Two Eyes Cenote I do not care to serve you with good tidings on my tongue

Safiya shifted from her parents. The early morning hours pleasant to the girl who loved nothing more than to explore and watch the Mazoi learn to defend their home. She moved to watch the guard change. Sea green eyes peering out of a room of darkness. As she watched as they shifted and some went to bed for the day and others were just waking up.

She scampered out into the open air. And watched with certainty that she wanted to do that someday. She didn't know how or when. But she wanted to do that someday. She didn't care that her size was way small or that she would be challenged because of it. No all she wanted was to serve in this way.

they came hurrying out the desert - well, it was the nobleman who hurried, little legs all a'blur, while his servant moved at a long-legged stroll, palm leaf over his master's well-furred self.

she ain't ever done that before, y'know, prattled on the neb, pink tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, repeating for some hundredth time the same stock response to a question what ain't even been asked.

it's- it's all jest hormones, 's all part'a growin' up! she'd never- ah mean, she's done it but if circumstances was different-

he droned on and on, shortening his own breath, so that what in his mind was great haste towards muat-riya slowed down to a leisurely approach, a small shape and a smaller one still, distorted by hot air at their distance.

Safiya caught sight of some movements in the distance. Too far away as of yet to tell exactly who or in fact what they were. She found herself walking stiff legged to the edge of the precipice's and looking out over. Wondering and waiting.

IF nothing else, Safiya had patience in spades and she was more than willing to stand as still as a statue. She did  nod her small furred head at the few Mazoi that she knew. Including the one who had been so kind to spar with her, but mostly she waited and watched.

...which ain't to say she ain't a smart gal, lawd knows ah'd wish fer a young head like 'er, but sometime y'just hafta admit you've outgrown sneakin' out, y'know?

the pair had now come nearer the above-ground borders, hell, they'd stepped foot over a marker the noble was too distracted and the servant too border to notice.

the little man guided them toward one of the underground entrances with sureness of one who'd been here before.

might as well tag @Ironspine cuz he would've been one of the mazoi, i hope owo

it is not uncommon for wolves of akashingo to come and go; thus meseba is not alarmed initially. the most alarming part is the size of the small beast, seemingly content to prattle away to his companion. having never seen anything remote to a domestic dog before, meseba is perplexed.

it is this, that sparks the encouragement to kick off the wall of his post where he'd been watching to investigate; a soft chuff of greeting offered with a bow of his head. he catches safiya lingering nearby from the corner of his gaze as he does so.

the chuff cut off a sentence he wouldn't ever recall again, but t'was likely same yappery nonsense he'd been repeating past two weeks. there was a guard coming in.

gucci lifted a hindleg to signal for the removal of the palm leaf, then found his servant's reaction time lacking. he also found the sun offensive, but that one he couldn't ever manage to right.

hail, mazoi! greeted the tiny noble with a yap, curve of his tail tensed high on his back, eyes half-lidded by a trained expression of haughty disinterest. ah'm georgia honeys veni vidi gucci, neb o' noble akashingo 'n' vizier to late pharaoh ramesses.

gucci waited a beat, the added.

this one's mah servitor. with a slight turn of his muzzle the coyote's way, who bowed his head to the guardsman.

wouldja kindly call up a fellahin or two, 'n' tell kind hebsut ah've come? his smile was purely a formality.

Safiya found the way the little beast spoke interesting and grating in equal measures. And she wasn't certain how to take it or what to do.

However, this was an opportunity that could not go to waste and thus she padded behind Ironspine now Meseba and peered out around his leg with bright eyes and curious expression.

though meseba is aware of what custom dictates there is a moment of assessment that leaves a small delay. a small contemplation of why the coyote that is the small man's servant hasn't eaten him yet. and then, there was his accent, taking meseba a small while to sort through. i am meseba and this is safiya, we welcome you. though he does not step aside as she stays close behind him, a glimpse over his shoulder at her showing him that she peers from behind his leg.

two fellahin are quickly summoned; one is sent off to find and inform @Eset of gucci's arrival and the other instructed to bring meats and wine for the neb, which is laid out before him in a small spread.

how was your trip? it is filler conversation, made simply to keep it going until eset arrived. the neb's business here was not meseba's and thus he avoids asking those questions, though he is curious as to whether it was a social visit or one of more importance.

Gucci came with high praise from Tavina, but hesbut and neb had exchanged precious few words. Still, the palatial halls speak, and by way of ear to stone Eset knew plenty of his curriculum vitae:

Dog, in species. Prior vizier to Toula’s father, Pharaoh Ramesses. Adopted patriarch to Medusa and Midas. And, once, quite close with the Sesh’s absent wife.

It is midmorning and already hot when the hebsut comes to greet the assembly, a passing look of gratitude between young Safiya and Mesaba before curving into a decorous bow.

“Lord Gucci, welcome to Muat-riya. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?” Chin rising now, she studies how his long dark fur is the color of polished seed and a fair point of age creases beneath his eye.

the kid had nearly gone unnoticed by him, assuming her a fretting servant, but now gucci presumed her an offspring of the guard. safiya - he noted the name, proper coyote. as should be.

thank ya kindly, guardsman. the neb offered a smile to the large gray man, and moved on to the incoming fellahin with mannerisms of a man shrugging off his travel coat. 

his personal servant followed, wordlessly squabbling with the palace servants over proper treatment of his needy lord.

-

muat-riya did not want for things. inhabited mostly by the working class, food that would eventually be moved to akashingo could spend up to a week stored here, processed to last longer. for the neb, fresher cuts were picked out ( his servant monotonously explaining the lord liked to be served a portion not quite becoming of his size. ); ribs of a hare encased in meat, skinned rattlesnake on a quill, a proghorn's thigh bone cracked in half to expose the marrow, and as refreshment - a cold infusion of goldenrod sweetened with a drop of precious honey.

his servant took to a corner, gnawing on a leftover bone.

gucci carefully picked his way through the meal, enjoying the taste of civilization - or which would be considered so by a wild creature.

weary! he answered meseba. so many weeks a'this- this prancin' through dirt 'n' dust, pah! sweet sun, if ah never set paw on goat road a'gin this life ah'd be grateful beyond it.

he'd cracked the quill when the hebsut herself came into the dining room, a woman gucci so wished he'd spoken to more. diminutive amongst the wolfish kind, she nevertheless had a presence which spoke of the status she'd established and held as the reaching teeth of pharaoh toula. if he were to name an issue with the efficient coykind, it'd be that she was a smidge younger than he'd have preferred of an authority - the man had grown weary of girl-kings.

hebsut! gucci wiped a speck off his muzzle, grinning at her presence. ah've come returned fram distant lands, sands where many a finer lawd'd been reared! convenience beyond words we now have this checkpoint, and ah would, if it ain't minded none, like tah stay few days more 'fore continuin' onward tah our heartland.

he made sure his smile was as charming as he knew to deliver.

'sides that, ah'd like a private conversation in a bit, once ah've rested - if that don't intrude on your time n responsibilities.

one, will edit any wrongs assumptions i've made abt the workings of muat riya! two, hoping to set up a backdated priv thread with eset! think i can squeeze some more dialogue between gucci/safiya/meseba :eyes:

exit meseba ( and safiya ). <3

eset arrives as the neb enjoys his meal. the guardsman offers eset a soft smile before turning towards safiya. come, encourages meseba in a soft tone. our job here is done. let us make a round at the gate.

shall we fade here since I think everyone is out? <3

She grimaces internally at hearing the palace be reduced to a mere checkpoint, but nods her head with all the usual pleasantry.

“Not at all, Lord Gucci. We’ll have your things brought to your room and I will prepare supper tonight once you’ve rested.” Briefly, she wonders how she’s managed to warrant a private audience with the neb, but there is much work to be done before dinner, and so with the company of the fellahin, Eset carries the little Lord’s effects to his awaiting guest room.