Daesung had never been more miserable in his entire life. From what Daesung could tell, they had just been informed that lunch would be brought to them. He assumed this from the fact that his stomach was rumbling and the servant who had just come by to speak with Seunghyun had used some of the few words that Daesung had actually learned: river, and food. They hadn’t gotten up, so he just assumed that they would be staying where they were.

This was fine with him as the less moving around they had to do, the less things Seunghyun had to be mad at him about. Though it was only their fourth day together, Daesung had realized that if he was silent and difficult to see, then Seunghyun was less inclined to try and speak at him, and therefore less likely to get frustrated. He figured that Seunghyun was also trying to avoid him, as he doubted that it would be quite this easy to get out of being yelled at if Seunghyun weren’t actively trying not to be angry.

He was silently thankful for that, but he still couldn’t help but to be terribly unhappy. While he was really sick of thinking about it, he couldn’t stop himself from remembering that he knew next to no one here, and could talk to exactly one of the few that he did know. How could he stay positive when his only company was himself and the strangely moody bear that just so happened to be the sun of a Pharaoh? There was no way. So he sank further into his little bubble of sadness while trying not to incite Seunghyun so that he wouldn’t cry in front of the formidable man.

Luckily, however, Daesung didn’t have to sit in his own thoughts for very long as the servants were starting to show up with lunch. In order to show his status as lower than Seunghyun (and also probably so that Seunghyun could more easily pretend that he wasn’t there), Daesung sat on the ground whenever they sat outside while Seunghyun sat on a type of portable chaise that Daesung had been unaware that Egypt even had during this time period. But now that there was food, he could buckle down to eat and focus on nothing else.

***

Seunghyun was almost enjoying the view of the Nile.

He probably would have enjoyed it more if it weren’t for the fact that Daesung was very obviously trying to be invisible. Seunghyun had decided almost immediately upon noticing this, which may have admittedly been a little later than it could have been, that he would try to keep himself from talking to Daesung unless it was absolutely necessary.

He was trying really hard to not get frustrated with the younger man, but there was just something so infuriating to him about the fact that Daesung couldn’t understand him. Seunghyun couldn’t explain it, and probably wouldn’t even try if someone was to ask, but he really and truly wanted to be understood by Daesung. There was something intriguing about the man; something slightly unusual but not bad that he wanted so badly to be able to experience.

But unfortunately, as was usual with him in most every situation, he was mucking everything up by getting angry and frustrated far more quickly and frequently than was even close to being necessary. Waiting for Daesung to tie his wrap properly and getting angry at the injustice of it all was a little bit unnecessary, but he couldn’t help it.

They had just finished lunch and Seunghyun had almost managed to forget that Daesung was there, when he was notified that two temple workers were waiting to speak with him. He fights back a sigh and dips his head in acceptance slightly, allowing himself a quick peak at Daesung who was on the ground on the other side of the table, before looking back up.

“Your Highness,” One of the two workers says, a young man that Seunghyun couldn’t place in his memory. Seunghyun nods and the worker continues, “Jiyong has requested your presence for some matters pertaining to the festival.”

Seunghyun is silent for a moment, confusion battling through his mind; he couldn’t imagine what Jiyong might need from him. He casts a glance in Daesung’s direction and is shocked to see that the young man is staring up at him…until he turns his attention back to the workers and realizes that the second worker, a female who looked to be from the inner temple, was smiling warmly at Daesung.

“Right, yes, I will come immediately.” He says, slightly dazed by the sudden surge of overwhelming jealousy that he felt.

“If it is okay, your Highness, Taeyang has asked that I keep track of Daesung for the rest of the day.” The female says, sending another smile in Daesung’s direction. “It sounded like you would have quite a lot to talk about with Jiyong today.”

Seunghyun nods and then fights the urge to turn to Daesung to try and explain the situation; he knew the action would be futile and lost on the man, and he didn’t want to deal with the frustration that it would give him. “Alright, take him now; he is finished with his lunch.” He says, turning away from the workers. “If I am to go into the temple, then I must wash first, someone will need to accompany me to the purifying pools.” Seunghyun says to no one in particular, knowing that one of the servants will lead him there and then on to Jiyong and a day of work.

He tries not to notice when the pretty young woman took Daesung by the hand to urge him up and away.

It doesn’t work.

***

“What could you possibly need from me?” Seunghyun says, a smirk on his face as he walks slowly into the large room that Jiyong was currently treating as a planning room. Jiyong makes a tsk noise, but otherwise ignores the remark as he stares intently at the far wall.

There was a large diagram gently chalked onto the yellow stone surface. It seemed to Seunghyun to be a scale representation of the temple complex with extra marks that he assumed were directions for the servants and other temple workers.

Seunghyun considered waiting for Jiyong to speak, but after around three minutes of silence and wall-staring, he decided to try again. “So, what did you need me for?” He asks, dropping the haughty tone that he had been using for the past few days and speaking casually; he had forgotten how liberating it felt not to sound like he was standing above everyone.

Jiyong doesn’t turn around, but he waves his hand around in a manner that Seunghyun decides is supposed to be a beckoning. “I can’t remember…” Jiyong starts as Seunghyun walks closer. He trails off though, his head tilting to the side and his eyes squinting up at the wall.

“Can’t remember what?” Seunghyun says, relishing in the lack of impatience that he feels at the slow pace Jiyong was moving.

“Last year,” Jiyong says suddenly, turning to face Seunghyun who opens his mouth to question again, but is interrupted. “I can’t remember how the temple was set up last year.”

And then Jiyong was a flurry of energy and activity and Seunghyun was left standing there with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.

“All of the servants remember their duties. The older ones remember the decorations and can teach the younger ones but the one thing that no one remembers properly is how we fit everyone in here!” He marches forward and jabs a finger at the open area in the center of the diagram. “How do we fit them all into this area?” He asks, circling the area with his finger before dragging his hand back to the entrance of the temple. “How do we shuffle everyone through the main gate,” he drags his finger through the chalk gate, “into the first altar,” he pokes at a small altar room immediately after the gate, “through the second gate, and into the lesser purifying pools,” He says, dragging his finger through the gate and into the pool area where he flattens his palm against the wall. “Without any large delays and without having anyone skip a step? How am I supposed to fit all of the worshipers into the hall? I need room for the servants to move unimpeded…”

Seunghyun is quiet for a second, watching as Jiyong slowly turns his attention back into himself as he turns to regard the wall as a whole again after his tirade. “The temple was built to accommodate all of the people that will come to worship during festivals. The halls are wide and this diagram does them no justice. Let us move out into the temple proper and you can voice your concerns about the areas as we pass through them.”

Jiyong nods slowly, his demeanor changing from one of defeat to optimism as he turns to fully face Seunghyun. “Yes. I have been in here for far too long.” He says, before turning and starting toward the exit, forcing Seunghyun to hurry after him. “Youngbae was starting to worry that I would never leave this room.” He says, his arms gesturing back toward the room they were leaving.

“Yes, I can imagine.” Seunghyun says a frown crossing over his face. “I haven’t seen either of you at dinner since I arrived.” Or at all, he wanted to add, but decided that he would save that discussion for later on, if ever.

“Yes, well, before large ceremonies I like to throw myself entirely into my work…it leads to better communication with the Oracle when the festival itself comes. I will be more open to receiving and understanding what I am being told.”

Seunghyun never felt more glad that he hadn’t been born with a future of temple work in his cards than when he listened to Jiyong talk about his duties or what he did to prepare himself for them; he didn’t have the motivation or dedication to the Oracle that either Jiyong or Youngbae had to be able to go through the intense amount of preparation that it often took, not to mention the fact that there was never a true ‘off’ day.

“I would like to start here.” Jiyong says suddenly as they pass out of the main temple structure and into the large open ‘courtyard’ area that Jiyong tended to call the ‘hall’. “If we can figure out how to fit everyone in here, then maybe the rest will follow from there.”

Seunghyun nods, silently hoping that the rest of the day passes by quickly. He even more silently wonders what Daesung is doing.

***

Daesung was rather confused when Dara helped him up and basically dragged him away from Seunghyun. By the time they made it to the first set of tents, however, he was less confused and more on the happy side. This was the break he had been hoping for over the last few days…or at least he hoped it was. He still didn’t really know why Dara had come for him, as he hadn’t been listening before and it wasn’t like he really understands any more of the language than he had when he had been dropped off with the eventual Pharaoh.

“Where?” He asks, proud of himself for remembering the word and even more proud of himself when Dara seems to understand him.

She waves her hand in a way that he took to mean that their destination wasn’t very important, and he was glad that she didn’t try to spew a bunch of Egyptian at him. He hadn’t spent a whole lot of time with Dara when he first got here, but the time that he had spent had been some of his favorite, and least stressful.

Dara was extremely expressive, and she seemed to understand much better than most everyone else that just speaking at him slower wasn’t necessarily going to help him. So Daesung had really enjoyed sitting in the laundry room while the girls cleaned and told stories, because Dara never failed to entertain him.

Daesung stays quiet for a little while more before deciding that he kind of wants to know why he had been rescued from Seunghyun. He concentrates hard on the question, wondering if he had ever heard it asked before, and suddenly a word pops into his head. It seemed like a possibility, so he decides to try it.

“Why..?” he asks timidly, hoping that the word was real.

To his surprise, and probably Dara’s as well, it really was a real word. Dara turns her head sharply to look at him, her eyes wide in surprise before softening into a smile. “Taeyang.” She says simply, and Daesung nods in understanding.

He smiles to himself as they continue on through the maze of living tents; he really missed Taeyang, and was delighted to know that the older man was obviously still thinking about him. He hoped that Taeyang and Jiyong weren’t too busy, though he supposed that they probably were exceedingly busy, especially since he hadn’t seen either of them at any meals since he had been left with Seunghyun.

“Come on!” Dara says, and Daesung smiles brightly at her; happy that he could understand her even though it was such a simple sentence, and just happy to be away from the oppressiveness that hung off of Seunghyun like a cloak.