AN: Hm, this is the last chapter of PT. (There's an epilogue, too!) At first, the epilogue and this chapter were going to be together, but…well, in all my other stories, the epilogue was always separate, so I decided to just follow what I've done in the past. Thanks to all the readers that have read this far! I couldn't have gotten past even the first chapter without your support.

Thanks to…

FlyingShadow666: Why thank you! And thank you for the review!

Tails7651: The last battle is over! Go Ari! Thanks for the review!

dragonlady222: Yeah, it's about time that Ari opened his eyes. I'm glad that Ryou got the message across. Thanks for the review!

Fyre Spirit: Lol, I want to hug Ryou, too! (Yay, a cookie!) Thanks for the review!

casaragi: Yeah! It's about time Ari came to his senses about his country. Thanks for the review!

Shamise: No problem. Thanks for the review!

The Vampire Prince: Thanks for the censorment. Lol. I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for the review!

Chapter Twenty Nine: Before A New Beginning

Footsteps resounded in the hall housing the Royal family. Light grumbling could be heard as an irate looking teen stopped in front of one of the rooms.

The thief paused for a second before slamming the door open. All it did was reveal another empty room. "Damn it," Bakura murmured under his breath, raking a hand through his hair with annoyance. He was really starting to get sick of this guess and check method. "Stupid kid. Where'd he go?"

Quietly closing the door behind him, Bakura went through the possible places Ryou could be. I've already checked the library, the dining hall, his room, the hospital ward…Argh, where the heck is he?!

The thief proceeded to stalk down the hall, his hands clenched angrily at his sides. " 'Please come get me when Marik wakes up'," Bakura mockingly muttered, glaring down the hallway. "It would be nice to know where you were going before you just left, Ryou!" the teen ranted to no one in particular, venting his frustration openly while shaking a fist in the air.

Pain flared up his arm, and Bakura winced, gently placing his arm down. That was stupid of me… Bakura sighed, throwing his head back and staring at the ceiling as he let his feet wander forward.

It had been a week since the Roman assault on the Egyptian palace, and yet his shoulder still ached. If he pushed it too much, too much being as far as unsheathing his knives, it bled. He had considered asking a blacksmith to possibly take out the plate, but even the most skilled metal worker said it was unfeasible, simply out of the question.

Bakura was about to return to the palace library, to carry on his search for Ryou, when a cold, demanding voice reached his ears.

"Bakura, I thought I told you to be back for your last exam by noon in the infirmary wing."

Growling a little, Bakura turned on his heel and stalked past the High Priest Kaiba. "I know, I know! I'm going right now."

Set Kaiba followed him, shaking his head. "Don't act so childish, Bakura."

"Would you want to meet someone who's bearing bad news?" Bakura barked over his shoulder.

So he knows…The High Priest murmured a "No", but reinforced the fact that a final physical was needed before the thief could freely move about without Ryou worrying over him.

Knowing that Bakura was rolling his eyes at his words, Kaiba couldn't help but smile just a little.

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Ryou yawned, shaking off the headache he was getting from thinking about last week. His mind was going to split in two if he kept wondering what exactly had happened during that big, black space in his memory before he had broken into the dining hall with Bakura.

"Ai, why can't I remember?" Ryou scratched his head before taking a deep breath. "I'd better head back…Marik might be up."

Hoisting himself from the grass, Ryou glanced around the Royal Gardens as he rubbed his slightly bruised neck unconsciously as his mind wandered to the condition of his Captain.

Marik had been out cold for nearly a week when he woke up yesterday night. Of course, only Kaiba had been there for the few minutes he had been awake so Ryou never got to thank him or apologize. Then Marik dropped off into sleep again, and Ryou was determined to be there when the Captain got up.

As the little prince trudged down the hallway, toward the infirmary wing, he tried to organize his thoughts a little more. It was all too much to take in at once! He knew he ought to drop by to visit his older brother, Nyq, but he couldn't bring himself to face the disappointment that he harbored.

During the assault on the Palace, Nyq had begged the Romans to spare his life in exchange for the knowledge of the whereabouts on the rest of the Royal Family. Ryou couldn't believe his own brother had revealed such information to the enemy! For his own life as well!

Soldiers who had overheard the Crown Prince's lowly attempts at saving himself had reported the offense to the Pharaoh. Of course, because the Palace was in an uproar from the attack, Nyq hadn't gotten in trouble just yet. However, he had locked himself in his room, away from the rest of the Royal Court.

Ryou heaved a sigh as he came walked through the doors of the hospice. Everyone was hurt in some way or other, and nothing was looking good. Ari, whom he would have liked to talk things out with some more, had disappeared after Kaiba had treated his wounds. His lessons, which would have really helped keep his mind off things, had to be cancelled since half his instructors were injured. Even his archery practice had to be halted because his beautiful bow had been snapped in half unknowingly in battle.

An abrupt command shattered the child's thoughts. "Shirt off. I've got to see that shoulder of yours." a stern voice ordered. Ryou blinked at the High Priest's tone. It was so…blank. He stepped closer to the enclosed bed in the corner of the infirmary wing, not realizing he was eavesdropping. Why was Kaiba examining Bakura's shoulder? Was there something wrong? How come they didn't tell him about this last checkup?

There was a hiss of pain, and a barked, "That hurt!". A murmured apology came next, then a curse.

"It's that bad?" Bakura sounded more like he was stating a fact, not asking a question. Ryou frowned. What are they-?

"Bakura, you know as well as I do," Kaiba quietly said. "I shouldn't have to warn you that your shoulder will literally kill you through blood loss if you ever fight again. Simply moving it too much will result in-"

"I get it," Bakura curtly snapped.

A hand rested itself on Ryou's shoulder. The child jumped, startled, and stared at the man standing behind him with wet eyes. Only when the Pharaoh wordlessly pointed at his face did Ryou realize he was crying.

Ryou quickly wiped the tears away as his father drove him away from the hospice. Thoughts plagued his mind as the child trembled, Kaiba's words echoing in his mental realm.

Your shoulder will literally kill you if you ever fight again.

"-you…RYOU!"

The little prince snapped to attention, a little surprised to find himself in his father's study, facing the Pharaoh. When had he gotten here? And why was his father so red?

"Ryou, there is…a matter I must discuss with you…No, several matters…"

The child forced his mind to calm down and focus on the present. However, the guilt and the agony over Kaiba's words were hard to push down, even as his father studied him intently.

Hesitantly, Ryou bit his lip. Was he in trouble? Is father…nervous?

The Pharaoh cleared his throat. "First of all…I…" he trailed off.

Ryou could tell his father was quite uncertain of himself. This was a first. "F-Father?"

"Ryou, I am…going to try to be a father not only to the people, but to Nyq and you as well…"

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AN: I'm sorry it's such an abrupt ending to the chapter. I promise the epilogue will make it all better! Please review! The epilogue will be up on Monday! (It goes against every fiber of my being to break off the chapter like this…grr, but I know it will bug me even more if I don't have a separate epilogue. Please bear with me for just a little more!)