Lion Head Mesa Tréla

As Arsenio and @Shoko made their way toward Akashingo, the auburn mercenary had enjoyed portions of shared conversation with the man. He was curious to see whether the Pharaoh would be as pleased to see another man at his doorstep, or if he would even allow the loner into the ranks of the Mazoi.

As they neared the mesa, the mercenary turned to address Shoko with a small smile.

We’ve got thieves honor between us. I will implore you not to offer an opinion on me beyond my skill at hunting and my simple nature, hm? Arsenio gave him a look that suggested he would soon understand.

The guard drew his head back and called to @Ramesses in a long howl. He eased the tension from his shoulders. His eyelids were made heavy. The Greek smacked his lips together to loosen his jaw, slacken his tongue, and ease a simpleton’s smile onto his features. When he turned back to Shoko, he offered the man a curious chuckle.

They needed to only wait for the mesa’s ruler.

the pair made their way to the pharaoh, arsenio leading.

when the wildwoods grew heavy with scent of settlement, arsenio turned and it was then shoko saw an extraordinary transformation in the seaside man. "you may be the simplest thief i know." shoko quipped in turn, wondering what pharaoh this man was to transform arsenio so readily.

shoko waited, silent and studious.

ramesses heard arsenio's call and his attention was captured from where he had been teasing @Sayyadina over one thing or another. he and the beauty lay in repose. reluctantly he drew away from her warm limbs and stood where he might be seen, silhouetted against the archway of his open throne room.
the greek approached and with him was another. poised and silent, pharaoh waited until they had drawn near.
his eyes bored into the stranger.
the lazuli tilt of them waited for arsenio to speak.

The Pharaoh approached, and as he did, the redstone wolf bowed his head toward the ground, swaying his hips in an easy wag of his tail. As he held this position for much too long, he wondered how he might position Shoko in a positive light. Arsenio wished to give the hunter the best chance he could.

Greetings, Pharaoh of Akashingo, I have found a hunter. A lone tradesman who wished to meet your excellence after I spoke of you, Pharaoh. He wishes to know of Akashingo. A good Mazoi, maybe, Pharaoh, he could be good for your kingdom, the guard babbled carelessly, chattering as much as he could to avoid talking about their conversations, to avoid the topics of interest that had been shared.

Arsenio grinned and looked to Shoko with a proud swell of his chest.

This is Pharaoh, he is the great ruler, just as I said, just as I said. The Greek chuckled warmly.

they stepped beneath an archway; shoko felt as if walls were closing around him.

a figure rose from the center, was there another with him? the gloom fell way to a man with a hard face and harder eyes. shoko instinctively took a step back, his head lowering as arsenio bowed.

he could feel the bore of the pale stranger's eyes in the back of his neck.

arsenio spoke. when he fell silent, shoko filled the quiet room with his careful voice. "greetings, pharaoh. my name is shoko."

"a hunter."
it was not as if akashingo could not use more. ramesses simply did not care for arsenio's choice, for he did not trust the man.
the greek's eyes were blank as that of the fish he professed to know. the man shoko seemed more pointed. "with what beasts do your skills lie? small game or the leaping antlered ones?"
pharaoh's voice was soft. his stare continued to scorch toward the stranger.

Yes, a hunter, he answered again with a slow nod. He could be more than a hunter, but I have only seen him do that. In the meadow- was it the meadow? By the creek, he continued with a thoughtful frown. Out there, Arsenio gestured to the wilds with a daft nod of his head and a deep chuckle that bounced his shoulders.

When the Pharaoh turned his questions to Shoko, the Greek man grinned at him. The expression upon his features was serene, despite the intense presence of the mesa’s ruler.

Had Shoko been more of a risktaker, Arsenio believed they might have been able to take the Pharaoh there, on the border of his own claim, and pull the life from his throat with their fangs. He thought of Tamar’s statement to him, that Pharaoh’s death would mean the death of his Fellahin. The mercenary was not so certain.

He hummed lightly as the other two men conversed.

You may both skip over me to keep this prompt. <3

simpleton arsenio was a far cry from the dagger-eyed beast of the plains shoko knew, but he kept his expression blank and betrayed not a word of it.

pretty eye candy as this pharaoh was, shoko suspected he too was guilty of charades: that openly haughty disdain for any in his presence was not feigned, but shoko believed like arsenio, he was in the audience of a creature playing deadly games.

shoko kept his answers prompt and eyes averted. "my skill lies in large game." he answered, ready to demonstrate his skill should it be required. "but i did not come here to boast of my hunting.  i am a sellfang. your servant tells me i can be of use to you in the mazoi.

i can make myself useful to you, but not for free."

pharaoh's lips curved.
"i would expect nothing less. as mazoi you will have your own home and the attention of the fellahin. prove yourself, and rise to nobility."
his eyes shone.
"what bauble did you have in mind, sellfang?"

another word that shoko did not know. he was in ramesses’ world, not his own; perhaps it was to be given. 

what are the fellahin? shoko inquired, a tilt of his head given in response to the smile which hung from the pharaohs lips like a scepter. a dangerous game indeed. 

his bauble may as well be transparent: good company, spirits, and women. he trusted the pharaoh may share similar tastes - and hoped his palate would not come across as encroaching. far be it for shoko to be interested in the finer tastes of nobility - so long as his stomach and appetite were full, shoko would not wander far.

ram out!

"the lithe little creatures who serve the wolves of akashingo. beautiful. yielding."
his eyes flicked to arsenio, and such a maliciousness rose in in pharaoh that he could not and would not halt himself.
"you may find the sort of reward you seek upon a visit with the queen. she has an eye for the placement of lovely things."
ramesses smiled, a warm gesture that did not enliven his cold lapis stare.
he turned. "you will join me in my chambers for a meal and these spirits."
it was not a request. the royal was gone away, his spine royal and elegant as his long stride.

Arsenio could feel his gaze, but he held his casual stance and wavering tail. If the Pharaoh’s malice toward him had spurred from anything, it could easily have been the cursory way that the guard presented himself.

The Pharaoh was having fun for himself, it seemed. The Greek man could not help but smile warmly at the man’s words, chuckle even. The ruler was demonstrating his power alongside his entitlement. It was a clear show of his most detested personality traits, if Arsenio was to pick any. Even the golden king’s lust paled in comparison to his ego.

There was only a moment in which the mercenary believed that Ramesses would turn Shoko toward one of the Fellahin specifically. It took every ounce of his own restraint to keep from smiling when their newest Mazoi was directed to the queen’s hand. Fortune smiled upon them both, he thought. As if to agree with the king, Arsenio nodded his head.

It was done.

When the ruler had departed, the redstone man fixed his cold stare upon Shoko.

Welcome to Akashingo, Mazoi…

Drawing his head back, Arsenio prowled away into the mesa. On his lips was a merry fisher’s tune.

Last for me as well! ^^

shoko felt something unknowable, but he couldn't put a name to it. it wasn't just ramesses' expression that made him feel this way. it was the grandiose emptiness behind it. shoko was out of his element and he knew it.

he dipped his head subserviently. even he could tell that invitation was not to be refused. arsenio was given a quick farewell nod of his head, before shoko turned and followed ramesses to his quarters.