Akhet

attention: @Toula @Khusobek @Medusa @Meseba @Tavina @Asenath @Mesen-ka @Tanutamani @Legend replies welcome!

Rashepses sent his servants to storm down the halls, their baritone voices resounding for all to hear. An assembly called in the beating heart between the twin cenotes, where the dark king sat beside his wife. Amid the filing of feet and hushed words he found her nile eyes, holding strong before turning to address the gathered.

Something ugly churned his lips. His chin leveled with the ground.

“Akashingo has returned triumphant over our enemies. Their treachery and impiousness fell in the face of those righteous and pure. They are weak-armed, like infant rats, with no battlements and nary a hole to hide within.

Behold, your Pharaoh has come! She has succeeded! Her Majesty prevails at the rear of Her army! Your victorious lords will guard your steps. We will not leave these rats alone; they will never walk the earth without our bearing down upon them. We will raze their towns, burn their stores, leave them with smoldering mounds for forsaking Muat-riya.  Their women shall not conceive, for they shall not be receptive in their wombs after Pharaoh’s battle-cry is heard.

Among us are victors. Meseba. Khusobek. Mesen-ka. Medusa. Their victories will be set upon a Stela in the temple, in order to record each campaign. For the protection of their people, it  will be as a holiday. Every man seated with his share of every good– fish, meat, and wine from the Red Palace.

We give praise to Amun!

So long as the span of our existence upon earth continues it shall be spent making monuments for the Gods. Pharaoh shall be reborn continually as the sun, and Semer-wati like the moon.

Listen to these edicts as they are made anew.”

Rashepses was finished. His hard eyes sought the crowds. Let all know their place among them; in the presence of their Godhead.

Except—Medusa's boy was still captured. His boy was still captured—

So was it really, truly a victory?

He ought not to be here, and the wrath of Akashingo would surely come down upon his stupid skull. But he had come to White Witch's aid, for better or worse, and he intended to see the task through. Even if it meant insubordination. Even if it meant. . .

Vasya shook himself, casting the thought of death aside for now. Rashepses droned on, talking of gods and rituals that were blasphemous to the Svartravn's ears. He was no stranger to rousing religious speeches; he'd been trained to deploy them, and had heard them from others many a time.

This, though, seemed. . .excessive?

The burly man blended into the shadows in which he stood, never far from Medusa's side. His pale green eyes shifted from wolf to wolf, watching. . .waiting. . .

Wondering. . .when he could get the hell out of here.