Lion Head Mesa thirty-eighth

senmut had allowed himself one night of drunkenness.

he had kept to his chambers, he had called for meat and for the fermentation of berries.

and then, perhaps for he was still a man, still weak, he summoned jawahir. beneath pharaoh's rule and that of her sister, there was no expectation of fellahin any longer.

but senmut would not know if jawahir came of accord or remembering their old ways.

his flesh, plied to gasping; and then the prince slept.

in the weeks that followed, he had been chaste, partaking in sparing amounts of the summer-wine. he kept company with the queen, and spoke to those who sought him.

senmut passed by the throne room of pharaoh, slowing as his green eyes swung toward the silent shadows.

There was much celebration to be had at the return of the raiding party and all of which remained of the lake wolves, now as many Mazoi among Akashingo's army. It would be left to time if they would leave soon and reform but Naberius selfishly hoped they would not, lest they consider themselves an extension of the crown. Naberius was a selfish man, but in this case his selfishness held to Akashingo's best interests. 

Wherever celebration called, Naberius was there. Perhaps a little of himself and his own desires coming through in these times after the war. The second son was just that. His brother studying and training to prompt for Kingdom while Naberius strode about the lands, doing as he so pleased! So long as when he were to marry, it would be a woman of high status and pure wolf blood. 

Until tgen, he sang, he danced, he was close with laughter and whispers to those who had a want for it. He ate and he drank of sweet berry juice and had he any to call upon him as had Senmut, he would have. Man or woman. But Naberius was still unsure how strict the customs of Akashingo were, so bed alone. During the daylight hours, he was not alone for long. 

Again, after his weeks returned, he finds Senmut. Sober now, after their drunken words hardly remembered, though hopefully not too suggestive, should the prince not have his head. When is it you think Pharoah may return to us? Boldly asked perhaps, but Naberius were a bold man and genuinely curious of this 'warlike sister', as @Gucci had named.

boldness indeed.

but such was to be expected of nobles.

"she will return when it is time," senmut told naberius, bright eyes flickering with unsaid things. he lifted his chin.

he remembered that he had drunk with this man, and settled, and now looked at him with warmer eyes. "our queen must marry. and you must also, naberius."

such was the lot of nobles. he considered medusa for a brief moment.

Bright green eyes flash into Naberius' direction. There is a hmm on his lips in regard to Makono. Maybe she had not set a time of return upon her departure. Senmut speaks little. A man concise. This was not Naberius and he filled in the gaps between words well. 

Ah, but of course- on both accounts. She already has a number of suitors who arrive. Harakhte, for example. Then, after a moment to see if Senmut had any opinion on the other wolf, I have the freedom which my brother will never. He admits. Both he and his brother, sons of the Lands of Sun and Sand, both had roles to play, duties to uphold and lives which they would never live. Yet all the same I have journeyed for both pleasure and for blood. I have grown up surrounded by the laughter and beauty of all my sisters and wish to bestow many daughters just the same. 

Naberuis brother had all eyes on him. Praised, worshipped, loved. An empire to call his own and to command as fit. Naberius would never be king, lest his elder brother die with no sons. Likely not. He was but a second son but in this had freedom and loose rules. He was to spread the name and seed of Cyrus and do as all he pleased in-between. Still, they each would marry. They each would spread their family name and uphold it with dignity and valor. This was the way. 

Then, boldly still, You are High Priest and Prince. Would you consider your own self for her paw in matrimony? Or, maybe, he was waiting for the return of Makono.

bold! bold! senmut at last grinned a boyish and genuine smile. "i am at her command. if she finds no proper suitor, then i will be her choice. she may yet choose to be pharaoh as her sister did, however. i am content to be moved upon her senet board."

naberius wished to be married, it seemed, and senmut mentally scrolled through the list of possibilities. it would take a priestess from her work, unless the man made a political marriage for the benefit of akashingo, taking a foreigner as wife instead.

in this, naberius too enjoyed more freedom than toula. senmut wondered if the man accompanying him today had any designs upon the role of pharaoh.

The priest-prince smiles, a true one and showing the youth in his features. In just a few years, this one had accomplished so much! He was worthy of the pride in his steps. 

A year younger then Naberius himself and unhindered devotion, the Queen could either see Senmut as the perfect husband or the perfect servant. 

Senmut seemed to know this, stating that he would be moved about to whichever Toula seemed fit. He always seemed exactly to speak what he should say, making Naberius further curious of what true emotions lie beneath. So, Naberius did the same. Ah, of course! We are all at her disposal, as she so chooses, as is her right. 

But, Though our Queen is quite young and her royals will always be there to aid her decision, should she have a want for it. After all, she may need a push in the right direction. It wouldn't be quite fitting for her to marry some rugged low-blood mountain man or be whisked away by a savvy pirate.

naberius played well. senmut genuinely enjoyed it. he could not gambit with the queen, nor those below his rank; it was the nobility which made a court by offering such sport for the leadership.

"what do you think of harakhte?" the erpa-ha asked directly. he had not been reared in a courtly way, and retained many of his blunt ways.

and servants, sent away, could not carry tales to waiting ears.

Naberius tips his muzzle upwards, musing in thoughts as he is questioned of the man- the first of many visitors to come with eyes set on their Queen. 

He is a handsome fellow, is he not? A side-eye from the Neb. But one of impure blood. A quite well-sought desire in a brothel, but for their Queen?

Does her family line have leniency with this? By the manner in which it was spoke, it was plain that the Cyrus line clearly did not.

naberius spoke of tainted lineage. senmut also idealized the concept of purity, a truth he did not speak for now.

"the queen has been served by coyotes and servants since she was born. she is kind, but assured of the divine hierarchy she must oversee."

a side-step answer, and naberius would see it.

senmut regarded the man. "many of those with pure blood have married those without. are you against the practice altogether, neb?"

It was, most definitely, a side-step answer. There would be no easily direct answers from this one. Perhaps another night of drink was in order! 

Of course. Naberius purred out, bright sunburst eyes studying. Yes, Toula was sweet, everyone knew that and Senmut ensured that she was sure of the importance of her divinity. Having jackals, dogs and coyote as servants was one thing. To have them as commoners in her court, still, but to become Pharoh was far different. 



I am. He admits with a bold honesty. To marry below my station would be frowned upon, but this? His tongue clicks on the roof of his mouth. It has only ever been considered most distasteful among our royals to do so. It would not be... safe, for the couple, to do so. He suggested with a whisper. He had not witnessed a marriage at this happen before, in his time. Yet, he had been told tales, that should it happen the couple were never seen again. They were to run off together for their happiness, denouncing land and title, lest the head of their impure loved one be found removed. 

Of course, this was not the Land of Sun and Sand. This was Akashingo and Toula was not Cyrus lineage.

LMAO

senmut found himself studying the neb as he spoke, wondering strangely, somehow, if he might be a match for none other than nazli herself.

she was a fellahin no longer; his very soul ached to think of her turned to another's love. but senmut belonged to the queen, and therefore his boyish thoughts of marrying nazli must be interred for now, until such a time as their regent had chosen her pharaoh.

why should nazli wait for love?

"i suppose not," the prince at last conceded, offering naberius a conciliatory curve of lips. "her line prizes purity. akashingo opens its gates to princes simply because the queen has no existent brother."

this, the nobleman would understand, such pairings preserving the very essence of the gods themselves, the ancient drops of blood handed down from on high.

Senmut would study him and Naberius is all sweet and charming smiles. Whatever thoughts swirling in the prince-priest head, he did not know, yet hoped they were good ones! 

If Senmut planned to find a wife for Naberius, it would certainly save himself from searching. Of course, it would seem while Naberius might not be so judgemental on who he slept with, he was far more picky for those he would call his equal and bore his blood. 

I understand. It was not uncommon for such a thing, especially for those of holy blood that did not wish to muddy it. Is Toula the last of her line that lives in Akashingo? He felt so. Naberius had been here quite a time now and not had heard of siblings or cousins, let alone parents or else she would not be Queen herself. Naberius, coming from a large family (of many lovers, such as Naberius own loving personality) felt this quite sad.

naberius, senmut felt after some more time had passed, needed a match as forward as he. direct, bold, assured. nazli was not yet these things; such a husband would eclipse her, send the young physician deeper into isolation.

"the last." a sister, gone before. a pharaoh, departed. two brothers, abandoning their duty to queen, to sister, to palace, to kingdom.

"so you see how very precious her word is, in all ways."

And though Senmut did not have the confirmation from Naberius, he would be correct in his thoughts. Naberius had often sought out a young, innocent and shy face, especially so on bored and lonely nights. Yet those, whoever may they be, which captured his most interest were women of strong personality - independent, confident, strong willed. Naberius didn't want to share his life and create a family with some simple-minded fool- pretty, yet stupid. 

Maybe he would find a good place between. Maybe Naberius was just picky and pig-headed. 

I do. He says only then, his face turning to frown, one which was honest with sorrow. He would not like to imagine a world without a horde of family around. Naberius would already think of the one in his homeland often, but knew one day he could create another here. Perhaps even, they might one day return to the Land of Sun and Sand.

their conversation meandered to an end. senmut would have been happy to end such discourse here, but courtcraft was not a strength of his.

and it was one he must learn.

"will you play a game of senet with me, neb?" senmut asked, already waving a servant over to set up the small board with its striking little pieces.

Fade here?

Why of course! He agrees with a happy glee. Naberius too found himself at a conversation's end. While Naberius was not particularly good at these type of games, he had enjoyed the company of the priest-prince thus far and so did not mind to end this time with a little game play.