Yu-Gi-Oh Prince and the Pauper

Chapter Six: The Answer to the Puzzle

Ryou paced around in Bakura's bedroom, nervous.

"How am I gonna do this? Everyone will know I'm a fake," He panicked, "They'll throw me in the dungeon in two seconds flat.."

He paced around faster and ran his hands through his hair in a slight panic.

"Courtney, where the hell are you...? Why aren't you here?" He muttered.

The door opened. Ryou looked over, eyes bright with hope, but he was soon disappointed to see that it was only Lady Tea.

"Your most handsome highness.." She purred.

"..." Ryou stayed silent, unsure of what to do. He didn't trust her.

"The Queen has sent me to escort you to meet the Princess." Tea said, curtsying slightly.

"A-alright." Ryou said, trying to keep himself together.

Tea grabbed his arm and practically dragged him to the throne room where Natalie and Sakura were chatting quietly together.

The brunette lady cleared her throat. The two royals looked toward them.

"May I introduce, Prince Bakura." Tea said.

Ryou slowly walked in.

Queen Sakura beamed. "Why hello darling! Come on in!"

Natalie watched him closely as he walked.

"I want to introduce you to Princess Natalie." Sakura said happily. "She has something she wants to tell you!"

Sakura watched proudly as Natalie curtsied slightly to Ryou.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, your highness." She said.

Ryou blushed slightly. The blush was faint and barely noticeable. "A-as it is to meet you, Princess."

Natalie flashed him a smile. "Please, just call me Natalie."

"Call me Ry- I mean Bakura." Ryou said, saving himself before anyone noticed. Or so he thought.

Natalie noticed but she didn't say anything about it. She figured that he was just nervous.

There was a moment of silence before Queen Sakura got up and headed toward the piano.

"Princess Natalie, would you do us the honor of playing the piano? I know that you love music and the arts!" Sakura exclaimed, a bright smile on her pale face.

"Y-you do?" Ryou mumbled.

Natalie grinned suddenly. "I'll play, Queen Sakura, but only if Bakura agrees to sing with me."

"I couldn't.." Ryou started.

"Please?" Natalie asked. "I just have a feeling that you have a lovely voice..."

Ryou was silent for a moment before he nodded. "Alright."

Natalie smiled and grabbed Ryou's arm, leading him over to the white grand piano.

She took a seat. "I'm going to play a song that you should know."

She played the first few notes and started to sing.

"Once a lass met a lad, you're a gentle one said she... In my heart, I'd be glad, if you loved me for me.."

She gazed at Ryou as she sang. Their eyes met, blue on brown.

Her soft and sweet voice continued to sing while they gazed into each other's eyes.

"You say your love is true and I hope that it will be.."

Ryou took a breath before he sang softly at first, shy at other's hearing his voice and him not acting at the same time.

"I'd be sure, if I knew that you loved me for me."

Natalie smiled and kept playing as she sang louder.

"Could I be the one you're seeking? Will I be the one you choose?"

Queen Sakura watched in happiness. She could tell that the two were falling in love.

"Can you tell my heart is speaking? My eyes will give you clues.."

"What you see may be deceiving... Truth lies underneath the skin..."

Ryou's deep singing voice echoed through the throne room. Natalie felt her heart flutter.

Wow...

"H-hope will blossom by believing.."

"The heart that lies within..." They both shared the line, Natalie blushing while they did.

Their voices harmonized perfectly together.

"I'll be yours... together we shall always be as one.. If you love me for me."

Natalie stopped playing and stood up. Ryou took her hands.

The blonde blushed and smiled.

"I'll be yours! Together we shall always be as one!"

Natalie smiled slyly as she stole his next line.

"If you love me for me!"

Ryou chuckled inwardly and stole her line right back.

"Who can say where we'll go, who can promise that we'll be?"

Natalie giggled. "But I'll stay right by your side!"

"If you loved me for me."

They both stopped for a minute to gaze at each other.

"If you loved me for me..."

Sakura cleared her throat when they got a bit too close. "Darling, save that until after the wedding!"

Natalie blushed and the two split apart for a second.

Ryou quickly grabbed her hand and led her out to the nearest balcony.

The sun was setting in the sky.

"What a beautiful sunset..." Natalie murmured, sighing happily.

Not as beautiful as you.. Ryou wanted to say, but didn't. "Yes... prettiest sunset that I've ever seen.."

Natalie smiled. "You know Bakura... There's something about you... You're so... perfect.. I love it..."

Ryou blushed.

Natalie stood up. Ryou did too. "Thank you for today." Natalie said. "I really enjoyed myself Bakura."

She kissed his cheek. "See you tomorrow."

"Ye-yes, until tomorrow!" Ryou said as she walked away from him.

Once she was gone, his eyes widened.

I'm falling in love with Bakura's fiancee...

Boots ran up to the entrance of the palace, just as Lady Tea was walking out.

He meowed at her.

She sneered. "What is it, you stupid cat?"

Boots meowed again, scratching at his neck.

Tea sighed impatiently and walked over to the cat, her shoes clanking on the stone walkway.

Her blue eyes blinked when she noticed the note tied on the collar.

She snatched it off and read it. Then she smirked. "So the answer to our puzzle is at Pegasus Stables, eh? Thanks, cat."

Boots meowed and ran off.

Tea got into her carriage and rode off.

Once she got there, she had one of her men pick the lock on the gate. She entered the building.

Bakura froze when he saw her.

"Lady Tea... What are you doing here?"

She smirked. "To retrieve you. Get him boys."

Mariku and Malik walked in, bruised slightly. They grabbed Bakura, who was tired from the work that he had been doing. Joey was gone retrieving some water to scrub with.

They dragged Bakura to the carriage where Lady Tea got in.

They rode to the mines where they took Bakura in.

"I don't understand Tea! Why would you do this?!" Bakura yelled.

"To be queen," Mariku muttered.

"And how would you get to be queen?!" Bakura growled, outraged.

Tea laughed. "Still underestimating me, pretty boy? Well isn't that just like a royal!"

"She was going to marry you," Malik said.

"What?"

"But now she thinks she doesn't need to marry you." Mariku muttered.

"Well it's true," Tea said. "All I have to do is kill you and Queen Sakura and I can be queen!"

Tea turned to Malik and Mariku. "Now take him into that room."

They dragged Bakura to the room.

Bakura's eyes widened as he saw a slightly beaten and tied up Courtney.

"Courtney!"

He ran over to her to untie her.

"B-Bakura... it's really you.."

Tea smirked. "How sad they'll be when they discovered that you died in a tragic accident," She said, laughing slightly.

"They'll never give up on looking for Bakura!" Courtney snapped but flinched when Tea glared at her.

"Oh, I think they will, once I give them this." It was Bakura's ring. Tea had stolen it out of his drawers.

She howled with laughter. "Ah, that's funny!"

She left the room, closing the iron door and locking it from the other side.

Bakura ran over to the door and started pulling on it with all of his strength. Courtney watched worriedly from where she stood.

She didn't want to die like this.

Yet another chapter... It's 2:12 AM and I should be sleeping, but my friend, who I write with has no internet to talk to me with so I am on writing withdrawals...

Review and tell me if this is any good, mmkay?

Thanks dude.

~Silver