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+--- Thread: Lion Head Mesa winged sun (/showthread.php?tid=51960)
winged sun - Ramesses - July 19, 2022
this is going to be a very long, three part meeting to cover several bases and provide segues into side threads. attendance strongly encouraged but not mandatory! feel free to reply as many times as u want <3
set for tomorrow morning (7.20.22)
the time to bury the queen had come.
queen satsu's body which had been prepared for seventy days was now taken down from the top of the mesa. there was weeping as the mazoi bore her between them, upon the main red artery which led through akashingo and out once more. @Akhtar and @Qiao helmed the procession. @Siptah walked just behind, flanked by @Ashikaga and @Makono.
@Charles, @Maegi, lilitu, and @Gucci were all expected to be there if possible. the only one truly excused was @Jawahir, for their service as meshkenet. ramesses knew little of the children borne by maegi, but if @Midas and @Medusa were ready to walk, he would see them there as well.
today, escorted by @Sokha, raimo and jakoul, would be treva, @Toula, and @Sethnakht. it was their first appearance as royal family. tavina would follow them, casting encouraging looks toward the little pharaonic pair.
bringing up the rear were the fellahin, where under the instruction of @Sayf, nazli and @Zakariya were expected to help the others carry the sun-withered body of maggie. she would be buried at satsu's feet, and when both passed to the afterlife, maggie would be the eternal servant to the lotus queen.
weeping was encouraged if not commanded. sihaya and sayyadina moved behind the procession.
both the queen and the dead fellahin had been wrapped in new bindings, which held the heavy scent of flowers crushed below the earth.
everyone who was able would be asked to carry the red desert blossoms which grew in profusion outside the palace.
ramesses walked beside the procession. his voice rang out in song.
you are anointed with oil
your steps are light
go now to the land of reeds
i will not forget the dance of our wedding
i will not forget your face
Ra waits to embrace you
i will wait to kiss your face
i will join you in the land of the dead
i will see you as a goddess
when the river is high we all will remember your goodness
and how you shaped us into gold
he sang as they crossed the summer-shallow river, the water warm to touch the ankles. the island spread out before them, and there was the grand labour of love: a great pile of stones, the tomb at its top. each flower would be thrown in to match many others and many more. satsu and maggie would rest their bones in a sweet-smelling place. good foods and delicate meats had been packed for their journey to the afterlife. pharaoh stood at its top with siptah, and watched as each body was lowered.
"goodbye, my love."
his voice was hoarse and carried in the dry air.
"akashingo's history will carry your name."
stones were shifted by all of their efforts, then, to enclose the top of the tomb.
it was done.
"this place will be known as the Valley of Queens." a serpent slithered across his paw as he spoke. he did not move. asps were sacred and they would guard this place.
queen satsu's body which had been prepared for seventy days was now taken down from the top of the mesa. there was weeping as the mazoi bore her between them, upon the main red artery which led through akashingo and out once more. @Akhtar and @Qiao helmed the procession. @Siptah walked just behind, flanked by @Ashikaga and @Makono.
@Charles, @Maegi, lilitu, and @Gucci were all expected to be there if possible. the only one truly excused was @Jawahir, for their service as meshkenet. ramesses knew little of the children borne by maegi, but if @Midas and @Medusa were ready to walk, he would see them there as well.
today, escorted by @Sokha, raimo and jakoul, would be treva, @Toula, and @Sethnakht. it was their first appearance as royal family. tavina would follow them, casting encouraging looks toward the little pharaonic pair.
bringing up the rear were the fellahin, where under the instruction of @Sayf, nazli and @Zakariya were expected to help the others carry the sun-withered body of maggie. she would be buried at satsu's feet, and when both passed to the afterlife, maggie would be the eternal servant to the lotus queen.
weeping was encouraged if not commanded. sihaya and sayyadina moved behind the procession.
both the queen and the dead fellahin had been wrapped in new bindings, which held the heavy scent of flowers crushed below the earth.
everyone who was able would be asked to carry the red desert blossoms which grew in profusion outside the palace.
ramesses walked beside the procession. his voice rang out in song.
you are anointed with oil
your steps are light
go now to the land of reeds
i will not forget the dance of our wedding
i will not forget your face
Ra waits to embrace you
i will wait to kiss your face
i will join you in the land of the dead
i will see you as a goddess
when the river is high we all will remember your goodness
and how you shaped us into gold
he sang as they crossed the summer-shallow river, the water warm to touch the ankles. the island spread out before them, and there was the grand labour of love: a great pile of stones, the tomb at its top. each flower would be thrown in to match many others and many more. satsu and maggie would rest their bones in a sweet-smelling place. good foods and delicate meats had been packed for their journey to the afterlife. pharaoh stood at its top with siptah, and watched as each body was lowered.
"goodbye, my love."
his voice was hoarse and carried in the dry air.
"akashingo's history will carry your name."
stones were shifted by all of their efforts, then, to enclose the top of the tomb.
it was done.
"this place will be known as the Valley of Queens." a serpent slithered across his paw as he spoke. he did not move. asps were sacred and they would guard this place.
set for tomorrow afternoon
ramesses retired with them all to his throne room.
he motioned treva and toula and sethnakht forward.
"these are my children, the second prince and princess of akashingo."
he lifted his chin above any murmurs that might sound. his lazuli eyes fell to their mother. "treva and i are to be married before wintertide. you will henceforth from this moment on recognize her as your queen."
this time it felt rushed, but he supposed it was only the ending of their long mourning. "treva. name the son and daughter of akashingo."
and he would cast his gaze among them for any disapproval. any misuse. any threat or suggestion that anything was amiss. this was right and good in the sight of the gods. akashingo must have its balance. and through ramesses, his son and daughter, and treva herself, were divine.
"she is your princess. he is your prince," ramesses said, standing when she had said their names.
he would hear nothing else.
"bring food," he told the fellahin. he motioned sokha forward to sing or to dance, if she would. anyone who wished to leave at this time was dismissed, otherwise ramesses would break their long fast with entertainment and rich food and overripened berries prepared for this moment.
he motioned treva and toula and sethnakht forward.
"these are my children, the second prince and princess of akashingo."
he lifted his chin above any murmurs that might sound. his lazuli eyes fell to their mother. "treva and i are to be married before wintertide. you will henceforth from this moment on recognize her as your queen."
this time it felt rushed, but he supposed it was only the ending of their long mourning. "treva. name the son and daughter of akashingo."
and he would cast his gaze among them for any disapproval. any misuse. any threat or suggestion that anything was amiss. this was right and good in the sight of the gods. akashingo must have its balance. and through ramesses, his son and daughter, and treva herself, were divine.
"she is your princess. he is your prince," ramesses said, standing when she had said their names.
he would hear nothing else.
"bring food," he told the fellahin. he motioned sokha forward to sing or to dance, if she would. anyone who wished to leave at this time was dismissed, otherwise ramesses would break their long fast with entertainment and rich food and overripened berries prepared for this moment.
set for tomorrow evening
siptah, ashikaga, and makono gathered with ramesses in the open-air throne room. with them were the guard from mereo and the young servant whom his daughter had chosen for this. "send word," he reminded his young princess, "once you have settled."
his eyes were cold upon @Glaukos. "the roman may trust you, but this is a test for my own."
and then to makono again, softer. "you are a divine daughter of akashingo, my lotus flower. ensure all who look upon you may know it."
he would stand with ashikaga and siptah, and the three of them would watch over makono until she was gone from sight.
his eyes were cold upon @Glaukos. "the roman may trust you, but this is a test for my own."
and then to makono again, softer. "you are a divine daughter of akashingo, my lotus flower. ensure all who look upon you may know it."
he would stand with ashikaga and siptah, and the three of them would watch over makono until she was gone from sight.
RE: winged sun - Treva - July 19, 2022
one broken up post <3 very open to side threads, just message/tag
treva had not cried the whole mourning period.
she had not had any reason to despite being surrounded by the heartache of everybody else. but today it came in a soft wave. not for any of her own grief or attachment to the women laid to sleep. instead it was the mere display of it all. the lengths that had been gone to. the painstaking labor of love involved in making sure these bodies didn't just rot into the earth.
the singing, the presentation, the naming.
she did not heave with sobs, but she certainly cried.
and when the time came she would compose herself enough as the festivities carried on. trusting the children with tavina for a moment as she found a place to catch her breath.
there was so much more to follow.
it was time to introduce the new royal children.
after earlier, she felt a newfound hesitation to do such. a sudden welling of fear for all the eyes present and the thoughts that she nearly felt she could hear. to be declared on the same day of the laying away of the former queen. treva could nearly pass away here on the spot if she thought about it too much.
she settled her gaze on ramesses mainly, if not keeping the children in line near her. only finally looking out into the faces as she announced the children.
sethnakht, prince of the crimson land.
she kept the wavering from her voice, strengthened her stance. some hint of a smile able to be found as she gazed upon the twins.
muat-riya toula, princess of the red serpent.
named and declared as such from all by both her and the pharaoh. she would ignore any stares or whispers, content to mind only her children and ramesses in the following moments.
RE: winged sun - Nazli - July 19, 2022
it was a lot.
even though she was privy to every aspect of the set-up, the organization, and the plan of it all; even though it wasn't her mother that had died; even though the long-dead fellahin was to be carried by nazli and her brother, together, nazli had not expected... the weight.
the body was light, of course. it was dried and old. she had to be careful as she carried it in the procession, and watched her brother's pace so that she could match; it was easier that way, given his blindness. it was like carrying a pile of dried leaves.
the bindings held. nazli took care to lower maggie to where the crushed flowers sat in the earth, while the pharaoh sang. the queen, the fellahin to serve her.
goodbye, my love.
the evening ended after the mourning, the songs, the crying, the dying of the light - and nazli wondered if she would be given such a beautiful procession if she were to die.
bring food,the pharaoh ordered. nazli was dark-eyed, tired, but she knew her place. she was not alone with the order and was slower than the others; but she went, and was soon dismissed by one of the older attendants who was faster than her.
it was just as well; she had not slept much, and soon would be departing with makono.
ramesses spoke to the princess. at makono's side was nazli, who eyed the guard, and saw a grim look cross his already boorish face.
when they departed nazli was hasty to follow. she did not like the look of glaukos; she did not trust the road before them, or the man to guide them, and remembred what she'd said to the princess. to be her eyes and ears, to speak only with her.
she felt the urge to look back in case zakariya was there to see her off, but did not. he was no doubt busy with tavina - and besides, nazli's focus was appropriately aligned with her duty. they would be at this place, mereo, soon enough.
RE: winged sun - Toula - July 20, 2022
toula went with her mother, her brother, tavina, and the rest. there were different faces, but she kept close to her mirror image, the two then indistinguishable. curious though she was, the newness of everything kept her at heel. she peeked out from her mothers tall legs the first day, so many of these scents ones she knew. one stood out amongst the rest, but her nose was not yet sharp enough to find who was at its source.
this day felt different than all the rest. as ever, she mimicked her mother, carrying flowers for the queen that had departed this plane. more because her mother looked lovely doing this, as did tavina, than for any other reason. when her father began to sing, someone took hold of her flowers for her; she was overcome, and her little voice copied the melody. now and then, there would be a word she liked, that she would sing the tail end of, like,
aaa,for ra, and
iss,for kiss... neither words that she knew, or could identify.
when given back her flower, she looked to her mother and tavina again. soon, they placed it down; she did the same. but then she saw her mothers tears, and toula let out a little whimper. the smell... the smell was sweet, but then there was the smell of sadness. toula was sad, too, because her mother seemed so aggrieved. before she could move to comfort her mother, as her mother comforted her, she swept away; she looked up to tavina, her shepherd in that time, and her brother.
her kind, encouraging eyes were a balm, but they too seemed limned with what was in the air. and so toula toddled toward her, another whimper sounding as she pressed her nose against the sesh. she looked for her brother, too, a great need for him to be beside her as well. in all things still, they were together.
they were soon moving again. there was still that heaviness in the air, but young toula became enraptured by the place they arrived to. her own spirits lifted; she was a young girl, enchanted by the beauty of this place as she was all things beautiful. and now, where she stood, she had a better view of all of the faces among them!
toula, well-groomed, looked upon the audience with love for them all in her eyes. her people! she was then as devoted to them as she was the scents she knew best in her heart. toula was introduced, not that she knew it, though the imperial tilt of her own chin might deceive others to thinking so unwittingly.
the truth of it was that toula did not yet understand she was toula. she was everything, every word, as far as she could tell. she could not be summoned by name yet, but her attention was easy to snare.
her gaze landed on makono, who toula thought was very pretty, and her sister, who was also lovely, in a different way. it lingered upon siptah, who was somehow very beautiful to toula, but before her gaze could turn to another face, the smell of something distracted her.
oh, but, that scent she knew... it was close, and toula's nose hovered against the earth before she saw the great paws of ramesses. he, the most splendid of all next to her mother. love made the heart see others differently. but she did love him, and her eyes grew wide to see him. giftbringer! her tail waved as she looked to him. and then more scents, more noise. toula felt very merry, and beamed up at the man who could summon so much joy with but a sound.
she would like to learn such a sound.
RE: winged sun - Makono - July 20, 2022
the morning was painful.
today she did not hide the grief in her heart. she wept freely and took comfort in her sister's presence, her brother too if allowed. all the flowers in the world did not feel like enough. all the trinkets and food and comforts. she wished there had been more and more and —
none of it would fix either her mother or her.
makono could have stayed here all day, weeping and laying next to soon sun warmed stones.
but other things were planned, needing her attendance. at once she wished she could banish it all to live in her own grief openly for a day longer. such things could not be done.
the grief felt heavier and harder.
siblings. they looked very much like herself, like her father. there was some level of darkening on their backs that seemed to not be fully kitted.
toula and sethnakht.
it was horribly hard to feel good things right now, and she was not sure whether she should blame them or not. but her eyes could land on the form of treva with a glower. to be recognized as queen the same day her mother met the earth. there was distaste heavy in her heart for the bear-ish woman.
suddenly her departure to mereo could not come quick enough.
the time had come finally.
she kept nazli close to her.
of course,she mumbled softly, a polite dip of her head. she would send a messenger the moment she arrived, aware of the time it would take for a messenger to arrive.
they will all know.she whispered back to her father. a deep breath shuddered into her lungs. glancing to her sister and brother for the last time for the next month. she was the first to fly the coop it seemed. not even Ashikaga had preparations to leave yet, from what makono could tell.
she felt bittersweet pride.
collecting the guard and her lilac servant, she departed from akashingo.
RE: winged sun - Jakoul - July 20, 2022
Jakoul was a fish out of water.
She followed orders and instructions, but the whole ordeal was beyond her understanding. She knew not the body being bore or the grand relationships that wove through this place. The weeping, the death, it all seemed excessive. Perhaps it was for the best that in these times she could hardly speak and her face wore the blank mask of a guardian.
She did not know just how this whole affair would shift the world around her.
It did not matter, in truth. None of it impacted her true loyalties here. Bonded to Maegi by blood shed and heart strings.
She did her duties and she did them well.
She trusted that would be enough for this whole ordeal.
When the next part came, she found herself heated by the sun. Sweltering beneath it all, even in the throne rooms. The transition was all lost upon her. She knew only the faces by duty and had very little thoughts on the whelps presented as prince and princess.
So when the time came for food to be delivered and non-mandatory bodies to be dismissed, she would pluck a few of the berries for herself.
Then dipped away to submerge herself in water and catch her breath in the shade. She would return to the festivities once she felt cooled enough to be lively once more. She wondered if there would be more berries...
RE: winged sun - Siptah - July 23, 2022
The Prince walked just behind the priest and priestess, and his face was hard, ice-blue eyes solemn, almost deadened. This was all too much for him to bear, but he had no choice except to shoulder it. This was his burden — he had been the one to oversee the building of the tomb. As they went, the young Prince would offer both shoulders to his sisters in support, snaking his neck about theirs in a brief embrace should they seek his comfort.
It was hard for Siptah, to see Treva and her children — his half-siblings, though he could not see them as such, not now. He avoided their gazes, focused only on the procession. His father sang for Satsu, and Siptah bowed his head, his own heart starting to hammer in his chest. Soon, it would be his turn.
No one had heard his song yet, no one had even ever heard him sing. But this, he would do for Satsu. His Queen mother. When Ramesses' song ended, the Prince stepped forward. Being just a boy, his song would be sung at a higher pitch, but it would be just as beautiful as his father's. Siptah's voice rang, soft, yet strong, throughout the procession.
"Your face was the first I'd see,
your spirit lives on in me,
the kingdom of the dead greets you warmly,
a place fit for a queen,
do not fear the afterlife,
for these gifts I bring to you,
to comfort and entertain,
until we meet again."
After his song was finished, the boy Prince uttered a choked, "Goodbye, mother," and had to bow his head for the sudden burning of tears. He no longer cared who saw. This was for Satsu.
------
That afternoon, the Pharaoh introduced Treva, and her children. This brought something hot and angry to Siptah's stomach, and he stared, dead-eyed, at his father as he spoke. How could he name a new Queen so soon? They had just finished entombing Satsu! No, the Prince was angry — moreso than he'd ever been. As his father called for food, Siptah stepped forward. He looked at no one except the Pharaoh.
"Father. I must speak with you. Privately." His jaw was set in a hard line, and something ugly settled in his gaze. He had never once looked at Ramesses in such a way.
------
It was time for Makono to leave. Siptah watched her with sorrowful eyes, wondering when he might see her again. She wouldn't be gone forever. Perhaps he could even go to visit her. If accepted, Siptah would embrace Makono one last time, then watch her leave.
RE: winged sun - Charles - July 26, 2022
Charles was present in body, but his mind wasn't all there. He was loaded up on berries and the grief of those around him was weird and made him feel even more alienated from this place. Through all of the ceremonies, all that kept him from acting out and doing something stupid was the fact that he was so inebriated. So he was there, body at least, staring blankly ahead at everything that was being said; motionless. He wondered if his seed had taken on Lilitu. He'd hardly spoken to her since. She didn't look pregnant. But she had to be, right? That was how it worked. He wasn't ready to be a father again, but when he thought of Lotus, his heart filled with a warmth he could not explain; and it made him think that even though he was not ready, these pups would be so very welcome when they would get here.