After Joey and Serenity left, Eagan, a guard, and Conner, a knight, showed up the same time Honda did. They were nervous about what he was doing here but could only hope it wouldn't be bad.

They approached Seto and Yami and hoped that Honda would let them go first. This way, if he screwed up, at least they'd have already given their gifts.

"M-My king?" Eagan asked.

"Yes, is there a problem?" Seto asked.

"No, my king, it's just that, well…" Eagan started.

"The knights and the guards each pooled their money and we came to give our presents to you."

Seto and Yami blinked in surprise. Every year the knights and guards had done this, but they always sent Honda as he was the head of the knights at the time and Conrad head of the guards. The two would come to tell them about their presents. But it's never been a real gift before. Usually it was always something simple like painting the barn or doing something else around the castle to try to both improve upon it in looks or security to try to impress them. As they never expected anything, they were always surprised they did anything. Especially considering they were usually all on the lazy side when it came to doing anything they didn't have to.

"You see, my king, the guards all got together and had this made for you." Eagan said.

Seto opened it and found a large wooden sign with Seto, Yami and Mokuba's names burned into it. Then, on a smaller piece of wood attached to the bigger one, it had Maura's name on it.

"This is great! Thank you. I'll have it hung just outside the front door." Seto said.

Eagan was thrilled. Seto rarely thanked anyone except Yami and Mokuba. The guards and the knights had made a bet. They did it every year, but with the addition of Mokuba and Maura, they upped the ante. Normally, the loser did full duty patrols. Something knights rarely do and guards only half shifts. Rarely did any one guard do a full shift without trading off. This year it was not only normal perimeter patrols, but also full duty shifts at all posts! The winner had to truly impress Seto and Yami. Plus, whoever made Mokuba smile, which in turn would only help impress Seto and Yami more, would have to buy lunch for the winning group for a month. Either, Seto and Yami didn't know about their betting or just didn't care, as they never came out and said anything or tried to forbid or yell at them over it.

Eagan then handed a present to Yami.

Yami opened it to find a box filled with books. "Thank you. I love it. He's my favorite author."

"What kind of books are they, big brother?" Maura asked.

"It's a collection of prose books by Nizam Nese. He's a famous poet that I love."

"W-what's p-prose?" Mokuba asked, confused.

"Prose is poems. Poems are words that rhyme, like a lullaby." Yami said

Mokuba was still confused. "W-what's a l-lullaby?" This was the second time someone had mentioned a lullaby. Last time there were too many people and he didn't feel comfortable asking then.

Everyone looked at the boy and blinked in surprise. No one was sure how to answer that question. They all knew and had experienced the warmth of a mother's love and the gentleness of a lullaby. However, Mokuba never got that. Even as an infant, he had been taken care of by nannies, then his stepmother only took care of his basic needs. Seto didn't get to spend a lot of time with him before he was taken away. His father didn't allow it.

"Well, um…" Seto started.

Maura smiled. "I'll sing you one sometime, I promise. It's something mothers sing to their children when they're little."

"Y-you promise?" Mokuba asked.

"Yes, I promise."

Mokuba smiled.

Eagan was happy as well. He hoped the rest would go as well.

Eagan then handed a present to Maura. She opened it to find silk pillowcases.

"Wow, this is great! Thanks!"

"You're welcome, Miss Maura." Eagan said, then handed Mokuba his.

Mokuba opened his to find a belt with lots of pouches and things on it.

"Each guard put something special in each pouch. Though there is a spot for a knife, we didn't get one because we didn't think you would approve of giving him a weapon, my king. The items in the pouches range from coins to seashells since we've heard you like seashells. Some even put special herbs used for healing. Then there's also this box; it has a lot more things that you could put in those pouches like more coins, seashells and all kinds of different things. Anything the guards saw that they felt might interest you went into the box."

"I l-love it!" Mokuba said.

He looked at Conner and smirked with a look that said 'That's a point for me. Now let's see what we can do.'

Conner glared at him, but then gave a smirk of his own that said 'Gladly!'

"Well my king, the knights got together and then we traveled far and wide and we each made sketches of the places we saw, then we pooled our money and we had this made just for you." Conner said.

Seto opened it to find a goatskin map of the kingdom. "I-I'm speechless. This must have taken months to complete!"

"More like a year. We've been working very hard on it." Conner said.

"Thank you. I'll hang it in my office." Seto said.

Conner was thrilled! He felt he was ahead in points already. Seto gave an even bigger reaction to his than to Eagan's.

Yami opened his present to find a goatskin map of the castle and the surrounding area. "Wow, how did you manage this?"

"Well, that wasn't easy, but we managed. Hope you like it." Conner said.

"This is wonderful. I love it. Thank you." Yami said.

Connor was absolutely ecstatic; this definitely put him ahead. Now, if he got the same kind of reaction out of Mokuba, he'd win!

Connor handed Mokuba a package and he opened it to find two long vest coats similar to Seto's, but made specifically for him. One was a light blue and the other was light purple. Mokuba giggled and put the blue one on and turned around. Then he looked at Seto. "I l-look like you now, Seto."

Seto and Yami laughed and Seto ruffled his hair. "That you do, kiddo. That you do."

Connor then handed Maura her present.

Maura opened to find a bedspread with silk dogs and cats sewn on it.

Maura was thrilled. "It's great! Thank you!"

Connor smiled. "I'm happy you like it, Mistress."

Connor looked at Eagan with a smile that said 'I win!'