Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Desert Flower ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

Note to Saph: I’ll open the story and you can just right in there, take your time. :P

Another Note: Regarding Seto being evil in this story, I needed someone to be evil, and, in my own mind, I like Seto being the bad guy. So ta’da, he’s evil. This is an Alternate Universe story, like most of my stories will be, and it probably isn’t going to follow the real facts in the show. =D So sorry for any confusion!
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Desert Flower
Chapter Three

“Well I am pleased to hear that.” Atemu said as he clapped his hands together, his crimson gaze lowering to Anzu who was kneeling at the bottom of the stairs that led to the throne. “You may begin now; I want to see what I am in for.” He rested his chin on his fist and watched her expectantly.

Anzu winced slightly as she stood. After the thrashing Seto had actually brought her to the temple and had an elderly Priestess that was there wrap her wounds and find her a new outfit. The Priestess though not being told what had happened already knew, and she took great sympathy on Anzu as she carefully treated and wrapped up the wounds.

The Anzu now wore, which was given to her by the Priestess, had a pair of white legless bottoms with a light blue piece of fabric that was tied around her waist–it was lined with pieces of silver–and she wore a full top (to hide the bandages, it was at Seto’s request) which was also light blue and had puffy see through arms that stopped neatly at her elbows. To complete the ensemble Anzu also had a white scarf that she was to use when she danced, apparently it was attractive, Anzu just believed it was foolish.

Exhaling slowly, Anzu backed away from the stairs, holding the scarf in both of her hands as she started to dance. It hurt her terribly, the way she bent her back roughly ripped at the wounds, and she was sure they were bleeding again. But she knew, without Pharaoh Atemu knowing of it, if she were to stop dancing now she would be punished once again. She wouldn’t be able to handle another dosage of that sort of humiliation again, so she would do as she was expected and keep her distance from Priest Seto.

Tears began to burn in her eyes, the pain becoming nearly unbearable. She could not allow the Pharaoh to see it, though, because then she would have to speak up about what had happened, and let’s face it, Anzu was not a good liar. So she bared it, and kept her face still and near emotionless, though she could not keep that one small tear from rolling down her cheek.

At the end of her performance, Anzu sank to the floor as she did the splits, her torso bowed against the floor towards Atemu and her hands outstretched. She listened as Atemu began to clap slowly, and to the sound echoing through the room she raised her head to see him walking down the stairs. Her chest heaved up and down with every breath she took, she was now nervous, and the shimmer in her blue eyes started to show it.

“Beautiful.” Atemu said as he held out a hand to her, offering to help her up. “Simply magnificent, well, both you and your dance.”

Anzu smiled weakly as she took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. It was in fact a very, very bad idea. The strain on her back made her stumble, and with a small painful cry she fell against the Pharaoh’s chest.

Guards rushed forward, but Atemu held up his hands to them, stopping them in their tracks. He lowered his eyes to the top of Anzu’s head and put his hands gently on her back. “Is something the matter?”

Anzu winced under his touch, tears stinging her eyes. She swallowed; she knew Seto was in the room, she could feel his icy glare on the back of her head. “I’m, I’m sorry Excellency!” she exclaimed after a moment, pushing herself away from him and falling to the ground in shame–every second felt as if she were tearing herself apart. “I did not correctly stretch before I performed for you, my joints ache and…and I am not as limber right now as what I should be.”

“Is that so?” Atemu asked, staring down at her with a cocked eyebrow. “Should I have not asked it of you to perform for me so spontaneously?”

“N-no Excellency,” Anzu said, raising her head to look at him. “I am totally at fault; I should have done my stretches before I entered your presence.”

“I see.” Atemu crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, if that is the case, there will be no more today. I will call upon a couple if my servants to take you to your room and bathe you…hot water does magic on aching joints, am I correct?”

Anzu nodded. “Yes, Excellency, that is correct…”

--

The room Anzu was brought too was enormous; it held a large canopy bed, an equally large dresser with mirror, and a rather spectacular looking plant that grew in the corner, and still had more room to spare.

“You have a balcony, miss.” One of the servant girls, named Osuna, said. “It sits right by Pharaoh Atemu’s for he requested that you be near him at all times.”

“I am a servant…a slave here.” Anzu muttered, looking around the awe-inspiring room. “Why am I being kept here?”

“I cannot answer that, for I do not know the answer myself.” Osuna said. “Maybe it has something to do with the agreement? He did say that if you were to dance for him he would keep you here, in the palace; the rest of us stay in little huts outside the palace walls.”

“How did you know what our agreement was?” Anzu asked.

Osuna smiled brightly. “We all have a bad habit on eavesdropping, how else would we keep ourselves entertained while working here? Your encounter with Seto is drifting all over the palace.”

“What?” Anzu put her hands on Osuna’s shoulders. “That isn’t good! What if Atemu finds out? Osuna, he said he would kill me!”

“You don’t need to worry, miss.” Osuna said, taking Anzu’s hands into her own. “We are all afraid of Master Seto. There is no way we would allow the gossip to reach Excellency’s ears. You have nothing to worry about…” she smiled. “Even if you live in the palace, you are still one of us, and we take care of our own.”

Anzu smiled. “Thank you…”

Osuna nodded, and then cleared her throat. “Come along then, we need to get you that bath, right?”

Anzu nodded and followed. She was content with the support of the other servants. At least she wasn’t alone inside those cold stone walls.


The bath was…interesting. Never before has Anzu bathed in such a huge tub! The water felt as if it was going to rip through her wounds, the stinging sensations nearly made her cry; but she knew it had to be cleaned.

The incense used in the tub water tickled Anzu’s senses and made her somewhat relax after her back started to get used to being constantly splashed with hot water. Something else that Anzu would never get used to was the fact that someone else was bathing her, though it felt good to be tended on, she still flushed with embarrassment.

After the bath, Osuna dressed her wounds and then slipped her in a lovely sand color silk dress that fell around her knees. “You have many dresses much like this one in your room.” She explained, standing back and observing her work. “There are also traditional Egyptian robes, but Pharaoh had doubts that you, as a former peasant, would rather wear something more comfortable.”

“Former peasant huh,” Anzu turned and looked at herself in the mirror that was located in her own personal bathing room. “The dress is lovely.” She said, smiling a little. “Thank you, Osuna.”

Osuna bowed slightly. “You are free for the rest of this evening,” she said, smiling. “Go do whatever you wish…I’m sure his Excellency wouldn’t mind if you gave yourself a tour of the palace.”

Anzu shook her head. “I think I am going to stay in my room, as far as I am concerned that is the safest place I can possibly be if I am not dancing for Pharaoh…” her voice trailed off. “If you get a break, or even a small chance, you could drop by and have a chat with me if you want.” She said to Osuna with a small smile.

Osuna smiled back and nodded happily. “I’d like that!” she walked to the door. “Have a good evening, Miss.”

“Call me Anzu.”

Osuna smiled again and nodded before hurrying away.

--

The moon hung low in the sky over the village, and the stars twinkled vibrantly around it with life. Anzu frowned at them, knowing the place they danced and played over wasn’t as lively as the stars were themselves. The village seemed to have a shadow cast upon it, and in the distance a baby could be heard wailing; the sound made Anzu shiver.

“Are you missing your home?”

Anzu jumped at the sound of Atemu’s voice, and her head spun around to look over at his balcony that was positioned right next to her own, as Osuna said. There he stood, his elbows leaning on the balcony railing as he looked over the village with his bright crimson eyes. How long had he been standing there?

Anzu sighed at his question, placing her hands on the railing and stared back out at the village. “A little, I guess.” She answered after a moment of silence passed between them. “I am more or less thinking about the drought, and what it is doing to the village.”

“We had no warning of it.” Atemu said, glancing over at her. “Seto claims the Gods never sent a warning of this horrible change in weather.”

Anzu’s stare fell blank as she heard the Priest’s name fall into the air. She felt her eyes burning slightly, Pharaoh had such trust in that man. “I see.”

Atemu watched her carefully, sensing something was the matter with his young dancer. “Are you hungry?” he asked after a moment. “I can have a slave bring you anything you want.”

“A slave tending on a slave,” Anzu muttered, her hair shading over her eyes as she bowed her head. “That doesn’t sound right, does it?”

“You shouldn’t think of yourself as a slave.” Atemu told her seriously.

Anzu’s eyes narrowed, his words poisoning her, making her angry and hateful towards him. She couldn’t control what happened next. “Oh? I shouldn’t?” she asked as she looked at him, angry tears in her eyes. “You stole me from my home; you are forcing me to dance for you! I am terrified; there hasn’t been a moment since I came here where I wasn’t terrified for my life!” she started to tremble. “But I guess you are right, slaves are purchased. I am not a slave, I am a prisoner!”

At that moment Anzu’s eyes widened and her hands flew over her mouth. “Oh…no…” she whimpered, bowing her head quickly. “Excellency, I am so sorry! I’m sorry!” her heart raced as she turned and ran off the balcony and back into her own chambers, swinging the curtains closed behind her.

Anzu collapsed on the floor near the foot of her bed; rough, heavy sobs shook her shoulders. At any minute the guards would burst through the door and take her away to the dungeon. She knew it! No one could talk to the Pharaoh like that…so why did she just do it!? What had been running through her head that made her burst out at him like that? Whatever it was, she was sure it just cost her, not only what little freedom she had left, but her life as well.
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Atemu was stunned, had that actually happened? But what actually floored him was what she said. “Forcing her to dance?” he asked out loud, looking out over the village. “It was a request, if nothing else. And I only wanted her to be sure about her answer, which is why I asked her to consult with the Gods. Hm.” He put his chin in his hand and thought for a moment. “I guess I did steal her off rather suddenly, I could have gone about this a totally different way…and it is possible she did feel intimidated.”

His glance moved to the curtains that shielded his view from the inside of Anzu’s room. “I should really talk to her; I don’t want her to be scared of me anymore.”
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And yet ANOTHER Note: I have started role-playing again, which means I may not get to update this story on the days I have stated. But do not worry; it will be updated at least once or twice a week on random days until I get out of role-playing again. Oh, and if anyone wishes to role-play, drop me a line!