Lion Head Mesa should have worshipped her sooner

attn @Senmut ! hoping for a backdated shrine building thread, since that was something I was excited for before life happened! <3

with her day free, when the sun rose—and she had finished greeting Ra with the priests and her family that attended—toula swept after the youngest. her father had granted her leave to create something for her favored of Goddesses, and it was not without delight that she continued their conversation from a day ago, oh, Hem! ...have you a moment? her own attendants lingering with her seemed pleased to see her so happy, and were content to watch unless called upon.

yes! <3!

the priest turned from his work and smiled. he enjoyed the presence of princess toula; she was pious and dutiful in the little temples.

"hello, divine one." he bowed low with forehead to the floor, straightening only when she said he might. "i have all the moments." his eyes shone. "what can i help you do today?"

oh! his words watered parts of her that her father had unwittingly planted. she so loved the way that he referred to her: divine one! toula seemed to bloom upon hearing them, her smile all the warmer. toula would not see him prostrated before her for long; she thought of his comfort, and she bid him stand perhaps the instant his nose swept the earth.
i was hoping that we might go to the serpent today, where you might show me the place you had in mind for our Iset, she answered, and that... that we might begin to build for Her, today, as toula imagined that senmut's eye had indeed found a place worthy of Iset!

senmut was happy to do so! "yes, of course, divine one." he would tell the others where he was going, those around, and then he would step toward the little princess and her attendants.
"Iset's obelisk should be seen from afar," senmut said when they had gone out into the cold air. "perhaps it should mark the beginning of the serpent from akashingo."

senmut spoke, and toula was quiet as she drew to his side. in his mind, he shared her vision. yes, she agreed heartily, nodding emphatically. the cold air bit at her, but she had not the chance to even shiver before her attendants brought to her the pale fur cloak of some animal. it was placed gently over her shoulders, and toula peered to them and gently asked, would you bring one for our Hem? and yourselves! we will be a while, I cannot have you be uncomfortable,
and at this, she threw them one of her fathers commanding gazes that arrested any argument. the servants, knowing toula's way, had prepared many furs in the event of this—and while none were as fine as hers, toula was happy to know that those with her were as comfortable as she.
once the attendant who had retrieved these items rejoined the pair, toula quietly insisted the Hem take a cloak for himself. I think that is a wonderful idea! and that it is alongside the serpent is so fitting, she commended the Hem for his way of thinking. shall we go there? toula had it in her minds eye, his vision—she could scarcely wait to see it truly with her own eyes!

a fur was draped around his shoulders. it cut the wind out at once. "thank you, divine one," the we'eb said to the gracious little princess. "the serpent is not far from here!"

a walk of fifteen minutes. he found his eyes drawn to the valley of queens as they passed. "have you been there to pay your respects, princess?" he asked softly.

toula nodded, her smile soft. she followed after him, watching their path with quiet reverence. her gaze, too, lingered upon the valley of queens.
his question was answered with a whisper-quiet, I have, her head bowing low to pay her respects to who once was Queen long ago. when that fateful day came that her own mother might come to pass...
she could not think it!
but she knew where she would go. it was a comfort, at least.
the first wife of her father was the mother of her eldest sisters, and brother. toula had great love in her heart for this woman, who did not feel like a stranger to her despite having never met her. @Makono and the rest would see the gifts she oft left. for the departed Queen had given toula one of the most precious gift of all.
it would not be fair nor kind to admit it, but toula loved her elder sister most of all... perhaps alongside her brother, when it came to her siblings. perhaps Makono knew it, though.
a thought came to her. mortality was not something she herself lingered upon. young as she was, toula still had a great respect for death; it was not something she feared.
for now she let the thought pass. she instead looked to the priest, wondering, do you know what she was like?

he shook his head. "i came to akashingo after she had died."

"i am told her entombment was very beautiful, that she was buried with a mummified fellahin who lived and died in service to akashingo. maggie will act as a shabti to queen satsu in the Land of Reeds, serving the Divine Ascended as she had done here upon earth."

"i am told that the place is home to serpents, who guard the Valley of Queens from those who might seek to do dark magick or plunder the tomb."

he looked toward the princess. "when Ra sees fit to warm us once more, we shall make a procession there and pay our respects. it will be good for her to see that a daughter of akashingo not from her own body still holds to the old homage."

in Toula's mind, she heard the melody of a song. it made her heart sad, to think of it, and she did not know why the melody came to her as it did. try as she might to remember, it was like chasing a dream.
but Senmut took her from her thoughts, and brought her back to the present. who would plunder a tomb?! she gasped, appalled by the very idea! heathens!
I would love that, Toula said in answer to his next suggestion, for she has left behind such gifts for me, for all of Akashingo, through my sisters. I must thank her appropriately, she determined with a sage nod of her head. the snakes would sense her spirit, and let her pass to pay her respects  (so she believed!).

"those who want the sacred items within, divine one."

toula's kind declaration was taken with a nod. she would go to visit the late queen and all would be well.

the ribbon of the serpent soon spread before them. there was a small place fifty paces along the bank where spread a roil of silver sand, different from the red of the palace grounds. he led her to it and then looked at the divine child, showing her where he had set blue stones in a spiral upon the paler grains. "it is only the beginning."

the girl gasped at the place he had brought her to! she felt the essence of the area of the silver sands, and she gasped, it is though She has breathed upon this place! for Toula felt divinity, here, and she looked to Senmut's artful spiral.
it is beautiful, Hem, she shared in earnest, and then looking to him she said, what else can I do, to help you in building this to greatness for Her? the young girl could sense Iset's appreciation already; Senmut would know what else could be done. Toula was up for the task, evidenced by her undivided attention upon him then.

"only use what i have taught you, to bring Her gifts, to make ready this place and beautify it. you are well with such things, divine one. i have no doubt you will do Her a great obeisance in all that you choose."

and he meant it! a world where hungers were quelled, where makono was satisfied but toula was queen, one day, and where the law of akashingo was not the starvation of men for what they wanted, but the richness of worship.

he saw it in her. this princess was meant for something even senmut could not yet see.

Toula nodded to the man, gratitude a light within her eyes. if he believed in her, then surely she should believe in herself! a small smile to him as she decided, speaking with happiness in her heart, I shall begin now, Hem! marveling once more at his work before asking, join me? before spinning delicately on her heel to start her search for these things!

last from me <3