Encounter
/ɪnˈkaʊntə,ɛnˈkaʊntə/

noun

1. An unexpected or casual meeting with someone or something.
2. A confrontation or unpleasant struggle.

♡

"...Say you'll remember me standing in a nice dress, Staring at the sunset, babe, Red lips and rosy cheeks, Say you'll see me again, Even if it's just in your wildest dreams..." - Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift

♡

We can't always control what we encounter, but we can always control how we engage it

Zahra felt weightless. 

Her body was in a state of bliss. 

A floating sensation wrapped warmly around her body, in an invisible embrace. While she was surrounded by a low quiet hum from the black abyss. Her mind was at ease, taken over by her subconscious, while her heart calmly thumped in her chest, gently lulling her eyes to stay shut. Behind heavy eyelids her eyes rapidly flickered as she went into her dream state. 

The black abyss blurred together with a bright blinding light, spiraling until there in the middle appeared golden grains of sand, the scenery growing wider, until it revealed the ending of her previous dream. Zahra was frozen as the large hand of the muscular soldier rested upon her shoulder. 

As if controlled by a remote the scene unfroze. 

Town noise rushed into her unprepared eardrums startling her. The soldiers velvet voice cut through the cacophony drawing her attention to the presence behind her. His voice was deep and incredibly husky, reverberating in her ears; she could only imagine his voice had become like this from the continuous over use of yelling. 

"M'lady, a woman of your status shouldn't be here." Her mind was swirling. The way he addressed her was slightly shocking. M'lady. 

But it was mainly the use of his words 'a woman of your status'. 

Now she knew what they meant. She was confused as to why he would address her in such manner. Granted, compared to the others she was surrounded by she appeared to be a higher ranking individual. But she wasn't anyone important, she was middle class. She worked full time 9-5 sometime even longer shifts to live. 

She wanted to correct him, but his hoarse voice pierced her ears once more. "Please, allow me to escort you to the palace." 

His hand had moved to rest on the small of her back before quickly removing it as if he had been burnt from the contact. He moved his other hand to lay out flat before the two of them gesturing presumably in the direction of the palace. She turned her head to gaze over he shoulder and noticed the villagers who had once been actively haggling were now milling about watching their exchange with curious stares. 

She had no idea how to respond, so she just nodded her head, wordlessly. She wanted to leave this space quickly. She felt like an impostor...why did she have to dream about herself being noble. Was she secretly a narcissist? 

They had only walked a couple of steps before he slowed his pace  pausing in front of a donkey. Its fur a beautiful mink tone, which shimmered under the blazing suns relentless rays, the creatures hickory eyes bore deeply into her, she could see the intelligence swirl behind its onyx lashes. She reached a tentative hand towards its nose, lightly scratching the soft fur before trailing her fingers upwards through the coarse hair of its ebony mane. 

Her eyes flicked back to the guard whose eyes were watching her intensely, his brows pinched. She felt heat flood to her cheeks under his scrutiny, "I love animals." she felt that she needed to explain herself, her hand stills as she quietly spoke her words. Turning towards him, she feels herself ease as a smile blooms across his face.

"They're magnificent creatures." his eyes wondered over the donkey, the smile still on his face as he lifted his hand gesturing to the back of the donkey, where an embroidered cloth laid draped over both sides "please." she knew exactly what he meant--to mount the donkey, the only issue was that she had never rode a donkey before in her life. But she knew this was a common way of transport in Ancient Egypt especially for long distance. 

Smiling at the guard she walked closer to the donkey a sense of dread fell over her as she looked at the docile creature pleading internally with it to not make a fool of herself. Nodding her head she stepped closer, trying to decipher the best way to mount its back. She placed her hands on either side of its back, before pushing herself up only to smack her abdomen into the creatures ribs. 

The wind escaped her lips as she held in a groan from the ache. With hot cheeks and determination she pushed herself up higher, leaning her body over the back as she hoists her right leg across, twisting herself until she was sat upright eyes looking over the long pointed ears. She felt a smile break out across her face as she glances towards the guard who kept trained eyes on her, his face an unreadable expression. Anxiety settled in her stomach. 

Did she do it wrong? Does he know she's an impostor?

Her worries eased when he grabbed the short length of rope, which she hadn't even noticed before, "shall we?" He raises a brow at her quizzically as he gestures with his other hand once again towards the golden sand, nodding her head in agreement she grips onto the fabric tighter as the donkey begins the sloe journey.  

♡

Her head jostled as the donkey trekked through yet another village, the rich fragrances swirling deep within her nostrils, while she struggled to keep her eyes open. She wanted to ask how much further but refrained. As she turned her head her mouth fell open, gaping at the colossal building in the near distance. The structure stood proud radiating power and wealth. 

As they got closer she could see the columns, carved from stone with no side left bare. Her eyes traveled over the mixture of painted or carved hieroglyphs, texts and ritual imagery, the quality was amazing for a dream. It shocked her how realistic these dreams have been. Sweeping her eyes, a shimmer of blue along the horizon caught her attention. At first she didn't know if it was a mirage or if it truly was what she thought it was...the Nile. 

It was truly magnificent. 

Her attention was brought back to the palace as the guard--"what's your name?" the question slipped from her lips before she could catch herself. Wanting to smack herself she prepared to be ignored but was surprised when his gruff voice responded.

"Asim"

Protector...how fitting.

Ornate double doors in front of them swung open in a grand gesture, exposing the beauty that laid behind. Her eyes were wide in wonder as they moved around the elaborate space before her. From what she had seen with artist interpretations of ancient palaces in reports, she deducted that this room was central court.  

There were beautiful flower arrangements displayed, while a delicious aroma wafted from the feast laid out as a sweet melody serenaded her eardrums. Scantily clad women twisted gracefully before her, their movements intricate and expressively erotic, the sheer linen draped over their hips left nothing to the imagination. 

Shifting her gaze to the right, she felt her heart leap deep within her chest as her eyes fell on the figure before them.

She knew exactly who he was.

Pharaoh Ahmesseker.

He looked exactly as she had pictured him. Granted she was going off the basis of his face which had been represented with a death mask, which going from the photographs she had seen showed how it was an almost perfect replication. It truly amazed her how she was able to conjure him from deep within her subconscious. 

The way he was elaborately dressed revealed his status of power. But it was the nemes adorning his head that truly gave away his position. It was a particular headdress worn only by Pharaohs. The blue and gold fabrics chosen were to represent the wealth and royal status, which she had to admit complemented his bronzed complexion. However, it was the golden uraeus that stole her attention. 

The upright cobra front and centre, the symbol of royalty and sovereignty. Her eyes continued their path down his defined chest flicking over his leopard skin covered shoulders towards his lean abdomen settling on the shendyt, a woven white linen kilt that extended from his waist to his knees. Her breath caught as his head turned towards her direction, pausing as his cobalt eyes lined with obsidian kohl landed on her figure. 

Scanning her from head to toe. His eyes were perplexed, drawn to the exquisitely mysterious woman whom had entered his palace. Who was she?

His brows furrowed in question as he took in the way she was dressed, the fabric and style of dress indicated nobility, perhaps she was the relative of one of his advisors or even priests. He mentally made note to ask them the next time he had council. 

Asim, powerfully strode forward with purposeful steps. His back rigid, while his strong shoulders were pushed back, as he went to lower himself into a deep respectful bow, it was as if time slowed. His movements were soft and fluid in the air suddenly moving in slow motion. Before her eyes, Zahra watched on as the rest of scene followed suit. 

Servants carrying silver platters of bright fresh ripe fruit  in the background blurred in motion, Asim's knee hadn't even reached the floor, before she moved her eyes onto the powerful male in front of them. There was a slight breeze causing the fabric around his waist to flutter slightly, sunlight shimmering from the scattered golden threads, looking as if the material was floating in water. 

Her body held no restraint. She could move freely, yet she didn't. 

Instead she took this time to further observe the Pharaoh, who stood proud and tall with an aura of authority rolling off him in strong waves. The slowed time allowed her to take in the smaller details, like faint dusting of freckles scattered across his defined cheeks and the slight crook on the bridge of his nose, perhaps it had been broken?

Her eyes took notice of the slight movements he made, like his blinking eyes. She watched, entranced as his eye lids closing to conceal the alluring cobalt orbs, while his onyx stained lashes brushed against one another across his deeply bronzed cheeks. Before opening once again, watching her intently as they slid over her. She wondered if he was analyzing her, like she had just done to him. 

One thing she knew for certain was that she was undoubtedly mesmerized by his beauty. 

She went to reach out with a timid hand when she felt the unmistakable sensation of tingles creeping up through the veins in her arms until the nerves of her fingertips.

No.

She didn't want the dream to be over yet.

She tried harder to fight against the pull, but the sensation rose travelling throughout her entire body, until her body hummed, she watched on with sorrow as the scene froze completely over before her eyes.  

She wanted to yell at her subconscious not to wake up, but her cries fell on deaf ears as her ears were once again greeted with the deafening silence. Her body slowly numbed until all she could feel were those tingles traversing throughout her body, pulsing steadily, before the world melted before into a blinding darkness. 

The silence she once had was broken by the blaring alarm she regretted investing in. 

Her eyes snap open from the sudden intrusion in her ear drums.

One of her hands shoots out from under the heavy warm cover, blindly smacking the air trying to turn off the alarm on her bedside table. Her nimble fingers feel the smooth, cool plastic of her clock before pressing randomly at the small buttons littered across the surface, until her ears are relieved from the obnoxiously loud sound.

A huff leaves her chapped lips as she lazily rolls over to glance at the blinking clock almost taunting her with its glowing red numbers alerting her that it was now 6:00 am. A tired groan escaped her lips, as she only just remembered why she put her alarm on this early. So she could go to work earlier to allow her time to fix the vase that was damaged yesterday. 

A/N: Alrighty, there we have it Chapter Five done and dusted! I hope you all liked this chapter, and the new characters introduced can't wait for you all to further learn about them :) 
Please let me know what you thought in the comments <3
- Any ideas of what to expect next chapter ;)

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