[right][h3]Early September 48 BC - Pelusium, Egypt[/h3][/right]
[hr]
Shani browsed the wares of various bath shops before she decided to stop at one to gather the supplies she needed. Both she and Cleo were low on various oils and minerals, so she had to restock in the local city of Pelusium which they were currently camped outside of. Queen Cleopatra VII Philopator was at war with her younger brother, Ptolemy XIII, for the role of Pharaoh. It is a vicious rivalry that existed long before the death of their father Ptolemy XII and caused them to travel far from her home city of Alexandria, as Ptolemy had managed to drive them out. They were currently trying to retake what they had lost, but the brother's forces, as well as some Gabiniani, were successfully keeping them away from the city. 

Personally, Shani supported the Queen. While some would claim it is because she is employed in her service, Shani's devotion to Cleopatra was deeply set in her religious beliefs as a native Egyptian. Cleo had shown a divine right to rule and has done much to uphold Maat long before she was named heir to the throne. Given her position, Shani was able to witness firsthand how devoted Cleo was to her Egyptian heritage, culture, and she even spoke the language, which none of her family or predecessors had ever done. Cleo speaks to the people herself and in doing so, has gained a devout following.

Slender fingers carefully collected what she seeked and placed them into the woven basket she held on her waist. The vendor at the stall watched the young woman as she collected his wares and he kept a mental tab on how much she owed him. He was an older man, a native Egyptian, and kept his black hair cut short. He was dressed comfortably as he had to spend long hours tending to his stall. He wasn't overly concerned about her stealing his stock as Shani looked her part of being a woman of noble upbringing. She wore a very fine white dress that almost appeared sheer against her darker skin and made with high quality linen. The skirt of the dress reached her ankles and the top came up from her waist to loop around her shoulders, creating a deep v in the middle of her chest. Shani wore some jewelry, two golden bands on her wrists, a golden anklet with bells that chimed when she walked, and a simple choker with a matching head chain, both also golden in color. She wore no shoes and her feet were lightly covered in sand. Her green eyes were lined with black khol eyeliner but she kept the rest of her face bare. 

Finished with her browsing, Shani brought her basket up to the shop keep so he could see what she had inside. [b]"What do I owe you?"[/b] She asked, fully prepared to haggle the merchant.  Most vendors, especially in towns with a port, tended to inflate their prices. What she carried in her basket probably cost him ten drachmae, which means he would at least charge her twenty. If he assumed she had the coin, he would charge much more.

[b]"Fifty drachma."[/b]

[b]"Fifty! Now we both know these oils and salts are not worth that much. Eight."[/b] Shani gave the vendor a hard look, fifty was much more than she was willing to pay and she knew he wouldn't pay less than what he got the ingredients for. 

[b]"Eight! Now who is being unreasonable?! You apparently are more than just a pretty face to offer such a price. Twenty Drachma."[/b]

[b]"Thirteen."[/b]

[b]"Eighteen."[/b]

[b]"Fifteen."[/b]

After her final offer, the merchant stopped and gave her a thoughtful look. Perhaps he wondered if he could haggle more coin from her but as he paused, more people were entering the bazaar. Shani had come to  browse the stalls early in the morning, before the ships carrying passengers would dock at the ports where men like him could make huge profits. This time allowed her to get what she needed at a price she was more willing to pay. Otherwise, she would have had to come towards the end of his day where she may be able to haggle him lower, but there would be no guarantee he would have the items she desired in stock. Now he had a decision to make. He either keep haggling her at prices he's not willing to give to foreigners knowledge of, refuse the sale, or take her offer. 

Making his choice, he held out his large caramel colored hand to her. [b]"Agreed, 15 Drachma."[/b]

Shani's face illuminated with a smile after the merchant voiced his agreement to her terms. She fished the coin out of a leather satchel she had tied to her waist, paid the man for his goods, and took back the basket to balance on her right hip. [b]"May Amun-Ra smile upon you."[/b] she said before she turned to leave the stall.

[b]"And you as well."[/b] The merchant called back to her before focusing his attention on two foreign women who had come to his stall. They looked to be travelers from Greece, but Shani took no more interest in them than was necessary. The young woman had gotten what she needed and it was time she returned to her mistress.