So…yes the newcomer is Phoenicia which is now modern day Lebanon, located at the end of the Mediterranean.
I don't own Hetalia.
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Ancient Egypt gasped aloud for the second time that day; she thrust her body forward pressing her nose against the screen to get a better look at Phoenicia. Eyes wide she devoured the sight while thousands of thoughts flew by in her mind.
Phoenicia who had been her childhood friend, Phoenicia who was the brave one of the two, Phoenicia who dared to go out into the Mediterranean on her ships to try and colonize, Phoenicia who used to help her play pranks on Ancient Greece and Babylonia, Phoenicia whom Ancient Egypt took care of when she became a sick child. Phoenicia, such a good friend she considered her a sister.
Ancient Egypt grasped a lapis bound braid and twirled it with her fingers, narrowing her gold eyes in Pharaoh's direction, wondering how he would turn away someone his ancestors had dealt with.
Pharaoh was a very uncomfortable man at the moment, he could feel Amunet's eyes boring a hole in his back, and the steady gaze of the hazel eyed woman standing rebelliously before the throne had him unnerved. He wondered how he should deal with this stranger, he remembered lessons about her empire, that inhabited the north east. He remembered it as a powerful empire, who was indeed a sea faring people.
He swallowed his fear and stood, "Abibaal, son of the king of Phoenicia, you were right in you estimate of us harboring a nation. She is none other than the great one herself. I, the Pharaoh of Egypt, present to you, the nation of the Nile, keeper of the gods, liaison of the great Ra, human form of the Ankh, I give you, Ancient Egypt."
Ancient Egypt sat stunned; the Pharaoh was presenting her to a group of people he barely knew. No matter, she thought and calling upon Djehuti to grant her sharpness of mind she stood from her ivory chair, and extended a graceful arm to sweep aside the gauzy fabric. She stepped next to Pharaoh, and after gracefully acknowledging him, she walked down the steps that separated Pharaoh, from lesser beings.
Standing at the foot of the stairs, she locked eyes with Phoenicia, and was stunned by the beauty in front of her.
Gone was the boy like hairstyle and the torn brown leggings you could barely see covered by the mud stained silken red tunic with a gold shawl running across her stomach and shoulder. Gone was the golden wire that she had strung into one eyebrow, gone was the general air of rugged care freeness gone was the simple skinny figure of her best childhood friend.
Instead standing before the great Ancient Egypt, was a beautiful woman. Hazel eyes, caramel brown ringed with forest green, held full reign of her face, framed by the thick lashes she always had. Full pink lips were twisted into a wry expression, and her eyebrows drew down as if wondering how to greet her old time friend. Her hair which had grew out of the messy crew cut and small pigtail banded by a gold headband was non existent, now her face was framed by unruly curls, but was yanked together in the end by a braid, the hair color however was exactly how she remembered it, semi-light brown with red and gold hues mixed in, only visible when it caught the light.
Her body frame had outgrown the childlike quirkiness, now womanhood had changed it. She was filled out in the right place, but she still stood like a man. Legs apart, arms crossed chin raised in defiance.
And now instead of dirty clothes abused by adventure, she wore a short sheath of a strange color, and the shawl was yellow, her feet were bound in gold sandals, most likely bought in Crete, a favorite place of hers to pretend spy on Ancient Greece when she was young and still in the assassin phase. However, one thing had not changed; hanging from her side was the gold dagger she had always carried as a child. All of this she noticed in a minute.
Phoenicia across the hall was just as equally shocked of her friend now grown up, as she was of the small nearly unnoticeable bump, that only another new mother would recognize. Quickly averting her eyes, so that the Pharaoh would not notice her odd expression, she took another look at her old friend.
Ancient Egypt had lost none of her grace; in fact it seemed as if she had blossomed into beauty. Her golden eyes were also lined in eyelashes, coated with the glittering of malachite, her nose was just as slender as it used to be and her high cheekbones complimented her thin face, bordered by…a wig. Phoenicia started in wonder, her friends usual thick dark brown locks were gone, and in their place were thousands of braids, beaded with lapis and obsidian. And just like herself, Ancient Egypt had grown from a girl to a woman. Her silken sheath was so fine it was nearly translucent, hinting at the hips that rounded from under her thin waist, two henna markings wound from her shoulders to the gold lining of the low plunge neckline.
Phoenicia twisted her lips into a wry smile, noticing the corner of her friends lips tug upwards.
Abibaal watched the two nations size the other up. His heart numbed when he saw Phoenicia smile finally, at this stranger.
"Hello, Phoenicia." Ancient Egypt announced from across the room. About eight yards separated her from her friend. Eight yards was all she had to cross to tackle her old friend in a hug.
The sound of the lady's voice jerked the entire throne room to life. Immediately, Pharaoh stood up, demanding that a feast be prepared for the newcomers, as Abibaal-Prince Abibaal was royalty, and a feast would be a good time to discuss trade.
The hall burst to life at Pharaoh's command. Servants rushed to take all of the travelers luggage, courtiers nearly sprinted to the ladies in the foreign group urging them to the scented baths. Pharaoh himself parted his body from his throne to shake the hands of Abibaal, and to take him out for entertainment. The men were led away by soldiers looking for a race or hunting games, while others were distracted by the numerous entertainers there.
And in the midst of all of the organized chaos, Phoenicia stood eyes locked with Ancient Egypt, who was suddenly unsure of herself. Cursing at a group of servants who blocked her gaze from Phoenicia, she didn't notice Ipu who had crept up behind her. Glancing once more at the Phoenicia who was revealed again, she saw her share a glance with the Prince whose eyes seem to melt looking at her.
"My lady, you must be properly attired for this evening, his majesty has guests of royalty." Ipu said gently placing her hands on Ancient Egypt's arm.
"No." Ancient Egypt said abruptly, she pulled her arm away and turning to her handmaiden she said, "Take care of the lady over there, you will address her as you address me, she may use all of my bath salts, my towels my bathing room, anything she wishes to use of mine she may, treat her with the utmost respect. Understood?"
"Y-yes my lady." And with that Ipu turned and hurried to the Phoenician lady, Ancient Egypt watched as Ipu wove through the increasing crowd. She watched as Ipu placed her hand on Phoenicia's shoulder, she watched as Ipu's mouth moved, and Phoenicia looking up scanning the crowd.
When Phoenicia found Ancient Egypt they locked eyes, looking her old friend up and down one more time, Phoenicia smirked as if in complicity, then turning on her heel walking out of the room with her oldie but goodie 'The world is mine' stride, Ancient Egypt found herself smiling at memories of all of the fights Phoenicia had gotten herself into with that swagger.
Than she blinked slightly confused, she wasn't quite sure what the smile was for, she was predicting a confused gaze, and when she predicted something it was usually pretty damn on the mark. Still mulling things over in her head, she clapped her hands together once, and before she could blink a small legion of ladies was waiting in front of her prepared to attend. The foreigners looked on with slight interest, flicking their eyes back and forth from the architecture in the room to Ancient Egypt.
And she had to admit, the looks of her friend and her people had not diminished in any way. Each one looked exotic with the occasional similar feature, the same hazel, tawny eyes, slanted eyes, thick hair, and yet all were unalike save their clothes. But she expected nothing less, Phoenicia was a large trading port, with the silk-givers, spice-makers, and tea artisans from the far southeast making their way by caravan on what they called the 'Silk Road', to the fishermen, hunters, pelt-stalkers and pale ones to the north and beyond. Many people came and went; so many cultures were mixed in Phoenicia.
Pushing away all thoughts, the Egyptian woman swept aside a thin layer of gauzy curtain and walked down the long hallway towards the royal baths flanked by a small army of women.
As she walked by some of the lesser bath houses for noblemen daughters she heard excited giggling and soft whispers no doubt rumors were already spreading about the foreigners and how the royal court accepted them. Sighing in annoyance she could hear the slandering now, "Did you know Pharaoh is having an affair with one of the foreigners? That's why he let them in on such short notice! Or, "supposedly some noblewomen will be married off to the foreigners for peace ties, don't you wish you could get the prince?". Suddenly she stopped, she caught sight of a little box sitting outside of her own bathhouse staring at it intently for a moment, and she turned to the guard next to the door and demanded, "What is this?"
"My lady." The guard said in his deep voice, "the Lady Phoenicia had this bought with her."
"What does it hold?"
"Nothing that we know of your ladyship, we had orders from her not to touch it, so we did nothing but shake it slightly, and no sound was heard." The guard responded shifting uneasily onto his other foot.
"Hmm, she should know better than to leave something personal outside." She mused; the guard shrugged and readjusted his shield.
"Unless…"she glanced at the other guard, "Did she tell just you not to touch it?"
"Well…yes…yes my lady." The guard said now looking thoroughly confused.
"Huh, well then I shall keep it for her, if you two do not mind…" she said gazing at them as if she expected them to object.
"Oh no my lady, much safer with you it will be…much safer." He said his eyebrows going up wondering if he used the right words.
"Yes thank you, now if you do not mind I will attend to my bath." And she walked away a couple of doors down to the guest bathing rooms.
After the servants had undressed her and led her into an ankh shaped pool scented with rosewater, and bath oils from Greece, she turned to grab the box and after running her fingers over the intricate cedar wood, she lifted the lid and lifted out what was inside.
She gaped at the little piece of ornate gold she held in her hand dangling from it was a small blue bead swirled with gold strands that had obviously been melted down. Blinking fast to escape the shock she stared down at the note, and in the small neat but very badly grammatically written Egyptian was the following words:
Congratulations on you new member, and I hope to my gods and yours, that he will only benefit you as will mine.
Phoenicia.
She let the note drop onto the water where it floated like a papyrus lily pad. It was tradition for the Phoenicians to present a present to a soon-to-be-mother.
Setting the gold piece back in the box she narrowed her eyes and proceeded to think of her gift back, after all it was rude not to acknowledge another soon-to-be-mama when she acknowledged you.
Ohhhkay! So Ancient Egypt's secret is known! At least by Phoenicia.