Author's Note; Thanks for the reviews, XXX! Please keep them coming!!!!

1 week later (Me + pacing a fanfic useless:-)

Joey looked to Kari and sighed. It was five-to-twelve on a Friday night and the couple were sitting in the park. The two had been going out for a week now and, although they kissed a lot, nothing serious was really happening. Joey could tell that she was distracted and he had a notion why.

"Ya like him, doncha?"

Kari blinked her hazel eyes with surprise at the sound of Joey's serious voice; her thoughts had been elsewhere.

"Sorry, not following you, Joey…"

The blond smirked handsomely.

"Rich-boy, Kaiba; ya fancy him, huh?"

"What? Seto's just a friend!"

For some reason, her answer had come out rather rapidly and noticeably louder that required. A slight blush had crept into Kari's cheeks as she contemplated his words. Joey placed a hand to her tanned chin and gently tilted her head upwards, so as she was looking him in the eyes, then he smirked slightly.

"It's okay Kari, I mean, da guy is Seto Kaiba…"

Kari's mind raced; she shouldn't even be in this situation! But, she couldn't like Seto………if her family found out she even liked him, just as a friend………but Joey's words were fresh in her mind and Kari realized something; the little boy she had been friends with had grown up, into a man, and her feelings for him had also grown up aswell………she did like Seto………and she'd led Joey along like some kind of play toy!

"Oh God, Joey I-"

"Dat's cool, but we're still friends, right?"

"Of course."

Kari smiled gratefully and kissed him on the cheek before standing from the bench; for some reason, she needed to get home, to the mansion. Things were moving fast; she shouldn't even have been dating Joey and now Kari had, at last, managed to admit to herself that she like her friend………oh, the thrills of being a teenager! The Tombkeeper, Ishizu, had been acting very suspicious in the last week. Kari had to stay on her toes or everything could come crumbling down around her.

The seventeen-year-old walked slowly, her mind still reeling and feeling slightly guilty for leading Joey on like that. The lad was sound about it though, and would make some girl a great boyfriend someday. As she walked along the pavement, her ears picked up on another presence. All of Kari's training echoed in her mind. She knew that a dark, secluded path was nowhere for a seventeen-year-old girl to be walking at a quarter-past-twelve in the morning, but, then again, Kari Hirotsh was no ordinary teenager.

"Hello Ms. Hirotsh."

She spun at the voice and found her gaze to be resting on a young-looking man, wearing traditional Egyptian clothing.

"My name is Shadi, and I would prefer to speak in our native tongue."

Kari didn't know whether to walk on or stay put, but as he began talking in Egyptian, she couldn't help but listen; the ancient language had been her first and the one she had used when younger, before her relatives had taught her English.

"You have been absent for five millennia and nobody outside of your family knows of your existence."

At this, Kari responded, also in Egyptian, in a voice so sharp, it could have cut even Seto in two!

"This is none of your business! My family has been fighting this war for-"

"For five thousand years, I know; I was there when it began, I can well remember you; my name back then was Shada."

Kari made an involuntary flinch; her mind was suddenly filled with a vision of a tanned Seto, in noble clothes and another by his side, bald and with a tattooed forehead, the Millennium key hung around his neck. She shook her head, ridding it of the five-thousand-year-old memory and turned her back on Shadi, walking in the general direction of the mansion.

"You are the only one capable of calling a ceasefire between the two families…though I must say, your looks are in complete contrast to your past-self…"

As Shadi continued to call after her, in Egyptian, Kari smirked and threw a couple of the most foulest insults she could think of back over her shoulder at him, all in their native language. Upon hearing these, Shadi blinked with surprise; what a tongue! Then he smirked slightly; her attitude was in total contrast aswell, and spoke clearly through the still darkness, reverting back to English.

"You have changed immensely, wouldn't you agree………Kisara?"

At this, she froze; nobody outside of her family knew her real name; Kari was just an alias she used when outside the sanctity of the clan. The girl spun, but Shadi had disappeared. Kari then quickened her pace, arriving at the mansion a couple of anxious minutes later. Once there, she laughed at her own nervousness; if she'd been in any danger, she could have easily summoned her Ka- problem sorted!

Kari walked to her room and dumped her jacket, casting a spiteful glance at her tattoo, her brand; her mark in life. She stuck a large band-aid over it, covering the design from view and set about for a walk of the mansion; pondering what Shadi had said and, more importantly, what to do about her feelings for Seto………

Seto's POV

The young CEO closed his well-used laptop and stretched stiffly; he'd been sitting for three hours now, finishing up some circuit designs for the new duelling stations, but they were complete now and perfect. Seto walked for the door, intending to go for a walk of his large home, but stopped short as he became aware of another person in the room.

"Hello, my King."

He spun to see the familiar Shadi.

"You fucking pervert! Ever hear of goddamn knocking?"

"Seto Kaiba, I warn you, be vigilant of those closest to you."

With that, the intrusive spirit vanished. Seto smirked and spoke to himself as he headed back towards the door.

"That dipshit makes me laugh; comes along, scares the shit out of people, then talks crap! 'Vigilant of those closest to me' oooh………Mokuba's gonna get me!"

(Back in normal POV)

Kari walked slowly along the corridor, allowing her feet to drag slightly along the carpet. A door opened to her right and Seto walked out.

"Finished playing with Wheeler already?"

She kept her head low as she spoke.

"It's over between me and him."

At this, Seto's tone softened, but he was angry with Joey; was he too spastic to see how lucky he was to have her? The two childhood friends looked at each other, both denying their feelings. Him, being too self-conscious and her, being too duty-driven. The duo stood about a foot apart. Kari smirked as she looked into his cobalt eyes.

"You've changed so much…"

She placed her hand gently to his cheek, smiling. Seto looked down into her eyes, but he didn't see little Kari, he saw a beautiful young woman, with whom, he knew he was beginning to fall in love with. Kari pulled closer as he lowered his lips to hers and linked her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply as Seto wrapped his hands around her slim waist. As she broke the tantalizing kiss, Seto smirked and lowered his lips to hers again, taking control; he moved his lips, her following and snaked his tongue into her mouth, enjoying the taste of Kari's beside it. As the kiss held and heated up, Seto walked backwards slowly, pulling Kari into his bedroom, whilst holding the passionate kiss the whole way.

Next morning

Kari woke to feel strong arms around her; Seto's arms. She smirked at his handsome face; gently brushing some of his hazel locks aside and silently removed his arms from around her naked figure. Her family would fucking crucify her if they found out! Not to mention what her fiancé would do………

"Mmmm………"

Seto rolled over, onto his back, and stretched sleepily. Kari laughed as she located her underwear.

"Tired Seto?"

The twenty-year-old rubbed sleep from his eyes and climbed out of the huge bed, finding, and pulling on his boxer shorts.

"Yeah, didn't get much sleep last night…"

She continued to laugh as he walked over and wrapped a strong arm around her waist. Kari kissed him lightly, in return for him letting go of her and allowing her to dress. Seto grinned as she pushed him playfully, before he pulled on a pair of jeans and a striped polo shirt. (Is it me, or do all young fellas seem to wearing stripes these days?)

Mokuba walked towards the kitchen, but was stopped at the door by Roland. All the maids and servants that exited the room seemed to be smirking happily.

"I wouldn't go in there just yet, Mokuba."

The fourteen-year-old blinked, curious now and, like any younger brother would, tiptoed up to the door and peeked in; Seto stood, with Kari sitting on a worktop. He was still taller than her and she had her arms around his neck, with his hands on her hips. The two were kissing deeply, oblivious to everything else, except their tongue-tying.

Mokuba silently closed the door and mock-gagged at Roland.

"I'm glad I haven't ate yet, cos if Seto gets his tongue any further down her throat, he'll be licking her lungs!"

Roland couldn't help but laugh at the young boy, and the disgusted face he pulled.

Kari walked to her room that night, both elated and relentlessly guilty; she'd just slept with the boy she knew, in her heart, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, but in the same move, she had also defied her family and broke countless traditions and oaths, and not only was Seto NOT her fiancé, he also didn't have a clue what he was dealing with………

Suddenly her phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

"The TKs are moving in, Kisara, it will only be a couple of days before you're discovered."

That was her cousin; Denian.

"I know that, why d'you think I'm sticking so close to Kaiba?"

When there was silence, Kari continued with a sigh.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer, Denian, I'll be fine; I should be back in about two days, things are getting way too heavy over here."

"Just be careful Kisara, the clan can't afford to lose you, not again."

With that, her twenty-two-year-old cousin hung up.

"Ooohhh!"

Kari practically screamed with frustration, throwing her phone forcefully onto the bed, as if the phone was to blame. It was totally unfair; all her life, it'd had always been about the clan! The whole war was over her past self falling in love with Seto, she'd never imagined she'd be in the same situation five thousand years later! But she couldn't turn her back on her own family, could she? Kari, for one, knew why her parents had broken ranks; it had been a last ditch-effort to protect her………and look where they'd ended up; six feet fucking under! There was a sinister reason as to why her hair was black, her eyes brown and her skin tanned; the complete opposite to the blue eyes, pale skin and colourless tresses she, initially, had been born with, and had sported up until the age of five………but, as the only female, she couldn't refuse her birthright……… When she turned eighteen, in two months' time, Kisara Hirotsh would take her place as leader of the Aralanti clan, like her father, Aknu, before her. And she would marry her fiancé; she had no choice in the marriage aspect, her future husband was her father's seventh cousin, he was nineteen and commanding the family until her turning of age. To be honest, Kari knew she shouldn't have slept with Seto………but she really didn't want to hurt him-

"No! It's my duty, and I'm loyal to the clan!"

Kari shook her head, exasperated. She pushed her treacherous thoughts to the back of her mind; she was an assassin and once she was safe, back in Egypt, the elders of the clan would swoop in on Seto, execute him and most probably, murder Mokuba……… Though guilty, Kari was eager to get home and take her place in the hierarchy of the clan. The bruises that Seto had spotted on her arms, that day in the orphanage, had long since healed. Abusive relatives…what a hope! Those dark bruises had been obtained whilst sparring against Denian's younger brothers, the twins; Saheed and Daknar. The two were completely identical and the mirror image of one another; with dark, sandy-brown hair and light grey-blue eyes. They even had the same personalities; cheeky fuckers who were always cracking jokes and pulling pranks. Nobody could tell them apart, even Denian got confused, but, somehow, Kari could tell them just by their voices alone, she never got mixed up; some of the older clan members joked, stating it was a gift from the Gods! The two were pretty much the same age as her, though three months older, having come of age last month; they were due to be married next year, when their wives-to-be turned eighteen aswell. Though women were treated below-par in the clan, Kari never experienced this, as she was so high up the ladder. Most men were allowed harems as large as seven wives, except the leader; he was only permitted to marry once. Though Denian and the twins were her second-cousins, the boys had acted as brothers to her, with Denian as the older, who took care of the other three. They had always acted like siblings; looking out for one another and laughing when one of them got into trouble. They all had a close bond, having grown up together in such tight proximities.

As she changed into a strappy top and her pyjama shorts, the godforsaken phone began to ring again. Kari picked it up, in a mood now, and answered in an angry tone.

"What?"

"Oooh, tou-chy!"

She smirked, mood lifting; she knew that voice; it was just the tiniest bit cheekier than Saheed's.

"Sorry Daknar, I'm just tired."

"It's cool, I heard Denian was on to you?"

"Yeah, more heart-warming and tear-wrenching tales of how the clan can't afford to lose me."

Daknar laughed at her sarcastic, yet believable voice. In the years they'd spent growing up together, his and Saheed's smart attitudes had definitely rubbed off on their cousin, though, he had to admit, with extreme pride, it'd been him who'd taught her to swear so well; Kisara was now famed throughout the entire clan for her savage language when provoked…and that was all thanks to him!

"You know what he means; he's just worried about you and too macho to say it, that's all. Don't worry, I'm not too macho to tell you I miss you………"

She laughed as he pretended to break down and cry on the phone.

"No need to over-do it, Daknar."

He laughed before speaking again.

"I know, I'm just such a talented actor…but, seriously though, promise me you'll be careful Kisara, huh?"

"I'm not a total screwball Daknar, you know I will!"

"Ahhh, 'screwball' one of the favourites I taught you when you were six……you have learned well, grasshopper."

"Come off it, I'll see you guys soon, bye!"

"I'll be missing you!"

She laughed as she heard him pretend to cry again, and hung up with a smile. There was nothing like a conversation with Saheed or Daknar to cheer you up; it was good to know that some people were, genuinely, worried about her and not just the clan.

a/n- did u like dis chptr?? More reviews means more chapters peoples!! Thnks XXXXX