Blue listened, her eyes wide. She stopped when he mentioned justice, slowly placing her staff on the ground and wiping her eyes away. Uneasily, the heiress laughed and shook her head. "All right then, I will deliver you justice. You have killed many people, and would've mercilessly killed me, an innocent. As such, my punishment is worse than death. You, when our current Pharaoh dies, shall reign by my side. You read your fate correctly, Ibis, and you will be a great, mighty man. You will stay in Ancient Monarchy, our future Pharaoh. This shall be your punishment to stay from here on out."

The woman went over to the window, flinging open the glass and picking his daggers to cast out of them, turning back to Ibis with a smile. "Right, then, my fiance, lets go rise the rest of the court to tell them the good news," she said, walking over and taking Ibis by the arm. Her grip was firm, surprising for how smooth and soft the hands were, leading the ex-assassin out of the room. "I know there will be more assassins, not only out of me, but you now too. We're really in this together, and I will not let you die, you hear me." She breezed past the guards, not minding their unconscious bodies and countered wards. "Do you have any last words as an assassin to speak?" she whispered, "Because you will be tattooed and branded at first light. It's customary."

"You ask me why when you already know the answer? This punishment is far worse than any death a person could put to you. You will carry the guilt and burden of all those you've slain in vain, of the men and women who've you taken prematurely from their families. This is far worse and sadistic than any torture, or measure of agonizing death that can be constructed. I will let you make your own prison, and allow you to torture yourself by letting you live. This is what I will explain to the Court, and I am confident it will satisfy them. If it does not, I'll simply use my power," Blue explained as they descended the stairs. She looked over to him, then, pausing to hug Ibis tightly.

"Ibis, you're still a dear friend. And even with this explanation, I can truly say I don't think I could've kill you back there," she said truthfully. The woman sighed, planting a peck onto Ibis' cheek before returning to dragging her prisoner with her.

"This is no illusion, no dream, no fiction of your imagination. Ibis, this is real. You are to be a Pharaoh, as the gods predicted, and I trust a great man. We will rule this land with peace, but never boredom." Blue sped up her back, hold still tight upon Ibis. She glanced back to Ibis as they walked, and pain was written on her face at seeing his shock. The woman did not attempt to hide it, allowing him to see how badly she felt giving him even this amount of life-long agony. "Though, do not think everything is condemned. Yes, I am giving you a burden of guilt, but it is what you do with that guilt that matters."

When they reached the bottom of the stairs they stood in the main entrance of the Temple. Guards were marching towards them, spears at ready. With her free hand, Blue halted them. "You shall not harm this man!" she commanded in a booming voice, to which none could find their own to question. They bowed, allowing Blue and Ibis to pass by, while she brought him down the Temple stairs and onward to the Pyramid. "Lets go meet the new family, right, Ibis?"

When Blue led him into the pyramid, it seemed quite empty. The walls were adorned with priceless cloths and rugs, pillows heaped everywhere for comfort and a gold-leaf throne at the center of the massive room. It had been raised on a dais, and gold beads hung around every section of it from the ceiling, a few bits of red and violet thrown in for a marvelous effect. Candles burned away at the feet of the beads, just outside the dais, to make everything glitter. On the dais' walls were carved important events of Ancient Monarchy. Blue led Ibis past all the granduer without a second glance, moving towards an antechamber where a walkway sloped up towards a second level. Weaving her way about, Blue eventually came to two heavy doors. Plenty of guards were outside, and raised a curious brow to Blue.

"I demand an audience of all the royal family," Blue commanded, in that particular tone it was impossible to question or argue. The guards bowed and left, others filling their position. Blue stood stone still, her fingers around Ibis turning clammy with anxiety, yet never lost their strength. It took nearly half the hour, but finally an assembly was gathered in the hallway, most of the family dreary and looking frightened due to current circumstances.

"This is our assassin," she announced, nodding towards Ibis. The court immediately made noises, gesturing and trying to gather the guards. It took both Blue and the Pharaoh to calm them down. "I have decided to marry him," Blue added, taking in their shocked faces. Then, she relayed the story of how she met Ibis, and how he'd allowed himself to get caught. Finally, Blue told his explanation, and let it all soak in with silence. "I believe it's a fitting punishment... Ibis, do you have anything more to say?"

It took several hours, while the group had moved to the main floor, lounging on the pillows while the Pharaoh took his seat. They interrogated Blue, then Ibis, and finally all settled down to discuss it. The majority were leaning with Blue's decision, finding her reasoning more than fair. A few still demanded death. "One soul is never equal to another! Let him repent over his final years, let him work it off," a New Religion fanatic of the family argued. Blue groaned, laying back and looking over to Ibis, who had been placed beside her in shackles.

"You know, I'm beginning to wonder if agreeing with a New Religion freak isn't so bad," she whispered under her breath. This received a good glare from across the way, a woman older than her and therefor more rightful to the throne. Blue was expecting a lot of shit from her in particular, and wondered if perhaps Ibis could do a last assassin mission for her...

Blue noticed his glance and squeezed Ibis' hand gently, "Trust me, okay?" she told him. "Remember what I said? Do not take this punishment merely as it is, but as a chance to redeem your past." This was entirely said in whispers, so that the others didn't notice her weakness for him. Perhaps then they'd think this more fair than it actually was.

And still the hours past. Blue fell asleep, her head placed to Ibis' shoulder. It was very close to dawn now, and most of the family was asleep, while few still argued. None, however, were allowed to leave until the matter was put to rest. The Pharaoh was on Blue's side, to which swayed most opinions.

"This is enough! I declare that, since the accused has attempted to take Azra's life, then is it she who declares his fate! And, as such, he lives!" the man ordered, raising from his throne on the dais and slamming down a staff. This jolted most awake, including Blue. "Now, all return to your beds. I expect you to be sleeping well into the afternoon." Those awake rose as the Pharaoh swept past, following him sleepily.

Guards came over, releasing Ibis from shackles and looking to Blue. "He's an heir now. Bow," she ordered, to which they did and walked off. Blue turned to Ibis, rubbing the back of her head, "Uh... I'm not sure where you should sleep... But I guess you can stay in my room for tonight."

"Sleep will do you wonders, trust me," Blue yawned, leading Ibis out of the pyramid. She trudged tiredly, glancing once or twice to make sure Ibis was following, considering he was no longer held onto. "You do know, you're going to have to go through extensive training," she informed the ex-assassin. "They did it to me, too. How to eat, how to rule, how to command an army, how to handle mobs... Philosophy, astronomy, mathematics and art. School for the rich, you know."

Once more, the two were met with stairs. Blue paused before beginning up the steps, one weary step after another. "And, they will tattoo your hands, as customary for men. Women are meant to use their hands, so their arms are marked. Just as well, they'll have an entire wardrobe made for you, and start training you to excel in your fighting expertise. All of this, on top of keeping out from under an assassin's blade will be difficult..." Now, she was more talking to herself than anything, staring at the floor while they walked. "But I suppose the trick is to take things once at a time."

Finally, after what seemed like years, she came to her door, still ajar, and pushed it further in. Stepping over the guards Blue dispelled another trap she had had in place, pulling at the air as if tearing something in half. The air around her bed shimmered, then grew still. Blue walked over to her expansive bed, that seemed to be larger than even the dais the throne was seated. Without word, Blue fell on one side, impatient for sleep.

Where else exactly would he go really? Ibis followed, although his head felt heavy. He was used to extensive pondering, but this outdid it for the day. He nodded when she mentioned what he would have to lean, closing his eyes. "I figured as much," he said, shaking his head. At least he was naturally good with mathematics and astronomy. I his former profession, he had to be. Philosophy he could probably handle well too, but what of art? He wasn't so certain there.

He had been of the assumption that his arms would be marked, but hearing now it would be his hands made both of his brows go up. Hadn't he noted the prince's hands before? He supposed not really. It wasn't the hands an assassin aimed for after all. "I-I guess so. I suppose concerning the fighting and the last, these last few years will come in handy," he admitted. It still...

It was all a bit much, and she was right. He needed sleep to process it. He blinked however, noting her room didn't really have a seat other than the one at the desk. He supposed he could sleep there, deciding Blue rather did need her rest. And he was used to more than one night sleeping at a desk. So he took a careful seat tehre, preparing for sleep.

He had a feeling it would be a rough night, and a rougher morning.

((*Pats Ibis* For a smart man he can be clueless. I finished his drawings today, but Ill show ya them tonight after I eat supper and pop onto AIM :3))

In the morning, Blue found herself raising before Ibis. She took a bath, enjoying the warmth that relaxed her muscles, before dressing in a fine blue gown. It wrapped around her chest, and then flowed down in soft, air-light wispy motions. Around her feet were gold sandals painted in blue, and around her neck a high gold chocker embedded with aquamarine men fighting. Blue had her hair done up with the same stones, though much of it was left to tumble messily to the nape of her neck.

While waiting for Ibis to rise, Blue had wandered outside, sitting at a small fountain with her pen and book. She wrote with her left, for her right was being tattooed again, finer detail embedded inside the skin as the lady didn't even seem to notice. Her left hand scratched away, blue ink filling the page alongside small sketches. "Ma'am?" asked a guard who stepped up. Blue glanced up, nodding to give him permission to continue. "I was wondering if you'd enjoy to oversee Sir Ibis' schedules."

"I'm not his mother, he may do it himself," Blue replied in an irked manner, returning to her half-finished sentence. The artist working on her arm stood up from his position on the ground, binding Blue's arm so the ink wouldn't bleed. Blue dismissed him and shut her own book, glancing worriedly to her arm. It hurt more than she'd like to admit, her skin itching and burning from the terrible amount it had been worked on. And to get one on the back of her hands, as Ibis was going to! That'd be much worse.

Blue's face tilted up, the morning light already warming everything, and she could feel it washing her eyelids, her cheeks and neck. "Oh, Ra, you are supposed to guide us in blind times, yet I feel so very lonely, as if you were not by my side. Is this a motion for you to accept my new friend as a counselor? Yet, I find even with my actions, trust comes not easily." Sighing heavily, Blue turned, hiking up her skirt and pulling her sandals off to stick her feet in the fountain's water. Even that was warm, though, causing Blue to make a face at the fish that swam to greet her toes.

"Oh, hey," Blue greeted with her usual cheerfulness. She turned in her seat to face Ibis, her worries vanishing away from her face when regarding the ex-assassin. "I thought you'd never get up. Here, take a look," Blue flipped through her journal to a two-page spread of a drawing of the crystal structures that grew in the desert. It was an outstanding piece, especially considering it was done entirely in ink, with a soft shading job to reflect how brightly they seemed to glow. She even had the texture of the sand correctly. "I did it last night, from memory. You remember that crystal pattern, right? It's the last structure you see before entering Ancient Monarchy."

Really, Blue was nervous at showing him her works of art. She'd done it openly back, in a life she had before coming here, but this was her own personal remembrance sketches, not done to show others but to simply appease herself. However, Blue wanted to show Ibis, as a sign of trust and friendship, really. More for her own self than his enjoyment of art.

"Oh, are you excited? For the tattoo, I mean. They normally come out really spiffy," Blue added, scooting over to allow Ibis a place to sit. "I think they'll do it after breakfast. Everybody's getting up early since last night's meeting. In fact, I think we're the first two up."

"I guess it is now," Blue said with a soft sigh, one that told of her old memories, of times long dead. "I, as you can guess, wasn't originally from these sands. In fact, I lived in a place that had a brilliant gold orb in the sun that, when it fell, was replaced by a silver one. The sky was a blue as soft as silk, with velvet skies when the silver sun came. You see, there, I lived in a building that was made of wood, with glass that seemed to be spun of the same silver as the night sun. The place, however, was sentient. It would eat those who wander in, except me, its Klem. It's keeper, basically. Vaseklem was the name I was appointed, the name my mother and her mother and so forth have all carried. Each one of them were artistic, in both words and pictures. We were charged with recording and keeping the stories of those who the house was to consume.

"Vacant Paradise, the house, brought a man in. He saved me from it, and unraveled a tale unlike anything even I could put into paper. He's waiting for me to return, you know..."

Blue trailed off, finding that she'd rambled now. Quickly, the woman closed the book and slid her feet back into her sandals, tying them quickly before pulling her skirt back down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... babble so much. It's just, there was nobody else and... never mind, it's not important." Blue stood, stepping away and looking back. "I'm going to the riverside," she informed before turning back and taking a small, wandering trail. Her feet fell on the path perfectly, as if it had been made for her. Or, perhaps by her.

He blinked when she mentioned it was her hobby now, catching upon that tone in her voice. She tended to lean far more towards happiness, so it was easy to catch when she was thinking upon harder topics. He remembered her saying she was a gypsy of sorts, and listened as she mentioned the house and her title as well.

He did listen intently as she spoke, and realized she had left a whole life behind before coming here. Why had she left it behind he wondered? Did she wish to return? Did she wish to wander again? He could not say. When she mentioned she was going to the riverside he nodded. "Alright," he replied, and for a moment watched her go.

There was so much he did not understand. He realized this, especially during somber times like this. He still wasn't sure why he still stood here. He could have easily swung things over to the side of death. And yet, he had been dutiful and quiet. He was never good at thinking into his own future, for he had never had one really. And yet...

There was only one reason really he could think of, and he was brought back to what Blue had asked, fr him to trust her. It meant, the fact he was still here and hadn't tried to escape, that in some small way he did. He sighed a slight, glancing towards the fountain a moment. Everything here was so different to him really and yet...

'If I am ever to make things right...' he thought, glancing towards the path she had taken. 'Trust...' he thought to himself, as he pondered upon the steps to take. Perhaps..just perhaps, he could start by telling her more about himself, or asking her the questions that crossed his mind about her.

((I was wondering if that story would get mentioned here as well :3 Poor Blue *pats her* And Ibis tehre likes to overthink as you can tell, comes with a smart mind I suppose. x-X No worries, I'll have soemthing more substantial next post :P))

Blue found herself at the side of the foaming river, white crests of the river falling over carelessly to her feet. The storming river never became calm, fish occasionally even jarred from their home. The woman sat upon her normal perch, a place none disturbed her unless there was an emergency. The river was useless, too rapid and dangerous to cross or use, and too salty to drink. They did scrape off the salt that evaporated onto the rocks, for the heat was so great that when the river sprayed up, rarely did drops come down.

It wasn't a good place to think. The tormented water did little to settle Blue's heart, instead pushing the worried further in. But, it was a place to be alone, where Blue could openly sulk. She missed everything she'd left behind, so terribly her entire body ached to the same rhythm her heart did. Those she'd loved so much, so fervently, left without a word. Blue had chosen to do this, though, never thinking she'd have such great ties to the place. Even so, this was her choice, and thus she felt to suffer alone.

Blue had left a girl, but now what? How old was she now? Did she count in the years of her old land, or this new one? What did it matter, for none seemed to care here. The uneasy woman glanced to her arm, bits of dried salt landing on it. "What a land, where even the rivers can't cry," she whispered, laying back upon the rock and closing her eyes to the sky.

Blue was nearly thrown off the rock as she sat up too quickly, staring at Ibis with wide wonder. "I... Uh..." the woman stuttered, before closing her eyes once more and laughing. She slid off the rock, straightening her dress before shaking her head. "No, it's all right. You startled me, you can stay," she told him. The girl wore a soft smile, staring at the ground. "See, this is what makes me think you'd be good for what the gods fated you to be. You know exactly what the people need, and how to deliver it without abundance."

Sighing, the woman shook her head and grinned. "I do want to talk, really. It's just... It's my burden to bear. I chose to come here, to walk the path I do, so what right do I have to whine and gripe? What am I to constantly make myself with by longing for something I willingly left?" the girl admitting, rubbing her face. Things were complicated, and she wasn't even sure where to begin at. Her mind was having trouble concerning time, all her memories a chaotic whirlwind. One thing led to five, in such a rapid and hasty speed Blue wasn't sure she knew how to deal with it.

"I'm sorry, I just... It's a gypsy life. We leave things, we take things and give them back. It's in my blood, so I can't honestly say I chose this, but at the same time the actions I chose are my own. I.. don't know, things like this are confusing." Blue sighed once more, sliding to a sit at the base of the rock, her eyes once more traveling towards the river.

"I told you before. Here, I have ties... I can't simply wander away. In this place I had duties, and responsibility, it would be both careless and reckless if I simply left. You should know this, too," Blue replied softly. It was obvious guilt hung over her, her face pinched in the submissive pain she kept close. It was obvious now, how she had no close friends here, for all her secrets were who Blue truly was.

"We do care for each other... More than I can say," she whispered, her frown increasing. Before the two could speak more, however, voices could be heard. Blue stood, putting once more her pleasant face when the view of two figures in brilliantly colored clothes came into view. They wore white under-robes with reds and oranges draped about. "Levit, Siar," Blue greeted, smiling. The two bowed to both Blue and Ibis, having been at the meeting last night. "Is breakfast ready?"

"Not quite," the one named Levit explained. He had long black hair with a stubbly beard and looking to be quite young to have the tattoo of a head general. Siar, a lovely young woman with the marks for an immediate royal family member, informed that it was time for Ibis' branding. "You shouldn't put it like that," Levit scolded, though didn't correct her. Laughing, Blue nodded and started walking back with them, matching her pace to Ibis'.