Lion Head Mesa the doors are locked trust me I know, 'cause I have tried them all

Inhale

Exhale

Inhale

Exhale

What on the name of the gods was she even doing? Nephele prowled among the mesa, playing the ever vigilant guard. Sabah was becoming familiar and the more familiar she became, the more Nephele felt like she was someone else, a hitchhiker in her own skin.

The guard took a short inhale of autumnal air. Nephele wasn’t sure who she was anymore. She carried on, tail swirling at her ankles, tap tap tapping away idly as she walked. She was worried, oh of course she was, Maggie had brought her here, and Ramesses was all but declaring war.

Inhale. Exhale.

Stop overthinking, Nephele.

"sabah."
her name was a hushed purr upon the lips of ramesses. he had come from the bloodstains in the dirt and now followed their guard, intending to walk beside her.
"i believe the saints will return. but their great leader is gone, and he has always been the one to lead them."
the final blow of nyra's face splashed across all lips and eyes would do its work.
he looked at the guardian. "where do you see yourself in akashingo?"

Sabah.

The name she had heard more than her own. Any of her own, really. She supposed that’s what she got when she had never told anyone her true name, keeping her heart locked behind an ever shifting array of faces and names all attributed to one woman who didn’t even know who she was.

Nephele blew out a breath.

Pharoah.

He spoke of the Saints, as if she knew of them, and she nodded as if she did. She raised her head to face him, slowing her pace from determined marching to a more sedate walk.

I see myself protecting the borders, as I have been. Maybe with more like me to protect us. She said, tipping her head to one side as she watched the golden man.

But, I am at your whims and mercy. Where would you like me to be in your kingdom?

for timelines sake lets say this is after ram has rested a bit, he still has leaves and dressings on his face lmao

ramesses smiled tightly beneath the poultices.
"every encampment needs a captain of the guard." he was reminded of what crowfeather had said about his needs, and suddenly saw fit to strike the boy back for his insolence.
"i have a task for you. the young doctor who tended me, who watches maggie now. he arrived as satsu's guest. i intend to have him stay as our physician."
"go to him and speak. do not tell him what i have said, but search him for me. do this, and you shall be captain."

Her? Captain of the guard? Oh, how she wanted to laugh! Nephele wasn’t guard material, she was a lowborn thief with a track record of disaster and lords knew what the hell else was wrong with her to cause her luck.

Nephele couldn’t be a guard captain. But it was in Sabah’s best interests. The silver woman gave a sharp nod.

I will seek him once we finish speaking. She said simply, one ear ticking to the side. If the boy was staying, Germanicus might as well. Nephele drew a slow breath. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time she avoided someone while in a close contact area.

Speaking of avoiding others…

Winter is approaching. Once the season falls upon us…would you prefer I abstain, or seek out a suitor to grow our numbers that way. Nephele didn’t think she’d be a great mother, but what was better than children to secure your place.

Even if she didn’t want to stay here if a war came down around their ears. But she could thrust them at someone else if she needed to leave. Cuckoos did it, did they not?

ramesses said nothing to the first, but a low and superior scoff rolled from him at the second statement. "what need does a pleasure-house have with children underfoot?" he rolled his shoulders, disgusted with the very notion. "i do not care what it is you do outside these borders. handle it so that you are not with child when you return." 
he knew enough that these things could be done. 
and he knew very well that if the dynasty built long ago was to continue, ramesses must sire a son.
pharaoh was silent. "you know i am to marry satsu. you have begun to understand nobility, sabah." he meant she should infer it herself what he wished to convey.

Nephele breathed an internal sigh of relief. Sabah nodded, as if this was a normal conversation to have right now.

Yes. I have not gotten the chance to extend my congratulations to you. If only Ramesses knew of her dallies with nobility before he’d even knew her, when she was nothing more than child herself.

I have learned much since coming here. But what the pharoah was trying to impart upon her was rather lost on her ears.

Especially of nobles and nobility.

ramesses waved away the guard's words, but was openly pleased to hear them all the same. "i mean to invite the packs in the area to send their emissaries. we will be married and we will solidify akashingo, all at once."
nobles and nobility played an eternal, fretful, frightworthy, murderous game. did sabah mean she knew how to play this? "have you seen the girl mouseberry as of late?"

Nephele gave a dip of the head to Ramesses former statement, before her face pinched and she shook her head in response.

I can’t say I have, Pharoah. She has been spoken of to me, but I do not believe I have seen her in my recent memory. Her eyes went to the landscape, briefly scanning it, as if the other woman would simply pop up to surprise her.

"she is flighty and terrified still of wolves. i gave her to satsu as a wedding present, a maidservant." he turned to sabah. "satsu will be queen. very little will change, except that i expect her to have a retinue whenever she leaves these lands."
"i would prefer she did not leave," pharaoh said lightly, "but she is my equal. and i could never forbid her, nor do i wish the opportunity."

Nephele nodded at Pharoah’s words, twisting her head to face in front of her as she clambered up and over a rock that had been in her way.

If I may make a suggestion to you, once we gather more to our ranks, I could attempt to train a Queen’s Guard from those who wish to join.

a queen's guard. "you may do whatever it is you wish," pharaoh sighed, not wishing to be the mediator of any such rough choices. "the man, germanicus. he is not pledged to akashingo but considers himself some sort of guardian. it may be worthwile to find him for these discussions."
ramesses turned to sabah again. "it is good that you seek to build our court here at the mesa. it is more important that we impress the attendants of our wedding feast."