Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Countdown to Armageddon ❯ Lost and Found ( Chapter 5 )

This and the last chapter were originally one, but I decided to split them up. It forced me not to make the last one into a pile of crud. Enjoy!

~*~

"words" - speech

'words' - thought

//words// - I'll explain later

/words/ - ditto

Large gaps mean a scene or time change.

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi, and is being used in this fanfiction for fan purposes only. All situations, opinions and characters not belonging to Kazuki Takahashi are the intellectual property of Blue September.

Warnings: This fic contains Yaoi and some amounts of graphic violence. You may also notice some OOCness in some of the characters.

--------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5: Lost and Found

"Mother we're going!"

"Alright. I'll see you two this evening," shouted Kiya to her son and husband[1].

"Where are we going again father?" asked Ouji. Min smiled back at him. It was amazing that in the three short years since they had shown up at his door, he had come to think of the two, Kiya and Ouji, as his family.

"To teach you how to fish," he replied. "Book learning is important, I'll agree with your mother on that, but there are just some things a boy can't learn cooped up inside."

"Like what?" asked Ouji sarcastically. "How to sharpen a sick with a knife? Or may how to hit an animal with a sharp stick?"

"Alright, that's enough out of you," Min said, playfully shoving Ouji's still somewhat short, still black hair into his face. Even after all that time his mother's fears had not been fully assuaged. So she still kept her hair short and his hair black. At one point the woman had been damn near paranoid. She would barely allow him outside and if he did go he had to be almost completely covered up. Luckily, Min had managed to convince her that that was incredibly foolish in the hot climate.

Ouji laughed at his father's actions, raising his forearms to shove the large hands off his head, which lead to the next question.

"Why do you insist on bringing the puzzle with you everywhere you go?"

"Because it's important to me. I'll never let it out of my sight if I can help it." He hugged the cloth-wrapped buddle tightly to his chest. He couldn't really remember anymore when he had gotten it, just that his father had given it to him a long time ago.

"Never mind. Just hurry up."

"Coming."

The two dashed through the thickening vegetation of the oasis heading to a shallow area of the central lake. Min was careful to stare them clear of the areas he had learned from experience were dangerous.

They spent the day doing… well, as Ouji had put it sharpening sticks and throwing them at animals, fish really, but still they enjoyed themselves. In the end they had come up with only two fish, which they had for lunch and were completely drenched. In the afternoon both relaxed in the shade of a nearby palm, Min resting his eyes while Ouji worked away at the puzzle. Soon it was growing close to sunset.

"Come on Ouji it's time to go."

"Okay-" He pause smelling something in the air. "Papa, do you smell that?"

"What is it?"

"I don't know. It smells like something burning." Min did the same and noticed it too.

"Aha!" he proclaimed strolling over to the water. "We forgot to douse the fire."

"Oh yeah." Min quickly poured water on the almost forgotten flames and they headed back.

"Father, can we do that again?"

"Of course we can and we will until you catch something." Ouji pouted and Min laughed until…

"You there! Halt!"

Min turned to face whoever was addressing them, to find himself standing in front of a lot of unpleasant looking people with a large assortment of sharp looking objects.

"So," said the figure most finely dressed. "We finally meet. Minhotep, I believe."

'Oh no!' Min couldn't believe it. There was just no way… yet, if the crown on his head was any indication he could guess that the man before him was of course the pharaoh. He stood there, open-mouthed, with the most fearful look Ouji had ever seen on his features.

"Father?" He tugged on the man's kilt. "Father, what's wrong? Who is he?"

Akunamukanon felt his eye twitch at this. His son was referring to another man as 'father' and didn't even recognise him. At first he almost didn't recognise Ouji either, though. His hair was different, but the dye had faded a bit, from their romp in the water, revealing streaks of his red and golden hair and his eyes, his eyes were still the same as always. There was no mistaking who he was.

"Ouji run."

"Wha-"

"Run!"

Still confused, Ouji tried to get away, but he had processed the information too slowly and was cut off by other guards who had managed to sneak around behind them. He kicked and struggled uselessly as he was picked up, dropping his parcel in the process. "Let go! Put me down! Argh!"

His eyes darted about and he saw his 'father' being forced to his knees by two of the intruder's men.

"Rudiju," commanded the pharaoh to a man behind him, "Read the charges."

"Yes Sire. Minhotep, you have been charge with kidnapping, harbouring wanted criminals and treason-"

"I deny the charges-"

"You have already been found guilty," interrupted Akunamukanon. Ouji's could barely believe his ears. His father a criminal? But he would never have done any of those things. And who were these strange men? How did they know his father? They hadn't even given him a chance to defend himself. "And I am sure that you know what the penalty for treason is." Min felt his throat constricting as a rather burly guard stepped forward holding what looked like a very well sharpened scimitar. He didn't even notice the small specks of red already on the guard's bare chest.

"Y-You can't be serious-"

"Oh I am. Deadly serious. There's a high price for touching anything that belongs to me; a lesson I am afraid you've learned far too late." The two men that had been holding Min suddenly shoved him over to another area of the clearing with a large tree stump. It was too conveniently placed and smoothly cut to have been natural.

"Stop it! You're wrong! My father hasn't done anything," came the voice of the only child present.

"SILENCE!"

"NO! You can't do this!" The pharaoh moved towards the struggling child like a snake preparing to strike. No one, prince or peasant spoke to him that way.

"Please Your Majesty." The king whirled around to see who had dared to interrupt him at that moment. Rudiju.

"What is it?"

"The child is just upset. Please allow me to take him back until you're finished here." Rudiju thanked the gods that his voice came out so sturdy despite his quivering insides. Akunamukanon was a strong leader. There was no doubt about that, but the man was known to be unstable and had a flaring temper. Few were bold enough to get in his path when he was angered.

/Perhaps that is for the best./

//No. The boy must be taught to respect you.//

/…But-/

//Remember, I am the one who has gotten us this far.//

/…/

"The boy will stay."

"But sire-"

"He will stay!"

"Please." It was Min. "Please don't let him see this."

"Papa?"

"Please take him back."

"My order stands. Commence the execution."

"Papa..."

"Ouji look away."

The weapon was raised slowly. "No don't-" It came down with lethal precision. The earth became an unnatural shade of red as the blood leaked down the side of the stump and into the light brown soil. Still and quiet the body laid there, the clothing also slowly changing colour. The loving face that the young boy had come to know as 'father' now stared lifelessly ahead, eyes forever frozen wide in shock. Though they tried to hide it, all grimaced inwardly. It was a gruesome sight.

"… f… f… FATHER!"

Ouji jerked his hand free, to run to the fallen man's side, but he was once more seized by the guards. "NO! NO! NO!" he repeated in shock. His arms flailed, he kicked and screamed with all his strength, but could not brake free. The pharaoh, tired of the display, simply grabbed the crying child by the collar and pulled him along. Rudiju noticing the forgotten package, picked it up, and then turned with the rest heading back to the vineyard leaving the corpse without a second glance.

The scene at the vineyard wasn't much better.

'Everything… Everything's burning!'

There were even more soldiers there when they returned and everything was in ruins. The houses, the stables, the crops, everything was either on fire or had been smashed to pieces and everyone was standing there watching. Why? Because they could do nothing else. The soldiers made sure of that. They set everything of fire and refused to let anyone get close enough to put it out. So the inhabitants of the once beautiful oasis had to suffer and stand by as their homes and all of their hard work went up in smoke.

As he watched the horrific scene, something occurred to the prince. "Mother?" He looked around, but he didn't see her in the crowd. "Mother? Senbi? Mother!" This time more urgently. Where was she? He couldn't see her anywhere. He had to find her. Digging his heels into the ground, he tried to stop himself being dragged away, but only received a more forceful pull on his garment, nearly causing him to trip. "Let me go! Mother! Let me find her. Where are you? Mother-uh!"

"Rudiju take the boy. I tired of his constant whining," said Akunamukanon practically throwing the small boy at his bodyguard. "And make a note of this place. There's a water hole here. I want this place cleared out by tonight. These people will know that I won't stand for treachery."

"Yes sir!"

Within the crowds, a small figure, a few years older than the prince, watched as his home was slowly reduced to a smouldering pile of ash. His cocoa-brown eyes were filled with raged as he saw the royal caravan depart. It wasn't fair. They'd worked so hard. That year had bound to be a plentiful harvest and it had taken a lot of effort. After all, man, woman and child worked here. It wasn't all fun and games and now… now they had nothing. After all that… nothing. No food, no homes, no hope. If it was the last thing he did someone was going to pay far this! "One day, I'll get you back. I swear!"

To Be Continued…

--------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------

Authoress' Notes:

[1] As far as I've read there was no real marital ceremony in the Egyptian culture. People just made an agreement and moved in together. If anyone knows different feel free to correct me.

VIH: Finally some blood!

*sniff* So sad!

VIH: See I told you shouldn't have listened to that Sarah McLachlan song so many times.

I know. I know, but it's so good. You guys know the one I'm talking about; the one from Toy Story 2. I was listening to it as I wrote this chapter. Isn't it the saddest thing ever?

VIH: Yeah, yeah, yeah… but that's not why we're here. Drop us a review please, and give us your ideas and opinions.

Yep! Next chapter might take a while to come out though. I'm changing it from my original idea, but trust me it's for the best, especially if you're a SETO fan! *wink* *wink*

VIH: AND what did you guys think of the characterizations?

Did they seem viable to you guys? Tell me. *sniff*

VIH: Turn it off already!