Disclaimer: ... I don't even speak Japanese, ok? I definitely don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. It all belongs to Kazuki Takahashi.

A/N: I got a flame! XD XD Gosh, thanks, to the person who flamed. (And they signed in to do it! :: dies laughing::) Anyway, if you want to read it, go ahead, since I can't delete signed in comments. :: snorts:: I'm sorry, but I'm not changing my story because someone thinks it's "boring". If they don't like it, they just shouldn't review. :: snorts::

Ok, bitching is done now. Thanks for putting up with it. :: sighs::

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Ch 5: Fun Things to do When You Have a Death Sentence.

Serenity was utterly exhausted. Kihal and Nerla had worked on her dancing for three nights in a row, until well past midnight. Combine that with chasing around two exuberant boys and telling them stories for hours on end... well, she was just about at her wit's end.

She almost started crying when Nerla and Kihal came to her door that night. "Please... I'm so tired..."

"We're not asking you to dance this time, my dear..." Nerla gave her a smile. "No, tonight we're going to give you some different training..."

"Some very specialized training, things that will help you keep the Sultan's attention riveted on you..." Kihal added her two cents.

Serenity sighed, shaking her head. "All right... as long as I don't have to move..."

"There is no moving involved..." Nerla said. "But first, please... you know all about us, yet we know so little about you..."

Serenity shrugged. "There isn't much to know... My brother and I were thieves in a different city... my brother was captured, and he told me to run away... so I did... and I ended up here. So... here I am." She sighed. "It's nothing special..."

"The Sultan will be intrigued..." Nerla nodded a bit. "Especially if you elaborate... make it worse than it truly was... exaggerate everything."

Serenity blushed faintly, and she nodded. "I'll have to do that..."

Kihal nodded and clapped her hands. "All right... onto the lesson... first, we were practicing working with silk scarves yesterday... used correctly, they are powerful tools..."

Serenity blinked. "Tools? They're just scraps of cloth..."

Nerla laughed softly. "Tools of seduction, Serenity. Our goal is to have the Sultan take you to bed, after all..."

Serenity blushed brightly. "Oh, that's right... Is that... really necessary? I... I've never... er... well... done anything like that..."

Kihal laughed softly. "I see... Oh, even better..."

Nerla shook her head. "You had better tell the Sultan that. The last thing we want him to do is throw himself off of the palace wall because he thinks he hurt you..."

Serenity blinked. "He- he'd do that? For me? Over me? Why?"

"The Sultan does not like to hurt the innocent," Kihal said quietly, "because he was once one of the innocents hurt..."

"Oh... Was he... was he raped?" Serenity's voice was little more than a whisper. The thought of someone like Rishid being forced was mind-boggling. He was so... strong. Both physically and mentally, it seemed.

"No... No, thank God..." Nerla shook her head. "No, his father was attempting to kill Malik. He did not want a bastard around. Rishid stopped him." She paused, obviously debating how much to tell her. "At a great cost. He will have to tell you the particulars himself, if he so wishes... only Nerla and I and one or two other people know the full story..."

"I'll ask him later, much later, after we're... ah... more familiar with each other." Serenity blushed faintly.

Nerla nodded. "A good idea. Now, some other things to try... While you're dancing, you might want to try light touches... men are sensitive too, you know.. Especially in... certain areas..."

Serenity blushed brightly. This was going to be a very, very interesting lesson.

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Rishid was not impressed by Malik's cheerful descriptions of the "wonderful" times he had had with the Prince Marik. The other boy and his father had finally left, after a very, very awkward meeting with the Sultan Ishaku and an even more awkward marriage contract between Marik and Malik. That was the worst meeting I've ever had. Ever. And that's including the meetings I'd had with Father...

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. "I'm glad you had a good time, Malik."

"Oh, yes, and then Serenity was telling us the best stories..." Malik simply went off on a different tangent about his storyteller and the things she'd said. This was an even more unwelcome topic. He'd been trying to forget about the auburn-haired girl for nearly a week now, and his patience with her was coming to an end. Malik still hadn't tired of her; instead, he seemed even more attached to her. This was practically unheard of for the young Prince. It probably meant that he wouldn't shut up about Marik forever either.

Why am I constantly mocked with things I should not have? Rishid half-listened to his brother prattle on. I have constantly stated that I want nothing to do with women or marriage... yet this street urchin comes here out of nowhere and turns my life upside down... Why is this happening to me? Why can't some other Sultan have found her? Why do I want her? I shouldn't, God knows... She's strange, stubborn, and... different

That, he slowly realized, is the reason. She is different. She is unlike anything I have ever encountered. I should have killed her then, because I can never forget about her now... He shook his head. No... I could never have killed her. That is something my Father would have done.

"Big brother?" Malik tugged on his sleeve. "Big brother, are you listening to me?"

Rishid shook his head quickly and blinked. "Malik? I'm sorry, little brother... I was deep in thought..."

Malik gave his brother a searching look, then nodded. "Of course, big brother, I understand." He gave him a quick peck on the cheek then grinned. "You were daydreaming about Serenity!"

"..." Rishid wanted to let his head thunk on the table again, but that would be decidedly un-Sultanlike. "Not... exactly Malik."

"You don't have to lie to me, Rishid, I understand." Malik nodded with a straight face. "You want to marry Serenity, and I think that's a good thing!"

"..." Rishid was often surprised by his little brother odd combination of naivety and startling intelligence and perception. "That... is not exactly it either..."

"Big brother, you really do need somebody..." Malik looked up at him with a forlorn expression. "It would help you so much... And I like Serenity! She's nice..."

Rishid sighed and shook his head. That's the problem... I may like her as well... "It's not that easy, Malik..."

"Ooh... It's the whole Sultan thing, isn't it..." Malik chewed his lip a bit and grinned. "Well, she can still be your pleasure-slave! Kihal told me that she is a dancer!"

Rishid frowned faintly. Serenity? A dancer? That I doubt... A street girl like her shouldn't have the training... "Really..."

Malik nodded, grinning. "Oh, yes... I'll go get her and let her dance for you!"

Rishid blinked and grabbed him quickly. "No! No, Malik..."

"Don't be scared, big brother..." Malik scampered off, giggling. "I'm sure she'll be gentle..."

Rishid slumped back and ran a hand over his face. This is not going to be easy... My control is already strained... Bah. What am I worried about? Nothing! She isn't a dancer, nor is she beautiful enough to break my control. Ha! Of course. I am unflappable. Yes.

He sat back, massaging his forehead, and continued to tell himself that he could and would resist his brother's matchmaking attempts.

It wasn't helping.

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Kihal had just finished dressing Serenity in her formal dancing outfit. She and her sister had raided their combined fabric stores and made an outfit of dark green and dark blue sheer silks, cloth-of-gold, gold belts with sapphires and rubies studded and and dangling off of them, gold wrist bands, and a thin silk facial veil.

"We're missing something..." Nerla murmured. "But what..."

"I know!" Kihal grabbed some powered gold and gently applied it to Serenity's eyelids. "There we go... much better!"

Serenity blushed. "Is this... really necessary?"

"Yes," both women nodded solemnly.

Serenity sighed. "I fail to see how I'm going to seduce him like this... I don't think he'll like it..."

Nerla and Kihal apparently found this absolutely hilarious and burst into laughter. "You think he won't find you attractive? That's absurd!" Nerla shook her head. "Trust me, he's going to be very, very impressed with you..."

Serenity blushed even brighter. "Ok... is- is there anything I should do?"

"Just be yourself..." Kihal soothed.

"I- I'm nervous..." Serenity admitted shyly. She played with a silk scarf that hung off her wrist.

"That's normal... and as much as the Sultan enjoys your stubbornness, I'm certain that he will enjoy submissive behavior as much as the next man..."

Serenity nodded. "Ok... I'll try." She took a few deep breaths.

"Serennnnnnn-ity....." Malik bounced down the hall cheerfully. He poked his head into Serenity's room just as Kihal and Nerla hid behind the bed. "There you are!" He tackled her. "Come on, you've got to dance for my brother now!"

Serenity licked her lips and nodded, slowly following Malik to the throne room. God... I hope I do this right... Please, please don't let me mess this up...

I...I want him to do this...

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A/N: :: sweatdrop:: Sorry for the cliffie, but I need to figure out how the hell I'm gonna write the next part... So it'll probably take a good long time before that chappie comes out... not only that, I have an organic chem test a week from tomorrow... :: freezes in fear:: So, I'll do what I can... . Sorry about everything... :: grumps::

nicole purple: Damn you! Damn yooooooooooouuuuuu!!! I am not a rabbit! :: glares:: Mak mak mak!

Leaf Zelindor: Marik: . :: purrs::

Here's more! :: pets::

Indigo Tantarian: Yeah, Marik and Malik are a secondary pairing in this... And I've never seen anyone else write Serenity and Rishid stuff... :: shrugs:: I'm hoping to start people on it so I'll have something to read. XD :: glomps:: Thank you so much! . :: feels special::

Paladin Dragoon: lol, send that guy my way, I'm single and I'd like to reverse it. :: snickers;: Yeah, never had a boyfriend, never even had a guy who had a crush on me who I would even consider. :: sighs:: Oh, well... And don't worry... Rishid will be much, much less deprived soon. XD XD Malik and Nerla and Kihal are going to make sure he gets just what he needs... :: giggles:: Using Serenity, of course... :: outright deranged cackling by this point, coughs, shifty eyes:: Um... I'm ok, really...