Bakurasgirl: Of course it's intense! That's how it's been made out to be, ya know?
Animelover: Maybe they will fall in love, maybe they won't. I love keeping people in suspense. (winks)
Nightfall2525: Hell, I'm not sure if that's how it's going to turn out, thought I'm going for something along those lines. If you haven't noticed, most of my fics have the relationships rushed and I want to take this one a little slower.
LoneGothic: Yeah, Bakura really is a jerk. But hey, at least I'm keeping them all in character, except maybe Mai.
Pretty Stupid Girl: Glad you liked it, lol.
Princess of the Knight: Yes, poor Malik, the poor blondie.
Animeaddict99: I'm glad I updated too:)
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Chapter Eleven, Difficulties"Then I can't say that me being your wife is going to be as easy as you think it is." Bakura frowned and stood up, plucking the knife out of the door as though it was effortless.
"Perhaps you should rethink your strategy." A soft voice came from the library's doors.
"You just might be right, Ryou." Bakura said, eyeing the knife. He turned to his brother, who looked sickly pale. "Get Yami here, I have an errand for him to run for me." Ryou nodded and obediently left to do as told.
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"You called, Bakura?" Yami asked, lounging against the doorframe, drinking from a flask of brandy. Bakura scowled at the half-drunk lord.
"I need you to find Lord Duke and bring him back. There's going to be a change in plans." Bakura told him solemnly. Yami spat out his brandy, choking.
"You're calling it off? Everything!" Yami asked in horror.
"I have no choice." Bakura shrugged helplessly. "Anzu is not going to make an obedient wife and I can't deal with her."
"You could marry her, keep your inheritance, then annul the marriage."
"My father's will refrains me from doing that, or I would." Bakura glanced at Ryou, who had gotten out of his sickbed just to listen to their conversation.
"Perhaps you could marry her," Ryou began, stifling a racking cough, "but she doesn't have to play the part as your wife." Bakura snorted.
"The ton would sniff out the scandal in an instant." Bakura pointed out bitterly. A knock sounded politely on the door, before a familiar face popped in. Guilt gave a hard, sharp tug at Bakura at Malik's weary, pale face.
"Can I come in?" He asked softly.
"Of course." Bakura motioned and he and Marik entered, both cautious as hell. "Don't worry, Anzu cleared things up." Both eased up, flopping onto one of the red leather couches.
"So what's up?" Marik asked, fumbling for a cigarette (A/N: Yes, there was cigarettes back then) in his jacket's inside pocket.
"He's calling off the engagement." Yami explained simply. Marik raised his eyebrows in interest.
"Is that so?" He mumbled, lighting his cigarette and blowing the smoke out. "Why the sudden decision?"
"I can't deal with the wench." Bakura grumbled bitterly, picking up a statue in a bored, irritated manner. "How can I run my casino, deal with her and watch out for scandal in my business all at the same time?" He slammed the statue down, a chunk breaking of it flying to the ground.
"Sorry to say, Bakura," Marik said, watching him steadily, "but that's not possible." Bakura looked up at him, dread falling on his shoulders. Marik was the one who knew the laws of the ton; his sister was the Prime Minister, for God's sake!
"How is that?"
"Well," Marik eyed his cigarette, deciding whether or not to tell him, "your marriage license has already gone in, been approved and stamped."
"So if I want it cancelled..." Bakura was slowly acknowledging what all of this meant.
"You would need it to go through and they rarely let people back out; they have your father's will too and know what it means."
"Dammit!" Bakura swore, grinding his teeth to dust. "This is a load of bull shit!" Marik shrugged, crushing the remains of his cigarette in an ashtray.
"It's also the dead truth. There's nothing we can do to stop it. The ton, Prime Minister and the monarchy control England; we have to follow their terms." Bakura drummed his fingers on the table, hating that Marik was right.
"We'll get cancellation in a different country or—" Bakura stopped speaking, seeing Marik shaking his head.
"It could work that way if you had sent your marriage license into, ah, France shall we say?"
"Damn." Bakura murmured, staring down at the nicely polished shoes of Yami's. He wanted to spit on them and scuff them.
"What do you want to do, Bakura?" Ryou asked in lenient tone.
"I don't know."
"Still want me to after Lord Duke?" Yami asked, amused by his archenemy's dilemma.
"Have you been listening at all or are you completely brain dead!" Bakura snapped at Yami, pissed. Yami smirked, raising an eyebrow.
"Merely asking politely."
"Fuck politeness." Bakura snarled. He whipped around and stared out the window, moving the silky red curtains, his eyes narrowing. "Yami, you go to court, is there a ball coming up anytime soon?"
"Ball?" All the males repeated in surprise. They knew too well that Bakura did not take part in court affairs, even less, balls.
"That's what I said, isn't it?" Bakura demanded sardonically. "Now is there?"
"Yes," Yami replied leisurely, "tonight, actually."
"Really?" Yami raised his eyes to the other male, noting the light leer crossing his features. "Then I suppose, gentlemen, the ton is going to receive a shock tonight."
"Gentlemen?" Ryou croaked, his pallid features twisting in confusion.
"Not you, Ryou," said his older brother briskly, "you're too sick to come with."
"We're going to a ball!" Marik inquired disbelievingly.
"That's right." Bakura sneered at him, "For the first time in our elder years." They glanced at each other and shrugged.
"Hell, I might be able to get laid tonight." Marik put in casually. They roared with laughter, except Ryou, who frowned at the crudeness.
-
"Anzu dearest!" Sofia chirped to her daughter. "Hurry! We don't want to miss the tiniest piece of gossip at the ball tonight!"
" 'We'?" Anzu repeated uncertainly.
"Come on," Hathaway grunted, "don't disobey your mother. We don't have the time to." Anzu sighed and followed, not really wanting to go to the ball.
-
"I forgot how much I hate balls." Yami commented lightly with a bright face.
"Are you sure you hate them?" Marik asked, glaring at the lord. A dark look crossed the shorter males features, a low growl erupting in his throat.
"Don't contradict me, pauper." Yami hissed at him, a nasty grin crawling on his lips. Marik clenched his fists at being called a pauper, especially when he was a wealthy man.
"Brothers!" A voice gasped from the crowds.
"Oh dear God." The two blondes groaned, before their sister, Isis, in all her beauty hugged them.
"It's been so long!" Isis blubbered, then frowned, spotting Bakura near them. "This is a first time seeing you at a ball, Bakura."
"Trust me, I never intended on seeing you here." Bakura informed her. Isis' bosom trembled with fury, but she did not reply. After a while, a slow smile curled her lips upward.
"Are you here on account of your fiancé?" Isis queried innocently. Bakura shot a scathing look at her, warning her to shut up, but she didn't take it seriously. "Or are you meeting her here?"
"If I were, she would be expecting me, Isis, now wouldn't she?" Bakura shot at her. "Come on, I don't have time for this bitch."
"Careful of where you tread, Bakura," Yami lowly told him, "she is the Prime Minister and can make your life a living hell, you know. She did it to her husband before they married." Bakura merely snorted and snaked through the crowds, peering around to find Anzu. It was when everyone began dancing did he find her sneaking out onto the balcony.
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God it's dreadfully stuffy in there... Anzu thought, fanning her flushed face. She felt a touch on her elbow and her eyes widened.
"What in the 7 (A/N: or is it 9?) regions of hell are you doing here!" Anzu shrilled in shock. Bakura raised an eyebrow at her. Malik came out, hacking.
"Goddamn, it's hot as hell in there!" He commented to his brother and Yami, who came out, loosening their collars.
"Looking for you." Bakura replied, barely glancing at the other 3 males. "If we get married immediately, then the ton will suspect scandal is attached to our marriage."
"What do you care?" Anzu demanded of him.
"I'm not completely heartless." Anzu snorted in disbelief. "Just listen. Marik and those two have planned ahead and all we need is your compliance to the strategy." The female pursed her lips, glancing from each male, her eyes landing on Yami, who gave a fleeting smile towards her.
"Well..." She sighed. "Tell me the plan and I'll see."
"Alright." Bakura motioned to Marik.
"Since Bakura's just shown up at court, people will start talking," Marik began judiciously, "they'll think that it might because of his fiancé, whom, as they know, is you. All we have to do is have you two gradually start to go to lunch, dinner and other court affairs together. Then, after the public, and the ton are convinced you two are in love with each other—"
"But we're not!" Anzu protested despondently. Bakura glowered over at her.
"It doesn't matter whether we do or not, Mazaki." He retorted impatiently.
"Maybe not to you, it doesn't!" Anzu whirled on him. "Marriage is supposed to be based on love, not on deals or anything!"
"It happens," Yami interrupted them sensibly, "people get married because of wills, family or because they hate being a shrew or are afraid of being a virgin their whole life." He ended it with a compassionate smile. Her retort died on her lips and she lowered her eyes to the ground, sighing.
"Okay, go on, Marik." Anzu murmured to the eldest blonde of the brothers. He nodded grimly.
"When they're convinced, you two can get married. Gossip gets around easy and Yami can keep track for us." Yami glared at him, not liking having to do that job. "Plus, when we're in court and such, we can overhear things too. People like to tell other rumors. And congratulations too." He winked at Anzu and she blushed lightly. Marik smirked and cleared his throat at Bakura's glare, "It might take up to a month or two, but I think we can stay within Bakura's will's boundaries."
"Wait a minute...What did you just say?" Marik froze, realizing his mistake.
"Nothing," Bakura told her instantaneously, "it doesn't matter right now. I'll tell you at a more convenient time. So are you willing to give it an endeavor?"
"What if it doesn't work?" Anzu asked desperately.
"If it doesn't," Malik spoke up, "we're screwed."
"Couldn't we try a different plan?"
"We won't have enough time." Yami told her softly.
"Sure we will." She replied, "We don't have to get married immediately."
"The sooner, the better." Bakura grunted. "We'll keep in touch with you, Anzu." He nodded to the males and they followed him back into the ballroom.
"Keep in touch?" She repeated to herself, blinking, clutching her cotton fan. She sighed and turned her back to the doors, gazing up at the moon. "I suppose we shall, Bakura." She smiled lightly and snapped her fan open and moved the cool air over her face with the expensive fan.
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DIS: Hm, so how do you like it? Is it okay? Hope to hear you peeps soon! Ciao and love ya all!
