Here's the long awaited chapter 4. Sorry guys, been busy with work and keep being occupied with other fandoms. I swear my mind just can't stay with one fandom for long.

Bakura: That'll do that to you and mess you up.

Oh Bakura, Yami. Didn't see you there. Where are your hikaris?"

Yami: Yugi is sick so Ryou is taking care of him.

Aw, poor thing. I hope he'll feel better soon. Now could either of you do the disclaimer?

Bakura: Sure. Niana does not own YuGiOh, Beauty and the Beast, or the songs she puts in here.

Yami: She's doing this for fun.

I also don't own Spirit or his mate Rain. Besides, if I did own YuGiOh, there would be a lot more romance in it. Oh well. Anyway enjoy!


Chapter 4

First Meeting

Night has fallen. The two friends arrive at the tall gates of the castle Solomon had entered. Glancing around the area from the drawbridge to the highest tower, Yugi and Ryou become curious about this castle that gave them the feeling of familiarity. "What is this place?" Yugi ponders.

Just then Ryou saw the black bandana Professor Solomon wears. "I'm not sure, but we should hurry inside to look around, Yugi."

When he saw the bandana as well, Yugi simply nods his head and the two dismount Spirit and Rain to enter the castle after pushing the gate open to pick up the bandana.

Inside the castle, Hermos and Tholan are in one of the studies with two other friends, both knights like Hermos but one had silver eyes, midnight sky blue hair and white armor named Arinnor while the other had a mix of red and brown hair, crystal clear blue eyes, sun-kissed tanned skin and purple armor named Kiamos.

"You couldn't keep quiet, could you?" Hermos said with a sly grin on his face while Tholan just stood leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. "Just had to allow him to stay huh? Serve him tea, sit in Timaeus' chair, interact with the kids." the whole time he is pacing.

"I was only trying to be hospitable." Tholan added as he examined his nails.

"What the hell is your problem with helping someone anyway?" Arinnor replies from the sofa he and Kiamos are sitting on.

"I swear that you do nothing but worry nowadays, Hermos. We've been waiting for so long for someone that could help us with this damn curse that whiny bitch place us under just because Yami didn't return her feelings." adds Kiamos.

"Kiamos, you know that we are only suppose to go by our ancestors' names now with this damn spell."

"Oh whatever."

Opening the large wooden door with a creak, Yugi and Ryou step inside. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

"Hello? Grandpa?"

"Are you here, Professor?" the two friends call throughout the halls and corridors to find where Solomon is.

Running into one of the great bathrooms, Ryiah says excitedly as Aysen finishes preparing the bath, "Grandpa, there're two boys in the castle."

Aysen turns toward his granddaughter. "Now Ryiah, I won't be having you making up silly stories."

"Really grandpa, I saw them." Ryiah tries to convince him of what she saw.

"Not another word from you, young lady. Just take your bath." As Aysen is leaving so she could undress and relax while getting all clean, a seventeen year old girl with short purple hair with soft blue eyes and wearing loose clothes came running over to the Shadow Ghoul very excited. "What is it, Tressa?"

Tressa, a Magician of Faith, says with her smile growing, "Two boys. I saw two boys in the castle." before running off to tell the others.

Resurfacing from the warm water with her flipping her long black and blond hair out of her eyes and against her back. "See? I told you grandpa." Ryiah says with a bit of a giggle, earning a stern look from her grandfather.

Back in the study, Hermos is still scolding Tholan with Arinnor and Kiamos very annoyed as thy covered their ears to block him out. "You're nothing but an irresponsible, heavy-armored, slack-jaw…"

But then the four hear new voices. "Granpa?" the first sounded very young and innocent.

"Professor?" the second had a gentle British accent.

Turning toward the doorway, they see two boys, one with tricolor hair like Timaeus but instead of a teal blue, he had amethyst tips, the same color as his eyes, and his friend had more gentle albino style compared to Arinnor's sharp edge and gentle doe brown eyes pass by the room. Curious, the four hurry to the door to get a close look at the new comers. "They're boys!" Tholan exclaims.

"Idiot, we know they're boys." Kiamos replies, annoyed that he had pointed out the obvious.

"Don't you see, one of them is the one. The person we have been waiting for. He is going to break the spell!" Very excited, Tholan follows the two down the hall with Hermos and the other two coming up.

Calling out to his grandfather, Yugi and Ryou hear a door behind them creak as it is pushed open. Entering the now open corridor, Yugi and Ryou glance around to see the light from a torch as it went up the stairs to the tower. "Is someone there?" Ryou calls as they watch the torch light go higher and higher up the stairs.

"Wait! We're looking for my grandfather!" the two follow the light. Coming up to the top of the stairs, the friends meet up with three knights and a man carrying so much ammo on his being.

Facing one of the cells, the knight in red armor says, "Sir, you have visitors."

"Who is it?" came a familiar elder voice from the cell the red knight turned to.

"Grandpa!" Running over to the cell as Solomon reached his hands out through the bars with Yugi taking one hand with Ryou taking the other.

"How did you boys find me?" Solomon smiles at his grandson and his best friend who is the only one that respect him more than his other students.

Feeling the temperature of his hands made the two young friends worried about their elder. "Your hands are like ice. We need to get you out of there." Yugi says as Ryou examins the cell door, figuring out a way to unlock it and get Solomon out.

"You two shouldn't be here. You must leave this place."

"Who has done this to you, Professor?"

"I'm afraid there is no time to explain." Solomon quickly glances around the room behind them, as if keeping an eye out for someone or something. "You must go, now!"

"We're not leaving you!"

Just then, a new figure appeared in the tower and approaches the two boys in front of the cell, having ordered Hermos to turn out the torches, the only source of light being the moonlight seeping through a hole in the roof. "What are you two doing here?" Timaeus turns the two around.

With it being dark with only the moonlight being the limited light, Yugi and Ryou are both afraid of who is in the dark room with them now. "Who's there? Who are you?" Yugi asks as Ryou held him protectively in his arms.

"He's the lord of this castle." Arinnor answers as Timaeus stays out of the moonlight.

"We came for my grandfather. Please let him out."

"Can't you see he is sick?"

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here." With there being very little light, the only thing Yugi is able to see are his teal blue eye since his right eye is shut for some reason and then notice it flash into crimson for a moment.

"But the professor could have died out there!"

"Please, I'll do anything if you'll let him out." Yugi begins to beg the castle lord.

To see the desperate plea in the smaller boy that looks so much like him just more innocent, Timaeus looks away from those amethyst eyes that he just could lose himself in them if he stares too long. "I'm afraid there's nothing you can do. The man is my prisoner."

"There must be something…" Yugi begins when a thought came to mind. "Wait sir!"

Turning back towards them, the teal knight and the others wait for what he has to say. No matter how bad this thought is, Yugi knew he has to do it in order to save his grandfather. "Take me instead."

This surprised everyone in the tower. Understanding what his friend is doing, Ryou faces them with a more determined expression, "Take me as well."

This still surprises everyone. "You two would take his place?" Hermos asks since Timaeus is too speechless at the moment.

"Yugi, Ryou, no! You two don't know what you're getting yourselves into!" Solomon begs them to reconsider their descision.

"If we did, will you let him go?" Yugi ignores his grandfather's words, the situation taking a hard toll on his heart that he and Ryou are giving up their freedom for Solomon.

"Yes. However, you two must promise to never leave my castle grounds." Timaeus just barely stands outside the moonlight.

Since he is still out of the moonlight, the only light source since the torches have been put out, Yugi says since he can't figure out why he is remaining in the dark, "Come into the moonlight."

Now no longer needing to hide in the darkness, Timaeus slowly steps into the limited light. Once Yugi and Ryou could see his face, realizing that he looks so much like Yugi except his eyes were a sharp shape and there is a long scar that went from his forhead down over his right eye to his right cheek. Realizing that Timaeus is the Cursed Prince and the reason this castle appears so familiar to them is that the two had read about it at a younger age.

Terrified that they have started this deal, Yugi and Ryou look back at each other. Before they could finish their thoughts, Solomon reaches out to both boys and grabs their shoulders. "No boys! I won't let you do this!"

Pulling away from the elder, Yugi stands before Timaeus with Ryou joining him. "You have our word."

"Very well." And so with th deal set, Timaeus goes over to the cell and unlocks it while Ryou comforts Yugi.

"Boys listen to me." Solomon comes up to the boys and gently holds them by their arms. "I'm old, I've lived my life. You don't need to give up your freedom for me."

"I'm sorry grandpa. But I can't let you die here." Yugi says as the tears start to form in his eyes.

"I agree with him, sir." Ryou replies with his own gentle brown eyes sparkling.

Allowing them one last hug with the elder, Timaeus orders Arinnor and Kiamos to take Solomon back home. Now with the three gone and Hermos off to bed, seeing the two friends in tears, Tholan faces Timaeus and says, "My lord, since they are staying with us, maybe you could offer them a more comfortable room."

"Fine, Tholan. You two, follow me. I'll show you to your room if you don't want to stay in the tower." With their tears wiped away from their eyes and cheeks, Yugi and Ryou follow Timaeus with Tholan walking beside the young lord.