Synergy

A Fractured Fairy Tale

Sakura Takanouchi

The rocky path of two people destined to be together, and the actions of all who try to stop them. A story of the romance between Shizuka and Seto told as a fairy tale.

Synergy: The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.

I do not own Yu-gi-oh, I am just using these characters in my story. Which means the plot is mine, although this is also influenced heavily by Ever After; Ella Enchanted, Jane Austen, and the song 'Spell' by Marié Digby. I don't own any of these either.

"…All my life I stumble
But up here I am just perfect
Perfect as I'll ever be...…"

-'Spell,' Marié Digby

Chapter Five

The carriage wheels rolled roughly over the earth, adding to the already tense atmosphere within the car. Shizuka just stared out of the window, at the bleak landscape surrounding them. At least, that's how it appeared in the shadows and darkness of this particular night. Nothing was going right. The worst part was that Seto would see her… like this. She wanted to tell him, just not this way. It was her own doing, she would accept any consequences, just....

It seemed that the past weeks were magical. She went to sleep every night with the wish that it would be real; not this waking nightmare which the carriage rapidly approached. They were late; everyone would see them when they entered. The glow of a thousand lanterns made the castle appear on fire; other carriages waited patiently for the event to end. Theirs stopped gently right at the entrance to the festivities. The Baron exited first, holding out a hand as Anzu stepped gracefully out of the carriage. He locked eyes with Shizuka, then turned and took his daughter's hand. "Let's go, Anzu. We are expected." They left her, indifferent as to her actions now. It did not matter to them. She did not matter to them.

Shizuka moved to the end of the seat and poked her head out of the door. The resplendent finery made her dress look even shabbier by comparison. Lights on stakes lined the way, and a long runner of silk ran up the stairs to the grand hall. Shizuka did not know what to do. Even the attendant seated on top of the carriage failed to notice her. It was as if she was invisible.

It was as if an intangible force was pulling her towards the castle. Shizuka decided that it was now or never—she would tell Seto the truth, and be done with this charade forever. She exited the carriage and ran to the Grand Hall.

The House of Mazaki was called, echoing across the vast space of the Hall. Men and women in various shades of finery partook in food, conversation, and dancing. A lively waltz was being played by the orchestra adding to the overall feeling of splendor. The Hall was the most lavishly decorated room in the Castle, only used for formal gatherings, hearings or in this case, parties. The walls were richly paneled while elegant tapestries showing the royal crest were scattered throughout the room. Tall fluted columns held up the high ceiling. From the entrance hall, a long staircase led into this room, from which anyone could view the next person being presented. Seated on an elevated platform on a gilded chair, Seto Kaiba was bored. He would give anything for a book. Or a distraction. As the Mazaki family entered, however, he straightened. Could she be with them? Disappointment etched into his features at seeing only the mercenary pair, descending slowly along the staircase into the Hall as if they owned it. As all eyes turned towards them, Seto took his leave, surreptitiously sneaking off to the corridor beyond the room, where servants were too busy preparing food to take any notice of him. He did not want to endure their company for a moment longer than necessary. Where was she? Lady Kawai had promised him she would be there! He needed her here—who knows what Gozaburo would attempt, with his choice gone! Crossing the hallway with long strides, he threw open the oaken doors to the entry hall, shocked to find the subject of his thoughts standing right in front of him.

She seemed just as surprised to find him there; trembling and near-tears. And what in God's name was she wearing? "What is the meaning of this?" He asked her gently; taking her hand in his as she absentmindedly tucked a loose strand of hair behind one ear.

The maiden before him burst into tears and began to speak the tears and stutter obscuring most of her words. All he caught was "—must tell you…not what you think… Baron Mazaki…found…so, sorry…"

It was Mazaki's doing? He clenched his free hand in anger, his surprise fleeing at the depths that this man would go to accomplish his ends. He wouldn't be surprised if his own father was in league with Mazaki! "Mazaki, you fiend…" He looked down at Shizuka, who looked afraid of him. "Come with me," he said, pulling her into the corridor behind him.

"Where are we going?" She stuttered, struggling to keep up with his longer paces.

"If Mazaki can tear you down, well then I'll just have to build you up," was all the response she received. He was still darkly muttering, how dare they… only chance…

"But please, Prince, you don't—"

He spun around, pressing the hand holding hers to her lips. "Seto," he replied, seriously. He opened the nearest door and disappeared through it for a moment, returning later looking satisfied. "But after she finishes with you, I expect a whole different level of address. Savior will be more like it." He opened the door again and pushed a confused Shizuka into the room. "Whatever you have to say, I promise to hear you later tonight—I have something to give you, as well." He was confident that the maid would transform her into something radiant. No one could refuse the Crown Prince, after all.

Shizuka found herself in a dressing room, roughly the size of her room at home; well-lit, and stuffed with several wardrobes and vanities. Once she heard his footsteps departing, she slid down the length of the door into a crumpled heap, knowing what awaited her in the Hall. He was going to propose to her, in front of everyone… and he deserved someone so much better. Every time she had tried to tell him the truth, something would interrupt them. She wondered if he even suspected, or was just…blind. He had already done so much for her; and all she had done was deceive him.

"Miss, why are you crying?"

The warm voice caused Shizuka to rise unsteadily, and curtsey quickly to the woman. "No need to show that sort of respect to a simple servant, Lady." The maid was tall with full, blonde waves of hair. "I may owe the Prince a few favors; but I don't think you're going to need much of my help." Her compliment eased the tears; Shizuka even smiled at her. "I think I have just the thing for you, hun." She waved Shizuka over to a large armoire, filled with dresses of different fine fabrics. "This one is just perfect; now hurry, put it on, and we'll see what we can do with that hair."

The Crown Prince slipped back into the Great Hall and was immediately bombarded by Anzu. "Prince, where have you been? I've been positively in distress, waiting for your return. You must make it up to me with a dance," She latched onto his arm and led him onto the dance floor of black and white marble. They walked right beside the platform, where he caught sight of Gozaburo, talking with the Baron and his own cousin, Duke Otogi. What could they be up to…?

They began to dance as the music for another set struck up from the orchestra. He loathed the feeling as if they were on display; it seemed to him as if he was an entrée sitting helpless, about to be devoured. Anzu, however, kept inching closer to him, her gloved hand moving higher up his shoulder with each turn. He tried to lead her into dancing closer to where the cabal was discussing, but he couldn't hear what they were saying over the noise of the crowd. The dance ended with them in the middle of the room; everyone clapping as the song finished. Despite Anzu's reluctance to separate, he wrestled his arm out of her grasp just as a lone figure appeared at the top of the stairs.

Shizuka descended the stairs, hesitantly aware of every eye on her. Unannounced, he could hear various murmurs from those around him wondering who she was, but he only saw her. Dressed in a fine damask the color of the sky, her hair pulled back, she was the envy of every woman in the room. It took Seto a minute just to remember where he was. Seto smirked at an enraged Anzu. "Sorry, but I believe I have a previous engagement," he departed and walked right up to Shizuka, taking her hands as she reached the bottom of the stairs. He pulled her into the dancing circle, right past Anzu and nodded at the flustered concertmaster, who immediately struck up the orchestra to play another tune. Smiling down at her, they began to dance to the music, completely ignoring everyone else in the room. In their own world, they were back at their clearing, dancing to their own music. The only words spoken were Seto softly whispering to her as they danced. Shizuka had yet to even notice the grandeur of their surroundings; they were so caught up in the dance. The nobility in the room looked on in amazement, gossiping about who the newcomer could be. Never had they seen their Prince this graceful, or this attentive of anyone. It appeared to them as if they knew each other; had even danced before, but how could that be, when no one knew who she was?

To the side of the room, the Baron paced furiously, while the Duke and King looked on in contempt. "Well, what now?" Duke Otogi says, brow furrowing as he looked at his cousin.

"Don't worry," The Baron said, sneering as he turned to walk towards his daughter. "We still have one more card left to play."

"You'd better fix this, Mazaki," King Gozaburo commanded. "You know our agreement."

The song ended with a sustained chord from the orchestra and those dancing clapped politely. Seto spied a balcony door open several meters away; perfect… "Lady Shizuka, let's go get some fresh air…" He took her hand and led her to the door.

"Not so fast!" Anzu thundered, marching over to them and seizing Shizuka's other hand. Pulling her away from the Prince, she grabbed the hair comb from its place at the nape of her neck and yanked it free, causing her hair to spill free from its confined position.

"Anzu, contain yourself!" Seto roared, bringing Shizuka back to his side. Their quarrel had not gone unnoticed, as half of the room was now listening eagerly to their conversation. The concertmaster timidly began to conduct another song, even though hardly anyone was dancing now. "You go too far!"

"Not as far as to consciously and publicly deceive the Crown Prince of Domino," Anzu replied, eyes shining fiercely at Shizuka. "I will not let this treachery continue! Shizuka is not nobility; she has been a servant in our household for her entire life!"

"What is this?" The trio had approached them. Gozaburo stepped out, his face the perfect mask of outrage. "Will someone tell me what is going on?"

"It can't be… Lady Kawai, tell them the truth!" Seto looked into her eyes, for the first time seeing fear, which struck a pang of discord within him. The occasions of the past were opening a gate which allowed doubt to creep through. It couldn't be… "Shizuka?"

"Lady Kawai is the name of my mother," she said, her voice soft but unwavering. In an instant, she saw everything taken from her. "She is telling the truth."

The collective gasp and murmurs from the crowd overshadowed the music. The hand that had been holding her arm twitched, then jerked away as if burned. He was already physically distancing himself from her. Shizuka looked into his eyes and was greeted with cold, ice-blue steel. His voice was barely constrained, as he ground out each word. "How could you? I should have known, the first day I met you… you never could have been a courtier."

His words cut through her like knives. She had lost his trust. Her heart wrenched, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "please, Seto—"

Another gasp elicited from the crowd as he towered over her, his anger nearly tangible. "You will address me as the Crown Prince that I am," he hissed. "I am just glad I had known before I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life."

Shizuka did not even try to stop the tears which cascaded across her face at his words. Horrified, she pushed past the circle of onlookers and ran up the stairs, desperate to get away from anyone associated with this place. With each step she took, she could hear a clock chiming; as if mocking her escape. It pronounced the death knell of what could have been within those walls. Twelve chimes later, the clock was silent, but she kept running, far away from that place and everyone within it.

Back inside the Hall the Crown Prince had yet to move. Nearly in a state of shock, he had yet to fully comprehend the actions that had just taken place. Slowly he reached down, picking up the silver hair comb. As it made its way inside his pocket, his hand was seized by none other than Anzu Mazaki. Without the will to fight her any more, he let her pull him onto the dance floor, where the night's festivities were once again resuming. "Forget about that temptress," she crooned, smiling up at him as they danced. "She was probably just using you to get at your fortune." Seto remained silent, too stunned to react. As they danced, he could see Gozaburo behind her shoulder, looking far too pleased with himself. In that moment, it became clear to him that this had been a trap, a ploy to humiliate Shizuka and make Anzu appear the victor. That must have been what they were planning all along… As the music ended, without saying a word he departed, ignoring the calls from those who had truly deceived him.

"Again, Prince, I can't thank you enough…" the maid with blonde hair curtseyed elegantly as they stood in a corridor near the castle's rooftop. It was deserted at this late hour.

"Go to your lover," Seto scoffed, feeling the hair comb poke into his side as he rested his arms on the balustrade. "And tell your champion knight that he still needs to show some respect."

She smiled at him. "If only you could find the one you were meant to be with."

"I thought I found her; but it turns out that it was an illusion," was the bitter reply. "She was a servant… how did I not realize it sooner!"

"It appeared to me like she was trying to tell you the truth," she spoke gently. "She saw you for who you truly were, and—"

"I saw her for more than she was."

"You saw her for all that she could be." With that she turned to go, sure that the Prince's protection would cause her to remain unseen as she headed for the knight's quarters. "Her old clothing and shoes are still in my dressing-room, in case you'd ever want to… return them to their rightful owner."

Seto Kaiba, the Crown Prince of Domino, remained there long after the maid left. As much as he didn't want to think about their time spent together, the memories flooded back to him. Even the cool night air did little to settle his thoughts. Were her intentions true, or was she just after a name for herself? He wasn't sure—he doubted he would have listened to her even if she'd tried to tell him. It made him want to laugh. He had been about as humiliated as she was that night, but he couldn't run away. He had to retain his duties and face his people. No matter what, he knew he didn't want to lose face like that again. Could he trust anyone? The stars were shining so brightly, as if the Heavens themselves mocked him.

The next morning Shizuka awoke to the sunlight coming in through her window. How had she not woken up earlier? The stress of the night before still left a heavy burden upon her. The damask dress hung in her closet—she never wanted to lay eyes on it again.

How was the Manor so quiet at this hour? None of the other servants were around; was she expected to do all their work herself? Was this her punishment? She went to the kitchen, ready to begin preparations for the upcoming meal. This was her livelihood. This was all she'd ever know. She was determined to forget about the events of the last night.

The sounds of a carriage arriving interrupted her thoughts. Throwing herself back into her work, she barely stopped to notice until the sounds of two pairs of boots entering the kitchen made her look up.

"Baron Mazaki, Duke Otogi… what an unexpected surprise," her tone was deadpan, after a moments glance, she reached back into the sink to scrub at another dish. "May I offer you any refreshment?"

"I believe I will partake, of a much different nature," Otogi smiled at her. It was disgusting. Before she could set the dish down on the countertop her arm was taken by the Baron. Quite forcefully he pulled her away from the sink and towards them. "A deal's a deal." He took hold of Shizuka by the elbow, chuckling at how she tried to wrestle away from his grip.

"I don't understand." After last night, she hadn't the strength to deal with these two, of all people.

"We can't have you around when the Crown Prince comes, as he most certainly shall," the Baron sneered. "You have been sold, my dear. For a very high price… more than you're worth, in my opinion…"

Frozen in shock, Shizuka registered nothing until she felt Otogi pull her away from the kitchen. Despite her shrieks and protests, no one came to her rescue. The plate she was carrying fell from her hands and shattered on the floor. This is why the other servants were sent away… I can't be sold, given to the highest bidder like some object and taken from my home…

As he forced her into the carriage car, she glimpsed through tearstained eyes what had been her home. Shizuka's eyes rested on the window that opened to her room, she saw a figure looking down at her, smiling triumphantly. Despite her pounding on the door, the Duke jumped into the box in the front of the carriage and signaled the horses to start. Slowly, then with building speed, she was taken from her Manor and bound for the Duke's Estate.

Author's Notes:

I think it's pretty obvious who the 'Mai'd is, especially after that hint. Just to reinforce, I mentioned in an earlier chapter how no one is allowed contact with any of the jousters; so wonder what put Mai in Seto's debt?

Reviewer Replies:

UnlessAbsolutelyNecessary: Hopefully I'll be able to update a lot faster in the summer :) I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for the praise! I think that there are certainly plenty of deviations from the original, even from the original fairy tale! Hope you liked this chapter—yeah, let's give a voice to the… silent? Silentshipping fandom :)

BelovedDelusion: yes, this is inspired by Ever After! Best movie ever, in my opinion… But really a lot of inspiration comes from all the classic formulaic romances. Thanks for your review!

Kako: You're the only person that calls me Saku :D High praise, even though I feel like I failed with the word count a little. But hey, can't give it all away before the last chapter!

Arana Is: Yeah, I was hoping to give Anzu sufficient motivation from her childhood and being raised by such a terrible father; but she still comes across really over the top. I actually wrote this whole story around the Ball scene, I hoped you liked it!

Midnight blue08: I really should introduce some of those other characters but there isn't really a good place to do it, oh well… Marik would have made a fantastic gypsy King though... thanks for your review!

Blueshadows2010: My new favorite phrase is 'gratuitous silentshipping' and I think last chapter nailed it :) I hoped you liked this chapter, and I promise to finish this story up soon!

The Duelist's Heiress: I'm so glad you liked it! I hope this chapter meets your expectations, and thank you for always reading and reviewing!!

One more chapter left everyone! I apologize for this being so short, but I didn't want to end it all too soon… I'm still working out a way to give Anzu and the Baron their comeuppance; anyone got any good ideas? Thanks for reading, and please share your thoughts in a review!

Sakura Takanouchi