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[[What time is it? ADVENTURE TIME! XD lol sorry, couldn't be resisted XP

I was thinking, maybe Seth gets Akila really made and she's all ready to leave when Atem comes back. He can tell her then that she lost his game before when she snuck out. They could fight and he could actually admit to liking her? Just a thought. ]]

Atem looked at Seth and Akila but didn't say anything. It was the same thing he used to say to her and now that he saw it coming from someone else he felt bad. He brought his attention back to his brother. His eyes widened but he didn't say anything at first. He could tell his brother felt bad and didn't need someone else to yell at him. After all, this was Atsu's friend- of course it hurt him more. But this situation was bad, this was the person that was going to keep him and his court in good health. This was the person that was doing her best to keep their father a live. He wasn't so much friends with her as Atsu was, but she is essential to the court as well as one of their own. Bakura was a sick man, he would not want any of his people kidnapped by him. Atem looked at his brother when he protested the way he did. He was hurt and he still wanted to go after Bakura. "I agree, Atsu and I will go in. We'll bring any guards with us who are well enough- that way we are not alone," he said. He took one last look at Akila as he grabbed Seth's horse. He wasn't angry at her the same way Seth was. Atem was more worried and sick to his stomach about the what ifs. "We'll be ok," he told her. He wanted to embrace her and comfort her- he saw the shakiness in her eyes. But he felt like he couldn't, not in front of her brother and not at this moment. Atem waited for Atsu's horse to come so he could help his brother up on the horse.

Jono narrowed his eyes a little. He couldn't understand Seth at all. He looked at Akila- Jono definitely understood her. Well, not completely. He understood despising being treated a certain way just because of your blood as well as the strive to live a life you want to. But Akila had it so good! She didn't have to do anything! She never had to worry about being hurt or being tired or even not being able to eat. Jono would kill to be in her position. Sure, he may get as bored as she does but it's a lot better then living a life where nobody cares about you or disrespects you.

"It would be so easy too," Bakura said as he brought out a blade. He laid it across her veins but didn't push down. "One simple motion and you would be dead," he said with a grimace.

Amme looked at him with emotionless eyes and gently brought her hands up to the blade. She gently turned the blade so that it was now going up and down her arm instead of across. "You wouldn't be able to kill anybody that way- my veins would heal up. If you cut me this way, I would bleed out and die," she said as if she didn't care. She was still in between caring and not caring. Nobody was coming for her and she couldn't escape herself.

"You would rather die for your kingdom then help my men and me," Bakura said narrowing his eyes. He took the dagger away and spit in her face. "You disgust me," he said, "And because of that I plan to not kill you. I'll make you break and bend to my will. Even if I have to break every bone in your body. You'll just have to heal yourself."

Amme remained quiet- looking at him as if she held a secret. He thought she could heal herself. Was this good or bad? What if he knew that she couldn't? Would it make things worse for her?

Bakura looked into her eyes. That fright, what did he say that he hadn't before? He grabbed her chin roughly and pulled her toward him, "You can't heal yourself can you?" If she could would she not have already? This was both good and bad. He could beat her to make her do what he wanted to, but he now knew he had to take it easy. If she dies, then he just eliminated a powerful tool to the Pharaoh. If she lives and remains in his control, then they lose a powerful tool that is now under his control. That sounded like the better idea. "Your choices are simple, you can either heal me or you can be continually beaten if you don't. And if you think I'll give you sweet release through death you are sadly mistaken," Bakura said to her. "Now heal me, this wound is bothersome," he said pointing at his neck. It was actually making him feel a little weak, the Prince took a good enough chunk out to make him lose a great amount of blood.

Amme's eyes widened when he guessed what she was thinking. He now knew. The choice should have been simple- nobody wants to be beaten. But if she did so only more people would die and it would be her fault. If she healed this man then who is to stop him from killing Atsu? That thought continually ran through her head and nothing scared her more than that. So she remained still, not making an attempt to heal him.

Bakura may be evil but he was true to his word. He jabbed her in the stomach when she did not comply. "If you think you'll be saved you are sadly mistaken. Even if anybody found where we were we would kill them within seconds," Bakura said to her.

Amme keeled over and coughed up blood when she was hit. It was the worse physical pain she had ever felt. When she caught her breath she said, "No one is coming for me. It would not be worth dying for."

"Now I wouldn't say that but I guess at the same time I would. You're useful but royalty are too afraid to die. Don't feel bad, they all think they are too good for anybody else. At least you would be appreciated here," Bakura said with a smirk.

"Kill me now......." Amme said almost sick to her stomach. She couldn't believe she asked for death, after all these years of being afraid of it. But this pain was too much and she would never wanted to be tempted to help such a man or his devious people.

[[oh man Flapjack is hilarious XD
hrm.... I think Jono still has the arrow in his shoulder D: I forgot about that. Should I have him pull it out now or we'll just pretend he already did that?]]

[[I have a battle plan for them if you wanna hear. Also, I have a really good idea for a confrontation between Atem and Bakura. ]]

When Atsu waved off his brother he stepped back and let him do it himself. He could tell his brother was emotional over this- after all the healer was his friend. He didn't think anything else of it. Even so, this was a different side of his brother he's never seen before. In a way it was good, he was acting strong, but at the same time he felt like he was self destructing inside. Atem let him tell the guards what to do, they were going to be his army but they were still under his father. Besides, it was the same thing he was going to tell him. Atem got up on his own horse seeing that everybody was ready to go. Once on he looked down to Seth and Akila. He could tell Akila wanted to go, it was the same face she always had when she wasn't allowed to do something. But this was far different, this wasn't play or training- this was war. "We'll be back soon," he said to Seth though he said it more to Akila. Atem looked at the men and said, "Stay behind us until I give the signal." He wanted to ride side by side with his brother. Atsu may not want his help but he was still his family- he would always help him. And right now he wanted to help him calm down before they got to Bakura. When the guards were far enough in back of them Atem asked his brother, "Atsu, are you going to be ok with your ankle?"

Jono looked back until both Atsu and Atem were off. He was pretty naive and felt they would be able to take care of everything. People like Bakura couldn't win... right? He glared back at Seth but remained quiet. He was pissed, he could tell. But it seemed most of his anger was towards his sister. He looked back one more time. Such a prime time to escape and he gets caught. If he never got shot at he would have made it. He could always try to make a run for it now, he couldn't leave his sister to go after him and couldn't bring her along. But at the same time he felt like he couldn't run now, after all he was right there. He would have preferred to get away without him watching. "Grr... my shoulder..." Jono mumbled as he went to bring his hand to the wound.

"Hahaha! Weren't you listening? Death would be too easy. Don't you know life if about suffering? Oh wait, that's right, you're royalty- you wouldn't know what suffering is," Bakura laughed at her plead.

Of all the times she wanted to be thought of royalty, this was not the time. No point in correcting him, why did it matter? She still served the kingdom. "Maybe there wouldn't be so much if you didn't exist," she said no longer coughing.

"Oh boo who. Like you care about anybody elses suffering. If you did you would care about my pain, emotional and physical," he said pointing to his wound again.

"I care for you as a human being, but I don't care for you," Amme said trying to justify herself.

Bakura smirked and brought out the dagger again, "Maybe I have to make you care for me." This time he brought the dull side slowly to the bottom of her dress and lift up slowly to look.

Amme hadn't restrained this whole time, but something moved her to do so now. She jerked away from him and smacked his hand away from her.

Seeing her restrain didn't entertain him all that much. He quickly stood up, grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward so she would fall back down. She landed on her side. Bakura came up to her face and kneeled down. He loosely pointed the blade near her face and said, "I don't like it when women restrain like that. Makes me nervous. I don't think right when I'm nervous." The men who were still watching hooted and hollard for him to do disgusting things to her. He looked at them and said, "Does anybody feel like ******** doing what they are supposed to and ******** watching this place? Or do I have to set examples of you all?" Once he said that most of all the men left to either rest or keep watch.

[[ok, I'm thinking since both are magicians someone can cast a spell to cast in fog/smoke something. Atem can go after Bakura since he's stronger then the guards and Atsu can go look for Amme- that way she could also heal his ankle so he's not gimping the whole time. The guards would be taking care of Bakura's men.

I also want Bakura to screw with Atem's mind. Threatening to go after the princess since he heard she was the last female with royal blood. And when he gets a reaction from him Bakura keeps going with it.]]

"We're not going to let anything happen to one of our own," Atem reinsured his brother. He wasn't like the other children when he was younger- he did not see her as an outsider. Well, he did, he knew where she came from. But anybody who was going to dedicate their life to keeping him and his people in good health should be considered one of their own. He looked over at his brother questionably. "What? No," Atem said quickly at first as if to hide something. Then he clarified, "I mean, if you don't consider Akila.... obviously." Why this now? What she did to him actually hurt. Atem actually was feeling something towards her- but her feelings for him were the same. "Funny how things turn out sometimes," he said blowing it off like it was nothing. His eyes however told another story. Now that he thought about it, what did his brother think his feelings were towards Akila? Atem was a little leery why Atsu asked him that. "Why?" he asked him before he came to assumptions.

Jono didn't say anything. He still thought Seth didn't figure it out yet. To hell with coming clean, if Seth never questions it then he wasn't going to admit it. Damn... that arrow was still in him. He put his arm on the shaft and took a few breaths to psych himself up. He then pulled the arrow out with all his strength. He groaned in pain, but once it was out it felt a little better. Jono threw the arrow on the ground. "Yea, shouldn't you be going with them? Aren't you supposed to watch the princes?" Jono aided Akila's argument. He was worried about his friends, especially Atsu going after them with an injured ankle. But maybe if Seth left he could try again to escape. Sure the adrenalin from before was blissful, but what Seth does to his pride was enough reason to flee.

"Go get rope," he ordered the few men who were still there. He then pressed his hand down on her back to support himself. He hovered over her a little to her side, leaning down near her face. "Tell me, what just scared you now?" he asked twistedly.

Amme wheezed when he used her to balance his weight. She peeked up at him with one eye and said, "You already know why."

"Yes, but I like to hear it," Bakura said with a smirk. "Now let me ask you something, dear healer. Are you innocent?" he said licking his lips.

Amme had to calm down, if she showed him she was as petrified as she was he would feed off of that. "And if I'm not?" she said as calmly as she could.

"Well then I guess it wouldn't be as fun. Figures, you're a woman of the palace. That's your only use," he said. He then pulled off of her and stood over her. With a chuckle he said, "What? Do you think I would take you? Sinister yes but runs a risk of you getting pregnant. And even though disposing it would be easy I don't want to lose my new tool." He then tapped the dull edge of his blade against his palm slowly and repetitively as he then said, "I'm thinking more of permanently getting rid of that risk instead..."

With his last statement Amme practically jumped up to try to run. Something more then anything else he's said before frightened her about his last notion. True she was not allowed to marry- which would also include baring children, but loosing the ability to frightened her to no end. She wanted children, she wished she was aloud to. And something in the back of her head was telling her to protect her ability to.

Bakura reached out and grabbed the back of her collar. He then pulled her back so hard that she fell backwards and down on the ground again. She laid up on her back looking up at him. Bakura let out a laugh then said, "That's more like it! That's the fear I want to see! Why is it women worry about that the most? They would rather die and be beaten then be taken or lose their motherly ability. Why?"

"You're sick..." Amme hissed.

Atem's eyes widened when he heard his brothers confession. He held back a surprised exclamation but none was needed with the look he initially gave him. He calmed down, this was his brother after all. He wasn't going to scold him, even if they weren't in this current situation. He wanted to tell him the logical- that he couldn't. But he couldn't bring himself to say such things to him. Atsu never did anything wrong, never asked for anything, never wanted anything- but he obviously wanted Amme. And because of that he understood how unfair it seemed to him- but law was law. "Atsu, I did not know. I always thought the two of you were simply friends. Have you felt this way for long?" he asked him. He then added, "You probably already know that you cannot, nor she- no matter her response. However I still feel sympathy for you- and you can say that I understand the fact that you cannot help it." Atem couldn't help how he now apparently feels about Akila. And she certainly does not return his feelings. However she has no choice, they have to be married anyway. It wasn't that way with Atsu." Atem then asked quickly, "Nobody saw you two correct? Atsu, you can't tell anybody else. They will excuse you but not her. You may not be able to have her, but at least you can spend time with her. If anybody found out they may be more strict about the two of you spending time with one another." He saw the prints as well and gave the sign for the soldiers to follow him and his brother. Finally when they reached the top of a mound Atem looked down to see an abandoned temple. There were men around the temple- and plenty of horses. The men were the thieves! Atem pulled back on the reins and gave the signal for the soldiers behind him to stop. "Atsu!" he said getting his brother to stop. "I have a plan, come here," he said sliding off his horse.

Jono made a face back at Seth but remained silent. However, Jono could tell that Seth was more then angry. It compelled him to actually feel bad for him. After all the torment he put him through he felt BAD for him??? What was wrong with him? And after all of that he was just letting him go? Just like that? Why? "Why now?!" Jono yelled back at Seth. "That's it? No tricks? No fight? Just, I can go?" Jono said confused. He then shook his head and said, "No, it wouldn't be this easy. You're trying to pull something. Are you going to let me be free then come after me? Beat me severely for leaving? Claim I ran off?" He couldn't believe that he was just letting him go like that. Seth's purpose in life was to make his own miserable. He started walking toward him and shouted back, "Hey! Are you listening to me? What's the catch, huh!?"

"Well? Why? If you tell me maybe I'll leave you alone for a little," he asked her again.

"Because it's an obstruction of how our creators made us," Amme answered him with a serious tone.

"Perhaps, but that's too easy of an answer. Why else?" he asked.

"Do you not think birth is a miracle?" she questioned now confused but his own question. Why was it a big deal to him?

"Birth? Life? No, it's all overrated. They all grow up to be pigs. Less people on this earth would do more good then your 'miracle'," Bakura said. The man he asked previously to get him a rope returned. "Took you long enough," he said grabbing it from him. Bakura knelt down and got in Amme's face once more. He held the rope up taut so she could see. "Now, I'll keep my word and leave you alone to rot here for a while. But, I'm making sure you don't go anywhere. That way I have all my men up there with me. Which may be doing you a favor cause they are just as..... oh what did you say before? That's right, as sick as me," he said with a devious smirk. He cut part of the rope and held it near her face. "Open your mouth," he said.

Amme froze. Because of the situation her mind was on the skits. Why did he want her to open her mouth? She just looked up at him, as still as a statue.

"Oh for the life of.... do I have to do everything myself?" Bakura said having one hand let go of the rope so that he could squeeze her cheeks and open her mouth ever so much. He then put the rope across her open mouth and cheeks. He then tied the back- now she could not yell. Not that it mattered. He mainly did this so he would not have to hear her mouth off if she decided to.

Amme groaned and shook a little when he tied her gag on. The old rope tasted like mildew and dust- she thought she was going to throw up from the taste.

"Struggle anymore and I'll pull your arms out of their joints. That way I won't have to tie your wrists together," Bakura said. That made her still. He first tied her ankles together then her wrists. He didn't bother putting her wrists behind her - there was no point. Once he was done he stood up and said, "At least you'll have time to consider my offer. Consider this your last act of kindness." And with that Bakura and the remaining men left Amme alone in the empty room.

Amme was facing the wall and waited to hear no more foot steps. Not that she was going to do anything once they were gone. A few minutes went by, nothing. Just absolute quiet and stillness. Was this like death? When your body can't move anymore? How long would it take for her to die in these conditions? She didn't want to die, but it was probably the only way out. She regret that she failed her kingdom. But even more so then that, she hated herself for the last thing she said to Atsu. She would never be able to explain herself, to apologize. That got to her the most.