Lion Head Mesa thirty-fourth

no posting order!

in the chambers of @Toula did senmut call for @Gucci.

the fellahin were meant to be stilled, quiet, without the voices that their queen granted them — not for this meeting.

bayek and khusobek stationed at either doorpost, and all others fielded away.

the war council had convened. smaller than others, and perhaps this was best for their protection.

"it is time to move upon the lake."

when the message came, it caught him sunbathing in the courtyard of his villa, chatting idly with @Medusa, quiet @Midas chewing on a bone. he excused himself, made a joke about princes these days, advisors needing to wipe their behinds on command, then followed after the fellahin.

he hoped so strongly neither offspring guessed at the reason for this summon, same way he intuitively knew it.

[ ... ]

gucci was seated, expression severe. the opening statement made him bite his tongue. he wished to speak, but first waited for the priestess-queen to set the tone.

was she really servile to the whims of her second?

the Queen looked upon the prince-priest, and among them as well was the longest standing royal, Neb Gucci. the war council was three for a reason, each perhaps on their own page. 
she did not yet speak. first, she would hear the other member of this party. she saw the discontent upon his features, and she merely bid: speak. 
she would listen.

"the man khaba was once loyal to this palace as a mazoi. he served your sister, but refused her orders. he struck down the hemet qiao. now he holds mere babes hostage from their mother, zharille, who has come to us, neb," he said to gucci.

"divine one, you said you wished not to go to war, to continue the edict of pharaoh. and i agree. but now she comes to us for help to reclaim her throne, and the lake will be ours if we do this."

eyes now, solemn toward the diminutive noble. "but here, all our words must be in agreement."

long sigh.

what's our forces? what allies can git 'ere quick? what tale we tell? wronged pharaoh, banished woman?

his black eyes bounced between each player on the board.

akashingo needs tah stand strong. how's our power 'n' how's our wrath best shown?

the Queen listened on in silence, content to play the part of listener. but she was more than that here; she, ultimately, would be the decider. 
all that the once Hem said was true, she knew now. and there was anger in her heart toward the betrayer. but it seemed it was not so uncommon, him burning those around him—
Toula knew more now, and would tell it.
there is worse than even this, Toula breathed quietly. another of theirs has come to us for refuge. though she, too, wishes revenge against him. he uses the women, then pits them against one another—and one of them has died for it. Raven, she had called her, and Toula would again and again say the girls name, to keep her alive! 
now she turned to the Neb. I think they are already broken, from within. but if allies were needed, I think none would wish for their daughters to find this place to be seduced by a betrayer. to die. would you? she asked, whisper-quiet. there are children there. they should not be subjected to such a life… more than conquest, which had its benefits, Toula thought of the children. thought of the little girls…
what would he do, were it his Medusa? and so she asked him, her voice unwavering, tell me how you think a strong Akashingo looks, for she had heard Senmut. and while it was clear she did not disagree with him—and perhaps more clear than that was her own outrage for these women that he had wronged and the woman that he had killed, that he would keep his cubs away from their mother…—was that if blood could be avoided, Toula would keep her mind open to the ideas that were presented. 
and only then would she speak.

did gucci have faith in their youthful queen? young though she was, child she was not, and thus far she had shown none of her father's cruelty nor pharaoh's ambition.

the erpa-ha would have gladly recited the palace's forces then, had not the Divine Consort spoken again, of the internal strife upon the lake. "your favorite fellahin found this woman, i believe. toothmarked, bloodied, thrown aside." his voice was solemn.

and now his eyes moved toward the neb and here senmut was silent, for the question belonged to gucci.

-the pressure in this room, of this talk, it weighted on his skull! the top of it, where it was soft. gucci raised a paw to his muzzle, as if to pinch the bridge of it.

's awful. awfulmost. he muttered, ineffectively massaging his forehead. 

he, who had never stepped paw past otter creek, who had in his mind exalted akashingo so high up his Ma's beachfront property faded in comfort from memory, had not one reason to doubt the barbarousness out in the deep wilds. child-thieves, man-witches. he'd buy it all, but by gawd did he not believe the price was right!

his paw dropped.

a strong ak-ah-sheen-goh would nawt need spill one drop a'blood. ours. ours. when our toothed show in force, them who's weak-filled 'n' impious should run o' their own reason.

again, a sigh. the headache did not subside.

if we can crush 'em- if they's so weak our wolves 'n' 'yotes won't be weakened in days tah come-.

again.

ah have tah agree wi' our erpa-ha.

he dragged his lips into a grin.

's time tah move.

she nodded. and then looking to the prince, she said: first, we get those children. perhaps now is the time that spy is put into good use—if they remain among them, there might be trust there. I am sure their once queen would be happy for the reunion, for if Khaba killed them, the reason she had first come here was for naught, and what leverage did they hold to ensure the Lake might be their own, as spoken of in that deal? 
for Toula, it was less political than this. she wanted to be sure those children were kept well enough away from all of the blood, should there be any at all.

and so it was decided.

gucci spoke and senmut saw his wisdom: strength without bloodshed. not the way of ramesses, nor pharaoh, but the singular desire of a gentle girl.

"i will march with khusobek and bayek, with a call to the noble naberius to follow if he is so needed. if they are shattered already, then my voice will be yours, Divine One. i leave you in the hands of the priests, the fellahin, and your new mazoi."

an ear flicked. "on your word, queen of akashingo."

go. take @zharille and save the children. take @zaahira to make this stand, when it is time for that. she will want to be there, and for the loss of her Raven, I think perhaps that she should. whether there was blood or not, she imagined that satisfaction might come from seeing the “mighty” fall.
but should he move against any of them, Senmut would have an extra set of teeth at his side when that day came. 
come back to me, she said next, her eyes upon him. but she knew the Gods had no design to take him from her; she sensed them. I give my blessing. I will continue to pray.

his headache did not subside.

gods with ya, erpa-ha. gucci muttered, bowing his head.

he thought he could taste blood on his gums.

gawd almighty, let us be right.

he bowed, departed.

senmut moved to proverbial golden chariot.

for akashingo he would give all of himself.