just after sundown he was roused from his throne room by one of the younger fellahin. they blended together quite honestly; he did not discern them one from another. but this time he found himself looking at the boy, whose parentage he knew but ignored if not for the rushing blur of anger that clouded his vision each time.
jawahir had belonged to him and still did, but he meant to punish them for a while, take his gilded face from the sight of his disgraced jewel.
the hallway of the mazoi loomed ahead. he cleared his throat loudly. tavina exited treva's quarters with only a terse sentence before she disappeared. it became clear that the sesh was the only other in attendance, which settled him. this would not be a loud affair. he could announce her after.
he sat back against the wall to wait.
treva's cries were terrible. they rent at him, though his face remained as though it were carved from icy marble. it seemed a lifetime ago that he had paced in the corridor outside satsu's apartments, receiving announcement of first one daughter, then another, then a son.
the wails of torment reached feverpitch. and then they faded. ramesses stared toward the mouth of the quieting den.
he thought he heard a child's cry.