In Times of Strife
It was particularly hot outside and so Ri opted to stay in her rooms for the time being rather then go out for her usual morning ride around the palace grounds as was her habit. It would be criminal to make her horse go through a workout in this heat and Ri would never harm her horse or anything that belong with her for something so petty as an hours enjoyment. Lounging as she contemplated whether to get one of her servants to get her something to eat or order it sent to her father's rooms and join him there, Ri wasn't paying attention and didn't even hear her brother come into her room until he cleared his throat loudly to get her attention. Rolling over Ri's face lit up when she saw who it was and bounding off the chair was into her brother's arms and hugging him before pulling back with a delighted look on her face. "What brings you here, oh mighty pharaoh?"
"I came to speak to you about a very serious matter, Ri." Yami said with a serious voice that sent shivers down Ri's spine and an unfamiliar sense of dread to rise. Whatever it was that he wanted to talk about it wasn't good. Could he have heard about Seto kissing her and intended to take actions against both of them? If he did she'd take all the blame, she'd get off easy compared to what her brother would do to the High Priest. Or was it father, Ri wondered scaring herself with all the thoughts running through her head. As though he sensed it Yami put a small smile on as he lead her back to her early spot before pulling up a chair for himself. "I came to tell you that I'm going somewhere, Ri."
"Oh..okay..." Ri said raising an eyebrow before smiling brightly. He'd sounded like this was such a big deal but it was only a small trip down the Nile or something, no big deal. Though there was still something about his face she didn't like at all. Like there was more to this then a simple holiday on the river not that he didn't need a holiday but her brother was the last person to up and take one without prompting..
"There's trouble in the kingdom with slave revolts..it's gotten out of hand." Yami said and watch the color leave her face. He knew that she hated the idea of slaves period but the kingdom couldn't be run without them even if he wished to free them. Without them everything would collapse and he would be killed for even suggesting such a thing. "Apparently some of my overseers have been particularly cruel and while they have been making more money then ever before..it's coming at a high price and I need to see that it stops personally. Several deaths have already incurred and the man I sent there to see how building was going down there came back reporting that the pyramid we're having built are being washed in the blood of slaves daily. I've tried to mend things from here but its not working and so I will go there myself to make amends and see to it that the bloodshed end on both sides. Or that is my goal. I will be gone a couple of months Ri as I intend to stay to see the pyramid finished as I don't trust things not to go back to the way they are once I leave. This pyramid will be the final resting place of our father..I will see to it personally that it's worthy of him."
"But if you're there then who will rule in your stead, my brother? The next in our line is Rameses and he will bring about God only knows how much ruin and disaster upon our family and our people before you get back to take back control if he will even allow you past the gates once you're out. Send someone else to oversee it, you are needed here." Ri said as she got to her feet, towering over him with fury on her face. "And what if something goes wrong there and you're killed? Then what will become of our line?"
"I've spoken to father and with the help of mother he will rule in my stead until I get back." Yami said with a sigh having already exhausted himself arguing with Nefeteri who had not taken the news at all well. The woman felt that she and her son were being slighted because both Yami and his father felt that Rameses wasn't up to the responsibility. When the woman was upset she could easily be compared to a harpy and make a man long for judgment day rather then listen to her. But facts were facts, Rameses was a vicious and immature boy who had little respect for the duties a pharaoh had and for the well being of his people. Normally he would never risk worsening his father's health by making the man take the responsibilities of ruling but if not his father then the only other person was Rameses, choosing someone would have serious consequences and reflect badly on the strength of their line. "Latoya feels that with the help of the family he can handle it. If it were only the pyramid I could see letting it go but people are dying that shouldn't be and besides that if this is left unchecked the unrest could spread across Egypt and then we would have all the problems Rameses's would have caused without him even stepping up to the throne. You know that."
"But...but where the pyramid is being built..its out in the middle of nowhere!" Ri said as she placed her hands on her brother's shoulders, her fingers digging in leaving nail marks on his muscular shoulders. "The whole reason we chose that spot was that a thief has to be pretty desperate to even think about attempting to go that far into the desert. They're aren't any towns or cities even close to it and the conditions you'd be living in..I...I..I can't talk you out of it can I?" Ri said recognizing the look on her brother's face. Once he'd made his mind up about something there was no stopping him. He'd always been a hands on ruler getting his hands into everything, even things most rulers would have deemed beneath them. But here he was willing to live in terrible conditions for two months for the betterment of his people and to prove that he wasn't the monster the slaves were likely thinking him to be.
"It will be fine, you'll see." Yami said as he set hands on top of hers comfortingly. Only managing a sigh Ri moved to hug her brother tightly wondering why she had a terrible feeling in her gut that bad things were going to happen as a result of him leaving.
Five hours later
Ri was back into her chair having refused lunch and ideas of things she could do, preferring to brood alone where she was. She couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen and it bothered her that she was so sure of it. Twirling some hair around her finger Ri's head snapped up when the sound of doors slamming reached her ear and seconds later in strolled the High Priest Seto looking very pissed off with her personal guards chasing after him looking like they meant to stop the priest anyway possible. Ordering them back to their stations it took her repeating the order three times before they returned to their posts. Waiting till they were gone Ri then turned to get to her feet, standing there with her eyebrow raised in curiosity. "You wished to speak with me, High Priest? It must be important since you risked my guards skewering you on their spears."
"You kept me waiting in those gardens for two hours. Finally one of the servants informed me that you were here with orders not to disturb you as you didn't wish company." Seto said as he grounded out each word, the fury plain on his face. There were countless things he could have been doing but protocol and curiosity had kept him there waiting while she was lounging around eating grapes.
"Waiting....oh." Ri said as it sunk in that she'd arranged to meet the high priest after noon meal but had never showed up since she'd only been able to think of what Yami was doing and since she'd told no one about the meeting there had been no one to remind her of it. Which meant now she had to apologize..to him. Damn. "My most sincere apologies, High Priest Seto." Ri began, her sincerity plain on her face. "I had forgotten about the meeting completely otherwise I would have sent someone to tell you that I would not be keeping the appointment. I'm afraid that I got news which wiped all over thoughts from my head. I hope you will forgive me and accept my apology."
"The pharaoh's plans regarding his trip into the desert." Seto said making a guess and when she nodded her head he did his best to quell his anger since he could see why that would distract her from their planned meeting. The pharaoh was behaving rashly and Seto had a feeling that nothing good could come of this and obviously Ri felt the same way. Feeling his anger fade under the look of sincerity and genuine regret in her stunning eyes that drew him in a close to hypnotic manner. "I understand, you're forgiven." Seto said gruffly before turning on his heels and started to leave when his curiosity once again got ahold of him and he turned on his heels to look at her. "But what was it you wanted to discuss, your majesty?"
"What did I wish to meet about? Well that is a very loaded question, my dear high priest." Ri said with a cat like smile on her face as she sat back down onto her lounge chair and motioned for him to take the seat her brother had occupied earlier that morning. After a slight hesitation Seto walked back over and sat on the seat though she sensed a weariness to him that was new. Could it be that she stirred him up as much as he did her, Ri wondered, delighted at the idea that she wasn't suffering alone and just female enough to be pleased with the idea that she got to the man of stone. Hmm the question was to beat around the bush or say it all straight out? Unfortunately for the priest she'd never been one to pull her punches so to speak. "The reason I arranged that meeting is that I find myself in a very problematic situation. As you have stated over and over again I am spoiled in that I'm not at all use to not getting my way nor am I accustom to wanting something and not getting it. However the is always a first for everything and I find that first approaching rather slyly so that I didn't see it coming at all and now I'm in between a rock and a hard place. You see I could get what I want, I am the sister of the pharaoh and I am spoiled by them in that I could get away with most anything. Unfortunately the thing I want is something that has the potential to be very, very bad for me...and bad for the thing I want."
Swallowing at the look in her eyes Seto had a very, very bad feeling in his gut. He felt rather like he had when he'd been caught in that burning building as a child..trapped and unable to get his breath. She..wanted something...and it had to do with him? Oh dear God... "If this is about me convincing your brother to give you his horse again forget about it." Seto said praying it was the horse or some other stupid and not related to him thing. Anything that didn't involve him please, Osiris.
"No, it's not my brother's horse, I've given up trying to convince my darling Yami to allow me to ride his Dark Magician." Ri said with a husky chuckle that sent warm shivers down Seto's spine. Her brother's most prized animal, named after her brother's favorite monster was something Ri had long coveted to ride but had yet to succeed in convincing Yami that she wouldn't break her neck. "Though what I want is a living, breathing creature he is most certainly not a horse..though some might compare or call him a horse's ass." Ri said with another warm laugh at the comparison and thought that you'd have to be suicidal to call Seto a horse's ass to his face. He certainly could be compared to Dark Magician, Ri thought a little dreamily, unaware her purple eyes had gone far off and that Seto noticed and was wondering why even as she dreamed. They were both stunningly beautiful creatures, wild and stubborn who were very picky about the company they kept and could scare the hell out of most anyone they chose. Yes those two were quite alike, Ri thought then realizing she was letting her thoughts stray blushed a little then turned back to the conversation they'd been having. "What I'm trying to get at is that I am attracted to you, Priest and that presents a problem does it not, High Priest?"
Unable to speak for a good minute or two Seto watched her through blue eyes that gave away nothing while Ri could practically hear the wheels turn in his head as he thought this all through thoroughly. That she would just blurt it out and tell him that she found him attractive shocked the hell out of him. He was use to women throwing themselves at him but those were usually bored, often married women of the court or occasionally a very bold servant. But this..this was a princess, the pharaoh's most favorite sister, the jewel of the Nile as some were fond of calling her. Men had offered her fists and trunks full of jewels trying to gain her favor but she would never have any of them much to the courts disappointment who wanted to see their princess happily married. Yet here she was saying that he had caught her eye when he had never even made an effort to be even remotely nice to her or gain her favor. In fact it was more like the opposite. Then again the people showering presents on her had wished marriage and the assets that came with her beautiful body, he on the other hand couldn't marry the princess even if he wished to do such a crazy thing. Even if her brother and himself, who really only tolerated each other were to become good friends there was no way someone like himself would be allowed to marry her. Why had she even told him? Was this one of her games? He doubted her the type to take a lover even though she likely would have had no problem finding one and would be able to get away with it. But she didn't strike him as the type to submit to any man unless it was out of feeling as well as lust.
"You're wondering perhaps why I told you this, especially since your hands could be removed simply for touching me without my permission." Ri said as she lounged there, impressed by his control and his lack of reaction, she'd expected no less. "I'm telling you simply because I see no reason for you not to know. I have no intent of forcing my attention on you nor will I order you to do anything..improper. I respect you too much to turn you into my lap dog even if I could manage it which is questionable since you'd be more likely to go for my jugular then curl into my lap. I had originally asked you to meet me so that I could kiss you and prove to myself that the chemistry I felt before was simply adrenaline and too much sun...but since then I've thrown that out as a childish excuse. Anyway you may leave now assured that your virtue, however little you have is safe from me."
Gapping at her now and having no idea what to say Seto turned on his heels and headed out of the room and without paying any attention to where he was going he ended up back in the gardens where he'd been waiting earlier. Sitting down on a bench he was lost in thought for nearly half an hour turning over everything she'd said when he heard a piercing scream. Looking up Seto saw a familiar figure nearby and feeling a shot of fear got to his feet and raced over to the girl's side, the girl holding her hand and staring intently at something on the ground. Following her gaze Seto pulled out a dagger from his side and threw it down, piercing the scorpion to the ground, killing it. Getting down on one knee Seto took Latoya's hand in his and began looking for the bite, not seeing it.
"It did not get me, Most honorable high priest." Latoya said weakly, smiling at her savior as he automatically let her hand go. "I was reaching there for some herbs and saw it just in time. Forgive me for startling you from your thoughts. I behaved foolishly."
"No, you behaved as anyone would having nearly gotten stung by one of those creatures." Seto said with a nod thinking that she'd recovered admirably. "How is the pharaoh today?" Seto added since Latoya was the head healer for the royal family and personally took care of Ri's father, no one else allowed to administer anything to him without her express permission. Born a slave shed been given to Pharaoh Yami as a present when he'd ascended the throne when his father had become too ill and weak to continue his rule. Added to Yami's harem she had spoken of her healing abilities when the older pharaoh had gotten so ill the other healers had given up hope. When she'd successfully nursed him back to health Pharaoh Yami had made her the official healer of his father and now she was treated like a member of the royal family even though she was the daughter of slaves. She was a sweet and kind girl, never a bad word and always willing to listen to anyone she was beloved by everyone in the palace. Latoya was also a good friend of Seto's sister so Seto watched out for her when he could just in case someone tried to take advantage of the goodness that radiated from her like a beacon of light.
"He is well though he is worried about his son. I think he is also looking forward to taking over the reins however temporarily it might be, he constantly worries that Pharaoh Yami works too hard and thinks this will be a good adventure for his son." Latoya said as she got the herbs she'd been picking before she caught sight of the scorpion and placing them in her basket got to her feet. "I'm on my way there, would you care to accompany me? He always likes speaking to you and looks forward to your visits."
"I believe I will." Seto said retrieving his dagger then returning his dagger back to its sheath took the basket from her much to her protest then the two headed out of the gardens and back into the palace. Nothing would make him forget about Ri faster then a lively debate with the old pharaoh about whatever the old fox came up with. Sometimes he thought the man stored up topics and planned out all his arguments so that he was all prepared when he got the chance to debate about it, Seto thought with a small smirk as he pushed Ri from his mind though with great difficulty as he tried to think of what the man would want to argue about most.