I Dream of Ryou

I Dream of Ryou

Mally-chan & hato chiisai

YAOI WARNING

Disclaimer: We to not own Yugioh or I Dream of Jeannie. >.> But hato does own Mikado and Ahmose.

This fic is dedicated to FireWeaverOfRa. Hi FireWeaver!!! ::waves:: ^____^

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Chapter 1

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It was the golden age of Egypt, trade was good, irrigated crops were plentiful, the age of total success. Even the Pharaoh himself was sometimes dazzled at the beauty of his wonderful nation. The golden nation blessed by the gods.

His glistening palace sat near the largest city, and at any time, he could overlook the bustle of the crowds far below his vast palace. He kept many slaves, as was customary of Egyptians, and pharaohs. One of which was a constant reminder of why he kept slaves in separate quarters.

A pale youth with awkwardly colored white hair by the name of Ryou, was to blame for the pharaoh's disposition towards slaves. A curious mischievous young slave no older than sixteen, who was more trouble than he was worth... and was currently proving that once more, peering curiously around the palace, sneaking into the chambers of the Pharaoh’s body guard once again to peer at documents he shouldn't see, and was almost thought unable to even read.

Ryou found himself standing in front of the black door. It was forbidden to enter the sorcerer's chambers, even more that it was to enter the Pharaoh's chambers... after all... someone had to clean up after the Pharaoh, but Ahmose kept his room clean on his own... and for good reason. A servant could easily get themselves into a LOT of trouble because when you were in Ahmose's room, you never knew what was what... the most simple object could be the most dangerous... Ryou slowly reached out and pushed the door open, stepping in and closing the door behind him.

The room was dark. Thick black curtains hid the room from the sun, and a single floor lamp burned near the bed, but was beginning to go out. The entire room was black with deep purple curtains and gold trimming on the scattered furniture. And across the room from the balcony was the large rack containing countless papyrus scrolls...

Ryou squeaked in slight awe. He'd never get used to sneaking in. He'd come in twice before, but the first time he merely ran out in skittish fright. The second time, he'd looked over the room a bit closer, and even examined a scroll, before quickly hurrying away. This time he intended to read one. He held his breath and took cautious silent steps once again admiring the plus room. He could only dream of such things as cushions, pillows curtains and such soft blankets.

He pouted slightly as he touched the bed sheet. His bed consisted of hay, covered with the scratchy material of a trader's rucksack, which was no longer useful. Let alone to think of getting a pillow, or a nice sheet. He was fed and bathed but otherwise he had no luxuries. He cooed soft as a baby at the feel of the blankets and sighed, before turning to the papyrus scrolls and biting his lip.

He looked over the various assortment and finally pulled down one tied together carefully with yellow cords of silken material and tipped with red tassels. He carefully laid it down upon the black desk and unrolled it. He couldn’t see, so he pulled a torch from it's holding on the wall and lit it at the dying floor lap, before carrying it over to the desk. And finally, he could see the writing on the scroll. But to his surprise, it was a strange text that he had never seen before. It certainly wasn't something used in Egypt...

Ryou blinked, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. "Strange...” He breathed in curious awe. The writing was pretty, in the weirdest way. He gazed at the scroll for a long while, before biting his lip and looking back at the door... He sighed softly and began re-rolling the papyrus scroll. He didn't want to be caught in the forbidden chambers of Ahmose.

Suddenly, the curtains across the room moved, and a dog stood there, staring at Ryou. Then, it flattened its ears back, and growled, lowering its head and tail.

Ryou gasped softly and he slowly walked across the room, putting the scroll back in it's place, and returning the torch to its place, eying the dog cautiously. He slowly walked back towards the door, eyes never leaving the growling dog. "G-good a-animal... please do not hurt me... I'm leaving...” He cooed softly in fear.

The dog slowly began to stalk across the room. Ryou knew this dog... she belonged to Ahmose... The dog he took with him when accompanying the Pharaoh on a hunt... and also a guard dog. And she knew Ryou was NOT supposed to be in that room. Her teeth and gold collar flashed as she began to viciously bark.

Ryou yelped and quickly opened the door, shutting it behind him and looking around in a panic. He saw no guards, and made a run for it. Hopefully the dog would stop her barking with him gone, and no one would be the wiser...

But the dog wasn't quiet. She continued yapping and pawing at the door... it was only a matter of time before Ahmose was alerted... Ryou had to get out of there. FAST.

Ryou whimpered as he scampered down the halls of the palace away from Ahmose's chambers and towards the kitchens. He'd be safe in the confines of the kitchen, where slaves prepared the food eaten by the Pharaoh and his court each meal. He whimpered as he ran, rounding a corner and pausing once he'd reached the kitchen... panting softly from fright and the run.

And for a while, he thought he was safe. But later that afternoon, Ahmose returned to his chambers and was surprised at the anxious greeting that his dog gave him. It was only a matter of time before he noticed the lit torch, and the scroll. He frowned and turned to his dog, then opened his bedroom door.

"Track.” He said firmly, and the dog trotted down the hall, nose to the floor. And minutes later, all action in the kitchen stopped as the slaves stared wide eyed at the intimidating sight of the Pharaoh's bodyguard in the doorway. His black dog calmly walked in, sniffing the floor. Then, she charged and caught Ryou trying to sneak out. She quickly tackled and pinned him, barking loudly. Ahmose quickly, moved across the kitchen and seized her collar, pulling her off of the slave. He stared down at Ryou.

"You.” He said simply. "Why am I not surprised... On your feet. Now!"

Ryou whimpered and was on his feet in an instant, eyes downcast. Busted. He trembled visibly and bit his lip to keep himself from saying anything, and to keep it from trembling as well. That dog alone scared him, and he could only imagine what Ahmose might do to him for being in his chambers.

Ahmose released the dog and grabbed a large meaty bone from a nearby counter and gave it to the dog, who eagerly snapped it up. "Bed.” He said, and the dog turned and dashed out of the kitchen, tail wagging in her excitement of the special treat. Ahmose then grabbed Ryou by the thick of his arm and dragged him from the kitchen. "Care to explain yourself to me before you explain yourself to the council and the Pharaoh?"

Ryou stared at him wide eyed. "Please don’t! I'm sorry!” He said quickly looking terrified. "I... I was just curious...” He said sniffling and shaking all the harder. "Please don’t tell the pharaoh!” He whimpered.

Ahmose didn't even blink. "Curious of what? You know as well as all the others that it's dangerous to poke around in my room. That is why it is off limits."

Ryou whimpered softly. "I... I wanted to see... I didn't touch anything! I was just looking!” He said quickly. "I... I wanted t-to see w-what ma-made you so smart!” He gave Ahmose a fearful look. "Please don’t tell the pharaoh... I don’t want to die! H-he'll feed me to the dogs o-or worse!"

Ahmose blinked and looked down at Ryou, quirking an eyebrow. "What makes me so smart? If you wanted to know that you could have asked...” He looked baffled, but still irritated as they got closer and closer to the throne room. "And the Pharaoh will NOT feed you to dogs. Don't be ridiculous... although he may LIKE that idea with how many times you have angered him...”

Ryou whimpered and froze. "Please don’t!” He pleaded once more. "I didn't hurt anything! I'd rather be eaten by your dog th-than see the pharaoh!” He whimpered sniffling. "I'm sorry!"

"You should have thought of that before you broke the rules." Ahmose asked, dragging Ryou along and approaching the doors.

"He in trouble again Lord Inarus?" Asked one of the guards flanking the doors.

"Need you even ask?" Ahmose replied as the two guards opened the doors for him. He dragged Ryou into the throne room.

Ryou froze under the sight of the Pharaoh once Ahmose had dragged him in. The Pharaoh sighed in frustration. "Isis give me strength...” He growled. "What in Ra's name did this insolent wretch do THIS time!?” He said, obviously infuriated he was seeing Ryou a second time in two days.

Ahmose frowned and dragged Ryou across the room. "He was snooping in a forbidden area. To be more specific, my bedroom." Ahmose said. This made the Pharaoh narrow his eyes. There were other reasons that Ahmose's room was off limits. There was a secret passage between the Pharaoh's room and that of his body guard, and no one knew of it. But if someone were to discover it, it could lead to the lives of both Pharaoh and body guard being placed in danger.

"Slave!" The pharaoh said harshly. Ryou whimpered loudly standing stiffly, eyes downcast.

"Y-yes m-master pharaoh...?” He said softly. His voice quivering with fear.

"You knew the rules regarding Ahmose's chambers, and you deliberately disobeyed the commands of your masters, your Pharaoh...” He growled, his voice nearly shaking in fury. "Ahmose, I want you to deal with him in a manner to which he is according. He's been beaten many times and is still disobedient and a nuisance. Make him learn the true meaning of servant.” He said turning to his trusted friend with a firm look. "I don’t care how it is done, but see that it is done."

Ahmose blinked, looking baffled and caught off guard. "W-What?” He asked, looking back and forth between Ryou and the Pharaoh. "What do you mean, I, I don't under... what?!"

"You heard me, you're a wise man, come up with a punishment that will teach him the meaning of slave and master." The pharaoh said once more. "I'm tired of ordering beatings for this insolent wretch! The next time I see him, I want to see a creature that can not and will not disobey a direct order of his master, no matter what order I may place on him.” He added nodding firmly. "Brawn has obviously not worked, so I'm going to try using your brains." The pharaoh added smirking slightly at that

Ahmose's eyes widened and his mouth flopped open and closed a few times in his shock. "Are you asking me to take away his free will?! You have no RIGHT to ask me to do such a thing!!!" The court began to murmur. Only Ahmose had the guts to talk back to the Pharaoh and question him... Because Ahmose was the only one that the Pharaoh would tolerate such actions from.

"Ahmose, this slave have been disobedient since day one, I'm at my wit's end. I've tried every manner of punishment known to man and god. Unless you think you can somehow make him obey where I, the pharaoh, have failed, then you have until sunset to do so." The pharaoh said calmly. "Unless you are saying you allow this slave into your chambers, which I know you do not...” He added narrowing his eyes in slight warning, signaling his complete displeasure with the whole topic.

Ahmose frowned and lowered his eyes, taking a deep thoughtful breath. "As you wish, my Lord...” He said finally, and with a bow, pulled Ryou from the room. Once the doors had closed behind him, he released Ryou's arm and stared at him, then turned and walked away. "Follow me."

Ryou whimpered softly, beginning to comb his fingers through part of his hair in worry. "W-where... are we going?” He asked fearfully, sniffling softly. "Wh-what's going to happen to me?"

Ahmose sighed and bowed his head slightly. "I... I don't know. But we're going to my room.” He replied softly, obviously troubled by the situation.

Ryou nodded slowly, following Ahmose. "I'm sorry...” He said softly. "I... I got you in trouble too...” He mumbled looking down. "I... I just wanted... to see what was inside your room... a-and be smarter like you... and I caused you trouble...” He mumbled wiping his eyes with a free hand. "I'm sorry...”

Ahmose frowned. "I am not in trouble. YOU are. More than you could have ever anticipated. Why do you insist on breaking the rules?!” He asked, looking back at Ryou.

Ryou whimpered softly. "I... I don’t mean to... I... I just w-want to learn things... o-or I'm curious... I never meant any harm...” He said softly. "I didn't... think anyone would... notice me...”

"I don't believe that for a moment. You know better." Ahmose said as they reached his room. He opened the door and held it for Ryou, staring at him. "Make your self comfortable. This might take a while." And he closed the door after them and walked over to his rack of scrolls, looking over them and beginning to take a few down here and there.

Ryou sat silently on the floor, giving Ahmose's dog a wary glance from across the room, biting his lip. "She... won’t eat me will she?” He asked fearfully, after a few long moments.

"She has a bone." Ahmose said calmly. "She won't even notice you.” He began reading through scrolls and quickly tossing them aside.

Ryou nodded slowly. After a few more silent moments, he looked at Ahmose once more. "What are you doing?” He asked softly, worrying his hair once more.

Ahmose sighed. "Looking for something that will... comply with the Pharaoh's wishes. He said I had until midnight.” He looked at Ryou. "I don't know what he will do to you if I have not done something by then."

Ryou nodded slowly. "Oh... I see...” He said looking down. "I... don’t really... understand what's... going to happen to me... b-but you... you couldn't possibly be worse than the pharaoh.” He said softly. "He... he'll kill me...”

Ahmose winced, then sighed and shook his head. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but... I have a feeling that what I do to you may be a fate WORSE than death...” He said, looking at Ryou.

Ryou gave him a fearful look. "W-worse?” He said shaking his head. "You can’t! I didn't even break anything! I... I was just looking!"

"... I know. But you broke the rules. And I must obey the Pharaoh." Ahmose said softly.

Ryou shook his head more. "B-but I don’t want WORSE than death...” He said beginning to quake in fear of what was to come. "I don’t want that at all!” He said worrying his hair even more. "Cant you just beat me into the sand? I won’t ever do it again!"

"Unfortunately you have sung that tune many times in the past. And you have yet to live up to that promise. I cannot disobey my King." Ahmose said, straightening up and staring at a scroll. He sighed. "And I think I may have found a way to... satisfy him.” He slowly looked at Ryou, and then looked around his room. He sighed and reached out, picking up a bottle about ten inches in height. He frowned and sniffed the contents, then turned and poured it into his floor lamp, emptying it of the oil. Then he looked at Ryou again and held up the scroll. He sighed and closed his eyes. "May the Gods forgive me...”

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The pharaoh sighed calmly, Ra was descending and the songbirds in his gardens were beginning to sing their lullabies. He shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Ahmose you'd better not be late... I'd hate to have to do something about it...” He mumbled shaking his head. As it was the court sometimes questioned his judgment when he allowed Ahmose such freedoms with him... and other times praised him for the very same reason. "I don’t want to give my own trusted friend a punishment...” He grumbled as he leaned on the balcony overlooking the gardens.

"Yeah right." A tired voice came from behind the Pharaoh, and when he turned, he faced Ahmose. "The worse you do is yell at me and banish me from your sight. But you order me right back again within a few hours." The sorcerer teased. He smiled wearily and swayed a bit. "You've never punished me. And you never will.” He said, and then sighed. "Your wish has been fulfilled.” He said, and then held out the small golden bottle.

The pharaoh helped his friend back inside, helping him to sit on a large cushion. He took the bottle and looked at it curiously. "What is this?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That,” Ahmose said calmly, waving a hand at the bottle "is the slave's prison."

The Pharaoh blinked curiously. "I see. You never cease to amaze me... so, you're saying that insolent slave is inside?” He said uncorking the bottle and looking inside. "I don’t see him.” He chuckled. "Are you playing a trick on me?"

Ahmose gave the Pharaoh a look. "Since when do I play tricks?” He asked blandly. "It's something I found in a scroll... ever heard the old legends about creatures called genies?"

The Pharaoh blinked. "Yes, I've heard of them, but they're merely myths.” He said calmly, putting the bottle down and giving Ahmose his attention.

"Not anymore." Ahmose yawned.

The Pharaoh's eyes widened. "You can’t be serious! You? You made HIM?” He said giving the bottle a disbelieving glance. "Are you serious?"

Ahmose raised en eyebrow. "I'm always serious.” He said, looking like he was ready to go to sleep.

"Alright... so he's a Genie then...” The pharaoh said chuckling. "Well I do suppose that solves that problem. It must have been quite a spell... you look near dead.” He said smiling to his friend. "I suppose I have to think of what to do with this genie, now that I have it."

"You do that." Ahmose yawned again, slowly getting up. "I'm going to bed...” And he scratched his head and headed for his bedroom. But he paused on the way out. "But just to set this straight... I may have done something great... but that does not make it good.” He turned and looked the Pharaoh straight in the eye. "I am not proud of what I have done. And it will haunt me for the rest of my life as one of my greatest regrets."

The Pharaoh frowned. "It shouldn't. You've saved him from a very grim, painful and grotesque death Ahmose. A long drawn out torturous death was all I could do to make a final example of him.” He said frowning. "Now he merely sleeps within an unmarked bottle."

Ahmose frowned. "I have condemned him to an eternity of servitude. He had a good heart. At least if he had died, he would have been free in the Field of Reeds... He will never cross over to the Kingdom of Osiris now... I... WE... had no right to deny him that...”

"Assuming he made it that far. The gods punish those who do not learn their place in life Ahmose. He refused to learn his, even after several 'lessons' did he refuse. You assume much, to say he may have avoided certain jaws...”

Ahmose frowned and looked at his King. "We tried to teach him what WE deemed to be his place in life. Perhaps the Gods had a different place in mind for him. Perhaps WE were the ones who refused to learn...”

"Or perhaps his place in life is not in Egypt at all." The Pharaoh countered. "And we merely helped him along to finding his place, possibly years from now in dates we shall never see.” He added. "We do not know the plans of the gods, this is true, but if his place was so meant to be here, the gods would have intervened in some form."

Ahmose sighed and looked down, but nodded. "Perhaps... Goodnight...” And he turned and left.

The spell had been agonizing, and for the first hour Ryou had laid in the cushioned lavish insides of his 'prison' awake. His body ached and tingled, he felt dizzy and confused. "Where... am I?” He mumbled looking around within his new 'home'. It was a hazy distorted reality of dimly lit (by seemingly oil lamps) room, filled with cushions and every luxury he'd ever dreamed of. It smelled strongly of the morning mists over the Nile.

Though it didn't take him long to realize this reality... circled back and seemed to never end, though no matter how far he walked, he always ended up back where he started. Voices in the hazy distance whispered to his mind... foreign things, and he soon fell into the millennia sleep, that could only be awakened by the rubbing of the lamp, which his Pharaoh held in his chambers.

The next morning however, Ryou would be awakened from his sleep to meet his fate more clearly...

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"So... explain Ahmose, is he an unlimited wish genie, or merely three?" The pharaoh asked, as he walked with his friend examining the bottle in his hands.

Ahmose glance at the bottle in his Pharaoh's hands. "It varies, Yugi.” He said, calling his Pharaoh by the nickname he had given him long ago when they were both young children. "For you, it is limitless. Well, I mean... his powers have limits... Nothing TOO unreasonable... but you can command any amount of wishes. Other than that, it is up to him on how many wishes to give a master... however, his nature as I can tell will make want him only give the necessary three wishes and be done with it."

"I see... so he does have some choice.” He said holding up the bottle to the sun for a moment. "The whole situation does have me curious. Curious despite however much we may have wronged him. Are you curious as well?” He asked, an almost childish mischievousness in his tone. "I'm tempted to give it a try...”

Ahmose leveled a cool gaze onto his Pharaoh. "No. I have no desire what so ever to see what I have done to him. And I highly doubt that he will be happy to see us, much less discover that he has no choice but to obey you...”

"Would you rather he discover with strangers?" Yugioh asked raising an eyebrow.

Ahmose frowned and sighed. "I do not know...” He said softly.

Yugioh chuckled. "Well it's either with us, or with someone who knows nothing of his circumstance, or with us while he still has a chance to learn what he needs to know.” He said calmly, shaking his head. "Which fate is worse?"

Ahmose sighed. "Perhaps. The choice is yours...” He said, looking down at his (shorter) king.

Yugioh laughed slightly. "Alright then. Even I have sympathy for him. It will be better for him, to know from familiar sources, than to find out from someone who he doesn't know and find out when he's asked for wishes.” He said calmly. He looked the bottle over once more, before smirking and grabbing part of Ahmose's robe and rubbing it with it.

Ryou gasped from within his prison awake in an instant and tingling all over. In a flash he felt the sun against his skin, and was face to face with Ahmose and his pharaoh. He whimpered suddenly backing away slightly. "P-please! Don’t kill me! I... I said I was sorry!” He breathed fearfully, still blissfully unaware of what had happened.

Ahmose scowled and snatched his robes from Yugioh, giving him a dirty look. Then he turned to Ryou. "It's alright... we're not going to kill you...” He sighed and looked down. "Forgive me for what I have done...”

Ryou blinked confusedly. "You... didn't do anything really...” He said softly. "It didn't hurt that badly...” He added tilting his head to the side. "You don’t even need to ask for forgiveness Master Inarus, it's given freely... it's your job... to punish me when I'm disobedient...”

"You only say this because you do not know what I have done to you." Ahmose said softly, staring at the floor.

Ryou blinked once more, looking more confused than ever. "What did you do then?” He asked, taking a cautious step closer. "I don’t understand... why you're speaking like this...”

Ahmose sighed and slowly looked up at Ryou. "Be careful...” He said. "I do not know how far you can stray from your... prison...”

Ryou stopped and looked at Ahmose completely lost. "I... don’t understand. Please... why are you... why are you speaking to me like this, in... in a tone as if I were dead?” He said shaking his head and looking around fearfully. "What's going on?"

"Well... you are not exactly... Human anymore...” Ahmose said softly. "You are a genie. A creature of great magic, bound to a master who holds your prison... destined to serve that master."

"My... prison? G-genie? Wh-what?" Ryou asked shaking his head. "Not human? I don’t understand! H-how can I not be human? I'm as human as you are!” He blurted suddenly finding himself backing away from Ahmose and Yugioh again. He gasped after a few steps further, his feet refusing to budge further back. He shook his head and looked down at them, catching sight of his arm, which seemed to fade slowly into the air. "W-what's going on!?"

Ahmose blinked. "I don't know... I have never encountered a genie before... I do not know all of the rules that bind them. All I know is that they have the magic to grant wishes and serve their master, who is the one who holds their prison. And yours... is this bottle." And he looked at the bottle in the Pharaoh's hands.

Ryou whimpered looking at his fading arm. "I... I... I can’t be a genie...” He said shaking his head. "I don’t understand...”

Yugioh blinked thoughtfully. "Well I wish you did.” He said slowly. Ryou blinked and stared at him shocked for a moment, realization dawning on him. "Oh... Oh gods...” He breathed, stepping away from the boundary, and closer to his bottle. "You... you...” He looked between Yugioh and Ahmose slowly. "I...” He felt tears spring to his eyes. "How could you?! I... I didn't want to die, but living eternally is no better!” He said shaking his head his hair seeming to shimmer in the sunlight. "I... I don’t want to! Please! Undo it! Wish me dead! Break my bottle! Anything you can’t possibly keep me like this!” He pleaded looking desperate.

Ahmose winced and turned away, looking deeply pained. "I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do any longer...” He said, and then looked at his king with accusing eyes. "Your fate is in the hands of your Pharaoh...”

Yugioh shook his head. "I won’t be the one to free you Ryou. One day some master you serve, will wish you free when he deems you deserve it.” He said calmly. "Until that day comes, you are to remain this way.” He added calmly. "And to ensure that, my second wish will be that this bottle can only be broken by the master that carries it.” He said firmly.

Ryou whimpered giving his master a pained look and rubbing his eyes. "... yes master...” He mumbled softly.

Ahmose sighed and turned away, not at all pleased with how this was turning out. He had brought an eternal existence of misery down upon this poor boy whose only fault was a sense of mischief.

Ryou sniffled once more and gave Ahmose a heart broken look. "I... I still forgive you... master Ahmose...” He said softly.

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YAY!!! Review!!! My co-author cries when you don't....