Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Crimson Ruby Love ❯ CrimsonRubyLove3 ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

By YamiYugikun

Authors notes: The actual capital of Egypt 3000 years ago was Tanis, not Cairo so I changed that. Ordinary people normally didn't touch the pharaoh or it was believed they'd receive bad luck. The pharaoh himself can make exceptions.

Below the azure cloudless sky the burning sun basked the ancient capital city of Tanis in its warm rays. In Thebes the buildings built of sun-dried bricks honey in color huddled close together, making the streets between a maze of narrow allies. In contrast to the honey buildings the dirt of the streets shone a light yellow in color. On the sides of the buildings arched doorways supported by columns was characteristic of Tanis's architecture. Geometric square patterns decorated the bottom half of many buildings, while on the uppers halves of the second stories mosaics of figures, gods or animals were carved. By many doorways stone or marble statues of gods and animals were common too.

Some of the buildings influenced by Arab style reached to the sky with towering minarets. Most block city buildings though had flat roofs typical of Egyptian homes. The variety of one story flat roofed buildings, along with the two story ones and towering minarets gave the city a look of a patterned quilt when viewed above from a birds eye view.

Down in the topaz colored streets below white tents lined the street sides to provide people with relief from the scalding sun. Many tents set up in front of doorways were the businesses of craftsmen or tradesmen. On every street small or large wares of all sorts waited in the shops for sale. In the main bazaars a shopper's paradise awaited. The bazaars with many tents came to be called tent pavilions. They formed a fascinating maze of alleyways and workshops where shoppers watched artisans hard at work sweating in the dry heat. Artisans' carved wooden items, hammered brass and copper into exquisite trays and pots, created lavish jewelry, and made perfumes. Other items available for sale in the bazaar included silk, wool carpets, hand woven tapestries, hand blown glass, alabaster items, gold and silver jewelry, camel bone necklaces, and spices. Souvenir shops also sold paintings on rough paper made from papyrus. Men's kilts, robes, headdresss and women's dress sold at the bazaar too. With virtually everything for sale it was truly a shopper's paradise.

Most men wore white linen cloths wrapped around their heads, and long linen kilts underneath wrapped around their waists. Some had vests, robes or overcoats covering their bronze sweaty bodies. Richer men's garments included gold and various colors such as orange, green or red. The women wore long golden, orange, green and red robes, flowing gracefully, draped over their chocolate skinned bodies. Head cloths of darker colors fell behind their backs lifted by the cool breeze. Other women dressed in simple linen dresses about their bodies with no head cloths.

Two handsome men in particular stood out strolling through the bazaar. The first with gleaming bronze skin wore thickly applied kohl eye makeup accenting his ruby eyes and black brows. On his red cheeks and lips rosy ochre powder set off his dark golden skin. Girdled around his slender waist by a jeweled belt holding his kilt in place. A linen headdress hid his black and pink hair. Golden strands of hair falling out from the headdress reached his rosy cheeks. He smelled as pleasant as he looked for he re-oiled his body with fresh myrrh giving a delicious scent. Upon his muscular chest his Millennium Puzzle glowed luminously in the sun's light.

His companion who strolled to next him donned the same clothes as him, a clean linen kilt wrapped about his waist, and a headdress hiding his mahogany hair. Auburn tendrils highlighted red in the sun framed his angular face. His fair complexioned skin, olive in color had a rosy tint to it for his undertones were red like his highlights. Applying ochre to his already red tinted cheeks made them stand out like bright applies giving him a doll like look. His lips shone the color of plum blossoms paler than his cheeks. Over his well-toned body he rubbed myrrh over himself giving off a luscious scent like the pharaoh. Hanging from his neck his golden ankh sparkled radiantly hit by the sun's light.

Yami smiled, his deep red pools meeting the stormy ones of the priest. In those stormy pools a silent thunder crackled frightened those who dared gaze into them except Yami. He felt a great delight prying into the priest's eyes.

"Stop prying, Pharaoh." Teased the priest affectionately grinning at Yami, while they walked through the bazaar browsing at the wares.

The pharaoh smirked eyeing Seto flirtatiously. "Oh how can I help myself?" chuckled he, his voice soothing and musical.

The high priest shrugged, half amused, half annoyed by the pharaoh's melodious voice. When they first met Seto genuinely loathed the pharaoh for his skill in the Dark Game as well as constantly loosing to him. Yesterday when his ears heard the pharaoh's pleasant poetry the ice surrounding his cold heart melted slightly, but not completely. He knew Yami truly loved him though he considered him a nemesis in the Dark Game. A part of him yearned to love the pharaoh back, and a part of him fought defiantly desiring only to win in the Dark Game against the pharaoh. He felt the two halves battling threatening to rip apart his very soul.

"You may love me but someday without fail, I will win pharaoh," muttered Seto under his breath, his voice tinged with slight coldness.

"The warrior in you desires victory, the lover in you desires love, those the halves which battle," whispered Yami poetically sensing the inner struggle of the priest's soul.

What he said dawned on the high priest. "Yeah those are my halves, how'd ya know?" questioned Seto sharply. His sapphire eyes watched the pharaoh distrustfully

"Because…" The pharaoh leaned his weight on his left leg holding his arms behind his back. He smiled turning his chin to the right. "…you and I are no different. If you live only as a warrior your heart grows cold unable to love."

"Love makes a warrior weak!" disagreed Seto speaking softly into the pharaoh's ear. His slightly ice voice sent chills up the pharaoh's spine.

He stepped away from the pharaoh casting him a doubtful look over his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye near the pharaoh he spied a youth wearing a kilt around his waist, tattered and dirty with holes everywhere. Being short he reached Yami's shoulder looking younger than his age. His tiny physique was childlike and thin. His skin a rich coffee brown, with honey undertones shone darker than the pharaoh's, as he spent his days in the sun. His style hair too appeared identical to the pharaoh's. His black raven colored hair stood straight up forming 5 large spiked clumps. The highlights in the tips of his spiked hair and on the sides of the spikes glowed a bright magenta standing out against the main raven color. From his hairline thick, wavy marigold tendrils fell about his round cherubic face. Despite living a harsh life on the streets he still retained a childlike innocence.

Yami's almond shaped eyes gazed into the youth's large, boyish eyes. In the outer part of his irises burned a fiery magenta full of vigor and determination. Around the inner part of his irises ran a deep blood red burning into the outer magenta color. The sun's light played in his eyes like crimson fire. Yami couldn't help but gaze into his fiery eyes.

"Who is that enthralling youth?" questioned Seto to himself studying him. "Those eyes, the sun dances in them just like Yami's only their larger burning with intensity."

"Excuse me…" asked Yami in a gentlemanly manner approaching the youth. "Can I help you?" he said seeing the youth stood there motionless.

The mysterious youth stared at the ground hiding his eyes beneath his goldenrod locks. He took a few paces towards Yami saying nothing. Then he lifted his head focusing on the white pouch that hung from Yami's belt. He lunged at the unsuspecting pharaoh knocking him over unto the dusty ground. A ripping noise was heard as the youth scrambled off. Seto dived below Yami catching him in his strong arms. Both men looked up only to see the youth darted quickly away vanishing among the browsing shoppers.

Yami saw the pouch by his belt missing. "A pickpocket! After him!" he shouted jumping to his feet.

Seto nodded taking off at full speed with Yami breaking up the crowd as they pursued the thieving boy. The youth close ahead sprinted even faster.

"Ra-damn!" cursed he under his breath.

A few steps behind Yami and Seto broke free from the crowd chasing the youth down the dusty street when they turned a corner. Even in a situation like this Seto being self-centered felt the sun revolved around him making him the center of the universe.

"HEY THIEF!!" he blurted loudly at the top of his lungs while they ran. "I, the great Seto am known to be the greatest runner in all Egypt with my amazing god like speed! No one has ever outran me and lived to tell about it!" he announced proudly.

The youth ignored him running for his life. He changed course quickly disappearing into a nearby building.

"HEYYY!!" roared Seto furiously.

"I don't think he listened," laughed Yami watching the youth's whereabouts.

They stopped outside a yellow mud-brick, flat roofed, one story building at the end of the dark narrow alley. Seto about to enter paused when Yami laid a sweaty hand on his shoulder.

"What!?" he snapped in annoyance.

"Keep your guard up," cautioned Yami.

Both men silently stepped into the shadows of the old dank brick building. The first room they came in was open and sparse with no furniture. A doorway leading to another room glowed dimly lit by a burning lamp. From that room they heard voices, harsh and raspy. Someone grabbed something making the jingling of coins audible.

"How dare ya come wi' only 8 gold coins, ya damn brat!?" threatened a rough voice.

"I didn't mean to!!" shrieked the youth, feeling his back against the cold hard wall.

"They're gonna hurt him!" spoke Yami in a hushed voice.

Yami and Seto peeked in the dimly lit room seeing a group of men seated on the dusty floor gathered around a low table, the lamp burning on top. On the table golden necklaces, spices, headdresss, scarves, perfumes, cosmetics and other stolen items lay strewn about. The rough voiced man who yelled at the youth ripped the delicate pouch letting the coins fall to the floor. After the coins fell he glared at the youth pulling out a whip. He cracked it at the frightened youth who trembled against the chilly wall.

"So you made him steal!" boomed Yami, his deep commanding voice echoing against the walls of the dark room. As he stood his towering figure looming by the entryway intimidated all present.

"What the hell, boss!!" blurted out one of the seated men in surprise.

"Looks like da runt brought some friends!" scoffed a bearded man to his right.

"After them!" ordered the whip-cracking boss grunting madly.

"Ra-dammit!!" blabbered Seto irritated again rolling back his eyes.

"We'll fight like men!" said Yami encouragingly ready to prove his manliness.

An angry fist flew through the air ready to strike Yami's beautiful face. Seto evaded the blow by grabbing Yami pulling him into the next room.

"We need to lure `em outside so we can unleash our duel monsters!" suggested Seto alarmed seeing the men storm into the room they occupied.

Yami understood following Seto to lure the men outside. The boss joined his men in the alley forgetting about the terrified youth. Yami and Seto stood back to back, their arms crossed grinning at the men who gathered outside. Seto turned his nose in the air sticking his tongue out at the already irked men. A nervous sweat drop appeared by Yami's head.

"Relax," winked Seto keeping his cool. He raised a olive colored arm chanting words duelists spoke.

Out of nowhere materialized the colossal form of the blue eyes white dragon blocking the sun. It hovered over Seto in the air roaring madly, its hot breath felt on all below. It beat its light blue wings gathering energy for an attack. The petrified men stared wide-eyed at the blue eyes their eyes ready to pop out of their sockets. The youth peering out of the brick building's doorway watched in awe never laying eyes on such a magnificent beast.

"Scram or face blue eye's wrath!" laughed Seto haughtily pointing a finger at the petrified men.

Without saying a word they threw back their arms screaming in terror scampering off like timed mice down the narrow alley.

"Piece `o cake!" cheered Seto victoriously jumping up and down.

"To Seto." Congratulated Yami delighted his love rejoiced.

"Now scat blue eyes, back to your beauty rest." Smiled Seto affectionately to his beloved blue eyes. The dragon nodded vanishing into thin air.

"Oh my money!" Yami remembered the reason why they came.

"Heh." Taunted Seto arrogant as usual. "A measly 8 coins, eh?"

"Hey," insisted Yami back. "Those coins happen to have my profile engraved on them, very beautiful if I do say so myself."

"Right, so all of Egypt can be awed by your beauty," teased Seto leaning an elbow on the pharaoh's muscled, bronze colored shoulder.

"Oh, don't put me on," grinned Yami back flirtatiously.

Lost in the stormy pools of his sapphire eyes he couldn't help but lean towards the high priest, kissing him deeply on the cheek, his ochre lips pressed to his rosy ochre cheeks. Seto blushed gulping nervously taken by surprise.

"Oh Ra!" gasped the youth from the entryway. He stepped into the open, his bare feet kicking up dust in the topaz street .

"Hey!" called out the youth waving his arms at the men. "Are you two lovers!?" he asked curiously never seeing men kiss.

Stunned Yami pulled out of the kiss blushing even more than Seto, his cheeks redder than cherries. He smiled anxiously feeling another sweat drop by his head. "Er…uh…umm…" he stuttered unsure of what to say.

"Egypt's pharaoh is gay," winked Seto at the youth patting his head. "Don't let the tabloids find that out!"

"GAY!! WOW!! Oh Ra! I've NEVER met gay men before!" blurted out the youth giggling boyishly, his demeanor sweet and cheerful. "Those guys who inscribe tabloids on papyrus, they'll do anything to sell `em!"

"Which is why the tabloids can't know," added Seto mischievously eying Yami still beet-red.

"Err…so anyway kid," began Yami wanting to change the subject. "Why'd ya steal?"

The cheerful youth sighed his bloody magenta pools now welling with tears. He sniffled wiping a tear rolling down his coffee cheek. "Because…" he spoke his once sweet voice now doleful. "If I don't, those guys beat me up. I grew up homeless on the streets. Those guys, a gang of thieves, were kind enough to gimme food and shelter in exchange for my cooperation. I needed to bring `em at least 12 coins worth of loot every day or I'd end up on the streets again…"

"That's…awful!" exclaimed Yami shocked a youth in his country lived like that. As Egypt's pharaoh he felt personally responsible for the well being of that teen.

He leaned over so his eyes met the youth's eyelevel. His crimson eyes grew teary seeing the shabbily dressed boy dirtied and thin. "No one should have to live like this. Why not come to my palace and start a new life as my servant?" he smiled

The boy's bloody magenta eyes lit up again. "R…really!?" he asked smiling widely.

"Of course," smiled Yami kindly.

"Thank you!" cried the teen wanting to jump into Yami's arms.

Yami stepped back averting the youth's hug. "I'm afraid an ordinary person like you can't touch me. I'm the pharaoh. Anyone who did touch me would receive dreadful luck, but for you I'll make an exception." He winked at Yugi.