DISCLAIMER.
Yuugiou is not mine. Which is a shame, really. He's darn cute.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.
This is the end, folks. Thanks to all who stayed on since a year ago, I love you guys. Peace out.

X x x x x X

Anzu leaned happily into Atemu amidst the delighted ring of wedding bells, remembering everything.

There wasn't much to recollect about the first part. There was cold, and there was warmth. There were the Gods, and there was Atemu. There were sneers, and there were encouraging words whispered into her ear. Whispering for her to turn away from death, back to life. The red dragon had a terrible sneer, she remembered, thick and hideous and formed with a sort of sadistic delight which reeked of blood to be spilt—her blood, Atemu's blood.

Somewhere in the middle, Seto and Kisara had entered the picture; she wasn't certain when. Her mind had begun to freeze, the scarlet draconic figure's smile loomed closer, superimposed cruelly over her shivering brain. Kisara appeared beaten to shreds, Seto practically supporting her, though her eyes never blinked, matching his in brilliance and unwavering strength. Icy mahogany and fiery cerulean beat the dragon down, the other Gods following, trapped in a Circle of Spellbinding. Then Kisara had collapsed. Seto had walked over to them, groping blindly about with his energy. They could not be seen. With her mind, she grabbed his hand. They had all been transported back, the Gods released, left with a note of explanation etched into the ice in glowing blood from Kisara's cut hand.

They had arrived home, and Anzu had fallen asleep.

X x x x x X

Atemu ran a finger gently over Anzu's shoulder. His road to their current position had held a few more troubles.

They had arrived home, and Anzu had fallen asleep. Amane, Ryou, and Dorobo had rushed to assist their party, eyes wide in petrification at Kisara's state. Seto had refused bedrest to stay by her side. Amane and Ryou had taken the other three up to the dancers' room. Dorobo grabbed Atemu's hand the second they were around a corner, tugging him viciously in an opposite direction.

"What the. . . !"

"Come with me!" Dorobo snarled.

"Wha--"

"Just come, dammit!"

"Dorobo, what on earth is going on?"

"Your brother," he hissed, eyes raving, "is now being talked into suicide by your father."

"WHAT?"

They had run as fast as their legs would allow them to, flying up staircases to the King's third-floor office. Atemu burst through the door. "Yuugi! FATHER!"

The King looked up solemnly. Yuugi, sitting in the chair before their father's desk, barely dared move. He could not believe in the voice he was hearing.

"YUUGI."

He was forced to turn. His expression flew from one of despair to one of bewilderment. He launches himself at his older brother, his chair knocked to the ground. Atemu embraced him tightly, turning on his father. He mustered all the calmness he could, biting his tongue as he tried to speak.

"Father. What. Have. You. Done."

For a moment it seemed as if it had been the King who had frozen beneath the Greathen o Hanara. For a moment he moved not. Then he slowly, cautiously, fearfully stood up, walking to face his elder son, and placed his crown on Atemu's head.

"I have resigned."

It was rumored by some that the King had himself committed suicide. It was rumored by others that he had immigrated to Ergden incognito and joined one of its nursing homes to live out the rest of his days in peace. It was rumored by still others that he had become a hermit living deep inside a wood somewhere in Eythereau.

It was known by Eythereau's magical masters and close companions of Yuugi and Atemu that the second was true.

Atemu, as King, had spoken with Shizuka, kindly but firmly broken off their engagement. His first law in his new position forbid arranged marriages and allowed divorces and the breaking-up of engagements.

Anzu and Johnny had consequentially detached themselves from each other as quickly as possible.

Seto and Kisara, a day later, announced their engagement and their plans to marry by the season's end. The entire kingdom was treated to an month of excellent gossip before it was cut short by their wedding.

X x x x x X

Anzu's eyes grew huge as Seto pulled Kisara towards him and the two performed a wedding dance of twirls and drifting rotations, lifts and pivots. She floated down to him from a lift, a glowing beauty of light blue wearing a sparkling diamond tiara. He kissed his bride slowly, sweetly.

Atemu caressed Anzu's hand, as she so loved. "What a good ending. That dance was spectacular."

Anzu smirked. "That's not the real ending."

He turned to her, confused, as Seto and Kisara made their way through an overexcited, flower-tossing crowd. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, they just wanted to kiss and end it. So they did." Atemu broke out laughing.

"Not a bad idea, really."

It was Anzu's turn to laugh. "No indeed. But you know, now the people's gossip will get cut short a few minutes. They won't like that."

Atemu's eyes trained themselves elsewhere. "It doesn't have to be. . ."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean. . ." He cleared his throat, and for a second was silent. Then he met her eyes full-on, smiling vibrantly, and pulled from the pocket of his jacket a heart-pendant on a chain, each made of pure, glittering beryl.

"I mean, will you marry me?"

"Of course."

Atemu heard the whispers already beginning as he blindly fastened the blue clasp at the back of her neck, kissing her gently.

The end.