NationStates Jolt Archive

[1650] Crescendo

23-07-2007, 01:25
The expansive room was largely dark, lit only by the light of several braziers and one Spartan chandelier, whose light cast wavering shadows on the smoothly-cut stone of the palace floor. The sounds of the bustle of Frourio (φρούριο [OOC note: Cairo in real life; frourio means 'castle' or 'fortress']) below were entirely unheard in the room. The only door, made from Central African wood, remained shut for some time, before a man, dressed in a white linen calasiris that reached his ankles, and a gold arm-band that identified him as the Chief General of the Kingdom, entered. His feet were barefoot, having left his dusty sandals at the door of the palace.

King Euandros Skoteinis (Greek: Ευανδρος Σκοτεινις), ruler of the Kingdom of Igypt, had been waiting for this man, and he nodded in satisfaction as Macedon Voraiosandras (Greek: Μακεδον βόρειοσάνδρας), his deeply-tanned and muscular adviser strode purposefully into his presence, pausing to give a bow from his waist. Euandros acknowledged him with a nod of his head, and gestured at a table in the centre of the room, upon which lay a large map of the Mediterranean.

'Let's get to work,' he said in Greek. Macedon simply nodded, joining his King at the table.


For the next month, nothing unusual happened in the African state, but, after that general time period, things began to move in relatively rapid succession. Troops from Frourio began to march east, reinforcing the garrisons at Priscas and the surrounding cities, near the border with the Shakalan Empire's Sinai colony. Other columns began to filter eastward, as well, gathered from the heart of the country; Kushite cavalry was on the move from the south, as well.

At the same time, several small boats from the Royal Igyptian Navy began to vanish, heading up the Nile. More troops were moved to the south-east, bolstering the frontier forts there.

What all this activity portended was a topic of hot debate within Igypt itself, and there was no shortage of theories in the tavern-houses. Whatever it meant, however, it was worrying to most and unnerving to all that heard of it.