Japan, 1989
Victoire remembered the party that started everything for her. The party that first introduced her to Seto Kaiba, a boy who'd later play a huge role in her life.
Hundreds of people attended the party that was hosted by business tycoon, chess grandmaster, and champion Gozaburo Kaiba. Expensive cars lined both sides of the street leading up to a large, elaborately decorated white mansion. Parties like these were not uncommon in the multi-billionaire's life.
He had all sorts of bashes to celebrate his most recent success or newest breakthrough. Anyone who was anyone got an invite. They came together in their fine dresses and suits to talk about the stock exchange and Lila from accounting, as if either were interesting. Inside, couples and their children, all of whom were dressed to the nines, huddled together as they talked and laughed amongst themselves. Amidst the crowd, a man and his daughter watched the festivities that took place around them.
At the time of the party, Victoire was eight years old. Her black locks had been styled into a coronet braid, where little white petals pinned it all together. She wore a white dress with a royal blue sash that went around her and was tied into a large, glittering bow at her back. Bright blue eyes flickered back and forth, watching the men and women in their glamorous suits and gowns walk around.
Victoire's father, Louis Delacour, stood off to the side of her. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his mouth set into a firm line as he eyed an unwanted face in the crowd. "Oh génial, the von Schroeders are here." Louis sneered, watching the father and son duo make their way to where he and his daughter stood. 'The family of losers.. why in the enfer are they here? What could they possibly want?'
Adolf von Schroeder, the president of Schroeder Corp., located in Germany, stepped into view with his son, Zigfried. Zigfried von Schroeder was a boy with dark pink hair fashioned in the most unusual style, close to Victoire's own age. She thought the younger von Schroeder was rather ridiculous looking.
"What is the matter, Papa?" Victoire tilted her head upwards at Louis, quickly taking notice of his changed demeanor: tight lips, eyes narrowed into hateful slits. In a flash, both were gone and her father forced a smile on his face.
"Nothing my sweet Vicky."
Victoire heaved a sigh of exasperation. She hated being called Vicky, and preferred being addressed as Victoire or Tori. Now wasn't the time to point that out.
"Fancy seeing you here, Herr Delacour," Adolf greeted, his lips pulled back into a grin as forced as Louis' smile. "Have you met my son, Zigfried?" He gestured with a hand to the boy at his side. Zigfried was more intent on watching Victoire than paying attention to the introductions taking place.
"I am good friends with the host. I'm always invited to all of his events." He boasted. "No, I have not." Louis hated how that boy kept staring at his daughter. "This is my daughter, Victoire Delacour."
Adolf nodded in acknowledgement.
"Lovely, oh, so very lovely. Your beauty puts the most beautiful of flowers to shame Frau Delacour."
She visibly shuddered at Zigfried's words. Louis glowered at the boy's attempt to flirt with Victoire. "Thank you." She decided to be polite for her father and for Monsieur Gozaburo, that was all Victoire would be.
Zigfried extended a hand, and when Victoire took his in hers, he turned her hand over to kiss the back. If the look on Louis' face was anything to go by and looks were weapons of mass destruction, Zigfried would be dead, and his body planted under the blackthorn tree in the backyard of the Delacour estate.
Victoire made a point of wiping the back of her hand on her skirt the moment Zigfried turned his attention away to look up at his father. An action her father took notice of and smiled, approvingly.
"Gentlemen, I trust you find the party to your enjoyment."
Louis Delacour and Gozaburo Kaiba knew each other since boyhood, some could even say they were good friends. As close a friendship as one could have in their kind of business involved with running companies responsible for the manufacturing and dealing of military arms; Delacour Shipping located in France and KaibaCorp. located in Japan, respectively.
Gozaburo had on his usual attire for the event consisting of a red business suit, black tie, and a white dress shirt. All the times that Victoire found herself in his company, he always seemed to wear the same red suit and she often wondered if that is all he had to wear. She wasn't about to ask him though.
Even though he's always been courteous to Victoire, there was something about Gozaburo that unnerved the young girl.
"I wanted to thank you for the invitation, Herr Kaiba."
"Thank you, Mr. Schroeder."
"You've really outdone yourself, friend. This is the best party you've hosted to date." When Louis looked down, he saw two boys beside Gozaburo. "Is this the lad you wrote to me about? You always did have an eye for quality; he'll make a fine successor."
"Yes, I will see to it he does," Gozaburo's face lit up with a rare smile when it fell on Victoire. A smile that never failed to creep her out. "My, my, how you've grown. How old are you now?"
"Thank you," She replied, looking up at Gozaburo. "I'm eight years old."
Gozaburo sipped Sancerre from a glass, one hand in his suit pocket and watched the father and daughter pair as they talked. He wanted to compliment Louis on his upbringing of the child as he thought of the pair of orphans he now found himself bringing up. He frowned and narrowed eyes at Seto and his nuisance of a brother, Mokuba, the latter of whom hid from his glare.
"I want to introduce my adopted son, Seto." Gozaburo said, ignoring Mokuba's existence entirely. Mokuba was insignificant to him. If Seto would one day take over his company, he might as well ease him into his world, and there was no better time to do that than the present.
"As I'm sure you already know, your son Seto is the talk of the town. Believe me, I can relate. My son too is a child prodigy, and he won't lose to him," Adolf turned to Giuseppe next. "or to your precious daughter."
"You von Schroeders are such talk. Is that why you came tonight? To try and one-up Gozaburo and I?" Louis spat back.
"It's not like I haven't already one-upped you, Herr Delacour. The Delacour's never had a female successor for your shipping company, so really, what is the point of bringing that girl along? Unless you plan on giving Delacour Shipping to one of your younger brothers, it'll go auf wiedersehen when you do." Adolf shrugged, and Louis clinched both fists. He wanted to flatten the elder pinkette.
Victoire sighed, listening to the adults bicker like children. Parties like these bored her immensely, she'd much rather be in the library reading or playing classical music on her violin.
"You two seemed to be as thrilled about this party as I am," Zigfried spoke, addressing Victoire and Seto, but ignored Mokuba completely. "How 'bout I liven things up and make things interesting, nein?" Just after he said that, the lights in the grand hall began to flicker and the once loud crowd died down to hushed whispers. Seto and Mokuba stared at Zigfried, their eyes wide and mouths agape.
Victoire rolled her eyes and scoffed, not the least bit amused. "You find these type of shenanigans amusing, do you?"
"Ja, when you live alone, you tend to partake in your own projects. I dabble in technology, you see." Zigfried sniggered, turning his attention to Seto. He didn't like how the younger Kaiba seemed so focused on Victoire. The way he saw it, he saw her first and decided to issue him a warning. "It'd be in your best interest if we were friends, not enemies."
Victoire was prevented from speaking out when Adolf left the conversation between him, her father and Gozaburo to tell Zigfried they were leaving. Once the father and son were out of sight, Louis hissed out, "Casse couille."
Mokuba glanced at his older brother. "What he mean bubba?" She heard the younger boy ask Seto in Japanese, and when he seemed lost on the best way to answer, she decided to answer for him. Victoire guessed Mokuba's age to be, maybe, around three or four at best.
"It was a bad way of calling someone annoying."
Mokuba blinked at her. "Huh?"
"Her father said a naughty word, Mokie." Seto clarified for his brother.
Seto looked back at Victoire. She shuffled her feet and looked up, her wide eyes meeting his. They locked eyes for a moment—a moment that, if you blinked, you would miss completely. It was in this moment that a certain father, who was watching intently, picked up on.
Louis saw the flash of lightning that was released the moment the children recognized each other's presence. It was in the way that Seto's tightly gripped hands, suddenly became more relaxed and his shoulders slumped, his posture becoming more comfortable. He saw how Victoire's awkwardness melted away and her lips formed a smile. It was in how they leaned in, looking at what the other one was and seeing so many similarities in each other. It was the best part of childhood. Seeing someone at that age and not knowing who, what or where they came from, but feeling something—something that was only a blip of a feeling—that made you curious.
Louis knew what this was. For him, it had been what grew into a deep love for his wife. Seeing Seto and Victoire interact gave Louis an idea—an idea that after the party and everything was said and done, he would approach Gozaburo.
Here is the slightly modified version of the prologue. It includes an extended scene that deviates from the original. What do you all think?