As the crowd roared around her, Thea felt relieved and embarrassed all at once. Yes, someone was rushing to Lapis brandishing a knife. However once the servant reached him, he handed Lapis his knife, handle first. Lapis nodded curtly, sweeping his eyes along the crowd as he dug into his food.

It was, by her guesstimate, a half-hour before Thea's nerves settled. It wasn't that she was enjoying the brutality that was on display in front of her, but she at least no longer jumped at things like servants giving people utensils. Thus the sporting event continued, completely normally.

By the end of the fight, and two grand winners were declared (one from the younger group, one from the older group), Thea had had her fill of food and drink. Since she didn't enjoy people trying to kill each other with their bare hands essentially, she had spent the passing hours looking under her seat occasionally for serpents. Her eyes fluttered about, keen for any assassins lurking.

However, to Thea's surprise honestly, nothing out of the ordinary happened. The closing ceremony (which was similar to the grand opening, but the music wasn't as lively, and the songs sounded more like a dirge) had just begun when someone tapped Thea on the shoulder. She was surprised when a guard stood before her. He bent down, whispering in her ear.

"My King has requested for you and Sir Lapis to be escorted from the grounds before the general public. A safety measure."

"Oh," Thea said. A sickening knot formed immediately. She hoped it was just paranoia, but she found it odd that Ankh hadn't mentioned this precaution before hand.

Thea glanced across the way. She saw Lapis already being led by two armed guards. Even at a distance, his body language didn't seem to convey any worry. It was with that acknowledgment she allowed herself to relax again, even though her eyes darted around occasionally.

Thea was sure enough reunited with Lapis at the entrance of the arena. Lapis chuckled a bit when Thea flung herself into his arms.

"Thea my dear, what's this?"

As Lapis patted her head, the small group could hear Ankh giving closing statement and prayers.

Thea shut her eyes tightly. "I was so worried, being separated. I really thought something was going to happen! I saw the one servant rush at you with a knife, and—"

Lapis chuckled, holding her at arm's length briefly. "That happened simply because mine had broken."

Thea suddenly felt on the verge of tears. Looking sympathetic, Lapis wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close.

"Come. Let's get you back to your chambers and get you settled. Your nerves seem absolutely destroyed."

On the walk back to the palace, Lapis made small talk in an attempt to make Thea more comfortable. He explained to her that the stakes were high at the event; whoever won was going to be set free.

"They were slaves?" Thea asked, aghast.

"Not all of them. Most of them."

"It's so--barbaric!" Thea declared before she could stop herself.

Lapis appeared genuinely confused. "Do slaves not exist where you come from?"

"No! I mean, they do, but it's frowned upon."

"Why?" Lapis asked innocently.

"They're people, Lapis!"

"Yes?" When Thea simply gawked at him, he said, "And?"

"Well how would you like being a slave?" Thea asked indignantly.

To her horror, Lapis outright laughed. "Thea, darling, my innocent little scarab. That's preposterous! Why in the God's good graces would a man of a stature be a slave?"

Thea was starting to feel crestfallen, realizing this was probably a losing battle. "Nevermind that. Would you like being a slave?"

Perhaps it wasn't a hopeless conversation. It took Lapis a long while to reply.

"No," he admitted hesitantly. "I mean, so long as they do what they're told, they're looked after and well fed."

"Would you want to build a pyramid?"

Lapis seemed a bit bewildered. "What?"

"I said, would you want to build a pyramid?"

"I don't—I do not have that sort of authority to declare a pyramid to be erected—"

Thea shook her head. "You're not understanding me. Would you want to be tasked with chiseling out limestone, heaving it onto the sand-boats, dragging it across the desert, and constructing it?"

Once again Lapis laughed. "No! That is what slaves are for!"

"Do you think they want to do that? Or do they build pyramids because they have to?"

There was another stretched out pause. Finally, Lapis gave her a look from the corner of his eye. "Are you suggesting slaves be done away with?"

"Yes."

Lapis was shocked. "How would anything get done? Without slaves, who would build anything?"

Thea smirked. "People who want to do that."

Lapis opened his mouth but then closed it. He tried again. "Like a job?"

"Yes! Precisely!"

Lapis laughed, but by the tone in his voice as he spoke, Thea could tell he was still churning out things in his head. "You come from a strange place, Thea. Your customs are odd."

"Be that as it may—"

Thea was going to proclaim, It is the way of the future. However, she stopped herself. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she ached to be able to speak with Aquen. There was still so much that was a mystery to her; how much of an influence did her being transported through time have on her time-line? Was there any?

The longer she thought, the worse it unraveled in her head. Did the butterfly effect apply to time? What if, for whatever reason, Ankh was meant to die? Could his life bring about some unthinkable disaster? A plague? Social or political upheaval? Something so severe that it might, somehow, end up wiping out humanity?

"You are pensive."

Thea swiveled her head to look at Lapis. It wasn't a question. Thea wasn't sure how to respond. As the wind blew, she re-tucked her hair.

"Why do you do that?" Lapis asked, innocence coating his voice like paint on tapestry.

"Do what?"

Smiling, Lapis reached out, tucking the hair on the other side of her head. Thea laughed.

"Oh, well I... I don't really know."

"It's cute."

Thea clocked her eyebrow. "Cute?"

"Yes," Lapis said, frittering over her hair a moment more. "It reminds me of a kitten, washing behind its ears."

Thea laughed. Then, her smile became wistful, and she spoke softly. "You know...I do actually know."

"Oh?"

"My grandmother," Thea said, an airy quality to her voice as she still half-smiled. "Once I was visiting her and I came down with a really bad headache. She sang songs to me while running her hand along my hair. Occasionally she would tuck my hair behind my ear. I found it..."

When she didn't finish her sentence, Lapis raised his eyebrows.

"Comforting," Thea finished. "Yes; I found it extremely comforting."

As Lapis smiled, a guard walked up to them. He had two waterskins tied around his waist. After giving the chest salute to Lapis, he spoke.

"Do either of you require water?"

Lapis smiled, inclined his head, and spoke softly. "Thank you, Satep, but I am fine."

"And you?"

Thea rose her hand and shook her head. Saluting Lapis once more, the guard fell back in line.

As the sun began to retreat against the horizon, a thought occurred to Thea.

"Lapis, why did we walk back?"

Lapis smiled. "To lure out the assassin, of course."