Ritsuka POV
Their group marched through the desert for a long while, until the Queen noticed a tall rock nearby and ordered everyone to stop to take a small break to drink and rest.
It was mostly done for his sake than the army following them, but they got to benefit from it as well. While his mystic code kept him cool, walking through an unforgiving desert for a long period of time was still exhausting.
Mash was seated nearby while giving Fou some water to drink, meanwhile he sat with his back pressed against the cool face of the stone.
He glanced over to Queen Zenobia, who was seated a bit further than Mash. It seemed like she was wary of Fou, as she eyed the creature with suspicion.
She probably had her reasons, so he didn't push for answers.
He also noticed she seemed a bit tired, as he could see a small sheen of sweat on her forehead. She was likely still recovering from the ordeal she went through with that Lord El Melloi guy.
[JAlter: Something doesn't add up. How was that skank, a third century queen who lost to a roman emperor, able to easily beat one of the greatest conquerors in history in combat?
And how the hell did she convince the defeated army to join her so easily? ]
[GroundHippowdon: I dunno about you but if I saw a sexy flying woman kill my leader and obliterate half the army I was a part of, I'd be on my knees begging for mercy like a little bitch too. And I would do it before she even asked me to do it. ]
[Same. ] x1254
[The_Impaler: @ JAlter Hmph, did you forget how a geographical boost works you ignorant witch? I suppose I should not be surprised considering you are a mere babe who was born yesterday.
Listen well everyone, when a servant is summoned in their country or location of birth, they gain a significant boost in their parameters.
If the servant's feats and legend are also well known by the normal human population at large, they also gain a boost from their fame.
These boosts in power can put even a weaker servant on par with servants who outmatch them elsewhere in fame and power.
Take myself for example, in a normal holy grail war, I would not be able to match a person revered as a demigod.
But in Romania? In my homeland? I am able to stand toe-to-toe with them.
I suspect this is the case for Queen Zenobia. While Alexander the Great was known to have conquered the middle east, it is not his home.
Queen Zenobia, on the other hand, was summoned in her home so she is at a significant advantage against him. Hence why she was able to take him out so easily. ]
[Blood_Countess: Oh dear, Dracul, I am afraid that such a lengthy lesson will go over the peasant's head. She cannot read after all.]
[JAlter: @ Blood_Countess First of all, fuck you. Second of all, I don't need to read to interact with chat, because it reads the text for me and I just reply in my head without needing to type! ]
[Ms.Roxanne: Thank you for the informative lesson Lord Impaler. ]
He reached inside one of his pockets and fished out a container. Then he got up and walked closer to Queen Zenobia.
When she noticed him getting closer, he showed her the container in his hand and offered it to her.
"Here, have some."
She eyed the container, but then she shook her head, "I appreciate your kindness Ritsuka, but you shouldn't worry about me. As a heroic spirit, I do not require water to survive and such a precious resource best left for living people, like yourself, to consume."
He frowned, "It's not water. It's berry juice, and I insist, have a drink. You look like you need it."
Zenobia furrowed her brows before shrugging and kindly accepting the container.
She stared at it in confusion for a while, unsure how to open it.
"Oh right, you can twist the cap off to open it."
She did as he told her and the canister opened with a hiss. She took a sniff of the inside and a pleasant hum escaped from her throat.
She took a light sip and in that moment, the sweetness hit her.
He smiled as she took a few more gulps. A drop of liquid escaped from her mouth and trailed down her cheek, down her neck and- he decided it was best to stop looking at the drop and wished it safe travels.
[Heart0f6old: Does this woman have an off switch? Because goddamn everything she does is erotic. ]
"This is one of the sweetest fruit drinks I've ever had, the fact that it's cold makes it more refreshing." She checked her hand while she opened and closed it.
"And my magical energy is recovering faster than with normal food and drink"
"Yeah, ice cold berry juice is great when you need 'a pick me up.'" It's been a staple of his workout diet for the past few weeks. It is a fermented, non-alcoholic drink, so a normal person who consumes it cannot get drunk from it in lower doses at least, but even if it was alcoholic, due to his connection with Mash, poisons no longer affect him. Alcohol counts as a poison so if he wanted to, he can literally drink spirits without the bad side effects.
While he was not legally allowed to drink yet, however, he has drunk alcohol before. With no pesky governments to enforce drinking laws, he can get away with it if he wanted to, but he prefers to stick to normal drinks unless someone(aka Caster Cu) offers him some drinks.
Queen Zenobia was caught off guard by his words, "pick me up?"
"Oh, uh, that's just a saying from my time. People usually use it when referring to food and drink that improves their mood when they are feeling low energy, and in Berry Juice's case it also contains healing properties."
"Ah, thank you for your consideration," she took another swig of the sweet drink before she exhaled in satisfaction.
"Hm, I do not recognize the fruit in this drink. It tastes tropical, rich, and smooth, almost creamy."
"Although the fruit in that juice goes by a different name, it shares a similar taste to a mango. I don't know if you know, but a mango is a fruit native to India but has spread to most of the world by the second millenium and is a very popular flavor."
He honestly never would have known that mangoes originated from India if he hadn't gone out of his way to learn more about it when he was researching pokemon berries.
The queen's eyes widened at his proclamation, "I see, no wonder I didn't recognize it. Thank you for giving me a taste of your wonderful berry juice, Ritsuka."
She gave back the canister.
His throat felt a bit dry as well, so he drank from the canister. He finished the contents and let out a content sigh.
Man, pokemon berries really were delicious.
[Burning_Jealousy: I-Indirect kiss?!! No!! How can someone who has barely known Anchin for less than a day already be further ahead than me?!! ]
[Dragon's-Iris: Geez, you really are a kid. Because only a kid would take an indirect kiss seriously. (-_-) ]
[ACinnamonRola: Meh, sharing is caring. Who cares if homies swap a bit of spit? ]
[@ACinnamonRola So you dislike curdled milk but you enjoy "swapping spit with the homies"? How curious. ծ_Ô ]
[ACinnamonRola: It's totally different. I can ignore the taste of spit, but I cannot ignore the texture of slimy curds. ]
[Hool4hHoops: Spit can have that texture too. ]
[ACinnamonRola: @ Hool4hHoops Ah!! Shut up, shut up! SHUT UP!! ]
[Hool4hHoops: Saliva is also diluted blood, so technically, you'd be drinking blood when swapping spit. 𓁹‿𓁹 ]
[ACinnamonRola: I SAID SHUT UP YOU SICKO!! ]
[MalasadaMayhem: You started it with your spit swapping comment @ ACinnamonRola. Gross btw. ]
[Bethany_Brawler: How did the conversation devolve from indirect kisses to saliva being blood? ]
[Bunny_Aachan: The internet is a weird, and chaotic place, so don't worry your pretty little head over it Saint Martha.]
[Beaumains: @ Bethany_Brawler You get used it. ]
"Alright, I believe we have rested long enough. Come, let us keep marching before the sun sets and the djinn start to emerge from below the sands under our feet.
While many do not seek us harm, the malevolent ones are attracted to negative emotions and will attempt to attack us, even with our numbers."
…He wasn't going to argue with the queen's orders and quickly followed closely behind her.
Their trek through the desert continued, and remained the same as always; hot, arid, and rough.
Thankfully, the worst part of the trek was nearing its end, as the dirt road they walked on became flatter and smoother.
The first sign of green were the palm trees in the distance, and as they drew closer, the desert seemed to have given way to lush fields of barley, and other crops.
There were various roman style aqueducts around them, he could hear the water rushing through them.
In the distance, he could see farmers and what looked like farm workers bent over while weeding their crops. Others were watering the part of the fields that had been weeded.
[Gible_Archeologist: Oh my!! They're using a pulley system to draw water from a lower water source to irrigate their crops!! Amazing!! ]
[Sonia_Yampers: I'll say. It's one thing to read about ancient irrigation systems in dusty old texts, it's another to actually see it with our own eyes. ]
Many peasants and farmers quickly took note of their party as they approached and were immediately wary of the large army of soldiers behind them.
However, the moment their eyes landed on Queen Zenobia, they calmed.
Then to his and Mash's shock, they got on their hands and knees, and prostrated themselves before their returning queen.
Men, women, and even the children helping their parents, they all dropped everything they were doing and prostrated themselves before Queen Zenobia.
It was actually quite a surreal sight to see.
[JigglyWiggly: Uh, why are they all bowing like that? ]
[The_Impaler: This practice is known as proskynesis. It is an ancient greeting that humans in the middle east, primarily in Persia, did when they met someone on the road.
If someone is of equal rank to you, it's a mouth-to-mouth kiss. If they are an inferior rank, then they kiss you on the cheek, and the more inferior, the lower they are required to kiss.
Since Queen Zenobia is the highest authority figure and her peasant subjects are the lowest, they MUST degrade themselves before her in this manner.
Romans and Greeks viewed such a practice barbaric, as such a form of veneration should only be reserved for their false gods.
While I agree with such a conclusion, they were hypocrites who were equally as guilty as the Persians and other cultures who practiced such a gesture.]
[ (o /// o)]
[Bethany_Brawler: Agreed. Ancient rulers were rather fond of making themselves larger than their mortality and oftentimes saw themselves as either descendants of "gods" or "gods" themselves.
An example that comes to mind is the tyrannical Emperor Caligula. He was well known to have demanded his subjects see him as a living god and expected worship from them.
He even went as far as to have statues of himself built for worship.
He even demanded one be installed in Jerusalem. Thankfully he failed, but my point stands.]
[Beaumains: The same happened with Julius Caesar, although he died before he was named a divine, he was given such a title after his death.]
[The_Impaler: These ancient pagan fools and their false gods. They pale before The Almighty. ]
[Bethany_Brawler: :Head nodding emote: ]
[CasCu: :Tom_Reading_Newspaper Emote: ]
[Jalter: They see the hypocrisy in others but not themselves. How typical. ]
After walking through the fields of barley, the city came into view, and what he saw took his breath away.
He saw a beautiful gate made of limestone, a gate which served as the entrance to a beautiful city that was also made of the same material.
Mixed with the yellow stones were green palm trees, and various other types of foliage, which just made the city appear magical.
As they walked past the entrance to the city, even the roads transitioned into the same sandy stone.
He saw Greek pillars holding stone roofs that he had never seen before in his life aside from pictures and videos online. To see one in person was a completely different experience.
Mash looked equally awestruck.
Based on what he knows from second hand accounts and from her servant dreams, Mash has been stuck in the halls of Chaldea for years if not most of her life.
She's probably never seen a real sprawling city like this one before, so it's no wonder she looks even more excited to see such a wonder.
Not that he blamed her.
He remembered his aunt showing him pictures of this place as ruins, and now he was standing before them, not as ruins, but as a living, breathing city. If his aunt ever found out he had visited Palmyra in the past, he had a feeling she would be frothing at the mouth with envy.
[Ms.Roxanne: An entire city built of limestone… It's so beautiful. It makes me want to add some limestone structures to my gym. ]
[Hardly-Enough_Brocks: Same. It's a beautiful city for a beautiful queen. ]
[Heart0f6old: Brock my man, I see you are a man of culture as well. ]
[Hardly-Enough_Brocks: :Thumbs up: ]
[Joseph-TheBigCheese: Sup guys! Sorry I'm late, I was training my Raticate and I lost track of time and- WOAH!! THAT LADY IS PRACTICALLY NAKED!! ]
[ACinnamonRola: WB Old timer Joey, and yes, we know. ]
[Joseph-TheBigCheese: HEY I'm not an old timer!! I'm a Youngster Adult!! Btw, who's the lady with the nice ass? ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: That's Queen Zenobia. She saved Gudao and Mash from falling to their deaths and easily dealt with a massive army. Now she invited the unofficial couple to a feast in her city. ]
[Joseph-TheBigCheese: Man, I missed out. Welp, hopefully Gudao Ch. posts those moments later. ]
Queen Zenobia looked behind at them, a content smile in her face as she took in their reactions to her city.
Meanwhile, her subjects around her all got on their hands and knees, and prostrated themselves before her in the same fashion as the field workers outside.
Seeing their display, he just couldn't help but say: "wow… your people really love you."
Queen Zenobia deliberately walked a bit slower so she could speak without having to raise her voice so much.
"Yes, and the feeling is mutual. These are my people, my subjects, my family… and I treasure them all very much.
Since I manifested this time, I have spared no expense, time, or effort into bringing my home to its future glory."
She gestured to the side, and when he followed to where she was directing his sight, he noticed various unfinished structures in the distance.
"I am already beginning the construction of structures built in the future centuries of Palmyra. The Palmyrene gate you saw earlier? It would not have been built until nearly a century from now if not for my intervention."
"Wow…" It was rather impressive.
[Is that a good idea? Building a structure before it was built and changing the future so much? ]
[Junior_Researcher: It won't matter. Remember, this is a singularity. Once we resolve it, whatever renovations and upgrades the Queen makes to her home will either be undone, or The World will work around it so it makes historical sense. ]
[Oof. Poor Queen Zenobia, putting in so much work for her home, not knowing it will be in vain. ]
Queen Zenobia continued to orate her tour of Palmyra for them, pointing out various structures and buildings of importance.
It took them a bit longer to arrive at her home than expected, but they did arrive eventually after climbing up a hill.
And boy was the palace even more impressive than what they have seen so far. It was a giant building and it towered and overlooked the city of Palmyra below.
Queen Zenobia stopped and turned to face them, but the momentum in her breasts refused to stop and continued to move side to side even after she finished turning.
She spread her arms out and smiled, "welcome to my palace Ritsuka and Mash."
She put her arms to her sides and walked closer, "I apologize for the suddenness, but I have an important meeting I must attend, so we will part momentarily. However, in my stead."
She clapped her hands and the servants that were waiting at the foot of her palace came to her side, "I'll have some of my servants guide you to your rooms.
Ah, as for the leyline, it is located directly under the Temple of Bel, which coincidently will be where the celebratory feast will be held. You have my permission to tap into it, although I would advise you to please wait until after the feast has concluded before you do so."
"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Queen Zenobia." Mash said with a thankful tone.
"Fou!"
"Good luck with your meeting." he said, equally as grateful for her kindness.
"Thank you both…oh! And I almost forgot."
Her eyes focused on Mash, who suddenly grew sheepish under the Queen's intense stare.
"Mash, you're a good person, and I now consider you a friend, so please do not be offended when I say this."
She pursed her lips, and pointed at Mash's thighs, "But your attire exposes too much skin and is not very appropriate, so feel free to take and wear whatever outfits you find in your room before you attend the feast tonight."
"Huh?" Mash stared at Queen Zenobia like she grew a second head.
[IceCold-Melony361: The audacity of this woman!! She's barely wearing anything herself and yet she has the gall to tell Mash to cover up because she thinks her outfit is too inappropriate?!! ]
[LemmeSeeUrManager: Queen Zenobia has NO RIGHT to criticize Mash's attire!! How about YOU put on some clothes lady?!!!]
They both stared at her blankly, which made the Queen blush, "I know that's rich coming from me, but still-!"
"Okay, if that is what you wish, then I will do it…" Mash said with a defeated sigh.
"I um, appreciate it. In any case, I will see you later tonight."
They said their goodbyes and watched the queen walk towards the leader of the Persian army she recruited.
"Come this way honored guests, your rooms are waiting for you." One of the servants, a young woman, said as she gestured for them to follow her.
"Ah, yes, thank you." he told the young woman and followed after her.
✦✧✦
Temple of Bel, Palmyra, Palmyrene Empire
Time came and went, and after he and Mash situated themselves in their luxurious bedrooms, all they could do was wait until the servants arrived to take them to the Temple Of Bel.
Mash told him that Bel was the supreme, presiding deity of Palmyra and was originally a mesopotamian god.
Palmyra continued to surprise him as the temple proved to be one of the most impressive buildings in the city, even more than Zenobia's palace.
It was packed to the brim with hundreds of people. Luckily, thanks to knowing the Queen, they were allowed easy entry further into the temple.
They saw many important looking people reclining on long, padded chairs. Their curious eyes followed them as they made their way towards the Queen.
[Huh, so it would seem that sitting down and eating while reclining on a couch is an ancient practice. Who knew? ]
[JigglyWiggly: Gotta show this image to grandma. Maybe then she'll stop call me a lazy fuck for sitting on the couch when I eat my dinner. ]
[Probably not you lazy fuck. Lol. ]
Speaking of the queen, she was also reclining on her own elaborate chair. A chair that was even more luxurious looking than the others.
She noticed them and sat up to greet them.
"Ritsuka, Mash, please, come and sit, the feast is about to begin." She motioned for them to sit in their own reserved reclining chairs, which were next to hers.
He sat on his chair, and to his surprise, it was actually quite comfier than he expected.
The Queen, seeing everyone of importance had arrived, decided to stand and speak up. The tall, intricately carved limestone walls produced a reverberating effect that made her voice sound louder than it was.
"People of Palmyra!! Tonight we celebrate victory over a conqueror who sought to subjugate us!!" Queen Zenobia's voice boomed all around the temple.
The people in attendance cheered at their Queen's proclamation. She allowed it to continue for a moment until she raised her palm, which silenced the crowd.
"Now, as thanks for his guidance that led to my victory, I will present my offerings to Lord Bel!!" She gestured to the servants, and they quickly got to work.
His eyes widened as a whole roasted camel was brought in on a wooden platform by a group of servants.
[Whoa!! That is a huge roast!! ]
[...is that a camel?! :sad emoticon: ]
[Those derpy desert mounts that we saw at the zoo, people eat them?! ]
[And you guys made fun of Gudao for not eating pokemon smh. ]
They were followed by droves of people bringing in bales of wheat, bread, and many dishes he couldn't recognize.
The offerings were placed before a limestone statue of the god he assumed was Bel, which had been clothed in silk garbs.
A priest of some kind arrived, then he muttered some prayers before grabbing pieces of the offerings and started to gently put the food into the statue's open mouth.
The food fell inside the statue, almost as if it was actually eating it. They fed the statue for a while, even going as far as to pour wine into it and wiping its stone lips like it was a baby.
[This is bizzare. They are literally pampering a statue by feeding and giving it wine to drink. (O - O ) ]
[Don't be rude. Be respectful of other people's cultures and beliefs. And besides, this is no less bizarre than a pokemon trainer feeding a rock type a berry or pokemon food. ]
[Ah, you got me there. ]
A priestess then approached Queen Zenobia and offered her some food, which she gladly partook in. She never had to lift a finger as she was pampered by her servants.
Looking back at the statue, he continued to observe as the priest fed the entire pile of food to the rock. Part of him wondered if this was actually magic or if there was a shute carved inside the statue that connected to a room below that would give people the illusion that their god was actually eating their offerings.
As if reading his thoughts, the statue's stone eyes suddenly shifted in his direction while the priest wasn't looking.
A chill ran down his spine as he met the statue's intense gaze. It felt like the statue of Bel was staring into his soul.
He rubbed his eyes, and when they readjusted, the feeling vanished and the statue returned to its normal position.
…creepy.
His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when Queen Zenobia spoke up once more.
"Now my people, it is your turn. Join us and feast!"
After her proclamation, servants brought more food inside, but this time, it was offered to the rest of them.
A servant presented him with a plate of dark fruits stuffed with something that smelled like nuts.
Seeing his curious gaze, Queen Zenobia spoke up.
"Ah, this is a stuffed date, this fruit is one of my favorite foods. It grows on palm trees and is very sweet and delicious. You're in luck, since the date harvesting season has just started.
These dates in particular are stuffed with pine nuts, walnuts, and honey. Please, try some."
She didn't need to tell him twice.
Remembering the roman etiquette lessons he reviewed earlier in the day, he carefully picked up one of the dates with three of his fingers then brought it to his face and took a bite.
The sweet flavors coated his tastebuds in a blanket of sweet bliss.
He could also hear Mash hum in surprise when she took a bite. The way her eyes sparkled in delight brought a smile to his face.
He grabbed a few more, while trying not to be a poor guest. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass Queen Zenobia in front of her subjects by being an overly zealous glutton.
More appetizers were presented, many of them were savory, a few salty, and other sweet, but they were delicious all the same.
Next, the main course arrived, and he had to admit, he was a bit nervous about this one.
The servant girl from before presented a plate of steaming camel meat, which had been cut so it would be easier to pick up with one's fingers.
He has never had camel meat before, so he really hoped he liked it.
Whatever anxiety he had vanished when his nose caught the slightly sweet aroma of perfectly cooked meat. He could feel his lips moisten just from the smell alone.
Well, at least the smell is promising.
The servants offered him a bowl of water to wash his dirty fingers with.
After thoroughly cleaning his fingers, they were ready to grab more food.
The tender meat broke easily under his fingers, and was actually quite hot but thankfully not scorching. The meat nearly melted in his mouth after he took his first bite. Camel meat had a somewhat sweet undertone, and tasted like a mixture of beef and something else.
It was weird eating meals this way, without utensils, but it was still a unique experience.
He took a moment to observe the people around him, and many of the nobles and priests were also enjoying their meals.
He dipped his hand in the water bowl provided by the servants once more and continued to eat.
He wasn't just eating in silence, he was also making small talk with the queen as she ate. They actually had a decent, in-depth conversation about the names of various dishes being served at the banquet, and how they compared to what he's had before.
He was starting to feel full, but that feeling left him the moment his eyes landed on the desserts being brought in.
His eyes widened when he saw a cake that was lathered in a thick layer of frosting!!
But what was crazier was the fact that this cake was actually made from pomegranates!!
He didn't even know you could make cakes from pomegranates, and yet, here he was, biting into a rich slice of ancient pomegranate cake with his fingers like a pig.
Sweet.
Creamy.
Man… he has to get the recipe so he can make this.
He severely underestimated the meals of the past. He never would have imagined that the food served this far back in time would be so flavorful and tasty.
It's a shame they had to leave tomorrow for the coast, but there's no helping it.
Oh well, he'll enjoy the feast while it lasts.
✦✧✦
Zenobia POV
After the banquet came to its conclusion, she guided Mash and Ritsuka into a separate, private room where they could open communications with their allies.
Mash put her shield on the ground and began a ritual that connected them to their leader.
A strange sound came from Mash's communication device, a sound which Ritsuka described as 'static', when the connection came through.
The man on the other side spoke to them like a doting father who had lost track of their children in the marketplace.
He introduced himself as Romani Archaman and while he couldn't see the man, she could feel the genuine gratefulness in his voice while he thanked her.
"On behalf of the Chaldea Security Organization, we would like to thank you for your help in keeping them safe, Your Majesty. "
"It is no problem Doctor, as I told them, I merely saw they needed help and I acted." she didn't regret saving them, not one bit. They were truly a joy to be around.
"So Doctor, are we good to summon more allies?" Mash asked the good doctor.
Initially, she was shocked to find out that Ritsuka had nearly a dozen servant contracts. Normally, such a feat would not be possible by a normal mage, but Chaldea was not lacking in power for maintaining servant contracts.
Such an organization could prove a massive boon to her army. Sadly, the doctor dashed her hopes with his cruel words.
"Unfortunately, the connection is still not stable enough, however, Ritsuka should be able to use his shadow servants if he wants to now."
Mash, upon hearing the news, "Oh, alright, well I guess we have no choice but to head to Mt. Etna "
Despite her companions' disappointment, she still thought Ritsuka's ability was great on its own, plus it allowed him to have extra protections when his servants were busy fighting other foes.
"Yes, sorry, but it cannot be helped. Sleep well you two, we'll keep in contact through chat in the meantime. Now go on, rest. You're going to need the energy. You two barely had a taste of what travelling through the desert is like. Trust me, it's not easy. "
They bid their farewells and the connection ceased.
"Well, your leader is right. It's getting late. Let's return to my palace and rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
The two nodded and followed her back to her palace. Despite the chill of the desert night, their stroll was pleasant.
Once they arrived, they all went to their separate bedrooms.
She went inside her room and closed the door behind her with a click.
Before her was a large room, which was luxuriously decorated with tapestries, silks, and various expensive furniture.
She walked across towards her bed and stood before it.
Then, in an unqueenly fashion, she threw herself on top of it, landing face first into the soft bedding. She took a deep whiff of her perfumed silk blankets, the aroma of roses soothing her weary soul.
She hasn't been in Palmyra long, and she has barely had a chance to visit, but every time she does, her heart sings with joy.
Yet, when she left, her heart shuddered and ached in longing.
She opened her eyes, and she was mesmerized by the weave of her bedding.
Then it struck her.
The sinking feeling in her chest that she had been ignoring. A chasm deep and vast enough that it easily swallowed her hard earned joy of the past day.
She used to enjoy sleeping in her life, and she took it very seriously. However, the nightmares have made it harder for her to enjoy this activity anymore.
Every time she closed her eyes, she could see her home being desecrated, its monuments demolished with explosives, the statues of her gods broken and shattered by bloodthirsty barbarians.
Her ears heard the arrogant voices of those savage men condemning her and her people's culture as idolatry while praising their own god above hers as they brutally murdered innocents in her home.
And now she was going to go through this torture once again, just as she has done for many nights.
If she wanted to, she could easily avoid all this trauma and stress by avoiding sleep altogether. As a heroic spirit, sleep was unnecessary to her and would not impede her if she chose to do so.
But she refused to allow such dreams to dominate her. She desired sleep, and it was the only thing that allowed her to keep herself grounded with her humanity.
Despite her nights being cursed with seeing her home desecrated and vandalized, she swore to herself that she would endure such savage displays of violence for the sake of her home… for her Palmyra.
She closed her eyes and went to sleep.
✦✧✦
Her eyes opened, and instead of the ruined image of her city, she was instead standing inside a school building while overlooking a classroom filled with students.
Where was she?
"Morning everyone, allow me to introduce the class tutor. This is Ritsuka Fujimaru, he's a student from my AP course and will be helping me the rest of the year.
If you have any questions about the lessons in my class, please feel free to ask him for help if I'm not available."
Oh, so this is the so-called servant dream she's heard so much about. Interesting.
How novel and exciting.
She continued to watch Ritsuka's life play out before her and she had to admit, she's very impressed. She had no idea Ritsuka was a scholar that was so beyond his peers that his teachers trusted him to assist them in teaching others who struggled to learn.
She listened to Ritsuka's "tutoring" and realized his mathematics knowledge was more theoretical than practical, but if he can grasp such complex concepts, she had faith that learning practical mathematics should come easy to him.
Then, Ritsuka's eyes lingered on a peculiar girl.
A girl with black hair and had blue highlights who also wore a black outfit and had a distastefully short skirt.
She was scratching her head and glaring at the page in front of her as if it had just started a blood feud with her.
The girl noticed his stare and turned her head to look at him, annoyance in her features.
"What are you looking at?" the girl said with an aggressive tone.
"Oh, sorry, you looked like you were having trouble and I wanted to know if you needed help."
The girl clicked her tongue, "as if I need help from a mocoso a year younger than me. Fuck off."
He raised his hands and stepped back.
"Alright, I'll give you your space, but if you ever need help, just let me know."
The girl scoffed and continued to glare at the sheet of paper in front of her.
Anger bubbled in her chest.
This girl… not only is she dressed shamelessly, but she is also rude towards someone just trying to help.
Good on Ritsuka for not lowering himself to her level.
Ritsuka went on to help another student nearby.
However, his gaze seemed to be drawn to that girl.
Why?
…
The dream transitioned, and this time, that rude girl from earlier actually came up to him for help.
She saw as Ritsuka calmly explained mathematical concepts in a way even the short tempered girl could understand.
Truly, Ritsuka was a man of great patience to teach such a slow, unruly student.
….
The environment transitioned once more, but this time, it was not inside that classroom.
It was outside during the sunset.
"Hey um… Ritsuka?" the voice of the rude girl asked.
"Hm Xochitl, you need something?" Ritsuka asked the girl who she now knew the name of.
"I wanted to apologize."
She could feel the surprise that Ritsuka had when he heard that, "For what?"
The girl looked at him with guilt, "I treated you like shit when we first met, and was annoyed that someone younger than me knew more than I did… but I was wrong.
Because of your help, I've been doing really well in math class. So much so that it's very possible I won't have to go to summer school this year."
"I'm glad to hear that."
The girl suddenly turned sheepish, and she twiddled her thumbs, "yeah… so, I… Um… I wanted to properly thank you… and I don't think words alone will suffice so… do you want to hang out sometime, after school?"
Is this girl… courting Ritsuka?
Ritsuka himself seemed taken aback, but she could feel the joy in his heart at hearing her words.
"Sure. When and where?"
"Really?! Then, how about we go to the mall this Saturday?" The girl said excitedly.
"It's a date then." Ritsuka replied and his words caused the girl to blush.
"I-um… yeah… it's a date."
She realized that perhaps she may have overstepped her bounds in watching another person's romance unfold.
But she will admit that it was a rather touching and romantic boy-meets-girl moment.
She promised to herself that she would apologize to Ritsuka for peering into his life.
…
The scene transitioned again, and this time, Xochitl's face was pressed close to Ritsuka's.
A deep sense of shame thundered in her chest as she beheld the two lovers enjoying each other's lips.
Due to sharing senses with her temporary master, she was able to feel Xochitl's warm lips envelop hers.
Another warm sensation on her hand turned them clammy.
T-These two… they are kissing while holding hands in public?!!
How-How uncouth!! How lewd!!
How could Ritsuka allow this to happen?!
She needed to stop this!! This went against her rules of chastity!
Yet despite her best efforts, Queen Zenobia could not bring herself to cut the servant dream short.
✦✧✦
Northern Italia, 60 AD, Septem Singularity
Constantine the Eleventh POV
He stared into the world beyond his walls. The crescent moon hanging in the sky barely illuminating the lands cloaked in shadow. His hair billowed as the cool night's breeze caressed his face.
He heard a distinctive clicking of heels approaching him and smiled at the familliar sound, since he knew who those footsteps belonged to.
"Evening progenitor, what brings you out here so late at night?"
The footsteps came to a stop and their owner let out an indignant huff at his question. "I thought I told you to call me Nero in private Konstantinos." He turned to face his progenitor, Emperor Nero Claudius, and saw the petite blonde with her hands on her hips and a cute frown of displeasure.
He chuckled, "apologies Nero, I meant no disrespect."
She scoffed at his excuse, "I'll forgive you this time, but don't let me catch you saying it again."
Her stray blonde hair bounced as she cleared her throat, "Now then, can you explain to me why you are out here, brooding in the dark, while your men and comrades are being merry indoors?"
He pursed his lips and returned his gaze to the vast field outside his castle walls, "I… didn't feel like it was appropriate for me to relax when Rome is in danger."
Hearing his reasoning, Nero let out a sigh, then, she continued to walk closer towards him, "I understand and admire your drive to save our Roma, Konstantinos, but you must understand that all work and no play will lead you to an early grave!!"
Her heels stopped next to him,"such a horrid schedule is not fit for a Roman!"
If one were to ask the current senators of Rome, they would turn their noses up at the idea of a christian general with long hair as a Roman. Even when he cut his hair short, the haughty elites refused to see him as nothing but a barbarian, regardless of what Emperor Nero decreed.
"I know, but… I can't rest. Not until Rome is safe. Until this war is done, I must remain vigilant." He's already failed Rome once before, he'll be damned if he allows Rome to fall long before his time.
The proud empress fell silent, and for a moment, his anxiety spiked. His progenitor had chronic bouts of absentmindedness. Such a thing would not be a cause for alarm, but he learned long ago that such silence can prove… dangerous.
He felt relief when his progenitor spoke up again, although that relief turned to guilt when he parsed the meaning of her words.
"...morale is low Konstantinos."
"...Yes, I am aware."
He could feel her eyes on him, "then you should also be aware of the rumors our men and the peasants have been spreading as of late."
Ah yes, he was definitely aware of that. Supposedly, a god from Mount Olympos, displeased with Rome's actions, decided to descend to the mortal realm and declare war on the Roman Empire and its allies.
He scoffed at the idea, while he knows that these so-called divine spirits exist, they hold no sway in the era of Man. So such rumors are likely just exaggerations.
Not that it mattered to him.
"Nero, you know as well as I do that there is only one god in my heart and soul. Such claims mean nothing to me."
She pursed her lips, "whether you believe the claims that are true or false, it matters not. What matters is how the people see Rome."
He could hear the fabric of her red dress stretch as she clenched it in her hands, "the armies of the self proclaimed god of Olympos have already reduced our Rome from a great empire that spanned horizons, to a small nation that was forced to cower back to the cradle of its motherland.
The remaining citizens of Rome are already viewing Rome's future as limited, because how could a mortal man stand against a god?"
She turned to face him, and if it wasn't for the current gloomy atmosphere, he would have been mesmerized by her radiant, golden beauty under the moonlight.
"As much as it pains me to admit, even my presence alone is not enough to soothe my men's hearts of such worries."
She poked his metal chestplate with her finger, "that is why it is imperative that the men see their commander present during the times of camaraderie! Your workaholic tendencies are only stressing out our troops."
He cringed at his progenitor's words,"I know, but-"
She cut him off before he could defend himself, "no buts! As your beloved emperor, I order you to relax for the rest of the night!!" She was glaring at him like he was a petulant child who refused to do their morning chores.
He sighed, "very well, if that is what the Emperor Nero commands, then I shall follow through."
"Umu!" Emperor Nero nodded her head in approval.
"Now come! We must return with haste before Jing Ke finishes all the wine."
She turned to walk away, and he followed, and as if compelled by the devil himself, his traitorous eyes lingered on the cleavage below her waist for a second longer than he intended to.
Averting his eyes, he chastised himself for the dishonorable act he just committed against his progenitor.
'Dear Lord above, forgive this sinful sheep for falling in love with this alluring beast.'
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New Chatters:
Hardly-Enough_Brocks: Brock, the rock type Gym Leader of Kanto. He does have appreciation for women, but he isn't as bad as he is in the anime. Unlike his anime counterpart, he has actually managed to land dates with both a nurse joy and an officer jenny in the past.
Joseph-TheBigCheese: The former Youngster Joey. He somehow managed to become an Ace Trainer in his adult life, even reaching the finals in the Johto Silver Conference. He is primarily focused on using rodent pokemon, but his ace still is and always will be his good old pal Raticate, whom he has been with since he was a rattata.
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AN: Another week, another chapter in this arc down. I did a lot of research into Palmyra for this week's chappie, and I did my best to portray Zenobia's culture as best I could.
My Expert in explaining Bullshit with more bullshit: Flowerman (He helped me plan the outline of this arc).
Anyways, be sure to leave a comment and a like if you enjoyed it. I'll see you next week.