Lion Head Mesa bronze

the prince had been gone for a day and now the sky would soon darken toward another.

in the catacombs, tavina kept the sleeping @Nazli tucked into the curve of one arm and examined the boy @Zakariya.

she had come to allow @Jawahir freedom to move about the mesa. the jewel and the pharaoh had made contact but tavina was not overmuch concerned with the specifics. she frowned to herself, lifting his chin with a gentle paw and looking at him in the tiny amount of light.

Sayf passed by the main entrance to the catacombs every now and then while moving about the mesa. He had much to do today between the priestess and the pharaoh, and of course he would make time for Maegi, as well. He liked that he was able to help her escape from her pain.

busy as he was, he paused when he picked up the faint scent of Jawahir. Curious, the hebsut wandered into the darkness. He didn't particularly like this place; it gave him the creeps, but he could push that aside for now. 

As he moved deep within the subterranean tunnels, he was met with the scent of the healer and another familiar smell he could not place. 

My lady? he called out to the medic. He hoped she wasn't in some sort of trouble.

i know i tagged everyone but this thread was geared toward @Zakariya so u can reply whenever! <3

"shit, fuck," the sesh swore. she rolled her eyes and gently set the children down in their den.

this was simply not going to work. the pups would have to be moved.

and sayf was closing in. tavina smelled of their soft milk breath and jawahir's own presence. he would know at once. there was not time to cleanse herself of these things.

the sesh cleared her throat and moved to head the fellahin off. "sayf," she greeted, emerging from the darkness. only she and the jewel knew where the children were tucked away. "did you need something?"

ahh so sorry. he can be easily shooed away!

Her words were abrupt, and Sayf paused, his ears falling a bit. No, my lady, he answered with a dip of his head. I only worried that you needed help. I have never known anyone to spend much time in here, the hebsut explained. 

Thought he was curious about her reasons for being here and the familiar scent on her coat that he still couldn't place, he seemed to sense she didn't need anything from him. I apologize for any interruption. 

Sayf lingered only to see if she did need something after all. Otherwise, he waited to be dismissed.

sorry for the wait! sayf can stay if everyone is cool with it <3

darkness and pain ruled the young fellahin's world. there were fleeting touches of other things, too; warmth, a vague sense of companionship from his ever-present sister. but mostly, he suffered.

when tavina began to inspect him, zakariya took great offense. pain made him aggressive where normally he would have been a passive, pliant child. he whined and flailed even after she had departed, and after a few moments, let out an ear-piercing shriek. then he began to wail, oblivious to everything but his own discontent.

Her brothers shrieking was so sharp it was like the barb of thorns being shoved deep inside her ears. She woke with a trill, kicking out, and then crying desperately as if more noise would cause something to change, or cease. The wailing grew louder as Nazli began to compete with Zakariya's voice, adamant, and uncontrollable as the crescendo distracted her.

there was nothing more to be done.

the children were screaming; of course sayf could hear them now. tavina let out her breath in a scarring rush of heat. jawahir would have to forgive her.

"you can say nothing," she hissed to sayf. "swear it," tavina demanded, searching his eyes with her own even as the poor babes went on wailing.

Quickly, all the pieces fell into place—why there were fresh scents in the damp darkness of the catacombs, why Tavina was down here, and why she had seemed so short with him. She was hiding children; their cries were unmistakable. Pups? he said quietly. 

She wanted him to swear that he wouldn't say anything, but she knew what she was asking of him. I do not like to keep things from the Pharaoh, he said first. Why would these children need to be kept a secret? Sayf asked. The healer was intimidating, but he wouldn't lie to the pharaoh without a very good reason.

"because they belong to his jewel," tavina said dryly.

the rat-etched boy. the starveling girl. "eventually jawahir will be found out." he knew it. she knew it. there was no reason to lie. "and because ramesses is mercurial, his discovery of them may mean death."

tavina stared hard at sayf.

They were Jawahir's children. This put him in a hard spot for sure. Still he had trouble agreeing. He answered to the pharaoh above all else. What if he found out that Sayf knew and didn't tell him? The hebsut didn't think he could bear to have the pale god mad at him. 

I do not know, my lady, he said apprehensively. This was a lot to ask of him, even if he didn't want to be the indirect reason for the murder of children. 

His expression shifted into something more pensive. I will keep this secret, Sayf told her. But then you will owe me a favor. Anything I ask. He thought this might come in handy sometime in the future, given her place in Akashingo and the secrets she likely knew.

sayf swore himself: for a price. "how mercenary," tavina sniffed, but she was not above it. not for the innocent lives that would be raised to live and die in servitude.

what else would they know but akashingo?

"consider it done," she told sayf. he would call upon her. she would fulfill her offer.

the purple gaze was watchful.

Sayf shrugged a little at her first words. It was the way of life; he had learned that at a young age. the pharaoh's trust was everything to him, and he would only jeopardize it for a price. 

Okay, deal, he said with a nod. Your secret is safe with me. He would turn then and leave the sesh to her secrets. She would likely find out the consequences of keeping things from the pale god; he just hoped he wouldn't find out the same.

tavina watched him go with a somber look on her face.

nazli and her brother must be kept safe. she was invested in them. the children deserved to live. and now she must trust sayf.