Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Fruit of Temptation ❯ The Masque ( Chapter 3 )

Yami glared out the window of the palace room. His eyes narrowed as they fell upon the Roman city. He hated it here. Rome was nothing compared to his beautiful desert homeland. The people were rude and not too pleasing in appearance. Even the one he was being forced to marry, Anzu, was not as appealing as his father had made her seem. She was very plain. Rome was very plain.

There was a knock at the door, "Yami? Son, may I enter?"

The prince of Egypt turned away from the window, "yes you may," he replied, relaxing as his mother entered the room.

The queen of Egypt smiled, walking over to her soon, "look at you," she began, admiring her son in his party attire, "a little Roman god."

Yami rolled his eyes, "I am not a romam, and neither are you. Don't compare me to their kind of god, mother."

Leila chuckled, "you must learn to be more tolerable, my son. After all, your future wife believes in these dieties," she explained.

"I told you I don't want to marry her, mother."

"Why don't you just give her a chance? Anzu is a lovely, sweet young girl and," the woman grinned, "she seems to have taking a liking to you."

Yami sat down on the cushiony bed, "well I don't love her."

The queen sighed, "I know you're not fond of the idea of marrying someone you barely know, but just try to be optemistic about the situation." She embraced her child, "just try. It won't be as horrible as you think." She stood, taking the prince's hand, "come. The party will begin when Ra sets and we have yet to find you a mask."

"A mask? Why wear a mask?"

"It's for the party. All guests will wear one."

~~~

"Jonouchi! Jonouchi!" Anzu scuttled down the hall, stopping when she saw the tall servant boy flirting with one of Pince Yugi's personal guards, Mai. The blonde woman laughed at him and walked away. Jonouchi cursed loudly. She slapped him on the back, "Jonouchi!"

The blonde yelped, spinning and facing the Roman princess. He bowed nervously, "sorry, Mistress Anzu," he apologized. "Couldn't hear ya."

The brunette rolled her eyes, "has everything been prepared for my dear brother's arrivak?"

"Yep. I jus' finished straightening up his room a few hours past."

"Great. Very much thanks, Jonouchi." She turned but then stopped, remembering another question she had wanted to ask the servant, "Oh and before I take my leave, I must inquire as to if you've spotted my fiancé, by chance?"

The slave put his finger to his chin, "no, Mistress Anzu. Can't say I have," he replied.

Anzu sighed, "I'll take my leave now. Goodbye, Jonouchi."

The slave bowed, "I shall see ya at the party when I escort master Yugi."

~~~

Yami exhaled, raising a hand to the white mask he wore. His face was sweating profusely underneath it and the feathers tickled his cheeks and chin.

"Yami, my son, keep your mask on," Leila said, chuckling as the teen groaned.

The prince glared at the ground and put the mask back on, "my face sweats," he complained. "I am not accustomed to such a silly tradition, and neither do I want to be. Must I attend the festivities?"

The queen nodded, "the masque is being held in your honor. T'would be rude not to show your handsome face."

Rolling his eyes, the teen continued walking down the hallway towards the ballroom, "this is going to be miserable, mother."

"Oh come now, son, you'll have a wonderful time." Leila smiled, "I know of your love for dancing."

"I like the art of _Egyptian_ dancing, mother," Yami corrected. "Not whatever they do."

The queen shook her head, "don't you think you are being just a wee bit unfair, boy?"

"Not one bit."

The woman patted her son on the back, "enough of this nonsense. Now, I command you to get in there and enjoy yourself," she ordered with a smile, pointing to the large ballroom doors. Dance music could be heard from just outside; soft piano and violin notes making beautiful melodies.

Yami grudgingly did as told and nodded to the guard who stood in front of the door. The doors were opened for him and once he stepped inside, all activities stopped. Masked faces turned towards the entryway. The king stood from his chair and beamed at him. Anzu sat next to him, a spark lighting up her eyes as she spotted her prince. After a few moments to introduce him, the music started up again. Yami looked back up towards the emperor, noticing Anzu wasn't by his side anymore.

"Prince Yami?" a feminine voice called hesitantly.

The Pharaoh's son spun around the see the brunette princess gazing fondly up at him, a small blush painting her cheeks. She wore an elegant pink dress which glimmered with sequens. Her mask was small, only covering up to her nose. It was the same shade of pink with white feathers and jewels placed around the eyes. "You look lovely, Anzu," he said, bowing politely. He did mean what he say. She did looks rather stunning in her formal dress.

The girl's blush deepened and she giggled, "you look striking yourself," she replied, stepping a bit closer to him and fluttering her eyelashes. She curtsied, "you must dance with me."

Yami laughed nervously, "oh...I really shouldn't. I am terrible at the dance."

The queen of Egypt, who had been standing close enough to listen, scowled, "do not be silly, my son, you are a splendid dancer."

"Is it true, Prince Yami? If you are really so terrific, then you must show me yourself." She took the teen's hand in her own, "come, let us dance."

The red eyed prince rolled his eyes at this. Already, he found his future wife irritating. She certainly knew how to get under his skin because if there was one thing he truly disliked, it was someone forcing him to do something he refused...hence why he didn't like his father much at all.

Anzu placed placed Yami's hand on her hip and interlaced his other with hers. She took her right hand and placed it on Yami's shoulder, smiling brightly up at him, "move, silly." She took a first step to the side to start the waltz.

Yami groaned inwardly, eyes dull as he twirled around with the princess. He felt like a fool, dancing like this and concealing his face with an ugly mask.

"You dance divinely, Prince Yami," Anzu commented, dipping down slightly and bringing the prince down with her. She giggled, "though I find that your mask covers your face too much. I wish to stare at your pretty features."

The teen blushed slightly, "um...thank you." He sighed in relief as the song ended. Stepping away from Anzu, he bowed once more, "well, my princess, I am parched. Please, allow me to excuse myself to get a quick drink."

The brunette giggled softly, "of course, but promise to return to me?"

Yami forced a smile and kissed her hand, "but of course." Without waiting another moment, he turned and strode to the other side of the room. He picked up a pasty from a platter and raised it to his lips, taking a bite out of it.

"Tsk, tsk, little cousin. You have only been here for the grand total of five minutes and already you stuff yourself?"

The teen turned to see Seto standing beside him, a smirk on his face. He rolled his eyes, "I happen to like desserts, cousin."

The brunette put an arm around the prince, "oh yes, that I am well aware of." He laughed, slipping his hand under the other's shirt, "but I am also aware of the bit of flab down here." He pinched the skin of Yami's stomach.

Yami frowned and removed Seto's hand, "you just so happen to be heavier than I am."

"But I am taller, dear little cousin. Since you are below the average height, you naturally will be less heavy than me."

"I can never win with you can I?"

"I doubt you ever will, dear cousin."

The shorter of the two cousins rolled his crimson eyes, raising the chocolate pastry to his mouth once again. He stopped, dropping the dessert before he could get it into his mouth. Seto raised an eyebrow, noticing the food fall, "honestly, little cousin, what a waste of good dessert." He noticed the awestruck expression on the other's face. "What has drawn dear cousin's attention away from his eating?" he thought allowed. Following the teens gaze, he azure orbs landed on a short figure on the dance floor. "A youth?"

The small boy was wearing a white long sleeved top with black cuffs on the sleeves. He wore white long pants and shiny black boots. A black sash was tighed around his waist. Silky strands of raven and scarlet hair were spiked up to defy gravity, the same style as the prince of Egypt. A crown of golden bangs delicately framed his chubby face. He wore a feather black mask with silver sparkles. The boy was currently waltzing with a short blonde haired girl. She was pretty with sparkling emerald eyes wearing a pastel purple dress and a dark purple mask.

Yami stared at the boy, his eyes wide, "Do my eyes decieve me...?" He took in a breath, "either Ra is playing a cruel joke, or he has sent one of his angels from above."

Seto raised an eyebrow. The boy surely was attractive, that was for sure, but he had never thought his cousin was attracted to males, "he has caught your eye," he stated the obvious.

"He is beautiful..."

The dance ended and the boy pulled away from the blonde, smiling widely before bowing and walking away.

The brunette smiled, wrapping an arm around his cousin once more, "could this be what they call true love at first sight? I had thought such a thing was impossible, but maybe Ra has taken a liking for dear Pharaohs son. Perhaps my little cousin will find love easy. This love appears right in front of his eyes and he knows this already. Could love really be this easy?" He pulled back, "and if it is, why have not I met my lover yet?"

The Pharaoh's son, took Seto's arm off of his shoulder and took a step forward, "should I go to him? Introduce myself?" he asked no one in particular.

"How else will you, little cousin, get him to love you if you do not speak a word?" The high priest in training chuckled, folding his arms over his chest.

Yami looked towards the retreating petite form, "so beautiful...so graceful how his hips move side to side so smoothly as he walks. It is though he dances without a partner, without a tune. Ra, it's like his walk is a dance all on it's own. I am wondering if his voice is a song, perhaps?" He blinked, taking another step. He placed a hand over his heart, "surely someone...someone like I cannot be worthy of such perfection?"

Seto smiled, "little cousin, you act like a silly little girl with a infatuation. Here I was thinking you were becoming a man. I am embarassed to stand just next to you." he took a step away to emphasize his point. He chuckled, seeing Yami not moving still. "Something will not become of nothing if you do nothing to make it something." He grinned.

"I know not what that is supposed to mean, dear cousin."

"Simply, to put it in words you will understand," he laughed as the other growled, "if you do not go after the one whom has obviously already stolen your heart, then he will never meet you. Thus, you will not have a relationship. There will be nothing where there could have been something."

Yami nodded, "I see. So I should follow him?"

"It would be more wise than standing there goggling, wouldn't you agree?"

The shorter nodded and, without waiting for another word from his kinsman, he left in the direction of the captivating youth. He sped up his pace, looking around for those tri-colored locks. He spotted the short boy a few feet away, heading for the ballroom exit. He ran over and followed him secretly, leaving the ballroom behind him. They turned a few corners before Yami decided to make his appearance known. He opened his mouth, but found his throat dry. He actually so nervous that he couldn't form words. //My, this has never happened before...// Clearing his throat, he noticed the form stiffen slightly.

The boy whirled around, "w-who follows me?" he asked, voice shaky.

Yami stepped forward, smiling, "I was right, your voice is like a song, just as your movements a dance."

The shorter raised an eyebrow, "who are you to say this?"

"A distant admirer..."

Giggling, the angelic youth took a step towards the taller. A blush spread across his cheeks, "may I have the privalege on knowing the name of this admirer?" He questioned, blinking slowly.

The prince of Egypt stared into the large violet eyes belonging to the other, "I am Yami."

"I've always loved the dark," the boy said, taking another step closer. He smiled and removed his mask, revealing the rest of his face.

Yami held in a gasped, "m-may I know your name? Or must I go on refering to you as an angel sent from the gods?"

The little one giggled again, bringing a delicate hand to cover his mouth, "You may call me Yugi, if you wish."

"Yugi," Yami breathed out, "such a lovely name for a lovely boy."

Yugi's cheeks reddened slightly, "you think so?"

The taller nodded, taking a step closer to the smaller boy and reached towards him, pulling him towards his body, "I do..." He smirked, backing the smaller against a wall. He leaned down slightly, "so what are you doing out here by yourself?"

The shorter boy's breath caught in his throat, "I-I am not one for dances. I like to leave early."

"Me as well..." Yami smiled, pressing his forehead against Yugi's, "I feel something towards you, Yugi. I won't lie."

"I feel something too..."

"If I kissed you...would you pull away?"

Yugi smiled, breathing speading up slightly, "it depends on if I like the kiss."

Yami grinned, "well then, I might kiss you..."

"...And I might kiss you back, sir Yami."

Yami leaned down and gently. covered Yugi's lips with his own.