Okay, so this one's a little long. It makes up for Chapter Three being so short.

macbeth(): that would be pretty creepy … *maniacal laugh* but I'm not Jennifer. I'm a mind who wanders the psychic realm looking for a host that will channel me. This current one seems suitable enough. Anyway, thanks for the review!

*****

Sakura paced anxiously in the dining hall as she waited for Seto to arrive. To her annoyance, every sound startled her. She talked to herself ramblingly: "What made the guards drunk has made me bold. It has given them rest, but I am far from eased."

There was a hoot, and Sakura clutched a chair for support as she tripped. "The owl! Fatal bellman," she whispered. "He is about it. I set everything up for him. I drugged the guards – they mocked Gozaburo with their snores."

"Who's there?"

Sakura held a hand to her mouth – that was Seto's voice. Had someone woken up while he was still at it? "Where is he?" she asked as she continued pacing. "It shouldn't have taken this long. I laid the daggers on the table for him. Ha!" she spat derisively. "I would have killed Gozaburo myself if he hadn't looked like my father, the old fool." She stopped in midstep when her husband came down. "Kaiba?"

"I did it," Seto said. "Did you hear anything?"

"I heard the owl and the crickets." Sakura said. "And I think I heard you."

Seto looked at her. "Just now? As I was coming down?" Sakura nodded. Seto turned away. "Is it Noah who sleeps in the second room next to the stairs?" Again she nodded. He sighed. "I heard two voices. One laughed, one cried murder, and when their persons woke, they said their prayers."

"Bakura is in there with him," Sakura said.

"I realized that," Seto said. "What I want to know is why I couldn't say 'amen' when they finished."

"Don't think these things," his wife said contemptuously. "They'll make you go mad."

But Seto continued, his voice betraying his increased state of panic. "And then I thought I heard a voice say, 'Sleep no more! Kaiba has murdered sleep!' 'Glamis has murdered sleep!' it said, 'and so Cawdor will sleep no more. Kaiba will sleep no more.'"

Sakura turned Seto to face her and shook him. "Kaiba! Then who said it, if you even heard it? Get a grip!" She held his red hands – in each was a bloody dagger. "Seto! Go put these daggers back and smear Gozaburo's men with the blood. Then come back and wash your hands."

Seto looked away. "I can't go back. I can't look at what I did."

"Ambitious fool!" Sakura exclaimed. "Give me them, then – it has to look like they did it."

She stalked out of the room. Presently, there was a persistent knocking, which caused Seto to jerk. He mentally shook himself. What is with me? He thought. I jump at every sound. He raised his hands, and seemed to see them for the first time. "My hands … they're covered with blood," he murmured. "I would turn the oceans red before I could get all of it off!"

Sakura returned and found Seto had not moved. "Look, Kaiba – my hands are red, but my heart's not as white as yours," she said scornfully. She grew cognizant of the knocking and pulled Seto after her up the stairs to her room. "Seto, we need to wash your hands and change into our nightgowns – we can't seem to be awake!" When he still continued to lag, Sakura verily dragged him. "Come on, Kaiba! Don't be lost in that heads of yours!"

The knocking grew increasingly more persistent. Seto laughed sardonically. "Wake Gozaburo up! I wish you could."

*****

At the front gate, the drunken porter rolled onto his back and waved an empty bottle. "Have at ye! You won't take me alive!" he said before falling asleep again.

But the knocking would not stop. It stirred the man to life, and he pulled himself up. "Jeez," he drawled. "Only the devil-porter at the gates of hell would have this much knocking." He staggered to the gate. "Who's there?" he called.  He paused before opening the entrance. "Wait. No, let me guess – " He rubbed his temple and held the bottle to his forehead. " – You're a farmer who hung himself after he found out the crops he kept wouldn't sell as much as much as he thought!"

The knocking, which had temporarily ceased, started again. "No, ya dunce!" the voice called. "Jus' open up already!"

"One more try – " the porter called back. "You're … a Christian who believes in Buddha!"

"Don't be stupid!" another voice said. "Let us in!"

"Oh, you're no fun," the porter said as he opened the gate. "But I suppose it's too cold for hell."

Joey and Tristan rushed in. "Hey! Don't forget me!" the drunk man halloed while conspicuously rubbing the ball of his thumb on the tips of his index and middle fingers.

Joey frowned as he tossed a coin. "Whateva. Why are ya sleepin' in so late anyway?"

The porter took a look at the bottle in his hand, up-ended it over his mouth and, when nothing came out, dropped it. "If you must know," he said with feigned seriousness, "we were up until three having a very important party. And drink provokes three things."

Tristan raised his eyebrows. "Oh really. What are those?"

"A red nose, sleep, and urine," the porter said as he counted on his fingers. He used the middle finger twice so that he seemed to come up short. "And I always forget what the other one is. Lessee … it can't be lechery. The drink provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance…"

"Jeez, sorry I asked," Tristan muttered. "I take it the drink knocked you out last night."

"Yup," he said, shaking a finger and weaving as he spoke. "But I give it a good one!" He smiled a silly smile and passed out.

"Ah, I give up," Joey said. "Where's Kaiba?"

They heard a muffled scrap and looked up. Seto had come out and was looking down on them from behind the rail above. "Good morning," he said.

"Mornin', Kaiba," Joey said. "Is da king up yet?"

Seto shook his head. "Not yet. Why?"

Joey started up the stairs. "Gozaburo wan'ed me to visit 'im early. I almos'  forgot."

Seto watched Tristan come up as well. "I'll bring you to him," he said, and went down the hall, and tapped at the right door. "This is it."

Joey paused before entering. "Might as well go in – he asked me to," he rationalized.

Seto crossed his arms and leaned on the wall behind him and closed his eyes. "Is Gozaburo supposed to leave today?" Tristan asked him. He nodded affirmation.

"Last night was crazy," Tristan said, making small talk. "The wind howled like a murdered person, and the owl outside my window would not shut up. And apparently, there was an earthquake."

"It was a rough night," Seto agreed.

"I can't remember anything like it," the thane murmured.

Suddenly, Joey came out of the room and slammed the door shut. He leaned on it, breathing heavily. "What's the matter?" Tristan and Seto asked.

"'e's dead!" he panted.

Seto shook Joey. "What did you say?"

"Do you mean Gozaburo?" Tristan said.

"Go see fer yourself," Joey said, still gasping. "Don't make me talk anymore."

Seto shoved Joey aside. "Move!" he said, and entered the room with Tristan.

Revived, Joey began running up and down the hall. "Murder! Murder!" he cried. "Yami! Bakura! Noah! Wake up! Dere's been murder!"

Sakura opened her door just in time to catch Joey. He ran headlong into it and collapsed. "Joey!" she said as she knelt to help him. "What are you doing running and screaming like that?"

He shook his head. "No. You don't wanna hear dis." He saw Yami Yuugi approach them. "Yami!" he yelled. "Gozaburo's been murdered!"

Sakura stood with a gasp and stepped back, shaking her heard. "No," she whispered. "Here?"

Yami Yuugi offered Joey a hand. "Tell me you're lying."

Joey pulled himself up as Seto and Tristan returned. With them was Daemon. Sakura noticed her husband had bloody hands. She made eye contact with him and gave a small nod. "If I had died just an hour before now, I would have lived a blessed life," Seto said. "Now nothing is important. The wine of life has been drawn, and nothing is left but the dregs."

Bakura and Noah appeared behind Yami Yuugi. "What's wrong?" Bakura asked.

Seto laughed bitterly. "You are, and you don't know it. The very source of your blood is stopped."

"What?" Noah asked, still not comprehending. He looked at Yami Yuugi and Sakura.

"Your father's been murdered," Joey said.

"What?" Noah repeated. "No! Father!" he ran into Gozaburo's chamber.

Bakura bowed his head in sorrow. "By whom?" he asked softly.

"It looked like the men with him did," Tristan said. "We found them and their daggers covered with blood." We watched Noah return, stunned.

"Forgive me," Seto said, showing Bakura and Noah his hands. "In my fury, I killed the guards."

"Why'd ya do dat?" Joey asked.

Seto turned away. "I lost control of myself. I saw Gozaburo dead and all I could think about was revenge."

Sakura held a hand to her forehead. "Oh God!" she said as she collapsed.

"Someone! Get help!" Joey said as he knelt to attend to Sakura.

Noah pulled Bakura aside. "Why are we so quiet?"

"There may be a traitor among them," Bakura whispered back. "We should go – no one will cry for us."

Noah sighed. "You're right. I just wish we didn't have to leave Father."

The brothers made room for the attendants who came for Sakura. "Look the lady," Yami Yuugi directed.

When they had left, Yami attended to the matter at hand. "Let's meet again when we've clothed ourselves, and investigate this further. I will not stand for this injustice."

"Neither will I," Joey said.

"Nor I," said Tristan, Daemon, Bakura, and Noah.

"All right then," Seto said. "Let's meet in the hall."

One by one they exited to their chambers, until only Bakura and Noah were left.

"What'll we do?" Noah asked. "You said we shouldn't talk with them."

"We should split," Bakura said. "I'll go to England. The longer we stay here, the easier it'll be for whoever killed our father to come after us."

Noah sighed. "You're right. I'll go to Ireland. And let's hurry – there's no point in being polite about it."

Bakura nodded. They dashed down the stairs and out the front gate. At the stables, they hurriedly hitched their horses galloped away.

In his room, Joey finished buttoning his shirt and looked out the window. He spotted the brothers riding away.

"Damn," he muttered.

*****

Sakura looked down on the dining hall from the balustrade above. When the gathering concluded, and the men had dispersed, she approached Seto. "What happened?" she asked. "There was a lot of yelling and shouting and I couldn't catch everything that went on."

He embraced his wife and kissed her on the forehead. "Your Majesty, we are going to Scone."

*****

Daemon was drinking and brooding at a table in one of servants' kitchens when one of the older employees came in. He busied himself with utensils and spoke: "In all of my seventy years, I have never seen anything like this."

The thane laughed bitterly. "Even nature rebels against Gozaburo's death. It should be day, but it is still dark outside. Now, is that so because night has become more powerful than day or because day is hiding its face in shame?"

"How strange," the old man remarked. "Just last Tuesday, a mousing owl attacking and killed a falcon."

The weary thane held up his glass and the old man refilled it. "Put this up on your wall of weird – you know Gozaburo's horses? The nice ones he had?" Daemon said.

The other nodded. "I heard they ate each other."

"I saw it with my own eyes," Daemon said and took a swig of the drink.

Joey entered and began rummaging through the cabinets. "What are you doing here?" the thane of Ross asked.

Joey found some bread and held it up. "I couldn't find any food."

"Hand me some," Daemon said, and Joey tore off a piece and slid it across the table as he took a seat. "How's life?" he asked.

"D'ya hafta ask?" Joey said as he took a bite.

"Do we know who killed Gozaburo?"

"Those fellas Kaiba killed."

Daemon chewed thoughfully. "It's just as well – what good could they do?"

Joey shrugged. "We decided dey were probably bribed by Bakura and Noah. Of course, now dat dey're dead, we can't ask 'em. But I did see dem two traitors run away after we'd found Gozaburo dead."

Thane of Ross shook his head. "I can't believe it. All this just because they're driven by ambition." He looked at Joey. "Then the kingship goes to Kaiba?"

"He's already left for Scone. Dey're crownin' 'im dere."

"What of Gozaburo?"

Joey swallowed a piece of particularly dry bead and took an offered drink. "He's goin' ta Colmekill, an dat's da way it should be."

Daemon stood. "Are you goin' ta Scone?"

"Nah, I'm goin' ta my castle, Fife," Joey said. "Why, are you?"

Daemon nodded.

Joey raised his glass in a kind of toast. "Well, I hope you see good dings dere. We've had enough of da bad stuff."

The thane thanked the servant as he left. The old man shook his head. "It was nothing. But God bless you and the people who try to clean up this mess."