Mummy's Mask - Shifting Sands [IC]

[Gwynfrid]

While Calathon and Vershab, understanding that the setting isn't the most favorable to exercise their special talents, make themselves discreet, Lehasti works the premises, making herself as pleasant as she can, and keeping her ears open. She soon gathers that Muminofrah is in Tephu on some sort of government business, something to do with inspecting the city's accounts of tax collection and possibly replacing a few functionaries. However, the unanimous revelers seem to know little, and care even less, on the details of so tedious a topic. The servant of Sarenrae also hears a number of possibly embellished stories about the evening's host - how she's been married eight times, every one of them out of love, or so the story goes; that her mother was a concubine in the harem of Khemet II, and Muminofrah grew up in the court of Khemet III and quickly made a name for herself as a virtuoso entertainer and a diva, so that she eventually was noticed by the Ruby Prince and made a Fan-Bearer; that she is one of the most powerful nobles in Sothis, and how this prestige extends even into the other cities of the Sphinx Basin and beyond; and how she's had countless lovers. Lehasti even gets a hint from one of the more salacious gossips on board, alluding to a rumored romantic link between Muminofrah and the Ruby Prince himself...

Meanwhile, Turi appears in front of the noblewoman, blushing and stuttering a little. Muminofrah doesn't seem to notice, and instead beckons to him, an encouraging smile on her face. "Ah, here is my gorgeous visitor! Look at you, such a charmer... And you did bring me such a lovely gift, what was it again? No matter, the pleasure of your company is what takes my fancy tonight! " At a sign, from her, four slaves come to her, to serve a tagine of River Sphinx perch cooked with olives from huge silver tureens, along with grapes, huge loaves of bread, and copious amounts of barley beer and mint tea. Coyly batting her eyelashes, Muminofrah invites young Turi to sit with her.

"How about you tell me about yourself? Why were you so impatient to visit me? Not about any important business, I hope! Tonight is for pleasure and entertainment, is it not?"