Title: Happily Ever After

Author: Mrpointyhorns

Rating: M

Pairing: The Main ones are YBxR, YMxM, YYxY, SxJ, OxT

Beta: None. I'm very sorry.

Warnings: Slash, crossdressing, Sort Mpreg…but not really?

Sequel to: Once Upon the Time

A/n: I only have an idea of where this is going. I don't have chapters written out, and I really don't know how long it is. But I do know how it's going to end, and I do know that it will compliment the first fic well. Oh, and I'm probably going to edit the original fic. I typed/posted it so fast that I never got a chance to, so I really want to make sure it's shiny!

Happily Ever After

Happily ever after, should have been the results of the Young Prince's marriage to the first daughter of the most high and honorable lord Bakura. The marriage ensured that the Prince would one day take his father as king of the land his wife would be the queen. It meant that life would continue to flourish and thrive under their kind rule. The corrupt ways of the king's brother would not destroy their way of life.

There was only one thing stopping this happily-ever-after from occurring. Although a short spell of happiness blanket over the land for the first months of their marriage, it was beginning to wear off. No longer in their honeymoon there were certain things a future king and queen were expected to do. Although there was no written law, a lady was expected to produce an heir to the estate and a future queen was expected to produce an heir to the throne.

Although, the Prince and his new wife were still considered young people, not ready to take on the role of a parent. The ladies and lords, the dukes and duchess were all becoming suspicious of the future queen's fertile. There had been no scares of early parenthood, or any talk about when the Prince and his wife would be ready to have children. The Prince argued that he and his wife were taken precautions because they were not ready for a child, but no adult women could believe that their precautions would last as long as they had. Some were beginning to worry, some were beginning to hope, and some were beginning to plot. A queen that could not produce an heir was no queen at all. It meant that the role may open up once again.

The Prince always refused to think about taking another bride. He also refused to sleep with any of his wife's servants, if she could not produce for him, then a servant maybe able to fill the role that she was unable to do. But, the Prince refused to take any steps in becoming a father. He was not a king yet, and he was not ready to become a father. He thought he was helping easy the fears and plots of his people, but he was only doing the opposite. Some of the hopeful replacements were becoming too eager to replace the Prince's barren wife putting him and his wife in danger.

After several months of taunting and harsh words, the prince's wife was beginning to doubt his own ability to be a good wife to his husband, and a good queen to their people. The truth was when Lord Bakura and his wife had been blessed with a beautiful first born son. They had been so ashamed that they refused to raise him as a boy. They dressed him in girl clothes and only allowed him to do girl things. The Prince's beautiful wife only learned of his parents lie after he had already fallen in love with the Prince, and by then it was too late for him to ever truly feel like a boy.

His parents' shame was suddenly his own luck. The Prince would never have been able to find a wife, and ensure his future role as king, if he had to marry a girl. Once his parents' lie, it was not the future queen and the Prince's secret to keep. The secret had brought hope, happiness, and fortune to all of the land, especially the Prince and his wife, but after the short spell of happily-ever-after began to fade, the secret was threatening to destroy their love and the kingdom.

If he did let the secret out, he would not be allowed to stay by the Prince's side. But the pressure to produce a child that could not be produce was only hurting his relationship with the young Prince. He knew that he had to find a way to produce a son or risk losing the Prince's love forever.

He had no idea that the answers to all his problems would be triggered by the most embarrassing night of his life. The serious of events that unfolded after would lead him on a quest that would help him obtain more then he had sought. His quest would help save his marriage, the kingdom, and his life.

Ryou felt completely bored. The formalities of the New Year's Eve Annual Ball were so dull, at least compared to what she could be doing. Right then he was keeping up with the task of greeting all of their guests. He was not the only one with the task but he was the only one that had to fend off the passes of some of the men.

"I worried when I heard about the Prince's frivolous quest," One old man with a grey beard and beady eyes bent forward to look down his nose at him. "But a girl like you was worth the risk, and the worry. Imagine a commoner producing such fruit."

He blushed at the compliment. "I think I was just lucky—" the man's left hand found her backside, and his right found her breast. "Sir, please."

"You will save a dance for me later, wouldn't you?" The man asked. He disregarded her plead for him to stop touching her.

Ryou understood that many of the upper-crust girls and ladies were quietly loose, while publicly they frowned at anything indecent. It meant that their husbands received far less attention then their flings did. It was only natural for a man to think that Ryou was also interested in an affair. The only problem with this idea was that it did not take into account Change of Hearts. She would never tolerate this behavior, but she would never make a public scene about it either. Ryou wished to have her confidence and knowledge. Then he could get away from this man without embarrassing either of them.

Not knowing what to do, he stood there blushing for several long minutes. He would have been there much longer, but a warm arm snaked around her middle and pulled him back. The man was quickly dislodged. He made an about turn and moved briskly away.

Ryou sank relieved into the embrace. He knew that touch so well. It had only been little over a year but since his wedding to Prince Bakura he had grown to know every thing about him.

"Let Seto finish doing this," Bakura insisted. He turned Ryou around in his arms. He kissed his soft lips. "Marik wants to see how cute you look."

"You have a bet with him and Yami?" Ryou asked coyily.

"Who ever wins gets to top," Bakura answered with a nod and a grin. No matter what the prize Bakura always wanted to win against Yami.

Ryou shook his head but waved to Seto when Bakura led him away. He still fooled around with all of his friends, consistently. Ryou was never jealous it was silly to do so because she knew it would not stop him. He offered to let him join in but he refused.

Bakura led her to their table pulling out the chair beside Marik. He pushed the chair in when she sat down. "I'm putting you in charge of her purity Marik."

Marik looked up from where he was talking to Malik, Yami, and Yugi. He contorted the features on his face. "But, 'Kura," he whined, "she sleeps with you."

Their companions laughed appropriately and Bakura stopped short of sticking his tongue out in retort. "But, 'arik," he mocked, "I just had to pull the lord of Worstcher off of her. You should have seen her, she was so frightened."

Marik gasp of shock and horror followed. He turned to confirm the facts with Ryou. Immediately he knew it was the truth. "Oh Ryou! My poor girl." He wrapped his arms around Ryou's shoulders and hugged her tight to him. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, okay? I wouldn't let another man touch you. After all, I am the one that found you, and if anyone should have a chance at stealing you away from Bakura it's me."

Ryou giggled softly. He took Marik's hands into his own and looked into Marik's bright eyes. "Don't worry honey. I promise you're my next and only in line."

"Ryou what about me!" Yami exclaimed, practically leaping out of his seat and across the table. "I seem to recall you having a certain interest in me when you thought the prince, me, had a crush on you."

Ryou blushed brightly. "Good thing for you that you were not the prince. Otherwise, I don't think Bakura would have let you live too long."

Yami looked over to Ryou's left side, where Bakura sat. There seemed to be some sort of power-play that occurred for a few minutes, which ended in Yami shuddering, and Marik laughing. The tri-haired advisor turned his attention back to Ryou. "What about me?"

"If I slept with you, I would have to sleep with everyone else." He gestured down the table where Duke and Tristan sat, and then he nodded towards the hall where Seto was entertaining Jounouchi behind a drapery.

"I vote for Ryou sleeping with Yami," Malik raised his hand. He sat on Marik's other side. He leered at Ryou from around Marik, obviously wanting to be part of the everyone else that Ryou had to sleep with if he slept with Yami.

"Can we not talk about this," Yugi finally spoke up. His soft young voice a few octaves higher then normal.

"That sounds like a good idea," Seto's deep voice answered. He sat down next to Yami, across from Ryou. He gave his friends a stern look. "It's not appropriate dinner talk."

"Did you get groped by the lord as well?" Marik asked curiously.

"No," Seto huffed displeased with even the idea. "It was the duke."

"Oh Seto," Yami rubbed his arm affectionately.

The room grew increasingly quiet. Even the guys settled down from the playful teasing. At the rooms entrance Queen Change of Heart and the King Rika. They stood arm in arm waiting for the room to quiet down. Then King Rika led his wife to the table, where his son and the others sat.

They stopped in front of the two seats that remained open, both of them were beside Seto, one of which would be across from Bakura, and the other would be kiddy-cornered from him. Change of Heart raised her hand in silence, even though no one had said a word since she and her husband had entered.

"We want to thank everyone for coming to this night of feast and celebration. Our Kingdom has had twenty long years of good fortune, and we want to make that twenty more," She gave her short speech. A loud applause followed her words, because no one wanted the Kingdom or their prosperity to end.

She took her seat next to Seto, announcing that the gayeties begin and that the feast be served. Her husband joined her at her other side, he was also sitting across from his brother, Pegasus. Despite the fact that he had done everything in his power to take the throne, aside from killing anyone, he was still considered family and they did not turn their back on him.

"You look beautiful tonight, Ryou," Change of Heart said with a smile. She was very fond of her 'daughter-in-law' and she openly accepted her as a friend, as well as a new family member. It would have been a nightmare if that had not been so; Kagura of Trent was proof of that.

"I agree. I was certain that there could not be a woman as beautiful as my wife, but you have proved me wrong child." Rika smiled at his son's good choice in women.

Ryou blushed brightly. He felt a little bad; Rika had no idea that he was not a girl. Change of Heart and all of Bakura's friends knew the truth. Ryou felt that Rika would accept him for who he really was, but the less people that knew the truth the better.

"You are beautiful," Bakura leaned in to say softly in his ear. Most of the people listening and join-in the conversation turned away to give the two some privacy. "You should know that every guy here wishes to be me."

"I do," Marik chimed in. He was one of the few people that had not tuned out, "For what we discussed before."

That made Ryou smile and relaxed. Marik was always a good friend, they were able to talk and confide in each other. Ryou had trusted Marik with his biggest secret and so he trusted him now with all his little ones. Bakura on the other hand liked to make Ryou blush and squirm.

"Jounouchi," Change of Heart placed a hand on his forearm when he came by to refill their drinks. He along with most of the Castle's staff was working that night. Everyone working knew that once the feast was finished, they could relax and have their own party in the kitchens, and the grounds.

Not even Jounouchi complained about helping out. Tristan had 'given' his slave his freedom, and Seto had secured him a job in the castle. It kept him from the cruel hands of his master, both paid for his services, and gave him a place to sleep, but most importantly it kept him near Seto.

"Why don't you sit with us tonight?" Change of Heart said in a no-arguing sort of way. Ryou stood up to make room for Jounouchi, allowing for him to sit across from Seto. Ryou now sat across from his mother-in-law and Bakura was across from his father.

"Wow Jounouchi I didn't know anyone could blush more then Ryou," Yugi chirped. He received several incredible looks from his friends causing Yugi to blush brightly.

The group continued to laugh and talk to each other. Sometimes they spoke in small groups, and sometimes their conversations included the whole grope. There was eating involved and a large amount of drinking.

It was amazing that any of them were able to continue the party in the ball room after the feast. Everyone was dancing to the music, it changed from waltzes to two-steps, and even a few slow dances.

Ryou danced mainly with Bakura. He felt very comfortable dancing, it was much easier remembering every step, than having to greet, and mingle with the guests. Ryou could not refuse anyone a dance however, because it was impolite. No one would interrupt him if he was dancing with Bakura, but if he was dancing with Marik, or had stopped for a break he was almost always asked to dance by someone else. He was just glad that most of the dances did not allow the men to grope their partners, and he was always with Bakura for the ones that did allow it.

It was invigorating and exhausting crossing the room in huge sweeps to the tempo of the music. It made Ryou's feet scream in pain, but he was not about to stop. He remembered dancing with Bakura and his friends in the city where they met Malik. It had been the same night that he had refused to be with Yami because he loved Bakura. He finished the night by puking all over Bakura's shoes. It was embarrassing to recall that part, but the rest of that night had felt like a dream.

Before that night he spent most of her time reading and dreading the day that his father married him to some old ugly lord. Now his days were filled with duties, friends, and Bakura. It finally gave him hope that he had a future that would mean something.

"Excuse me," Ryou placed a hand on the Duke's chest when the dance ended. He did not remember the man's name, but he knew it would not matter. The next time he would see him would be at next year's party.

Ryou ducked pasted the band, leaving the ballroom. He slipped into one of the rooms to relieve himself that night. It was difficult pulling back his dress in order to aim into the brass colored chamber pot.

After he finished, he went back out into the hall. He wanted to get back to the ballroom, and hopefully find someone he preferred to dance with. A gaggle of girls in the entrance way caused him to slow down as he approached. He wanted to get around them as quickly but as unnoticed as possible.

He was not lucky. One of the girl's stepped in front of him with a large smile. She was one of the girls that hung around the castle all year. She was probably related to someone wealth who lived in the castle, or at least in the surrounding city. She was one of the girls that had wanted to marry Bakura before he went off in search of his quests. They all hated Ryou for taking their chance at becoming Queen. It was worse that he was an outsider, but they would never understand that they never had a chance. Bakura did not like girls, and the only reason Ryou was with Bakura was because he was very good at acting like a girl.

The fact that Ryou was raised to think that he was a girl had been luck. If he had not been dressed as a girl the day Bakura and his friends came into his village, they would never meet him. It was because of his parents' cruel acceptance of their pretty son, which enabled Ryou to become Bakura's wife.

It had been a blessing but now it was starting to become a curse. Because Ryou was not really a girl, he could not perform all of the duties that a wife and a queen were expected to do. She could never produce a child for Bakura, and everyone was starting to notice. Ryou and Bakura had been together for over a year, and Ryou should have been pregnant by now. Despite the fact that Bakura insisted that he did not want to have kids yet, the women and girls of the court were starting to believe that his choice had been a bad one. They were all hoping to move in on his mistake.

Ryou tried to step around the girl, but she moved in front of him again. "You look pretty tonight Ryou," The girl said in an oh-so-sweet-sounding voice. It gave him chills.

"Oh, thank you," Ryou politely answered back. He tried to use his oh-so-sweet-sounding voice, but it only came out as a squeak. "I was just going to look for Bakura."

"Wait a second, you should talk to us for a while." The girl stepped even closer to Ryou forcing him to take a step back. She continued to move in on him, despite his attempts to get away. "It's sweet that you love him and everything Ryou. I just don't think it's going to work out for you. It doesn't look like you can give him what he needs. So you can dress-up in your pretty gowns and do your hair up in bows, but it's not going to last."

The other girls began to follow her. Every time they took a step forward Ryou would take a step back. This was another thing he was not good at doing. He would like to defend himself and tell the girls off, but he did not want to cause a scene. He wanted there to be away for these girls to respect him but without ruining his own sweet image. Change of Heart was able to do it so well, but Ryou had no idea what her secret is.

The girls stopped pursuing him as the main girl stopped speaking. Ryou was surprised usually they had much more to say, but they still did not let him through when he tried to walk around them.

"I just want you to know, that when you're no longer around. I will take good care of the Prince for you," the girl said this with a slight curl of her lips. Ryou wanted to reach out grab a fist full of her hair and pull, but he refrained. The girl only said words and he would not lower himself to violence.

The girl took one final step forward and shoved Ryou in the chest hard. Ryou toppled backwards and fell into the entrance's fountain. Water soaked his dress and his hair. It toppled down from the spout and made his make-up run. He screamed in shock. The water was cold and the fall was unpleasant, and he could not hold back.

The girls broke out into upper-crust laughter, hiding it behind their hands. The noise from the cry and from the girls alert some of the guest from the ballroom, and it was not long before the entire party had come to see what happened. Although most of the guests where shocked at the scene few could keep from laughing as well. Ryou looked like nothing less then a drown animal.

"Ryou," Bakura reached into the fountain to give him a hand out. "Are you alright?"

Ryou could not feel comfort from Bakura's kindness. Most of the party was laughing at him and the cruel words that had been spoken to her still brought painful tears to his eyes. He got out of the fountain on his own accord and hurried out of the hall, escaping to his and Bakura's rooms.

The biggest thought burning in his head was the idea that the girls may somehow be right. Bakura would have to take another wife to produce an heir, and Ryou knew that no matter what Bakura would never treat someone terribly. He would learn to love his second wife, especially when she gave him his first child. Ryou may still be there physically, but their relationship would never be the same.

Those girls were right he could not give Bakura what he needed, and because of that he would lose him. His dream life would be over, he just wished that there was some way to change all of this.