Chapter 4- prothalamion

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    prothalamion- a song in celebration of a marriage

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In a temple grounds in Kyoto, there was an outdoor celebration that day. There were cherry blossoms on every patio, and their sweet scent filled the air. A light breeze scattered the rose-shaded petals upon white tablecloths.

Bakura idly poked at one petal with a chopstick. The snowy center browned and tore through. He sighed and blew it onto the ground.

"Bored?"

He glanced up in surprise to meet a pair of merrily twinkling violet eyes. He shrugged in response. "I never like ceremonies."

"But what a ceremony this is!" exclaimed Yami no Yuugi. "A wedding is the happiest kind- only a joyful occasion, and with none of the burdens of extending a family or adding another mouth to feed. I think we can all bear a little boredom in between for this kind of thing."

"Yes, I suppose so," said Bakura. He smiled at the spirit as he gathered another fallen flower head.

"We had nothing like this when I was a young man," Yami mused. "Of course, there were other attractions... it was a wonder to see the dowry that the families somehow managed to come up with. Of course, the banquet... dance shows. Harps, lutes, clappers... you don't have these things today."

"They still might in Egypt," Bakura reminded him. He grinned a little as he tuned out the spirit's reminisces.

"Excuse me!" he heard Yuugi shout, to no effect. "Um... excuse me!"

"SHUT UP EVERYONE!" Jounouchi shouted.

Yuugi made a face. "Thank you, Jou. Well, anyway, if you could please pay attention now, we're going to start the toasts." He cleared his throat. "To begin. I would like to propose a toast to... my wife... Anzu. I can't believe I'm standing before you today..."

Bakura sighed as Yuugi went on. He snuck a look at Yami no Yuugi. The spirit's smile was still there, though it had begun to look a little forced. One hand was tapping the table nervously.

He counted thirty-seven turns of the minute hand on his watch before the last speaker, Honda, had finally sat down and the caterers bustled out with serving plates.

"Do you find the food to your taste?" he asked Yami.

The Egyptian nodded. "Very much so, although it's different from what I would expect. You don't have lotus-cakes here in Japan, do you?"

"We do, actually," said Bakura. "But Western-style weddings are the trend these days, and they don't have them over there." He looked around at the other six people at his table.

Honda and Miho were whispering something and holding hands below the table. Mai was tapping her feet, staring annoyedly at Jou's empty chair. Kaiba's place was empty, save for his laptop. Mokuba was watching his brother work, while making a pyramid with the miniature sugar scones.

Bakura looked back at Yami Yuugi. "So... is this all right?"

"I don't know what you..."

"Yes you do," snapped Bakura. "You don't have to pretend around me. You for one should be allowed to wear a sad face on Yuugi's wedding day."

Yami no Yuugi sighed. "Not here. Come with me." He led Bakura to a secluded part of the grounds.

"So how do you really feel?" Bakura said softly, once they were there.

Yami didn't answer him. Instead, he leaned against the patio railing and hummed a tune Bakura didn't recognize. It was a lilting melody, high, yet drawn and haunting. It spoke of Middle Eastern instruments.

"What song is that?" Bakura asked.

"A very old song," he replied. "It's something they played at wedding celebrations. An ancient prothalamion. Very hard to perform- you only heard it at the places of the highest classes."

"A song?"

"I've endured greater pains in my life," answered Yami. "I am not the right person for him- this is the way things should be. There will be more happiness in the world if I am glad for them."

Bakura raised his eyebrows. "What did I expect from you? You're... always like this. You think too little of your own."

"He is my aibou," said Yami. "Simply my partner. This is what is right."

There was such a profound sadness in his downward gaze. Bakura impulsively reached out to pull him close, and Yami rested in their embrace. Bakura crooned a wordless notes as he rubbed his back.

"Thank you," Yami said in time. "You shouldn't have to put up with me."

"I would always," Bakura answered honestly. "Don't ever hesitate to put your troubles on my plate. I'll always be here for you."

He flushed when he heard what he had said. Yami no Yuugi had already pulled away, and had started walking towards the main house.

"Come, Bakura," he called back. "We don't want to miss any more than we already have!"

"Yes," said Bakura. "Throwing rice, and all of that."

He smiled a little.