"I see."

"I want you to promise me something." Maura said.

Yami looked at her and was a bit concerned after learning about how promises also mean trust to Mokuba. He didn't know if it was the same for her but was worried if he could keep whatever this promise might be. "What kind of promise?"

Maura stopped and waited for Yami to face her. When he did she looked him in the eye and said, "I want you to promise me you won't become like my father!"

Yami was taken aback by that statement. "What? What do you mean don't become like your father?"

"I mean," Maura sighed and turned and placed her hand on a nearby window and looked out and said, "My father was once a loving caring person. He loved me with all his heart and soul and would have once given his life for mine. But then whether by magic or something else my father changed. But not for the better. My time with my father was limited. I was only allowed so many hours on certain days and more often than not my step mother would be there. But even without her there, I started to notice my father change from the person who loved me unconditionally to someone who had eyes only for their spouse. It was slow at first then gradually got worse. My father slowly stopped seeming to care a lot about me. That's not to say he didn't still try to show he loved me and keep up appearances. But deep down I knew. I knew he had changed and in some ways I tried to fool myself into thinking he didn't." Then she turned and faced Yami, "I'm afraid you might become like my father!"

"Maura, I don't hate you. I won't become like your father. I promise. I won't stop caring about you."

At that Maura shook her head, "No, you misunderstood me. I don't doubt your feelings for me or that you will do all in your power to keep from becoming like my father was with regards to me." Then looked him in the eye and said, "My concern lies with Mokuba."

At that Yami was shocked, Maura thought he hated Mokuba or would grow to hate him! "Maura, why do you think I'll grow to hate Mokuba?"

"I don't think you'll grow to hate him, I think you'll stop showing you care more than you have. From what Seto said about your choosing me over Mokuba makes me think it's already started. You said that I didn't give you a choice because I went in the portal first, but I did. I popped my head out and asked if you were coming. You could have yelled at me then that I shouldn't have rushed in without you. Also when I first went in and waved at you instead of waving back you could have pointed at me to get back. Then scolded me for running off. It wouldn't have been the first time I got into trouble for running into the portal without permission. But instead of doing that and taking the chance and bringing Mokuba with you, you sent him off to run an errand."

"I…I don't know what to say."

"Promise me you'll find time and spend it with Mokuba. Show him you care about him! I don't want him to grow up like I did thinking someone he loves and cares for hates him or just doesn't care a great deal for him!"

Yami sighed, "I…I'll try my best."

Maura glared, "No, you won't try! I want you to do it! Will you like it if he grows up and starts to hate you?"

Yami remembered how it felt in his visions when Mokuba either didn't remember him or hated him. "Okay I can't promise anything other than I will do my best to try harder."

Maura smiled, "That's all I ask."

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

Yugi meanwhile was startled when Mokuba yelled out. He hadn't seen, heard or sensed any one approach. He looked up surprised to see a woman standing there.

Zariah sighed as she realized she must have lost focus and lost her shield for Yugi to see her too now, though still didn't know how Mokuba did. But she didn't want to ask him in front of Yugi. She just hugged the little boy back and glared daggers at Yugi.

Yugi gulped, she reminded him of Seto when he'd seen him angry.

"What are you doing out here with him and without a coat or anything?" Zariah demanded Yugi to tell her.

Before Yugi could answer though Mokuba backed a little away from her and said, "N-Noah threw my baby dragon away, w-when I was here v-visiting w-with Ryo." Then he ran over and pulled Yugi closer and said, "T-this is Yugi, he's r-really good a f-finding things. I asked him to help. He p-promised to try to help get it back." Then he held up his baby dragon and said, "S-see he did it! He k-kept his p-promise!"

Zariah looked around and suddenly remembered that day. She hadn't had time to question Mokuba about anything that happened that time as she heard other people approach. If she'd known she'd have gotten it for him. She sighed again and said, "Well I'm happy you got it back." Then grabbed his hands and started to generate a small amount of heat through them and said, "But you really shouldn't have been digging in the snow so much. Your hands are freezing, much like the rest of you I'm sure."

Yugi was shocked when there was a small glow around Mokuba's hands then soon the rest of him.

Zariah then turned and glared at Yugi again, "Well Mr. Finding expert is this really the best you could do? Dragging the poor kid out here without a coat or anything."

Yugi was a little panicky, he could tell she was far more advanced in magic than he was. He'd always wanted to practice magic as long as he could remember. But had always been held back by something so he could never advance. His family didn't approve of him becoming a magic healer. A doctor they approved of but not a magic doctor. Then when he got a job in the castle the doctor agreed to let him be his assistant but he too disapproved of magic healers. But when he wasn't working there was no one around to stop him from practicing. He worked hard on finding things first so that he could try more advanced stuff later. He gulped and said, "Well I…I didn't mean to take him out of the castle. I've never tried a finding spell for other people's things before but I-I didn't think it'd be difficult. But instead of the object coming to us like it should instead we came to it. It was glowing but I swear I don't know how it happened! The book never said anything about any possible side effects! Well except maybe being a bit tired but nothing like this!"

Zariah frowned. 'Mmm…that does sound strange. A finding spell as he described shouldn't have done this.' Then she started to reach out to touch him and patted his head as she saw him flinch. "I won't hurt you. I came because I felt two magic's collide. Tell me did you feel anything strange when you cast the spell?"

"Well no not really, well no wait I did just before casting get a creepy feeling of being watched but we were in my office in the basement with one little window covered in snow. So I figured I was imagining it. Why do you think someone was somehow spying on me?"

'Mmm…he seems like the type that would panic if I told him the truth. He'd be constantly looking over his shoulder.' "No, no it was probably someone else looking for something but with a looking spell rather than a finding spell and it collided with yours and caused you to be transported."

"Oh, it was probably Yami. He had a spell he wanted to use his locator spell to help him locate Mokuba. Oh no! If he finds out!"

Zariah knew it wasn't a looking spell so decided to lie to him a bit. "Don't worry if it was him then it backfired on him too. He'll be as confused as you are when it doesn't work."

"Oh good. I'd hate for him to find out and get mad at me for lying to him about where Mokuba was, when he came looking for him."

Zariah had never met Yami but figured if he was a friend of Yugi's then his magic probably wasn't much stronger. She knew two different finding spells even if both were on the same person wouldn't cause this kind of reaction. No, she knew someone with very strong powerful magic was watching them and that it didn't backfire on them. That person would be capable of holding the portal and Yugi's magic was too weak to do even a simple spell with that kind of interference without it causing a bad reaction.

Mokuba, being reminded of Yami, quickly grabbed Zariah's hand and pulled her away from Yugi. Yugi thought it strange but didn't say anything.

When Mokuba felt they were far enough from Yugi he stopped pulling.

Zariah bent down next to him and said, "What is it sweetheart, what's wrong? Are you scared, did he hurt you?"

Mokuba shook his head no, then told her what Yami had told Yugi and how at least he didn't really like explaining things to him and that he felt others might possibly feel the same way. Then about his idea of using a feather or something to ask her.

"I see. Mmm… Here I thought you had a family that loved you no matter what. Well I could give you a feather or something but no doubt there will be times you'd either not be able to remember or really tell me what was said in order for me to help you. I will help you but only when you're alone in your room. I don't have it with me now. I'll send my dove with an amulet to your room later tonight. You can take it and hang it up. I'll place a spell so that only you will see it. This way you don't have to explain it or worry it will be taken from you by anyone for any reason. When you need me just call out my name and the wind will let me know. Then I can go to the other amulet and we can talk to each other. However I think for now you should also continue to trust everyone but that Yami guy. If they haven't acted like they minded in the past then don't worry about it right now. But if they really, really start acting like they don't seem to want to explain things or you overhear them complain after they think you're out of earshot then we'll see about expanding the abilities of the amulet. All right? Will that work?"

Mokuba smiled and nodded, "Thanks Zariah!" Then he hugged her.

Suddenly they were both distracted when they saw a bright light of what appeared to be a portal!