Disclaimer: I own nothing, never have and never will. Sad fact of life really. However I would welcome the responsibility of taking care of the franchise
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Pairing: ?
For The Kingdom
"Nice to see that your weapon isn't just decorative Kaiba." Bejewelled fingers sparkled due to the changes of light caused by the decorated hand waving away the blade dangerously close to the man's head. "Unfortunately you chose the wrong person to try and kill…"
The King snarled as he took in the sight of the paling traitor stuck in his offensive pose. The sword held its position in the air, prevented from further movement by the blade of a loyal knight defending his leader.
Icy blue eyes widened with worry as Kaiba recognised his failure. It was a certainty that he would die for his traitorous daring; treason was at the very least a hanging offence.
The stilled sword was wrenched from his hands that still shook despite his will for an outwardly calm appearance. A tall blonde knight knelt down on one knee and presented Kaiba's sword to the King who accepted the gift and motioned the loyal Lord to his feet.
Two pairs of eyes; blood red and golden flecked brown, whipped towards the sound of a fist connecting with someone's chin as the traitor fell to the ground like a stone. The knight who had saved his King stood rubbing his leather covered knuckles absently as he glared at the heaped form on the ground, "Bastard son of a peasant."
The King rose gracefully from the throne to place a restraining hand on the knight's armour clad shoulder, "That is enough Sir Mutoh. Plenty will be the time for such happenings as that when he reveals what exactly he hoped to gain by assassinating me," he glanced at the tensed blonde knight, "Sir Wheeler, arrange a meeting with the Harlequin for this disgusting dog. The information I seek will be revealed. One way or another…"
The velvet cloak swished behind the King as he strode from his court shadowed by his personal guard, Sir Mutoh. With a parting glance and smirk at the gasping traitor as Wheeler placed a well positioned boot into Kaiba's stomach Yuugi turned his full attention back to the protection of the country's ruler and his leader.
"What the devil just happened? How could you let anyone get that close to killing me?!"
Yuugi shut the heavy oaken door behind him as the King began to pace his personal chambers and yell out perfectly reasonable questions. The knight stood silently until the ruler stopped and his ruby eyes bored into his own violet pair.
"I'm the King! I'm not meant to be this easy to kill, explain yourself!"
Yuugi flinched slightly at the man's anger but knew that all of its force wasn't directed at himself, the fault was equal.
"It would not have been so easy to make that attempt my King if he had not been a member of your court and a knight of the realm. We fell victim to our own trust and did not think to expect an attack from that quarter."
The King raised a shaking hand to his forehead and turned to walk towards a chair before collapsing into it with a sigh, "I apologise Yuugi. I know that you would not willingly place me in danger. You are also quite right to suggest that I was fooled by him as well."
The man noted the drop of his formal title as the King's need for a conversation without their positions interfering and walked over to place his hands on the ruler's tense shoulders.
"I understand Yami, it's quite an unnerving experience to be almost killed. Quite upsetting in fact. You can rest assured that you're safe here however, I'm not going to kill you, although I'm tempted to give you a clip around the ear. It's only because you're King that I'm not going to do so…"
Yami took the hand from his forehead to glance at the smiling face of his childhood friend, only he had the ability to speak to him in such a manner and not expect any repercussions. Except one. His harsh expression softened and he reached up to tangle his fingers in the hair at the base of Yuugi's neck before pulling the knight's head down for a teasingly gentle kiss.
Instinctively one of Yuugi's hands found itself twisted in the King's dark red tunic before sense returned to him and he forcibly pushed Yami back down into the seat and backed away as though he had been stung.
"Don't…"
"Why? I don't understand."
Yuugi looked pained and tugged nervously on his leather gauntlets, "You know why…" A knock sounded on the door and Yami called for the person to enter despite his unfinished episode with the now silent knight.
Sir Wheeler entered the room and knelt down on one knee to address his King, "Kaiba is in the custody of the Harlequin my King but I thought it best to prevent the process beginning in case you wished to be present."
"Thank you Sir Wheeler, instruct Bakura not to begin until my arrival. Unfortunately my presence is required for a banquet with my court tonight, ensure that the dog is suitably prepared for the morning when I will arrive."
Joey looked up at the ruler and nodded his understanding before rising to his feet and bowing.
"I shall relay the information to Bakura my King," Yuugi placed a hand on Wheeler's shoulders before continuing, "Sir Wheeler will take my place as your guard for the evening. I regret to inform you that events will prevent me from being at the banquet tonight. My King, Joey…"
Yuugi bowed from the waist and without waiting for a reply from either of them swept from the room with a flare in his cloak.
Yuugi entered his chambers, closed the door behind him and leant against the wall before sliding down to sit on the floor with his head in his hands. Why is he doing this again? Can he not just listen to me for once…?
"Sir Mutoh? My Lord?" Came the call accompanied with a hesitant knocking. Yuugi glanced up and shook the thoughts from his mind as he rose to his feet. Opening the door he glared at his visitor who quivered with nervousness.
Kaiba's young squire looked up at the gold and black garbed knight with what he hoped was eyes that showed none of his frantically jumping nerves. No such luck.
"What do you want with me boy? I have no time for squires with masters who are traitors to the realm."
The young boy took a deep calming breath, "I'm afraid that I bring you bad news my Lord. Your squire is dead, killed at the hands of my master."
Yuugi looked down coldly at the shivering squire, "How do I know that you were not the one who killed him?"
"I would never do such a thing my Lord!" The boy looked down from the knight's narrowed gaze, "I was tending to my master's horse and knew nothing of what happened until I was told by another squire to inform you my Lord."
The knight snarled and waved a hand at the squire to dismiss him, "Very well, you may go."
"My Lord…?" Yuugi refocused on the boy, "As you know there is not much future for a squire without a master to serve, I would like to take the place of the squire Sir Kaiba killed. I would like to give what my former master took away from you, I would serve you loyally and with all the years experience I have gained in my previous battles."
Yuugi looked thoughtfully at the boyIt would be useful to have the boy taken on fully trained, squires took years to train and here was one offering his services. But could he be trusted?
"What is your name boy, and can I trust you after you've left the services of Kaiba without learning his fate?"
"My name is Mokuba my Lord, and I know his fate. Treason can come with only one fate; death. Kaiba betrayed me along with the country, I will no longer ally myself with such a man. You can trust me to do my duty as a squire my Lord."
Mokuba bowed from the waist causing his long raven hair to conceal his face from Yuugi's gaze and the knight looked down on the humble figure. Silently he sighed and placed his gloved hand on the boy's back.
"Very well, swear your allegiance to me and we will begin on your first task."
Screams echoed along the walls and down dank corridors to accompany Yuugi's purposeful footfalls and Mokuba's jittery steps. The dungeon was never a place the knight liked to spend his leisure time. Filth caked prisoners lined the damp walls wearing torn rags and rusted shackles calling out for God and mercy.
"Please my Lord, I've done no wrong!", "My family were starving', you'd do the same I did!", "Hey kid, why don't you come over here an' we get ta know each other better, hn?"
Involuntarily Mokuba clutched the knight's cloak as though to draw strength from his presence and gained a strange look from the nobleman. Mumbling his apologies Mokuba let the material fall back into place and continued to follow his new master towards the end of the filth stained dungeon, towards the cells reserved for 'special' prisoners.
"Afternoon Bakura," Yuugi deliberately left the knight's title from his greeting, "I bring a message from the King."
The Harlequin turned his ironically coloured head of pure white hair, a symbol of purity, to show a slanted evil grin at the other man.
"Mutoh what a pleasure, still feeling unnerved by my presence I see. Why is that?" The slash of pointed teeth grew more twisted with humour, "And the King sends forth messages hn? Well now let me see, the King has other matters to attend to but would prefer I do not begin my playtime until he is present which will be, at least I believe it will be, the morning?"
Yuugi narrowed his eyes with suspicion at the other knight, "And what, pray tell, makes you believe that is the message I bring?"
The white haired demon leapt onto the table with joy and crossed his legs and looked for all the world as though he were about to relay a bedtime story to a child. "I have my many sources; my squire Ryou is quite helpful in that regard." He gestured to a previously unnoticed teenager in the darkness and Yuugi found himself unsettled at the shadows haunting the squire's eyes.
Bakura bounced from the piece of tatty furniture and rapped Yuugi on the head. The knight snarled in response and swung for the smug grin only to have his fist sail through the air without resistance, meanwhile the Harlequin sat calmly down on the table once again and bit into an apple without worry.
"You really need to start using the brain cell you've been given Mutoh…"
"And on that point Bakura I agree with you," The two knights turned towards the shadowed cell and the scathing voice beside them, "Any fool could figure out the King's plans. He cannot spurn his court for fear of unrest and he will be there all night, also he will not want to miss me, the person who almost killed him, being tortured for information. Which I will not give…"
Bakura smirked and licked his chapped lips, "We will see about that Kaiba. I will have you admitting to loving the King before my time with you is finished."
Kaiba shot twin bolts of blue ice at the twisted knight then turned to smirk at Yuugi, "There's only one person here for who that would be true. That is also the reason why Mutoh could not understand how you could foresee the King's plan so easily, because when it comes the King Mutoh does not like to think with his head…"
Yuugi's fist shot forward and grabbed Kaiba's tunic around the neck, in one swift movement he pulled the traitor off his feet and slammed him into the metal bars surrounding the cell. Again and again he repeated the action until blood trickled from a cut in the dazed prisoner's forehead.
Bakura had long ceased his demented cackling and now sat calmly inspecting his dirt covered nails, looking up he could see Yuugi had abandoned his efforts to pull Kaiba through the bars and had settled for trying to strangle him instead. He rolled his eyes, "This is getting tedious…"
Eying up the situation he walked towards the enraged knight and pulled him from the prisoner's neck. Kaiba fell to the floor and lay gasping for breath on the uneven flagstones earning a smug grin from Yuugi.
"Well now that was rather stupid wasn't it? Now relay to me again the message the King wanted me to receive…actually don't bother, I remember it. Do not begin until he is present? Any other messages that you wish to give me but would so casually ignore?"
"Oh he has messages, they're not for the likes of you or me though Bakura. They come directly from the King and are for him alone. Is it not time that you obeyed your master and joined him in his bedchambers or are you warm his bed later? No rendezvous in the moonlit gardens to look forward to this evening? Maybe tomorrow hn?"
Yuugi began to advance on the cell shaking with rage but was beaten by a sword blade jamming itself into Kaiba's unprotected kneecap, "Shut yer yapping mutt."
Joey kicked the traitor off his sword and spat on the howling form rolling around the cell whilst Bakura danced with glee. Gesturing towards Yuugi he said one word, "Come."
"I need ta speak to you," Joey looked at their two squires following a respectful distance behind, "alone."
Yuugi nodded his agreement and ordered Wheeler's squire to help Mokuba familiarize himself with his new master's horse and armour.
"You do realise that he is da younger brother of Kaiba?"
"I do…"
Joey looked at him strangely, "Then why have ya taken him on as your new squire?"
"Many reasons. I haven't the time to train a new squire, I do not believe he shares his brother's guilt and so on and so on. If he does indeed possess the same mind set as that bastard then I believe the saying prevails, 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer'". Yuugi smiled grimly and opened the door to his chambers. "Is that all you wished to tell me?"
Joey smiled mischievously, "Actually I wanted ta know what you said to Yami to get him in such a foul mood. Thought it would be useful for da future…" The blonde winked at his friend and almost earned a smile in response. Almost.
"He's started again." Came the pale response.
"What! Now don't get me wrong Yuug, I like the guy but sometimes he needs to have a knock round da head…" Golden eyes stared at Yuugi and he smiled at the imagery of the King being hit on the head by one of his knights.
"As much as I agree with you I think the only person who could get away with doing that would be me. I wouldn't recommend you doing it, he holds something over your head and you don't realise it yet."
Yuugi laughed at Joey's look of puzzlement causing the other knight to glare, "You really don't have a clue do you? It hasn't escaped his notice that the Queen is always requesting you as her personal guard, she is rather insistent upon you when travelling without him."
Joey looked terrified at the thought of the King's wrath being bared down on him causing Yuugi to laugh even more. "Oh my God…"
"Don't worry my friend, as long as you keep your affair discreet and do not make a fool of him you are quite safe. The Queen's excuses that the other knights are incompetent are holding weight seeing as how everyone knows how strongly she feels at times."
"I'm quite glad that he's after you now Yuug…"
"Did someone bring their lunch up over your tunic or is it always that colour? Yuugi gestured at Joey's yellow green clothing.
The other knight scowled at his friend and was about to say something when the door was pushed open without the person asking for entrance. The Queen strode into the room with a rustle of silk trailing her husband behind her, Yami shut the door as he followed looking very much like a petulant child.
Yuugi and Joey blinked at the unexpected duo, "My Queen, I was not expecting you." Yuugi took the Queen's hand, bent over it and kissed the pale skin on its back. Joey repeated the action only he held her fingers a little longer and smiled into her eyes before hearing the King clear his throat with annoyance.
The Queen looked amused as Joey scrambled away from her as though he was burnt and turned to look at the yellow and black garbed knight, "That much is obvious I'm afraid my dear Yuugi, in fact for you not to expect me was my intention. Why the formality between friends my good knight?"
"I apologise Mai but one can never know where he stands with royalty." Yuugi punctuated this with a bow and received a soft chuckle from the Queen and a forlorn look from Yami which went unnoticed.
"Nonsense." She smiled, "Joseph I require your services as a guardian to travel with me to an event in Scotland in which Yami and myself must attend."
Yuugi frowned and looked at the King only to feel a sharp pang in his chest as he noted the look in Yami's eyes. Quickly he cleared his throat, "What of you my King, when are you to travel? Honda must be made aware so that he does not have to cancel any arrangements he has made."
Yami narrowed his eyes at his knight who stared back unflinching. Mai gestured at Joey to follow her out the room, "We shall take our leave of you now as we need to begin travel as soon as possible to arrive at the event on time. Sir Mutoh, my King." She kissed Yami lightly on the cheek, smiled at Yuugi and Joey shut the door behind them with a supportive smile aimed at his friend.
"They're not going ta sort this out, both of them are too stubborn."
"Maybe not," replied the Queen, "But we can still hope for them my knight, my love."
Joey smiled and kissed her hand again, he refrained from doing more due to the people hovering around the corridors but his gaze was heated and Mai shivered with guilty pleasure.
"To Scotland." Was his addition.
"Honda will not be accompanying me on this journey, I desire someone more experienced and with a more intelligent head on their shoulders. You will be guarding with me."
Yuugi snorted, "I know very well what you desire my King." He retorted, the sentence dripping with sarcasm.
Yami snarled and leapt towards the knight pushing him to the floor with his body weight, "If you know what I desire then why do you fight it because it is what you yourself desire!" He shook Yuugi in frustration, "Why?"
The knight tried frantically to draw the breath back into his body after having the air knocked out of him by the impact with the floor and looked up with confusion at Yami's actions. Why was he acting like this? Normally he was so calm and collected, and then his King desperately captured Yuugi's lips with his own.
Yami kissed Yuugi's bruising lips insistently and his tongue darted out to plunder the knight's mouth as it parted open, harshly and deeply. Yuugi moaned into the kiss and fisted his hands in the King's tunic as Yami trailed his hand down Yuugi's face, stomach and lower.
Suddenly Yuugi threw the other man off him and stood up panting for air and sense. "No! Why are you doing this to me again? Why!"
"I can't give you up…" Yami looked pained, "It's torturing me to have you by my side and know that you feel the same as I, have always felt the same as I. We had it all before I became King, why is it so different now?"
Yami looked up from his prone position on the floor with sorrowful eyes and Yuugi looked away unable to bear the knowledge that he was the cause. He locked the door, determined to carry this conversation until its end.
"I think I know why Kaiba tried to kill you. It was because of us." Yuugi glanced at his King to see his reaction and saw a grimace on Yami's face.
"You are correct. I cancelled the meeting with my court using the excuse that I needed to consult with my knights, it was not entirely untrue. Bakura was present as was that bastard Kaiba."
The King rose from the floor to sit on the edge of Yuugi's bed and looked into the blank face of his knight, "Apparently Kaiba saw us on one of the many occasions when I've tried to change your mind about our future. His mind being suitably burdened with such a sight felt that his soul would be forever tainted if he did nothing and so he confessed to the Archbishop. Kaiba was acting on orders of the Church to rid the world of my unholy sin. You and I know that if we had sinned then God would've smited us down years ago."
Yuugi breathed in sharply, "Well the Church bloody well tried and almost succeeded with Kaiba didn't they! This is why I've told you we cannot continue on the way we have in the past, the Kingdom will condemn us!"
"Damn the Kingdom!" Yelled Yami in annoyance.
"Then you damn yourself!" Yuugi answered with watering eyes. He walked over to place a chaste kiss on his King's lips and Yami enfolded the knight in a defeated embrace.
"I'm sorry Yami but we can't…" Yuugi whispered into the other man's ear and the King nodded slowly in response with silent tears trickling down his face.
"I know…"
Fin
Harlequin: Obsolete French, from Old French Herlequin, Hellequin, a demon.
Reviews are welcome