Ch 5 People Who Live In Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones
The melodic sound of violins and flutes carried over the crowd as they mingled and danced to their soft sound. Other instruments sat waiting for their turn in the song while the room swayed and spun in jovial delight. The chandelier of floating blue lights shifted and danced above the lively ball room as if guiding the flow of energy.
Yuugi stood off in the corner of the room watching the Lelanians as they laughed amongst themselves. He smiled when he spotted Kalo and his siblings over by the food table and practically eating an entire platter of chocolate covered fruit all by themselves. Kora ran off only to return with a grey napkin for every sibling. She scolded Kalo as he wiped his chocolatey fingers on the blue table clothe before shoving the napkin in his hands.
A young maiden with red hair and white eyes stepped in front of Yuugi, cutting off his view from his friends. They gave each other a smile before she grabbed his hands and led him on to the dance floor. He allowed himself to be led and only smiled as she put a hand on his shoulder. He responded by placing a hand on her waist and began to sway to the soft music.
They didn't speak, but Yuugi was skimming the crowd. He could see Yami through the haze of faces. The King was dancing with another person, but Yuugi couldn't see who it was as Yami's body blocked the view. The other person stood a little taller than Yami, but only by an inch or two. The only thing Yuugi could see was the scarf that the person wore around their head: it was a scarf of Mira.
Yuugi craned his neck in order to look around Yami. Something made his heart beat fast in his chest and the noise around him numbed into silence. His breath hitched in his throat as Yami finally moved and Yuugi could investigate the other person. Preist clothes. Tanned skin. Red eyes.
Yuugi blinked as the other man who looked so much like Yami flickered his gaze over to Yuugi before he whisked Yami away into the crowd. Yuugi began to panic.
He wanted to watch the pair of them, but they were slipping out of sight and he tried to release his own dance partner, but she held fast to his hand. Turning to face her, the girl only shook her head with a wicked grin. Yuugi opened his mouth to speak, but his voice was weak and tight. It lodged in his throat and he could barely make more than a squeak of protest.
She pulled him closer, a dark leer in her eyes, and Yuugi began to shake. Around him, the pedestrians began to lose shape until they were merely shadows that swarmed around him. Around and around in a circle, they went like a vortex that was dragging him down. The girl's nails dug into his skin like claws as she plunged him into the dark waters at his feet.
The intoxicating flavor of glorean burned his mouth as water poured past his lips and nose. He couldn't breathe. His blood boiled as the glorean slipped into his system and the urge to vomit came over him. His stomach flipped and twisted and his muscles twitched in protest.
The girl pulled him closer before flashing him a wide-toothed grin, showing off her sharp teeth, "There you are."
"I've been searching for you for the past hour."
"Young Lover."
"Come, quickly, you need to get dressed for the ball."
Yuugi gasped as his eyes shot open. With his heart pounding in his chest and air rushing to fill his abused lungs, Yuugi frantically took in the area around him. He was in the ballroom. It was empty save for the council, a few priests, and the maids that worked to set up the tables and decorations. Yami stood by the throne talking in a heated discussion to Clairece and Rumonbothe. Safia stood in front of Yuugi with a flustered expression.
Yuugi blinked and struggled to find his voice, "W-what?"
Safia threw up her hands, "The ball, Young Lover. You must get dressed for the ball. You can't let the guests see you like that."
Yuugi faltered and nearly fell forwards as the wind was knocked out of him. Needing something to stabilize himself, Yuugi gripped onto the banquet table he stood next to. It was clear of food and was only decorated by the black tablecloth with blue and silver embroidery he had picked out. On each of the far ends was a pile of white porcelain plates with a black and blue bird painted on the center. Then beside those where piles of the silverware that he and Kalo's family wrapped in the red napkins and beaded sting he had picked out.
Yuugi's knuckles turned white as he buried his nails in the black tablecloth. His head swam as a wave of heat rushed over him. He felt hot and clammy. Each noise that sounded in the room reverberated and bounced in his ears like a harsh clap of thunder. His legs wobbled and he felt his strength leave him. Had he not been using the table for support, he would have been a pile on the floor.
Beside him, Safia paced, "Young Lover? Really we must be getting you ready for the ball."
Her words fell on deaf ears as Yuugi struggled to catch his breath. He clenched and unclenched the tablecloth as a sense of loneliness gripped his core. He couldn't hear the bustling maids or the chatting councilmembers. He couldn't hear the shouts from the kitchen or the orders from the priests. He felt alone in a churning ocean of black.
He could hear something walk towards him. It was soft but shook the ground with each step. It was the only noise he could hear past his own heartbeat that thundered in his ears. Amethyst eyes squeezed shut as another wave of heat splashed over him and his stomach churned. The acidic taste of bile glossed his tongue as he swallowed the urge to spill his lunch.
"Die."
Yuugi's eyes snapped open just in time to see a black ball of fur lunge at him. He screamed as he fell backward in an attempt to dodge the attack. He could hear sharp death click shut, just missing the soft flesh of his neck, before four paws pinned him to the cool ground. Yuugi swore his skin sizzled as it slammed against the frozen marble.
"Yuugi!"
Frantic hands pulled Yuugi off of the floor and to his feet. Yuugi swayed as he tried to stand, but the furious hiss behind him made him jump and fall forward. Strong arms caught him, but Yuugi fought against their hold as he watched the black cat stalk closer to him.
"Let me go!" Yuugi yelled as he finally broke out of the embrace. He dodged the cat as it jumped at him only to run into the table. He yelped as he tried to use the object to steady him.
"Yuugi, stop!"
Taking in a shaky breath, Yuugi did as the voice commanded and froze. He didn't protest when hands gripped his face and forced him to look up. The person's face was fuzzy and covered in shadows, but the more Yuugi blinked the more it came into focus. Frowning lips, pale skin, elegant ma'an, concerned red eyes.
Relief flooded Yuugi as the loneliness began to disappear, "Yami!" he jumped forward and wrapped his arms around Yami's neck. The elder hesitated for a second before returning the embrace and wrapping his arms securely around Yuugi's waist. Yuugi could've cried.
"What's the meaning of this?" Rumonbothe's cold voice snapped the comforting air that befell Yuugi.
"My King, do you have an explanation?" Odette asked.
Clairece hummed, "He was acting similarly in my office yesterday. Perhaps he's just not feeling well."
Yami released Yuugi to look him in the eye, "What happened?"
Yuugi shook his head. Crimson eyes turned to Safia who stood off to the side with a worried expression.
"I'm sorry my King. I had just come over to get him ready for the ball when he started acting this way," Safia explained with a shake of her head.
Yami turned to look back at Yuugi and the teen could see the mix of emotions that churned in the other's ruby depths. Despite his face being masked with indifference, thoughts ran through Yami's mind and emotions flickered through his gaze. Yuugi bit his lip as he watched Yami. He hadn't meant to stress him out even more. What with the ball and other kingdoms coming, the council, priests, and maids have been running his lover up a wall trying to get ready. Yuugi could see that Yami was holding everything inside: the last thing Yuugi wanted was to add to Yami's troubles.
Yuugi shook his head, "Yami, I'm-"
"Don't," Yami snapped. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When Yami opened them again, there was anger burning in his gaze, "Don't you dare tell me that you're fine."
Yuugi narrowed his eyes and was about to comment when Safia spoke up, "Do you think he will be ready for the ball tonight?"
Yami's eyes never left Yuugi's, "No. He will not be attending."
Yuugi's jaw dropped, "What?!"
A round of gasps and similar exclamations escaped the councilmembers and priests that stood around them. Hushed whispers and concerns were passed between each other as they evaluated the situation. Yuugi pay them any mind. His wide eyes and open mouth were focused on Yami who had a tight jaw and hard eyes.
A bitter feeling nipped at Yuugi and shock turned to anger, "Are you kidding, Yami?"
Crimson eyes narrowed, "You're sick and have been for the past few days. You haven't been getting better, you've been getting worse. The last thing I need is for you to make a mess of the ball."
Yuugi flinched back. Amethyst eyes darkened as he sneered at Yami through narrowed eyes, "What? You don't want me to embarrass you?"
"Neither one of us knows what wrong with you, so we can't risk it."
Yuugi let out a bitter laugh, "What's wrong with me? I thought I was just sick. Now it's something more."
"With how you've been acting it wouldn't surprise me," Yami hissed.
Yuugi faltered as his glare turned to shock. He tried to recover his anger, but the pain that stung his heart could no longer put the feeling behind it. The feeling squirmed and withered the longer those crimson eyes glared and burned his soul. The only reprieve he got was when Yusei pulled Yami back and stood in front of Yuugi.
Out of the spotlight Yami's glare put him under, Yuugi took in a shuttering breath and inched closer to Yusei. He could feel Yami's agitation pulse around the group and it shook his core. Yuugi could feel his muscles strain to keep him standing, but fear kept him frozen in place.
Rumonbothe broke the thick silence with a curt huff, "That is completely out of the question."
Yami's head snapped tot he elder counselor, "I gave my order. The Young Lover is not to attend the ball."
A pang of sorrow shot through Yuugi and he placed a hand on Yusei back to keep him steady. Ducking his head, Yuugi kept his eyes on the floor, afraid to look up.
"Order or not, it is completely unprecedented," Dovai added, "There has always been a Queen or Young Lover at the King's ball."
"None of them had been sick," Yami spat out the last word with venom.
Clairece stepped forward, "On the contrary, my King. Three rulers ago, when Queen Mimi was on the throne, her Young Lover had been recovering from a stomach virus at the time. Despite the Queen wishes, the Young Lover attended the ball in order to keep up with the tradition."
Syracuse hummed in thought, "It could be a bad move not to show the other kingdoms who would be ruling by your side, my King."
"It would also be a mockery to our Goddess Mira if your Young Lover was not at the ball. To hide away her great gift of love, it would be disgraceful," Teryn added.
Yami growled and pinched the bridge of his nose. After a few seconds, his crimson eyes snapped open and scanned over the small crowd. When they landed on Yusei, he stopped, "What do you think?"
The Neko said nothing and instead pushed Yuugi out from behind him. Feeling everyone staring at him, Yuugi took a deep breath and rose his head. Confidence rung in his amethyst eyes, but Yuugi could feel the exhaustion that tried to grip his mind. His legs were shaking with effort, but Yuugi tried his best to mask it.
When he locked eyes with Yami, he almost backed down from their intensity. Yuugi gulped, "I want to go, my King."
Yami took a step back as something flashed through his eyes. With a stiff nod, Yami spoke, "Fine. You may attend," his red eyes found Safia who stepped forward and gave a nod of understanding. Without another word, Yami stepped away and returned to the thrones with the council and priests in tow.
All that remained was Yusei, Safia, and Yuugi who watched the group retreating. Yuugi swayed in his spot as a dizzy spell spun his head. His limbs felt like lead, his eyelids dropped, and his mind searched for an anchor to latch onto. There were hands on his arms that led him out of the area and into the hall.
Yuugi blinked as he took in the scuttling maids that hurried to clean and decorate the halls. There were many decorations that merged together in a blur of rainbow colors. Yuui gave up trying to focus on them. Every few steps, his feet would stumble, but another set of hands would catch him and set him upright.
Their pace was slow and languid, yet Yuugi swore they were teleporting. One second they were by the entrance and the next they were on the bridge that oversaw the city. Yuugi tossed a glance at the town below and smiled at the blue lights the floated above it. He forced his eyes open in order to watch it longer; however, on the outskirts of town, Yuugi could see shadows creeping in. They raced in large waves towards the tall buildings and blue streams. Just as the town was pulled out of sight, the inky waves engulfed the town and drowned out all the lights.
Yuugi's head felt heavy and it nodded forward. When he yanked his head up again, they were in Yami's room where Safia was bustling around. Yuugi sat down on the couch and found his body relaxing into its velvet comfort. With little hesitation, Yuugi let his amethyst eye slip closed.
Sleep came easily to him as exhaustion gripped hold of him; however, the images that passed behind his closed eyes were nothing akin to dreamy. Dark shadows crawled over an open ocean, living floating bodies in its wake, just like an oil spill. Its black tendrils stretched out across the horizon, desperate to grip, drown, and swallow any prey it could find. He was floating just above the surface, and the waves lapped at the air, trying to grab him. When they were unsuccessful, the waves crashed and growled in anger before tossing the bodies already ensnared in the dark. The corpses floated past him with blank eyes. Blood leaked from their lips, nose, and eyes in a petrified gaze that balked at the cloudy sky above them.
Anzu…
Jonouchi…
Kalo….
Kalypto….
Mana….
Yusei….
The King….
His mother….
Yami….
Yuugi jolted upright as his mind ejected him out of the nightmare. A tired hand rubbed his pale face as he let out a heavy sigh. Once more, his sleep was plagued with visions and nightmares that gripped his soul and chilled his bones. The images haunted him every time he blinked: they lingered in every shadow. Entities hunting, waiting for unwitting prey, blood spilled from the hearts of his loved ones, the encompassing loneliness that stabbed his core and rendered him useless.
Last night had been the worst of his nightmares. Every time he closed his eyes, a new image would force its way into his dream and corrupt it until it was a horrific nightmare. Time and time again, he would wake up in a cold sweat with his sheets in a knot. He could never breathe as he awoke from the nightmare and every shadow seemed alive in the room. Yuugi would try to calm down, but the second he attempted to sleep, the terrors would steal it from him and wake him up. He had tried to stay in bed and calm down, but he couldn't stay there.
Last night, all of his shufflings had disturbed Yami and caused him to curl away from Yuugi. The image sparked pain through Yuugi when he saw Yami slid away from him in his sleep, but Yuugi couldn't watch him for too long. Anytime he looked at his lover's sleeping face now, all he could see was the empty gaze of his dead body: ashen skin, broken bones, and rivers of blood marring his skin and tainting the ma'an.
After the fifth attempt last night, Yuugi gave up on sleep and instead settled for shivering on the couch in the dark. No matter how many blankets he layered on, the bitter chill would freeze his skin and seize his blood. Yuugi had refused to move back to the bed, not only out of fear of seeing Yami's dead face again but also for the prowling entity that stalked the room in the shadows. It had been a long night waiting for Yami to finally wake up.
"My Champion, can you help him stand?"
Yuugi let the pairs of hands pull him off the couch. He leaned against the strong chest beside him and let his eyes droop low. Any time they closed, he would snap them open and shake in an effort to keep him awake. He couldn't feel his limbs, nor hear the two occupants in the room shuffle around. All his focus was settled on standing upright and fighting off the sleep that was desperate to take over.
A finger snapped in Yuugi's face, and he blinked until the appendage came into focus. He tilted his head to look up at Yusei, "I don't think so."
Safia gave out an exasperated sigh, "While neither of us can change him."
Yusei looked back to her, "He can't do it alone."
Yuugi looked to Safia who paced in thought. After a few seconds, she snapped her finger and rushed over to a pile of clothes. Leafing through them, she tossed some garments onto the couch and others she folded up and placed beside her. When she was done with the pile, she picked up the folded clothes and rushed to the door.
Before she left, she turned to Yusei and pointed tot he items on the coach, "You should be able to put those on him. Hopefully, he should still look traditional enough for the council. I will step out so that our rules can still be followed," she flashed Yusei a smile, "I'm sure you two are close enough for Mira not to be angry about this," with a skip in her step, Safia hopped out the door leaving the two males.
Yusei sat Yuugi back onto the couch before assessing the clothes she left behind. Yuugi shifted on the couch so that he was using his knees as support and rubbed his eyes.
Yuugi yawned, "What was that about?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"In Lelania, the body is sacred. It's not supposed to be seen by anyone except your lover and parents," his blue eyes glanced at Yuugi before returning to the clothes, "Since you're too weak to change yourself, we've had a change of plans."
Yuugi shook his head, "No, I can change myself," to prove his point, Yuugi tried to stand up. He succeeded in standing, but he swayed as his head swam. Black seeped into his vision before receding. He stumbled over nothing and almost fell back onto the coach. By the time his eyes came into focus and he re-stabled himself with a hand on the couch, Yusei was standing straight and settled a level stare on him. Yuugi looked away, "Or not…"
"If you want to help, then take off your jacket and untie the stray fabrics."
Yuugi nodded and began to unzip his black and white jackets. His hands shook with effort and his eyes refused to focus on something so small. Determined amethyst eyes glared at the zipper when he hands fumbled and slipped from the small piece of metal. He huffed in anger when it refused to unzip, and did nothing when Yusei began to help him.
The second the fabric slid off his skin leaving it exposed tot he harsh Lelanian air, a wave of shivers racked his body. Immediately, his hands rubbed the shivering flesh to no avail. Yusei untiled the remaining bits of fabric and belts on his outfit before removing his crown and setting them all on the couch. Yuugi felt bare in his plain black tank top and baggy black pants. Compared to the elaborate elegance of the Lelnaina culture, he felt like an outcast. A black sheep amongst the vibrant flock.
Yusei remained oblivious to his discomfort and instead focused on getting Yuugi dressed in the formal attire. Yuugi was grateful when Yusei drapped a loose cloak over his shoulders that ended at his ankles. The black fabric was heavy and lined with bear fur on the inside. There were no sleeves, but the hem was decorated with clusters of rubies, sapphires, and topazes. Next, Yusei slipped a thin, grey cloak over the first that ended at his knees and had billowing sleeves that ended at his elbows. Then Yusei pulled long, deep blue gloves that ended at Yuugi's bicep under the cloak.
A small bit of heat returned to Yuugi as each layer was added, shielding his skin from the cold air. The weight was welcomed, yet it almost felt suffocating. It pulled on his bones like chains and tried to drag him into the ground. When Yusei tied a blue sash around his waist and wrapped a black scarf around his neck, Yuugi couldn't help but be reminded of boa constrictors that crushed their prey before they ate.
With a shuddering breath, Yuugi looked down at himself, "Does it work?"
Yusei stepped back and looked to the boy over. His ears twitched and his tail flickered across the floor before he nodded his head in approval. Yuugi mustered up a smile, but it felt empty. Yusei walked back to the door and knocked on it. Safia came in a second later and skipped over to Yuugi. Her smile and bouncing energy nearly knocked Yuugi backward.
She clapped her hands together, "Perfect! Now with some new ma'an and jewelry, no one will no the difference."
Yuui was jolted forward as Safia grabbed his wrist and tugged him towards the vanity. Yuugi gave up watching the women as she worked. All her movements were a blur of color and her voice was a whirlwind of noise. Anytime she asked a question, Yuugi would nod his head and hope for the best as she slipped rings on his fingers, bracelets on his wrists, and began etching an elaborate design of ma'an on his cheeks. When she was done and Yuugi looked in the mirror, he couldn't help but think the ma'an looked like a trail of tears.
"You look gorgeous, Young Lover," Safia complimented. Now we just need to take you to the entrance and wait for the guests to arrive."
In a flash, the three of them left the room with Safia taking the lead. Yusei stayed behind with Yuugi who meandered at a slow pace. Each step was heavy against the marble and echoed in the teen's ears loudly. His tiara felt like dead weight, the cloak dragged him down, the ma'an irritated his skin, his body flashed between too hot and too cold, and his vision slipped in and out of focus. Each pot of glorean they passed caused Yuugi to tense and he held his breath until it was behind him.
Yuugi's stomach felt queasy as his lunch swirled around inside. He felt off, and it felt wrong. He couldn't pinpoint a reason why, but he had some suspicions. It could be the glorean from yesterday that had yet to leave his system or it could just be his sickness. Maybe it was just nerves for the ball that he was going to. Such a formal event, there was a lot of things that he had to keep in mind in order to leave a good impression on a lot of people. Or it could be that he was nervous about being in the same room as Priestess Abur again. He knew Yusei told them that they couldn't deal with her yet, but just knowing that she was still going unchecked was an upset in his mind.
Maybe it was thought of seeing Yami again. Sorrow pierced Yuugi's heart as he remembered what happened in the ballroom. Yami had seemed so frustrated and angry, and Yuugi was at the front of it. Yuugi tried to tell himself that it was just the stress of being king and the ball that pushed Yami towards the edge, but it was hard to convince himself when Yami's disgusted words rung in his ears.
He wanted nothing more than to apologize to his lover and make amends between them. He wanted to enjoy this night together and smile together. He wanted them to work together to bare the load of the kingdom. He didn't want to lose Yami.
Tears pricked amethyst eyes and Yuugi came to a stop. Safia looked back at him, but Yusei waved her on. Once she was out of sight, Yusei kneeled down so he could look at Yuugi's face that was looking at the ground.
"What if…" Yuugi took a shuddering breath before looking at Yusei, "What if Yami is still mad?" sadness crept in and stole his heart, "I didn't mean to make him angry. I just didn't want to be left alone while the ball went on," the deathly grip of loneliness seized his mind and he wrapped his arms around himself, "If I was locked in the room while everyone else was at the ball…"
Yusei reached up and dabbed away the tears the threated the spillover and smudge the ma'an, "He won't be."
"How are you sure?" Yuugi doubted, "He's been so frustrated with the council and priests. I've seen how he comes into the room at night. H doesn't even talk to me anymore. He's too exhausted and just falls asleep."
The Neko watched Yuugi, "Because he loves you."
Yuugi closed his eyes. He snapped them open when the ocean of dead bodies flashed in his mind, "I just want to help, but with this sickness, it feels like I can't."
"Look at me," Yusei demanded. He waited until he had Yuugi's full attention before speaking, "I have lived with Yami for eleven years. I know how he can get and have seen him when he's angry. What he did in the ballroom was not towards you, but at himself: he's just too proud to admit it. We understand that you want to help, but it would hurt us more if you didn't get better. Then we would feel responsible. Our biggest concern is you, and all we want is for you to get better so that we can all enjoy our time together. We will never shut you out."
"Yusei…" Yuugi hiccuped before he swung his arms around his friend's neck, "I'm sorry!" he cried as he clung into the Neko. The elder tensed under his touch, but the longer Yuugi held on, the more relaxed he became until the gesture was returned. As supported as Yuugi felt, the hug still felt hollow and, he buried his face in Yusei's cloak before any tears could spill from his eyes.
A loud door slam jolted the two out of their embrace. Yuugi wobbled as his support left, but caught himself by placing a hand against the wall. Yusei's black ears flickered down the hall as he stood tall and faced the noise. His stance was rigid and his cat-like eyes peered down the hall for any movement.
Using the wall, Yuugi walked past his friend and down the hall. He didn't hear the Neko's footsteps, but he knew he was walking behind him as silent as a cat. Every door they passed, they would pause and Yusei would open it. Most of them were empty, while other's held Lelanians and maids who gave them questioning looks. When asked about the door slamming, they shrugged and stated that it wasn't them. It wasn't until the seventh door that they found the source of the noise.
Quiet as a cat, Yusei turned the silver doorknob and opened the ornate ebony door to reveal the King's study. Everything was the same: same obsidian desk with blue candles, same black velvet couch with a glass end table with a small glorean, same bookshelves lined with scriptures, papers, and nick-nacks of the like. Everything was the same as the old King had left it; however, it was no longer the adult male who paced the marble floor. Now, it was his son who paced the room with white knuckles gripping his hair.
Yami let out a ragged breath and stopped at the far bookshelf far away from the desk. His head was bowed and his eyes were shadowed. In a flash, his hand reached out and snatched a book off the shelf. He discarded it with no thought, tossing it on the floor and creasing the golden pages. With a frustrated cry, he began tearing more books from their place and tossing them on the floor. When two levels of books had been discarded, he stood and braced himself against the shelf. His body shook has broken breaths struggled past his lungs. His body almost crumbled in on itself.
Yami slammed his fist on the shelf and pushed off of it, whirled around, and knocked over the glass table. The potted glorean crashed against the floor as a large crack formed in the table. With a yell, Yami stomped on the iridescent plant, but instead of removing his foot, his body folded in on itself and he wrapped his arms around himself. After a few broken sobs, Yami stood up and rushed over to the desk. He ran into it and almost fell over when it stopped his momentum. His shoulders rose with the effort it took to take deep breaths. He threw his head back and let out a grieving scream.
As the last sound died in his throat, Yami curled over the desk and lowered himself onto his elbows. His pale fingers twisted themselves in his ebony locks and his body shook with each breath, "I don't know what to do…"
Yuugi bit his lips before opening the door further, "Yami…"
Said teen shot up and glared at the intruders. Yuugi paused in front of the door, a concerned expression warping his features. They stared at one another, not saying a word. Emotions sparked in the quiet air, making it thick and the tension could be cut with a knife.
Yuugi opened his mouth to speak when a bell sounded through the castle.
"Let's go," Yami muttered as he strode past Yuugi and down the hall.
Yuugi stayed in the room and leaned against the door frame as he watched Yami's retreating form. He wrapped his arms around himself as a bitter chill blew through his body. Each step from the other echoed loudly in his ears like a drip in an empty cave. It surrounded him and gripped him in an icy hold that left him frozen and empty.
Yuugi turned watery eyes to Yusei who also watched the retreating king. Blue eyes slid to Yuugi before Yusei shook his head and began to follow after. Casting one last look into the king's study, Yuugi snapped his head away. His heart panged painfully in his chest as he pushed off the door and clicked it shut from the world.
Using the wall for support, Yuugi shambled after the two until they stopped at the entrance to the castle. Yuugi couldn't see Yami amongst the crowd that shifted to each side of the wall, creating a pathway to the ballroom. He stood still as people began to settle into place and only moved when Yusei grabbed his arm and led him outside the main doors that where being pushed open for the night. He was led to the top of the stair where Yami stood stock still and jaw set.
Yuugi glanced back at Yusei when he let go and retreated back tot he door to stand post. When the Neko nodded at him, Yuugi glanced down at his feet and locked his hands together. Everything was swirling around him and he didn't feel sturdy on his own legs. They began to shake and he fought to stay standing. His eyes stayed trained on the solid stone beneath his feet in fear that if he saw anything moving, he would fall over. He shivered as a cold Lelanian breeze ruffled his skin and chilled his blood.
"Look up. You don't want to show any disrespect."
Yuugi held his breath as he followed Yami's order and rose his head. Black crept into his vision before receding and leaving his brain fuzzy. He swayed for a moment and had to take a step back in order to stay standing. When his body settled, amethyst eyes jumped around, searching for a sturdy being to settle on. The only thing that wasn't moving and threatening to throw his balance was the person standing next to him.
Yuugi gulped as he watched the burning crimson eyes swirl with turmoil, but his face remained a mask of indifference. The other refused to look at him and the longer he watched his lover's eyes the more pan that twisted his heart. Needing to distract from it, Yuugi let his eyes wander lower in order to take in the outfit that Yami had changed into.
While it was nothing like what the old king wore, it was still regal and wore with confidence. A white button-up shirt with puffy sleeves was over-laid with a black, sleeve-less tail coat that was embroidered with red, yellow, and purple wisps. A black cape hung off his shoulders by a silver chain and the inside was lined with panther fur. Around his neck was a red scarf and tied around his waist was a red fabric belt. The excess dragged along the floor and was completely decorated with an assortment of beads and amulets. Finally, tied loosely around his arms was Atemu's old scarf.
A breath caught in Yuugi's throat as he stared at the worn scarf. Even though he didn't know Atemu or what he was like, he knew that he meant a lot to Yami, so much so that he would keep his scarf. This was an item that only the priests were allowed to ware and no one else, yet Yami's saw it as too precious that he had to keep it for himself. Even back in the cave, Yami had been devastated at the thought of losing it.
Would he be that sad if something happened to him? Would Yami keep an item of Yuugi's in order to remember him by?
"The King and Queen of Mosan with their daughter Prise."
Yuugi snapped his head to the bottom of the stairs where three people were ascending in royal garbs. The thick layers of furs and grey stood out against the dark crowd.
"King Hans of Chelsiv and his daughters Zen, Mini, and Keneth."
More people in pastel clothes followed up the stairs as the first group shook hands with Yami and walked inside. They would pass Yuugi a look and he would smile, but it felt empty.
"Queens Chloe and Zoey of Amix."
So many faces and skin tones. Names the sounded rough as a rock or smooth as a feather. Smiling faces and stone cold stares. Elegant robes or simple dresses. Gold, jewels, crowns, diamonds, presents, sons, daughters, kings, and queens. Yuugi couldn't keep track of any face or name. The second their eyes locked was all his mind needed to forget that person the minute they looked away. More and more entered the castle in a regal fashion until only one carriage waited.
"King Ahnk and Queen Clea of Caira with their son Honra and their daughter Osin."
The crowd seemed to stir at the names as mutterings and whispers passed between the Lelaninas. The visitors from Caira walked up the stairs with soft smiles and flittering eyes as they took in the crowd around them. Just as the rest they shook hands with Yami and followed inside, but the daughter lingered.
She held Yam's hand longer as her eyes lingered in his. Her smile was warm and inviting while her pink eyes danced in the blue lights, sparkling with promises. She leaned closer to Yami and whispered something to him before dashing after her family as they strode into the ballroom.
Yuugi's stomach flipped as his skin prickled at the image that seared his brain. She had been so close to Yami and her eyes were so inviting. She acted as if she knew him for longer than today, and Yami had smiled. He had allowed her to stay close, to lean forward, to whisper a hidden message only for him before she flittered off like the rest.
His hair bristled as Yami stared wistfully after her, then, with only a quick glance at Yuugi, his face dropped and he retreated into the castle and towards the ballroom. Yuugi remained where he stood, watching Yami's back disappear into the castle. Yusei was the only one to move him by guiding a hand on his back and leading him inside.
For being in a castle filled with lights, people, and music, Yuugi couldn't help but feel like he was sitting in a vast empty cave. The sound that bounced around reverberated against the walls, but he only heard quiet muffles. It felt like had cotton stuffed in his ears.
Smiling faces passed kind words at him, but all he could do was bod politely and follow where ever Yusei was leading him. Colors mingled with shadows and laughter mixed with silence. His heart began to pulse and his throat turned dry while his body began to heat up.
Yuugi was grateful when he was pushed into the plush throne only to take in a shuttering breath at the sight before him. A sea of people swayed in front of him as the sound hit him like a monsoon. The force of all his senses threw him back in his seat as white knuckles gripped the wooden armrests. His body began to shake as the pain in his head throbbed and he had to close his eyes to numb the pain. It didn't work.
"I told you that you shouldn't have come," Yami muttered but to Yuugi, it sounded like he was yelling.
Gritting his teeth, Yuugi forced his eyes open to glare at Yami, "Is now really the time?"
Yami sat stiff in his chair with discomfort swimming in those red depths, "I guess not," he closed his eyes and took in a breath, "If you need to leave, then just do it. No one will stop you."
Even though Yuugi knew the statement was supposed to comfort him, Yuugi felt his heart break at it. Swallowing whatever salvia he had in his dry mouth, Yuugi nodded his head, "Thanks."
Propping his arm on the armrest, Yuugi sat his chin in his palm as he gazed over the crowd. While it hurt to stare at the spinning faces, he was determined to stay as long as he could. Deep down he knew that he should leave, but hearing Yami dismiss him like that hurt Yuugi more than he wanted to admit. Even if the statement was said in good intention, Yuugi couldn't help but reply the words over and over again like a bad omen. He wanted to stay and be apart of this ball if only to prove to Yami that he could.
Mere minutes passed by and Yuugi already felt like it had been hours. His skin was calmy, his body was overheating, and he couldn't remember the last time his head stood still. Yami had left the throne at some point and joined the crowd, but Yuugi lost sight of him and it hurt too much to focus. He thought about joining the crowd if only to get a sip of water from the table, but just the thought of stepping into the swaying mess twisted his stomach into knots.
His hands gripped his chair and chin like a vice as he tried to feign the calm mask he had been holding. His heart was pumping blood through his veins at an accelerated rate as his body tried to stabilize the assault on his senses. Visually, nothing would stop moving and nothing gave him a steady ground: the people were dancing, the chandeliers were undulating, even the stained-glass windows displayed the ever-floating blue lights that bobbed up and down. Despite everything being filtered through cotton, Yuugi still heard every obtrusive voice, every clink of glass, every shriek of music and it grated on his nerves. The clothes on his sensitive skin scratched him and scarred the soft tissue as he felt each thread scrape him with every shake he couldn't suppress. Worst of all was the smell. The sweet fruit mixing with the savory meat, the mingled aroma of faraway places as far as the artic to the desert, and the sickly sting of glorean that lay hidden beneath it all as the movement stirred its natural scent. He would gag if he focused on it for too long.
Closing his eyes, Yuugi shivered as bile rose int he back of his throat and threatened to spill out. His stomach as his knots, his skin was clammy, and his head throbbed with every aching heartbeat. As much as he wanted to stay, Yuugi was unsure how much longer he could hold out. A nip on his gloved hand felt like a knife piercing his flesh.
Yuugi jumped and bit back the yelp as he came face to face with the same black cat that haunted his nightmares.
Yuugi shook his head, "You're not real," he muttered.
The cat glared at him and extended its claws until it dug into Yuugi's legs. He swore he felt the blood drip from the wound, but he was too scared to check.
Tears brimmed Yuugi's eyes when the claws didn't retract, "What do you want?"
The cat perked up at that and bounced out of his lap. Yuugi's hands shot to his throbbing legs where the claws came out, but his focus remained on the cat that floated in the air. Its shadow stretched beneath him as if he was on the ground, but the walked above the crowd. Each paw that padded over the crowd caused the space to ripple as if it were nothing but water. Eventually, the cat stopped and sat down, grinning at Yuugi.
Scared, Yuugi only watched the cat as his eyes tried to focus on its still body. Fear gripped his heart when the cat looked at his feet incling to Yuugi to look down. Yuugi didn't want to, but his eyes felt heavy as something came over him. He couldn't help himself as his eyes lowered and lowered and lowered until they were focused on the two people he stood below the cat.
Yuugi's heart broke.
The Cairanian princess from before stood in front of Yami. The two of them were laughing. They were talking. She was giving food for Yami to try. He took it happily. He was smiling. He was relaxed. He was happy. She was making him happy.
A chocked sod escaped Yuugi as he stood from his chair and ran blindly through the door behind the thrones leading into the kitchen. The servants called out to him, but he continued to run. Even as his body stumbled, tripped, and ached, he continued to run and run until he found himself in the courtyard with the fountain.
The glorean that surrounded the fountain burned his lungs, but he didn't care. He stumbled over to the stone fountain and collapsed beside it. He clung to the edge as his tears slipped from his face.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Yuugi cried into the open air. He could still hear the faint echo of the jovial people inside.
"I'm sorry that I got sick, I'm sorry that I'm a nuisance, I'm sorry that I'm human," Yuugi fisted his hands as he leaned against the freezing stone, "I'm sorry that I trapped us here, I'm sorry that your father died, I'm sorry that your king," his heavy tears splattered against the stone, "I'm sorry that your mother died, I'm sorry that Atemu died, I'm sorry that you hate it here," the tears began to pool and splash into the sacred water. Seeing his impure tears mix in the grey water caused Yuugi to cry harder, "I'm sorry that Mira saved me, I'm sorry that I disgrace her, I'm sorry that I'm here," taking a shaky breath, Yuugi threw his head back and stared into the black and blue-speckled sky, "Just don't leave me!"
Yuugi searched the lights for an answer, but when nothing came he wailed and tipped his face towards the water. His tears sounded like raindrops as they fell into the fountain. Yuugi watched with disdain as the once vibrant water turned grey and sad as if his tears were leeching the life out of it. The blue glow died as more tears tainted the holy water and encompassed the whole fountain. Yuugi screeched and crawled backward when the glow didn't return.
With wide eyes, Yuugi watched as the last of the life left the water and all that stared at him was the corpse of a holy vessel. His body shook violently and his muscles tensed and locked into place. He couldn't look away, he couldn't move from the mess that he made. Shadows moved around him and crawled towards the fountain. They marred the ground as the slithered over it and began to cry once they dove into the grey waters. Moans, cries, and wails of torment crescendoed in Yuugi's ears until it was all he could hear. More and more shadows fell into the fountain making the water turn black like oil.
He shook his head as he body began to crawl backward. Dread filled his stomach, twisted it, and made it lurched, making bile rise into Yuugi's mouth. He bit back the foul liquid as it filled his mouth and left his tongue bitter and acidic. The bitter wind blew throw him as if he were nothing more than a thin leaf and chilled his blood. When his back hit something, he yelped as the iridescent glow of the glorean crept into his vision.
Yuugi tried to scramble away, but the leaves wrapped around him and trapped him in their thickets. He fought against it, tearing at the leaves, but in doing so, he released its pungent odor and its sap stained his gloves. Shadows pushed him down into the plant and he cried out in fear. Frantic breaths burned his lungs as the sickly sweet scent of glorean filled his senses and dulled his mind. His pumping heart made his head spin more as adrenaline coursed through his veins.
With a burst of energy he didn't know he had, Yuugi lurched forward and freed himself from the shadowy hands and the glorean that held him prisoner. His body fell a few feet away, his energy spent and his chest rising and falling rapidly. Yuugi whipped around to look at the poisonous plant and came face to face with the mutilated mess. Its leaves were bent and broken the tall plant smooshed against the ground. Its leaves pulsed as its glow began to weaken and weaken until it was a mere flicker against the black backdrop.
He brought his hand to his mouth in order to muffled his whimpers and heavy breaths but he regretted it the minute he did. The glorean sap on his gloves stained his lips and filled his nose with its sweet essence and tipped him over the edge. Yuugi fell forward and vomited on the emerald grass.
His pale body was wracked with sobs as he climbed to his feet and began to run. He ran into everything, causing him to cry out in pain. He tripped over every step, he knocked over every table, he bumped into every wall, he stumbled into every servant until he was finally back in the ballroom, although he was unaware of where he was until someone called his name.
Yuugi stopped in the middle of the crowd as frantic purple eyes flickered from face to face. All eyes were on him, but they began to blend together. Blue, greys, browns, and pinks turned into black, grey, and red. Pale and tan skin began to soften as the bodies lost their shape and definition until everything was a mass of black. Shadows. Everything was shadows.
Hungry eyes stared at him as demonic grins spilt their faces revealing rows and rows of sharp, white teeth. Yuugi screamed and gripped his hair as his legs began to shake out of fear and effort to keep him standing.
The shadows jumped at him, clawing his skin and scratching his eyes.
He couldn't feel when his body hit the floor.