Of silver and blood

prologue

Night came swiftly after the long and hot hours of the day. The stars pricked the darkening sky slowly and hung glittering like candles coming to flame. Since arriving in Egypt, Eska had crossed rivers and vast plains in the mighty dynasty, all painted by the desert moon in a tranquil brush of light. A company of 500 slaves, as many pack horses, and 200 pack mules made their way slowly over the last league of there journey. Eska's litter was carried by 12 Ethiopian slaves, the litter plated in gold leaf and covered in black silks of many layers giving a black out effect to any sunlight or prying eyes of the slaves. Eska's litter was carried near the front and kept separate from slaves and beasts of burden at the rear of the procession. at last they came to the gates of the great city of Thebes.

This was where Eska knew she would spend her last days, she had foreseen her death as she had seen the births and deaths of her own coven. All her visions ended in this magnificent city, but only after the final prophecy became clear to her, only then would she go to her own death willingly.  Eska felt the litter come to a stop as the slaves carrying her were questioned by the guards doing the nightly petrol's, Eska smiled, she so loved playing human, the screen to her right was ripped aside as a rugged, tired looking guard stood before her.

"Evening my friend, is there a problem?" smiled Eska, flashing her ebony eyes, speaking fluent Egyptian.

"err......." the guard looked bashful as he found his mind blank for something to excuse his behaviour, this was obviously a very important women with a very large company, his behaviour wouldn't go unnoticed.

"I..........." staggered the guard as he stared at her, Eska flashed her perfect white smile at the guard, subtle suggestion was one of her favorite tricks of the mind, she could leave a man so confused and disorientated from a few seconds of eye contact he would wonder for days trying to recollect his own name, oh how she loved to play with humans, she would surely miss it.

"ah..., try to stay safe.......tr..travelling at...at...night can be treacherous...." said the guard obviously trying hard to collect his thoughts as he scratched his thick mane of hair and looked around him. 

"Have no worries my friend, i assure you i am quite safe for i have plenty of guards", Eska chuckled enjoying the  thought that it was far more likely that the guards were the ones who needed the protection, a fact Eska had taken full advantage of in the past.

"But alas, we must be on our way, we have a very important journey ahead of us and already we are behind, thank you for your concern, my friend" Eska announced as she gave a signal to one of her litter carriers to start forward, leaving the confused guard and his partner behind staring after them.

As the end of the night grew closer, Eska's litter wound its way up through the cramped streets of houses that seemed almost stacked on top of each other. Eska's litter came to a stop in front of the the largest building in the street, although there were no windows, the building was painted with white lime paint which made it look almost inconspicuous amongst the othe buildings in the street. The tall bronze gates rattled noisily as it opened to a small women servant with intelligent grey eyes and silver hair, streaked with white highlights in the moonlight.

"Welcome mistress.." the servant said and bowed, as Eska stepped out of the litter, stretching slightly as she flexed her muscles under the soft dark silk of the sheath dress she was wearing over her pale skin.

"Is everything ready?" asked Eska softly

"Yes mistress, you must be tired, you have travelled a long way, and many days to get here, mistress" said the servant women.

"Yes, Neta, thank you" said Eska

Neta escorted Eska inside into a large hall, the servants accompanying Eska were all escorted to the servants quarters, while Neta escorted Eska to through a big solid wooden door and down a long flight of dark sandstone stairs into a large chamber. This room was grandly decorated, a huge set of stone pillars dominated the room.