Chapter 47

Ceremony

Seto sat on the chair in his room. A while ago he glanced over at the clock, it was nearly 3 a.m., but now it was much later. He didn't have a chance to sleep, he didn't want to. Business was the only thing on his mind. That and Anna. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate, some days he just couldn't stop thinking about her and that night they stayed together. It was the happiest he had felt in a long time. He wanted that feeling to last, but something told him it wouldn't. Maybe it was the mysterious fiancee looming over them, or perhaps it was the dreams. He didn't know. But he did understand that Anna was the best thing in his life and he wanted her to stay with him.

The phone rang and interrupted his typing. It was his private phone line that reached into his bedroom. Very few people had that number.

He answered it with a blunt, "yes."

"Why aren't you in bed?" Came the friendly voice from the other end.

If Anna were in the room, she would have seen the smile that formed on his face. "How do you know you didn't wake me?"

"Because your light is on."

Seto looked around. Her answer made him think she was watching him. "How do you know that? Where are you?"

"At my apartment, silly."

"Then how...?"

"I can see your building from here, and by some strange coincidence our bedroom windows face each other."

Seto walked over to the window and peeked out the curtains.

"Ah, there you are." Anna commented.

"How can you see me? I can't even make out your building."

"It's all due to a wonderful little device called a telescope. Perhaps you've heard of it?"

"Have you been spying on me?"

"Believe it or not, no I haven't. I couldn't sleep so I decided to do a little stargazing. You're just lucky that Mars is at a low declination tonight."

"There's a cure for that."

"You can move Mars to a higher declination?"

"If you can't sleep then you should come over here and we won't sleep together." Seto paused and wondered, did he just say that right?

And on the other end Anna silently wondered if he meant to say it that way. But it didn't matter. "Sorry, no can do. I have an early appointment with my uncle in the morning. He has something important to discuss with me."

"Are you sure it's him and not his secretary again?"

"It's him this time. He called me himself, right after he got back from the United States."

"What was he doing there?"

"I don't know, but he was in a very cheery mood when I talked to him. It kinda creeped me out."

"I don't like the idea of you being alone with him. He might try something."

"He may be an idiot, but I don't think he would do anything in his own office. He would be the prime suspect."

"Just be careful."

"I'll be careful if you promise to get some sleep."

"For you I will attempt it."

"Just remember, I'm watching. I'll know if you don't."

"Yes, master." A slight chuckle escaped from his throat. "Call me after your meeting tomorrow and let me know what's going on."

"I will, now go to bed."

"Good night."

As Anna hung up the phone she took another look through her telescope. It took him a few minutes but the lights in his room eventually went out. She wasn't a fool, she knew he could have easily changed rooms so she couldn't see, or just turned them off for show. But she had a strong feeling that he really was trying to rest. He would do anything she asked. She leaned on the telescope and rested her head in her hands.

"Good night, Seto."

Seto had expected Anna to call him the next day. After all she did promise to tell him what transpired between her and her uncle. He was a little surprised when he didn't get a call, but instead a note. A note asking him to meet her that afternoon in the park. He had no idea what she was up to. But then again, her actions were extremely hard to predict. He followed the directions, which led him to one of the small cabins along the lake. He remembered this place. It was the same cabin the rain had forced them into so many nights ago. He didn't realize how much time had passed since then. It seemed to last so long, but in reality they had known each other only for a year. He liked that night they spent here. He got to hold her in his arms as they kept each other warm. That was a good day.

Seto shook off his remembrances and walked into the cabin. The first thing he spied was Anna sitting on the floor in a lavishly detailed kimono. He couldn't possibly know the significance of that kimono, of how it was her grandmother's. She had never told him, she probably never would. Anna had her hair done up in a traditional Japanese style. She even looked the part. Laid out before her on the low table were a teapot and several small cups and implements. He recognized them. This was the Japanese Tea Ceremony. They had talked about this, and she must have researched it afterwards. Seto removed his shoes and placed them next to hers at the door, then sat opposite her. No words passed between them, no words were warranted. She gave him a quick smile as she started the ceremony. What followed was the fluid movement of hands and the graceful acts of loving souls. Seto paid no attention to the ceremony. He concentrated on her. As she was, in those clothes and her hair styled so, she looked so different to him. He had always looked on her as Egyptian, but now he saw the Japanese in her too. The slight slant of her eyes. The shape of her face. Her long elegant neck. Even her soft and nimble fingers now seemed so foreign to him. There was so much about her he still didn't know. Things that would take a lifetime for him to find out. He knew that that was one lifetime he would enjoy.

The ceremony was over as quickly as it had begun. Both of them secretly wished it would have lasted longer, but all things have to come to an end. As they walked along the lake Anna was the first to speak.

"Did you like it? I tried to do everything right."

"It was beautiful."

Anna thought that was a funny thing for him to say, especially since he hadn't paid any attention to the ceremony. "I wanted to do something special for you. I wanted to show you how much your friendship has meant to me."

"You'll always have it."

"I've been doing a lot of research on Japanese traditions. I wanted to get in touch with the other side of my heritage. Just because I didn't grow up here doesn't mean I should ignore it. Actually, Japan has a lot of amazing accomplishments in its history. But the one thing I don't get are these shoes. Other cultures invented sandals, moccasins, and boots, but Japan comes up with these. Who in their right mind said, 'hey, let's walk on two pieces of vertical wood'? It's just insane. I've been practicing on these for two weeks and I still wobble."

"What you're uncle said must have been bad." Seto said abruptly.

"Why do you say that?" Anna's lively demeanor vanished.

"Because you're babbling. You always babble and try to avoid the subject when you're afraid to say something."

"Am I that easy to read?"

"I know you."

Silence separated them for a moment before Anna spoke. "He's sending me away."

The mere words made Seto's heart jump. "Where?"

"America."

"He's angry with you?"

"On the contrary he says I've been doing such a good job here, he wants me to head up a new branch in the United States."

"You can't go."

Anna held her breath waiting to hear what he would say next. She wanted to hear him say how much he loved her and how it would break his heart if she left. But Anna knew she couldn't hear it. And she knew Seto, he wouldn't say it.

"It's a trap." Seto continued. "He knows you're safe here. He knows I can't protect you if you leave."

"I don't have a choice. I have do to what he says."

"Not if we can find enough evidence to prove that he's been trying to harm you. If we can do that, you won't have to take orders from him anymore."

"We'll have to do it quickly. I leave in ten days."

"So soon?" Seto tried to mask his surprise, but it showed.

"I'm so stupid." The heaviness of their hearts was repeated by the echoing of their footsteps as they crossed a wooden bridge. "I should have seen this coming. He always does this to me. Every time I got settled in and made friends, he would uproot me. I never stayed in one place too long. That's how he controls me."

"I won't let it happen." Seto's determination was revitalized. "I'll find a way. You won't have to leave. I won't let him take you from me."

"Seto, I..." Words didn't come easily to her. She wanted to say so much. It would have been easier to tell him by holding his hand or embracing him. But she couldn't do that. She struggled to find a way to tell him. "I want...I think you should know..."

Anna's words were cut short when the vertical post of her shoe became caught between the planks of the wooden bridge. She quickly lost her footing and was tempted to tumble over the side and into the water. Call it instinct, or quick reactions, or maybe just a genuine concern for her, whatever it was allowed Seto to snatch her from the edge and pull her to safety. He held her against him to steady her. Before they knew it she was in his arms and their hot bothered breath grazed each other's faces. Seto knew he had to do it, he had to show her how much he loved and needed her or else it would be too late. She would be gone, possibly forever. He drew her in closer to the point at which their lips brushed each other, but one thing stopped him.

"You're shaking?" Seto whispered.

"The sun's going down, it's getting cold." Anna whispered back with a slight tremor in her voice.

This disappointed him. She was obviously making excuses. But the real reason still eluded him. Was she scared? And if so, of whom? Her uncle? Her fiancee? Of him? All of them have hurt her in one way or another. Seto couldn't blame her for not wanting to get close to any of them. A worse thought entered his mind. What if Anna didn't feel the same way about him? He thought she did, but Anna was not the kind of person who wouldn't hide such a thing. If she wanted him, he would know. And until now, he had never gotten an affirming signal from her. That led him to only one conclusion, she didn't want him. And he needed to stop making a fool of himself.

He released her from his embrace, but did hold onto her arm so she might keep her balance. "Come on, I'll see you home."

Anna wrapped her arm around his. She hated the silence that befell them. It was obvious that they both wanted to say so much, but neither of them could. She feared what this current turn of events might do to them.

"So what does this mean? What's going to happen to us?" Yugi asked as he sat on Anna's couch.

"It means I go to America." Anna said with downcast eyes. The previous actions of the day still running through her head.

"Are we still getting married?"

"I'll come back for the wedding. That's one thing my uncle can't stop."

"Then what?"

"I don't know. I guess I'll leave again."

"Back to America?"

"Where ever he wants. He has control of me until I turn eighteen. He could send me back to America or to Sweden or Timbuktu for all I know."

"Then I'm going with you."

"Of course, Yugi. Once we're married, you can go anywhere with me."

"No, I mean now. I want to go to America with you."

A look of shock entered Anna's face. "I...don't...I don't think you can. I'm not your legal guardian and I'm pretty certain the United States has laws about underage children living together."

"Then let's get married." Yugi was full of resolve now. "Let's get married this week. If we're married we can go anywhere together.

"This week?"

"It'll be simple. We could go to the courthouse and do it there. All we would need is a few witnesses, and I know Anzu, Joey and Honda would be glad to do it."

"But what about all our plans?"

"You don't like the idea?" Yugi was a little depressed now. "We've been having all kinds of trouble planning things. I thought you'd be happy if we just scrapped it all and did something simple."

"I love the idea." Those words made Yugi perk up. "But so soon?"

"We were going to be married in a few months anyway."

"Not until the end of the year."

"What difference would it make?"

"It's a huge difference. I don't think you understand what you'd be giving up. If we get married now and move to America then you'll have to leave behind Grandpa and all your friends, not to mention starting a new school. You'll be the only kid in High School with a wife. And what about your dueling career?"

Yugi cast his eyes down toward the floor. "Then you don't want me."

"I didn't say that." Anna went over and sat next to Yugi on the couch. "You have to understand Yugi; I never had a childhood. I was rudely thrust into being an adult. But you still have yours. And I want you to enjoy it for as long as it lasts. Don't worry about growing up too quickly. When the time comes, I'll be here for you."

"I'll miss you, Anna."

Anna took his hand in hers. "I'll miss you too, Yugi. But hey," A smile returned to Anna's face. "If we cross our fingers and we're really lucky, there is a chance I might not have to go."

"Really? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Pray for a miracle."