[center][h2][b][i][color=00aeef]Qar[/color][/i][/b][/h2][/center]

Qar sighed as Amen walked past him, revealing the unfortunate truth.  He had suspected as much. Indeed, it was probable that all the Viziers had detected Amen's reluctance to take up the position of Pharaoh and the fighting between the Viziers, the politicking, had only served to drive him further away from the throne.  It was something that Qar himself could understand.  If he were ever any Amen's position he too would rather not have that responsibility, that constant expectation of him with hundreds if not thousands of people hanging onto his every word day in and day out.

[color=00aeef]"Truth be told, Amen,"[/color] Qar used the Pharaoh's name as requested, out here in the world with no guards it would be unwise to use his title, [color=00aeef]"I would rather not be a Vizier. My calling is that of healing and being involved in these councils, this constant debating that eventually comes to little or no action, takes time away from the good I can do."[/color]  He looked up at the sky, wondering why he felt the need to explain himself to the young man.  Yes, he was the Pharaoh whether he wanted the position or not but if anything that would mean Qar would not want to bother him with the trivial matter of a Vizier's past life.  Nevertheless, he felt his words could perhaps reach Amen if they could relate to one another's situation.

[color=00aeef]"My family are farmers, they live quite some way out of Thebes.  Out there lawlessness is rife.  We were a big family with a strong community around us so by and large we got by safely.  In the end, there were too many of us and I went to study at Temple of Thoth when they realise I had a certain aptitude for research.  In the years I was gone the banditry got worse and eventually my family arrived at the Temple far fewer in number.  I'm still not sure how many are dead or enslaved.  In the days after I lost more to the wounds they had sustained in their flight and so I resolved to become a healer and travelled a great deal, learning what I could."[/color]  He turned to look at Amen, perhaps presumptuously staring the young man right in the eyes to hold his gaze.

[color=00aeef]"I am no politician, Amen.  I am farmer who has learned to heal maladies and fix broken bodies and being here takes me away from that.  But I was entrusted with this position and, even without your support, I can use my position to make things better.  To educate other healers properly, bring up issues that otherwise might be ignored by the court.  If I did not think that I could do more here then I would leave and set up a healing house."[/color]

They were interrupted by the coarse shout and the sound of a whip cracking.  Qar winced as he heard the responding cry of pain and looked over the heads of the crowd to see a band of slavers pushing a straggling group of bound slaves along.  Although he did not wish to announce it, especially in public, another of Qar's hopes was to better the lives of those in slavery.  He knew that abolishing it completely would could chaos and possibly pull down their kingdom but reforming it was something that he saw as both possible and reasonable.

Amen, however, was less reticent about how abolishing slavery would affect the kingdom and before Qar could react, he had drawn the ire of the slavers.  Along with it came the attention of all those in the street, cries of surprise and panic as people struggled to get out of the way of the conflict.  They did not, however, go too far.  It was not everyday that one saw a battle feature a magician and the danger would be worth a story to tell later.

[color=fff200]"Qar, don't you dare say anything about who I am. I don't want anything stopping me from beating these slavers down."[/color]

Qar looked down at the young man, the fierceness in his eyes and the barely contained rage threatening to spill out of his body.  The situation was too far gone to resolve with words, that much was clear.  Besides, the slavers running towards them did not seem the type to accept an apology meekly before moving on; in the end the slaves would probably get a beating for something they had no part in.  Instead, the physician nodded to the Pharaoh.

[color=00aeef]"Of course, Amen.  However,"[/color] he stepped forwards and shrugged off the top half of his robe so that it hung behind him, still held partly in place by the sash around his waist but no longer restricting his movement.  Perhaps surprisingly the action had revealed a well toned and finely muscled body, not the wall of muscle of a warrior but certainly not the thin and scrawny frame one would expected from a scribe or a scholar such as Qar, with several long since healed scars dotted across his torso. [color=00aeef]"Allow me to join you.  I may not be a warrior like your friend Zamonth but I will do my best to keep up with you. Oh, and before we begin..."[/color] He stopped as the first of the slavers reached them, wielding some kind of cudgel.

Qar neatly side-stepped the first attack, his movements not quite polished but were most definitely more so than those of the slaver whose brawny frame was that of one who became fit and muscled from his lifestyle, not through effort.  During his numerous days at the palace waiting for Amen to arrive, Qar had joined with the Guards in their daily sparring.  At first they had been surprised by his request but had found out that he was not a complete novice and was a quick learner.  As such, Qar knew where to hit and how to hit and he did so with the first unfortunate slaver who was presumably only skilled in beating those unable to fight back. He tripped the man deftly before slamming the backhand of his fist into the rear of the man's skull, near the top of his neck.  With barely a sound the slaver dropped to the ground, unmoving.

[color=00aeef]"I would prefer it if we did not maim or kill them. As a healer, it goes against my wishes to inflict serious harm upon others.  When we are finished and the Guard come, please allow me to manage the situation.  Please, in this at least trust in me."[/color]