Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Fear Not The Guardian ❯ Intruders and Faults ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7 - Intruders and Faults

It was dark. There was no sound but from the cicadas outside, and the occasional hoot of the owl.

A dark figure crept along the corridor and stopped outside the Pharaoh's chamber. The guards were half asleep, but still registered someone was there.

" Who -"

There were two resounding thuds, and the guards slid down the wall and crumpled up on the floor, unconscious.

A slender hand pulled the large golden engraved door open, and allowed some light to flood into the chamber before the door closed and there was darkness again.

The Pharaoh lay sleeping in his bed, the Puzzle round his neck. The figure took out some scissors and approached his bedside, tugging the cord lightly round his neck. The scissors were ready to snip the cord when a hand clamped down on the figure's arm.

" I do not think that is a wise idea."

Bel um Fal sat up and faced the figure.

" Guards!" he called, then glared back at the figure still tightly held in his grip. He removed the scissors from their hand, and switched the light on.

" A DANCER?"

Téana woke suddenly, hearing the commotion outside her room. She pulled on a robe over the top of her night things, and slipped outside, careful not to wake Becah.

" What's happened?" she asked one of the other dancers. The girl looked at her, and reminded her of a frightened rabbit. " It's Mintaka. She was discovered trying to steal the Pharaoh's Millennium Puzzle."

" Min? She would never…" The girl had already joined the others, intrigued as to what the punishment was. A guard approached her - Honda.

" Lady Anzu? The Pharaoh wishes you to be at the announcement." Téana nodded, and Honda led her down to a large dungeon, where everyone crowded round the doorway and inner wall. There was a large pool in the middle, looking rather dark, murky and deep. Two guards flanked Mintaka, who looked blankly ahead with dark rings around her eyes, and her arms and legs were tied, with her back to the crowds.

Bel um Fal stood the other side, facing everyone. Yugi and Mai stood to his left, and when he saw Téana, Bel um Fal nodded gravely and indicated to her to stand to his right.

" I am sorry, Anzu," he murmured. " I did not know your friend was like this."

Téana stared at Mintaka, who was still expressionless. " That cannot be Mintaka. It can't be…"

Bel um Fal shook his head. " Quiet!" he ordered everyone. Immediately there was silence. " Mintaka Solomon, daughter of Lord Solomon. You have been charged with an attempt to steal my Millennium Puzzle. How do you plead?"

" Guilty," came the monotonous answer. Everyone gasped.

" You do know the punishment for attempting to or succeeding to steal anything belonging to the Pharaoh, the royal family or any of the palace inhabitants, do you not?"

" Yes."

" Then you will be punished for your crimes."

A ripple of whispering broke out, and through her shock, Téana realised what was going to happen. A guard tied a weight to Mintaka's feet. " No…" Téana whispered. " Please, no…"

Bel um Fal looked sternly at her, and she felt tears gather in her eyes. " It's not her…"

There was silence again; everyone held a breath as they waited for the order.

" Drown her."

Over the din that had started up, Téana heard herself sob. Tears were streaming down her face, and she bunched her fists. Mintaka's eyes connected with hers, and she realised the girl had only just `come to'. She had no idea what was going on.

The guards pushed her forward to the edge of the pool, and the weight was placed on the lip. As if in slow motion, the guards moved back, and the weight slid off the lip and dropped into the pool. Mintaka lifted her head and cried out one last plea as she was dragged into the pool in a resounding splash.

" Téana!"

" NO!" Téana cried, leaping forwards. Two guards lunged for her and held her back as she struggled. A stream of bubbles rose from the pool, but still Mintaka did not reappear. A wail of mourning rose from the other dancing girls, and was carried by the rest of the crowd.

" THAT WAS NOT MINTAKA!" Téana cried, fighting the guards. " SHE DIDN'T DO IT!"

Bel um Fal stared at her, furious. " HOW DARE YOU DOUBT MY JUDGEMENT!" he roared.

" IT WASN'T HER!"

" Take her away!" Bel um Fal ordered the guards. " Lock her in her room!"

" Please, believe me!" Téana yelled. " You killed an innocent girl!"

" If you carry on like this, you will go the same way as her!"

The guards dragged Téana out, screaming and crying. Yugi tried to grab her from the guards' grip as she went past, but it was no use.

" Téana!" he cried.

Everything went quiet. The crowds started to file out, still crying and wailing.

" What did you call her?" Bel um Fal asked his brother, his voice dangerously low.

Yugi froze. " I - er…I…"

" Tell me!"

" Téana."

As Bel um Fal turned to look at the retreating figure of Téana, he caught sight of her eyes. They were full of a mix of disgust and terror. " Murderer!" she cried. Still tears poured down her face. A guard hit her, and she finally stopped struggling, dazed. The guards carried her away, intending to make sure she could not escape from her room - her prison for however long Bel um Fal would decide to leave her there.

Bel um Fal's face had softened, but hearing her last words, he turned away distastefully. " The Téana I knew would have wanted justice, whoever it was on the line. You cannot be her."

From the finality in his voice, Yugi and Mai knew the conversation had been closed. They were dismissed.

Two days later, Téana was still locked in her room. She knew Bel um Fal would try to keep her there for at least a week. Honda and Jono-uchi were the two guards assigned to her to prevent her from getting out - Honda during the day and Jono-uchi at night. Mai had managed to sneak in a couple of times, as Jono-uchi seemed to like her and vice versa.

It was morning, and Téana was tired - she hadn't slept all night. She was still thinking about Mintaka, and the look in the girl's eyes as she plunged into the pool still haunted her. There was a knock at the door, and Téana rolled over to face it.

" Who is it?"

" Honda," came the reply.

He took her silence as an agreement to let him in. He pushed the door open with one hand, and held it open with his foot while he brought a tray in, piled with food.

" Lady Mai sent this from the kitchens," he told Téana. She still did not reply, but just watched him as he set it down on the table. He noticed she hadn't eaten the last meal she had been brought. " You must eat, Lady Anzu," he told her. " You cannot starve yourself."

She said nothing, but fresh tears started rolling down her cheeks. He sat on the edge of the bed, thinking.

" What if I try and sneak your sister in here?" he asked, a mischievous smile on his face.

" You would do that?" she asked. He nodded.

" I can't promise when, but I'll try. If not, I could get a message to her if you want."

Wiping her face, Téana gave him a watery smile. " Thank you."

" Good." Honda stood up. " I'd better go, before someone realises I've been gone too long. Now, eat something, please." He walked to the door and took up his post outside, while Téana rolled over onto her stomach and gazed out the window at the gardens.

Still Rebecah had not come, and it was the day Téana would be let out of her room. Honda had apologised profusely, but Téana just smiled at him.

" At least you tried," she had said, and left it at that.

The door opened, and Lady Mai came in. " Téana!" she cried, and hugged her. " I was so worried!"

She pulled back and looked over Téana. " You're so thin…" Téana hadn't been eating, and she had lost a lot of weight. Her eyes, usually emotive and sparkling, were dull. She had one thing on her mind.

" Where's Becah?" she asked quietly. Mai took her hand.

" Come with me," she replied, and led her to the small chamber that held the children. " Where's Becah?" she asked the nurse on duty.

" Outside, with Prince Yugi," came the reply.

Mai and Téana shared a look, before exiting the room and walking through the corridors to the outside. Téana shaded her eyes against the brightness, and she felt the warmth of the sun on her skin for the first time in a week. Prince Yugi and Becah were by the fountain, and as she and Mai approached them, Yugi looked up.

" Téana," he smiled. " You look tired."

She nodded slightly. " I am." Movement at the main entrance caught her eye, and she looked over to see Bel um Fal talking to Priest Seto. Before she could say anything, Becah flew at her with a shriek of, " Sister!" and Téana wrapped her arms around her, tears starting to fall.

" I hated being apart from you," Becah sobbed. Téana lifted her up, and cuddled Becah to her.

" Same here, little sister."

Yugi gave them both a hug, then turned to speak to Mai, and his brother who was striding towards them with Seto behind. Bel um Fal looked slightly stricken, and he shared a short, sharp conversation with Yugi. Yugi, Mai and Seto turned away and started walking back into the palace. When Bel um Fal turned to face Téana, his face had softened, and he laid a hand on her arm.

" Téana, I am terribly sorry."

" What is wrong, my pharaoh?" Téana asked, almost afraid to look at him in case she saw the same anger in his eyes as the night of Mintaka's death.

" You were right. I spoke to Seto and he told me two priestesses had found Priest Marik in a ritual. He was controlling Mintaka." He looked at Téana earnestly, and placed his hands on her shoulders. " Please, forgive me. We will retrieve her and do the proper embalming. We will give her a ceremony fit for a queen."

Becah had twisted around and was now staring at Bel um Fal with her arms round Téana's neck. Téana studied his face for a moment, then looked at the floor. " I don't know what to say," she admitted.

" I made a huge mistake, Téana. I am most likely going to pay in the afterlife. I don't want to go through that without you by my side."

Téana looked up at him quickly, and he laughed softly at her face. " Yugi explained everything to me. If you had just come to me first, none of this deception would have had to go on. Now Mintaka is dead and her blood is on my hands. You are my childhood friend, Téana. My desert rose." Téana gave him a watery smile at the use of her nickname. " Yugi is right. I am in love with you, Téana. Please. The reason I have no queen yet is because I have been waiting, half-hoping you would come back. You have, Téana, and I ask - no, beg - you to forgive me and stand by my side."

" I forgive you," Téana murmured. Bel um Fal kissed her softly on her lips, and then pulled back in surprise when Becah held out her arms to him. " Becah!" Téana scolded. " He is the pharaoh!"

Amusement gave way to surprise, and Bel um Fal laughed as he took Becah into his arms. Téana watched, taken aback, as he held her younger sister. Becah snuggled into him, and he looked at Téana.

" You have her approval," Téana smiled, and Bel um Fal nodded.

" Good. I was afraid she might not like me." He slid his free arm around Téana's waist, and led her towards the palace. " Come. Seto and I are having a friendly duel. Please, I would like to have you watch. You might enjoy it."

Téana nodded. " I would like that very much."