Fleeting Sand

♦️The Land Down South

Cale was the last to enter. Before him in the middle of the large room, stood a big circular table with no middle part inside. It was of wooden material, to be precise, it was a gift from the Queen of the jungle. But that didn't matter right now. As Eruhaben elegantly sat down with Choi Han, and Alberu greeted the 'delegation' that sat on the other side, a cold shiver ran down Cale's back at the sight.

Five people. There were five. Sitting opposite of Alberu was a rather tall woman with more golden ornaments on her than the ones besides her. To her left and right were a pair of male and female each. 'Like couples' one could say...but Cale knew better. A mother-son duo sat on HER left, while to her right was an actual couple. (Married yet??)

Horus
Isis
Ra
Maat
Thoth

Those were the five figures that were seated in the same room as him. After some hesitance, Cale moved to sit next to Alberu's side. Eruhaben was on Alberu's other side. In other words, Cale sat opposite to Isis, Alberu to Ra, and Eruhaben and Choi Han opposite to Maat and Thoth.

'I want to leave, I wish I hadn't followed his summons. Why did I have to listen to them this time..!', he twitched when Ra shifted a bit.

"So~ the one next to your grace is your husband, am I right?", Alberu grinned "Yes, I hope you don't mind that he's with us.. He usually is not quite keen to come to meetings after we were finally finished with the war, but on one condition I managed to persuade him today. I am also glad that you don't seem that apprehensive to our use of the translation devices".

Ra waved him off, she sat like she did right at home. Like everything and every potential fight is an amusement to her.
'Well it is..'

"Let's introduce each other first shall we?" Alberu smiled kindly. Isis glanced at Ra before turning to mildly stare at Alberu, "Pardon my intrusion here, but would it be alright if we just went with each other's names only?".

Thoth blinked at her, he was quietly mumbling to himself in thought, but Maat was still able to hear her jolly semi-husband. "It is not a bad idea. Since everyone would then have the right to freely share their opinion or disagree without any pressure.. And I mean we could hide our positions."

Blinking to herself, Maat sighed and turned away from him; staring forward as usual in her black dress. The design was the same, but it was a bit more void of showing open spaces, as were the clothes of the rest.

Meanwhile Cale got the hives. 'Not saying titles or positions? Ah, she doesn't want to reveal they are actually gods huh. Hmm, I wonder how the good of death even allowed them to come here! We, uhm, Gods commonly don't like sharing their 'spaces' afterall.. And SHE should know that I especially don't want THEM here either!'

Enraptured in his thoughts, Cale was unresponsive to Alberu's slight gestures, which are part of their usual scammer techniques. Who are, in turn, all to familiar sights to the rest of the family.

'..? Why's Cale not responding to me?'
'What's that bastard thinking about now?'
'..Is something making him uncomfortable? Maybe..them?'

The clock moved from number to number on its disk. When it was 5pm, Alberu decided to postpone the discussion of trade. Ra accepted before Isis could reply.. the power hierarchy between the delegates was on plain display.

"Well, we'll to see you at breakfast tomorrow, we hope you'll join us and the rest of our noble friends", Ra smirked at him idly moving her hand up and down "Sure, I wouldn't mind seeing more of this grand kingdom of yours, your majesty~".

Somehow Alberu had to shiver, he was barely able to keep his mask in place. Cale looked more tired by the minute, one could think his skin sunk in on its own and now he had eyebags. After calling over a Palace maid who was followed by other maids, as well as some escort knights, the egyptians were led to their guest rooms.

Only when they were out of sight, which was after rounding a corner at the end of the long hallway, did Cale release the sight he had held the entire time.

Alberu placed a consoling hand on his shoulder, Cale looked up at him from his slumped pose. "Mind telling us what got you so troubled now?", looking around, there were other concerned and curious faces.

"... Its them, your highness".
"Them? You mean the delegates? What is wrong about them, they still seem relatively normal.. If a bit too chill for some of them. They remind me of Vitra and her people to an extent".

"..." Cale was quiet, "Have you perhaps already forgotten why I chose not to attend as my actual self?".

Choi Han was quiet, he remembered; and now he was looking at that corner of the hallway in suspicion. Alberu eyes slimmed to a glance to the side in thought, a hand to his chin and his hip at the call-out. "Hmm. You said as a precaution I believe.. Do you perhaps mean that they are..?", Cale turned his head away mutely.

"... I see, would you tell the exact reason, or can I assume that you will not participate in any other meeting with them?".

Cale turned back to him, his head slightly rose as his face reflected his thoughts, "I'd be very grateful if I wouldn't have to meet any of them while they're here."

Alberu nodded, "Well they should be a floor up or in their new bedrooms by now, so how about you show us your red hair again?".

Cale flinched accidentally, for a short moment he had to think of a bad memory.. He squeezed his eyelids down in an attempt to assure himself to forget about that. 'Good thoughts, good thoughts...'

He sighed, before finally relaxing and becoming his true persona around his close and precious friends and family. Said family had however seen the flinch, and were evaluating his behavior.

'Does he know Egypt somehow?'
'Did those people do something shady to Cale-nim before!?'
'Perhaps I should consult with Ron and Duke Ferid about this...'