Wow! So many reviews! Arigatou gozaimasu! (Thank you very much!) /bustles
about, handing out prizes/
By the way, I have no intention of bashing Anzu/Tea. In fact, I doubt she would have a very strong part in this tale. I can't reveal too much but I can assure you, she will not be scheming to break up Yuugi and Yami. Anzu is a female character I rather like (which IS a compliment from me since I detest most female characters in anime and manga) though I rather like Isis/Ishizu and Mai when you're regarding Yu-Gi-Oh! Read some of my earlier fiction regarding Anzu/Tea. Do you see any bashing there?
I thought not.
~*~
A Special Gift
~*~
"It hurts!" I gasped in pain as the oysters attached.
"Shh," murmured Ryouji. "The pain eases, little brother."
I still winced, tears in my eyes. Honda was bringing over a wreath; Malik adjusted my necklace. When I gazed into the mirror, I blushed at the sight.
I actually looked- princely. My hair was left to rise in its wild spikes and Honda gently clasped a thin gold circlet about my brow, wrapped in amber sea lilies, each with centers of white pearls. Golden bracelets jingled at my wrists; a scarf of soft violet was wrapped about my waist. And about my neck was a delicate chain with a pendant of a curious stone, white with flecks of many colors glittering in its depths. Rishid called it an "opal."
However, with this finery, I felt weighed down. The current soothed me, yet taunted me with its freedom.
"Worry not, brother," said Malik, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It is for one day."
I managed a smile to him. "Must duty be about pain and over rich finery?"
"At times it must," answered Ryouji. "Come now. There is celebration in your honor, Yuugi. And we will present to you a very special gift. Something from all of us."
My three elder brothers exchanged smiles and my curiosity was roused. However despite my efforts, they would say no more.
~*~
"Prince Yuugi!"
"He is so adorable. Perhaps not handsome like dear Ryouji-sama or Malik- sama, but with so much more charm."
"Those beautiful violet eyes and even that wild hair. so charming."
"Yes, so incredibly sweet! He is such a sweetheart!"
I blushed at the compliments of the court mermaids, who were eying me with interest while they squealed. Not liking it at all, I shrunk closer to Honda, who took me into his embrace to shield me and glared at the females.
"Arigatou, Honda-nii-san," I murmured, huddling a bit closer.
"Watch out for them, the blasted leeches," he said, grumbling. More than one of the maids had rebuffed his attempts to court them and that never truly settled in Honda's heart. I wish that he could learn to forget.
Alas, but my brother could be fickle yet at the same time grudging.
"There you are," came Ryouji's voice. He came, leaving lovelorn sighs and admiring glances in his wake. "Yuugi-kun, we must present our gift to you."
"Will it have to be public?" asked Honda, voice gruff.
Emerald eyes shot him a slightly exasperated look but my eldest brother only gestured with his hand. "Come now. It is finally ready."
I looked up at Honda, whose eyes were strangely soft and almost longing yet a smile played at his lips. "Go on," he said, pushing me away gently. "We have been waiting long to give this to you."
I smiled back shyly, extending my hand to him. "Then come on."
Malik joined us, face oddly sober. The crowds parted for us as my two elder brothers went ahead as a front guard and Honda remained behind with me.
In the center of the great hall, in the middle of an enormous mosaic design of the sun laid out in red coral, was a bundle covered in many layers of violet silk, lashed down with ropes of golden kelp. I could not tell what it held, so covered it was.
Malik took his knife from his waist, raised it, and slashed the ropes with a single stroke. As the ropes fell, the currents wailed, rapidly coming in and swirling about the bundle. The sheets of silk fell away, and revealed white.
A statue stood in the middle of the hall. A statue of me.
~*~
A/N: Sorry about the short chapter. I'm a bit busy right now, I have exams and SAT to think about, as well as volunteer work and grants. I detest this school system.
I'll try to get the next chapters up as soon as I can. Thank you SO much for the reviews. It is something that every author appreciates.
Heh, next prize will be FAKE DVDs and Demon Diary manga! Keep on writing them! I expect at least five more!
By the way, I have no intention of bashing Anzu/Tea. In fact, I doubt she would have a very strong part in this tale. I can't reveal too much but I can assure you, she will not be scheming to break up Yuugi and Yami. Anzu is a female character I rather like (which IS a compliment from me since I detest most female characters in anime and manga) though I rather like Isis/Ishizu and Mai when you're regarding Yu-Gi-Oh! Read some of my earlier fiction regarding Anzu/Tea. Do you see any bashing there?
I thought not.
~*~
A Special Gift
~*~
"It hurts!" I gasped in pain as the oysters attached.
"Shh," murmured Ryouji. "The pain eases, little brother."
I still winced, tears in my eyes. Honda was bringing over a wreath; Malik adjusted my necklace. When I gazed into the mirror, I blushed at the sight.
I actually looked- princely. My hair was left to rise in its wild spikes and Honda gently clasped a thin gold circlet about my brow, wrapped in amber sea lilies, each with centers of white pearls. Golden bracelets jingled at my wrists; a scarf of soft violet was wrapped about my waist. And about my neck was a delicate chain with a pendant of a curious stone, white with flecks of many colors glittering in its depths. Rishid called it an "opal."
However, with this finery, I felt weighed down. The current soothed me, yet taunted me with its freedom.
"Worry not, brother," said Malik, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It is for one day."
I managed a smile to him. "Must duty be about pain and over rich finery?"
"At times it must," answered Ryouji. "Come now. There is celebration in your honor, Yuugi. And we will present to you a very special gift. Something from all of us."
My three elder brothers exchanged smiles and my curiosity was roused. However despite my efforts, they would say no more.
~*~
"Prince Yuugi!"
"He is so adorable. Perhaps not handsome like dear Ryouji-sama or Malik- sama, but with so much more charm."
"Those beautiful violet eyes and even that wild hair. so charming."
"Yes, so incredibly sweet! He is such a sweetheart!"
I blushed at the compliments of the court mermaids, who were eying me with interest while they squealed. Not liking it at all, I shrunk closer to Honda, who took me into his embrace to shield me and glared at the females.
"Arigatou, Honda-nii-san," I murmured, huddling a bit closer.
"Watch out for them, the blasted leeches," he said, grumbling. More than one of the maids had rebuffed his attempts to court them and that never truly settled in Honda's heart. I wish that he could learn to forget.
Alas, but my brother could be fickle yet at the same time grudging.
"There you are," came Ryouji's voice. He came, leaving lovelorn sighs and admiring glances in his wake. "Yuugi-kun, we must present our gift to you."
"Will it have to be public?" asked Honda, voice gruff.
Emerald eyes shot him a slightly exasperated look but my eldest brother only gestured with his hand. "Come now. It is finally ready."
I looked up at Honda, whose eyes were strangely soft and almost longing yet a smile played at his lips. "Go on," he said, pushing me away gently. "We have been waiting long to give this to you."
I smiled back shyly, extending my hand to him. "Then come on."
Malik joined us, face oddly sober. The crowds parted for us as my two elder brothers went ahead as a front guard and Honda remained behind with me.
In the center of the great hall, in the middle of an enormous mosaic design of the sun laid out in red coral, was a bundle covered in many layers of violet silk, lashed down with ropes of golden kelp. I could not tell what it held, so covered it was.
Malik took his knife from his waist, raised it, and slashed the ropes with a single stroke. As the ropes fell, the currents wailed, rapidly coming in and swirling about the bundle. The sheets of silk fell away, and revealed white.
A statue stood in the middle of the hall. A statue of me.
~*~
A/N: Sorry about the short chapter. I'm a bit busy right now, I have exams and SAT to think about, as well as volunteer work and grants. I detest this school system.
I'll try to get the next chapters up as soon as I can. Thank you SO much for the reviews. It is something that every author appreciates.
Heh, next prize will be FAKE DVDs and Demon Diary manga! Keep on writing them! I expect at least five more!