Chapter Twenty-Nine, Uncertainties

Isis lay on the divan, a teacup in her hands. She was dressed comfortably in a morning dress without a corset and a minimal amount of petticoats. Her hair was pushed to the side, giving her a warmer look than what her brothers tended to describe. Outside, it was beginning to sprinkle small snowflakes. Autumn was coming to an end as winter settled in. Despite the coming of cold, Isis was comforted by the sight of snow descending to the ground. It was still too early for it to stick, so it simply melted when it landed on the ground; nonetheless, the presentation was enjoyable.

Taking a drink of her tea, Isis turned her gaze to her two companions. Anzu was relaxing against the other divan, drinking her own tea, and Shizuka was playing solitaire on the table, sitting on a pillow on the ground. Her tea was mostly untouched because she continued to lose at the game. Throughout the escapade a few days ago, Shizuka had said very little. She didn't quite talk as often as she once did, taking enjoyment from the silence like Anzu and Isis had habit to do.

During the last few days, Isis only saw Seto and Otogi since Malik, Marik, and Bakura had slept most of the first day back in London. Since then, they had been gone doing things. From what Anzu reported, Malik hadn't even seen her yet, sending a note instead, telling her that he was safe, but had several things to get finished with Marik and Bakura before he came to see her. As he hadn't seen anyone else but his two companions, Isis suspected it was a true statement. None of the men had even been seen around their hells from what Otogi told her.

I feel for Anzu, she reflected sadly. She wants to see Malik so badly, but he has been so busy, no doubt fixing things up from Yami's death and all that has happened. Marik and Bakura could surely finish themselves, but he wouldn't leave them to do all the work. He could have at least gone to see her after everything was done for the day. This just leaves her confused and nervous...

"Isis, I can feel you boring holes in me," Anzu said, looking to her with a smile. "You really need not worry. I am fine. Malik will come to me when he has resolved all this business. As long as he comes eventually, I can wait." She took a drink of her tea before adding, "Besides, I don't want him fussing over my leg. Otogi complained through Shizuka of me leaving my own home, saying that I shouldn't be out and so on."

"He did," Shizuka put in with a firm nod. "I had to kiss him so that he would stop ranting. I have never heard him ramble so endlessly. And since he is still recovering, I started getting in on him about that and how he should not be standing and that he was lucky I was leaving the house so that he could actually be alone. He had a very amusing expression on his face. He was trying to look serious, I could tell, but it came out as a sort of odd grimace." She giggled, flipping a card over and giving a tiny cry of glee. "Perfect! I was hoping I would get this card!"

There was a knock on the drawing room door and Isis called, "You may enter." The door swung open and Malik entered and then faltered, seeing that all three women were present. He took a step back and ran into Marik, who let out a string of protests and curses. The two were shoved forward by Bakura, who stepped past them to greet the three women, smiling. "Is there something I should know about or are they just acting like that to be obnoxious little children?"

"Oh, I think 'obnoxious little children' is a mild term for it," Bakura replied with a smirk. He turned to Anzu and she smiled, setting her teacup aside. "And how is your leg?"

"I never did thank you properly, Bakura," she said, reaching up and hugging him. She brushed a kiss across his mouth and then dropped back onto the divan, folding her hands across her stomach. "You and the other two haven't been around, though, so I guess I can't completely blame myself. My leg is feeling much better, too, thank you for asking."

"Good. We've been putting some things at rest now that Yami and Radisson are dead. We also managed to find all of Yami's money, along with your own. We transferred it into your account since it would just be a hassle to give it to you in person." She nodded, smiling, and her eyes drifted over to Malik, who was standing by his sister, eyeing Bakura jealously. She might not have given him a kiss if not for everyone being aware of just whom she belonged to and whose heart lied with her. As Bakura passed her to peer over Shizuka's shoulder at the solitaire came, she took her cup and sipped at it, meeting Malik's gaze with a warm one of her own.

He came to sit on the edge of the divan, resting a hand on her uninjured leg. "I wish I could have seen you sooner. How have you been?"

"Fine; my leg is healing well enough. I'm not upset that you didn't see me, Malik. You had other things going on with Marik and Bakura. I understand that." She set her cup aside again and sat up, sliding her legs beneath her as she circled her arms around his neck. "I'm glad to see you finally, though..." She felt his tentative hands on her back, pulling her closer and smiled against her arms. After a moment of snuggling against him, Anzu was aware that the room had gone strangely quiet. She pulled away and looked at the staring gazes fixed on them. Malik, too, turned to see what had caused the silence.

Isis sighed, clasping her hands. "It is so beautiful...My little brother – "

"Don't say it," Malik intercepted quickly. She grinned back at him. Uncomfortable with the attention he and Anzu were attracting, he rose from the settee and told Anzu, "I'll come visit you soon." She smiled and gave a light nod, seeming to understand his reason for leaving. He glanced at his brother and Bakura, as if asking if they would follow. Bakura approached him, but Marik remained near Isis, shrugging at Malik. "Let's go..." Bakura raised his hand in a wave and then he and Malik left the room, closing the door softly behind them.

"Why did you decide to stay, Marik?" She asked her brother, honestly curious.

"Because Bakura is leaving," he answered, "and Malik is going to see Seto."

X

Malik had walked with Bakura to the door and all the male had said was, "Good luck," as if he knew too well what Malik had planned for the rest of the day. He was exhausted, having received very little sleep in the past days. However, this was a matter in which he couldn't put aside, especially when he knew that his sister's husband was alone for once and everyone else was preoccupied. With Otogi in bed still, the three ladies gathered in the drawing room with Marik, and Bakura returning to his gaming hell, he could be out with his brother-in-law without too much attention.

Having a fair idea of where Seto might be, he ascended the steps to the next floor and moved down the corridor to Seto's study. He knocked on the door briefly before entering just as the male raised his eyes from his desk. One of his thin eyebrows rose at Malik's appearance. Without giving any greeting, Malik shut the door and stood there, taking in the room that Isis had kept locked up in the familiar settings until recently when Seto reopened it. It was set up just how he would expect an aristocrat's study would be, with the desk settled in front of the wall-length windows, the curtains pulled back to give a view of the ground below. On either side were bookcases and two velvet-covered chairs were sitting before the desk on the soft, dark blue carpeting. "I need some assistance with something," he said at last, turning his eyes to the azure depths. Seto nodded slowly and pushed away from the desk, getting to his feet.

"Whose carriage will we be using?"

Accustomed to Seto's quick grasp of things, he replied, "Mine." The two exited the study and they only paused at the door for Seto to retrieve his greatcoat. Malik stepped into his carriage while the latter male gave a destination to his driver. When Seto stepped into the carriage and shut the door, it moved forward and Malik released a heavy sigh. "This seems like a mistake...I'm not at all sure if I'm doing the right thing here." The earl chose not to verbally answer, merely turning his gaze to his companion's face. "I can't even imagine myself in a married life. Things have seemed fine as they are. I shouldn't want to be married. It's absurd."

"Marriage is different," Seto told him. "Marriage means that no other man can have her, that everyone will know who she is with, and binds you to her eternally. Marriage is a means of solidifying your relationship. Trust me, Malik, every uncertainty that you feel now will evaporate when you both are wearing a wedding ring." He eyed him for a moment and knew instantly that there was something further that bothered Malik. He frowned, realizing that Malik had lived an entirely different lifestyle than Seto had. Despite that, he understood the anxieties the young male faced because he knew him so well. "You're afraid of losing everything, aren't you? Malik, you are underestimating Anzu, not to mention forgetting that she is not your typical gentlewoman. She won't strip you of your late nights with Marik and Bakura, nor will she demand that you give up your gaming hell. She has accepted that part of you or else she wouldn't put as much trust in you as she has."

"Did you change when you became married?"

The question caught Seto off guard for a moment so that he was unable to answer immediately. He considered it seriously and then carefully said, "Not necessarily. It wasn't marriage that changed me, but Isis. I had changed before I became married to her. If you're fearful of change, you have no reason to be. You've already changed, Malik, whether you see it for yourself or not. I suspect if you asked Anzu if Otogi changed after he met Shizuka, she would have said that he did. Every man like us changes from women. You'll still be Malik when you get married."

Malik sighed at this conclusive statement, pushing his fingers through his hair as he rested his arm against the carriage door. He knew he loved Anzu – there was no doubt in his mind about that – but marriage was the real thing. It wasn't simply courtship. He would move her into his home and although a part of him was excited at thinking of seeing her every morning when he woke up, another part of him feared it. He realized that settling down made him feel...older...somehow. He wanted to continue with the reckless behavior that made him feel so young and alive; the only trouble with that was that Anzu made him feel that way, too. Every time he looked at her or simply brushed his fingers along her skin, a jolt of electricity would travel through his body.

I'll buy the ring, he decided, but wait a bit until I present it to her. It's not set in cement yet. Besides, there are a few others that I need to talk to this about...

The carriage rumbled to a stop a few minutes later and the two men stepped out of the carriage. Malik raised his eyes to the window with the shop's name branded on it. His stomach rolled anxiously and he wiped suddenly damp palms on his pants. Seto glanced back at him and gave a slight, sympathetic smile. His nerves calmed a bit at recalling that his brother-in-law had once had to go through this, as well. The earl opened the door, Malik entering before him. He paused a few feet in, his eyes moving over the elegant settings of the shop. A woman looked up from the counter and gave them startled glances as she hurried to her feet to meet them. She beamed at them, glancing between them with interest.

"My lords," she greeted. "What can I help you with today?"

"We're looking for an engagement ring," Seto replied. "It is generally customary for one to be betrothed first, but things tend to work a bit differently in our family." She looked at him in confusion, her eyes moving to Malik uncertainly. "Yes, it is for my brother-in-law. He has a special woman in mind." It was clear that she knew them both by reputation, hence Seto would need to deal with her bluntly in order to get this business hastily concluded.

"Oh...I see. Well, come and see our merchandise, my lord." She smiled at Malik, ushering him over to a side counter. She drew out several wooden containers that were filled with velvet, the rings settled in each slit methodically. Malik stood before the rings, staring at each ring for a length of time. He never commented or said anything about them, absorbed in finding the correct ring. Seto stood next to him, moving his eyes over the rings curiously. The shopkeeper watched the men nervously, her eyes flashing from one to the other and then to the rings.

"No," Malik spoke at last, "none of these will do." He drummed his fingers over the countertop for a moment. Only the other night while waiting for Bakura to conclude his business affairs with the underworld, he had been thinking of the type of ring he might like to give Anzu and had made a rough sketch of it. At the time, it was a passing thought, but seeing as how Seto had brought him to what he presumed was one of the best ring shops and they had nothing he wanted, he could see if they might create the ring he imagined. "Do you take commissions?"

"Commissions?" She repeated blankly. "Why...Of course we do, my lord. It is far cheaper to simply buy one of the prepared rings instead, though."

"As it happens, money is of no consequence to me, much less with this matter," he said, digging in his pocket for the piece of paper he had scribbled the drawing on. He could feel Seto's mild gaze, no doubt wondering when he had gotten the time to consider over a ring commission. He set the drawing on the counter, continuing, "As the earl has said, I have a very special woman who I intend to propose to. It is only right for her to have a ring that matches her." The woman picked up the paper and peered down at the drawing with an artist's eye, her face lighting up with interest.

"My husband is actually the one who creates the rings. This design will be a challenge for him."

"But can he do it?"

"Oh, yes, my lord, he can do anything once he puts his mind to it. He loves challenges." She tucked the paper in a pocket on her dress, giving a grin. "Commissions are rather expensive, though, and we must consider the materials and time it will take. Not to mention, we have other commissions we must deal with first."

"There is no must about it," Malik calmly stated. He removed some bank notes from his pocket and slapped them on the counter. Her eyes rounded at them and she moved to take them, but he slid them away at the last minute. "This will ensure that you abandon all commissions until mine is finished. This will be half the money you receive for that particular favor. I will pay the rest when I receive the ring, along with the payment you deem fair. As a businessmen and a man of trade, I will know whether it is fair or not, so keep that in mind." He smiled soothingly to take the bite out of his words. "And should I assume that commissions cannot be returned?"

"That's right, they can't."

"That's fine. When can I expect it to be finished?"

"If you come by tomorrow, I can give you an accurate estimate. As for now? I would say...about two to four days, five at the most." He nodded.

"I see...Thank you. I will stop by tomorrow to get a better idea of when the ring will be finished." He released the money and she snatched it from the counter, pushing it into the pocket the drawing had disappeared in. As he and Seto left the shop and entered the carriage, he muttered, "Hopefully it will be satisfactory."

"I imagine it will be," Seto answered. "I had mine custom made, as well, and it came out exactly as I had drawn it, even better."

"You knew I wouldn't be interested in any of those rings, didn't you?"

"Of course."

X

The day after Malik seen Anzu, Otogi claimed to be well enough to leave the house. After much fussing from Shizuka and the servants, he escaped the townhouse, pulling his great coat on and stepping into the carriage. He had hoped to leave without the entire household learning of it. Because of their incessant worrying, he had been delayed for an hour before he could leave to his destination.

Bakura had stopped by yesterday, telling him that he had seen Otogi's wife and sister at Isis's. Surprisingly, the reckless male ended up staying at Otogi's, playing cards with him. Otogi hadn't understood the significance of this until, in the middle of the game, Bakura explained what had happened when he and the two Ishtars abandoned him at Isis's manor. He noticed that the rogue had artfully left out how exactly it was that Yami was killed and by whose hand; however, he did not want to lose this trust Bakura allowed in order to confide in him. Afterward, he told Otogi how they had cleared everything in the underworld because of the crime lord's death. By that time, they had finished playing cards and were through with the brandy.

"You're not telling me everything, are you?" Otogi had asked him.

"Of course not. You would have to talk with your sister and Malik to receive the rest of the information. As I said before, a good majority of these complications belong to your sister. It is up to Anzu what knowledge she thinks would be best for you." At that, Bakura had stood and made to leave. Before he could, Otogi gave his sincere thanks for his rescuing him from the underworld. There had been no 'your welcome' or taunting remark, but a mere inclination of his head.

It was his conversation with Bakura that caused him to leave the house at present. Otogi wanted to thank Malik and Marik properly. He also had business with Malik and Anzu. Since their troubles were concluded, as Bakura had insinuated, he suspected they would be more willing to elaborate on the past occurrences.

If I had got out of the house earlier... He reflected crossly. Then again... Shizuka and the others were only worried for my well being. I suppose I should be thankful, but they needn't act in that manner. I felt as though I were being smothered by a crowd of old grandmothers trying to coddle me. His expression darkened. Of course, it would have been nice if I had a mother kind enough to care if I was ill. Father at least stopped by. How he found out is beyond me. With that ending thought, he nestled in the corner of the carriage and closed his eyes to rest them for a moment. Regardless of his recovering strength, he still became easily exhausted. His lack of food and water in the days he had been locked up had given him long-lasting effects.

When the carriage stopped, he roused himself to exit it and give his driver a curt nod. He ascended the steps to the manor, snapping the doorknocker in quick, successive knocks. Standing was still a bit of an effort and he feared that if he was left on the steps too long, he might collapse. He waited a few moments and when he raised his hand, a calm-faced butler answered the door. "My lord," he greeted in an almost kind tone. His brow furrowed and he queried, "Are you quite alright?"

"No, I need some brandy," he muttered. "Is Malik Ishtar home? If not – "

"Do come in," he interrupted, taking his arm and guiding him inside. Otogi let out a breath of relief as the butler shut the door. He led him to the drawing room, a tentative touch on his arm. Once he had Otogi sitting on the divan, he poured a decanter of brandy into a glass and set them both before him. "Who may I say is here to see him?"

"Otogi Mazaki." The butler nodded and left the drawing room. Wearily, Otogi drained the glass, glad for the burning sensation of the alcohol in the pit of his stomach. He raised a hand to his face, rubbing his face absently with the palm of his hand. Shizuka had been right to tell him to stay home, but if he continued to ponder the facts that Bakura had excluded when they spoke, he was certain he would go mad and start screaming. He doubted his household would appreciate that sort of behavior from him.

"Otogi, Otogi," a sleek, chastising voice rolled from the doorway. He straightened with an effort to see his host standing only feet away from him. An arm was stretched above his head, his hand braced against the doorframe. By his disheveled appearance, it was a good assumption that he had been sleeping only a moment ago. Feeling ridiculously foolish for visiting when they both could see he was in no condition to do so, he rose to his feet and nearly toppled over. Thankfully, Malik glided forward and grasped his shoulders, shoving him back on the divan. "I'm not sure what you were trying to accomplish by that. After all, Hodges has informed me that you admitted to feeling ill. Shouldn't you be home, in bed?"

"I had some unresolved things that I needed to speak with you about. I was supposed to go to two other places, as well. As it happens, I am barely able to stand, so I may need to postpone those engagements." Malik's eyes narrowed slightly as Otogi poured himself some more brandy. "Bakura came to see me the other day and gave me an insight into what you three have been doing as of late."

"Is that right?" was the neutral response he received.

"Yes..." He took a long drink of his brandy. For a moment, he sat staring into the liquid substance in his glass. It spun around and around, breaking his pale reflection. When the brandy stilled, his mouth tightened at his appearance; he looked quite unlike his pristine self. There were dark circles beneath his eyes and his face was pale and drawn with fatigue. Turning his eyes from his reflection, he met Malik's lavender gaze. There was no judgment in his eyes, but a mild curiosity. No doubt he was wondering what had drove Otogi to see him despite his ill health. "Malik...Who killed Yami?"

"You want to know who killed him?" Malik questioned, one of his eyebrows arching upward. "Did Bakura not tell you that much?"

"No, and I can see that you are far more reluctant than him to tell me. I can only guess that it was neither you nor him, which leads me to believe that it was not Marik, either. So...Who was it?" Otogi watched the latter male's expression carefully. He had been correct in his assessment; none of the known rogues of London had taken Yami's life. He played with the idea of Seto killing him. That made no sense, as Malik and Bakura would have no qualms in telling him that it had been the earl. A sudden, ugly notion flashed in his mind. "No...One of the women?"

"Isis and Shizuka hurled themselves on Yami just as he was about to shoot Anzu," he quietly replied. "He had already killed Radisson, as you well know. Anzu had pointed a pistol at Radisson when she first entered Isis's house. Radisson took it and it was in her reticule. Anzu retrieved it while Yami was dealing with the other two and shot him in the arm. Then, the four of us came in and Yami shot Anzu in the thigh to provoke me. The two of us ended up trying to kill each other, rolling on the floor. He was about to stab me when she shot him. Your sister killed him, Otogi."

"But...Anzu has never held a pistol in her hands before!" Malik merely held his hands up in defense at the indignant tone of his voice.

"I had never known that she could use one until then, either. I imagine you intended to visit her today?" Otogi nodded numbly. "Perhaps you ought to do that once you recover some of your strength. Drink the brandy, it helps. I have a tonic that will help, let me go find it for you..." Otogi nodded again, unable to find any real words to form at the moment.

As Malik was leaving, Hodges approached him, following him to the kitchen. His cook gave him a puzzled look as he dug through cupboards for the tonic he used whenever he felt ill. "The young lordship seems very ill," Hodges hesitantly told him. "I would think it best if he went home rather than see his sister, my lord. He seems even worse than before."

"I agree," Malik said simply as his hand closed over the bottle of tonic. He smiled at his cook, asking her, "Should I expect a beautiful meal tonight?"

"As long as you don't go wastin' it!" She scolded, blushing at his attention. He chuckled and brushed a kiss over her cheek and patted it, leaving the kitchen and passing through the dining room with his butler trailing after him. Malik paused at the foot of the staircase, glancing towards the door of the dining room before looking at him.

"I agree with you," he repeated, "but he needs to talk to his sister. There are some details of her life that she has concealed from him. I just now hit him with one of them; it's better that he learns of it all in one day. She isn't willingly going to tell him, so I will go with." He held out the tonic to Hodges. "Give this to him while I get ready and make sure he doesn't leave. I'm not so sure he isn't trying to right now. Gentlemanly behavior dictates that he wait for his host to return, though, so I'm hoping it will keep him here..."

"I don't like this," Hodges told him bluntly, taking the tonic. "Causing conflict between him and his sister now might not be the wisest decision. Could you not wait a bit?"

"What I told him is going to lurk over his head, regardless, Hodges. As I said, it's better to get it done and over with rather than wait. Trust me. I know what I'm doing." Hodges hesitated on the threshold before giving a curt nod and leaving towards the drawing room. Malik watched him and then let out a deep breath, ascending the staircase, taking the steps by two. He would have no time to bathe, but thankfully he had done that only a few hours ago before he had gone to sleep.

As soon as he was in his chambers, he stripped of his clothes and hastily dressed. He paused only long enough to sit on his bed and shove his shoes on. He removed the pocket watch from his great coat that he had tossed on the floor last night and stifled a groan. It was an hour or so past luncheon. If they were lucky, Anzu would be home by now. From what he knew, Isis had been inviting her and Shizuka to luncheon the past few days. What they possibly had to talk about after seeing each other so often was something he preferred not to dwell too long on; he had the unsettling feeling it involved him and the other women's spouses.

As he came down the stairs, he heard Otogi raging at Hodges. Malik let loose an irritated growl, hearing the slight breathlessness to his voice. "Does the man have no restraint?" He muttered under his breath, swinging around the staircase with a hand on the balustrade. Hodges was keeping his guest away from the doors well enough, although he looked less than pleased to be having to lock the young lord in Malik's home.

"Enough of that, Otogi. You are harassing my butler." The young Mazaki whirled around to look at him, his face flushed with exertion and anger. "I see you drank the tonic. At least you paused long enough to do that." Malik swiftly moved forward, grabbing Otogi's arm and propelling him towards the doors. Hodges opened them for them and shut them firmly behind him. "Let's take a ride to your sister's. You did say you wanted to speak with her, am I right?"

"I damn well do not need you with me to get her to talk!" He exploded vehemently.

Malik threw him in his carriage without responding, raising his eyes to the anxious-faced driver. Marik had spoken him once when Otogi had gone missing, but Malik had never said much to him. Now, he could tell that the man was trying to decide whether he should trust him or not. He gave a soothing smile to the man, knowing it would work as it had on so many others. "Please take us to his lordship's sister's manor. We need to speak to her." He turned away from him briefly to shove Otogi back as he tried to escape. "Stop acting like a recalcitrant idiot, Mazaki, or else I am going to resort to far less kinder treatment." He glanced towards the driver, querying, "Alright?" The man nodded a bit uncertainly. Malik climbed into the carriage then and shut the door.

Across from him, Otogi was shooting daggers towards him in the dimness of the carriage. Malik hoped he would not try and continue his futile fighting. Already was Otogi breathing hard from his struggles. If he simply rested, then his strength would return and that was something they both needed at that moment. Meanwhile, Malik relaxed against the cushions of the carriage, keeping his eyes trained on Otogi; he did not trust him one bit at that moment.

Eventually, Otogi's tense body relaxed and he slumped against the side of the carriage, resting his eyes. Malik leaned forward a bit to listen to his breathing. Satisfied that he had fallen into a light sleep, he let his eyes slip towards the window and watched as people walked together on the streets. He had yet to return to the shop to determine how long it would be until his ring commission would be finished. He had intended on doing that when he woke up and instead had to watch Otogi to make sure he didn't make any mistakes with his sister. No doubt the thick-headed fool would only make things worse if he went alone, he concluded with a touch of amusement. He could only imagine how Anzu would react to that.

Once the carriage came to a halt, Malik leaned forward and pushed the curtain back to look at the peaceful manor of his lover's. A servant came trotting out to meet him, having recognized the carriage. He glanced at Otogi's slumbering form. Assured that he was still sleeping, he stepped out of the carriage and met the servant outside the gates. A briefly surprised look crossed his face. "Is Anzu in?" He asked him.

"Yes, my lord!" His eyes traveled to his carriage and the door Malik had neglected to shut. Otogi's form was seen clearly. "Is that his lordship...?"

"Calm yourself," Malik said soothingly, smiling as he raised a hand to halt any sudden conclusions that might spurt from the man's mouth. "As you know, Lady Mazaki's brother has been ill of late. The fool overexerted himself and fell asleep in the carriage. I did not attack him if that was what you were assuming." The serving man had the grace to look embarrassed, rubbing his wrist anxiously. Chuckling, he returned to the carriage and woke his younger companion. Otogi groaned, shifting and blinking groggily up at him. "Come on, pup. We're at your sister's home." He continued to stare at Malik for a second or two before stumbling out of the carriage after Malik. He swayed on his feet dizzily and after visibly shaking himself, followed him to the gates.

Otogi appeared to be fine up until they came to the doors when his face –which had reverted back to a healthy colour – paled and a slight sheen of perspiration appeared. The servant hurried them through the doors and to the den, where he helped Otogi onto a comfortable chaise. Without asking, he poured him some brandy and then inclined his head to Malik, hastening out of the room. Malik watched Otogi drink the brandy. If he had never known Otogi to be a rakehell such as himself, he may have been startled by the black and ruthless expression on his face. However, as it was, it only caused a mild surprise to stir in him.

"Perhaps it is best you not learn this now," Malik said, less to him than himself. Otogi flashed him an angry look.

"I am winded, that is all," he snarled. He drained the glass and clutched it in his hand with a vicious grip. "You don't understand what drives me, Malik. I knew that my sister had changed in those years that she was married with Mackin, but I never thought it was such a dramatic change that she had learned to go around killing people with a pistol. She is a lady of the Polite World – they don't learn such practices." He leaned forward and slammed the glass on the end table beside the chaise. "For Christ's sake, this is my sister! We used to be as close as you and Marik are now. During the time she was married, we couldn't depend on each other, and even while she was in mourning she rarely contacted me. It was only recently that we became close again. You could never understand the strain we had undergone..."

How ironic, Malik thought as Otogi dropped his face in his hands, his elbows propped against his thighs. Otogi could never know the pressure that was put on mine and Marik's relationship when I forced myself to befriend Seto. I don't regret it, even after what Seto did to my family. The only reason Marik and I haven't returned to that relationship is because he has just started to ignore Seto. It is better than the continuous conflict he started with him before... And yet, I wonder... How different are Otogi and Marik's positions? He hated Anzu's husband, just as Marik hated Seto.

A soft knock sounded on the doors before it opened. Anzu smiled lightly at them, closing the doors behind her. He noticed she locked them. "Otogi, Michaels told me that you were looking a bit pale." She moved to her brother, brushing her fingertips over his head. With a weary sigh, he pushed himself to a sitting position, pinning Anzu with an accusing stare. She returned it with a polite expression. "Apparently you're here for something."

And you know, Malik responded silently. Her eyes slid to him, a smile lifting the edges of her mouth.

"Bakura stopped by this morning. I was glad to see him, though what he had to tell me was...somewhat unsettling."

"You would have preferred me to remain in the dark about what happened after I was found?" Otogi questioned, his voice rough.

"He warned me you might come by with some questions. I'm surprised that Malik is with you. With your condition, it's best that he did." She hesitated, her calm exterior breaking for an instant. "If I tell you everything, Otogi...There is the possibility you could begin to resent me. I would have liked to spare you the details of this entire situation – that was why I had Malik, Marik, and Bakura help me instead. Isis was never supposed to know anything. Bakura told her and she was unintentionally involved by Seto. Are you sure you want to know my secrets?"

Otogi's eyebrows knitted together in sudden indecision. He looked towards Malik, an almost pleading expression crossing his features.

"This is your decision, Otogi," he gently informed him. "If you truly love your sister, then you will accept this side of her she's about to reveal. You claimed you two were close. She dealt with the person you were before you were married. Keep that in mind after she is finished."

"...Yes, of course," he mumbled, raising his eyes to Anzu. "I want to know, Anzu."

End Chapter Twenty-Nine

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DIS: Please read the note on chapter thirty. Thanks.