Owner	Pose
Lydia Dietrich	This trip to Egypt has left Lydia a little bit nervous. Sure she's got that tracking implant that will keep tabs on wherever she goes, but she isn't quite sure how to signal if she gets in trouble. And Isabella's text about bringing no clothes has her a bit worried, too, though the length of the trip she was forewarned about during a previous conversation with her. Still, she puts up a brave front, still convinced that despite everything, the coven means her no harm, and this is just like any other kind of secret society who, well, prefers to remain secret. Mystique still remained doubtful and worried over her, which Lydia appreciated, and they parted with a hug and a kiss. At the appointed time, Lydia comes to Clarice to port her down to the appropriate location, which she does. /They/ part with just a hug and instructions for her to take care of Mystique while she's away. So Lydia is dropped off in the middle of Cairo, one of the greatest and oldest cities in the world. She's dressed plainly for the heat. Cotton slacks tucked into hiking boots, a long sleeved white linen button up blouse, and her wide brimmed sun hat, which means that she looks just like a tourist. Between that and suddenly appearing and glowing green, she gets a /lot/ of looks from the citizens dwelling in the City. Now it's just a matter of time for Isabella to come and get her.
Tara Tsabedze	The sun is high in the sky, the time difference is always a pain to deal with. The location that Isabella offered a picture of is by a lovely set of houses on a main road, which really is a wider dirt road. Not everything in Cairo has caught up with the rest of the world, but the dirt and sand of the road has been worked by feet and wheels for so long that it is as solid as any concrete. When Lydia steps through the portal, she is greeted by Evetta, Isabella's maid, and a tall, dark skinned young woman in a simple desert gown. "Miss Dietrich," Evetta calls, waving her over to the front of one of the houses. "We're so pleased to see you!"
Lydia Dietrich	It takes Lydia a bit to get acclimated to the sudden heat and dryness of Egypt, and the sun makes her squint. She didn't bring any sunglasses because she thought that they would just be taken away along with the rest of her clothes, though she was hoping that they'd let her keep her hat to keep the sun from beating down on her face. "Evetta! The pleasure is mine," Lydia says, stepping up to the pair of women. She gives Evetta and her friend a wide grin, "I've never been to Egypt before. This is so exciting!"
Tara Tsabedze	The young woman with Evetta remains back from the two, arms folded in front of her, just watching. Evetta on the other hand moves right up to Lydia and eagerly shakes her head. "I have been here a few times with the Countess," she admits with a smile. "Where she goes I go, usually. There are some places she goes without me, which is why Jexa is here." She gestures toward the woman in the green dress. Jaxa offers a slight bow with a polite, "Tahiaati lak... welcome to Cairo." Evetta again smiles, "I don't to well out in the desert, fair skin, blonde hair, it's like asking to dry up and blow away."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia gives Jaxa a slight bow in return, "Thank you, it's a pleasure to meet you." Turning back to Evetta she chuckles. "I'm lucky that I take after my father. I tan before I burn, but with this much sun out," she says gesturing to the sky, "I don't want to take any chances." "So," she says conversationally, "where are we off to from here?"
Tara Tsabedze	It's Jaxa who speaks up, "Sahira Isabella arrived early this morning, quite worn out from her trip. It is usual to travel by day through the desert, but because of the extraordinarily high heat index this year, we will be traveling tonight." She gestures toward the house behind her. "If you would like to come in and rest until the sun is lower in the sky, or perhaps go to the market," she gestures then up the road. "You are welcome to do so. If you wish to go to the market, I will accompany you."
Lydia Dietrich	"Oh!" Lydia says, surprise. "I hadn't brought any money. It just doesn't seem right going to a market without buying something." She looks thoughtful for a few moments, before deciding, "I should probably go in and rest. I suspect we'll be up all night traveling while the sun is low and the night is cool."
Tara Tsabedze	Jaxa offers a smile, then steps to the side to let Lydia and Evetta move past her. Evetta actually giggles, "I have very precise orders to see that you are entertained until this evening. If you wanted to go the market, I was to purchase what you looked at. How can you pass that up?" She asks with a grin. "It is probably better than you rest, but the offer still stands if you wake up early."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia nods, as she follows Evetta to the house. "That's very kind of the Contessa," she says. "But I couldn't impose on her like that. If I /do/ wake up early, I just might take you up on that offer, though."
Tara Tsabedze	Lydia is shown inside. The house is a simple, two story building with multiple rooms. The shades on all the windows have been pulled down, but they are open to allow air to flow through the woven shades. The style if obviously authentic for Egypt, comfortable and too warm. The room that Lydia is shown to is decent sized, with it's own bathroom, and blessedly there is a very small air conditioner in the window that cools the room off nicely. The bed in the room is covered by numerous pillows and cushions, and has gauze curtains around it which serve as insect screen at night when the windows are open. Jaxa walks over to the wardrobe that is against the the wall, "When you wake, I would suggest a quick shower and you will find clothing in this. If you need assistance dressing, there is a small bell there on the vanity. I say this not because you seem incapable of dressing yourself, but because the outfit in here is not common wear for an American."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia is all eyes when entering the home. She's never seen anything quite like it. Perhaps maybe in pictures in National Geographic and some such, but to be presented with something as authentic as this is a delight to her. She's shown her room and nods to Jaxa. "I'll keep that in mind," she says, fully intending to dress herself. Once Jaxa leaves, she strips out of her clothes, leaving herself only in her bra and panties and crawls into bed, delighting in the luxurious nature of the whole thing. Despite her excitement, the jet lag of the different time differentials lets her fall asleep easily. She sleeps for most of the afternoon, and wakes up come early evening. She remembers having a dream filled with strange and bizarre imagery, but the more awake she becomes the less details she's able to remember, until all that's left is a vague, unsettling feeling. As was requested of her, she makes her way to the shower, and cleans herself off before making her way to the dresser to see what kind of clothes she's presented with. There's a white gown, much like what was worn by Jaxa, and that was easy to figure out. The rest, however, perplexes her. There's a robe, of sorts. Green gilded with golden thread. There's just to many folds to really get a hang of where her arms and head are supposed to go. Then there's a matching green headdress that looks to be matching scarf. She knows she stands no chance at being able to figure out how to wrap herself in it, and then there's the jewelry. An exquisite gold mesh veil that would cover her nose and mouth and a crown of intricately wrought gold. With a sigh she gives in and rings the bell for assistance.
Tara Tsabedze	The day passed quietly, peacefully, the only sound in Lydia's room being the soft hum of the air conditioner. It's not pumping out massive amounts of the cold air, just enough to keep the room at an even, cooler temperature than what is outside. After the bell rings it is only a few moments before there is a light knock at the door and Jaxa peeks her head in. "Good evening," she offers, then steps into the room. "How may I assist?"
Lydia Dietrich	"Hi," Lydia says, motioning for Jaxa to come in. "This gown was pretty easy to figure out, but I'm having troubles with the rest of it," she admits, embarrassed. She holds up the robe, which she hopes she hasn't tangled too badly. "Can you help?"
Tara Tsabedze	Jaxa offers a bright smile. "Of course. Traveling dress robes are not an easy thing to figure out," she offers as she crosses the room. "They are tricky even to most who wear them regularly." The process really does take two people, clear indication that they are fancy enough to require servants normally. Jaxa holds the robe up so Lydia can put her arms in, then proceeds to wrap all of the layers where they go. The hijab is easy, once Lydia's hair is pulled up, Jaxa easily gets it into place, with out the scarf over her face, "This wraps like this," she demonstrates. "In case the wind picks up and blows sand in your face." Once that is done, she goes to the dresser to collect the jewelry. Head piece with metal veil, two bracelets that also have rings to pull the decoration across the backs of her hands.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia wiggles into the robe, smoothing it out once it's all on her correctly, and listens attentively about how to put on her hijab. The jewelry cause her to grin, after all, who doesn't want to be adorned like a princess? Once the process is done, she stands in front of the mirror, looking at herself and finding herself to be unrecognizable. "This is amazing," she says, turning this way and that. "I can't imagine that people would wear this kind of jewelry just to go traveling."
Tara Tsabedze	Jaxa smiles with a soft laugh. "That's nothing," she comments, making sure everything in is place and finally pulling the hood up over the hijab. "There is a logical reason for such jewelry, if you think about it. Which is easier to carry, a chest full of coins or jewelry worn by your women?"
Lydia Dietrich	"I... suppose so," Lydia says hesitantly. She doesn't really like the idea of being property, much like the jewelry she wears. Especially of men. Though, she admits, being the property of Raven has a certain appeal to it. She shakes her head to clear it of wandering thoughts. "So what's next?"
Tara Tsabedze	Jaxa chuckles softly and says, "Now you step out to the living room so I can finish getting ready. I believe Sahira Isabella is out there all ready." One more check to make sure that Lydia's clothing is correct, then Jaxa walks back toward the door as she says, "You look amazing, but should know, you are no one's property. That is merely the root of the tradition." then she slips out of the room.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia nods, reassured. She takes one last look at herself in the mirror. She really /does/ look amazing, doesn't she? She turns, adjusting her sandals, and pads through the doors to meet Isabella.
Tara Tsabedze	The living room is a buzz with activities. There are men coming and going, carrying things from inside the house to outside, women coming and going from various rooms of the house, and Isabella standing in the middle of it all in royal purple and gold. Her attire is much like Lydia's, but there are more layers and way more jewelry. Directing the traffic, she speaks Arabic as fluently as a native, sending men with packages out the front door before turning and spotting Lydia. "Oh my dear," she says softly in English. "You look beautiful." A smile spreads across her face before she glides over to the the green mutant to look her over. "Do you like it?"
Lydia Dietrich	"It's not something that I would normally wear," she admits. "Not something I would have ever /thought/ that I would have worn either, but I do admit that I rather like it." She watches the coming and the going of all the traffic. "Is this all for our trip? I didn't think this would be quite such a big deal."
Tara Tsabedze	Isabella smiles brightly, stepping out of the way of someone going by. "I am taking a few supplies to the desert," she explains. "There is no sense in going all the way out there and not bringing some supplies to the those who live there. Besides, I have been out and about, and purchased gifts for my sisters." Jaxa comes up the hall now, wearing a gown of similar design bit no where near as fancy. Hers is a soft olive green, edged slightly with silver thread. Her jewelry is merely the bracelets and a thin metal band on her forehead. "The last of the packages are on the camels," she reports to Isabella. "Evetta wanted to make certain you remembered the brown leather satchel." Isebella laughs softly, shaking her head ever so slightly, "I remembered, though I would have forgotten had she not reminded me three other times." She looks to Lydia now. "Are you ready?"
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia takes a deep breath, "As ready as I'll ever be." She gives the Contessa a wide grin, "I have to admit this is very exciting. I've never ridden a camel before. How different is it from riding a horse?" Because of course Lydia would have gotten horse riding lessons when she was a kid. She visibly pumps herself up and nods. "Let's do this."
Tara Tsabedze	As Isabella turns to walk toward the door, it is Jaxa who whispers, "Same idea, feels entirely different." Then she hurries after the Contessa. Outside on the street are six camels all decked out. There are in riding gear, three are covered in packages, all tied securely in place. Several of those who had been present see Isabella approaching and start moving away, as if being near her is a frightening thing or perhaps that being in her presence is not acceptable. "I think Wadud would be best for Lydia," she comments to one of the woman by the camel. "He is the calmest of these beauties." Jaxa waits for Lydia to catch up, then offers her hand to guide her to the camel. Mounting a camel is nothing like mounting a horse, they are teller and tend to be more grumpy, but these seems to be well tempered. Isabella walks up to the lead camel, reaching up to pull his head down so she can look into his eyes then rests her forehead against his. Speaking softly in Arabic, the camel makes a grunty noise of pleasure, then kneels down.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia catches up and isn't prepared for how big camels actually are. She doesn't know why, but she expected them to be a bit bigger than a horse, but these are /much/ bigger than that. She looks up at the camel, then at the stirrups and decides that mounting the animal would be easier if she just /floats/ up into the saddle. She uses her glowing green ectoplasm to gently lift herself into the air and deposit herself on top of the camel. During this Wadud eyes her distrustfully, but once she settles in he recognizes that she's just another person who's going to ride him. Lydia settles in, trying to get comfortable. The seat is a bit wider than a horse's saddle and it's far higher than what she's used to. Taking the reigns in her hands she nods to Isabella. "Okay. I think I'm ready."
Tara Tsabedze	Jaxa was not expecting that, she steps back in surprise and shock, watching as Lydia just floats up and into the saddle. "Well alright then, no need to make him kush," she laughs, then moves to her own camel. The kush. It involves taking the camel's reigns, tapping him on the nose and stating 'kush' in a firm, but not too firm voice. Too firm and the camel will just spit on you. Not firm enough and the camel will give you a 'try again sucker' expression. Jaxa was raised around camels, so she knows how to get hers to kneel down so she can climb into the saddle. Isabella of course used an entirely different method, a long time connection to one specific camel, gentle words and love, as well as a little magic. Getting herself into the saddle, she gives the camel a nudge and he stands back up, which looks like an acrobatic trick of long legs and the rider holding on for dear life, but Jaxa and Isabella have both done this before. Once all the riding camels are mounted and standing, a woman hands Jaxa the lead ropes from the three pack camels and the group is ready to head out. Isabella moves her camel around to stand beside Lydia's, and the two camels seem to have some sort of none verbal conversation as leadership is determined. From here on our, Lydia's camel will follow Isabella's. "Are you situated Lydia?" Isabella asks softly. "Do you need any more padding on the saddle or a softer material for your legs?"
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia adjusts her butt in the saddle, testing out the padding. "I should be fine," she tells Isabella. "If it gets too bad I could always fly for an hour or two, and then we can adjust from there." Hopefully they're bringing the equipment to adjust with them.
Tara Tsabedze	Jaxa moves her camel around and up beside Isabella's so those two can have the non-verbal discussion and her own camel can learn whose the boss. The one's being led by the rope already know their place, the ropes tell them to follow that one. "Alright, then let's go," Isabella nods, and nudges her camel into a walk. Lydia's follows, just as planned, whether Lydia was ready or not, but that was the other reason Jaxa was bring up the rear. Just in case Lydia ended up not on her camel for some reason.
Lydia Dietrich	Lyida is a bit surprised at Wadud's sudden movement but manages to keep her balance, and soon gets into the rhythm of riding an animal that's made of all knees. It's been /ages/ since she'd ridden a horse, and finds that riding a camel is, indeed, not all that different. She'll ride for a while with a wide grin, taking in the sights that pass their way as they make their way out of Cairo.
Tara Tsabedze	The path they take winds through Cairo, the camels walking past parked cars and numerous people. The culture is advancing, yet still there are the roots. Camels are still common everywhere, they pass a few along the way as well. At the edge of the city, Isabella pauses long enough to look up at the stars, then leans forward to pat her camel on the neck and say something to him in Arabic. Lydia can watch the camel looking around for a moment, then chooses the direction to go and starts walking again. The heat of the desert is still present at this hour, the sun having just set. Slowly as they walk however, the temperature start to ease down to a more comfortable level, but even still... it's warm.
Lydia Dietrich	Even though she's dressed as a local, her green aura is sure to garner stares and looks from the populace. This is nothing new to Lydia, and those looks she gets say the same thing in any language, 'What is /that/?' Once they're out of the city and they're making a decent pace, she breaks the silence by singing quietly to herself. "Have you ever thought about what protects our hearts     Just a cage of rib bones and other various parts So it's fairly simple to cut right through the mess     And to stop the muscle that makes us confess And we are so fragile And our cracking bones make noise And we are just Breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys You fasten my seatbelt because it is the law     In your two ton death trap I finally saw A piece of love in your face that bathed me in regret     Then you drove me to places I'll never forget And we are so fragile And our cracking bones make noise And we are just Breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys" It's a bittersweet melody, soft and lilting. She doesn't know why that particular song came to mind at this particular hour but singing it aloud seemed better than having it on endless repeat in her head. As they go on, she continues to while away the long hours of the trek with song, singing everything from the female singer/songwriters that she loves, to traditional Polish folk songs and even breaking out into Hebrew camp songs once she's bored enough. If requested she'll sing louder so the whole caravan can hear, otherwise she keeps it to herself.
Tara Tsabedze	The song is not missed at the camels continue their walking. Isabella glances back to Lydia as she sings, then slows her camel so that the two are walking side by side and she can hear better. "You have a beautiful voice Lydia," she offers when the song ends. She debates to herself the choice of song, but the smile on her face never falters. After only thirty minutes, the only light offered is the moon and stars over head, but Isabella's camel continues to plod along at a steady pace that that the other camels match, he's on a mission, he knows where he's going even if it is dark. This is a path he has walked many, many times, carrying people and packages to the coven some where out in the middle of the desert. There was no way for Lydia to know he was following a magical trail, that in the darkness he and the other camels could see perfectly due to the enchantments placed on them. In the quiet of the night, under the light of the moon, small things skittered across the sands in search of smaller things, the circle of life taking place as large things ate the smaller things then scurried back to the dens in the sand. By an hour out from Cairo, the air become fresher and crisp, the cooling of night finally reaching out long dark arms that is enough to chill locals who are accustomed to the heat, but feels more normal temperatures to those used to cooler climates. When Isabella said that they would walk through the night, she was not over exaggerating. Time ticks by slowly, and because Lydia offered a song up, Jaxa sings a traveling song in Arabic, not nearly as well as Lydia but it passes the time. Two hours into three, three into five, the camels continue their steady pace. Only when they near the seventh hour is there a sign of life and light in the distance. If it was the day time, the heat would likely call it a mirage, but at night the light is obvious and real, surrounding a tiny bright and vibrant oasis. From the distance of their approach it is obvious that the the oasis can be no more than the size of a football field, if that. The scent of figs and fresh water are carried past on the wind, which causes the camels to pick up their pace into an almost trot.
Lydia Dietrich	When Jaxa starts to sing her songs, Lydia looks back at her with a grin, and listens with an appreciative ear. Singing is a good way to pass the hours and dull the boredom of the long trek. There's a point about halfway through where Lydia says she needs a break from riding and she'll fly a bit, and so she stretches out emerald wings into the night, and takes alight in the night sky. She doesn't fly too high, merely a couple of meters above the camels, and keeps pace with the caravan. She flies like this for the better part of an hour before she starts getting tired and finally settles back into the saddle of her camel. At long last she begins to see signs of civilization, such as it is. She never knew you could actually /smell/ fresh water, but after so long in the desert it turns out you can. "Is that it?" she asks eagerly.
Tara Tsabedze	The wind seems to pick up a little as they get closer, nothing dangerous, but the trees of the oasis rustle and the scents get stronger. Isabella nods to Lydia, "That is Kufin Almanzil." She turns herself in the saddle toward the oasis and says clearly into the wind, "Nati ka'asdiqa'." The wind blows a little harder, whipping around the group before the words, "Marhaban bik fi albayt." can be heard whispered in the wind. Just in time really, as the camels reach the edge of the oasis. What happens next is clearly magic worked for protection. As the camels feet step from sand to the grasses of the oasis, a shimmering is visible around them, as if passing through a wall of pure light. When the shimmering passes, the oasis that seemed small and empty of people, is suddenly /much/ larger and there are numerous people appearing from permanent tents set up around the area. "Welcome to Coven Home, Lydia Dietrich," Isabella says softly.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia can sense some magic being worked on the wind, though her senses aren't developed enough to identify the nature and scope of it. There's a gasp of wonderment as they pass the threshold and the true nature of the encampment is shown to her. "Isabella," she says breathlessly. "It's /wonderful./"
Tara Tsabedze	The tents are bright and colorful affairs, the sort that can be easily packed up and moved despite their massive sizes, but these have clearly been here for quite some time. At the center of the oasis, barely visible through the palm and dig trees, is a lake body of water. Every on that Lydia can see emerging from tents and moving around, are wearing one of the gowns like Jaxa wore, and that Lydia now wears under the travel robes, all in different colors. The color most clearly seen is the green that matches Jaxa's, but it's obvious that they were dyed by natural means as no two really match, all shades of the same green yet different. "This is merely what you see above the sands," she offers quietly, leading the camel through the trees and to a large container of water. In a large paddock a few other camels wander around munching on grass, clearly making this the 'parking spot' for the camels. The minute the camels stop moving, they all three kneel, they want the riders off so they can go get a drink and then get on with the busy work of sleeping. Isabella climbs off with a flourish of her robes, just as a group of four young girls run by the camels. "Life is simple here," she says to Lydia, offering her hand to help her off the camel. "I think you see now why bringing supplies is never a bad thing."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia gratefully takes Isabella's hand and slides off her camel, glad to be on her own two feet. She discreetly tries to stretch her legs out underneath her. Going that long on camleback, even with her break, leaves kinks that need to be gotten out. "This isn't what I had expected when you mentioned that you were taking me to a coven," Lydia admits. "I was expecting a smaller, more personal affair." She gasps when she sees that the fig trees bear fruit and she walks up to one. "Can I have a fresh fig?" she asks, giddy like a child. "I've never had fresh fig before. We only get them dried in the city."
Tara Tsabedze	Isabella chuckles very softly, keeping her hold on Lydia's hand to guide her over to the nearest fig tree. "Of course you can my dear, they are for all to enjoy." She offers, then lets go of her hand. "This is the protection of the desert, everyone here is a descendent of the sisters. There are only fifty or so here, but you will not find a single male in this camp." Jaxa goes to work unloading the camels, passing off packages, and making sure that the things make it to Isabella's tent and not anywhere else. The camels, for all their long walk, seem content to just drink water and be unpacked for now. "There was a time when this location was merely the coven, but as the hunt began for those of our blood, we began to gather those who wanted protection here. They cannot work the magics we do, but they are all trained to fight with conventional weapons, just in case."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia reaches up and plucks one of the figs from the tree. Turning it around in her hands she marvels at how unmarred it is by insects or birds or any other thing that might reduce the quality of the fruit. Pulling it up to her lips, she takes a bite out of it and closes her eyes as her mouth is awash with its sweet flavor. "Mmm," she says, chewing slowly. "This is so good. Much better than the dried stuff." Of course. She listens to Isabella as she snacks and nods her head. "I take it 'our blood' means those descended from Hatshepsut? And who, exactly, is hunting us? And why?"
Tara Tsabedze	Isabella takes a second fig off the tree, then while Lydia is chewing, starts to walk toward what is very clearly her tent. It is one of the larger ones, the inside divided up by thick embroidered curtains to mark off rooms for privacy. When the flap is held back, the main room is revealed with low tables resting on the carpets on the ground, numerous colorful cushions to sit on and stack up to lean against... one can never have too many cushions. "Come inside, and I will answer that question," she says, waiting at the entrance for Lydia to enter first.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia quickly finishes her fig, and hurries after Isabella, ducking into her tent. She finds herself a spot to sit on and gets enough cushions to get herself comfortable. You never really could have too many cushions. "It's amazing how homey these tents feel," she remarks once she's settled in. "My parents never took me camping or anything like that and, anyway, if we did we probably would have been those people who bought an RV instead of roughing it outdoors."
Tara Tsabedze	As Isabella enters the tent there is a familiar shimmer, much like the one felt upon entering the oasis itself, but much smaller. Once she passes the threshold, she is no longer the Italian woman Lydia has come to know. Instead she is a dark olive skinned Egyptian woman behind the hijab and jewelry. Her body and build remain the same, but the change is dramatic enough to be unmissable. "Over three thousand years ago, in a time almost forgotten by those who live today, Hatshepsut... I served as the first female Pharaoh of Egypt," she says as she walks passed where Lydia sat down to sit at the head of the small, short table, a place with numerous large cushions and a large back rest cushion that she leans again. "My husband, Thutmose the Second was also my brother, it was the way of things in those days, but he had enemies far more powerful that anything. Of course he did not share this information with me before he died." Setting the fig she had picked on the table in Lydia's reach, a woman in a full burka appears to set food on the table, as well as water and wine, then she disappears again some where in the back of the tent. "My son, Thutmose the Third and I were co-kings, when he was old enough, but by that time he was already corrupted by the enemies of this father. In the night, he tried to murder me and found the truth of my powers."
Lydia Dietrich	The change in Isabella causes Lydia to blink rapidly. This wasn't exactly what she had been expecting of the woman once they settled into the tent. She's awed by this, even though, intellectually, she knows that the spell one would use to disguise oneself as such wouldn't be too complex. Already her mind is turning over possibilities on how this could be accomplished. She's only half listening when Isabella, nee Hatshepsut drops the proverbial bomb. Immediately all thought stops and the woman across form her has her full attention. Okay. The woman across from her is /not/ an old Italian mage. She's an ancient Egyptian queen. She leans closer to study the woman, flipping through the mental rolodex of her ancestry until she finds the one labeled Hatshepsut and compares the mental image to the woman who now sits across from her. A perfect match. Her brows furrow as she takes the water... no, this calls for wine. As she takes the wine and pours herself a cup. She has so many questions but she doesn't want to interrupt the narrative. She nods, "I take it he didn't fare so well?"
Tara Tsabedze	Hatshepsut gets herself settles, then reaches up to remove the hijab and free her long, thick black hair. It falls to exactly shoulder length, the tips just barely touching the cloth on ther shoulders, but the bangs are cut straight across her forehead in the ancient style. With the hijab off, the kol black on her eyes is evident as well, thick black lines drawn out slightly to accentuate the shape of her eyes. "The woman of our family have always has access to the magics wielded now, but in those days we were meant to be healers and advisors. My son found that I was something more than a woman or Pharaoh. On that night he learned why, although he aged and reached manhood, I did not change." Collecting the glass of wine in front of her, she takes a small sip, looking completely comfortable and relaxed, inspite of revealing all the secrets she had kept. "I am a vampire," she says simply as she rests the glass back on the table. "My life as a fully living being ended and I was reborn into the powers of the night and blood." She gestures toward the tent flap. "They all know this, they all know that the sun is my enemy, that I require blood on occasion to survive, and yet they also understand that this was not my choosing." A soft sigh escapes her, her face showing indications of both pain and determination. "When my life ended, it was at the hands of my husband's enemies, a clan of vampires who sought the power of the Egyptian throne. I was meant to claim my son's life that night, to make him as I am, but I refused. Instead, I sent him back beaten and bruised, and ever since that night, his descendants, and the enemies I spoke of, have tried to hunt me and my line down. They believe that somewhere in my blood is the means to bring Thutmose the Third back from the grave, they could not be more wrong."
Lydia Dietrich	Lyida nods along, figuring out how to undo the jewelry that encases her face so that she may drink. She nods along with the tale, sipping at the wine to wet her throat. Then Hatshepsut drops another bomb, and this time Lydia nearly chokes on her wine. "Hah!" She says slapping her knee, when it's revealed that the ancient Pharaoh queen is a vampire . "I /knew/ it!" She grinning from ear to ear at this revelation and that her suspicions turned out to be correct. "Granted, I didn't see that you were actually Hatshepsut coming... I mean, who could? But I just /knew/." If anything, this is making the entire trip /more/ exciting for her. She, then clears her throat, conscious that she suddenly interrupted her host's story, and her cheeks flush in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. A question, though. Rather a point of clarification. Your husband's enemies turned you into a vampire so you could, in turn, turn your son into a vampire, and thus be under their control? How could they control him but not you?"
Tara Tsabedze	Rather than be insulted or upset, Hatshepsut laughs as Lydia makes her exclamation with a nod of her head and a bright, broad smile. Now the fangs are visible, they exist in this image because this is who she is. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Lydia," she says with a bit of a chuckle still to her as she speaks. "This is new, exciting, information that you felt at the edges of your mind that you knew and you are getting confirmation. I cannot conceal my nature entirely, I can only change how I appear." Taking another sip of her wine, she uses her fingers to collect a piece of meat off the plate and nibble on. "You have asked the one question I have been asking for over three thousand years, Lydia. How could they control my son and not me. I have spent a great deal of time looking for the answers to that, and it has taken me all over the world to speak to other vampire clans, but I think I finally have the answer." A smile plays across her lips, one of victory. "The magic that is inherent in my blood, that the woman of my family and my line can still wield to this day, blocked their control. This Coven is not because of me, this coven existed before I was even born. It is the root of all the magics I use, that they use, and it is also the reason that when they made me a vampire, they never had any hope of controlling me."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia reaches out and takes the other fig that Hatshepsut had plucked for her. "That makes sense," she says as she nibbles on the fruit. "You can't magic your way back into the sunlight. That's a pretty tall order." She is now brimming with questions and it's taking all her effort to keep from asking them. Trying to stay focused she listens as the ancient Queen explains her theories. "That's good to know," she concludes. "I take it that the 'they' who were your husband's enemies was the same 'they' who were the vampire clan who turned you, who are the same 'they' who are trying to resurrect Thutmose the Third? There've been a lot of 'theys' being spoken of and I wanted to make sure I'm clear on who they are. Have they tried to turn other members of the coven?" she asks.
Tara Tsabedze	A coy grin plays across Hatshepsut's face. "Well..." she begins softly, slowly. "There are /some/ cheats that I have had to employ in the past. The trench-cloak I wear, it allows me to be able to move quickly from one location to another, through sunlight. I cannot stay in it for prolonged periods of time, but in an emergency, it protects me." Resting back against the cushions again, Hatshepsut closes her eyes a moment. "I always feel so much better when I am home," she admits, relaxing even more. "There are seven vampire clans around the world," she then explains. "As well as hundreds of vampires that are not linked to any clan, such as Dracula. Their names are spoken in the language called Tamil, the oldest language in the world still spoken. Irakaciyam pecu, Makilcci, Cokam, Kalivu, Payam, Kopam, Valkkai and Irappu. Who creates you does not matter, how you live is what truly determines your clan, but those who hunt me and mine are Irappu."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia's head bobs as she listens. Vampire clans. Classic part of literature. When she had asked Blake about this she didn't belong to any such clans, or know of any, but she also admittedly tried to stay out of the way of other vampires. "Do you belong to a clan, then?" She asks, curiously.
Tara Tsabedze	Hatshepsut nods slowly, before saying, "I do. I am the oldest Valkkai still in existence, and one of the founding vampire of the clan. What makes that interesting is that Valkkai means life, where as Irappu means death. They never had a chance." Stretching her legs out under the table for a moment, she then moves to stand up. "The sun will be up in little under twenty minutes. You are welcome to venture around the oasis, there are many who speak English and can translate for you, but you should probably rest a little before you do."
Lydia Dietrich	"Hunh," Lydia muses. "Vampires dedicated to life. You don't hear that very often. I /must/ know more." She says that last more to herself than to her gracious host. "I may stretch my legs and wander for a bit before retiring for the day," she says. "I'd been sitting for most of it and can use work the kinks out." She drains the rest of the wine in her cup and stands, arching her back. "Where will I sleep today?"
Tara Tsabedze	Even before Lydia finishes her question the woman in the burka steps back into the main room and offers a bow as she says, "I show you to room." Her English is not great, her accent thick, but the point still gets across. "Lydia, allow me to introduce Senet," Hatshepsut says with a cheerful smile, her voice revealing sheer respect for the woman. "Senet, this is Lydia Dietrich, she is the one I wrote you about." Senet steps a little more into the room, looking Lydia over from behind the burka mask then nods as she says, "I am being pleased to meeting you Miss Lydia Dietrich." Hatshepsut collects the hijab from by the cushions, as well as the outer cloak of the robe that she had allowed to slip off. "Senet will see to your needs while I am unable to," she explains. "Where I can stay awake in the daylight hours, I too grow tired like most people. If I am needed for an emergency, Senet will contact me."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia smiles to Senet, "It's a pleasure meeting you, too." She turns her attention back to Hatshepsut. "I won't be up for too much longer myself," she says. "Besides, it'd be easier if I sync my schedule to yours for the remainder of the trip, I think." She turns to follow Senet out into the camp, where she asks if she could walk a lap around the oasis. If allowed she'll do so, allowing herself to snack on another fresh fig before coming back and asking to be shown to her sleeping quarters.
Tara Tsabedze	Permission is granted without hesitation. Even as Lydia takes her walk around the oasis, the people are waking up and getting to their daily routines. Food is offered of course, almost everywhere she goes someone is offering her something to eat or drink. Life is simple here, with chickens and goats kept for eggs, milk and food, as well as the camels for their milk. The people are friendly and chatty, willing to answer questions and show her around, or leave her to herself to look if that's what she wants. Not a single person treats her like she doesn't belong here.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia is charmed the heck out of. She takes delight in tasting different foods that are offered to her, as well as giving camel milk a try. To be honest, she's not entirely sure that she cares for it, but she downed the glass regardless. When she returns back to where she had begun, she has Senet show her to her sleeping quarters where she begins the task of taking off her riding gear and jewelry, and make a bed out of the many cushions to sleep upon, like a cat. And with that, she's out for the rest of the day.