My Father, The Traitor
Marik feigned sleep beside his lover. The bitter night air flew through the oasis,
fluttering Bakura’s hair. Marik bit his
lip. He knew Bakura would not be pleased
with him going to see the child training to be one of Yami’s soldiers. The blond quietly growled thinking about the
child’s treatment at the hands of Anubis. This was something he had to do…even if it
meant risking capture. He couldn’t
explain it.
The blond leaned over and kissed his lover on the cheek
gently. Bakura and Marik had just
finished making love when Bakura fell asleep.
Marik shifted slowly away from Bakura and dressed in his robe. He jumped on his horse and looked at his
lover sleeping in the moonlight. Bakura
had his arms tucked under himself, the moonlight illuminating every curve and
ridge in his body.
Marik whispered, “I love you, Itemri.”
Marik rode away.
The blond rode to
He hid in the darkness when the soldiers performed their
hourly patrol of the city streets. When
they had passed, he rode to the training area’s gate.
Even in the city, the air was bitter cold. He looked through the gate and saw Anubis training with the child.
“Aten, keep your guard up! Never let your opponent
get the upper hand!”
“Yes, sir.”
Anubis slammed the sword again down on the
child, who raised his tiny dagger and blocked the attack.
“The only thing you are good at is defending! That’s not too bad, since you are no good to
me dead! Of course, since you do not
attack, you are no good to me at all! Tell me why I am wasting my time on you,
boy!”
Aten sniffled. “I’m trying, sir.”
“You ‘try’ like a female!
You fight like one, too! Did I
rescue a female from that desert or a boy? You tell me!”
Marik’s eyes widened.
“’Rescued from the desert?’”
“I am a boy, sir.”
“The only quality about you that makes you a boy is that
pathetic thing between your legs! Now fight
me like a man!”
Aten lifted his dagger slowly. Marik could tell the child was
hungry, cold, and tired. Aten ducked as Anubis’ sword slashed the air where his head had been. Aten raised the dagger and raked it across Anubis’ leg. Anubis growled and jumped back.
He brought the sword down and Aten ducked and rolled out of
its path.
“Attack me, Aten!”
Aten narrowed his eyes and jumped for Anubis. Anubis dodged and
kicked the child in the ribs. Aten fell down and let out a cry.
“Soldiers don’t cry, boy!
Get yourself to your feet!”
Aten struggled to his feet and gripped his side. “Sir, my
side hurts.”
“Ignore it.” Anubis grabbed his sword and slashed the air by Aten. The boy jumped back, wincing.
“Part of being a soldier is to ignore your pain! Charge at me!”
Aten stepped forward and let out a shriek. He fell to his
knees. “I can’t, sir!”
Anubis grabbed the child’s wrist and held
him in the air. “I should have killed you in that desert! My dagger should have pierced your heart when
I ripped you from your mother’s womb!”
Marik went pale. “Anubis……killed Amunet? Is he
speaking about Amunet?”
“Your mother was a dog!
You are just as worthless to me!
Your mother was only good for the pleasure she gave me before I killed
her!”
The child let out a sob.
“If you can’t be a soldier, maybe you can pleasure the
pharaoh! He’ll make a man out of
you! Would you like to be the pharaoh’s
love slave, Aten?”
Aten shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Maybe a night kneeling on hard wood will change your
attitude. You are a disgrace to me and
my family! I don’t know why I brought you into my home! We feed you and clothe
you! What good are you? Like your mother, you may only be good for
one thing, Aten!” Anubis put Aten on the platform. “Strip!”
Aten slowly removed his robe.
“Kneel!”
Aten kneeled on the platform.
Anubis picked up the clothes and threw them
off of the platform.
“You don’t deserve clothing tonight. If you are going to be
the pharaoh’s love slave, get used to being naked! When the patrol returns they will be here to
guard you. If they find you asleep or if you move, you will be beaten severely
for disobeying my orders!”
“Yes, sir. I understand.”
Anubis left and Marik dismounted his horse.
“I have to get that kid out of here!” Marik growled as he
looked for a way into the enclosure. He
saw a vine and climbed up. He jumped
over the wall and waited in the shadows for any lingering soldiers to
disappear.
He crept through the shadows and ran to the platform. Marik looked up at the blond-haired,
purple-eyed child.
“Hey, kid.”
Aten looked down and saw Marik standing there. “Who are you?”
Marik leaned on the platform. “Were you rescued from the
desert?”
Aten nodded. “I was born in the desert.”
“Who were your parents?”
“General Anubis killed my
mother. She was a peasant. My father was a traitor to the pharaoh and
the nobility. That is what he told
me. My father was garbage. Anubis told me that
was what he was.”
Marik narrowed his eyes. “Your name is Aten?”
Aten nodded. “Yes.”
Marik looked up at the child and caught a momentary glimpse
of himself at that age. The similarity was too much to ignore.”
“Do you know your father’s name?”
Aten sighed. “General Anubis said
my father’s name was Marik Ishtar. He said I had to be a soldier to pay for his
crimes. I don’t know what he did, but it must have been really bad to have me
kept out here all night with no clothes and no food. I’m really hungry.”
Marik took Aten’s hand. “Aten? I am
your father, Marik Ishtar.”
Aten’s eyes widened and his body started to tremble. “You are
my daddy?”
Marik smiled and stroked the boy’s cheek. “I’m your daddy,”
he said holding back his tears. “I waited three long years to tell you that I
love you, my boy. And I’m sorry you had
to live like this. I’m going to get you
out of here.”
“STOP! HALT!”
Marik looked up and saw a dozen soldiers running toward him.
Marik reached for Aten as an arrow flew past his face. He ran as a guard
grabbed Aten to prevent him from running.
“Daddy! Don’t leave me here!”
“I’ll be back for you, Aten!”
Marik leaped for the vine and kicked off one soldier who
grabbed his legs. He climbed over the
wall as another group of armed soldiers ran towards him.
Marik jumped on his horse and rode towards the city
gates. The blond ducked as spears
pierced the air beside his head.
“Right!” Marik called to the horse. The horse ran to the right and ran down an
alley. Marik grabbed a spear from a
weapon-maker and threw it behind him.
The spear eliminated one soldier from the pursuit. The soldiers were approaching him
quickly. They were so close they could
reach out and grab the tail of Marik’s horse.
One soldier reached out for Marik’s cloak when the horse and
rider were knocked over.
“Ishtar!” Bakura appeared beside
him. “What in Ra’s name are you doing?”
“Aten is
my son! That boy Anubis was beating was
my son! Anubis took my son from Amunet
and is raising him to be a soldier!”
Bakura looked behind them. The soldiers were aiming their
weapons. “Just keep going, Marik! I’ll
fight them off!”
Bakura turned around and charged towards the soldiers.
Marik turned around to see Bakura pulled off his horse by a
soldier in the shadows.
“BAKURA!”
The soldier who pulled him off of his steed proceeded to tie
his arms behind his back. Three soldiers
restrained Bakura, binding his wrists tightly enough to cut off blood
circulation.
“ISHTAR! KEEP GOING! GET AWAY!”
Marik continued to ride out of the city..
Bakura looked up and saw Rayna’s
brothel.
The guards taunted him. “You thought you could get away from
us? We have you now!”
One soldier kicked Bakura in the stomach, eliciting a
scream. He looked up and saw Rayna looking down at him and covering her mouth in horror.
One soldier grabbed Bakura by the hair and slammed his head
against a wall.
“Bakura! Itemri!” Rayna
cried out from her window.
“Don’t come down here!”
The guards laughed. “We know you would associate with whores,
you thief!”
Bakura growled as they tied a rope around his neck. “Time to take you to Pharaoh Yami. He will be very pleased
to see you.”