Author's Notes: Hey everyone, hope you have enjoyed the last chapter cause this is where the adventure-y angst-y stuff comes in.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
The weeks had come and gone in what Amunet felt was no more than a blink of an eye. Akefia kept his word after leaving her that day in the house that he had mysteriously acquired for her. Within the first few days there Amunet had met the old woman who would come by, almost on a daily basis, helping her cook and do simple tasks around the house. She was lucky enough to have a well hidden behind the garden in some bushes, where she would gather water to pour into the large tub for her laundry. Each visit, Akefia would bring more of her belongings as well as some, gifts, that he practically showered her with. He was careful to always come hooded on the days that he'd visit, coming early enough so that once the old woman saw his horse outside the small home she would turn around and head back so that the couple could get some privacy.
It was more then a month that went by before the old woman came by on one particularly early morning with some intimate advice. Amunet greeted her warmly and allowed her to enter before the old woman smiled and shook her head no. Confused, she was about to open her mouth when the old woman sweetly told her that soon Amunet's husband was going to have to keep his hands off of her until after she was healed from the delivery. Amunet's mouth stayed open as the old woman apologized for coming by so early and informing her that she didn't want to stick around lest he show up.
Amunet couldn't help but blush a deep red as she watched the old woman make her leisurely walk back to her own home. Taking the opportunity of already being outside to check on her garden, she collected some herbs and plants to cook with while pondering how she would break the news to him.
Although rare, Amunet was able to convince Akefia on multiple nights to stay with her, stating that her dreams were becoming particularly violent and had trouble sleeping when he was away. Not wanting to tear himself from her in the first place, Akefia found himself hard pressed to deny the beauty that begged practically nothing of him. Knowing that his men would be fine without him on those particular nights, he slept with Amunet curled in his arms, his hands resting on her belly. Though it was difficult, Akefia eventually heeded the old woman's words and managed to keep himself from becoming too intimate when alone with Amunet. They would kiss each other tenderly for a great while before Amunet would begin to doze off. Not exactly eager to fall asleep as he gazed at Amunet, the moonlight beaming onto her face from the small window in the bedroom, he would recall how sometimes he would catch her in the garden, the sun on her face as she smiled. Before he would just make love to her on the spot, not caring if he bruised a few plants in the process. Now, he had to fight all the desire he had into controlled amounts, careful of riling her up to a point that he himself was unable to come back from.
One day he caught her bathing in the large tub that she washed her clothes in after she was clean. As she got out, grabbing nothing to conceal herself, began scrubbing at her dress in strong precise strokes. Akefia could not even bring himself to make his presence know as his breath hitched in his throat looking at her. Every time he looked at her, he couldn't help but marvel at her beauty as well as the never ending depths of his devotion to her.
After a particularly brutal raid, Akefia spent a few days recovering before heading out to see his beloved Amunet. Marik had been coaxing him into leaving the day before for Amunet's sake, but Akefia had been hurt more than he had previously let on, so he used the time to rest and woke up first thing in the morning. As he approached the house, he noticed that the village nearby seemed to have a great deal of commotion going on. Akefia frowned while slowing his horse so he could speak to a young boy walking nearby.
"Hey, what happened?" he asked pointing to the source of all the commotion.
The boy looked apprehensively at the cloaked figure towering over him on the black beast, but nevertheless answered him quickly.
"Funeral processions for an elder woman," he said, squinting in the sun.
"That's it?" he snorted.
"She was very dear to everyone in the village, even her," the boy said, pointing in the direction that Akefia was heading.
His eyes widened and nodded at the boy before throwing him a satchel full of coins.
"Tell no one," he said, taking off to Amunet as the boy gaped at the bag he was now holding.
Noticing the door was open, Akefia got off his horse and paused for a long moment before stepping to the side of the house where he figured Amunet would be. Not knowing what he would do for Amunet now that her caretaker was gone, and how to even tell her, he came upon the garden. He could almost see her, sitting amongst all the plants, taking in their various smells before plucking what she needed and attempting to stand without any help. His eyes darted around, she wasn't there like he had expected. He walked back to the door but couldn't help but feel like something was pushing him forward at a much faster rate.
"Amunet!" he called as he entered the house.
Yes, she had been quite forgetful in her current state but she'd never leave the door open. Amunet was too paranoid and terrified of the people in the world around her to be that comfortable.
As he moved from room to room, reality set in Akefia as he registered the items of the house tossed everywhere, the blood marking the walls and floors, the torn fabrics shredded and soaked red. As the seconds passed by him, he realized the door had been broken in and was barely standing up by its hinges.
His fear quickly became a rage that he hadn't felt in a long time, causing him to scan the house once more for any detail that would lead him to find Amunet. When he could find nothing, he quickly ran to his horse and mounted it, kicking it in the direction of the village. Surely, someone had to know something.
As he came to the outskirts of the village once more, he jumped off his horse and led it through an alley. An older woman was shaking out a rug towards the end, and Akefia walked up to her, asking if she had seen any strange visitors come to the village or the house up the hill.
The old woman shook her head no, and Akefia walked away annoyed, hoping to ask a few more people before he headed back to the camp to round up a search party. Just before he turned out of the alley he heard the old woman's voice,
"No strange visitors, just the Royal Guard,"
Akefia froze on the spot, his fists clenched and his stomach dipped while his heart began to thump erratically at the old woman's words. Akefia could barely move as he asked, "How long ago?"
"Yesterday, in fact-"
Akefia was already back on his horse, taking off in the direction of the palace. Not thinking about anything but Amunet back in the clutches of the man that had scarred her back and broke her spirit to the point in which she had barely recovered from. Now that she was pregnant, his fear multiplied with the prospect that the Pharaoh would do anything to catch the attention of the Thief King.