Chapter 1 - I do...
"I can't do it..." the girl mumbled into her reflection. She had ivory coloured skin, and eyes that matched the brightness and colour of Duke Devlin's. Her hair was a rich, reddish chocolate brown and the bangs framing her face were a beautiful golden blonde. "Sure you can" came another voice. The girl who had been staring at her reflection turned, her sea foam coloured eyes turning to look at another girl at the door, her step sister. "Look Dora" the step sister began. "This is your chance at fame, fortune, and a hot guy to sleep next to you in your bed...why so glum?". Dora stared at her step sister in disbelief, sure those were the benefits, but what about the down sides, of which there were many more. "He's a monster Keiko...a heartless, money obsessed, monster" a sigh escaped her lips, "i can't spend the rest of my life married to a monster". Keiko frowned, "well, it's either that or father's company goes down the pan, he needs the Kaiba's to buy it, and run it for him, or the business goes down, and even though you'll be living the lime light, the rest of us need a living Dora, now stop being so selfish and get out onto the isle...". With that, Keiko walked out, leaving Dora to stare into the empty door way helplessly.
Even though this was so wrong, for many, many reasons. Dora had taken her step sister's words to heart. How could she live with herself if she didn't marry him?. This was the only way to unite the two companies, and make sure her father's company stayed alive, her family would starve without the money from that company. "Stop being selfish Dora..." she told herself, walking out of the room into the hallway, only a set of doors was standing between her, and her prison now. All those people out there, Kaiba's and Devlin's alike, waiting for her to come out, in her beautiful white satin wedding dress. Finally, the matrimony music began, and the doors opened.
There he was...at the end of the isle by the priest and alter. There he was. Tall, and sturdy, piercing blue eyes locked on her, and his brown hair shadowed them, to make him look even more intimidating than he did already. The worst thing about him though, was he wanted this marriage less than her, and when he was forced into doing something, he wasn't exactly the most pleasant of people. He didn't even crack a smile, just glared at her coldly as she began to walk up the isle.
The only thing that was going through her mind as she walked up the isle, was how she was too young, how neither of them wanted this, how it was wrong. Everything had been blotted out, the music, the people, just him and her. Before she knew it, she arrived at the alter, to the priest. Dora still couldn't hear anything though, the only thing that she could hear was the priest mumbling, "Do you, Seto Kaiba, take Dora Devlin to be your lawfully wedded wife?". There was a pause, and his dark, cold voice answered simply, "I do". That response felt like the first chain around her, to imprison her for the rest of her life. "And do you, Dora Devlin, take Seto Kaiba, to be your lawfully wedded husband?". Oh god, this was really happening, it wasn't some crazed nightmare, it was real, she REALLY was being forced into marrying the most ruthless, cold hearted duellist and business man ever. "Dora?" the priest prompted. Dora shook her head to alert herself, "I-...I do..." she finally submitted. The priest smiled, blissfully unaware of the unease about the two of them.
Kaiba took her hand, but not in a gentle, soft way that a husband normally would, he gripped her fingers quite tightly, just to make clear his position on the matter. Sliding on her wedding ring, which was a beautiful gold band encrusted with pearls, he leant down to her ear. "You're a business investment, nothing more..." he whispered coldly. His words, and his cool, piercing breath made her shiver, visibly. 'Oh god, here it goes...' Dora thought to herself, as he looked at her. Gripping her by the shoulders, he kissed her ever so briefly, and somewhat harshly before moving away from her, almost in disgust. Dora just stared at him. Kaiba paused, "the ceremony is over, if you would like to go to the back of the building, there will be an after party there..." with that he stepped down from the alter and disappeared to another room to change out of his suit.
Dora just stayed there, as the people seemed to dispense from their seats either side of the isle, and go to the back room as Kaiba had pointed out. Sighing in defeat, she removed the veil from her head and glanced around the room, at the back of the room, leaning against the wall, was the familiar figure of her brother, Duke. He sighed, shaking his head, as he walked up to her, and put his arms around her, hugging her softly. "You're so stupid Dora, what have you done eh?" he said softly. Dora sighed and nodded, "i did it for you, you and father" she replied, nodding briefly.
Duke nodded and pulled away a little to look at her, patting her head gently. "I know, and you have no idea what you've just cost yourself Dora, oh well, they'll be expecting you at that party i suppose, seeing as how you're the bride and all, well, c'mon, I'll be there for you". Dora smiled and hugged him for another moment before nodding and accompanying Duke into the back room, where music and lights blurted and spun around the room. People were dancing, eating food, drinking and generally, it looked like a happy scene. Unfortunately only a handful of people, truly understood the reason for the marriage in the first place.
Kaiba was at the dark corner of the room, leaning against the wall, with his hands in his pockets, he looked less than pleased to say anything. At his side was Mokuba, who was watching Dora for a moment, he tugged on Kaiba's coat and sighed. "You know, she is pretty Seto...maybe you should try to be nice to her" the little boy commented, looking so confused as to why his big brother married the girl if he didn't even like her. Kaiba glared back down at him, "i don't particularly want a wife Mokuba, but if i can add that company to the Kaiba Corp investment, and all i have to do is marry her to earn rights to the company, then that's what I'll do, i don't need to be 'nice' to her" he commented. Mokuba nodded and scratched his head, "you have to pretend you married her by choice though don't you?". Kaiba stared across the room at her and nodded, "Yes" he replied bitterly.