Yami heard a yawn from inside his room. Poking his head in through the door to the balcony, Yami saw Yukai waking up. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She opened them and blinked a few times. She raised her left hand to stifle the next yawn and then looked around the room, presumably for Yami.
Yami gave a light laugh. "Looking for me?" Yukai looked to him and nodded. "Well, I'm right here. I didn't leave you alone."
Yukai nodded silently. Yami frowned and walked over to her. Yukai stood up and began to walk to the door to leave to begin her morning duties. Yami took her arm. Yukai stopped and looked back at him.
/What could he want/ Yukai thought as Yami gave her his normal, mischievous grin. Yukai gave a small worried frown. /Uh-oh. I've heard that that smile means death to some.../
Yami titled his face forward to brush a kiss on his love's lips. /Darn/ Yami yelled in his mind as Yukai grabbed a pillow from his bed and he ended up kissing it. Yami frowned and pulled away, slightly giggling.
"Guess you don't want me to kiss you, eh?" He guessed aloud. Yukai still held up the pillow. Yami chuckled. "I'm not going to kiss you if that's what you don't want."
Yukai carefully lowered the pillow. "Honestly?" Yami nodded. Yukai blinked herself to her senses quickly and pulled from the Pharaoh's grip. "Well, the Northern Pharaoh should be arriving within the next few hours. I'm gonna go...uh...you know." Yukai gave a quick wave before she disappeared out the door with a quick "Bye, your highness!"
Later That Day Yukai covered her head as she went running out of the kitchen and down the hall. "I was only trying to help!" She yelled as she ducked a pot.
Cookie stuck her head out of the kitchen, tossing another spatula. "Stay outta my kitchen ya rotten brat!"
Yami came walking by, hearing the ruckus. He grabbed Yukai's wrist and pulled her back to the kitchen.
Yami sort of lectured her, to hide his love for her from the cook. "Listen, Yukai. Pharaoh is expecting a big welcome and we want to make sure that he doesn't get disappointed and orders war, right?" Yukai was able to answer his question as he spoke so quickly. "Right. Now, I need you and Cookie to work together and cook the feast."
Cookie crossed her big arms. She was a dirty lady. She was big and mean, even her brown eyes spelled death. "Sire, this twig can't cook sushi." Yami looked at Cookie for her normal sarcastic add-on to a statement. "She is the sushi!" Yukai sighed. "I can't work with a brat who can't even get a single mint leaf off of the plant without killing the plant!"
Yami frowned, knowing that that was the truth. He looked at Yukai who was slightly nibbling on her bottom lip. "I don't care! We just have to make sure that Pharaoh doesn't turn us into sushi!"
Cookie and Yukai both nodded. As soon as Yami was well out of earshot Cookie and Yukai started arguing over what was they should cook for the guest and his vassals. They ended up agreeing on Yukai just doing small tasks and Cookie taking the big labor.
When the sun was close to its time of setting camels arrived in the city. Word quickly spread to Pharaoh Yami that Pharaoh Rio (Seto Kaiba) and his vassals were now moments from the Pharaoh's gates. All of the workers, servants and slaves in the Pharaoh hurried around and got the feast table's finishing touches done.
Yami went down the halls with his two best, best mannered that is, bodyguards. Jounouchi was in a highly expensive and flashy outfit, with his broad sword at his waist and a dagger on the other side of his waist. Honnda (Tristan Taylor "Honnda Hiroto") was the other. He was wearing the same outfit as Jounouchi but instead of a sword he carried a strong metal swallow on his back. It was sharp on both ends and was made of iron; it was a very good weapon for anyone who likes poles and swords.
Yami dressed in his formal Pharaoh clothes. Surprisingly enough, for how big of a struggle it was for the royal dressers to get him into it, it was quite comfortable. (And didn't really need a big fuss for him to put on something that looked uncomfortable from the start.) He wore his Dragon Crown on his forehead. It was a third crown of his and was worn on the most import occasions only, like the arrival of another Pharaoh or wedding. Not the kind of thing you'd wear on a date. To match his crown, he wore a gold armlet on his left arm. On his forearms he wore a gold and obsidian cover with ruby gems in it. He wore two gold rings on his left middle finger and thick gold on his right middle finger. As a sort of match, Yami wore a long dark purple cape that had a hood if he wished to cover his interestingly wild hair.
When Rio came in the doors, Yami noticed that he was in a similar outfit. But instead of a complex yellow sash and forest green material for the robe, it was a cyan sash and dark blue for the robe. He, too, wore a long cape-like cloak that was a messy brown. His sandy brown hair was neatly brushed and he wore the same Dragon crown on his forehead. He didn't wear the armlet or the forearm covers. He did wear one big gold fan-down-like earring on each ear lobe.
Yami held his arm to the side. "Please, do come in, Pharaoh."
Rio nodded, his cold cobalt eyes staring at Yami's waist. Rio walked past Yami, and, with Jounouchi leading the way, the four made their way down to the banquet hall. Yami ordered Jounouchi and Honnda to go in, ahead of them, because they had something to discuss. They followed the orders without complaint and walked in.
Yami took Rio's arm and led him away from the door until they were about fifteen feet away. Yami looked around quickly and then sighed heavily. Rio frowned at this.
"Mmm, is my dear prince not happy?" Rio pulled Yami to him so his back was at his chest. Rio trailed his right hand down and rubbed softly at Yami's sex through the fabric.
Yami slightly moaned from the pleasure but pulled from Rio's arms. Rio blinked. "I'm sorry, Rio. I don't love you anymore. I still enjoy your company, yes, and most defiantly I thank you for all of that pleasure you have given me in the past. Rio, I want to be like a normal man and love a woman."
Rio nodded. "I understand. I, too, have fallen in love with a woman. Whom do you love? A stable girl? A servant? The girl who helps you wash your back?"
Yami shook his head. "No. I love a slave. She is my main servant, however, and I've already told her of how I feel."
"Then why not show her?" Rio asked.
Yami sighed. "It's different between you and me. We've seen each other bare before, but me...I've never seen a female bare."
"I see." Rio nodded. He felt his belly rumble with hunger and he knew that Yami needed a subject change. "So, what's for dinner? I'm mighty hungry!"
Yami held up his left hand with his index finger stretched out and slightly waving with his mouth open. "Uh...you know? I don't even know. I let my main servant and my cook work together, which is kinda dangerous... So, uh...the food is unpredictable by me!"
Rio laughed. "Interesting! You don't even know what you're going to eat! For all you know, it could be your main servant's heart!"
Yami laughed sarcastically. "Ha-hah! You know, that wasn't funny. I love her."
Rio held up a hand, gagging down his laughs. "Aw. You know what? I'm sorry. I know and I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." He paused. "Can we go eat now?" Both boys—Pharaohs, rather—laughed and walked to the doors to the banquet hall.
Rio held out his arm. "After you."
Yami held out his arm. "Oh, no. After you."
"Youngest first."
Yami shook his head. "Oh, no. No. Not tonight. Oldest first."
"Shortest first."
"Tallest first."
"Ruler first."
Yami paused. "Then that means we'd both go in. Aw! Shall we?"
Rio took the offered arm, laughing. "Lets!"
Together, the two entered the banquet hall, arm in arm. Yami guided Rio over to where he was to sit and then sat down himself. After a quick toast, thank to the gods and a few questions from the vassals they began to eat.
Yami peered around at his company. /Where's Yukai/ He thought not seeing his main servant and love. Yami poked Jounouchi's shoulder. "Where's Yukai?"
Jounouchi leaned down to Yami's level and whispered back. "Rumor is: Cookie stuffed her into the cookin' pot and we're eatin' her now." Yami hit Jounouchi's arm. Jounouchi shrugged. "What! Okay, truth is: She was said to be seen walking into the forbidden halls."
Yami sagged his shoulders. He'd have to wait until Rio was finished talking with him and the main part of the feast was over, he couldn't leave his guest just to look for his main servant. She wasn't mandatory and it was rude to leave before the main part of a feast or not arrive until after it.
"Thanks." Yami said and Jounouchi stood back up.