Burning Sea

Burning Sea

hato-chiisai

Disclaimer: No own. Go away.

YAOI WARNING

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 26

Dungeon

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Marik opened his eyes at noise outside of the ship. It was morning, which meant they had docked. And moments later, soldiers swarmed into the brig. Yami raised his head and briefly exchanged looks with Marik before they were hauled to their feet and dragged off of the ship in chains. Soldiers lined the dock around the waiting jail cart, and people swarmed closer, trying to get a look at the infamous pirates. Marik strode out with his head high, keeping his pride. Yami stumbled behind, woozy from his head wound. Bakura was limp and still knocked out.

They were taken into the jail cart and chained to rings in the side, and the cart pulled away, heading for the prison. Yami swayed as the cart moved, barely able to keep his footing. He grimaced and closed his eyes, leaning against the side of the cart.

“Yami... you okay?” Marik called, gently, from where he stood on the other side of the cart, ignoring the screaming crowds.

“My head.....” Yami groaned. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.”

“And Bakura?”

“I don’t know. He’s out cold.” Marik said, glancing back at the albino who was slumped against the side of the cart on his knees, and that was only because the shackles holding his wrists up above his head kept him upright.

“How did this happen?” Yami moaned.


“Keith and Tea.” Marik growled. “They’re the traitors. They were paid to kill us, and when they failed... they helped the Spanish board the ship and capture us. In exchange, they get to sail under the colors of the King and keep pirating. They have control of the ship, Pharaoh.”

“Not likely. Seto would never allow it.”

“I can’t help but think that they may have had Seto.... Slaughtered.” Marik said. “Along with Tris, and Jono and Otogi..... And... the little ones....” Yami winced. “Malik, Yugi, Ryou... And Mokuba, too.”

“They will die for what they have done... When Ahmose and Pegasus find out....” Yami growled, but stopped when the passed through the gates to the courthouse. He looked up as the cart stopped and soldiers swarmed in, dragging Yami and Marik and carrying Bakura out. They were taken through a door and down stone stairs, into the courthouse dungeon. They were taken deep into the bowels of the place and into an empty cell, and there they were chained to the walls, one wall each, Yami facing the door, Marik to the left, and Bakura to the right. Then, they were left. Marik frowned and walked out into the cell as far as he could, about to the middle.

“This sucks....” He grumbled. “Yami, come here. Let me see your head.” Yami nodded and staggered towards Marik, meeting him in the middle of the room. Marik gently tilted Yami’s head to the side and inspected the wound. He tore a strip of cloth from his vest and soaked it in some water from the jug against his wall, then began to clean the blood.

“Doesn’t look bad...” Marik said, dabbing gently.

“Tell that to my aching head.” Yami whined, and Marik smiled slightly.

“You’ll live.”

“Not if the judge has anything to say about it.” Yami snorted, and Marik sighed, letting his hands fall from Yami’s head.

“Don’t talk like that. It’s over as soon as you give up.” He said, and Yami sighed and nodded.

“I know. I’m sorry.” And he winced as he sat down. Marik looked down at Yami, then over at the body against the other wall.

“Bakura.” He called. “Bakura, wake up!” The figure stirred and moaned. “Bakura, you sound like a girl! Come on, you wuss!!”

“Nnnng...... B-Bakura?” Came the gentle voice of someone who was NOT Bakura. Marik and Yami both froze, staring at the figure with wide eyes.

“Marik?”


“Yeah?”

“Wasn’t his arm in a sling?”

“Uhhh..... Yes........” Marik said, and the albino slowly sat up.

“Marik? Yami?!”

“RYOU!?” Yami and Marik gasped, eyes wide. Ryou winced.

“What happened? Where are we?”

“..... Captured.” Marik said. “By the Spanish.” Ryou’s eyes widened.

“Where’s Bakura?!”

“That’s what we were about to ask you.” Yami said, staring at Ryou.

“I.... I couldn’t let him fight!” Ryou gasped. “He was hurt! I knocked him out and left him in the hold with Malik and Yugi!”

“Bakura is still on the Black Magician?!”

“I guess....” Ryou said, softly.

“So they mistook you for Bakura.” Marik said.

“That was the basic idea.” Ryou said weakly. “And... We’ve been captured?!”

“Tea and Keith betrayed us. They helped the soldiers board the ship undetected.” Yami said, and Ryou sighed.

“Oh.”

“This... This is a good thing, right?” Marik said, hopeful. “Bakura is on the ship, so he will take control and come for us!”

“If Keith didn’t discover him and kill him.....” Yami said in a low tone. Ryou gulped and sniffled. He curled up, hugging his knees to his chest.

“I’m scared!” He whimpered, and moved into the middle of the room where Marik and Yami cuddled him.

“Don’t be. We’re here.” Yami said, petting Ryou’s hair. “When they try us, tell them the truth Ryou. Tell them that you’re not Bakura. You were a captive on our ship.”


“But I’m not a captive! I love Bakura! I was protecting him!”

“Don’t tell them that!” Yami hissed. “Tell them that you’re the son of the captain of the Lady of Faith and that you were a prisoner. You must! They will let you go!”

“ButBA

“No buts.” Marik said. “You MUST tell them that.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ahmose stood tall at the bow of the Shadow Ghoul. He stared out ahead of the ship with cold eyes that did not waiver. His arms rested in a fold across his chest and his hair hung limp down his back to his waist, braided tightly and therefore being too heavy to be tossed about by the wind. He was jerked out of his deep meditative thought by the cry of a sea hawk. He blinked and looked up, seeing the bird diving down towards him.

“Kurama....” He murmured, and the crew watched as their captain lifted his arm, allowing the hawk to land there. Ahmose frowned. The bird was panting and his wings drooped in exhaustion, but he stuck out his leg for Ahmose to remove the message. Ahmose transferred the hawk to his shoulder and opened the rolled up note. He read it over, and his eyes widened.

“By the Dark Waters of Chaos.....” He gasped. “MIKADO!!!” He roared, turning and striding down the stairs to the main deck. Mikado burst out of the captain’s cabin.

“What is it?!” He asked. Ahmose thrust the note at him. Mikado read it over. “Oh gods....” He gasped.

“Send Hiei to Pegasus, immediately. Give Kurama an hour’s rest, then send him to the island.” Ahmose commanded, and Mikado nodded, taking Kurama.

“Right away.” He said, and whirled, running to make out the two messages.

“CHANGE COURSE!” Ahmose thundered. “Bring us to the North West! Marik and the Pharaoh have been captured!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Pegasus looked over his maps in his cabin on the Relinquished. He looked up at a pounding on the door.

“Enter.” He said, and a man ran in with a black Sea Hawk on his arm.


“A message from Ahmose, sir!” The man said, and Pegasus took the message from Hiei’s leg. He read over it.

“Good God......” He mumbled, then looked up. “Put Hiei up to rest and change course. Turn around, get back to the coast and follow it East! Yami and Marik have been captured by the Spanish Armada. We go on a rescue mission!!!”

“Aye, sir!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Mai ran into Ishizu’s office with a note clutched in her fist.

“Ishizu!” She gasped, panting from her run up the stairs. “Yami! Marik! And Ryou! They’ve been captured! Keith and Tea! They were the traitors!” Ishizu’s eyes widened.

“Captured?!”

“Bakura has sent word that we are to take the Harpy Lady and the Celtic Guardian and meet him in four days. And bring extra men as they have lost well over half of the crew!” Mai said. Ishizu nodded.

“I will gather men to bring to Bakura. YOU go find Rishido and Shaddi, see if that ship is finished yet.” And the two women went their separate ways. As the sun began to set the Harpy Lady and Celtic Guardian sailed out of the lagoon and released all sails, heading as fast as they could to meet up with the Black Magician.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ryou jerked awake at a loud bang. Marik tightened an arm around him and Yami sprung into a crouching position. They all stared up at the group of men in the doorway.

“One at a time, sir?” One man asked in a gruff voice.

“… let’s take them all at once to start out with.” Another voice said. The men chorused a ‘yes sir!’ then flooded down the stairs.

“Don’t resist them…” Marik murmured into Ryou’s ear, just before the boy was torn from his arms. The three young men were released from their chains and jerked to their feet before being dragged up the stairs, two men for Ryou, two for Marik, four for Yami. A judge in full robes and goofy white wig (that made Marik snort and smirk) watched them pass by. He followed as they were dragged through the dark corridors and into a room that was lit by a few torches and lanterns. A table was in the middle of the room, and some guards were dragging in three chairs with shackles on them. The three prisoners were placed in the chairs and chained to them. Then the guards backed off and the judge looked at them from behind the table.

“Marik Ishtar… Yami Atem… Bakura Shiratori…” He said, and Marik and Yami glanced at Ryou, hoping that he would speak up about his identity. But the boy was silent. The judge frowned, looking over them. The Egyptian and the Pharaoh were both staring hard straight ahead of them, heads high. But the Eastern Thief was huddled in on himself, shaking and staring down at his lap. The judge frowned; there was something not right…

“Alright gentlemen…” He said. “You know why you are here. You have been arrested on the charges of piracy, and murder, to only name the most severe. Anything you want to say?” They all remained silent. “Okay then. I’ll ask specific questions. Where is your home port?” And he glared at the three. None of them moved or spoke. The judge frowned. “You have to have a home port. And not just you. We know of your partners… Pegasus of the Relinquished, and Ahmose Inarus of the Shadow Ghoul. We will get them, too. And we WILL find your home port. Just make it easier on everyone and tell me where it is.” He glared at the three young men. Then, he turned and beckoned to a pair of guards. “I guess we’ll have to persuade you…” He looked at the guards. “One at a time, gentlemen.”

“Which first?” A guard asked, grinning. The judge narrowed his eyes and looked over them. Yami and Marik both twitched slightly, then slowly gave each other nervous glances, before looking over at the albino on the end, who whimpered and began shaking even harder. The judge nodded to himself.

“That one.” He said, pointing to Ryou. Ryou yelped when he was seized roughly and jerked from the chair after the chains fell from his wrists. He was dragged towards the door on the other side of the room, and threw a terrified look back at Yami and Marik, eyes begging them to help him.

“NO!” Marik shouted, struggling. “DON’T! HE DOESN’T KNOW, LEAVE HIM ALONE!!”

“STOP! HE’S INNOCENT, HE DIDN’T DO ANTHING!!” Yami cried, also struggling against the chains. The judge smirked and turned to face them from where he was following the guards and Ryou through the door.

“Then tell me where your home port is.” He said. Yami and Marik closed their mouths, and glanced at each other.

“D-DON’T DO IT!! DON’T TELL THEM!!” Ryou’s scream came from the room, and the judge whirled in anger. “TOO MANY PEOPLE WILL BE IN DANGER!!! PROTECT OUR HOME!!!”

“SHUT HIM UP!!!” The judge roared, and Marik and Yami winced when they heard scuffling and Ryou’s shouts turned to pained yelps. Then the judge looked backed at Yami and Marik. Both glared at him.

“Fine.” The judge said, and disappeared into the room, closing the door.

“He… he said ‘our home’…” Marik gasped. “He sees it as his… home.” And he looked at Yami who looked just as distressed. But the distress multiplied when they heard Ryou begin to scream…