Lion Head Mesa Mother

A song for @Satsu <3. Private for @Ramesses.

Siptah was too young to know this grief, this... this anger. Satsu wasn't just dead. She'd been killed, murdered by one of their own. Who else could have gotten to her? Siptah no longer knew who to trust, and he'd taken up solitude. Today was his first day leaving his bedchambers. He brought with him two bone pieces, part of a game Belen had showed him. It was the only thing he could think to bring — he had no possessions.

He tucked them neatly with the rest of his mother's gifts, then gazed down at her body; already, she looked smaller. And the smell... but no. He needed to do this. This was his mother. Siptah sucked in a breath, then said silent prayers to all the Gods he knew. Whoever had done this would pay, in time.

siptah.
ramesses could not keep his queen safe.
and now perhaps a new son grew in treva's belly. sons were destined to fight as Set and Horus for all time.
but this boy was satsu's son.
two dynasties shone in his blood.
ramesses did not approach until siptah had finished offering his amulets.
"she will carry them to the House of the Dead. and when she sees you again, siptah, you will know her for she will show you the pieces of bone you have sent to her now."

He would see her again. Siptah nodded, tears prickling at his eyes despite his stony expression. He could not let them fall. He needed to be strong. His father's words would have to be comfort enough. Quietly, he asked, "Why...? Why would someone kill her?" He looked up, to meet Ramesses' gaze. His eyes were lightening — they would be a pale contrast to the Pharaoh's own dark lapis eyes, with time.

Then, angrily, looking down at his paws, he growled, "I hope you kill whoever killed mother. They... they deserve it." He was just a boy, after all. A boy who still needed his mother. He wished he could curl up at her side one last time. So many opportunities he had wasted, roaming the palace. He was bitter.

"she will be avenged, my son, and build her a new tomb upon their crushed bodies."
the anger swept over him but this time ramesses resisted. 
"there are many who bear a jealous cup for those of us born to godhood. a guard. a fellahin. an entertainer. a prince. anyone can be your enemy. you must learn to discern who can be trusted."
he stared at the small limbs of satsu, shrinking beneath her dessicated shroud. tears came to him. he lifted his voice in mourning.

Tags for reference <3

His father promised retribution, and the boy Prince nodded, swallowing hard. At the Pharaoh's words, Siptah thought of Belen, of @Gucci, and @Akhtar. Could they be trusted? Surely it could not be Belen, who had been the first to play with him. And Gucci... no one that small could have killed his mother. The Priest seemed like a good man, as well... but now, he just grew wary.

Ramesses let loose a mournful call, and Siptah joined in; his howl was much stronger than before, and yet it cracked with grief. After a few moments of silence, Siptah dared to ask, "Who do you think it was?" He wasn't certain he'd get a response.

"i do not know. that is for the gods to reveal. but we search."
there was a long pause. ramesses stared at satsu's figure a harsh moment and then turned away, padding toward the path that would lead back inside the mesa. he expected siptah to accompany him.
"mereo. have you heard the name?" he did not wait for an answer. "akashingo has an outpost in the mountains, a collection of skilled soldiers. i have called upon them to send a party here. they will aid our investigation. i want you with me when they come and when i speak to any of them. you are not too young to begin your education upon our alliances."
silence fell. he walked in quiet back toward his throne room.

Tag for reference!

If anyone had answers, Siptah was sure it would be Ramesses — until he said he knew nothing. The boy Prince dropped his head when the Pharaoh turned away, and he sucked in a steadying breath, breath filled with the scent of Satsu's decaying body. At first it had been putrid, and harsh. And now, somehow, it comforted him. He turned, then, to follow his father.

Mereo, an outpost — nothing he'd heard mention of before. Siptah listened close, his heart starting to race as he was told he was to meet the soldiers, too. Dry-mouthed, he swallowed. "Yes, father." The prospect both excited and scared him. He put back his stoic face as the pair walked back to the throne room. He looked up to his father, then said, "I... I want my own room. I don't want to stay in mother's anymore." It wasn't comforting to him anymore. He looked down. He wanted... solitude, away from his sisters. Especially as they were no longer nursing anymore. This brought a frown to his muzzle — @Jawahir had been nursing them these past weeks, and he'd not liked it one bit. He'd hated it, in fact. This has made him begun to dislike the coyote. He looked back up with bated breath.

ramesses looked at his son. "@Sayf is the architect inside akashingo. he will be the one to whom you speak. ask him to find rooms for you, or accompany him to be part of the process. it is your decision, but you must make the choice."
siptah was old enough to speak and to understand. therefore he was old enough to comport himself as a prince.
"eventually you will need to choose a body-servant. that is one of the fellahin who will be with you almost at all times, including sleeping at the door of your room."
the slumbering body was a deterrent and a stumbling block to assassins who meant to enter the room and end the prince. siptah was not yet aware of the world's intention to end royal wolves.

Siptah had seen Sayf, but he had never spoken to him. He nodded, saying, "I want to help pick my own." He wanted something private, separated from the others, and going along was the best way to make sure he got it.

And then, his father spoke of a body servant; Siptah frowned, looking down at his paws in thought. He really hadn't met many of the fellahin yet. He wondered aloud, "Who would you pick, father? If you were me?"

"i would choose sayf. but he is quite busy and our architect now as you know. he will help you with your rooms. i will send sihaya to you for the time being."
the man was his guard but siptah was heir to akashingo. he must be protected.
"you must find someone who you trust. someone who will honor you. who will listen. remember, my son, each of your brothers will also be your enemy."

Fade here? <3

Siptah nodded, frowning slightly; his father offered a servant he had not met before, but he supposed it didn't matter. He listened intently to the Pharaoh's next words, shock coloring his young features at the last of them. Once more, he nodded, but this time it was with a determined expression. "Thank you, father. I... I will remember that." He squared his shoulders, then sighed softly. He had much to think about. The Prince looked up to Ramesses. "May I be excused?"

<3

ramesses looked at him. "next time you wish to leave a room or an audience, simply announce your departure. you are the prince. do not ask for permission. i would have commanded you to stay if i wanted it, for that is my power." his eyes were affectionate for a moment. "go, my son."
as siptah walked away, sihaya would follow. ramesses turned back to his own thoughts.

Siptah felt warm beneath the softened gaze of Ramesses, and he ducked his head, smiling. He turned and left, with Sihaya following after, and made his way deeper into the tunnels, where he would start looking for his own room.