Lion Head Mesa twenty-sixth

another throne room. another ruler.

three in his life already had he seen.

to the rooms of the queen-elect @Toula had senmut come, bringing the holy seal of the Apis Bull. he had waited for her to dismiss her attendants, two of whom were new in addition to jawahir and sayf.

and when she had, when they were at last alone, he looked to the delicate pious features of the soft creature in her smaller throne, not that inhabited by ramesses or makono.

"we should leave the role of pharaoh open, for her to resume should she return." if toula meant to take up the crown herself, of course he would support her in all things. but akashingo had been through great turmoil, one he hoped this satin sister to makono could quell.

"let us waste no time in formally crowning you," senmut went on. "the immediate matters are how to explain and the enemy that lies beside the lake." he wanted her regally instated and would see it done.

"let us say, if it be your will, divine one, that she has gone to study beneath the high priest of her father's land. that she wishes to become a more well-rounded leader, as as always been her focus. that she means to return, and until this time she leaves akashingo in the hands of its queen." this he hoped would guard against ambitious men who meant to seize the Horus Throne with unworthy grasp.

the hem paused, and looked toward the doorway as if the fierce pharaoh herself might walk upon them! to throw himself at the foot of his divine sovereign once more would sooth the great feeling of betrayal the holy man now experienced.

so much to be decided and so quickly! he took a breath. "i had suggested war upon khaba and his wolves, but now we are at a disadvantage for it. there is the options to spy upon them, to ignore them wholesale, to make an overture of peace, or to carry out this conflict." and the princess before him was certainly no warlike creature.

"atreus has been gone for some time, as you know. he heals in brecheliant. our defenses are low, therefore i would caution against frequent excursions from the palace, until such a time as more of a retinue can be found."

but then his mouth ran dry. if she would be queen, and suppose makono nor their brothers returned, akashingo must bow to a foreigner. senmut did not like this, though he had no ambition for such a heavy title himself. and yet he knew what could be done for this, to assure that a noble bloodline never fully departed akashingo.

"make me erpa-ha," he said quietly. "hereditary prince. it means that you bestow upon me the divinity of your line, a lesser noble, but one uplifted." those holding this role could marry into the line itself. he did not mention this to the princess, for it was not his goal, only that if all her suitors paled he knew he would not. the gods help them; let it not come down to some peasant-born priest. his heart broke for makono, even as he took up his place in her sister's court.

senmut waited, knowing he would stay as her vizier no matter what she decided.

Makono! where had she gone! Toula, having just prayed and visiting where her father was placed for viewing, dressed his wrappings in any place she found lacking. she spent time speaking with him, as though he might answer her; she hoped that in dreams, he might still. but Toula could not spend too long in his presence, with the work she had now to do—work she had never anticipated before, but work she would not shirk from.
and once she was returned to her chambers, it seemed the work was to begin! Toula stood tall, leaning toward Senmut in observation. to his first advisement, she nods and agrees. Makono would surely return, would she not? and Toula would keep Akashingo standing for her in her absence. it was no question, that this should and would be done.
as far as the formal crowning of her, Toula also did not disagree. the party would come, surely, the spring celebration an event that would once more bring joy back to these halls... but someone needed to rule, and it could not simply be Amiirad any longer. It is my will that this be done, so that all these things might be properly addressed, and more!
enemies beyond the lake! her sisters enemy. Toula thought on this, but listened well. I think this is a good idea, Toula nods. but she did not look with Senmut; somehow, in her heart, she imagined that this was what must be happening. none would come through that door until they were ready; she only wondered who might be the first to return, between her own mother and her sister!
Toula did not think the former a traitor. the weight of the loss of her mothers husband... it must have broken her!
but for them all, Toula would not break. she gathered her own softness to her and became this one, great thing that the rest could fall upon. and so it would be. as for the conflict, Toula thought, neither of our reigns should begin with blood. I would not move the whole of Akashingo against one man, for what were the wolves of the Lake to them? if Toula hoped to rule them, too, perhaps might was not right to start with. by now, she was aware that one might have been wronged by Khaba. if justice is sought, I would not disallow it. each action has its consequence, for whatever the reason, Khaba had struck first—had broken the peace first. but regardless of that...
the Hem had the right of it. they were at a disadvantage, and Toula... she was no tactician. Toula thought, though, that peace was a good way to begin ones first reign. should they strike against us, we can reconsider, Toula hums, and looks to Senmut for his own thoughts on the matter.
his next question, she did not expect! but Toula, equally, could not find it in her heart to refuse the man who had done so much for her, for her family, this. it is done, she hummed, so long as you remain a vizier to me as well, erpa-ha, let her be the first to call him this!

"i would think of nothing more, divine one." senmut was relieved that she did not wish to stage a preemptive attack. there was prey enough between them. it was only the existence of khaba which rankled him, khaba who knew all of akashingo and had betrayed his pharaoh.

"as hemet-nekheb, you are Consort to the Gods, Wife to the Divine. this need not change until it also be your will, great one. but marry you must, for one day you will deliver to akashingo our next pharaoh."

she was not that godhead, and yet this dynasty was her birthright by blood. it would be the same for her children; senmut would see to it.

"i will retain my position of high priest, though i ask that medusa be considered in another season for the role of high priestess. akashingo needs both for a balance of prayer." he dipped his head at this, feeling more forceful in his guiding of toula than he had ever been with makono. but she had already been forged and hardened in the forge of mereo, clawing for her father's footsteps, ambitious and kind and overwhelmed.

he must not let it all fall to toula.

at last senmut let out his breath and looked more warmly at the young wolf upon her throne. "tell me what is on your spirit, all of it, great one."