Disclaimer: I have a dream...that one day......I'll own YGO!

Kamsa hamaida(Korean) for reviews: SeaBreeze-Yami/Anzu, Darkhope, Karania Avalon, Luthien-Anwaman, Hysterik-Angel, Shining Friendship, Little Atemu, eveeee90, and YamiandAnzu4ever!!!!!

A/N(1): Aww, you guys actually want Almost Royalty to continue further? I'm touched, but it's time this fic checks into a retirement home. Hehehehehehehe. It's eight months old! Woo, I think it's about time. Don't worry, I'll always continue writing Yami/Tea fics....well....until I stop liking the couple.

A/N(2): Luthien-Anwaman brought up a VERY bad mistake I made. Varon is not the dude that dueled Mai in the third/fourth season. It was indeed Jean-Claude. Varon is the dude with the Australian/British accent and the Digimon hair/goggles in the "Awakening the Dragons" series in the USA. My bad. I knew who the peeps were, I just got mixed up with the names when I wrote the author's note. LOL....

A/N(3): Thanks for joining my C2 group guys!!! If you have any Yami/Tea stories that you would like to see in the community...just tell me in your review. Sometimes I fail to notice some really good Yami/Tea stories. Hehehehe. No triangles, however. It's strictly Yami/Tea. Thanks much!

Title: Almost Royalty

Chapter XII: Disclosure of Sight

"Anzu, could you fetch me a pail of water at the basin?" An angelic voice called to her daughter, who seemed to be playing outside, for she ran into the house with her tunic soaked with water and dirt. "Clean your tunic in the basin, too."

"But mother--"

"Anzu," the mother scolded gently, "do as I say."

Nodding silently, she walked toward the door, with her head down. The old, blue eyes looking at the child gleamed with endearment. Then, as if to raise the child's spirits, she said: "I have a surprise waiting for you when you get back."

Hair flipping around Anzu's head, her eyes met her mother. "Really? What--?"

"Go, you'll find out when you get back."

With briskness in her step, Anzu ran down the dirt path to the Nile's basin. "I wonder if it's that carved dancer we passed by in the marketplace!" the girl exclaimed, stepping from one stone to the other. She failed to notice a cloaked figure walk into her dwelling, however.

Pail of water in one hand, and a flower in the other, Anzu skipped back toward the dirt path to her home. "I hope my mom likes the flower I picked for her," the little girl whispered, now seeing the smoke coming from her house. Before reaching her destination, however, she was stopped by the sight of neighbors huddling around her residency.

"Vyiel?" she questioned her mother's friend, who was holding her hand to her mouth. It seemed she was holding back tears. "Why are you crying?" Without warning, Vyiel fell to the floor next to the child. "Vyiel!" Dropping the items in her hand, she ran to the woman's side. Then, kneeling slightly, she held the woman's arm. The woman looked terrible. Glancing away from the troubling sight, she looked through the crowds legs. "Vyi--" She gasped, for her eyes had brought yet another disturbing sight.

Her mom was on the floor, lifeless.

"MOTHER!"

Like Moses, Anzu separated the sea. Everyone's eyes were on the child. "Mother..." Her soft, slow steps augmented upon seeing her mother's hand move. There were murmurs in the crowd.

"My...child." The woman whispered, eyes slowly opening. "Anzu..."

Sitting on her knees, Anzu cupped her mother's hand. "I'm here, mother."

"I love you," she whispered, "I hope Isis will take care of you."

"Don't speak like that, mother. What happened to you?"

Instead of saying something, the woman pointed into the crowd. "Ishtaaru..."

"What?" Turning around, Anzu only caught a glimpse of a blonde man in the crowd. "Did that man do this to you?" Anzu asked, eyes now looking at her mother. "Mother?" She was dying.

"Ishtaaru.." The woman whispered. "He's..." Her eyes started to close.

"MOTHER!" It was then two hands grabbed her arms, pulling her back. "No, mother!"

"Let Osiris decide her fate."

Anzu shook her head furiously. "NO! MOTHER!"

Anzu gasped. "Dear....I-Isis...." Sitting up from her recumbent position, Anzu covered her face with her hands. "Why am I remembering this now?" Her voice was dry; probably due to the fact that she was sleeping in a tomb. "Why does Ishtarru sound so familiar?" she questioned, now receiving a response from a deep voice.

"Ishtarru?"

"Yami," the servant whispered, surprised. "I'm sorry that I disturbed you--"

He shook his head. "I'm fine. I'm worried about you."

"What?" Her eyes narrowed on his delicate features. Then, "there's nothing wrong."

"I didn't ask. I just said that I'm worried--"

"I KNOW what you said!" She snapped, but then realized the hate in her tone. Her brows unfurrowed, and her eyes dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry. I....had a bad dream--no--I remembered something that happened a couple of years ago." She felt the warm presence of Yami's hand on hers. Smiling weakly, she looked up. "Yami, do you know anyone with the name Ishtarru?"

"The palace priestess."

Anzu's eyes shifted to his face again. "Priestess?"

"Yes. Isis Ishtarru."

"Did she have blonde hair?"

Again, Yami shook his head. "Wait," pausing, he put a hand to his chin. "Her brother did"--Anzu's eyes widened--"but he died." Anzu let out a frustrated sigh. "What's wrong? Why do you ask?"

"Somebody by the name of Ishtarru killed my mother," she stopped. Then, "I want answers."

"NOOO! Please, my daughter!"

He laughed; holding a blade to her chest. "You should have thought of her before you met me."

The woman closed her eyes peacefully, as the blade went through her heart.

Marik opened his eyes to the darkness of the room. "That woman..."

"Don't speak like that, mother. What happened to you?"

Instead of saying something, the woman pointed into the crowd. "Ishtaaru..."

"No, it can't be. She can't be her mother..."

"Your mother.....was killed?"

Anzu's eyes shifted to the floor. "Yes. I was so young, but.....I don't understand why I'm remembering this all now. I thought I forgot." She stood up, now dusting the back of her tunic.

"Things like that you never forget."

Turning around, she watched Yami lift himself to his feet. "But I did Yami! That's the point! I--" She threw herself into Yami, sniffing back tears. "I forgot!" His arms crawled around her body as she screamed into his shoulder.

"Anzu..." He whispered into her ear, as she cried some more muffled words. "It's okay...it's--did you hear that?" He stopped abruptly, eyes scanning the room.

Yami's silence made her forget about her mother for the moment. Her worries were now triggered toward what Yami had heard. Raising her head, she asked: "You heard something?"

Nodding, Yami motioned toward the entrance corridor. "I think it came from outside..."

"Het, I think I see them," said the taller guard, pointing to the marketplace. "There!"

Het's eyes widened. "No, they're heading for the city gates!"

"We can't let them do that, we have strict orders from the Pharaoh!"

"Calm yourself," Het continued, "they won't get far." Taking out his dagger, he walked stealthily toward the marketplace. Migu followed, still uncertain about their plan.

"Do you see anybody?"

The corridor was a small, narrow passageway used to confuse tomb robbers and thieves alike. With no light entering in, it was hard to uncover the passage out...or in. "I see something," the peasant finally answered, eyes shifted ahead.

"Wha--" Before she could answer, the sound of voices could be heard from the main chamber.

"Slaves," Yami affirmed. Then, ear against the wall, he listened again. His eyes narrowed at what he heard, and then "BY RA!" slipped out of his mouth, as he stepped away from the wall.

"Ssshh...they'll hear you, Yami! What's wrong?"

Yami grabbed her by the shoulders. "It doesn't matter if they hear us now..." Though Anzu couldn't see his eyes, she could tell that they were full of fear. Something was wrong.

"What are you saying?"

"They're sealing the tomb."

"Jou, where is this place?" Mai, exhausted, looked around at the countless people buying, selling, and looking around at the items displayed by hopeful merchants. "Jou?" she called again.

After a long silence, he finally said: "Almost. Keep your head down, I think the guards are close."

"I don't see anything," said Mai, eyes talking to the ground.

"Trust me," Jou whispered, "I was a royal guard, and when you're ordered to hunt down a fugitive, you can't return unless the fugitive is dead or you are."

Mai gave him an astounded look. He only nodded. "Maybe we should start running."

"They won't find us." Jou added, "come on--it's this way."

Nodding, Mai forced herself through the crowd...and into an empty alleyway. "Jou?" she asked, eyes searching the passageway. 'Where is he?'

"Here!" yelled a voice from the other side of the alleyway. "Mai, over here!" the voice yelled again. Mai found the mouth behind the voice and smiled. Jou looked like a lost dog who had found his owner. She laughed inwardly. 'I'll have to tell him that one later..'

"I'm coming!"

Reuniting herself next to him, he pointed to an old, abandoned hut to the right of the alley.

"What's that?"

Jou smiled proudly. "Home!"

Meanwhile, perched atop a roof, two guards watched the couple.....waiting to attack.

"What are they doing?"

Het looked over his shoulder. "They appear to be standing, sir!"

"Migu!" He smacked his friend over the head. Then, looking back at the couple, he whispered: "I think that's there safe house. This Pharaoh was too easy to track." Smiling, he pulled out his dagger. "It's time, Migu. Let's go."

"They're WHAT?!"

Yami, deep in his own thoughts, didn't hear her. Instead, he walked past her and glanced around the corner. "Yami?" Tea called after him, "what are you doing? Wait--it's not safe! What if they see you?"

"Shh," putting a finger to his lips, he whispered: "I have an idea."

Anzu folded her arms. "It better be good."

"Don't worry." He winked. Then, stepping toward her, he said: "if we can walk across this corridor unnoticed by those servants, we can--"

"There's probably a royal official watching them," she interrupted, eyes shifted on his. "What happens if he sees us? There's no telling what will happen..if..." her words drifted off as she stared into his eyes. She saw something glimmer. "That's your idea, isn't it?"

Yami smiled cunningly. "Exactly. If you can distract him, I can strike him from the back." As his words traveled out his mouth, he started pacing back and forth. "We can then walk into the palace as imposters--high officials, to be exact."

Anzu nodded. "It's an idea. How will we get past the slaves, though?"

"We could wait until they leave."

"Great," Anzu rolled her eyes, "what will we do until then?"

"I got a couple of ideas..."

"You know, maybe I can just sneak past--wait! That's Abasi and Ubaid!"

"Who's there?" asked both men simultaneously.

"Anzu, don't go out there! If they see me--"

Anzu, ignoring Yami's quiet protests, stepped out of the shadows. "It's Anzu."

"Anzu?" the taller one, Ubaid, asked. Then, smiling, he said: "I didn't know you were workin' down here, too! I thought you were Seth's servant?" Abasi, the other servant, only nodded at his friend's words.

'Just as I figured. They didn't hear about Yami and I being fugitives.' She faked a laugh. "Well, the Pharaoh sent me down here to work on his tomb."

"Really?" Abasi asked. Then, scratching his cheek, he added: "I thought we were the only slaves sent down here"--Anzu's eyes widened slightly--"Well, if you didn't hear the word, the officials wants us to seal the tomb. We don't know why, though." Anzu sighed.

'They don't even know that Yami's not the Pharaoh anymore.' Smiling, she looked over her shoulder at a pair of dark, violet eyes. "Why don't you ask him yourself, Abasi?" Then, signaling for Yami to come out of the shadows, she bowed lightly.

"Wha--" but before Abasi could finish, he found his words stuck in his throat. "Pharaoh Yami!" he proclaimed, throwing himself into the dirt. Ubaid followed shortly.

Confused, Yami looked over to Anzu. She broke into a smile. "You may stand. There's no need for formalities," he whispered, eyes still on Anzu.

"It is an honor to be in your presence," Abasi whispered, "but if I may ask, why are you here?"

Yami clenched his teeth. "I.....noticed the dreadful conditions down here, and I decided to move my tomb's location near my father." He winced slightly. 'Seth's father, I mean. Ra, why would they believe me? Pharaoh's don't usually care about the conditions they put their slaves in.'

"That's very gracious of you," Anzu replied. "But now we must return to the palace."

Yami nodded hastily. "Yes, of course."

"Farewell, my lord." Abasi and Ubaid bowed again.

"Home?" She threw the hood of her cloak off her head.

Jou nodded. "The Katsuya residence!" Walking toward the hut, he patted the frame of the door. "What do you think? A friend of mine was moving to Thebes and let me take care of it."

'What do I think? It looks like a clay vase ready to crack.' Running a hand through her hair, she tried to conceal the unhappiness boiling inside her. 'How can I tell him I don't like it? He worked so hard to find us somewhere to live.' Then, smiling, she said: "It looks....nice, Jou. Perfect."

"I knew you would like it--come on!" Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her inside to what looked like a dining room. "Whoa, this place is amazing!" he exclaimed, eyes wandering around the room. "Hey! Is that our chamber?" As he ran into the other room, Mai pulled the cloak over her head and threw it on the floor.

'I can't believe this. Being in the palace is better than being...here.'

"Mai? Is there something wrong?"

She turned around. 'Tell him...' a voice urged her words on. 'He's too happy.' Frowning, she decided to let her words speak for her. "Jou, I know you worked hard to find this, but I'm not happy. I....don't like it."

"Mai," he whispered, "you don't like it here?"

She sighed. "I'm not--" It was then she heard a loud noise from outside....

"Royal guards! Open the door!"

Mai and Jou looked at each other.

"What just happened?"

Anzu looked over her shoulder at him. "They're slave workers, Yami. When I first became a slave, I didn't understand anything about this type of labor or anything....but they showed me everything that I needed to know. I owe a great deal to them." She sighed.

"But, how come they didn't know about us--or Seth?!"

"Slaves are the last to be informed about anything. They can't come to the royal congregations, meetings, or even the Pharaoh's speeches." She rested a hand against the wall. "They know nothing of what has happened the past few days."

Yami listened, but remained silent. That is, until he saw what looked like a royal official. "Anzu," he whispered, "do you think you can distract the guard? I'm going to try to sneak around to the other side."

Once she nodded, Yami made his way to the other side of the chamber. Anzu, meanwhile, took a deep breath and stepped forward. Her footsteps made the official turn his head.

"Hey! You're not allowed in here!"

She looked around. "Oh no! I'm trapped!"

"What are you doing here? Wait--you're that girl that escaped the palace!" he drew out his whip. Then, "there's word going around that the first one to kill the servant will get an advancement to be the Pharaoh's bodyguard." Smirking, he added: "This is my lucky day."

'Isis, I wasn't expecting this to happen. Where's Yami?' She backed away from the official slowly. This only caused him to flicker his whip at her feet. She jumped.'Yami? Where are you?' She looked around frantically. Nothing. He flicked his whip again. It caught her leg. She screamed, then fell on her back.

"What's the matter? This is nothing to what Osiris will do to you!"

Her bottom lip started to tremble. "I've done nothing! Stop, please!" she pleaded, but this only fed the happiness in his smile. "Pharaoh Seth is a liar! You can't trust him!"

"Oh, and I should trust you instead?" He smiled sarcastically. "Nice try."

Anzu closed her eyes. 'He's taking out his whip again.' Her fingers dug into the sand. 'Sand! That's it!' Before he could raise his whip, she grabbed a pile of sand and threw it in his face. He yelped, and threw his hands to his eyes. She watched his failed attempts to rid the substance from his eyes. Then, crawling due to her sore leg, she made her way to the entrance of the tomb.

"You won't get away that easily!" she heard from behind, but refused to turn around.

But, as she found hope in reaching the entrance, she heard the crack of the whip, and then she was on the floor. Pain seared through her head from the new, open wound the whip had made. She tried to remain conscious, but her eyelids grew heavy. The last thing she remembered was hearing the official shouting at someone, and then seeing his body land on the floor next to her.

"They found us," Mai whispered. "Quick, take your cloak off!" He obeyed.

"Open up in there!"

Mai paced around the chamber quickly. "What are we going to say? Oh Isis!" She covered her face with her hands. "Jou, we need a plan." He nodded, but didn't say anything. "We need a plan," she repeated to herself. "Oh Jou! I don't know!"

"Mai," Jou started. He then grabbed her by the shoulders. "It's okay. I'll handle it."

Walking to the door, he opened it. Mai slightly winced. "Hello, is there a problem?" The two guards seemed surprised to see the two--Mai and Jou--instead of the Pharaoh and the servant, but they stepped inside the hut as a precaution. Jou repeated his question.

"We're looking for two fugitives," Migu affirmed. "We believe they came in here."

"Oh Isis!" Mai shrieked, finding comfort in Jou's arms. "How horrible!"

"Indeed," Migu replied. "Have you seen anything?" he asked Jou.

"Nothing, but I cannot be too certain. Mai and I were in the other room."

Migu nodded. "I understand. Do you mind if we look around?" Jou shrugged his shoulders.

While they were doing that, Jou and Mai were talking in the dining room. "Should we say anything? They saw us come in here," Jou whispered. Then, looking around, he added: "Maybe we should tell them that we saw two people headed for the gates." Mai shook her head.

"They'll get suspicious if we change our story."

"You're right." Before he could say anything else, the guards walked into the room again. One was carrying the cloak Mai was wearing. She cursed underneath her breath. 'We're in trouble now.'

'Ishtarru..' Marik ducked behind the crowd of people that were watching the scene before them. He couldn't let anyone know that he was actually the woman's killer. He was already wanted by three different cities. 'Ishtarru...' he heard the woman whisper again.

"It's her own fault," he whispered, "now the daughter will have to pay the price, too."

Marik opened his eyes. "I knew I recognized the girl. She looks exactly like Teana." Rubbing his eyes, he took his mind off the past. "It's now time to destroy the girl...." He laughed maliciously. Then, looking toward the other straw bed, he watched his former host sleep. "Don't worry, you will have company soon."

Lifting himself off the bed, he walked toward his millennium rod. "....and after I destroy those who have betrayed me, I will release the gods of abeyance!" Smiling, he stroked the rod.

But, before he could say more, he was startled by the sound of footsteps behind him. The rod fell, then rolled to the corner of the room. Marik growled, "who dares walk into the Pharaoh's chamber?"

"A fugitive has been captured, sir. The Pharaoh must be informed at once."

Marik turned around. "The Pharaoh is resting." He tilted his head toward the bed. "Now, let's discuss this in the entrance hall." As they walked toward the hall, Marik was stopped by the sight of Anzu on the floor, face down. A guard was hovered over her. "Migu," he started. Then, looking at the official, he added: "you may leave."

As the official left, he smiled at the guard. "Where was she found?"

"Near the Nile."

Marik frowned. "What became of the other one?"

"Dead," the guard said. Then, "he fell into the Nile while trying to capture the girl."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he said, "I watched him. He drowned."

Marik's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Good. Now, bring the girl to the Pharaoh's chamber." As the guard lifted the girl into his arms, the girl started to stir. "Hurry. We don't want her waking up."

'At least not now....'

Once they walked toward the Pharaoh's chamber, Migu settled the girl on the bed. The girl's eyes flickered open instantly. "What....no! Where am I?" She sat up. "Where's Yami?" The two men remained silent. "What have you done to him?!" Standing up, she clenched her fists. "Where is he?"

"Yami's dead."

Her eyes shifted to Marik. "What?" Then, she hurled herself at him. "You did this! You killed him! You..." Growing weak, she sunk to the floor. "No...Yami can't be dead."

"He drowned in the Nile; just when the guard was capturing you."

The hope in her eyes dissipated to emptiness. "No..."

"And now that Yami's dead, you will join him!" Lifting his puzzle, which hung around his neck, he chanted some words to himself. But, before he could unleash the power of the millennia, he stopped abruptly. 'Something is wrong..' He looked from Anzu to Migu. "Wait...you...you imposter!" He pointed his finger at Migu. The guard stepped back. "You're.....Yami!"

Anzu shook out of her trance, now looking at the guard.

The guard flipped his hood down to reveal a set of tri-colored locks. Anzu gasped; too shocked for words. "Yes Marik," he said triumphantly, "and now that you know who I am, you will give me back what belongs to me!" His eyes fell on the puzzle.

"It belongs to me now! You will never gain possession of it...ever!"

Yami ran forward, but was thrown back into the wall by the millennium puzzle. "Do you like that trick?" asked the thief sarcastically. "I have plenty more where that came from!"

"No!" Anzu yelled, as she watched Yami pick himself up. "Be careful, Yami!"

Dazed, Yami heard half of what she said. As he tried to lift himself to his feet, he found it useless. Instead, he looked around the room for something to throw...or at least use to defend himself. It was then he spotted the millennium rod.

'If I can just reach...'

Marik was one step ahead of him, however. He used the power of the millennium puzzle to roll the rod away from him. 'It's too dangerous to pick it up. He might try to attack me.' His eyes scanned across the room to Anzu. 'Perfect.'

As the millennium puzzle engulfed Anzu in its power, Yami tried to lift himself up to rescue her. "Don't worry, Pharaoh. She will only be used to hand me the rod."

"No, I will...not..." Anzu yelled, as she tried to break free of its power. It was useless. She already had her hands wrapped around the rod. "No! You will not control me!" She tried to pull her hands off the rod. The puzzle's pull was too strong.

"Fool!! No one can withstand the power of the millennium puzzle!"

Anzu shook her head. "That means that you will fall down to the puzzle's power, too! Stop this, Marik! You're the only one who can!" she yelled, as she advanced toward him forcefully.

"The puzzle's power is mine!" He defended, slightly fazed from what she said.

"Are you sure? How do you know it won't destroy you?"

Marik frowned. "No! Don't talk about things you don't know about!"

"I do. Yami does. Why can't you see it?" With this registering in his mind, the power of the puzzle slightly weakened, giving Anzu the ability to smash the rod into a wooden dresser.

"NO! THE ROD!" Marik yelled, throwing Anzu to the floor. "Do you have any idea of what you have done?" he yelled again, his tone angrier. "You....you..." his words drifted off as a mysterious cloud of smoke elevated, and found a home inside Seth. "No....it can't be..."

Distressed, Marik looked at Anzu. His eyes were corrupt with hatred. "You destroyed all my plans! I'll kill you....just like your mother!" This caused Anzu to gasp.

"You...killed my..mother?"

"Yes, for I am Ishtarru!" he shouted. Then, smiling, he added: "Marik Ishtarru."

To be continued...

Hahahahahaha!!! Cliffhanger! OH yeah! I loved writing this chapter. The next chapter is going to awesome, after all, it's the finale!! I'll try to have a "sneak preview" on my journal. Check it out!