Two Hearts, One Puzzle – Chapter 3: The Fated Meeting
YAY PLOT DEVELOPMENT hopefully. I honestly don't know. Hope you guys like.
Credit:
I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! WHY CAN'T I
Inspiration from WannabeWerewolf and shadowrealm818 who have written GREAT stories that I borrowed a lot of ideas from (love your guys' stories, just wanted to add my own twists :3) Go check them out, they're great authors!
Includes guyxguy. DON'T LIKE DON'T READ ITS NOT THAT HARD PEOPLE
Anyway, hope you enjoy
Chapter 3: The Fated Meeting
~…***…***…~
Yugi's arms quivered as he carried the pile of sun-dried bricks to the carriage which would take them to the forming base of the pyramid, only about half completed. He dumped his load and dusted off his hands, turning to gaze at the monument. When Yugi had been brought to become a slave of the Pharaoh at only the age of eight, it hadn't even existed. But now, ten years later, it had begun to take form. But it would be another ten years of hard labor until it was completed. And even then, they would just begin work on another. The thought made Yugi sigh; a life of servitude building tombs. He would've given anything to have another life.
Jonouchi came up behind him, also carrying a load of bricks. With his deposit, the carriage was full and it was hauled away by donkeys to the base of the pyramid. The two walked back whispering to each other across the hot sand to the pit where the bricks were sitting to dry in the sun.
"Jonouchi, have you heard anything about your sister?" asked Yugi.
The blonde shook his head. "No, nothing yet. It's been hard to smuggle in letters lately. The guards have been more alert to these things, unfortunately."
"Well, at least there are people willing to risk getting caught by the guards to get those letters to us," Yugi commented. "And that we learned how to read before we got here."
Jonouchi nodded. "I miss her…I miss her so much." He noticed Yugi's solemn expression. "Sorry, Yugi. You must miss your family too."
The boy nodded sadly. He noticed a guard glaring at them and quickly turned away to grab another armful of bricks. Jonouchi did the same and the guard looked away. With a sigh of relief, he continued his conversation with the blonde.
"I'm sure she'll send something soon. I mean it's not like we're going anywhere anytime soon. You'll hear from her in now time," he reassured Jonouchi. The other smiled, his mood suddenly lifted despite their position. Yugi had a quality about him that could always cheer him up even on his darkest days. Truth be told, Jonouchi's mind was quite unstable after being separated from his sister at a young age. He started even earlier than Yugi, and because of her bad eyesight, she was not chosen to work as a slave. He spent about two years working and it tore his mental state apart. He began to fight the guards, like Honda, and purposefully doing crappy work just to piss off the soldiers. He spent many nights crying, unable to sleep or eat. Soon, his body became weak and his energy was gone. He had almost given up before he met Yugi. The little boy with strange hair gave off a strange, calming aura that gave him hope. He was always smiling, so reassuring that everything was going to be ok. On the day they met, Yugi had seen him sitting in a corner during meal time not eating. He came over and gave him his own food, urging him to eat. Somehow, he felt better when Yugi was around, and he ended up telling him about his sister. Yugi just smiled and said "Don't worry. I'm sure she misses you as much as you miss her. But dying here isn't going to let you see her any sooner. If you can survive, then there's a chance of you two getting reunited! If you love her, then don't let her lose her big brother." Jonouchi's eyes welled up with tears and he hugged the small boy. His tears dampened his bread but being the first thing he ate in days he didn't care.
Even now, after ten years as slaves together, through hardship and torture of being worked nearly to death, Yugi still found the strength to smile every day. Jonouchi didn't know what he would do without the strange boy.
~…***…***…~
Yugi remembered the day he met Jonouchi. He heard his tale and understood how he felt; he knew he couldn't let him die. So ever since, Yugi watched out for Jonouchi and comforted him because he knew what it was like to be unable to see his family. He didn't want Jonouchi to lose hope, and so he tried to smile and be happy around him as often as possible. Even though he felt pain and sorrow in his own heart, he wanted to be there for his friend; Anzu and Honda too.
Just as they were dropping off their load of bricks into the next carriage, Yugi heard a loud horn bellow across the fields and turned to see one of the guards sounding the copper instrument.
He lowered it and called out, "LINE UP! SEVEN ROWS!"
Yugi looked up at the taller boy with a confused face. It wasn't time to eat. He had no idea why they were having the slaves line up. Before he realized he was just standing there with a blank expression, Yugi felt a soldier prod him hard in the back with the end of his spear, pushing him forward. "Move," he muttered, and Yugi started jogging over to the other slaves who were forming lines. He and Jonouchi found Anzu in line and stood next to her. She smiled when she saw them.
"Hey guys! I haven't seen you all day, you both ok?" she whispered.
They both nodded. "We're fine. How are your wounds from yesterday?" Jonouchi asked.
Anzu rubbed her side. "Better."
A guard came down their row and the three of them quickly looked at the ground as he passed. Yugi glanced around him to see all the other slaves doing the same.
"Anzu," he whispered. "What's going on? Do you know?"
She shook her head lightly. "No idea, but it can't be good."
Yugi gulped. He shifted uneasily on his feet, waiting for whatever was going to happen to happen. Guards watched them intensely, twisting their whips in their hands just waiting for someone to step out of line. He felt sick, like he was going to throw up. But he could only stare at the ground and listen for the voices of the soldiers. Suddenly, he heard a soldier shout:
"KNEEL, SLAVES! THE PHARAOH APPROACHES!"
The Pharaoh?! Yugi thought to himself. The Pharaoh himself is coming out of the palace?
The boy instinctively got down on his hands and knees, pressing his forehead into the dirt. Anzu and Jonouchi did the same, as well as all the other slaves. He felt a guard standing behind him, ready to beat him should he move his head even an inch. Sweat dripped from his neck, dampening the ground beneath him; the air felt even heavier and stickier than usual, making it hard for Yugi to breathe. The boy had never seen the Pharaoh. Very few slaves ever had since he never came to the fields and had no reason to. He was told that slaves should never even gaze upon the Pharaoh should they be in his presence. But even still, Yugi's curiosity got the best of him and he raised his head ever so slightly to see the arrival of the king.
Four soldiers carried an elaborate royal litter, a gold throne enclosed in a box on two rods. It had tassels hanging off it, as well as flowing ribbons from the little tiers on the top. It was proceeded and preceded by six guards, all holding spears and had swords holstered at their hips. They wore cloths around their heads and thin black tunics that covered only what they needed to. The entourage stopped right before the first line of slaves with their faces to the ground; all the soldiers and guards as well as the four carrying the litter kneeled down on one knee, bowing their heads. As the four soldiers kneeled, the litter came very close to the ground. A soldier from the front of the entourage came around to the side of the litter and opened the door while kneeling; a slender foot came out of the carriage. It was followed by the glorious Pharaoh himself, dressed in white and gold, jewelry from head to toe, and a flowing purple cape behind him. He noticed the bronze skin color and toned body that made him seem so powerful. When Yugi tried to look up even higher to see his face, a soldier's spear came down and smacked him right on his neck, causing Yugi to smash his head into the ground. He grunted, feeling the burning pain and kept his eyes on the sandy dirt below him. He could only hear what was going on now.
A soldier spoke first: "His majesty the Pharaoh has come to take a personal slave with him to the palace. You will all be evaluated now. Should any of you move without permission, you will be killed on the spot. He will begin with the first row!"
Yugi quivered, unable to see anything including Anzu and Jonouchi. He heard several disappointed grunts from the front line, and he guessed the Pharaoh didn't like much of what he saw yet.
Please, please, please… he begged silently. Don't choose any of us…don't take away my friends…
"Second row!"
Only footsteps across the sand and earth could be heard in the eerie silence, as well as the jingling of the Pharaoh's jewelry. No slave made a sound or movement. That is…until Yugi heard something like a rabid growl, a loud, bone cracking sound, and then a soldier's voice. "MISERABLE WENCH! YOU DARE TRY TO REBEL AGAINST YOUR MARVELOUS KING? YOU SHALL BURN IN THE FIERY RIVERS OF THE AFTERLIFE!" A pause. "You! Soldier! Take the body to the burning pit."
There was silence for a moment before Yugi heard someone dragging something heavy across the sand.
His eyes watered and his teeth clenched.
"Third row!"
That was Yugi, Anzu, and Jonouchi's row. Oh God of Ra, please let him pass us by… Yugi pleaded.
Yugi heard footsteps come ever closer. A small welp told him the Pharaoh was at Anzu now. He waited in the silence for the few seconds which felt like hours. His heart was racing now, so fast he thought it was going to explode from his chest. He waited, so fearful he would hear the Pharaoh's voice tell them to take his friends away.
But then he saw the bronze feet wrapped in golden sandals before him. Yugi had no idea what would happen, so he braced himself, shutting his eyes tight. He felt the handle of a whip touch his chin and raise his head up, harshly. The boy did not dare open his eyes for fear of staring directly at the king and subsequently losing his head. But as soon as his head was raised, he heard the Pharaoh gasp and he held his head up for a long moment. Yugi could feel his cold stare examining his face, but he did not let a single sound escape his lips.
~…***…***…~
As Atem came down the third row, he noticed a boy with hair similar to his, and curiosity stuck his mind. He glanced over the other slaves next to him before raising the head of the small boy, letting out a small gasp at the sight of his face.
It was the one from his dream! Atem couldn't believe it. There really was something to that ridiculous recurring dream of his. He smirked. Perhaps I should take him with me. He does have a rather attractive face. I could have some real fun with this one.
~…***…***…~
"Leash this one and bring him to the palace," the Pharaoh ordered.
Yugi let out a small sob and felt the Pharaoh release his chin, dropping back down into the ground. He heard Anzu and Jonouchi gasp, but couldn't find the strength to look at them. Suddenly, a copper collar was placed around his neck and the boy was yanked up on his feet by a chain held by the guard who had been standing over him. He opened his eyes and immediately brought his gaze to the ground, frightened of looking at the Pharaoh who still had begun to move back to his litter. The guard behind him kicked him forward and Yugi marched, following the Pharaoh. He risked a glance back to see Anzu and Jonouchi watching him, eyes tearing up. Yugi tried to hold back his own tears as he was struck in the face by the guard.
"You're the Pharaoh's personal property now. You better start acting like it, slave-boy," he heard him mutter.
The Pharaoh returned to his litter and Yugi could finally keep his eyes at normal level. He was pushed into a place behind the litter and followed it along with the soldiers as it returned to the palace. He felt the many stares of his slave friends behind him, watching him go. He wondered if they were jealous or if they felt sorry for him. He had no idea what awaited him as the Pharaoh's personal slave.
~…***…***…~
End Chapter 3
GAH. THAT TOOK A WHILE.
Thanks for staying guys, I swear I just like to write a LOT so this is gonna be a long story.
Yugi: Writer…I'm scared…
Writer: Don't worry, everything is gonna be COUGHCOUGH fine COUGH COUGH
Yugi: I DON'T BELIEVE YOU WHATS GONNA HAPPEN
Writer: You're just gonna have to wait!
Honda: I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO BABY FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS CAN I COME OUT YET I SWEAR I WONT DO ANYTHING EVER AGAIN JUST MAKE IT STOP AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!
Writer: Nope, just stay in there for now.
I need more time in the day to write x.x and I need my friends to stop wanting to hang out with me so I can actually write x.x
Anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter!
Chapter 4: Yugi's First Day