Zariah had expected the kids to sleep soundly. Mokuba however was restless after seeing what Dartz did to Yami he was worried about Ryo. His body was too exhausted to go anywhere and his body, having just experienced astral projection, projected his soul out. Mokuba stretched, then looked around confused and sighed when he realized he was out of his body, again. He shrugged it off and decided to check on Ryo. He was happy to find Ryo safe and sound. He even tried to talk to him but being he was simply a spirit Ryo couldn't see or hear him. Ryo walked into the training room and found Joey working hard.

"Hey, you're working hard. I'm surprised." Ryo said.

"Yeah well I'm hoping the king still holds knight tryouts in the next few weeks. Any guard can participate, Conner being the second in command of the knights fights the top 5 winners. Only a select few get that honor. Everyone gets a rank. The better you are the better your score. Those with high scores get first room choice in the knights wing. They also get to choose their assignments. They also get a little more than the rest of us. Also only those in the top 5 may challenge Connor for his spot or at least that's what's supposed to happen. The last couple of years when I'd come to watch, as you can't participate if you're not at least a guard or on the castle payroll. Anyway for some reason the last few years, Honda refused to allow anyone to challenge Conner for his position. I think he was afraid!"

"Afraid? Of what?"

"You see, if they beat Connor then the king is supposed to offer them the position of second in command. That person can now accept that position, or he could refuse it. If he refused he could then turn and request to challenge Honda for his spot as head of the knights. Now with Honda gone they may allow us to challenge Connor. See once you're a knight you can challenge the head knight anytime, but for it to officially count and that person convince the king to give him the job may request it no more than 5 times a year. Although most of the people around here fear Bakura and since the king personally gave the job to him over Connor I doubt too many will be willing to request going up against him. I missed the day Bakura became a knight. I heard he got distracted by something and that's how he got ranked just below Connor. Hell if he really wanted to, Eagan could join the tournament and then they'd have to find a new head guard. Say you wanna spare with me? I know the king promised to make you a knight but if you joined the tournament and made it into the knights on your own. You wouldn't have anyone saying it was just handed to you."

Ryo sighed, "I'll spare with you if you want, but I can't join the tournament this year."

"What, don't be silly. Of course you can. Who told you, you couldn't?"

"You don't understand Joey, I can't abandon Mokuba."

"How is joining the knights abandoning him? Just cause you become a knight doesn't mean you're leaving the castle or the kingdom. Especially with this being a time of peace. Sure if we were at war you'd rarely be around or if you volunteered for any kind of special mission. But as far as I know besides that, knights don't do a ton, so it's no different than what we're doing now."

"You see Joey, I'm Mokuba's personal guard."

"So the king and Master Atemu won't let you try out?"

"Actually Yami did offer me to become a knight. He said that although he'd hate to lose Varon he would try to find someone new for himself and assign Varon to Mokuba full time. I refused."

"What! Refused why!"

Mokuba was curious about the answer as well. He knew Ryo's dream was to be a knight. So why did he refuse when Yami offered it to him.

"Mokuba doesn't take well to change. I'm afraid if I told him I wouldn't be his personal guard anymore, especially now with Maura he'd be crushed thinking I don't care about him anymore."

"Nah I think you're just scared you won't make it and let Bakura down."

"No Joey I..." Ryo sighed, "I'd love to try out but…"

"Have you thought about asking him what he thinks?"

"No, it'll only upset him. I just have to wait. I have to wait till Mokuba is a little older and can handle it, when he's mentally stronger."

"I don't think you're giving the kid enough credit."

"Joey, I know him a lot better than you do."

Joey shrugged, "Maybe so, but when you were laid up in the hospital he had no problems latching onto Varon. Even now if he thinks you're busy he looks to Varon."

"What? How do you know this?"

"Simple when you had me to go into town to help Maura look for Christmas presents we got to talking. She told me that when they saw us training, Mokuba suggested that since we were training they didn't want to disturb us so they were going to ask Varon to take them into town."

Ryo blinked, he did remember noticing the kids were going back inside but he didn't think that they were going to go ask Varon to take them.

"Besides what makes you so sure the kid even knows what a royal guard even does. You don't even act like one!"

"What do you mean I don't act like one! If Mokuba wants to go somewhere or Seto and Yami leave to go to another kingdom and they want to take Mokuba I always go with them."

"Yeah well, I've spent years studying up on what makes for a good guard. Even knowing I'd never get to be a personal guard I still looked into it to help with my training to hopefully get the king to let me be a guard. I wanted to know all there was. I've not been as lucky as you and got to go to a special school. But obviously this fancy school of your lacks when it comes to teaching a few things."

"Like what for example?"

"Well, think about it. With that new king hanging around where do you think Varon and Alister are? You think they're just relaxing in their room? Or maybe they're having a nice sit down dinner."

"You're right, I don't remember that much in the way of instruction for such an event."

"Well I'm here to tell ya, that they are right there standing behind the king and Master Atemu. No matter what they are always there at the door when their charge is in any room in the castle. At night although they themselves aren't doing it, they post guards at the entrance to the hallway leading to their private wing. All other times as long as there's another royal person on the place they stick close by. Sometimes going unseen. They almost never leave their side. Well you know unless nature strikes then they have to quickly excuse themselves. They don't even get to eat unless dismissed to do so. I haven't even seen you anywhere near the kid lately. When dinner comes you're not at the kids side like you should be, no you're down here with us."

Ryo frowned, "I guess I should study up more. I should be more attentive towards what's expected of me as a personal guard."

"You do that. But I still think you should just talk it over with the kid. He might be stronger than you think he is."

Mokuba sighed, he'd have to try to remember this and talk to Seto and Varon later. In the meantime he felt so sleepy he decided to go back to his body and sleep.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

As Noah was sipping his hot cider he looked at his mother and asked, "Mother what did you mean when you told the doctor that Mr. Johnston at the bank had requested I work part time for him."

Ivera sighed, "Mr. Johnston told me that we're way behind in the rent and the taxes. He said if I let you work there a few hours a week, he could help us with at least the rent."

"I thought you and dad bought this place."

"Well he says rent, but it's more like mortgage payments. With your father gone I couldn't pay the whole thing. Mr. Johnston and I worked out a deal. The mortgage would be monthly rent like payments I could handle. Now he has requested you to work for him."

Noah was sure there was more to the story that she wasn't telling him. But again to his mother he was still a 5-6 and couldn't handle the whole truth. He'd find out soon enough.