Title: Deception
Part: 4/4
Author: Murasaki Rose
Beta: none
Genre: Romance/Fantasy/AU
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Yami Yuugi's real name
Warnings: Shonen-ai (male x male)
Pairings: YYxY, SxJ, YBxR, YMxM
Disclaimer: Here we go. Yu-Gi-Oh and all its characters are the property of Kazuki Takahashi, Shueisha, Konami, Toei, and unfortunately, 4 Kids Entertainment. In other words, I don't own them and I'm not making any money off of this, I'm just a fangirl having some fun.
A/N: "text" = speech, 'text' = thought, ((text)) = telepathy
Summary: The millenia-long war between the Jackal and Kitsune kingdoms has finally come to an end. To discourage further conflict, the kings agree to marry their sons and ally the kingdoms. Unwilling to make peace, a member of the Kitsune court spirits the prince away to Earth, sealing them both in human form. Fifteen years later, the Jackal prince now searches the human world for his missing bride.
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Part Four - Happily Ever After
Laying across one of the many stone benches in the palace gardens, Yuugi flicked his tail idly while he thought. The fluffy appendage was metallic gold like his father's, except for the tip which was the same bright silver as his mother's whole tail. His ears were the same and the fur on both them and his tail was as soft as a mink's pelt. Yuugi found it amusing that despite his best efforts to resist, Atem could not help but pet his tail whenever possible.
Of course looking at his tail brought his mind back to the day he had regained his true form...and the day his "Grandfather" had been sentenced.
He had been resting in the gardens with his head pillowed between Woserit and Mitsuko's legs and Atem laying next to him, the other prince's head fully on Woserit's lap. The transformation had been exhausting for both Yuugi and Woserit, so they had been relaxing all day, only moving when absolutely necessary. Sadly, the peaceful tableau was broken when a guard came to summon them to the throne room: It was time for Sugoroku's sentencing and as the parties most wronged by his actions, they were all needed.
Atem had carried him until they reached the grand hall, then placed him on his feet to walk at his side. Yuugi gave him a grateful smile, took his hand, and following their mothers, walked side-by-side into the throne room. The former human hadn't had time to learn much of anything about formal court appearances, so he took his cues from Atem, trusting the other to guide him. When they entered the room, he could feel the curious and fascinated gazes of the assembled nobles that filled the room. His father had warned him that the nobles of both kingdoms were eager to see what had become of the missing prince. Even with the warning, Yuugi found it hard to keep the same regal mask up that Atem wore, but he managed despite his nerves. As he and Atem took their place to the right of their fathers, Yuugi noticed with great relief that the weight of the stares lessened dramatically.
Once court had been called to order, Akunamanon ordered that Sugoroku be brought in. Yuugi had not found out until much later, that Akunamanon, Woserit, Satoru, and Mitsuko had discussed his punishment at great length before coming up with something suitable that would not break Yuugi's already wounded heart.
Shackled and escorted by four guards, Sugoroku still radiated sheer defiance as he walked into the room, ignoring the startled gasps from those who had not seen his aged appearance. Those who had harbored doubts that a member of the kitsune royal family would perform that many forbidden spells on their own, could no longer ignore the evidence before their eyes: the vibrant younger brother of King Satoru was hardly recognizable in the old man being pushed to his knees before the two kings.
Akunamanon stood first, "Prince Sugoroku, brother to King Satoru of the Kitsune; you are charged with the kidnapping of Prince Yuugi and Queen Woserit and with forcibly enchanting Prince Yuugi, Prince Atem, and Queen Woserit. These crimes constitute high treason in both kingdoms," he announced, giving the prematurely-aged kitsune a hard stare.
"Do you have anything to say in your defense before your sentencing?"
Giving the Jackal king a hateful glare, Sugoroku's defiance radiated from his aged form. "Everything I did was for the good of my kingdom. My only regret is that I was unable to dispose of your wretched mate."
Satoru stood and glared down at his younger brother, "You say your actions were for the good of the people, but how is war ever a good path? The war was not ours, nor even our fathers'. Our duty is to our people first, not the pride of our ancestors. Letting our people hate and die for reasons long forgotten is a fool's errand!" Satoru took a deep, calming breath before continuing. "I have always forgiven you for your past mistakes, but this time I can not find it in me. You stole my son, for YOUR selfish reasons, robbed Mitsuko and I of decades we should have had raising him. Worse still, you harmed not only my son, but his bonded as well. I know you feel no remorse for the harm you have caused Queen Woserit, but the children-."
"Should never have been bonded! I told you from the start, but you refused to listen to me and now that wretched-" the aged Kitsune's voice cut off as he spotted the Jackal prince holding hands with-
"You ungrateful brat! After all I did for you ... you betray me and our people for that degenerate sand-dweller!" he spat furiously. "It's all that conniving witch's fault! She poisoned your mind and ruined you!"
"BE SILENT!" Atem boomed, shocking Sugoroku into silence. The young prince didn't care that he had just broken conduct, he would not allow this man to harm his bonded! Satisfied that the kitsune would bring say nothing more, Atem turned his gaze to his father, expecting a rebuke for his rash behavior. To his relief, he saw nothing but approval in both his father and Satoru's eyes.
Never having heard such harsh words from Sugoroku directed towards him, Yuugi had flinched as though struck, his eyes tearing up. Closing his eyes to regain his composure, Yuugi felt Atem's hand squeeze his in silent support. Squeezing back, he opened his eyes and stared down at his uncle, his royal heritage shining through in his posture and expression. "I see. If that is how you truly feel then there is nothing more for me to say to you," he replied in a calm tone that hid his breaking heart. Turning away from the man he called "grandfather" he nodded to Akunamanon, not seeing the flash of remorse in Sugoroku's eyes.
"Prince Sugoroku, it has been decided by this court that you shall be imprisoned for the remainder of your life. Your true form shall be returned, but what remains of your magic will be permanently sealed," the Pharaoh announced, King Satoru nodding in grim agreement. "Take him away!"
Defiance gone, Sugoroku tried to catch Yuugi's gaze before he was taken back to the cells, but the youth would not look his way and the elder couldn't blame him. In his anger, he had lashed out and hurt the same child he had sought to protect. 'I'm sorry Yuugi.'
'Yeah, that day really sucked,' the petite teen thought, unaware of the frown marring his features. No sooner had his expression darkened when a gentle kiss to his cheek broke him from his maudlin reverie.
"Is something bothering you, ari (6)?" Atem asked as he curled around his lounging kitsune, fingers automatically moving to card through the soft fur of Yuugi's tail
His frown evaporating with Atem's attention, he shook his head, "Not really. Just remembering the day I got my tail back."
"Ah." Now the Jackal prince understood. Yuugi had seen an ugly side to his "grandfather" that he had never been exposed to growing up and it had hurt him deeply. After the trial, Yuugi had gone to his rooms and cried for hours, accepting comfort from no one save Atem. Even asleep he had refused to let the crimson-eyed teen go and it was in this manner they spent their first night together in the same bed. Simply holding on to one another, one offering comfort and the other soaking it in like sun-parched earth, the two had fallen asleep, only to wake the next morning to the amused faces of their parents.
From that night on, they had been unable to sleep alone, tossing and turning restlessly until one would cave and slip into the other's room to curl up with their bonded. After a couple weeks of sneaking back and forth, they'd had enough and approached their parents with a bold request: they wanted to share a room. To both their surprise, their parents were fine with the request and Woserit admitted to her sons that they had been expecting this request for some time. Apparently it was common for bonded pairs to need to remain close.
Yuugi's things had been moved to Atem's room that very day.
Stretching against the older teen, Yuugi slowly sat up, a pleased smile on his face as he felt Atem shiver against his back. His bonded was so sensitive to his every touch, making the petite teen look forward to the day they went beyond chaste kisses. 'Not that I'm much better,' he thought as Atem moved to mold his frame to Yuugi's, chest pressed to his back, tanned thighs framing his own pale legs, supple lips brushing the crook of his neck. Leaning back to rest his head against the older prince's shoulder, Yuugi had the fleeting thought that if kitsune could purr, that's what he'd be doing. Mapping a trail down the exposed flesh of Atem's thighs with his fingers, the amethyst-eyed youth smiled when the jackal's tail thumped the bench beneath them.
Atem nipped his neck in reproach, "So cruel, ari." He knew how much Yuugi enjoyed getting his tail to wag. (7)
Unrepentant, Yuugi chuckled and kissed the sensitive skin below Atem's jaw.
On the balcony above, the two mothers smiled down at their cuddling sons.
"Perhaps we should consider moving the wedding up a few decades?" Mitsuko asked the Jackal queen.
Woserit nodded, "Absolutely." A particularly bold move from Yuugi made her eyebrows raise in surprise. Her adopted son had certainly gotten over his shyness!
"Or even sooner?" the Kitsune queen muttered, quite startled by her son's forward behavior. "Is- is this from growing up human?"
"A little," Woserit admitted. "The boys are nearly full grown now and with their bond..."
Reassured, Mitsuko breathed a sigh of relief. "I keep forgetting how strong the pull is."
Shaking her head with a smile, Woserit turned away from the snuggling teens to head inside. "Perhaps we should go speak with our husbands about an early wedding?"
"Agreed."
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6 - ari - partner (ancient Egyptian)
7 - Jackals wag their tails. Really. I'm not sure if it happens in the wild with all breeds, but there are some wild breeds that do wag their tails for each other. Foxes on the other hand, only wag their tails after a LOT of domestication. (This happened on accident with silver foxes that furriers were breeding for more human-docile traits. They did become more docile, but their tails curled up and started to wag, they started barking, and gained white patches in their fur.)