Touch The Stars

Touch the Stars

Hato chiisai

Disclaimer: No own.

YAOI WARNING

Pharaoh- Marik- telekinetic

Emperor- Bakura- telepath

King- Yami- teleporter

………………………………….

Chapter 10

………………………………….

"Oh, fuck!!" Marik cried in dismay, as Ryou once again beat him at chess. Ryou smirked and stretched gingerly, yawning. Marik rolled his eyes. "Lemme guess... Nap time."

"Mm-hmm...." Ryou said, and stood. Marik watched the boy move across the room with a gentle grace, and climb into his nest, curling up and closing his dark eyes. Marik sighed and stood, hitting a button causing a panel to slide over the window, leaving the room in darkness. He then turned and left, smiling at the little sigh that came from the Assyrian as he drifted to sleep. He closed the doors to his chamber, and turned, smiling at Malik walking down the hall towards him.

"Just in time, Malik."

"He just went down for his nap?" Malik asked, with a grin, and Marik nodded and opened the door for his brother, who had a jug of water in each hand. He closed the door after Malik and continued on his way to take care of business.

Back in Marik's room, Malik silently made his way over to the Nest and set the jugs of water down next to it. He looked down at the Prince curled up in the blankets and smiled. Like clockwork, everyday at midday, Ryou would take a nap that would give the strength to make it through the rest of the long Egyptonian day.

"Prince Malik?" A soft voice mumbled from the Nest.

"Yes?"

"Just checking." The Assyrian sighed, and Malik listened to his breathing even out. The Egyptonian Prince smiled. It had been nearly two weeks since Ryou was attacked and nearly killed, and since then, he had not been permitted to leave Marik’s chambers, and he was never left unsupervised. Marik had been terrified by Ryou’s close brush with death and had screamed himself hoarse, threatening the remaining council members.

Earlier that morning, he had also discussed the idea of contacting Emperor Bakura and letting him speak with his brother, and Malik had encouraged this idea, as did Ishizu. They decided that they would go through with it as soon as Ryou woke from his nap, though they did not tell Ryou of these plans, as Ryou would probably be too excited to nap, and the boy DID need his nap.

The three royal siblings were pleasantly surprised at how quickly Ryou had adapted to his living conditions, and for a prisoner, he was quite happy. But Marik had woken in the middle of the night to find Ryou weeping in his sleep, and it was this that prompted the idea of letting the boy speak with his brother.

Malik sighed and opened a book and began to read as Ryou napped.

………………………………

“Do you think it will work?” A low voice hissed, staring at the serpent in the glass case. Another figure nodded.

“Of course. That Pharaoh has new plants in his room every month. Just sedate this little fellow, stick him in one of the new plants, and when he wakes up he’ll explore to hunt. And hopefully, he’ll come across that little whelp.”

“What if he bites the Pharaoh? Or Prince Malik?”

“That’s why I chose this snake. If he bites them, he bites them! No biggie. If he bites the Assyrian….. well…. He doesn’t have the immunity that we have. And he’ll die.”

“We hope…..” The first voice said. “When are the new plants going in?”

“This evening. Let’s sedate this guy and get him in one.”

“This had better work…….”

……………………………….

“Prince Ryou?” A soft voice called, and Ryou stirred in his Nest, and sighed softly. “Prince Ryou…. Wake up. Nap time is over….. We have a surprise for you.” Ryou slowly blinked his eyes open and looked up, and saw three smiling faces looking down on him; Marik, Malik and Ishizu.

“Come on. Wake up.” Marik said with a smile, and held out his hand. Ryou yawned cutely and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He took Marik’s hand and let the Pharaoh pull him from his Nest.

“We have a surprise for you.” Malik said, and looked at Marik who nodded and moved over to his computer. Malik smiled and combed his fingers through Ryou’s hair, watching the little Prince still trying to enter the realm of awareness.

………………………………

The rulers sat around the table, once again going over their treaty which they still were having issues over. But they were determined to reach compromises all the way around. All of a sudden, the screen on one wall lit up, showing a Sumerian officer.

“King Yami, an incoming transmission from Egyptonia.” The officer said, and Bakura stood.

“Put it on.” Yami said, also standing. The other rulers stood as well when Marik’s face appeared.

“Greeting Exalted Ones.” He said, bowing, and they all glared. Marik blinked, and smirked. “Oh, feel the love…..” He snickered, noting all of their glares. “Well, I didn’t exactly want to see all of you….. Hello, Emperor Bakura.” He said, looking at Bakura, who narrowed his eyes.

“Bakura?!” They all heard a voice call from off the screen, and Marik turned with a smile and held his arm out.

“Yes, Bakura. Come over here and say ‘hello’ to your brother, Prince Ryou.” The Pharaoh said, and to Bakura’s delight, Ryou ran into view, nearly tripping over pants that were far too large on him. He skidded to a stop and looked up at the screen, noting the presence of all the other monarchs, but focusing on his brother. Ryou’s smile widened and his eyes sparkled with tears.

“Bakura!!”

“Ryou!! Are you alright?!” Bakura gasped, feeling the tears gathering in his own eyes at the relief of seeing his brother alive and well.

“I’m fine!” Ryou gasped, and Malik and Ishizu casually strode into the picture, both smiling slightly at Ryou. Marik smiled and stepped back beside Ishizu, letting Ryou have the attention.

“They haven’t hurt you?”

“No.” Ryou said with a smile. “Well, not them.” And he gestured over his shoulder to the three royal siblings. “Others in the Palace have, but they have protected me.”

“I have to wonder…” Bakura said slowly, looking up at Marik and narrowing his eyes. “Why is it that you are in the Pharaoh’s chambers and not the dungeons?”

“Oh…. Well… I was in the dungeons, but… well, I really don’t remember…..” And Ryou looked to Marik for help. Marik cleared his throat.

“I did send him to the dungeons, under strict order that he was not to be harmed. A few days later, I went to check on him. He was freezing, starving, and dehydrated.” Marik said, and Bakura’s eyes burned in fury. “I immediately rectified the situation.” Marik continued. “But a while later, I had Malik check on him. And Malik walked in on the guards completely disobeying orders. They were torturing him.”

“WHAT?!” Bakura roared, and even Ryou flinched and stepped behind Marik slightly.

“I removed him from the dungeons on the spot.” Marik said quickly. “And the disobedient guards have been……. Dealt with……” And he gave Bakura a cold deadly look. “Since then, Prince Ryou has been in my chambers, under my personal protection. He is never left alone.”

“And the assassin?”

“Huh? Oh! Him!!! Yes, well, I had to present the Prince to my council. They were given orders not to harm in, unless they wished to face YOUR wrath. He tried to kill your brother, and as I had threatened to do, I sent him to you. I trust that he was punished justly?”

“Oh…. He was……” Bakura growled, and Marik grinned at the sudden nauscious looks on the faces of the other monarchs. Ryou peered up at his brother, then turned and murmured to Marik. Marik blinked and frowned.

“I don’t think so, Prince……”

“What?” Bakura demanded.

“He wants to speak with you alone.” Marik said, and stared into Bakura’s gaze. The Emperor glared furiously, then turned his eyes onto his brother, his gaze immediately softening to one of sorrowful longing.

“Why have you contacted us?” Seto asked, suddenly, and Marik looked up and smiled slightly.

“Because Prince Ryou misses his brother.” He sighed, and keyed in a few commands on the computer. “Very well, Prince Ryou. I will allow you to speak to your brother alone. However, the computer is now listening for certain words, and if it picks up any of them, it will alert me immediately.” Bakura glared, then turned to the others in the room with them.

“Go.” He said, and they all slowly stood and left the room. Bakura turned back to the screen and watched with narrowed eyes and the three Egyptonians left the screen. He watched Ryou watching them go, and then, his brother turned to face him with overjoyed eyes.

“Bakura!!” He gasped, and Bakura smiled and moved closer to the screen.

“Ryou…. Seriously, have they hurt you?”

“No….” Ryou said with a smile and shake of his head. “Marik, Malik and Ishizu have been very kind to me. What Marik said was true. When he found me being mistreated in the dungeons, he interfered personally. He had a bed brought in, and covered me with his own robes, and fed me with his own hands. And he did save me from the guards…. He took me out of the dungeons, and he and Malik bathed me, and Marik had a Nest brought in for me, and has kept a close eye on me. He has been nothing but kind to me, Bakura.”

“…….. are you sure he’s not hiding other intentions?”

“Well….. no…… but he swore to me that he would return me to you…. Eventually…….”

“And you believe him?”

“Well…… yes. He doesn’t know it, but when he promised that, I scanned his surface thoughts. And he had every intention of keeping that promise.” Ryou said, and smiled, which brought a smile to his brother’s face.

“I miss you, Ryou.”

“I miss you too, Bakura.” Ryou said softly, and his lip trembled and his eyes filled with tears.

“Oh, Ryou, no…. don’t cry…. Please don’t cry….” Bakura gasped, feeling the tears fill his own eyes once again. Ryou smiled and shook his head slightly, the tears rolling down his face.

“I can’t help it!!” Ryou sobbed. “I wanna go home!!!”

“I know you do…” Bakura whispered, and felt the hot tears falling down his own cheeks. “I want you back so much. And I promise, when I get you back, you will NEVER have to go out on diplomatic missions again. Never! I’ll keep you with me.” And Ryou sobbed again, unable to form an answer. “I’ll never let anything happen to you again.” And the two brothers looked at each other and cried, both longing to hold the other. But both unable to do so.