Advisory

By Snare-chan

Pairings: None
Ratings: T
Category(ies): General
Warning(s): None
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: (Duelist of the Roses verse) Yami questions Joseph on a decision to initiate Bakura into his higher forces, except the conversation takes quite the turn.

Notes: I'm thinking I didn't get the whole Yami's-friends-deal-with-Bakura out of my system yet since this is the third one I've attempted, with Joey no less. Also trying to get some more practice in with Duelist of the Roses this time. Someday I'll get the hang of it…someday!

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh! Duelist of the Roses; wish I did like everybody else. They should put YGO: DotR in stock, then I'd buy it all!

Joey of Amiens ground his teeth. In any other circumstance, he wouldn't hesitate to speak his mind, more pointedly to his liege, Henry Tudor, of all people, yet this instance called for a bit more…tact. While others would trip over themselves in his presence or speak to him in the utmost floral tones of hierarchy, Joey was not one of those people. On a daily basis, he would joke around with him when they were out of court and casually so during others. He was scolded and oftentimes looked down upon because of his behavior, but Yami (as the royal had personally asked Joey to refer to him as) took no offense, and had even admitted to him once that it was almost a relief to have someone so normal to converse with in his rather demanding and royal life. If he approved, then that was all that counted, in Joey's humble opinion, and may everyone else be damned.

But right now, at this point in time, he was having difficulty with what to say. To be blunt, he was torn – torn between what he wanted to say and what he should. His inner thoughts revolved around being convinced that either Yami had gone utterly insane, or he must be hearing things. The blond knew he could never say the former part to his face, however. It would be one thing if certain circumstances weren't as they were with his liege, what with his beloved father having gone mad in his final days and, though his young heir still didn't show any wayward signs that would warrant concern, as his closest friend, Joey could tell that deep down he was still highly sensitive to the subject. So coming out and telling him he'd gone crazy was most likely not a good course of action – even for him. So, for his sanity's sake, hopefully his ears were just out of sorts.

"I beg your pardon, but what was that?"

"I'm thinking about making Bakura of Rennes a Secretary of Defense," Yami, for his benefit, repeated calmly, undaunted by the twitching expression Joey was sure to be unable to hide. "I've been considering it for some time and come to my own conclusions, but I wanted to hear your thoughts on the subject before I bring it before the others."

By 'the others,' Joey assumed he must mean his closest allies, specifically those appointed to his war council. He could certainly understand his hesitation in bringing it before them, despite that he knew firsthand that there wasn't a more trustworthy bunch in the known world. For starters, the royal's own family – his uncle, Jasper Dice Tudor, and mother, Margaret Mai Beaufort – were a part of it, along with two equally as close friends to himself, Tea and T. Tristan Grey, among others. Many of them had served Yami's father when he was alive, and Joey was convinced that they all would do the same for Tudor's son to the end of their days, be they in war or old age. They were rather close for being who they were, and…well…

Forcefully biting down on his tongue, the sharp pain of it surprised Joey enough to keep the first, most likely dumb, idea from surfacing. Do not call him crazy, do not call him crazy, do not call him crazy!

"If I may ask…why?"

Yami was leaning on the edge of the stone windowsill, looking out over his kingdom. Brest was a rather peaceful place for being so close to the coast, but rather diverse at the same time: historical landmarks to the right, upbeat markets to the left, forests to the south, and peace all around. The blond moved over to join him, leaning directly on his shoulder against the wall and turning his head to the outside world.

"Why not?" Yami finally asked in return.

"Oh, I don't suppose his reputation has anything to do with my asking. Nicknames like 'Bloody Knight' and 'Soul Stealer' don't particularly concern me."

"His reputation does precede him at times, doesn't it?" the young heir mused, missing the point entirely or effectively feigning so, as he was wont to do sometimes.

His friend snorted, slowly losing his resolve and resorting to his old reserves, "I wouldn't say it's so much 'preceding' as it is 'accurately describing.' Have you seen him, perchance, in action? Training the soldiers? He fights and acts like a demon! I've seen him with my very own eyes; it's like he's possessed once you put a weapon in his hands."

The other whirled on him slightly and was about to no doubt reprimand him until a far more empowering voice rose up from beyond their small room, temporarily interrupting their discussion.

"You mangy curs, pick up the pace! I expect all this to be ready today, or you'll all be working past sunset this night!" Wails, pained groans and curses rose up at – whom else's but – Bakura of Rennes' demands, the armored man making his presence and commands known. The two way up in the tower could all but feel the other's scowl from where they were. "No complaining or dinner shall be out of the question as well!"

"Speak of the devil," Joey drawled, looking to his companion with a raised brow as if to say, 'I warned you.' To his dismay, the man didn't even look fazed.

"He's still on duty, I see."

"Oh no. Don't you even start," Joey scolded, quickly tucking his finger away before it could be pointed down at the other. "I know exactly where you're going with this, and I'm not interested. If I may be frank, in my humble opinion, the man isn't dedicated; he's a perfectionist. There's not a moment that goes by without him dominating or ordering someone around."

"Perhaps he does take it to some extreme, but the castle has run itself no better than when he is around," Yami persisted, countering still with, "And I do realize you have some bias against him, but please try to see it from my point of view."

The monarch suddenly held up a hand, effectively silencing Joey from interrupting with some repartee concerning said 'bias,' not that it wasn't necessarily true. It wasn't that he held any deep-rooted, personal hate for the knight; if anything, it was far simpler in nature than that. The man just creeped Joey out. His mere presence produced shivers, cold sweats, and other bothersome side effects in Joey's body, most of them signs of fear (not that he'd admit that in a million years). Word of Bakura's escapades in battle hadn't been the only tales to travel – stories of his peculiar affinity for the dead and a long line of fortune-telling relatives didn't improve his image for the better, either. Quite honestly, the blond would rather be locked within the confines of one of London's notorious dungeons than be left alone with the lunatic.

Maybe that was the connection – his liege and the bloodthirsty warrior were both not right in the head.

"I'm not fooled for a second that a war isn't coming," the king restarted softly, interrupting Joey's thoughts. "I wish it weren't true, but I've seen the signs building all around us. Tensions are high and rumors are spreading. If it must be, then it will be, but I will not be caught off guard and risk my people's safety."

"What's this have to do with Bakura?" Joey finally asked with a sigh, accepting that the discussion was out of his hands at this point and deciding to waste no further energy trying to convince the other of his misplaced ways…for now.

"If this is to be handled quickly and efficiently, then I expect – no, need all of my best men's cooperation. I will not allow such things as miscommunications and distrust to cloud our judgments and risk our chances. All my allies and their input will be required, and you cannot deny Bakura's genius in combat. He knows how warriors think, act, feel…"

Sneering this time, he was about to let off on another spiel about how of course the white-haired fiend knew all of those things about a warrior. In that moment, however, something occurred to him, something…that the other had just said. Does he mean about Bakura's powers? he wondered suddenly, mulling over the idea for a brief moment. Recently, in the couple or so years they'd been alive, a magical ability unnamed had spiked in appearance, one in which people were endowed with the power to capture beasts and magical creatures and ensnare them in cards. It'd occurred periodically in previous years, but usually only those of noble blood could do it, and even then it was either forbidden or passed off as simple parlor tricks.

These days, though, it was frequently becoming accepted as a blessed gift and a rare talent. Rumors, probably the same ones Yami had spoken of earlier, had been going around saying people would be using this new magic in battle, causing much fear and panic across the land. Joey couldn't blame them, as even he was worried over such stories. The blond could only summon certain classes of monsters himself, and usually not too high in power like Yami or…Bakura.

"Wait, do you mean to say-" he gasped, straightening up in disbelief. His eyes caught his highness' and he gaped at what he saw. Yami would never resort to using his allies, his closest friends, as mere tools, would he? But at the other's hard stare, he had to wonder.

No, he didn't believe it. He wouldn't.

"Go ahead. Say it."

He was about to, his lips trembling and ready to let loose a good, long round of accusations. He wanted to, so badly that it hurt him all over in more ways than one, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. The entire matter made absolutely no sense! Up until this private meeting of theirs, Yami had been adamant in not mentioning the mounting discomfort felt by the pressuring of the Lancastrians, so then why now?

So instead of bursting out like he had intended, he asked, "What are you planning?"

"I haven't the slightest notion as to what you're talking about," the monarch declared casually.

"Aha! You are up to something! Come on, Yami, you can tell me."

The other maintained the schooled expression he'd held, but his silence was evidence enough; practically a dead giveaway to the fact that he was likely hiding some ulterior motives. Joseph knew how much Yami utterly detested outright lying to those he considered compatriots, if only because of his strong sense of duty and honor.

"Ya know, come to think of it, your own mum has mentioned noticing your admittance of several of your most loyal subjects and allies as of late," he brought up swiftly, grinning at the royal's incredulous expression at the spoken observation. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're keeping us rather close and under your thumb, eh?"

The shorter of the two tightened his jaw, sharply turning back to look out the window. What he was feeling was clearly written across his face – he'd been caught, and by the least likely person.

"Does nothing I do go unnoticed?" the young heir huffed.

"It would seem you chose your closest consorts a little too well, wouldn't ya say?" Joey responded jovially, though the tone didn't remain. He lowered it to a more relaxed murmur soon after, one that would be considered sincere in others but that was, in Joey, as serious a tone as he could obtain. "You can't protect us from this. Everyone is going to want to play a part, whether it be to defend your fortresses or, more importantly, you."

The shorter man was silent for a time, before agreeing in an equally soft voice that he was already aware of all that.

"Then have a little faith in us. We're made of tougher stuff than I think you're giving us credit for, particularly…that thing down there," he coughed, swirling a finger in the general direction of the original topic, namely the white-haired man nitpicking at some guards on duty. "Whether you like it or not, one way or another, we're all going to do what we can to help you, Bakura of Rennes especially. Hell, I can see him leading the charge."

Yami raised a brow and inclined his head towards him. "So you agree that he would be beneficial to our cause?"

"Now I didn't say that…" the blond scowled, but at the other's scrutinizing look, he resigned. "But does it matter? It seems to me you've already made up your mind."

At last a change dashed across his liege's countenance – a smirk.

"Yeah, alright, I thought as much. I suppose someone needs to keep a close eye on him, at any rate," Joey sulked. "I have one last question for you, however. Why ask me of all people about advice on this subject? I'd hardly consider myself an advocate for the likes of him."

A chuckle escaped the other's lips, an almost fond sort of look coming across him as he said, "Call me crazy, but I figured that if you can approve of him, then there's hope for it to come to pass."

Joey didn't have the heart to tell him that he'd done so already. Repeatedly.

-Fin-