Merry Christmas! And thank you once more for all of my reviews. I was starting to doubt this fic but I'm glad you all like it. So here is my gift for you, an update!

Chapter Seven

Her Patron

Anzu sat on a small chair, now dressed in white kimono, her hair pinned up elegantly and face powdered perfectly with make-up. She was waiting for the rest of the show to end and to meet her patron. Umeko was glaring daggers at her while Noriko was bragging on how it was her who made Anzu bloom into such a beautiful rose.

She was growing annoyed with all of this.

First off: Noriko had only forced her to dance. She had hardly done much more. Anzu did not mean to sound cocky, but she was naturally beautiful. It was not something she could help. In fact, the thing that amazed her the most was her skin had virtually no blemishes.

The worst was a small scar on her thigh from when an arrow had hit her.

She rarely ever got zits and was so elusive (not counting the recent beating she had gone through to escape without much suspicion) that her getting injured was seldom. But right now, that sucked she was beautiful.

Now she was a slave to some rich man, Seto Kaiba. And, apparently, he was that ninja who had been stalking her. What luck, right? And Umeko seemed to fail to see that. All she saw was someone was taking her precious spotlight away from her.

But it didn't matter. Umeko was going to be somewhere far away from her, never to be heard from again. And she was never going to give in to the demands Kaiba might have for her. Get in his bed? Hell if she'd do that! Take off her clothes? She's break his arm first. Act sexy for him? Only if he calls being a first class bitch sexy.

It would be tiresome and irritating, but she was just going to have to fight back with all she had.

"Hey whore!"

"Shut the hell up, Umeko. I wasn't kidding when I said I could break your spine." She gulped but tried not to show any other form of fear: and failed.

"Look, we have to go and meet our patrons. So get up and let's go."

"Since when are you in charge of me? I'm staying right here." Umeko rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, but you won't make Kaiba-sama happy if you just sit there."

"Thanks for the warning," Anzu said sarcastically, tossing some loose hair over her shoulder, "but I'll take my chances."

"Heh, suit yourself. See you never." And with that, Umeko waltzed out to start sweet talking her patron so he'd be more willing to pay more money to her and deck her out in extravagant silks and jewels.

Sex toys for the rich were often spoiled and given expensive trinkets to show off how high and mighty they were.

Still, Anzu would rather be in dirty rags then in fine silk if it meant preserving herself. So, in hopes of that being the case, she sat right there, hands in her lap, one ankle crossed over the other. It was peaceful backstage.

The music and laughter and such was toned down and came in strains, relaxing her. It was an odd sort of comfort. She knew of the stupidity that occurred beyond where she sat, and yet, hearing the muted noise of the theater made her feel less alone.

A few minutes passed and she decided to explore the areas around the wings some more, that way nobody would walk back and see her and ask, "What are you doing back here?" Not that she thought it would happen, everyone was too busy getting drunk on sakke and eating dumplings.

Everything was simple and pretty. The dressing rooms were filled with various costumes for dancers, Geisha, actors, you name it. Anzu lightly trailed her fingers over the costumes and smiled a bit, imagining some of the wild stories where the costumes may have been used.

She saw the accessories and make-up on some vanity tables and was intrigued. Growing up, all she had ever done was learn to fight and such. Occasionally she dressed up and went into town as Hoshiko. Never had she been able to look upon on things such as this.

It was all foreign to her. What was it like to watch these stage shows? How were the actors decorated?

Maybe she could see for herself after she finished her contract with Kaiba.

"You!" She gasped and spun around to see a man who obviously worked at the theater. "What are you doing back here? Nobody's allowed here unless there's a show."

"I-I'm sorry." She ran past him, not wanting him to report her to Noriko or bring her out to where everyone else was. She fled down the dark hall and bumped into a tall, solid figure so hard, she fell backwards and onto the floor painfully. "Ouch!"

Anzu rubbed her hip painfully. The person she had bumped into stared down at her.

"So, this is where you disappeared to."

"Excuse me?" she asked, squinting to get a better look at the person, whom she assumed was a man judging by his deeper tone of voice.

"You were supposed to go out with the other dancers to meet your patron." Anzu stood up and dusted off her kimono.

"Sorry, I didn't know. I was busy wandering around."

"Really?"

"And I didn't know I wasn't allowed back here so-"

"You were running so you would not get into trouble or forced to go out to meet your patron, am I right?" She felt her face grow hot will embarrassment.

"W-well, I...uh..." Her face grew hotter as she stumbled for something to say. The man chuckled. Anzu suddenly grew frustrated. "What makes you think you know me so well?" she snapped, pushing past him. "I don't have to deal with this."

"You really shouldn't be walking away from the man who just bought your contract." She froze and turned slowly.

"What?" she asked, eyes widened. He held up a scroll, lips, she could see, forming a smirk. A little light was in the hall and she could just make out the same man who had called out the bid for her. Seto Kaiba.

"You seem shocked."

"I just wasn't...well, it just...I thought...you'd be somewhere...else..." she mumbled, feeling stupid automatically.

"I'm not much of a sakke fan. Besides, I had a feeling you would not come out of hiding unless someone dragged you."

"What made you think that?" He chuckled.

"Let's just say I'm good at determining a person's action if I observe the way they behave." Anzu frowned at him.

"Fine, whatever, so now what?"

"According to this, you are considered mine for a year." She nearly passed out when he said this. A full YEAR? But she was somehow able to keep calm, which felt miraculous due to her hot temper.

"And my compensation?" she asked bitterly.

"Don't sound so cold."

"How much are you giving me at the end of my contract?" she repeated.

"Double what I bid for you, 50,000 yen." She nearly fell over at this sum.

"Are you kidding?"

"Is it not a large enough sum?"

"It's ridiculous! How do you know I'll even be worth the money?" she demanded. He shrugged.

"If you're not, it was just a bad investment. To me, that money is chicken feed." She frowned, very disturbed by the way he said that.

"You sound as if you've given away that money every other day."

"On the contrary, in fact."

"How much do you normally pay your little bed toys?"

"I don't normally indulge myself in purchasing women."

"And I was the exception?"

"You could say that. Now, if you're done around here, I'd like to show you to your home for the next year." Damn, that tone of his felt like ice water being thrown into her face. But she refused to shiver, no matter how strong the urge was.

Anzu simply straightened and made sure she looked as serious and emotionless as possible, lips forming a straight line, eyes cool.

"Fine." He offered an arm and she accepted it and he led her out of the wings of the stage and into the crowded theater.

Men were laughing, flirting, and drinking. The few women were doing as the men commanded, giggling, and getting tipsy. Anzu frowned in disgust and just let Seto lead her through the crowd, a bored look on his face.

They finally exited and Anzu saw it was nighttime. Snow was falling steadily, making the whole world white and glittery in the moonlight. People walked on the streets.

"Wait here." Seto released her arm and walked away. Anzu stood there, shivering. Her kimono was a thin silk and it was not doing a good job of keeping her warm.

Oh well, better than the night she ran away from the Clan.

A black horse walked up to her, Seto on its back. She blinked up at him.

"What? You didn't think I actually lived here, did you?" he asked.

"Actually, I did."

"No, I live a few towns over. Come on." She swung up onto the back of the horse and Seto lightly kicked the sides of the horse and it took off into a canter through the town. Anzu reluctantly wrapped her arms around his waist so she wouldn't fall off. That and she was freezing and hugging him helped her at least feel a little warmer.

They galloped through the forest, jumping over logs and such. It was growing darker and darker.

"How do you know where you're going?" Anzu asked.

"Stop asking questions." She frowned, already annoyed with him. The next year she was bound for Hell, no doubt.

They continued through the forest and she didn't say a word the rest of the ride. Instead, she began planning her next move.

Alright, I hope you liked the update. I just finished in time. Have a nice Christmas. Sorry it was a pretty short chappie, I'm kinda in a hurry. I have a dinner to go to so Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!