“Finished?” His gaze shot to the source, locking on the man that stood there. He was surprised to see it wasn’t the same man as before… His eyes were a light, beautiful brown… like the sand itself. His hair was as black as night and as glossy as a bird’s feathers. Pale pink lips curled into a smile, one that was far kinder than any he’d ever seen before… He recognized the man immediately…

“Y...Yes… Uhm.” He felt himself choking up, voice strained as he spoke. “Yes, your majesty.” The man chuckled in response to the formality, his eyes twinkling with amusement. The sheer beauty of the man before him caught Neshmet off guard and he felt himself becoming captivated.

“It’s good to see you back from the dead. You look better.” The man hummed, eyes examining him for a moment. Why would the prince himself waste his time talking to someone like him? He didn’t understand... “Did you rest well?” Neshmet momentarily recalled his struggle… death’s grip on him and his lack of care as the end neared. Yet his ‘death’ had been so short lived. Here he stood, alive and well… all thanks to the man in front of him. The prince in front of him. His throat nearly squeezed itself shut as he nodded.

“Yes…Thank you.”

“That’s good.” The man smiled pleasantly, lips curling to reveal bright, pearly teeth. “Forgive me, I’ve yet to introduce myself. Where are my manners? I’m prince-”

“Prince Alcor.” Neshmet interrupted, dipping his body in a bow… one that he should have produced sooner.

“Ah… You already know me, then.” The man laughed, rubbing at the back of his neck anxiously. “Please, there is really no need to bow. Rise.” He obeyed, straightening himself so quickly that his head spun and his knees locked to keep him steady. “I am afraid I have not had the chance to ask before now… Seeing as you were not awake. What is your name?”

“It’s… It’s Neshmet… Your Majesty...”

“It’s nice to finally officially meet you, Neshmet. Please… You needn’t call me that. You are a guest in my home, and as such I welcome you to call me simply Alcor.” The man dipped his head in greeting and offered a glance down the hall. What he was looking for was a mystery though he seemed hyper aware of his surroundings. Was he perhaps not meant to be here? He was sure the prince was a busy man...

“How… How long have I been here?”

“The sun has fallen four times since we brought you here.” Alcor was looking at him once again, sand colored eyes calmly resting on his face.

“Four?” Neshmet repeated in awe, tongue feeling dry in his mouth.

“Yes… I am afraid you were in quite a poor condition when we brought you. I was not sure you were going to pull through, honestly.” The prince gestured to the room, offering him a smile when he caught on and took a step back to allow him inside. “I hope the room is to your liking. We can change it if you prefer?” Alcor moved with an unexpected grace, sandals almost silent on the sandstone floors. He stood at the window for a moment, looking out over the world below… His world. “The view from here is quite nice, in my opinion, but perhaps you do not like it? I apologize, I chose a room in such haste…”

“No, the room is fine...” Neshmet finally managed. “I’m sorry… I have to ask...”

“No need to apologize. Please, ask anything you wish.” The man turned to him, leaning against the stones behind him and offering another gentle smile.

“Why… did you bring me here?” The prince didn’t miss a beat before responding.

“I couldn’t leave you there to die.”

“I just don’t understand.”

“You needn’t worry yourself about it.” He hummed as he pushed himself away from the window once more. “This will be your home for as long as it pleases you. The streets are not safe and I can tell you have been struggling to survive…” He moved to rest a hand on his shoulder. The contact startled him… People simply didn’t touch him… They never had a reason to. He wanted to pull away but forced himself to remain still. “Dinner will be served soon… I would rather like if you joined me… If you are feeling up for it? I understand if you would prefer to rest instead. I would not blame you.”

“Dinner… I…” A look of confusion crossed his face as he stared up at the prince. Would it be rude to refuse? This was a prince, after all, and he was hungry despite how much he’d simply like to lay back down and sleep. His stomach growled as if to confirm and he let out an inaudible sigh. “Yes...I suppose dinner would be nice.”

“Wonderful!” Alcor seemed ecstatic at his response. “Oh, truly wonderful! I will send Dolis to get you when it is ready, then! I look forward to seeing you again.” Wait...He was leaving so soon? He had barely been here a few minutes… hadn’t he? Neshmet wanted to protest but stopped himself short. This was a prince, he reminded himself. He had more important things to attend to than a sickly street dweller like him. He watched as the man began to leave, black hair seemingly dancing behind him. He looked so elegant and dignified that it truly felt as if he were in the presence of… well… royalty. He became entranced and by the time he realized he wasn’t aware of who Dolis was… Alcor was already far down the hall. He rushed to the door, leaning into the hall and calling after the prince to no avail.

“Wait! Who is Dolis?!” The prince didn’t seem to hear him, continuing his retreat until he finally rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. A heavy sigh left Neshmet’s lips.

“Problem?” Another voice startled him and he whipped around, stumbling and landing heavily on his rear. The man in front of him didn’t so much as laugh at the action and Neshmet had to wonder if he lacked all emotion after all.

“You people really like to sneak around...” Neshmet muttered under his breath as he forced himself to his knees and eventually to his feet. The man said nothing in response, offering him only a scrutinizing gaze and a quiet 'hm'. “It’s you… again...”

“Minok.” The word fell from his lips as if implying he should already know this. With no other topics at hand he had to assume it was a name. His eyes watched him for a moment, confusion swimming in their pools. Why had he returned? As if Minok could read his mind he stated; “I’m here for your old robe…” Annoyance was clear on his face once more. “I have to wash it… remember? Or have you lost your ability to recall simplistic memories?” The thinly veiled insult brought a frown to his lips but he decided it was best not to comment on the matter. “So?”

“Right...” He sighed, retrieving his former robe from the floor and placing it in the man’s extended hand.

“You’d be wise to be careful while you’re here. The prince has little time to deal with someone like you. It’d be best if you kept your interactions short.” He glanced down the hall as if to say that he knew they’d spoken before turning to leave him once more. “Enjoy your stay.” The words were mumbled and clearly lacked any true hospitality. As Minok retreated, large earrings clinking and disrupting the stillness of the halls, Neshmet simply stared after him in muted awe. How could someone so rude be under employment of someone like Alcor? It took him a moment to recover… Finally, he turned to overlook his room once more… What was there to do until dinner? He supposed he had few options in the way of entertainment. He moved his gaze back toward the hall… debating whether it was safe to explore… or if it ran too high a risk…