Woot! We're back with A Widow's Kiss. Thanks to Merciless Ruby (there will be a lemon posted on mediaminer, hehehe,) ELLIE 31773, journey maker (You're so funny! Yeah, Marik is a bit of a prick, but he gets better, I promise,) Tevana (you're not the only one who hates Marik, lol,) Eternal Eyes (Yeah, this one took a lot more thinking for. (sigh) Kinda made me work...lol,) and sweet-ghyny13 (hehe, it's fine. I did wonder if you abandoned me, though! (cries and then gets over it) Anyway, to answer a previous you question, my favorite good is Yoplait yogurt. I know, sad.) for reviewing. You all freakin' rock! Now here's chapter ten with the mysterious Hathaway Mazaki!

Chapter Ten, Construction

Hathaway Mazaki sighed to himself as he woke to the blinding sun shining down from the curtains. The maid that had entered was humming gently as she tied the curtains back. Sofia was mumbling to herself as she stepped into his room where the steaming breakfast had been set on the breakfast table. Her room adjoined his by a door that was purposely never locked. He moved his gaze to the maid that had paused and was standing beside his bed, waiting patiently for him to get up so she could make the bed. She was also the servant that obtained information from Yami Mutou's men. He could see by the faint urgency in her eyes that there was something that needed to be passed to him.

"Hathaway, dearest," Sofia yawned from the breakfast table, her blonde locks tumbled and her eyes drowsy, "won't you please do Mercy the favor of getting out of bed? I'd rather speak with you over breakfast without a servant hovering." He ignored the last comment and stumbled out of bed, snatching his robe as he did. His wife watched hazily as he shoved his arms in his robe's arms and tied the sash. At one point in his life, before so many complications had risen in his life, he would have enjoyed taking his sleepy, attractive wife to bed simply for the fun of it. Now, with an heir born and married to a respectable woman, he found no reason to go to bed with her. There was no attraction towards his vain, simple-minded wife.

Once Mercy had left the room after making the bed with such careful precision, Hathaway was seated across from his wife, drinking his coffee without any words being spoken to him. Sofia enjoyed handing out scathing remarks directly and indirectly to the servants. Despite her words, she had nothing to say to Hathaway and he had nothing to say to her. Well, not really.

"I intend to visit Anzu after the noon meal today, Sofia," he remarked casually, glancing to her fair, lovely features. They didn't change in the least. He was relieved to know that she hadn't yet caught onto his devises. He didn't need that kind of complication. Although his wife wouldn't care what happened to her daughter, she would be displeased if Anzu was prevented from remarrying and that he was delving into disrespectful social circles. He knew his wife too well to understand this. "Perhaps you'd like to come along? I've heard that since Anzu is presently being courted by the Ishtar brothers and their friend." Sofia froze and a frosty expression covered her face.

"I beg your pardon? There are rogues going after her?" She narrowed her eyes angrily. "Hasn't Otogi been watching over his older sister?" Hathaway instantly regretted adding that last part. He should have kept the courtiers anonymous. Then again, she might have asked anyway. "Otogi knows what will happen if Anzu is seduced by one of them." Her lips tautened. "Especially by that good-for-nothing, Marik Ishtar! You have heard what he and Bakura do with their women! They bed them and leave them to deal with any unfortunates that happen upon the woman! It is so irresponsible for Otogi to leave Anzu a victim to them." She set her teacup down with a firm gesture and dabbed at her lips with a napkin. "I believe I will come with you to see Anzu. I must put her on the right path in case she is encouraging such advancements. John kept her so sheltered..." She trailed off as she stood and briskly went to her own room, shutting the door behind her quietly.

Hathaway stared at the door for a moment before looking down at his coffee cup. His eyes smoldered with irritation. Damn Sofia. Why does she have to change her fancies so often? If I'd known she was so set on Anzu's reputation being pure, I wouldn't have said anything... He took a drink of his coffee and twisted his mouth. It had become bitter in the past few minutes.

X

Marik raised an eyebrow in slight curiosity, seeing Bakura's carriage roll to a stop behind his. He supposed he should have expected Bakura to come calling on them, but unless his friend had been following him, there was no explanation as to why he had come to Malik's gaming hell instead of his own. Bakura always checked in with the elder male Ishtar before the younger. Hmm, it makes me wonder if he and Malik hadn't convened last night... Marik thought idly to himself as Bakura came towards him, spotting him. "A bit early to be gambling in Malik's place, don't you think, Bakura?" He queried with a taunting that smirk that relaxed his tense friend.

"I could say the same for you, Marik," Bakura drawled in return.

"Ah, but I'm here to see Malik. We agreed to talk this morning after what we learned last night. Might I assume that those are your same intentions?" He gave a slight wiggle of his eyebrows that had Bakura snickering and shaking his head slightly.

"Why else would I come? Besides that, something Malik did early this morning disturbed me and we weren't able to discuss it completely since Isis was in the room." He paused, slipping a black cigarette from his silver case and lighting it after tucking the case away. "I filled her in on everything, too, by the by." He took a slow drag of his cigarette, his eyes moving casually over the settings. "Are you aware that Malik visited Anzu after you dropped him off at his club?" Marik tilted his head to the side slightly and saw the familiar carriage that had followed him last night sitting some ways from his own on the other side of the wide street.

"It's a good thing he did," he mumbled. "Did he say whether anything happened? It would help our cause if so." Bakura's gaze sharpened and it flicked to the carriage very briefly before turning back to his companion. "I'm keeping this game in action, Bakura, just that it won't be me against Malik. From the very beginning, he's had Anzu in the palm of his hand. I figure that if we can get him between her thighs and his seed in her womb, we'll be the winners."

"What are you implying, Ishtar?" Bakura rumbled, sucking more rapidly on his cigarette. "I'm not following this completely. What do you mean? You want us to go against Hathaway? That's crazy, do you realize that?"

"I'll explain it all in detail once Malik is filled in, seeing as how he's the one about to risk his neck." Bakura shook his head again as he inhaled the sweet cigarette and then tossed it to the ground as he blew out the smoke. Marik smiled faintly, seeing Bakura turning the notion over in his head with careful precision. At last, he merely shrugged and started towards the elegant building. Marik followed him, not daring to look over his shoulder at the carriage that watched him so diligently.

When they entered, Malik was standing on the second floor at the stairs, speaking to the men at the doors. He paused in seeing his two companions. "Ah. So here you are." Malik glanced to the men and raised a finger, warning, "No one, understand? If they try to get in, use your pistols if you have to. It's not uncommon for people to die in my establishment." The men nodded grimly while Malik waved Marik and Bakura upstairs. The doors thudded behind them as they glided up the two cases of stairs to the shining doors that entered one into Malik's office. "I assume your mind has settled, Marik?"

"But of course, brother," Marik cheerfully said as he shut the door and crossed to the desk, leaning against it, watching as said brother got out three glasses and brandy. "I've even come up with an alternative plan for us." Malik glanced mildly at him as he moved from his office to the adjacent parlor. The two followed him and he slumped into a divan, setting the glasses and brandy down.

"Is that so?" He questioned his brother quietly, seeming unperturbed by this information. "Can I expect it to be just as challenging?"

"You already have an idea, don't you?" Bakura asked in amusement as he poured himself a glass of brandy. Malik shrugged, sitting back to drink from his own glass.

"Mine and Marik's mind works similarly. He must have come to the same conclusion as myself."

"Perhaps," Marik responded easily, "but I'll tell you anyway. The game is still continuing, as you can imagine, but it will be the three of us against Hathaway and whoever else he has with him. If we can get Anzu Mazaki to fall in love with more than just your pretty looks," his eyes gleamed with humor as he said this, "then we might be able to avoid our deaths." Malik paused in raising his glass to his lips and lowered it, his expression dark.

"You mean for me to play with her emotions, Marik?" He paused. "And get her pregnant? I'd have to marry her or else I'd be sure to get killed."

"We'll deal with that problem when it arises."

"Perhaps Hathaway will find himself in an unpleasant situation that gets him killed," Bakura remarked with a lazy smile. Malik and Marik looked thoughtful, finding the idea amiable. "I could arrange it easily. Surely he wouldn't expect us to realize what he's doing?"

"But what of the men?" Malik prompted.

"They're not bothered by you. I'll act as bait for awhile. By the time they realize that Anzu has her eyes set on you and I've fallen back, it will be too late. Don't be so nervous, Malik!" Marik added at his brother's dubious expression. "If you use your best seducing skills, there isn't any way you can lose. With no competition, how could you lose?"

"Your conviction in me is amazing," he wryly responded. He sighed and rested his head back for a moment, thinking on the plan Marik had drawn up. He wasn't surprised that Marik would think up something so scheming. Usually, he had no problem with deceiving a woman, but Anzu Mazaki wasn't a common case. She wasn't like the other idiots in the ton that fluttered around like restless harlots. He already had her under his seduction and she would be easy to get into bed. He just wasn't sure how he felt about treating a kind, respectable lady this way.

"Speaking of those skills, Malik," Bakura spoke, "how did you even catch the lady as easily as you did? Obviously Marik fucked his chances when he assaulted her, but even so, her attraction has always been focused on you." Malik raised his head and arched an eyebrow at their curious expressions.

"The naïve are always the easiest to fluster." He smiled wickedly. "All I had to do is show her what a man's body felt like and give her a taste of pleasure." Marik snorted, the corners of his mouth tilting upward in honest amusement. Bakura merely took a drink of his brandy, unsurprised. "As for last night, as I'm sure Bakura told you, I made certain to catch her in my web. It will be an easy feat to persuade her to do more."

"I have no doubt of it," was Marik's smiling answer.

X

Otogi glanced up as one of the maids opened the doors of Anzu's parlor. By Shizuka's request, they had come to visit Anzu. She had been busy all morning, but thankfully they caught her at an agreeable time. He had noticed she was in unusually good spirits, but didn't dare ask with Shizuka glaring at him not to and the possibility of ruining her good mood far too high. Although, he thought dryly as he and the ladies swept to their feet, somehow I have a feeling that her good mood won't last long anyway. Hathaway and Sofia Mazaki gave their greetings and Anzu gestured them to sit, beaming all the while.

"I'm glad you're here, Otogi," his mother snapped out in a tense voice that had his body tightening with irritated anxiety. "I have heard some disturbing news in which I'm very unhappy about." He feigned a puzzled look, inwardly cursing her and the Ishtar brothers. He knew how his mother was with Anzu; Sofia wanted her to remarry and the prospect of her remarrying to a rogue who ruled over a gaming hell was no doubt an idea that Sofia found resentful. "In fact," continued Sophia, turning her sharp gaze to Anzu, "I cannot imagine that you would associate with those types of people, Anzu." Otogi stepped back a step to station himself beside his sister, subtly proclaiming his protection of his elder sibling.

"What types of people, mother?" Anzu queried in a coolly questioning tone. Sophia didn't so much as bristle at the manner in which her daughter addressed her. She and her children had had more than a few conflicting clashes between them. Even as kids, they had defied her, almost as though feeling her detachment towards them. But, of course, how could they not? Her tense politeness towards mere children drowned in comparison to their father's warm endearment. Even as youths, they had realized that they were unwanted by one of their parents. They were more of a fickle hobby than anything – and they knew it.

"Rakes," Sophia sneered, her eyes filled with malice. "Gamblers. Men that have no real station in Society! What others kinds of people would I be speaking of, Anzu? Do not try and act dim, because you are anything but." Giving a dramatic sigh, she gently clasped her throat, saying, "I cannot begin to believe that my daughter would have anything to do with roguish men. How can it be that she turns from a respectable, kind-hearted husband to complete scoundrels?"

"And how can my mother claim to not secretly associate with such men in the close confines of their homes?" Otogi retorted, furious at the implication that his sister was improper. Sophia's eyes flashed, but before she could say anything, Hathaway put a hand before her, silencing any scathing words that would have slashed at her son. It was a familiar gesture that both Otogi and Anzu recognized. As children, if they said or did something wrong, Hathaway would have to intervene before their mother verbally harmed them.

"Enough of the arguments," he quietly commanded, his eyes kind as he gazed upon his eldest child. "Anzu," he addressed as he lowered his hand and took hers in both of his. "Why don't you explain to us why it is that you are speaking with them? Hm?" He smiled, an earnest expression on his face. Otogi visibly relaxed, trusting his father far more than his mother.

Anzu considered hard over what response she should give her father. She knew he would accept any decision she made, but there was something that was holding her back from confessing her fondness for the youngest Ishtar brother. It was strange that she would feel so cautious towards her father, but she had heard him speak of people that strove to have lives such as Malik, Marik, and Bakura's. She didn't want to turn ill feelings towards Malik because of her own attraction to him. "I am friends with Isis Ishtar," she told Hathaway, not lying, but concealing additional information. He seemed to suspect that, too, because he continued to hold her hand and gaze at her for a moment before drawing back and nodding.

"And so you are only friends with her brothers and their friend?" He assumed with a raise of his eyebrows. She smiled and nodded to him. "We had heard they were courting you."

"The ton often looks too much into things. All I had done with any of them is dance. If it is because I danced with them that they are courting me, then I suppose that is that."

"They never personally called on you? Sent you gifts?"

"No," she lied, keeping her face clear of any thoughts or emotions. She had learned to lie in the past years and could do it well. Her father seemed satisfied with the response and gradually returned to being the gentle man that she was accustomed to. Things may have gone well after that if not for the guests that arrived next.

"My lady," her maid said as she opened the parlor doors for the third time that day. Anzu turned to her, a curious look on her face. "Malik Ishtar, Marik Ishtar, and Bakura Ryou," the maid announced, stepping aside. The color drained from Anzu's face as the three elegantly seductive males stepped into the parlor room. Otogi seemed frozen in his spot beside Shizuka, who looked slightly horrified. The worst was Anzu and Otogi's parent's expressions. No one but the three males saw the loathing in Hathaway's eyes and the shock and anger in Sophia's.

"Well," Marik drawled as the parlor doors closed, "it seems we're right on time for a party."

End Chapter Ten