Chapter 7: Sephora's Sanctuary
Milanun smiled softly as she traced settled coal on papyrus, looking over the drawings that Harker had created as an ode to his home, little scenes of his years crafted for her eyes to try and comprehend the man she held so dearly in her heart. Her fingertips ghosted over the image of a little home tucked away in between tall trees that loomed with thin, hanging leaves and peeling bark, the figure of a woman waving from a second-storey window.
The Haitian princess gave a quiet sigh and leant back into the plush pillows of their bed, the scent of desert sands and lily oils wafting in the air as she moved onto the next picture, smiling all the way as she gazed at mountain ranges with three spires of sister stone.
"Milanun."
She looked up with a burst of joy as Harker walked back into the room, before stalling her exclamation of pleasure, her expression turning perplexed as he moved towards her quickly.
"We need to move you from here. Carol has come back, and while I trust her well, she is not the best at keeping secrets." He explained, taking her by the bicep and pulling the woman from the bed.
"Harker, prince, wait-" She gasped, scrambling to keep a hold on the papyrus.
The Australian didn't register the address, keeping his attention on the halls as he held her close to his chest, keeping her obscured as well as he could.
"I don't know where you can hide." He grit out, before looking down at the princess, grasping the other bicep and lowering himself. "Milanun, while you were here as a guest, did you find any place that could be used? Where did you stay? Your chambers?"
"I..."
The Haitian didn't want to be separated from the man, she didn't know why he had to remove her from the room they had claimed for so long, had slept together in comfort within. Her hands reached out and clutched Harker's cape in anxiety, brilliant blue softening when he saw her tension.
"Milanun, we have to hide you. Do you have any idea where we can?"
"No." She denied, shaking her head softly, curls of sandy brown falling around her face.
The Westerner gave a sharp English swear before retreating back to their room, his thumb coming to be clamped between teeth as he tried to think.
"Harker, why does that girl's return require me to leave?" The woman asked softly, reaching for the man's arms as she floated up to stand before him. "Does she frequent this room?"
Harker sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands, but relaxed as the royal continued to gently rub his arms, coaxing him steady as she gazed up at him with patience. The sky, held within two pools, turned on her after a moment of stress, the man grumbling as he let her shuffle closer until their warmth radiated close.
"Carol and I both sleep here. This is our shared appointed room." He admitted, looking to the bed.
Milanun felt her mind and heart lurch to a halt. She stared blankly up at the man as he grit his teeth over his thoughts, not realising the state he had put her in.
"You...You and that girl have shared a be-"
"No! Wait, what?" Harker spluttered, turning back to her quickly, a red gue coming to his pale cheeks. "Well, yes, but only rarely. I usually sleep by the window."
A breath left her, loud and obvious enough to make the Australian blink in confusion, the woman stepping forwards until she could lay her head on a pale chest, her arms curling around the alabaster form as she clung to him softly, still feeling thrums of jealousy and pain in her bosom. Slowly, muscle-thick limbs came up and gently held her as well, their movement hesitant as if unsure and confused, but willing to offer comfort nonetheless.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked warmly, rubbing a looping circle into Milanun's shoulder affectionately.
"Just...Just tired." She lied harmlessly, curling into the embrace more as her heart ached for him. "Do I really have to leave you?"
Harker made a noise of apology as he continued to keep her close, wondering what had put her into such a state, before softly speaking again.
"I can't leave Carol alone at night with a clear conscious, Milanun. This place is dangerous for her. People may try to harm her if she is alone or she may do something dumb." He sighed, feeling her grip tighten.
"But isn't it dangerous for me too?!"
Cast aside.
"Yes! That's why we have to hide you! Somewhere that I can get to you if need be, but away from others!"
Cast aside again.
"There's nowhere in this palace like that!"
Cast aside for Carol, again.
"Do you want to just send me back to the dungeon you found me in?!"
Milanun bit her lip when there was silence, azure eyes wide in shock as they stared down at her mutely. Her hands were bundled in the man's cape in an effort to keep him near her even as they had parted for their match of raised voices, and she could feel the scalding warmth of his hands on her shoulders still.
She knew that every man had a limit, had seen her father being his hand down across the cheek of her mother in the privacy of their realm, had seen common men take their grievances out on the soft forms of women. Milanun knew what would await her should she try her luck, but perhaps she had forgotten herself in the company of the Westerner, for he seemed too kind.
Remembering her mother's advice to keep her teeth grit when the time came, she closed her eyes tight when alabaster moved.
Milanun gasped quietly as she was snapped up off the floor, her feet dangling in free suspension as she was pinned to a warm chest, arms circling her in an all-consuming sphere of affection. She blinked brown eyes, before blinking again and looking up at hard cobalt, wincing when they struck her with a look.
"That is the last place you are ever fucking going, understood?" He growled, getting a quick nod from the princess.
"Good." Harker gritted, before walking over to the bed, still carrying the baffled woman as he laid her out.
Milanun could only stare as the man crawled on after her and pulled her into his chest, the royal's head dropping into his shoulder as he muttered strange words into her ear.
"You," She breathed after a moment, drawing the other's attention. "You didn't strike me."
His brows knit together in a show of confusion as he blinked down at her, their faces close, only inches away.
"Why the bloody hell would I hit you?"
"Because…" She started, trailing off.
"That's not an answer, princess." He sighed, before tucking his hand under his head and tsking loudly. "And frankly, there shouldn't be one."
The woman parted her lips quietly, wondering just what this man was trying to get at.
"Look, people shouldn't hit people unless it's for a damn fucking good reason." He stated softly, "That goes for you too, which means I'm not going to hit you, and everyone else shouldn't either."
Brown orbs shone oddly, wondering if her mother and maids had been wrong.
"Milanun," Harker started, sitting up and sticking her with a look of strength and determination. "If anyone so much as looks at you wrong, you make everyone aware of it."
"But this is normal-"
"Well, it shouldn't bloody be!" He snapped, before flopping back down and letting her find a comfortable position upon him. "God damn it."
"You are...an interesting person, Harker." She hummed, placing her jaw upon her hands which rested upon his chest.
"Milanun, just-"
"I understand, prince." The Haitian royal hushed, seeing his frustration.
Hands came up and settled on the small of her back and in between her shoulder blades as a long groan of annoyance left the man.
"Be careful, okay? You make me worry for you sometimes." He sighed, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back.
"I'll try, but you'll keep me safe, won't you? As you have been, all this time." She cooed, watching his face warmly.
"Of course, friend." The Australian smiled, gently grazing her soft cheek with his fingertips. "Now, you have only half successfully distracted me from the issue at hand."
Milanun groaned as her prince sat up, making her slide down his front until her cheek rested on his stomach.
"Lazy princess." He snorted, pinching her nose.
The Haitian royal squealed instinctively and writhed her way out of the man's grasp, rubbing her face with a huff as he got up off their bed. She watched as he took his chin in his fingers and stood in thought, humming to himself as he returned to the original subject.
"I could hide in here still?" She offered, glancing around. "There are plenty of places that no one would look."
"What, like under the tarp? You'd overheat in an instant, mate." Harker sniffed, hating how his mind kept returning to the cells as the most likely place of refuge.
Refuge…
"Sephora."
"What?" Milanun uttered, watching as the white skinned man dashed to the side of the room and began gathering cloths of common look.
"Sephora was the woman who took Carol and I in when we first arrived here. I'd hate to inconvenience her again, but I think she'd be our best hope-"
Halfway through his thought, the Australian stopped, pausing the bustle of his motions a realisation dawned through him. He thinned his lips and slowly sat on the edge of the bed, brow furrowed as he went over his plan again.
Sechi, her son, was imprisoned because of them. The likelihood of the woman taking in another liability while she couldn't have her own son back was...incredibly low, even with her seemingly endless hospitality and generosity.
"I...I don't know." He breathed, finger coming to his lips for a moment, before hands pressed to his shoulders.
Harker looked up as Milanun crawled over and curled her arms around him from behind, the dainty, elegant movement ending with her cheek pressed to his shoulder as she tried to settle his stress. A thrill streamed through her as a warm hand came and covered hers gingerly, her sun-tanned cheeks becoming a reddened shade as she smiled against alabaster skin.
"We can try," She breathed, gracefully cupping the man's jaw and bringing his face to hers. "And if it falls through, we must then bargain with that girl's loyalty."
"It's not her loyalty, Milanun, she means well." Harker sighed, gently pushing off her hands. "Carol just has a hard time of keeping things contained, her thoughts go rapid fire when she's panicked."
The princess fought the frown that tried to come to her face and instead dropped her chin of his shoulder, inhaling a strange scent that was nearly the Egyptian eucalyptus, but not quite at the same time, a smoky flourish to it, mixed with a kind of sea salt. She let those perfumes hit her senses and relax her expression, cuddling into the being of alabaster.
"I guess," He started, getting to his feet. "We begin with a visit to Sephora."
"How do we plan on getting there?" She asked, watching as he handed over common clothes. "I understood that the rotten Pharaoh had you contained."
"You'd be surprised, Milanun." Harker hummed, fixing his appearance, running pale fingers through golden hair. "Asking permission can go a long way."
()()()
Menfuisu was strewn across his lavish lounge with an air of permeating satisfaction and glee, the return of his Carol to the palace walls lifting his mood and making him easy to please today celebration planned for tonight. A smile sat on his face as he fingered at a bowl of wheat grains, feeling them fall between his fingers, the golden colour lacklustre compared to his Set, but reminiscent of them nonetheless.
"Oi, Pharaoh!"
The young king looked up at the call before beaming, the sight of the druzy male approaching him bringing his heart to a new high.
"Harker, where have you been?" He asked, watching servants scatter to create a path for the man.
His breath caught as the Australian continued forwards and dropped his body beside the king on his lounge, laying on his stomach as he curled his lips in an open manner. The radiance of the smile made dark eyes want to water, but his body was paralysed by the closeness, warmth emanating off of pearly skin and onto his earth tone.
"I've been in bed all day. It's too bloody hot to do anything." Harker huffed, perching his cheek on his palm. "But, hey, I got something to ask of you."
"Anything!" He found himself declaring, before biting his tongue afterwards, not wanting to seem too eager, a faint hue coming to his face as the celestial man laughed.
"But before I do, how're your symptoms doing? Has everything cleared up?"
"Yes," The Pharaoh nodded, trying to contain himself as hands bushed his calf, checking over the pin-prick bite marks left by the cobra. "Everything's one now, I've been doing just fine."
"Great!" Harker declared, sitting up and crossing his legs. "Now, about my request. Would you mind if I went out to the village today?"
"What? Why?" Menfuisu asked, narrowing his eyes instantly, remembering all of the attempts the pale folk had made to abandon him.
"I'm not going to run off this time!" Harker, defended, bringing his hands up to calm the king. "I just left something of mine down near there."
"What could you have left?" Minue asked, walking in onto the scene, another man on his wing.
"Hello, General, who is your friend?" The Australian hummed, eyeing the foreign looking elder.
"Ah, this is Imphotop, a trusted advisor of the royal family." The General introduced, allowing the man to step forward with a friendly smile.
"I have heard a lot about you, Harker. You and Carol are quite the interesting folk." Imphotop chuckled, his beard jumping with the laughter.
"Huh, cool I guess. We're not all that interesting, really." He shrugged, getting a humoured huff from the advisor who thought him 'modest'.
"This thing you've left." Minue called back, drawing the attention once again to the main topic. "What is it, exactly?"
"My surfboard." Harker answered, a bit too simply.
"S-surph-" Imphotop tried, brow furrowed in confusion.
"Ah, sorry, um- You- Well, I use it to ride waves and such." He amended quickly, trying to break down the word. "You know, on water."
"A boat?" Menfuisu supplied unsurely.
"Uh...Yeah, I guess, to an extent." The Australian gave, shrugging his shoulders. "It doesn't really look like the ones you're used to I don't think, but hey."
He turned to the king and leant forwards slightly, missing the widening of eyes and stilling of breath. Dark fists clenching around goblets of warm wine and the tips of sun-tanned ears growing red hued.
"So, like, can I go or..."
"Fine," The young Pharaoh choked out, eyes falling to how the golden collar hung from a column of alabaster, dotted with druzy sweat. "But you must take someone with you."
"Perfect," Harker grinned, everyone missing how predatory the flashing of teeth was, blinded by sun rays. "I've got just the person in mind."
Just as the Westerner went to stand, Menfuisu sat up and grasped his wrist in a halting motion, making the men in the room blink in surprise. The young king thinned his lips, a dryness coming to his mouth when he saw the contrast of their skins, loving the juxtaposition of their composition.
"Before you leave, Harker," He managed out, snapping back to attention. "Could you perhaps check me over again? Just to make sure all of the poison's gone."
Fluorite looked down at onyx stone for a moment, before a smile came to the pale face, resistance on their wrists relaxing as the distance was closed with a friendly laugh.
"Sure thing, mate. Lay down, yeah?"
Menfuisu swallowed audibly as his fringe was pushed out of the way and Harker loomed over him, their foreheads coming to press together, breath fanning his dark face as the man felt his temperature, humming quietly before pulling off. Calloused hands, warm with body and desert heat, came and rested on the king's neck, petal pink lips parting as they mutedly counted the beats before pulling into a slight frown, which then melded into a small smile.
"You're pulse is a bit fast, but that seems to be a constant with you." Harker sighed, drawing himself away. "Perhaps I should get Carol to test you soon, we may come up with different readings."
"Maybe." Menfuisu agreed, taking a smothering sip of wine.
"Other than that, you're good to go. You can get dumped with your work again." The Australian snickered, before pausing. "Wait, where is Carol, exactly?"
"She's getting changed and bathing." Minue answered, saving the king from stumbling his words.
"Ah, makes sense. Hey, could you keep a hold of her clothes? They're from home. It'll make her feel better."
"Of course."
"You said before," Imphotop started, making people glace to him. "That she went home while she disappeared into the Nile. What did you mean by that?"
Harker's lips parted for a moment, the men present very much interested, servants and maids listening in quietly as they went about their instructions.
"The Nile took her home. That's all." He uttered, making the king sit up, dark eyes seeing how his mood had fallen.
"It took her downstream? A lower village?" Minue asked, trying to clarify.
"No. It didn't take her downstream." He sighed, pinning his fringe back with pale fingers. "The current didn't take her, the Nile itself took her."
"Anyway," Harker grunted, shaking his head and turning on his heel. "I'm going down to the village to grab my...boat. I'll be back by tonight, probably. See you then."
Imphotop glanced to the Pharaoh and General, gently stroking his beard as he thought over the words.
"The Nile itself, you say?"
()()()
"Try and keep this on, okay?" Harker instructed, pinning the niqab so that it covered the woman's face.
"It's hot." Milanun pouted, peering up at him with earthy orbs.
"I can imagine, but lots of women and girls live with it, so I'm sure you can handle a few hours or less." He sighed, gently tucking away strands of dusty brown hair. "On the bright side, a lot of the materials that I've seen be used for this sort of thing are some damn pretty stuff. Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
"Okay then." The Australian nodded, pulling his cape tighter and obscuring something that the princess already couldn't see. "Let's go, and be careful, you're Haitian accent may give you away too."
"So, don't talk and don't be seen then?" She huffed, making the man cringe.
"More or less, sadly."
"Fine."
"Sorry."
"It's fine, Harker." The Haitian princess sighed, shaking her head. "I'm just a bit anxious, I'm being separated from you, after all."
When she had heard that Harker wouldn't be as reachable, she had near stopped the plan in its tracks, ready to put her money on that Carol rather than being split apart, but only bit her tongue when she saw the relief on her love's face. Now all Milanun could do was grasp onto his outstretched hand in her own and let him pull her along until they came to an awaiting horse, the stable hand giving the Australian an odd look when he saw the chosen companion.
"Harker, sir, are you sure that a woman would be best to take to town? A soldier or even a male hand would be better."
"She'll do fine, mate. I'm just going to the slave village, having a lady with me will make me seem less like a threat, and cause a less violent backlash. Besides, there'll be plenty of soldiers around." Harker waved him off, tying a bag, stuffed with Milanun's Haitian items, to the horse's hook before urging her over.
The princess gave a noise of surprise as she was lifted from the ground, her hands flying to linen clad shoulders as she was placed upon the saddle, quickly joined from behind, a warm chest pressing to her back and arms coming around her to hold the reigns.
"I'll bring your horse back safely, don't you worry." Harker laughed, waving as he urged the steed along, a soft noise escaping him as the Haitian relaxed into him.
"I guess now would be a bad time to admit to you that I have only a basic understanding of how to handle a horse?"
"You're doing fine, prince." She hushed, petting his bicep, getting a chuckle from the man.
"If you say so, princess." He smiled, before pausing and looking down at her in curiosity. "Question, why do you call me prince?"
The Haitian gave a silent thanks for the niqab covering her face, feeling the dangerous heat in her cheeks from finally being called out, having quietly hoped that the man would have just accepted the title.
"Well, you call me princess, so..."
"But you are a literal princess, Milanun." He rebutted, brow furrowing in confusion.
"And you might as well be one here in Egypt." And Haiti, too. "You live in the palace, sit with the Pharaoh, and-" Her eyes gleamed with a mischief that made the man raised an eyebrow. "You share a bed with a princess at night."
"Har har, very funny." He scoffed, getting the girl to giggle as she leant into his chest, head resting on his collarbone.
Milanun sighed as the man grunted and pulled his hood up, protecting fair skin from the sun and shadowing his brilliant blue eyes from passersby. She wondered what her mother would think of her now, for she no doubt had changed in the time she had been gone from Haiti, her humour and language taking on a lilt that so very Harker, crude words and dark jabs crawling into her vocabulary over days. Her mother would probably faint, and her father would reprimand her. Her brother would probably find it outrageous at first, then come to find it funny, as he always did.
They'd be proud of her too though, for surviving what she had. For fighting through it, finding allies and remaining stubborn. And they'd love Harker, without a doubt. They'd love how he cared for her, how he made sure she was safe and healthy, sealing her wounds with his own hands and watching over her through the nights.
They wouldn't stop her from taking him as her husband, and prince of Haiti, his celestial self no doubt something to verse Egypt's new golden girl.
She'd cherish him. His smile, his laugh, his eyes, his love. She'd make him feel loved until he was nauseous with it all.
"Harker?" Milanun uttered after a moment, getting a noise of acknowledgement. "Can you hug me for a little while?"
The Australian man blinked down at her before taking one arm off the reigns and curling it around the Haitian royal, feeling her press her nose into his clavicle, making him gently pet at her hair through the niqab, a soft noise coming from him.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked gently.
"Just...just thinking about my family."
"Okay, stay like this for a little while then. We'll be there soon."
"Okay."
()()()
"Harker!"
The Australian smiled as the door opened and the Egyptian slave beamed up at him, her face worn and making his heart clench when he saw the darkness beneath her eyes.
"Sephora, I..." He started, but was cut off as the woman ushered him and his 'friend' into the little hut and out of the sun.
"You look so well! The Pharaoh must be kinder than we thought, how is my son? Is he with Carol?" Sephora asked, her face bright as she helped Milanun sit.
"Sephora please!" Harker blurted, grasping the woman by her biceps, before backing off quickly, spluttering an apology for grabbing her. "Sechi is...Sechi is in the Pharaoh's prisons."
In an instant, the joy drained from the woman's face, her dark, worn skin becoming a sickly shade as she looked at the Westerner before her.
"Wh-Why? I thought- But your clothes."
"Carol and I are being kept as ornaments," He explained gently, keeping his hands ready as the woman nearly swayed on her feet. "Sechi is being used to keep us in line, if we behave badly, he receives the punishment."
The pale man thinned his lips and lowered his eyes from the woman, bundling his fists and gritting his teeth.
"I'm sorry. It's my fault, I should have noticed that we were being followed and-"
"In the prisons," Sephora spoke, interrupting the man as she slowly sat herself down, letting the foreigner walk closer in worry. "Do you and Carol try to keep him safe? Do you and Carol do your best?"
"Yes, we try and get him out as often as we can, and we avoid getting in trouble. He's been taken to the General Minue recently, I don't know what's happened afterwards."
"General Minue." She breathed, reaching weakly, asking for a pale hand to take hers.
Harker sat beside the elderly woman and let her lean against him heavily, her face tired and stricken.
"General Minue is a kind man. He...He will be gentle with my son. My Sechi, he will be safe." She uttered, and Harker wasn't sure if she was stating facts, or if she was trying to convince herself.
"I'm sorry." Harker repeated, wrapping his arms around the Egyptian slave. "I'm so sorry."
"He knew this would happen," The mother laughed hollowly, her eyes falling on the empty bed of her son. "He was always an adventurous one, always going out to grab snakes near the Nile and dug up spiders."
"I'm sorry."
"I miss my son." She whimpered, bundling the linen cloth in her hand as she shivered despite the heat. "I miss my son, Harker."
"I'm sorry, Sephora."
"It's so lonely in here. It's harder to wake up now. Sechi always made sure I woke up before the soldiers came, now they're always here and I have no time to eat before I have to work."
Harker clutched the woman tighter as she spoke listlessly, his hand rubbing along her arm as she slumped against him.
"Was Sechi a lively boy?"
The two jumped before looking to Milanun, the slave quickly sitting up and wiping her face, gathering her decorum quickly and smiling shakily at her guest.
"So sorry about that...and yes, he really was, even after his father died, he brightened up the place." Sephora chuckled, her throat catching before she coughed it out. "But, please, may I know who you are?"
"Actually, miss," Harker breathed, calling attention again. "She's one of the reasons I'm here. I know that Carol and I have imposed on you a whole bloody lot already, and we've only seemed to make things worse for you, but you're the only person I can rely on here and actually trust."
"What do you mean?" The Egyptian mother asked, glancing between the two. "Harker?"
"Sephora, I need you to hide someone for me. Only for a little while. A couple days at most."
"Hide? Why does-" She glanced at the covered woman. "Why does she need to be hidden?"
"She's not safe at the palace, not with Ashisu roaming around. I need her to be safe until we can get her home and until her leg heals fully."
"It's almost completely healed," Milanun provided, showing the bandages on her calf. "Just another few days. A week maybe."
"Why does Princess Ashisu want with her?" Sephora asked quickly, getting to her feet and moving away from the two, her hands close to her chest in a defensive manner. "Harker I don't think you realise what you're asking if me."
"I know, it's dangerous, not just for you, but for her, me and for Carol and Sechi should the connection be made. But if all goes well, then you've saved Egypt from another war!"
"War? Why would it be war?"
"Because-"
Milanun stood and gently unclipped her niqab, the material falling from her head and pooling on the edge of the bed as she was revealed in her Haitian glory, royal, aristocratic features recognised in an instant, Sephora's eyes widening as she stumbled backwards.
"Sephora!" Harker yelped, quickly catching the woman and bringing her to sit again as she shook with disbelief.
"P-princess Milanun of Haiti."
"Correct, miss Sephora." Milanun smiled, walking forwards slowly, as to not scare the elderly mother. "I was once betrothed to marry the Pharaoh, but the Princess Ashisu wanted to have him instead, so she trapped me deep in the dungeons with the intent of killing me. Had Harker not found me, I would have surely died."
"Oh, gods." The woman breathed, clutching at the pale hand that was slid into hers.
"I only need your help for a while, miss Sephora. Just so I can return home and ease tensions. I miss my family dearly, miss." She pleaded, lowering herself to gaze up at the woman. "So please, I will only impose for so long."
"Off! Please, get off the floor, princess!" The slave gasped, all but dragging the royal from the dirt-packed ground. "You should not kneel!"
"Especially not with your stitches, Milanun!" Harker hissed with worry, lifting her skirt to feel the outline of the wound.
"I'll kneel if I have to." The princess fought, touching Harker's hand as he frowned at her helplessly. "I am asking for her help, I should be kind."
"But-"
"I'll do it."
The two foreigners whipped around at the soft declaration, Sephora watching the two with a kind of defeated happiness.
"I'll hide you, princess."
Harker's lips parted for a moment, before he scraped his words and scooped up the woman in an outright hug, embracing her tightly with a booming whoop that got him reprimanded for the noise.
"Thank you, Sephora!" He laughed, cuddling the woman to his chest as she sighed fondly.
"Thank you so much, miss Sephora." Milanun smiled, tension seeping from her.
"You'll need to help me out around the house, and you'll have to stay inside and out of sight during the day. Can you do that?" The mother instructed.
"Yes, very easily. Though I may need guidance when it comes to household chores."
"Well, I can work with that." Sephora chuckled, before pushing off the clingy man with an amused huff. "Will you be staying for the evening?"
Harker paused before looking to the sun, making a mental count to give an idea of the time.
"Could you stay for a while longer?" Milanun asked hopefully, not wanting him gone just yet.
"I…"
"Please, Harker?" She pleaded, touching his bicep lightly.
The Australian glanced between the two women, seeing the empty space and remembering how isolated Sephora had felt, and how lost Milanun was. Slowly he smiled and gently grasped the Haitian's hand in a friendly manner, squeezing it for comfort before releasing and looking to the mother.
"Well, if you don't mind me hanging around…"
"It's nice to have the company." Sephora smiled, for once, not looking so drained.
Harker let himself be led over to the beds that doubled as benches during the day, humming as Milanun sat close and lent on his shoulder, understanding her attachment after such an experience.
"So, miss Sephora," Milanun started, drawing attention to herself. "Harker said you were the one who took him and Carol in at first."
This made the Westerner perk suddenly and stand up, onyx eyes following him as he got to his knees and looked beneath the beds, letting out a cheer as he pulled free a strange, white slab.
"My surfboard!"
"Oh, you're boat. Were you after that too?" Sephora hummed, coming in with a basketful of dried fruits.
"Yeah, this was my cover for coming into the village. Good thing I left it here, huh?" He grinned, before looking it over, hand sliding along the length appreciatively. "Thank you for looking after this. Gods, I've missed it."
"Is it important?" Milanun asked, not exactly sure what 'it' was, even if it was a 'boat'.
"It's from my home. I was on it when I came here."
The Haitian gazed at the white flat boat, blinking when she saw the depiction of a sun upon the narrow point of it, her brows furrowing in confusion, before stalling when the cape slipped from Harker's shoulder.
A sun. Engraved into alabaster flesh.
()()()
"I got it back!" Harker cheered, dashing into the throne room with his board lifted above his head. "Look at it!"
"Where were you!?" Roared Menfuisu, servants jumping in fright.
Blue eyes flashed in confusion as the man lowered his prize, tucking it under his arm as he approached the king.
"Down at the village. I told you."
"For so long!?"
"Well, yeah?" He shrugged, before pursing his lips and looking around at the party of people, not once spotting pale skin amongst the masses. "Where's Carol?"
The Pharaoh spat a noise before slamming back his goblet, angrily chugging his wine before glaring off at nothing.
"In the dungeons! To work like the slave she is!"
"What!?" Harker blurted, English leaping from his lips and dazzling the room. "I was gone for four hours tops!"
"Four hours too long!" Menfuisu snapped.
"Carol won't survive with such labour, she not built for the stuff!"
"Then she will apologise for her wrongdoings!"
"What wrong doings!?" Harker shouted, ignoring the unsteady state of the people.
"You will watch your tone or you will join her!"
The Australian snarled at the teenaged king openly, sharp cuts of pearl startling the occupants.
"Pharaoh," He grit out, volume lowered but still as based as before. "What are you making her suffer for this time?"
"She claimed that she wanted nothing to do with me! That she didn't want to stay with me!"
"You've kidnapped and contained her, not to mention harassed and abused her!"
"Harker, I will not-"
"Menfuisu, I will not be as patient as your advisors." Harker warned, silencing the room.
The Pharaoh wanted to be angry. Wanted to lash the man for standing against him in public, in his own palace.
But hearing his name fall from petal lips, stained with an ethereal accent was too much for him, and he could only bare his teeth at the pale folk.
It was the murmurs, however, that brought him to his senses. The whispers that jumped from person to person, hushed words that rumoured the Pharaoh being controlled, tames, enslaved.
He raised his hand and in an instant, his Harker was surrounded by soldiers.
"Take him to the dungeon. He will work with the convicts come dawn." The Pharaoh decreed.
Blue eyes widened at him, before darkening to a royal cobalt as they narrowed into a glare, filled with burning disappointment.
"Take his boat. Put it in their chamber." He ordered, perhaps a last-ditch effort.
But the disappointment didn't lift, even as his back was turned and he was led out by soldiers.
General Minue counted seven cups broken now as the Pharaoh threw the goblet across the room.
