"He hasn't come out of his room in 24 hours. He's practically barricaded himself in there."
"I know."
"And you're not at all worried about this, Roland!" It was at this point that Roland actually took a moment to consider the other bodyguard. After a long pause he finally replied.
"He just lost his brother." He didn't complete to his sentence, he thought he didn't need to. That fact should have said it all.
"But you of all people should know the dangers even now." The other bodyguard then lowered his voice to a whisper "Master Kaiba's killer is still out there-"
"I know". Roland replied even more vehemently. He could never forget, he wouldn't allow himself to forget. He'd be there right now searching for Kaiba's killer fulfilling his obligation as a bodyguard to protect if not avenge his master if not- if not for the more important promise he'd made to an older brother to protect his younger brother with his own life if need be. Mokuba's safety had always been priority number one. And with Master Kaiba gone, with the manor in disorder, with Kaiba Corp. in a panic, it was comforting to know that at least there was one thing that remained constant. Roland would not fail this time. He would keep to Kaiba's wishes, his legacy, his memory, even without him there. A sad smile graced his lips as he continued "Besides Master Kaiba made Mokuba's room fireproof, blast proof, the windows are bulletproof, hell the whole room may even bombproof, if I had to pick any room for Mokuba to be in right now it'd be his own."
"But he still hasn't eaten."
"I'll talk to him. For now I think we should conduct are own investigation into Kaiba's murder." The other bodyguard made a move as if to speak but Roland quickly silenced him. "And start preparing security precautions for the funeral as well."
"So soon?" Roland nodded in return.
"We have to take control of this situation. Now. And the first thing we need to do is to take care of the younger Kaiba". And with that Roland called in a maid to bring in Mokuba's lunch as the second bodyguard left. They had plenty to discuss.
He looked into his shirt pocket. He removed a tiny card-shaped locket with as much care as he would a precious heirloom. He undid the clasp and carefully opened the locket as he had seen Master Kaiba do so many times before. He looked at the smiling picture of Mokuba. He had seen Kaiba's eyes instantly light up when he saw that smile. So many times before that he had practically memorized his exact movements. But Roland could not feel anything from this picture. He could only feel shame. He was an intruder; his trespassing eyes were looking at something that only Kaiba should ever see.
But Kaiba couldn't and he never would ever again.
He remembered prying the locket off of Kaiba's body before the coroner's office took his body away. Such a precious item it was. It needed to go some place better than the Morgue.
It needed to go to Mokuba. But he was in no shape to even get out of his room. But Roland could not find it in his heart to blame him.
It was going to be painful. But it had to be done. Mokuba needed to face reality now. That was priority number one. Roland could insulate the fallout from Kaiba Corp. for the time being, the company that Kaiba had fought so hard to keep would have to be put on hold in its darkest hour: leaderless and vulnerable. Then there was the matter of Mokuba's legal status, he was technically an orphan again, Roland would simply have to get Kaiba Corp. lawyers to work on that instead of the excruciating process of reading through Kaiba's last will and testament. Mokuba was not ready for that. Surely Roland could protect him from that. But there was still the inescapable fact that Kaiba's killer still ran free and the fearsome possibility that he might come back and finish what he had started.
Time was a luxury Roland could not afford. Time was essential. He knew that. He had learned that speed was essential in the business world, a lesson hard taught by Kaiba himself.
But then why did it still feel so wrong opening the door into Mokuba's dark little room?
There could be no time to grieve. Roland knew that.
And so just as shamefully as he had opened Master Kaiba's locket he opened the door into Mokuba's room, not truly knowing what to expect.
Thank you so much for reading!