In retrospect, Onuphrious wasn't sure what he was thinking in sending Akhenaten to the young General Osorsen. While it was wise to consult the judgments of others, Akhenaten and Osorsen seemed almost perfect strangers. Particularly given Hena's inclination to not listen to anything anyone told him. With the exception of Neithotep (who was just as bad as he was), Akhenaten took no council for his actions. It'd been a vain hope, that someone could simply fix this problem for him, to educate this boy in a different voice than he could or had the time for.



But, he wondered if the damage was done. With the lowest of expectations, he made his way to the Moghadam property in Cairo, where he'd been informed by the general that he'd be in for the time being. With a degree of urgency in his step, he emerged from his vessel and made his way towards the property, well carried by a foreign mode of transport he felt appropriate given the occasion. A palanquin, he'd heard it called, and he was quite amused by the way his servants ran, somewhat hunched, literally delivering him by hand to the general.



Content to sip wine and watch the world fly by around him, the sirdar thought on more important matters. With the urgency left to his minions carrying him through the city, he drifted into an exercise, deliberating as to the futility of his efforts. From the woman who forced his retreat from her Cairo property, hardly to be called a wife in the midst of her acts of unleashed hatred towards him, to the lone, disobedient wretch he was forced to call his heir. Bitterness stung at open wounds within the sirdar's chest, and he figured that at least, getting rid of the very prospect of his heir being remotely suitable could hasten the inevitable conclusion.



Onuphrious needed to preserve his vitality and youth. Legends spilled onto his desk all the time of sacred elixirs and so-called man-eating rituals that could perpetuate the cycle of life. Averse to the idea of never joining his father and uncle in the afterlife, of being judged as unworthy or worse still, actually attaining immortality... it was jarring to even feel the need for such a contingency. His hopes relied less on Akhenaten and more on Nefertaari or any of his daughters, in the end.



But, nevertheless, consulting Osorsen served its purpose, to reaffirm his suspicions of inability to adapt, he had to learn what the man's assessment was. The place drew nearer and nearer, as the crowds of the lower class whittled away, becoming groups with steadily increasing quality of dress. The familiar scape of the Ghani district called to him, with both ire and anticipation both. It was best to leave thoughts of the other Sheifas at the door. This was about Hena, but also an opportunity to properly speak to to esteemed general as the world seemed to teeter towards the ravages of war yet again.



Far too aged to have forgotten the stillness before the chaos, the sirdar cursed @set for his irksome meddling again in the affairs of man, just as the palanquin came to a halt, bringing Onuphrious to the Moghadam's Cairo estate.



"Welcome, sirdar," he heard the servants hail him, just as the palanquin lowered, four servants balancing it low to the ground on their knees as he emerged from the inside. Slowly, Onuphrious followed a servant, leaving his somewhat filled goblet in the palanquin as he crossed the threshold and awaited the welcome he was due.