamed.
"Vivian? You're the whore's mother?" Akerian asked.
Lydia slapped him. "Don't call her that! She was the rightful queen!" Lydia snapped.
"She was the one who fucked the former councilman Aman to get pregnant so that she could claim the child as Atemu's. It was proven not be Atemu's. I can't believe I helped the mother of that whore." Akerian said.
"Stop it! Vivian wasn't a whore!" Lydia shouted.
"Really? Then I'm sure that she didn't have another man's baby. Face it. You're a whore like your daughter. I can't believe that I helped you. I don't know what the Pharaoh will do to me, but it won't be as bad as what he does to you when he learns that you are that whore's mother." Akerian said.
"He'll never know about that!" Lydia snapped.
"Yes, he will. Our partnership ended the moment we were captured. I'll spill the beans. I'm sure that he'll love to hear that the mother of the woman that tried to force his son into a marriage because of a child that she claimed he impregnated her with. I'm sure that it would ensure your death, but you'll die anyway for trying to kill the Pharaohs' son-in-law." Akerian said.
Lydia's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe that the Pharaoh would know her secret.
Hope that you liked it.
Next: The trials.
R&R.