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Post by Amonsef Mahiriah on May 25, 2012 0:10:22 GMT -5
Certain portions of the housing area were largely abandoned - clusters of lower quality buildings that families had moved out of upon acquiring the wealth for better homes. Frequently these abandoned sites rested between the tents and shacks that made the poorer class housing, and the nicer structures that made the middle class housing. Some, however, were not totally abandoned... Whether inhabited by families of feral animals or by members of the neighboring poorer class, were someone to venture into almost any abandoned building of Egypt, there was a chance of meeting with a possibly unpleasant occupant.
In one such particular structure lie one of the most unpleasant occupants someone might run into. Thankfully enough, he was asleep. Amonsef lay curled in a shaded corner on the dirt floor, using his cloak as a pillow since even indoors at this time of day it was quite hot out. Still sweat was beaded across the marauder's lean form, and he soon shifted onto his back, his expression unusually restful but also somewhat troubled. Sweat-soaked strands of his white hair clung to the edges of his face. His breathing was shallow, and the erratic flickering of his eyelids suggested he was dreaming. At his sides, his hands gave small twitches, his fingertips pushing into the dirt from time to time.
The room was barren but for the sleeping youth. Whoever had occupied the home before left nothing behind but an old stool that looked on the verge of falling apart, though the walls were still lined with the occasional indent that had once been a shelf. There was nothing to suggest the marauder made this his home; all he had with him was the cloak balled under his head.
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Post by Bhae on May 25, 2012 0:25:30 GMT -5
Despite her usually pleasant demeanor and genuine kindness toward others, it was not often that Bhae found herself occupied by outings with friends. She spent most of her time alone, either busy with work, or wandering aimlessly. She liked people well enough--all kinds, in fact--but any more than three in a group made her feel uncomfortable. Her cheery talkativeness would fade into total silence, and awkward fidgeting. And so after a morning of trying to practice new words by walking up and down the market place, she was ready for a break from society.
There was a certain air of mystery around abandoned buildings. You never really knew why it was empty, or who had lived there. You could go in and be alone with the past--and she was fond of that. Though she had found out a few days ago that it was best to peek in before walking in; not everyone came to this place for some solitude. They weren't always the most friendly of creatures that she found hanging about...not that it was enough to stop her from coming back. Bhae smiled, side-stepping to let a child run past. They looked at her strangely for a moment, but were obviously too occupied with wherever they were going to stop and inspect the pale-skinned foreigner any further.
Speaking of pale-skinned....some shade would be good if she did not want to burn again. She turned toward a home that looked empty even from the outside, peeking in briefly before she stepped through the door and closed it behind her. She blinked, raising an eyebrow in the direction of the corner where she had spotted a familiar head of hair. Guess that makes us even. He had entered her house uninvited, and though she could tell nobody lived here, she'd more or less done the same.
The woman crossed her arms, head tilting slightly to one side for a moment. He was definitely asleep--though it did not really look like the dream he was having was a good one. Still standing by the door, she whistled, loud and sharp to get his attention. She knew there were other people in other buildings he was probably aiming to avoid, but a whistle wasn't enough to draw anyone closer, especially since it rang out inside the home, but would have dwindled outside its walls.
Whenever he did get around to noticing her, she lifted one hand and waved, but did not say anything just yet.
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Post by Amonsef Mahiriah on May 25, 2012 0:37:07 GMT -5
An abrupt and shrill sound pitched Amonsef from sleep, so it was no sooner than he had sat up with a start that he instinctively rolled into a crouch, knife in hand. His breathing was hard and panicked, possibly in part leftover from his dream, his dark eyes wide like a startled cat's until they came to rest on a pale, familiar face - at which they narrowed into a glare. "What the hell are you doing here?" The marauder snapped. His voice was hoarse with sleep as if it hadn't fully waken up yet. A thin layer of dirt from the floor he had been lying on coated his back and arms, which were undoubtedly sticky with sweat. Despite having been found sleeping - as direct evidence he ever did - the usual dark rings still encircled his eyes.
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Post by Bhae on May 25, 2012 0:44:59 GMT -5
She tried to restrain a smile, but it did not go entirely as planned, and one corner of her mouth twitched upward briefly before she was able to even out the expression again. Bhae waited a moment, righting her head so she was no longer leaning it sideways, "You looked like you were having a nightmare...were you?"
But then, as she seemed to do upon realizing she had asked a question that either did not matter, or was probably not going to be answered, she moved on to a different topic, "What am I doing here? Avoiding everyone else, obviously. You just happened to be here, too."
Then she did smile, shrugging, as if it should have been an obvious answer. As per usual, she did not seem particularly concerned by the knife. Her eyes wandered around the inside of the home. It looked vaguely familiar..maybe she had camped out in this one already on an earlier day.
"Just be glad nobody else found you. Didn't even hear me come in...lucky I'm not some crazy witch. I might've put a curse on you," she wiggled her fingers then, obviously in jest. If a curse was the worst she could do, she'd still probably be harmless to him, considering everything he'd probably dealt with growing up as a bad omen.
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Post by Amonsef Mahiriah on May 25, 2012 1:04:41 GMT -5
The marauder glowered at her. "That's none of your-" but he jumped at the nearby cry of a hawk outside, that could be glimpsed out one of the windows taking off into the sky. His gaze had darted to what little was seen of the bird with unmistakable alarm, but he was quick to clear the fearful look from his face and return to his usual scowl. He sheathed his knife, though, apparently seeing the woman as no threat.
He seemed to have the same line of thought she did, as he scoffed at her warning. "I am already cursed. There is not much more that could be done to me." He replied bitterly. His gaze shifted up toward the window again, where he glared out at the bright sky with obvious disdain for the daylight.
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Post by Bhae on May 25, 2012 1:14:54 GMT -5
She did not miss his reaction to the hawk. However, she had not been in Egypt long enough to really understand if that was a superstition--and there seemed to be many--or if he just did not like birds. Either way, she did not mention it.
Bhae nodded somewhat, letting her eyes wander toward the door, and a window, "No, I suppose you are right. I don't think I'd be much good at curses anyway. So you're probably safe."
She grinned, unfolding her arms to let them rest at her sides, though she soon became bored of this, and crossed them again. Even though she had gone there to be alone, she did not seem disappointed to have found a person. One was okay...she didn't mind a single person, or even two people as company. It was anything over that when she started feeling..out of place.
"Why do you only go out at night?"
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Post by Amonsef Mahiriah on May 25, 2012 1:53:33 GMT -5
"Why do you ask so many questions?" He retorted not without some venom. But he did add a more or less better answer. "Why do you think?" He scowled. Amonsef was a wanted criminal - and a noticeable one, at that. His white hair was obvious enough at night; he didn't stand a chance of blending in during the day, even with his hood up. And with or without his scar, his face was a memorable one, with his fairly handsome features and hard, sleep-starved eyes.
The marauder continued to gaze out the window as if debating whether or not to leave, but eventually turned to sit back down in the corner he had been sleeping, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Upon noticing the drenched strands of hair there, he absently tousled his hair to try to keep the strands off his face.
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Post by Bhae on May 25, 2012 8:03:49 GMT -5
She nodded again in answer to his response before venturing to answer. Bhae had figured as much, but in search of some kind of conversation continuation, she'd asked a question with a more than obvious answer. It never hurt to have confirmation to your suspicions, though, right?
However, when she thought about why she asked so many questions, the woman frowned, reaching up to scratch idly at her hair, "Ah...I'm not sure? I have always asked a lot of questions. Maybe I just like to learn."
Bhae did move to scowl faintly--not at him, but rather at the window, and then the door. She was not used to desert heat, as made evident by how red her cheeks were turning, but she had still not even been out in it as long as he had.
"How do you stand the weather here? You Egyptians must be made of desert sand not to go crazy in this heat.."
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Post by Amonsef Mahiriah on May 25, 2012 14:19:09 GMT -5
He picked at the dirt under his fingernails with a slightly furrowed brow. "... Maybe we do," he answered quietly before grabbing his cloak and getting to his feet. He threw the cloak and its hood on and strode past Bhae for the door. Amonsef knew he would not get back to sleep now... especially not if his uninvited guest insisted on making conversation. But if she was trying to get out of the heat, maybe he could lose her in it.
Despite that the sun was more intense outside, however, the air also felt a little clearer than the stagnant air of indoors, and the tightly knit buildings sometimes channeled a small - albeit warm - breeze. Amonsef walked for a couple of blocks before reaching his destination; he moved briskly as always. Fortunately, this part of housing was sparsely populated, and the few people who crossed his path seemed to be in as much of a rush as he was, if not more so. Soon enough, the marauder came to a long water trough, which was predictably a little busier. He kept his eyes and face downcast as he neared and leaned down to somewhat hastily wash his face, pausing to also take a small drink from the water cupped in his hands. A few of the people at the trough eyed him, and there was murmuring, but so far everyone seemed placid enough to leave the marauder alone. Doubtlessly at least a couple of the others at the trough had their own small list of crimes.
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Post by Bhae on May 25, 2012 18:26:03 GMT -5
Bhae tilted her head somewhat at his words. He'd spoken so quietly she almost was not sure she had heard him correctly...but before she had the opportunity to ask he was on his feet and throwing his cloak on to leave. She blinked, but eventually left to follow him. He was already ahead of her a fair way, but she sped up just enough to keep him in sight without actually catching up to him before he stopped. Fast little bugger, isn't he?
As she walked, she would occasionally make eye contact with those passing in the opposite direction, and wave. Though Bhae would smile as she did, it was only to children or older folk that she offered a 'hello' to as well. As she drew closer to the water trough where she could see he had stopped, her greetings dwindled to only the occasional smile if someone made eye contact with her. Though she came to a stop next to him, she did not offer any more conversation, instead letting her eyes flutter about from person to person--always offering the same genuine but timid smile in greeting whenever they noticed her looking.
It was almost as if someone had glued her mouth shut, though there was an air of tension suggesting she still wanted to speak, but could not--as if anxiety had sewn her lips together and she was fighting to unravel the threads. Her eyes wandered toward him, but did not linger long there, either. Instead a short-lived scowl passed over her face, but as quickly as it registered it faded. Apparently she was content to ignore the obvious; that he was trying to ditch her for solitude.
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Post by Amonsef Mahiriah on May 25, 2012 19:56:15 GMT -5
The marauder cast Bhae a fleeting glare once he noticed she had followed him to the water trough. But he did not speak to her, either, or pay her too much mind - as if not wanting to associate with her in the least while in the public eye. And for good reason; the woman's proximity to him did not go unnoticed.
"Amon," called a man quietly. He was a little bigger and older than Amonsef, though not too formidably so. He scooted closer to the marauder, nudging him in the arm. "Hey, Amon." Amonsef offered no response, as if he hadn't even heard the man. He shook the water from his hands into the trough. "You actually made a friend, huh? Some foreigner who doesn't know shit about you, right? That makes sense. I bet she even thinks your hair is pretty, ri-" A punch hurled as abruptly as a bolt of lightning smacked into the side of the man's face. Clutching the impact point, he staggered back, hissing. Amonsef was quick to turn around and start walking off before giving anyone else a chance to pipe up - though apparently, he wasn't quick enough, as the man he had punched scampered after him to grab his arm and try to turn him around. The marauder did turn around, only to throw another hit directly into the front of the man's face this time so he crumpled down with a bloody nose. Again, Amonsef only turned back around to keep walking, with no further interruptions. The people at the water trough murmured quietly amongst themselves, and the man continued to clutch at his wounded face.
Amonsef quickly resumed his usual pace, though he continued on past the building he had been in before, taking a turn to the right a little after it to stride through the narrow passageway between houses. There his pace seemed to increase, though whether this was in regards to Bhae or not remained to be seen.
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Post by Bhae on May 25, 2012 20:17:10 GMT -5
Bhae blinked, glancing toward the stranger when they sidled over to nudge the white-haired youth she'd followed. Another faint scowl crossed her features, "I can understand you," though when she spoke it was hard to imagine anyone would hear her at that low volume.
She did flinch slightly when the instigator was punched in the face, but her exaggerated expression suggested a form of silent mocking at the ever-so-swiftly delivered karma. He had asked for it, after all. However, when the stranger followed, and was again struck, she did not move to follow Amonsef. She knew if she hurried after him now, they would only continue giving him a hard time about it. At least this way he could play it off as coincidence if he really wanted to.
The foreign woman sighed, pursing her lips briefly, but soon stepped forward to offer her hand to help steady the man who'd been punched in the face, "I would apologize for your face, but...you started it. Taunting someone is not always the best way to have a conversation without blood. Yes?"
Nonetheless she did tear a small strip of cloth from the bottom of her nearly floor-length dress to ball it up and hand it to him, "Here. Hold it at your nose until the bleeding stops. You're tough, right? Should be fine."
She waved her hand dismissively. Bhae did not give them much of an opportunity to question her. She'd managed to move quickly enough, and speak with enough authority that it almost had the effect of one adult in a group of children. Nobody ever expected her to take charge of a situation, so when she did step in and instruct someone on what to do, they were often too stunned to process it until after she was gone...as seemed to be the case, when the man followed her instructions with a confused look on his face.
Seeming to remember there were others around, she snapped her mouth shut, falling into another bout of silence--though she did smile, and wave at the general group of people before turning to very quickly walk away. She was not concerned about looking for Amonsef. Bhae had an uncanny knack for finding people accidentally--so she chose to walk without any direction in mind, turning when she felt like it and so on. Though it took several minutes, she eventually rounded a corner, and had to shuffle sideways to avoid walking right into Amonsef...as she had predicted she would.
"I am confused now. Are you stalking me, or am I stalking you?" She tilted her head, an almost teasing smile threatening to cross her face, though it never fully formed. After a few seconds' pause, though, she righted her head, "That was a nice punch, by the way."
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Post by Amonsef Mahiriah on May 26, 2012 2:08:59 GMT -5
Amonsef continued weaving his way between houses. It was only after absent-mindedly realizing Bhae was not in tow that he wondered if he may have lost her... But just as the thought crossed his mind, the woman came around the corner and about ran into him. He scowled, very nearly shoving her back out of reflex, though he instead took a few steps back. He growled under his breath at her remark, and the sour look on his face persisted even at her compliment. "Whatever..." He muttered.
He glanced behind him, clearly checking that he wasn't followed from another direction, before moving past Bhae to continue down the alley. A few more turns and he abruptly veered into another abandoned building. A hand reached up to rub his head, but he paused, glancing down at the blood on his knuckle from the man's face it had smashed into. He wiped it on his cloak.
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Post by Bhae on May 26, 2012 17:43:26 GMT -5
Bhae cracked a faint smile then, but only followed him silently when he began moving toward a second abandoned building. As far as she was concerned, he had not asked her to leave him alone, and until he did, or she could clearly see he'd had enough company for the time being, she was going to stick around for a short while longer...but not without being fair, of course.
She watched him wipe his hand off on his cloak, but rather than commenting on it, lifted her gaze to him again before leaning forward slightly, "Want to know a secret?"
After a few second's pause, she stood up straight again, "Whenever I find someone with a sour disposition, I take that as a personal challenge to make them smile at least once before I die. So until that happens, you might as well get used to me spontaneously popping out of the woodwork....but don't worry. I'm a very good listener," she then smiled, nodding once, "If you want me to leave, you can always ask. I don't mind finding someone else to bother until we run into each other again...which is more or less guaranteed to happen."
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Post by Amonsef Mahiriah on May 27, 2012 23:43:58 GMT -5
He turned to stare at the foreigner intently as she spoke, as if listening attentively - though the look on his face was so serious it seemed more as if he was listening to his own thoughts than whatever she was saying to him. His dark eyes were hard and intense, and he didn't blink once she was finished and he answered. "Do you want to know a secret?" He, too, leaned in as she had, but closer, far beyond the boundaries of a personal bubble so that his face hovered before hers as intimately as if they were about to kiss. The marauder's odor was very much of Egypt, more like the desert with its heat and sand than any bodily human scent, and his breath like dead fields of crops, dry and barren. And all the while his gaze held hers relentlessly. "If you make me smile, it will be just before you die." His volume had dropped to mimic the intimacy of the little distance between them, and his words were potently ominous.
He stepped back, and his eyes finally lifted from her to drift over the windows before he turned to stride away into another corner of the abandoned home. There he removed his cloak again to ball it and drop it on the floor beside him as he sat.
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