Touch The Stars

Touch the Stars

Hato chiisai

Disclaimer: No own.

YAOI WARNING

Pharaoh- Marik- telekinetic

Emperor- Bakura- telepath

King- Yami- teleporter

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Chapter 5

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Marik strode down the dark damp corridor of the dungeon, ignoring the pleas and curses from the cells he was passing. He stopped before a door and looked at the guard outside of it.

“Open the door. Is Commander Anak in there?”

“Yes, sir.” The guard said, and opened the door. Marik swept in and the Commander looked up from his desk.

“Good evening sir.”

“It has been three days, has it not?” Marik asked, referring to how long that the Assyrian Prince had been their prisoner.

“Yes sir.”

“Any progress?”

“No sir. No matter how much we torture him, he won’t talk.”

“Hmm… I want to see him.” Marik said, and Commander Anak stood with a nod, and led him down a side corridor. He stopped at a door that was solid; no window, or bars. He unlocked the door, and let his Pharoah in.

Ryou jerked and pulled further back into the corner, huddling in a small ball, already whimpering in fear. Marik stopped and stared at the shivering naked boy in the corner, hiding his face and beginning to plead.

“No… Please, leave me alone…. Please…..” Ryou was whimpering in a hoarse voice. Marik slowly moved over to the boy, and cleared his throat. Ryou jumped, startled, and slowly peeked out from under his hair. He froze and his eyes widened when he saw the hem of the purple robes. Marik knelt and reached out, taking Ryou’s chin in his fingers and tuning the boy’s face towards his so that he could look into his prisoner’s eyes.

Ryou watched a look of shock sweep over the man’s face. And Marik was shocked. The Assyrian Prince was a wreck. His face was dirty and had tear streaks, and his lips were dry and cracked, and his eyes wide, frightened and bloodshot with dark circles under them. His body was pale and dirty, and he was shivering violently. After a closer look, Marik saw that the Prince’s lips were blue, something he hadn’t noticed right off due to the darkness. Marik frowned and pinched the skin on Ryou’s arm, then inspected the area; the Prince was badly dehydrated.

“YOU!” Marik snapped, turning and looking at the guard that stood outside the door. “Who is in charge of the Prince’s care?”

“I am, sir.” The guard said, nervously. Marik’s robes swept back with a blast of telikinetic energy that sent the guard slamming into the wall.

“Has he been given no water?! Has he been fed?!” When the guard mumbled something, Marik disappeared from view, and the door was closed and locked, leaving Ryou in complete darkness.

Marik stormed out of the dungeons and into the kitchens, scaring the staff to death, where he grabbed a jug of water and looked at the nearest servant.

“I want a bowl of broth sent down to the Assyrian Prince’s cell, immediately!” And he left. He was fuming. He had told them to torture the boy, but not kill him slowly! They had taken it too far. Marik would see to it that it would not happen again. He frowned. The Prince had been a heart-wrenching sight. He was obviously terrified of everyone, starving, freezing, and dehydrated. He longed to remove the boy from the dungeon, but he had to stick to his plan. As much as he hated to admit it, the mistreatment of his Royal Prisoner would work in his benefit.

When he got to the door of Ryou’s cell, he stopped, and felt his heart clench again when he heard the miserable sobs coming from the other side of the door. After recomposing himself, he unlocked the door and opened it, watching the Prince once again huddle in a ball in the corner. Marik swallowed, and slowly approached the boy, as he would approach a wounded animal.

“Shhhh……” He crooned, softly. “Don’t cry. I won’t hurt you. It’s okay…. Shhhhh……” And he knelt beside the naked boy. He reached out and gently placed his hand on the Prince’s head, and the boy jumped and screamed.

“NO!! DON’T!!”

“Don’t what?” Marik asked. “I won’t hurt you. I promise.” And Ryou slowly looked up again. Marik placed a hand on the boy’s arm, and frowned at the cold skin. The Pharaoh stood and removed his purple cloak, then knelt, draping it around Ryou, who clutched it tightly, trying to cover himself and get warm. He was so desperate for warmth, that he didn’t fight Marik when he was pulled into the Pharaoh’s arms.

Marik pulled the cork out of the jug and lifted it up for the Prince.

“Sip it slowly. Don’t choke.” He said, gently, and held it up to the boy’s lips. He felt a small smile tug at his lips when Ryou gave a relieved sigh when the water touched his parched lips. He made a pitiful whimper when Marik pulled the jug away.

“Not too fast. You’ll make yourself sick.” He let Ryou have the water again. “Slowly. No, I said slowly. There you go. Slow and easy. No, stop. You have to breath…. There….” He smiled slightly as Ryou relaxed against his chest, concentrating on the precious water. He gave a horrified cry when Marik took the jug and corked it.

“No, you can’t have too much right now. Just relax.” Marik said, and stood, moving to the door and muttering something to the guard that stood outside. Ryou watched, huddled under Marik’s cloak, as the guard dragged in a thing ragged looking straw filled mattress. Marik snapped something, and the guard left, returning with two more, and stacking them on the first. Marik then turned and moved back over to Ryou, who squeaked when he was picked up and deposited on the mattresses.

“You can’t sleep on that cold floor. You’ll catch your death.”

“So?” Ryou choked out, his voice still hoarse. “Isn’t that what you want?”

“No.” Marik said, sincerely. He turned when a servant entered with a steaming bowl of broth, and Marik handed it to Ryou. “Eat slowly. Then have a bit more water. But not too much.” He stroked Ryou’s hair, which hung in limp, greasy tangles. “Then rest. They will not neglect you again. On pain of death. Have they hurt you?” Marik asked slyly. He saw Ryou’s eyes glaze over, and fill with tears, before he closed them and lowered his head.

“No.” He said quietly, but firmly. “No. They haven’t hurt me.” Marik frowned at the monotone voice, but nodded and stood.

“Good. If they do, tell me, and they will be punished.” And he turned and left. The Commander was waiting for him.

“Well, sir?”

“Good job. Keep it up.” Marik said, and left the dungeons, deciding to let Ryou endure another three days of torture before he visited again.

……………………………………..

Fighter ships darted in formation in every direction, carefully avoiding eachother. Two large ships were getting closer to eachother, one with the Assyrian crest on it, and the other with the Sumerian crest, an upside-down triangle with a simple eye in the middle. The ships slowed to a stop, a moment later, a small transport left the Assyrian Imperial Flagship and docked on the Sumerian vessel.

Bakura looked up as the doors of his transport opened, revealing two boys.

“Welcome, Emperor Bakura.” Prince Yugi said, holding out his hand, which Bakura clasped. They bowed to each other.

“Thank you, Prince Yugi.” Bakura said, and looked at the other boy, bowing to him as well. “Greetings, Prince Mokuba.” He said, and the boy nodded to him.

“You may have heard,” Yugi said, as he led Bakura to the meeting room. “That the Hittites and Pheonecians were nearly conquered by Marik.” Bakura blinked and looked at the Hittite Prince, who looked angry.

“I had not. My condolences, Prince Mokuba.” He said. “Is your brother here?”

“Yes. Seto is in the meeting room with King Yami and Caesar Jonouchi.” Mokuba said, and Bakura nodded.

“Anything from the Babylonians?” Bakura asked.

“We have not heard from Lord Otogi in a while.” Yugi said, frowning. “We did receive word that Honda is dead.”

“Unfortunate. His people were not ready for any attack.” Bakura said with a nod.

“His people were wiped out.” Mokuba said, and Bakura stared. “they refused to surrender, so Marik exterminated them.”

“The Romans were an intelligent people, but they never had much sense.” Bakura snorted.

“They refused to be ruled by a tyrant like Marik.” The three stopped and looked up at the blonde boy that stood before them with an angry look.

“Forgive me, Caesar.” Bakura said, bowing to Jonouchi. “I meant no disrespect. I know that Honda was your friend.” Jonouchi sighed and dropped his regal aura and rubbed his forehead, showing Bakura how weary he was. Bakura moved forwards and placed a firm hand on the older man’s shoulder.

“Relax. Shed your tears for him, and move on. His people are gone, we cannot change that. But we can prevent it from happening again.”

“It’s happening to MY people!!” Jonouchi snapped, turning fiery eyes on Bakura. “As we speak, it’s happening. I never should have left! I ran like a coward!!” They all turned as the door to the meeting room opened, and a tall blue eyed brunette looked out.

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself.” He snapped. “It won’t do your people any good. And you know very well that running was the only thing we could do.”

“No it wasn’t!!” Jonouchi shouted, and Yami appeared behind Seto.

“True.” He said, and Seto glared. “You both could have stayed behind. Yes, you would have stood bravely, and been slaughtered brutally. If you had stayed, you would be dead now, and your people in even more trouble. Come in here, and we will do what we can to get them OUT of the trouble.” Jonouchi nodded, and followed Yami and Seto back into the meeting room where Jonouchi’s sister Shizuka waited, followed by Bakura, Yugi and Mokuba.

“On a lighter note…” Seto said. “We just received a transmission from Otogi.”

“Oh, really? He’s alive then?”

“Alive, but not well…” Yami said. “Marik struck his people hard. He has fled along with what people are left of Babylonia. The people are hiding, and he will be here soon.” The men nodded. “Bakura, how are you doing?” They all looked at the Assyrian Emperor in pity, all aware of Ryou’s capture. Bakura sighed and slumped into a chair.

“As well as can be under these circumstances. I don’t sleep well. I have nightmares.”

“Not surprising.” Seto said with a nod. “I’m impressed at how well you’re taking it. If I lost my brother…” He drifted off with a weak shrug.

“I as well.” Yami said, and Bakura closed his eyes.

“I want him back.” He murmured, softly.

“Of course you do.” Jonouchi said, draping an arm around his little sister. “He’s your family.”

“I wonder if he’s still alive.” Mokuba said.

“Of course he’s still alive.” Yugi said. “Do you think that Marik would capture the Assyrian Prince only to shrug and kill him? No… I don’t want to think about what he’s doing to him, but he won’t kill him.” They all jumped when Bakura slammed his fist down onto the table.

“If he’s hurt him, I’ll kill him!!!” He shouted.

“Hurt who? Kill who?” Otogi said from the doorway, confused. Yami stood and nodded to Otogi, beckoning him into the room.

“Five days ago, the Egyptonians captured Prince Ryou.” Seto said, and Otogi froze as he sat, and stared at Bakura in sympathy.

“Oh… Bakura, I’m so sorry.” He said, softly, and Bakura shook his head.

“So am I.” He said quietly, and the room was silent for a few minutes.

“Well, we can’t change what HAS happened, but we can prevent similar things from happening.” Seto said. “Now, we have been divided for several millennia. Our people have warred on each other. But the Egyptonians stayed out of it. But it was just so that they could build their strength. Now they are cutting through us easily. If we want to keep our people alive, we must stop Marik.” All the other rulers looked up, all nodding in agreement.

“Yes. It’s time we stop squabbling amongst ourselves. We are not the threat, Marik is. He’s a powerful man.” Yami said. “Bakura and I have already agreed to make peace. Seto and I have agreed the same, and Jonouchi and Seto made peace two years ago. I think it’s time we draw up a peace treaty among all of us. Forget our differences and go after Marik.”

“Agreed.” Otogi said. “I don’t even know WHY we fight. It’s like, tradition. And it’s stupid.”

“Yes it is.” Yugi said with a nod.

“Bakura, are you listening?” Yami asked, and Bakura jumped and looked at Yami.

“Huh?”

“What did we just say?” Seto asked, annoyed.

“Bakura are you listening?” Bakura said, hopefully, and got disgusted looks. “Look, I don’t care. Do whatever you want! Write the treaty and I’ll sign it, I just want my brother back!” He shouted, leaping to his feet, and began to pace. Yami’s face softened.

“Easy, Bakura.” Otogi said, soothingly. “We will help you get Ryou back. I promise. Right, gentlemen?” Bakura looked as all the others nodded vehemently.

“I swear, Bakura.” Seto said, and Jonouchi nodded in agreement. Bakura smiled slightly.

“Thank you.” He said, softly. “I am in your debt. And I’m sorry, I’ll try not to get distracted. Let’s get down to business.”

“Right.” Yami said with a smile as Bakura sat down, and they all leaned in and began discussing their treaty.