Okay, so I went back and re-read this story and I mentioned the engagement in passing, nothing more. And I didn't even mention it as an engagement simply as something bad that had happened previously. And see how nice I am? I updated this one first, now on to gooh. Where I hope I won't be murdered for such a long space in between updates. I do not own Yugioh, enjoy! [JAPANESE and ENGLISH]

Chapter 19

Yami closed his eyes. He could only imagine how this must have looked to an outsider, Yami who had a blade against his throat, and Yugi who had a hand around his with a far off look in his eyes. It was silent for a moment before Yugi's servants sprang into action.

"Master no!" they cried running forward and pulling him away from Yami. He felt a small prick as his skin was cut. He felt up and found it to be only a small cut, it was barely even bleeding. Malik and Mira were trying to get Yugi's attention, but he still seemed oblivious to all around him.

"What's going on in here?" Marik asked and received no answer. Yami didn't know what had set Yugi off, and Yugi's eyes were just coming back into focus.

"Well?" Bakura demanded.

SHING! SHING!

Both Bakura and Marik had unsheathed their swords and were approaching Yugi with them. His reaction was immediate, as he sprung to his feet, and swept Malik and Mira aside as he took out his other katana, and met them head on.

Yami watched in awe as Yugi twirled between them. He spun as if he was a dancer, and Marik and Bakura both were his partners in this deadly dance. Before Yami knew what happened, and it seemed Bakura and Marik both as well, Yugi had their weapons clattering to the ground and was kicking them away before sheathing his own.

"We were having a heated argument and it got a little out of hand, okay?" Yugi said stiffly.

"Then perhaps you should finish the discussion tomorrow, when you both have had a chance to calm down?" Mira suggested in a meek voice.

"Yes, excellent idea. I shall meet you in the private gardens when there are no shadows on the ground," Yugi said before swiftly leaving. Yami watched as Mira and Malik hastened after him before turning his attention to the three still in the room.

"Jono, go, we've got this handled," Marik said. He nodded respectfully, turned, and left; shutting the door behind him.

"Alright spill, what really happened?" Bakura said turning to Yami.

"It happened exactly as he said, we both lost control of our anger," Yami said looking away as he went to sit on the bed.

"Stop lying, and tell us what happened," Marik growled at him.

"I scared him, and he lashed out," Yami groaned out.

"So that was your fault?" Bakura asked picking up his sword and sheathing it.

"Yes," Yami said simply, if not a bit reluctantly.

"You mean to say we attacked the Prince of Japan with no provocation?" Marik stressed as he also picked up his sword and sheathed it. Yami nodded closing his eyes and placing his head in his hand.

"You have to admit though, he's quite graceful with his katanas. Like a dancer. I wonder if we could get him to learn belly dancing?" Marik said thoughtfully. Yami opened his eyes and looked at them.

"Oh, I could see it. If he moved with the same amount of grace that he does when using his swords, he'd be magnificent. Everyone would be jealous of Yami, for the beauty that he had captured," Bakura said grinning.

"Knock it off," Yami groaned as he started get a hard on from letting his mind wander for a moment.

"You can't tell me the image isn't pleasing?" Marik asked crossing his arms.

"On the contrary, I find it very pleasing, which is why you need to knock it off," Yami said glaring at him.

"Do you want me to round up a girl to take care of that for you?" Marik asked.

"No, I'll just take a cold bath instead. Oh, and don't tell anyone about this. I can only imagine what my Father would do to him," Yami said getting to his feet and going into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

"I believe we've just been dismissed," Bakura said.

"It would appear so," Marik agreed.

;p;p;p;p

"But what happened, Yugi?" Malik asked.

"Remember when I was younger, and engaged the first time?" Yugi asked. Mira shuddered scooting away from him slightly and into Malik more. He responded by unconsciously wrapping his arms around her.

"I wish we could forget that, all of it," Malik muttered his arms tightening around Mira.

"He…he was getting rough like he did," Yugi whispered.

"You don't think he would…" Mira trailed off her eyes full of fear.

"Oh, Kami, I hope not," Yugi said wrapping his arms around them both. A brief image concerning Mira of what he had seen, what he could never un-see, flashed across his mind.

KNOCK. KNOCK.

They jumped apart and Yugi straightened his clothes before moving to the door slowly. He wasn't scared that it was Yami, but more anxious that it was him. He reached up to grab the handle of his katana, but lowered it again. He had to learn to trust his fiancé, not matter what. He slowly opened the door and didn't see anyone until he looked down to see a young servant girl standing there. He opened the door more.

"Yes, can I help you?" Yugi asked in his own tongue.

"I'm sorry?" she asked unable to understand him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Can I help you?" he asked again.

"Oh, a letter for you Prince Yugi, from Japan," she said handing him a small envelope.

"That was fast. Perhaps letters travel faster than people huh?" Yugi asked jokingly taking the letter from her and closing the door. He ripped open the seal and unfolded the letter, tears springing to his eyes as he started to read the letter.

Dear Yugi,

As the next in line for the throne it falls upon my shoulders to inform you that our Grandfather, the Emperor, has passed away. It happened a month after your departure from our lands. I'm unsure if they will allow you to come back for such a trivial matter as our wedding which is to happen two and a half months from now. Yet, I still hope to see you there, as does Rebecca. My coronation happened the day after his death. I wonder everyday how you're doing in your new home. Are you adjusting well? Is everyone being nice to you? Seto is now the General of my army, which makes Jou unhappy, but I trust that man with my brother as well as the lives of all my people. Ishizu requests that you send her brother home, she insists she can tell he's unhappy there. It's not the same without our Hikari no Oji here. A name you've most likely shed there. I'll have to teach it to Yami when or if I see him again. I do hope you can make the wedding. We all need a good dose of our most kind Prince.

Love,

Otogi, Rebecca, Honda, Jou, Seto, Odion, Mai, Ishizu, and Penny

Yugi slumped to the floor, wrapping his arms around his legs and crying. He heard one of his servants approach him and felt them tug the letter out of his hand. He let them, and he heard them fall to the ground letting out quiet sobs. Yugi wiped his tears away, and stood up. He reached down and lifted them to their feet too. He held out his hand and Mira put the letter in it. Taking a deep breath he opened the door and motioned for them to follow him. It was time to play his part as a Prince from another country with certain obligations.

He made his way through the hallways and towards the throne room where he hoped to find the Pharaoh. Taking a deep breath, he put his face into a calm mask before opening the doors and disturbing a meeting already in progress. The Pharaoh looked up at him with a confused expression, but Yugi simply nodded at him and went to sit on one of the pillows in the back. His servants were expected to stand, which they did without a single complaint. They knew how important it was to play their part right now, especially after reading that letter.

Yugi watched as the Pharaoh called for a break. He walked back to his throne where he sat down. He then motioned for Yugi to approach him. Standing up he did just that.

"There's been a tragedy in Japan," Yugi said getting straight to it.

"What tragedy is this?" Akunumkanon asked.

"My Grandfather, Emperor Solomon, has passed away. His funeral has already come and gone but my Brother, the new Emperor, wishes for me to attend his wedding. I ask for your permission to do this," Yugi said formerly.

"When is it?"

"A month and a half from now. Assuming it takes as much time for a letter to travel between our countries as it does a person."

"Give me today to think on it, and I shall have an answer for you by tomorrow."

"Very well," Yugi said bowing and motioning for his servants to follow him out.

"And Prince Yugi, you have my permission to stay in your rooms for the rest of the day if you wish," Akunumkanon called after him. Yugi nodded to acknowledge that he had heard but gave no more indication than that.

He walked away from the throne room failing to notice Marik and Bakura watching him with eyes wide. Figuring the worst of Yugi they rushed in to tell their side of the events that had happened just hours before. Not even knowing of the damage they would soon cause by their actions.

;p;p;p;p

Yugi paced outside the throne room until he was called in. Taking a deep breath he walked in head held high, shoulders set back, and hands at his sides. Outside he appeared confident, inside he was a nervous wreck. Scared that the Pharaoh would say no he couldn't go and see his family. He stood in front of the Pharaoh who was conversing with Mahad, waiting for him to say something.

"Very well, I'll inform your son of this decision," Mahad said just loud enough for Yugi to hear before leaving through a door behind the throne.

"Ah, Prince Yugi," Pharaoh said turning to him.

"Have you made a decision concerning what we discussed yesterday, Your Majesty?" Yugi asked without a single waver in his voice. This came from years of practice, a gambler's face his brother had called it.

"I have," he said nodding. He then frowned making Yugi nod enthusiastically trying to encourage him to continue. "However, some disturbing news has come to my attention recently concerning you and my son. A rather problematic scenario occurred between the two of you yesterday I believe? Would you care to tell me why you put a sword to my son's throat, and he laid a hand on yours in return?" Akunumkanon asked lacing his fingers together and placing his chin upon them.

Yugi sighed looking down. There was no avoiding it now. He would have to tell this Pharaoh about the first time that someone laid a hand on his servants. It was the only way to explain things without insulting the Egyptians. He wouldn't do it in front of his servants though, no, they needed to leave.

"Very well, I will tell you my secrets, but first Mira and Malik, leave," Yugi said forlornly.

"But Master-" Mira started to protest but Yugi cut her off.

"No, I don't wish to cause you any more pain than that day already caused you. Go now, both of you, and wait for me in my chambers," Yugi said whipping around and placing a hand on her cheek before ruffling Malik's hair and giving them both a light push in the direction of the doors. He waited until they were gone, the door shutting firmly behind them.

"What exactly did my Grandfather tell you about the man whom harmed my servants?" Yugi asked solemnly turning back to the Pharaoh.

"That he was someone you had a deep trust for and then suddenly, overnight, wanted nothing to do with. As well as the warning that came with that meager explanation, that your servants weren't to be harmed in anyway. It was your duty and no one else's to punish your servants, and how you punished them we had no say in either," Akunumkanon explained.

"So he didn't tell you everything. He didn't tell you where that deep trust came from. Let me explain, you see that man was-"

"Father! What is the meaning of this order you've placed upon me!?" Yami's voice interrupted bursting into the room.

"Son, can you not see I'm in the middle of something here?" Akunumkanon asked in annoyance.

"This is your doing. You put my Father up to this," Yami said angrily.

"If by meaning accompanying me to Japan to see my brother wed to the girl of his dreams, then yes I did. I take full blame," Yugi said grinning up at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about?" Yugi asked the grin falling off his face. He had this sudden feeling that they weren't discussing the same thing.

"The one where you're going to Japan alone, and I'm to stay here," Yami yelled at him.

"Huh?" Yugi asked in confusion turning to the Pharaoh.

"You didn't ask for that, did you?"

"No. I think if you want to find the ones responsible, you should look for the little tattle tales on our scenario yesterday. The one where we both weren't thinking clearly in our anger?" Yugi asked batting his eyes up at him.

"Somebody told my Father about that?"

"Yeah."

"Who?" Yami asked his eyes snapping up to him.

"Your personal body guards,"

"Marik and Bakura told you?!"

"I knew it!" Yugi shouted in victory. Both gave him strange looks.

"That is to say, that Ryou, my servants, his servants, and I had all guesstimated that that was what they were to you. More than just your closest friends, but your personal body guards too. Uh, I'll leave you guys to your argument and just go," Yugi said nervously ducking his head and making a beeline for the door. He heard a click of fingers behind him, and his path was blocked by two spears in an X formation.

"No, my son and I will discuss this later. We were having a discussion before he interrupted and I'd very much like to finish it," Akunumkanon said from behind him.

"Besides I have to go find two idiots," Yami said stalking past him and ducking under the guard's spears and walking off down the hallway.

"This man was?" Pharaoh asked as soon as the doors were shut again.

"He was…"

;p;p;p;p

Yami stormed down the hallway furious. How dare them, and after he had told them not to either. Oh, when he got his hands on them, he was going to wring their necks. Yami stormed through the hallways asking any and every slave he saw where his Guards were. Some shook their heads not knowing, others pointed him in the direction that they had seen them head in last.

It took a good sun movement of his time, but he finally found them out in the public garden harassing Prince Ryou. Well, Bakura was, Marik simply looked bored, and he happened to be the one to see Yami stalking towards them first. He smacked Bakura to get his attention and then pointed at Yami.

"Ah, Yami, can we help you?" Bakura asked standing up.

SMACK! SMACK!

Bakura and Marik stood there dumfounded. Angry red hand prints forming themselves across their right and left cheeks. Yami looked down at Ryou who was looking at the scene with awe. When he caught Yami staring at him though, he quickly gathered himself and his servants up and hastened from the area. Once he was gone Yami unleashed his anger upon his friends.

"One thing, I told you to do one thing and you couldn't keep your mouths shut about it."

"It was him who couldn't keep quiet about it," Marik protested.

"Yeah, we saw him coming out from talking with the Pharaoh. We were simply telling him our side is all," Bakura added.

"You sound like a pair of five year olds. That had nothing to do with what happened between us. Yugi got a letter asking him to return home for a short period of time, and he was merely asking my Father for permission," Yami retorted back.

"Which I managed to convince him that I simply couldn't live without yours or Ryou's company on."

Yami whipped around to see Yugi standing there smiling. He walked forward wrapping his arms around Yami's middle. Caught by complete surprise, he awkwardly patted Yugi on the back until he pulled away.

"I'm sorry I scared you yesterday, it was not my intention. I'm also sorry I held a sword to your throat, but you were becoming aggressive with me and it frightened me. I was confused for a moment about where I was, and reacted to that. Do you think you can forgive me for this transgression?" Yugi apologized.

"Yes, and I'm sorry too for the way I reacted. I let my anger run away with me. I'll try to keep a better rein on it in the future," Yami apologized back.

"I forgive you, Prince Yami," Yugi said pecking him on the cheek before walking off. He stopped just before he was out of sight and came back.

"Oh, and we leave for Japan in three days, prepare yourself," then he walked off and out of sight.

"I wonder what he said to your Father to make him change his mind," Bakura muttered.

"I have no idea," Yami said shaking his head.

;p;p;p;p

"No, he'll…he'll get mad at us again," Mira cried. Yugi was close to his quarters and hastened his pace. Something was wrong.

"It's just tea," someone said back.

"Tea or not, he'll get mad again for disobeying him," Malik said back.

"What's going on?" Yugi asked as he rounded the corner. He saw his two servants in the doorway conversing with another servant who gasped and ran off as soon as she saw him.

"It was Anzu's servant again," Malik answered as soon as he was close enough.

"That woman again. Come on, it would be rude to ignore her simple request for tea," Yugi said motioning his servants to follow him.

"You're kidding right?" Mira asked. Yugi let out a heavy sigh.

"Oh, Kami, you're not kidding," Malik moaned out.

"Come on, if I must suffer than so must you suffer too," Yugi said walking off. He heard them groan behind him. Slowly they made their way to Anzu's quarters.

;p;p;p;p

Tea was a disaster. Anzu made so many unwanted moves upon Yugi, he was actually looking forward the when the sun had seemed to move outside of her window so he could escape. Escape without appearing rude that is. Malik was just lucky he wasn't royalty, or he would have been fending off more than just the Anzu's servant's advances. He would have been fending off Anzu herself too. Then again, if Malik was royalty the servant girl wouldn't have even been trying in the first place.

"I agree, we should do this another time," Yugi said as he backed out of the door.

"Soon I hope, like maybe next week?" Anzu asked with a grin that she probably thought was seductive.

"Oh, I'm afraid that's not going to work out for me. I have other plans. I'm going somewhere in three days. I'll be gone for two and a half months, perhaps when I get back?" Yugi suggested not sounding sorry at all.

"I look forward to your return when we can spend more alone time together," Anzu said batting her eyelashes at him. It took all of Yugi's will power to not gag back.

"Yeah, bye," Yugi said grabbing his servants and exiting quickly.

"Do we have to?" Malik asked in a whiny voice.

"No, no we do not," Yugi said shaking his head.

"Thank Kami, and I thought Marik's advances were bad."

"He's still making advances on you?" Yugi asked coming to an abrupt halt in his walking.

"Yeah, sometimes, when you're not around," Malik said looking at the ground.

"Do you like these advances?" Yugi asked straight out. Malik shook his head.

"I'll ask Yami to order Marik to stop, and if that doesn't work I'll go straight to Pharaoh."

"Thank you," Malik said hugging him.

"You're welcome."

"Do you think we'll get to go to Japan with you?" Mira wondered out loud. Yugi laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I wouldn't leave without you two."

I solemnly swear to never again make a promise I obviously can't keep to my readers. One down, two to go. Thank you to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Oh! Almost forgot, sun movements=hours, someone mentioned confusion about that, hope this clears it up. Right, thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review. Midnight ;p