A Common Girl

Rayna laid on her bed crying. Talibah sat beside her rubbing her back. It was the first night without her child by her side. The night before, she had seen her lover, Bakura, being arrested. She could only assume that Yami had him killed that night. Yami could not have shown mercy to such a famous thief! Faced with the absence of her daughter and the possible death of her lover, her life seemed empty. She felt as if she had lost everything of value.

“Rayna, you really should eat something. If you hope to carry the next pharaoh, you should eat.”

Rayna sat up. “I don’t know what to do now. My lover is dead. My child is gone. What else do I have?”

“Rayna!” Marik was heard running up the stairs. Marik knocked. “Rayna!”

“Come in, Marik!”

Marik ran in. “Rayna! Bakura was captured!”

Rayna hung her head. “I know. I saw him.”

“We have to get him out of there!”

Rayna’s friend shook her head. “Yami’s been wanting to get his hand on Bakura for years, Marik. Bakura may already be dead.”

Marik growled. “I can’t give up on him! I love Bakura! I will not believe he is dead until I see his corpse myself!”

Rayna looked up at Marik. “I want to go to the pharaoh myself. I have to see if they killed the father of my child. Aria is so much like him. No one else could be her father.”

Marik took Rayna’s shoulders tightly. “Rayna, this is Yami! It’s going to be dangerous for you to go to him! He’ll kill you!”

Rayna nodded. “I know,” she said quietly. “But if my child is gone and my lover is dead, I have no other purpose in this existence.”

“What about the new life in your womb, Rayna? That child will be the next pharaoh!”

Marik released Rayna and stood in front of her. “What’s this again?”

Rayna looked up at Marik. “High Priest Seth came to take my child to the palace. Aria is with him now. He also paid for me. If I can conceive a child by him, he will bring me to the palace and I can be with my daughter.”

Marik rolled his eyes and sat on the bed, turning his head away from her. “You know how Bakura feels about the nobility, Rayna. If he is alive, he is going to be very upset with you.”

Rayna turned angrily towards Marik. “Why? I wanted a way out of this type of life and Set offered it to me! Why should I not take advantage of it? Besides, Marik, you are a noble!”

“But, I LEFT the nobility to be with Amunet! I gave up my wealth!”

Rayna pressed her hand to her belly. “I did this for my child, Marik. I can’t be separated from her at three years old! Bakura will understand.”

Marik shrugged. “I hope so.”

Rayna stood up and wrapped her cloak around her shoulders. “I have to go to palace. I cannot rest knowing Bakura is in the palace.”

Rayna walked out the room and Marik followed her.

“Rayna, Yami will kill you! He hates the lower classes! And you know he hates women!”

Rayna turned to Marik and stroked his face. “Don’t follow me, Marik. I don’t want you to get caught.”

Marik watched Rayna leave the brothel. “I have to warn the other thieves and murderers that Bakura is caught! We can come up with a plan to get Bakura out!”

Marik jumped on his horse and ran through the alleys alerting the other criminals of Bakura’s arrest.

***********************

Rayna was admitted entrance into the throne room. Yami sat on his throne, fanned by two boys on either side of him. Yami crossed his legs as a slave girl cleaned his nails. High Priest Set stood beside Yami and gasped when Rayna walked in.

“What do you want, commoner?” Yami growled.

Rayna kneeled before the pharaoh. She lowered her head. “Sir, I have come to beg for Bakura Itemri’s release from your prison.”

Yami sneered. “The King of Thieves? What is he to you?”

“He is my lover, sir. I came to plead for my lover’s life.”

Yami laughed as he stood up. He descended the steps to her level and tilted her head up to look at him. “You look like nothing but a common whore. A common girl.”

“I may be a common girl, but I love him.”

Yami growled and called out the guards. “GUARDS! Bring Bakura Itemri in so that we may see how much she loves him!”

Rayna nodded. “I do love him, sir. Unconditionally.”

Bakura was dragged into the throne room panting and bleeding. Two guards threw him down onto the ground.

Bakura laid on his stomach panting, his back whipped and covered in fresh blood. His body trembled and he whimpered.

Rayna kneeled beside her lover and brushed her hand through her hair. “Bakura?”

Bakura struggled to lift his head. “I….know….that voice….Rayna?”

Rayna leaned down so he could see her face. “My poor Bakura.”

“Why…..are you……gods…here?” Bakura whimpered clutching his stomach.

“I came to get you out.”

Yami snickered. “Do you still love him? Even like this? Broken and beaten?”

Rayna ignored the pharaoh as Bakura reached up for her with a hand bearing evidence of broken bones.

“Rayna…love….you can’t stay here. Go before Yami kills you for what you ask.”

Yami frowned. “This thief is wise, woman. Leave before you get yourself killed.”

Rayna looked up at the monarch. “I do not fear death. I have lived through too much to be terrified of anything.”

Yami withdrew his dagger. “Do you fear me?”

Rayna lifted her head growling. “Hardly.”

Yami lifted the dagger above his head and grabbed her hair pulling her up.

“RAYNA!” Bakura screamed, but the guards kicked him down.

Seth called out to Yami. “NO! SHE MAY BEAR YOUR HEIR!”

The dagger stopped short of her neck. Rayna didn’t flinch.

“I could kill you this instant, you insolent female!”

Seth ran to her side. “You cannot kill her, sir. She may be pregnant with my child.”

Yami growled and released her. “For your sake, woman, you better bear me a male child. A female child will be fed to my lions along with you! Leave my throne room and bear me an heir. That is your duty! That is all you are worth! Guards, get this prisoner out of my sight!”

Rayna bit her lip trying not to sob as they dragged Bakura out of the room. Seto took her hand.

“I will show her out, pharaoh.”

“But, sir, please--.”

Yami growled. “Get out of my sight!”

Seto took Rayna’s hand and lead her to his harem. Rayna looked at the extravagant palace.

“Where are we going?”

“I’m going to show you to your daughter. You will see that I followed my part of our bargain.”

Rayna was brought into a room with fifty women and ten little children running around the room playing. They walked in.

“FATHER!” the little children ran to their father and bowed before him.

A woman nudged Aria forward as she saw her mother.

“MOMMY!!!” Aria ran to Rayna. The little girl was dressed in a white robe with a pink flower in her hair. She ran around barefoot, but didn’t seem to mind. She hugged her mother and wrapped her arms around Seth.

“Hello, Seth!”

Seth smiled, but then cleared his throat. “Aria, as my personal servant, you are to bow to me.”

Aria pouted and returned to where the other children bowed.

“She is your slave?!” Rayna exclaimed.

Seth nodded. “She is my slave, but, that’s because she is special to me.”

Rayna looked down at her daughter. “She looks well cared for.”

Seto turned to her. “I always keep my promises.” Seto lifted his hands and the children stood up and ran away playing.

Aria ran up to her mother. “I have a new fend now! She’s one of Seth’s girls! She’s not here right now, but she’s my fend!”

Seth turned to Rayna. “Her and her mother are cleaning my room right now. A High Priest must have a clean room.”

Rayna sighed. She kneeled down and hugged Aria. “I have to go, baby. Be good for….your master.”

Aria nodded and she grabbed onto Seth’s robe. “Seth wook after me. I be otay, mommy.”

“We must go,” Seth said.

Rayna kissed Aria’s cheek. “Remember that your mommy loves you, baby girl.”

Aria nodded. “I know, mommy. I love you, too, mommy.”

Aria kissed her and her mother left. Aria ran to the door and sniffled.

“I want my mommy back,” she whimpered.

*********************

Seth lead Rayna along the halls when they heard the soldiers training below. Seth paused to look down with Rayna.

“These kids are learning combat quickly. Anubis is quite upset at one of the kids in particular. He raised this kid after rescuing him from the desert. There he is!”

Seth pointed out one child with blond hair. “His name is Aten. He’s a good kid, but is not as strong as the others.”

Aten raised his dagger uncertainly towards a twelve year old boy.

“You better beat Baruti, Aten, or you can forget dinner for a second night!” Anubis growled.

Aten lunged at Baruti, ducking the swinging of an axe. Aten slid between the boy’s legs and brought up his hips to kick the boy’s back. Baruti fell forwards as Aten jumped to his feet.

Baruti spun the axe around as the three-year-old jumped back.

Aten’s hair flew in the hot wind, the blond strands twitching.

Baruti lunged at Aten, who caught his arm. Aten’s sharp nails dug into Baruti’s skin as his dagger sliced Baruti’s bare leg.

Baruti screamed, fell, and Aten put one foot on his chest. Aten panted heavily, his vision beginning to fade from lack of food. The three-year-old pointed the dagger at Baruti’s chest.

Anubis smiled in satisfaction. “So, boy, starvation is how I make a ruthless killer out of you? Maybe if you go one more night without food, you will become merciless. One more night without food for you! One crust of bread before bed is all you are entitled to tonight. Consider that reward for your victory!”

Aten’s eyes widened and became unfocused. He dropped the dagger at Baruti’s side. His body began to sway in the heat. “Need….food…..sir.”

Aten fell limp as a doll at Baruti’s side. Anubis growled.

“Drag him to the shade. He’ll come around….eventually.”

Seth shook his head. “Anubis has no mercy. He’s no better than his stepbrother, Pharaoh Yami.”

Rayna gasped. “General Anubis is the pharaoh’s stepbrother?”

Seth nodded. “Yes. He works that poor child senseless. I’m amazed he’s still alive. I would bring him into my harem to stay with my children, but, if I ever have Aten in here, Yami would have his hands on him in no time. Yami favors boys his age. He favors their innocence. It makes me glad I have females. He won’t lay one finger on girls. Let’s go. I think you’ve seen enough.”

“It’s disgusting how Anubis treats that boy!”

Seth nodded. “I know it is. But, at least I can protect Aria from him and everyone else who wants to hurt her. That is why I brought you to your daughter. While she is my slave, I treat her well, which is more than I can say for the other servants.”

Rayna and Seth left the balcony as the sounds of clanging metal faded.

***************************

Bakura sat in the cold jail curled up in the corner. The frigid air of the desert blew in through the barred window of his cell. His naked body shivered as he drew his knees up to his chin. As he exhaled, he could see his breath dissipate.

When his cell became this cold, he thought about Marik to warm himself up.

He closed his eyes and remembered his times with Marik in the desert. Their passion was as hot as the desert sands. Their love was going to be eter8nal like the pyramids. They made love in the desert gently. They made love passionately at the oasis.

Hopefully, Marik was somewhere safe.

He heard the door to his cell open, but he was too cold and weak to respond. Anubis grabbed him by the hair and picked him up violently. “The pharaoh wants to see you, boy! Time to give you a bath!”

Two people came into the cell and threw bowls of cold water on him. Bakura let out a scream and Anubis backhanded him.

“Keep quiet, you dog! You have to look decent for your king!”

They quickly dried Bakura’s body off, but his hair remained wet. Anubis placed a collar around Bakura’s neck and tied ropes around each wrist. Two guards on either side held the ropes which bound his wrists.

*************************

Seth brought Aria to his chambers. Aria stood on the balcony of Seth’s chambers looking down on the city with a large smile.

“Seth! Seth! Tum wook at dis!”

Seth came out onto the balcony and saw the three year old girl holding onto the bars of to prevent her fall. “What is it?”

“Is it pity?”

Seth looked down and saw the girl’s smile. Her spiky, white hair flew in the night air. “Come in, child, or you will catch cold in this night air.”

Aria skipped behind Seth. “What we going to do, Seth?”

“I am going to show you what you have to do for me.” Seto took a bowl full of water. “You are to wash my feet and hands.”

“Oh! Keen you up? I tan do dat!” Aria grabbed the cloth from Seth’s hand. “When I was wif my mommy, I keened da daddies dat came into the house! I keened dare feets and hans. I effen give dem dwinks so dey are not tirsty.”

She dipped it in the water and took his large foot into one tiny little hand. Seth watched as the child washed his feet with tender care. Her touch was soft, gentle. The way her white hair hung low around her face made it look like a curtain of white.

As Seth looked down at her, bathing in her innocence, he questioned how Yami could enjoy boys Aria’s age. When she finished washing one foot, she lifted the other and giggled.

“Seth’s feets tinky!”

The High Priest rolled his eyes sighing. “Just never make fun of Yami’s feet. That would be dangerous. He could hurt you.”

Aria giggled. “Yami no hurt me! He tant hurt me, Seth.”

“If Yami discovers I am not being as strict as possible with you, Aria, I could get in trouble.”

Aria put her hand on Seth’s leg. “Yami no hurt Seth. Aria will potect Seth.”

Seth saw a look of conviction in the three year old’s eyes. It was a strange look coming from a child. It was nothing he had ever seen before.

Seth watched the girl dry his feet and he stood off of the bed. “You will be responsible for drawing my bath. Let me show you how.”

Aria listened to Seth’s teachings on how to fill the tub and scent the water with oils. Aria listened to her other duties being described until she began to yawn.

“Tired, Seth.”

Seth took her hand. “Let me take you back to the others.” Seth lead her outside of the room where some guards and Anubis were bringing a prisoner to Yami’s bedroom. Aria stopped to look at the white-haired prisoner.

Her eyes widened and her lip trembled when she saw him approach

“Daddy?”

Bakura moved his eyes to look at her. He blinked in silent recognition, his heart too busy breaking at the sight of his daughter seeing him bruised and in pain. “Aria.”

Aria stepped in front of the guards and let out a quiet whimper. “Daddy, did Yami hurt you? Does it hurt, Daddy?”

Anubis growled. “He’s going to see the pharaoh now, kid. He doesn’t know the meaning of true pain yet. He will when he is done!”

Aria dropped to hr knees in font of Anubis. “Peas don’t hurt my daddy!”

Anubis backhanded the child, sending her flying to Seth’s feet. Aria started to cry as Seth brought her into his arms.

“You have NO right to strike my servant girl, Anubis!”

Bakura growled and struggled with the guards. Anubis punched Bakura in the ribs, sending him to his knees. Aria screamed and buried her face in Seth’s neck.

“If she is going to be your servant, Seth, you should teach her that servants do not plead for mercy! Servants don’t deserve mercy!”

Anubis picked Bakura off the ground. “Neither do common thieves!”

Anubis pulled Bakura towards Yami’s bedroom angrily.

Seth rubbed the child’s hair. “It’s okay, Aria.”

“Seth, no leave me! Don’t make me go! I want to stay wif you! Peas? Seth? Peas, Seth? I want to stay wif you!”

Seth brought the child back into his chambers. “Aria--.”

“No let me leave you, Seth! Peas? I be a good girl!”

Seth held the quivering, frightened girl. “Don’t cry, Aria.”

“Peas, Seth?”

Seth looked down at the brown pools flooded by her tears. “You’re really scared, aren’t you?”

Aria nodded. “Dat was my daddy. He looked really sad.”

Seth brought her head don to his shoulders. “I’ll keep you safe, Aria. I promise. You can stay with me tonight.”

Seth put her down and went behind a curtain where he stripped. He leaned his head out to her. “Bring me a clean robe, Aria.”

Aria brought Seth a clean robe from where he kept them. Ordinarily he slept naked, but he didn’t want to scare the child by any means. He returned to the bed and brought her into bed. He covered them both with blankets and gathered her to his chest.

“The will be one rule of this bed, Aria: You will not kick your feet.”

“Why?”

“It would hurt. A lot.”

Aria nuzzled into his chest and sighed happily. “I never hurt you, Seth.”

Seth looked down and saw the child drift into sleep. He smiled and kissed her soft hair. “I would never hurt you, Aria Kanika.” Seth closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

NEXT CHAPPIE: YAMI X BAKURA NCS!! The NCS is going to be the first part of the chappie, while the second half will be where Bakura escapes.