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Post by Barates Aster on May 19, 2012 17:04:04 GMT -5
(*random note: When Barates is speaking in italics, it is Greek, otherwise, he'll be speaking (rather stilted) Egyptian*)
Bending low to catch the last of the dust with the reed brush, Barates Aster bit back a curse, his back already aching. Sweeping the small cluster into a pile along with the rest of the sand he had already accumulated, Barates leaned back up with an annoyed scowl as he muttered Greek obscenities beneath his breath.
“Stupid Egyptians, stupid dust, stupid sand…” Brushing the small pile of dirt and dust into the basket at his feet while taking care not to tilt it too far lest all his work be undone, the Cretian picked up the basket and stumbled to his feet, wincing slightly as his knees cried out in protest- their muscles sore from the long hours of kneeling.
He had been cleaning since the early hours of the morning, and the dark bags underneath his eyes attested to that. Alone in the room save for a smattering of a few other slaves and servants, Barates allowed himself a moment of rest-one of the pities of being a slave was perhaps the fact that sleep was not very high on one’s agenda. Luckily enough, though the hours were taxing, Barates had some experience with getting little sleep- working on a ship left one with various hours, particularly when it was understaffed or half the crew had died in a storm or battle.
Sighing wistfully at the thought, he could practically feel the floor rocking beneath his feet, the gentle sway of water slapping against the hull and the bitter tang of salt on his tongue and the spray of the ocean against his face. What he wouldn’t give, to be able to sail again.
Still, he had little room to complain-he had volunteered himself for this. Face slackening slightly as it lost its wistful haze, Barates shook his head. No, it did little good to dwell on that. Pythios was safe- the crew was happy…that…that was all that mattered.
And who knew, perhaps they would come back for him and buy him back from the Egyptians. Snorting beneath his breath, Barates picked up the basket resting at his feet, hefting it on his shoulders as he moved towards the back of the room, reed brush in hand. Ha-even he knew the likelihood of that happening was ill to none.
Placing the basket along with a whole group of its fellows, Barates eyed the room, noting with some ill intent that he was among the last of the slaves finishing up, and he thought wryly, he was not even half way done. Sweeping the floors had been the easiest part of his trip-now it came to brushing off the scant furniture and making sure the walls weren’t baring any signs of ill use.
Moving over to grab a scrappy linen cloth from a rather limp looking pile, Barates scowled.
How he hated cleaning.
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Post by Nebet on May 19, 2012 19:53:46 GMT -5
Nebet had suprised herself with wanting to walk around the palace. She felt as if her chambers was tightening in around her, even though she normally loved being there to practice her arts. She thought about her father, missing him dearly. She had loved her father, and she continued to think of him as she walked without a direction. She wondered through each room as if taking nothing in, her eyes blank as her anklet clattered to the floor with every other step.
Nebet carried with her a notebook, something she loved to keep her drawings in and as she wondered through the palace she thought about how bad her sister was having things. She sighed softly, no noticing a guard joining her when she entered the kitchens. She walked slowly, her book bumping against her lap as she walked. She midded her father and she debated on going through the many pictures of him she had drawn when he was alive. She bit her lower lip some as a tear fell, but she brushed it away quickly. She looked up suddenly and saw one of the servants. Being the gentle but quiet girl she was, she offered him a soft smile, her blue eyes barely registering he was there until the guard was in front of her and she was peekng shyly from behind him. "Hi," she said softly as shlooked the man in the eye.
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Post by Barates Aster on May 19, 2012 22:23:27 GMT -5
Glued as he was to his current task, Barates barely noticed the sound of footsteps behind him. Reaching up to scrub at a spot on a wall, arms stretched as he balanced on the tips of his toes, he merely nodded distractedly at the smile he received, hardly aware of the entourage of the kitchen’s current guest.
It was only when the girl spoke, peeking from behind a guard to look him in the eyes, did he blink.
“Hi.”
“Hello.” Unable to stop his reply, Barates’s face went white beneath the ruddy sunburn on his cheeks as he finally realized who he was speaking to. Nebet- the youngest princess. Crud.
This was…this was no ordinary girl, and torn between standing proud like any true Greek would do or bowing down with his face flat on the round as his current station demanded less he be whipped, Barates was torn between a comical mixture of the two.
“You-princess-sorry.” Fumbling for words as best he could, Barates finally set for going down to his knee, linen cloth abandoned on the floor beside him, dirtying the floor he had just swept. Face slowly growing a more red hue as he stared at the princess’s feet, unable to meet her eyes, Barates grimaced before he weakly looked to the side, more comfortable with staring at the guard’s face then the girl before him.
Royals after all, were a finicky lot from Barates’s experience. Though the girl seemed kind, if a bit quiet, it could be a farce and well, Barates would rather not suffer more punishment then he had to. “What brings you here? Err... mean, What….what…bring you here? Can…How can help?”
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Post by Nebet on May 20, 2012 12:43:21 GMT -5
Nebet looked at the man and then giggled softly when he looked torn. She wondered who he was as she let her nails dig into the sketchpad she held. She felt a sadness for the man when he finally apoligized and got down on his hands and knees. She nodded her head at him, then softly said,"it's alright." She looked at him shyly some more, then quietly said,"I was looking for subjects for some of my drawings and I have seen you around. Would you mind me sketching you? I would tell the guard to make one of the other slaves to take over your work, that way I could concentrate." She continued to look out from behind the guard as he tensed, the guard waiting for the order to shout to bring another slave up should the man agree. She smiled kindly from behind him, her eyes soft as she waited for a reply from him. It was true, she had seen him around the palace and had been wanting to find a good subject to sketch. Nebet fingered her sketchpad nervously as she finally stepped out from behind the guard, but ever so slightly, her blue dress and anklet coming into view more as she nervously, yet gently smiled at him.
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Post by Barates Aster on May 20, 2012 20:40:31 GMT -5
Not daring to look up even at the sound of a soft chuckle, Barates winced, instead continuing his thorough inspection of the guard’s feet. They were calloused he noted, and his toe nails needed a bit of cutting. Frowning at the thought and sneaking a glance to his own foot, he all but jumped at the sound of the princess’s soft voice, eyes darting towards her against his own will.
“It’s alright.”
Flustered, Barates winced, gaze already drawing to the floor only to shoot back up as Nebet continued speaking, her voice just as soft, if a bit quieter than before. “I was looking for subjects for some of my drawings and I have seen you around. Would you mind me sketching you? I would tell the guard to make one of the other slaves take over your work, that way I could concentrate.”
Torn between disbelief, Barates could only stare dumbstruck at her, forgetting to move his gaze away even when one of the neighboring slaves harrumphed in mortification and mumbled something about stupid foreigners.
“Ah, what…?” Forgetting to speak in Egyptian as he gaped wide eyed at the young princess smiling kindly from behind the guard who looked ready to follow the tiny royals’ every order, Barates could only nod his head. “Ah, yes, that would be…” Face whitening and then flushing enough that the red hue of his sunburn was invisible from its new color, Barates nodded a bit faster than before. “Yes. Err, yes Princess.”
Short as the reply was, he hoped the girl would get his point-though he could understand Egyptian, (it was a necessity, when all of one’s tasks were barked in it) he could speak it only with some difficulties, his tongue having trouble mastering the foreign words.
Of course, even as he nodded his head, Barates knew he should refuse. The youngest princess found with a slave? Drawing his picture none the less? Unheard of –in Greece he’d surely have been put to death for the sheer audacity of the very idea. A slave after all, was nowhere near fit enough to be in the same presence as a royal unless serving them, and even then they should be seen and not heard.
Still, however Barates’s more intelligent sensibilities screamed at him, he couldn’t bring himself to disagree, not even when pinned with the annoyed looks of the other slaves and when the girl began slowly moving out of her guard’s shadow, Barates could only sigh, brow furrowing slightly even as he awkwardly returned the Princess’s gentle smile, “Picture…picture is fine….er…we do here?”
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Post by Nebet on May 21, 2012 6:31:46 GMT -5
Nebet offered the man a soft smile, then looked at the guard and said,"please send for one of the other slaves to take over this mans work?" She looked at the guard as he nodded and called on another guard, who in return came back with another slave. She looked at the guards as they told the slave what he had to do and said," tell the slave who takes over Nebet said thanks." Then she tucked a piece of her long hair behind her ear. She was gentle and avoided trouble, and she loved her arts. She had been praised by her sisters for her artwork a few times, but she always made them mad by finding flaws in her work.
She looked at the man again, a gentle and reassuring look in her eyes as she smied somewhat. She had actually asked her sister a couple of days ago for permission to draw a few of the slaves, eager to see it when she was done. She had been sidetracked though, but she knew her sister would be okay with her doing it two days later, so she finally came out from behind the guard, offering him a gentle smile as she said,"thank you. I appreciate you doing this." She looked at the guard when she finished, her blue eyes landing on the slave sent to take over after. When she slave knelt, she offered him a small smile, then finally heard the mans other question. She turned back to him, her blues eyes soft. She smilled a little more softly, then nodded as she said,"my idea is that you sit in front of a wall with your knees drawn up and towards you. You will be looking down too, for my idea." She smiled some more, then a worried look assed through her face as she asked,"is that okay?"
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Post by Barates Aster on May 21, 2012 12:46:42 GMT -5
Watching a bit awkwardly as the young princess told her guard to call another slave, Barates fidgeted, rocking on the balls of his feet. Despite his unease with the situation-a Princess talking to a slave? This was just begging for trouble if anyone heard-Barates couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit smug, and a small smirk came onto his face as one of the more daring slaves shot him a dirty look from where he was cleaning a small stretch of the wall.
Whatever the Princess was thinking though, at least she seemed to have a good reason.
I mean, who wouldn’t want to draw him. Hand moving to brush at the shaved clumps of hair on his head, Barates frowned slightly. He would have looked better with it in its original style, before those dratted priests got to it. Many braids, with beads beaded into them-oh yes, he had been quite the looker before this…this…smug smile falling a bit quicker than it had appeared, Barates frowned, reminded by his own thoughts about his current situation.
“Thank you. I appreciate you doing this.”
Jumping out of his momentary distraction with nothing more than a slight jerk of his hands and a widening of his eyes to denote he had not been paying attention, Barates slowly nodded his head, “Ah yes-not, not problem.” Still somewhat flustered, the Greek slave stepped slowly back as the slave sent to replace him arrived.
Eying the man with a confused glance, he looked back towards Nebet nervously before he finished moving away from his spot. However thrown off he was, he didn’t even bother to hide the relieved smirk (if it seemed a bit smug that was no problem of his-he couldn’t help that he hated cleaning) that slid onto his face as the other slave grabbed the dirtied linen cloth and began resuming cleaning.
“my idea is that you sit in front of a wall with your knees drawn up and towards you. You will be looking down too, for my idea. Is that okay?"”
Blinking as the Princess began speaking again, Barates idly noticed that she had moved completely out of the guard’s shadow and he paused. She had seemed smaller behind the guard, like a little doll needing protection-out of the man’s protective barrier though, she seemed less like a doll and more like a well, princess. Not to say that behind the guard she looked any less regal. Shaking his head minutely to rid himself of the wayward thoughts, Barates nodded, following the princess directions. “Y-yes. That…that good-er-okay.”
Sitting down with his back against the wall, Barates flinched slightly-though still slightly warm due to the sun, it was a bit chilly against his heated skin and stung slightly at the brand against his back brushed the cool mud brick pressed against it. Hiding the flinch, Barates pulled his knees towards his chest, taking care to make sure that his kilt didn’t flop around and reveal any unmentionables. After a bit of fidgeting and rearranging himself, Barates finally gave a pleased nod. Eyes darting up from their place on the floor to look at Nebet curiously, Barates cocked his head to the side, “Okay. What now? Just sit like this?”
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Post by Nebet on May 21, 2012 17:29:12 GMT -5
Nebet looked at him as the man, her small form remaining behind the guard. She gave him a kind smile as she talked sodlty, not being rude or mean. Nebet had always been a quiet and soft girl. She was always being called gentle and shy by her sisters. She loved her dear sisters and wished that she could be braver. She looked at the man as he remained deep in thought, her eyes travelling to the guard in worry as she noticed he did not move. She wondered if the man was okay and was about to ask if the guard could call the healers in as she heard his voice. She jumped as he spoke, but then regained her composure and offered the man a soft smile. He sounded like he did not know egyptian too well, but he knew enough to do his chores and speak shortened sentences, so she did not ask for a translator.
When he said it was no problem, she smiled a bit more softly, yet stayed behind the guard for the most part. Her shy nature usually ended up with her hiding behind and clinging to whoever was there that she knew. Her sisters for the most part were nice enough to let her hide behind them. Sometimes her sisters wld get on to her, but for the most part they loved her enough tknow when she wanted to hide.
Nebet nodded when he decided it was ok and smiled a bit softly. She walked behind the man, heard keeping steith her as she walked. When she got to the spot he sat down and proceeded to arrange himself. Nebet looked away politely when he began ssing with his kilt to make sure he was not showing and she walked over to the wall, sitting when the guard brought a chair. She let her eyes gover him and gaveuard an instruction to stand behind her. Then she said," hug your knees and you will be fine."
She got to work, her quiet voice asking,"so where are you from?" She got to work, waiting on an answer as she began outline, bringing her lines together. Her eyes filleda passion for her arts as she thought about her father.
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Post by Barates Aster on May 22, 2012 0:21:42 GMT -5
Fidgeting slightly as he watched Nebet sit in the chair the guard dragged over, Barates fought the urge to flush awkwardly as the princess let her eyes go over him. Hers was a purely artistic gaze, and even vain as he was, Barates couldn’t help but feel self-conscious.
“Hug your knees and you will be fine.”
Nodding a bit more quickly then he’d have liked, Barates followed the young princess’s orders, both arms wrapping around his knees before he let one drop, finding the previous position slightly uncomfortable-hopefully the princess wouldn’t mind. Shifting his back slightly to steady himself while making sure he didn’t drop out of his current pose, Barates couldn’t help but watch her curiously, peeking up at her every so often as he kept his gaze downcast.
She looked intent, and he could hear the barely audible scratch of her stylus against the papyrus.
“So, where are you from?”
Jumping at the sudden sound of Nebet’s voice, quite though it was, Barates flinched despite himself, though he was quick to relax once more, hoping the princess hadn’t caught the slight jump.
“Greece.” he finally replied, voice warming as he thought of his home country. “Crete to exact. Village of Archanes .” Frowning at the garbled statement, Barates clicked his tongue against his teeth lightly- he really did have to get better at speaking Egyptian. Still, however annoyed he was with his skills (or lack thereof) when it came to speaking the language, Barates forced himself to continue, “Family fishers. Was soldier. Served on ship. Now slave.”
Grimacing slightly at both curtness of his words and the subject mentioned, Barates looked away, eyes dragging on the floor. He said no other thing about his hometown or city, instead lapsing into silence. It took him a moment to speak again in an attempt to change the subject, his eyes moving back towards Nebet curiously, “…enjoy drawing?”
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Post by Nebet on May 22, 2012 4:54:48 GMT -5
The princess smiled softly as she looked him over, working up to the point that she could draw. She started with the outline, her soft eyes going to him on the occasion. When he let a leg drop, she realized he must have been uncomfortable, so she turned her soft smiled on him and said softly,"that will be fine." She looked down and worked, her blue eyes watchful as she drew his legs and feet. She felt a small sadness for the man who could not really speak much egyptian. She could never be the way her sisters were around the slaves. She was a gentle girl, and it made her feel sad to have to really order people around. As she worked on the drawing, her mind went back to the night her and her sister talked about their father in the garden. She bit her lower lip as she thought of him. She thought of his warm voice, and knew how much he had loved his daughters before he got sick.
She knew she could not dwell on this though, so she shoved the image of her father into the back of her mind. She looked up when he said he was from Greece, Crete. She offered him a softer smile as he named his village. She felt a sense of his longing to be back with his family, but she could not dwell on things that she could not change. It hurt to have to, but she also put this in the back of her mind as well. She slowly and methodically let her hand go across the papyrus, her blue eyes watchful yet full of passion for the arts she loved.
When he asked her if she liked drawin, she smiled. She nodded shyly and said,"I love to draw, paint, and play my harp. My sisters say I am good at the arts, but I don't really know. I do know that for every person who is good at something, there is always someone better." Her quiet voice finished and she went back tok, her eyes passionate in that she deled into it. Her soft eyes glanced on him on the occasion before she said,"my names Nebet. I know you might know that, but I figured it might good idea to formally introduce myself." Her small frame bent over the drawing as she worked on torso, her eyes passionate again.
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Post by Barates Aster on May 22, 2012 11:30:23 GMT -5
Giving a thankful smile as Nebet mentioned his current pose was fine, Barates let the expression linger for a moment before it slid off his face and barely noticed the Princess smile at him as he mentioned his town.
The mere memory of them made his heart ache, and as his brow twisted slightly, Barates let his eyes wander, smoothing his face out only to look up curiously as Nebet began speaking again.
“I love to draw, paint and play my harp. My sisters say I am good at the arts, but I don't really know. I do know that for every person who is good at something, there is always someone better."
Nodding slowly to Nebet’s words, Barates’ lip quirked into a smile, though he took care to keep his position as still as he could make it. “Eh, will always be person better-is life. But should take pride in work. Noting one good does not mean one is…” fumbling for a word, Barates paused before he shrugged slightly, “…eh, bad? No…er…snob? Yes. That it-noting one good does not mean one is snob-just means one is proud. Easy. No brag, or boast, right? So good. Skill in area not matter, if one happy. If one happy…” Barates trailed off, face flushing as he realized he was chiding a royal princess. “…then one good no matter what. Already master at skill. Make words-er…sense, yes?”
Going quiet as he cursed at himself in his mind-really, what was he thinking?! Speaking to the princess like that, like she was a common girl?! It was stupid, that’s what it was-if any of the head servants or other slaves heard of this and brought it to the right ears he’d be in for a whipping. Still berating himself, Barates flinched as Nebet spoke up once again, her soft voice overriding the quiet scratch of her stylus. “My name’s Nebet. I know you might know that, but I figured it might good idea to formally introduce myself."
Nodding slowly at the girl with wide eyes, Barates paused before he smiled, brow tilted somewhat awkwardly at the sheer situation. A princess introducing herself to him? Really, these Egyptians were so weird… “Yes, know. Princess Nebet- young princess. Youngest? Nice….nice to er…meet?” Fumbling for words, Barates frowned cautiously in thought for a moment before he shrugged, a wry smile tilting at his lips, “Me Barates…that is…er, my name’s Barates. Barates Aster, of Crete.”
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Post by Nebet on May 22, 2012 13:06:14 GMT -5
Nebet looked down as she worked, her hair falling in her face. She tucked a piece of it behing her ear then she heard him talking again. She listened to him chide her and she smiled softly as she looked at him. "My sisters say the same thing. 'take pride in your work. Your the best artist in Egypt.' So since even you say this, then I should start. I will take pride in my work from now on. I won't brag, because I like to know my ego isn't that big. But thank you." She smiled some more as she went back to work, finishing with the head, and torso. She went to work on the arms, remembering the thankful smile she had recieved, giving him another soft smile. She worked some more on his arms, her blue eyes watchful for every detail as she expertly worked her utensil across the papyrus. She chewed her lower lip and then dighed softly when she got to a more difficult part for her and did it.
She heard him talking again and looked at him. She smiled softly and then nodded and said,"yeah, I am the youngest. My oldest sister says I am very talented for my age in the arts. I work all day and come out at night to practice most times." She let the smile linger, then gave a soft smile to her guard as he looked worriedly. Her guard asked her if she was thirsty or hungry and she softly said,"no, I want to do this." She then turned her soft smile back to the man as he introduced himself. "It is very nice to meet you Barates Aster. And I thank you again for your time." She went back to work, finishing the arms and working on the legs, her blue eyes intense again.
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Post by Barates Aster on May 22, 2012 14:27:46 GMT -5
Smirking slightly despite himself as he heard Nebet sigh-no doubt she was getting to the more difficult parts-Barates leaned back slightly, making himself comfortable. The slaves around him were already finishing up their work, even the one assigned to take his place.
In fact, Barates noted with some hint of amused bitterness, the slave had finished his job faster then he himself could have done it. Head tilting minutely to the side to get a better look at his replacement’s face; Barates’s lips quirked. He’d remember their face- perhaps he could bribe them to take over his duties more often. He sure enough didn’t want to do them.
Soft speaking off to his side caught his attention, and Barates blinked, looking towards where Nebet and the guard had started speaking. He caught brief catches of it-something about seeing if the young princess was hungry, or thirsty if the worried look on the guard’s face was any indication.
Staring at the two curiously, Barates smiled despite himself. From the expression on the guard’s f ace, he seemed to care for the young princess greatly. However his disdain for royals, he too could admit that the princess was easily likeable.
Flushing despite himself as the princess finished her chat with the guard before turning to look at him with a soft smile, Barates looked away, eyes glued to the floor once again. He didn’t want it to seem as if he had been staring-even if that was what he’d been doing.
It is very nice to meet you Barates Aster. And I thank you again for your time."
Listening intently as Nebet began getting back to work, her eyes intent, Barates slowly nodded his head. “Not problem.” he reaffirmed, echoing his earlier statement, “Happy to supply-er help.” Mouth open as he was about to add ‘keeps me from cleaning’ Barates shook his head slightly, lips quirked into an amused grin. Somehow, he doubted telling the princess he’d gladly pose for her any time if it kept him from cleaning was a good idea.
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Post by Nebet on May 23, 2012 20:08:59 GMT -5
Nebet worked, her eyes intent. She loved working on her arts, especially when she could do it and know she might be praised. She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully before the guard had asked his question. The guard looked concerned for him, and she was touched that he cared for the young princess. She looked at Barates after she had finished, noticing his stare. Her eyes and smiled softened more as she watched him. Then she got back to work.
She finished with her current work and got to work and his hair some more, adding a bit more detail into it as she went. This was a bit more difficult, but she was confident in her abilities as she kept going. She finally looked up and blinked, rubbing an eye as she yawned. She wasn't really tired, but she yawned again anyway, letting her small hand slip over her mouth.
When she heard him talking again, she turned her soft smile to him again and nodded. "I really have been wanting to get a sketch done for a time now. I needed a good subject for my sketch, and since I have seen you around, I had hoped you would not mind." When she finished, she realized he might have been planning on saying something else, but had not. She smiled softly at him and said quietly,"I hope we end up friends. You seem like a pretty nice guy." She let her eyes travel back to the papyrus again and went back to work, her blush hiding under her hair.
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Post by Barates Aster on May 24, 2012 1:42:26 GMT -5
Sitting against the wall, all Barates could hear was the quiet scratch of Nebet’s utensils against the papyrus coupled with the noise of the last few slaves and servants finishing up. Watching as one man grabbed a vase that had been used to hold excess water and begin to carry it out; Barates tilted his head, watching his movements.
Like this, it was almost as if he wasn’t a slave at all. No work, no cleaning, no chores, no whip slicing into his back when he’d done something bad. It was…it was blessedly normal and Barates found himself disappointed at the fact that the moment Nebet left he would be thrown back into the never ending chaos that was his life when one was the on the bottom rung of society. Glancing down slightly, he trailed off into thought, eyes narrowing as they stared at the floor.
He stayed like that for a moment, glancing up only at the sound of Nebet’s yawn and he found his lips quirking. Though it hadn’t felt that long, they had been sitting here a while. About to voice his concerns with a nervous look towards the guard, Barates shut his mouth just as Nebet began speaking.
Mouth quirking upwards at the girl’s words, Barates shook his head with a wry smile. “Not mind at all.” Eyes softening as the smile on his lips turned a tad dryer, Barates cocked a brow, “Princess friends with slave? Egyptians really are weird.” Voice amused despite the short words, Barates snorted then laughed softly beneath his breath, though he kept a wary eye on the guard. “You not so bad. For royal.”
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