in the cooler part of the afternoon, when he had risen from his nap, pharaoh ordered that
@Lilitu be brought to him. he would meet her atop the mesa, where the snowsun man stood overlooking the long expanses of kintla yet unclaimed by himself.
here he performed his ablutions before Amun: a ceremonial leaf of water poured over his head to cleanse him of the lingering sleep. here ramesses called out to his god, tilting crown back and lifting lapis eyes to the sky.
and here he would be found, turning to hear for her step, turning in expectation that brecheliant's princess would not decline his pointed invitation.
She would, of course, not ignore the summons. How could she? His pack had housed her, fed her, cared for her—albeit under the guise that she was to be wed to some prince.
Crowfeather was gone, though, and Lilitu went to him wondering if this was an update, of sorts, or another empty promise. She followed whatever messenger, aural or physical, he sent, and when she darkened the door of his chambers, she dipped her head in respectful greeting.
Pharaoh,
Lilitu said, taking a couple of steps forward. Her eyes glinted off the slender rays of light. What can I do for you?
More like, 'What can you do for ME?' You know, since I've been stuck here for friggin' days.
got carried away, no need to match length lol
"princess lilitu."
it did not matter if she was not ready to wear the title. she had come here to the palace in knowingness of her role, and the falling-through of the intended match had not spurred her away.
now she stood respectful, her eyes gleaming verdant and bright in the glow of Ra's gaze.
ramesses did not immediately answer. they stood beneath the sky and he looked out over his kingdom, motioning her closer. "the former prince crowfeather left akashingo, as you know. he was not a prisoner here, but he did not feel it was his home." pharaoh set his lapis stare upon lilitu. "i had hoped the sight of your beauty might change his heart, but he has his mind set upon ... that which is less feminine."
pharaoh glittered with a grin and gestured to a low couch set against an outcropping of stone. here they could watch the sun dance and then wane. it was the same place he had entertained marina of the druids, something not lost upon the ruler as he sat with a languid sigh and waved for berries to be brought.
the fruits were piled before he and lilitu by a servant who appeared and retreated in silence.
"i will be direct with you: i am still in need of a princess whose marriage might serve my kingdom." he took a rich fruit and let it burst beneath his tongue. "i have another in mind. if you agree, then you will be married quickly. i already have a message prepared to send with an emissary, one that asks after ursus and arielle by name."
yes; he had gleaned this name from jawahir.
delicate strands of metaphorical linen waited to envelop lilitu. ramesses paused. he went on.
"i will send it the morning after your wedding night. you are not bound to akashingo upon marrying; you may return home if this is your desire." it was the happy nature of a political bond. "but if you stay, the same nobility given to him will be your own."
and now he fell silent, nestling back against the cushions, shoulders to their silken wealth and eyes turned upon lilitu who presumably sat alongside him.
forgive me, I can't read and thought they were inside lol
The title took her aback. It wasn't
bad—she kind of liked it, actually—but also, she didn't feel as if she'd deserved it. But she bowed slightly anyway, a gentle smile touching her muzzle. She went along with Pharaoh's fruit-filled repose, listening to what he had to say.
Another in mind. And a message to Arielle. The two were a package deal.
Who is it?
Lilitu asked, wondering if she'd seen this Option B wandering around the mesa at some point. She delicately took a fruit between her lips, chewing thoughtfully. It was an explosion of flavor; she'd had berries in the fen before, but nothing this rich. Where did they find these. . .?
She swallowed, and continued,
I'd like to meet him, first.
ur good! excellent even <3
"his name is charles. he is mixed-blood coyote and wolf. what is important about him is that he was once a member of the saints. they are the first enemies of akashingo." he took a berry, then another, leaning back against the stone at his back and smirking sideways at lilitu.
"he will marry into akashingo and then his bloodline is tied to the palace."
cruel. delightful. pharaoh's lazuli stare teased and prodded.
"i shall arrange a meeting soon."
<3
Charles. She tucked away the name for later fancy. It seemed very noble, and she imagined at once a dashing man, big and strong. 'The Saints' may or may not have rang a bell—their notoriety was such that most wolves of these parts had heard of them at least once in passing—but most importantly, he was a prince.
He was The Prince.
Thank you,
Lilitu replied, smiling.
I'm happy another prince has come, after. . .
She trailed off delicately, not wanting to invoke Pharaoh's rage upon mention of Crowfeather.
And I am glad Akashingo will still have me.
She took another berry, chewing as slowly as before.
Your wolves,
she said upon swallowing.
Do they have fruit like this often? I thought wolves ate meat only, except when times are hard.
The memory was vivid of tart, cold berries sitting in the bottom of her stomach in the throes of winter; she had not been a good hunter on her own.
ramesses wanted her. he felt lilitu's practiced politeness hid a passion yet to be unearthed, as it were. the season's splendid workings would engender that soon enough. his eyes glowed as he leant somewhat closer to explain in a jubilant, animated tone.
"as soon as it is warm, i have the fellahin go out into the surrounding territories and begin to cultivate the berry-bushes. through the hot months they do this, and bring them to ferment in storerooms. by the height of Ra's season, akashingo has amassed enough wine to carry through the first of winter."
"a berry is only something to fill an empty belly. it is the process of transformation which makes them worthy for pharaohs and for lovely foreign princesses." ramesses chuckled and drew away, awaiting the reaction he gleefully thought would come.
The words he spun were somewhat unknown to Lilitu. She leaned in a little, trying to catch them all. His meaning was not lost upon her, but she decided to play coy, giving him a bland smile in return.
Who is Ra? And what is wine?
she asked. I've traveled many places, but there's a lot I've yet to learn.
Another berry, plucked from the pile. It was so sweet upon her tongue. She swallowed and ran said tongue along her lips, holding Pharaoh's gaze throughout.
The prince has left her mind.
ramesses watched her with a sharp and open interest. suppose charles was not up to the pleasant task of making her a wife? idly he wondered again what eljay might make of discovering later that the pharaoh himself had made lilitu a second royal companion.
but no, her marriage must be preserved to serve his aims.
perhaps after then. he held her eyes and smiled, a slow bloom of white teeth. "Ra is the god of the sun. it is He who raises the light and brings it down again. and wine is what you are drinking: the liquid inside the berry which has changed."
Organic chemistry was lost upon Lilitu, but she was fascinated by his mention of Ra, the sun god. She'd never been raised in a particular religious tradition and relished gathering tales from those who had.
How about the moon?
she asked, canting her head. Or the stars? Do you believe the souls of those who've died live in the night sky?
That was a common belief, and one she took heart in, especially when the nights grew lonely and she found herself missing Ibis and Wraen.
She wondered what they'd think of her, here.
Ibis would worry. Wraen would think it a spectacular diversion, she mused.
lilitu's company was enjoyable. again the thought crossed his mind that he should make more of it, should woo her toward the future of being in his company once more. after all, charles did not want to be married and pharaoh had never believed his tastes ran toward the feminine.
"Khonsu is pathfinder among the night skies. He guides the moon from one night to another. Sah is the name of one star. Sopet is another. but the night-mother, She Who Brings the Evening Down, Her name is Net. Geb is her brother and her husband. Ra hated her, and said 'Net shall not give birth during any days of the year,' a year being three-hundred-and-sixty."
his eyes glowed. "but Net is no fool. She visited the God of wisdom, Thoth, and chose a plan. She began gambling with Khonsu, and each time He lost, he was forced to give Her a bit of His moonlight as payment. eventually Net collected enough moonlight for five more days. these days were not part of our year, and so she was free to have Her children."
ramesses grinned. "she had five children: Osiris, Horus, Set, and Iset. and it is Osiris who became King of the Dead, He who oversees the afterlife where only worthy souls may go after their judgement at the hands of Anubis and Ma'at."
Osiris oversees the afterlife,
she murmured, once he'd finished with his story. She'd been rapt the entire time, lips slightly parted, body slightly inclined toward the Pharaoh. She smiled, but only a little bit. I wonder if Osiris and his judges accepted my mother and my aunt there.
She couldn't think otherwise. Ibis and Wraen had been good, intelligent wolves. Their spirits must live on. . .
I hope to see them, in the stars,
Lilitu admitted. I wasn't there when either of them died.
The young woman fell silent, then, and plucked a grape from the pile, chewing. I'm curious about the wine,
she mumbled through a slightly-full mouth. I suppose I'll find out, when the season is right.
Does your mother live, Pharaoh?
he supposed these were the fresher sort of fruit, more suited for the princess who dined with him. "who can know the mind of Osiris? but we may speculate, so long as we give thanks for what He has granted us." his mother.
ramesses let out a breath that could be translated as anything. "she lives. and if she did not she would live in my sister. both are wretches." he chuckled. "would you like to taste such berries now? there is an early crop in a larder." his eyes shone.
Wretches. She couldn't relate, her own mother and sister being gentle and kind.
Berries seemed like a better diversion.
Yes, I think I would,
Lilitu answered, smiling.
Show me the way, Pharaoh.
They could talk of other things on the way.
wanna fade this out? <3