Dahozhoni Meadow blood and wine

With the Akashingo traveling party! This is meant to be set tomorrow morning!

Akhtar wasn’t much a man for pretty things, but he did quite like this. A meadow, pretty and pungent, the scent of flowers wreathing through his nose. The saluki paid no mind to whoever was watching, his nose lowered to take great, huffing breaths of the flowers. 

They didn’t clear his muddled head, a night of silent nightmares making his frame shake. He couldn’t help it, memories returning to him from the dark lake where he had drowned them so long ago. It wasn’t fair. But when was it ever fair to him?

After a moment, he shucked off his black rabbit’s pelt, and turned over on his back to roll in the flowers. Allow a priest a moment’s pleasure, he begged the sky, before letting his eyes fall closed.

"i hope none of these stupid young fools get us killed," tavina groused. around her body was slung a carry-sack fashioned after the one she had seen eset make, carefully filled with packets of herbs, any sort of greenery or dried herb a pack of men might need.

"glad i brought all this. after all, akhtar, you're far too delicate to fight and i simply won't."

but now she threw her pack down, and smoothed a dust-smeared brow. "quite a lovely little place, isn't it?"

Excuuuse you, Tavina! Came the faux-offended tone of the priest, who raised his head with a pout.

I could give em the old one-two! He let his head flop to the ground all over again.

I just don’t want to. He rolled to his side, tucking a paw beneath his chest as he looked at the sesh.

It is very lovely. Were I a man to claim a place, I would want it to look as this. Of course, that will never happen. Not in this lifetime. That had been taken from him long ago.

I hope there are no residents already. The last thing we need is those princely fools getting it in their heads to kill them all and present their pelts to Toula as a contest. Nevermind the barbarism of it all, even Akhtar would conspire against them in that front. The thought made his spine prickle.

"that is very specific, my priest," tavina said, and she flopped wearily down beside her friend. for he was that, if he was many things; he was indeed her companion. 

"it's far too open to guard on all sides," the sesh observed, leaning on her pack. "but you're right, who wants to see a bunch of sweating grunting young men bloodied in service of a young woman who perhaps wants none of them at all."

her brow furrowed.

His smile was like it was made of daggers.

And yet I have seen it happen, my doctor. If he had no one else in that damned palace to rely on, he reasoned, at the very least he had Tavina.

I have hope she will choose one she could love, perhaps one day. If nothing else, I wish her the strength to deny them should she choose to. His eyes scoped the horizon, before he released a sigh.

Many are not as lucky. He murmured to his feet.

"i imagine you've seen quite a lot," tavina said dryly. entirely too much. "she won't marry for love, it's not how things are done with them. you know that. she doesn't have the privilege anymore."

matter-of-factness did not make the fact any less hard. she sighed. "who will it be, do you think? have you gotten a chance to look at them all?"

Tavina was overt in her judgement, and Akhtar gave a little snort of a noise.

I know, but allow an old teacher his delusions. He looked out over the meadow, eyes picking out the distant shapes of compatriots and potential foes alike.

All of them are snakes in the grass, it seems. I wish for it to be that former general, but it seems as though the third son is gunning hard for the position. His face fell further, if that was possible, and he sighed a low note.

My parents.. He licked his nose.

My parents married for love, in the end. But they were lucky to do so. How long had it been since he had seen them both? He didn’t like to think about it.

"toula knows soldiers already. thutmose is poised and careful. he would be a good husband," tavina agreed, "if she must marry."

for love, for love; she thought of nala and felt tears press toward the backs of her eyes. "love may not be the binding matter," she said stiffly, rolling to one side and surreptitiously swiping at her gaze.

Im a dummy who forgot this existed forgive me

She was succinct in her judgement. Brutal, harsh.

If Akhtar was inclined to women, and Tavina to men, she was a fine choice.

As it stood, he was just glad to have a friend. Akhtar adjusted his body against the ground, feeling the push of plants. One of his ears twitched.

Thutmose is better than other options, though I may be biased. He flicked a paw to toss a bug from its surface.

I wish she could marry for love, but as it appears she won’t..I only wish she chooses who makes her happy. If they make her happy, I will be happy.

ur totally good, and we can fade this or keep going <3

"you won't be happy without some intrigue or pretty lover," tavina retorted, though it was in a much lighter voice.

"and as always, i shall live vicariously through you. but yes," she added softly, "i too will be happy if she is."