Sorry for the wait. Had trouble figuring out how I wanted to do this chapter, but finally worked it out.
Enjoy!
Chapter 15- The Ball
The entire court was in the throne room. They were talking about the upcoming ball.
Atemu silently groaned. 'Fantastic. Another ball where all the women try to seduce me.' Atemu thought.
Yami having similar thoughts. 'Those desperate women will be after me again.' Yami thought.
"So, have all of the preparations been made?" Aknankanon asked.
"Yes, Pharaoh. All is set." Shada said.
"Good. Is there anything else that needs to be done today?" Aknankanon asked.
"There are a few prisoners that have to be sentences." Sereth said.
"Very well. Have the guards start bringing them in." Aknankanon ordered.
One by one, the guards brought the prisoners into the room to be sentenced.
The first four were simple cases as it dealt with thievery.
The last one was a different case.
The guards forced the man to his knees.
"What is he charged with?" Aknankanon asked.
"The murder of an entire family. He murdered the mother, the father, the grandfather, the grandmother, and three children. All the children were under the age of seven." Mahado said.
Aknankanon's eyes darkened. He could not stand those that murdered and to hear that he had murdered young children only angered him further.
"Your crimes are indeed heinous. You shall be sentenced to death." Aknankanon said.
A frown suddenly marred Yugi's face. 'Something isn't right.' Yugi thought.
'We'll see about that, old fool.' the prisoner thought.
Before the guards or anyone else could react, the prisoner had gotten free and charged at Aknankanon with a dagger in his hands.
The only thing that was heard was the clash of metal.
Yugi had reacted quickly as he always did and blocked the dagger with his Sais, stopping the attack. Yugi forced the prisoner back before he kicked the prisoner down the steps that led to the throne.
"Get him!" Aknankanon ordered.
The guards quickly grabbed the prisoner and restrained.
"Get him out of here! He will die tonight for is attempt." Aknankanon growled.
The guards dragged the prisoner away.
There was a small trial of blood that leaked from where the blade of the dagger had nicked Yugi on his cheek.
"Yugi, are you okay?' Heba asked, noticing the blood.
Yugi wiped it away. "I'm fine, Heba. It's just a scratch." Yugi assured him, dismissing his Sais.
"Yugi, I owe you my life." Aknankanon said.
"Those were some fast reactions." Isis remarked.
"Well, training with Set makes you have fast reactions. I could sense that something wasn't right anyway." Yugi said.
"Nicely done." Sereth said.
"I take it that he won't have a pleasant death." Seth said.
"Certainly not." Aknankanon growled.
"Well, I think that everything is done for the day." Karim said.
Everyone left the throne room with Aknankanon and Amara's personal guard staying extra close.
"That was a close call. You have very good reflexes, Yugi." Seth said.
"Train with Set some time, and you'll know get fast reflexes quick." Yugi said.
"In any case, at least everything is fine." Atemu said.
"On another subject, what do you think of the upcoming ball?" Marik asked.
Immediately, Yami and Atemu groaned.
"What's with them?" Yugi asked, slightly confused.
"Every ball, there are guys and girls that try to come onto them and seduce them. The attempts get annoying and drive them to want to commit murder." Heba explained.
"Why would they still try with you, Atemu? You're engaged to Heba." Yugi said.
"That doesn't matter to these girls and guys. They try anyway. The only way that it will stop is when I'm married." Atemu said.
"Well, I don't think that they will be doing that too much this time." Heba said.
The group laughed.
"Yeah. I don't think that you'll let them get too close to him." Seth agreed.
The group then split up.
Yugi walked into Yami's room with him.
"Can I assume that I will be your date to the ball?" Yugi asked.
"Of course. There is no one else that I want to take." Yami said.
Yugi smiled. "Then you won't be the only one that will have some protection at the ball, then." Yugi said.
"That's what I'm hoping." Yami said before kissing Yugi.
"Yami, you are dead for this." Yugi said from the bathing chambers in his room.
"Come on out, Yugi." Yami said.
Yugi stepped out. He was dressed in a white kilt with crimson streaks in it and a white tunic with amethyst streaks. He also wore a cape that was dark blue. There were earrings in his ears and bracelets on his wrists as well as his upper arms.
"I feel ridiculous." Yugi said.
"I think that you look great, Yugi." Yami said.
"Yami, I am not used to dressing this fancy." Yugi said.
"Knock it off. You look great. There is one other thing." Yami said. He tied a choker around Yugi's neck that had the symbol of the royal family on it.
"What's this for?" Yugi asked.
"It lets the people know that you are being courted by a member of the Royal family." Yami answered.
"In other words, it's a warning that everyone should keep their hands off me?" Yugi guessed.
"Exactly." Yami answered.
"At least you're honest." Yugi said.
"Come on. We need to the meet the others." Yami said.
Yami and Yugi left Yami's chambers and met with Atemu, Heba, Seth, Marik, and Bakura.
Yugi noticed that Heba had the same choker on except it was more elaborate than his was. 'I guess because he's engaged to Atemu.' Yugi thought.
"Shall we go?" Seth asked.
Since Ryou, Jou, and Malik were servants, they were forbidden from attending the ball unless it was in serving the guests. It annoyed Seth, Bakura, and Marik that they couldn't take their lovers to the ball, but the three were serving the guests, so they could see them. And make sure that no one made any unwanted advances against them.
When the group arrived at the throne room, Aknankanon and Amara were waiting for them.
"It's about time." Aknankanon said.
"Aknankanon. They are not late." Amara said.
"Shall we go?" Aknankanon asked.
The doors to the throne room were opened, and the group made their way inside.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and bowed to them.
Once Aknankanon was at the throne, he said, "Let the festivities begin."
Music started to playing, and people started to get out on the dance floor and dance.
Aknankanon and Amara sat on the throne and oversaw the festivities.
Seth, Marik, and Bakura were happy to stay to the side to keep an eye on their lovers and watch for anyone who made any kind of advances on their lovers.
"Come on, Heba. Let's dance." Atemu said.
Atemu and Heba went out onto the dance floor and started to dance.
Yugi and Yami both got a glass of wine from a servant and started to drink the wine.
"I've never been real find of these." Yami said.
"Well, try to enjoy it. It's not like it happens to you often." Yugi said.
"I know." Yami said.
"Hello, Prince Yami." a male voice drawled.
Yami turned and had o suppress a growl.
It was Min, a son of a nobleman.
"Hello, Lord Min." Yami said, pasting on a fake smile.
"I was wondering if you would like to dance with me." Min said, smiling seductively.
Yugi raised an eyebrow. 'Hmm. So, the seduction attempts begin.' Yugi thought.
"I do not wish to, Lord Min. I do not think that my date would approve." Yami said.
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Min said, briefly flicking his eyes to Yugi.
"Actually, Lord Min, I would mind." Yugi said.
Min's gaze hardened. "It looks like you've had a rough time with a female. Not very faithful." Min said, referring to the mark on Yugi's face.
Yami glared. "That is-" Yami started.
"No. It's all right, Yami." Yugi said. He knew the game that Min was playing. He was trying to prove that Yugi wasn't worthy of Yami.
"So, you admit you're not worthy of him." Min said snidely.
"I didn't say that. If you must know, I got this mark from a dagger. I protected the Pharaoh against an assassination attempt a few days ago. Yami was there and saw what happened. Tell me. Would you endanger your life to protect the Pharaoh or Yami?" Yugi asked.
Mon didn't answer.
"I didn't think so." Yugi said, smiling.
Min walked off, humiliated.
"Yugi, I think that I'm going to like bringing you to the balls form now on." Yami said.
Yugi smiled. "Well, I am kind of possessive. I don't like people coming onto you." Yugi said.
"I don't mind you being possessive. I am myself." Yami replied.
Atemu was also under a seduction attempt.
"Hello, Prince Yami." a female said.
"Lady Zayaya." Atemu acknowledged.
"I was wondering if you would like to dance with me." Zayaya said.
"No, I would not." Atemu said.
"Come now. I'm certain that your companion would not me dancing with you." Zayaya coaxed, sending an icy glare Heba's way.
"Lady Zayaya, Atemu and I are not companions. We're engaged, and I do mind you dancing with fiancé." Heba said.
Zayaya glared. "Why would he want you? I'm certain that I could satisfy his needs better than you." Zayaya growled.
"Insulting my fiancé is not a wise idea. Vivian of the Wong house did the same thing. I believe you remember what ended up happening to her." Atemu said.
Zayaya did and was slightly frightened.
"And I believe that Heba can more than satisfy my needs." Atemu said before he took Heba's hand and walked off with him.
The rest of the ball was uneventful with only a few other seduction attempts although Bakura almost lost it when a guy made a pass at Ryou.
As soon as the ball ended, the entire group left.
"That was so irritating. I wanted to snap that guy's neck." Bakura fumed.
"Bakura, nothing happened. I didn't even notice, anyway." Ryou said.
"That's not the point." Bakura growled.
"In any case, I see that you two were virtually free of the vultures." Seth said to Atemu and Yami.
"I don't mind, either. Heba certainly put them in their place." Atemu said.
"Yes, but they won't try at the next ball as we will be married by then." Heba said.
"That's true." Atemu agreed.
"I won't be so lucky." Atemu muttered.
"And I will handle them like I did tonight." Yugi said.
"This should be interesting." Seth said.
"In any case, I think that we should all call it a night." Atemu said.
They all said good night before heading to their separate chambers.
Yami stood outside Yugi's chambers with him.
"Yugi, thank you for keeping them away tonight." Yami said.
"Any time. Like I said, I can be possessive, and I don't like anyone messing with what is mine." Yugi said.
"Are you saying that I'm yours?" Yami asked.
"You said that, remember?" Yugi asked, tapping the choker.
"Right. Wear that from now on. I want people to know that you belong to me." Yami said.
"All right. I like it, anyway." Yugi said.
"Good night, Yugi." Yami said, leaning down and kissing Yugi.
"Good night, Yami." Yugi said, kissing Yami.
Yami walked to his chambers and Yugi went into his.
As soon as they were in their chambers, Atemu wrapped his arms around Heba and kissed him quickly.
"What was that for?" Heba asked.
"Because I love, and a thank you for keeping the vultures away from me." Atemu said.
"Hey. You belong to me as much as I belong to you, and I don't like it when others try to seduce you. Let's just say that being the son of a god makes me kind of possessive." Heba said.
"That I don't mind." Atemu said.
Atemu and Heba kissed deeply.
Things would have gone further, but Hasan started crying.
Atemu sighed. "Foiled again." Atemu said.
Heba laughed as he picked up Hasan. "What's the matter? Did you miss us?" Heba asked.
Atemu wrapped his arms around Heba. "He must have. He calmed as soon as you picked him up." Atemu said.
Heba smiled. "So. He missed his fathers." Heba said.
"I don't mind, though I do dislike sharing you." Atemu said.
"Get used to it." Heba said.
"Already am." Atemu said.
After getting Hasan back to sleep, Heba and Atemu went to bed themselves.
Hope that you liked it. The attack on Aknankanon was just there to show how alert Yugi is. Also, Zayaya and Min won't show up again. They were just an example of the seduction attempts Yami and Atemu had to deal with.
Next: Atemu and Heba get married.
R&R.