morning encounters [nebet]

[Darius]

Darius lounged at a grand pond in the palace gardens, watching the exotic fish make their rounds in the pool. He let out a long breath, relieving to relax, having just left a meeting with palace servant who had informed him that the late Pharaoh's daughters had met at these very gardens a few nights ago. Of course, Darius couldn't really relax. According to the servant, who had been watching from a safe distance, they had been talking and holding each other, but joking as well. And then the younger girl, Nebet, had begun crying. The servant and Darius could only assume that it was because of their father's death. Darius couldn't blame them. It hadn't been long, and Darius felt a little guilty for getting the whole crown-Puer thing started so quickly. Darius knew what a man the late Pharaoh was, and he was worthy to be missed. But Darius dismissed the guilt. He wasn't doing this for wealth or power, but for the good of Egypt and its people. This was a matter bigger than two young girls or even their entire family.

He returned his gaze to the fish, swimming in and out of visibility as the swam into the spots of water lit brightly by the hot sun. It was morning, so it wasn't stifling, but very nice for an Egyptian. A half-smile rest on his face as he remembered that he didn't have to decide anything now. Puer had barely made an appearance, and Darius hadn't even met him.

The sound of footsteps alerted him to someone's presence, and he turned around, not quickly but confidently, like a friendly nobleman that had nothing to fear. But as soon as he saw who it was, he stood up immediately, bowing low.

"Princess Nebet," he said, a welcoming smile on his face. "Greetings. I hope the gods have smiled upon you today?"

[Nebet]

Nebet had risen early that morning. She had wanted to go out to the pond in the garden and draw some of the fish. She loved the palace garden, it's many types of flowers and scenery offered a good muse for her when she wanted to draw. So she hopped out of bed, and quickly dressed. Leaving her black wig in it's place, she tucked her long white hair behind her ear and grabbed her sketchpad.
Then she headed out. Her small anklet bumping the floor with every step of her right foot. She smiled softly as she held up her sketchpad and looked at a recent drawimg of her sister. Nailah was asleep, her eyes gentle, and her body relaxed. The girls had talked until she had fallen asleep, and then Nebet had drawn it. She chewed her lower lip in worry over her and wished that her sister Could find the right suitor to help her take the throne. Nailah was a sweet woman, and it hurt Nebet to see how much sttress she was under.
She looked up when she got to the pond and froze. Darius had stood and was kneeling. Her cheeks flamed as she thought of her crush on him, but immediatly tried to stifle it as suprise. Darius was cute, yes, but Nebet was 13 and her older sister needed a suitor. Nebet had no plans romance as she offered him a soft smile and said,"hello Darius. Yes they have smiled today. I got inspiration this morning to come out to the pond and sketch some of the fish." Nebet stopped walking as a sudden thougoccurred to her and she asked wh flaming cheeks,"would you mind posing? I have been wanting to draw some pictures of family friends, but didn't know how to ask." Her gentle and quiet voice left off there and she waited for a reply.

[Darius]

Darius had surprised her, it had seemed, as color stood out on the princess's face. It was strange, though; you'd have thought that Nebet had seen him at the pond when she had been approaching. Maybe it was that she hadn't expected to see someone she recognized. He was mildly surprised that Nebet knew her name. Although he'd been rather close to her father, and was currently assisting her mother, Nebet must have been introduced to countless noblemen.

Conjectures aside, Darius was glad to see the girl smiling after the loss of her father. But when she asked him to pose, he was a bit taken aback. It was sort of unexpected. But of course he said yes. "If you'd like to, your highness. But what do you mean by pose?"

After listening to her reply, he continued. "I've heard of your drawings," he said. "All say that they are beautiful. It is doubtlessly a gift from the gods -- that, and your own skill." He wasn't trying to flatter her, just cheer her up. And he really had heard that she was a wonderful artist. After a pause, Darius decided to ask. "If I may ask, how are you doing?"

[Nebet]

Nebet sighed softly as she looked at the fish swim. She contemplated his answer for a moment before she looked at him again and smiled softly. "Just sit there and look out at the fish," She quietly said, her blue eyes soft as she readied her papyrus and writing utensil. Tucking a stray piece of her long white hair behind her ear, she let her blues go intent as she started her work. She enjoyed her arts and it was a welcome distraction from her fathers recent demise. She worked with a methodical hand as she bit her lower lip. Sometimes she would look up at him again and look at him before she would go back to work.
When he mentioned hearing of her arts, and how they were a gift from the Gods and he own skill, she smiled softly and a soft pink colored her cheeks. A pleased, but soft smile crossed her lips as she said,"my sisters say I am the best. That there arent anyone else who could do as good as I could." She stopped for a moment to think, her eyes laced with a sadness for a second as she thought of the drawing in her room of her father. She closed her eyes long enough to let her mind focus and went back to work. She had not expected him to really know about her drawing, but she figured he might have talked to her sister. She smiled faintly as she realized she was sitting with a crush of hers that she knew through her sister saying his name.
She looked up quickly when he asked how she was doing. She figured he meant how she was holding up after losing her father and said,"I have been ok. I work more on my arts now to pay homeage to the Gods and to remember him by." She stopped drawing as she remembered a few nights ago and a small tear fell. She wanted to be strong, but the sest part of her brain reasoned she was 13 and had just lost her father. What she finally added when she was sure her voice would not shake was,"I cannot sleep at night. It is difficult." She sighed again as she finished and wiped her hand across her eye to get rid of the tear.

[Darius]

Darius nodded. "All right." He laughed quietly. "That's what I was doing before." He liked watching the fish swim, and the gardens were very peaceful. Princess Nebet blushed a little when he talked about her artistic skill, talking about her sisters. They seemed close, the three of them. Darius found it a little strange, if only because it was confusing. He was close to his younger sister, but he didn't spend much time with her. His older brother was at sea, and Darius was happy to see him gone. He wondered how close the family was, and how it had happened.

He didn't miss the sadness that came into her eyes after she finished speaking, which contributed to when he later asked how she was. Then he caught the smile, which was a little surprising.

Darius wasn't really looking at the fish now, but watching Nebet with concern. He smiled wryly. "That doesn't sound like 'okay,'" he observed quietly. It was a strange mix of feelings; he wanted to help her. He liked the royal family and she was just a young girl. But on the other hand, he didn't want her sister to become the Pharaoh, and that's what Nebet wanted. "I'm sorry this happened to you. Is there anything I can do to help?"

[Nebet]

Nebet sighed softly, her hand working as if on autopilot now. Her blue eyes went distant to a few nights ago again to the sleepover. Nailah had let her sleep with her in her room. Nebet had watched her fall asleep, and then had drawn her sisters beautiful face as a token to the gods to thank them for her. Nebet had thanked them for her sisters strength and abilities to stand tall, even when she had just lost her father. Nebet looked up to that strength and prayed every night to them for her sister to find the right guy.
Nebet had never really prayed much for herself. Sure she had prayed for courage, and to find the right man who would strengthen Egypt as well. Her sister finding a man to marry and take the throne completely was on the top of her list. Nebet had herself on the bottom. She looked up finally as she realized she had still been drawing on autopilot. She quickly focused her eyes as she went back to work.
When Darius said his observation, her writing utensil froze over the paper. She was not going to cry in front of him. No way was she going to show him that little 13 year old girl who longed to crawl up in a corner and scream and cry until her voice went hoarse from the pain. Nebet knew her station as a princess had to come first. Her being only 13 and just losing her father came after and at night or when she was alone or with Nailah.
Nebet closed her eyes when he asked if thas anything he could do to help. She wanted to throw her arms around him and cry. But she didn't. She bit her lower lip harder to try and hide the pain in her eyes and said,"pray to the Gods that my sister has the strength to get through this. She carries a heavier burden than I." No Nebet was not going to cry. She was not going to cry. But if she was not going to cry, then what was falling onto the papyrus like rain drops?

[Darius]

Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say, if Nebet was trying to keep herself from crying. But Darius wasn't like most of the young men he knew, who either hated crying girls or felt frantic around them. Although he didn't want her to cry, she was thirteen and Darius had a younger sister. People needed to cry sometimes, and maybe if Nebet could talk about it, she would feel better.

Ah, yes. Nailah did carry a heavier burden. Darius tried to bury the guilt he felt from her words and -- yes, now her tears. He was against her sister becoming the Pharaoh, and had been gathering followers to try to crown Puer if he wasn't corrupt. And yet he had spent years around the royal family. He liked them. He wished he could do more to comfort her. If she had been a relative, perhaps, or even someone of equal ranking, he would have put a hand on her arm or something to show her that he was there. However, that wasn't exactly allowed in Egyptian etiquette with royals. At least he could honestly answer that he would wish Nebet's sister strength. "I will pray for her strength," he said gently. "And yours as well, if you don't mind me adding."