Fossilized Aeons [Leona and Hilf]
 

Rolling hills of blue and gold swept under the young woman's feet. The sands were being carried away by winds that seemed to lift into the flaming purple sky. The desert had formations of giant crystals bursting out of them, the clear violet growths towering over her and into the clouds. As tall as mountains, and expanding forth for as long as the eye could see. The gold in the blue sands stuck everywhere, coating things with an ethereal sheen to it.

The only living thing who walked these lands was female. Over her face was a traditional-looking mask, glittering beads and tassels hanging from it in abundance. A white shirt was cut short, to show her abdomen, and had no sleeves, was accompanied by an ankle-length red skirt. It had no buttons or zippers, simply rolled at the waist to keep it up. An equally red piece of cloud covered the lady's scalp, raining down to her shoulders, with chocolate-brown hair spilling out. Beads wove into the woman's hair as well, gold armbands filling her arms just as thickly as sleeves could.

Shuffling, for there wasn't any faster a pace one could go here, the lady went her way through the lands. She was heading towards a particular cluster of the crystals, for they seemed denser, and offered more shade. Around her back was a pack-shaped thing, only that it carried water instead of items. In this climate, such a thing couldn't be without.

It took a good quarter of an hour to get to the shade, and there the young, tanned woman collapsed. She crawled to the deepest shade, where the sands felt as ice. Digging into them, the traveling lady pressed her skin to the even cooler glass-like crystal. "Ah, finally, a place to sleep!"

Though the land was brilliantly bright, there seemed to be no sun or moon. Not even any stars. A thick stream of lavender crossed the sky, illuminating the world with its whiteness. But, it was impossible to tell time with only that band of light. She'd no way of saying if it were midnight, or midday. The only thing the lady could tell was that she was tired, and thirsty, and hungry. She should have reached the end of the sands two days ago, and with that her skin of water was running low. "Ugh... So not good!"

Blue's eyes widened when she heard another directly before her. Jerking up, sand was sent every which way, until it settled and her wide, sapphire eyes stared at a cloaked individual. "Ah..." the woman whispered, fingering a clasp on her shirt before nodding eagerly and taking the water. "Thanks! I... I should've been there some days ago. This place never ends," she groaned after sipping from the skin. Slowly, so as not to upset her stomach, as any well-seasoned traveler did. "Blue. Er, well, Azra Vaseklem. But they call me Blue. It's the only color I can see clearly," she explained with a brillaint smile. Then, slid the mask from her face to show one that didn't seem to belong in a desert. It was too fair boned, too rounded to be born within the desert. "I can't tell you how thankful I met you! I might not've gotten up after this," she laughed, handing back the water. "How much longer do you think? To Anceint Monarchy, I mean. Can't be more than another day, right?" Blue asked, whiping sweat from her brow. The gold bands, though the concealed the majority of her arm, still allowed a peak of black ink into her skin. Though she might not have been born in the desert, she was regocnized as a form of high persons within it. Be it royalty, or a low-standing noble, it was hard to tell unless one saw the actual design.

"Ibis, right? Where are you heading off to? Deserts aren't just someone's backyard, if you know what I mean." Even for someone of high regards, Blue didn't act it. She was warm and friendly, caring to all persons, even if they were cloaked and shadowy. For all she knew, this man was out to kill her. Yet, carelessly cheerful as always, Blue smiled and scooted over, offering him some room to sit in the refreshing coolness.

Blue nodded and laughed softly, pushing the band of cloth off her head to reveal yet more gold pieces struck in her hair. She used the red linen to pull her hair off the back of her neck, trying to cool off in the terrible heat. "Maps, really! I know a person you should meet then, he'd pay you fifty gold a piece for each copy of your maps, incomplete as they are. This guy, he's been going crazy!" Here, Blue took on an impersonation, deepening her voice comically to mock the man, " 'How are cities supposed to trade if they can't even walk!' I say, 'How are entire cities supposed to move? That's what the gypsies are for!' You know? I don't think we need half our population moving about one place to another, think of all the highway robberies that could happen. Or assassinations, and those are scary enough within city limits!"

Sighing, Blue laid back to close her eyes. "You're going too, then. Well, it seems we've been blessed with each other's presence. Tell me, are you from there? Or another place? I don't know many Anhy who still wear kohl during the harvesting season, unless they are of the Old Religion. Is there a city that still does? Or, perhaps-- Oh, geez, someone close didn't die, did they? Excuse me for my assumptions if they did." She paused to reach her hands and feet into the cool sands, pulling them back up to find gold flakes coating the skin.

"I like in Ancient Monarchy, so all's I'm doing is returning home. I was sent away, because the neighboring city threatened war. They said we stole some girls. I was put out as a representative, through much debate," Blue groaned soft and sat up to stare at Ibis. "It didn't go well, however. I expect them to be sending assassins first, to kill off our military leaders. Then they'd declare war. Sadly, not many assassins stay within Ancient Monarchy, otherwise we'd be doing the same. But out greatest strength is in numbers... So, I'm not exactly sure how to stop assassins from coming in unless we barricaded everyone coming in out, and everyone going out in. What do you think?"

Blue nodded, grinning and reaching under her shirt to reveal a gold pendant, inscribed by a very ancient symbol for Bast. "I, too, still believe in the Old Religion. But, you know, I can't go around wearing kohl, it might displease some people. Did you know there's a group of people with the New Religion trying to get their own temple raised just outside the city limits? 'The Old Religion one still stands, so why can't we have our own?'" Blue again slid into her imitation voices, this time a high falsetto lady. The girl laughed softly, shaking her head of brown hair, "I honestly hope they don't get it."

"Well, if they do send assassins, it almost garuntees the war. That is, unless we can recover those ladies. But, I doubt that'd happen, just as I doubt there'd be no negotiating out of this. Normally, such a thing as stolen women would start a skirmish, at best. But these ladies were personal priestesses and healers of the court there. Ugh-- such a mess!" Blue groaned, pouting and looking to Ibis. "I envy you, really. If trouble starts, you can just head out. I'm tied down like a damn cow during festival season."

She thought for a bit, then stood up and replaced her mask as well as linen head cover. Stepping out into the sun, she motioned to Ibis. "Come on, I don't want to get there too late! If we're going to set up spells, I need to get back to instruct the mages as fast as possible. A few illusions wouldn't hurt either. Perhaps the servants should sleep in the royals' beds for a while. You know, do that old switching trick? Or maybe... Maybe they could head Below. Yea, sure, it's wet down there, but it'd be better than death." Sighing, the woman shook her head and looked to the traveler.

"I've chewed your ear off enough now. Tell me, what is driving you to Ancient Monarchy?"

"Yes, hoods and masks are good for that purpose. But, wearing them in public isn't always the best. It makes you look suspicious, people are automatically on guard. But, then again, I am supposed to merely be a pretty face in court, you know? That is, until blood is shed, and they come whining to me. Thankless, I say, heartless they call me." Blue laughed, shaking her head and then quoting one of the New Religion texts in a mocking voice, " 'Thus repuls'd, Final hope is flat despair.' I'm sure there's more to that quote, but it's one from the New Religion that still makes me smile. You know, while we dismiss their One True God as a folly, there is a certain wisdom to some of the stories. Some."

Blue walked a bit in silence, obviously turning things over in her mind. "Funny thing is, is though some of the Pharaohs are submitting to it, they still hold the sacrifices and the Priests and Priestesses of the Old. It makes me wonder if it truly is the New Religion I despise, or simply its people." She was quiet again, trudging along beside Ibis. "Oh, are we going the right direction?"

The royal lady listened intently as he spoke, her morning-glory blue eyes absorbed in his sight. She seemed to truly be hearing his words, like a perfect reflection of a listener. "Well, I am not so sure it's that bad. I walked into this situation willingly, so it is my burden to bear. And, I suppose I am at fault for griping on it under those circumstances." The lady laughed, shaking her head with dismay for herself.

"Of course I can! It's the largest city in the Fossilized Aeons, and has the largest foot military. Its specialty is pretty trinkets. You know, gold jewelry and the like. But, the reason why ours is so sought after is because we put a bit of magic into everything we do. Ancient Monarchy stores Fossilized Aeon's Keystone, so the magic there is more abundant than anywhere else. As such, all our wards are also the strongest. We even have magic knights, rare as they are.

"The trading is well, inflation is currently low. We do have taxes, to keep the economy, you see. But, mainly, the merchants choose their own prices. They raise their own animals, sheer their cloth, weave their own linen. Who are we to tell them the cost of their hard work? All I, and the other branches, are here for is to secure the people. But anyway. Another thing I like about Ancient Monarchy is that the nobles and the poor all live next door to one another. There's no 'wrong side of town'. There is a difference between the goods, the services, and the homes though. And, of course, the Temple at the center with the Pyramid behind it. How much longer, do you think?"

"I don't know much but a few small clips. Another I know says, 'O dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon, Irrecoverably dark! total eclipse, Without all hope of day.' What it means, or is in context to, I know not. But I felt the need to memorize it in case," Blue commented. She smiled as they walked, though the mask hid her mouth. "The only way I know these verses is because my to-be-finance is trying to convert. As hard as I try to tell him not to, he is a man and does as he wills."

"The Anhy? Why, they're delightful! I dare you to find another city as large as Ancient Monarchy with such kind-hearted fellows. There are no orphaned, for they're all adopted before left on the streets. There is no one jobless, in the same reason. Everybody watches one another's backs, or almost everyone. There's still quarrels, yes, but those are rare and far in between.

"Though, they are greedy. While we welcome visitors in our house, there is a high rate of thievery. That is all right, though, since you can simply find something akin to it in the market, or another's home. Also, rape is becoming an issue. More and more young women, and the occasional boy, is being forced upon. There was even a caught man who had been raping children in Old Religion temples. As a result, guards are now set up on street corners. Two or three for popular districts, too. And wandering sentries as well. They pass at random, so that people can't devise ways around them as easily," Blue explained. Just then, Ancient Monarchy came into view. Blue grinned and looked to Ibis with pride. It was truly a golden city against the violet and blue hues around them. The building blocks were coated with the fine gold dust so thickly it turned the entire city into a blazing gold autumn leaf. In the center, a tall temple rose above even the Pyramid. Walls were erected outside, though unmanned. People seemed to be everywhere, in festive colors and busy patterns. They carried large leaf-shaped umbrellas to keep the sun off, and many carried items recently purchased.

"It's beautiful, don't you think Ibis?"

"I knew you'd like it. We seem to be quite a bit alike, Ibis. I figured we'd part ways... But that's all right, I'm sure the gods will place us back in one another's company soon enough. I must thank you, however, for bringing me home safely. Quite a few things could have happened along the way," Blue said generously. As they came closer she undid the gold bands on her forearm, revealing a swirling pattern in dots and what seemed to represent stars. It came around like a flame, or gust of wind, with odd Old Religion marks forming a circle around its main body. This was the sign of the Court Royal's Official Magical Adviser, who were in every case powerful Priestesses or Magicians themselves.

Blue cast Ibis a guilty look as she pulled her mask up as well. "If you ever have trouble, I am mostly in the Temple. Ask for Azra, and say it's official private matters. They'll bring you to me," Blue explained. "I hope we see one another soon." When they came to the entrance and Blue stepped through, a guard stepped up. He checked to make sure it wasn't kohl painted on her arm before taking Blue by the shoulder. Waving, the woman walked away with one personal guard on either shoulder, discussing the current matter.

Blue had been called into the Pyramid early in the morning, to show the assassination of her finance. He had proposed just the night before, and Blue stared at the corpse without much signs of emotion. She was handed his necklace, the sign of his authority. "We shall have your other arm tattooed this evening," a man beside Blue commented. Numbly, she nodded and pulled some hair back while leaning over him, studying the mark.

"An assassin..." she whispered, standing straight then and leading the way into the halls. "Get me my commoner clothing! I must go into the marketing districts. Gather all the official priestesses and magic-users in the Temple before I arrive. There will be more assassinations, and there are precautions to be made! This is my first act of the heir to Ancient Monarchy," Blue commanded. Everyone else bowed before leaving. Sighing, she waited next to the dead patiently until a simple white garment was brought to her. It had long sleeves to hide the markings, and a plain blue leaf-shaped parasol. Blue's hair went unbound, and she left all the jewelry behind to walk with plain feet.

Outside the Pyramid, the woman wandered with confident strides for the market. Her coin purse was securely attached to her wrist, safe from petty pick-pocketers. People didn't seem to notice that it was Blue, though she was only one of the few with blue eyes and brown hair in this city. In fact, it was surprising that the didn't notice at all. Blue smiled, shaking her head. It was a terrible disguise, and yet it still worked.

In the marketing district, Blue went to a magic shop she knew had good deals for those who bought in bulk. Charms and special, foreign plants were going to be needed for such rituals. Perhaps she could even get a pure white lamb to sacrifice, alongside an unbloodied dagger. "Oh, what a terrible start to this morning!" Blue groaned. When, and who would be their next target? How soon was too late for there to be guards stationed? Too troubled by her thoughts, Blue accidentally ran into another wanderer. She knocked over his chicken cage, releasing the poor animal. "Oh, damn!" cried Blue, handing him a few gold coins for the trouble she caused. Too troubled Blue was to stop and help as she normally did, instead rushing along and paying more attention to the people before her.

Blue made an audible sound as she was run into, taking a few steps back before catching herself. "Damnit, I'm in a-- Ibis? Oh, my! Walk and talk, I don't have time," the woman urged, taking him by the arm and pulling the other with her. "What circumstances are you sorry for? A meeting with a friend is always good, do not be sorry for them! I have to stop by a shop, I hope you don't mind. There's so much to do, you know? No rest for the wicked," the woman laughed. She wove through the people with ease, ending up before a darkened store, dark violet beads all engraved with Old Religion signs in them. Blue stepped through, dragging Ibis with her.

"Crone?" Blue called, stepping into the darkness before pushing away a dark velvet draping. The room beyond was all ablaze with candles, lit as brightly as it was outside. "Mind if I dig around? This is my friend Ibis, we met the other day," Blue said with a warm smile. She sent about the counters, filling a basket with various items.

"Oh, Ibis, you remember my fiance from yesterday? He was murdered, you know. Truth be told, I'm not terribly sorry. I didn't quite enjoy his company, I'm sure you wouldn't either! He constantly quote the New Religion, as if it had brainwashed him. I almost want to marry the man who killed him instead," Blue laughed and shook her head. "We were right about assassins, you know. There's no more time to find those missing priestesses. I'm beginning to wonder if the neighboring city hadn't just murdered them for a reason to start a war. It wouldn't be unheard of.

"I'm sorry, I'm chatting your ear off again!" Blue exclaimed as she examined a crystal in its light. "How was your first day in Ancient Monarchy? Wasn't it everything I said it was? I'm confident it was!"

"Oh, don't worry about me! I can handle my own. I have in the past, you see, which is why they don't send me with body guards everywhere I go," Blue explained. She smiled, gathering another basket to begin filling it with more gentle items than the other one. "Do I take the amethyst or the glass...? Oh, both, then," she muttered to herself with a laugh. "How silly I am, enjoying a good shopping trip with a friend while the city's in peril! But, I suppose, I'm doing my best with what I'm given, right?" Blue paced a bit, thinking of what else was needed.

Just then Blue paused, and wrapped her arms around Ibis. "You've been so sweet to me, you know that! I just can't imagine what'd happen if I'd never met you. I might still be lying dead in that forsaken desert. I owe you so much, Ibis, so if you want anything just ask, all right? I'd never hesitate to give you my throne if that's what you'd want." The heiress laughed then, going back to comparing items, "But then, I'd do that anyways. Ruling isn't truly my thing, you know?"

"War is terrible. But peace is worse. In peace, you have to appease bloodthirsty boredom. I can only hope for a place of orderly chaos, so that while my people are happy, they are not bored either!" Blue said wistfully, sighing and pausing briefly before picking up several handfuls of dry plants. "Oh, you're leaving so soon? Well, before you do I insist you come visit me. There's such a view at the Temple! Oh, and if you do, I'll sneak you into the underground spring. It's quite a sight, I assure."

"Not only with magic and the like, but I can use a staff well, if I do say so myself. My specialty is illusions, though I'm also crafty in wards and traps," Blue explained. Her trusting nature didn't even pick up that Ibis could possibly be an assassin. She thought of him as a true friend, and nothing more. His business could very well be from anything like turnips to glass houses. Blue'd no idea, nor did she really feel like inquiring. If Ibis had wanted her to know, he'd spoken of it, and the heiress was a protector of privacy.

The woman laughed when she saw his face fighting embarrassment. "I think that is the first emotion I've seen on you. Your face is very handsome when it isn't imitating stone," the woman teased gently. She giggled, throwing in a sign of Horus as well, for her need was great here as well. "I think I should hug you more often, if it had such a strong reaction. Oh, screw marrying that damn assassin, why shouldn't I just engage you?" Blue teased, and let out a busty laugh to show it.

"I'm so glad you understand me! Sometimes I fear that no one else views the world like I. Perhaps having once traveled as a gypsy didn't help, you think?" Just then, she scoffed, making a funny face at Ibis and mocking his voice the best she could, " 'Perhaps I will visit!' Oh, pooey, I will hold you against court if you don't!" the woman said with a faked temper.

"Oh? Am I holding you up? I am dearly sorry. If you need to go, friend, then just do so! I'll end up chatting you to death if you don't just hurry out. Take care, and I expect to see you soon!" Blue urged, laughing and waving to him before turning to regard the items. With her back turned, unsuspecting and innocent, it was a perfect time to strike. She was unaware, unarmed, and expecting nothing from behind...

That night, Blue was relaxing by rereading a story she had been working on. The meeting with Ibis had struck sudden inspiration, and writing it all down was easy, but now to revise! The woman sat back in her chair, facing her room from a corner near to the hearth. It went unlit, as normal. Blue ached to move her legs, to get up and perhaps fetch an apple, but the newest ward was still settling. It was created in an arch before her, that would temporarily freeze anyone to pass. However, it only worked once, and the only sign it was there was a small trinket of glass in opposite corners of the room.

Finally, Blue stuck the papers on a nearby table and settled back in her chair. "You know," she told no one in particular, "It's been nearly half the night, and there's no sign of a damn assassin. Perhaps it was wrong to set up so many traps around my sleeping quarters? Would they has suspected that?" While she pondered aloud, Blue's eyes wandered her room in boredom. The window across the way had a grand view of the desert, now black without its white light. She frowned, wondering how the lights in the sky simply shut themselves off. "It's Ra, I'm sure," Blue told herself while bringing out the pendant of Bast.

Everything was threatening to crumble down under the kingdom. While Blue was sure their current Pharaoh could handle it, she wasn't sure if he'd be targeted either. And then it'd be her to handle their problems. Looking down to the newest tattoo on her forearm, Blue was reminded of her husband's death. The skin around the black ink was pink and lightly swollen, showing a bird-like creature outlined in Old Religion text. It wasn't filled in, for that'd only happen when she was granted the crown.

"God, what is this world coming to, allowing an outsider to become their heiress?" Blue asked herself, restless now. She still expected the assassin, and could not sleep, yet dawn was only half the night more. "I won't be able to function my duties properly tomorrow if I don't sleep." She, idly, wondered if the guards before her door had fallen asleep. Neither snored, as far as she knew, and hoped that wasn't the case. They'd a habit of doing that, but this was an emergency. Surely, they wouldn't... Surely, it was fine to wander into bed.

Blue saw the door swing open, her ward broken. She stood up quickly, the violet dress around her swaying back as she practically ran to the door. There, she found Ibis... "What is this?" the woman asked, brandishing the staff of wood and metal she'd grabbed along the way. "You're the assassin?" Blue hissed, her eyes narrowing, and raising the weapon defensively as the ward out-lasted itself. It dropped Ibis from paralysis, and before he could move she had the end at his neck. "Place all your weapons on the ground and slowly move away from them. Go there, by the fire, and come to your knees."

While waiting for Ibis to do so, Blue didn't let her guard down. She held it at neck-level, eyes almost watering from the overwhelming feeling of betrayal. "I ought to kill you now, but what I say is what I mean. You are a friend, and as one, I will allow you to explain yourself. Why such a profession, Ibis? And why befriend me? Surely you say the black upon my arm, now double from your blades... Tell me what, dear friend, has brought you here." She just... couldn't quite understand. He was too good for such a fate! Surely the gods smiled upon such men, instead of shunning them into such a torn alliance.

Maybe it was not the gods, but Ibis himself. Perhaps he had inner turmoil to bring him before her as a prisoner, or so Blue hoped. She did not wish to sentence a friend to death. Though Ibis threatened her life, he still hadn't had a chance to, and trusted that he hadn't simply walked into her trap on accident. It was purposeful. To sneak into the heir's chambers last night and kill him took skill, more skill than allowed him to be trapped by such a simple ward. Or, maybe this was only an illusion she casted over herself.

Tears were blurring Blue's vision now, while she warred herself within. "Just tell me, okay?" the woman choked out, her stance not once letting down. It was apparent that Blue had meant she could, indeed, care for herself in a tussle.