Totally wanted to post this mid-week, but life got in the way, hee hee. I do plan on updating about every two weeks, hopefully I keep to this plan. Anyway here is a new chapter!

R&R!

X-X-X-X

After walking around what seemed hours, the duo ran into a little guy who's tri colored hair seemed to rival gravity, trying to reattach a wooden wheel that had fallen off to his cart. Seto more than willing to leave the little guy to struggle on his own ignored the guy, as they got closer. Joey, on the other hand, insisted they needed to stop and help the poor citizen.

"Ya damn selfish bastard, ya can't just let people who need help ta fend for themselves! Ain't ya s'ppossed to be a white and shinning knight or armor thing?"

"It's called survival of the fittest, and I never gave any illusion of being a 'white and shinning knight' as you so crudely put it."

Ignoring the knight, Joey went to the little guy. "Hey ya need any 'elp with dat?"

Weary amethyst eyes looked up at the pair, before looking down at his cart. "I ain't got much in my cart. If ya be wanting anything, I'd say ya can move on to greener pasture."

Seto was angered at being called a thief, but Joey just laughed it off. "Don't worry little guy, we ain't trying ta take anything from ya. We just wanna help. If it makes ya feel better we can just leave ya to your yourself, sorry for bothering ya." That being said Joey happily kept walking towards nowhere.

Still indignant that this little pipsqueak had insulted him, King Seto of Kaiba Kingdom, Seto was unwilling to just walk away. He grabbed Joey's arm to keep him from just walking away. "He called us thieves. You're really just going to let him speak to us like that?"

Joey roughly released himself from the grip before responding. "Why not? I ain't anybody and I ain't done anything ta make 'im trust me. We're strangers, if we ain't done anything for 'im, why should he believe us? Even a king can't demand 'is citizen's trust. Trust is earned, not demanded. Just dat simple."

It was the first time Seto had heard such nonsense. A king should always be believed, but he couldn't stop the niggling in the back of his mind that told him this lowly citizen had just taught him a lesson in trust. Unwilling to acknowledge it, Seto began to angrily walk ahead of the blond.

"Hey wait for me ya damn oaf, where ya going without ya guide?"

Before Seto could give a smart retort, the small guy called out to them. "Im sorry I didn't mean ta offend ya…If it ain't too much trouble, ya think ya can help me?"

Joey smiled widely, but before he could respond Seto intervened. "Why should we help you now? Just a few moments ago you refused our help. Too bad the offer has expir—ow! What the hell was that for?"

Joey had tried to stop the knight from morphing into a fire-breathing dragon, but when he looked over at the little guy and saw the hurt look in his big eyes he couldn't stop himself from kicking the knight in the shin.

"Ya deserved it ya damn jerk! We offered our help, it doesn't matter that he refused it at first, you damn well will still give it to him when he asks for it! Got it?!" With that Joey walked off in a huff in the direction of the tri haired guy. Once getting close enough, Joey threw him a bright reassuring smile. "Sorry 'bout that, dat jerk over dere's ego is so big, he thinks he's royalty or som'ing."

Seto stayed stupefied for a second swearing Joey had spoken without an accent. Writing it off as just having been startled by the authoritative manor he had spoken, Seto went to help the blond before he hurt himself.

Once they successfully placed and secured the wheel, the little guy, who had introduced himself as Yugi, invited them over to repay them with lunch. Not one to pass up on food, Joey immediately accepted the invitation, much to his companion's displeasure.

"This here is my home. I live with my grandfather. He use ta make de games for da crowned 'eads, but once our poor queen passed, the king just stopped asking fer 'em."

"What? Ya mean he's da one dat made those hand carved chess pieces? Da ones that are dragons?!"

"You've seen 'em? Wow! Yeah he's da one dat made 'em. Granpa's gonna be so surprised dey still have 'em!...they do still have 'em right?"

"Yeah of course they do! I…the prince loved ta play wit 'em. Even when he ain't got a lot of time." The thought of meeting the man, who had made his favorite game, had him happier than he'd been in years. When he got back home, he was going to do his best at repaying his sister back.

Once having entered the little house, the small young man called out to his grandpa. "Grandpa, I'm home! Also we have guests!" The elderly man that stepped out looked like an aged version of the tri colored man; short and crazy haired. "While I was out, da wheel popped off our cart again and these two 'elped me out. This 'ere are…" the young man smiled sheepishly at the two. "Sorry, guess I never got ya names..."

Joey instantly smiled back at Yugi and said, "I'm Joey! Nice ta meet ya Yug's grandpa. Dis here prissy guy is…" It was then that Joey realized the knight had never introduced himself. "Ya damn jerk, ya neva told me ya name! After all I've done for ya!"

The knight only stared down disdainfully at Joey, "I fell no need to tell you my name. Plus you have yet to do anything for me, other than get me further from the castle."

Joey's temper flared, and stepped close to Seto to yell in his face. "Ya damn prissy knight, I'm ya damn map ta da kingdom the least ya could do is be nice!"

Not willing to lose to a servant, Kaiba didn't step back. "No one asked you to be my guide dog, if I remember you are the one who offered to pay me back."

"I ain't a damn dog! Now ya tell me ya name or I'll leave ya ass 'ere. Stranded. After I beat the life outta ya!"

Both peasant and knight were so invested in their fight that they forgot they had an audience. Yugi never one for conflict, immediately tried to end the argument. "Hey Joey it's ok, he don't need ta give us his name. We ain't gonna pry it outta him. Maybe in his kingdom it ain't normal for knights ta introduce themselves."

Not missing an opportunity to make a jab at the knight, Joey looked slyly at Seto. "Maybe he's gotta dumb name. Something like…'Merry' or 'Poppin Fresh.' Can I call ya Merry Fresh?" Joey couldn't help laughing loudly at the ridiculous nickame.

Not liking to be laughed at, Seto hurriedly thought up a name that wouldn't seem ridiculous or had any relation to his own. "If you're going to insist on knowing my name, it's Kaiba." Really? Kaiba? You're the smartest person in your kingdom and the fake name you chose is your own last name?

Joey frowned at that. "Like ya kingdom? Dat don't make sense."

"My father wanted me to be the best, and he decided which other way than to name me after out great kingdom."

"Heh, you're Kaiba the knight, from the Kaiba Kingdom…I'd feel dumb saying my name too."

"My name is not dumb!" How dare this little good for nothing deadbeat make fun of his kingdom's name!

"Yeah, dats why ya didn't wan us ta know ya name."

Once more doubting his judgment in having Joey as a guide, Seto chose to ignore him in favor of turning back to their hosts. "Sorry that was rude of me. I am Kaiba, of the Kaiba Kingdom."

Not wanting to cause any more arguments, Yugi quickly told his grandpa that his games were still treasured by the royal family. When Joey once more raved on about the intricate hand carved dragon chess pieces, Seto couldn't stop himself from asking to see the pieces. They were beautiful. Although the ones the old man had were wooden, since they were the prototype to the one of a kind set, the detail on them was a beauty to behold. He made a mental note that when they got to the castle, he would ask to see the royal game set.

Night quickly came and so Grandpa offered a spot where the servant and his knight could get some sleep. They had a very humble home; so the only spot they had to offer was on the floor. And right along side each other. It had been some time since they had laid to rest, but no matter which way Kaiba turned, he could not get comfortable. He was used to sleeping alone in his large feather bed which stood upon a wooden bed frame; not a pile of hay on the floor, next to someone.

"Stop moving around ya big oaf." Joey's mumbled complaint halted Kaiba's movement.

"I just can't get comfortable. How they hell can anyone fall asleep like this?"

Joey turned around, making their faces lie inches from one another. "Ya know, for a knight ya sure sound like a prissy stuck up prince. The way ya complain, ya'd think you never had ta earn ya living."

How could Seto tell him, that that was exactly the reason why? "It's not that I complain, I just have a higher standard of living. Unlike you, I don't need to sleep on the floor."

Joey became angry, and started to angrily whisper at Kaiba. "What ya saying that just because I look poor I should be used ta sleeping the floor. You listen here Kaiba, this is the first time I sleep on da cold floor, but that ain't gonna stop be from being grateful." That wasn't true, this would be just one of many nights Joey slept on the floor. When Serenity was sick, it was Joey who would sleep by her bedside until she was better. Joey just didn't want that superior smirk to land on Kaiba's face at knowing his familiarity with the floor. "Now just find a damn spot let ya body relax, and we'll worry about ya being comfortable some other time."

Unsatisfied with the answer Kaiba only huffed and turned the away from the blonde. Fatigue from his journey to and around the kingdom eventually won, and Kaiba fell into a deep sleep.

In the morning it was Joey who woke up first. Over the night they had managed to turn to face each other. Joey couldn't help notice how handsome Kaiba was. With his permanent scowl during the day, it was hard to remember that behind those eyelids, framed by dark spiky eyelashes, laid the most stunning blue eyes. Joey couldn't help himself from running his index finger over Kaiba's eyelashes, then his eyebrows. He let his finger slightly caress Kaiba's cheek, and ghost over Kaiba's lips before Joey realized what he was doing. Joey quickly scooted away and attributed his actions to the excitement of meeting someone outside the castle for the first time.

When Seto woke, he was alone on the floor.