three days' hence, pharaoh received the blackwinged messenger from
@Qiao who in the classically harsh voice of their kind conveyed its scroll: that the
hemet had been welcomed and would be upon her way soon. he gave the bird its choice of rabbit or waterfowl and left them to the meal.
ramesses stepped lightly, in search of
@Satsu. she wondered if he had yet met their priest. and there was politics to discuss.
he did not yet know.
She had been unable to sleep ever since the news of Sabah had arrived. Worried for the woman - and for herself, and, the swelling of her belly. Although Satsu spent much of her time with Tavina for company or Belen, she did not know what to do with herself.
Choosing to wallow, then. To grieve, to fret. It would not be good for her body - the healer woman said as much, and often. When the summons came for Satsu from her husband, the woman knew she could not remain hidden for much longer.
Belen decorated her with the scent of dried flowers, and was dismissed. Satsu moved then, flowing from her quarters to the hall, to wherever Pharaoh had called from, and danced through the door only a touch off-kilter from her usual mien.
"my sweet," ramesses purred, watching in dazzlement as his floral-woven queen danced delicately toward him. he caught her with a lingering kiss, pressing his pale cheek against her own.
"jawahir will return with a prize for crowfeather. akashingo has a new priest."
ramesses felt that satsu seemed somehow changed. elevated.
he looked with love and indulgence upon her.
Jawahir will return. Oh, she had gone? Satsu was not often thinking of the vile creature and her features were passive until Crowfeather was brought up. A wife for the prince. This part threw her, a little.
A priest, too. Akashingo was growing in many surprising ways.
What is he like? The priest.
"he is not a wolf. but he spoke to me at once of my own gods. of the ones whose names i have always known. he is one of my people."
ramesses was curious.
he stared at her lithe frame as if he might see. "has anything stirred within you, satsu?" he was careful to keep hope from his tone.
not a wolf.
a coyote then; or the little bug-eyed monster at crowfeather's bedside, each closer to being family to this priest. could they be trusted?
he is one of my people.
this did not fit for satsu. ramesses was the pinnacle of a man. he was above the lesser creatures, the trinkets, which decorated his bed.
she is disturbed by his words. but he mentions something else - pivots the conversation to focus upon her, and she all smiles, rose-pink and bashful.
i... hunger, that is all.
satsu moves to nose at his throat, tucking her face against him. pressing herself close to hum a soft song during a brief embrace.
and i worry -- for sabah.
and for the future, if the attacks never cease, and they are always at risk. if the master of the guard could be targeted and taken from them, what else could they lose?
perhaps if ramesses had been more well-versed in the rounding pregnant form he might have recognized satsu's own and seen through her reticence.
as it was, the royal had been raised by nursemaids. his queen mother had remained sequestered through subsequent pregnancies. he did not have to notice and so he had not applied himself in that regard.
he enfolded satsu close. "it is the way of an empire. but blood makes poor mortar. i have ordered extra patrols of the lake to ensure that the cat will not return."
he kissed her forehead. "we should find a diversion. what might be diverting to do, satsu?"
we should throw a party,
the queen thought aloud, wrapped as she was within her husband's embrace.
he likely had more immediate desires. satsu sighed against him, searching herself for that same physical need that had possessed her weeks ago - and found it lacking. she found instead a great warmth for ramesses that flickered candle strong, unlike the pyre that had consumed her.
perhaps choose a new jodai and celebrate their advancement. i do not want to think about what was lost.
a small frown tugged at her features.
ramesses nuzzled into her throat, kissing her flesh and willing satsu to stir. the pleasures o their bodies might be forbidden as not to affect her state; but he did not take this into account, only his own desire to taste and to feel her. this was his affection: that his passions might run so hot for her in a way as to be deeper than the others.
she was his queen after all.
"i would like that. perhaps along the steppes. a hunt. stories. dancing. i do miss yours," pharaoh purled, pulling her closer with a nip to her chin. "and after — belen in our bedchamber."
his voice grew husky, lower.
and so it came to pass, though their feasting would be put off for now.