Of Love and War: A Plan
Author's note: Yay! Another chapter ^_^ *still hyper* What can I say, it's summer and I'm having fun!
Warning: Yaoi, Au, possible OOCness, etc.
Disclaimer: Nope, no own… come again…
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"And that's what happened…" Yugi told them. Isis leaned back in her high backed chair, rubbing her forehead. As soon as the prince and Yugi had awakened, she had requested an audience to see what had really happened. Everyone who had been involved in the battle for the Tower was there, including Shizuka and Mokuba, and Honda though he himself had no magical powers.
"I hadn't thought the elven council was really that treacherous," she murmured, clear blue eyes gazing out as if in a trance.
"I hadn't expected it either. Not until it was too late," Yami stated, crossing his arms. He was glad to be free of the council's spirit prison, though the fact that the half-blood thief had been his rescuer was a little disconcerting.
Said thief was currently leaning against the wood paneled wall behind Ryou's chair watching the meeting quietly. He too was disturbed by the idea that the council had created such a powerful method of confinement. He had seen what it had done to Yami, and could guess what it would have done to little Yugi had the prince not been shielding him. It worried him that such a device was available in the world. What if he was trapped in it? What if Ryou… Bakura shook his head. No, he would die a hundred times over before letting the elven council get their hands on *his* healer.
Bakura wasn't the only one disturbed by the idea of the spirit prison. Seto was also troubled. The elven council had always been extremely against any and all relations with the human realms, and completely against half-bloods like himself. The idea that they had a way of actually purging the Tower of all mages of human decent… Now that was alarming. If the council had already betrayed and attempted to kill their prince… who knew what they might do next.
"What do you propose we do about this Isis?" Ishtal asked. He seemed almost too calm for the situation, until one looked into his eyes. They were swirling with mixed emotions, mostly worry and anger. Isis sighed.
"I really don't know Ishtal. We can't go against the council without defiant proof…"
"What more proof do you need?" Yami exclaimed. "We were there. We know what happened! What more do you need Isis?" Isis glared at him, her eyes icing over and turning to steel.
"What would you have me do prince? Attack your own kingdom? The Tower has barely gotten back on its feet from the last attack!"
"Couldn't we just tell them the truth? Tell the people the truth?" Yugi asked, violet eyes shinning. He didn't want them to fight over this, no matter what. Fighting wouldn't solve anything now. A soft chuckle made him turned.
"They'd never believe it," Ryou murmured softly. "The council has too great an influence over the elven people. What ever you told them the council would immediately turn down as false. They're tricky, and I agree with Isis. We can't make the first move, we have to wait for them to give the Tower itself a reason to fight back." Yami couldn't help but glare at his former healer.
"How long do you expect us to wait Ryou? Waiting won't solve anything."
"Neither will attacking them," Ryou stated. Bakura raised an eyebrow. Ryou had never once talked back to Yami, never. "Yami-sama, the people need a reason to follow you, not the council. If we can't earn their faith, then hundreds of lives will be sacrificed needlessly." Isis smiled softly, gazing at the young healer.
"So like you Ryou, to think of the innocent people before those involved." Ryou blushed at the comment.
"I just don't want to see people hurt," he murmured in answer. Malik smiled and leaned back on his chair.
"So then, we need to find a way to convince the elven people that the council is full of brainless idiots on a power trip," he smirked. Ishtal grinned at him.
"Now how are we going to do that?" he thought, tapping his chin.
"Make one of them sit through a council meeting for a day, they'll get the idea pretty fast," Otogi scoffed from the corner he was leaning against. Isis eyed him carefully.
"What do you know about this situation?" she asked. The emerald-eyed elf shrugged.
"Not much past their plans to get rid of Yami. They're pretty quiet about everything, even with the guard," he answered. Isis nodded and reached under her chair to pull out a handful of yellowed pamphlets.
"From what all of you have told me, I may actually have an idea," she murmured, flipping through the aged documents. Malik raised an eyebrow, watching his sister carefully.
"What do you mean?" he asked, voice wary. Isis lifted the papers in her hand.
"According to legend, in the northern wasteland there is an ancient city where elves and men once lived in peace and harmony before a storm of darkness separated the two races forever. Supposedly, each race blamed the other for summoning the darkness to destroy them. No one knows what truly happened, as it has been lost in a history of anger and betrayal," she explained.
"Is that what you were searching for ten years ago," Malik murmured quietly. Isis nodded, gazing at her brother sadly.
"It was. I wanted to prove truth to the legend. Sadly Pegasus caught up with me before I got far," she replied, just as quiet. Malik raised his head, violet eye gazing into his sister's clear blue ones.
"You think that this legend could bring the two races together once more," he asked. Again, Isis nodded.
"If we can only answer one question. Who, or what, caused the races to split." Ishtal nodded, standing abruptly.
"If you want a group to find out, I'll gladly go," he stated. Malik snorted.
"You just want to get out of the Tower," he jibed. Ishtal smirked.
"Damn right! I've been traveling most of my life. It gets boring sitting in one place all the time," he replied. Isis laughed at that.
"That was indeed my plan, to organize a mission to find out the truth," she told them. The rest of those in the room looked up at her. "Of course I myself can't go, as the high mage. I'd like to entrust this to Ishtal and Malik, and whoever else feels up to it." Malik nodded to his sister, glad she was entrusting him with something so important. It made him feel worth something as one of the weaker mages in the room.
Bakura smirked. This was just his kind of thing. That was, if Ryou agreed to go. He wasn't about to leave the healer alone without him in the Tower.
Ryou? he asked the healer through their link.
You want to go with don't you, Ryou answered with a mental sigh. Bakura frowned. He didn't want to force the elf into anything dangerous, but…
I won't go if you choose not too, he told Ryou. Ryou smiled warmly in reply, glad to know that the thief had at least considered the idea of him declining.
I will go. I have a feeling that they'll need me, he murmured. Bakura had to resist the urge to sweep the pale boy into a tight hug and kiss him for all he was worth, but he restrained himself enough to ask.
What about the kids? Ryou shrugged in response.
They won't mind a long-term break. A few are getting along fairly well. If I leave exercises and such for them I think they'll be fine, he answered. Bakura smirked.
You want to go just as much as I do, don't you, he stated. Ryou couldn't help but smile at that.
I guess I need a little break, he replied. From his seat opposite the healer, Malik watched the two converse. He could tell they were speaking mind to mind by the fleeting expressions on their faces and the glazed expression in their eyes.
"So? What do you two say?" the blond asked. Bakura mock glared at the journey-mage before answering.
"We're going. Both of us," he answered, Ryou smiling in confirmation. Otogi froze.
"Wait… how did you just know that Ryou would come as well? Shouldn't you ask him first?" he asked them. The question earned quite a few smirks from those who knew of Bakura and Ryou's bond. Surprisingly it was Yami who answered.
"Bakura is Ryou's bond mage Otogi. They share a mental link," he told the other elf. Otogi blinked, then leaned back with a small smirk on his face.
"The council would have a riot if they saw this. Not only is the prince in love with a human, but the elven kingdom's most powerful healer has bonded himself to a half-blood." Bakura snorted at the comment, but couldn't help but grin at the image it produced. Yes, from what he had been hearing, the council would definatly throw a fit.
"I'm going with as well," Seto spoke up suddenly. "I too would like to find the origins of the ongoing dispute between humans and elves, and why my kind are so despised." Bakura nodded at that. It was the same reason he felt he needed to go. He had to find out what had caused his two bloodlines to hate each other so, and what had caused his life to be a literal hell until a few months ago.
"If you're going, I'm going," Joey stated. "You still have to teach me how to control my fire magic." Seto smirked at the shorter blond.
"Fine, it's not like I can stop you."
"Um… if you don't mind, I would like to go as well," Shizuka spoke up, her soft voice catching their attention easily. Joey looked worried at the prospect.
"Shizuka… it could be dangerous, very dangerous," he told her. The redhead nodded, eyes determined.
"I wasn't able to help you last time brother. I want to, this time at least," she told him. Joey nodded, giving into his sister's persistence.
"Alright," he murmured.
"Why don't we all go?" Yugi piped up, startling a few in the room. They hadn't expected him to be up for a journey so soon.
"Are you sure?" Isis asked him. Yugi smiled, eyes sparkling.
"We can do it. And you know you can trust us. I'm sure we'll do better as a group anyway," he answered. Yami smiled at his young look alike, nodding in agreement. Isis smiled.
"Very well, then it seems we have some preparing to do," she stated. "This meeting is adjourned."
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Sand rolled across the ruins of the deserted city, creating small storms and whirls in its wake. It was silent, not a sign of life or movement. The city seemed to sleep, it's ruins preserved in the vast wasteland beyond mortal memory. A lone figure stood atop the steps of the tallest building, wrapped in a dark cloak that hid all but its dark eyes. All around it, delicately carved stone structures told tales of the past, tales of a time of majesty and wonder. Tales of a dreamland brought to its knees by a darkness that none could defeat. The dark figure chuckled, gazing at the sand colored walls.
"Soon the time will come for mortals to know the truth," he murmured to the soundless winds. Beside him, the figure of a woman in her mid-thirties with long blond hair and deep violet eyes appeared, gazing out at the wasteland at his side.
"Soon. Do you think they will believe?" she asked the dark figure. The tall man didn't answer immediately, only gazed out at the desolate ruins.
"The chosen descendants are gathering," he said finally. The woman nodded, violet eyes serious.
"The elder of the Ilbis descendants must know she was not meant to see this city," she murmured. "But the younger… Rishid?" The man's eyes glanced down at her, at twinkle in their dark depths.
"Your son will guide him well." The blond woman nodded.
"Yes, he will."
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Author's note: Well, short chapter, I know… but I kind of wanted an obvious break before they started on the journey. And trust me, it's not going to be easy.
Bakura: Of course not… you could never just give us a break could you?
Nope ^_^
Shizuka: So are we all going?
Every one except Isis… I think she's a little disappointed about that.
Isis: *pouts*
Malik: *snickers*
Isis: *wallops Malik over the head*
Malik: *rubs head* Jeeze…
Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying so far. Please review ^_^