As Yami stared at the adoption papers, he couldn't believe it. For the child's name Seto put His Royal Highness Prince Mokuba Drakon Erwan Raiden Kaiba of Draglor. Then, where it said parent Seto had crossed it out and put brother. Then signed it, His Royal Highness King Seto Critias Drakon Belindo Kaiba of Draglor. Then he did the same thing on the other line but signed it, His Royal Highness Prince Yami Timaeus Cyfrin Dewin Atemu Kaiba of Draglor.
"Why did you do this Seto? And how in the world did you find out my mother added two more names after I turned 2? Also how did you know I officially took your last name?"
"I told you once that we were going to raise Mokuba together. This is my way of confirming that. As for your name? Keneely was good for something other than lurking in the shadows."
"I don't know what to say…. Wait, Keneely? The assistant you refuse to use but hangs out in the shadows?"
"I thought you'd be happy. It gives us both custody. Yes, that, Keneely. I needed information about you and I couldn't go hunting and Mazaki is too loyal to you to ever tell me. So I used Keneely. He told me everything."
"I am happy, Seto. I just didn't think you'd actually go through with adopting him. Not to mention using his official royal name."
"I just felt it was better if I did."
"Seto, I know you're not crazy about Maura but please I think it'd be better for both kid's if…"
"Fine you win, we'll take her home and see about getting custody. But when I thought of bringing Mokuba home the one thing that ran through my head was your yelling at me that we can't take in every stray kid that we come across."
Yami sighed, "I know, I know! When I first saw Mokuba all I could think of was he was using you."
"So, what makes this girl any different?"
"I wish I could tell you the answer to that Seto. But I can't. All I know is that I believe these two kids were sent to us. I know I've said we can't take in every stray kid we come across. But how many have come to us? I mean your father takes Mokuba away from us. Then you find him by chance and bring him home. We've come this close to losing him forever more than once. Each time we're given a second chance. I don't know what it is that makes us lucky enough to be given so many chances with that kid, but don't you think she deserves the same kind of love and devotion we give to Mokuba? I've had several visions with her in them. There has to be a reason for that."
"Difference is Mokuba never knew what love was till he met Ryo or what it was like to just be able to live, not having to work all the time or fear that he'll be beaten at every turn. Obviously this girl hasn't had the same hardships."
"So, what because she wasn't beaten constantly or starved like Mokuba and had a fairly good life like ours, she doesn't deserve to be happy and do what we never got to be at her age, a kid?"
Seto sighed and started to dig into his desk more. Then he pulled out two sets of papers and laid them on the desk. "Here, I'll go have the carriage readied. Then go find Mokuba and Maura. Get everyone changed. Meet us there when you've finished and ready." Seto said, starting for the door.
"Wait, what are these?"
"One set is adoption papers like Mokuba's, just fill them out and when we get her stepmother's signature on the other form, which is her relinquishing custody we can file them both."
Yami's face lit up, then he ran over and hugged Seto. "I promise little brother we'll make this work!" Then he pulled back to look at him. "We had thought once that we'd be raising two boys at one time, remember? I know it's a sensitive subject because that's how we lost Mokuba but it'll be different this time. I know it'll be harder raising a little girl. But don't you think it'd be better for Mokuba to have a full time playmate? Did you see how happy he was when he got to teach her how to swing? Then when he told her to follow him to see Ryo and the others?"
Seto smiled, "He did look happy to be the teacher instead of the student for a change. So finish the paperwork and we'll go. As you said we'll find a way to make this work!"
"I promise Seto, we know what we did wrong with Mokuba, we've learned a lot from our mistakes."
Seto sighed, "The downside is we're still learning what mistakes not to make with him."
"What? What are you talking about? Does this have something to do with your saying he was sleepwalking again?"
"That's part of it. Ryo and I had a miscommunication that left the poor kid not only alone but also during a storm. If Varon hadn't dragged him in, I don't want to think about what would have happened. Even at that he disappeared, if I hadn't remembered the fact that he lived in a basement I'd never have looked there."
"What's the other part?"
"Not setting him off into thinking he's going to get beaten."
"Why would he think that? Was he sleepwalking again?"
"I don't think so. That crazy teacher you hired hit me with a riding crop. I was going to show her Mokuba's back to see if she truly believed that all those marks were caused by us."
"She believed we beat him? Well what did she have to say when she saw his back?"
"Nothing, I never got the chance."
"Why not?"
"Mokuba saw me holding the riding crop and was afraid I'd beat him with it. I had to throw it away before I could get close enough to comfort him. After that, I threw her out, not wanting to fool with her anymore."
"Now that you mention it. When I first met Noah, and Mokuba ran away from him, he grabbed a riding crop to beat him with it. I was able to stop it after he'd already gotten three his in."
"Should have known that punk wouldn't miss a chance to use whatever he could." Seto shook his head. "We should get going. Fill those out and I'll round up the kids."
"Thank you Seto."
"Well, I suppose this makes us even then."
"Even?"
"Yes, I brought home one kid, you brought home another."
Yami just shook his head and sat down at the desk to fill out the paperwork. However he hit a small snag as he only knew Maura's first name. He'd have to get with her to fill out the rest.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
After giving the orders for the official royal carriage to be readied, Seto collected the kid's and told Maura to change into her official dress that Yami had found her in. It was cleaned but still torn and tattered despite efforts to repair. Then Seto found the official outfit that he'd had the royal tailor make for Mokuba. He helped the boy into it and then got into his own. Maura wasn't sure why she needed her old clothes but she had a pretty good idea that it meant she was returning home.
'I can't believe I trusted him when he said he wouldn't send me back!' Maura thought as the three waited for Yami.
Just then, Yami showed up. "Well shall we go?"
Seto nodded and helped Maura in, then Mokuba. Seto sat on one side with Mokuba and Yami on the other with Maura.
"W-where are we going big brother?"
Yami spoke up. "You see kiddo, we want Maura to be part of the family. But to do so we need her stepmother to give her up like yours did."
"S-so, she's going to be living with us?"
"Would you like that, Mokuba? A big sister?" Seto asked.
Mokuba thought for a moment. Then smiled and said, "I t-think it'd be fun."
"You're really not sending me back?" Maura asked.
"Little one, if I had wanted to send you back, you wouldn't still be here and we wouldn't be going with you." Seto said.
Maura was stunned she wasn't sure what to say.
They didn't want to spend two whole weeks there and back on the road. So like when he met Maura, Yami created a portal so that it would reduce their travel time to a few days. Finally, they finally made it to Maura's kingdom. They stopped only for food and lodging. They were able to get there early enough in the day to be able to get three rooms. They set out traveling early the next day and by the time they reached the castle, both kids were sound asleep.
"Mokuba come on kiddo, time to get up we're here." Seto said gently, shaking the boy.
"Maura, come on. Let's go. We're here." Yami said, doing the same to Maura.
Maura sat up and sighed. She hoped to never see this place again.
As they were being escorted in, Mokuba clung tightly to Seto's hand, while Maura walked ahead leading the way more than the guard was. Suddenly she looks up to screaming. She soon found herself in a tight hug. Her two older sisters, Diana (15) and Jasmine (16) were hugging their 11 year-old sister tightly.
"Where have you been?" Diana asked.
"Hera called asking if we'd seen you. She said you disappeared, we were so worried about you!" Jasmine said.
Maura hugged her sisters back. "I'm sorry." Maura cried. She hadn't realized her sisters loved her this much and would be so worried. Okay so she knew they cared about her but she'd left a note and hoped that would explain it. "I just couldn't do it! I couldn't get married. I didn't want to. You didn't have to be so worried, I told you that in my letter."
Jasmine and Diana pulled back to look at her.
"What letter?" Jasmine asked.
"We didn't get any letter." Diana said.
They all looked at Hera.
"I don't know what she's talking about. There wasn't a note found. I like yourselves thought the insolent little brat just ran away." Hera lied. She found the note alright, then burned it.
Seto didn't know her but at the same time, he did, for she reminded him a lot of his late father Gozaburo. He was the same way. He'd left a note for Yami telling him about their trip to this and other kingdoms. However, when he returned Yami had scolded him for not leaving a note and just like this woman, his father too denied there had ever been a note. He now understood the girl's true desire to be anywhere but here. If he had too he'd find a way to get Yami to cast a spell on her stepmother long enough to get her to sign away custody. He was going to do so. He didn't want her to be under the thumb of this witch any longer than she had to. He was certain that even if she were to marry, this woman would still try to control every aspect of her life! He'd almost been married a number of times and then Gozaburo's death made him in charge of his own life, his own destiny. Now he had the chance to save someone else from that same fate and he was going to do it one way or another!