SnowWhite

by Alrye

My first YuGiOh fanfic, so be nice! And my own twist on the classic tail of snow white. Warnings, horrible spelling and grammar!

Hello everyone!! It's Alrye once again, for those of you who know me best for writng Naruto fanfiction. But for those of you who do not know I am trying to expand my skills a bit more. And in doing so, I'd like to try my hand at a Yugioh fanfic. This will be my first story out of my comfort zone so please, be nice or I might bite back!

Warnings: For those of you familiar with me, the usual applies, for the new people the warnings are as follows: OOCness, AU-ish, language, lemons, and just about anything that comes out of my head.

Warnings #2: Fair warning know I am not all that familiar with the characters out side of season one of Yugioh and it's been a few years since the last time I saw it, what with being busy with school and a few personal matters and all. So if I don't discribe someone properly, please tell me nicely. Thank you.

Disclaimer: What? You think I own Yugioh? -rifles through paper work- Here it is!! My "Ownership wish list!!" -Looks through- nope, sorry! I didn't cross it out so no i don't own Yugioh... damn...

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There once was a lovely peasant girl who married a king, she was pale and beautiful with hair as bright as gold and eyes of the purest amethysts. Her name was Mai and she loved her husband Atemu dearly. They were happy with one another, but could not help but grow envious of teir friends and visitors who had children of their own. They've tried countlesss times to have a child, but the queen feared that she was infertle, but her king and husband assured her that he loved her nonetheless. One winter's day they were visited by a dear friend of Atemu's, Seth who had a child, but his wife and his second born died in child birth. His first born son was three and rather intellegent. Mai smiled and spoiled him as best she could while the two kings spoke about a new deal.

Mai was sitting with Seto on her lap as she was making him a cute little blanket for a late christmas gift. As she was sewing, Aeto read from a book and looked up wen the sky stared to drop fluffy snowflakes that floated lazily down like feathers.

"Auntie Mai, why don't you have a baby?"

She smiled, the curiosity of a child was a wonderous thing and their logic was nearly impossible to understand. She looked at him in the eye and told him, "Because I am not able to... If the gods see fit they will bless me, but it seems now is not the time for me to have one of my own."

"If you could have a baby, what would you like them too look like? If I had one, I'd want him to be as pretty as you Auntie Mai!" He said with abright smile. Mai smiled and looked out the open window just as as she pricked her finger. Seto gasped and went to see if she was okay and she smiled, but she looked as her blood colored the purity of the snow and made a rosy pink.

"You know Seto, if I do have a baby. I want them to have their father's hair, so unique that you'd be able to pick them out from a crowd. And I've heard your father and uncel wish that the baby have my pale skin and eyes. Yes, that would be love, skin as white as snow and lips as red as blood, and hair as rich as the Sun King." She said dreamily, Seto nodded his agreement...

Barely a year and a half had passed when one summer's night, Mai gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Atemu was overjoyed to final have a babe of his own and Mai smiled as she held her baby. But in the morning she was dead, she had passed on from the effort it took to give birt and this sadden Atemu. But he smiled, his son, his little Yugi was a beautiful as his mother was. His bright eyes shined as his golden bangs framed his face. He was tiny, but still beautiful.

The kingdom mourn the lose of teir beautiful queen but rejoiced in finally having an heir to the throne and what more was that their new born prince was a lovely as his mother. Atemu was proud of his baby, he was with him day and night. He refused to have a nursy made and kept his crib in his room so if the baby needed attending he was there. Many of the castle staff went into shock when one night Atemu was in the kitchen making warm milk for the baby.

The months rolled by and Atemu was beaming with fatherly pride, but still sometimes when he held his babe in his arms, he couldn't help but feel lonely and he also didn't want Yugi to grow up without a mother. So by the time Yugi was one years old, Atemu had married again, the woman was a cousin to his late wife, her name was Serenity. She was also a widow with a daughter four years older than Yugi. Serenity was sweet and gentle, so while she was still alive she was a fair and kind queen. She taught both her daughter Tea and Yugi about keeping the home neat and tidy since Atemu abosolutely refused to teach his son about war and death, though he couldn't shield him forever. When Yugi was 5 and Tea nine, Serenity passed away from food poisoning. The doctor had confirmed that she had been allergic to something in the food and it was what had killed her. Atemu mourned his second wife and refused to marry again. He did his best to raise his children, but one day war broke out and he had to leave. He left them in the care of his midwife, Isis and her asistant, Mana.

The years slowly rolled by, both Tea and Yugi grew up beautifully. Some of the castle workers and even the townsfolk called little Yugi, Snow White because of how pale he was. Every week they'd get letters from Atemu telling them that he was doing his best to protect his lands from harm and even rescued a few towns from the enemy. Yugi smiled glad to know his father was well as Tea just gave a nod and left. As the year had passed, Seth and his son, Seto would come to visit saying that they were bored and wished to come see if Atemu was home. But Isis knew that they were worried that if Atemu failed, the enemy would come and storm the castle and kill the young prince and princess. Seto who was the same age as Tea, but a few months older, could often be found in the garden with Yugi playing hide-and-seek. Another name the small prince had earned was the King of Games, since there was no game or puzzle he couldn't beat!

Seth and Isis would watch from the library window and notice how the three and Mana would have so much fun together.

"Prince Seto's grown up well... Has he taken any interest in a girl yet?" Isis asked watching as Yugi screamed in glee as Seto picked up up in the air and spun him around.

"Well I'm not sure, he hasn't show interest in boys either... Maybe in a few more years, but Atemu had sent me a letter saying that if anything ever happened to him to take care of Yugi and Tea."

"Yes, I have recieved similar orders. Solomon, our high priest, has prayed every day and every night for his majesty's safety. It is all we could do." He nodded and told her that they, him and Seto were returning home tomorrow and wouldn't be able to visit for a while because the war was also moving into their lands and seto and Seth would have to go and fight.

Things weren't looking to good and time seemed to drag on for forever...

Tea, ever since her mother had died had taken to using the magic mirror that her father had owned and would ask it daily to show her, her parents. The mirror would show her images of when her mother and father were young some times the three of them or her mother and step-dather taking a ride on one of the many horses they owned. But soon all that changed and she'd ask about Seto; she had known him since her mother married her step-father and was in like with him. The mirror would show him either reading, swordplaying with his instructors or with her little step-brother. This annoyed her to no end and even when he was visiting the mirror would only show those two, Seto was hardly ever alone! And after that she'd demand the mirror every morning and every night:

"Magic mirror on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?"

And the mirror, which only spoke the truth, said:

"In all this land and the sea, there is none more fair than thee."

And this pleased her. Because Seto was the most handsomest man in the land, it was only natural that he'd marry her the most beautiful girl in the land. But the years were changing and things were too, but the mirror always told her that she was the most beautiful woman of all.

It was a late summer's evening, Yugi, now 13 years old, was dancing by the stream that flowed through the garden, fireflies blinking on and off creating this earthal glow around him. He looked so beautiful and everyone who had come to see spoke bout the beauty of their young prince. Tea, who was in her room, heard the servants speaking about a beauty so fair that they were the fairest in all the world. This made Tea slam her guild brush on the vanity top and storm over to the window she looked down in the garden and growled, there her little brother was dancing like some wanton wench at a brothal and the staff dared to say he was beautiful!? She turned and walked over to the mirror and said:

"Magic mirror on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all!?"

But instead of the usual answer the mirror said:

"In all this land and the sea, dear Prince Yugi, is a thousand times more fair than thee."

This sent her into a blind rage, but she calmed herself, worried that she'd cause wrinkles in her flawless skin and just sighed. Isis and Mana had left to heal the wounded on the battle front, so te Castle was left in her care. She smiled and went to bed...

The next morning, she got her brother out of bed at the crack of dawn and made him dress in rags and sent him into the stables to clean out the food pails and horse droppings. Yugi, not understanding why she was so upset, did as told with out lip or complaint. He'd work all day and would bath before supper and go to bed, but as for his sister she'd ask her mirror and it would tell her that her brother was still a thousand times more fair than her. And again she made him dress in rags and clean, but no matter what she did he was still fairer than her! This went on for years and it had come to the point that at the age of 16, Yugi was even more beautiful than his mother. He would sing beautifully while he worked in the field, he'd dance with the servants during supper and would live with them in thier small hovels. Tea had finally had enough, the short boy was not going to suppass her, she was far more beautiful than he ever was and she would not give Seto to her harlot of a brother!!

"USHIO!!!" She bellowed and a large man with a face so scary that even the most disgusting muck monster would flee in terror of.

"Yes, Princess Tea?"

"Have Yugi bathed and dressed for traveling, take him deep into the forest where no one can hear his screams and do with him as you please... But after you haved killed my brother, bring back to me his heart and liver, so that I may cook them in garlic and oil and eat them." Ushio bowed and left.

She knew that the knight had been lusting after her brother for some time now, here was his chance to have him and when he was done with his body he'd kill him and bring back to her what she requested...

Ushio walked with the reigns of the horse in his thick fist, his partner, Kieth was talking with the young prince as they traveled deep into the forest. Kieth, when he was younger, use to pick on Yugi, but grew fond of him, so when he heard that Ushio was taking Yugi out, he was worried and went with them. they got to a small clearing filled with flowers and there was a brooke not to far from them.

"Kieth, go water the horse, or he'll die half way back to the castle." Ushio said as he took out his hunting knife and a piece of wood and began to cut and carve it. Yugi, on the other hand, was happily chasing a few rabbits back and forth in the flowers, laughing with joy. Seeing this Kieth nodded and led the horse to the brooke.

Ushio waited until he could no longer hear the horse and Kieth walking before he stood up. Yugi by then had laid in the field, a rabbit resting on his chest, smiling, and looked to be drifting off to sleep. Ushio pounced on him and grabed him mouth so he couldn't scream and ripped his tunic open. The small prince screamed, but it was muffled and kicked his feet as his tiny hand pushed and pulled on Ushio's.

"Heh, stop struggling, little slut, I will give you pleasure before I kill you, the princess has asked me to bring her your liver and heart." He laughed cruelly as he brought his large hand to his pants and was about to rip those as well when he gasped and fell to the side. Yugi scrambled back scared as Ushio struggled to crawl after him, but then Kieth stomped his foot onto his back where he had been stabbed and grabbed his hair.

"My prince, please close your eyes and dare not look... this is something you should not see." Yugi did as he was told and closed his eyes.

Kieth once he was sure that Yugi wasn't looking, slit Ushio's throat, cutting so deep he left nicks in the bone of his neck. After doing so he threw a cloth over his head and stabbed the knife into his back before hurrying over to the prince.

"My prince, are you alright? Let me see!" Yugi shook his head and curled into a tight ball.

"No! You'll--you'll be disgusted with me!!"

"No, my prince, never!! You are as beautiful as her majesty, Queen Mai, god rest her soul... Now let me see." Yugi showed him his torn cloths but other wise he was unharmed and untouched.

"Listen to me now, my prince. Princess Tea has ordered that you be raped and killed as well as to have your hear and liver cute out and given to her... I want you to run as far away as you can and do not stop until you are sure you are safe. When I get a chance I will come for you, but also I will send Maku with a few letters, one going to your father, one to Isis and the last to his majesty, Seth and his highness Seto. My the gods protect you, my little prince..." He held Yugi close, fearing that may be the last time he would hold him. After letting him go, he gave him a cloak and pinned it closed before pointing down a well hidden path and Yugi ran for it.

Once the prince was out of sight Kieth took Ushio's knife and went in search of a baby dear to cut out its heart and liver. He'd tell the princess that while Ushio was raping Yugi, the boy kicked him and he fel back on to his own knife and while he was trying to escape he killed him and took out his heart and liver. He only hoped that she would believe him because anyone who has ever lied to her was killed...

Yugi ran down the forest path for a long time, stopping when he couldn't go any further. He reseted against a tree and looked up at the sky, it was tinting red with the setting sun and he got scared, there where wild animals everywhere as well as demons and spellcasters. He caught his breath and ran off again. The forest got very dense and it had begun to rain. He screamed and cried when the thunder and lightning flashed, the trees looked to have faces and their branches seemed to be reaching out to grab him, He screamed when his cloak got caught in a few and as he tugged trying to get free, the material ripped and he stummped back falling down a small slop and into some murky water. He tried to swim as best he could, but something caught his foot and he cried out in terror when lightning struck a tree and it fell toward him, he sank under the water and swam to the side before climbing up on the fallen tree, his ankle was covered in a bruise that looked like it belonged to a snake. He hurried across the tree and stumbled and fell all over until he fell to the ground, sobbing in fear.

He laid there for some time, covered only by his claok which was soaked to the bone and he was tired. He heard the growl of a wolf somewhere near him, but he was barely awake, he closed his eys and fell limp...

The wolf circled its prey and licked its lips in anticipation of the soft flesh it was going to eat, but as it jumped at the fallen child, it was smacked back with a branch and it growled at the attacker, but the attacker was a larger wolf covered in dark brown saoking wet fur. They growled and snarled, but the smaller wolf ran off, tail between its legs as the bigger one took on a human figure and picked the tri-color haired child up and walking off...

"Wow, it's really coming down... I hope Joey's okay." said a young rabbit demon as he and a cat demon were cooking dinner, they were preparing something to eat. The others were two large tigers, a wolf, and two spellcasters. the seven of them lived in the large cottage and were gone most of the day searching for food, helping travelers get safely through the woods or dig in the mines for presious stones to sell and make jewelry. The house was fairly clean, but still looked messy.

"Don't worry about Joey, Ryou, he's a big dog, he can look after himself." called a silver haired tiger as he walked over to the white haired rabbit and nuzzled his neck.

"Bakura, not now, I'm cooking!" He whined. The tiger snorted and walked away again, he was helping his brother set the jewels they dug out into necklaces, crowns and rings.

They others were either reading or helping with the cooking. They jumped when someone kicked the door open, the tigers were gtting ready to attack the inturder when they saw it was their wolf friend and he was carrying something.

"Mutt, what the hell is that?" called the platnium blonde tiger his lavander eyes looking from the wolf to the thing in his arms.

"A child... a very sick one. Duke, Tristian can you have a look at him?" He asked walking over to the sofa by the fire and beginning to unwrp the boy he found but snot up with a loud yelp that had the others running over to him, but before they could ask, they saw that the boy's clothes were in ruins and hidden under his golden bangs was a simple wire crown set with sapphires.

"I didn't do this, I swear!! I defend him from one of the lone wolves, looking for a meal, I swear he was like this before I touched him!" Joey said as Duke and Tristian took off the cloak and Ryou went to hang it up to dry while his ruined clothes were tossed into the fire.

"Malik, run up into the closet and see if we have anything remotely as small as him to dress him in and get the bath going as well." Tristian said as Duke picked up the child and hurried up the stairs with Malik.

"That was the prince... what's he duing out here all by himself?" Bakura asked as they all watched the stairs for a moment. Ryou went back to cooking, pulling out a small pot to make stew for the child to eat.

"Don't know, but if his clothes are anything to go by, he was attacked, but no one in the forest has been acting strange. What about the crew working the mountians, Marik?" Joey asked sitting before the fire and shaking his wet furry tail dry of any extra water.

"Nothing, everyone was talking about the war and wondering when King Atemu will come back... That crown, didn't we make that for Princess Tea?" Marik asked insulted that the small prince was wearing it; he wasn't mad at the prince, but whoever gave it to him.

"Yeah... cause didn't we make that bracelet with the Ice Sapphires and Star Amethysts for that foreign prince? He said it was a gift for our little Snow-White." Bakura said. They all sighed, they had a lot of questions but no good answers. They could only wait and hope the prince didn't become deathly ill...

Yugi groaned, his head hurt and hisbody was so sore. He whined and opened his eyes and saw a set of bright green eyes looking down at him.

"Eek!!" He squeaked and pulled the sheets over his head, shaking in fear rather than the cold.

"Calm down, your higness! I am Duke, Duke Devlin, I am a healer and a counter-offensive spellcaster. You are safe here in our cottage... These are my roommates." He indicated the other six people standing around the bed.

"Greetings, your highness, I am Bakura Yami, and this is my half brother, Marik Yami. And we are both Tiger demons" The silver haired tiger said indicating himself and then the platnium gold tiger. "Hello." Marik said bowing with his brother.

"Good evening, my name is Ryou Bakura. I am a rabbit demon." The white haired rabbit said his doe brown eyes glittering softly as he smiled.

"Hi! I'm Malik Ishtar, no relations to Isis Ishtar; I'm a cat demon!" said the chipper cat demon as he made a mock kitty pose, making Yugi giggle softly.

"Hey there, I'm Tristian Taylor. I'm a potions expert as and an offensive spellcaster, I can make any potions, but I am not nearly as great as my master was..." said a brunette with soft hazel eyes and an army cut hair style.

"Hiya! The name's Joey, I'm a wolf demon. I found you out in the forest and saved you from being eaten... Can we ask what are you doing out here and without and escort? As well, we-we-uh-found your cloths in ruins... we-were you--?"

"No... almost...." Yugi said softly, he pulled the sheets up to his chin and shivered at the memory. "My sister, who rarely let's me leave the castle, sent me and Ushio out so that I could play and enjoy some freedom from the strict ruling of the house. I thought nothing of it and my friend Kieth was with us too... But then Ushio attacked me, he told me that my sister... my sister wanted him to rape me and then kill me!! He said he was going to cut out my heart and liver and give them to her! He covered my mouth and tore off my cloths, but then Kieth came back with the horse and killed him trying to save me, but hearing what Ushio said, he told me that I had to run as fr away as I could and once was sure that I was safe to stay where I was and that when he got a chance, after sending word to my father and a few friends of the family, that he would come back and get me."

Ryou and Malik had climbed onto the bed with him and were now hugging him tightly as he sobbed into Ryou's chest. Bakura and Marik let out dark growls and paced as Duke and the others looked shocked.

"Now I know Princess Tea's been known to be a bit like her biological father, but this is too much!! To kill an innocent kid!?" Jeoy roared in anger, but settled down when Yugi hid under the covers cowering in fear.

"Forget about her for now; she thinks he's dead, so he's safe! As for you needing a place, you can stay here with up, Yugi. But you'll have to do chores like the rest of us." Tristian said.

"Yea, you can live here in the forest with us! We get news from all over so we'll be the first to know if the King returns of if King Sth comes back from battle to retrieve you. If we spot them, we'll bring them here and they can take you somewhere safer or back home! But can you even sweep?"

"My step-mother, Serenity, taught me how to cook and clean, I help daily make meals for the guards and clean up whatever i am told to! Just leave the house chores and cooking to me!!" He smiled but coughed violently. Tristan and Duke were at his sides in seconds looking him over.

"well not until you get over this cold, you will not lift a single finger. When the rain has passed we'll get you some new clothes, can't have you spending the day in Malik's old shirts."

"Hey!! we gave the others away to those begger kids last winter!!" Malik protested making the others laugh. they soon left Yugi to get some sleep in Ryou's bed, Ryou opting to sleep in Malik's room across the hall so that if Yugi need anything they could be ther to help him...

Meanwhile back at the palace, Tea had just finished eating the heart and liver of her dear younger brother and smiled. Ushio was a clumsy fool tripping and falling onto his own knife after doing the deed. It was a good thing that Kieth had gone with them, she sighed tiredly and went up to her room, by passing her magic mirror and going straight to bed, she'd wait until after the funeral to ask her mirror the same old question.

She woke the next morning and made her way to her bother's room, which Ushio had trashed before they left and then after making sure she looked distraught she screamed and cried, loudly as servants and guards ran to where the sccreaming came from. A servant came in and gasped, the room was in shambles and the princess looked to be on the verge of fainting!! He called the guards in and they saw the room and left without being told to search high and low for their prescious Snow-white.

Tea laid in bed, faking being worried and ill of heart for her brother as the whole country was searched, when they couldn't find the prince after a week. She made an announcement to the people that Yugi was dead and that a weeks time they would hold a funeral. The shining kingdom was now dull and drapped in black, everyone rich and pour prepared for their beloved prince's funeral and mourned deeply for their king who would surely die of a broken heart at the lose of his only child, his only reminder of his late wife Mai...

During those long two weeks, ugi had gotten better and did as he had promised. He'd cook and clean, using the old shirts that Malik no longer fit in as his clothes. He learned that the seven each had their own little jobs. Bakura and Marik worked in the mines and made jewelry, that they crafted the bracelet he got from Seto when he was younger. Duke and Tristan ran a small potions and charm shop as Jeoy and Malik worked as guides through the forest. Ryou was the gatherer in the group, his job was to gather food for winter and to store it in their secret bunker as well as hunt meat for dinner. They all usually got home at different times but sometimes they'd walk in all at once.

They laid down the rules when on the first day they left him alone after he was well enough to cook and clean.

Rule one: Do not leave the glen

Rule two: Do not talk to stranges and do not let them in the house

Rule three: Do not take anything offered by a stranger

And rule four: Be wary anyone and everyone unless it's his friend Kieth.

He did very well to follow these rules, when stranges, if ever, came by asking for shelter, he'd shake his head and hurry inside, bolting the doors and windows shut until Ryou got home. The glenn was surround by a stream and had a bridge that went over it to the forest, he never strayed pass the bridge. No one offered him anything, thankfully, and so far nothing from Kieth. He was sitting on the bank of the stream, soap and the dirty clothes in hand as he washed them. He hummed softly and looked up hearing the cry of hawk, he looked up and saw a small grey one that he knew to belong to Kieth. It landed beside him and on its leg was a letter as soon as he took it the bird took off to the sky and vanished into the blinding sun. Opening the paper he read:

"I'm sorry for taking so long, but I have yet to hear word from anyone. I was hoping that the king or Isis would reply back, saying they were on their way so I can come and get you. But nothing and it's been announced that you have passed on and your funeral is in two more days. I am in hiding, for I fear that Princess Tea knows that I have lied to her... Please be patient, my prince, I'll come as soon as I know that his majesty or Isis are on their way home...

Kieth."

Yugi sighed, this war is getting worse, he feared for his father's safety and hoped that Seto and his father were safe as well as Mana and Isis. He stood up from the bank having washed the last of the cothes and went to hand them up to dry. As he was hanging them up, Ryou can Malik came home. They usually came to get the lunches and take them to the others.

"Yugi!! Hey, any trouble today?" Malik asked as Yugi shook his head and then pulled out the letter from Kieth.

"Tea's annouced that I am dead and my funeral's in a few days. And no ones heard any news about the war for a very long time... I'm starting to fear the worse."

"Hey, if the enemy comes, we'll protect you!" Malik said and hugged him.

"Yea, there's no way we'd ever let some one hurt you!" Ryou added as he hugged them back. They headed inside and Yugi got the lunches going as the two demons took power naps while they waited...

Somewhere very far, far away, The thunderous sounds of war rang clear, he leaned up against a tree, holding his side in pain. He and his unit were going to join up with his father's when they were attacked by King Dartz and his army, all but him had been wiped out and he was currently in the run, since Dartz planned on capturing him to get his father to surrender. He cursed most foully as he crawled with only one hand and his legs. He had been hit in his side and it hurt too much to move, but he had too.

'Come on Seto! You can do this!! You have to make it, you have to!! For him, for Yugi!!' He cheered himself on as he made it into the dense woods. He collapsed in a clearing and passed out as someone approached him...

He gasped as he woke up from a nightmare. In his nightmare he had run into the palace to find that everyone was dressed in black, they were all crying and laying where the throne chairs should be was an open coffin and in side was Yugi. When he got up to it. Yugi would open his eyes and ask:

"Why didn't you came? Why didn't you save me, Seto?"

He sighed as he calmed down, his head turning when he heard a door open. He looked to his right and saw a young woman come and sit beside him.

"Are you finally awake?" she asked, he nodded and she stood up and pulled the covers back and checked his naked torso. "You were badly injured and on the verge of death, but luckily my magic saved you... I am a spirit of nature. My name is Jade."

"P-Prince... Seto..."

"An honor, your highness... You should rest here until you are well again. This war is destroying my home and I can't stand this much longer. Their majesties are still alive and so are the mages I provide herbs for."

"That's good to hear... Ah, my protectors..."

"Your magician is safe. As well as your dragons."

"The magician isn't mine... He belongs to my-my beloved... He gave him to me to protect me while I fought."

She nodded and told him to sleep after changing his bandages and giving him medicine to help him recover a little faster. The next morning he awoke to someone singing and looked to see Jade sitting by his bedside with a ream and cloth as she sewed. He couldn't help but think of Mai as he saw her there.

"Awake are we? How are your wounds?" Jade asked without looking up.

Seto sat up slowly, his ribs still hurt, but everything else was just sore. He leaned back on the pillows, gasping from the effort it took for him to get into a sitting position.

"I feel as if I've been ran over by a boulder... my ribs hurt and my limbs are numb... But i can't delay much longer... Dartz will come for me and use me as a ransom... I can only pray my father and his majesty are safe..." He gasped out as she looked at him, her green eyes glowing softly as she continued to sew.

"Rest easy, you will not be well for a few days. But when you recover and when you leave, you must be wary. The forest is shaking, there is more than one evil prowling around and if you are not careful, you may lose something very dear to your heart..." She set her sewing down and left him be.

'Something dear to my hear?' He thought as he looked up at the ceiling, it was a spiral of black, amethyst and gold, the colors of Yugi's hair and eyes. He smiled, but frowned what did that nightmare mean? Was Yugi going to die? Did he already-- no, they would've sent word immdiately to the front lines to inform them of any of the siblings passed away. He could only pray that his dream was only that, a dream...

Back in Domino Kingdom, It was dark and depressing as they held the funeral and buried the prince, the entire kingdom buried his grave in flowers and grieved with the princess. For another week, the kingdom would be bathed in black, mourning the lose of the young prince that everyone knew and loved.

Tea, on the other hand, had sent away her servants and guards as she walked into her bed chamber and up to the magic mirror:

"Magic mirror on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?"

And it said:

"In all this land and all the sea, dear Prince Yugi, is a thousand times more fair than thee."

This made her eyes bugle from her head as she was tempted to smash her mirror, but forced herself to calm down.

"Since you speak only truth: what was it that I ate if it was not the heart and liver of my brother?"

"The heart and liver of a young deer." The mirror answered. Tea snarled visciously as she stormed out of her room and told a guard to find Kieth and have him exicuted for bringing her the heart of her brither than the heart of a baby dear like she had asked the day her brother vanished. Once he was gone she went back to her mirror and said:

"Magic mirror on the wall, show where to find the fairest of them all."

The Mirror glowed and showed her a vast dark and deadly forest, showing her a path that leads to a cottage and sitting outside said home was her step-brother.

"Up the hill and over the river; through the Forest of Ten Thousand Men, there is a glenn, so small and plain, there lives the fairest in the land."

She memorized the path taken to get to the house and then stepped away and called for a huntsman. The huntsman bowed before her and she said as darkly as a mad king:

"Dear huntsman: climb up the hill and over the river, go through the Forest of Ten Thousand Men and there you will find a glenn with a small cottage and my dear little step-brother. Take him from the cottage and deep into the woulds, when you are deep enough, kill him and bring me his eyes and tongue. I want them in three days." The huntsman bowed and set out instantly to fullfill her request.

"You will not survive again, Yugi, but no worries as soon as Kieth is found, he too will be joining you in hell..." she muttered darkly and laughed as she walked off to her room...

The Huntsman climbed the vast hill that could rival a mountian and crossed the bridge over the river. He got to the monsterous forest and walked for hours searching for a glenn with a house in the middle. It was somewhere around midday when he came upon a cottage. this task would be easy, it was barely mid-afternoon! He watched the surroundings, masking his scent and body from smeel and sight, watching as a rabbit demon and a cat demon left the prince all alone in the house. He waited for about an hour, making sure that they wouldn't return before he silently snuck up to the house.

Yugi was inside folding the laundry as the large cooking pot got nice and hot so he could make beef stew with the deer meat Jeoy had craved up for him. He walked up to Ryou's room, where he was staying, Ryou had taken to sleeping with Malik so they were closest to him in case he needed anything. Bakura was down the hall with Tristian across the way while passed the stairs and the landing area were Mairk's room with Joey's further down and Duke's across from his. He smiled as he set up the clothes in their proper draws and wordrobes before heading back down stairs, but as soon as he got to the bottom of the stairs he was grabbed from the side and slammed into the wall.

"Hello little prince... the princess has ordered that I kill you, now be a good boy and come along." He covered his mouth and pulled on his small arms as he forced him out of the house, Yugi kicked and struggled, hitting a vase tht fell an broke and knocking down the broom which hit the pot and knocked it from the stand, spilling the water all over the floor as he was dragged out of the house.

He screamed and kicked, trying with all his might to get free and scream for help, but the huntsman was too strong. As they crossed the bridge and headed into the forest, they were unaware of the small rabbit that always watched Yugi when he was working outside in the sun light. The little brown rabbit dashed as fast as it could screeching the horrible news to the birds and predators that had taken a liking to the sweet prince and they dashed off to find the Seven that lived in the cottage.

A wolf, that had heard the rabbit's cries, hurried up the steep mountian pathes and howled into the mines. Eventually Marik came out of one and looked at the wolf as it moved about in a frantic manner growling and barking. Marik could barely understand what it was saying, but catching things like huntsman, kidnap and little Snow, he filled in the blanks fast and screamed in rage. Bakura having heard the cry ran out of another mine and over to him.

"What's going on!?"

"Something happened to Yugi!!"

The two tigers took off down the mountian with the wolf as they hurried to the house. By the time they got there, Duke was inside looking for Yugi, the main room was a mess with broken glass and the spilt pot of water.

"The door was broke in, the handle is missing! And I can't find Yugi at all!!" He cried, throwing things out of a trunk and pulling up an earring and putting it in his left ear before he ran out side to them. He was dressed in black leggings and a black tunic with a red vest over it, his head band was on and his long black hair picked up into a high pony tail. His bright green eyes glowed as he looked about the front of the house.

"Duke!! This way!!" They turned to see Joey running off into the forest and they hurried after him, the others eventually joined them as they followed Yugi's scent. Marik and Bakura had transformed ages ago into their tiger forms and had Tristian and Duke on their backs, holding on tight as they made a mad dash through the maze like forest...

The Huntsman threw Yugi on to the floor near the river and pulled out his knife to cut out the boy's eyes and tongue. He stabbed the blade into the ground and grabbed Yugi by his hair before dragging him over to the river's bank and thrusing him in and holding his head under the surface. Yugi held his breath as he claws at the man's large hand trying to get it out of his hair, so he can escape. He felt tears rickle his eyes as his lungs begged for air and just when he thought they would burst he was pulled up. He gasped loudly for air, but got a mouth full of water a second later, He screamed even though he was underwater and struggled. He slowly stopped, his vision going black as his hands fell lax. So this was it, this was how he was going to die? He closed his eyes and embraced the darkness...

The huntsman held him under the water fo a bit longer, making sure he was good and dead before pulling him out, but when he turned to grab his knife, he was kicked into the river by a rabbit demon, the docile creature let out a war cry and jumped in after him. A cat demon took the boy's body and moved it away from the fight as a spellcaster checked on him.

Malik was worried, Yugi wasn't breathing and he was so cold to the touch. Duke was looking him over before he gasped and palmed himself in the face for forgetting this one technique to revive someone who's drowned! He made Malik move back as he opened Yugi's mouth and pressed his own downa nd breathed air into his lungs before placing his hands on his heart and pumped in time with his ouwn heart beat. He did this several times before Yugi gave a violent lurch and turned on his side to spit up the water that his lungs forced out of him. Malik caught hold of him and rubbed his back as he kept coughing, Duke sighed and pulled out a few dice from thin air one turning into a thick quilt and Malik wrapped up Yugi in it as Duke stood and threw the other two he had at the Huntsman who managed to get away from a very pissed off Ryou.

The dice glowed bright green and one cut through his armor and the other sliced off an ear. The man howled in pain as Bakura and Joey took him down, Bakura ripped the tendons in his thighs to ribbons, paralyzing him as Joey crushed his hands and arms. Ryou came over to duke and Malik and the two smaller demons left with Yugi to get him back hom and safely tucked into bed. Tristian nodded to Duke and followed them as the all got ready to finish off the huntsman.

"Who sent you?" Joey growled out in anger.

"The princess!! Promised me her hand in marriage if I killed off the little bastard...."

Mairk snarled and punched him until his face was completely unrecognizeable and he was barely alive. Bakura walked awy with Joey, Tristian and Marik both nodded and finished off the huntsman before turning and heading home. For the next few days, Yugi was kept in bed and the others took turns keeping watch over him. The front door was repaired and so were the things Yugi had broken when he tried to get away from the Huntsman. They didn't blame him, he was being attacked and was almost killed by the man, but the one question that bother them was how did Tea know he was alive and where to Find him?

"Yugi, how are you feeling?" Malik asked; him and Marik were keeping watch today.

"Better... I'm sorry, my step-sister's causing you trouble because of me... Maybe I should leave when I am well again."

"No way! You are gonna stay put right here!" Marik growled out as he paced the room, his tail curling up in agitation. "The gods only know who she'd send next and what if she does kill you!? we can't protect you if you leave!"

"Mari's right, Yugi. We are all very fond of you. We'd rather have the house raided daily than worry ourselves to death about you if you left. Besides shouldn't this Kieth guy be looking for you?"

"I think he was killed, I haven't gotten a letter from him in a while now... And still no word about my father or anyone else." Yugi said sadly, Malik sighed and hugged the boy close, petting his hair and humming softly to calm him down. "I wish I knew what was going on..."

They all nodded, worried about the out come of this war. Marik was tensed, his gut was telling him to get out of the house, but Duke said that Yugi'd ribs were still damaged from when he revived him, so they couldn't leave. sighing he sat by the door, his lavander eyes locking with Malik's as they both nodded, something wasn't right...

Tea waited for three days, for three days she stood at the front gates waiting for the huntsman to return, but no. She gets word that a body was found floating in the river that was dressed as a huntsman, but because his face was so badly damaged, no one could tell who he really was. She was not pleased as she walked into her room and growled at her mirror.

"Magic mirror on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?"

"In all this land and the sea, dear Prince Yugi, is a thousand times more fair than thee." She growled out darkly and threw a book at the wall before she glared and said:

"No man can kill him then what must I do?"

"Summon a spellcaster or a monster."

"And what of my step-father?"

"Missing in battle"

"King Seth and Prince Seto?"

"Also missing."

"So no one will know that I've slayed my brother?"

"That is correct..." She smiled and changed her clothes, went to the stables and took a horse, she road out to town and into the slums. She found a witch's house and went inside.

"Vivian, I know you are here!!"

"So loud, so loud!!! Why are you here, brat?"

"I will pay you handsomely if you can conjure a monster most foul and send it up the hill and over the river, through the Forest of Ten Thousand Men and into a glenn where a small house rests and inside that small house is my step-brother, the little fuck is still alive eve3n after I've sent out men to kill him. Kill whatever is protecting him and kill him as well! I will not rest until he is dead!" She yelled at the old woman. She smiled darkly and turned to her coldren and cast a spell, out came a monster without a face.

"This is Copy-cat. He'll assume the appearance of anyone and everyone he is commanded to copy. Tell him to look like the King and he will, then he will travel to this glenn and while the prince thinks he is going home, Copy-cat will them turn into Medusa and turn him to stone before destroying his statue before a spellcaster and reverse the effects." Vivian said and the monster assumed the looks of Atemu and when he spoke it was his voice and his manner of speech.

"Thank you Vivian... Now go forth and kill my brother!" she commanded and the monster left dressed in a cloak so no one will see him.

"If he fails, I will conjure a fiend or a dragon--!?" He was cut off by Tea's scream.

"No!! Do not summon dragons nor magicians!! The Dragons are loyal to the Kaibas as the Magicians are loyal to the Motous!!" She cried, if they found out her plans, they'd either find the king and tell him or find Yugi and move him somewhere even she could not find him even if the Mirror told her where he was.

"Fine... But if push comes to shove, I will poison him or you can give him to King Dartz, I hear that this war started because he wished to possess our 'dear Snow-White.' I am sure that he will leave you this kingdom in exchange for your brother. Assuming we have not killed him by then." She cackled insanely as Tea smiled and joined in laughing...

A week went by, Yugi was well again, but the Seven had made it so that one of them would stay home with him everyday. Today, Yugi was home with Tristian, who had opted to cook today and let Yugi play with the animals out front he even summoned the two monsters that he and his lover, Joey had. The twin ogres kept watch as the small prince cried with glee as a few quials chased after him. He was happy and smiling, having forgotten about the attempts on his life until he went to bed and had nightmares. Yugi had learned over the time he spent with everyone that Bakura and Ryou were mates as were Marik and Malik, Tristian was Joey's mate and that Duke's lover was fighting along side his father in the war.

He learned how to make simple potions that could turn a person into an animal or and animal into a person. When he first made it Bakura tested it out and he turned into a woman. Ryou couldn't resist! He later learned that magic potions made by humans had odd effects on demons and monsters. He also learned about gathering food from the forest, identifying plants and herbs that were for eating, others for medicine and those that were deadly. He even learned how to make jewelry and made a gift for Seto, Seth and his father, Atemu, for when they got home. He'd surprise Isis and Mana with his own magic as well as his guardian monster, Dark.

"Yugi, it's almost lunch time, come inside and wash up! Red, Green! Keep watch for strangers!" Tristian called from inside. Yugi got up from the flowers he was laying in and the animals all scurried off, feeling hungry as well. The small boy hurried inside, dressed in nothing but a long tunic since the tailors they normally went to couldn't make anything that small so they made him a bunch of tunics that acted like dressed on him. He pulled up his sleeves and pumped some water from the stream into the bsin and began washing his hands and face as Tristian set up the table for them and Ryou and Malik as well as the lunches for the other four. Someone knocked on the door and Tristian went to answer it.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm sorry to bother, you but I'm looking for my son. Have you seen him? He looked like me and his mother..." the stranger said, pulling his hood up and off his star shaped hair, the main body was black like Yugi's but the tips were crimson whereas Yugi's were amrthyst. They had the same bangs that hung around their faces, but Yugi had one that fell between his eyes and the man had three extra ones that went up like bolts of lightning through the black. Their eyes were different as well: Yugi's were large like a child's and amethyst while the man's were narrow and sharp like a hunter's and were crimson. But there were other details that indicated that this man was indeed the king.

Tristian dropped to his knees and welcomed him inside and turned when Yugi gasped, tears welling up in his eyes and ran at the man. Atemu caught Yugi in his arms and spun the small boy about as Yugi laughed and cried at the same time. Yugi was overjoyed to see his beloved father once more.

"Daddy, I missed you so much!!" Yugi cried.

"And I you, my little Snow." Yugi giggled and hugged his father once more. "Come we have to hurry home, before the enemy attacks the castle. I want you to pack up and move with the servants to Seth's castle and stay there until I come and get you again. alright?" Yugi nodded and looked at Tristian, who nodded his head.

"Go with your father, Yugi. I'll let the others know when they get home." Yugi nodded and gave Tristian a hug before he left with his father, the boy telling him about all the fun he had while staying in the cottage, leaving out the detials about the attempts on his life, not wanting to cause his father more grief than he had already suffered...

The others came home that evening and found Tristian sulking in the corner of the house, dinner on the table minus on plate, Yugi's.

"Tris, what's wrong?" Joey asked as he knelt beside his mate and nuzzled him until he looked up at him.

"Yugi's gone home with his dad.... We won't see him again." He mumbled and Joey hugged him tightly.

"Yugi went home with his dad?" Joey asked loud enough for the others to hear. Tristian nodded and they jumped when someone banged on the door. Marik opened it and saw a blonde guy, badly injured leaning other outer door frame.

"I-I'm Kieth, a friend of Prince Yugi's... I was told by some bear demons he was living here... I have to find him; his father was felled in battle..." Tristian bolted to his feet and demanded:

"What do you mean he fell in battle!? He was just hear a few hours ago to pick up Yugi!"

"I mean, I spent the last few weeks on the battle front I was there when he was shot from his horse!! His father is in critical condition and won't be able to travel for some time to come!! I informed him on the attempt on the prince's life and he wanted me to bring the Prince to King Seth's castle where the dragons will be better suited to protect him!! Where is Dark!? Dark should be here with him!!"

"Yugi was alone... but if his father was felled... then-- SON OF A BITCH!!!! I WAS TRICKED!!!!!!!" Tristian called out Red and jumped on its back as Duke stayed with Kieth and the others followed him they had to find Yugi before it was too late!!

Meanwhile, Yugi and Atemu stopped in side a cave for the night, the sky had clouded over and was starting to rain. Yugi was sitting in the cave waiting for his father to come back with fire wood. Closing his eyes he fell asleep, but his eyes snapped open when he felt something wrap tightly around him and heard the hisses of several snakes, he dared not open his eyes and screamed for help.

"Silence little prince!! You will not suffer... It will be painless I swear, just oen your eyes..."

"DADDY!!!! HELP ME!!!!!" He screamed, the cave amlifying his voice. In the distance he heard a howl, Joey's howl to be exact. He screamed again and heard the snakes hiss violently as he was dragged into the cave and a scaley hand clamped over his mouth making it impossible for him to scream. He wanted to worn them of the danger they were going to face...

Joey had head Yugi's screams and when they stoped from within the cave he halted and sniffed the air, and growled before standing up as he transformed back to his human form.

"Stop... Copy-cats in there... the smell of a faceless monster... If this is another one of Tea's tricks I suggest not using magic until you are sure you know what it looks like now. It loked like Atemu and will try to use that or even each other against each other. If You find Yugi, be wary, Copy-cat will use him as well... Tristian stay out out here..."

"Fine, just be careful in there." He cast a locator spell on them so he could find them if they needed his help.

Marik smirked and ran in with a squeal of delight, Joey rolled his eyes when Bakura whined and pawed his shoulder before he nodded and the second cray brother went in singing merrily. Ryou and Malik rolled their eyes and ran in as Joey droppped onto all fours, morphing half way and running inside the cave as well.

Ryou could feel the hairs on the back of his neck and on his ears stand on end as he listend to the silence that was suffocating in this deep, dank and dark cave. He turned the corner and bumped into something.

"Who the hell is there!?" Came Marik's harsh voice as he swung around. Ryou jumped back and glared at the tiger.

"You should know, Marik You see better in the dark than I do!" Ryou pouted as the tiger glared at him.

"Then don't sneak up on me!!"

Ryou glared more, smeeling the air for Marik's musky-earthy scent, but all he got was something... bland. He found Copy-cat, but it obviously didn't copy marik very well. for one, he and Bakura worked in mines, they know caves of all sorts inside and out. He just had to keep the monster distracted long enough for someone else to find Yugi.

"Well instead of being a jerk why don't we look for Yugi... He's propably scared beyond belief by now."

"Well if you can't see why not make a light?" Marik asked, Ryou smirked, bingo! He walked as close as he could to Marik in the dark before kicking him as hard as he could in the face. The rabbit demon then kicked him down the cave toward the entrance.

"Tristian, cast a reveal spell now!!"

Tristian did as told and Marik was forced to turn into a faceless and naked genderless person which Ryou pushed into the wall close to Tristian and growled out darkly.

"Where is Yugi!?"

The Copy-cat's face turned into his own as it copied his voice as well.

"Dead by now, having drwoned at the bottom of the water pools..."

"You are lying..." Tristian said, Ryou had a tick when he lied, his nose would wrinkle slightly. Copy-cat had the same habit since it was mimicking Ryou.

"How do you know?" The copy asked making his face into Tristian's.

Tristian smirked, as he held up a mirror. Copy-cat shrieked in pain as it's face morphed into many faces before going faceless once more.

"Where is he?"

"passed out... in an out cove near the back...."

"Is this the truth?" Tristian asked holding the mirror up once more, Copy-cat screamed and nodded his head before the mirror was put down and Ryou nodded his head. They were making sure it was true before Ryou called out into the cave, his voice echoing off the walls.

"CHECK THE BACK OF THE CAVE, HURRY!!! TRISTIAN AND I GOT COPY-CAT RIGHT HERE!!!!"

Back inside the cave, Marik, Malik and Bakura were walking down one path as Joey took another. They had lost Ryou at some point, but then the cave was filled with screams and they were trying to figure out where they were coming from before Ryou's shout came from the mouth of the cave.

"The back of the cave?" Malik questioned. Bakura took off down the path and searched high and low before finding an out cove that only a snake demon could reach. He looked around, the stones were wet, so he'd have to climb up bare-footed. He kicked off his sandles and grew out his claws abit more before he made the first jump up to the landing. He struggled a bit before he felt someone push him up by his thighs first then his calves. Once he was on the landing itself he looked to see Marik grinning at him with Joey under him holding him up on his shoulders.

"Thanks... give me as sec, make a cradle with your arms the both of you otherwise you'll hurt yourselves and Yugi." he said as Marik hopped off of Joey who rolled his shoulders to relax the tension. Turning back around Bakura looked around the landing and sure enough, Yugi was passed out on a dry part of the landing and was bound and gagged even.

He cut the torn fabrics from the small prince and pulled him into his lap before looking down to see that Marik and Malik had formed a base and Joey was standing on their interlocked arms holding his arms up to grab Yugi. He nodded and slowly pushed Yugi's legs over the edge, holding tight to his collar before letting him drop into Joey's arms as the wolf then slipped from Malik and Marik's arms and they caught him and set him down. Joey headed out with Malik and Yugi while Bakura jumped down and Marik smirked and pulled his brother to his side giving him a noogie.

"Man this bitch is pissing me off, first he's attacked then he's tricked!! What next? Girl scout cookies!? Or Avon?" Marik hissed and smacked him in the back of the head.

"Never mention such things again!! There is a reason why we live in the middle of a forest!!"

"Yea so we don't have to here: Ding-dong!! Avon calling!! At six something in the morning.... perky-ass women, we are men why would we need makeup? And I know Ryous a fairy princess but have you seen him fight? The kid's butch!!"

"I HEARD THAT 'KURA-CHAN!!!!" Ryou screamed in annoyance as the tiger snickered and went to calm down the puffy rabbit. They all smirked and looked to the monster.

"Go to youe mistress with the face of the princess and tell her: If you set foot in our forest again we'll burn your house to the ground." Tristian ordered and Copy-cat took on Tea's face before running away from them as fast as it could. They sighed and headed back to the house, hoping that for at least a few days nothing bad will happen, it was nearly winter time and they were worried for Yugi...

Seto growled in annoyance, for a month or so now he was stuck in this bed, but at least Jade proved herself to be a kind hostess. She even did him a favor of flying around the battle field a few times to up-date him on the standings.

"You can move now, but no horse back riding for another week... I am sorry that this is taking so long, you were more wounded than I had thought at first... Ah, the report: Isis and her magician Mana are taking refuge in your kingdom, the unit protecting them was wiped out, your father and King Atemu are missing, but I heard from the dead of both your armies that King Atemu was felled in battle, shot with a magic arrow, he was in crtical condtion... Oh and also I found a dead bird with this tied to it's leg. It's addressed to your father."

She gave him the blood stained letter an he opened it quickly. It was from one of the servants at the castle! He gasped and stood up and growled darkly as he paced the room.

"How could this happen!? Why!? Damn it!! while I've been stuck here-- Oh gods, Yugi!!" He fell to his knees and cried. Jade came to his side in an instant and let him cry before she spoke:

"Not all is lost. I was good friends with Queen Mai, if her child passed from this world. Then this necklace she made me would've broken and I'd have died. But it still holds and I am still here. But you are not well enough to travel; please stay and rest for one more week, during that week I will do my best to find out what I can." She said and he reluctantly agreed with her. He had to wait one more week, a week? Good he was going to be insane by then.

Once she had left the room, Seto turned to the darkest corner of the room.

"Dark, return to your master and find out where he is so that in a week's time I can go to him."

"Yes, Master Seto... Shall I make myself known?"

"Unless he's in danger, then no." Dark bowed, crossing his right arm and staff over his chest and vanishing...

Seth snarled, his red-eyed dragon was shielding the house Atemu was resting in while he dealt with the remainder of Dartz Army the rest had gone onto Domino. Atemu had been badly wounded when he heard the news from Domino that Yugi had been kidnapped and killed. It was enough to let him be hit with a magic arrow and left near death's door. He'd have died too if Kieth, a servant from the place didn't come and tell him what had really happened that Yugi was still alive, but was in danger.

'Seto, where the hell are you!? Please be heading back to Domino.... Yugi needs you!!' He thought, twisting around, both his double-edged swords cutting cleanly through the enemy, he had lost an eye already, but he would not lose his long time friend.

"Come face me!! RA!!!!" He summoned his golden dragon, the king of dragons, and it let out a terrible screech before destroying the attacking enemy in one lightning breath. Once the smoke cleared only ashes remained.

"Good boy, Ra... Shh, I know, you miss Atemu summoning you, but he's hurt now. Come let's go see if he is well... Yuri!! You may move now!" He called to the red-eyes and it moved to the side.

Seth walked into the house, dumping his swords on the ground as he walked over to Atemu's side.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, Atemu cracked open his eyes, the bright red orbs were glazed and sightless, he was now blind.

"I'm fine, thought I will never see my boy again..."

"Shh, do not think negative, I am sure Isis made it as well, she can heal your eyes, but for now, how is your body?"

"I can't really move, Seth... I took that arrow barely a baby's breath from my heart. If my Mystical Elf hadn't healed me when she did, I be dead now..."

"Yes I know... But winter is coming and I'm afraid we can't stay here. I'll have Ra carry back to my palace, once you are able to walk we'll go back together and look for Yugi. I can't believe Tea would do such a thing..."

Atemu nodded and closed his eyes, tired since he was still very weak. Seth let him rest before he got him ready to travel, being careful not to jar him too much before walking up to Ra.

"Carry him as if he were your hatchlings! He is poisoned nd badly hurt!! Yuri return, I'll ride with Ra back to our home!" the black dragon vanished in a blaze of fire and Ra picked up Atemu carefully before grabbing Seth just as tenderly, but held him firmer than Atemu before taking off for home...

Vivian was sitting in her shop making a brew for beauty when her monster came in looking like the princess and told her that if she made another monster and it came anywhere near the forest again, the demons would burn her shop to the ground. To say that she wasn't pleased was an understatement; she held up a mirror to her monster until it was nothing but as on her floor. Taking a broom she swept out the remains and bit her thumb in deep was she going to do now that these beasts knew she was involved?

Seeing as she had no other choice, she grabbed her good shall and downed the potion so she'd look you and beautiful before rushing out of her house and to the palace. The city was pretty much a ghost town since they had finally gotten word that the army had been wiped out and that King Atemu had been felled in battle. So many fled in terror others mourned the lose of a great king while Tea was giddy, she would be queen and Seto would be her king, because she desevered the best. Vivian was able to get into the palace without issue, claiming to be an Avon representative summpned by the princess.

She hurried through the many halls and winding stairs before she found Tea in her room gazing into her magic mirror, frowning when she could not find Seto nor her step-father's corpse.

"Magic Mirror on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?"

"In all this land and the sea, dear Prince Yugi, is a thousand times more fair than thee."

The mirror said and Tea turned to see Vivian standing there.

"the mirror speaks truth, princess. Those beasts of the forest sent back my monster and because it was useless I killed it, they will not be fooled again... I cannot poison the prince because he is the rightful heir to the throne, but if you give him to Dartz as a piece offering, you will be queen and the boy will be Dartz's pet. And the man is as cruel as he is handsome." Vivian said as Tea turned to the mirror.

"Show me Dartz!"

An image of a man dressed in gold plated armor, bathed in blood sitting on a horse marching through the city, his hair was long and a pale blue while one eye was green and the other was gold, indeed he was a handsome man but not as hadnsome as Seto.

"Show me my step-brother!"

The image changed to Yugi, who was sitting in the cottage with a spellcaster. She smirked, this was perfect! She turned to the witch and told her to help her dress to greet a man who would solve all their problems. Once ready they hurried downstairs just as the throne room doors were kicked open, Tea stood tall and bowed to the man as he drew his sword and lifted her chin with the tip.

"I am Dartz the Concquor and I wish for my prize: Bring me this Snow-White, I've heard so much about."

"I am Princess Tea... What you seek can be found if you go up the hill, over the river, throught the Forest of Ten Thousand Men, and there will be a small glenn in this glenn is a cottage with Seven beasts that gruad Snow-White."

He nodded his head to his men and left the castle. Dartz mounted his great black horse and stormed out of the castle gates and into the city. He ordered his men to turn around, after gathering supplies, and head back to their home country...

Dartz road up the hill and over the bridge, the river mostly frozen over due to the winter months coming in, and into the Forest of Ten Thousand Men. He looked at the tall trees, their branches looking lik soldiers, marching, saluting or carrying arms. If one were to cross this forest at night or during a thunder storm, they'd mistake these trees for men. He slowed his horse down, following a well hidden, but worn path to a small stream and on the other side of the stream was a small glenn filled with snow and a small cottage. He smirked and summoned a fiend to destroy the side of the cottage. he smirked when he saw the occupants of the house come out. One he recognized to be a spellcaster, the other was a soldier from Atemu's army, a servant and then a miniture version of Atemu, but younger and more feminine.

"There you are, Snow-White! Come here and I shall spair these miserable peasants' lives." Dartz said his horse walking over the small bridge and he held a hand out to the boy.

"Who the hell are you!?" shouted the soldier, a thick accent making his words sound strange. He had a spear in his hands aimed at the fiend, while he himself was glaring death at Dartz.

"I am Dartz the Conquor and I have come to collect my prize, Snow-White." Dartz said proudly as he moved his horse closer to them. "Now the choice is yours, my little pet: Come with me and save the lives of these foolish men or I take you by force and I destroy this country?"

Yugi looked torn, it was barely a day after Tea had sent a monster after him and now some... blood thirsty man was making him choose his fate!? He looked to Duke and the other man before he sighed and went into the house pulling his cloak out. He walked passed his friends and turned to them as he said:

"I'm so sorry... If this keeps everyone safe, then let me go with him. Please don't worry about me..." He smiled sadly at them as Dartz road his horse around picking up speed, before he leaned down on his right and picked up Yugi by his waist and onto the horse before riding off with him, his fiend chasing after them.

Duke curse, this was not happening to them!!! He growled as he paced, his mind working everything over. Yugi was going to give himself up because he wanted to save them, but what if it was another trick by Tea? and what if she killed him? What then? All their hard wok has gone to waist now!! He summoned a few die and sent them to the others with images of what had just happened. Kieth was still stunned; the little prince he had tried to protect ended up protecting them.

"Son of a--!!!" He growled and tried to think; Dartz was a powerful man, his beasts could beat their best monsters, but not storng enough to over power the ones that rank the highest in the monster realm. "Damn... Where are you, your majesties!?" He groaned trying to think...

Time was slipping by slowly and it was maddening for everyone. Seth had been shocked to find Isis and Mana at his castle, but also glad because that meant that Atemu could get treated for his injuries. Ra had let him down first before letting Atemu gently slip into his arms before vanishing in a cloud of golden smoke. He waisted no time getting Atemu into the castle and into a proper bed, Isis then kicked him out of the room so she could get started on the King's treatment.

Seth hurried down to his court yard, the remaining army stood at attention as he took a deep breath and said, "Attention, my good men!! His majesty King Atemu has been felled in battle and is barely clinging to life!! It has come to our attention that not all is well back in Domino!! Princess Tea, the daughter of Pegasus, has attempted to murder her own step-brother, Prince Yugi!!"

At this, his men raored in out-rage, the few visits made by Atemu and his family had been wonderful, the small prince could brighten up even the darkest of rooms and hearts, and their Prince Seto was a dark man having learned to kill at a young age.

"Calm, please calm!!! But we were told by a loyal servant to the prince, that he is a live and well. Hiding from his deranged step-sister, but because our fellow warriors fell in battle never stood up again, Dartz and his army have gone on to Dominio and most-likely found and captered our dear Prince Yugi!! I ask and I beg of you, search everywhere for my own son, Seto and for Prince Yugi! If you find them bring them home, bring them here!! Now go!! Time is short!!"

His army saluted as one and headed out, some on horse back, others on dragons the rest on foot. He sighed, looking to the sky and praying that he was not too late...

Things were not looking pretty, the forest had been reduced to ashes, Dartz's men broke into houses, stealing what they could, but left the people alone. They burnt down the forest forcing the demons out and into hiding. Bakura and Marik had been sperated from the others and were traveling from Domino to Memphis, in hopes of getting an audience with King Seth or Prince Seto to tell them what had happened.

"Argh!? Marik, stop!!" Bakura cried, dropping to his knees, he was clutching a wound in his side that had been nothing at first, but had tore open more and was now bleeding badly.

"Bakura, you baka!! You should've told me you were hurt!!" Marik scolded as Bakura snorted at him. "And be left behind? I wouldn't be able to fight back if those bastards came after me! Besides I am just as worried as you are about Ryou and Malik! But we have to make it to Memphis and tell the king there that Dartz's men have taken over and that Dartz has Yugi!!" Bakura said as Marik did his best to clean out the wound and to patch it up.

"Excuse me!"

They both looked about hearing someone speak, but saw no one. Marik shook his head think he was losing his mind more than usual.

"Up here!!" They looked up to see a woman with black hair and green eyes, she had talons for hands and feet and on her arms were large black wings. She floated down and turned human before walking over with a potion bottle and gave it to Marik.

"You may want to give him this, or he won't make it passed tonight... I am Jade and as you can see I am a Harpy. I was coming to see why so many injured demons and monsters came to me for help and they told me that the forest was burned... Are you also fleeing?"

"Yes and no... We are looking for our friends, mates and hoping to make it to Memphis... Dartz took Yugi and we need to tell King Seth or Prince Seto!! Since no one can find King Atemu."

"... I can tell Prince Seto since he is resting in my home. As for you getting to Memphis and your friends I will lend you the aid of my sisters and brothers..." She flew into the air and began to spin before she screeched loudly. The Yami brothers convered their ears in agony as she kept screaming before she stopped and dropped down to the ground. Soon more screams filled the air and after a few mintues the bare trees and rocks were littered in harpies.

"The child of Mai Valintine has been kidnapped by Dartz!! These are his friends!! Some of you get the information you need on their friends while two of you carry these two to Memphis!! The rest of you find anyone who needs help and do so if you find Mai's child do your best to rescue him and protect him!! Now go!!!" Most took off with war cries and she, too, left.

"Come on, bro... up you go!" Bakura was pulled to his feet and a male harpy grabbed his upper arms and picked him up into the air. Another did the same to Marik. The few that remained waited for their orders on who else to get and they told them. After a few mintues of debating on where to meet up, they agreed to bring the others to Seth's castle before taking off...

Jade landed in her front yard and walked into her house, Seto was packing his bag to go home at the end of the week.

"Dartz has taken Prince Yugi..." she said and he spun around and glared at her, but before he could speak she thrust a potion bottle at him and told him to drink it, it'll heal whatever else needed healing and she packed him a few other of her more rare potions before she handed him a small white-gold wand. "This looks like a silly little stick but is actually a very powerful weapon. I have a feeling you will need this in order to get back your beloved."

"Thank you... for everything you have done for me; How can I--?"

"Repay me by killing the bastard who broke my heart; Once Dartz is out of our lives I can finally rest easy." she said darkly and he nodded. He took the bag and ran outside.

"Come, Blue-eyes Ultimate dragon!!!" He shouted and a bolt of lightning struck and in it's wake was his most powerful monster. He climed onto the middle head's neck and it took off. He sighed and called out again:

"Come, Dark Magician!!"

Dark appeared behind him, staff turned to his side as he bowed.

"I could not find Master Yugi..."

"That's because Dartz has him!! Dark, I want you to gather all of Yugi's magicians and I want you all to summon your true form. If we can use the Magician of black Choas, we maybe able to end this war..."

"I understand..." Dark then vanished as Seto sighed, he hoped to the gods that this would work...

Ryou, Duke and Malik kicked screamed and cursed as they were taken forcfully from their home to Dartz's castle to be harem boys. Ryou got his fot free and kicked a soldier so hard, he broke his jaw. Malik laughed, but turned and head butted another guard.

"Goddman it!! what is wrong with these bitches!?"

"FUCK YOU, DICK-HEAD!!" Duke cursed as he kicked one guy in the gut and elbowed another in the face.

"Get them into the harem and lock them in!!! Once, his majesty is done with his new whore, he'll break these three in! I hear the new favorite is the child of that weakling Atemu!!" the men alughed as they forced Ryou and Malik into the room and literally threw Duke in before slamming the door shut and locking it.

Malik hissed and clawed the door, screaming and yelling like a wild banshee, but the door didn't budge and all they could hear was the men laughing.

"Damn it!!"

"What can we do!? How could this happen!?" Ryou asked as he sat in the corner of the room and buried his head into his knees. Duke sighed, they had taken his earring from him, so all he had was his healing magic. But if he still had it the door would be sawdust and they'd be on their way to save Yugi.

"I honestly don't know... I just hope that Valon and the others made it out of the forest okay. I know Bakura took that hit for us, but he was fine afterwards."

"Yea, Marik went crazy and mauled those morons for hitting his baby bro and for calling us sluts..." Malik laughed, coming to sit with them. They could only sit and wait and pray that Yugi does not meet with an unfortunate fate...

Joey growled viviously at the men who had him tied down like some wild dog. Tristian was unconscious behind them and Valon was trapped in a cage. The winged demon screeched and roared as the men laughed at him but were otherwise unphazed by this. Joey looked between the men betting on who'd fuck him first to Tristian. He whined and whimpered, but his mate didn't stir.

"Aw, the slut wants it!! So since the newbie won, he get's first dibs!"

Joey snarled and hissed as Valon smashed him to his cage bars. They were really screwed, but suddenly the ground shook and when the men surrounding them turned to run or grab at them, a dragon landed and grabbed one in its tail and crushed the others, the riders on its back jumped down and they moved over to them. Joey hissed and growled, but Valon's voice snapped him out of it.

"Sheldon!? Sheldon get me out of this thing!!! Prince Yugi's been captured by Dartz!!!"

"Eh!? But I thought he was dead!?"

"Tea tried to kill him, but he was living here in the forest with those two and Duke and the others!!! Come on we have to go!!"

"We'll get you out, but we have to go inform his majesty, Seth!"

Valon nodded and they got him out as Joey relaxed and let them cut him free before he dove over to Tristian and nuzzled his mate's face. Tristian groaned, but otherwise remained unconscious. A second dragon was summoned and everyone climbed on as they took off for Memphis with their captive as well...

Yugi had said nothing the entire time he rode back to Dartz's kingdom. The man held him tightly to his chest and occasionally whispered in his ears, telling him all the things he planned on doing to him. Yugi fought back tears, hoping and praying for someone or something to help him. As soon as they stopped and Dartz let him go to remove his helmet, Yugi spun around, punched him in the face as hard as he could and jumped from the horse, running for the gates. He ducked and dodged the people in the yard as Dartz rode after him on his horse. Yugi dropped to the floor and rolled out of the way as he rode passed, missing him, But Yugi scrambled back onto his feet and ran into the nearest entrance of the castle. He had always been good at cames, Cat and Mouse was no different from Hide-and-seek; well except that if he got caught, he would be raped.

He ducked into random rooms, through random doors, locking a few and running out another door or locking a one-room and slam it shut before taking off down another hall. By the time he got to the Harem Wing, three quartes of the palace had been locked down and everyone was trying to find Yugi. He'd have laughed if this were his father or Seth he was playing with. Yugi walked down a few halls and heard someone screaming, someone he knew who could curse the gods and never get struck by lightning!!

"LET US OUT YOU SICK PERVERTS!!!!! IF I HAD MY SPEAR YOU'D REGRET EVER KIDNAPPING ME!!!!!!" Yep that was Malik alright.

"Mali!!! Mali!!! It's me Yugi!!" He called through the door, climbing up on a stool and peeking in through the bars.

"Yugi? YUGI!!!!" The cat demon was purring in delight as he saw his little friend.

"Hold on, I'm gonna get you out!!"

"How!? The guards left with the keys!!" Ryou cried, coming to the door. Yugi smiled and jumped down from the stool and stepped back.

"Come on out, Valrie!! Come, Magician's Valkyria!" Yugi said, as an Older version of Mana appeared and she broke down the door letting his firends out. HSe then stepped to the side as they hugged Yugi.

"Are you okay!? Did that pervert do anything to you!?" Duke asked as he looed Yugi over. Seeing that the small tri-color haired boy was fine he hugged him close again.

"I must go now... Choas is coming in my place..." Valrie said and vanished. Yugi gasped, but a smile soon split his face and he jumped for joy. That meant that Seto was alive and was on his way to save them!

"Yugi? What is it?"

"Valrie is going to help the others summon Dark's other form: Choas. He's my Dark Magician!" Yugi said happily. "And since I gave my magician to Seto to protect him, I know that Seto's alive because Dark's coming here to help him fight Dartz!"

The others looked at him with awe before smiling as well. But Duke soon frowned and cursed remembering that he was missing his dice earring.

"Okay, we need to get out of here before those gurads come back... By the way waht the heck did you do to make everyone in the palace go nuts?" Malik asked remembering when the guards left them locked in the room.

"Oh that? Heh, I use to do this all the time playing with Daddy, Uncle Seth and Seto! I would run in and out of rooms, sometimes locking them to make them think I am hiding in that room, but I could be somewhere else by the time they got the doors open. It'd use to get to the point where everyone servants, guards and guests alike had to open the doors looking for me and I'd be at the old oak tree that we always appoint as base."

"You are an evil little genious!" Malik squealed as Ryou giggled.

"So what do we do? By now they must be headed this way."

"Well I can't summon my dice because some prick took my earring and I need to get that back otherwise I'm stuck doing only healing. Ryou and Malik are Lights they can't use offensive magic."

"But they can use their own skills right? I've seen Ryou fight off a few strangers that got too close to the house before, his legs are very strong. and Malik's great with a spear and surprise attacks." Yugi pointed out and the others agreed. "And if I must summon something I guess it could be Kuriboh..." and just like that a fuzzy little monster popped up with large eyes and green hands and feet.

"What can it do?" Duke asked unsure of the tiny monster.

"You'll see... come on! Let's play!!" Yugi said happily as the others blinked in confusion before a shout came to them.

"THERE YOU ARE!!" Dartz wasn't looking too happy, but Yugi merely pulled the corner of his eye down and blew a rasberry at him before running off with his friends right behind him.

"Shit, he's gaining on us!!"

"Kuri, now!!" The tiny monster began to multiple before they all glowed a bright gold and exploded. By then Yugi and the others had made it down he staiers and the tiny monster appeared on Yugi' head, looking tired. "Good boy!! When we get home I'll give you some chocolate!" the monster cooed and settled back down on his head to rest a bit.

"Wow, I guess it's true what they say about tiny things packing a big punch!" Duke said amazed.

"Hey, I noticed that Dartz had a bruise on his cheek."

Yugi blushed and smiled sheepishly. "I kind of punched him in order to get away..."

Duke nearly tripped as Malik snorted and then started laughing, Ryou on the other hand was grinning away.

"Heh, looks like Bakura's gonna be stuck wearing a dress for a month!! I told him that if push ever came to shove Yugi would hit someone to get away from them!"

Yugi just blushed as he started to run in and out of rooms, locking doors or blocking them, the others helped and if they got stuck, Malik and Ryou would leap from window to window or balcony to balcony. If they could keep this up or get out of here that would be better for all of them becuase they had a feeeling that Dartz was not a man with a sense of humor...

Dartz had, had it!! He hid in onr of the rooms inside of a secret door and waited. Not did his prize hit him and run, but now some slaves had escaped and started running around as well. he gave strict orders to lock the slaves in the prisnon while he dealt with his little Snow-white. He had waited for about 10 mintues before he heard the door open and someone slam it shut with effort. He peeked out and saw that the little boy had closed the door and was in the process of locking it.

"Bravo, bravo... I must say I haven't had this much fun in years, none of my other playmates had ever made me run through my castle 4x and lived to tell the tale. But you, my little Snow-White, you will be the first... such beauty, such innocence... I can't wait to taint it." while he had been taking Yugi had backed away into the corner of the room, his eyes wide with fear as he shook almost violently so. "Aw, are you scared?"

Yugi screamed at him to stay away, Kuriboh jumped from his head and multipled and covered the corner of the room as Dartz growled and summoned his fiend once more, the beast swiped at the little monsters but only made more appeare, his claws never once reaching Yugi. The small tri-color haired boy whimpered and covered his ears because the fiend sounded really mad.

"Come out!! Or I'll kill your friends!!" Almost instantly the Kuribohs vanished and Yugi sat in the corner of the room glaring at him through his fear. Dartz paid him no mind and grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the room and down the hall. They passed the main corridor and Yugi saw Ryou and Malik clawing at theri captors as Duke was led away in chains, screaming bloody murder as they went.

"YUGI!!!"

"RYOU!! MALIK!!!!! DUKE!!!"

"DAMN--YUGI!!!" Both Ryou and Malik screamed, straining to get free.

Dartz laughed and yanked Yugi to him as he said, "So your real name is Yugi... Okay. Let's play a game: If I win, you will do as I say or your friends will die, but if you win, then all of you can leave."

Ryou, Malik and Duke froze and glared at him as he smirked wider. Yugi looked at his friends then up at the man who was surely going to rape him before he looked at his hands and finally back up again.

"What kind of game?"

"We'll play Chess, but not any chess. In this game we'll use people. You and I will be the kings and when one of us is capture, the game is over. You may have your pick in your army and I will have mine."

"Fine, I want my friends and any slaves or servants you have for my army."

"Heh, whatever, you'll just lose faster!" He laughed and called to have the courtyard prepared and for everyone in the palace to gather outside...

Valon smiled as they got close to the castle, Joey couldn't wait to get off the massive beast that flew way too fast and way too high for his liking. Tristian was secured in its claws so he had no complaints. The dragons landed and Seth came out to meet them.

"Your majesty!!" Valon cried, jumping down from the dragon's head. "Your majesty!! Prince Yugi's been kidnapped by Dartz!! And his men have burned down most of the forest as well as Domino Kingdom!!"

"WHAT!?" Seth looked livid, he began pacing, cursing and muttering as he made hand jestures that were less than pleasant if he had his hands on someone. Finally after a minute of insane ramblings he turned to the captive and grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him into the air and snarled out, "Where is your master?"

"The southern lands!! Deep in the valley!!"

"What does he plan to do with my nephew?" He asked, eyes blazing with malice.

"To make him his queen!! Or his favorite whore!!"

Joey winced as Seth snapped the man's neck and dropped him to the floor.

"Move the injured into the palace... Scrib!! Let it be noted that I died at the hands of my best friend, Atemu..... Sometimes I wish i wasn't..." He hurried into the palace as the scrib wrote what he was told to.

"Joey!! Valon!!" they turned to see who had called them to see Kieth running up to them. He was missing an arm, but he was still standing tall. "Kieth!? What--?"

"Oh this? Yeah, tried to stop some of Dartz men and had it cut off... Is Prince Yugi alright?"

"Dartz took him remember? We're trying to get ready to go save him. And the others--" They looked up as screeching filled the air, they looked up in time to see a swarm of Hapies circling around, two of them holding captives. They slowly descended and let their captives stand on their own two feet.

"Thanks!! Valon, Joey!!" The two smiled seeing that Marik and Bakura were alright. The Yami brothers tald them about what had happened to the others and Joey told them what happened to Tristian and just now with Seth.

"Wow, talk about scary... I feel sorry for whoever went to tell his majesty, Atemu..."

"That would be King Seth...." Valon said making both tigers pale.

"Oh!! Hey that Jade-woman, she said that she was going to tell Prince Seto about Dartz taking Yugi!! Do you think that he's on his way here?"

"What!? Seto's alive!? WHERE!?" Marik found himself in a strangle hold as Seth demanded to know where his son was.

"G-Going--to-to--Gah!?--save--YUGI!!!"

"Fine then... SLIFER!!!" They all turned to the new voice and saw that Atemu was up and walking. Seth dropped Marik and Bakura helped him back to his feet.

Atemu, after hearing how the man who decalred war on them had his son, was not about to stay in bed. He was dressed for battle and his sky dragon was curled up behing him waiting for him to mount his head.

"Seth, let's go, Seto and Yugi are going to need help. If Yugi had Dark with him then I wouldn't worry but he gave him to Seto when you came to fight with us." Atemu pointed out, tying his sword to his waist.

"Heh, yeah I owe that punk for taking my eye." Seth grinned, both friends were feeling a bit hungry for some revenge. Bakura perked up and stepped forward.

"excuse me, King Atemu--"

"You must be one of the men who's taken care of my little Yugi. Call me Atemu; after all you are friends of my son... And if i am correct your friends have been captured as well. Well come then, hop up..."

Marik bowed and thanked him as Bakura and Valon grinned. Joey shook his head at his friends. "Be sure to get a few kicks in for me and Tristian, I'm staying here with him until he wakes up."

"Okay... If I can I'll bring back a finger for you!"

"Have fun and bring Yug back home!!" With that Seth helped the others onto the Slifer's. Atemu smirked and pulled Valon onto the front and told him to kneel before him and take Archer point. After showing Marik and Bakura how to hold onto under the scaled of the dragon they took off, Seth soon after with Ra. They would hurry to save their loved ones and hopefully beat the crap out of the guy before Seto killed him...

Seto saw the castle coming into view and jumped off his dragon, which vanished when he did so. He landed safely on his feet in the middle of the court yard and glared at Dartz.

"Where's--!?"

"Seto!!!" He turned and caught Yugi who was sobbing in his arms. "Seto, I was so scared that I'd never see you again!!"

"How touching, but we had a deal, litte Yugi! You still have to play me!! I even gave your friends their weapons back!"

Seto glared at the blue haired man and said, "I won't let you!"

"Heh, then he forfiets and thus is mine!"

Yugi stood in front of Seto and hld his wrists in his small hands, looking up pleadingly at him.

"Seto, please let me play his game... It's only chess and according to him we only have to capture the king." Yugi said and Seto glared at Darts who was set up on his side of the courtyard.

"Fine let me be your knight then..."

"Thank you..."

"I have Choas, he's waiting for orders..." He said in his ear and Yugi nodded. Yugi took his place with Ryou as his queen and Malik the queens Kninght while Seto took his place on his left as the King's knight. The other slaves and servants took up bishops, rooks and pawns the rest all gathered on the balconies and windows watching in awe of the game.

"As I have said before: the game is over when the king is captured. The game flows like a regular chess game. Try to be the first to the king. Oh and only the bishops, knights and the royals can summon creatures to the field."

Yugi nodded and the game began. Darts pointed to the pwn directly in front of him and he moved forward two spaces and Yugi pointed to the on on his far right and he moved forward one. they kept this up until Dartz took the first pawn from Yugi's side, but Yugi got him back and even if Dartz couldn't see it, Yugi's pawns were getting passed his own and heading to cage him in.

"King's knight, take his three pawns!!" Dartz's called as hhis knight moved in an L formation and took his three pawns. Yugi looked to his queens Bishop and told him to move five paces.

As the servant walked five paces diagonally, he took two pawns and one of Dartz's knights.

"Queen take his pawn!"

"Bishop summon baby dragon and use fire ball!!" Yugi ordered and the servant gasped as a small dragon appeared and spit a fire ball taking the quen, the queen's knight and bishop all in one go. All Dartz had was his bishop, both rooks and two pawns left. Yugi still had almost all of his.

"Bishop summon black hole!!" Yugi gasped and Seto grabbed him as he stabbed his sword into the ground and braced himself and Yugi, Ryou and Malik braced themselves as a black hole poped up and sucked in the two remaining pawns on Dartz's side and took Yugi's and rooks before spitting them out on the side lines with the others. Now all that was left was Yugi, Seto, Malik, Ryou and Duke, the only other bishop on the field.

Yugi watched Dartz as he organized his remaining men into a barricade and then move closer. Yugi nodded to Malik and Ryou and Ryou smirked before dashing as fast as he could across the field and slam his feet into the chest of his rook and blacked Dartz. Malik ran in soon after summoning a mirror to relect he attack the bishop aimed at Ryou, making it hit himself instead. Malik then bloakced the King's escape to the side. The rook came at Yugi, but Seto blocked him with his Horse Knight before walking and blocking datz once more. Yugi came up and smiled as he said:

"Checkmate."

Dartz bristled, there was no way this little brat had beat him! Growling in rage he kicked Ryou in the legs, and decked Malik, Duke summon a few large die and threw them into the air, bursting into flares and blinding flashes. Seto took the moment to swing his sword but Dartz swung his and broke it befoore kicking him in the gut. Yugi, screamed as he was grabbed and held by his hair a couple of feet off the ground.

"Stop it!! You promised!!"

"I lied... You will be mine, little slut..."

"CHOAS, HELP!!!" Yugi cried as Dartz started to wallk away with him. A black mist appeard and Choas appeared, He swung his staff at the evil king, forcing him to dro Yugi scrambled over to Seto as he called out his Blue-Eyes to keep Yugi and the others out of harms way, Choas jumped back as Seto took the wand and it turned into a golden sword before their very eyes.

Seto glared at Dartz and the man screamed in rage as he charged. Seto blocked every blow delivered his way, and Choas blasted Dartz back everytime he tried to cheat. this carried on for an hor before Dartz summoned a witch and she shot the dragon with an arrow, the Blue-Eyes jerked u violently in pain, causeing the four to slip and fall off, but Malik caught hold of it's plate-scales and was holding tightly to Duke who had made a noose out of his die and looped it around ryou's legs, but Yugi wasn't as lucky, he fell to the ground, but something caught him before he hit, when he opened his eyes he was greated with crimson eyes and a tanned face.

"So my little one, did you fall from heaven?" his father asked with that big cheesy grin of his as the smaller male felt tears well up in his eyes and sobbed out in joy as he hugged his father as tightly as he could. "Shh, my little one, shh...."

Seto smirked and turned on Dartz; Choas had disposed of the witch and was destroying any monsters that tried to attack them. The two swung and grappled, Seto keeping cool as he evaded the enraged king's sword. the angrier he became the more sloppy his movements got. Marik and Bakura had joined in with Valon, keeping Dartz distracted as Seto tried to get close.

"DIE!!!!!!"

"Seto!!" Yugi screamed when Dartz had bashed through Marik and Bakura and struck Seto. But Seto turned to them and pulled his white cape to the side to show that he wasn't hurt. Dartz turned to him slowly, smirking before his head rolled off and on to the floor. Seto smirked and kicked it at his army and glared at them.

"I think these guys need a bit more punishment; What do you guys think?"

"That you're insane..." Atemu said boredly as he walked over to Blue-Eye and sat on it's paw with Yugi's friends while the more violent of the group chased the soldiers about the yard getting pay back for burning down the forest and raiding their homes and a few other various reasons. The tigers were having a ball as Choas floated by his master and king watching amusedly.

"Master Yugi, I am glad you are finally safe again."

"Well not really, we still have to deal with Tea..."

"Not to worry, my little one. I have a plan..." Atemu said with a sly smile...

Tea sat in her throne room, glaring at the wall, nothing for nearly four years, not word of her step father or her beloved. She asked her mirror on more then one occasion to find out what was going on and all it told her was that all was well. Vivian, who had come to be her personal witch could do nothing either, but she did offer hope that maybe Seto was in hiding to avoid being caught by the enemy. This seemed to sate the girl until one day, Valon walked into the palace dressed in the colors of Memphis, the white and gold looked bright and the dark crimson cape was flowing about him. He smiled at the women as Tea and Vivian stared hard at his face, it was vaguely familiar to them, like they had seen it somewhere before.

"Greetings from King Seth of Memphis. His majesty requests that all in the neighboring kingdoms come to the wedding of his son Prince Seto. Here is your invite, Princess Tea." He gave her the gold barred scroll and left before she could even speak. Once he was gone she flew into a rage, screaming and throwing things about the room before she ran up to her room, Vivian hot on her heals and together they asked the age old question.

"Magic mirror on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all!?"

and the Mirror said:

"In this land and in this sea, there is none more fair than thee."

This made Tea happy but she frowned when that tall-tell but popped in.

"But in all this world and in the next, there is one a thousand times more fair than thee."

In an utter fit of rage Tea smashed the mirror and summoned the finest tailors and seamstresses to make her a gown so beautiful that she would be the evny of even the gods! Then she odered that the finest jems be brought to her and made into a crown fit for a queen and then she spent days on ended making herself as beautiful as possible. Once she was ready she called for her caoch and left for Memphis. She and Vivian road in silence for the three day trip since she refused to travel at night or any faster than a brisk walk. They arrived with many others, elegant caoches and even peasants walked through the gates, dressed in their finest garments. Children ran about playing with some of the dragons and monsters that were there to provide a distraction for them. She got out of her coach and walked up the stairs to the grand ballroom. And as she expected every eye was on her, Vivian was jealous, but said nothing as they were introduced to the people gathered in the room.

"INTRODUCING PRINCESS TEA OF DOMINO KINGDOM AND HER HANDMAID VIVIAN!!!" They then walked down the stairs and went to mingle. Soon the trumpters played and Seth walked out with Isis and Mana at his sides, unfortunately they could not recover his right eye, but still the man was as handsome as ever and just as sharp ever. His one blue eye looked over his guest and he could help but smile seeing Vivian admist a group of drooling men. He raised his hands and everyone silenced themselves and looked to him as he spoke.

"Welcome friends, family and honored guests!! Today is a wonderful day; for today not only are we celebrating my son's marriage but also the joining of our kingdom with his bride's vast fortunes and magical skills!! Jade, Queen of the Harpies, Dark, Lord of the Magicians and Ra, the god of Dragons!! These are mere examples out our combined might!! Let it be known far and wide that we were victorious in the war with Dartz and now please exit the throne room and head out to the courtyard for the wedding ceremony!!" He said with a mighty voice, his blue and gold robes flashing brilliantly in the sunlight.

The guest all moved to the courtyard once more to find all the coaches were gone and in there place was rows, upon row, upon rows of chairs, a long white carpets strecthed from the palace center stairs all the way to the alter in the middle of the court yard. The guests took their seats according to rank, so Tea and Vivian were up front on the groom's side since the seats on the bride's side were reserved. There were servants dressed in rich clothes that were helping the Priest set up the last minute items on the alter while the musicians tuned thier instruments before finally beginning to play the royal march. As this was playing Seth walked down the aisle, head held high and a pleased smile gracing his features. He took the single throne on the Groom's side facing the people and the alter as the people's heads turned to gasp as they say Isis decked out in gold and red, with her arm being held by Atemu. He was smiling widely as they made their way down the aisle.

Tea was shocked beyond repair, she believed him to be dead and was planning to become queen in the next week!! She bit the inside of her lip in worry, hoping he did not hear about what she had attempted to do to her step-brother before his disappearance after he left with Dartz. He boyed to Seth and then took the throne on the bride's side, Isis taking her seat beside him as his stand-in queen.

The music changed to the Groom's walk, Seto glided gracefully down the aisle dressed in a fine black uniform, all his medals and stars decorating his breast as his long white cape flowed behind him. His face was as handsome as ever. Those sharp features and eyes were like a fine blade and cut away at your sould leaving you exposed. Vivian and Tea, as well as many other women, shuddered in lust for the man, and turned green with envy of his bride. As he got to the last three rows, the music suddenly became a grave march and Seto had to scold himself not to crack a smile at this. It was a tradition in their country, a man being married would hear this song because if they ever cheated, it would be their deathes.

Seth and Atemu both let out amused chuckles at the forced scowl on Seto's face as he stood before the priest and then truned to face the back. The music stopped then and the musicians packed their things up and stood. with everyone else, Atemu stood up and walked half way back down the aisle and waited. Then they heard it, the musical tunes of the monsters and magicians came from the palace as two straight lines of men in uniforms similiar to Seto's came out.

Marik and Malik were at the front, they walked tall and in sync, raising their right hands they gripped their sword, drew them out and held the hilt over their hearts as they passed Atemu and stopped at the end of the aisle. Next were Bakura and Ryou, they were dressed the same as the other two and did the same thing with their swords, before stoppong three steps from the other two. Next was Joey and Tristian, much like the others they were in uniform and drew their sword as they passed Atemu and stopped three feet from Bakura and Ryou. Last to come out was Duke and Valon, they did the same thing and then once all of them were in place, they lowered their swords to form Xs facing the floor after turning to face each other.

The music was still playing and was getting louder still. They all gasped seeing Harpies burst from the palace doors singing beautifully as elves danced and tossed flowers on the grown, a few harpies dropping them from above over the Bride's Guard. Then they all took their seats, the harpies stood behind the alter still singing as Dark in his weaker form walked out of the castle with the bride on his arm. He wore his robes and had his staff in hand, but his armor was gone. The bride was covered in thick viels so not only her face but also her hair was completely hidden from view. The dress was very simple, tug on the right ribbon and the bride was naked in less than a second.

Dark walked her down the aisle and to Atemu before he bowed and teleported to stand behind Isis. Atemu kissed the bride's hands and murrured softly to her as he took her arm and wrapped it around his and walked her the rest of the way. As they neared the Guard, the sword clinked rhythmically as they formed and arch and once he walked passed they sheatehed them and turned to face the front and walked up to form a single rank. Atemu smiled widely as he handed the birde over to Seto and took his seat beside Isis. The bride turned to her gurads and waved them to their seats, they bowed and took their seats. The music and sing stopped and the old priest began the ceremony...

Tea growled, Seth had gotten up to say a speech as did her step-father, but not once did they say the bride's name and Atemu had even told a heart felt sotry at the lose of his wife and son, so she knew it wasn't Yugi under there. Finally was the monent of truth: Seto pulled off the viels and everyone gasped, Seto yet again had to fight to keep from laughing as Mana blinked her eyes and looked about, she gasped and said:

"Oh, I'm so sorry!!! I'm in the wrong wedding!! Here let me get out of this!!" She clapped her hands together and she appeared behind the real bride dressed in a dress similar to the bride's and was holding the rings on a pillow. the bride was now there, a short girl, her hair fell passed her shoulders and was as black as ebony with streaks of amethyst in it, she had her back to the people, making them all on edge, but if you looked at the royals, Seto or even the Bride's Gurads' faces you could see that they were fighting the urge to laugh.

"Now, I bless both you and these rings and ask that you place them on each other's finger while declaring your love!" Said the old man.

Seto took the rings from Mana and she went to stand beside her older brother, Dark, as Seto then took one ring and said loud and clear:

"I will love you even more from this day forward, my love." And he slipped the ring on the small pale hand. The bride too the ring and Dark cast a quick spell, Isis snickering behind her hanky as he did this, pretending to be crying. The bride opened her mouth and said:

"I will love you even more from this day forward, my king." She slipped the ring onto his finger and the priest then adressed the guests.

"Is there anyone who has reason for these two not to marry, seak now or forever hold your peace--!?"

"I REFUSE TO SIT HERE AND WATCH THIS MOCKERY OF A WEDDING!! THAT GIRL IS UNFIT TO BE THE WIFE OF SETO!!" Tea screamed in outrage. Many of the guests gasped and moved clear of her as she glared at the bride who slowly turned to face her. Tea's eyes widened in horror and rage seeing that the bride was indeed Yugi, but with his hair down he passed for a girl! She jumped up from her seat and ran at the boy, But Atemu waved a hand and Dark grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back.

"It's true what I said earlier, I lost my wives to death and now I am losing my son to marriage but I am gaining so much more than that. You, Tea, are a disgrace and should be punished, but since this is a happy day, you will be spared. But not, should you try anything funny, I will personally remove your head." atemu said his features void and as cold as death and his normally cheerful voice was dark and menacing, Seto shivered and tightened his grip on Yugi.

"Anyone else?" Atemu asked, a sweet smile on his dead face and everyone shook their heads. Yugi's friends settled back into their seats glaring at Tea as Dark thrust her back into her seat and made a disgusted grunt as he took his place behind Atemu and Isis once more. Without further interferrence, the priest sealed the union and seto kissed his little bride. Tea forced the bile in her throat back down and clapped as Vivian looked at her with worry in her eyes...

The party was wonderful, the guests came to congradulate the newly married couple and blessed them with happiest of days to come and Yugi couldn't help but smile and laugh. The first dance was announced and everyone cleared the floors. Seto stood and walked Yugi to his father, who smiled and began to dance with his son. Yugi was still worried about Tea's out burst earlier, but Seto and his friends made sure she was kept far away from him. When she came to tell them her wishes, Mana and Dark were with her and both were tempted to beat her with their staffs when she told Yugi that Seto was going to be hers one way or another.

"There is nothing to fear... For four years we've protected you and for the rest of your life you will have nothing to fear. Now come, dance with your father-in-law." Atemu murrured in his son's hair as he kissed it and passed him off to Seth. The man smiled and spun Yugi so his feet wouldn't touch the floor beofre throwing him into the air and catching him, making the small man laugh happily. They spun around a bit more before a slow waltz began playing and Seto took over. They swayed gently to the music, just relaxing as they heard many coo and mumble about how cute they looked together.

"Yugi... You have no idea how happy I am... ever since I was little I always wondered why your mother never had a child; then one day while she was keeping me company, we started talking about babies, and she said that she wanted a baby as handsome as your father while i wished for one more like her. True you look like uncle Atem, but you are as beautiful and loving as your mother."

"I wish I could've met her at least once... But I know she's here with us." Yugi said softly before they took their seats to relax, Yugi was a little winded from dancing so much...

Tea glowered in the corner of the room watching the disgusting display in front of her. Finally she had enough she stormed off down the halls and found the kitchen she knew that Yugi liked to eat meat patties on bread rolls, but that was too messy a food to eat at a wedding so he'd want to eat crushed almonds and dates, but she couldn't do anything with it. Gasping as she heard a few servants come in she his behind the stove and waited for them to leave.

"The guests sure are going through the wine like water... I'm almost glad that his royal highness, Yugi requested lemonade. Here take these bottles out to the party I'm going to get the sugar and lemon juice." she heard a servant say. she peeked out when they were gone and smiled. She reached into her many sleeves and pulled out a small gell-like pellet and crushed it between her fingers, then she smeared it all along the pitcher the servant girll pulled out and then washed her hands before leaving the kitchen, now all she had to do was wait for the servant to take the poisoned juice to that little slut and watch him die while the servant gets all the blame!!

Yugi and Seto laughed as Bakura walked back into the ballroom, his long hair was brushed and tamed for once and was braided while ryou wore his in a loose pony tail. But it wasn't Bakura's hair that had them laughing it was the skirt he was wearing. Marik and Malik came in and Marik was in a similar state. Yugi was in tears from all the laughing as both tigers glared at their mates.

"Hey, no glaring! You were the ones who set the wages and picked Seto as the winner of that last chess game, but Yugi won anyway! So like you said the losers have to wear skirts and you might as well do it now, since Seto has to wear one tomorrow in front of the high council!" Ryou pointed out, closing one eye as she waved a finger back and forth as if scolding a child. Both Yami brothers growled at them and pulled them close.

"Just because I am reduced to dress a woman, does not mean you top tonight."

"Mari, did you not notice the size differennce between the lights and darks? For heaven's sake, Yugi's shorter than Seto by a foot and a half!!"

"Hey!!" Yugi pouted and Seto chuckled, pulling him into his arms and nuzzling his neck. "Now, now, Yugi, they are only teasing and besides I like your hieght it makes you all the more cuter; though I'd never take you out in public, I may just lose you in a crowd." Seto purred against his ear and Yugi blushed.

"Down, boy, down!! No unleashing dragons while there are guests around."

"Be silent I have years of pent up frustration to let out and what better way than a honeymoon. I will have you pregnant by the thrid day, my little one." Seto growled out and Yugi blushed as red as his father's eyes.

"Seto, be nice!!" Seth scolded, smacking his son in the back of the head with a fan he took from Isis. Said brunette glared at his dad and Yugi giggled as they got into a glaring match, though Seto was being a smartaleck by closing one eye so they were even in the glaring.

"Well I am sure that there never be a boring moment in this castle!" Atemu laughed as a servant girl set down a pitcher of lemonade and Yugi took his glass and filled it.

Seto finally broke eye contact to talk with Yugi's, and now his as well, friends about their house when Yugi suddenly collapsed. Duke and Joey werre there within seconds as Seto cradle his lover in his arms.

"YUGI!? Yugi open your eyes!" He called, the festivites stopping instantly. Joey untied the laces of the bodice, thinking they were too tight, but nothing. Duke dipped his fingers in wine and rubbed the drops on Yugi's lips, but he felt no breath greet his fingers. They practically stripped him to his skins, but he would not wake. Seth glared in outrage as the boy lay dead in his son's arms. He took Yugi's glass and sipped it. spitting the liquid back out a second later.

"WHO POISONED THE GLASS!?" He bellowed. Atemu glaring at the guest as they all shook thier heads, servants came forward and told him that they did nothing.

"My lord, I only made the lemonade according to the prince's wish! I did nothing to the glass! all i did was put in walter, lemon juice and sugar!!" She said, Atemu, placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled softly, though tears were bruning in his eyes.

"I know you speak the truth... Dark!!"

The magician moved swiftly to Yugi's body and took him upstairs, Seto was torn between going up and staying here to find out who was trying to murder his bride. Tristian by now had returned from the kitchen with a few bowls while Mana ran in with some potion bottles. the three of them, Mana, Tristian and Duke, worked on seperating the confection and the guest watched in fearful awe. Tea was metally cursing in her head, watching as they broke the lemonade down and son the three large bowls were filled with water, sugar and lemon juice. Joey sniffed the pitch ahdn hissed in disgust, holding his nose while tears welled up in his eyes.

"Nightshade!" Atemu turned to the guests his eyes nearly balck with rage, a golden eye appearing on his forhead as his hands crackled with black energy. Seth knew that unless someone came forward and told them the truth, everyone was going to bansihed into the shadow realm.

"Who laced the pitcher in nightshade?" He asked so calmly that many of the guests, men and women alike fainted from fear; luckily the children were in the playrooms of the castle and were not here to see this.

Seto was shaking in rage, but also with tears, this was not happening they just got married!! He had been at Yugi's side the entire time and everyone had kept Tea and Vivian away from Yugi the entire time, so they couldn't have slipped it into his drink!

Vivian who was standing in the back of the room, knew that Tea had done something. After she had smached her mirror, Vivian took some of the shards and melted them into a new hand held mirror. She sighed, and let her desguise slip. Her tall beautiful frame shrank and hunched over so terribly she needed a cane to walk, her face was so wrinkly and pruney you could tell where her eyes or mouth were. Her hair was completely gry and was thinning, she had liver spots and a few worts on her face and body, her once elegent dress was now nothing more than a black robe and shawl. She summoned a can to her hnad and held the mirror in the other. She spoke in an aged crackling voice that sounded like sandpaper over glass.

"Excuse me, my dear kings and guests... I couldn't help but notice the announcement in the town and came to wish the lucky bride well... May I see her?" Vivian asked.

Tea blinked and sneered, an old begger woman!? Disgusting!! The woman looked at her and glared daggers as sharp as a harpy's talons at her as she pushed the bitch of a princess out of her way with her cane.

"My wife... he's dead, old woman. We are trying to find out who did it!" Seto snapped, he was under a lot pressure right now. He wanted to be upstairs with Dark and Yugi, but he had to know who did this to his wife!!

"Dead? Such a terrible thing and on his wedding day... Did the ghouls do this?"

"No, in a room full of demons and monsters, spellcaster and magicians, no ghoul would be foolish enough to cause harm to my son!!" Atemu growled out glaring at her.

"Then maybe I can assist... I am old, my dear king and I have learned that envy can kill one, both physically and mentally... I was once beautiful, but the man I loved loved another and out of spit and jealousy I poisoned his wife, but in doing so I also killed an innocent babe, as punishment the ghouls cursed me to live for ever but with every passing year I become older and uglier... I wish to repay my sins by showing you who murdered the bride..." She said saly before she handded Seto the small hand mirror. "This is a special mirror, ask it anything and it will not only show you but tell you if you so wish. But do not abuse this power. I cursed this mirror with the same curse placed upon me. If anyone abuses this power they will live forever and age horribly so..."

"Thank you kind, witch...." Seto said bowing to kiss her wrinkled cheek and she smiled in kind. He stood and took a deep breath before asking, "Magic mirror, please show me who murdered my wife..."

The silver glass shined brightly before dying down and showing him the image of Tea smearing something in the pitcher before leaving and then the servant girl coming back to prepare the juice, unaware that the pitcher had been laced. Seth and Atemu also peeked and before anyone knew what was happening Tea was dragged up to the kings by Valrie as Mana came and stomped down on her right arm and Valrie the left, pinning her to the floor. The guest all ooked at the woman they had thought to be beautiful and now saw the horrible wretch she truly was. Atemu looked down at her, his eyes cold and unfeeling as he turned and waved a hand at Seth before heading upstairs.

"Do with her as you wish, she is no daughter of mine." Seth nodded and ordered that she be taken to the donguen, the food and drinks were dumped and burned incase that they were also poisoned, everyone refused to leave hoping that they would be able to revive the kind boy that was to be their prince's Queen.

Seto hurried up the stairs and saw that Atemu didn't go into the room, their friends all sat about the hall, crying as they feared the worse. He took a deep breath and walked into Yugi's bed chamber. Dark was kneeling by the bed, his staff on the floor and he was praying, something monsters never did. to the gods to save Yugi.

Seto took a chair and sat by the bed and refused to move...

A week had passed and nothing changed. Yugi was dead, but even in death he was still beautiful, if you touched his skin you could still feel warmth. The Grim Reaper had yet to come and claim his soul. Seth came in to bring Seto soup to drink since he refused to eat a single bight until Yugi recovered. The only times he left the room was to watch Tea's suffering. Atemu had asked the mirror to show him what had happened in his abscence and what he saw broke his heart and filled the empty space with rage. He, many others enjoyed Tea's suffering. even Vivian relished Tea's pain.

They had made her dress as a whore in a brothel and dance with red hot irons on her wrists and ankles over crushed glass and salt, Her feet were badly cut up and on her wrists and ankles were burns so severe that you could see pits of bone. Every day she had to do something else, she begged and cried to be killed, but they ignored her pleas and watched. The monsters all watched with glee, the dark side of humans, this was one of those rare cases where humans can be so vile that even the gods dared not stop them because this cruelty was for a good reason. She was suffering for every person she harmed, killed or even sentenced to death at the hands of others. They would not let her die so easily.

Seto sighed, a week, that's all it has been. But he could not bear the thought of burying his beloved Yugi, the firend he's always wished for, the person he fell in love with with all his soul. Getting up from his seat he sat on the bed and leaned down to kiss Yugi's forehead, his eyes, nose, cheeks, chin. anywhere but his lips. He rested his head on his lover's chest hoping to hear the beating of his heart, but even that was dead.

"Greetings again, Prince Seto." He didn't move as Jade walked into the room.

She smiled sadly and did not take offense. She merely placed a hand on his head and said.

"I can do one more thing for you before I die... Tonight after all is asleep, pray to the god of death and after your pray Kiss Yugi as you did on your wedding day. Kiss him with your very soul and you will see how kind the devil can be..." She said before she left the room...

Seto sighed, he had sat there for hours, not moving his head from Yugi's chest, it was well passed midnight and the castle was dead. He slipped off the bed and began to pray as Jade had said. He prayed hard and begged and pleaded making sure his prayers were heard before he stood up and kissed Yugi. He kissed those soft lips and prayed again, pouring his soul into his kiss, but when he felt nothing and saw nothing, he pulled away, heart broken. He turned to leave, but a soft voice, horse from lack of use called out to him. He spun back around and saw that Yugi was tossing and turning on the bed as if he were having a nightmare.

"Seto!!" He called louder, Seto didn't dare question anything if this was dream them let him dream if this was a trick then let happen again and again, if this was real, then all gods be praised!! He ran to the bed and pulled Yugi to his chest and shook him softly.

"I'm here, open your eyes, Yugi!!" Yugi whimpered and opened his eyes, bright amethyst stared up at ice cold ocean blue and filled with tears he clung to his husband and sobbed as he told him of the nightmare he had and Seto held him close and let him cry in his arms. Soon they both were lying in bed and sleeping peacefully under the watchful gaze of the reaper who had been waiting for Seto to pray to him to save his loved one...

Seto awoke the next morning to gentle fingers stroking is scalp and soft humming. he looked up and smiled seeing Yugi looking at him with loving eyes. Seto stood from the bed and pulled him into his arms before he walked down stairs and shocked everyone when they saw that Yugi was alive and awake. Soon the castle was alive with festivities and Dark personally cooked and served Yugi his food and drink. Atemu pretty much became attached at the hip with his son, having feared he lose him to death as well. Seto didn't mind as he kept crying as well as everyone. All was well, but Tea was bitter and cursed Yugi, but the Reaper appeared and smiled at her as he pionted a finger at her and said:

"You shall live forever, growing older and uglier,try as you might to kill yourself death will not come. This shall be your punishment until the end of days, so says I..." and then he was gone...

Seto smiled as he carried Yugi into their bedchamber and laid him on the bed. They were going to consumate their wedding pledge and Seto was being gentle, after nearly losing Yugi once, his libido be damned to the darkest reaches of hell. he stripped so he was only in his pants and kissed Yugi gently on the lips, filling every kiss with the love he felt for him. Yugi sighed and opened hismouth when his husband asked for entrance. Their tongues played shyly and sensually, not fighting, stating dominance, just showing they were equals. Seto pulled back and let Yugi breathe as he kissed his way along his jaw and blew into his ear gently, the cool breath tickling the hairs around his ear a little and made Yugi giggle. Seto kissed his way to the other side and whispered how much Yugi meant to him all the while removing the dress.

He would not mar his bride with marks on his skin, but he would leave his mark inside him. He teased pink nipples that shyly peeked out from his chest, causing moans and soft cries of pleasure to escape Yugi's kiss swollen lips. He kissed his way down his stomach, after giving the twin peeks equal attention. He moved down to Yugi's manhood and smiled as he kissed the tip. Yugi cried out and moaned as Seto bestowed loving attention to that spot, too lost in the throes of pleasure to notice the oil slicked finger massaging his entrance.

He did notice however when it slowly pushed in and then moved in a circular motion trying to loosen up the tight muscles.

"S-Seto!!"

"Shh, my love, shh... I am preparing you so I do not hurt you. I never want to hurt you..." He assured the 20 year old prince as he eased his finger in deeper, slowly stretching the walls of the cannal so that he could as second fingure.

Yugi whimpered and pushed on Seto's arm, and Seto stopped, pulling his fingers out. He waited for Yugi to calm down and when he did, YUgi moved so that he was on his hands and knees and was facing Seto.

"It's not fair, you've been pleasuring me, please let me return the favor?"

Seto nodded and Yugi opened his pants his rather impressive sword sprang forward and Yugi nodded to Seto to finish preparing him while he tried his best to pleasure Seto. Seto inserted his fingers again with a little more oil on them this time and groaned when Yugi massaged his length with his small hands. He watched Yugi kiss his tip and lick the slit, he made acute face at the bitter taste of the pre-cum, but still he took the head in his mouth and suckled softly since Seto was also being gentle. Soon Seto had four fingers in Yugi and felt that he had stretched him as best he could with out sticking his whole fist in.

"Yugi, enough, my little one..." Yugi pulled back with a soft pop and Seto rubbed more oil on his length before laying Yugi on his back and wrapping his arms around his neck. "I stretched you as best I can without tearing you, but I'm afraid that it will still hurt. If at all it hurts too much or you get scared let me know and I will stop... I love you, Yugi, with every fiber of my soul..."

Yugi took a dee breath before bringing his legs up to wrap around Seto's narrow waist and Seto kissed him softly as he began to push in. It didn't hurt, but the pressure was uncomfortable. Once the head was in Seto paused, Yugi was just tight, it winded him. He caught his bearings and pushed in a little more. Yugi winced, now it hur, Seto was thicker towards the base. By the time it hurt to much, Seto was buried to the hilt and held still as Yugi gasped in slight pain.

"I'm sorry, Yugi, I'm sorry..."

"No-no need to- apologize... You-you can- m-move..." Yugi urged and move Seto did. Slowly as to not cause more pain than needed and soon Yugi was sighing in pleasure.

Seto set up a nice gentle pace and admired the love and lust swirling in Yugi's lidded eyes, before he hit something that cause him to throw his head back with a loud cry of his name. Seto thought he had hurt him, but when Yugi begged him to do it again and harder Seto felt his control slip a little. He moved faster, and hit that spot a bit harder as well. Yugi arched his back and screamed his name, spurring him into action further. They moved in harmony, meeting each thrust for thrust, calling outh the other's name and basically surrendering to animalistic lust. Seto had to turn yugi to lay on his stomach, fear the boy may break his neck at the angle he was in before. With the new position Seto went in faster and deeper and fueled Yugi's passion tenfold! Seto was literally fucking Yugi into the bed and at last, Yugi screamed his loudest and convulsed slightly as he came, his tight entrance becoming like a vice and forced Seto to cum as well. The two collapsed after a few tense moments and bathed in the afterglow of sex. Seto pulled Yugi to his chest and slipped out of him beforee pulling the bed sheets over their bodies.

"That was amazing Seto..."

"I know, now rest because we'll be doing it again in a few hours." He said with a sadistic grin on his face, but because he drifted off to sleep he missed the masochistic smile that graced Yugi's face as he snuggled close and said loud and clear:

"Good night, Daddy!" and shortly after heard a thud of someone fainting. He sighed, snuggled deeper into Seto and fell alseep.

And they truly did live happily ever after....

X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X

And there we go!! Please tell me what you think and Flamers beware: I bite back!