Lion Head Mesa utroque

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"i have interviewed everyone in mereo. i have two suspects. lady sokha and jawahir. the lady would not speak of her past. the coyote was not allowed to be alone while she nursed your royal children."

was any of this known to ramesses? germanicus did not know.

ramesses' nostrils flared. he sat back upon his throne. "lady sokha will not speak of her past because it is horrendous."
that eliminated the mazoi as a suspect, but he would keep her name close to mind. and his jewel? "but jawahir bore two new fellahin for akashingo. what would be the purpose? a coyote can never sit upon the queen's throne."

"it is not strange for someone who does not want to be a nursemaid to kill royal children. that would have roused you against them as well. but i cannot see jawahir's motive. they would be the first suspect."

his eyes were firm.

"who else has come beneath this roof?"

ramesses shook his head. "there have been no others, roman. we are in mourning. who else is on that list?" pharaoh shifted angrily. "it sounds as though you have made no progress."

the egyptian was irate. germanicus waited for the outburst to pass.

"lady treva. she is pregnant with your children, is she not? she is my first suspect."

pharaoh's jaw tensed. "careful, cur. you stray too close to the royal sun with your accusations."
the lazuli eyes hardened. "yes, she carries my children. and yes, she will be the next queen of akashingo. do you think i have not considered it?"

"if you suspected the woman, why did you call upon me for this investigation? why do you intend to make her queen? suppose she kills your son next, pharaoh?"

germanicus loathed politics. ramesses was a fool.

pharaoh was off the throne now. he thrust his perfect face near that of the imperator. "would you have me execute her in childbed, roman? suppose she bears me another son. you do not understand how the gods choose a pharaoh, germanicus, and i would not expect you to comprehend this. but even if i put his mother to death after his birth, this prince may grow into an enemy."

the imperator did not move.

"and if she only bears daughters? will you detain her then? will you avenge queen satsu?"

his voice was dry.

ramesses scoffed but it was a hard, icy sound. "if she bears only girls then it will be no loss to me that she is ended for it. but you speak as though she is already convicted. do you truly believe it was her? how would a relative newcomer have commanded the servants against their queen? she was little more than a commoner."

"what i believe is of no account, pharaoh. what matters is what you believe. i have presented you with a scenario which has played out in a thousand courts: a commoner taken as concubine deposes the current queen to become figurehead and establish her own bloodline. kill her. do not kill her. but if you do nothing, it will not be by my command."

pharaoh's mouth twisted. "i do not think it was by her decree that satsu was killed."
his voice was firm. his eyes accusatory. and pain raced in all places of him.
"but i will take all of your suspects beneath consideration." this pained ramesses to say but not a tinge of this showed in his lapis eyes.

germanicus felt he had wasted his time.

"i am leaving my soldier here. glaukos. he needs a month's tour of time in order to be eligible for a promotion."

it was the alliance of their packs which made this possible.

"i will be leaving in the morning."

ramesses nodded. "i will make use of him."
his lips curled. but this time he did not tease the roman for dashing off to his little wife. he only nodded. a dismissal.
the imperator took his leave, and for a long time thereafter, ramesses mulled over all that had been said while glowering at the far wall.