As they headed to the first room Mokuba just stayed a little behind them. Yami opened it and as they made their way inside Maura walked over to a shelf and picked up a bird ornament. "This is pretty."

"Be careful, I don't want anything broken."

Maura smiled, "I will, I promise."

Mokuba was angry, 'Oh so it's okay for Maura to touch and pick things up. But without even giving me the chance I can't. You're becoming more like my stepmother.'

Then Maura picked up a book.

"Maura, you don't need any more books."

She smiled and said, "I know but can't I just get a couple?"

"Okay you can get 4 but choose carefully there are a lot of rooms."

"I will."

This upset Mokuba more. He hadn't planned on asking for any of the books; he just wanted to look at them. But Maura not only gets to look but touch them, as well as being allowed to get some.

As they entered the next room Mokuba saw some dragons on the shelf he ran over and was just looking at them. He hadn't touched them or attempted to touch them.

"Mokuba, be careful you're too close to the shelf."

Maura frowned, "He wasn't hurting anything." She didn't understand why he was mad.

"I know but those dragons are fragile. Breathing on them wrong could cause them to fall."

Mokuba didn't believe that as just a shelf or two down Maura was picking up a dragon and it not only didn't break but Yami simply scolded her about it and she argued it was fine.

This went on for two more rooms till Mokuba grew tired of being the only one yelled at. He'd simply stand by the door and look. This time when Yami made fun of a picture, that again Mokuba didn't understand what was funny. Yami told what Mokuba assumed was a joke because Maura started laughing.

The next room was the final straw for Mokuba. He knew he was going to have to find a way out. Again he was standing at the door just looking.

"You can't have any fun just standing there." Maura said.

'Yeah well Yami doesn't want me to have any fun.'

He moved closer to the couch and accidentally hit a table with a vase. He was lucky to have caught it.

"Mokuba, I told you to be careful."

"It was an accident. He didn't do it on purpose." Maura defended him.

Yami sighed, "You're right. I'm sorry." But as he went to touch the boy he winced like he was about to be hit. Yami sighed and simply put his hand down. He hadn't meant to make the boy feel like he was going to hit him. "Let's go to the next room."

At the next room, again Mokuba stayed by the door but this time he spotted a chess set right next to the door. He looked at it and bent down to get a closer look and accidentally bumped the table causing a couple of pieces to fall over.

Yami sighed, he walked over and said, "Why don't you look around. I'll put the pieces back."

Although he didn't yell at him Mokuba still felt like he was simply restraining himself because Maura had defended him. The next room Maura and Yami were doing exactly what Mokuba had hoped their time together would be. They were looking at something, talking about it and then laughing. It hurt as that was what he'd dreamed their time here together would be like. He knew it shouldn't surprise him since Yami wouldn't let him ask questions as Maura was who he really wanted to hang out with. He saw a long cloth draped over a table and with their backs turned Mokuba went under it. He stayed till they left. Then he came out and waited. He slumped when neither one returned for him. He waited till he heard them go to the next room and the door shut that he knew they weren't coming back for him. He remembered Seto had said he could come to him.

Just as Seto figured, within two hours Mokuba came knocking on the door.

"Hey kiddo, you want to help me?"

Mokuba smiled and nodded.

Seto took the boy over to a table and set him down. Then he grabbed some papers and then went back and got a stamp. "Okay kiddo now see this blank space here. You put the stamp here." Seto said, showing him how and exactly where to do it.

After Mokuba was doing that, Seto went back to his desk. As he stared at the boy an idea hit of how he might have a chance of making Yami see what he's doing to Mokuba. He knew even if he asked Yugi to do it. First he didn't know if Yugi could do it and second he wasn't sure Yami would even stick around and pay attention to the lesson. No he needed someone with power to hold him and make him listen.

"Mokuba?" The boy looked up. "Do you think you can get word to your magic friend and ask her if she'll see me? I want to talk to her."

"I d-don't k-know if she w-will come but I c-can ask."

"Do that as soon as you can." Seto said as Mokuba nodded and went back to his papers.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Mr. Johnston rode up to Mr. Hermàn's and found him waiting for him.

"Are you ready?" Mr. Johnston asked.

"How long will it take to get there?"

"It's in the next town over Shacanta. So about three hours."

Mr. Hermàn nodded and climbed into his newly rented covered wagon."So where are we going exactly?"

"I know a guy who takes in kids no one else wants and has no known family and sometimes orphans with no family. But with the country run orphanages over flowing he sometimes takes the runaways from there. It's not an official orphanage as then he'd have to keep official records. For a price he allows these children to be adopted in which case the future parents just fill out paperwork, pay a fee and the kid is theirs. He tells them to file official adoption papers when they get settled into a town. In rare cases like yours they are sold and like any other adoption you have the option of filing paperwork or not. He's had to hit me up to sell a few a time or two when he's hit a rough patch. It's difficult to feed so many with no funding. But it's a risk he's taking."

"Shall we go then?"

Mr. Johnston nodded and the two rode off.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Dinner came and Maura and Yami came into the dinning room laughing. It depressed Mokuba as he had hoped that he and Yami could bond and that would be them. Seto wasn't depressed, he was more angry. Not at Maura, no Yami had told him that he wanted to do this tour to bond with Mokuba. But it's clear he made no effort to try to bond with the boy. But did with Maura.

Yami and Maura both talked about how much fun they had. He knew that since Mokuba came to him and never even had one fun thing to say about his time with them. Which told him Yami only paid attention to Maura and before that paid little attention and didn't make any real effort to try to connect. He knew it wouldn't be easy seeing as Mokuba knew little of the outside world. But a little effort would make it worth it. He did that when they stayed in that cabin before Thanksgiving after Yami left to train. He put forth the effort needed to bond and understand the boy.

"You really should have stuck around Mokuba. There were lots of other cool things in other rooms. Including a telescope! It was so cool. Yami even promised to mark which room it was so we can look at it more."

Knowing Yami didn't like questions he kept silent only nodding his head while trying to figure out what a telescope was and why that excited Maura.

Seto frowned wondering why Mokuba didn't ask what a telescope was. There was no way he believed the boy knew what it was. "Sounds like you had fun and got in some real bonding time."

"It was, I had fun. I don't understand why you didn't encourage Mokuba to move away from the door or touch anything."

That had Seto's blood boiling. So not only did he not try to bond with the boy but made him feel like he was back in his stepmother's place. But because Mokuba didn't like their fighting and he didn't want Maura to think she was to blame he held his tongue for now.

After dinner he took Mokuba into a special room used for diplomatic meetings and had Alistair to find someone to summon Ryo there. While waiting Seto decided to find out why Mokuba didn't ask about the telescope. Mokuba was reluctant at first but then broke down and told Seto what he heard Yami tell Yugi about his not liking Mokuba's lack of understanding, knowledge and more importantly not liking having to answer questions.

Seto was tempted to go tear Yami's head off but he refrained. "Listen to me. No matter what if you have a question feel free to ask me. I'm sure he's the only one. But I'll talk to the staff and this way we can know who you can trust to ask questions of since apparently your own brother doesn't want to do it, all right?"

Mokuba nodded, "T-Thanks Seto."

"Never be afraid to ask me. If for some reason I can't answer then and there and there might be a time that happens. Just try to remind me later. "

The boy smiled and nodded. Seto didn't promise to always be able to answer right in that moment but would later. He took his chance and asked about the telescope. Seto told him and said that he'd show him later.

Just then a knock came. "Enter."

"You wished to see me Seto?"

"Yes, come in."

Ryo smiled and ruffled the little boy's hair. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much." Then his conversation with Joey came forward. "Is that why you called me, because I haven't been around as much as I should have? I'm sorry I don't remember ever taking classes or hearing the rules for being a royal guard. I'll do better."

"Don't worry about it. With the shield to slow the snowfall we're going to do tryouts."

"In the snow?"

"Being a guard or knight is sometimes long grueling work in any and all seasons. I don't know or care how my father or any other kingdom does it. I do two one winter after Christmas so we start the New Year ready to face the coming months. Sometimes that means starting the New Year off with new faces. Guard recruitment is normally in the spring but besides announcing two open spots for Royal guards, due to recent events we are also going to do guard tryouts. Everyone will compete to maintain their status in this kingdom."

"Why are you telling me? Did you want me to share this? Wait, you said two royal guard openings?'

"You may tell them if you wish. The official announcement will be in the next day or so. But yes I wanted to tell you that this is your chance to prove you deserve a spot as a knight?"

"But royal guards can't be knights."

"Yes, the guard openings are for Yami and Maura."

"Yami? What about Varon?"

"He's m-my guard n-now."

"What? I don't understand?" Ryo asked, looking from Mokuba to Seto for answers.

"What is there to understand? Mokuba has an official royal guard."

"I… I'm sorry I let you down."

"I should have seen it sooner. After all, while Yami was away and after you recovered you didn't take your position by Mokuba again. Even before that he'd tell me about these quests to get random things."

Ryo looked down, ashamed. He had wanted to train and Mokuba was up under him. He sent him on these 'quests' to find stuff to get rid of him for a short time. "I'm really sorry. I'll do better."

"For your sake I hope you do. I'm going to be judging you more harshly than the others."

Ryo frowned, "Judge me?"

"I'm no longer offering you knighthood. You have to compete and earn your spot just like the others."

"Seto I... I appreciate the offer but I can't leave Mokuba."

"You're not leaving the castle. You're just changing positions. Besides, you just admitted it yourself that you haven't been around."

"I know, I realize I was wrong but what I meant was I want to stay Mokuba's guard."

"N-no, V-Varon's my guard now."

"Perhaps I should have been more direct. I didn't think it would be this difficult to get you to understand. This wasn't my decision. This was Mokuba's choice."

Now Ryo knew how badly he'd screwed up. Letting Seto down was one thing but to know that Mokuba wanted this. He bent down, "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I w-want you to l-live your dream." Seeing that Ryo wasn't wearing the angel necklace that connected to his angel necklace only Bakura's only strengthened his resolve to set Ryo free. 'I don't want to stand in your way. I'm setting you free.'

Ryo didn't know what to say. He hugged the boy and left. What he didn't know was that Yami had went ahead and magically made flyers and sent some to Connor, head of Guards and Bakura Head of Knights offices and even sent some into town. Telling of the knights and guards fighting for position. Also the Royal Guard openings.

Ryo was happy till he walked into the training room seeing people looking at him. Some with hatred and disgust, some he could hear saying how stupid he was. He walked over and saw Joey and then spotted Bakura just a few feet away from Joey. He grabbed Joey and dragged him over to Bakura. "Someone want to clue me in on why everyone is looking at me?"

"Most are just jealous that you'll be given knighthood. Even if you compete they know you'll win." Joey said.

"The other half is on my side and thinks you're just stupid." Bakura said, handing him a flier telling everyone what Seto had told him.

"So how does wanting to be a knight make me stupid?"

"Simple, Master Atemu is playing favorites with the new girl. She's only been here a few weeks and she's already caused a riff. You only had to play nice and play house with Master Mokuba a few more months till they got everything settled down. Then by that time spring would be here and then Master Atemu could have taken his time and found a new guard then by the time guard auditions would be over you could take your place with the knights as one of them. But no, you throw that chance away by refusing to do your job as the boy's guard."

"I want to be a knight and I want to earn my spot. Why do they care?"

"Cause now that the king and Master Atemu are fighting he'll be harder on everyone." Joey said.

"He's right. You missed your chance to be a knight at least this year. Everyone here knows that when they're fighting it's worse for everyone and now know your part of the reason. All because you who claimed to care for the boy refused to do the job asked and agreed to by you. Everyone knows that both the king and Master Atemu offered you the chance to be knight but you thought you had your reason for turning it down.

"I did! I felt Mokuba needed me!"

"That's just an excuse and you know it."

"Why do you think that?" Joey asked.

"After Honda was demoted and I was promoted and after finding the runaway Ryo with Master Mokuba I had a talk with the king and Ryo here was offered the job as a knight and Master Mokuba's royal guard all at the same time. But again for some reason he refused."

"I wanted to earn the spot. I didn't want it just handed to me. I felt Mokuba needed me."

"You couldn't have thought he needed you too much as you haven't been around him much." Joey said.

"Joey's right. I can only imagine that's why the king and Master Atemu kicked you out."

"Seto said it was Mokuba's choice."

"Yikes, guess the kid won't think of you as his brother anymore huh?" Joey asked.

"I… I didn't think about that. I was so happy thinking Mokuba had grown up some that I didn't stop to think that maybe I was wrong."

Joey rolled his eyes, "I don't think the kids have gotten any more mature. He just probably overheard someone say something and realized he was standing between you and you wanting to be a knight."

"I haven't had much interaction with the kid but from everything I've heard he has grown some. But not to the point of realizing on his own that in a way he stood between you and your dreams. Joey's probably right he overheard someone mention it. Now Master Atemu will have to settle for whoever signs up. Whether they're really good or not."