Questions of the Unexpected

It had been about three weeks since the execution of Mai. Shadi sat on the rooftop, gazing at the afternoon sun slowly setting over the hills.
"I knew you would still be up here."
Shadi looked up, seeing Yugi right behind him. He then turned his attention back to the view below him. "What do you want?"
"I still wonder," Yugi tilted his head to the side. "Do you still regret what you have done with Mai? I mean, after all, you two had a thing for each other."
Shadi shook his head. "It's what she wished for." he then patted his hand beside him. "Sit down."
"Uh...okay." Yugi sat beside Shadi, his feet dangling in the air.
"You see, I have known Mai for quite a long time."
"Long time?" Yugi gave Shadi a strange look. "She's so young. Almost the same age as Serenity.
"About two years older. Mai has been here all her life."
"All her life? Now I know you're hallucinating big time."
"Who wouldn't believe?" Shadi never once looked at Yugi. "Mai is actually Marik's daughter."
Yugi's eyes widened. "No!"
"Yes. I'm not sure who her mother was. After all, Marik had more than one escort. He had no intention of raising her so he manipulated her memory with his millennium rod, forcing her to believe she has been abandoned in the Sahara. After that, he left me to take care of her until she was about seven or eight when she worked as a servant girl and a maid at the age of fourteen."
"Wait a minute! Wait a minute!" Yugi couldn't believe what he was hearing from this older man. "How old were you? Because this sounds like a story that could land you in jail for adultery."
"Perhaps." Shadi gave a small smile. "Truth is, I'm seven years older than her."
"And you don't care if you're nearly a decade older than her? Oh for the love of Ra!"
"Age ain't nothing but a number. Plus, Marik started his escort service on the day he had been appointed pharaoh and that's when he was fifteen."
"Fifteen?!?" Yugi couldn't believe what Shadi was saying. "Where were his damn parents when you need him?!?"
"His parents were killed during the war between the north and south. I guess he decided to take up escorting to prevent loneliness from overcoming him."
"I tell you Shadi," Yugi stood up. "You people of the south have disgusting lives.'
"You are aware that everyone here is pretty much evil in its own way." Shadi also stood up, making his way back inside. "Bakura is a thief who made a pact with Marik. Rishid takes to power of seduction to a whole new level..."
"Hey wait!" Yugi ran after Shadi. "I'm not through with you yet! There's more I wanna know. You always use your millennium key to get a sneak peek of everyone's mind."

That night, Marik, Shadi, Rishid, Tea, Yugi, Yami and Bakura gathered at the dining hall. Serenity was going around and about, serving the dishes and filling up the glasses with either water or wine.
As everyone continued eating in silence, Yugi tensed as he looked on at Marik. Finally, he stood up on his chair, glaring at Marik. "How could you still live with yourself? You murdered an innocent girl for crying out loud!"
"Yugi, sit down." Yami chewed on a piece of bread.
"No!" Yugi picked up his glass. "Marik, you knew Mai was innocent. She's not the one who tried to drown Anzu!" he then spilled the liquid right on Marik's face.
Marik instantly stood up, glaring at Yugi. He raised his fist towards him. "Why you puny..." he was ready to attack but Tea held him back. Looking down at his escort, he then dropped his fist to the side. Silence filled the air that you could hear a pin drop. "Anzu, head for my chambers. I'll see you there."
Tea nodded as she left the kitchen. Marik soon followed.
"Sorry about this Marik," Yami stood up, yanking Yugi off the chair. "Come with me Rishid." he dragged Yugi out of the dining hall with Rishid following from behind.
Shadi, Bakura and Serenity remained in the room. Bakura sipped on his red wine as Serenity took the plates and glasses off the table and washed it in the sink. She came back with a glass of red wine for herself.
Shadi shifted his gaze towards Serenity. "How long do you plan to keep up with this charade?"
To this, Serenity smiled at Shadi, crossing her legs over one another. "At least until their relationship breaks completely. The little whore must dies after all."
"You don't need to tell me your motive." Shadi rose from his chair. "I can find out for myself." he left the kitchen.
The smirk had not left Serenity's lips as she sipped her wine. "Yeah, with the way things are going now, I'll have everything I want in no time."
"Too much of the red wine can make you do something really, really naughty." Bakura chuckled as he approached her from behind, massaging her shoulders firmly.
"I can't help it if I want the things I want." Serenity leaned her back against Bakura's chest. "I'm a spoiled child who, unlike that smart mouth Anzu who would go at any lengths to get what I want."
Bakura stood Serenity up, sitting on her chair before pulling her close to him, sitting her on his lap. "You ever wondered how I came to be?"
"I always wondered where you came from." Serenity interlocked her fingers with his before running his hands on her apron. "From the day you stepped in this place, I knew you were a liar." she sipped her drink, placing it on the table.
"Born from the darkness, lived in the darkness. Perhaps you can call me the devil." he placed a kiss on her cheek.
But Serenity forced herself off Bakura's lap. "Don't push it. You already know who I like so don't think you're worthy of me."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Bakura stood up, smirking. He then turned around, leaving her in the room. "You created me, remember?"
"What the hell does that supposed to mean?" Serenity glared at Bakura but he ignored her and continued out of the room until he was no longer in sight.

Anzu stood in Marik's room, gazing out at the night sky. Her stomach leaned against the cold glass, her fingers running up the ridges of the wall. It was a rather cold night indeed in Egypt.
All of a sudden, she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. Knowing it was Marik, she didn't turn around. His hand then ran down her arm, pulling her close to him. His other arm wrapped around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. Kissing her neck, he then whispered in her ear.
"We need to talk."
"What about m'lord?" Tea looked up at the full moon.
"Are you happy here?" he slowly stepped back, pulling her gently along with him.
"Truth to tell m'lord," Tea's gaze shifted from the sky and onto the floor. "I have never been more happier since the first day."
Marik tossed her onto the bed. He then laid down next to her, caressing her sides before digging his fingers into her skin, pressing his lips onto her ear. "I want an honest answer Anzu."
Tea nodded weakly, nuzzling her head in one of the pillows. "Go and ask m'lord."
"Have you loved your master in return? Not as a servant or a slave. Just what two regular people would go through."
Uncomfortable silence filled the air as Tea thought of this question long and hard. After what seemed like hours, Tea finally responded. "M'lord, it is true, yes, that there are any times that I have fallen for you but I did not believe we could actually go further than what we are now."
Climbing on top of her small frame, Marik kissed her on the forehead, looking down on her. "Anzu," he paused for a moment, his fingers running through her hair. "I want you to be my wife."

Woo-Hoo! Been too long but something is finally updated. Now...ahem what should be Tea's decision ponders
To Be Continued