Kiana! Fifty reviews! I am seriously freaking out! I am sooo happy! I never thought this fic would even get this far. But it has and I’m really hyped right now because I’ve FINALLY figured out how I’m going to do the ballroom scene! ^_^ I bet a lot of people are happy with that remark.

Okay, to everyone who has reviewed this story so far, THANK YOU SO MUCH! My wish is that you all get enough chocolate to kill an elephant this Easter. ^_^ You deserve the corporeal praise that I cannot give you. The best I can do is post this chapter and pray that its one of my best ones yet.

Also, thank you to those of you who gave such encouraging words about my writing-in-detail-madness. It seriously gave me this HUGE I-must-write-the-next-chapter boost. And considering that I’ve just had all my exams, I count this as having gotten out a little faster than usual.

Everybody go check out Littlekuriboh’s latest video. It has a Labyrinth reference and it is soooo funny! ^_^

By the way, I haven’t really spell checked this yet, so please ignore the mistakes and I’ll fix them real soon! ^_^

Enjoy the story!

1st Labyrinth…

Chapter 9: The Owl’s Father…

“I am the King’s cousin, Mai Valentine, Queen of the Fairies…”

And what a Queen she was… Mai was exceptionally beautiful, dressed superbly in a tight reddish-purple sleeveless top that buttoned at the front and a long skirt of the same color that dragged along the ground in a flowing motion. There were rings encrusted with precious gems on her fingers and she wore a gold necklace adorned with a lilac colored jewel as well as golden armlets and wristlets. Her whole aura seemed to scream of a warm ‘Golden Queen of Light’ to rival Bakura’s ‘Silver King of Darkness’ demeanor.

Marik stared up at the woman, guessing her to be about eighteen or so without including the effects of Bakura’s ‘slow ageing’ spell. This new lady also possessed a pair of leaf-shaped wings on her back, their color being an intoxicating dark purple and their size being twice as large as Miho’s wings.

“Miho, would you be so kind as to check the fairies progress on the making of the new attire for our young guest?”

“Yes Queen Mai, of course.” The purple haired girl bowed and exited the text.

“You are… the queen of the fairies?” Marik echoed, awe dripping for every syllable, “I’ve… I’ve read about you… but I didn’t know that you are related to the Goblin King.”

The Queen of the Fairies may be well known for her beauty; however she is even more renowned for her personality. The Queen is an expert in the martial arts and has been hailed for her defeats of many strong fighters, as well as her fair and righteous personality. She rules over the fairy village from her place inside the castle…

“But,” Marik started suddenly, “my book on the Labyrinth said that the Queen didn’t live in the village with all the other fairies… So why are you here?”

Mai’s face adopted a sad look, “Ah yes, I have heard about the book that was made in reference to this realm. You must understand, my brave boy, that the man you know as Arthur Hawkins wrote that tome about twelve years ago… and since then a lot has happened. How… how old is the… professor now?”

‘I wonder why she wants to know…’ Marik thought before answering, “He’s around forty to fifty years old I’d guess… Why?”

Mai gave a chuckle, “Uncle always did look older than his actual age. Let me guess: Seto told you he was about sixty, didn’t he? That boy never was good with time after Bakura cast that spell…”

Marik tilted his head in confusion, “But Seto hasn’t mentioned anything about Professor Hawkins… only –” He halted with a start.

‘Uncle’…?

“Considering he looked about thirty when he left, and that he left quite a few years ago, he has to look at least sixty now…”

But Seto had been talking about the previous King… Bakura’s father…

‘Uncle’…? ‘Father’…?

The novelist Arthur Hawkins was the previous King…?

Arthur Hawkins was Bakura’s…

…father…

Mai nodded with a sad smile as she noticed Marik’s shocked face, “Yes, it’s true… Uncle Arthur left us for the human world and Bakura took over. And, of course, I could see that Gozaburo was filling my poor innocent cousin’s mind with imaginary threats of his castle being under attack, so I decided to speak my mind… and he banished me for it…”

The Queen’s features twitched in a spasm of discomfort at the memory of the awful day.

“Bakura, please listen to me! Can’t you see what Gozaburo is trying to do?!”

She bit her lip hard as she felt the now accustomed prickle of tears behind her squeezed shut eyes.

“Shut up Mai! How dare you talk back to me! If I say that your Knight friend is to be banished to guard the Bog of Eternal Stench than SO BE IT!”

A salty taste in her mouth… Tears…

“You’re just a jealous fool! A selfish, heartless MONSTER!”

‘No…’

“Shut up, you insolent PEST!”

‘No... He can’t have meant it…’

“I could rule this land better than you!”

‘No… I went too far…’

“Than you will have plenty of time to prove it!”

‘We both did…’

“Bakura, what…?”

‘It hurts…’

“From here on you are EXILED to the fairy village!”

‘It hurts… so much…’

“Bakura, please no! You need me!”

‘It hurts… so much… to be…’

“Ms. Queen? Mai…?”

“I don’t need you! DON’T EVER COME NEAR ME AGAIN!”

‘…alone…’

“I know how you feel.”

That was Marik’s voice… the voice burdened with emotions that ripped the Queen from her dark reverie. She looked down at the boy who’s slightly tear stained face mirrored hers.

“I know how you feel,” he repeated, “I’m not… needed in my parent’s lives either… or my siblings… But they’re all I have and when the only real person you’re close to doesn’t need you… You feel useless…”

Mai’s tears had stopped and she gave a shy smile at the child. For some reason, now she didn’t feel... so alone anymore.

“Marik Ishtar,” she mused, “You’ve developed quite a reputation throughout the Labyrinth. My cousin has paid much attention to you… that is highly unusual in itself. However, you have also overcome many obstacles that were previously thought unbeatable… the cleaner and the oubliette and the Big Five are only a few that come to mind. I have been watching you Marik and I am impressed. You have matched Bakura where I have failed.”

“Queen Mai,” Miho entered the tent again, holding a bundle of clothing in her arms, “The clothing is ready.”

“Very good.” Mai turned to Marik, “Young one, please accept a gift from the fairies. You’re cloths are torn and dirty from your escapades throughout the Labyrinth, and though our clothes would be more decorative than you are used to, they are clean and soft.”

Marik smiled, accepting the bundle, “Thank you, Ms. Queen.”

“Call me Mai, hun.” The lady grinned, “I’ll leave you to change clothes now.” She exited the text with a wave to Miho, who followed her out.

A few seconds later, Marik peered out of that same flap of cloth to behold the amazing sights and sounds of the village around him. It was exactly as Arthur Hawkins had described, and Marik now knew why he was able to describe it so well. After all, what king wouldn’t know his own kingdom…?

In Mystify Forrest there dwells a large village alive with light and music, comprised of small tents for houses embroiled in various colors. The Fairy Village holds fairies the size of normal human beings and every surface sparkles of magic…

Marik heaved a sigh, for once wishing he actually could take Bakura up on his offer and stay in the Labyrinth… but that wouldn’t be fair to Mokuba, and Marik wasn’t about to sacrifice someone else’s life just for his own selfish desires…

…Even if that idea did seem tempting.

Seto Kaiba reckoned he’d broken land speed records as he raced though a hidden track in the forest that was bereft of any traps. He had known about this passage for a long time now and it was the only path that never changed after a new challenger failed the Labyrinth. He would have loved to give the information on the whereabouts of the track to Marik, but the King had also cast a spell that if anyone of a lower rank – such as himself, Mr. Mutou or Noah – ever told their knowledge of how to get through the Labyrinth to a challenger, the challenger would die automatically. Somehow though, Seto had a sneaking suspicion that Bakura had removed the spell, because Marik had gained a volley of information from various lower class parties about how to get though the Labyrinth and the boy was still alive.

As Seto entered the Fairy Village, emerging from the thick brush of the Mystify Forrest, he noticed his old acquaintance, the princess – now queen – Mai Valentine looking over at him with shock and some pleasure.

“Oh, wondrous water lilies, if it isn’t the elf, Kaiba himself!” Mai rushed over, her skirt flowing like water as she moved, “My good friend, it is a great experience to see you again. What brings you to this part of the Labyrinth?” She cast a look behind her at the tent Marik resided in, “Maybe you’ve come to find your friend Marik… or maybe have a little alone time with him?”

A slight blush found its way onto Seto’s cheeks, “You romanticize everything, Mai. I have no interest in Marik other than to help him beat your egotistical cousin at his own… game…” The last word had been whispered as the elf stared past Mai with a look that bordered on the boundaries of shock, admiration and… was that… longing that the queen saw in his eyes?

“Seto! You’re here!” Marik’s voice seemed hazy in the elf’s ears as he looked upon the boy in his new fairy-made attire. Marik wore deep purple glittering pants that sagged at the bottom in the style that Arabian royalty would wear with pointed slippers that shone gold in color to mach the vest he wore. The glittering golden silk of the short Arabian style vest glinted in compliment to Marik’s flaxen locks and the fact that Marik’s chest was bare other than that item and the gold chocker he wore drew some appreciative stares from the younger members of the crowds gathered around the site.

The elf Seto gulped as he saw the smooth skin of Marik’s chest and stomach. Although the boy was only young, he still possessed a slightly muscled physique. Was this what had attracted Bakura to Marik in the first place, his heavenly appearance?

“I’m in love with the ignored child… the broken and lonely boy who sat and called out to me every night to save him and take him away…”

No… Bakura wasn’t that shallow, hard as it was to believe.

“You’ve fallen for him as seen in the ‘heroic protagonist’ role that he seems to have fallen into…”

‘But he’s standing before me now, not doing anything to make himself look heroic or brave.’ Seto’s mind argued, ‘To me, right now he looks like a small child who has a lot of pressure on his shoulders… but he still looks beautiful… Marik will always look beautiful… Even in darkness where no one can see his face, his kindness and passion… everything that makes him Marik… will make him beautiful…’

In the castle at the center of the Labyrinth, Bakura stared into his crystal ball as he read the elf’s thoughts.

“I couldn’t agree with you more… Seto…”

Marik fingered one of the wristlets he wore as he saw Seto’s distracted gaze upon him, “Um… Seto, are you okay?”

Said teen snapped out of his daze, coughing to cover his embarrassment as he rasped, “Yeah, I’m fine… I’m just, um, here to check on someone.”

The amethyst eyed boy smiled, “Oh really? Who’s that?”

‘You’re too trusting!’ Seto’s thoughts growled, ‘can’t you see when someone is lying to you?! Don’t put on such a credulous expression! Realize that I’m untruthful and figure out Bakura’s plan!’

Out loud the elf kept up his charade, “My sister Adina should be around here somewhere.”

Mai visibly tensed.

“Adina…” She started slowly, “isn’t with you…?”

Seto whipped around to face her with disbelief in his sapphire orbs, and the woman started panicking.

“B-but she left here a month ago!” Mai bit her lip, “She told me she was going to find you!”

The elf sneered; worry painting his features, “She’s been kidnapped then?”

“I don’t know! No one would dare hurt her! Everyone knows that Adina is under my protection –”

“Some protection!” the elf interrupted sarcastically.

Mai suddenly noticed a small goblin at the edge of the crowd starting to sneak away. Her eyes narrowed in a very similar manner ton Bakura’s and she extended her arm quickly, a cherry colored bubble shooting from her hand to ensnare said goblin. The little creature tumbled around awkwardly inside the sphere as it floated back to the irate queen.

“You, Goblin, tell me where Princess Adina is!” She ordered in a booming authoritative tone that completely contradicted her sweet friendly nature from earlier.

The goblin relented, telling of Gozaburo’s abduction of the maiden a month ago and her current residence in the castle dungeons, unbeknownst to the king.

When the creature had finished, Mai’s face was a portrait of pure fury to match Seto’s murderous look. She ordered the goblin locked up and turned to the elf at her side.

“Exile or no, this is treason on your stepfather’s part and I will not let this injustice go unpunished! Marik,” she swiveled to face the child, “May I accompany you on your journey to the castle?”

“Yes, Mai,” he answered with a slight bow and a smile, “I’d love the extra company.”
“Count me in too.” Seto stepped forward, “Gozaburo will pay.”

“Then we will away now.” The queen moved a slender hand to the side of her skirt, loosening the ties there until the material was lifted away, revealing a pair of skin-tight pants the same color as her top and a pair of leather boots to match.

Marik felt a small laugh threatening to emerge from his throat as he realized that Mai not only had mannerisms similar to Bakura, but she also dressed close to his style. A serious expression quickly took hold of his features though. Now it wasn’t just Mokuba he was out to save, but Seto’s little sister also.

Bakura hadn’t heard the current revelation. Soon after reading Seto’s thoughts, the monarch had retired to his chambers once more, exhausted from the happenings so far that day. It had been a hectic jaunt since the second Marik had opened that book in the park to read it.

“I just don’t understand,” Bakura muttered as the bedroom door opened behind him, revealing an equally frustrated Emily, “I’ve tried everything to keep that elf away from Marik – seduction via a beautiful woman, the Cleaner and threats of the Eternal Stench… Even that damn peach might have given him some incentive to just do my bidding then get lost! But nothing works! Kiana… If I don’t figure out something soon than he’ll take the heart of the person I’ve been courting for two years now...”

“Oh?” Emily raised her voice to announce her appearance, “Forgive my blatant nature, but I haven’t seen you court – let alone show yourself – to this human before this day.”

The King shook his head slightly, “No, forgive me for my incorrect words. It is true that I have not appeared to him in my human form… but I have another way to watch him…” Bakura provided no further information on the subject though and Emily heaved a sigh, realizing the sovereign needed to be left alone for the moment. She turned to leave when a voice sounded.

“Emily,” Bakura said quietly as he turned to face her, extending a hand on which a petite scroll shimmered into existence, “Take this to Gozaburo.”

The harpy plucked the paper from his hand, “Another get-Marik-quick scheme no doubt?”

“No,” he replied, “it’s to tell him that you are exempted from your duties for the rest of the day. You don’t have that usual glow today, and frankly, it’s getting on my nerves. Just… go and recover and come back later as your usual self.”

Emily scarcely hid her smile, “Yes, you’re majesty.” She exited and shut the door with a faint click, leaving the Goblin King to remember a certain meeting he’d had with his Marik...

Marik sat on the front step on his house, soaking wet as he watched the rain beat down relentlessly just inches away from him, signifying where the roof of the small porch ended. His hair clung to his face, obscuring amethyst eyes that were dull in color from tears.

“So cold,” he whimpered, curling up as much as possible, his skin chilled and tremors racking his body, “So… c-cold…”

In the form of an ashen barn owl, Bakura lay hidden in the branches of a nearby tree, an inner debate well at hand. One part of him was fighting tooth and nail to swoop down and save the child; warm him and cover him and make love to him right there on that dirty old porch with nothing but the rain and his passion and the boy’s heavenly cries echoing in his ears…

But there was that other fraction of him that held him back.

‘It isn’t befitting for a king,’ it said, ‘Just go home. Leave him. A human isn’t worth it. He’ll be fine on his own… Just leave.’

“The King?”

Marik’s soft inquiry dragged the white owl out of his musings and his gaze refocused on the trembling boy who had now uncurled himself somewhat to squint up at the tree branches that hid the transformed monarch. At first Bakura didn’t realize why Marik had addressed him as such, but then he remembered that the child and his friend Joey were used to calling their ‘bird’ friend by royal titles.

“Is t-that you… m-my King?” Marik bit his lip, fighting down the tremors, “It- It’s nice t-to see a friend… My parents and b-brothers are out… looking for a new d-dress for my sister to wear… to a party.” Amethyst eyes met crimson and Marik smiled, “M-my sister’s a really nice girl… I hope you c-can meet her… someday. I’m s-sure… you’d like her…”

‘I don’t like her. She made you cry.’ Bakura’s mind hissed, ‘She made you cry… on your birthday. I HATE her.’

A flurry of feathers and Bakura was suddenly down next to Marik, wide white wings enveloping the boy and calming his shivers.

‘You’re trembling.’ Bakura’s clawed feet used the fabric of Marik’s shirt to climb atop the boy, covering him as best he could.

‘It won’t work,’ he thought, ‘this body is too small… but to transform now would frighten him… What am I supposed to do…?’

“Thank you, my King.” Marik smiled sleepily, his eyes closing to a world full of enchanting dreams of goblins and fairies and a crimson eyed king… with snowy white hair…

Sunrays beat down upon pale skin as bleary crimson eyes opened the next morning and the Goblin King Bakura sat up to find himself lying on the grimy porch of the Ishtar household. His usual attire of grey and white was smudged and caked with mud and rainwater that had spattered on him during the course of the rainy night.

However, this was a small price to pay as Bakura found himself propped up against the door with Marik’s soft body splayed out over his and the child’s head propped right under his chin as the boy nuzzled into his chest, warm puffs of breath ghosting over Bakura’s neck and causing the monarch’s cheeks redden slightly.

A car door slammed somewhere down the road and voices traveled on the still wind, shattering the stillness of the frosty morning.

“We’ll have to walk to the house from here, children. The dirt track’s too waterlogged up ahead.”

“I can’t believe that you took all night to choose a damn dress, Cleo! It’s one party! Do you even realize how much it cost to bribe that damn shop to stay open?!”

“For a party today, for a prince tomorrow; Appearance always counts, my dear!”

“Hey guys!”

“Joey, what are you doing out so early?”

“Mornin’ Isis! I just thought I’d stop by and see Marik on my way ta visit my gramps.”

“Marik isn’t with you?”

“Rishid, you feelin’ okay? You look kinda pale… and of course Marik ain’t with me. He’s with you all… ain’t he?”

“No… Oh no!”

“Rishid, wait! Where are ya goin’?”

A patter of feet had sounded and Bakura quickly sat up, moving Marik so that he lay on face up on the porch. Something red slipped out of his pocket and Bakura recognized it as the ‘Labyrinth’ book, which he placed in the child’s hands before leaning down to plat a scant kiss on Marik’s warm lips.

By the time Rishid came bounding up the drive, his pants drenched from sprinting through the deep puddles, the Goblin King was in his owl form again – though somewhat more untidy than the prior night – and sitting on a branch in the same tree Marik had spotted him in before.

“Mater Marik!” Rishid gasped, falling to his knees and hugging Marik, jolting the boy from his sound sleep, “I’m so sorry! I keep failing in my duty to protect you!”

“R-Rishid…?” Marik rubbed his eyes and yawned cutely, “I had the most wonderful dream about the Goblin King… He saved me…”

The others had caught up by now and Bakura watched as the boy with the crazy hairstyle – Malik – came forward to snatch up the tiny scarlet tome from the floor.

“So, let me get this straight, you kept warm in freezing cold weather by fantasizing about your dream lover?”
“Malik, don’t be crude!” Isis scolded whilst Marik blushed lightly.

“Hey,” Malik turned to her, “I’m saying this for his own good.”
“And what, pray tell, is it that you’re implying?” She bit back.

Malik turned to his younger brother, “Marik, what I’m saying is not to base so much hope on fairytales and dreams… because dreams and wishes alone can’t help you when there is real danger.”

Bakura glared at the group gathered around the sight, ‘I hate them all. I hate your parents and your brothers and your sister and your so-called friends. I hate them… because I love you… and they are the ones that should.’

Everyone had entered the house now except for Marik. The boy looked down at the novel he held and then up at the trees…

…He looked right at Bakura.

A faint ruby color tinted his cheeks and he bowed slightly, whispering, “Thank you, my King… You saved me…”

Bakura looked out at the Labyrinth, thinking once more, ‘Don’t give up your dreams Marik. I’m one of them… and I’ll die if you ever give up on me…’

The three different travelers had left the Fairy Village and were now on their way to the castle, with a confident Mai leading the way and Seto and Marik trailing behind her.

“Man, I miss the days were I could fly,” Mai heaved a grunt of irritation, causing Marik to glance up from his new genie-style footwear.

“But you have wings,” he pointed out, “so why can’t you?”

Mai cast her gaze over her shoulder, inspecting the boy for lack of any other entertainment, “Bakura exiled me to the village; meaning that he cast a spell so I can’t fly even though I have wings… he doesn’t want me buzzing around the castle.”

Marik pouted endearingly, “Bakura sure does use magic a lot.”

“It is how he keeps everyone in line,” Seto said darkly. However, his negative attention on the subject was short-lived, as his next broad step had his face planted in a giant spider’s web.

The young Egyptian’s eyes widened as the queen of the fairies also fell victim to this sticky trap not seconds later. Piercing sunlight streamed through the trees, illuminating the full path that the quavering thread followed and Marik saw that the strands of web extended upwards between two distant trees, from ground level all the way up to the enshrouding treetops high above.

Seto felt a spurt of fear shoot up his spine and, after casting his gaze over a squirming trapped queen, his eyes met Marik’s and he growled, perplexed, “What’s going on here? Mai, is this one of the Labyrinth’s traps?” The elf twisted violently but only succeeded in causing himself to sink further into the silky ensnarement, “Ackiana, it won’t budge!”

Mai was in much the same predicament, halting her helpless wriggling when she saw Marik’s hand reach for the web.

She screamed frantically, “No! Marik, don’t touch it!”

Marik retracted his hand with a jolt, replying nonetheless.

“But I can help you get free.” His voice was uncertain of the outcome, but not unwilling to try.

“No, kiddo,” Seto interjected, “The thread is much too sticky and quite strong. We’ll need something like a stick to break –” He cut off suddenly, his long ears perking upwards and his face radiating fear, “Marik, go! Run! There’s something coming!”

Before the tanned boy could utter a syllable in return, a thick tangle of web landed with an audible ‘splat’ next to his foot, the slimy meld obviously having been launched as a weapon by someone hiding amongst the branches nearby.

Deep, portentous sniggers originated from above the travelers as Marik watched a gigantic, black body descend from the braches on a thin glistening stand.

The Labyrinth is devoid of bugs, for the most part. Mosquito’s don’t exist there and neither do flies. So logically spiders are nonexistent also, due to the lack of food for the species. The only insects the Labyrinth holds in its depths are butterflies and moths. This fact would make the realm seem almost perfect…

A long black, hairy leg landed with an evident thump before seven more of its kind followed it.

The queen’s eyes were wide in unspoken terror and Seto looked on with fear and awe at the new opponent whilst the youngest of the group stood caught between the two, his expression of shock coupled with a half-step backwards betraying his alarm.

… except for the fact that amongst the twists and turns of the Labyrinth’s more organic terrain, there lies in wait hybridizations of insects or reptiles more deadly than the feared critters of the human realm could ever aspire to be…

Large insanity driven eyes glinted from a square cranium that sat atop a bulky torso. Broad human arms crossed over the stranger’s chest, but aside from those qualities, from his stomach down he possessed the body of a spider.

“I am Panic,” he said, looking over the group, “And I’ve finally caught the trophy I’ve been after for so long. I’ve captured a queen for my dinner!”

‘Two arms and eight legs,’ Seto thought dejectedly, ‘That thing could strangle all three of us simultaneously! What is one supposed to do to overcome a thing like that?!’

Marik seemed to have found his voice in beneath his fright, and he pleaded, “Please, Panic, there must be something else you can eat! You can’t hurt the queen! I won’t let you!” To prove his point, the young Egyptian leaped between the advancing spider and the entangled fairy. Panic growled, swinging his massive arm in an ark, the appendage slamming against Marik’s stomach and sending the boy flying a short distance off to the left. He landed with a dull thump and a groan, barely still conscious.

“Marik!” Seto gasped as he saw the youth hit the ground. His attention quickly morphed into fury as he turned to Panic, “He had better not be hurt or I swear that the King’s punishments will pale in comparison to what I will do to you!”

“Oh, I highly doubt that…” A new voice supplied; a voice that Mai was very familiar with, in fact. The queen’s gaze met Bakura’s as she glanced up and a gasp slipped from her lips. He looked… different. She didn’t know how, but something about him just seemed to give off this… softer aura, this more… pleasant atmosphere…

As the Goblin King walked calmly towards them, he waved his hand in a flippant motion and the web holding Seto and Mai suddenly disintegrated into fine powder, leaving the previously trapped duo to fall to their knees on the soft earth.

Panic also kneeled down hurriedly before the King, cowering, “You’re Majesty!”

“Your crimes, shall we review them?” Bakura’s businesslike tone belied his anger, “First, you hunt fairies – and in turn, my cousin – as if in sport. Secondly, treason against my family and attempted murder, and thirdly –,” Bakura cast his gaze over to the fallen Marik, “– that boy is to rule beside me in future and harming a future royal means certain death.”

Panic snorted, “That thing, a royal? What a laugh!”

Bakura’s eyes narrowed and not a split second later, a black-tinted purple fissure split the ground beneath Panic’s feat. A surprisingly high pitched scream ripped from the spider’s throat as he fell down into the rapidly expanding pit that suddenly froze in its growth and started to shrink again until Panic’s bawling was cut off as the ground fused together again.

“No one messes with my family or –” Bakura gasped, discontinuing his statement as he started in Marik’s direction…

…only to find that damned elf already leaning over the boy, a concerned look in place.

Marik groaned lightly as he drifted back into consciousness.

“Seto?” The boy lifted his elf so that he was face to face with the kneeling elf, “You’re okay? You beat him?”

Seto’s eyes flittered their gaze to Bakura quickly, realizing that Marik hadn’t noticed the King’s presence yet, “Well, actually–”

“Thanks Seto,” The tanned boy interrupted him, hooking his arms around the elf’s neck; “You saved me.”

Seto would have protested this fact if he hadn’t found Marik’s lips suddenly covering his own in a chaste kiss. Suddenly, nothing else seemed to matter in the world as he pressed forward, returning the gesture. This was… Wait, no, it wasn’t wonderful… if anything, it seemed almost … awkward for Marik. The affection was there, yes… and the want to express gratitude… but there was something missing that the elf couldn’t put a name to… Something stronger than affection or gratitude or even friendship…

There was no love in the kiss…

But Bakura seemed to have thought there was, because his eyes flashed ire red and the dirt beneath both Marik and Seto suddenly disappeared, leaving the duo to utter collective short screams as they disappeared down a dark tunnel.

Mai watched as Seto and Marik disappeared completely, shock masking her features, before her senses returned.

“You!” She sputtered, marching towards her cousin, “For what’s sake did you do that!? Kiana! Where did you send them, Bakura?!”
The King growled, “To the Bog of Eternal Stench, which is exactly where that traitorous elf belongs! Did you see that? He kissed Marik! Kissed my Marik! Well, if that disgusting slave thinks he can get away with stealing my future spouse, he had better think again! The stupid – Oh, I can’t even think of a worse enough name to call that – that fiend!”

The queen was staring at Bakura, entranced. Where had all this… passion come from? It was so unusual to see the king worked up like this! After so much time she had spent watching her cousin rule with an impartial air… this sudden display of weakness for another being – and a human, at that – was frightening to watch.

“You’re jealous,” She said at length, “or afraid…? It is… amazing… Do you not even care that there are others like myself defying your rules? Right now Gozaburo has the Princess Adina held captive in the castle dungeon… and you are worried over the blossoming love between a servant and a human. You have changed a great deal Bakura.”

The words hit home, stabbing the King right in his nonexistent heart. What was he doing? He was the ruler of the entire realm in which the Labyrinth resided! He didn’t have the time to worry about some sordid love affair taking place between a human and an outcast. And that’s what Seto was: an outcast and a slave, who had the spare juncture and the low status to be able to interact freely with a human creature.

“You wouldn’t be able to achieve love in return…”

Bakura sighed heavily. Maybe Marik and that damned elf were better off together. After all, a King’s sole priority was for Kingdom and people… No successful King had ever been happy in the love aspect of life, so why should he expect any different?

“The only chance you may ever have at gaining the affections of your loved one is your powers…”

Besides, Setlist was right… Love is a powerful entity and an undoubtedly hard one to control… The peach probably wouldn’t even work…

“Cousin, are you alright?” Mai’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“I’m fine.” He answered with a sneer. “So, you say that Gozaburo is holding the princess captive? I will see to it that she is released within the hour.”

The queen heaved a relived sigh, before the ground suddenly vanished from beneath her feat. She caught the edge of the hole in time and was now just staring up at Bakura in astonishment and anger.

“Cousin!” Her tone was accusing, “What is the meaning of this?!”

Bakura stared down at the dangling queen, his voice and expression impassive, “As you stated earlier; you disobeyed my commands… and now you must pay. Goodbye Cousin. Join your treacherous friends.”

He kicked her hand and the blonde woman let out a scream as she was plunged downwards into darkness.

The King turned away from the trap hole, a frown covering his features as his silver locks shadowed his face and hid his eyes from view. A clear glistening crystalline droplet trickled down Bakura’s cheek from behind his hair and fell to the brown earth with a small ‘tap’ sound.

Suddenly, a tiny shoot of bright, lush green emerged from the ground. It wound upwards a few inches in a spiral shape before blossoming into a pure white rose.

Bakura glanced down, startled, watching sparkles of magic shimmer in the air around the flower, before his hand whipped up to his face and he rubbed quickly against his cheek to be rid of the wet trail.

“I forgot that I could do that,” he mumbled as his form started to shift into that of the renowned white barn owl. His last words echoed in the air as he flew off towards the castle…

“Damn Marik… He’s making me feel again…”

Gasp, what shall happen next? Only time will tell. Anyone what to tell me there favorite scene? I’m willing to bet that the revelation of who Bakura’s father was, was a real shock for the readers. Any input of the currant twist? I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully, the next one will be out quicker.

Next Chapter: The Bog of Eternal Stench, Tristan makes another appearance and maybe even a new character to add into the mix. Stay tuned and…

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