Soleil had to nearly jog to keep up with Seto's pace. Had Mario not taken the extra care to tape her breast to the dress to avoid any nip-slips the twins would have been set loose as soon as they had stepped out of the Grand Ballroom. And her hands were both a little too occupied to have to worry about exposing her chest to everyone. One of her hands was still gripping the so-called gift sent by Maximillion Pegasus. The other hand was busy gripping her dress so she wouldn't trip over it. She should have listened to the seamstress when she warned her that floor length would be cumbersome.
Again Mario had saved her life by pinning the crown to her head. What the hell would she have done without him? She would have to remember to send a very big thank you gift basket for being an absolute lifesaver.
Damn you Seto Kaiba and your skyscraper legs!
She was beginning to question her choice in footwear for the first time since she was fourteen and had worn her first pair of heels. And that was a more devastating thought than having to miss out on her wedding cake.
Still, there was no way in hell she'd be taking off her shoes. She would bleed through them but she was making it to the end of the night, no matter what.
"Is there a reason why we're running?" Soleil huffed to her brother-in-law who thankfully was at least keeping pace with her. Seto was off barking orders into his cell phone, had she been paying any attention to him she would've heard what he had said. She was too busy trying not to die from the exertion.
This was just another reminder of how she should be getting back to the gym. She could almost hear her mother scoffing at her.
Had she been looking Soleil would've seen Mokuba cringe at the question. "Seto and Pegasus don't get along," Mokuba said a tone of finality in his voice that was so much like his brother it was enough to make Soleil almost stumble.
Luckily for her, a hand caught her arm before she smashed her face into the carpeted floor. All she could do was let out a shocked breath.
She turned and found a stoic-faced older man staring down at her. It reminded her of Paul, the bodyguard her father had assigned to her after a very disastrous rebellious streak in her early teens. Not that she entirely grew out of that… It was more of a Charles Stryker throwing-in-the-towel kind of a thing. She did make anyone's life hell who tried to control her. Thinking back to it now, she was a living nightmare, and she felt terrible for them.
Still looking at the man holding her upright now, she couldn't help but blush at her blunder. "Thank you." She mumbled back slipping back into her facade of a demure innocent angel.
"Not a problem, Mrs. Kaiba, I am here to serve." The man bowed and Soleil blushed yet again. That Mrs. Kaiba thing was going to get old quickly.
"Soleil!" Seto nearly growled a little ways ahead of her in front of the elevator. "Let's go!"
Soleil did roll her eyes this time. "Coming, honey." Her smile was like honey while her words dripped with acid. Unfortunately, it did not affect Seto, he just stared at her the same as he had since he rushed them out of the ballroom.
The guard followed after her as she scoffed her way over to her husband, nose high in the air and a walk only years of experience in stilettos could accomplish. She eyed Seto the entire time making sure to take her time until she and the one guard were both inside the elevator.
"So how are we getting back to Domino?" Soleil asked, really lamenting the fact she wouldn't get her cake. Maybe she could text Mario later and ask him what flavor it was. Knowing her mother it was probably a flavor she hated, like carrot cake or even strawberry. "Isn't it like an hour or something away?"
Mokuba grinned up at her. "Yeah, but good thing we're taking the helicopter back home."
Soleil tried not to blanche. A helicopter? Were they not aware of what she was wearing? This dress is not made for high wind speeds! She wanted to protest but honestly, at this point, she wasn't even surprised at how this day was going. It wasn't like she hadn't ever been on a helicopter before, she had, but not ever wearing a dress so delicate just looking at it wrong could damage it.
She felt a warmth hit her shoulders and the unmistakable scent of Bleu de Chanel wash over her.
Glancing over at her new husband she found him now standing, glaring straight ahead at the elevator doors, sans tuxedo blazer. Which just so happened to be the thing draped over her shoulders now.
The burning in her cheeks had nothing to do with the blazer and everything to do with the heated metal box they were in. Yeah, that was it. It was just really hot inside the elevator, nothing other than that.
It wasn't that her new husband was attractive.
Soleil stole another glance up at her husband and tried her hardest to ignore the blush that burned the apples of her cheeks.
After what felt like years, the elevator finally reached up to the roof. She stepped out first one hand gripping Kaiba's blazer the other Pegasus's gift.
She didn't know whether or not she should've been surprised but she was stumped. Soleil turned to stare at Kaiba her curls flailing all over her face from the wind being generated by the blades.
"A Blackhawk?" She had to yell a bit to make sure he heard her. "Is that necessary?"
Kaiba didn't bother answering his bride, instead, he placed his hand on the small of her back and lead her towards the awaiting helicopter. The guards waiting next to the helicopter waiting to help them onboard.
Mokuba ran ahead of them, jumping into their awaiting transport. Kaiba didn't speak, he simply lifted Soleil into his arms and lifted both himself and his wife into the helicopter as well. Although he had been gentle in lifting her, depositing her onto her seat, was another story. He dropped her ungracefully into the seat and went on his way to the front to speak with the pilot.
Soleil scoffed staring at her husband's retreating form. So much for any nice gestures.
Her face quickly morphed back into that happy good girl as Mokuba made his way toward her. He sat in front of her.
The smile he gave her didn't quite reach his eyes and though the teen was good at being stoic, his eyes showed his true feelings.
"Everything okay, Mokuba?" She couldn't help but ask.
"Yeah!" He exclaimed a little too overly excited.
He was lying but she wouldn't call him out on it. Whatever had gone down between the Kaiba brothers and Pegasus had traumatized him enough. She offered him a smile.
"Have you opened your gift yet?" Mokuba asked pointing his chin to the wooden box Soleil still had clutched in her hand.
She frowned looking down at the box. "Should I?" She felt weird opening it up, especially with how both brothers were acting regarding Pegasus. Was opening a gift from the man a good idea?
Mokuba shrugged. "Better to know sooner rather than later."
"Know what sooner?" Came the elder Kaiba's voice suddenly.
Soleil's head snapped up. How did this man walk so silently? She hadn't even heard his footsteps.
Mokuba gestured to the box again. "Soleil's gift from Pegasus."
Soleil watched as her husband's eyes narrowed. "Better get it over with now, I'd rather only have one thing to deal with back at the manor than two." His words were laced with ice.
They both stared at her waiting, impatiently if the looks they were giving her were anything to go by. She wasted no time and opened the intricate wooden box quickly. If she were being honest with herself she was expecting a watch or maybe another piece of ostentatious jewelry. Not a... Duel monsters card.
Soleil's eyebrow rose and her lips turned down at the corners. "I think Pegasus got our gifts confused." She plucked the card carefully from where it sat in the velvet interior of the box. That was a lot of care for a card of all things. She looked it over; a serpentine dragon made entirely of fire adorned the card. It was pretty, she decided. Though, the more she looked it over the more she noticed the similarities between the dragon on the card and the dragon tattoo she had gotten a few years ago which now hid on her hip. A tattoo that no one had ever seen before, not even the press had ever managed to catch a picture of it. She had even paid off the artist to keep it off any of his social media platforms.
A sickening feeling settled into the pit of her stomach. This was way too close a rendition to be a coincidence.
"What is it?" Kaiba's sharp voice knocked her back to earth and she found herself the center of their attention.
Shaking off the churning in her stomach, she handed Kaiba the card Pegasus had sent as her gift. A card that was way too similar to her tattoo and made her feel oddly violated.
"It's a duel monsters card, but I don't play that." She stated watching as her husband's eyes darkened. "Keep it, I have no use for it."
Soleil wanted nothing more than to get that card away from herself. She resisted the urge to touch her right hip where her own serpentine dragon resided. A dragon looking to be made of flames twisted into an infinity symbol and eating its tail. She loved the concept a mixture of the infinity symbol and the ouroboros symbol. Of course, modifying it with a dragon instead of a snake.
"Why did Pegasus send you this?" Kaiba sneered, now glaring at his bride who looked to be both confused and disturbed.
Soleil's angelic face twisted into a scowl and he saw her eyes light up with anger. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Kaiba nearly smirked. This was the famous attitude he had heard so much about. His new wife, while being an enigma on most things to him, had still managed to prove his research right. Her attitude and rebellious nature were something that had come up constantly during his research. He had almost been bored of her demure act. Though the cunning she showed when she spoke of Ryland and the rest of those useless pissants that were colleagues - though they were nowhere near his level.
"There must be a reason why Pegasus sent you this of all things." He held the card looking it over intently.
"That sounds like an accusation of some sort," She ground out. " What exactly are you trying to accuse me of?"
She was glaring at him with a ferocity he had yet to see from her. He nearly smirked.
"Nothing yet." Was his only answer.
Mokuba watched intently at the glaring contest happening between his brother and his new sister-in-law. He tried his hardest to keep from smiling too much. This was more entertaining than he would have ever thought. It was rare that he ever saw someone giving it back to Seto as good as he got, but it was funny. Sure, he had seen Joey Wheeler and Seto going at it before but that usually ended in Joey getting angrier than when he first started.
With Soleil, well, the outcome was unknown. Mokuba had witnessed the verbal lashing she had given her sister and how easy that had been for her. Ironically it reminded him of his brother when he put someone in their place. And, with the way she was glaring at his brother, Mokuba did not doubt that Soleil wouldn't hold back with Seto. He had a feeling that it was just what his brother needed.
Mokuba watched as Soleil's glare morphed into a sickly sweet smile.
"We've been married for less than 24 hours and you're already starting with accusations, you sure don't disappoint, do you?" She merely tossed the now empty wooden box into the seat next to her.
Before Seto could even open his mouth to retort, Soleil continued. "But to ease whatever crazy thought is in your head," She flicked her wrist dismissively. "I have no idea why Maximillion Pegasus would send me a card of all things. I've never met the man nor do I have any interest in meeting him."
She leaned further back into her chair crossing her right leg over her left. Her gaze never left her husband. "If I had to guess, he sent me that to piss you off." She smirked, tilting her head slightly to the right. "And by your reaction, he's getting exactly what he wanted, honey."
Kaiba stared at his wife's saccharine smile and he was right to trust his instinct, she was as beautiful as she was deadly. She would make a great Kaiba. What he did not like, however, was just how that deadly look was directed at him. As if this were some competition and he was the one losing.
He was Seto Kaiba, he never lost. And especially not to some little girl who had done nothing in her entire life but be spoiled and live off her family's money. Wife or not, Seto Kaiba did not lose, especially not to her.
"Don't count on it, darling." The word tasted bitter on his tongue. "Pegasus knows better than to provoke me."
His eyes grazed over her form, lingering for just a couple of seconds on her tempting lips. She looked like she wanted to say a thing or two to him, but held herself back.
Smart girl.
"I've never seen that card before, Seto." Mokuba was staring intently at the card he was holding.
It wasn't a card he had ever seen before he'd never even heard of it, and he was a world-renowned duelist. No one had ever mentioned a card such as this in any dueling circles. And maybe this had been Pegasus's plan all along. He glanced briefly at Soleil who had taken to scrolling on her cellphone, he nearly grunted, her earlier words ringing through his head.
He'd never admit it, ever, but it was starting to seem as if his wife may have been right. Pegasus might be getting on his nerves and in his head with this whole card thing. It probably wasn't anything important, maybe just a dud card nothing special. But he'd hold onto it. Soleil surely had no interest in it, so he'd hold onto it until he found out more about it.
Finally, he sat down next to his little brother, across from his wife. He watched only half paying attention as his brother and Soleil took endless photos on her phone. Probably for her social media, she was pretty active there. Mokuba had even called her an influencer, given her popularity online. That would become annoying he was sure of it. His wife's online personality and his penchant for privacy were surely to become an issue in their marriage. He'd have to dig further into her online activities so he'd know exactly how much of an oversharer she was.
"Sir, we are approaching the manor." Roland, his right hand and head of security informed him quietly, making sure not to disturb or garner the attention of the other two Kaibas. "All staff are on standby."
He simply nodded a wave of anger rolling over him. Pegasus would pay. Even if nothing was wrong he'd get the bastard back simply for giving him the headache and having to deal with this whole ordeal.
He'd personally make sure that the bastard paid for this.