Lion Head Mesa vita

"pharaoh. i have come to seek medicine. and to escort your crown prince to mereo."

he stood atop the mesa with the royal man. ramesses eyed him with dislike and interest. but for a moment he said nothing, and the peace was still between the roman and the egyptian.

"is mereo so poor in herbs that you had to travel here?" pharaoh's laugh was cruel. but still he was intrigued, for he did not believe this was the reason.
"see that makono does not leave your sight. she is ambitious and will climb the side of the canyon if she sees it will benefit her." but there was great pride in his voice.
the lapis eyes were cool. "if anything should befall her, roman."

"a cat injured one of my soldiers. i am willing to bring whatever herbs might benefit mereo in the future."

ramesses provided a light threat. the imperator did not move. "i believe her visit will be as uneventful as the first."

"see that it is," pharaoh shot back. "makono will insist on taking that meek little fellahin and her body-servant. take care that your brutes do not debauch her. she will be worthless otherwise."
his delicate nostrils flared. ramesses turned to look out over the red kingdom. "in spring my third daughter will be sent to you."

germanicus veiled his disgust. "i mete out punishments for promiscuity, great one."

no harm would come to the girl. there was not a man of mereo who would consider it.

"what is the name of your third princess?" germanicus asked, to be conversational more than anything.

"princess muat-riya toula of the red serpent." he would expect germanicus to know it all. 
"she is very devoted to her studies and quite pious. she may enjoy learning of your gods." and he would allow it, despite their clear inferiority.

"very well."

the imperator was wearied of their discourse.

he felt ramesses' eyes, his scrutiny.

some unreadable energy clung to the imperator, but ramesses did not understand it. nor did he wish to know. "you may have your old room for the night," he told the roman. "seek out whatever you wish from the larders beforehand."
he jerked his head for the dog to depart.

germanicus bowed from the rooftop.

caught in a silent seethe he went to seek the woman called tavina, and then several hours of sleep in the tiny room where he had lived when he stayed in akashingo.

soon he would be gone from this place.