Sixteen days. From his home of Sardis to Cairo, it took Emirhan sixteen days. All of which he spent with some burning drive of energy in his stomach. When telling his father and brothers about the trip, they just shrugged him off before giving him what he needed to travel. So much for family. Just because his chances of gaining the crown are slim to none doesn't give him the excuse to have sour intentions.
He wished for there to be time to wander in Egypt before or after the mission. The vibrancy and bustling life of Cairo reminded him of home. When he arrived, he loved the sight of the moon shining down in the midst of the night sky and stars. There were some market stalls with fine fabrics that he wished to stop by; if only Emirhan had time, he would've bought some for his mother and sisters.
Yet now here is standing before the Pharoh with the six companions he is to work with. For the majority of the time, Emirhan kept his eyes on the Pharaoh. Occasionally he swiftly glimpsed around at the others before returning his gaze back. A subtle smile rested on his face.
Though determining how this will all go is something for the gods, Emirhan can be confident in saying that he has assurance things will go well just by looking at the others. The Pharaoh's kindness added on to this as well. Tomorrow, it all starts tomorrow.
Being careful with his simple crown, he gave a small head bow. Once the guards had appeared, Emirhan took one more look around before being escorted out. The excitement still bellowing within him.
Adonias seldom made trips as long as this. To Egypt. And yet, this was only the preparation for the long journey that lie ahead of him - ahead of all of them, he noted, glancing at his companions. However, he kept most of his focus on the Pharaoh, listening intently. He’d dropped the hood of his cloak down prior to arriving, which showed that his hair had been loosely tied up - usually how he preferred to travel in long periods of time.
At his profession mentioned, he smiled, dipping his head slightly.
Tomorrow morning, Adonias noted, keeping the information in mind. And a room in the palace itself - how kind! Adonias seldom got a chance to reside in a place such as this. As the guards showed up, Adonias dipped his head slightly in a bow, then went with everyone else to be escorted to their rooms.
Efraim tried to pay attention to the Pharaoh as best they could, but their eyes wandered to look at the walls occasionally. Here in the throne room were some of their father’s paintings, most noticeably the stretch of blue that represented the Nile River underneath a flock of herons in flight. Underneath that, near the floor and in the various corners of the room, Efraim could spot small, golden fish clustering in groups of two or three. Father’s fish had always been very good; they liked to think that repetitive strokes that made up the scales were relaxing to him.
Their eyes then drifted over to the others, taking in their unfamiliar faces and clothes. They couldn’t form an immediate judgement of any of them, but could only hope that they wouldn’t be judgmental in return.
Upon hearing the word “paints,” Efraim snapped back to attention. Excitement bubbled in their stomach as they realized how close they were to breaking free of the bubble that they had been living in for so long. Sure, it wasn’t as if the journey wouldn’t be fraught with danger, but they trusted that God would protect them.
When the guard came to escort them to their room, Efraim half expected to be led where they normally slept. However, they came to an unfamiliar room, and they realized this was probably so they wouldn’t have to catch up with everyone else in the morning. They stared at the guard for a moment, unsure, before entering. After taking off their sandals and kneeling beside the bed, they began to pray. They asked God for protection and safety, and that He would give them courage, as they always did.
Neni sat next to her brother, Hakor, as he spoke to the foreigners which stood before her. She scowled at them with half-closed eyes, tuning her brother out as he gave his damned speech. She didn't care much for them, after all, not only were they foreigners, but they were the people she was forced to travel with for gods know how long.
"…The princess will be looking over…" as soon as he mentioned her, she scoffed quietly. Only he could have heard her, and his face faltered. At least she'd be free of him during the trip. He had been a pain in her neck since their father, Faurud, fell ill. Neither of them had cared for him that much, but Hakor said the things he was doing was "For the good of Egypt" and kept nagging on her to be a better princess, but she wasn't in line for anything, so she didn't have much to care for.
As she watched the foreigners be escorted away, she too stood and left to go to her own room, before being interrupted by her brother "Actually Neni, you're going to room with the other expeditioners tonight" he smiled. It was the same face he gave the foreigners when explaining their trip to them. A fraudulent smile. As he said those words, two guards appeared at his side, so she knew she did not have much choice in the say. She simply gritted her teeth "Alright then." She said, as she too was escorted to the rooming hall. Luxurious for others, sure, but she had an entire quarter of the palace to herself, so she knew this was more exile than opportunity. "Damned brother" she whispered as she came to her door.
As soon as the guards left Ash in her room for the night, she quickly took out the annoying hair net and let her hair hang naturally. She didn't mind getting dressed up for such an important meeting, or the time it took to arrive, or even having to stand around complete strangers while the prince spoke. But that hair net… She let out a slow breath and looked around at the splendor she was surrounded by. It was quite a stark contrast to her modest home. But she had to admit, as she looked at the sky, the stars were just as beautiful.
She sighed and moved toward the luxurious bed to try and get as much rest as she could. Who knows what the road ahead of them would hold.
(So, I was doing some research while at work, and the city you guys would be in at this time would be Sais, the current capital of the Kingdom of Egypt circa 500 b.c. Also! All of you speak Egyptian [obvs, you all understood the pharaoh] plus your native language. Plus like, one more language if u want)
(Swag, thanks for letting us know! <3)
(oooh! Language barriers… Interesting 😉)(Not really a barrier if we all know at least Egyptian but still)
((Funny how you sometimes forget with these types of rps that our characters would not be speaking English lol. Anyways good information to know though! Adonias would speak Egyptian of course, and since he’s from Carthage, likely Punic. I think I’m going to have them study an additional language as well, not speak it 100% fluently though. Still thinking as to what.))
Ehlaea admired the ivies and grapevines as she approached the palace. She had been in the city only for a short time and the plants had proven to be the only thing welcoming to her. She hated cities, and crowds, but she couldn’t do anything about it right now. Though, she hopefully wouldn’t have to deal with the horrid city for too much longer. After all, the Garden of Hesperides awaited.
She listened closely to the Pharaoh, nodding at his mention of a sorceress. She then glanced around as the others were mentioned, curious who was who.
When the guards came up to escort them to their rooms, she nodded respectfully and followed without a sound. She then disappeared into her room, having no intention to leave it until morning. And, if any of her companions knocked, she would likely not answer. Her experiences with others had always ended badly, simply because she was ‘different’. Hence, she lived alone, on a high mountain, usually singing with the birds every morning and evening.
As Ehlaea settled herself, she lit some incense to soothe her mind, of both dark thoughts and anxiety. Then, she spent some time meditating to prepare herself for the journey ahead. Afterward, when the moon was halfway up the sky, she finally blew the embers out of her window, giving thanks to the spirits, before heading to bed.
Tilila could tell by the way everybody else walked off, it was going to be relatively silent if somebody did not make the effort to socialize. I'll introduce myself, I suppose she thought as she walked through the hall and stood in front of her door. She didn't open it. She definitely was not used to this type of luxury, and being there didn't exactly make her all that comfortable, so she decided to wait til the last moment. She turned and saw that not only were a few of the others not in their rooms yet, but the Pharaoh's sister also seemed to be bunking in the hall with them. Odd she wondered, but decided not to think over it to hard. She eventually approached the diplomat prince, at least, she assumed he was a prince, seeing as how he was among the most well dressed of them, and he wore a wreath on his head, which definitely gave it away. She bowed, bending her torso as well as her head "I believe you are the diplomat that we are to embark with" she began, in Egyptian, though she had a bit of a thick accent "It is a pleasure, I am Tilila, the warrior"
Normally Emirhan would be one for stirring up conversation. In fact, socializing and maintaining connections is all that he does back at home too. A team with people from different lands, how wonderful! But his excitement has led him to grow tired. He slowed slowed down his walking pace to admire the surroundings.
Emirhan stopped. His robes swoosh as he turned to face who he assumed to be the warrior. Contradictory to his teachings, he slightly bowed his head in respect. The warrior's accent made him a tad bit confused, yet he knew that his would be the same. As long as everyone can understand each other that is all that matters.
"The pleasure is all mine, Tilila." He rested his hand over the left side of his chest. "I am Prince Emirhan of Lydia. I look forward to working together on this expedition."
"As do I, Prince Emirhan. So, you are from Lydia? I have heard a few stories of your empire, though I admit, I am very unacquainted with the far off place" she said, laughing slightly, placing a hand behind her neck " I am from Libya. Sais-" she said, gesturing all around them "Is actually the farthest I've ever been from home. This kind of luxury is something I will never be accustomed to." She joked and glanced a bit at his royal getup "Though I'm sure you're quite accustomed to it" She smiled.
Princess Neni slowly opened her door as the others did whatever they were doing, she didn't care much, and noted the room before her. It was much smaller than her end of the palace, and not quite as luxurious. The walls were adorned with golden patterns of wheat fields and deep blue skies filled with ibises and storks. The fields of paradise. Some corners depicted Neith, the goddess of water and patroness of Sais, and the opposite walls depicted fields of reeds over the river Nile, with the golden sun shining above them. She rolled her eyes and changed her focus. The roof was decorated with depictions of Nut, the sky goddess, draped in her starry skin and encircled by the path of the Sun. On the other end of the room was a fluffed bed of feathers and linen, again decorated with more elaborate patterns, under a window draped with cotton curtains overlooking the city, glowing in the last glint of the sun, as the stars began to appear. At least the view was new. She stifled a smile. The one upside of this trip was she wasn't being treated like a princess. She sighed and threw herself on her bed, turning in for the night.
Upon arrival in his room, Adonias nodded as the guards left him. He turned his eyes to study the room he would be resting in for the night - to say he hadn’t stayed in a place that could be considered ‘rich’ was a lie, as he had. But this was different. It was not under a different name or identity, nor appearance this time - but the real him. Adonias.
He strode in further, gazing at the design of the room. Of course he’d observed the outside of the palace as well, the surrounding area— Adonias was constantly watching, a trait those closer to him had noticed.
Carefully taking the tie from his hair, Adonias set it down as he removed his cloak. He turned to the window, looking out, feeling the coolness of the air. It wasn’t unpleasant. More of a welcome feeling, something to see him off to rest. He held his focus on the stars for a couple more moments, then turned away, choosing to rest for the night.
As a light sleeper, it was likely that Adonias would answer if someone came knocking.
A light smile swept across his face. Lydia. He neve had thought of how far he is from the beloved empire he calls home. Well, until now at the least. Emirhan laughed lightly in return. He has only heard so much about Libya; it is a privilege to meet someone from there.
Lowering his chin, he briefly gazed down at his robes. Emirhan laughed. "We all are accustomed to different kinds of luxury, Tilila." He motioned to his clothes and their surroundings then looked back at her. "And now we will be accustomed to working together with others from far places. Lovely, isn't it?"
"Yes, quite lovely" she stifled a yawn, and went on "The trip here was a long one on it's own, I can't imagine the one we'll be taking" she said, hoping she hadn't tripped over any words. " Well, I guess that's why we're going to bed this early. I'm sure they want us well rested. I might be too excited to sleep though" she laughed again. Then she sighed. She said it herself, she they should head to bed. "Alright then, have a nice night Prince Emirhan" she said, before heading off to her designated room. She looked around at the luxury of it, but tried to pay it no mind. This is just one night, she assured herself. Then she made a quick prayer to the gods and her ancestors. "Give me strength, give me courage and give me wisdom" she whispered and, resigned, layed down in her cushiony bed. It'd be hard to sleep tonight.
Emirhand agreed with Tilila for he cannot imagine the trip they will be taking. All that he knows is that it is one of great importance. Laughing along with her, he nodded. "I too feel quite the same. All of this is exciting, surely will make falling asleep quite a task." Still smiling, he gave the warrior a slight head bow. As she walked off, he responded, "And you as well, Tilila. Good night."
He stayed in the halls just for a bit more to admire the walls. Still energy coursed through his veins. By the time he had entered his assigned room, he felt wide awake. Emirhan could not shake the feeling off. After laying his little crown down, he rested his head against the bed while trying to dream of what will come of tomorrow.
(Time Skip, Thank you for introducing your characters)
Tilila awoke early in the morning, before dawn, and she looked out the window at the dark orange horizon. Looking at the city from up in the palace made everything seem so small, and yet, the wonder had not shrunken. She stared at the tops of the golden buildings, dusted by the orange light of the rising sun. At this sight, she made a small prayer to the gods and to her family. A prayer for protection, and for her to be blessed with their skill. She was a weaver by choice, but her family was known for their military professions. As was she. She changed from her sleeping robes into her normal outfit: a sunset orange tunic with a long beige sirwal, along with brown slipper shoes and a leather belt. This morning, she braided dried lavender into her hair, to increase her calm and her awareness. As she left her room, she began walking across the hall, making her way to the throne room again. Hopefully, there, she would receive further instructions on the expedition. At the end of the rooming hall stood four guards parallel to each other, blocking the way into the throne room. As she walked up to them, they said "Breakfast begins soon. When the others wake." She sighed, but nodded in understanding, then she leaned back on a far wall to wait for the others.
Ash was naturally an early riser but the unfamiliarity of the room, despite its luxury and comfort, didn't make it easy to fall asleep and consequently made it harder for her to wake up as usual. Finally managing to reach some half-awake state, she forced herself to get up and at least presentable before leaving the guest room. Her formerly tight and neat braids had loosened slightly overnight but not so much that she would need to redo them and her plain tan skirt and tunic were more appropriate for the upcoming journey than the formal dress she wore yesterday. Though she, reluctantly, had her hair net in her hand as she walked into the hall just in case the Prince planned to see the company off.
“Good morning.” she greeted in Egyptian when she saw she was not the first awake, though she still sounded a little tired.
"Good morning to you as well!" Tilila answered, getting back up from her leaning position "I am Tilila, the warrior of this expedition. I'm from Libya." she spouted the same thing she had said to Emirhan. She had practiced it for a while. "You are..?" She asked. Though she was clearly from somewhere north of Greece, Tilila wasn't familiar with those places, so she wouldn't know.
“I am Ashera, the healer. But please call me Ash. And I'm from the northern Gaulish region of the Celtic lands.” she answered with a soft polite smile, hoping her accent wasn't too strong. “Is this your first visit to Egypt?” she asked simply to keep a pleasant conversation going.
Ehlaea woke just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. She got up, dressed, and meditated in the rays of light shining through the window.
Afterward, she thanked the spirits, then went to refresh the markings on her face. She had done it so many times before that she didn’t even need a reflection to see what she was doing.
When she was done, she packed up all of her things, which she could easily carry on her, and exited the room without a glance back. The luxury of the room, though she appreciated it, was too grand for her. Why did she need such luxuries when she had everything she had ever needed on her?
Ehlaea followed the halls back to the throne room where she encountered two others already waiting. The warrior and the healer if she remembered the Pharaoh’s words right. She nodded in greeting, then quietly waited.
Adonias usually woke up quite early, but often preferred to lie down for a while longer. Today, he decided, he would remove that part from his routine.
Admittedly, it was a bit of an odd feeling waking up in a room of luxury. Specifically one he’d journeyed quite far to come to, and to be offered this place of stay for the night. He inhaled and exhaled, sitting up, doing some stretches before anything else.
The rays of the sun were a nice feeling. Adonias ran his hands through his hair before taking his hair tie and putting it in. He wrapped his short cloak around himself, looking once more outside.
He closed his eyes, giving a brief, silent prayer. He turned back again, making sure he wasn’t leaving any of his things behind with him - spotting his satchel, he quickly put it on, tucking it under his cloak.
Finally, Adonias left the room, looking back at it momentarily, then continuing on his way.
He had entered the room where there were three others, two of which already were engaged in conversation. Adonias gave a general, polite nod as a way of greeting. While he’d slept fairly well, the excitement in him made it hard to fall asleep to begin with. He supposed he was lucky no one needed him throughout the night - he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to fall back asleep then.
“Good morning,” he greeted.
Efraim only woke when the sun was slightly above the horizon. Upon seeing it shine on them from the window, they worried they had slept in too late. They quickly dressed and said a quick prayer for safety and swiftness, and gratitude for the opportunity to go on this mission, and then left their room. As they went, they grabbed a small satchel filled with extra art and painting supplies, just in case, as well as a scroll and stylus for communication.
It didn’t happen all the time, but it always did seem to happen at the worst of times. Efraim couldn’t help it, as a deep sleeper only roused by bright light. They sighed and shook their head as they walked. At first, making their way was a little disorienting. They don't normally sleep here, and now they had to find their way to the throne room. Soon, however, they caught the sounds of chatter and followed it. The sound lead them to the end of the hall, where a few of the others were waiting. Feeling a little reserved and shy, they just quietly stood over near the sorceress, if Efraim's memory served them correctly.
