New Buck Moon

Chappie Three ~ Bloody Sunset

Warnings: YAOI, more lemons later, possible angst, and possible everything except fer good humor.

Pairings: Yamis/Hikaris, Seto/Jou and Ryuzaki/Haga.

Notes: This story has been created through the twin minds of Gorillaz authoress Young Punk (her stories were recently kicked off cuz FanFic.net doesn’t allow stories about real people anymore) and YGO/GW authoress Magenta Horror. Oh, and just so ya’ll know, Marik Ishizu is the hikari, and Malik Ishtar is the yami. (Yeah I know, Ishizu is how you pronounce Marik’s sister’s dubbed name [and its probably not spelled right anyway] but sue us, she’s not in this one anyway.)

Thanks: To Young Punk from Magenta Horror. To Magenta Horror From Young Punk.

Extra Note: In case any of you noticed, Young Punk will be writing from Yami’s POV and Mta Hta Horror will be writing from Malik’s throughout the rest of the story unless specified otherwise. So that means the main pairings will be Yami/Yugi and Marik/Malik respectively.

Disclaimer: I do not claim rights to any YuGiOh references or character names. Don't sue me!

MH: Wow, and you complain about me taking forever to update?
YP: Shut up. *grumbles*
MH: *giggles* Enjoy the long awaited third chapter you guys!

~(This chappie written by Young Punk, edited my Magenta Horror.)

~*~

The sands had turned the color of ash, the pale moonlight adding a blue tint and a depressed aura as the winds whipped around my palace and my town. The people were paranoid, and scared, my council had gone into a rage about pursuing the army under Ishtar but I had refused a war. It was what the man wanted, but I was not going to give it to him.

Pegasus had said nothing against my decision, neither had Seto, but Yugi was frightened, and for him I felt pity towards my country. For him, I wanted to kill the bastthatthat had done this.

My little slave, my angel had cried to me, had sat wrapped in my arms and had cried. His best friend, one of his only, had lost his family to the disaster that had obliterated Akhenre and although I was in need of his advice I had allowed Seto temporary leave to console his grieving servant.

Growling towards the darkening night sky and piercing the cruel silence I turned sharply into my bedchambers from my balcony, looking upon its golden décor as if I didn’t deserve it. Yugi lie in the a bundle under the sheets of my bed, watching me with wet amethyst eyes as if the world and his precious life rested in my hands, and the choice I would make against Lord Ishtar. He hadn’t been able to sleep since the incident earlier yesterday, and even though his youthful face had sagged to take on a much older, worn out appearance he saw faith in me, a hope so strong I felt ignorant to break it in even the smallest bit.

I look at him softly, not knowing what to do between his trust and my countries best interest, and finally sighed in fatigue. The candles and incense in my room were quietly put out, and letting the robe drop from my shoulders to reveal my sleeping kilt I joined my servant in my bed, letting him cling to me in search for reassurance and comfort. I didn’t deny him anything, and although I did not find peace in the lonely hours of the night, I rejoiced in the fact that Yugi finally could.

I stayed up, watching him sadly as his expression failed to clear in the rest he had finally achieved, and stroked his hair absently. His presence next to me made me feel stronger, the fact that I was protecting him in some small way giving me a limited amount of courage to face the coming morning with. I tried to close my heavy eyes, but although I may have looked it my exhaustion never caught up to me, and the sands of dreams never found their way to my body. I felt strained and desperate almost, this being the only time my true, inner worry washed over me, and I clutched Yugi a touch tighter.

Any other night where sleep would elude me, I would have gotten up and wandered the halls of my great temple, walking off my stress and clearing my mind, but at the moment there was nothing that could tear me from Yugi. I wouldn’t let him go now even if Ishtar was threatening my very life, as long as I could keep my fragile angel safe.

Morning would roll around after the next few hours, and as the sun began to rise and peek into my room and touch upon our entwined bodies I felt twice as overwhelmed as I had been previously. A knock on my door would wake Yugi, and as I stoo ano answer the call I would attempt an empty smirk at Seto, who looked just as much like Hell as I felt.

He attempted to stifle a yawn, and even though his hair was neatly combed and his robes arranged in the most precise fashion his expression and stance screamed for rest. Although I expected as much, I was still a bit thrown off that his personal lover was not at his side.

“Good morning, my Pharaoh.”
”Good morning Seto. Come in, and please, no formalities right now, I’m in no mood to entertain policy.”

The tall priest grinned wearily, and traipsed inside to shut the door quietly. I watched, with bitter amusement as he collapsed in an armchair placed just into the corner of my chambers, next to the open closet holding my outfits and ornaments. Yugi was sitting up in my bed, leaning back on the headboard with the sheets still tucked around his waist as he rubbed tiredly at his right eye. I couldn’t help but absorb how adorable he looked, how innocent he was, before my mind began to speed back up and jump back on track to kick-start my frustration over the situation at hand.

I turned to Seto, who was once again avoiding a yawn as I sat myself back at my servant’s side, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to which he immediately leaned onto me, his cheek resting against my chest and his eyes closing helplessly.

“Have the Scouts found anything more?” I asked, and Seto nodded slowly.
”Lord Ishtar has escaped the country and capture, through the cover of a sand storm that had taken place just outside of Akhenre and near his camp. It angers me to the point of rage that he’d been not a mile from the city for almost a week before his attack and we had been careless enough not to know.”

I frowned and huffed, throwing my eyes back out towards my small deck and to the orange sky of dawn. I felt incredibly stupid, a feeling I hated with a passion to feel as if I had gotten lazy, and the deaths of my people were the result.

“Do we know where he’s headed?”
”Yes, the trail of his camp’s train was sighted back into Asia, more than likely heading home. Forgive me for not seeking permission first Yami but I had Haga follow him back.”
”Don’t apologize; I would have requested the same anyway. Have we had word from Haga yet?”

Seto lowered his head and sighed, “No.”

I turned to look at him hard, gritting my teeth and praying for an answer opposite to my instincts on the question that left my mouth.

“When did you send him?”
”Yesterday, just after we had heard about Akhenre.” He said softly, and I growled louder, jerking myself off the bed and although I hadn’t meant to I heard Yugi fall back to the feather mattress with a silent yelp of surprise.

“Ra DAMNIT!” I shouted furiously.

Not only had he managed to take an entire city to the slave market I had this horrible, gut wrenching feeling that Ishtar had taken one of my most trusted and honorable scouts as well. The torture I knew they were putting him through, if not death, boiled the blood in my veins, and without warning I turned and threw my fist into the nearest wall brutally, feeling my knuckles crack and the skin spilt from the contact. I paid the pain no mind, even as blood began to run down my now numb fingers, and stalked out onto the balcony.

I leant against it; laying my forehead on my arms and hearing not only Seto but Yugi as well come up behind me. Thin arms wrapped around my waist, and although my fury was brought forward ten fold with the thought of loosing another trust worthy soldier to the likes of Ishtar, Yugi’s presence and attempt at comfort cooled my heated anger. I let an arm drop to cover on of my slave’s, and sighed for perhaps the millionth time just this morning when I heard Seto come to stand to my side.

“I do not mean to rush out like this, but the little information I have just given you is all I have as of now. Do not believe that Haga, or your people have been murdered yet, especially Haga. The worst that could happen, and I don’t mean to sound incredibly harsh, is rape.” He paused and I tensed, knowing what was coming next. “Bandits like Ishtar would find the young man beautiful, because he is. If he goes along with them he will not be harmed as much as you think. As for the citizens of Akhenre, they will not be killed mercilessly either.”

I stopped, and looked up, expression much softer now. “What do you mean?”

“Ishtar likes to travel with someone, a close friend of his and fellow former tomb robber, a man named Bakura. He rthe the Black Trade for the most part. If you remember our scouts did not report any bodies left in the burnt city, which means if my assumptions are correct the man is with Ishtar now, and the people are being transported back to be sold as slaves for his market.”

I mused on it for a moment, and nodded, remembering that quite clearly and realizing that he was right now that I thought about that little detail. I noticed Seto fidget though, looking towards my door briefly and I smiled sympathetically.

“Go to your bedchambers Seto, your servneedneeds you and I know how much you seek to help him. I thank you for all that you’ve done, and rest assured I place the blame solely on myself.”

The priest didn’t argue, but left like I had said he could in a hurried fashion after bowing respectfully and muttering a thank you. He felt guilty that I put all this on my own shoulders voluntarily, but I left no room for him to argue and he remained passive about that.

Once he was gone, I stood up completely and turned to hold Yugi against me tenderly. I still felt his anguish, knowing how horrible he felt about his friend’s condition, and ran my fingers through his hair soothingly once more. He shuddered, restraining sobs and I kissed the top of his head gently. The gold around us glittered brightly, and I cursed its cheery color, a rainbow of a reflection spinning when the wind distorted the traveling rays of sunlight and joy of a new day.

“Come, Yugi,” I said softly. “Let us bathe, and then we shall see if you are as hungry as you look.”

~*~

“I’m so sorry Jou…” Yugi whispered carefully into his friends shaggy blonde hair, said young man crying lightly into my servant’s shoulder.

Seto and I stood a little ways off from the display in the corner of my bedchambers, both of us leaning back on the railing of my balcony and watching protectively over our respective slaves. Yugi was desperate, and Jou was lost in a miserable pain that Seto had managed to loosen but not resolve. I sighed deeply, painfully, before closing my eyes to the world and thinking carefully. I had to make a decision soon, other wise my lack of participation with a war could have me thrown out of power, and the last thing I wanted was to see my kingdom run by bitter old councilors, who cared only for themselves and not for their country.

“I know I should not live on hope, but have we found Haga yet?”

Seto did not answer my quiet question, but I could decipher it from his aura anyway. The young man was lost to us now, either being raped by one of Malik’s men or being prepared to be in in Bakura’s trade, I felt I would neverin hin hear from the brave young soldier. Seto knew the same, and that’s what dampened the mood a little more for us that day.

Jou had known Haga, but Yugi had not, and it made me guiltily relieved to realize that the fact of it was a very a good thing, preserving just a little more of Yugi’s true happiness with the ignorance of Haga’s undeserved fate. It weighed down a little more on my darkened heart.

“We should send a search party…” I mumble, mostly to myself. “A stealth operation. I need to know what’s happened to him.”

Seto was watching my calculating expression, before he actually attempted a grin.

“I had the feeling you would, so I already sent a group of three out. They are our best in stealth.”

I looked up, mildly surprised, and was able to return a brighter smile, chuckling softly. I shook my head before looking back to Yugi and Jou, sighing.

“Who did you send?”
”Otogi, Honda and Sable.”

I nodded, and the subject dropped afterwards. We didn’t treat it as if it were resolved, but we did try to move onto a better topic, I did not want Seto to dwell long on having to send his own sister on a mission such as this. I crossed my arms as the two servants on my bed parted, tears drying and I felt my spirit lift at the sight of the blonde’s small smirk. Yugi was visibly pleased for putting such an expression on his friend’s face, and I couldn’t help chuckling again.

“He can be so smug sometimes.” I murmur, and Seto huffs.
”You’re a bad influence on him.” He accused, and I laugh outright, drawing the attention of the thin servants.

Yugi smiles, and although solemn Jou manages a grin for his taller lover as well. I let my arms fall to my sides and move to join Yugi, Seto a pace behind me, and the four of us try to find comfort in each other until the midday meal, neither Seto nor I looking forward to another meeting with the council afterwards.

~*~

TBC…

~*~

YP: *yawns* Well, that was the most boring chapter I’ve ever written…
MH: Shut up it kicked ass.
YP: No, it sucked ass.
MH: Your mom’s ass.
YP: Hey!
MH: Anyway, my chapter’s next! Yay!

~*~