Lion Head Mesa threw it away, but now i say

qiao motioned sayf from her chambers. ramesses had given her not one, but several tasks. after consulting the bones strewn at her feet, qiao collected her wares and strode into akashingo’s red halls.

here she hoped to find @Makono, and divine from the girl what other spirits hounded her.

in the hours that followed makono's departure, senmut prayed.

and then the call rose. he did not know the lady qiao, only that she was sharp and filled ramesses' store-rooms with riches.

keep in her absence. and now @Khaba came to his mind. he did not answer the call at once; the young hem stepped lightly to find the jodai.

senmut did not announce himself as ally or friend. but both were often in the heir's company and now the moment came to guard and to carry out his task to test. 

"our crown prince is not here. go and detain the lady qiao in one of the larger rooms toward the front of the palace, kindly, please, if you are able. pharaoh cannot know that the heir has gone again." there was no telling if ramesses had even heard the hemet, but they had spoken upon her return. he did not know what sort of woman she might be and so he would treat her as a member of pharaoh's court.

the fact that things might have to be explained later would be a duty fallen to makono. he waited for khaba to know and to understand.

Senmut, the priest, came to him. A task was given. Though Khaba was skeptical, he knew better than to question what would happen if those closest to pharaoh knew where Makono had gone.

To the hem, the jodai nodded briefly before turning to Qiao's chamber. Upon the door, he did not send someone in to announce himself. Instead, he offered a light chuff before entering. Come with me. I want to talk with you. — but elsewhere than here.

feel free to notice her, and PP her if you would like to stop her. I wanted IN on all the juicy good stuff. 

 
Medusa kept far away from politics. It had no interest to her. 

But there was something in the air. 

Whatever it was, Medusa wanted no part of it. And she thought that perhaps the hem would be removed from it, whatever it was. 

But it seemed something else was afoot. When she found him, there were whispers... some things she made out, others she couldn't even with sharp ears. Medusa might have been noted, or she might not have been. 

She turned away with confusion clear as day upon her features. She had been schooled in many things, but the only lessons Medusa took stock in were the matters of plants. 

Medusa was not smart enough to realize the implications that could occur from this. From keeping to herself. 

And as much as she wanted to keep to herself then, the girl rushed to find @Gucci or @Midas as they were both a comfort to her. Medusa made for the halls of the fellahin.

a familiar shadow ensconced the halls. qiao slowed her steps, watching as khaba’s figure filled between gold and red stone filigree.

he wished to talk. she would oblige, but his request for her to leave the aegis of her chambers and hall did not sit well with the hemet. this little thread she settled upon, pulling to see where its strings might lead her.

after all, she had not forgotten he thought her stupid.

pleasant evenings, jodai khaba. qiao thought of her oracle bones and the message hidden in their intricate lines. certainly we can talk. perhaps you would like to accompany me to makono’s chambers?

there the knife’s edge flashed brilliantly; qiao’s gaze set upon the man in coldness.

To Makono's chambers? No, this would not do. He had to think fast. But when his words came, it was as if he hadn't spared a moment to think on them, for they were posed as truth. 

It is the wish of the crown prince not to be disturbed while she is bathed and preened by the fellahin. She had dismissed me, so I thought it best I use my time wisely. And why not with you, to discuss this task... the one we had previously spoken of, Ever so slightly, his eyes narrowed, curious and observant. Would she dismiss the topic altogether, or would his mention of it spark something within her due his reconsideration?

skipping medusa with permission <3

no apology; a shame. that might have softened the hardened edge of qiao's shoulders and made her more amenable.

instead, it seemed he consumed the entire hall with his body. qiao observed this blockade, unimpressed. it is the pharoah's command i seek out makono. this was no deceit -- ramesses had explicitly wished it. now she came to collect such command.

if khaba had treated her differently that fateful night, she might have played along. but he had branded her an upstart, and called into question her loyalty. he had belittled her, and for that he would never earn forgiveness.

qiao straightened her spine with a long look. she would not have her duties subverted by a man who had given her no reason to trust him. she took one step, and then another. i will simply wait outside her door. you are welcome to come along, and speak of your task and whether you have considered, jodai. i keep no secrets from akashingo, and if you will not do it, i will simply find another mazoi in your place.

The hemet would truly go against the crown prince's wishes, even if they had been faux? Tsk. This made the jodai dislike her even more.

Since she would not adhere to the request, Khaba would have to take a different approach.

Stepping closer to the door, he used the mass of his body to block her way. His face had fallen completely cold, barren. If you will not speak elsewhere, then neither one of us will be leaving these chambers. We can speak here instead. His mind would not be changed. If she fought him, so be it.

just like that, qiao felt confident she’d discovered something along these little threads. she had given it a hearty tug and look how the seams unraveled!

khaba was insistent in guiding her elsewhere. why? their last encounter he’d done everything short of spit in her face. to what end did it serve to steer her away from the crown prince? to deny her passage after she made it clear it came from ramesses’ bidding?

the wheels in qiao’s skull began to churn.

qiao would sooner displease the crown prince than the pharaoh, for her bloodpact laid with ramesses. qiao cared not one fig for the sniveling orders of a pup. she straightened, distrustful of the man who now sought to prevent her from carrying out the pharaoh’s wishes.  if she was not so sick of men and their swinging, overinflated egos, she might have commended khaba for the spectacular set of balls he displayed by threatening a higher ranking wolf.

jodai, you will forgive my insistence. at this she bowed deeply with a smile that almost seemed harmless. but it is most improper to tell me that i cannot carry out the pharaoh’s wishes. either explain to me the meaning of you blocking my egress, or answer to it tomorrow when i inform the pharaoh his command could not be carried out because his jodai committed treason.

qiao’s glittering gaze now fell upon him hard as anvilstrike.

It was improper and treason, as she saw it.

Khaba stiffened, now unsure as to what lengths Senmut wished this to go. What would be considered too far? Did he even want to find out?

It is not my desire for this to come as an act of treason. I only wish to respect the crown prince's wishes for privacy. Mimicking her bow, though perhaps lower for the sake of his head own head, the jodai lowered his nose in act of apology. 

Then he thought out his options. She had said they could wait outside her chambers. But meanwhile, they would speak on other things. Would this buy Makono enough time? He hoped so. That, or both of their hides would be presented to the pharaoh on the next morn.

Rising, he settled his gaze, giving in. We will wait by her chambers, then, until her return. Moving aside, the beast allowed her room to walk by and take the lead. The authority and respect she sought, no doubt. And you can tell me more of this mission. I will need to what the man looks like... who he may be accompanied by... — the like. The more detailed he made his plans seem, the likelier it was for her to believe his sincere intentions.

this thinly veiled threat seemed to soften khaba some. still, qiao did not trust it. 

she shouldered past, one ear turned behind her to listen for any sign he might go for her exposed back. many times qiao had found herself in this position. and yet, she was alive while those who attempted deceit now made their eternal beds in the earth. 

it was then she realized an inconsistency in khaba’s words. she clutched this revelation like a precious stone, fretting and needling at its meaning.

if he had been sent from makono’s chambers why was she now outside of it? and if she had been outside of the chambers this whole time, how would she have been disturbed by them posting vigil at her door?

arsenio. a former mazoi. redfurred,  foxfaced, and silver tongued. last i saw him was not so far from mereo. she recognized that khaba’s interest in this mission was to placate her, distract her from what might be at hand. 

arriving outside of makono’s door, qiao turned sharply and leveled the jodai with her full attention.  perhaps you will not waste my time and will tell me the true meaning of your visit. please do not do me the discourtesy of playing me a fool, jodai.

She answered his questions, but still need to not seem trustful. It was understandable. Though, because of this, he grew even more cautious of making further mistakes. He had already made a few, surely.

When she asked for truth of his visit, his brows furrowed. An idea came, but he wasn't too sure how well he could play it out. It was worth a try, though.

I want to know why you are so keen on this mission being carried out. It was mentioned to the crown prince, as I asked for her judgement. She told me not to ask more of it and decline, hence why I wanted to remain out of her earshot. Which you wouldn't let me do. Another one of your forms of treason, I suppose. He let his ears fall, playing the part to what degree he felt he could.

You must understand, hemet— it is hard for me to be between many and their orders. You tell me one thing, the crown prince and pharaoh tell me another. I want to help you with this, His tone grew coarse, but remained sincere. But I don't want to risk my position if the truth of this comes out and I am implicated for something not at my fault. That is why, initially, I asked if it had come from pharaoh, or you alone.

he asked a child her judgment. qiao blazed. ther years of experience, meted out before the eyes of a pup that had not yet experienced the blood of her first season!

khaba did not ease qiao’s suspicions. qiao measured him as he stood before makono’s doors. which was he..? the hare?

or the snake?

this was told to you on our first meeting, jodai. qiao sensed she was being strung along, though the purpose remained unclear. she did not understand why he would seek her out if his confidence in the crown prince’s judgment was so strong. would he not have felt validation, instead of second thoughts? men are not made mazoi for their deep capability of abstract thought. i serve as the pharaoh’s eyes for a reason, as you serve as his shield. we must honor our strengths, not shame people by showing our weakness..

qiao’s voice took an icy edge as she stepped fearlessly into the jodai’s face. which is it, khaba? first you tell me she does not want visitors at her chambers and has sent you away — now you say she is bathing outside of her chambers. a most peculiar notion for a crown prince who wishes her privacy. i saw no souls at the wellspring, and her scent is long faded from these doors. tell me what your little heart is scheming, or i will put your hide to ramesses’ wrath.

Powerplaying with permission!

Relentless, she was — refusing to give in and fighting him in every verbal angle she could. He became irritant, and quickly.

In a split moment, he came to realize he was down to only one option. Lying to cover the whole mess up clearly wasn't working. So, maybe shutting her up for good would.

With the last threat slipped from her slithering little tongue, Khaba spared no time that could have been used for any given reaction. A snarl rippled through him, his mass lunging for the hemet. 

His teeth first aimed for her shoulder, sinking in a good bite to steal away any four-legged stance she had prior. Only when he could taste the blood below the skin, he released and found a new hold upon her neck. Then, with a heavy swing, he sent her body directly towards the nearest wall. The impact sounded a great thud. It had done its work... or so he hoped.

But the jodai did not stand around in wait. All he could do was assume that the limp, lifeless appearing body of the hemet would not move again. And as soon as he was sure this action had not been seen, he ran. 

Towards the priest' chambers he would go to leave a message. This would be the last Akashingo would see of him. But only for the last days of this season, he hoped. For as the tide would soon change, he would return again. That, or take his last breath trying.

power-playing sayf with permission! <3

Diantha had not been long with this rather... peculiar set of wolves. But she was finding herself settling in. She was treated well. And she waited. She could not know exactly when her body would decide to revolt against her, but when it did, she would be ready to do what the pharaoh expected—no, demanded—of her. This was a trade, after all. She was kept safe from whatever beasts roamed outside this place, and in return she would give the prince heirs. All-in-all, not a terrible deal. And she didn't have to love him, which was a bonus.

When a silver and russet coyote—@Sayf—came running to her and beckoned her to come help with the most worried look Diantha had ever seen, she followed begrudgingly. She did not think this was the prince she was promised.

And when the potent smell of blood washed over her, she realized why he had come for her. Good grief! For a moment, she wasn't even sure that the coyote that lay on the ground was even alive. If she was, she wasn't too far from death. But she heard a wheeze, and Diantha determined that it would be wise to call for @Ramesses. Plus, it might get her on his good side if she reported such a heinous act.

the sesh wondered if ramesses' shouting had been heard in other parts of akashingo.

his hateful voice rang in her ears. 

a plan began to take form but it was squandered by the activity before her; she stilled the new woman with a look. "he must not see this, he —" tavina straightened and went to lady qiao. "sayf, cloths and water. you," she said to the one called diantha whom she had not yet met, "come stand beside her head. i need you to tell me if she stops breathing."

and tavina, thinking nothing of what might have happened for now, began to palpate the small body for breaks.

How was Diantha supposed to know what he—assuming the pharaoh—should or shouldn't see. She figured, with him being in charge, he would want to know about something like this. Not entirely willingly, Diantha went to the unconscious coyote's head. It seemed as though she was still breathing, and Diantha confirmed by putting her own nose close to the coyote's.

What's her name? Why would somebody do this? she asked the black one who went to work pressing here and there. Diantha squirmed at the sight of it. As far as she was concerned, this coyote was not worth saving, but perhaps she held some significance to the pharaoh.

"her name is lady qiao. she is a priestess to akashingo, as her rank says, but more than that she brings many riches into the palace through trade, all things to keep us arrayed and keep pharaoh happy."

"in a palace, anyone of note can be a target, my lady," tavina murmured as sayf returned and she began to sponge blood away from the quiet brow. "being so visible to so many, it can set you up."

and what did that say about their defenses?

"i'll need you to help me carry her, once her head is wrapped," the sesh went on, brisk and no-nonsense.

Ah, this must be the priestess the pharaoh had spoken of. The one who was to tell if she would have a son. Diantha was thankful that she—was this one of the servants?—was able to tell her so much. Perhaps in her place, Diantha would always be privy to such knowledge. That Qiao was a target was even more interesting. Perhaps she had not given the answer needed for one of the other nebets. Diantha wondered too if she would become a target for such violence.

To the instruction, Diantha nodded. Where will we move her?

we can wrap & have a new one perhaps? <3

"to my examination room."

a neat, small space, herbs laid on a low shelf with a stack of soft pelts. a slab of stone sat in the center of the room, laid with larger furs. 

this would be where the lady would recover.

last from me <3

you would not d-- qiao's voice was cut short as khaba struck her down. her skull hit the redstone with a terrific crack.

**

she did not rise. as tavina and diantha discussed how to tend to qiao, a red pool of blood darkened underneath her skull.

she was only just breathing as sayf and tavina pulled her away, a ribbon of red trailing in her wake.

Diantha did as she was told, if only because it was more interesting than staring at the walls for another day. She watched with some curiosity as the coyote barely breathed, but Diantha knew better than to be in the way. She would stay as long as was required, and then she would go back to staring at the walls and kicking rocks.