Harem

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh and this fic was inspired by Unintentional Nightmare's fic 'Raise the Red Lantern'.

Summary: Behind the beauty of the emperor's many concubines, there is the raging war for his love and for the power it brings. In the end, is power all that Malik, Ryou or Ryuuji need in life?

Author's Notes: I've updated 'Tenshi no Kokoro' (whipped it up in about half an hour) and now am taking the time to update this! I'm so glad people like it! I'm aiming for about forty reviews by the time I get chapter five up. Do you think I'd succeed? We have new readers!

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Chapter Four

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The bed sheets were tangled around their conspicuously bare bodies. Limbs intertwined, the two lovers lay on the bed, watching each other as the elder ran fingers through his lover's silky blonde hair. Sweat shone on tanned skin, darkening the blonde hair clinging to Malik's exotic features.

"You shouldn't be here," he whispered, resting his head on the other's chest.

"That's what you said last night." The arms tightened their grip around his slender waist, pressing him closer. "That's what you said when I first came to you, years ago."

Malik shifted his body so that he could press closer to the muscular torso, closing his lavender eyes. If they were caught like this, then they would both be executed. It was high treason for a concubine to bed anyone but the emperor, let alone what they were doing now.

"Do you think we'll be caught?"

"Unless you hadn't dismissed all the servants in your palace."

"I did . . ." Malik lifted his head to kiss the other tenderly. "But I still worry about it, Marik. We aren't just having an affair – this is incest."

His elder brother flipped them both around so that Malik was pinned down underneath his body. He ground his hips into the younger man's, succeeding in making him moan softly. Leaning down, Marik kissed his neck.

"No one will ever know," he murmured against the soft skin. "No one."

They hadn't seen each other since Malik had entered the palace, a year ago. Before that, they had both been travelling with the same theatre troupe. Marik was four years older than Malik, who was twenty. They had been lovers since Malik's fifteenth birthday, though their relationship was hidden because of society's views on incestuous love. Finally, Malik had to leave his brother and enter the palace because Pegasus had requested it.

"When will you be leaving again?" Malik asked softly, kissing his face repeatedly.

"Never, if I can help it." Marik captured his brother – lover's – lips in a heated kiss, beginning yet another round of intercourse. "Never."

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The next morning, Ryou sent all but Yugi away from his chambers after Pegasus left. His eyes were, for the first time since Yugi had begun to serve him, and his movements lacking the grace they usually had. Worried about his master's health, Yugi asked him what was wrong. His reply was as frustrating as it was worrying.

"I'm fine, Yugi."

"No you're not, Ryou," Yugi said firmly. "I know you too well."

Ryou sighed, walking up to the window and pushing it open slightly. The garden had been replanted and installed with new lilies, so that it resembled what it had once been. He hadn't wanted to burn down the entire garden, but it was essential that he had a good reason to call the emperor to him quickly.

It was a cool morning, with a chilly breeze blowing past, making him shiver. He pulled the light-blue silk robe around his body tighter, hoping to warm himself up a bit.

"I don't know what happened at the theatre, but I'm sure it's not good, because you love theatre, so you wouldn't be so unhappy afterwards."

"Yugi . . ." Ryou sighed. He closed the window. "There are many secrets one would like to keep in the past. Unfortunately, for some, the past can sometimes catch up to them, whether they want it to or not."

Yugi watched as the albino sat down at the table again, looking down at his pale hands as they twisted around each other anxiously. This was the only sign of his distress. Ryou had learned to conceal his emotions totally and entirely, leaving a mask on that misled others.

"I worry about you, Ryou," Yugi said softly. "You're my best friend in this place and you're much too gentle for your own good."

"Gentle?" Ryou's fists clenched over each other and he gave a short exclamation of bitter laughter. "Yes, gentle . . . that's what I am. I'm gentle . . . that's why people can walk all over me . . ."

His nails dug so deeply into the back of his hand that Yugi was afraid it was going to start bleeding. He could only watch as Ryou glared at the table angrily, then taking a deep breath. A moment later, the concubine had relaxed so that he was smiling again. The mask was back on.

"You're the strongest person I know," Yugi said hesitantly.

"There is no need for lies, Yugi," Ryou murmured. "I know who I am. Malik and Ryuuji are stronger than I am. They have better health than I do, and a greater intellect."

"But you're not them. Their health is because they do not have the highborn upbringing you do. Their intellect is only for selfish schemes. You are strong because of your heart, Ryou, because you are still compassionate."

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The four palaces were off-limits to anyone bar servants, the concubines and the emperor. It was located in the southern quarter of the Forbidden City, separated from the rest by a wall. The emperor's palace was located in the east, facing the rising sun. The western quarter was the palace where concubines who had lost the emperor's love were sent. Most of the concubines sent there went insane in about a month.

The last quarter was where all the halls were, where the scholars and the officials lived, especially when they had no place of residence within the capital city. This was where Seto, Yami and Bakura lived.

In the centre of the whole Forbidden City was an extremely large garden with a pond running through the centre of it all, connected to the ponds in the four palaces, the emperor's palace and the scholar's palace. This garden was open to everyone who lived inside the Forbidden City and there were no restrictions as to who could be there.

Seto stood at the bridge overlooking the pond, watching as the water lilies floated by. He was dressed in the red and black robes of an official scholar, a belt with a jade insignia marking the fact that he worked in the Hall of Literature and History. In his hand, he held a wooden flute, roughly carved and not very expensive to the eye. He raised it to his lips.

The melancholy tune was a song played commonly in his hometown. It had no specific use, so he played it whenever he felt like it. It was also the song that they had played together – that he had taught his love – before all this happened. With this song, he had promised he would gain a successful career and ask for his hand in marriage. The song had meant so much.

He cut off the tune abruptly.

Now they were all just broken promises. He didn't succeed in making a sizeable fortune to even buy a decent gift for his love's father. He wasn't even in time to make his feelings known to the parent before he had totally lost everything.

"Stop thinking about him."

Yami was standing on the other end of the bridge, glaring. The taller man lowered his hands and the flute. His blue eyes were hard.

"It's none of your concern," he snapped.

"It is if you're going to end up killing yourself or getting executed."

"And if that's what I want?"

"I still won't let you." Yami hurried over to him, lowering his voice. "Is he really that important to you that you would risk your life?"

Seto glared down at him, annoyance and anger flashing in his eyes.

"Yes."

Yami sighed in frustration, running his hand through his hair. He wore similar robes of office, except that the jade insignia on his belt symbolised the Hall of Sciences. The robes themselves were blood red, and there was a thinner, black over robe to cover it.

"He's out of your league now, Seto. Forget him."

"I can't." Seto leaned on the bridge railing. "I won't."

"Don't be so stubborn, Seto!"

"And don't try to control my life!"

Seto whipped around to glare at his companion. His blue eyes flashed anger and – and an emotion Yami couldn't really place. He sighed, walking away from the angered man.

"I'm not trying to control your life," Yami said quietly. "I'm trying to help you."

And he walked towards the archway leading towards the halls. Seto glared after his retreating back, as if he would be able to bore holes through the other. But he disappeared, unharmed, leaving Seto to his anger and pain. Hands shaking, he raised the flute to his lips and played his song again.

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In the concubine's gardens, Ryuuji and Ryou looked up from their game of Go at the sound of a clear, melancholy flute tune. The darker haired man placed down his stone with a smile. He enjoyed listening to music and whoever was playing the flute now was very gifted.

"Honda," he said, looking back at his eunuch.

"Yes master?"

"Ask the flautist playing to come here."

"Here, Master Ryuuji?" Honda asked, surprise overruling his better judgement.

Ryuuji looked at him sharply.

"I said here, Honda, and that's what I meant."

"Yes, right away, Master Ryuuji."

The former performer turned back to his companion with a smile as Honda hurried away. Ryou returned the smile and placed his stone on the board carefully, drawing back only when he had made sure he had made the right move. He settled to wait for Ryuuji's next move.

"You've just got me," Ryuuji said lightly. He smiled. "I can't move."

"That was the plan," Ryou replied in the same tone.

Some people thought it was strange that the two could get along so well, since they were meant to be rivals. The two of them, however, knew differently. Ryuuji admired Ryou for his compassion and gentleness, which he had retained for so long in such a hostile environment. The albino never found reason to hate someone. In turn, Ryou found Ryuuji a person who shared his love of music and the arts, and very enjoyable to spend time with. Because Ryou had no intention of scheming to get the emperor's attention, they got along all the better.

"I just wish that I could win Malik the same way you just won me," Ryuuji mused. He looked at Ryou. "Your strategy was flawless. How did you do it?"

"Practice." Ryou accepted his tea from Yugi. "Years of practice."

"Is that all?"

"Well, and skill," Ryou added. "And you also need patience and a quick mind."

He was interrupted by Honda, who had just returned. Behind him was a tall, brown haired young man wearing the red and black robes of a scholar. They bowed to both concubines and Honda went back to his place behind Ryuuji.

"Raise your head and tell me your name."

The scholar did, his eyes briefly flitting over to Ryou, before focusing on Ryuuji again. Ryou kept his face straight, eyes betraying nothing.

"My name is Seto."

Ryuuji smiled at Seto, gesturing towards the flute tucked away in his belt.

"I heard you playing the flute," he said. "You are very accomplished."

"Not at all, Master Ryuuji," Seto replied, keeping his head down. "I play only what I have heard from the streets."

"Nonsense." Ryuuji placed a hand on Ryou's arm. "You admire music, Ryou. Tell him what you think of his playing."

The albino paused for a moment, before slowly forming an answer.

"I must agree with you, Ryuuji," he said.

"Does the song have a name, Seto?" Ryuuji asked. "I would love to learn it."

Seto bowed.

"No, the song doesn't have a name, Master Ryuuji. It is my hometown folk song, to the north. It is a special song that I have promised my lover that I would not teach it to anyone else, so I am afraid that I cannot teach you, master."

Ryuuji looked thoroughly disappointed for a moment. Meanwhile, Ryou was drinking from his cup, hiding his expression until he could keep it under control. Seto had his gaze fixed on the floor, not daring to look up. He was half worried that he had offended Ryuuji, but that worry was quickly dispersed when the black-haired concubine smiled.

"I understand," he said. "I myself have a heart for this musical sentiment. Now if you'll both excuse me, Ryou, Seto, I must head off. His Majesty is expected to come to my palace tonight."

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"YOU IDIOT!"

Bakura slammed Yami against the wall by the front of his robes, crimson eyes flashing angrily. They were within the private chambers provided by the palace for officials like them who had no place to stay. Yami had just come with news of what Seto was doing.

"How could you leave him alone?" Bakura snarled. "Who knows what he may do? You and I both know his temper!"

"And we both know he's almost impossible to sway!" Yami snapped back. "You know it's damn near impossible to get him to change once he's had his mind set on something!"

"Dammit . . ."

The silver-haired man let go of Yami and paced around his chambers. It was a very simply furnished one, only providing the essentials. Each chamber was small and the furniture was made of polished oak.

"All he wants is to see Ryou," he muttered. "I know how much he loves him, but he needs to sort out his priorities! If he doesn't control himself they'll both be dead before they even get to sort out their problems."

"Is there any way to turn things around so that we can keep them apart?"

Yami hadn't moved from his place near the wall, just watching as his companion and fellow scholar stalk around angrily. His crimson eyes were deep in thought. He hadn't met the two of them for very long, but they were his only friends in the Forbidden City. All he knew about them was that Bakura was Ryou's older cousin and that he and Seto had grown up in the same city with Ryou. Now he also knew that Seto and Ryou had been in love . . . until the emperor had taken the albino for himself.

"No, there's no way." Bakura's voice sounded defeated. "Knowing Seto, he'd probably risk his life to see Ryou. That's the whole reason why the two of us came here anyway. But my cousin . . . he knows his duties."

"Let's just hope so . . ."

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The gardens were very peaceful. Now, however, Ryou found it much too quiet. The only sound was the birds chirping a tuneless song as they built their nests. Yugi was standing a few feet away, not within hearing range, leaving the concubine and the scholar under the same pagoda.

I must leave here immediately, Ryou thought to himself. I cannot stay here. Not with – with him.

And he stood to do just that, nodding briefly at Seto and sweeping past him. As he did, his heart suddenly stopped beating as a hand grabbed hold of his elbow tightly, preventing him from escaping. He turned around, masking his surprise with a mask of indifference, but before he could say anything, Seto spoke first.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

The grip on his elbow tightened painfully, but still no emotion stained those dark eyes. Ryou remained still, not making any move to take his elbow away. The tension in between them fed the intensity in Seto's eyes. There were questions in them, pain and confusion.

"Why didn't you tell me this was going to happen?"

"Would it have changed anything if I did?" Ryou asked finally, his voice quiet and emotionless.

"Of course it would have," the other replied. "I would have come."

Ryou's gaze shifted to the pond.

"So you were so secure that you did not think you would lose me," he said. "You failed to arrive because you did not think that I would really be taken away."

The silence following those words was almost deafening. They dared not do anything here, in such a public place. Both of them had to keep up appearances, even though old wounds were being reopened, wounds that had been thought to have healed. A heart thought to have been dead to love was waking. The perfect mask of serenity and peacefulness was disturbed by pain.

"It is all now in the past. All anger and pain have been washed to indifference over time. There is nothing more we have to say to each other."

Using his other hand, Ryou prised Seto's hand away from his arm gently. He did not show any surprise when Seto twisted their hands around so that he was now holding Ryou's. His clear blue eyes searched Ryou's face for any sign of emotion, any hint that he still felt something.

"Should anyone see us like this," Ryou said in a low voice, "you will be executed. Let go of everything and move on. Tell my cousin that as well."

He slipped his hand out of Seto's grasp and walked away, motioning for Yugi to follow. The eunuch glanced at the scholar's crushed expression sympathetically before turning away to follow Ryou back through the archway to Lily Palace.

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End Chapter Four

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Author's Notes: AHA! Another chapter finished! I think this chapter sounds different to the others. I dunno, maybe a little less on the descriptions and more on the dialogue? Which do you guys prefer? More dialogue or more descriptions?

Responses to reviews:

Kano Yuki: A chapter a day? That's damn near impossible, even if I wanted to! Sorry, can't help you there! Yes, Ryou deserves our pity and even I hope that they will be together forever. Impulse writing, I don't know what's going to happen because I type according to what I think of at the time.

Elle-Fate2x1-2: Seto is an ass, yes . . . but I love him anyway! DON'T DIE ON ME! You still have to read the next chapter! And you still have to review! NOOO! Still, I'm touched to know that you love this fic!

Broken Music Box: I updated! Yay! New reader! huggles

Hyacinthus: I love Ryou too! And about the pairing, all I can say right now is that it's past SetoxRyou. If I tell you any more, I'm going to be giving the whole fic away!

SilentFeelings: calls up lawyer I'M GONNA SUE YOU! blames Naoko's computer for stuffing up Do I get people hooked? I didn't realise . . .

Elusia: All is behind us! huggles

Amethyst-Dragonflame: You love this story? Aaw huggles

Seekerin2000: We share a birthday? WOW! That's so cool! You're the first reader I've had who shares the same birthday as me!

Mashimaro-Byul-012: OMG, you're the one who wrote 'No Traffic'! squeals I can't believe you read and reviewed my fic! I feel so honoured! I love your fic! Though I DO love Seto/Ryou more than Seto/Otogi any day . . . but OMG YOU READ MY FIC! dies

Sadistic introvert: Hehe . . . librarians . . . Yes, they do, don't they? About the Seto/Ryou pairing . . . it's all in the past at the moment. Not telling what the future holds! And Marik as an actor . . .

AkinoBekyCarterBakura: I explained Bakura, Ryou and Seto's ties to each other in this chapter. Bakura is Ryou's cousin and Seto is Ryou's former lover . . . well, not lover exactly, but you catch my drift. You shudder when you read this? Aaw! huggles

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