If You Feel Better

Chapter 30

Horror washed over Aya as she saw the last person she had wanted to see again in this lifetime: Bakura. He stood before her, a wicked grin on his face as he stared directly at her as if no one else was there. Each of Bakura's men were standing behind a single hostage both above and below, knives to their throats. The people dared not move, afraid to have their necks sliced. Families of the captives begged the veiled assailants to let them go, but their pleas went ignored as if they didn't even hear them.

The pharaoh immediately jumped in front of Aya protectively and his guards additionally jumped in front of him, weapons drawn. "Bakura!" he yelled. "How dare you come here and harm my citizens! Let them all go! Now!"

Bakura briefly shifted his eyes to his men before focusing his gaze back on the pharaoh and the princess. "They shouldn't be your main concern," Bakura said with a smirk. "They're merely collateral. Do as I say and they'll be released unharmed. Or perhaps they won't. That's just a chance you'll have to take."

"What do you want?!" he shouted, pushing Aya farther behind him.

Bakura chuckled. "I'm here for the girl."

Aya's heart sank at his words. She had finally escaped him. She thought her nightmare was over. But apparently not. She pushed past her father, but was careful to stay behind the guards and their spears. "Let the people go!" she commanded, her father grabbing her arm and forcing her behind him again.

Bakura gave her a wild grin upon seeing her bravely face him, standing tall and powerful. At last, he was going to have his princess again. "Ah, princess. It's been too long," he said teasingly. "I take it the pharaoh has been treating you well?"

His carefree tone was making her enraged. She snarled furiously and yelled "What do you want?!"

He chuckled and held out his hand to her playfully. "Come to me and perhaps I will let your people go."

Aya growled at his response, ripping herself out of her father's grip and marching as close to him as possible without going beyond her barrier of protection. "I will do nothing until you tell me what you're trying to do!"

"You're not the one with leverage here, princess!" he shouted, keeping his hand outstretched for her to take. "I don't have to tell you anything! Are you going to come quietly or am I going to have to slice the necks of your people?"

Aya's expression shifted to one of worry. She looked between Bakura and the people captured, one even being a child who was crying profusely. She couldn't let her people get hurt, but she couldn't hand herself over to Bakura. Staying silent, she weighed her options, growing more and more panicked as she realized she was stuck.

Horses came stampeding into the streets, free from crowds that had run away in horror. They came from all directions, one sacred guardian riding on the back of each of them. They had their swords drawn, looking up at the pharaoh, Aya, and Bakura above.

"Pharaoh!" Priest Seto called on behalf of all six of them. "We were alerted of an emergency! We have arrived to put a stop to this threat!"

The pharaoh ran to the banister of the balcony and yelled down to them "Save the people!"

"Kill them!" Bakura ordered to his men in retaliation.

"No!" Aya screeched, breaking through the barrier of the guards and using her full body weight to ram into Bakura.

Her sudden attack caught him by surprise, losing his footing and staggering back, but he was able to remain standing. She pulled back her fist and threw a punch, landing it squarely into Bakura's jaw.

Bakura stumbled back, stunned at her sudden assault. He caught himself, wiping the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb and chuckling at the princess. "Impressive," he complimented. "Too bad it's not enough!"