CHAPTER 2

In Domino City a small gathering was taking place in Solomon Motou's Game store. Everyone was gathered around the dining room table, having just finished lunch, they waited to hear Yugi's big news.

"So," Yugi sighed, "I know you're all wondering why I asked you to come. Unfortunately I have to first make you all swear to secrecy, what I'm about to tell you has to stay in this room and can't be leaked out."

Everyone nodded dumbly at him with their eyes wide open. This had to be something good, why else would he swear them to keep his news a secret?

"Is it a new card Yugi?" Joey asked in an awed voice, "Or a new threat to mankind? Do you have to save the world again?!"

"Oh Joey," Mia smacked his arm playfully, "Let the boy talk. Let's not assume it's an earth shattering prophecy. I'm kind of tired of the world being in jeopardy anyway, it would be nice to have a few weeks of peace and shopping for a change." She smiled at him as he slipped his arm around her shoulders. He knew how the last duel she had with Marik had affected her, she still had nightmares about the dreaded Shadow Realm.

"It doesn't have anything to do with Duel Monsters," he said smiling at the way Joey and Mai had gotten so close. "My Grandpa and I are expecting a guest tonight. She is in a great deal of trouble and needs our help." He looked at the faces of his closest friends before he continued. "The next part is what needs to be kept secret. Iolite, the girl who is coming, is Princess of Valkaria. Her Father and my Grandpa have been friends for many years now, ever since they met during an expedition in Egypt. He is sending her here to keep her protected from her brothers."

"I don't understand Yugi," Tea shrugged, "If she's a princess then her father, who I believe would be the King, should protect her. Shouldn't he?"

"A real Princess?!" Mokuba shouted, eyes wide open, "I've never met a Royal person before. Rich people yeah, but never a princess!"

Yugi waited for everyone to settle down again before he proceeded. It was a hard concept to follow, but he was going to try to enlighten them. Before he had the chance to continue...

"She can't look to her Father for protection," Solomon Motou chimed in, all eyes, including Yugi's, turned to the man.

"The King abdicated his thrown, he is no longer the King. He attempted to have his brother take over, it was a desperate move to keep his two sons from ruling the kingdom. Neither of the boys have an ounce of goodness in them, they are so opposite their Father in many ways. They both are on a power quest and it is going to ruin many lives. When they caught wind of their Father's plan they devised one of their own. In two weeks Aron, Edward's oldest son, will ascend the throne and then heaven help the people of Valkaria." He sat down grimly, he couldn't believe what madness was taking place in that small, quaint country.

"Grandpa has offered to help Edward hide his daughter here in Domino," Yugi took over. "Her brothers would love to get their hands on her. She is the only threat against them and their quest for total domination of Valkaria. The people there love her and her Father. If they were to over throw the monarchy they could pave her way to the thrown."

"So," Mai chimed in with an intense look on her face, "Why doesn't the country just revolt now and let her rule?" It seemed simple enough to her and Joey nodded in agreement.

"If only it were that simple Mai," Yugi sat down.

Solomon continued, "Once Aron assumes the thrown he has total control of Iolite's destiny. He could demand anything of her, and under the doctrines of power in her country she would be forced to obey or be declared a traitor to the thrown. Once she is declared a traitor she could never return to the country, even if both her brothers were ousted. She would lose her home permanently."

The room was silent. Everyone was trying to grasp the gravity of the situation, turn it over in their minds a bit.

"So," Tristan asked, "What can we do to help?"

"Yeah Yug what do you want us to do?" Joey smiled at his best friend.

"We have to keep her hidden here until her Father and Uncle can come up with a plan to keep her safe." Yugi said with a smile. "After all how hard could it be to hide a girl for awhile?"

"I think it'll be great guys," Tea said with a faraway look on her face. "A princess, we could try on her gowns and all of her princess things. We can take her shopping and talk to her about all of the princes she knows. This will be great!"

The guys rolled their eyes and Joey said, with annoyance in his voice, "She'll probably need to be waited on hand and foot. We'll be glorified maids to her royal highness. I can almost see her now, nose in the air, thinking she's better than us."

"I do like the idea of shopping with royalty," Mia interjected smiling brightly. "I wonder if she has an unlimited bank account."

They all sat around trying to imagine what a princess would be like. It was decided no judgments would be made about her until they met her in person. At 6 pm it was time to go get the object of their conversation. Grandpa and Yugi decided to go alone, she didn't need to be overwhelmed at the airport.

meanwhile...

Iolite kept her eyes trained out the window of her private jet. She had been informed moments ago that they would be on the ground in a half hour. She managed a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly. She was still hoping she would wake up from this nightmare. Oh how she wished her Father would have come to her with his absurd plan, before he acted on it. She could have told him it was foolish, Aron was not stupid.

Now it was to late to undo what damage was done. Even now Aron was moving in to position for his ascension. She wished he would disappear..

Her Father's company was also a mess. Even now the pieces were being chopped up and auctioned off to the highest bidder. She knew the taste of victory in a successful take over, but now she knew what bitter defeat was as well. How could all of this had happened under her nose? Had she been too wrapped up in her own conquests? She was going to use the time in Domino to try to right everything, she would make the most of it ...that is until time runs out.

Only days ago her and Ryan had been carefree and happy. He had tried to put on a brave face and make it seem like an adventure, but he knew as she did, this was more than likely a one way trip. Her father had seemed almost feeble when she boarded the plane. The strange feeling of 'never seeing him again' laced tightly in her mind.

"I still have what's mine," she thought aloud to no one, "nothing can take my company and I'll be damned before I let them take my name and dignity from me." She bit back a curse and slowly crept out from under the blue cashmere blanket. She was never one for luxury, money was a handy thing, but there was more to life than riches and toys. Her brothers craved power, she always craved peace and happiness. Bringing down evil business men who cheated, lied and stole from their employees and the public was her way of restoring peace.

She smirked as her eyes grew hard, thinking of her siblings, if possible they turned a darker shade of blue, "I guess their influence and hunger bested me this round." She shook this thought out of her head, "round two will be mine, I won't go down easily and I'll never stay down for long." One thing her Father taught her was 'the only failure is not getting up one more time to fight.' She took a look around the interior of the plane. It was the last time she would be in this place, the last tie to her home. The dark grays and blues reminded her of home and comfort.

"We have landed Princess," Trey, her body guard, said to her slight form. "Are you ready to exit yet?"

She looked the man over, he was one of her Father's most loyal men. He was her protection and she knew he'd give his life to keep her safe. He tried to smile at her, knowing the turmoil she was in, but it looked like pity in his eyes.

"Have you ever been here before?" she asked him as she rose to her feet, stretching like a cat. She had been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she had hardly moved around at all during the long flight, and now she regretted it.

He smiled at her, "Tense or cramped?"

She winced at the spasm in her neck. She gently tried to ease the pain by rubbing the knot. She gave him a half smile and said to him, as the door to the jet lowered, "Let the adventure begin."