Lion Head Mesa Kourasménos

It was a bleak day; sunlight was concealed behind a wall of dismal grey clouds. They stretched across the expanse of the heavens, leaving no room for the light that existed beyond. The scent of cold on the air was a promise. Winter would be cold, and Arsenio could feel it in the frame of his body. As he ventured from the caverns of the mesa and into the open terrain, the air bit against him.

The Greek man was not pleased with the happenings at Akashingo. There were days when he regretted accepting the post that had been offered by the Roman soldier. Germanicus the stoic, thought Arsenio with a frown. The greyed man was something of an enigma, much like the other men in the Pharaoh’s court.

Finding a suitable stony outcropping, the russet figure relaxed to his stomach and crossed his paws in front of him. He would have some time for himself while the queen was busy with her devoted followers.

a moment's respite,

he had become drawn and aloof. sleeplessness often came to plague him. the result of this was plainly seen.

but his eyes had not lost their watchful and protective air.

arsenio had ceased laughing.

now the eagle came to stand alongside the scarlet man. he wanted to know if the intrigues of the court had wiped away the guard's happiness. or if darker things plagued him.

"i am going on a patrol," he told the other. the invitation was in the way he stepped away, grateful to be leaving the mesa even for its outlands.

Ah, romaïkós, the auburn guard greeted with a small smile.

Arsenio did not answer the grey-whiskered man. He moved instead to step alongside Germanicus, another body for the soldier’s patrol.

For some time, the Greek and the Roman walked together. The auburn mercenary did not say anything until he was certain they had stepped out of earshot, away from the bustle of the mesa and its residents. When the wilds were the only thing around the two men, Arsenio turned his cold gaze on the Roman and laughed softly.

You did not tell me all there was to tell of Akashingo, Germanikos.

Arsenio’s tone was casual, but he studied the other man carefully to gauge his response.

"until i came to akashingo i did not myself know every intrigue." they walked shoulder to shoulder, and the eagle allowed himself relaxation into the familiar tread of guardians.

"what have you learned?" he inquired softly. the careful sunlit gaze returned the iceblue expression. 

what sort of things reared their heads beneath the wartime efforts?

The Greek man could not help but chuckle at the soldier’s response.

But you are still here, hmm.

It was said as a statement and not a question, for the auburn guard did not need the grey-whiskered man to give him a reason. Arsenio did not shift his gaze away from their path, but he did smile to himself. Was that a soldier’s duty that kept Germanicus on the mesa, or was it something deeper? Akashingo was rife with intrigue, indeed.

I have learned that the Pharaoh is a spoiled child with too clever a mind. A man who basks in pretty, lavish things. I do not think he trusts me, but I do not think he believes I am anything more than a fisherfolk, a strong man, and a fool.

Arsenio breathed deep and picked up his pace so that they could cover ground more efficiently.

The lady Queen is different. She grows sharper and sharper with each passing day. The mad king gives her shape with his charm, and she is like a warrior’s spear. It will not be long before she is fitting of her title.

This information was nothing special, nothing Germanicus could not have gotten on his own.

The Pharaoh wishes for me to report to him, to tell him all who visit his queen, her maids, to make sure that they are unspoiled. He is possessive. Arsenio laughed.

it was true. these were things germanicus might have picked up by himself. but it would hold the requirement of being often in either of these two courts. and he had not desired that for himself. it was good to hear that suspicions had been confirmed.

a flick of his ear acknowledged the unsaid question.

"you called the egyptian mad." the eagle was bemused in the way of a quiet man. "i think that of all his people." it was easy to speak of his prejudices with another soldier. they both appeared to feel the same when it came to the lofty pharaoh.

"when queens become fitting of their title they become cruel." had not his mother been the same? as to the rest, the imperator only shook his head. "one day they might very well become the target of one another."

"did you learn anything of ursus' plans for warfare?" the eagle put his eyes upon their path.

Arsenio laughed again, pleased to find that the Roman soldier shared his distaste for the Pharaoh, even more pleased to find that the stalwart figure was capable of his own prejudices. It was the talk of men and it had a powerful comfort in familiarity for the Greek man.

I think the queen is testing her strength, the point of her tongue. She was not pleased that I inserted myself as her personal guard, the grin did not fade from his face. Though Arsenio was not drawn to Satsu in a romantic way, he could not help but delight in the indignance she had met him with in their greeting. It had been such a pleasure to ruffle her feathers, and so effortlessly. Trust is important to her, it seems. More information offered, a casual throwaway observance.

I do not speak to the bear wolves. They are wild things and I do not like them or the way they wait, Arsenio answered abruptly in reply to the question regarding Ursus, the ally to Akashingo’s cause. When he had stared into the empty eye of the wolf called Merrick, the Greek man had been filled with dread and intrigue. The other bear wolves did not matter to him, unless they mattered to his boss.

Do you wish for me to speak to them?

"she does not like to lose control. she lives within a pleasure-house and the man she will marry is not one who will surrender his scorta so lightly." satsu would become bittered by this, he believed. she was beautiful and cunning now, but when ramesses kept to his carnal desires even when children arrived, she might have become the spear by then.

"do you have her trust, arsenio?" he inquired next. the man had learned many things. what had he become in the meantime?

the talk of ursus brought a shake of his head. "let them be. their god leads them. not the pharaoh."

No, I do not.

Arsenio’s posture was stiff while his cold eyes watched the Roman beside him. The Greek man did not have a reason to lie to the soldier, not when it had been the grey-whiskered wolf who had offered the work. It did not serve a purpose, being forgiving with the truth.

It should not take much. When I save the lady Satsu from certain death, it will shine new light on her personal guard. There were no points of hesitation in this statement from the auburn wolf. Arsenio did not doubt that he would be able to win over the cold woman, the queen who was to be. It would take time and effort, but all wolves could be won.

And you? I cannot help but feel you have a plan in your mind. Arsenio smiled hungrily at the soldier.

germanicus nodded. he appreciated the continued honesty of arsenio, even if they shared a deceit between them.

the guard wished to know of his plans. "i know the way into the mountains. i am waiting to see who is loyal and who is not. then i will know who to take with me."

an army. and the ursus wolves must be part of this. 

"pharaoh will ruin any plan of mine for pure spitefulness."

The soldier was playing his cards close to his chest. This was an intelligent move, or the Greek believed it to be. If the grey-whiskered wolf did not wish for the Pharaoh to learn of his plan, he should not speak to anyone beyond his most trusted companions. Even then, wolves could be persuaded.

We have not discussed my payment for this job, Arsenio mentioned as casually as he could. They had not agreed upon any form of payment when the task had been assigned, but that had not been important when the two men had first met. The misthofóros had mulled over several ideas, only one had stuck out in his mind.

If it is possible, I would like the lady Tamar freed from her servitude.

germanicus wished to ask why. 

he did not see laughing desire in the greek now. it was not a jest. arsenio asked truly for what he had earned.

and the eagle would not question it.

"i will see what must be done." 

he brushed the guard's shoulder and walked on.

Germanicus did not promise him but said that he would see what had to be done. Arsenio looked to the grizzled man and nodded his head solemnly. The Greek understood this, knew that it meant there would be no guarantee that Tamar could be set free from her position. Nevertheless, the misthofóros was pleased to know that his wishes were known. The price for his obedience was a simple one.

Falling close to the other man, Arsenio allowed his shoulder to bump gracelessly into Germanicus. Whether his choices would allow him to work alongside the Roman, he did not know. It was good to have a man of similar stock roaming the mesa. There was promise in the way that the grey-whiskered figure presented himself, Arsenio was sure of it.