YuGiOh: Marik/Bakura [#1: Beginnings]
Title: The Beginning
Fandom: YuGiOh
Characters: Yami no Malik/Yami no Bakura [Marik/Bakura]
Prompt: #1: Beginnings
Word Count: 2,128
Rating: PG-13
Summary: How Marik and Bakura met all those years ago in Egypt, before they even knew of the Millennium Items.
Author's Notes: Akefia is Bakura's ancient Egyptian name, and Runihura (Ru) is Marik's. I just thought Bakura and Marik weren't... Egyptian enough X3 Its still the same characters, just with different names. This is also probably gonna be part of a trilogy with 'Middles' and 'Ends', but they'll be called Marik and Bakura in those.
Also gonna warn you about a bit of gore and blood in this.
The smell of death was everywhere. It was even worse in the enclosed space Akefia currently hid in, to fearful to move incase the soldiers were still there, even though they'd vanished when the sun rose. He could smell blood, and the beginnings of decay, and the salt of his own tear as he cried and cried for his family, his friends, his neighbours, everyone.
Wiping the blood from his cheek, wincing a little in pain, he stood shakily, holding onto the wall for support. The white haired child stumbled out of the ruins of his house, looking around for any signs of life in the piles of bodies that lay strewn around the small canyon village. Nothing. Not even the birds came to feast on the cursed place. Akefia scrubbed at the blood on his cheek again, making a small mental note to find something to bandage the cut.
He cried as he slowly made his way out of the village, trying to ignore the death and look for life, but he found none. Even the animals seemed to avoid the place. He couldn't see a bird or a jackal or anything anywhere. He made his way out into the desert, the morning sun slowly glaring down at him. He was slightly thankful that it wasn't midday yet, as the stench would've been even worse with the sun to rot the bodies more.
The child couldn't help but look at the corpses however. More tears tumbled down his face, mixing with the blood on one side, and he saw some people were missing. His parents, for one. He had yet to see their bodies. He had also yet to find Sekani, his mother's friend, Amira, his aunt, Haji, his neighbour, and many many more faces he knew he would recognise but just couldn't see. Were they taken? Why would the soldiers take them if they came just simply slaughter?
Akefia shivered again despite the warming temperature, taking a charging run into the desert. He didn't care if he died out there, he just had to get away from the stench of death and decay and the thought that he ws the the only one left. The sand beneath his bare feet stung slightly as it heated up in the sun, and his lungs burned from running so far, so fast. He had no idea how long he had been running and crying when he finally collapsed.
His heart was beating so fast he thought it might burst out of his chest, his dog-like pants couldn't quite quench his body's thirst for oxygen. He buried his face in his arms and sobbed, wishing death to come as swiftly as possible because he was so scared of being alone, so scared of being found by a stray solider who recognised him from Kul Elna.
In the distance he heard something, although he thought it was his mind playing tricks on him. As it grew closer and closer, the white-haired boy realised it wasn't his imagination, but he immediatly thought it was the soldiers returning to make sure they'd killed everyone. He curled up in a ball as small as possible, eyes tight shut, either hoping not to be noticed or for the soldiers to be quick.
He recognised the sounds of horses when they were only a few feet away, and he heard voices. "Hey, what's that?" It was a woman. Women weren't soliders, he told himself, maybe it was the priests come to check instead.
"Its a kid!" Now that was more like a child's voice. They didn't have children soliders or priests, so maybe it was a group of bandits looking for an easy kill.
"Is he dead?" Another voice asked, and he then heard someone jump down from a horse, their feet making a soft 'whump' noise on the sand.
"He's breathing." A third voice, which Akefia guessed was the person who jumped down, announced, and then he felt a hand shake him slightly. "Hey, wakey wakey." They said in a strangely demanding but kind way. He just curled up tighter and whimpered.
"Awh, poor child, he thinks we're gonna kill him." Someone chuckled. "Hang on, is he bleeding?"
"Yeah I think so." The person near him said. "There's blood on the sand. Lets get him back to camp. We cant just leave him here to die."
Another person jumped down from their horse, and Akefia guessed it was the woman when she knelt down and spoke to him gently. "You're coming with us, ok? There's nothing to be scared of."
Slowly, the white-haired boy opened his eyes and uncurled himself, looking up into two dirty and fierce but somewhat friendly faces. Akefia's earlier thought that they were bandits was probably correct, but at least they weren't going to kill him.
"There we go." The lady smiled at him, then looked shocked for a second, "Oh you poor thing. Look at your face." She touched his slashed cheek and he quickly pulled back in pain. "We'll get that fixed up for you if you come with us."
Akefia could only nod when he was suddenly lifted onto a horse in front of spikey haired youth, probably only a couple of years older than him. He turned to look at him, and was a little taken back at the boy's blonde hair and lavender eyes. "Take care of him Ru." The woman told him as she climbed into her own horse.
"I will." 'Ru' grinned, clicking his tongue to get his horse moving, the others following suit. "So what's your name then?" Ru asked Akefia. "I'm Runihura, but most people call me Ru."
"A-Akefia." The injured boy whispered hoarsely.
"Wow, you must be thirsty." Ru said before reaching behind him and pulling a skin of water out of the horse's bag. "Here. Drink." He handed it to him while still trying to hold onto the reigns of the sandy horse they rode.
Akefia drank quickly, trying to keep his balance on the unsteady perch he sat on. He nearly slipped sideways and would've fallen had Ru not put an arm around his waist to stop him.
It didn't take long to get to the camp the group of bandits had set up around an oasis. It looks pleasent enough, with a few make-shift tents behind made from sticks and hanging blankets from the trees. There was plenty of shade, and obviously plenty of water. It was a mini Paradise.
Ru jumped down from the horse behind him, and one of the men from before hoisted Akefia into his arms before setting him down. The other boy put an arm around his shoulders and steered him towards one of the tents where an older lady sat grinding something in a small pot. "We'll get your face sorted then we can eat, 'kay?" Ru told him, and Akefia just nodded. He cheek was starting to sting now, full of sand and salty tears.
"Ru, hello." The old lady smiled, "Oh my, is he for me then?" She stood and ruffled Akefia's hair.
"Yup. This is Akefia. We found him in the desert." Ru happily told her. Akefia decided the boy was too cheery for his own good, but it was nice considering the situation he'd found himself in that morning.
"Hello darling, my name is Dalila." The woman told him, "If you come inside we can clean and bandage that poor face of yours." She gently grasped his shoulder and lead him inside. Akefia quickly whipped his head around to see if Ru was following, but he wasn't, until he saw the slightly anguished look on the younger boy's face and quickly came in.
Akefia watched Dalila prepare what he guessed was medicine while she told Ru to sort out the bandages. She told him to sit down on a bed by a sturdy-looking table, and moments after doing so she took his face softly in her hands and wiped a cloth with a medical smell over the cuts on his cheek. They stung and he hissed but he knew it had to be done. The blonde boy nearby handed Dalila the bandages he'd set out and she carefully covered up the cuts that were only slightly bleeding now. They hindered his vision slightly but it was better than infected wound.
"There. All done." The old woman smiled. "You should get something to eat now. You look starved."
"Yeah! Come on Akefia." Ru grabbed the boy's hand and tugged him out of the tent. Akefia didn't resist at all, and was quite happy with the contact.
He was taken to a group of people around a small fire. They seemed to be cooking strips of meat as well as a pot full of what looked like stew. Akefia recognised the woman from before, as well as the man who'd helped him get down from the horse. They all looked over at them as they neared.
"Now that's much better." The woman told him. "I take it you're starving, dear." Akefia nodded, not being able to find words to say.
Ru sat him down on a log that made a pretty good seat. The blonde sat down next to him and they were both handed bowls of broth. Akefia ate is with content, nearly choking with the enthusiasm he showed the meal. Ru had to clap him on the back to help him breath at one point. "Calm down!" He laughed, "Its not gonna go anywhere."
"What's your name, sweetheart?" Another woman asked him, and Akefia found he couldn't speak when he tried.
"Akefia!" Ru answered for him. "He's called Akefia. He told me on the horse."
"Well I'm Kanika." The woman told him, and then began to point to the others eating around the fire. "The lady you met before is Layla. That man next to Ru is Manu. This is Omari, my husband, and his brother Sefu. And I'm sure Ru has already told you his name."
"Yup!" The blonde chirruped before digging into the meat he was handed.
"Why were you out in the desert, Akefia?" Layla asked him, shaking her auburn tresses out of the ponytail she had it in. "Where are your parents?"
Akefia's mouth moved but he couldn't speak. His eyes welled up at the thought of his mother, his family, all dead. Before he could stop it he'd started sobbing his heart out. He only felt two small arms encircle him before he cried onto the chest of their owner.
He couldn't speak for the first few days of his time in the camp. Ru was with him the whole time, being his comfort and his friend. He found out that the camp was home to three seperate groups of bandits. Ru was the only child there other than him, and was part of Layla's group along with Manu, Omari, Sefu and Kanika. Dalila happily fixed all three group's wounds and ailments along with her daughter Aziza. They welcomed him as their own and when they decided Akefia was to stay permanently they started teaching him their tricks and their trade. Ru was only a beginner so to speak himself, so the white-haired boy was happy to learn together.
They were practically joined at the hip from the moment they met. Ru liked Akefia because he was the only other kid in the whole camp, and he had grown attached to the boy. Akefia liked Ru because he never failed to cheer him up, even right from the start.
Of course, their happiness ended when one of the other groups of bandits managed to get followed, and the Pharaoh's men came to arrest them, but it turned into a slaughter when everyone refused to go without a fight.
"You two have to run." Omari told them as they hid in one of the tents, yet to be seen. "Take one of the horses, take these," He handed them a small bag full of food and money, "And take this." He then handed Ru a golden hilted dagger. "Don't look back, keep going until you hit another village. Get out alive."
And that was the last time either of them saw one of their 'family' alive. They'd snuck out to the horses while the soliders were occupied with everyone else. They filled the bags the horse had with as much food, water and money they could. They only took one horse because it could be easier to sneak away, and when they did, Akefia couldn't help but cry. He'd lost another family.
With Ru embracing him from behind, burying his own face in his hair as they raced away, Akefia had to remember at least this time he wasn't alone. They had each other.
Fandom: YuGiOh
Characters: Yami no Malik/Yami no Bakura [Marik/Bakura]
Prompt: #1: Beginnings
Word Count: 2,128
Rating: PG-13
Summary: How Marik and Bakura met all those years ago in Egypt, before they even knew of the Millennium Items.
Author's Notes: Akefia is Bakura's ancient Egyptian name, and Runihura (Ru) is Marik's. I just thought Bakura and Marik weren't... Egyptian enough X3 Its still the same characters, just with different names. This is also probably gonna be part of a trilogy with 'Middles' and 'Ends', but they'll be called Marik and Bakura in those.
Also gonna warn you about a bit of gore and blood in this.
The smell of death was everywhere. It was even worse in the enclosed space Akefia currently hid in, to fearful to move incase the soldiers were still there, even though they'd vanished when the sun rose. He could smell blood, and the beginnings of decay, and the salt of his own tear as he cried and cried for his family, his friends, his neighbours, everyone.
Wiping the blood from his cheek, wincing a little in pain, he stood shakily, holding onto the wall for support. The white haired child stumbled out of the ruins of his house, looking around for any signs of life in the piles of bodies that lay strewn around the small canyon village. Nothing. Not even the birds came to feast on the cursed place. Akefia scrubbed at the blood on his cheek again, making a small mental note to find something to bandage the cut.
He cried as he slowly made his way out of the village, trying to ignore the death and look for life, but he found none. Even the animals seemed to avoid the place. He couldn't see a bird or a jackal or anything anywhere. He made his way out into the desert, the morning sun slowly glaring down at him. He was slightly thankful that it wasn't midday yet, as the stench would've been even worse with the sun to rot the bodies more.
The child couldn't help but look at the corpses however. More tears tumbled down his face, mixing with the blood on one side, and he saw some people were missing. His parents, for one. He had yet to see their bodies. He had also yet to find Sekani, his mother's friend, Amira, his aunt, Haji, his neighbour, and many many more faces he knew he would recognise but just couldn't see. Were they taken? Why would the soldiers take them if they came just simply slaughter?
Akefia shivered again despite the warming temperature, taking a charging run into the desert. He didn't care if he died out there, he just had to get away from the stench of death and decay and the thought that he ws the the only one left. The sand beneath his bare feet stung slightly as it heated up in the sun, and his lungs burned from running so far, so fast. He had no idea how long he had been running and crying when he finally collapsed.
His heart was beating so fast he thought it might burst out of his chest, his dog-like pants couldn't quite quench his body's thirst for oxygen. He buried his face in his arms and sobbed, wishing death to come as swiftly as possible because he was so scared of being alone, so scared of being found by a stray solider who recognised him from Kul Elna.
In the distance he heard something, although he thought it was his mind playing tricks on him. As it grew closer and closer, the white-haired boy realised it wasn't his imagination, but he immediatly thought it was the soldiers returning to make sure they'd killed everyone. He curled up in a ball as small as possible, eyes tight shut, either hoping not to be noticed or for the soldiers to be quick.
He recognised the sounds of horses when they were only a few feet away, and he heard voices. "Hey, what's that?" It was a woman. Women weren't soliders, he told himself, maybe it was the priests come to check instead.
"Its a kid!" Now that was more like a child's voice. They didn't have children soliders or priests, so maybe it was a group of bandits looking for an easy kill.
"Is he dead?" Another voice asked, and he then heard someone jump down from a horse, their feet making a soft 'whump' noise on the sand.
"He's breathing." A third voice, which Akefia guessed was the person who jumped down, announced, and then he felt a hand shake him slightly. "Hey, wakey wakey." They said in a strangely demanding but kind way. He just curled up tighter and whimpered.
"Awh, poor child, he thinks we're gonna kill him." Someone chuckled. "Hang on, is he bleeding?"
"Yeah I think so." The person near him said. "There's blood on the sand. Lets get him back to camp. We cant just leave him here to die."
Another person jumped down from their horse, and Akefia guessed it was the woman when she knelt down and spoke to him gently. "You're coming with us, ok? There's nothing to be scared of."
Slowly, the white-haired boy opened his eyes and uncurled himself, looking up into two dirty and fierce but somewhat friendly faces. Akefia's earlier thought that they were bandits was probably correct, but at least they weren't going to kill him.
"There we go." The lady smiled at him, then looked shocked for a second, "Oh you poor thing. Look at your face." She touched his slashed cheek and he quickly pulled back in pain. "We'll get that fixed up for you if you come with us."
Akefia could only nod when he was suddenly lifted onto a horse in front of spikey haired youth, probably only a couple of years older than him. He turned to look at him, and was a little taken back at the boy's blonde hair and lavender eyes. "Take care of him Ru." The woman told him as she climbed into her own horse.
"I will." 'Ru' grinned, clicking his tongue to get his horse moving, the others following suit. "So what's your name then?" Ru asked Akefia. "I'm Runihura, but most people call me Ru."
"A-Akefia." The injured boy whispered hoarsely.
"Wow, you must be thirsty." Ru said before reaching behind him and pulling a skin of water out of the horse's bag. "Here. Drink." He handed it to him while still trying to hold onto the reigns of the sandy horse they rode.
Akefia drank quickly, trying to keep his balance on the unsteady perch he sat on. He nearly slipped sideways and would've fallen had Ru not put an arm around his waist to stop him.
It didn't take long to get to the camp the group of bandits had set up around an oasis. It looks pleasent enough, with a few make-shift tents behind made from sticks and hanging blankets from the trees. There was plenty of shade, and obviously plenty of water. It was a mini Paradise.
Ru jumped down from the horse behind him, and one of the men from before hoisted Akefia into his arms before setting him down. The other boy put an arm around his shoulders and steered him towards one of the tents where an older lady sat grinding something in a small pot. "We'll get your face sorted then we can eat, 'kay?" Ru told him, and Akefia just nodded. He cheek was starting to sting now, full of sand and salty tears.
"Ru, hello." The old lady smiled, "Oh my, is he for me then?" She stood and ruffled Akefia's hair.
"Yup. This is Akefia. We found him in the desert." Ru happily told her. Akefia decided the boy was too cheery for his own good, but it was nice considering the situation he'd found himself in that morning.
"Hello darling, my name is Dalila." The woman told him, "If you come inside we can clean and bandage that poor face of yours." She gently grasped his shoulder and lead him inside. Akefia quickly whipped his head around to see if Ru was following, but he wasn't, until he saw the slightly anguished look on the younger boy's face and quickly came in.
Akefia watched Dalila prepare what he guessed was medicine while she told Ru to sort out the bandages. She told him to sit down on a bed by a sturdy-looking table, and moments after doing so she took his face softly in her hands and wiped a cloth with a medical smell over the cuts on his cheek. They stung and he hissed but he knew it had to be done. The blonde boy nearby handed Dalila the bandages he'd set out and she carefully covered up the cuts that were only slightly bleeding now. They hindered his vision slightly but it was better than infected wound.
"There. All done." The old woman smiled. "You should get something to eat now. You look starved."
"Yeah! Come on Akefia." Ru grabbed the boy's hand and tugged him out of the tent. Akefia didn't resist at all, and was quite happy with the contact.
He was taken to a group of people around a small fire. They seemed to be cooking strips of meat as well as a pot full of what looked like stew. Akefia recognised the woman from before, as well as the man who'd helped him get down from the horse. They all looked over at them as they neared.
"Now that's much better." The woman told him. "I take it you're starving, dear." Akefia nodded, not being able to find words to say.
Ru sat him down on a log that made a pretty good seat. The blonde sat down next to him and they were both handed bowls of broth. Akefia ate is with content, nearly choking with the enthusiasm he showed the meal. Ru had to clap him on the back to help him breath at one point. "Calm down!" He laughed, "Its not gonna go anywhere."
"What's your name, sweetheart?" Another woman asked him, and Akefia found he couldn't speak when he tried.
"Akefia!" Ru answered for him. "He's called Akefia. He told me on the horse."
"Well I'm Kanika." The woman told him, and then began to point to the others eating around the fire. "The lady you met before is Layla. That man next to Ru is Manu. This is Omari, my husband, and his brother Sefu. And I'm sure Ru has already told you his name."
"Yup!" The blonde chirruped before digging into the meat he was handed.
"Why were you out in the desert, Akefia?" Layla asked him, shaking her auburn tresses out of the ponytail she had it in. "Where are your parents?"
Akefia's mouth moved but he couldn't speak. His eyes welled up at the thought of his mother, his family, all dead. Before he could stop it he'd started sobbing his heart out. He only felt two small arms encircle him before he cried onto the chest of their owner.
He couldn't speak for the first few days of his time in the camp. Ru was with him the whole time, being his comfort and his friend. He found out that the camp was home to three seperate groups of bandits. Ru was the only child there other than him, and was part of Layla's group along with Manu, Omari, Sefu and Kanika. Dalila happily fixed all three group's wounds and ailments along with her daughter Aziza. They welcomed him as their own and when they decided Akefia was to stay permanently they started teaching him their tricks and their trade. Ru was only a beginner so to speak himself, so the white-haired boy was happy to learn together.
They were practically joined at the hip from the moment they met. Ru liked Akefia because he was the only other kid in the whole camp, and he had grown attached to the boy. Akefia liked Ru because he never failed to cheer him up, even right from the start.
Of course, their happiness ended when one of the other groups of bandits managed to get followed, and the Pharaoh's men came to arrest them, but it turned into a slaughter when everyone refused to go without a fight.
"You two have to run." Omari told them as they hid in one of the tents, yet to be seen. "Take one of the horses, take these," He handed them a small bag full of food and money, "And take this." He then handed Ru a golden hilted dagger. "Don't look back, keep going until you hit another village. Get out alive."
And that was the last time either of them saw one of their 'family' alive. They'd snuck out to the horses while the soliders were occupied with everyone else. They filled the bags the horse had with as much food, water and money they could. They only took one horse because it could be easier to sneak away, and when they did, Akefia couldn't help but cry. He'd lost another family.
With Ru embracing him from behind, burying his own face in his hair as they raced away, Akefia had to remember at least this time he wasn't alone. They had each other.