The volume of chatter decreased slightly as Nanu and Ramses entered before picking back up again. Nanu took the seat to the Queen’s left and her brother took the seat to her right. "Nanu, where have you been?" Mandisa, queen of Egypt, step-mother to Nanu and Ramses asked in a neutral tone as she sipped her wine. "Apologies, I was getting ready and making sure your gifts from Ramses and myself were perfect," she told her, snapping her fingers as wine was poured for her. "Gifts?" Mandisa asked with interest as if she hadn't been expecting any. "Yes of course." Nanu waved her hand to signal the servants to bring over her gifts to present to her step-mother, causing the crowd to boil down to hushed murmurs as the ribbon dancers overhead stilled in dramatic poses.<br/><br/>Two servants came over and immediately knelt before the queen, gifts in hand. "My Queen, may I present the goblet of ankh, said to bring eternal beauty and immortality. Only those with pure blood may drink from it." The servant came up, head bowed as she handed the goblet over to the servant that had been standing just behind the queen, it was then handed to Mandisa who inspected it with interest. "It is meant to be most effective on the evening of every full moon," Nanu told her with a smile, clicking her fingers as the other servant came up to hand over a darkly carved wooden box, painted with rims of gold. "A necklace with the blessing and protection of Atum. Wear this and nothing can harm you and those that wish you harm shall befall a great evil," she told her as one of the servants opened the box to present the necklace which got a appreciative gasp from her. Waving a hand her step-mother ordered a servant to put the necklace on her. Plucking the jewel from the box the servant readied the necklace only to stop short. The clatter of gold hit stone as the servant collapsed in a fit.<br/><br/>A wave of gasps flew through the room as two more servants immediately came over to remove their fallen brother out of sight. "What is going on, who did this?" Nanu hissed, as nothing but silence could be heard, which the Queen quickly remedied with a sharp gesture for the festivities to continue as a distraction. "Princess, it seems he's been poisoned by aconite." A guard came forth to whisper in her ear. "Aconite?" She looked to her step-mother who looked rather furious by the results. "My Queen, I will find out who did this. Make no mistake,” she promised as she surreptitiously rose to leave the room - gesturing to Odin to follow her out, determined to find the assassin, leaving the disturbed room through a side door.<br/><br/>Sandals clicking against the floor with determined steps, two guards falling into step behind them as she made her way through the palace. “This is unacceptable! How did this happen?” She demanded. The only other person allowed near the gifts had been her brother and a hand chosen servant to keep watch over them.<br/><br/>“Odion I want every guard on the hunt for this would be assassin. No one was allowed near the gifts except for two of my most trusted-” in a flurry of billowing linen she turned a corner only to be stopped in her tracks by guards who aimed their swords at her. "What is the meaning of this, move," she ordered but they seemed to be advancing. They made a grab for her and she back-pedaled. "I said move. I am Princess Nanu," she demanded. "By orders of the Queen you have been sentenced with treason." They replied, her blue eyes wide in shock. "Lies!" She snapped, as she heard hasty steps behind her, twirling to come face to face with her brother. "Ramses!" She sighed.<br/><br/>"Is what they say true?" She asked. He stood, arms crossed. A look seemed to pass between him and the guards briefly before Ramses stepped up and grabbed her arm, dragging her off in a run. "You have to leave, step-mother will have your head. She is very displeased." She began to feel ill with fury. "Surely you do not believe I did this, brother." She asked as guards raced after them. "Of course I believe you did not do this, but in a room full of witnesses, step-mother cannot simply let you go." He told her as they rounded a corner towards the stables.<br/><br/>Guards came at them from the sides and Nanu was forced to duck as a sword swung overhead, knocking her head piece off with a loud clatter. Forced into another run she was dragged along. "You have to leave and let this matter simmer down enough for you to find proof and explain to her the truth. But right now people are not happy and treason is on their lips. This is not good," he told her as they reached the royal stables. The sky was split into pink and golden hues. "Ride, Nanu, ride, before the guards get here, just ride. I will send message to you for you to come back, both of you," he told her as a servant scrambled to ready a horse. “Protect her,” he told Odion, a burning look in his eyes, before Ramses flung a cloak over her, helping her onto her horse, urging Odion to follow.<br/><br/>"Ramses,” she grabbed his hand as he handed her the reins. “promise me you will persuade step-mother to hear me out. I will find out who did this and I will show her who the real traitor is." She promised. Ramses offered a smile. "I know Nanu. Now go. Ha!" He snapped the horses backside as it took off at full tilt. Looking back at her brother she could have sworn his loving smile turned into something darker, watching as guards approached and got ready to chase after her. She didn't see what happened next as she concentrated on getting somewhere safe and out of place to think and prepare.<br/><br/>"Halt!" and "Princess!" could be heard behind them in the distance as she increased the gap between them enough that she could no longer see them. The golden hills of sand seemed endless as they rode, huffing as the heat beat down on them, encouraging her horse to keep going. She spotted a small town reflected in a mirage ahead but it still seemed quite a way, though she wasn't sure, considering the heat was draining her mentally and physically. Muscles getting tired and wobbly she huffed as she grabbed the gourd from her panicked horse, gulping it down, hushing and cooing to the fearful animal as she handed the gourd behind her to Odion. There supplies was limited to the one gourd between them and the cloak on their backs, having had no time to grab materials.<br/><br/>What was worse was the five guards charging after them were gaining slowly. They needed to reach the town before the Queen’s guards reached them.