the familiar redstone gates of the great palace reared after a while. it was afternoon when the man arrived, and he asked at once for a royal audience.
he had not been here for the wedding despite the fact that he had received reports. it was unlike returning, however.
idly he wondered after princess makono as a servant led him silently into the mesa and through the winding halls toward the throne room.
it was time to leave to mereo.
father had said ten days and so it had been. she had but a few things to finish up, then she would have a word with him before departing.
only whispers reached her, of a man from mereo already being here.
she turned at once, certain that either @Khaba or @Nazli would be close at hand.
i was almost offended to not see you at the wedding,
she greeted him with, warm betrayed any thoughts of ill.
the princess had grown stately in his absence.
the imperator bowed low. "other matters kept me at home, great one." ruenna's face flashed to his mind and with it pain.
"there are rumours a new prince lives in akashingo." his voice was wry.
had word reached mereo already?
or had he heard rumors of her display? made conclusions what these things meant? she could not say, but she would make him.
tell me what you hear, imperator. rumors are pesky at best.
she offered with a well practiced smile.
"nothing more than that." he saw how skillfully makono evaded, how ramesses had taught her court-craft. "i do not abide rumours. it is part of why i am here, divine one."
by and by the servant spoke that pharaoh would call an audience later with the roman. for now he was left to the devices of the royal girl.
"i also have come to seek your healer and perhaps her stores, if the lord god wills it."
it was what had brought him here!
for the first time since meeting him, there was a wariness in her chest. a sensation that was not entirely new these days. she learned to often be on her toes. prepared for the worst, prayed for the best.
lord god.
her tongue pushed against the back of her teeth. i imagine she might tell pharaoh if such is feasible.
she did not put in good word here. already she stressed her father too much!
which was not the worst she had done as of late, but she did not plan to depart on a sour note.
how odd you come asking for things though. i was ready to depart to mereo myself.
she did not tell him why yet.
germanicus was silent. his yellowpaint eyes were watchful.
it seemed something had changed between them. he was no longer certain that makono did not work without her own aims.
and still she was so young! so youthful, hardly suited for such a life.
"mereo will be blessed to have you as our guest once more."
the throne room felt as if it were closing.
and will you be blessed to train me?
warmth simmered softly, beneath cool touched eyes and composed features.
still the words did not explicitly fall from her lips. she was baiting it, if nothing else. but she knew the wits of the imperator.
he might put two and two together quicker than others she verbally danced around.
"in what will i be training you, princess?"
she had confirmed nothing. he would do the same. it was satsu's gaze that looked back at him. it was ramesses' also.
she asked for the blessing of her presence. germanicus knew she saw herself now as a figurehead.
princess.
a title left behind. she was the image of crown prince now and each day not striving on her path towards it was a day wasted. good thing she hardly was afford such a luxury.
a soldier's training, imperator.
some mild sense of humor in the back of her words.
all crown princes must have it.
so the path and fortunes of akashingo had changed.
germanicus looked pointedly at the strong-willed girl-child who now wore the proverbial prince's helm.
"my congratulations, princeps." his lips found a smile that did not reach his eyes. "i will be honoured to train you."
he supposed it would be him escorting her back to the canyon. it felt empty without ruenna there.
princeps.
she smiled back, a trained look. her lapis gaze grew heavy and she turned. a look spared over her shoulder.
she still admired the man. his strength. those he wielded.
you flatter me.
but she knew they each played their role.
tell me why you've come for herbs?
she began to move and it was clear she expected him to follow.
germanicus heeded with easy steps. "i am not made for flattery," he answered, voice dry as new sand. yet his eyes were softened now to be here. "only the truth."
even if akashingo was not a place he enjoyed, such company was pleasant. "an officer of mine was attacked by a lynx. the beast is dead and we have an apt healer. yet i thought i might bring back some plants from this locale, to see what lady aquene made of them."
she was not heartless. concern did settle between knitted brows to hear his words. she spared him a look of it too.
condolences to your officer.
and she meant it. a soft strain to her voice before she strummed back into something more diplomatic.
our sesh may have words of wisdom to spare too. on top of whatever else pharaoh blesses off on.
she pattered down the halls, leading them to where festivities had recently been.
germanicus wondered where makono meant to lead him. "i will carry these things back with me."
he considered the journey ahead. "will you be bringing a retinue, great one?" they would need lodging and there was also the matter of how long she meant to stay.
the faces of cornelius and alivia flowed into his mind. his jaw tensed almost imperceptibly.
i believe it to be the same as last time, imperator. my lilac and a guard. one from akashingo this time.
unlike the man of mereo who has escorted her last time. but she was above such a status now too. not just a diplomat princess.
my rising is uncommon,
it was no secret by any means. these halls heard all.
but as air broke around them, a slab cleaned by the weather (and likely fellahin) from her display at the wedding.
and i ask you for much, imperator. in my trainings. i must be prepared for all.
her voice dropped, her gaze turned towards the sky.
makono would bring her maidservant and a guard whom germanicus would treat as a spy.
for that matter, the crown prince herself could be such. "indeed it is often unheard of, great one," the imperator agreed. his eyes fell upon the clean slab and how she looked skyward almost in prayer.
"it is not only the ways of a soldier you desire to learn." his voice was measured and observational.
I'm on mobile too lazy to translate pls forgive
he spoke of things she often kept confined to her private chambers.
or so that is how she interpreted it. her gaze turned from the sky to stone. him. a piece of the mountain that had come down into akashingo.
i will learn much.
her latin rough, clinging to her tongue, but she focused it upon him. warmth her voice that packed in the air.
all good! <3
"et docebo vos."
he was pleased that she had remembered. their journey back to mereo would be filled with latin he decided.
"i must seek out the queen and your father, divine one. i will be ready to leave in one sunrise." no more was needed.
see to it. be well.
she would send him off with a servant. as if he did not know the halls, but it was habit more than anything else.
she would find the sanpin nearby and depart to the wellspring.