Thank you for these characters and their stories, Kazuki Takahashi. Requiescat in pace.

Chapter Thirty

Dria

"Well, well my Lady. It seems you have at last broken away from your pathetic excuse of a Pharaoh and come to me."

I rolled my eyes at Marik as I responded, "Hardly. I was hoping you'd be someone who could point me in the direction of my friends so I can make sure they're safe. Clearly, I'm asking the wrong person."

I quickly turned and started to run back down the alley. Unfortunately, an annoying, white haired thief grabbed me before I got very far. I struggled against the grip around my waist but was unsuccessful. I shook off the desire to strike him with my magic, fearing I'd accidentally kill instead of stun him. He laughed mockingly, "Well, you certainly seem familiar. Have I threatened you before?"

I raised my eyebrow at his line. Both of us were silent for a few moments before I just had to say something, "You really are a thief. You stole that from a movie."

He only cackled as he passed me off to a Rare Hunter. The man didn't grab me as roughly as I thought he would have. He was extremely gentle, as if I were a porcelain doll that could be easily broken. I looked up at the man, somewhat confused. He wouldn't look me directly in the eye, but I could see great respect reflected in his eyes. His face was partially covered by a tattoo, but I couldn't quite make out the design. I raised my hand to move the hood of his cape back, but he gently grabbed my wrist to stop me.

He turned me around to face Marik, wrapping one arm around my neck and the other around my waist, still being gentle as he held me firmly in place. Marik chuckled as he ran one finger down my face.

"I've heard and read about you all my life, yet I still can't believe how beautiful you are. It's time I added the one missing piece to my plan: my Queen."

I snapped my teeth towards his fingers and hissed at his idea, struggling even more intensely against the large Hunter. He tightened his grip around my neck and waist somewhat reluctantly, keeping me still. Marik sighed when he realized I wasn't ecstatic with his idea.

"You'll learn to love me. I will be the new Pharaoh and you will sit by my side for eternity."

He pulled out the Millennium Rod and turned the eye on me. I squirmed, kicked, and did anything I could think of to get away. But, the Hunter behind me was just too strong. I felt my magic begin to pulse through my veins, begging to be released. I felt his mind pushing against mine, trying to break through the defenses. My necklace, currently hidden beneath my shirt, tingled against my neck in response, and darkness quickly took over.

I cried out in glee as my chariot went flying over the ramp. Pyrrhus pulled harder against his restraints, desperately desiring to run with only me on his back. His legs pumped viciously, and his breaths sounded like the future steam locomotives, nearly unstoppable machines, moving faster and faster with every step. The wheels skidded along the sand, but with one easy shift in my weight, the chariot stayed upright.

"Give up, princess! You'll never defeat me! I'm the Prince of this desert!"

I laughed loudly at his bold statement. His chariot pulled up alongside me. His sunset eyes were sparkling in pure delight, and the red on his tunic made those eyes glow even more. Fortunately, Pyrrhus was the real driver of this chariot because my focus was now entirely elsewhere. He impatiently tugged on the reins, since both the Prince and I had slowed to a walk as we gazed at one another. The Prince suddenly threw me that gentle smile that always sent my heart into a frenzy. My eyes widened and my face flushed bright red. He began to chuckle at my reaction, until I snapped the reins across Pyrrhus' back.

"Wait! Dria!"

Pyrrhus eagerly leapt into his gallop, leaving the Prince in his dust. After what had happened in the garden following his birthday celebration, I was having trouble facing the Prince. He couldn't have been serious about his feelings. We had grown up together, and while I had felt so deeply for him since I met him, I had always believed that he would outgrow me. He would find someone better suited for him and I would become a forgotten memory, like always. But he said he had never felt anything towards the other princesses. My heart skipped a beat as fear and confusion gripped me.

What if that was his aim? Did he want to practice on me, toy with me, and bend my feelings to his will? Was he just mocking me? It was obvious to everyone in the palace, probably the whole kingdom, how much I loved him. Yet, I had always thought him to be incredibly oblivious to it, perhaps even intentionally. Maybe the gods really were against me. I shook the negative thoughts away; his personality prevented him from toying with another person out of malice. If he was teasing me, he must have had a reason for it.

The chariot slowed to a stop upon reaching the Nile. I unhooked Pyrrhus's ropes and let him cool off in the river. I struggled to contain my smile as the Nile's common creatures swam away immediately. Even the crocodiles did not dare to come near Pyrrhus because they rightly feared that temper of his. I sat with my feet in the water, struggling to stay afloat as I swam in misery.

Until recently, the Prince had shown absolutely no interest in anyone at all. We might have only been fourteen summers, but most of us already had our interests. But never the Prince. He knew I loved someone, and he had teased me about which lucky man held my affections in the past. Perhaps he had finally seen how hard I had fallen for him, and now he was using it against me. Ra only knew what he wanted from me, but he could easily get whatever it was, and he was undeniably aware of it.

"There you are! I was worried about you, princess. Why did you run off like that?"

I felt him sit beside me, but I kept my eyes trained on Pyrrhus and Sakina, the Prince's gentle black mare. She was the only other creature that could control my wild stallion, despite being his opposite. They swam together in the water as the Prince and I sat on the riverbank. A head fell into my lap, its eyes closed peacefully. I held in my distraught sigh, but could not stop the small tear that had escaped. It had barely caressed his cheek when he sat up, softly tracing my jaw.

"Why are you crying, my Kadesh? What's bothering you?"

His soft hand felt nice against my cheek, and I couldn't help but indulge myself as I sank into it. When I finally snapped out of it, I jerked my head way, recoiling from him like a snake.

"How can you do this to me?" I questioned lowly.

"What are you talking about?"

He could no longer fool me with that 'bewildered' look. I quickly stood and turned my back to him.

"How can you play with my feelings like this? In case you are thicker than I thought, I care deeply for you." I took a deep breath and turned back to him, "I love you."

He remained still for a few moments after my confession before rising in anger as well.

"You don't believe I feel the same? For Ra's sake Dria, you know me better than anyone ever has or ever will. I sometimes don't even have to look at you for you to know what is on my mind. How could you doubt me now? How could you think so lowly of me, that I would purposefully toy with your feelings? I thought you trusted me."

I felt my eyes tingle as my anger rose, "I trust you more deeply than I have ever trusted anyone, even my own parents and your father. It is because I know you so well that I am trying to prevent either of us from getting hurt! I'm terrified of where a relationship between us might leave us, and you're too important to this world for me to cause you pain."

I let out a short whistle as I angrily strode away. I was re-harnessing Pyrrhus when I was suddenly spun around and trapped in the iron grip of two arms. My head spun as well as he passionately kissed me. It was more than what he had given me in the garden, and I knew it was also more than he had ever given anyone. I couldn't help but return his embrace, wrapping my arms around his waist as I kissed him back. But I wouldn't let the door in my heart open. I knew he would tire of me, and I would feel the pain of a lost true love for the rest of my miserable life. That was how life was for me. People used me until they gained whatever it was they wanted, and I could not stop myself from allowing it. But not this time. He mattered too much to me.

Shoving him away quickly, I jumped into the chariot and rode off. He didn't follow. I barely managed to make it to my room before falling into a fit of sobs. Though it seemed like my attempts at rejecting his emotions were successful, I couldn't help but wish that he would continue to toy with me. I would rather have been his toy than nothing to him at all. But it had to be this way. These feelings he believed to be real would not be around long, especially with me trying to kill them in this way. He needed someone more fit for the honor of being his Queen, his companion, and his lover. A woman who was of equal intelligence, wit, and beauty. Someone whom the people couldn't help but love. Someone who would give him children and a truly bright future. I didn't fit any of those criteria.

I crawled underneath my bed covers, burying myself amongst the pillows as I drowned myself in misery. I must have cried myself to sleep because I remembered waking up when elderly arms pulled me towards a warm chest that night. The spicy scent was very faint, yet the heart beat a soothing, familiar pattern. I snuggled into that chest and fell back into a fitful sleep.

When I reopened my eyes, I found myself in a rather large chair, strapped down at my wrists and ankles. I wouldn't want to think of going anywhere, now would I? I dropped my head down, staring at the floor below me. That memory was one of my least favorites. I had been a fool to question his credibility and feelings so quickly. Deep down, I had known that he truly loved me, but I had been afraid to accept it. I understood him better than I understood the back of my own hand, and he understood me in return. As we grew, our conversations involved fewer words. All we needed were simple glances to make a point. It had irritated Seto and Master Aknadin to no end.

"Ah, you've awakened, Great Queen."

I clenched my fists in anger and slared at the Rare Hunter now standing in the doorway.

"Call me that one more time, and I swear I will hit you so hard, you're going to need a new haircut when you come around!"

He nodded at my threat, hopefully knowing how true it was, but it was clear that he wouldn't do as I asked. I scowled and turned my gaze elsewhere. I felt him kneeling beside me, loosening the ropes around my wrists. "I warned them not to tie these too tightly. They'll be punished if permanent marks are left."

I raised an eyebrow at his mumblings. Why would he care? It wasn't as if he understood the truth, right? I gazed at his face closely, trying to catch a glimpse of this gentle Hunter. Suddenly, his tattoo came into view. This was the same man who had captured me earlier. But he had been nowhere near as rough as that thief or even Marik himself. Who was this man?

"What's your name?"

It seemed to be a simple enough question, but he froze and merely stared at the ropes. I sighed quietly and relented, "It's alright if you can't, or don't, want to tell me."

"Odion. My name is Odion."

He slapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide at what he had just done. I cocked my head at his reaction, but let it go to hopefully ease his anxiety.

"Odion, can you tell me what's going on?"

He finished working and stood again. He then gave me a final bow before quickly exiting the room. I huffed in annoyance. Marik had probably bullied him into not saying anything to me. Maybe using the title Queen wouldn't be such a bad thing now.

I must have dozed off because when I opened my eyes again, a tray of food had been left on the floor and the ropes were gone. Sadly, the door locked from the outside and two men were standing outside. I thought about throwing something at the door, and even raised my hand to do so with the biscuit, but it opened before I could throw it. It was Odion again. He raised an eyebrow at my odd position but made no comment about it.

He sat against the wall in silence as I ate my meal. He ignored all my comments, questions, and concerns, instead choosing to meditate as he waited for me to finish. Only when I lifted the glass of wine to my lips did he even look at me. His eyes flashed with what looked like guilt as I sipped at the drink. Wine wasn't my favorite, but I hadn't had anything all day, so everything tasted good.

Suddenly, my world grew fuzzy again. Something had been drugged. Why in Ra's godforsaken name did they do that? Odion rose from his place as I slumped over to the floor.

"Please forgive us, Majesty. We cannot afford for you to wander alone. The master does not want any harm to come to you."

I groaned as the drug took effect, "I am capable of coming quietly, you know!"

His effortless, quiet chuckle was the last thing I heard.

Seto

This whole situation was beginning to irritate me. I was the reason this tournament was happening. Now this Marik thought he could interfere with my plans to crush Yugi and reclaim my title. All Yugi cared about was his pathetic friends. He should be focused on the fact I've willingly challenged him to a duel.

I stood outside the phone booth as Yugi insisted on wasting my time. So, my system wasn't 100% correct; I dared anyone to sue me for it. We'd find that third rate duelist Wheeler soon enough. He couldn't be that hard to find. Maybe if I pulled out some dog treats or a dog whistle.

"It seems we're too late. The Rare Hunters have already gotten to my friends."

I smirked. This was the reason why I didn't feel the need to have friends. They only got in the way. I had my family, Mokuba and Dria. They were all I needed, and I could easily protect them myself. Mokuba called at that moment with the news that Joey's signal had apparently vanished. Maybe those Hunters were smarter than they looked. Maybe I should have tracked Dria instead. She was far more important, and I did have her Duel Disk on a separate system for emergencies.

Mokuba's call only seemed to fuel Yugi's frustration more. His fists tightened as he processed what I had told him. We decided to walk back down the streets of Domino, simply waiting for Mokuba to find Wheeler or Dria. Suddenly, some freak in a familiar costume jumped in front of us.

"Rare Hunter!"

"Look who is coming with us."

The Hunter pointed towards the sky. There, hanging from a helicopter, was Mokuba. He called out to me for help, but there was nothing I could do. I scowled furiously, my teeth grinding together at the sight. They wouldn't get away with this.

"What about over here?"

The Hunter pointed in another direction. This sight made me angrier. Loosely draped in the larger Hunter's arms was my Dria. Her hand hung motionlessly off the side and her head lay cradled against his shoulder. Yugi took a couple of steps towards her, only to watch as the man vanished down the street.

"If you so much as touch one hair on their heads, I promise to crush every one of you with the weight of the Kaiba Corporation."

He merely laughed at my threat, "Meet us as the top of that tower, and he's not the only one whose presence is required, Yugi."

"Leave Dria and the rest of my friends alone!"

The Hunter jumped onto the building, laughing as he ran away. There was no doubt in my mind as I followed the Rare Hunter towards his challenge site. I would win this duel without Yugi's help, I would rescue Mokuba and Dria, and then I would take back my title.

I shook my head a little. The tournament could wait. Right now, Dria and Mokuba needed me. Yugi and I were not teaming up. I would simply use his dueling skills to help me end the duel quickly. Then, I would have the two most important people in my world safe by my side again. The images of Mokuba and Dria in danger kept flashing across my vision. It was bad enough that they took Mokuba, but Dria was a different matter entirely.

"I see you two decided to show up."

I narrowed my eyes, "Release the prisoners."

Part of me was glad when the Hunter refused. Now, I could deliver revenge as I saw fit, though Dria's voice would be ringing in my head, practically demanding that I show some form of mercy. This would probably be the only time I could get away with ignoring her.

"I assure you; you won't be so lucky in this duel."

I held in a bark of laughter. These pathetic fools weren't even considered a stepping-stone on my way to save my brother and best friend. I could defeat them alone.

"It will be a double duel. Us against you two."

I rolled my eyes. This Lumis must have lost his common sense. Maybe Dria had smacked him on the head before she was taken. All he did was talk about this 'Master Marik' and how they were going to take the god cards away from us. Finally, after wasting the time I could have used to rescue Dria and Mokuba, the duel began.

"We can work as a team as well as you can."

I turned my back to Yugi, "No thanks. Team work is for Boy Scouts and nursery school."

My point was proven almost immediately. A headache began to irritate me when Yugi made his first stupid mistake. He allowed the team of Hunters to render his magnet monster Beta useless. I never should have agreed to this double duel in the first place. Then again, if Yugi were to lose, not only could I completely control this duel, but then my only real competition for Dria's heart would be gone.

All's fair in love and war.

I shook my head. Not only would that make my life even more dull since my competition would be gone, but more importantly, Dria would murder me with her bare hands if I let anything happen to her boyfriend. I resisted the urge to shudder at that word.

"I'll sacrifice my Magnet Warri-"

That idiot. With Lumis' Mask of Restrict in play, I could hardly do anything. We were stuck with completely useless monsters. Yugi was crazy enough to think I would listen to him after such a horrible mistake. Teamwork would only slow me down.

Unfortunately, the duel didn't end as soon as I wanted it to. The annoying duo was doing a much better job than I expected. I could do nothing except watch as Umbra's monster began its direct attack on me. It would probably be the end for me. A few memories flashed across my eyes, memories of Dria and I as kids.

"You'll never catch me, Seto! You're way too slow!"

It was just after my 14th birthday. We were running around the Kaiba Mansion while our fathers were discussing some business deal. She was probably right. She was much faster than me, but I considered myself to be smarter. So, instead of continuing to chase her around in a circle, as soon as she was out of sight, I turned around and went the other way. It was a simple trick, but that almost always worked the best.

I walked around for what seemed like hours. When she didn't come running around the corner, I was confused. We had been running around for quite a while, so I figured she would have continued the same pattern. I continued to look around when I heard a tiny giggle from up above me. I looked up and smiled. Dria was lounging in the tree above me.

"It took you long enough. I've been waiting for a long time."

She slowly climbed down the tree, and my arms were ready to catch her should she fall. She didn't fall, but she did trip over a rock on her way towards me. She fell into my arms with a small squeal of surprise. It surprised me as well because I couldn't keep my balance. I held her tight as we fell back, making sure she didn't get hurt.

We fell back into the soft grass. She released her tight grip on my shirt and looked down at me. I looked back up at her. She looked so beautiful with that playful smile on her face. She blushed and laughed at her own clumsiness, apologizing profusely for falling on top of me. But, her apologies fell on deaf ears. All I could see was her. Her bright green eyes glittered in the sun, as well as her dark brown hair. That was when it hit me: I loved her.

I couldn't die without telling her the truth. She might have already known, but it meant more for me to confess it. I loved Dria. I couldn't remember if I had ever openly said or even thought that. My life couldn't end before I told her the truth. The attack from Umbra's monster closed in. Suddenly, thousands of Kuribohs appeared in front of me.

I turned to Yugi in surprise, "You, you saved my life points."

He had blocked the attack. I couldn't believe it. We were rivals in nearly every aspect of life, yet here he was, saving me. I was grateful, but I wouldn't let him know that. I glared at him once more.

"Next time, I'll do it myself!"

"If you ever expect to see Mokuba and Dria again, we need to help each other."

His words were true, but I didn't want to openly admit it. My pride wouldn't allow me to admit anyone else was right. After that slight delay, the duel continued. The psycho twins against us were constantly in the way, always managing to stay barely a step ahead.

Unfortunately, I couldn't summon my Blue Eyes when I drew it. I needed to find a way to defeat both of them. They would be sorry that they had ever challenged me. The bigger Hunter began to narrate how he believed the duel would end. I saw Yugi out of the corner of my eye. He seemed to be contemplating his next move. He flashed his eyes over towards me and stared for a moment before returning to his cards. If I knew his deck well enough, he probably had one card that would actually help.

"Thanks to you, the cards we're holding are absolutely useless."

Even Yugi wasn't dense enough to not understand my plan. Surely hanging around Dria had taught him a thing or two about strategy.

"I have a card in my hand that could win this game, but it's better off in the graveyard."

If he didn't pick up on my plan, I would let him lose, regardless of what Dria would do to me. Fortunately, Yugi understood instantly. Unfortunately, the Hunters summoned the Masked Beast, and Yugi was wide open for an attack. Though it pained me to do it, my monster defended him. It was a double duel after all, and I refused to remain in his debt for a moment longer.

I could be a good person when the situation required it. I wouldn't let him lose just yet because I still needed him around if I wanted to win back my title and the woman I loved. With Card Destruction, I could freely discard my Blue Eyes and summon it from the Graveyard.

"Now, maybe you'll think twice about disrespecting the Kaiba family!"

Odion

I tried not to feel guilty as I picked up the fallen Queen. I had drugged her drink, but only because Master Marik had warned me of her temper. Rather than face the chance of her injuring herself, I was trying to prevent anything from happening to her. Master Marik would never forgive me if the Queen were to be hurt in any way, nor would I forgive myself.

As I walked down the corridor of the abandoned warehouse, I couldn't help but wonder what Master Marik was planning. He had told me of a special area he had created specifically for Her Majesty, an area where she could freshen up and become the royalty she was.

What I found odd, however, was the fact this special place was in a separate building. I contemplated this as I walked past the other prisoners. The girl and young boy gasped in surprise when they saw me. The boy cried out the Queen's name, followed by some very colorful threats about his brother. The girl said nothing. Maybe Marik wanted them to know she was here. But, to what end?

The adjacent warehouse had been completely redone. Instead of the empty room I was expecting, there were many females bustling about the place, most of them carrying towels or oils of some kind.

"Oh, you've brought her."

One stopped in front of me and smiled at the Lady in my arms.

"Right this way please."

I followed her in confusion. How did Master Marik manage this? If I could remember correctly, this place was empty a few days ago. Maybe that had been a different building because there were five or six around here.

The woman led me to a smaller room. There was a bed, a dresser, and a floor length mirror in this room. I laid the Lady down on the bed and bowed slightly. I then turned to the woman and ensured that my Queen would be taken care of. Before turning to leave, I gazed upon the Lady in the bed.

She was more beautiful than the scriptures could portray, and this was 5,000 years later. Though she lived only thanks to her magical abilities, it still amazed me that she wanted to. Surely life had been long enough for her, so why did she continue on? There must have been some reason. A reason the scriptures failed to mention.

"I would appreciate it if you would stop staring."

I blinked twice before snapping my head down in embarrassment. She had woken up and caught me admiring her. The drug wasn't supposed to last long.

"What am I doing here? Where's your master?"

I merely shook my head and gestured towards the woman behind me. This would probably make the Lady angry, but it was what Master Marik requested. The woman moved forward and bowed deeply, her left foot in front.

"It is an honor to serve you, Your Majesty."

"Don't call me that."

"If you would, Your Majesty, Master Marik requested you receive the best treatment we can give."

I heard an ungraceful snort escape the Lady. "Thanks, but I'd rather not. I could never stand makeovers any- Hey! Let go!"

I slightly smiled as I watched the woman drag the Queen away. It was amusing to see that the Queen had not changed in the 5,000 years that had passed. She had never been one for make-up or hairstylists.

"Ouch! Don't poke me there!"

This would be a long day for the Queen.