Chapter Text
Much to the gratitude of the research team, the blazing sun had almost finished setting. The moon had appeared an hour before, sharing the sky like an unrequited lover. The temperature dropped faster and faster, dry heat replaced with an even dryer cold. But at least layers could be added.
Kaveh had observed most of the Akademiya researchers staying up late into the night either peering over one of the many mechanisms found around the area or writing what he imagined to be the beginning of their thesis.
Burning the midnight oil was no strange occurrence for the architect, however it was difficult to get his work done in the nighttime. After all, he had come out here to see the ruins in all their glory.
“I guess it doesn’t hurt to see its shadows as well,” he decided aloud, using his fingers to carefully spin the half-finished blueprint Mehrak was displaying for him.
Mehrak beeped as if in reply. Kaveh sighed and waved the blueprint closed. Maybe getting a full overview of the ruins in the nighttime wouldn’t hurt after all. At the very least it couldn’t hurt to stretch his legs.
Standing up from the stone wall he’d chosen as a seat, Kaveh realized just how long it had been since he had moved last. His leg muscles tensed as he moved, buttocks tightening for a moment. “Ohhhhh boy,” he groaned as he stretched his arms into the sky and then back down.
He paused to take a sip from his canteen, sloshing the remaining contents around a little. They would need to make a trip over to the oasis soon. He was sure he wasn’t the only one starting to run a little low.
Kaveh walked around the ruins by himself at least two times. The first time he just walked, trying to get the stiffness in his muscles to relax. The second time he took longer, taking the time to observe the angles of the ruin, the way the shadows played in the moonlight. It did, in fact, open him to new artistic details he had not considered previously, and a smile alighted on his features. “Not bad…not bad,” he muttered to himself, the mental journal of notes in his head filling up again.
Mehrak floated behind him silently and Kaveh considered pausing entirely to get out some paper to write down his ideas, but right now he was afraid that if he looked away from the ruin, he would break the flow of artistic thought currently leading his brain along.
His eyes moved across the corners of the ruin’s roof to its sidings, following the trail of light that flickered across the arch. It must have been a grand entryway at some point and in some way, it still was, though Kaveh was sure that it was in no way close to its former glory.
Kaveh watched the light change as he watched, clouds in the sky sliding across the moon’s gaze. A part of him wondered what he could discover if he simply watched the light move across the building throughout the night. When the sun rose, he could write down his ideas, perhaps even start a rough sketch of his plan and show it to the client before nightfall.
Excitement bubbled up inside of him and he – regrettably – took his eyes away from the wall to find a place to get comfortable. Perhaps it was luck that he chose that moment to turn around, but Kaveh had never been a very lucky man.
“Look what we have here. Another test subject.”
For Alhaitham, the day had gone by as usual. Returning to the simple duties of the Scribe had been a relief after being Acting Grand Sage for so long. He was thankful to be rid of the extra duties and get back to what he felt he was good at. For a time, he had been almost afraid they would make him Grand Sage – whether he wanted the position or not.
He was just beginning to clean up his things when a familiar form appeared around his desk. “Oh, Cyno, hello.”
“Hello.”
“To what do I owe a visit from the Mahamatra?”
“I needed to access some research pertaining to a specific academic, but I see you’re finished for the day. I can come back tomorrow.”
“No need. I’m still here. Who is the researcher?”
The two spend the next thirty minutes sorting through paperwork of the mentioned academic which Cyno had been tasked to investigate. Most of the time was spent in comfortable silence, the two perfectly suited for their roles.
Nearing the end of their work however, Cyno does offer a question to Alhaitham. “Have you heard from Kaveh recently? I haven’t seen him around the city in some time.”
“Kaveh? Oh, yes, he’s on an expedition into the desert.”
“The desert? Kaveh?”
Alhaitham shrugged, blank features showing no sense of concern. “Something about a client wanting the aspects of a ruin from King Deshret’s civilization incorporated into his build. Kaveh accompanied some researchers and the client to go explore it.”
“Mmm…Have they been gone awhile?”
“I suppose.” Alhaitham waved a dismissive hand, “Knowing Kaveh, he is simply being frivolous with his time.”
The words were empty and while Cyno did not say anything, Alhaitham was sure the other man saw right through him. The expedition was supposed to be done and Kaveh back in the city weeks ago.
“He’s been sending me letters. They were delayed by some locked mechanisms – not that Kaveh needed to stay to help them, but you know how he is.”
“Yes, I suppose.”
Alhaitham did not mention that the letters had been weekly and suddenly stopped two weeks ago. He did not mention how the topic made his heart flutter with unexplainable fear. He simply offered a polite goodbye to the Mahamatra as Cyno left him to go finish his investigation and continued cleaning up his papers.
He did not mention how much he hated going home to an empty house.