lost in the sands

He can be cameo from here, unless otherwise addressed!

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With the woman @Saira in tow, he led her deep into the oasis and to the feet of @Toula and @Rashepses.

Bowing low, the soldier fixed his gaze to the ground. “I have come by a lone wanderer. She goes by the name of Saira, and may wish to find sanctuary here.”

And with his introduction complete, he stepped back, standing nearby as a sentry, should he be needed.

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saira had expected to be presented, anticipated it, really. but the feeling of it, the nerves and the doubt, it was unfamiliar and overwhelming. no anticipation could’ve prepared her for it.

and then the stranger—tahrosek—fled from her side. her makeshift lifeline, her tether, had fallen away in the presence of his authority. he’d left her to the wolves, literally. even though he stood a few feet away, he would not be the determining factor between her staying or going. he couldn’t sway the decision any.

saira’s brows tugged downward as she lifted her head, hazel eyes softly meeting the figures she’d been left to.

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 she beheld the girl with warm eyes. “Saira,” she repeated, smiling, “tell us of yourself! where do your skills lay? what do you desire for your life?” the Pharaoh wondered, laying sphinx-like before their audience. one foreleg crossed neatly over the other, freshly manicured paws dangling over the edge.
 the Gods have brought them someone new, and Toula found herself eager to know her! she was undoubtedly lovely—would her place here be as a lady among her court? or would this one prefer to be in service? the possibilities for Saira lay openly before her, and Toula pondered the path she might now take.

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awestruck. that was all she could think being presented to the woman before her. breathtaking and pristine in every sense. would the other find herself enthused still when she realized how broken saira was? when she realized she possessed nothing to give and was worthy of nothing to have?

her eyes fluttered shut, a lowly sigh pushing past her lips in a stuttered fashion. “pathetic.” she murmured in adamance, pressing a firm paw to her own chest. weak, unworthy, tainted. she could go on and on. if she were to stay here, they’d need honesty—trust, and the reality of it was that saira was incapable of even speaking enough to answer. let alone providing any sort of skills valuable.

but one thing she needed, one thing she craved for was safety. not lavishness or love, neither pelts nor food. she only wished to survive, to recuperate, and find family. her lips thinned as she turned her gaze to unsteady paws. “no…” she cleared her throat. “leech.”

“learn.” saira did not care where she would find herself amidst ranks. “belong.”

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 she was beautiful, Toula thought to herself! and there were many preconceived notions—that the one before her would be eloquent, a royalblooded young beauty, a rare bloom within the land she came from. that first word, then, was a shock—much more so than the way that it was spoken was the way in which the other gestured to her own self!
 but the Pharaoh did not reveal that shock in any manner. as much as she wanted to interject, she wondered at the reason for this—where did this belief come from? would the girl explain?
 the words provided were limited. she struggled with it, Toula sensed—and when she was finished, Toula pondered on what a good place for this one might be. she did not move to comfort beliefs she felt were misplaced, not yet—she starts with, “do you enjoy hard work? or perhaps prayer? tell me something that is important to you—something that might fulfill you,” with the belief that perhaps this could be answered briefly.

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it was with the arrival of questions that saira had begun to realize she did not truly know herself. she did not have to work very often, her hands were always pretty and neat. her lack of voice was a trait the men delighted in, even preyed on if she was not careful but never had her curls been frayed or her nails bled. she did not know true pain like her sister, but she sympathized with it all the same.

she was not taught. in all her youth, she was given the freedom of a life without education. one driven by the practices of reality, of adventure and travel. so in the face of presenting worthwhile traits, she hesitated. how could she describe what she wanted? how could she describe that it was truly nothing at all, not really?

“anything.” desperation leeched from the one word. anything. give me anything. “purpose.” it was all she needed. all she felt she craved with the absence of her sister.

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 a lost lamb, with no direction—and it was no wonder she could not provide any to Toula! purpose, this one had said. Toula could give her this.
 “I want you to learn of our Gods and Goddesses—each of them. you shall become an acolyte of our Hemet-Nekheb,” and thus become a Hem herself, in time—a priestess that would be safeguarded by their Gods.
 and the Gods would give her a purpose, surely! ah, yes, One above all might call to her as Isis did for herself—if she could not speak, though, she may never be able to sing Their hymns…
 still—she knew that @Senmut could utilize her in their shared task of making known here their faith! “we have many, and so, there will be many lessons. there will also be work—maintaining altars, which the fellahin can assist you with, and even building them! but should this path be too much as you walk upon it, we can look upon another,” she offered this gently, eyes bright as she watched the girl.

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hemet-nekheb. she did not know of this yet, but perhaps pharaoh toula was right in the sense that she could find purpose through the faith. through a new faith. she would need the lessons no doubt, but this was something she could do, yes?

she could find a love in this rank, find a love here. pharaoh toula had given this to her, bestowed upon her a gift treasured by the gentle woman. for that, she would do her best.

saira lifted her head with a gentle smile, an eager nod depicting her agreement with the woman’s choosing. this was far more grand than anything she’d expected, an honor she didn’t know she needed.

she did not know how to thank her with a single word, but she’d hoped—wished—the other could discern her gratitude from her softening stare.

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