I won't ask for nothing more
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The riddle
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"Did you find it?" The man in the chair asked. He was covered in shadows.
"Yes. We know where the city of prophets is but..."
"But?" His voice was angry and threatening.
"It seams... it seams that the professor and his friends already found something." The man in the shadows leaned back in his seat. He hummed.
"That is good." He said. Suddenly he got up and went to the window. He moved the curtains aside and the rays of sun reflected on his chestnut colored hair. His icy blue eyes scanned the back yard of the little house.
"Call the agents. It's time to send our proposal to our dear professor." He spoke. A smile that could freeze blood in your veins appeared in the corners of his mouth.
"As you wish... Mr. Kaiba." Sato let go of the curtain and a maniacal laugh filled the room...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Everyone knows the route?" Jean asked. Everyone nodded their heads. Tea walked in the tent.
"Can I go?" Jean looked at her.
"If your ankle is all right you can go with me." She said. Tea just nodded her head and everyone was ready to go. You could tell by the expressions on their faces that they were all worried. The old gang was grim and nervous and the twins and Rachel all shook with fear. Not that anyone saw. They were all preoccupied with their fear. Tea and Jean walked in the girls tent.
"I just hope we'll find him soon." Tea said.
"Don't worry. Yami is strong. He is the strongest man I ever met. If anyone can survive in those mines then it is him." Tea looked at the older woman. She looked confidant although her eyes shined with worry.
"But you still can't help the gut feeling that bothers you." Tea said. The two entered their path. Jean looked at her slyly.
"So Yami spoke the truth. You are astute. He said you could see threw every word one said. I didn't believe him but now..." Jean said while looking around. Tea was startled.
"He...he spoke...of me?" Jean looked back at the younger woman.
"Of coarse. I mean... when I made him speak about his past." Jean looked sad all of a sudden.
"He is always so... distant. Few times when I caught him thinking of you, about his past... he looked lost. Melancholic... I would become so afraid. Few times he would be so depressed for days. He wouldn't eat, he wouldn't sleep. He worked and worked until he would be so tired and exhausted he would fall asleep working. People see him as someone cold and cynical. But when I look at him I saw a man who saw so many horrible things, who passed threw hell only to end up alone. That pains me..." She spoke. Tea was silent. They just went on their search for Yami in silence.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Yami stood wide mouthed on the entrance to the great room. The walls were lit with torches and covered in ancient hieroglyphs. Yami walked in not noticing that the exit disappeared. Shadows danced on the walls. He looked around himself, until he looked up and saw something that made his heart stop. It seamed a storm raged. Thunder appeared from second to second but no sound came to his ears.
"Strange..." He whispered. Suddenly one of the thunders flashed brighter and slammed in the ground before him. He jumped away startled. Suddenly before him appeared a beautiful creature. It was made of pure gold, its eyes shining like two rubies. It monstrous wings barely fit into the room. Woman's head and the body of a lioness... 'A sphinx...' He thought.
"You think right, mortal. I am the ancient protector of this forgotten chamber. My name is Dancing thunder."
"You know what I think." Yami said. He was filled with respect for the creature and her beauty enchanted him.
"Yes and I know what your heart desires most. Although I know what you are seeking I can not give it to you unless you pay the price." Said the sphinx.
'A riddle...' Yami thought... The sphinx looked pleased.
"You are a historian so you know my purpose. Answer my riddle and you will live and gain what you need, but if you case to fail... the price will be your life." Yami nodded.
"Give me your question, and I shall give you my answer." The swing nodded. He face held a weary expression.
"Your heart is pure, mortal. I know your soul and mind, and I know you have no ill intentions. So, I shall warn you. Many tried before you to answer my riddle and no one did. They are all dead. If you accept the challenge you have three faiths that await you. Answer correctly you shall live, and I shall let you pass. If you decide to give up I shall kill you. If your answer is false, I shall kill you. That is what awaits you. Do you still want to hear the riddle, for if I say it you don't have a way out." Yami thought for a second but he already knew his answer.
"Speak." He said. The sphinx smiled and nodded her head.
"I am, in truth, a yellow fork, from tables in the sky. By inadvertent fingers dropped, the awful cutlery. Of mansions never quite disclosed and never quite concealed. The apparatus of the dark, to ignorance revealed. What am I?" The sphinx finished and looked at Yami. He hummed and turned his back to the sphinx. He hummed again. He turned swiftly to her and opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself shaking his head.
"Could you repeat?" The sphinx smiled and nodded her head. After repeating the riddle she sat crossing her front legs before her. She watched Yami pace from one side of the room to the other.
"Of mansions never quite disclosed and never quite concealed..." He murmured. Suddenly he stopped and looked at the sealing. His eyes flashed. A smile played upon sphinx' lips and she got up.
"Are you ready to answer my riddle?" Yami nodded his head hesitatingly.
"Then speak!" Yami took a deep breath.
"This is doing nothing good to my nerves." He whispered. "Lightning. The answer to your riddle is lightning." He said. Dancing Thunder looked at him proudly with a royal expression on her beautiful face. Suddenly thunder echoed threw the hall and a flash of lightning hit the sphinx. Yami stood there shocked.
"I guess it's the right answer." He said and walked on. He came to the end of the room and looked around.
"What now?" Suddenly a hidden door appeared and he walked threw it. A light flashed around him as torches lit all around. In the middle of the room was a high pedestal. On it, or better say over it, levitated something like an old papyrus. He looked around and approached it carefully. He came to the pedestal and took a look at the papyrus. He recognizes ancient hieroglyphs.
'Take it...' A voice echoed threw this mind. It seamed somehow... wrong.
'Take it!' The voice urged. Yami took a step back and scanned the room. His eyes fell on the pedestal and he walked around it observing. Something caught his attention. A little symbol of the Eye of Horus. A smirk played upon his lips and he touched the sign. Suddenly the pedestal started to shake and it started to disappear. Soon its place was taken by a papyrus and an amulet. Suddenly everything started to fall.
"Damn it!" He yelled. A door opened behind him and he ran out not even thinking what could happen.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Where the hell could he be!" Joey yelled.
"Calm down. Getting nervous won't take us anywhere and it won't help us find Yami." Duke said. They were walking is circles for hours and nothing was found. Suddenly Tristen's cell phone ringed.
"Tristen, here."
"Return back. We'll have to make another plan. We didn't find anything and it's getting late. We'll take other lamps and then return." Jean's voice came from the other side.
"All right. See you at the entrance." Tristen ended the conversation.
"Let's go." The made their way up, when suddenly something like a loud roar shook the whole underground and they were thrown on the ground.
"What the hell is going on!" Joey yelled.
"Don't know but we better hurry!" Duke answered. The three started to run towards the exit when large stones started to fall down on them.
"HURRY UP!!" They heard Yugi's voice coming from one of the hallways. As they ran the met with everyone.
"What's going on!" Duke yelled.
"Shut up ad run!!!" Yugi answered. They came to the main hallway when suddenly the three doors slammed to the ground. But it didn't stop there. The shaking got stronger.
"We have to get out of here!" Odion yelled.
"Yami is still here somewhere!" Rachel answered. "I won't let him die!" She yelled. The moment she finished the forth door opened and Yami ran out holding something in his hand. Everyone stared in surprise.
"Let's stare at each other when we get out of here! MOVE!" He yelled and everyone did as he said. When they came out the were awaited with complete chaos. People tried to save what they could as the city fell to ruins. It seamed The city of Prophets was slowly swallowed by sand. The doors disappeared and soon everything calmed down. The gang just stood there their mouths hanging open until they heard someone fall to the ground. Jean turned and saw Yami sitting on the ground trying to gain his breath. It seamed quite difficult because small drops of sweat appeared on his face. She ran to his side.
"Are you all right?"
"I... I'm fine... just.. need to catch... catch my breath..." He said. Jean exhaled. Rachel ran to him tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. She hugged him close while Yami petted her back trying to calm her down.
"We have to return to the manor. I found something that needs to be analysed. But first... I need rest." Yami said. Rachel helped him get up. Tea stood in the background. She tried so hard to fight back tears of joy and pain. She, or anybody else never noticed how his eyes observed her as she walked to the helicopter. She never saw the happiness in his eyes when he saw she was all right. She saw, and it pained her, the way Jean held his hand as he entered the helicopter. She saw Yami's concerned eyes when Jean placed her hand on her stomach. No one saw their mutual suffering. That is... no one but two very observant pale brown eyes that noticed the small signs of affection...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
When Yami came down the stairs of his manor, showered and a little bit better he didn't expect to find he was the only one.
"They must all still be in their rooms." He whispered and made his way towards the common room. He found the doors closed and voices coming from the other side. He stood there in silence.
"You should calm down." 'Is that Yugi's voice?' Yami thought
"I can't Yugi. I... when I saw him run out... I was so relived but then... the way he acts with her... I... I love him, Yugi! I don't know why I can't forget him!" Tea's crying voice came to his ears. His heart beat hard against his ribcage. 'What happened...'
"Tea please. I wouldn't stand seeing you hurt again." Yugi said. I could feel the sincerity in his voice.
"I don't know, Yugi... I love him so much and... I know... I see... he doesn't love me." 'She cries...' Yami thought.
"Tea please. Imagine how Annie would feel if she knew you cried" Yugi said trying to make Tea cheer up.
"She would cry with me..."Yugi laughed shortly and Tea joined him. Yami heard her sigh.
"Where did everything go wrong, Yugi? Why did everything change?"
"I don't know... "
"Everything started the day Yami left, don't you think? All the bad things..."
"You know why he left, Tea. Non of this is his fault."
"I know Yugi... I could never blame him... I think I would do the same thing in his place but..."
"I know..."
"I only wish... I only whish he was there... " His heart broke. He turned away from the doors and left the house going for the stables. He took his favourite hors and road out. He galloped over the large field all the way to the bounders of his land. There was a small oasis with a beautiful little pond in the middle. Only then did he notice the rain falling. He kneeled beside the pond.
"I love you Tea... more then my own life..." He whispered.
"So why can't I just tell you the truth..." He stared at his reflection in the pond. For some time he was silent and let the raindrops soak his clots.
"I'm afraid..." He whispered again knowing that's the truth. He was afraid he wouldn't make her happy. In his eyes he didn't deserve Tea. He was selfish. He wanted her for himself. He wanted her by his side so he could be happy just for one moment in time. For one little second... he wanted her to smile for him. He wanted her to hold him in her arms and say that she will be there always... He would do anything for her... He would give his life away without thinking twice...
"There is no sense denying... she is my life..." He whispered. He was soaked with water. He could feel the cold start to sting at his skin but he didn't care. Suddenly a sound made him wake up. He looked up at the sky and saw a helicopter fly above him. He was on his hors immediately riding to he manor.
'I wonder who that is...'
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Has anybody seen Yami?" Rachel walked in the common room. Everyone was there and they all looked dumbfounded.
"No one has seen him from when he left to his room." Ryou said. John disappeared running out of the room.
"What happened?" Joey asked. Rachel shrugged her shoulders. Few minutes later John appeared back. He wasn't long outside but he was covered in rain. He looked worried.
"Storm is gone." He said. Jean jumped from her seat.
"You can't be serious!"
"Who is Storm?" Duke asked.
"It is Yami's stallion. I can't believe he is out there right now!" Rachel shouted angrily.
"How do you mean out there!" Tea looked at the younger girl.
"I mean that he went out for a ride and he probably left before the rain started. Where the hell is he!" Rachel yelled when the doors opened.
"Miss Rachel. There are two men in the library. They say they want to speak with Mr. Motou in person." Said the maid.
"Tell them Mr. Motou..."
"Tell them I will meet them in a second." Yami's voice came from the opposite door. Everyone looked at him and everyone's jaws fell on the flor. He was wet and pale. He didn't stop when he passed beside them.
"Where were you?" Jean asked stopping him.
"I went for a ride. I had to think and the rain caught up with me when I reached the oasis. Storm was tired so I couldn't go faster. That's all. " He said. He didn't spare her a glance.
"Excuse me... I have to change and I have a meeting to attend." He said walking out of the room. Tea watched him leave the room. Her heart beat strongly against her chest. 'This was strangely familiar...' She thought.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Yami ran to his room and got changed as quickly as he could. After changing into dry clots he ran to the library. He stopped before the doors trying to catch his breath. He took the doorknob and took a deep breath. He opened the doors and looked at the two men standing before his working table. Both of them had business suits and sunglasses that covered their eyes.
"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I got caught up in the rain." Yami said with his stoic, cold mask back on his face.
"That was nothing, Professor Motou. If you don't have a problem with it we are very short on time and we would like to go strait to the point." One of them said. Yami nodded and sat on his place behind the desk. After placing his hands in a calm gesture on his desk he nodded to the two to say what they have.
"Our employer would like to stay anonymous so we will not speak to you about him. We will only give you his offer." Yami's frowned.
"Usually I don't work for someone I do not know." Yami said.
"Our employer is aware of that but still asks you to hear his proposal." Yami nodded.
"Alright." The two shifted. They were uncomfortable under Yami's perceptional gaze. It was... unnerving to say the least.
"From confident sources, our employer has found out that you are in the search for The Eye of Horus." Yami's gaze got stricter.
"I guess I won't find out from where he got that information. Especially because I myself was not aware of what I was looking for until recently. Yesterday afternoon precisely." Yami said observing the actions of the two men.
"We are sorry, Professor Motou. We are here only to give you the proposal. We were said nothing more or nothing less then that." The second said. Yami nodded and waved his hand shortly. The first one cleared his throat.
"Our employer has decided to pay you 500 000$ to continue this expedition under his wing. That means, when you find the Eye of Horus you will give the Eye to him." The first one said.
"Does your employer know what he's asking from me? The Eye of Horus is no simple artifact of great value. According to some of the legends and myths that speak about that artifact, the Eye of Horus is the most powerful weapon in the world. By not knowing who your employer is, I might be handing the greatest weapon in the world to a complete lunatic. I am sorry but that I can and will not do." Yami said getting up from his seat and turning his back to the two men. He moved the heavy curtains aside and took a look at the back yard. The ran was still pouring heavily.
"Our employer is willing to rise the payment." Yami felt rage in his heart but stayed his stoic self.
"That still does not settle me. You can go back to your employer and say that I kindly refuse to work for him. As you can see I do not need someone who will finance this expedition. And you can add to that that there is no way for him to find out where the next trail is, for the first trail has been destroyed. The City of Prophets is a ruin and there is no way for him to find out where he should go next but over me."
"You are making a big mistake." The first one said. Both of them were on their feet looking at Yami.
"Maybe, maybe not. But I will not put the entire human race in danger for 500 000$ and it doesn't matter how high he can lift the price." Yami said. He didn't lift his voice but it was stern and cold.
"You are making a big mistake. You do not know what you are getting yourself in to."
"I must warn you that you are on my territory and that I could consider your words a threat. In that case I have every right to sue you and ask for a distance restriction. In that case your employer won't even be able to get near my excursion. Is that clear?" The two watched as Yami spoke watching the both of them, just daring calmly to put his authority in question. The both straitened their coats.
"We are sorry for interrupting your time, Professor Motou. We were hoping you would make the right choice." The second one said. The look in Yami's eyes was cold and daring.
"I won't change my decision and I think I made the right choice." The doors of the library opened and a maid got in.
"Do you want me to make tee, Master Yami?" She asked. She stared in wonder at everyone knowing something must have happened when Yami looked angry.
"No, Sara. These kind men were about to leave. Could you please show them to the doors?" The maid smiled and opened the doors fully. The two looked at Yami.
"This is not the last time we meet." The first one said.
"I truly hope it is, for the sake of all of us." Yami said. The two nodded their heads and left leaving Yami alone in the room. A few moments later Sara walked back in the library caring a plate with few cookies and a cup of tee.
"Miss Rachel asked me to bring this to you and Mrs. Jean said you should go to your room and rest." She said leaving everything on the table. Yami sat back in his comfortable chair and stared lost before him. Sara frowned.
"Master Yami? Is everything alright?" She asked worried. He looked at the young maid and smiled.
"I am fine, Sara. You are free to go." She bowed slightly and left for the doors. She stopped when Yami called her name.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Would you be so kind and send me your father. I need to speak with him." He said. Sara bowed and left the room. Before the doors stood the entire gang looking worried and some of them afraid.
"How is he? What happened?" Rachel asked.
"I don't know but though he looked all collected I could tell he was angry and worried. Something happened but God forgive me if I know anything. He looked so lost in thought that I was afraid to talk to him." She said.
"Did he say anything?" Jeremy asked.
"No. Nothing important. Only that I should get my father. He needed to talk with him." Sara sad.
"Then go. It must be important. We will find everything out when he decides to speak with us." Jean said. Sara nodded and left. Tea stood in the back listening to every word.
'They all know him so well... Even his maids! They all seam to appreciate him and love him... Rachel, Jeremy, John...They all love him like a father. But... Where does Jean come in the picture? they sleep in two different rooms... They can't be married then... but they are so close it's hard to believe there is only friendship between them...' A painful sigh escaped her lips. 'After all... She is pregnant...' She thought.
'But is she pregnant with Yami?' A little voice in the corner of her mind voiced the question. Tea's heart started to beat faster but suddenly all the excitement disappeared. 'So what if the child isn't his... That still doesn't change the fact that he doesn't love me...' Suddenly she was drawn back from her sulking by Joeys loud call.
"I've been trying to call you back to reality for five minutes already!" He yelled and looked at her. She sighed and looked away from him.
"I'm going to my room. I want to talk with Annie to see how she's been doing and I want to speak with Mokuba about their ware bouts and safety. See you later." She said and left up the stairs. Everyone was worried about her condition and the way she almost dragged herself up the stares. Almost everyone just saw it as tiredness but few of them looked at her as if thy felt her pain. Yugi sighed and walked up worrying for one of his best friends. everyone soon followed leaving the foyer. Ryou stood behind watchfully observing the events. 'They are both so blind...' He thought and sighed. Soon he walked up the stares and to his room trying to decide wetter he should intertwine or just let everything go with the flow.
In her room Tea sat beside the phone and dialed the number of Mokuba's apartment back in Domino. A few moments later a little voice came from the other side.
"Hello!"
"Annie? Is that you?" Tea asked tenderly.
"MOMMY!!!!! I'm so happy! I miss you very, very much!" The voice of the little five your old warmed Tea's heart.
"Mommy misses you too sweetheart! What have you been doing? Are you having fun with your uncle?"
"Yeah! Uncle Mokuba and I have so much fun! But Annie must go to sleep now! And Uncle Mokuba wants to talk to you about something. I love you mommy!"
"Love you too, sweetheart. Be a good girl and don't give a headache to your nanny, all right?" The girl giggled and the phone was given to someone else.
"Tea?" Mokuba's voice came to her ears.
"Hey Mokuba? Is everything alright? Nothing suspicious happened?" She asked.
"No, everything's fine. Annie is safe here and I'm doing my best to find Seto before he does something. I don't have much time to talk with you but I wanted to tell you to be careful. Tell Yami and everyone to watch their back. Seto is dangerous and I don't want anything to happen to any of you, alright?"
"Don't worry. I'll do my best. We all will. I just hope this all will end soon and that we won't have any troubles along the way."
"Just hurry up. Have to go. I'll call you next time." He said.
"All right. Good bye." And the talk ended. She sighed and looked out the window. She desired a warm bath and a moment of silence and peace. She felt tired and her leg started to ache slightly. She went to the bathroom and let the warm water fill the bathtub. She took of her clots and lied in the warm water. All the pain in her muscles disappeared and she found herself relax slightly. Her thoughts flew to one specific violet eyes man.
"Why can't I stop thinking of you... Yami..."
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Yami came to his room and went strait for the bathroom. After taking his clots of he let the warm water ease the tension in his body. He was worried and he felt that they were running short on time. Now he was sure there was someone who wanted the Eye of Horus and he was pretty sure it was Seto Kaiba. He made himself forget about that for a moment and his senses were filled with the gentle smell of ocean water and red roses. Azure eye haunted him as he thought about Tea.
"Why can't I get you out of my mind..." He whispered. After getting out of the shower her went to his room and just fell on the bed. Sleep got to him fast as he remembered Tea's words from earlier.
'I only wish... I only whish he was there...'
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Hope you liked it!" You all know the rules but now a slight change. As we are nearing the tenth chapter and the story is getting to the first turnout my requests grow bigger. Just joking. I would like for all of you to give me your opinion in which way should Yami and Tea find out they love each other and finally confess it to the world. All right I want four reviews at least and people don't be afraid to leave a review even in you flame. It's good to know what's good and what's not good. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, people you are wonderful!!!!
Love yaw all,
Izida