It was sunny. Delphinium curled up on Yami's lap. The majestic library of Alexandria. Delphinium's most favorite place. In front of them was a huge scroll. Papyrus scroll, imprinted on them the golden hieroglyphs.
"Cui dono lepidum novum libellum arida modo pumice expolitum?" Delphinium began reading from the Latin scroll a poem of Catullus. This was the father and daughter's favorite time of the day. When the afternoon sun was setting and Yami was finished with his ruling for the day. They'd sit down and read aloud, watching the sunset and the clouds darkening to a light indigo, followed by brilliant pink and orange tinting its blue depths. Yami had taken time off every afternoon ever since Delphinium was three, teaching her the fluent language of Greek and Latin. Now, this has become a favorite and most intimate past time between the pharaoh and the princess. His effort was not in vain, for all queen must be capable of several languages. She was the only princess in the whole royal court to know more than four fluent languages. Ethiopian, Arabic, Latin, and Greek.
"Corneli, tibi: namque tu solebas meas esse aliquid putare nugas." She continued. "Iam tum, cum ausus es unus Italorum omne aevum tribus explicare cartis... Doctis, Iuppiter, et laboriosis!"
"Laboriosis." Yami corrected her pronunciation gently. "Continue."
"Quare habe tibi quidquid hoc libelli—qualecumque, quod, o patrona virgo, plus uno maneat perenne saeclo!" She finished and turned to Yami expectantly.
"I do say, love, your sweet accent is getting better and better by day." Yami said warmly, affectionate smile on his face. "Now, let's skip to the next part of the Greek story you were reading. I'd read it at my own time, but I rather like that sweet, young voice reading." He teased, passing her yet another scroll. Delphinium beamed with pleasure.
"Krêtê tis gai' esti, mesôi eni oinopi pontôi kalê kai pieira, perirrutos: en d' anthrôpoi pilloi, paeriresioi, kai ennêkonta polêes." She read sincerely. Then stopped.
"What's wrong, my flower?" Yami cocked his head.
"This is my most favorite verse in the whole story, Yami." The girl said, an authentic look on her serious little face. Yami smiled and stroked the younger girl's dark hair tenderly.
"Out in the dark blue sea there lies a land called Crete," he began reading in his smooth, rich, baritone. The little princess snuggled closer to his chest and gave a happy, satisfied sigh. "A rich and lovely land, washed by the waves on every side, densely peopled and boasting ninety cities…"
"Out in the dark blue sea, there lies a land called Crete," Daphne whispered. She huddled in the dark library of Kaiba Mansion, the one her cousin gave her. She had discovered in the library a section filled with ancient literature, some written in the ancient tongue. She found the book Yugi had given her for her birthday. It was penned in a spidery writing in the ink of blood red. The pages were yellow were age and the leather cover was heavy, dusty, and filled with answers to the enigmatic mystery. Tears uncovered themselves as Daphne sat on the cushioned window seat, curled up in her nightgown. She opened the book and flipped to the crusty first page.
"Andiué de lae cotend aúe amoúr." She began reading. Out of everything she had expected to read, this was definitely not what she had expected. "The story of love." Tears filled her eyes. The pain. Oh, the pain! She let the sadness and tears conquer her for a moment, before clearing her throat and began reading once again.
"Fruile ailus zêurs gil la de cuólieurs. Theus côn wélué qlie alie. Etús prae bié te morié pasieonleus. Amoúr no laúe. Tis guêdidus es muri nadé num."
Peace began filling her as serenity and tranquility washed over her as she continued reading. Her eyes grew heavy as she translated on. "De amoúr es miaô granditos. Quins bélla al frilst." She suppressed a yawn. "Wisidomé notis de amoúr es notases wisidomé nada."
Daphne's eyelids slowly closed over her deep violet orbs, but not before she read the last sentence of the prologue. "Amoúr upes allieué."
Love stands all.
"I can't find her anywhere!!" Yami wailed after scrambling up the stairs. Bakura ran a hand through his hair, exasperated, bloodshot in his fudge brown eyes.
"How big does this mansion get, mortal?" He snapped at Kaiba, who was frantically running from room to room on the second floor.
"She's not here!" The tough CEO almost whimpered. "Where could she be?!"
"Oh, Daphnia, my Daphnia." The pharaoh sank to his knees, groaning. "Where are you?" He began muttering insanely in Egyptian, shaking his head and his eyes downcast. Bakura stomped passed him and saw this, dropped down on his knees beside Yami and shook him roughly.
"We have to keep looking, you old retired pharaoh!" He said harshly. "Snap out of it! Have you given up?" He taunted. "Must I lead you right up to her simply because you can't handle this?" Yami's head shot up, red in his eyes.
"Of course not!" He snapped, struggling to his feet. "I can find her anytime, any day, anywhere." He scowled. Bakura gave a smirk.
"Let's see you try it." He tapped his foot on the ground.
"How do you want me to—" Yami began, then froze in mid-word. All of a sudden, the answer floated up to his mind.
Yami and Priest Seto ran through the golden palace, from chamber to chamber, almost ripping the whole alcazar apart in search of their young princess.
It had happened early this morning, Myra had gotten a high fever and very sick. The doctors didn't know what made her sick, but had announced sadly that the poison could not be healed. Yami, Delphinium, and Priest Seto had all been there when this was announced. Delphinium had turned pale and stuffed her fist in her mouth to keep from crying out. Seto reached down the pick the young girl up, but the princess turned around a fled from the room. Yami hadn't worried about that then, he had been pressuring the doctor to do his entire best for the closest member of his family.
But now, it had been seven hours, Delphinium had not appeared.
"It is known to everybody that the young princess liked to play hide-and-seek." Priest Seto gasped for air as he and the young Pharaoh almost clashed into each other.
"I don't think so, Seto." Yami panted as well. "If we don't find her in half-an-hour, I'm alarming the whole kingdom."
"Your Excellency," Seto began. "Has this not happened before?"
"Why, n—" Yami stopped, then gasped. "Yes!" He whirled around and took off running in the opposite direction. The lanky high priest followed.
"When her cheetah died three years ago," Yami shouted back. "She was also missing for a whole day."
"Where was she?" Seto yelled back, his long legs running as fast as they could.
"The Library of Alexandria! She's got to be in there this time! That's where I found her every time she wanted time to be alone. Every time she need to find peace within herself." Yami shouted. "That's also where she runs to when she doesn't want her princess lessons!"
"You could have mentioned that a little earlier, Your Royal Greatness! Then we wouldn't have had to search for her for three hours!"
"I'm sorry, but that thought never occurred to me!" Yami apologized as they rounded into the entrance of the library. Without warning, the pharaoh of Egypt threw the door open and sped for the third floor of the marble mansion.
"Princess?!" Seto hollered as he chased Yami through the library. They passed through shelves and shelves of scrolls and finally, Yami stopped in front of the balcony. He was scared to breathe, his heart was thumping so hard that he was afraid if he opened his mouth, it would jump right out. He walked slowly toward the linen draped divan. He closed his eye and took a deep breath, then peeked at the divan.
Delphinium was curled up in a ball, her head resting on the divan's arm, watching the red sunset.
"Delphinium?" Yami said, hurrying over. He scooped her up and hugged her so hard that she couldn't breathe. "Don't ever do that to me again!" He said into her sweet-smelling hair.
"Oh, by Ra!" Seto gasped as he dropped to his knee, gasping for breath. "Princess," he chided, out of breath. "I beg of you, don't ever do that again."
Delphinium pulled away from Yami's embrace and continued to stare out at the red ball of fire. "It was all my fault." She said quietly. Yami frowned.
"What is?" He probed.
"Aunt Myra's death." She stated simply, still not looking him into the eye.
"Oh no, Delphinium, Myra's death wasn't your fault!" He insisted, trying to pull his daughter back into his embrace.
"No, my lady," Seto also cutted in. "Princess Myra's death was caused by sickness and fever. It was nowhere near your fault."
Delphinium pulled away from Yami. She alone knows the truth. "No," she looked up at both noblemen. "She was poisoned," she said slowly. "She was poisoned because she was always supporting me and the idea of me being a princess."
"Where did you get these wild ideas?" Yami swallowed hard. The statement was not hard to believe. It would even be logical. More logical than what the doctors had in mind. If it was true…poor Myra. She sacrificed herself. Yami cleared his throat and turned away, biting his lips. He looked at Seto, who shrugged.
"How did you know?" He asked gently. Delphinium fixed her dark eyes on the sorcerer. Her gaze was so intense that she almost didn't look like her naïve self. Then she said clearly, emotionlessly,
"Because they said after Aunt Myra dies, they're coming after me."
"Well?!" Bakura's irritated voice shattered Yami's reminiscence. "Do you know where she is? You've been spacing out for the last five minutes. Looked like when your soul was trapped in the Shadow Realm."
"The library." Yami said quietly. Then focused and ordered, "Kaiba, take us to the library you gave her!"
"Why in the world would she be in there?" Kaiba snapped back, not use to being ordered around. "It dark and scary. Trust me, when you're in this mansion and you don't know it very well, it's creepy."
"Just take us there!" Both spirits ganged up. Kaiba reluctantly agreed but continued to grumble something about 5,000-year-old yamis ganging up against him.
Seven-year-old Princess Delphinium peeked from behind the large food storage door. The large, burly guards were not paying attention. As quick as a wink, she slipped passed them, into the huge barn of dried corn, wheat, barley, and oats.
She considered and examined all the contents of the barn. Since she was petite and small, she decided on a bag of wheat, which supposedly should be the lightest of them all. She climbed on top of the bags and tried to push the top bag off. She knew better than to pull one from the bottom of the stack. But she pushed and she pulled, the bag won't budge from the weight of the rich components. Finally, one kick, the heavy bag landed with a thump on the barn planks. Satisfied, she slid off the pile and proceeded to drag the bag out the storage unseen. But dragging a bag out as big as her, proved to be a challenge.
Delphinium groaned and grunted. She gritted her teeth and her heels dug into the floor and she strained back. Those poor people needed food. They're starving. And she, the princess, has to help them. Yami had always taught her to love her country and help her people. Starving them surely wouldn't do. She had already done this before, and she could do it again.
She strained and pulled as the bag slowly edged toward the door. She peeked outside again. Good, the guards were gone for the moment. She yanked the bag out and charged off with it toward the agora. She was free to be herself when she escapes from the palace, to speak in Greek and to wear her dress with the royal purple veil and nobody knew she was the princess. There, she filled the beggar's hands and filled smaller bags for the starving family. One blind grandmother heard that they were going to have fresh bread for supper and burst into tears of gratitude. Delphinium, always a sunny child, went and gave her a hug. The old woman had a scratch wool tunic on and Delphinium pitied the material. She thought of all the silks and satins that draped over walls and lined the floor. Even her cheetah, Sheeba, had a prettier and more comfortable bed than this hut. With the old woman's arms around her, Delphinium's scarf that covered her hair slipped, giving her the idea. She pressed the violet silk sash into the old lady's hands. If she couldn't see it, then at least she could feel the silky, soft material.
She pulled back, but with a start, Delphinium realized there was a small girl, about her age, hiding behind the grandmother's rocking chair. The two young girls eyed each other then Delphinium, seeing how the other child had no toys nor pretty trifles, gave her something she happened to be carrying on her. A small, carved pure gold box with a necklace inside, turquoise set in gold. Then while the girl's eyes were widened in awe of such a precious gift, Delphinium skipped off to distribute more food to the needy.
But when she got outside, she found that her bag had been torn open no contents were left. Instead of frowning, she smiled, knowing that it must be a needing family that took the wheat. Her small legs carried her back to the barn, where she attempted to steal a bag of cornmeal, but was caught because the bag of corn made a louder thump than the wheat for being heavier.
"So you're the little thief that had been stealing wheat, huh?" One burly guard snarled, catching hold of her arm roughly. Dismayed, Delphinium realized that without her purple scarf, the color stating royalty or higher rank, the guard wouldn't even consider her rank to be more than a peasant. Or lower. She groaned inside her head. She should have thought before acting, but this always happened. The first time, she almost caused a man's life when he was found with the pure golden crown of the pharaoh that Delphinium had given him. The last time, she had given a poor, but honest, slave a gem-studded scepter that had belonged to one of the high priests. Yami had scolded her for both occasions and tried to finish the mess that she had begun.
Yami noted her good intentions, but admonished her for being hasty. She had always been an obedient and sweet child—most of the time. But sometimes, her too-innocent and helpful 'bright' ideas turned her into the mischief devil all at once. This time, she's probably going to suffer the consequences that she had brought upon herself.
"Um," Delphinium said uneasily as the guard yanked her toward a direction she wasn't familiar with. Yami had taught her always to remain gracious and polite, even to the peasants. "Excuse me, sir…but I do believe—"
"Shut up!" He snapped, continue to pull her along. Wasn't that the building that Yami had warned her never to go near? She swallowed hard and felt small and scared all of sudden. And all of her curiosity about the place from before diminished as she thought about what could be in there. She gave a low whimper. All of her princess lessons were forgotten, her rank and authority floated out of her mind. She was only a little girl, frightened and alone.
And she wanted her daddy.
Okay, Delphinium, she told herself. Calm down. Remember what princess lesson number 3952 said to do in a situation like this? She racked her brain for the answer. She pondered between the idea of screaming at this brute to unhand her or to declare to position as Princess of the Nile.
But as she pondered over the ideas, her answer dropped on top of her—literally.
"Just wait till I get you, Akahi!" Priest Seto Kaiba yelled as he scrambled back to his feet. He pointed a finger at the man who threw him out of the large building. "You just wait till I get you, then I'll show you who's the REAL master!" He huffed and wiped the sweat off his brow before turning to help whoever he sat on up.
"Princess?" His eyebrows shot up with confusion. His finely featured face looked around. "Where's the Pharaoh? And where's Dark Magician?"
Dark Magician was Delphinium's personal bodyguard, which he was more than happy to carry out the wishes of Yami. Yami knows the certain fondness Dark Magician had for the little princess and he doesn't trust anyone more than his faithful Dark Magician. Even in Duel Monsters, Yami was always reluctant to use him fearing he would get hurt, but Dark Magician had never failed him before and was more than willing to do as his master's bids.
Delphinium loved her silent bodyguard immensely. He was silent, yes, but when she was alone and needs comforting, he was there. He was there most of the time she got into mischief and his touch was one of tenderness and care. He never seemed to mind when she ran into him and give him a hug.
Delphinium shuffled her feet sheepishly, and without looking at the high priest, answered, "It's Dark Magician's day off and Yami doesn't know I'm here."
"And he had been worried sick looking for you since this morning," Seto said sternly, holding out his hand. "Come along." But the guard yanked her back.
"I caught this little riffraff stealing from the Pharaoh." He growled, then a gleam came to his eyes. "Do I get an award or something?"
"Unhand her, you miscreant." Seto demanded coldly. Royal guard suddenly appeared beside him. Delphinium ran behind the priest. "Take him. He shall be punished for laying a finger on the pharaoh's daughter and—" he looked at him pointedly. "Calling Her Royal Highness a despicable name." He waved them along. "Move along, now."
Then he turned back to Delphinium, "I would escort you back to the palace, but I have an engagement I must attend to." He gave her a stern look. "Go straight to Yami, no dallying or Yami might just take a chariot-whip to you." He winked. He knew just as well as Delphinium that Yami would never lay a finger on her, no matter how naughty she gets.
"Thank you, Seto." She called back as she turned to run back to the palace. Seto nodded. Delphinium slipped into the palace and ran for Yami's court.
Just then, Princess Sarabi, the daughter of one of the highest ranked princess, came sauntering down the palace hall, a flock of princesses her age in her wake. Delphinium stopped in her tracks. While she was always friendly and courteous to the girls, they made it clearly known that they didn't not like her nor respect her.
"It's such a disgrace the way you're always running around wild or reading corrupted novels in another language." She sniffed, tossing her thick hair. "My mother said that a proper princess never runs, especially with those paupers. And she also said that a true princess would be satisfied with one language."
Delphinium looked down at herself. She was quite a mess from when Seto sat on her. Come to think of it, her hair was also a wind-blown mess with sprinkles of grains scattered on them after she had given her scarf away.
"A princess ought to know better." Another princess giggled. "But then, what could you expect from a princess that was thrown away by her own mother and found by the pharaoh?"
"Just look at yourself." Princess Sarabi continued. "No wonder all the mothers keep their daughters from you!" The other princesses gave a nod of agreement.
All the mothers kept their daughters away from her? Delphinium suddenly felt a bile taste in her mouth. It had never occurred to her to wonder why the other girls never played with her. After all, all she had were Yami and Seto and Dark Magician.
"What do you mean?" She bit her lips.
Princess Sarabi ignored her and turned to the other girls.
"My mother says it's a shame that Pharaoh Yu-Gi-Oh never married, but that is perfectly understandable. After all, what respectable noblewoman would want to deal with a wild princess like Delphinium? Especially when she isn't of noble blood?!" She emphasized the last two words and spat them out like a disease. "It would be like bring those pheasant trash into the palace." She spoke conversationally, as if she were discussing the weather or a new chiton.
Delphinium suddenly remember all the times she'd come into the palace banquet, late, tracking with dust from the street of the agoras. How Yami would sigh and shake his head. Was he secretly ashamed of her? Was she truly a disgrace? A cold, sick feeling curled in her stomach.
The corners of Sarabi's mouth turned up in a small smile, and the sight of that knowing smile made Delphinium's back stiffen. The words tumbled from her mouth in a rush.
"Yami loves Egypt!" She blurted out. "He's never going to care for another woman as much as his own kingdom!"
Sarabi turned to her smoothly, not a hair out of place, not a sash untied. "Then he must not care for you very much." She paused, drawing the moment out. "After all, you are the reason he's going to loose Egypt!"
Delphinium gave a small cry and stumbled back as if she'd been punched hard in the stomach, the air going out of her in a rush, leaving her knees wobbly and weak. She wanted Yami and she wanted him now. Yet, she wondered if any of what Sarabi was saying was true.
The other princesses laughed and nodded agreeing.
"My mother it's truly horrifying how Pharaoh Yu-Gi-Oh brings her up." A princess said cruelly. "Duel Monsters, Greek, and Latin! May Arthrodite have mercy on us!"
"My father said that even the pharaoh's most trustworthy and loyal are very unpleased with him for rescuing Delphinium in the beginning." Another chimed smugly.
"I heard that they say that the fact that Egypt is going down is because of Delphinium. She's a plague bestowed upon us so we shall have no peace."
"Egypt probably cries from shame of having a princess like you, ruling the country one day!" Sarabi added, and burst into peals of laughter.
Delphinium couldn't bear to hear anymore.
She turned and ran.
"Daphne?!" A voice demanded. A hand reached out and shook her roughly. She groaned and her eyelids flattered.
"She's here!" Another voice rang out. "Is she okay?"
"Daphne, sweetheart, open your eyes and look at me." The first voice said firmly. Her eyes opened and distinguished three different colors. Midnight blue, crimson violet, and deep chocolate brown. A sigh was heard through the room.
"She's alive." The voice sounded satisfied though far from not anxious. Arms scooped her up and Daphne tucked her head under her cousin's chin and buried her face. Her head aches and she feels cold and hot at the same time.
"Daphnia, I demand an answer from you," Yami's voice barked. "You are sick, why did you not stay in bed? What's bothering you? Why were you in the library in the dead of the night?" Daphne stayed conscious enough to mumble something in a different tongue. Yami stopped still when he heard the warm, familiar words.
"Krêtê tis gai' esti, mesôi eni oinopi pontôi kalê kai pieira, perirrutos: en d' anthrôpoi pilloi, paeriresioi, kai ennêkonta polêes."
"So I was correct, it had been my fault." Yami whispered watching Kaiba leave the library with Daphne.
"What did she say?" Kaiba asked Bakura as they trouped back to her room, leaving Yami behind. "I'll admit, I didn't understand any of that." He cast a sideways glance of the Albino walking briskly beside him. "Or did you not understand either?"
"You underestimate me, Kaiba." Bakura smirked. "I understand Greek very well."
"Well, then?"
"Out in the dark blue sea there lies a land called Crete. A rich and lovely land, washed by the waves on every side, densely peopled and boasting ninety cities."
"I still don't understand."
"No doubt, it doesn't matter." Bakura waved him off. "The pharaoh knows what she's talking about."
The boys spoke of the subject no more. They settled Daphne back into bed and pressed a cold compass against her forehead. Yami appeared later, his appearance shocking. All of a sudden, dark circles were around his eyes and lines of fatigue and torture etched his face. He seemed to look beyond his years. He made an effort to be cheerful, but distress and pain was not concealed. He was the last to leave the room and sensing his reluctance, Kaiba and Bakura left him with Daphne.
Yami fussed with her pillow, smoothed her thick hair, and then stood and stared at Daphne's pretty face. He gave an inaudible sigh and turned to leave.
"Daddy?" A feathery whisper drifted into the air. Yami turned, sadness and sorrow thinly concealed. Daphne, filled with aching pain and sorrow in her heart, sensed what the pharaoh what thinking. She managed to say before falling back into blackness,
"Amoúr upes allieué. And I do love you, very, very much."