"My Pharaoh," the High Priest Seth called for the umpteenth time during their entrance to the city of Alexandria. "It was unnecessary for you to come, as well as a risk on your life. The crime at port city's are unusually high with the trading of foreigners."
The Pharaoh continued waving to the highly hysteric subjects of his kingdom as they noticed he was walking among the same ground they were, holding his horse's reigns in the other hand.
"Priest Seth," the Pharaoh began, still letting his attention go to his faithful subjects. "If you mention my 'unnecessary need' to be here again, I will strip you of your title before dawn."
Seth's mouth had snapped shut after that, full with contemptuously folded arms and pouty face.
But, he still continued.
"I'm only looking out for your well-being, Pharaoh," he said with less heat than before, not wanting to upset the higher-up. "I could have handled this on my own for you. You know the priests at the palace grow restless when you're gone, especially now that Bakura has climbed to the number one wanted thief in all of Egypt."
The Pharaoh still smiled, and continued waving at some of the now fainting subjects along the inner-sanctum of the city they had reached, but his deadly serious resolve could clearly cut air.
"And that's why we're here, isn't?"
Seth had gone silent after that, paying more attention to the ecstatic citizens of the city. He shook his head in disapproval. He never understood how anyone could become so excited to the point of fainting.
"Besides," the Pharaoh began more playfully, smiling at some of the pretty girls who were screeching that the Pharaoh was "here". Of course, it was hard to miss him with the huge line of guards, horses, and luggaged camels that followed. "I have full confidence that Shimon can run the kingdom while I'm away. He's done so many times before."
Seth grunted. "The stress you put on him will be his end."
The Pharaoh finally turned his head towards Seth, giving him a mischievious smile. "It was Simon's idea for me to come."
The High Priest almost fell over, barely regaining his composure. "...WHAT?"
Pharaoh smirked at his priest's antics, turning back to his ever-adoring citizens. "We both felt that if I didn't come that this 'Yahya' wouldn't take the request seriously. So, to guarantee that he would take the proposition it was imperative that I came."
The Pharaoh knew that Seth wanted to argue that point and how he was putting his own life in danger by being here, but he knew Seth wouldn't after that conclusion. The Pharaoh smiled. Ah, it was good to be Pharaoh sometimes.
"My Pharaoh!" one of the guards called from a ways ahead. "This is the inn that you were looking for!"
The Pharaoh glanced at the homely, but large two-story building of the inn. It was the nicest-ly lain straw, mud-baked building if he ever said so himself.
"Ah, so it is," the Pharaoh turned to head into the inn, trying to tune out Seth's mumblings of speaking to Shimon when he got back.
**********
"Oh my god! It's the Pharaoh!"
You turned from the current customers you were waiting on, hearing the "screech"s of wood against wood as the full house of customers scrambled to bow on the floor. But before you could react the same way, the Pharaoh spoke in his deep, resonating voice.
"Please, continue what you were doing before I came."
All the customers returned to their seats, but stayed humbly quiet, staring at the sight of their Pharaoh and the High Priest. You, however, were staring on for a different reason; why would the Pharaoh be here of all places?
With the utmost seriousness and resolve, the Pharaoh and the High Priest made their way to the bar-counter of the inn, seeing the bar-tender. He had short, messy black hair, pristine blue eyes, and was clad in simply peasant clothing; a robe with short sleeves, stopping just before his kness, an odd-cut on the neck of his collar, and the ends of it were trimmed in a dyed gray-color -- the only notice that he may be a little higher-up than most peasants.
The tender put on a smile, casually setting his forearm on the counter as the Pharaoh and the High Priest approached. "How can I help you, my Pharaoh?"
You sighed in frustration. The bar tender, Husani, never knew how to be appropriate; this wasn't a joke! The Pharaoh was here for crying out loud!
"We need to speak with the owner of this inn," the Pharaoh stated in a no-nonsense tone. "Is he available?"
Husani's smile just got larger, earning him strange looks from the Pharaoh and the High Priest.
"Why yes he is! Let me go get him!"
And then he walked off to his right, disappearing behind a corner.
You smacked your face with your hand, trying not to believe that he just did that.
Shortly after, footsteps could be heard heading toward the way Husani left. Everyone in the room (including the Pharaoh and the High Priest...and minus yourself) looked expectantly at the corner, waiting to see the owner of the inn come through the door...!
...And it was none other than Husani who came from the corner.
You fell-over, and the Pharaoh and the High Priest gave bewildered looks.
"I...thought you said he was in," the Pharaoh tried to confirm in confusion.
Husani just smiled, making his way back to the counter where the two higher-ups stood. "Oh, he is! He is!"
The Priest Seth growled, fisting his hand in frustration, and then grabbing a fistful of Husani's robes. "Then WHERE is he?!!"
Husani gave the cheekiest grin he could manage despite the rough treatment he was getting from the priest. "I'm the owner, get it?" he said in his "isn't that lovely?" tone of voice.
Seth pulled Husani up as far as he could with his one hand and pulling his face deathly close to his own as he yelled, "Do you DARE make mockery of the Pharaoh?!?!"
"Seth, that won't be necessary," the Pharaoh commanded more in a delighted tone. "He was only having a bit of fun. In fact, it was quite refreshing after our tedious journey." The Pharaoh finished with cracking a smile and a slight chuckle.
The Priest Seth had barely let Husani down when he bombarded the Pharaoh with attention.
"Oh? I knew you'd like my little joke, Pharaoh!" he began in auctioneer-speed. "And, since you liked it so much, I would be willing to take some of your charity--"
*BAM*
You could now be seen standing over the now hunched Husani, clutching his head, with your weapon of choice clutched in your hand: a conveniently placed metal-serving plate that you
found on your way to the counter.
"You'll have to excuse him, Pharaoh," you grinded out through a twitching mouth. "He does it to every newcomer."
The Pharaoh smiled, sweatdropping a bit before he turned serious.
"I have come to this city on a very serious matter," his warning tone suddenly turning the air thick in the big room. "We heard that we could find the Bounty Hunter 'Yahya' here."
Husani suddenly stood, reserving his trickster-like demeanor immediately and actually becoming serious.
"Well, it must be a very serious matter if you are in the need of that particular bounty hunter," he put a thoughtful hand to his chin. "May I ask as to why you need him?"
The Priest Seth grunted in frustration. "And why would that be any concern of yours?"
Husani gave a sly smile, his semi-pale blue eyes twinkling.
"I just so happen to be Yahya's master," he said plainly. "I like to keep tabs on him."
"Well then, you know where we can find him?" the Pharaoh asked, a little edgy.
Husani pushed off the counter, looking around to nowhere as he said, "He's actually quite busy at the ports right now, but I'm sure he'd be free tonight," he paused a second, as if to confirm something in his own mind. "Why don't you meet Yahya at the ports when the moon is at it's fullest? I'll be sure to tell him. In the mean time, I can find you some rooms here at my inn! And
of course, you'll be paying for your stay--"
*BAM*
The metal serving plate you held now had two indentations in it...and Husani was clutching his head again, but seething this time.
"Tonight will be on the house, Pharaoh," you said cheerily.
**********
"I can't believe you said that," Husani grumbled as he closed the door to one of the lodging rooms on the second floor. He had barely managed to squeeze the Pharaoh, the Priest Seth, and all of the guards that accompanied them into the fifteen rooms he offered.
And he wasn't getting paid at all for it.
"How am I supposed to run a business when you're letting them stay for free? I can't believe you underminded me in front of the Pharaoh, __(y/n)__."
"Yeah?" you replied nonchalantly as you headed to go back down stairs to the bottom floor with Husani. "Just call it the gods' wrath for trying to squeeze the Pharaoh's pockets as dry as you could."
Husani suddenly bent down to get closer to your ear, and whispered, "You should probably get going. Yahya's expected at the ports soon."
You nodded solemnly, heading towards the exit of the inn.
**********
You had already slipped into the black trousers and shirt Husani had given you years ago; they were a strong linen-made material dyed in black.
Next, you binded your legs with a similar black linen, except the piece was long and narrow, up to the tops of your knees, leaving the rest of the trousers quite loose; it was imperative that the bottom half of your legs stayed free of anything to catch on while you moved, but you had to stay able to freely move.
Then you snugly binded your waist to keep your shirt from flying everywhere and exposing certain areas that would give you away. Speaking of which, you had to tie-down your chest, to keep from being discovered as a girl. Which, wasn't that hard, but if you were any bigger, you might actually raise some eyebrows. And it was times when you were being the Bounty Hunter Yahya that you were okay with having next-to-no figure and being a little underblessed in certain areas -- it made for an excellent disguise.
Finishing up your out fit by binding your arms up to your elbows, you grabbed your larger piece of linen to cover your head, wrapping it around your face and hiding your hair, leaving just your eyes to show.
Grabbing your scimitar, and dagger, you shoved them into the respective places of your belt but knowing you'd only need them for show tonight, and left your slingshot. Quickly donning some sandals, you made your way out of the mud-based house and headed to the ports.
**********
Just as Husani had said you found the Pharaoh, the Priest Seth, and a couple of guards waiting at the ports for your arrival. You were perched by an adjacent warehouse-like building, looking to where the little group was waiting by a mountain of netted fish.
In a show of arrogance, you decided to openly approach the group by the dock, letting the crunching sand catch their attention.
"I heard you were in need of my services, Pharaoh?"
So you were a little arrogant. But hey, you had every right to be proud of what you had accomplished!
Closing the space between you and the Pharaoh, the High Priest stepped up with a raised eyebrow.
"You're the Bounty Hunter Yahya?" he quipped disbelievingly. "Aren't you a little small and scrawny?"
Feeling a little worse from wear of the day, your temper shot off, your foot stomping the ground in egocentric injury. "Yeah, well, I haven't caught every thief I've gone after for nothing! I get the job done, don't I?!"
"Heh, it was probably by fluke," Seth huffed indignantly.
Heated anger coursed through your veins, "WHY you--"
"I have a proposition for you," the Pharaoh's profound voice mulled over your anger, making you let go of it and pay attention to him as he approached. "And I'll just get to the point since so much time has been wasted already."
You just nodded, composing yourself, but returning the glare that the High Priest was nailing you with.
"I need you to catch the Thief King Bakura, and turn him in to me," he said seriously. "But he must be alive."
You simply nodded again, staying professional. "I can assure you he'll be handed in alive. I don't kill," you stated plainly. "But I can't help to ask why; it seems a bit personal."
The Pharaoh's face never wavered from it's serious resolve as he spoke. "Recently, he was pillaged through my father's tomb. I'm sure you can assume the punishment necessary for such
an act."
You smirked, the only evidence of it to the group was your glinting eyes, and crossing your arms. "No offense, Pharaoh, but why can't your own guards do the work?"
His eyes narrowed at your comment, clearly you had not poked a good spot.
"If you must know, we've been having trouble catching him," the Pharaoh stated lowly, but acidicly. "And you should know I could have you beheaded for your condescension."
You raised your hands in mock-defense. "Hey, hey! I was just wondering! Besides, you did the right thing in coming to me."
You heard a disbelieving grunt, already knowing who had done it, so you ignored it and returned a hard look to the Pharaoh; he was trying to test your will or something...
"So, do you accept my offer? You'll, of course, be handsomely rewarded," the Pharaoh stated in an almost snarky tone, while holding out his hand.
You hesitated, but took his hand and shook warily, keeping your eyes on the Pharaoh.
"Good, we'll need to set out right away," he stated, dominance apparent in his voice.
You felt insulted. Was he trying to order you around? The Bounty Hunter Yahya?
"Stop right there," you replied, pulling your hand away in disgust. "I may have agreed to your proposition, but I didn't agree to be your servant. I'll get what you asked done, and nothing more."
The Priest Seth started to stalk up to you, "How dare you speak to the Pharaoh like that! You'll need to learn your place, you--" The Pharaoh had held out his hand to stop Seth.
"I understand you have your own principles to your profession," he said sagely, "but I will expect you at the palace in three days. There, we will discuss the details."
"That's fine with me," you answered, your tone staying neutral. "I'll be at your palace in three days."
The Pharaoh stood off with you a while longer, an intimidating look on his face, like he was daring you to turn against him, and then he left with his group. Leaving you to ponder how in the hell you were going to reach the palace in three days!
**********
(A/n:) I know, no Bakura yet, but hey, I had to set up so you guys knew what was going on! Oh yeah, I may not own any of these YGO characters or the show, but I DO own Husani. Isn't
he great?
