The world swirled around me and Suline stood, there, her long blue hair flying in the wind, solemn blue eyes looking directly at me. This was the first time I had noticed that Suline was pale as a northerner. And yet an asura settled over her, like the one that my pharaoh carried with him everywhere he went. Suline seemed powerful and firm, yet kind and gentle. Why she had sworn her fealty to me was a mystery. Was she a creature of the shadow games that had been unleashed from the tahk? My pretty that I had taken in the catacombs was hanging from my neck, and a multitude of bracelets ran up the entire length of my forearms. Firedrop earrings hung from my ears, two dainty stones. Suline was an unadorned warrior, one obviously accustomed to having little. "By your leave, mistress." That icy tone held a shimmer of affection in its depths. The dangerous young woman would talk to me, and only me, her mistress whom she followed devoutly and without complaint. "You should find the thief, who resides in the realm of shadow. I may only come forth from my home if my father thinks it necessary. Still, I shall try to follow you, whatever your choice.
My nod silenced Suline's icy voice quite efficiently. Meekly, she stood in front of me, eyes hard and firm, back drawn up straight in a pose that showed that she was waiting for an order from me. "Do you know the high priest, Seto?" At a nod from my servant, I continued. "Then spy on him for me. Come only if you feel that there is something I must know. Do you understand?" This time Suline replied, "May I bring my blade? Or will it slow me down too much for your liking?"
"Bring whatever weapons are necesssary, Suline. As long as you feel that they won't greatly slow your pace."
Suline nodded gravely, her blue eyes looking at me for one last time, the one time that she could see her mistress as an equal, and a person who saw her as an equal. I believe that the latter was very encouraging for her self-esteem.
I nearly felt ready to take a vow right then and there, a vow to see that Suline would never die because of me, or a blade that I had touched. Yet there was also my young pharaoh, and I would have many regrets if I took a vow to protect two people, I was sure of it. Next came a question that had occurred to me not just recently: where was I? Was I in a dreamlike version of the palace? No, it could not be possible, or the pharaoh would have welcomed me here. It did seem like the palace, but a foreboding nature replaced the usual friendly cheer around the palace. My steps echoed loudly, creating a lonely atmosphere. Suddenly, I ran into a young man with light brown hair and cold grey eyes.
"Out of my way," the man screamed at me, throwing a punch. My shoulders were healed, yet bruised as I slammed into a marble wall. "Leave me to rest," said the dark man. His grey eyes looked at me with deferance as his cloak fluttered in a wind that would never blow in this place. That icy manner, those cold, heartless eyes, they seemed so familiar, and yet I was grasping at air. The person who that young man reminded me of sat there just out of my reach, a tantalizing piece of information. "Wait," I called as he turned to leave.
"What," he asked in an impatient tone.
"What is your name, sir?"
"You may call me Arem. Is that all you need, my girl?"
"Y-y-yes. Thank you Arem. I am Isis, the princess of Egypt, sister of Marik Ishtar. You may call me by name, if you wish to do so."
"Thank you Isis." A hint of eagerness showed in Arem's voice as he slid a knife out of its sheath. "You will soon be dead," he muttered under his breath, "and then you will belong to my lord."
My nod silenced Suline's icy voice quite efficiently. Meekly, she stood in front of me, eyes hard and firm, back drawn up straight in a pose that showed that she was waiting for an order from me. "Do you know the high priest, Seto?" At a nod from my servant, I continued. "Then spy on him for me. Come only if you feel that there is something I must know. Do you understand?" This time Suline replied, "May I bring my blade? Or will it slow me down too much for your liking?"
"Bring whatever weapons are necesssary, Suline. As long as you feel that they won't greatly slow your pace."
Suline nodded gravely, her blue eyes looking at me for one last time, the one time that she could see her mistress as an equal, and a person who saw her as an equal. I believe that the latter was very encouraging for her self-esteem.
I nearly felt ready to take a vow right then and there, a vow to see that Suline would never die because of me, or a blade that I had touched. Yet there was also my young pharaoh, and I would have many regrets if I took a vow to protect two people, I was sure of it. Next came a question that had occurred to me not just recently: where was I? Was I in a dreamlike version of the palace? No, it could not be possible, or the pharaoh would have welcomed me here. It did seem like the palace, but a foreboding nature replaced the usual friendly cheer around the palace. My steps echoed loudly, creating a lonely atmosphere. Suddenly, I ran into a young man with light brown hair and cold grey eyes.
"Out of my way," the man screamed at me, throwing a punch. My shoulders were healed, yet bruised as I slammed into a marble wall. "Leave me to rest," said the dark man. His grey eyes looked at me with deferance as his cloak fluttered in a wind that would never blow in this place. That icy manner, those cold, heartless eyes, they seemed so familiar, and yet I was grasping at air. The person who that young man reminded me of sat there just out of my reach, a tantalizing piece of information. "Wait," I called as he turned to leave.
"What," he asked in an impatient tone.
"What is your name, sir?"
"You may call me Arem. Is that all you need, my girl?"
"Y-y-yes. Thank you Arem. I am Isis, the princess of Egypt, sister of Marik Ishtar. You may call me by name, if you wish to do so."
"Thank you Isis." A hint of eagerness showed in Arem's voice as he slid a knife out of its sheath. "You will soon be dead," he muttered under his breath, "and then you will belong to my lord."