Lion Head Mesa brushes
Ghost
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#1
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pharaoh did not care for the man that so suddenly had been told to follow satsu.
he did not trust the intentions of the roman who had put him into that role, and least of all did ramesses care for the presence of a man around his intended queen.
crowfeather no longer threatened him, as ramesses believed him a besotted little soldierling, and as thus he did not care that the young physician and satsu spent time with one another. he had even encouraged it.
but the greek was something else entirely. pharaoh came at once to the rooms inhabited by his queen and her court, and commanded @Arsenio to attend him at once.
Raventhorpe
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#2
It was only a matter of time before the Pharaoh summoned him. Arsenio was not a fool. He knew better than to expect that he could skirt beneath the ruler’s nose, following his betrothed. It was enough to make any possessive man wild with jealousy.

When the man’s voice called to him, the Greek made certain that Satsu was with a trusted body before answering the command. He trudged through the woman’s home until he found the figure of the Pharaoh, his deep lapis gaze glittered like a jewel hidden in the sand. The sharpness of the ruler’s features captivated the guard until he had drawn closer.

Arsenio blinked stupidly at the Pharaoh, one eyelid falling slower than the other. He let his jaw slack slightly and waved his tail. An imbecile with one purpose, it was all he wanted for the other man to believe.
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#3
the greek guard turned out to be a handsome and foolish man. ramesses surveyed the other with a flickering of his eyes. open judgment was in them for this the guardian to his queen, and not one he had chosen.
"where did the roman find you?" pharaoh asked in a sweetened tone. it would not do well to threaten the other — not yet.
still, he did not care for arsenio's proximity to satsu. "how is the queen ascendant today?"
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#4
The Pharaoh spoke sweetly to him, and the blue-eyed misthofóros smiled in return.

The ruler wished to know where Arsenio had been found, whatever that was intended to mean. As though Germanikos had ventured out into the Greek, scouring specifically for a man like him. It would not do well for the ruler to believe that the auburn wolf was loyal to the soldier exclusively. There was a challenging game to be played.

O Romaíos den vríke. Arsenio then forced his tongue to the back of his mouth so that he could adjust the way the common language fell from his lips. He did not want to be seen as clever, or watchful, only as a brutish guard who would not stir from his post. I find Roman! Germanikos says there is a… a job. A job for one like me, then the Greek laughed softly.

I guard kings and queens of Greece. Very strong. Arsenio puffed his chest, his expression remained daft.

Vasílissa Sátsou, she is safe. No harm will come to her. They will need to defeat the fang of Zeus!

A raucous laugh that faded into a fool’s giggle. Arsenio looked lazily upon the Pharaoh and wondered what he might think.
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#5
arsenio answered in greek. ramesses was not opposed to speaking it. his kohl-encircled eyes watched the guard as he spoke. he was a strongman, hired outside akashingo and placed in a post to attend satsu. very well and good, but it still did not explain why he had not been consulted.
his own smile was muted and without humour. the man was quite boisterous. he was very unlike germanicus as well, which caused the royal's suspicion to deepen.
"satsu and i are to be married. i do not need to tell you the penalty for entering her chamber or answering her charms." again, the words were light, but this time the lapis of ramesses' stare held the ice-blue of the mercenary's own.
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#6
The Pharaoh was a snake in the grass. Arsenio did not take long to come to this conclusion. He could see the flicker in the depths of the man’s eyes. The enormous pride that sat upon the ruler’s shoulders like a collar. What a heavy weight that must be, he thought only to himself. The Greek man did not want to play games with the Pharaoh, not if he could help it. He wanted only to guard the lady Satsu and report his findings to the soldier.

Arsenio giggled daftly at the mention of entering the lady’s bedchamber.

I have a wife and daughter. I have no love in that way for the lady.

It was an easy lie. The Greek looked at the Pharaoh with glassy blue eyes, the slow fall of his lids giving him a faraway expression. Arsenio wished to paint the image that he was nothing more than brawn. A single task assigned to him, that he would fulfill or offer his life for. Nothing else should matter.
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"but you are not with them now, greek, you are here. and satsu is beautiful." such rough men could be tempted by anything. her touch was the softness and purity of fine-grade linen.
"i have not seen you in my throne room," the pharaoh commented next. "the queen's court is a delicate place. mine is one of men."
he stepped closer, lifting his proud chin. "i cannot reward you, arsenio, if you do not come and be seen also with me." surely the guard had his moments here and there. ramesses would take them.
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#8
Arsenio did not like the way the man addressed him, but he did not stir from his glassy stare and lightly wavered tail. The Pharaoh believed that it did not matter if the guard was wed, that his betrothed was something that could turn any man. The misthofóros believed this would be an enjoyable opportunity to dissuade him from ever breaching this subject.

Oh, but my wife is not like any woman. Not any in all this world, i kardiá mou His voice exclaimed breathlessly, fevered in weight. Arsenio gazed lovingly toward a figure that did not stand in the room – a fantasy of a woman. I am here to make a good life. I hope to bring her and my daughter to these lands, after they are safe. My child cannot see war, not my sweet Amára. This time, when he looked to Pharaoh, it was with grief and pleading on his face.

The Pharaoh wished to play a game, it seemed.

Yes, I will, yes. I must make sure the lady Satsu is protected and I will visit the king’s court. Maybe when she learns leaves with the dark yearling, ah? Of course, of course…

Arsenio bowed his head like a peasant fool to his gracious king.
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#9
for all his beauty, the greek was but one step removed from a reeking dock of fishermen.
arsenio's gambit was seized and swallowed. ramesses believed only what he saw, and what he saw was a creature which proved his own superiority.
perhaps there was nothing to fear from this large red man who spoke so fondly of his wife and his child.
"come without satsu sometimes." his lazuli eyes did not invite a demurring.
"if the roman gave you a job, it means you intend to be paid." ramesses watched arsenio carefully for any other reaction. "were the terms discussed?"
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#10
Arsenio would only go to the Pharaoh without the lady queen if she was occupied with one of the other trusted advisors. Even still, he did not believe that leaving the woman alone with someone like the dark medic boy was a wise idea. One foul look and that healer would have run, tail tucked between his limber little legs. If the lady remained in her bedchambers with Tamar and Crowfeather, perhaps. Yes, yes, of course I will. He bobbed his head in agreement.

At the mention of pay, Arsenio felt his paws prickle hungrily.

No, Germanikos did not mention my prize. I hoped it would be admittance for my wife and daughter, a rank in queen Satsu’s guard for myself. It would be the best for my family, you see.

Arsenio’s icy gaze drifted to the Pharaoh’s face. Behind the glassy finish, he studied.
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#11
he had heard enough. the guard's plight was well illustrated and ramesses saw no reason why he should not work for the good of his family.
"go back to the queen," ramesses said, if only for the pleasure of giving yet another order. the lazulite stare coursed over the empty joy of arsenio's face.
pharaoh turned away then, grand despite his suspicion, elegant despite his annoyance.
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#12
Just as soon as he had been summoned, Arsenio was dismissed to return to his post. The Greek delighted in the conversation he had shared with the shrewd Pharaoh. It did not surprise the misthofóros to have found the man was considerably careful with his words, a clever wolf with a sharp eye. The man seemed as though he had been crafted for his powerful role – born to be Pharaoh. Arsenio did not miss the way that the lapis-eyed wolf had held himself. Ramesses knew his strength.

Yes, yes, sas efcharistó, the guard spoke graciously to the man before he prowled from the room and back to where the queen would be. Arsenio would wait only two days before he would find a replacement guard and go to visit the Pharaoh in his court of men.