[hr][hr][center][img]http://fontmeme.com/embed.php?text=Deeper%20Than%20The%20Sands:%20Chapter%20One&name=prinp___.ttf&size=30&style_color=f7976a[/img][hr][@rivaan] [@Pundii] [@Morose] [@FantasyChic] [@Nallore] [@Sigil] [@ONL][hr][h3][b][color=f7976a]October 4th, 1924 - 1:50 P.M. Local Time[/color][/b][/h3][hr][h1][b][i][color=82ca9d]Peter[/color] & [color=598527]George[/color][/i][/b][/h1]
[img]https://media.giphy.com/media/xT9IgGjQHwELXN5mmc/giphy.gif[/img][hr][b][i][color=82ca9d]Location: [/color][/i][/b]Qasr El Nil Barracks: Reginald's Office[/center][hr]	

	Peter took the offered cup and thanked his uncle. George did the same, giving a slight grunt when he did as if to clear his throat. [color=82ca9d]"I wish I had but considering I just arrived,"[/color] Peter said with a wink. [color=82ca9d]"In fact now that I think on it, I haven't had but a bite of a morsel since I arrived. This morning completely missing breakfast due to the excitement. I should truly eat something more substantial."[/color]

	[color=598527]"mmm, Your waist would beg to differ,"[/color] George said with a bit of mischievousness in his eye before taking a sip of the tea. 

	Peter's eyes darted over to his friend, a look of offense crossing his gaze before he chuckled. [color=82ca9d]"You fink. Do not dare poke fun at the breadth of my mid section. I am in prime marrying form,"[/color] Peter scoffed, patting his abs some what. 

	[color=598527]"mm, yes. Fattening up for the cold nights to come,"[/color] George added with amusement and Peter just laughed. It seemed the two enjoyed the tit for tats between them and Peter was looking more at ease with George having arrived. [color=598527]"Have not tried coffee here, kept to myself,"[/color] he said turning his attention over towards Reginald and finally addressing his question. His words always seemed short and broken when he was speaking to anyone other than Peter, perhaps it was the nerves. Then his brow rose slightly, both did actually but one could not see the other from behind the mask. Turning in his chair slightly he looked back at Peter. [color=598527]"Wait, marriage?"[/color]

	Peter let out a good [color=82ca9d]"Ha! There it is!"[/color] he said triumphantly. [color=82ca9d]"I wondered when you would pick up on that. Yes. Marriage."[/color]

	Setting the tea cup back down on the saucer that he held in his other hand George slid to the edge of his seat. [color=598527]"You only just returned from what I have read. Who are you marrying? Mmm, some fan for war hero's?"[/color]

	A knock came at both Josephine and Haakon's doors in near unison. Outside of their doors where their guards now stood were another set of soldiers. Privates from the markings on their uniforms. "Tea Service," they announced through the doors. Each of them held a tray in their hands with a kettle of boiling water, an assortment of teas, vessels of lemon, sugar, honey, and milk, as well as several finger sandwiches and scones with a slathering of jams and butter on a side plate. It was the simple food that had been promised to them after they freshened up and before they were taken to speak with the Lord Major. 

	"May I enter?" each of them asked and if allowed they would bring the trays in and set them down on their respective tables, asking if they would like for them to pour the water and steep the tea for them before they left. They also brought a message. That their guards would show them down to the Lord Majors office in thirty minutes to meet with him and such. They hoped that would be enough time for them to be able to enjoy the little bit of food before they had to go. Once they were finished they showed themselves out of the door, closing it behind them. If they were not allowed in, they would relay the messages and leave the tray at the foot of the door. Either way it mattered not to either of the men. 
	

[hr][center][h1][b][i][color=f7976a]Vera Munn[/color][/i][/b][/h1]
[img]https://i2.wp.com/geekylibrary.com/files/2016/03/tumblr_mpflbxZ9T41syl1qjo1_500.gif[/img][hr][b][i][color=f7976a]Location: [/color][/i][/b]Egyptian Museum: Her Office[/center][hr]	

	Neema looked over towards Nora and smiled in an understanding fashion. "No apologies needed, it happens to all of us," she said in a grandmotherly voice. Rising from her place she followed Nora over to the tiles and glanced down at them as she listened to what Nora had to say. Her brow quirking slightly as she mentioned phi. "Then you have made progress. We had not seen that when we first found them," she admitted. It wasn't something they had even considered back then. Their main concern being with deciphering the hieroglyphics. Mathematics wasn't what they were concerned about. It was about the history. She gave Nora a nod as she looked back over towards the woman. "Astounding," she said in a surprised voice. 

	Turning her attention over towards Lauren she took a breath before she began to speak. Her accent was heavy but her English was sound as always. "We were not quite sure. These were decorative pieces on a temple, carefully removed. Normally we would have left such wall faces in place but they were becoming damaged with weathering and age, as anything would over 3000 years old. Yet they held so many hieroglyphics we dare not leave them. Their ease of removal, their small size, their age and historic value. They would have been an easy take for treasure hunters and one that was rather profitable. We were luck to find them before some thief did."

	Turning her attention back to the tiles she held a finger out and counted them out in her head. "This is but a small portion of the ones we removed. And far out of order from how they were placed on the walls." There was a tone of concern in her voice as she pulled her finger back. Why were so few up here? Was it that the librarian hadn't want to pull all of them? If that was the case, why not bring them up in order? The thoughts and reasons to why seemed to cause a vexed expression to come across the old woman's features. "You are missing over two scores worth of tiles. This one was the second removed, this the seventh, this the twenty-third, and this one was the forty-first," she said pointing them out with ease. 

	Vera found herself lost in Williams eyes and even more so in his words. He didn't want to pretend anymore? Those words caused a tensing in her heart, a gentle ache that she couldn't explain. Was she becoming ill once again? Oh what a time to be coming down with a sickness that seemed to come and go with the wind. One moment she felt fine, the next she felt the heat growing in her cheeks, warmth growing in her body, her breath becoming sharp and deep. It was all so perplexing and she hadn't a clue to why it was happening. 

	[color=f7976a]"Pretend?"[/color] she finally managed to eek out. Then it dawned on her what he could be meaning by his words. Another game for him to play. To taunt and tease her. Perhaps his pretending had been the rare moments of kindness he had shown her and now he wasn't going to pretend to be such anymore. He was just going to blatantly pursue her. Of course he was. Peter was here now, he had made his affections known, he was courting her. He had sought out Reginald's permission to do so, he was sending her flowers. It was proper courtship with talks of engagement and marriage. Ones hat had happened before the war and now that he ha returned he intended to follow through with it in a gentlemanly fashion. 

	Yet then there was William. He was no gentleman. He flittered about Cairo, seemingly to bed anything he could capture. Nothing in her mind told her that his intentions were pure or honorable. That he wished to pursue her for a long term anything. That she was nothing more than a prize in his mind, another notch in his bedpost. Just the evening previous he had accepted, nay even welcomed the advances of Miss Clark. Why was he doing this now? It had to be because Peter was there. Now she was no longer the unwanted bluestocking. A potential future member of his street harem that could be put on the back burner until he was bored with the rest of what Cairo had to offer. 

	Slowly she righted herself and pushed a step back out of his arms. She had remained in them far too long and she could only thank the Nile that Peter or Reginald or anyone from the ton had not caught glimpse of her momentary lapse of prudence. To be caught in such an embrace could have easily caused her such a headache to deal with and with how things were going, she needn't any other aliments afflicting her. Her eyes darted down and away from Williams as she straightened herself and squared her shoulders. She had to put a stop to this. She couldn't risk Peter becoming offended. He and her were a good fit for each other. Marriage had never been a high priority for Vera, and when Peter was declared dead she had written off ever going through with such. Now that he returned though, it was in her mind her only prospect. And in her mind the only probably reason that William was doing anything in her direction at this point. 

	[color=f7976a]"Oh, so that's it? Lord Keystone is courting me now, so now I am worth pursuing in you mind? Now that a gallant, handsome, well educated, titled, and charming war hero has his mind set to marry me I am worth your attention?"[/color] 

	"Do not mention it, it is my pleasure," Akhmed assured Mosi. "I will see you this evening then. I will let my friend Aton know we will both be attending this evening. If you have any questions I will be here at the museum until close. Just ask the front desk for me if I am not there and they will send word for me post haste," he added before bidding her farewell. He had work to do and did not want to be caught having to stay late because he had been lax in his duties. Attending to Mosi was part of his job but he had others he had to see to as well. Some of them were not his to do but he had taken them on himself none the less. He hoped to become assistant curator one day and perhaps even take over Mr. Kohns position. If he were to reprimanded for not completing his duties it would not bode well for his prospects. 

	Mr. Kohns was aware of Akhmed's future plans, it was one of the reasons he had asked him to vet prospective applicants. The man seemed to be doing his job as he listened to Mahendra. After the man finished speaking he nodded. "I see. Well most informative. I dare say that you could fit this position well yet I wonder if it is something you are going to want to take on considering the circumstances," the curator said before adding a bit more. "Our circumstances. Not yours."

	Taking a breath the man leaned forward and laced his fingers together. "You see, this position is to give aide to a certain member of the museum. I will be blunt. The person you would be working under is English, and a woman. Not many in our profession but her uncle was the main financial supporter of the King Tut dig and the reason we are doing so well. She is hot tempered at times, far to blunt for her gender, and how we have not managed to be destroyed by her clumsiness is beyond me. She is petitioning to lead an expedition. I will be granting it to her. Not because I believe anything will come of it but because the site was deemed cleared many moons ago and it will get her out of my hair for a time."
	
[hr][center][h1][b][i][color=a187be]Aziza Tarek[/color][/i][/b][/h1]
[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/58f1805c-2002-4e79-952f-928a355dd8fc.jpg[/img][hr][b][i][color=a187be]Location: [/color][/i][/b]Streets of Cairo Headed Towards Barracks[/center][hr]	
	
	Trotting out slowly on her stallion, Aziza smiled down towards Harry. [color=a187be]"Thank you,"[/color] she said softly before the gate was closed and Harry saddled himself on his mare. Nodding ever so slightly she cantered behind Harry through the narrow street until things widened a bit and then brought herself up next to him. She felt more at ease on a horse than she did walking the streets. While they were noticeable right then, she felt more sure of herself. If something happened they would be able to gallop away quickly and crowds seemed to part when horses came rushing through. On foot, it was easier to be grabbed and snatched down an alleyway. Yet she missed the charade. Being that close to Harry, in his arms, leaning against him. It had felt so wonderful. Hadn't she been so fearful of someone finding her and finishing the task she was sure they were on, she would have opted to just lead the horses and stay closer to the man at her side. 

	Lost in her thoughts, her eyes would occasionally move to Harry before looking forward again. The thought of taking the Lord Major up on his offer to get her out of the country was becoming more appealing. Especially now that it was more than clear that her home had been broken into the night before and that the life she had built for herself here in Cairo had been subsequently violated. To such an extent even that there was not recovering from it. She would have to start a new but where? She did not want to leave Egypt. Her son was here. Yet what would it matter if she were killed? Yet if she left, would she ever see the sergeant again? That had not been a concern before but now it was. Or would moving to England make things simpler? Allow her to start again, in a place where Harry was from. Would he even want her there? 

	So many thoughts she had become silent during the ride. Her facial expression moving from adoring to worried to vexed to concerned and back again. Running the gambit of emotions she was feeling at the time. Taking a breath she turned her attention back to Harry. [color=a187be]"Sorry, lost in thought,"[/color] she said apologizing for her silence. Smiling to him she continued. [color=a187be]"What do you think of..."[/color] she began but stopped herself from saying "us". [color=a187be]"This expedition we are supposed to be going on?"[/color] she finally added.