Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the plot and my original characters. Thanks to all those who've been reviewing and I could use some help with this fic. Firstly can you tell me what Seto's Millennium piece is? What it does and looks like? Secondly I need to know if anyone's seen the latest episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh and can tell me if Yami is ever able to become his own person or must reside in Yugi's item. Thanx bunches and enjoy.

Uncomfortable Situations

Ri was not at all pleased with the world and hoped for the sake of her people that no one dared to cross her today. Of all the things she'd done in the past that could be considered slightly unwise kissing the high priest had definitely made its way into the top five. She had known that she was playing with fire when she'd done it and now she had the burns to pay for it. Which wasn't really fair since she'd only kissed him on the cheek; it wasn't like she'd kissed him on the lips or any other part of his autonomy. Damn, thinking that way was definitely a sign of impending insanity. What was it that the arrogant bastard had that attracted her so? Up until he'd rescued her from the stupid tree they'd happily disliked the sight of each other and had made the effort to avoid contact whenever possible. Since the tree though he'd been constantly on her mind and she was at a loss as to what she was suppose to do about it. Well if she was being truthful she'd admit that she knew exactly what she wanted to do but since kissing him on the lips or other parts of his autonomy was definitely out she didn't know what to do. Perhaps it was simply that he was a challenge, she'd never really been able to resist one before and the more coldly he acted towards her the more she wanted to melt through his icy layers to see what was under it. But what would one find beneath his icy layers, Ri wondered as she absently trailed a finger along the walls of the hallway. Would there be heat beneath the frost or would there be stone, just as hard and unmoving as the ice. She would likely never know and that angered her, annoyed her. Challenged her.

She could order him to her presence. If he dared to tell her brother that he thought her intentions were dishonorable Yami would laugh it off then make the priest's life a living hell for even suggesting it. But she wouldn't order him to come to her, she had her pride and ordering him to spend time with her would be something Nefeteri would do. That in itself was a good reason to avoid such a thing. She could try asking him but he'd never come. How could she get over her fascination with him if he wouldn't give her the chance to see him for what he was as opposed to what she imagined him to be? That was the real problem, she had the terrible feeling that her imagination wasn't far off. The tree incident had made her see him as a man and now she was attracted to that man but couldn't have him, hence her current mood. Her father had encourage her to make friends with the priest as she could learn much from him but the things she wished to learn her father did not wish her to be taught. Her father thought her safe with the high priest because of the image Seto projected and the fact that though high-ranking Seto was no where in her league. A priest, however high ranking was not husband to a princess material. As it was he likely wouldn't even consider her mistress material, Ri thought darkly. Not that Seto wanted her in either of those roles but even if he did he'd never do anything about it. Not that she wanted to be his wife or mistress, but she wanted to know him as a man and not as a brother figure. That very fact alone aggravated her as she'd never felt this kind of pull before and to know he had no such thing for her infuriated her. If she must suffer then why didn't he have to suffer as well?

"Your majesty?" A voice asked and Ri turned around to see a servant around her age looking at her hesitantly, obviously unsure of herself. The girl's hair was pitch black with dark brown eyes that swallowed up her entire face with a well rounded body that suggested she was one of the higher classed servants though Ri didn't recognize her.

"What is it?" Ri asked with a touch of impatience. She wanted to be civil but she was not in a civil mood at all.

"I..I...have heard that you are merciful and will not stand for injustice to be done against anyone regardless of their rank or status." The woman finally stuttered out. Ri raised as eyebrow as she noticed that the girl was ringing her hands, ever once in a while looking frantically around her as though she expected someone to come out of a room and grab her.

"I would like to think I am merciful, what is it you want?" Ri asked in a calm voice, wondering how much this servant intended to beg for. The girl looked like she had been well provided for, if the sum was too high Ri would refuse on the principle of the point.

"It's-it's my brother, your majesty. Your brother Rameses has challenged him to a fight, in the training area today." The girl said and Ri's eyebrow rose even more at her statement. What on earth did that bastard have to do with anything?

"What about it?" Ri demanded, not at all in the mood to wait.

"My brother had to accept because your brother is the second son of the old pharaoh and so my brother must lose and I fear that Prince Rameses will kill him as my brother will not be able to not fight him as an equal." The woman answered, the slightest of tears appearing in her eyes. Seeing Ri's puzzlement the woman explained. "Your brother is a truly great warrior but so is mine. Your brother cannot stand to lose, princess and...and he gets very angry when he does not win."

"You think my brother will harm yours when your brother beats him." Ri stated, not at all surprised. Rameses was a fairly skilled fighter but not as skilled as some and tended to be a bad loser. It was not much of a stretch for her to see her brother causing harm to someone who showed him to be less then godly, especially if there was an audience. Also the girl was putting herself at too much risk to lie. Speaking against Rameses was enough to result in a death sentence though Yami would never do such a thing. Nefeteri and Rameses would. "What is it you wish me to do?"

"Could you not go to the fight and stop it? Tell him you need my brother for something or that you wish to speak to the prince? My brother must leave in two days anyway, could you not stall him somehow so that my brother might go?" The girl begged as the tears began to stream down her face. "I could not go to my mistress because she would say that I should not interfere but I know that I must. My brother is a typical man and has great pride, I don't know if he will let the prince win despite the consequences if he does not."

"When does the fight begin?" Ri asked as thoughts and ideas churned in her head. She had to be careful about this but she couldn't ignore the girl's plea. If things were as the servant said then Ri had to interfere.

"In a little less then an hour, princess." The servant said with a hint of hope in her voice. Her mistress, Nefeteri, hated the princess but she had heard many great things about the princess and she was more likely to believe her fellow servants then her mistress. Besides Ri had the ear of the pharaoh and the pharaoh was a great king who would not be easily fooled into trusting someone who hadn't earned the privilege. "Will you help me?"

"I will help you." Ri said with a nod as she committed herself to something that would most likely get her in a world of trouble.

Pharaoh Yami walked along side his father's carrier, head held high as he listened absently to his father debating with his third wife. The two often argued just for the sake of arguing and since they'd been chewing on this matter for several years now he didn't feel the need to participate. His father had decided he needed fresh air so here he was with his parents, Aries, High Priest Seto, Nefeteri and the servants she always required to come with her everywhere she went. Needless to say Nefeteri was complaining about the weather and heat which suited him just fine because she couldn't take swipes at his mother and himself when she was complaining about the weather. Not even Nefeteri could blame the weather on them. Mind wandering Yami looked at Seto out of the corner of his eye, not surprised to see the Dragon Master staring straight ahead without expression. The high priest had joined them on the walk because Yami's father wished to discuss something with Seto though he wouldn't reveal to Yami what that something was. Yami was willing to bet it had something to do with Ri. He didn't have any proof or solid evidence, just a gut feeling that his sister had done something to the priest and that his father was trying to smooth things over. His sister got along with Seto like oil and water, it was only natural that the two wouldn't get along at all. But what had she done this time was the big question.

"So, my son, what is on your mind that puts such a look on your face?"

Breaking off his line of thought Yami turned his head to see his mother, Suna grinning at her with an eyebrow raised in question. Though she had not bore him she'd raised him along side her own children and had thankfully prevented him from being raised under Nefeteri's hand. For that alone he'd have laid the wealth of Egypt at her feet, but the fact that she loved him and cared for him as though he were hers, threatened harm to anyone who said he was not hers made him hers for the asking. There was nothing he would not do for this grown up version of Ri and Yami could not imagine what his life would have been like if his father had not captured Ri's mother and made her his wife. "Just thinking about this and that." Yami responded with a smile. "Have you finally succeeded in making him see reason?"

"He wouldn't know reason if I hit him over the head with it." Suna responded with an affectionate look in her husband's direction. Never far from her husband's side the former warrior of a distant tribe Suna couldn't imagine being happier with her husband on her one side and her eldest son on the other. Both so much alike in face and form; like her eldest daughter and herself.

"Ha, so says you, wife." The old pharaoh said with a smirk as he leaned against his pillows. "I'm right and the woman just doesn't want to admit that there are some things I am more knowledgeable about then she is. When you three get wives beware of women who cannot admit it when they are wrong else end up like me." He added with a wink as he looked from Yami to Seto to Aries who walked quietly behind Yami, constantly on guard. All three great men he would have been honored to go into battle with.

"Then I will marry the first woman I meet who cannot admit she is wrong and live the life of the wealthiest of kings." Yami said with a smile that was interrupted by a shout.

"Aries!"

The group turning their heads they saw a soldier running towards them at a speed that suggested that whatever news he brought was of great importance. "What is it, soldier?" Aries called out, not recognizing the soldier from the distance.

"I need to speak with you in private, Sir." The soldier called out looking worried but determined. He'd obviously run a long way because when he reached them he was breathing hard and there was sweat running down his face.

"All right." Aries said and with a nod from Yami moved slightly away. Watching his head servant's face Yami's eyes narrowed at the way Aries' face went white then normal and when his servant swore out loud and mentioned something about a bastard hurting a hair on Ri's head Yami's hand automatically went to the blade he kept at his side.

"Aries, what about my sister?" Yami demanded and was second by his father who'd been listening as well.

"Your sister is battling Rameses on the battlefield training area as we speak. She apparently challenged him to a fight." Aries said through clenched teeth. "Apparently Rameses is treating the challenge as if it had been given by a man. One of your advisors sent this soldier in the hopes that you'll break it up before any more blood is shed."

"Blood has been shed?" Suna demanded, the look of a hunter coming into her eyes. Born to a warrior tribe she was as dangerous as any soldier in Yami's vast armies and she was at her most dangerous when something or someone she loved was threatened.

"They have both been wounded though not terribly or in anyway life threatening." The soldier spoke up having watched it from the very beginning. "She is of your blood after all and is giving as good as she is getting. It was simply thought that it wouldn't be a good idea for it to continue."

"It will not continue, lead me to them." Yami said with a threatening look on his face. Rameses would pay if she were in any way hurt badly. He would pay in blood if it came to that.

Seto's blood had begun to run on ice as soon as he'd heard Aries word and continued to flow as ice while he hastened his steps as they made their way to the training field. What the hell had the girl been thinking challenging Rameses in public? Had she waited until they were alone he would have gone easier on her but to challenge him in front of witnesses was a guaranteed way to make sure he'd hold nothing back for daring to think she could hold up against him.

"I'm sure she's just fine, Rameses would never harm her." Nefeteri called out being at the back since she wasn't about to move any faster and risk breaking out in a sweat. Personally she hoped that something happen to the girl accidentally all the time but it wouldn't suit for Ri to die by her son's hand, that would ruin everything.

Stupid bitch, Seto thought as he picked up the pace even more so that he kept up with Yami and Aries who were practically running as opposed to walking quickly. Would the moron be stupid enough to actually harm Ri though? If he had Seto would cut him open throat to waist and let the bastard slowly bleed to death. Why he felt so strongly about it didn't even cross his mind, so focused was he on the task at hand. Finally they reached the hill overlooking the field and looking down Seto felt his heart stop as Rameses brought his blade down.

Ri saw the blade come down and easily blocking the blow with her own blade using it and the momentum to push him away from her, breathing hard but uncut. This wasn't going exactly the way she'd planned as she was slightly out of shape when it came to fighting with a sword and the fact that it was Rameses she was fighting made all the difference. He was fighting as though he intended to kill her while she couldn't do the same because she couldn't kill him. If it had been someone else she would have won already but it was Rameses who was pulling every dirty trick he had while fighting like a mad man. Circling each other Ri never took her eyes off him and easily moved out of the next couple of swings, blocking the last one with her sword before bringing the blade up to slash across his cheek leaving behind a thin line of red as the wound bled. She'd hoped to make him realize that trying to fight to kill was a bad idea but the red blood dripping from his cheek only seemed to infuriate him more. Seeing no choice but to end this quickly and with as little bloodshed as possible Ri parried and thrusted her blade at him aggressively, surprising him as she'd been fighting defensively as oppose to attacking since the beginning of the battle. Taking advantage of the fact that she'd caught him off guard Ri shot forward with her sword, her blade skinning his sword hand. Managing to get the tip of her blade near his blade's handle she nicked the sword hard enough to send it flying out of his hand. Now unarmed Ri was able to drive him back slightly and picking up his blade pointed both blades at him. "I believe that this match is over, brother." Sheathing her own blade Ri looked into his eyes then back at his blade. Looking back at him Ri drove his blade into the sand before turning her back on him. Walking away as though he were not even behind her.

"Ri, catch." Eyes automatically going to Aries Ri caught the blade he'd thrown at her in her opposite hand and grabbing her own blade from its sheath whirled around to place a blade on either side of Rameses neck as he came at her from behind, blade drawn back as though he'd been about to plunge his blade into her back. Drawing the blades away from his neck Ri deliberately put enough pressure on them to leave two parallel lines of red.

"A little tip for you, Rameses." Ri said coldly as she held the blades stained with his blood in the air. "A coward who comes at someone from the back should never assume that their intended victim doesn't know that they are there." Sending him a hard look Ri turned her back to him once more, this time keeping the blades in her hand. With measured strides Ri walked towards Aries to return his blade then wished she didn't have to. The adrenaline kick was wearing off and now she saw quite clearly that her parents, family and Seto had all seen at least part of the fight. Her brother, Aries, father and mother looked like they were ready to kill Rameses, Nefeteri looked like she wanted to kill her and Seto looked calm and collected unless one looked at his hands which were fisted at his sides.

"Ri, come here." Yami said in a deceptively mild voice, his eyes never leaving Rameses who stood where he was with a sulky look on his face. You will pay Rameses, Yami thought as he smiled slightly at the way Rameses face was losing color under his stare.

"Yes, brother? Mother, Father, High Priest Seto, Aries, Nefeteri, what brings you out here?" Ri asked as she handed the blade back to Aries then returning her own to its sheath.

"Explain yourself this instant." Yami said coolly, as he fiddled absently with the handle of his own sword.

"Well Rameses and I were fighting and I won." Ri said with a calm look on her face, as she looked Yami in the eye bravely. "Nothing you need to worry about, Yami. I assure you we're both quite all right and in good physical condition."

"High Priest, take my daughter to her chambers while we deal with this. I will be there shortly to discuss this incident with you, Ri." Ri's father said after the silence that followed Ri's unbelievable explanation. It had been obvious to the old pharaoh that his son might have very well run his sister through had she not caught Aries blade or drawn her own quickly enough. The very thought of it was like a dagger through his heart and he felt much older then his years. To know that you had born a son who would kill his own flesh and blood out of anger and jealousy was truly horrible to comprehend but today had proven it. He knew that Nefeteri had a hand in her son's character and he wished as he often did that he'd been around more for the boy. Nefeteri had been jealous that his first wife had provided the heir and when he'd come back with Suna it had been as if a huge barrier had been placed between himself and his second son. Perhaps he'd favored Yami and Suna's children too much; perhaps this was his punishment.

"Of course, your majesty." Seto said with a short bow before motioning with his hand for Ri to follow him. Walking forward he wasn't surprised when she followed him without a word. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that the fight had upset the old pharaoh and for all her faults Seto knew that Ri would rather cut out her own heart then cause her father grief. Walking quietly the two made their way up the hill before the sound of her father's voice raised in anger hit their ears though they were too far away to understand his words. It wasn't until they'd reached her chambers that Ri spoke a single word since her father had spoken.

"When did you come in?" Ri asked quietly as she sat down on one of the lounge chairs; head slightly bent as she looked at the floor. Several muscles in her arms ached from swinging her blade but Ri didn't really feel them just yet, her mind elsewhere.

"We came in towards the end. Why did you do something so stupid?" Seto demanded to know harshly as he glared down at her. She was obviously sorry for what she'd done but that didn't change the fact that she'd done it. "Did you not even think of the consequences?"

"I had my reason and they were good ones. What do you think will happen?"

"I don't know." Seto said as his eyes scanned the room, his head filled with images of the fight and what might have occurred had things gone differently. "Can you not stay out of trouble for one day, Ri?" Seto demanded as he suddenly looked at her with fire in his eyes, using her given name without thought. "Did you not realize what kind of position you've put the pharaohs in by your actions? You are both of their blood and had things gone slightly different one of you could have very well ended up dead and what would that have done to your father, Ri? What would it have done to him to know that one of his children had taken another of his blood's life?"

"I didn't know Rameses would try to kill me out there. I was just trying to..to keep another from dying because Rameses is an evil bastard who doesn't deserve to be called my father's son." Ri said as she bounced to her feet and hurried over to stand in front of him. "And how dare you judge me guilty when you don't know why I picked up that sword or even what would have happened had Aries not thrown the blade. Further more what do you know about my family or anything to do with the very concept. You're hard and mean too, with no thoughts to anyone other then yourself. Had it been you seeing Rameses come at me from behind I have no doubt what so ever that you would have just stood by and let him run me through. You probably even wish that that was what happened...you...you bastard."

"You stupid little fool." Seto snarled out before pulling her into his arms, trapping her against him. Ri had only time to look up at him in confusion before his lips were on hers and then she wasn't capable of thinking at all. Had she ever thought him cold? It seemed impossible now as he devoured her mouth, her head swimming with images as he took possession of her, taught her what it was to want and lust. As quickly as he'd grabbed her though he let her loose, his eyes cold and filled with emotions Ri's head didn't recognize but sent her heart beating wildly in her chest. She stared up at him with well kissed lips and desire for what she couldn't understand in her eyes, unsure of everything except her need to know his touch once more. "You stupid..stupid girl." Was all he said before spinning on his heels to march out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"That was most likely the stupidest thing I've ever done." Ri said into the empty room as she gripped a nearby column for support. "God help me if I won't do it again."