there were a number of young wolves here representing their packs. senmut, who would not have considered them proper emissaries at any other time, prepared to meet @Suzu and @Seal.
having waited patiently for them to be surreptitiously guided by servants, the prince approached in soft grandness. "you are both from coastal packs, similar to moontide, am i correct? i am senmut. akashingo wishes to establish trade along the sea."
having waited patiently for them to be surreptitiously guided by servants, the prince approached in soft grandness. "you are both from coastal packs, similar to moontide, am i correct? i am senmut. akashingo wishes to establish trade along the sea."
The party felt like it never ended! A brief sleep, some breakfast, and more celebration from dawn until dusk in reverence of the new Pharaoh. At some point, the Fellahin’s managed to round up Seal with Suzu and escort her toward someone named Senmut.
Who’s Senmut? She wondered as she felt the berry wine run through her veins. Even on the second night, she had not turned down a glass yet.
Then, as they entered an official-looking place, Seal laid eyes on the most handsome wolf she had ever seen.
Like a spring awakening, sparkly fireworks went off in her eyes. She felt her face go red hot, so bashful that she barely heard the question. Seal glanced at the other woman. As her senior, she waited for Suzu to take the lead.
Who’s Senmut? She wondered as she felt the berry wine run through her veins. Even on the second night, she had not turned down a glass yet.
Then, as they entered an official-looking place, Seal laid eyes on the most handsome wolf she had ever seen.
Like a spring awakening, sparkly fireworks went off in her eyes. She felt her face go red hot, so bashful that she barely heard the question. Seal glanced at the other woman. As her senior, she waited for Suzu to take the lead.
December 17, 2023, 03:39 AM
the girls were silent. senmut wondered in sharp amusement if they too had been availed of the various libations this evening. "you need have no fear of me," he teased the pair. "beneath all this pomp and paint i am only a boring man, come to talk to you of your homes and what we might trade between us, between you and akashingo."
senmut hoped that would prompt their conversation, else he would cast about in vague desperation for eset or tavina to salvage things.
senmut hoped that would prompt their conversation, else he would cast about in vague desperation for eset or tavina to salvage things.
If you shaved Seal’s face, her skin would have been beet-red underneath.
The priest leveled with his guests and coaxed them to speak. The young woman’s gaze raised, but she bit her lip nervously. Oh, if only Heph was here to help! Seal felt she possessed no wit or charm when it came to diplomacy.
She did her best to hold together despite the wine.
“M-my name is Seal Sveijarn-Corten, and I hail from village Moonspear, sister village tae Moonglow, Moontide, and Moonsong,” she explained to the Erpa-ha, though she stumbled over her words. “It is a verrae gran’ montain, along a route tae the sea, but it’s nae near tha coast. It could be… a tradepost, perhaps,” Seal added.
"What do you wish tae trade?" she asked as she fought the urge to ogle at Senmut's beautiful face.
The priest leveled with his guests and coaxed them to speak. The young woman’s gaze raised, but she bit her lip nervously. Oh, if only Heph was here to help! Seal felt she possessed no wit or charm when it came to diplomacy.
She did her best to hold together despite the wine.
“M-my name is Seal Sveijarn-Corten, and I hail from village Moonspear, sister village tae Moonglow, Moontide, and Moonsong,” she explained to the Erpa-ha, though she stumbled over her words. “It is a verrae gran’ montain, along a route tae the sea, but it’s nae near tha coast. It could be… a tradepost, perhaps,” Seal added.
"What do you wish tae trade?" she asked as she fought the urge to ogle at Senmut's beautiful face.
December 26, 2023, 10:45 PM
the young woman may have not thought herself a diplomat, but senmut found her even tones admirable given her age and the throng.
that she offered the mountain entire as a tradepost intrigued the prince. he supposed she was well-connected, with such a name and such confidence. the moon villages, as they were called, was another source of interest to the man.
"we have many riches from steppe and mesa, from desert and lake. pelts silken, logs of incense, trees of redwood and gemstones. rich meats and the many drinks you may have enjoyed this evening. akashingo and muat-riya accept also the offer of alliances made through marriage."
that she offered the mountain entire as a tradepost intrigued the prince. he supposed she was well-connected, with such a name and such confidence. the moon villages, as they were called, was another source of interest to the man.
"we have many riches from steppe and mesa, from desert and lake. pelts silken, logs of incense, trees of redwood and gemstones. rich meats and the many drinks you may have enjoyed this evening. akashingo and muat-riya accept also the offer of alliances made through marriage."
December 27, 2023, 12:10 PM
Muat-Riya and Akashingo were truly wealthy lands! Senmut effortlessly listed several commodities that could not be found in Moonspear or Moontide’s region, and Seal did her best to not let her eyes grow too large. Yet, she was a sincere wolf and often wore her emotions right on her sleeves.
The last sentence caught Seal’s attention the most. Alliances through marriage? This was a notion the young woman had never heard of. She imagined a narrative that made her heart flutter.
“Oh my, your land had many goods!” Seal exclaimed, but then laughed at herself. “I shoulda ken by the look of this coronation.” The opulent extravagance was a massive tell. “I will tell the head of my village, @Sialuk, of these things your kingdom offers,” she assured the priest. “And though I ken you seek things from the coast, I wish tae tell you that Moonspear can also offer trade.”
Seal turned a shoulder to show him the fishercat skin across her whithers. “We have fine hunting and many species of mountain game: large, small, and upland fowl. Herbs you can only find mountainside. Minerals, too.” Then, her curiosity roamed… “who, of Akashingo, do you seek to wed?”
The last sentence caught Seal’s attention the most. Alliances through marriage? This was a notion the young woman had never heard of. She imagined a narrative that made her heart flutter.
“Oh my, your land had many goods!” Seal exclaimed, but then laughed at herself. “I shoulda ken by the look of this coronation.” The opulent extravagance was a massive tell. “I will tell the head of my village, @Sialuk, of these things your kingdom offers,” she assured the priest. “And though I ken you seek things from the coast, I wish tae tell you that Moonspear can also offer trade.”
Seal turned a shoulder to show him the fishercat skin across her whithers. “We have fine hunting and many species of mountain game: large, small, and upland fowl. Herbs you can only find mountainside. Minerals, too.” Then, her curiosity roamed… “who, of Akashingo, do you seek to wed?”
December 27, 2023, 12:25 PM
"many goods and many gods. a portion of these riches are given to each of their altars. we have not forgotten who ordained divinity in our leaders."
ken. sialuk. senmut would remember this word and this name. "these minerals intrigue me. the herbs would please our physicians. tell me, must you enter the mountain to find either?" such an excursion could be an opportunity for noblemen alike.
marriage. "i myself am unmarried, as are two of our nobles. in the year to come, i expect more children to be born in both palaces. it is the royal way to make such matches in infancy and then speak nothing of them for two years." was he jesting? perhaps. "as hereditary prince, my marriage is the business of pharaoh." his heart constricted. "it means if she ordains me to marry outside our land for the purposes of alliance, i am her willing servant in all things."
ken. sialuk. senmut would remember this word and this name. "these minerals intrigue me. the herbs would please our physicians. tell me, must you enter the mountain to find either?" such an excursion could be an opportunity for noblemen alike.
marriage. "i myself am unmarried, as are two of our nobles. in the year to come, i expect more children to be born in both palaces. it is the royal way to make such matches in infancy and then speak nothing of them for two years." was he jesting? perhaps. "as hereditary prince, my marriage is the business of pharaoh." his heart constricted. "it means if she ordains me to marry outside our land for the purposes of alliance, i am her willing servant in all things."
December 28, 2023, 05:02 PM
Senmut spoke of religion and Seal understood. She drew parallels between her studies of the ancestor spirits and felt herself fluent in these paths of thought.
“Yes, you must,” Seal nodded sagely. “I brought one such rare mineral as a gift for the new Pharaoh – a piece of starfall! It is only located deep within the territory. And the herbs, well, some only grow mountainside, as well. Edelweiss, for example.”
Their conversation painted, to Seal, a delightful picture: Desert nobles bringing foreign goods to Moonspear’s isolated heights. Perhaps they could host a hunt of stag or a feast! Maybe other Moon villages would meet there to trade, as well.
Then, Senmut expanded on the business of arranged marriages. When he made the point that his own hand was in Toula’s deck, Seal’s heart lept into her throat.
A fantasy novel wrote itself in Seal’s mind, a la memoirs of a geisha.
He, a revered and refined prince of Akashingo.
She, a young provincial girl born for so much more than village life.
Two star-crossed lovers!
Seal tucked her chin against her throat as her face began to burn. She tittered nervously and tried to disguise her bashfulness. “O-oh! You must speak to Kukutux, then,” Seal explained. “She is the Moonwoman, matriarch of all the Moon villages. She is a matchmaker.”
“Yes, you must,” Seal nodded sagely. “I brought one such rare mineral as a gift for the new Pharaoh – a piece of starfall! It is only located deep within the territory. And the herbs, well, some only grow mountainside, as well. Edelweiss, for example.”
Their conversation painted, to Seal, a delightful picture: Desert nobles bringing foreign goods to Moonspear’s isolated heights. Perhaps they could host a hunt of stag or a feast! Maybe other Moon villages would meet there to trade, as well.
Then, Senmut expanded on the business of arranged marriages. When he made the point that his own hand was in Toula’s deck, Seal’s heart lept into her throat.
A fantasy novel wrote itself in Seal’s mind, a la memoirs of a geisha.
He, a revered and refined prince of Akashingo.
She, a young provincial girl born for so much more than village life.
Two star-crossed lovers!
Seal tucked her chin against her throat as her face began to burn. She tittered nervously and tried to disguise her bashfulness. “O-oh! You must speak to Kukutux, then,” Seal explained. “She is the Moonwoman, matriarch of all the Moon villages. She is a matchmaker.”
January 13, 2024, 07:07 PM
a matchmaker!
"a matriarch. here they are goddesses. do you think she would find me a match?"
he watched as the girl grew shy; senmut was not unaware of what might be underneath such a reaction but preferred to ignore it for many reasons, foremost the sake of her own embarassment.
"i would like to see inside a mountain, if it is allowed," senmut said with an almost boyish eagerness. "i have never before seen a piece of starfall. will you describe it?"
eidelweiss and precious minerals. "you are young to be such a fine emissary. i consider it a good reflection upon moonspear and its teachings."
"a matriarch. here they are goddesses. do you think she would find me a match?"
he watched as the girl grew shy; senmut was not unaware of what might be underneath such a reaction but preferred to ignore it for many reasons, foremost the sake of her own embarassment.
"i would like to see inside a mountain, if it is allowed," senmut said with an almost boyish eagerness. "i have never before seen a piece of starfall. will you describe it?"
eidelweiss and precious minerals. "you are young to be such a fine emissary. i consider it a good reflection upon moonspear and its teachings."
February 25, 2024, 10:42 AM
Sorry for falling off! Hope you don’t mind if I wrap this, @Senmut
Yes! I could be your match! Seal gushed inwardly.
Maybe Siauluk’s bones would have something to stay about this wish?
“Oh, I’m sure of it,” Seal assured the priest politely.
Then Seal, as a budding ecologist, was thrilled when Senmut asked to know more details about the unique and rare mineral, starfall – a topic she could talk about at length. In addition, his compliments made Seal feel incredibly smitten.
She would continue to speak with him and assist with any additional knowledge he asked to know. Then, Seal would depart… feeling as if she walked on clouds!
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