As Harun remained in the hallway for a moment, a pair of footsteps alerted him to someone else approaching. The same guard that had escorted Lakshmi away had returned. He no longer held the previous stress he had before, instead looking more impatient than anything. He briefly looked at the room for a moment before looking at Harun once again.

"Since you have time to loiter, you're clearly not utilizing your time wisely. I suggest you focus if you still want your pay at the end of the day," He stated harshly. "The heat has our guests feeling faint. You clearly have nothing better to do, so follow."

Turning without waiting for a response, the guard would lead Harun to a room occupied by the cities finest in both material possessions and people. While the rest of the palace wasn't lacking in opulence, it was clear this room was meant to impress. From fine rugs splayed about to the many statues placed precariously, there was an abundance of wealth in items alone. Some would argue that the people within did compare, however--finely dressed nobles from around the country were seated on a number of different couches with the exception of the sultan on his throne. 

On one of the couches closest to the throne sat an olive skinned gentleman with sharp eyes and features. There was something about him that came off as insincere--his every movement seemed calculated, every word spoken only after a considerable amount of thought was put into it. Still, anyone that interacted with him seemed enraptured, a little afraid, even. Considering he was one of the sultan's most politically powerful men, perhaps his position held some weight.

He finished speaking to someone before bringing his attention to a very disinterested Lakshmi, whose eyes seemed to be staring at a particularly fascinating spot on the wall. He ran his hand under her chin, her eyes snapping to him with a dark look, though he seemed to enjoy it.

At that point, the guard shoved a large fan into Harun's hands. "The khedive needs refreshing. Go to him," He barked his order.