On the Outskirts Of Egypt...
As the dark stallion was walking back toward the camp of Slavia, and Altiar’s; he looked back at the young female, feline to make sure she was still following him to the camp, and the condition she was in wearing raggedly, old clothing, and starving, broke his heart, since he knew there many others just like her, and even more, who are in severe conditions than this, then he stop, and smiled at her.
“Why are we stopping, sir?” asked Lilia quietly, and in a polite tone of voice as she was taking a breath of air, and felt a bit cold, since the sun was coming down, and the temperature was cooling off a bit.
“Miss, we are taking a small break, since we are almost at the camp, and I see that you cold, tired, and very hungry.” said Nero sweetly as he went to her, and offer her a couple of apples, and then he took his dark, red mantle off, and put it on her, then he started rubbing her right side with his left side, trying to warm her up a bit as she was eating the apples.
“Thank you sir, I am eternally grateful these recent days in Cairo haven’t really been that good to me, since I am an orphan, sir. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what is your name? And why are you being nice to me, a street orphan?” asked Lilia in a poor me voice, mixed with an “I’m so grateful” tone of voice.
“Its nothing miss, and if you want to know my name is Nero, and is it possible I can know your name?” asked Nero as he look at her sweetly.
“My name is Lilia, Nero, again thank you for everything you have done for me, I am truly grateful” said Lilia quietly as she smile the first time in such a long while...
In Kira’s Room...
As Nasir was still sleeping soundly on Kira’s bed, Kira was rubbing his side softly a bit as not to wake him, then she went towards Vasilis, and smile at him as she sat on the same couch he was sitting in.
“Wow, I am amaze, and in awe to meet a vampiric prince like yourself Vasilis, tell me how do you know Nasir? How did you find out that he will be the next vampire ruler of your realm?” asked Kira at first in amazement to find out that there was something indeed special about Nasir, her mate, and then for the last question her tone conveyed how curious she was about ‘the ties that bind’ Vasilis to Nasir.
Then Vasilis watched Kira intently as she was asking her questions to him, and he smile at her sweetly as he did so he was digging through a small black bag that he just summon out of thin air, and after a few moments found what he was looking for, which was a small, circular, silver container, which was actually a music box, and then he pass it on to her.
“What’s this, Vasilis?” asked Kira as her hoof gently touch the silver container carefully as she was doing so, her hoof trigger the music box by touching a small button on the bottom of the container, and then it open by itself, as it did so, Kira saw all of the small cogs, and gears that got this music box to work as she was doing so, Kira then heard at first a faint twinkling sound but after a few seconds the sweet, soft twinkling sound became like the sounds of small bells playing in sync with one another, and then in the lower layer of the music was a sound that was smooth like flowing water that in a very strange way sounded very hypnotic. As Kira was listening to this music box, and watching the small gears, and shiny cogs moving back and forth, after a few more moments, Vasilis close the lid of the container.
“This is called a music box, this one in particular was given to me by my mother, many years ago, and I see it has the same effect on you as it did my mother. My family when I was a kit used to joke that I was obsessed wanting to hear the end of the song that this music box plays, but it never stops. It wasn’t until I was older that I figure that song of the music box was ‘looping’ itself. Those were the simpler times of my life, Kira, ones which I will never forget as long as I live...” said Vasilis at first with a smile, and nostalgic tone of voice, and then to an almost sad tone of voice as he remember his kit hood silliness, but then at the end his tone change to a hopeful tone of voice as he smile back at her.
“Now I give this music box to you Kira as a gift for being a true mate to Nasir, and still loving him, since you found out that he is a vampire like me. You are definitely a diamond in the rough, princess” said Vasilis smiling at her.
Then Kira smiled when Vasilis called her a ‘diamond in the rough’, and while she was smiling, she was also blushing a bit. Then when Vasilis said that the music box was a gift from him, she beamed at him happily, but then had a rare, serious look to her face, as she said, “But Vasilis, I can’t accept this, this...this was your mother’s, and surely it is a family heirloom”
“That it is Kira, it is a family heirloom, but you could say that we are practically family, since you have mated with Nasir. Surely, you can take a simple token of gratitude from poor, old me...I will be honor if you would do this for me.” said Vasilis in a quiet tone of voice, and then to a discreet, persuasive tone of voice, since he really wanted to award Kira for all she has done for Nasir.
“Okay, then for you Vasilis, I will take it, by the way, what do you mean by we are practically family?” asked Kira sounding a bit confuse as she put the music box on her nightstand on her side of the bed.
“I guess, I should ‘fess up’ as the saying goes, I am Nasir’s ancient ancestor...Also I am actually three hundred years old, if you could believe that, since I still look the same as I look during my early thirties.” Said Vasilis as he smile at her stunned face as he walked out of her room, after saying, “It was very nice to meet you Kira, but I have to get a few more of my errands done before I can relax, and actually have a vacation from my duties here in Cairo...didn’t Nasir told you? I will be staying here a bit to teach him everything there is to know about being a vampiric noble.”
Then Vasilis left to get started on his errands, leaving Kira with a shocked, but happy expression on her face, since that meant she would be able to spend some time with her new family member, and get to know Vasilis.
Entering Cairo...
The sun has just started to set for the day, and what a beautiful sunset it was with the sky filled with an intense orange, a soft pink color, along with random dots of red in it, during this time a mare, who looked like to be in her middle twenties was walking through the streets of Cairo with her mate, Ares, and her adopted daughter, Yasmin.
“Mother, where are we now? This city is very beautiful looking!” asked Yasmin excitedly as was playing a bit with her father Ares, who is a black-furred unicorn, whose mane, and tail Aare the color of the brightest flame that has ever been seen. As Ares was black-furred, Nexa’s coloring was the total opposite since her fur was the color of moonlight with the darkest hair possible in her mane, and tail, and she had a cutie mark of a chakram leaning against a sword.
Then Nexa smiled softly at Yasmin, before saying, “We are in Cairo, Egypt, my home Yasmin as Persia was your home, this is where I was born, and bred. Oh how I miss my home so much. Who could believe it has been seven years, since the last time I walked through these same streets.” As Nexa was having a nostalgic moment right then, and there as they were walking past some shops she recognize, “I wonder how much have change, and if my sister will recognize me.”
“Why Nexa, whats got you feeling , oh-so sentimental about, my beloved warrior queen?” asked Ares smiling at her sweetly as his tail was rubbing her flank.
“Oh! Nothing much, Ares, I am just remembering is all about my time living here it has been so long. Hey, look over there! Those ponies, and felines are setting up an arena, and I know what it means!” said Nexa in an excited tone of voice as she was looking at the arena being made only for the Iron Pony Competition, which she was the former champion of, and she wonders who is the newest champion of that competition.
Then for a few more minutes the trio watched some of the ponies, and felines getting the seating area ready for those who will be watching the competitors of this competition. Then they a group of ponies, and felines building the course of the Iron Pony Competition...
In The Ports Of Cairo...
(Just arriving from a small cruise ship)
As the small cruise ship was just arriving into the Ports of Cairo, a beautiful mare was looking out from the railings of the deck of the ship, and was watching the ship getting closer, and closer to Cairo, then she was also looking at the sky that was darkening, since she was about to arrive to Cairo during the time of dusk, when it was neither daytime nor nighttime, the perfect time to arrive in an exotic place like this. As she felt a breeze in the air, she started fixing her dress, which was made out of green silk, with small cut emeralds sewn onto the hem of the dress, and her mane was french braided with a green, silk ribbon tied to it at the end, just like her tail, and on her neck was a silver necklace with layers of emeralds, which was given to her by her benefactor. As the ship stopped on one of the port in Cairo, and was tied to one of the docks was when Fi ‘Rose’ Loverose was finally able to disembark from the cruise ship with her bags, and luggage, which were set down by some gentle colts into a carriage that was waiting for her. Before she could go into a carriage, another stallion came, and help her inside as if she was royalty; then as the door of the carriage was shut by one of the stallions, she saw a hooded pony sitting across from her, her first reaction was a surprised look on her face, but then as the mare took down her cloak’s hood, she saw that it was none other than Chrysalis, her benefactor.
“Chrysalis, you came to pick me up, this is a surprise, and I didn’t expect this kind of welcome when I got here. I don’t why, but now I feel like a princess, how is this possible?” asked Fi politely as she was smoothing out her dress, and enjoying the ride through the city.
“Why Rose, this was made possible after a couple of meetings I had with the Queen, and Princess of Egypt, after I help save the life of the Princess’s mate, The Queen, Kiya was so thankful to me that when I mention to her that I have a ward that I am taking care of, and when I told her about you; she wanted you to have the best experience here. By the way, when we are there, I will turn into a feline named Aria that is the form, I will be using here in Cairo, okay?” said Chrysalis at first in an excited tone of voice to a very caring voice, when she was talking about being her benefactor, then to a semi-serious tone of voice as she gave Rose, the heads up on the alias, she was going to be using here in Cairo, Egypt.
“I see, that was a very sweet thing you did for the Princess, Chrysalis saving her mate like that” said Rose after Chrysalis gave a vivid recount about what happen at the Masquerade Ball last night.
“Thank you, sweet Rose...Oh before I forget I made this for you, I have been hearing that you have your eye on a dashing, blue Pegasus, except he has yet to reciprocate his love to you...Unrequited love, how very tragic...This potion I made is a love potion, pour a few drops of it in any drink, but I highly recommend putting these drops for maximum effect in this stallion’s favorite drink. As soon as he drinks it, the effects are almost immediate, he will fall for you, and be mesmerized by you, he will serve, and love you as a princess should be love; Rose for you will be his princess forever... If you are able by the next full moon to get him to marry you at the old church, when the bells tolled at midnight, if you succeed, he will love you until the end of time, and will love, and serve only you. As you wish, so it shall be.” Said Chrysalis in a caring, and also a bit of a mysterious tone of voice as she gave Rose the flask of the love potion.
“You are giving this to me, Chrysalis? Thank you, thank you so much! This is truly a dream come true, for I want Skye to love only me, I gave up everything for his happiness. See Chrysalis, when Skye, Rainbow Dash, and I were foals; Dash told me one day that she had a huge crush on Skye, but she didn’t know how to communicate that to him. So I decided to help her by seeking Skye out, and arranging a private area for those two to have some peace, and quiet together, so then they can be able to talk to each other without interruptions. My selfless act of friendship brought those two together, which at first I was very happy for them, but then my poor heart started aching with the knowledge that my love for him will always be unrequited...” said Rose in a tone that convey her gratefulness at first to Chrysalis for giving her the love potion, then to a tone of sadness, and despair that conveyed how much she wanted Skye to herself, but most importantly she wanted to be truly loved by somepony as she look at Chrysalis, and then at the stars in the sky as the carriage kept on traveling throughout the city. Then after she was done talking Chrysalis smiled a sad, but also in a strange way a knowing smile as if she too suffer the same fate as Rose, so she decided to console Rose with caring words, and trying Rose’s tears away from her eyes with a handkerchief she summon out of thin air....
In The Throne Room...
Even though it is almost nighttime, Kiya as the queen of Egypt was seating on her throne in the throne room looking over some reports, and requests from her subjects as she was doing so, she saw that there was a scroll on top of a table near her throne, so she decided to get up from her throne to check it out. Then Kiya open the scroll on the table, and saw that Nasir left her a request, so as she was going back to sit on her throne, she was reading the request scroll of Nasir.
“Hmm...This is an interesting request, and it is understandable, when Kira takes over my position of Queen, she will be very busy...but since, what happen in Kira’s party, Kira needs to have someone to always watch over her...I wouldn’t forgive myself, if something ever happen to her.” Said Kiya talking to herself a bit as she started writing, a response to Nasir’s request.
Nasir,
This request is interesting at most, about wanting your own harem, and to have the old south wing restored to its original glory is an incredible idea. Now for your harem request I will consent to it, only if you are able to convince Kira, your mate, and the Princess of Egypt to join it also; I need her to be look after now constantly, since the incident from her Coming-of-Age Party.
Kiya
As soon she was done penning the response to Nasir’s request, and asking Delilah to get herself ready to pass on a few scrolls including her consent scroll to Nasir, a male feline came into the throne room, and from the way he was dress with emeralds, and rubies adorning his outfit, Kiya knew he was a noble, but something within her told her to show him the utmost respect, and courtesy, so Kiya bowed her head down, and lower her eyes out of respect.
As Vasilis was walking toward Kiya, he saw that she bowed her head before him, and with an amuse grin on his face, he went to Kiya as soon as he was right in front of her throne, he did an elegant bow before her, which made Kiya blush quite a bit, especially when her took her left, front paw, and softly kissed it, before saying in a sing-song voice, "Queen of beauty rare, you have never age a day, the Queen of Egypt, I am delighted to have finally meet you.”
Then Kiya stayed quiet as she watched this mysterious black-furred feline be very respectful, and gentle towards her, but when he started speaking, she gasped at the words coming out of this feline’s mouth, those words were the exact same words Nasir use as his way of speaking in the party, since during the party, it looked like Nasir was very into his part as the vampire of the masquerade ball.
“I see that you are very surprise, Kiya, did I say something that rings a ‘familiar’ bell or two?” asked Vasilis smiling slyly as he waited for her response.
“Yes, you did sire, those were the exact same words Nasir, the mate of my sister, the princess Kira said to me during my sister’s coming-of-age masquerade ball” said Kiya in a shock tone of voice...well, surprise mostly than shock, but shock nonetheless.
“How is this possible? That you have now used the exact same phase as Nasir!” said Kiya as she started looking a bit nervous towards Vasilis.
“I took over his body, while his mind was connecting with his inner self in a vampiric masquerade mask that I had made for him. To tell you the truth Queen of the Nile, I am the Vampiric King, Vasilis, also I am Nasir’s ancient ancestor. I just arrive to begin teaching him on how to be a vampiric noble, and a good, and just king. Sorry, for surprising you, Queen Kiya, how I know about what Nasir said during the party was because, those were actually my words, I took over Nasir’s body...like this!” said Vasilis in a calm tone of voice until the end as he demonstrated to Kiya how he control Nasir’s body by turning into red smoke, and entering Kiya’s body as he settle down into her body. Then the eyes of Kiya changed red, as Vasilis made her body walked toward the center of the room, and made her body bow down as he exited her body, and came right in front of her, and transform back into his regular feline form.
“You...you...you really are a vampire! Oh gods! I thought you were legends, myths not real at all!” said Kiya excitedly as she got up from the bowing position that Vasilis put her into.
“Kiya, we are just as real as you, and the princess Kira. Talking about Princess Kira, she is a very sweet mare, and the perfect mate for Nasir, also I will have to admit, she will make a great queen for the Vampiric Realm, when I step down, and hand Nasir the reigns to my kingdom.” Said Vasilis in a semi-serious tone of voice as he smile sweetly at Kiya.
“Thank you, Vasilis for saying that, I really do appreciate the thought that Kira will make a great, future queen. “ said Kiya quietly as she started to clean her right, front paw in an elegant matter.
“You are welcome Kiya, since Nasir is a vampire, his final transformation will happen on the next full moon, which is also his coming of age day, so I was planning a ball in the vampiric realm to be held in my palace, and I was wandering if I could use Kira for a small thing is all for Nasir’s ball, but it is something that has to be kept as a secret between you, and me, and maybe Nasir, if you want to include him” said Vasilis in a calm voice as he walked Kiya back to her throne.
“And what is this little surprise, you are planning Vasilis that you want me to help you with a bit?” asked Kiya looking at him very curiously wanting to know what he was planning for Kira, and Nasir’s Coming of Age.
“Well, how can I put this...Oh yes...I was thinking that with your permission, of course, we could planned a ‘staged ponynapping’ of Kira, and then I could present her to Nasir as a gift as his first feeding during the full moon, except the second part of this little play, you call it has to be kept secret at all times! Is this alright with you Kiya?” asked Vasilis as he looked at her, and had a very sly smile playing around his lips.
“Well usually I will say no to this type of idea, but I don’t know something inside me says that I can trust you with my sister, and you are practically family, since you are Nasir’s ancestor, which means that I could give you the status as a guardian to my little sister, she does need someone who can keep an eye on her while I am busy...Okay then I consent, besides having my little sis getting scare for a bit can be fun for her” said Kiya as she softly nuzzle Vasilis, then he nuzzle her back as a way of accepting his status of being Kira’s guardian.
“Thank you Kiya, also send for Nasir, we have much to plan, since the next full moon will be here in a few days time.” Said Vasilis sweetly to Kiya as he smile at her, while Kiya was sending Delilah with three scrolls for Nasir, and then Delilah left, and close the doors to the throne room as she trotted up the steps to Kira’s room.
In Kira’s Room...
As Kira was reading a romance novel on her bed laying belly side down, Nasir finally woke up as the sun was finally down, and not its nighttime, then Nasir yawn a bit, and stretched , as soon as he was done doing so, he went to Kira, and started nuzzling her flank softly, and started snuggling against her.
“Nasir! You finally woken up! What took you so long, my wittle thief?” asked Kira excitedly as she close her novel.
“I was very tired Kira, and I guess after the little trick Vasilis pulled on you by taking over my body a bit, took a lot of my energy than I accounted for. Wow! Its nighttime already? I guess also sleeping on a very comfy bed had something to do on why I slept that long.
“Yes you were sleeping very peacefully on the bed that I decided not to bother you that was why I decided to finally start reading again some of my novels from my book collection from my living room" said Kira happily as she snuggle against Nasir and kiss him softly, and then Nasir kiss her back. As they were kissing a golden furred feline came in smiling, when she saw the prince, and princess kissing each other, then she hid her smile under her left, front paw.
When they finished kissing , they saw that Delilah the messenger feline was here, then she gave Nasir three scrolls to look through when he had time, and also told him that the Queen Kiya has requested his presence. Then Kira smiled at Nasir, and nodded her head to him as if saying he should go now, and Nasir set the scrolls on top of his nightstand on his side of the bed, and left to the throne room, along with Delilah following him a bit before going to the library...
Then Kira stretched her legs some on the bed before hopping off the bed, then she went to her balcony, and look at the stars that were out tonight as she was doing so Krios came out of the onyx in her necklace, and smiled at her as he solidify.
“Hello Kira, it seems like tonight has been a quiet night for you? How interesting to find out that Nasir is from a vampiric royal family bloodline, no?” asked Krios smiling at Kira as he looked at the stars with her.
“Yes the night has been going by peacefully, and yes it was a surprise for me to find that my wittle thief is actually from an ancient line of vampires. I never thought that Nasir could have vampiric genes within him...Which means my mating with him has sealed an alliance between Egypt’s royal family, and the ruling family of the vampiric kingdom.” Said Kira sounding excited at the end that because of that one day when she, and Nasir first met each other, they both sealed the fate of Egypt without knowing it till now...
“Talking about surprises, Kira, I do have one for you” said Krios quietly, and waited to see how Kira will response.
“What is the surprise Krios?! Tell me, tell me!” commanded Kira playfully as she was jumping a bit to show how excited she is about the surprise.
Then Krios smile at Kira as she saw how excited she was getting about his surprise to her, and the way she was jumping reminded him so much of Kotara and Arik, his kids that for a few seconds his eyes became sad with the memory of them, how he will never see them again until he was release from this spirit form of his, then after those few seconds his eyes regained their composure.
“Well before I get you the surprise, I have to tell you something...See a few days ago, I went inside one of Daring Do’s dreams, since I am a spirit I can do that, and I also have the ability to influence her dreams a bit, so one of her dreams some of her tail hair got caught in some bushes (referring to the dream in which she got ambush), and I picked them up, and with an old spell I found from one of Hope’s spell tablets is how to make a clone of someone, or how to create life, so I did the spell, and threw the few strands of Daring’s hair into the fire, during the full moon, and out of the fire came a mare that looked almost exactly like her, but with a darker coloring of furred mane, and tail. With a personality like a filly, overly playful, always wants to impress, and please, but she is also very mature mind you, her mindset is that of a mare’s, not a filly.” Said Krios calmly to Kira on how Julra was created, and hope Kira wouldn’t be mad at him.
“So you scare Daring by changing her dream that had to be fun to watch Krios!” laughed Kira as she continued talking, “So do you want her to take a vacation here in the palace, and to enjoy the festival with me, and Nasir?” asked Kira in a calm voice hoping her guesses were right.
“Right you are Kira will do this for me, and I will teach you more on how to fight, and how to gain power so you can be the most powerful queen ever!” said Krios happily as he kiss her forehead as a way of saying thanks for taking Julra off his hair for a bit.
“You are welcome Krios,I am dying to meet this mare is she ladylike, by any chance? And whats her name?” asked Kira as she looked at Krios smile at him not believing that he is giving her the responsibility of taking care of his creation, a mare who maybe just like her, she was excited by the thought of doing this for Krios, since she really wanted to impress him anyway possible.
“At times she can be very ladylike, and others not so much, she is mostly a tom boy at times, and her name is Julra, she will love you Kira...Well, I have to go back to my time to pick her up, we will be here soon, thank you again Kira, I truly appreciate it!” said Krios with a smile on his face as he created a portal to go back to the Koryshiko tribe lands to pick up Julra. As soon as he left Kira went to the living room area of her room, which was a small room adjoining her room as she went inside the living, she sat down on the couch, and lay down. As she was laying down, she saw something on the table in front of the couch, she picked it up, and to her amazement it was Nasir’s masquerade mask. “What is this doing here instead of being on the mannequin display with the rest of Nasir’s vampiric costume?”, Kira thought to herself as she put it on to see how she looked with that mask on her. As soon as she put it on, she felt very tire, and then her eyes closed as she felt like she w wanted to go asleep.
