Avi


She had never heard a crowd cheer so loudly before. He felt her eardrums would burst open and bleed. From a balcony atop one of the House of Gray's guest palaces she watched Yuri and his friends parade on horseback through the streets under a rain of confetti and flower petals surrounded by soldiers and knights who had traveled from afar to see them. A forest of banners from their respective Houses washed the streets in their colors. But poor Yuri had no House to claim to. No one from the Delgados wanted to raise a banner from him and House Wallcroft was extinct.

But Stas, Marcel, Michael, Jaeyoung, Jon, and Ryon rode on both sides of Prince Yuri proudly holding up the banners of their Houses as though he was a member. Avi smiled seeing the brotherhood the princes had with each other. They had considered Yuri as family. How could they not after all they had been through? She prayed she could be part of that bond herself. She went weak in the knees seeing Prince Yuri for the first time. Yami rode alongside him dressed in black engraved armor with a black solid cape with red underneath. It wrapped around him as though it was made of solid steel.

"Here they come," said Blair. "All the way from Dallian Academy. Aren't they handsome?"

Trish shook her head. "If I wasn't into women, I would have an eye for them. But they are beautiful men, that much I will say."

"Do you grow nervous, My Lady?" Stefan asked, standing with her waving to the crowd who were congratulating them both on their marriage.

"I have never met the Eradicator of Anubis before," Avi gulped nervously, dressed in a white gown of a flowery design trimmed with gold. The top shaped like a budding lily flower opening to reveal the upper-half of her breasts. Fira disapproved of the design for there were slits at the sides which showed much of her legs. No doubt it was of Stefan's choosing. A tiara of silver and diamond glimmered on her head. Her golden hair was pulled back and curled. Large diamond earrings shined brightly on her ears.

"I haven't met them before either," said Stefan. "I am more nervous than you."

"What makes you say that?"

"I am still an enemy in their eyes. At least Yuri and Master Yu-Gi-Oh have accepted you." He stared at her for quite a while. "You look beautiful."

That made Avi grin, but she began to wonder if he really meant it. Ser Gerhalos was wise to stay vindictive of the Church, for they were not known of keeping oaths. Her future husband's father was a good example of that when he raised an army despite being on the losing end of a duel under the Dueling Pact. But she was not worried.

She had her dragons and her friends. And as soon as Ser Gerhalos came back, she would pack her things and leave, resuming her quest to find more dragons and finding opponents to beat to gain the favor of Stardust Sifr Dragon and Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend. With those two in her arsenal, she would prove to be a formidable foe in the Tournament of the Summoners when it was time for Yuri's coronation. Then again, Stefan promised her the location of far more powerful dragons should she choose to go through with the wedding and no time was wasted for its preparation.

As of now, the best tailors in Domino City were hard at work designing a wedding dress for Avi. She gave a heavy sigh looking down at the parade again. Camera crews began sending out drones to get a good look at the seven princes for the news outlets reporting the festivities of the conference which would end all hostilities with the North once and for all.

"Present arms!" shouted the general of the Royal Army of Eredas. The soldiers in suits of Kevlar and steel plate raised their rifles as Prince Yuri and his companions approached the gates of his castle.

Yami looked up at Avi. She smiled at him and waved to get his attention, but her master just glared at her and turned his head away. Avi's smile faded quickly, and she felt a sense of uneasiness rush through her gut and up her chest.

"He didn't look too happy," Fira whispered into Avi's ear.

"He's just serious," said Aldara. "Don't worry."

"Look at all those knights!" Tordo gawked at the heavily armored men below. He admired the armor Prince Yuri was wearing. It was the armor the Elven kings gave to him the day it was announced he was going to be High King. The jewels studded all over the massive golden plate Yuri was wearing made him sparkle with each step. The banners whipped through the air and the hooves of their steeds clopped on the white cobbled streets.

"This will be a very interesting luncheon my friends," said Stefan. "I will see you there, love." He kissed Avi's left cheek and strolled away casually followed by an escort of tactical knights and the abbot.

"We should get moving too," said Ser Arthur now clad in white enameled scaled armor with a gleaming white cape.

"Aw, but I want to see the knights!" pouted Tordo.

Neow! Neow! Hissed the Baby Tiragon, proudly perched on Avi's shoulder. He snapped at Tordo as if telling him to get moving.

"Come my little warrior," Aldara beamed at him. Baby Tiragon flew off of Avi's shoulder and on to Aldara's.

"You'd best come along too, Dove," said Fira. "I imagine there is much to discuss at this lunch."

Avi followed Fira and Aldara back into the castle. The fans cooled her face dreadfully warmed by the hot southern sun. Hard to believe Duel Island was starting to undergo winter thanks to that Blizzard Dragon she heard so much about, one of the few surviving true dragons in Termnnia alongside Ser Damien's Luster Dragon and the Five Dragons of the Knights of the Crimson Dragon. She had met one of them, Ser Yusei Fudo, earlier that day before the parade began. She would have loved for him to be one of her companions. To her surprise, Yusei said he would think about it. The rose petals that rained down from the sky was from Lady Akiza, another Knight of the Crimson Dragon, riding atop her Black Rose Dragon, showering the princes below with roses from its rose-shaped wings.

As Avi went deeper into the tower that was the House of Gray she saw Yami leaning against the engraved walls waiting for her.

"Master Yu-Gi-Oh!" Avi bowed. "It's so good to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same about you."

"What do you mean? What have I done that has displeased you? I'll have you know I found many of the creatures on my quest."

"And by many you mean two?" Yami asked.

"It is not easy finding these things, Master! I thought you should know that."

"Come, I have someone who wants to meet you."

He got off the wall and walked down the extravagant halls of the tower. Avi was not surprised when she saw who her guest was. Yami took her into a room with glass walls veiled with white curtains. There looking out into the city was Prince Yuri. He turned to look at her and smiled.

"Yuri," said Yami. "This is her. Lady Avellana Lofnmagni Ethelfleda. The Summoner of Dragons."

"My prince!" Avi cried out in shock. She fell to her knees. "I am not worthy."

"You act as though I were the Higher Power himself," Yuri chuckled warmly. "If anything, you have more influence over the people than I do. It's you I should bow down to."

"You will be the High King," Avi said standing up. "You bow to no one."

"True, and you are the Summoner of Dragons so the feelings mutual. Yami...er...Yugi tells me that is not a gift seen in this world for thousands of years."

"Indeed," said Yami. "A gift that was wiped out by the very organization you vow unity to."

Yuri nodded. "You're marrying the archbishop of the Church and the King of the North. Both of whom are mortal enemies of cultures like ours. Why, Avellana?"

"He was so convincing," said Avi.

"So convincing that you would strike your knight champion in defense of this foolish proposal?" Yami scored. "Ser Gerhalos has risked much to keep you safe young lady and this is how you repay him?"

Great. Avi frowned. Just great. First, she had to lectured by Ser Gerhalos. Now it was Yami.

"He treats me like a child! And what do you mean foolish? I'll have you know this marriage was for Prince Yuri's benefit."

"And just how will marrying the most powerful figure of a cult hell-bent on the termination of magical ideologies benefit me, Avi?" Yuri asked. "The Church sent witch-hunters to kill my mother. If they had, I would not be here right now and Anubis would be ruling again. And, if I recall, they sent witch-hunters after you too."

"You also preached your hate against them many times," said Yami. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"They were under orders of King Forrest," Avi protested. "Stefan is different."

"I'll decide that for myself," said Yami. "At the feast."

"That goes for me too," said Yuri. "I can't take his word without suspicion. We believed King Forrest would end his violence with a pact and look how that turned out. He tried to have me killed! My friend Slifer made sure he paid for going against me. And for killing my brother."

"I am sorry about Leon, My Lord."

"If you truly are, you would not have accepted Stefan's proposal for marriage." Yami sighed with frustration. He rubbed his Millennium Puzzle to ease his tension.

"Why are you against this?" Avi asked. "I could very well end the violence and hate that poisons Termnnia."

Yami sighed again. "As you wish. While we are here, I'd like to discuss your quest for the dragons, Avi."

"Ah, just in time," a voice said from outside the halls. He entered the room. The young man was an Eldori with tanned skin, golden eyes and dark teal hair that spiked out from the back of his head, and in twin spikes with the likeness of two horns in addition to two ponytails bound with golden rings. He was holding a black staff with cubed holographic orange ornaments that spun and disappeared and reappeared in a loop.

"This is a fellow Eyar of my order," said Yami. "And, if Avi wills it, her newest companion. May I introduce you to Aigami."

Yuri and Avi bowed before the presence of another wizard of the Eyar.

"Aigami is the one who knows where your origins lay, Avi," said Yami.

"However, that little secret will remain hidden until matures at her task," Aigami said inspecting Avi, sternly. "She cannot be a Summoner of the High King with a record like hers. Two dragons even denied being summoned by her, for she is too weak."

"This is true," Avi said shamefully. "What he says is true."

"I know," said Yami. "But don't worry. Aigami knows a thing or two about Summoning."

"Well this is exciting news," said Yuri. "I wish you luck on your quest. I must say, it's good to finally meet you. I look forward to having you as my Summoner but be wary. The competition for that job is fierce."

"Thank you, Thank you all," said Avi. "My prince, I believe they are expecting us for lunch." She offered Yuri her arm. Yuri bowed politely and took it and led her outside into the halls. Yami and Aigami followed.

As they trekked through the castle, Yuri and Avi were blinded by flashes from hundreds of cameras. Microphones were shoved into their faces from eager reporters bombarding them with questions. How do you feel Prince Yuri? Lady Avellana, are you thrilled to finally meet with the High King? Can I get you two to kiss? Show us your Black Tyranno, Prince Yuri! Can we trouble you for a demonstration with your dragons Lady Avellana?

Black Luster Soldiers and Buster Bladers quickly separated the two most famous figures in Termnnia from the mob of reporters and escorted them to the grand dining hall where the Princes were sitting together before a very long table of polished redwood. The guests clapped when Prince Yuri and Avi came through the doors with Aigaimi and Yami following.

There was a throne of gold and wood in between Jaeyoung and Jon. That seat was for Yuri. When he sat down he felt as though he was trapped in a prison of food. Roasted king crab legs. Swordfish steaks crusted with herbs. Honey baked ham on a silver platter with sweet-smelling plants surrounding it. A lobster still steaming from the pot lay gallantly encircled by quail basted in honey sauce and peppered with herbs as well.

Avi could not sit with them, for her place was with her future husband and with a group of priests from all the chapels in Domino. And Stefan's four brothers, Pyke, Jaime, Romulus, and Seamus, each of them were lords of their own northern territories. There was a woman with red-blonde hair sitting alone at the corner of the table, away from Stefan and the princes. She wore red enameled armor trimmed with gold and a long red skirt damasked with dragon-like designs. She was once King Forrest's ward when the New Dragonheart Rebellion was set to rise a decade ago. Her name was Daralis Dragonslayer, a former member of House Deepclaw a cadet branch of House Dragonheart.

High Chancellor Pegasus and his sons Yako and Gekko were sitting together at the right end of the table.

Stefan was standing proudly over his guests dressed in his best on his own throne in front of the large glass wall with a panoramic view of the city behind him. Prince Marcel glared at the arrogant king, for his throne was bigger than Yuri's.

Stefan stood up and held out his hand for Avi's. She blushed nervously and took it. He led her gently to her chair of silver and myrrh and comfortable white cushions. A fleet of helicopters thundered behind the window and shook the dining hall, brilliantly lit up by sun casting rainbow hues on the table. She sat down and observed the princes with her silver eyes.

They must have heard of her engagement to Stefan, for they did not talk to her or even look at her. In their hearts, Avi marrying a great enemy of their culture was like a stab in the back. A betrayal to the good faith they had in her. Michael especially. He had known her longer than any of his friends, yet he did not even greet her. Avi wanted to burst into tears seeing them neglect her this way. Yami saw this and offered a toast to break the silence. He felt relieved when they clinked their glasses with Avi's though they did so hastily. And so, they dug in after a priest gave a two-minute blessing to Yeyu.

Jon could take it no more and grabbed his fork and started eating. Michael and the others followed as well.

"Praise be to Yeyu!" the priest called out before sitting down, feeling perturbed that the arrogant youngsters disrespected his faith this way. Avi began feeling uneasy. She and Stefan may sway the people in peace with their marriage but it would take a great deal more convincing to get Prince Yuri and his friends to approve. Shortly after starting their meal, Stefan stood up and tapped his steak knife against his glass.

Yuri and his friends stopped eating at once and looked at him like poisonous vipers ready to strike.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming here," he announced. "Now I know, you are still in the third month of your semester at Duelist Academy, and, again, I'd like to thank each one of you for taking time from your busy schedules to join me in this talk of peace between or cultures. Enough blood has been spilled for our beliefs and I believe we can end such hostilities today."

"If you have a point, get to it," grumbled Stas. "I'm starving."

Avi sighed with disbelief. Stefan was no doubt from the most aggressive faction of this dispute, but he was more on the side of peace than Yuri and the others.

"It is not the first time you and your people have held peace talks before," said Michael. "Every pact we have made with your Church you have broken. Master Yu-Gi-Oh defeated your father's champion, your little brother Prince Malcolm the Spoiled, in a match to stop the hostilities and yet he sailed to Emboldor and tried to kill not only Yuri, but all of us."

"I am not King Forrest," said Stefan. "Friends. Please. Do not persecute me for the sins of my father. Look, I have more than proven myself by asking Lady Avellana to marry me. She is a magic user and I am a Yeyunist."

"An act we find rather condemnable," spat one of the preachers. "If you want her for a wife, she must promise to convert to the true church and cease summoning those demons."

"They are not demons!" shouted Avi.

"I rest my case," Michael said leaning back on his chair. "Avi you once talked my ears off with your hate for the Church. Now you marry one of its leaders. Where is the logic in that? You yourself said there is no negotiating with them, and this priest here is proof of that. Even when in the midst of discussing peace, he forces you to convert to the faith under pain of death."

"I never said…"

"You don't have to say anything, Father," Michael interrupted the priest. "I have read your White-Gold Tome. 'He who does not accept my word or the teachings in my Tome will have his head removed and he is a demon caller, burn his cards. And if he has a wife, she will be given to you to pay for his sin of non-belief. And you will sell his children away. His daughters will be slaves and his sons will take the sword with the Templars'." Michael grinned arrogantly. "You said this to me once when I rejected your religion, yes?"

The priest went quiet. Stefan nodded in agreement.

"It is because of radical people like you that we have enemies everywhere, Father!" shouted Stefan. "You either accept my wife is a user of magic or I will have you stripped of your position!"

"Your father would have your head for this if he was still alive!" snapped another priest.

"You lot are ruining everything!" shouted Pyke. "Damn you all!"

"And to think I could be dueling in Endless Night right about now," groaned Stas. "I knew this peace conference was a waste of time. And so what if you're marrying Avi. You think marrying a pretty mage convinces us that you are true to your word? Have you heard the tale of Lady Angelina and the Wailing Tower?"

"I have," said Stefan. "But those are the days of old. I assure you that our faith can move forward. We must unite our forces and combat the Orcs."

"So that's it, eh?" said Jon. "And you needed to marry Lady Avellana to do this when all this time you could have just joined us long ago?"

"I agree," said Yami, wiping his chin with a red handkerchief. "If you really wish to lend your support to Prince Yuri, why not just end your hostilities and just join him. You did not have to bring Avi into this though marriage."

"Don't any of you see?" said Avi. "Mages, duelists, and magic users everywhere look to me in these dark times. If they can see me unifying with Stefan, the archbishop of the Church of Yeyu, they will surely change their minds and see we can coexist with the Faith and vise versa. Our bond will show Termnnia is a land for everyone, regardless of their beliefs."

"You gamble a lot with this, Avi," said Michael. "Your admirers could see you as more a traitor than a beacon of unification and peace."

Avi grimaced and looked down at her plate sadly.

"It is also foolish to think a single marriage will end the hostilities of the Church," said Marcel.

"Which is why I sought to join your alliance today," said Stefan. "Please. Allow me room in this grand brotherhood you have and let us show the people that we are capable of getting along. Together, we can rebuild Termnnia into the superpower it once was in the ancient days."

"Fine, but there are a few terms you must meet to gain our trust," Jaeyoung said, spinning his knife on the table.

"I will do whatever I can for you," said Stefan. "Whatever you ask. I will do. If you ask me to end my marriage with Lady Avi. I will do it."

"As ludicrous as the marriage is, you make valid points," said Jon. "Keep the Summoner. It matters not to us."

Avi cringed again. They hated her. Deep down they all thought she could be the ultimate tool in taking down the poisonous ideologies of the church. But her accepting Stefan's proposal to marry him was like taking a furious jab at their hopes for toppling the organization for good. Yami groaned with disbelief as well. He could not believe they were being so hard on her.

"First off," Ryon began. "You will tell your people to end all violence with magic users once and for all. If they so much as harm one of our citizens the alliance is off and we'll march with full force to Naralia to throw you out of power and send every Yeyunist back to Balodrum!"

"I will tell them as soon as I can," said Stefan.

"You will tell them today, at the speech!" Ryon demanded. "You will sign the treaty my friends and I have been working during our trip from Duelist Academy. Your promise will be law."

"It will be done."

"Furthermore," Jon added. "None of your followers will force any of our citizens to convert to your religion. That will also be part of the treaty."

"Third," said Jaeyoung, "your church will pay for Elleria's debt to the Termnnian Bank."

"This is preposterous!" shouted one of the priests.

"It will be done!" Stefan shouted over him. "For many years, you lot and my father have harassed that kingdom. It is high time you paid for your sins. All of you!"

"But Your Grace…."

"SILENCE!" shouted Stefan. "Not another word!"

"I will not pay a single coin to a Kingdom whose heir was to be a faggot!"

Michael stood. "Talion was my friend! Watch what you say or I'll cut your tongue off!"

"You would threaten a man of the Church!" the priest countered. "I have contacts everywhere who can make your life a living hell boy."

"ENOUGH!" roared Yuri. "SIT DOWN!" he ordered Michael. "We're not getting anywhere like this!"

"Prince Yuri is right," said Avi. "Please, everyone, this is a conference for unity and friendship. Let us not bicker like children. We all want a world that we can live together in peacefully. Fathers, I know this must be very difficult for you. You are proud men and astute believers in your faith and I commend you for that. But these are new times. If you are to move forward and keep your Church standing tall, you must accept there are those who do not see the world as you do. And violence will only pull you further and further away from the peoples of this world. You are up against armies vastly superior to yours and…" he looked at Yuri and his glowing green eye. "And a god."

"He is no god, Lady Avi," said the priest.

"Then call him what you will," said Avi. "It does not change the fact he has the power to kill dark lords and commands three of the single most powerful beings to ever walk the earth, who alone can destroy all you stand for. That is the last thing you want is it not?"

"She is right, brothers," said a priest, garbed in blue. "This alliance is blasphemous in my eyes, but, it is one we must make. Otherwise, we will wind up destroying one another. The wars caused by the violence of our followers has cost us all dearly, you know this."

Murmurs of agreement from the priests.

"The same goes for you lot," Avi directed her words to Yuri and the Princes. "A leader from the organization you hate has come offering terms of friendship and you spit it back in his face. Prince Michael, how many times have I heard you make speeches at the table begging for a better world? A world where we can be free and share our ideals? Well you have your chance now, and refuse to take it. Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on you! And now, you all persecute me for trying to bring us together. At least I have made some attempts to end the violence with the church. What have any of you done?"

Avi silenced everyone. She didn't know how she was doing it but she got everyone to settle down and think about what they were doing. Her speech continued. Soon, Jon started rolling up the parchment with his list of demands. Daralis smirked and sipped her wine. Yami beamed at her.

"She's amazing," said Yugi, appearing next to him to watch her speak. When she was done, Pegasus stood up from his seat and clapped. Yako and Gekko did as well, followed by Yami and Aigami.

"Yes, she is," said Yami.

"I will marry your sister," said Seamus Lord of the Ice Barrier. "And pay for the wrongdoings of my father."

"So be it," said Jon.

"And we will begin collecting donations to pay for the debt Elleria is in," said the blue-garbed priest. "We were the cause of that unjust war. It is only fair we atone for our mistakes. We have plenty of gold anyway."

"So what say you, Prince Yuri?" Stefan asked. He stood up and offered a hand. "High King of Termnnia?"

Yuri stood up and shook his hand.