Author's Notes: Hey everyone! This chapter is the beginnings of where it starts to get a little more action/adventure-y. I can say too much now cause then I'll ruin everything, but just keep being patient with me and all will be explained soon enough. I hope you enjoy, and thanks again for all your support. I'm also thinking about posting a picture for this story so you all can get an idea of what Amunet looks like in my mind. Would you guys want that? Let me know!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
"This makes four pieces. My two anklets, and now with these, I am only in need of one, final item. These are no ordinary gold pieces, anointed with sacred prayers and waters to be held by despicable priests at a most beloved temple," Amunet breathed in deeply, as if trying to calm herself despite her already cool demeanor. Akefia furrowed his brows and finished turning around, staring down at the girl who had thrown herself at his feet.
"The last piece is the necklace, the necklace I'm assuming you noticed around the neck of Bastet as you were rushing out?"
His interest suddenly peaking, he bent down to her.
"I did," he spoke roughly.
"If you were to try and go back for it, would you be aware that it will no longer remain there as of tonight?"
"Not surprising Amunet," he muttered sarcastically.
"Then you must know that the pharaoh is probably on his way to that very temple as we speak,"
Akefia's eyes opened wide, as he looked down at Amunet in shock before grabbing her roughly and pulling her up to meet his eye level.
"What do you mean, girl," he grunted.
"The Pharaoh believed the woman to have stolen these pieces on my ankles, dead. For years since I have been awaiting the remaining three pieces to appear in a temple, a vain attempt to cleanse these of evil-" Akefia grabbed her face so quickly with one hand that it made a loud slapping noise, making Amunet flinch harder in surprise rather than in pain.
"GET TO THE POINT!" he blared, the rage burning through his eyes. "WHY WOULD THE PHARAOH BE INTERESTED IN THESE!?" he screamed into her face.
"Please," she begged.
"OUT WITH IT!" he continued to scream, shaking her slightly.
"What happened to our people, Akefia," she said shakily, tears brimming in her eyes.
"WHAT ABOUT THEM!?" he yelled in a fraction lower than before.
"They had to test what they eventually did to our village, but they did it on slaves in the palace. Those slaves were my kin, Akefia," she managed to say quickly before breaking into tears.
Akefia slowly let her go, her whimpering body shrinking back to the ground at his feet. He took a moment to watch her before sitting down next to her.
"They belonged to our village," she said, her voice slightly muffled from her position.
After another moment had passed, Akefia noticed her sit back up. Still distraught, Amunet looked at him with glossy eyes.
"What power do these pieces posses once they are all gathered together?" he asked quietly. She bowed her head, exhaling before she responded.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I do know that they will unlock the other items once they are sealed away," she said, crawling from her position and sitting closer to him.
"Why would the Pharaoh ever want to do that?" he said slightly laughing.
"He will need to," she said calmly, easing back to sit cross legged before stopping herself and pushing her legs together.
"And why's that?" he asked mockingly.
"It has been foretold," she said as though it was quite obvious.
Akefia sighed, slightly annoyed.
"By who?"
"Aknadin, my King," she said looking at him plainly.
Akefia examined her for a moment, as though calling her bluff, but upon her determined gaze staring back at him, he lost his self in thought.
"Where will the necklace be by tonight?" he finally asked.
"If I can assume the Pharaoh is as dumb as he is powerful, it will be in the palace for some time. However, it will be heavily guarded, in addition to his council who are all in possession of at least one of the Millennium Items," she spoke hurriedly.
Akefia mused on all that Amunet had told him, never had he thought those anklets she cherished so much had anything to do with the pharaoh, much less his people.
"My King?" Amunet said softly, breaking him out of his trance.
Akefia looked at her in acknowledgment, before gesturing for her to come closer. Amunet closed the small gap between them before he pulled her into his lap and wrapping his arms around her like she was a child. His red robe slightly covered some of her body, relaxing her very tense frame.
"Do you ever get nightmares from it?" she asked, curled in his lap and her head resting on his chest.
Akefia began to pet the top of her head, smoothing down her hair as he felt her breath on his bare torso. Several moments passed without either one saying a word, the loss and the devastation that they had both gone through as children had deeply scarred them. In Amunet's mind, it would be foolish not to assume he wasn't haunted by what they had seen before escaping the burning village.
"Is that why you have trouble sleeping, pet?" he asked in a hushed voice.
Amunet felt her cheeks heat up, she wanted to bury her face into something but the only thing she could do so in, was his bare chest. Not wanting to stumble on her words, Amunet nodded her head, his free hand still running over her hair.
"So, how do you propose we get this necklace?" Akefia asked, grinning down at her bewildered face.
"You would help me retrieve it?" she asked astonished.
"No, I would take it for myself and pry these pieces off of you in order to see what power they possess," he said menacingly.
"The carrier of these items has to be a woman," she said, scowling up at him.
"Fine, either way you have peaked my interest my dear and I wont be letting you just do whatever you want now," he paused, gripping her hair slightly and pulling it back. Her face rose up to meet his dark gaze, his grin, deranged looking as he licked his lips once his eyes fell on her bare chest.
"You're gonna need to get dressed," he finally said. "I cant have you walking around like this, as beautiful as you might be," he said as his hand trailed down to her throat, gripping it just enough for her to bring her own hands to it in an attempt to remove his. "Just remember, you belong to me and you shall behave like it, understand?" he asked, her eyes brimming with tears as she struggled to get air once his grip tightened even more.
"Yes," she somehow managed to get out, releasing his hand from her throat she took in a few deep breaths, calming her body.
Akefia got to his feet and walked over to his trunk, where he had thrown Amunet's clothes. He picked them up, allowing the soft fabric to run over his hands before walking them over to her.
"I'll be back in a few moments," he said dropping the material in her lap and briskly walking out of the tent.
Akefia moved quickly to the main campsite, keeping his eye out for Marik as he walked through all of his nodding men. Once he spotted the blonde, he moved directly behind him, causing him to jump with the sudden realization of who was behind him.
"You have to stop doing that," he said exasperated. Akefia's lip curled in satisfaction before opening it to speak,
"Prepare my horse and some supplies, we'll be going into the King's city tonight," he said curtly.
"What are we doing there?" Marik asked, slightly confused.
"Amunet and I will be attempting to find a particular item that I was not aware I needed," he said, slightly mumbling.
"Oh," Marik said, realizing that he had been outed by the girl that had so callously stoked his ire.
Akefia turned around heading back to his tent to collect Amunet, but not before saying over his shoulder, "You will follow us at a distance," smirking as he walked.
Once Akefia had entered the tent once more, his eyes held a dressed Amunet, who sat facing away from the opening. Her hair covered almost all of her body but he did notice the faint glint of gold that enclosed her wrists and ankles.
"Ready?" he asked gruffly.
"My King," she said pausing.
"Yes?"
"What will become of me?"
Akefia frowned, not sure of the truth behind that question. He breathed deeply for several seconds before slowly going over to her and sitting on his knees behind her. His arms embraced her from behind, much to Amunet's shock, and he rested his head upon the back of her neck. His nose in her thick black locks and his eyes closed while Amunet's struggled to stay open.
"What would you like to happen?" he spoke roughly into her ear.
"I don't know," she said trembling.
"Surely you want something," he said mockingly.
"I am not a whore to be passed around for amusement," she said, her defiance cracking her voice.
"Now, who said anything about you being a whore?" he chuckled. "No Amunet, I could never view you as anything but a little parcel dropped into my lap by the Gods themselves. You can be many things, away from me is not one of them," he said gripping her throat once more to emphasize his point.
"Understand?" he spoke in a raspy tone.
"Yes Master," her anger bubbled up and threatened to pop, but Amunet remained still until she felt his body leave her.
"Up," he commanded.
Amunet stood up and turned around to face him, only to find his face smiling unnaturally at her. Without hesitating, he lifted her up and over his shoulder before walking back out into the sun which was beginning to make its descent. Amunet struggled, squirming as she felt the eyes of his men upon her. Akefia smacked her bottom, shocking her into remaining motionless until he eventually had walked all the way to his horse. He put her on the frontmost part of the saddle before climbing up behind her. She noticed that Marik was on his own horse to their left, waiting patiently for Akefia to begin their journey.
"Do we really need her?" Marik asked, not bothering to hide his disdain.
"No, WE don't need her, but I do," he said as he kicked into his horse, sending them forward and into the desert with Marik behind them.