Public Display, Private Dreams

 

Bakura sat in the corner of the cold dungeon cell. There was only one barred window to the outside world at the very top of his cell. Hot and humid desert air made him sweat during the day with no water to quench his aching thirst.  And at night, cold air flooded the cell making him want to give his life for a blanket.

Anubis’ guards enjoyed throwing water on him at night while he was sleeping. Not only did it wake him up, it made the dungeon cell colder than before.

Bakura shivered naked in the cold cell. Everytime he closed his eyes, he saw Marik. He wished Marik was with him. Marik would hold him, hug him, and stroke him and tell him everything will be okay. When he opened his eyes…….harsh reality slapped him in the face.

Marik was dead.

He even prayed to Osiris, hoping to see Marik in his dreams. Marik would press his lips gently to his. Marik’s tender hands would caress his body. Together they would gasp for breath, make love in the hot sands, and wash each other off in the lake where they made their home.

When he opened his eyes…..harsh reality crushed his dreams.

Marik was dead.

Bakura buried his face in his hands. “Marik, why did you have to die in my arms?  Why couldn’t I have the power to save you? Why did you leave me alone?”

Bakura struggled to get off of the floor and walked to the door of the cell. The door was solid with a little sliding window.  He tried to push on it, but was unsuccessful.

The sliding door opened and Bakura jumped back. Anubis grinned.

“The pharaoh would like to have a few words with you, dog. Be a good little bitch and come quietly.”

Bakura narrowed his eyes.  “I am not his bitch!”

Anubis and four guards burst in holding rope and shackles. “You’ll come quietly, Itemri, or you will be our bitch tonight as well.”

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

 Yami popped another grape into his mouth, brushing away a tiny trail of juice from his chin.  He reclined comfortably on his royal couch in the throne room.  His servant boys fanned him.  Yami cupped the cheek of one of his boys.

Jabade, my fingernails look a little dirty.”

The nine-year-old kneeled in front of the pharaoh and began cleaning his nails when the door to the throne room was thrown open.  Yami’s victim had his wrists in shackles and a collar around his neck. Two guards hold two separate ropes that connected to the collar.

Bakura was pushed to the ground. He looked up at the pharaoh with a growl. The high and mighty pharaoh looked down at him with a sneer.

“So….you were the one with the Millennium Ring.  Your accomplice died with the Millennium Rod in his possession. Where are the other items?”

Bakura shook his head. “I don’t know where the Key and Scales are located!”

Yami growled and stood up. He stepped down the three steps to stand in front of the prisoner. “I have the Millennium Puzzle!  I have the Ring, Eye, and the Rod!  You will tell me where the Key, Scales, and Necklace are located!”

Anubis pulled Bakura up to his knees by his hair. “You will answer the pharaoh when he speaks to you!”

“I do not know where the Key and Scales are. But you will never find the Necklace!”

Yami slapped Bakura across the face. “You will tell me where the Necklace is located! You don’t want to see me lose my patience!”

Bakura shivered. “You will never find the items you need!”

Yami circled slowly around his prey. “I need these items to achieve supreme power. I want this power. I NEED this power. I want to be the sovereign over life and death. Why should only the gods have this power?”

Bakura narrowed his eyes. “Blasphemy!  I’ve killed! I’ve maimed! I have disembowled! I’ve robbed from the riches homes of Cairo! But….I refuse to elevate myself above the god Ra.  Nobody can be more powerful than the gods!”

Yami grinned. “I AM Ra himself!”

Bakura growled and clawed Yami’s face. A trail of blood trailed down his face. “You are just as mortal as me, pharaoh!”

Anubis threw Bakura to the ground and kicked his side. “You don’t touch the pharaoh! You’re not worthy!”

Bakura glared up at Yami with contempt.  Yami scowled down at his prisoner with disdain.

Yami glared back at the prisoner. “Tell me where the items are, tomb robber!  Despite what you think, I have power over you. I decide if you live or if you die.”

Bakura shook his head. “I will not give into you, pharaoh! If you want me to beg for death, I refuse!  I will never beg for you to take my life!”

Yami kneeled, smiling at his prey. “You will beg for your life soon enough, my little captive. You will beg Anubis here to take his sword and pierce your heart. You will beg for release. Beg for an end to excruciating agony.”

Bakura shuddered at the close proximity of the pharaoh. “Never,” he whispered.

“You will not tell me where the Necklace is?”

Bakura shook his head. “No.”

Yami stood up and turned to Anubis. “It looks like we will have another public flogging tomorrow, Bakura Itemri.  You will be the main attraction. Anubis, go prepare Bakura for another splendid night as my subservient little puppy.”

Bakura’s heart leapt into his throat and the color drained from his face. “No! Not again!”

Yami grinned as he removed a piece of cloth from his robe. Anubis picked him up by the hair. Yami gagged Bakura with the cloth.

“I’ll be in my chambers after a quick walk in the garden. Have him restrained by the wrists and ankles. I won’t have to hear your pathetic

screams this time, Bakura. By the end of the night, you will tell me where the Necklace is located.  Get him out of my sight!”

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

Aten’s POV

 

I opened my eyes, surprised to feel something soft underneath me as I slept. No..it was someone. One of the High Priest’s women were holding me.  On top of both of us was a blanket.

I snuggled into the woman’s body beneath me with a contented sigh. I never slept with anything comfortable under me….or in anyone’s arms before. Anubis never hugged me. Well, he hugged me in the sense that he wrapped his hands tightly around my neck and squeezed me until I lost consciousness when I couldn’t shine his weapons properly. 

Aria walked over to me and smiled when she saw me awake. “Good morning, Aten. How do you feel this morning?”

I yawned and snuggled into the woman’s breasts beneath me. They were so soft!  I never knew a woman’s touch could feel so good and so comforting.

“Do I have to get up?”
”We have to eat now.”

I reluctantly ate with Aria and the other kids. Aria’s my friend. She and I used to play in the battle arenas. Yes, we got caught. Yes Anubis would give me a serious beating afterwards for playing, but it was worth it!

Aria was like a sister to me. I really liked her.  High Priest Seth loved her, too. She liked him.

Seth came in and he told us there was going to be a public flogging

today.  The pharaoh took these seriously. Yami enjoyed watching these. It helped to drive fear into the hearts of the masses. These were meant to assure obedience from the public and deter criminals.

It never stopped crime.

I’ve seen so many of these that it never bothered me. I’ve been the victim of too many beatings to be concerned. 

We ate breakfast and I prepared to leave with Aria. Seth kneeled down to us.

“Aria, are you sure you wish to go?”

“Who is it that is being whipped?”

Seth shrugged. “I don’t know. But, I know your father has been captured. I can’t guarantee it’s not him.”

Aria looked down. She loved her father.  Poor Aria. I’d hate to see my daddy whipped. I wonder where my daddy is. My real mommy died after Anubis pulled me from her womb. I know that much. But, I wonder where my daddy is.

“I want to go. Even if it is my daddy, Seth. Please take me with you.”

Seth took her hand and I held Aria’s hand. We left for the marketplace together.

When we arrived, Aria gripped my hand tightly. A tiny whimper escaped her as she looked at the white-haired man tied to a pole on a podium.

“Daddy…”

Bakura was hugging a pole, his wrists bound tightly with rope.  

Above the podium, Pharaoh Yami glared down at the prisoner. High Priest Seth took Aria and I up the stairs to the throne.

We had to watch, too.

Aria looked down at her father with tears in her eyes. “Daddy! Up here!”

The prisoner looked up. If you could only see the sense of loss in those brown eyes!  Aria dropped to her knees on the podium as she looked at her father.

“Daddy….don’t hurt my daddy. Gods, please!” Aria ran to Yami and fell to her knees. “Please, Pharaoh Yami! Don’t hurt my daddy! Please!”

I gripped onto Seth as I saw Anubis step behind Bakura with a whip. The people crowded around the podium.

Yami laughed. “Spare your father?!!!  Your father deserves to be executed! I’m being lenient here, girl!”

“He’s my daddy, sir! Please don’t hurt my daddy!”

Yami raised his hand to Aria. “My answer is NO!  Your father deserves to be disemboweled, drawn, and quartered!  I should castrate him!  He deserves death!”

Aria returned back to me. “Daddy, I love you,” she whispered.

The naked, bleeding prisoner looked down, averting our eyes.

“This prisoner has been caught raiding the royal tombs!  He has walked on sacred ground  and has desecrated the statue of Isis in her temple!  Let this be a lesson to anyone who dares desecrate sacred items!”

Anubis unfurled the whip and we could hear Bakura whimper, “Osiris, protect me!”

Aria screamed as the whip connected with Bakura’s back. “Daddy!”

I shivered, remembering the sting of that whip.  It hurt.

Aria clutched onto me. “Daddy…”

Anubis whipped Aria’s daddy harder with each strike of the whip.  The prisoner’s head slowly fell backwards, his hair dipping into the red on his back.  Anubis could tear skin open with that whip. From what we saw from above, his entire back must be tore to shreds! 

As Anubis struck him harder, we saw a puddle of red form under the prisoner.

I turned my head to Yami who grinned at the spectacle beneath him. He was enjoying himself. 

How could anyone enjoy this? Aria’s daddy was being hurt!  Aria’s daddy was a human being! He did not deserve to be hurt like this! This is wrong. 

When I become a daddy and I grow up, I want to have a child of my own. I’m never going to punish him or her like this. I want to be a good daddy. I’ll love my kids and everything!

Aria watched the whipping with wide eyes and trembling lip. Her hands gripped the edge desperately. 

Slowly, Aria’s daddy started to fall. He started going limp.

Yami held up his hand. “Stop, Anubis!” Anubis stopped his flogging. “Where is the Necklace, Bakura Osiris Itemri?”

Aria and I watched as the prisoner tilted his head back. “Marik Ishtar! I love you! Gods! I love you!” Bakura went limp.

Yami stood up. “Take him away. Tie him to the pole in the palace courtyard!  Let’s see how he enjoys being frozen cold at night, broken and bloody!”

As we descended the stairs, I looked on the podium.  Small strips and pieces of white flesh littered the wood of the podium.  A large puddle of blood remained where the prisoner had stood.

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

Normal POV

Aria remained quiet all day. She cleaned the linens on Seth’s bed. She cleaned his robes. Aria replaced the flowers in the pot on Seth’s balcony.  When she busied herself with her chores, she tried to walk through the courtyard to look at her father.

Bakura remained limp as he was tied kneeling to the post.     Bakura’s hair was stained with the blood on his back. Crusted blood covered him on his back and between his legs. Aria’s heart broke at the sight every time she saw her father.

That night, she waited until everyone had fallen asleep.  Seth had taken two of his women for that night’s activities, neither one of them Rayna.   

Aten opened his eyes and saw Aria creeping for the door.  “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to see my father.”

Aten slipped from a sleeping woman’s embrace. “I want to come with you. You can’t do this alone!”

Aten and Aria sneaked down the hall passing Seth’s door. From behind the door, a male’s moans mixed with two female moans.

They crept past Yami’s door as moans of pleasure echoed in the room.  Yami’s seven-year-old body slave slept on a mat outside his door.

 They ran to the courtyard where the moonlight illuminated the prisoner in a shroud of silver.

Bakura’s head hung low as a sniffle came from him. “Marik….why did you have to die? I want you back so bad…..it hurts.”

Aria approached her father cautiously. “Daddy?”

Bakura lifted his bruised and bloody face to her. “Baby…baby girl?”

Aria raised her hand and Bakura flinched. She put a gentle hand on his cheek. “My poor daddy.”

“Aria? Baby girl…why are you out here?”

Aria brushed the hair out of his face. “You were hurt.  I can’t see my daddy be hurt. Let me get you some water.”

Aten stepped to the tied prisoner. “Bakura?”

Bakura looked at his lover’s son. The boy’s blond hair and purple eyes reminded him of his dead lover. The boy had inherited his father’s handsome looks.

“Bakura, I’m sorry I killed my daddy.”

Bakura let out a sob and shook his head. “I miss your father, Aten. I do.”

Aria returned with water. “Aww, daddy, don’t cry.”  Aria gave him the water and he gulped with great thirst.

Bakura took a deep breath when he was done. “I haven’t had water in two days, Aria. Thank you.”

Aria ran her fingers through her father’s bloody hair. “I love my daddy,” Aria smiled.

Bakura continued to cry. “I love you, too, my angel.”

Aria took a cloth and started to wipe the dried blood from Bakura’s face.

Bakura shook his head. “Sweetheart, no. You don’t have to clean me. I don’t want you to see me.”

Aria looked at her father with large brown eyes. “I clean Seth when he is naked.  Why are you so upset about me seeing you naked?”

“I’m your father, Aria!”

“Daddy, I’ve been cleaning men with no clothes for a long time.  The least I can do is clean you.”

Bakura squinted his eyes. It was more painful having his daughter seeing him naked, bruised, and bleeding than having her clean his torn back.      

Aria cleaned her father and brought him a crust of bread to eat. Aria caressed Bakura’s hair.  “I really love you, father.”

Bakura smiled. “I love you, too, my little girl.”

Aten saw some guards approaching.  “Aria! Guards! Go!”

Aria kissed Bakura on the cheek and ran back to Seth’s harem.

Bakura watched his daughter and Marik’s son run away.  When they had disappeared, he hung his head low.

Osiris, protect my daughter.”

Bakura closed his eyes in sleep, once again hoping to see Marik in his dreams.

 

*****Bakura’s Dream****

Darkness surrounded him.  He called into the darkness. His heart raced with fear.

He was alone.

In the dark.

“Hello! Somebody answer me!”

Marik’s voice called behind him. “Itemri?”

Bakura turned around and saw Marik behind him. His jaw dropped.
The apparition smiled. “I’ve missed you, Bakura.”

Bakura staggered to the apparition and was able to touch it. “Ishtar….Marik. Is it really you?”

Marik stroked Bakura’s cheek. “I love you, Bakura.”

Bakura clenched his eyes shut as a wave of tears slid down his cheek.

Bakura fell to his knees in front of the ghost in his dreams. “Marik….I’m so sorry I could not give you a descent burial. Please, please forgive me!”

Marik ran his fingers through Bakura’s hair. “What you did for me in death does not matter, Itemri. What matters is how special you were to me in my life.” 

Marik, I don’t know how much more I can take from the pharaoh.”

Marik looked sadly down at his partner. “Your sufferings are not over yet, Itemri. You have much to endure yet before your bloody end.”

“I….will die? Where?”

“Your life will not end in a violent battle. Your life will end in a whimper.”

Bakura buried his face in Marik’s stomach. “Take me now, Marik. Take me with you! I want to die! I can’t take the pain anymore!”

Marik shook his head. “You have two years.  Two years from this night, you shall take your last breath.”

“Two years? I have to live for two years? Take me now, Ishtar, please!”

Marik shed a tear. “I can’t, Itemri. Ra forbids it.  I cannot take you to the underworld with me.”

Bakura fell on his hands. “I cannot live without you, Ishtar! Please!”

Marik kneeled before Bakura. “I have always loved you, Itemri.  When your moment of death has arrived, I will take you by the hand and leave you into oblivion.”

Marik leaned in and kissed Bakura’s lips gently. “Goodbye, my love.”

Marik! Don’t leave me!”

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

Bakura opened his eyes. Dawn had arrived and he was still tied up in the courtyard.  Alone. Hungry. Thirsty.

“Ra, have mercy on me,” Bakura prayed as he lowered his head to the dawn.