Disclaimer: GOLD TEAM RULES!....uhh....I mean...I don't own YGO or Egyptian poem at the end.....
A/N(1): Yah! I'm so glad you all liked the last chapter! Thanks so much for the reviews.....AIR HUGS! LOL, well....to show my appreciation...more Yami/Anzu!! WOOOO! I should buy a boat...::::::cough:::::...oh, and if this chapter gets kind of crappy, you can blame it on the Backstreet Boys. Don't ask me, just blame it on them....
A/N(2): Confused about the ending? Not going to give you a full summary, but I can tell you that Seth did see the scene with Yami and Anzu. Though he was knocked out, Reira took control of Seth's body while he was unconscious. This led to the "deal" scene. So, basically, Reira made a deal with Anzu. Seth has NO idea about it. Plus, he has no recollection of the Yami/Anzu scene...for now. Hmm...so who is Reira and what is he up to???????
Title: Almost Royalty
Chapter V: Disregard for Consequence
"Why am I here?"
A man, enduring the effects of old age, yelled desperately as he wandered the mysterious corridors of what seemed like a puzzle--or an endless arrangement of stairs. The dragging of his feet and the echo of his irregular breathing answered his inconsolable plea. "Someone.....please..." He wasn't going to give up hope, he needed to save the world from the gods of abeyance.
"HELP!" Feeling his knees give under him, he drove himself to anything that could keep him standing.
His bolster came from a tall, cloaked man. "Help? That word doesn't exist here."
The man backed away from the cloaked figure, his face resembling that of a ghost. You...killed my master!" Pointing an accusing finger at the figure, the man turned to run, but his efforts failed miserably. His body was too weak. "Stay away!"
"Reira," the figure took a step closer, "You are mistaken. I tried to kill your master, but he met his own death."
"I'll never forgot the face of my master's murderer," Reira shrieked, making the walls reverberate his outcry, "nor will I forget the look on his face when you killed him!" Reira remembered everything. Once his master received the power of the millennium rod, his soul was fed to the darkness of the shadows within the millennium rod. His master was not the destined owner of the rod.
This figure before him took over his master's body and made him weak until he died. With the last of his existing energy, Reira lunged forward, but the figure caught his wrist and smiled. "W-who a..re you?"
"I am Marik, and you," he threw the priest to the floor, "you have invaded my territory." Turning away from Reira, he raised his arms above him as if he was conducting a sacrifice. "Your death will be left to the gods." With these words, three supernatural beings diffused through the walls, roaring cacophonously. The Egyptian Gods.
"How?" Reira's question was dominated with Marik's laughter.
"Don't you see yet?" He asked, turning around to look at him. "You're in my millennium rod," he continued once he saw confusion written on his face. "Do you remember sealing the Gods in the millennium rod?" He asked, waiting for a nod. Reira's head tilted slightly. "Apparently, you sealed a part of your spirit within the rod." He towered over Reira. "Though you brought the Egyptian Gods back to their rightful owner, you are not worthy enough to live."
"No," he whispered weakly, "please, what about Seth? He's the destined owner-
"Only I, Marik, am the destined owner of the rod." He glared at his victim, "don't worry, Reira. Though your apprentice isn't the destined owner of the rod, I have chosen another destiny for him to fulfill." Reira's lip started to tremble. "He will kill Bel Saf's son, Yami."
Reira's eyes widened, "wait, Yami isn't Bel Saf's so-"
"Silence. It's time for you to meet the God's wrath."
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From his soul room, Marik watched in horror as the scene played through Seth's mind. "This isn't possible. My...memories...they're now his." Marik felt sick, feeling his plan crumbling before his eyes. "No, my plan has to work. It's the only way I will get my own body."
He paced around for an answer. "I could unleash the gods of abeyance on Seth again, but that would kill him." He sighed, remembering the first time Seth came into contact with the millennium rod. He had enjoyed the struggle between Seth and the three Gods. He frowned, punching his clenched hand into the palm of his other hand. "I must pretend to be Reira until I have the millennium rod in my possession."
"I've waited on three lives to get my body back, but this.....this will be my final test."
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Ra had created yet another beautiful morning in Egypt. The sky was mixed delicately with artistic hues that were mainly composed of blue and white. Then there was the sun. This marvelous aureole that shed lightsome rays upon humanity was widely praised for being one of the major factors, beside the Nile River, that led to the creation of Egypt. Before the Egyptian Gods were tamed within stone tablets, Ra, unlike the other Gods, wanted to control his power instead of unleashing it unwisely among human kind. Concealing himself within a circular vortex, many Egyptians regarded Ra's orb as a gift to vegetation, or the sun. Thus, Ra became known as the Sun God.
As beautiful the break of dawn had been, the happiness of Ra's rays had not reached the temple. For, in her perspective, only dark, menacing clouds loomed over Seth's house of worship. She couldn't break free from the world she was in to bathe in Ra's refined glory. What had she done to create this misery that deigned her?
"I...accept."
She closed her eyes tightly as the image of last night beckoned warm tears of sadness. Tears she had more than welcomed last night after...what happened. How could she have let it come to this? She knew in her heart it was wrong to steal, but her goal wasn't to do more wrong with the larceny. She wanted to make things right. She wanted to save not only her life, but also the reputation of another.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she stifled a couple of sobs before carrying herself to the balcony. It wasn't a gorgeous view, but it still gave her a pleasant view of Yami's palace. She sniffled, remembering the dreams she had about the Pharaoh whisking her away from her drudgery to come live with him in his palace.
"It won't happen. Last night was just a...fantasy." Her lip started to tremble, restraining the tears that wanted to bring comfort to her realization. She hated herself for falling victim to her own torture, but it was the only way to keep herself from getting hurt by the Pharaoh. "No, I was not meant to be with the Pharaoh." She assured herself, "I have always been alone...and I will always be....alone."
"I want to see you again." Placing her two hands on the balcony, she slouched her shoulders and let her tears fall without restraint. She couldn't accept what her mind was making her think. Last night made all her words false.
"Where is Anzu?!" An annoyed voice conveyed, swallowing the rooms with his inquisition.
Her head shot up, surprise and fear mixed within her azure eyes. "Master Seth.." She whispered under her breath as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. If he was to see her, she would not let him see her weak with emotion. Seth was not a sympathetic person.
But, that wasn't the only element to consider.
"Our deal," she said as she walked away from the balcony, "I have not backed down, Seth." Fixing her uniform adeptly, she stepped into the hallway quietly. With her back against the wall, she advanced down the steps and onto ground floor.
Before she could reach the passage out, her arm was pulled back forcefully by the hand of another. "Master.."
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"Your bath is ready, Pharaoh."
Yami's eyes drifted upon his servant, Mai, who was standing in the doorway. "I thank you," he said as he returned his eyes to the context of a book in his grasp. She nodded, but did not make any attempt to leave. "Is there anything else you would like to tell me?"
"Permission to speak freely, Pharaoh," she requested as she walked into his chamber. Receiving a nod, she continued, "many ranking citizens were worried about your absence at the ceremony yesterday. May I ask what occupied you?"
Yami closed the book, considering her question. "I was in the garden. You know I don't appreciate the attention."
"Alone, sir?"
He locked his gaze with hers. "I was-"
"Pharaoh, you have a message waiting for you in the entrance hall." Jou declared firmly, staring at Mai. "I believe it is from Prince Honda." He watched as Yami stood up and left the room, but not before sending Jou a nod of gratitude.
Mai smirked as she felt Jou searching her body. "Answer me something, Jou," she whispered as she stepped closer to him, "who was the Pharaoh with last night?" Caressing his cheek gently, she gazed into his brown eyes that were full of want.
He snatched her hand away from his cheek, "how desperate are you to know?"
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Seth looked at his servant, "did you not hear me call you?"
"I apologize, Master." She whispered, keeping her eyes on her grasped arm.
He frowned, tightening his grip on her wrist. "I don't know whom you are trying to fool, but--look at ME when I am talking to you!" Lifting her chin harshly with his free hand, she made no response. Not even a whimper. "Ra will not forgive you for lying to your master."
He raised his hand to her, but his mind became clouded with Reira's thoughts, "Stop! Leave her be!" Seth closed his eyes and withdrew his hand from her cheek. "I am sorry, but as your master, I will not see such behavior from my apprentice!" Seth threw Anzu's arm away and walked out of the room.
"You will not interfere with my affairs again, Reira." Seth said, putting his hand on the wall. "You are not my master anymore." Before Reira could say anything, Seth blocked out their connection, not wanting to speak to him anymore. He had been tormented by Reira for fifteen years. He never wanted to return to that life, especially after Reira took possession of the rod. He had not remembered a more miserable life.
"And for this reason, I will dispose of you before I relieve the Pharaoh of his duties..."
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The beautiful blonde pressed her body against his, "I'm desperate, Jou." Her words purred, making the bodyguard swallow hard with ache for the woman before him. He knew he was falling into her trance, but he made no effort to stop himself.
He looked into her violet eyes that resembled his master's eyes, "tell me, Mai, are we still talking about the Pharaoh?" With his whisper came a gasp from his partner. He knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her. "Come on, I know all of this isn't just for my amusement."
"Hmm..." She pulled his face toward hers.
It was a quick action, but with this action came a long result. A kiss.
"Maybe so," she whispered once their lips parted, "but now that I gave you what you wanted, you must give me something in return."
"Excuse me, but I do believe my feelings are mutual," he said, trying to steer her mind away from what happened last night. Though he trusted her, he had given Yami his word that he would not speak of what happened last night. But, that wasn't all.
Mai didn't like Anzu.
Who knows what would happen if information leaked that Anzu was charming the Pharaoh. He had to turn the tide of this conversation. "If you must know," he bit his lip, "the one with the Pharaoh was--well, how do you like that? I'm on watch now." Her eyes widened at his response.
"Jou! You can't leave our conversation like this!"
"My mistake, love." Without thinking, Jou wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. She responded to his kiss without protest. All he received was pleasurable moans from her mouth and the occasional squeeze of her hands against his back. Ra, what a feeling that was going through his body! It was a warm tingle of desire that seethed into his hand, making him wander the curvatures of her body.
"Yami, can we--Jou!"
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"Finally," Marik smiled, "with the puzzle in my grasp, I will confer a right to my own body."
"This rod will not hold me, Bel Saf! I will rise again, and once I do, I will deprive your progeny of existence!" Marik remembered the day he was sentenced to an eternity in the rod. He remembered everything. The look in Bel Saf's eyes. The light emitted from the puzzle. Even the pain that pierced his body. "Bel Saf will pay dearly for sealing me in the millennium rod. Yami's life should be enough to take back those years I was pretending to be someone else."
"Life after the rod will indeed be difficult," Marik mused, "but not if I unleash the Gods as well..."
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Anzu's shriek immediately broke the couple apart, "Anzu? I...you...we.."
"You need not explain," she interrupted, shaking her head, "I'm sorry to be a bother, but I must speak with the Pharaoh at once." Her tone was serious, knowing that if she said anything beyond reasonable limits, Mai would become suspicious.
Mai was beyond suspicion, however. "She called the Pharaoh by his first name. I wonder..." Before she could make ends meet, Jou awoke her from her thoughts with a tug on her sleeve. She looked up at him, but he had his eyes on Anzu.
"By all means, Anzu." Jou looked down and rubbed Mai's shoulders, "would you be kind enough to retrieve the Pharaoh, Mai?" She nodded and walked out the room, but not before casting Anzu a shady glance. Before Anzu reacted, Jou walked up to her and hugged her. "I guess your presence means Seth doesn't remember."
"I saw everything. From the garden to my chamber. What makes you think you can fool me?" Anzu shrugged off Seth's words and nodded to Jou's question. He pulled away and watched Anzu smile, "it's good to see you smile again."
"It's thanks to you," she said as Jou patted her shoulder. "How's Yami?"
"Worried."
She nodded, "he should be. Seth had Yami's fate in his hands-"
"No," Jou chuckled at Anzu's ignorance, "he was worried about you. You mean more to him than...anything." Smiling, he departed from the room, leaving Anzu overwhelmed with thoughts of last night.
"Anzu....you're beautiful..." She could almost feel his warm breath against her neck. Sighing, she ran her hand along the silk blanket rustled on his bed. Grasping a piece of the soft material in her hand, she lifted it toward her nose. "Egyptian lotus..." She closed her eyes and cherished his scent.
Satisfied, she opened her eyes, but not before striking a gaze with a dark yellow object concealing itself within the fabric. "I'll forget the incident ever occurred if....you bring the puzzle to me." She reached out to touch the jewelry, but the sound of footsteps made her retract her arm.
Once hiding the puzzle within the silk covering, she turned her head toward the doorway, awaiting the person carrying the footsteps. "Yami..." her thoughts concluded once she saw his raiment. "He's Ra himself..." She mused, gazing hungrily at his majestic figure.
He was bare-chested with a cape drawn over his shoulders. His lower body, to her dismay, was covered with a men's skirt that hung loosely from his waist. The rest of his perfectly tanned skin was bare, glorifying in Egyptian oils and perfumes.
"Anzu, I feared the worst." His tone was sincere, almost apologetic. "Ra has heard my prayers though." She only nodded, now watching him advance toward her. "Please, sit down," he took her hands in his and led her to his bed.
She accepted his offer, "thank you, I--Yami?" Her concerned voice did not affect Yami's silent stare at the ground. He wasn't deep in thought, in fact, his gaze only looked sad and remorseful. "Yami?" She repeated, worry now evident in her voice.
"Yes," he looked up, but not into her eyes, "forgive my negligent ears."
"Yami," she repeated his name again, "why won't you look at me?" Her question provoked him to perceive her face.
Not receiving an answer, she was about to restate her question when something dawned on her. "He's...guilty about last night. He thinks he is the one to blame." She sighed, bringing his hands to her chest. "No regrets, remember?"
"I almost put you to death," he whispered, regaining possession of his hands, "how can I live with myself?"
Anzu swallowed hard, starting to understand his struggle between conscience and responsibility. She knew that he was blaming his conscience for not taking responsibility for what happened last night. "If you didn't do it, I would have."
"Anzu? Is....t-that true?" He asked, searching her eyes for an answer.
She saw the light in his eyes and she didn't want to put it out, "yes, I've been plagued with similar feelings for...you." She reached out to touch his cheek, but he caught her wrist before she could brush her hand against his skin.
"We shouldn't," he stood up, turning his back toward her, "I'm afraid."
She crumpled the silk of his blanket with her hand. "Afraid?"
"Yes, I'm..." He turned around to look at her again, "I'm afraid of losing you."
"He...really loves me.." She thought, standing up to face reality. "Yami," she clasped his cheeks softly with her hands, "sometimes you have to take risks for the one you love." She couldn't believe she was admitting things she had denied before.
Speechless, Yami's eyes explained his state of amazement.
Sliding her hands down his neck in a slow rhythm, she freed his broad shoulders of his cape, which fell to the floor in a heap due to this action. Once exposed to his bare chest, she drew her hands to his upper body to prospect its enormity, but Yami threw her hands aside gently and brought her body against his. "I need you," he whispered as he nestled into her neck to plant soft yet hot kisses on her skin. She shuddered, feeling the heat of passion take effect throughout her body. It was the same feeling she had felt last night.
Traveling toward her cheek, he paused to observe her moist lips. He remembered how painfully he wanted to kiss her lips last night. Now would be his chance to fulfill his loss. Wrapping his arms around her, he tilted his head and pressed his lips to hers. Warmth embedded his senses as she opened her mouth and let him enter a tomb no one else has explored. Before long, their tongues were fondling and thrusting upon the other, desperately seeking a way to express their restricted feelings. Though no way was possible, their pleasurable moans and uncontrollable caresses were enough to sustain the physical tension between them.
"Yami," she whispered once their lips parted, "I...don't stop.." Her words traveled into his mouth as they kissed again, this time with more intensity. "Don't stop, please," she thought as she felt Yami's hands traveling up her back.
"I won't," he breathed, planting yet another passionate kiss on her lips, "I can't."
She closed her eyes, adoring all the new feelings arousing her senses.
"Anzu," he heard him whisper, making her open her eyes, "let me touch you."
"I..." Anzu felt his hands sliding down her hips, and though she loved the feel of him, something was stopping her from enjoying his touch fully. "No, I was not meant to be with the Pharaoh." Her thoughts from this morning were catching up to her.
And that's when it hit her...."We were not meant to be together. When he turns eighteen..."
"Stop," she said, pulling away from him. "This isn't right....we can't do this..."
Yami touched her arm, "it feels too right to be wrong, Anzu." He kissed her hand.
"No," she pulled her hand away, "don't you see that our actions won't make it...real."
Yami's eyes flashed confusion, but Anzu knew that he was aware of what she was talking about. Like her, he probably couldn't admit that their love was only a fallacy. "Anzu, you're not making sense. If you're afraid about-"
She shook her head, "our love, Yami. No matter how hard we try to make it work, it will never be real."
"How so? You said it yourself that you should take risks for the one you love."
She turned away from him. "You're the Pharaoh of Egypt! I am spit compared to you. How can I carry on a relationship with you when....I can't have you." She wiped a tear that had escaped her eyelid, "when we met in the garden yesterday....I thought it would work...but it won't....it can't. When you turn eighteen next year, you will have to choose a Queen from one of the royal houses....and....and..you'll forget about me."
Yami was slightly moved by her speech. "Anzu....I'll never forget you. I lov-"
"Don't say it." Anzu wrapped her arms around herself, hugging herself for comfort, "I can't bear to hear it."
"You will hear it." He pulled his arms around her, "over and over again."
Anzu shook her head. "It is as it should be, Yami." Pulling away from him, she turned to leave the room. "I'm only a servant girl.....and I was destined to be alone." Repeating the words she had admitted to herself this morning, she ran out the room.
"ANZU!" He reached his arm out toward the door, but pulled it back once he saw the rest of her brown hair disappear around the corner. "Don't go..." He knew she was right, but if she wasn't there to love him, there was no way his heart would work for another.
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"I can't wait around any longer for this girl!" Marik clenched his fists, "I must take action, but...how?" He looked up to see his soul room door. "Hmm...I wonder what Seth is doing.." Opening the door, he peeked through the door to see Seth staring at the rod.
"I had a dream about Reira..." Marik heard Seth say aloud. "Reira...he..."
"NO!" Marik said as he closed the door, "no, he can't remember what happened to Reira.." He grasped the doorknob, "I must distract him from remembering the dream." Opening the door again, he decided to speak to his host.
"Seth," Marik said to Seth through their connection, "will you forgive me for my actions taken before?"
"Reira, I might be a Priest, but I'm not a forgiving person."
"Fair enough," Marik growled to himself, trying to maintain his composure, "if I may ask, where is the girl?"
"Why do you care?"
Marik smiled, an idea widening his smile, "I was just wondering if she was with the Pharaoh again..."
"What?"
"I got him right where I want him.." Marik thought, rubbing his hands together maliciously. "Well, before you passed out-"
"Wait," Seth continued, "the garden...she was with Yami.." Marik watched as the scene from last night play through Seth's mind. "They were together..." He smiled as Seth stood up and walked out of the temple.
"This should be good..."
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"No, Anzu, you're wrong," Yami sat on his bed, tears now running down his face, "we were meant to be together." Placing his head in his hands, he whispered, "I can feel it when I look at you" before resting his back in the waves of silk.
THUD
"What?" Yami sat up, startled by the noise.
Before he could look around, he saw Reira's book sprawled on the floor at his feet. As he picked up the mess of Reira's writings, one particular page caught his eye. It was poem, written on the finest papyrus he had ever looked upon.
She is one woman, there is no one like her.
She is more beautiful than any other.
Look, she is like a star goddess arising
at the beginning of a happy new year;
brilliantly white, bright skinned;
with beautiful eyes for looking,
with sweet lips for speaking;
she has not one phrase too many.
With a long neck and white breast,
her hair of genuine lapis lazuli;
her arm more brilliant than gold;
her fingers like lotus flowers.
Her thighs offer her beauty,
with a brisk step she treads on ground.
She has captured my heart in her embrace.
This one, the unique one, Kentara.
"Kentara? Yami looked over the poem, disbelief written in his complexion. "That's...not possible....she's...she's..."
"My mother." A voice spoke up from the other side of the room.
Yami's mouth opened, "Seth..."
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To be continued..
Brian: {opens up mail} Hey, guys, what the heck is a Yami and why am I getting yelled out for writing a crappy chapter?
Nick: I think you're pronouncing it wrong. It sounds like Ya-mei. Must be some kind of Chinese dinner....
Howie and AJ: Mmmmmm....Chinese.....
Kevin: I'm getting me some Yami tonight!
Jelly: Ummm...
Hehehehehe.....umm...yeah...this should make up for not updating in so long. Actually, I think it's the longest chapter I've ever written! Sorry boys and girls, but having to go to work during the summer is ruining my fanfiction time. I hate leaving all you faithful readers with all these cliffhangers, but sometimes you have to put life before fanfics. Hehehe....even though fanfics ARE my life. {sigh} Well, thanks again to everyone who reviewed. It's good to see new {and old} Yami/Anzu fans. Maybe I should make a club....yeah! How about the PWLYATU! {falls over} Let me clarify that, {clears throat} PEOPLE WHO LIKE YAMI AND TEA UNITE! LOL, that would be fun...
And if you didn't like the Mai/Jou part, sorry! One of my critics wanted me to put them in the story....{grumbles} Oh well, I would have found a way to put them in anyway. I don't think I've written a Yugi/Tea or Yami/Tea story without Mai/Joey....hmm...
Jelly