Author's Notes: So this is like borderline rated T I think for implied death and romance but please leave me a review if you think it should be changed. By the way, this is a period drama setting. Sorry in advance for any spelling mistakes.
Lady Tea Gardner was married to Yugi Moutu, heir to a grand title himself. She wouldn't say their marriage had been happy but she had been content until now, she thought. His older brother, Atem, whom she were madly in love with had gone of to war a year before. They had received letters at first but when they stopped they all feared the worse but no more than Tea did.
When she and the family inquired about his whereabouts the war office sent them news that he had gone missing in action, presumed dead. The weeks and months passed but Tea still could not come to terms with it all. One night Yugi comforted her as she cried in the parlour. She often stayed at Atem's parents house, it said it made her feel closer to him being there.
That very same night Yugi decided to make move, pressing a quick chaste kiss to her lips. When asked why he did such a thing Yugi explained he had been in love with her ever since he knew what love was but never said anything because he knew she was in love with Atem and vice versa. Yugi proposed to her there and then, saying he would always be there for her no matter what, he knew he could never replace Atem but maybe in time she would learn to love him, and she did, not in the same way she loved Atem which was more physical and emotional love but she did love Yugi as a dear friend and whom better to marry than your best friend, right?
Her family was overjoyed that she was marrying a future lord and his were overjoyed as well thanks to the large sum of her dowry. It had not even been three weeks since they returned from their honeymoon to Paris that Atem miraculously returned form the dead. It was a miracle!
They had all been eating dinner one night at Yugi's parents house when Atem casually walked in like nothing had even happened. In blue military uniform and all, which made him look more handsome than she could ever remember. Tea thought her feelings for him might have dissolved but they truly had never gone, she had just learnt how to bury them deep but seeing him again brought them right back to the surface. She wanted to run over to him, hug him, kiss him, just simply be in his arms but she remained were she sat.
His eyes seemed to hold more wisdom now, like he had witnessed many horrors that should not be repeated. He had a scar too down the left side of his cheek, she presumed he had an accident during the war. His family were more than overjoyed that he was alive, obviously. It only took a minute for him to realise that she was there, sitting next to Yugi.
"Tea?" he said confused, his purple eyes meeting her sapphire ones. She felt her heartbreak. "What are you doing here?"
Tea but her lip, why did this have to happen? how could she tell him she was married to his brother? They had promised to one another to get married once her returned.
Fourteen months ago:
Tea skipped along the hillside that overlooked the crystal clear sea. Cornwall was always so beautiful in the summertime and so peaceful in winter. Holding back her hair with one hand and the hem of her dress with the other so she wouldn't trip she turned and grinned at Atem who was following close behind simply watching her.
This would be their last night together before Atem would be shipped of the next day. "You'll forget me" she said teasingly, "you'll meet some woman in France and forget all about me"
Atem creeped up behind her and caught her waist spinning her around so she was in his arms, "never" he said and pressed a kiss to her lips. Tea giggled, "if my father saw you kiss me war will seem like a holiday"
Atem chuckled and took her hand. He kissed her finger and removed a silver ring she had and placed it on his finger instead, "See? I'll always be yours, no one else's and when I return I shall marry you"
"Oh" Tea replied, "and what makes you think I want to marry you"
"Because, My Lady, you love me don't you?" he said with a fake pout. Tea laughed at his expression "off course I do but if you expect another kiss you'll have to catch me"
Tea spun out of his arms and continued running along the hill side. Atem shook his head at her childish antics before chasing after her as the sun set behind them.
The memory of their last night together flashed before Tea right as Yugi took her hand, "we are married, Atem" he said waiting for his brothers reaction. Tea could see the hurt in Atem's face and she couldn't bring herself to look at him no more. She looked down at the hands that were trembling in her lap. "Married" Atem repeated placing both his hands on the back of an empty dining room chair.
"well that's-" he paused before letting out a breath, "that's wonderful"
Tea let out a breath she had been holding, what did he mean, wonderful? did he not love her anymore? "Father, may I bother you for a horse?" Atem asked looking at the older man seated at the end of the table. His father blinked in confusion, "A horse? what on earth for my boy?"
"Before I left for war I brought a property, I wish to see how it had been kept whilst I've been gone" he replied. His father nodded and just like that Atem was gone again. A little while later Tea excused herself and went up to her room. Yugi didn't follow her, he knew she would need some time, it wasn't every day your first love came back from the dead!
The next morning Tea rode to see Atem, she got up early to avoid seeing Yugi. She felt like she needed to explain why she married Yugi and to her surprise he understood, she had explained to him long ago she needed stability in her life and Yugi had provided her with that when Atem had 'passed on'. The house he had bought was a large cottage, not as big as Yugi's parents manor but big enough to raise a family, just like she had always wanted. It was secluded and overlooked the ocean, what a life it would have been, but now it was just a dream.
Months later and Atem was now married to a young woman named Mana, she was pretty and a little younger than herself, and to make things worse Yugi had become cold towards her therefore breaking his promise that he would always be there for her no matter what. She figured it was because he knew that she still loved Atem, which she did so could she really blame him?
One night Yugi's parents were holding a party for his father's sixtieth birthday and everyone was invited to stay for the night after since they had plenty of guest rooms. Tea talked with Mana for a while, even though it felt like she had stolen Atem and her dream from her she couldn't help but like the girl since she was sweet and kind.
From afar Atem watched the two young woman with a grin. "their very different, but in some ways very similar, don't you think?"
Atem turned to see his cousin Seto standing behind him. His wife Kisara was also at the party. Seto came to stand beside them. "I suppose they are" Atem replied, "but both of them together would make the perfect woman"
Seto chuckled, "perhaps you would like them both?"
"perhaps I would" Atem replied before taking a sip of his wine. Seto opened his eyes wide before patting his cousin on the back on leaving him be. Atem sighed, Tea looked so beautiful by candle light, she was so tall and graceful, like a beautiful oak tree. Before he could think anymore the guests were ushered into the dining room.
Tea couldn't believe she had been seated next to Atem, and Mana next to Yugi. It was a game of sorts arranged by Atem's mother so guests could get more acquainted whilst they ate. "you don't have to be so nervous" Atem said turning to her, "I don't bite"
Tea bit her lip, but she couldn't help resist teasing him like she used to, "I believe in fact you do"
She didn't fail to notice from the corner of her eye how Atem froze when the words left his mouth. His eyes came to be fixed on the side of her face as she felt her cheeks flush. Off course she was referring to those kisses when Atem got carried away, nipping at her lips and neck, not that she ever minded.
"I never could control myself around you" he groaned. Tea was thankful that all the guests were talking amongst each other so that they could not hear their flirtatious exchange. "and now?" she gulped, "can you control yourself around me now?"
She saw in his face that he was thinking of the right thing to say, "I am married now and so are you, don't you love Yugi?" he asked. Tea sighed, "well actually we have been rather distant lately and anyway-" she paused thinking if she should speak her mind, to hell with it, she thought, "can not a woman love two men, can not a man love two women?"
A small grin appeared on his face, "what an amusing assumption to come to but recently I have found myself thinking the exact same thing" he replied taking a gulp of his wine, "and to your earlier question, no, I can not control myself around you"
Tea felt her heart race, she wanted him so badly and it was obvious he still had some feelings for her too. Tea's eyes looked across the large table at Mana, this wasn't fair to her, or Yugi, even if he had treated her like dirt lately. "do you love Mana?"
Atem looked at her before looking at Mana as well, "I wouldn't call it love, I do like her but more as a close friend" he replied. Tea released a small gasp, that's exactly how she felt about Yugi. "but there was a reason why I married her"
"Oh?" Tea asked looking back to him, "her father was arrested for conspiring against the crown and if she didn't marry into another family she would have lost her fortune, title and possible would have ended up in prison just like her father"
Tea blinked, so Atem had married her to save her from ruin? that sounded just like something he would do. He leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, "my love for you was far more...…..physical"
Tea froze feeling his hand under her dress and rising to brush his fingers against her smooth skin, how she had longed for him to touch her! His hand stopped on her thigh threatening to go further and she would have let him but he retreated his hand before anyone caught on. "want to leave the back door unlocked for me tonight?" he said quietly before taking a sip of his wine again.
Tea felt her cheeks burn, "I might" she said just as his mother stood up to make an announcement.
Tea was alone in her room biting her nails, a habit she had when she got nervous. She had told Yugi she had been feeling ill and expressed her wishes to be alone. He had left without even a single word and slammed the door behind him. She presumed he had found one of the other guest rooms to sleep in. She had snuck downstairs a little while later to unlatch the backdoor and now she stood waiting impatiently.
She kept next to the window to see if she could see him approaching but it was so dark she could not see a thing!
She hadn't even herd the door behind her open and close. Tea felt nimble fingers drag against her wrist as soft as a feather and she knew he was there now. Suddenly she was pulled back flush against his chest. His hand curled around her wrist possessively and was then pulled up over her shoulder around his neck. He kissed her arm and sprinkled butterfly kisses down until he reached the back of her neck where he began to press heated slow kisses against her pale skin.
"your mine" he whispered deep and silk like. She turned in his arms and kissed him with all the passion she had been holding through the years, "I've always been yours" she said between heated kisses. Their love for each other was quick, rushed, passionate, every kiss tasted like fine wine and she quickly felt like she was getting drunk.
"I want you" she said in-between their frantic kissing. Tea knew he wanted her too, she could feel it in his desperate kisses. They made their way to the bed and fell upon the white sheets. Atem bunched up her nightdress above her hips, Tea knew she was in for a night of unexplored passions and she didn't care who herd!
The Next Morning:
Lying with only the bed sheet to cover their bodies Atem brushed his hand against Tea's bare shoulder. "I should go" he murmured as the sun began to rise. Tea looked upon him knowing he had to go, he had Mana to look after and she was still married to Yugi, even if it were to be unhappily. They lay for a few moments longer, both knowing that they loved each other but could never truly be together, because that was just a dream of a girl Tea could no longer recognise when she looked in the mirror.
Author's Notes; So wow, that took ages to write! I considered turning this into a full blown story but for now it will remain as a one-shot. If you haven't watched the TV Show Poldark, you really should because this is were I got the idea from for this story. If you like Downton Abbey then you'll defiantly enjoy it. Please Review :)
