DIS: Welcome, everyone, back to Whispers in the Night!

Marik: (wearing shawls like a gipsy) And to your demise, hahahaha! (cackles)

DIS: (coughs) Uh, right. Well, thanks to all the aristocratic books I've been reading, I have been learning more and more how the people of the ton behave. (snicker)

Marik: (oO)

DIS: Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen, Duel

Bakura tapped a finger on the table, wondering why all the cheating gamblers suddenly disappeared. He wanted to beat someone up. Marik and the other two got a piece of that asshole earlier and now here he was, having to deal with utter boredom.

He raised his eyes, hearing a soft knock on his door. He groaned, rolling his head back in weariness.

"Yes?" In a minute, an innocent face poked in. He straightened, wondering who this young lass was. "What can I do for a gorgeous lady such as yourself?" Might as well charm her while she's here. He thought to himself. The blonde flushed in embarrassment and closed the door, her pearly indigo eyes focused downward.

"Oh piffle," she murmured, "I didn't think it would be so hard to speak with you. Miss Anzu had be deliver this to you. I'm her cousin, Alora." Bakura watched her with somewhat amusement.

"Very well," he stood up, smoothing his shirt lightly, "then what is it that Anzu needs?"

"I'm...I mean...She wasn't specific."

"Specific." He sighed. He should have guessed as much. Anzu was never specific, the inexplicable wench. "Fine, where is she?"

"Outside."

"Outside...?" He took a deep breath. If he blew up on Alora, then Anzu would surely wring his neck. "Show me the way."

"Oh, famous!" She clapped her hands together and hurried outside in a flurry of her skirts swishing.

Anzu scowled at Julian, feeling her stomach tighten.

"I don't understand what would make you conspire against this marriage. You know that this is only for Duke." Anzu told him coolly.

"Oh?" Julian's eyes narrowed, looking not all like the friend she had come to love dearly. "It seems much more than that, Lady Anzu."

"Oh, it's you." Julian looked up at the growl.

"Ah, Bakura," Monsieur Julian drew away from Anzu, smiling serenely at Bakura, "I expected you to come to her rescue. You always do, now don't you?"

"Oh, piffle," Alora muttered, "this is becoming ever so complicated." Julian's eyes narrowed and his hands clenched.

"You shouldn't be allowed to marry her, she's too good for you!" He barked out. Bakura raised an eyebrow cockily, his hands buried in his pockets.

"You amuse me, monsieur." The rogue murmured to himself. Anzu held herself rigid, not daring to move. Her eyes were watching them. A look flashed in Julian's eyes, before gave a 'humph'. "We have two choices," Bakura smirked at him, moving into the center of the road, "pistols or swords. Which do you prefer?" Anzu's eyes widened in realization what was happening.

"I've always been better with swords. It brings more excitement, wouldn't you say?" Julian said, leering at him. Bakura gave a curt nod and told Anzu, "Go get Marik for me, will you? Tell him that it's time for me to have my fun." Anzu's throat lodged as she nodded and left.

"...time to have his fun." Anzu repeated the words to the blonde, who blinked blankly at him.

"Have his fun?" Malik repeated over his brother's shoulder. "By God, has someone challenged Bakura!"

"Yes," Anzu nodded, swallowing the haunting lump in her throat, "Monsieur Julian has." She took a deep breath. "Well, it's more that Bakura challenged him."

"Interesting." Marik grinned. "Pistols or swords?"

"Swords."

"Even more." Marik jerked his head to his younger brother. "Go get them, Malik."

Anzu and Alora sat at the steps of Bakura's casino, clutching onto each other. Malik and Marik were standing near Anzu, watching through the string of crowds what was happening.

"Come on," Marik hauled Anzu to her feet, "if we get on that carriage, we'll have a better view."

"So, Julian, do you think you can take me on?" Bakura inquired lazily, moving his sword in a gesture of arrogance.

"Who says I can't?" Julian demanded, growling. His nemesis smiled innocently.

"Me. And probably the rest of the people here." He made an impatient gesticulation around him at the crowds.

"Humph." Julian flicked some of his silver hair out of his face. "Let's just go. I have other places to be."

"If you survive this," Bakura grinned, "that is, you'll be able to go to those other places, which I doubt you will." Julian snarled at him at the insult and Yami, who had been loading a pistol the whole time they were chatting, cleared his throat.

"No killing, all right, Bakura?" Bakura sulked, but sighed, shrugging at Yami's order. "Okay, Julian?"

"Fine."

"You can cut him up, but he better have a pulse at the end of this." Yami told them, smiling. "Ready?" Both nodded, grasping the hilt of their swords. Yami raised the pistol and shot the bullet above them, sounding the start. Julian lunged at him. Anzu slapped her hands on her face, afraid that Bakura was going to be stabbed to death.

Cling.

"Good catch," Marik murmured to himself.

"Jolly good." Yami said, sitting beside them on the top of a carriage.

"Damn!" Julian ground out, flinging back. Bakura took a smooth step forward, his blade catching Julian's cloak. The aristocrat winced as the blade sliced his skin in a rush of heat. He ignored it and the next time Bakura went for his throat, he caught the silver blade—barely.

"I can't watch!" Anzu gasped, peeking from her fingers.

"Ah," Yami patted her leg, "don't worry. Neither of them will die."

"Do you really believe they'll play by the rules?" Anzu asked, lowering her hands.

"Hmm..." Yami rubbed his chin, "Nope." Anzu paled and nearly fainted if it hadn't been for Yami's grip on her shoulder. "Julian might try not to, at least. Hopefully, Bakura's smarter than that."

"I hope so."

"Do you love this Bakura, Cousin Anzu?" Alora inquired softly.

"No!" Anzu gasped out in horror. Alora shrugged, a secretive smile dancing on her lips.

"Tell me," Bakura asked as his blade blocked yet another one of Julian's attacks, "do you really love Anzu?"

"Of course I do!" Julian snapped, feeling blood seep down his leg where Bakura had cut him.

"Then you'll be intelligent enough to let her make her own choices." Bakura shoved him back with his sword.

"You'll deprive her of what a woman so dearly values." Julian retorted.

"Right," Bakura grunted sarcastically, his blade plunging in his shoulder, "like I'm that selfish." Julian howled with pain as the blade came back out, covered with blood. Bakura hadn't even been scratched, yet Julian was dripping with blood.

"You are," Julian hissed, clutching his shoulder in pain, "I would know." Julian cut off the rest of his thought as the tip of Bakura's sword dug underneath his chin, bringing his head up, the males' eyes meeting.

"Not nearly as selfish as you." He murmured to his adversary. "Here," he threw a kerchief at him, "clean yourself up." Bakura wiped his blade in the dirt, walking up to his business. Julian glared at his back in rage. He picked up his sword, hauling his body up and pounced at Bakura, his blade pointed at his head.

"Bakura!" Anzu shouted at him, throwing a rock at his head. Bakura flinched at the rock, growling, and kneeled down to throw it back at her. Julian's sword passed over his head and he, himself, tripped over Bakura's body, falling in front of him. Bakura gave a curious look at the crumpled body of the monsieur.

"Next time," Bakura told him softly, "don't try to start something that has already ended." Julian turned his head to him, blinking against the sunlight. Bakura plucked the other sword from the ground, out of his rival's hands. He motioned to Malik, who jumped down from the carriage and took the swords, strolling inside. Marik, Yami, and Anzu glanced at each other, before flopping down to the ground. When everyone was cleared away, Alora slid onto the ground and propped Julian up, his head rested against her bosom.

"Oh piffle," she murmured, "you shouldn't have been so insistent." Julian just grunted as Alora hauled him up into the carriage that had arrived. "We'll clean you right up, luv."

"Thank you for the save," Bakura grunted to Anzu at his home as she bit into an apple, "not that I needed it." She shot him a dark look.

"Don't be so unappreciative, Bakura, it doesn't suit you." She said sarcastically. His eyes narrowed at her and she hastily shut up, turning her head from him to the blazing flames in the fireplace. "Duke and Ryou have become very good friends."

"Yes," he watched as the firelight danced over her face as she stared unblinkingly at the fire, "they have." He paused. "So have you and Isis, I might add."

"No."

"What?"

"No, you might not add." She turned to gaze at him. "Isis is a very nice woman." He snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe to you." He lifted the glass of brandy and took a drink of it, feeling the ache in his chest subside.

"I'm going to sleep." She informed him, standing up, smoothing her negligee out. "Goodnight."

"Hn" was his vague response as she passed him, munching on the rest of the apple. He heard the doors shut and he glanced behind him vigilantly. Sighing, Bakura dropped onto the couch, setting the wine glass on the table near him. Heaving a sigh, he closed his eyes, feeling the small cut (that Julian had somehow managed to deposit on him) pulse on his chest. "Damn." He mumbled, rubbing his chin-length hair.

DIS: Please review and tell me how you liked it! Ciao