The next day Yami had gotten a couple of guards who were off duty to agree to build Mokuba, a couple of swings and a slide. They decided since Mokuba loved the gardens and it was one of the few places in the castle that was even close to a yard for the kid to play in, they built it in a small section that was just a big grassy area.

Just after breakfast a guard told Yami that Kisara had arrived, he had her shown to the main living room downstairs. He dragged Seto and Mokuba to the living room.

"Seto this is Kisara. She's agreed to move in here and be Mokuba's tutor. Kisara, this is King Seto Kaiba, our brother."

"Hi, I-it's a pleasure to meet you King Kaiba." Kisara said curtseying.

"Whatever." Seto said.

Kisara shivered a little seeing the cold glare Seto was giving her and was a touch sad that Mokuba was avoiding her and hanging off Seto's waist.

Yami grabbed Mokuba's arm as he tried to hide behind Seto even more and pulled him closer. "Oh no you don't. You're going to have to help Kisara learn her way around."

"B-but big b-brother I still have t-trouble getting around sometimes!"

"Well then you can both learn how not to get lost together." Yami said, then turned to Kisara and said, "I'm afraid something's come up and I'm going to be leaving. So I'm afraid you're going to be on your own around here. But the servants will be happy to help if you were to get lost." Yami said.

"I see." 'I can't believe he's just throwing me to the wolves like this!' Kisara thought. "So, um how long will you be gone?"

"It's hard to say but I'm going to do everything I can to get home for Christmas." Then he kissed the top of Mokuba's head. "I can't miss his first Christmas."

"Well I'm sure there will be others." Kisara said.

That earned her an icy glare from Seto, which kind of scared her. 'How dare she imply that Mokuba's first Christmas isn't important! Maybe not to her, but if it were her child she'd feel differently! If Yami's anything like me he'll want to teach him to build a snowman and teach him well I guess I'll be teaching him about Santa Claus. I wouldn't tell him because I personally think it's stupid to believe in such things as a fat man giving out gifts for no reason, but I know if I don't Yami will have my hide for not telling him. It'll be interesting to see if Noah and them ever told him or ever believed. Probably not.' "Yami, are you certain she's the best choice for this?"

"Look Seto, we both know Mokuba needs to learn to read more than what he can now."

"N-Nosaka always s-said I w-was a fast learner and I-it wouldn't b-be long before I was at the level I s-should be for my age."

"Well then let's find out. I brought a small test page for you to look over and we'll see just where your grade level is."

Mokuba sighed. 'Nosaka never forced me to take any test.'

Seto sensed the reluctance in Mokuba and pulled the boy a few feet away, bent down and said in a lower voice. "Mokuba I know it'll be hard to adjust to a new teacher after what happened but you have to. I'm not telling you, you have to be friends with this woman right away or ever. You don't even really have to like her."

Mokuba giggled. "Y-you don't do you big brother."

"Not at this moment, no. But that's beside the point. I personally hated all my tutors but you have to deal with them. If you eventually learn to like her and be friends that's fine, but you decided that on your own all right."

Mokuba sighed and nodded. "Okay big brother."

Seto stood up and ruffled his hair. "Good now run along."

Mokuba reluctantly walked back over to Yami. Yami bent down, pulled the boy close and hugged him tight. "I will miss you little one."

"I'll m-miss you too, big brother."

Yami sat up, "Now you remember that you promised to keep Seto in line for me right?"

Mokuba giggled as Seto rolled his eyes.

"Give me a break."

Yami picked Mokuba up and faced Seto. "Well without me around who knows what kind of trouble you'll get into."

Seto shook his head and turned to Mai. "Mai."

"Yes, my king."

"This is… what was your name again?"

"Kisara."

"Right, show her to the south wing and help her get settled in. then take her to office 2a, it's big enough and small enough that she can use as her office. It and the library were where we always had our tutoring sessions, so if it was good enough for our professionally trained tutors then it's good enough for her."

"Yes sir." Mai said.

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

As they were walking, Kisara said. "I get the impression that the king doesn't like me very much."

"He doesn't like a lot of people."

"Is there a particular reason he hates me? I mean, was he that close to the boy's last teacher and why didn't he hire these professionals that tutored him?"

"First the ones who tutored him and Master Atemu were called. However, they all currently have charges and couldn't do it."

"But what of the teacher the boy spoke of?"

"We never met her. Master Mokuba was away for four months with a friend whom he sees as another brother. While he was away was when he met her."

"Why was he with him?"

"It's not my place to say."

"You must know something."

"He felt the king and Master Atemu no longer wanted him."

"I see no signs of that."

"That was then, this is now."

"Well can't you tell me more like why the boy really ran away? I mean, were they abusing him? Is that why he was kidnapped to protect him from them but then they forced him back and are now…"

She never finished that sentence and saw fire in Mai's eyes. "That child has not now nor ever been abused by the king or Master Atemu in any way! If you ever, ever speak that way in the presence of young Master Mokuba, the king will hear about it. The boy may not tell him right away but the king would learn soon enough, then I can guarantee you won't like the results. I'd advise you not to say it to the king directly. He's not known for physical violence in the way of personally hurting you, well not normally, if you were to start in like that or something who knows what he's capable of. However, if you or I were to repeat anything you just said to me to him, then you will find yourself not only without a job but who knows what he may do to you. They love that child heart and soul and will kill anyone who hurts him, they would sacrifice their lives if necessary to protect him!"

Kisara was stunned and she desperately wanted to know more. But she knew her accusations went too far and she'd probably never learn.

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

Yami hugged Seto and Mokuba super tight wanting to remember, then said his goodbyes to them and with a heavy heart left.

"Seto."

"What is it, Mokuba?"

"W-will Yami ever come back?"

Seto sighed and took the boy over to a small wall, sat down and pulled the boy into his lap. "Honestly, I can't say."

"What do you m-mean big brother? Yami p-promised he'd come home!"

"I know he did sweetheart and I'd love to tell you yes, he will. But the truth is who knows what will happen in the future. If that Dartz guy is right and Yami can get that powerful then he'll want to learn more about the power to be able to control it. Truthfully, I can't say if he will come home. I want him too more than anything."

"M-me too. I hope he c-comes home."

"I do too, but Mokuba, promise you'll never run away from me again. Especially now with Yami gone I couldn't bare to lose you too."

Mokuba hugged him tight. "I p-promise big brother. I w-wont leave you. I p-promised Yami I'd t-take care of you, remember."

Seto squeezed the child tight. "Yeah, I remember."

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

That night Mokuba was looking out his window.

"Yami, please come home soon big brother."

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

Yami meanwhile was on his way to Master Dartz's Home.

"I hope I can do this. I miss them already. I know Seto all too well. I'm sure by now he's made up his mind that I'm never coming home. I just hope I can prove him wrong. Little Mokuba would never forgive me if I broke my promise to come home. I'd break his heart; I think it'd break mine too. I really want to see his face light up at Christmas the way it did on his birthday and when he opened those presents. To know that not just him, but everyone gets presents it'd just be something I have to see. Kisara's right there will be other Christmas' and other holidays. But it won't be the same as his first one. Master Dartz may be reluctant to let me leave but I will find a way!"