Lion Head Mesa And you know it's true, know it's true

Khaba led the wandering woman, @Wicca, into the fold of the mesa. Then onward through the corridors until they arrived within the great throne room.

A fellahin would then be sent to make the pharaoh, @Ramesses, aware of his presence beneath the throne. The news of a guest would be left out of the message. The white man would soon see for himself.

The jodai gestured for the woman to sit. They would wait here together until the called upon had arrived.

Khaba went on to wonder who may arrive alongside the pharaoh. Maybe the shabti, @Treva, may bless them with her presence. But it was often hard to tell.

Perhaps today, he may even see the crown prince @Makono attending court.

Wicca followed the Jodai into the palace.
There were canines bustling about, akin in ways to an ant colony it seemed. 
The red lady smiled softly to herself as they went through the halls, and eventually into a throne room where the dark man uttered to a wolf who she assumed to be a lower ranking wolf, who would scurry away presumably to carry the Guard's message to the needed ears.

As she was motioned to sit, Wicca did so with ease and grace, controlled and fluid almost like a feline.

It was here, sitting patiently and prim and proper and beautiful that the ruby would wait for the Pharaoh and those who would decide to join in his audience.

today pharaoh did command @Makono to accompany him. these gambits were important for her to know as well.
he stepped into his throne room and nodded to @Gucci. taking his place upon the throne, he looked first toward the man khaba, then the amazon of a woman next to him.
his heir was meant to stand to his right.
but even a young hawk could defy the word of Horus.
"who is this?" pharaoh inquired of the jodai in haughty tones.

Gonna go ahead and get the introductions going. Whoever else will join, please wait until the end of this next round (after Ramesses next post).

The pharaoh was not slow to arrive.

Others came too.

Silence did not hold long. The jodai was questioned regarding his company.

Gesturing to the woman, Khaba began with a hollow, husky tone. I found this woman near our borders. Upon explaining the presence here of Akashingo, she had asked for an audience. And, of course, he'd obliged.

She says her name is Wicca. He added lastly, knowing Ramesses would be curious to know.

Wicca did not like the haughty tones of the man who evidently was in charge. 
He reeked of being a spoiled powerhungry brat in bearing, but she said and revealed nothing of her inner workings to the numbers, let alone the Pharaoh.

Such things were to be expected, she supposed. 

Still, Wicca would bow her Amazonian head low and patiently wait for permission to speak.
She figured Pharaoh was the type to like things such as that.

just tossing myself in, as of now gucci is more set dressing than an active participant

he had pranced over in a rush, having freshly tussled with the outdoor dining area's arraignments. how was he to know his favored decorative petals had gone out of season?

the chihuahua had seated himself by his pharaoh's throne, occupying a spot he believed to have earned.

( how had a year passed so quick? )

khaba was a proven mazoi, now captain to the red spire's guard. deserved, fully, after a service more consistent than impressive.

the one he brought, was eye-catching. a showdog's critical gaze found faults, unwanted exaggerations, the woman's beauty sourced from uniqueness in place of conformity.

but gucci could not speak for his king's tastes, and remained quiet, poised, snout upwards tilted and eyes narrowed.

while this wicca was indeed beautiful, a spread of bountiful curves and lovely angles, her largesse marred the effect for pharaoh. gucci came to sit near. pharaoh nodded to the jodai once khaba had spoken.
ramesses did not descend. "why have you sought me today, lady wicca?" he asked in a purling tone, ears thrust forward in curiosity.

Khaba will just be sitting guard from here on. Unless he is specifically addressed/needed, he can be skipped.

His role in this had come to an end.

Nodding once in return to the pharaoh, the jodai turned and placed himself near the entrance.

His back would be turned to them now, but he was still present and alert, should they have need of him.

She kept her head lowered as the Pharaoh sought her reasons for asking his audience. 
Her smoldering gaze remained floor-bound yet her body in delicate poise, unintentionally regal.
The slow draw of breath before she answered in smooth tones
"I seek somewhere to lend my knowledge and services. I am a medic, an herbalist - but also a toxicologist among other things, Great One." She offered.
She had a few talents and knacks, but she would not lay out the entire list unless His Highness asked her to. 
There was scrutiny here, she felt. 
But she wasn't shocked in the least.

the small man slightly turned his head, and raised a dainty paw to obscure his mouth.

despite having to raise his whisper-voice for it to reach the pharaoh's ears.

"your majesty, think on our numbers, and our healers." only one, that is.

skippable!

they had healers. they had numbers. her size reminded him of his least fond enemy. ramesses was innately distrustful. 
"i once knew a toxicologist." and he had trusted maegi far more. "from where did you come before?"
he did not know what anger crept in him now, only that it breathed and existed.

Wicca noted the distrust with a silent, patient grace. 
"I hail from the North, Divine One. I called my homeland the Ice Frontiers. I dispersed from there in search of something more, that I did not feel was within my place of birth." 
The lady continued to face the ground as she spoke out of what she thought was respect for the Pharaoh.
He had not corrected her so far in this sense anyway, and thus, she continued.

a headache gripped ramesses, suddenly so fiercely that he grimaced and then stood with a sharp motion. "out."
their meeting was at an end. he stared at khaba, expecting the man to escort away the woman, and then turned to gucci. "bring me tavina."
pharaoh looked for his pine-needle drink and stood as if he heard and saw no one else.
in his mind, makono.

Catching sight of the pharaoh's look upon him, the jodai wasted no moment, standing quickly.

Moving closer to the woman, he gestured towards the door. This way, please.

While the pharaoh was tended to, Khaba would escort Wicca to one of their guest chambers until she was summoned again to the throne room.

She did not see the way He grimaced, only hearing the sharp orders given before the Guardian came and lead her away.
She would follow with confusion in her heart at the anger from the Pharaoh.

Wicca would follow the Jodai to wherever he was taking her though, until she could be summoned another time...

he cast his eyes over @Gucci. "last i let such a beast inside my gates, i lost my favoured fellahin. and she spoke of poison! the only one i ever trusted as such was your late noble wife, vizier."
for even in the shadows of life had they been friends to the end; he remembered her torment and her humour and her sorrow and her words each day.
"no poisoners inside these halls unless they are trained in akashingo itself."

admittedly, he'd flinched at the quick dismissal. 

gucci had nodded at the order, but remained still, regally aloof, until the woman were escorted. then the pudgy vizier shuffled to his feet as if the floor were polished.

he was to make it around the throne, when ramesses's words stopped him, and gucci twirled and sat back down - far less gracefully this time.

he would've acknowledged the comment, assured his pharaoh, then left, when he remembered.

how his little girl so often smelled of sharp herbs. how she nursed mysterious stomach aches. hid in dark places with stained paws.

gucci gulped. he'd have to be careful, else what ( he was certain was! ) a childhood hobby be treated too serious.

"she was one worldly woman." the dog spoke softly, evenly. "tragedy, tha' we lost sah much wi' 'er." a hint of grief snuck into a syllable. 

and then he let it take over, to better mask his speech. "who could evah train such talent, wi' dear maegi gone?"

was gonna ask to fade this, but then i remembered @Medusa :looking: