Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Do I have to say this every time? (sigh…)

Author's note: Okay, here's chapter three. I hope people can review the story so I get an idea of what others think about the story… (sigh). I know, it started out boring, but it should get better soon, especially when Seto meets Serenity.

The Spirit of the Sword

Chapter 3

Serenity Needs Some Time Alone

"Joey! Come back here! HOW DARE YOU!!!" shouted a very beautiful blonde girl. She had long and curly blonde hair, purple eyes, and perfect curve body. Her name was Mai Valentine, the cousin of King Yami. She was chasing a tall blonde hair man. "How dare you break my favorite perfume!" Her stares showed her rage toward Joey.

"I'm sorry Mai! I didn't mean ta do tha!" Joey Wheeler, the skillful swordsman of the kingdom, was running toward the stairs. "Forgive me Mai, please!" He was very tall, with blonde hair and brown eyes. He had a sword hanging on his waist.

Joey ran up the stairs, and bumped into a person walking down the stairs.

"Ah!" the young girl gasped. She fall down and almost rolled down the stairs if the strong arm didn't catch her in time. Joey caught the young girl in time and saved her from serious injury if falling down the stairs.

"Are you alright, sis?" said Joey, with a worried expression on his face. "I didn't see ya. Sorry, sis!"

"… I'm… I'm fine… thanks Joey… thanks for saving me…" the young girl, Serenity Wheeler, answered. She was still shocked and scared by the fact that she almost rolls down the stairs. She has long auburn hair, a pair of hazel eyes, and beautifully-curve but skinny body. She was not that tall, perhaps about 5' 4". Her beauty was of the gentle and loving nature, unlike Mai, whose beauty was of the glamorous type that could catch almost everyone's eyes. "I'm okay now. Don't worry."

"Where are ya going sis?" asked Joey. He just brought Serenity back from his divorced mother several months ago. They were separated for about six years; he stayed with their father and she left with their mother.

"Oh… I want to go to the garden near the castle. I want to go to the swings for a while" she said.

"Oh, fine. But ya have ta bring the guards with ya. I don't want ma little sista to get hurt by some creeps. Who knows who would be at tha park?" Joey advised Serenity to bring some guards.

"No Joey, I want to be alone for a while. I'm be fine, I promise" Serenity smiled. Her smile caught the eyes of both Tristan and Duke, who just entered the hallway.

"Let me accompany you, Serenity" suggested Tristan, with both eyes glowing at the thought of being alone with Serenity. He had short brown hair that was pointy at the forehead. He was the head of the guards of the castle. Everyone could tell that he had an interest in Serenity.

"Don't listen to him, Serenity, let me go with you" suggested Duke. His black spiky hair and green eyes made him look extremely handsome. Many maids in the castle had a crush on him and they formed a fan club for Duke. Duke was the war strategist of the kingdom.

"Hey! I asked Serenity first! Why do you think she will want you to accompany her? Huh?" attacked Tristan. "After all, I'm the leader of the guards. Only I have the ability to protect her!"

"Oh yeah? I don't think so. What makes you superior to me? I have more brain power than you!" Duke rebuked at Tristan's remark.

"Yeah? Let's see how strong you are!" Tristan yelled and he wanted to pull out the sword on his waist.

"Hey hey hey… who says ya two can go out with ma sis, huh?" Joey cut in. "I don't rememba telling ya that ya can go out with ma sis!" Joey was over-protective of Serenity because he loved her dearly.

"But…" both Tristan and Duke wined at the same time.

"No buts!" Joey cut off their sentence. "Seren said that she wants ta go alone."

"Joey! Don't you think you are over-protective of Serenity?" questioned Mai. "You can give Duke and Tristan a chance, you know. Serenity is not a little girl anymore."

"Shut up, Mai. I'm not talking ta ya!" Joey yelled at Mai.

"How dare you Joey! How can you tell me to shut up?" Mai was angered by Joey's 'shut up' order.

"Guys, guys. Please don't argue. I'll just go alone. Thanks, all of you, for wanting to help me out" Serenity said with a soft voice and a soft smile. "I'll be back in a while." With that, she walked passed the quarreling couple and the two young men who had crushes on her. Of course she knew from their behaviors the day she was brought back that they liked her, but there just seemed to be something, or some feelings, that were missing from them. Both Tristan and Duke were great friends, but not lovers, at least not to her.

After Serenity left, the arguments of Tristan and Duke continued, and the altercation between Joey and Mai continued…

Serenity walked slowly into the park near the castle. She loved the beautiful and colorful in the garden. The fragrant smells of the flowers were soothing and calming. She walked toward the swings under a big tree. She loved the swinging moving and the ability to swing really high. It was fun!

She sat down on the swing. She fumbled and pulled out the necklace she wore on her neck. It was translucent under the bright sunlight. It was a necklace made of white Jade shaped to be a dragon. Dragon, where did I find you? I don't remember… It seemed so long ago… I think it was a boy with blue eyes that gave you to me…

Serenity put the jade back into her shirt. She began to swing the swing, at first slowly, then gradually increased the speed, until she had the feeling that she was flying into the sky… Suddenly, she flew out of the swing because she didn't hold on very tight.

Oh no! I'm going to fall! Help? Someone? Anyone? Serenity used her hands to cover her eyes. She didn't have the courage to watch herself fall to the ground several feet away from the swing. That will be very painful!

The pain that she expected didn't come true. Serenity slowly opened one eye… What just happened?... A hand! Whose hand could it be? She saw two hands holding her. Then, Serenity opened the other eye slowly. She turned her head upward a little, and saw someone holding her. It was a young man, but she couldn't see clearly who he was, because the sun was shinning right on top of his face, making his face appeared in shade.

"Thanks… thank you for… saving me…" Serenity stuttered and blushed a little. She had never been held this close to a man. She struggled to get off the arms of the man.

The young man put Serenity back onto the ground. He didn't say anything to her. He only used his cold blue eyes to observe her. Such a pretty face… But that had nothing to do with him. He was on his way to the castle and must walk past this garden.

Serenity now saw the appearance of the man who saved her from falling to the ground. Wow… he is so handsome… Wait! What am I thinking? I don't even know him… He has dark brown hair, blue eyes… that look so familiar… Have I seen him somewhere before?... No way! I couldn't possibly forgot someone this handsome… Serenity blushed more at the thought of how handsome this man was. He is so tall… I must lift my head a little to see his face…

"Are you done looking at me?" Came the annoying and impatient voice of the young man. His voice was deep, but very very cold.

"Huh?... Oh! I'm so sorry…" Serenity blushed and her face turned into a red tomato. Stop blushing, Serenity! Stop it! You look so stupid now…

"Good" he said coldly, then walked away. His long, silver trench coat billowing behind him. There was one more person following him, looked like his follower.

Serenity was still blushing. She gazed at the back of the tall figure until he disappeared into the turning path of the garden. She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

Snap out of it, Serenity! Okay, I better go back to the castle. Joey might be worry if he didn't see me soon.

Serenity tried to concentrate and began to walk in the direction that young man walked, because that was the only way to the castle. But Serenity didn't realized that he went in the direction of the castle too, she was still in a daydreaming state. All she could think about now was the "hero" who just saved her. Little does she know that he is no hero at all, but only a person that might make her feel miserable…

Okay, I finished Chapter 3. It's about the same length as the first two chapters. Sorry to leave a little cliffhanger at the end…(if you really think it is a cliffhanger at all, that is).

(Sigh)… it is somewhat discouraging, seeing how little reviews I got… But I'm not giving up yet. I'll try to make the story more interesting next chapter.