Egyptian Nights (Sehkmet and Shekel)

Sehkmet wandered through the gardens of the royal palace in Cairo and she couldn't help but sigh she was so close to finally becoming a bride to the Pharoah but then she just had to get in the way, the prettiest woman in court just had to come of age and they were surely going to get married now, and she would be left alone again for another year or so until he came to take a new bride.

Sitting down on the ledge of the fountain, she cool breeze ruffled her long straight hair breaking the humid temperature of the night, it was refreshing to her, but it only seemed to make her thoughts more organised. She was so frustrated that she couldn't travel, that she couldn't do what she wanted to do, that she had to wear these uncomfortable dresses she hated and flirt with a man who was already married...several times.

Tilting her head up to the starry sky she closed her eyes, she felt her anger ebbing upwards...and she wished that her life would change soon, so she might be free to do as she pleased, without feeling like a bird trapped in a guild gold cage.

Shekel was getting rather annoyed with all of these priests hanging off of him trying to figure out what he was. It was freaking annoying that they either thought he was a god or some kind of demon. Personally he had money on demon but that didn't matter right now. Right now he had finally shaken them off and was enjoying the cool night air as he stepped into the courtyard.

He was shirtless, as was expected of a man at the time, but what was strange was that his muscles stood out whereas everyone else either had flat stomachs or large stomachs. Perhaps it was because no one who ate correctly would work and no one who worked could eat right? Either way, he didn't eat.

Glancing around the courtyard he spotted a young woman he had seen when he had been introduced to the Pharoah's court. As Osiris of all things. He smirked slightly as he moved closer,

"Why hello there..." he glanced up, "Admiring the stars?"

Sehkmet quickly looked around when she heard a male voice, she wasn't allowed to talk with males it would make others gossip about her and she would never be married then if people knew that she had been tainted by another mans touch...or so her mother had often told her, to warn her from other men.

When her eyes land on the man in question, they widen and she quickly bowed, this was the man who had been introduced to them as Osiris not too long ago! Oh what was she to do now, she could not offend the gods and leave! She would have to stay.

Her eyes looked at the God more closely, now she was alone with him and not in the court, his chest was so muscled, he was strong she could tell, and she wanted to reach forwards and stroke his skin compelled by an urge she didn't understand. Tearing her eyes away swiftly, Sehkmet blushed.

"Y-yes your highness." she whispered quietly "I do not want to interrupt your meditation in the stars, I shall leave if you wish me to my lord Osiris."

Shekel couldn't help but chuckle a little bit when she startled like a rabbit at the sound of his voice. Probably told early on that the only person who should touch her should be her husband. When she bowed, obviously panicked her groaned in mild annoyance. It wasn't the girls fault but he was sick of people doing that.

He did catch her checking him out though before she looked away, blushing a lot. It was rather flattering to him and he smirked a little wider before checking her out. She was a woman of unrivaled beauty that was for sure,

"Please, call me Shekel." he told her with a smirk, "I was introduced as Osiris but it's not my name. What is you name my dear? Please... stay for awhile yes?"

Sehkmet looked at the man in front of her and she tilted her head to one side, confused, so he wasn't called Osiris? Why had the high preists introduced him as such then surely they wouldn't be one to make a mistake like that...they knew all!

Seeing him look over her body, Sehkmet blushed even more and she felt her blood rush to her cheeks staining them pink, her only comfort was the breeze and that it might take some of the colouration away from her cheeks.

"I apologise...Shekel." she whispered softly "It is not often the High Priests are wrong...my name is Sehkmet, Sehkmet Nassiri."

When he asked her to stay for a while she nodded her head softly and sat back down on the fountain. It was strange to be in the company of a man...but somehow he felt different to other men? Is that why they thought he was a god?

"I shall stay as long as you wish me to sir." she smiled gently used to giving men answers they wanted to hear.

Shekel could see the look of surprise on her face and couldn't help but chuckle again. The Egyptian priests sure did like to keep their power seemingly absolute it seemed. He could tell that she was blushing up a storm right now, even if it was something that he himself would never be able to do,

"No need to apologise my lady." he told her with a smile before chuckling, "The High Priests are often wrong, they're just good at covering it up. It is a pleasure to meet you Sehkmet Nassiri... I had wanted the name of the most beautiful woman in the court since I was first there. And now I have it."

Shekel sat down on the bench beside her and sighed happily as the breeze played across his skin. He looked at Sehkmet and caught her looking again,

"To keep you with me as long as I like you'd have to have more than one lifetime." he told her with a wink before he looked up at the stars, "Are you happy here Sehkmet?"

Sehkmet let her eyes wander across the gardens there were no other people here, at least none that she could see for the time being, that was the way that she wanted it, if anyone saw her talking with the person they thought was a God...who knows what would happen to her when he left?

"Shekel, sir!" she squeaked, shaking her head when he flirted with her, she was never often flirted with despite her attempts "You shouldn't speak like that to me, it is not your or my place to talk like that."

When he sat down next to her Sehkmet smiled softly, it was nice to have the presence of someone else near her, it felt good to talk to someone, besides her mother of course.

"More than one lifetime? Are you still a God despite the name you take?" she asked intrigued "...no, I am not very happy here, although it is my duty to my family to stay."

Shekel could tell that she was looking for anyone else in the garden but with his greater senses he could have instantly told her that there was no one but them in the garden. Oh and that one high priest he'd knocked out and left outside the doors to the courtyard. No one would find him for a day at least though,

"Oh and why not?" he asked her with a small smirk, "I can speak therefore I can ask away. You can hear... and you seem to like what you hear."

He hummed a little bit before chuckling slight and shaking his head. Was he a god? No, he thought he'd be able to tell if he was. Was he a demon? Perhaps but not originally. Shekel smirked slightly,

"No I'm not a god. I'm just someone who has lived a very long time." he teased her before frowning a little bit, "This the same family that pushes you to be here?"

Sehkmet when she heard him speak couldn't help but blush again, she hoped that she would be able to reign in her feelings once more but she wasn't sure if Shekel was going to allow her to, he seemed to enjoy making her feel like she was special, and for a moment she wondered why...he didn't know her.

"Well...it simply feels wrong for you to be allowed to talk to me ina way that would normally be frowned upon by my family." she whispered "Its...it is kind of forbidden, which is why I enjoy it, I suppose."

Hearing that he had lived a very long time, Sehkmet wondered why he lived so long, but it seemed that Shekel didn't know that either, so she wouldn't ask. Nodding her head lightly, the topic of her family was contentious and it often made her upset and angry.

"Yes, they desire me to become the new bride for the Pharoah, but I am sure that Baah will now become his bride, he seems to find her more suitable than myself." she sighed gently "I do not enjoy being looked at in such a manner and found lacking."

Shekel did not have a lot of respect for needless rules and traditions since he predated most of them as it was. He didn't agree with the idea that people should be judged for who they want to be with after all. He chuckled a little bit,

"I imagine the forbidden factor is giving you quite the thrill." he purred lightly before winking at her, "I'll keep that in mind."

Shekel was beginning to know why he was gifted with eternal youth but that didn't mean he knew what to call it. He sighed a little bit and shook his head,

"The Pharoah will be dead within the next three years and all his wives killed to be with him in the next life. Hardly something to look forward to." he commented before frowning a little bit, "The man must be blind to think that you lack anything."

Sehkmet purred gently and she couldn't help but feel herself wanting to reach across the gap and kiss Shekel, there was some sort of chemistry with the two of them and she wondered if she was going to be the only one to feel it between them, if it was one sided or Shekel felt it too...maybe he did?

"Please do." she grinned lightly, showing she wasn't always the wide eyed girl that she seemed to be, and she could retaliate when she set her mind to it "I'm a girl that doesn't like to be dissappointed."

Blinking at his honesty Sehkmet sighed softly and she hung her head it was true, her life goal would get her killed, but how could she defy her parents wishes? Where would she go when she was disgraced and removed from her home?

"I cannot do anything else..." she whispered "If I refuse I will be removed from my family and I have no money and nowhere to stay, I have to. If I had anything else to do, I would do it in a heartbeat."

Shekel could tell that he wasn't the only one who wanted to get a little bit closer to one another because Sehkmet seemed to be loving it too. Seemed to be craving it even. The chemistry was definately there, the spark that would lead to something else,

"Oh so the naughty girl likes to be doing forbidden things huh?" he teased her before smirking a little, "Well I doubt you'll be disappointed with me."

He paused for a moment, humming as if pretending to think about it even though he already had an answer,

"Well how about if you go against their wishes then you can come and join me." he suggested with a grin, "Live in the palace and only really advise or something like that."

Sehkmet tilted her head to one side and she wondered why she was allowing him to talk to her like this, she was being bad and her heart started to race again her eyes flicking in the darkness surrounding them, the garden illuminated only by the moon. It seemed to make Shekel even more attractive than when she first set eyes on him in the palace.

Blinking a little bit her mouth popped open and she wondered why he was asking her to come with him, they didnt even know each other all that well just yet...what would happen when they found that they didn't like each other after all?!

"I...I don't know Shekel..." she whispered quietly "I want to travel, I don't want to be stuck in Cairo forever, I want to see the rest of Egypt, I want to see the rest of the world." she grinned, her mood lightening and her speech becoming more passionate even as she thought about it.

Shekel could tell that what he was doing right now was going against Sehkmet's upbringing by the way she seemed so shy about it. She had not been nearly as shy in the court. No, she was feeling the forbidden element of being with him that was for sure.

He chuckled a little bit when she just looked at him as if he was mad for suggesting she could come with him. Unknown to Sehkmet, Shekel was a vampire. And as a vampire he had learnt how to sum up a person with only a few glances. She was definately someone he could see himself spending a long time with, perhaps even eternity,

"Well it's a travelling lifestyle that I offer you now Sehkmet!" he told her with a smirk, "Mesopetamia, Sadan and everywhere else! From the highest of cities to the smallest of towns. From the far east, with their strange swords and creatures to the far north, with it's cold winds and proud peoples."

Sehkmet blinked when she heard Shekel talk to her about all of the places she had only heard whispers about and she couldn't help but feel herself growing more and more convinced by the second, the life she had here, it was a dead end, at least she would experience the world...experience something if she took up this offer.

But what about her family? What would happen to them when she left? Would they be hurt and left to fend for themselves in the lowest of jobs after her shame of running away?

"I would love to come with you Shekel..." she answered truthfully "But my head is telling me that I should follow my duty and remain loyal to my family, no matter how much I desire differently. What if they are harmed while I am gone, because of me?"

Shekel had visited parts of the world that were known, the parts with cities and civilization, but he had also visited parts of the world that had apparently not been discovered yet. The men of snow, the men of the north, had no contact with his people but Shekel had met them many times in the past. His life, and the life he was offering Sehkmet, was full of wonder most people were never going to experience.

When she brought up the issue of her family he smirked a little bit and pointed to himself,

"You forget Sehkmet, I'm apparently Osiris." he told her with a smirk, "How much honor and respect do you think your family will hold when it comes out that you, their daughter, has been chosen to accompany a God? They'll be more than fine."

Sehkmet couldn't help but feel a grin split her face, and she laughed happily almost wanting to get up and dance around the fountain, she was so overjoyed by the idea that she would finally be free and see the wonderful things that she had always dreamed of seeing!

"Oh of course! Why...they would be reviered and I would be able to be free and do as I please while I travel with you..." she whispered to herself more than anything.

She would finally be free of these chains that were holding her down in this city, to her family and she smiled widely barely restraining herself from hugging Shekel around the neck, she wanted this so badly. But then a thought crossed her mind.

"Is there a catch...?" she asked quietly.

Shekel could tell that Sehkmet was more than happy with the news and he couldn't blame her. He was offering her a way to experience the life that others couldn't even begin to imagine. After all, what mortal could see the sands of egypt and the snows of the north in one lifetime?

"Exactly, their prestiege would never be higher." he told her with a smirk, "Much more than even if you had managed to catch the pharoah's eye."

When she asked him if there was a catch he smirked a little bit more. Oh she was a smart one, that was for sure. He nodded slightly,

"Not really a catch." he told her with a small shrug before smirking, "More like a gift. The gift... of eternal life. I can give you that Sehkmet. I can give you eternity."

Sehkmet couldn't help but feel herself glowing with the happiness that radiated through her body however she knew that she was going to have to be careful while she was travelling, she would need to conserve her money and she would definately need to make sure that she wasn't harmed while she was with Shekel.

"What would I need to bring?" she asked breathlessly "I do not have a great deal of warm clothes...I would need to purchase some for myself on our travels if we are going to colder places."

When he mentioned the fact that there was actually a catch, Sehkmet's happiness dwindled a little and she let herself become a little more serious now, she wanted to know if she was going to have to do something dangerous to get this oppertunity.

"The..." she began her eyes wide "The gift of eternal life? B-but why would you give me such a thing!? You barely know me and I you! How do you know I deserve such a gift?"

Shekel could tell that she was so very happy by a number of tells but one of the ways was that he could hear her heartbeating faster. It was rather strange to someone who was new to it but to him it was comforting. He waved his hand,

"You must bring yourself and whatever trinkets and clothes that you can fit into a bag for me to carry." he instructed her with a smirk, "I have a set of skills that are needed throughout the world. We will want for nothing."

He chuckled a little bit and let her sweat a little bit thinking about why he would give her the secret to eternal life. It was rather amusing to him after all,

"Why not?" he asked her with a smirk, "To see the world you must walk or ride there. To see all the world in a mortal lifetime is not possible. You need to have eternity to see the world. I can give you that. And... well I'll finally have someone to talk to. To be with for eternity."

Sehkmet wondered if she was going to be able to do what he wanted her to, to be with him for an eternity when she knew nothing about him, apart from the fact that he was strange, he was different from all other men she had met in apperance, in mannerism and in almost every possible quality...

Maybe that meant that she was going to be able to be with him and enjoy his company, but this was all too sudden for her, could she dare accept and regret later? What if he withdrew his offer and found someone else? Biting her lip she nodded her head.

"Then I consent, what needs to be done for me to achieve what I need to come with you?" she asked softly her eyes locked onto his own "I will ensure that I have all the things that I wish to bring with me ready by tomorrow evening."

Shekel knew that she would be naturally cautious of his offer. He would have been very surprised if she hadn't if he was honest. After all he was a strange man and he had just offered to take her around the world for the rest of eternity.

Sehkmet probably thought that this whole thing was rather sudden but to Shekel this was even more sudden. After all he was already over two thousand years old. Years and months just kind of blend together seeing as none of them affected him anymore. When she accepted he smiled and nodded,

"Then we shall do it now then shall we? Tilt your head to one side and I shall bite your neck. Don't worry, it feels good." he assured her before nodding, "And I shall be ready to take you in the morning."

Sehkmet nodded her head and she blinked slightly halting in her move to come closed to Shekel when he told her what he intended to do to her, he intended to bite her neck? Then what would happen would he feed on her blood....that was surely a demonic thing to do....? Her heart faultered slighty as she gazed up at him.

"Is that all that I need to have done to me?" she asked quietly "There is nothing that I must do in return to you is there?" her mind changing slowly as she thought more and more about what was going to happen.

But then her sense of adventure seized her again and she felt her strength returning, he said that it would feel good, so it would not hurt, and immortality was a god like quality, it could not be a bad thing...could it? She asked herself.

"Okay then, I shall be ready for then."

Shekel was feeling a little bit jealous of Sehkmet right now if he was honest. When he had been turned no one had been there to tell him how to control it after he had turned. No one had given him the option of accepting immortality even if he was likely to have accepted it anyway,

"Yes that's it. I bite you, it feels good, it heals and then, two days from now, you have a mild fever. It breaks after a day and you are immortal." he told her, his breath playing against her soft skin, "No more sickness. No more weakness."

With her acceptance he smirked slightly as he fangs became visible. Biting down into her soft neck, he sucked at her blood as both the 'venom' and the pleasure-inducing serum, rushed into her bloodstream. Pulling away, licking his lips, the holes healed almost instantly,

"Ooooo that was a love taste..." he purred before smirking a little bit, "Alright then. Only one question... which direction? North, East, South or West?"