Two Eyes Cenote alabaster

with one of her favored fellahin out of work and within the maternity ward, Toula gathered with the others. when she is well, she and the Mazoi @Khusobek are to be wed. I entrust her fellows to make it beautiful; colors that will match her gaze, furs comfortable enough for their cubs to observe them, another to provide milk as they say their vows, she looked to one that had begun to provide such, unbidden—instinct, perhaps! and at their nod, she smiles gratefully. 
I shall find her husband-to-be and speak with him on the things that they both wish for the day. once the conversation is done, it shall be relayed—but begin the preparations, she commands, and they nod. several set off, while others remain with her—her own attendants. 
she sets off to find the Mazoi, but not without pausing to gather the gift of food for himself and his wife to sup upon together. the haunch of a great desert beast, fresh as she had commanded such. something for he and his bride to sample together, perhaps to be served at their wedding!

pharaoh would find khusobek at his post, facing resolutely out over the sands from his position beside the gate of muat-riya.

he did not enjoy being gone from inji and the children; soon someone else would relieve him and he could return.

for now, he bowed before the approaching pharaoh, wondering idly what she could wish from a guardian that she could not find inside her rich palace.

he is at his post, of course! Pharaoh observes him and hums, for now, your new duty station will place you outside the maternity ward. we have a mutual interest there, I think, and other than her Jodai there was no guardian she better trusted with the fellahin Inji than him! 
another brought to him the haunch with at her gesture. do not think I have forgotten your wedding! I have brought this for you two to try together. whatever it is you desire for your day, say it—and if I can make it so, I shall, she is determined to make the day a good one for the both of them, for their exceptional service. Toula respected both of their hard work, and would not undermine them.

"you honor me, great one," said the crocodile with intense humility.

he bowed before her, as much to show his loyal pleasure as to hide the smile of the same which crept to his features, lighting their dour nature. to have his beautiful inji so honored by pharaoh!

the meat was accepted with an awkward taste; "if everything you mean to serve is half so rich, our guests will fall into a blessed stupor," khusobek joked, though he maintained his pious attitude in her presence. "shall i bring the rest to inji now, divine one?'

Toula observed the crocodile that bowed before her. her tail swayed behind her as she said to him, rise, Mazoi, not hiding from him her own grin. that he felt any honor meant that there was satisfaction for him in his new station, and she had wished for this. you work hard, and I see this, she wondered if the man knew what it was to not work! but she could not do that to him—she did not think he would know what to do with himself, with the time, even with a soon-to-be-wife and many children! 
no, Khusobek was a man who needed his duty. a man who perhaps would feel uncomfortable in his nakedness without the title. 
she laughed at his joke, and playfully revealed, that is my hope! so that you and your bride might have nothing else to worry about for one another while the palace exhausts itself in its stupor, her gemstone gaze was bright as she regarded him. no, not just yet—I wish to speak with you. to speak of your duties with my aunt. you have worked hard, here; I wonder if it might be your wish to again become overseer, different than Jodai, and different than Mazoi, with a different name here—a lieutenant to Zaahira. but perhaps he enjoyed the simple life of a Mazoi! she did not know, they two had never spoken of it. and that would be alright, but it was her wish to learn more. 
she cared for the satisfaction of her people.

again did the crocodile lower his head in joyed obeisance, feeling a small surprised thrill rush through him. hatshepsuun had not been half so warm. but then again, he had not known her as a barely-woman still in the hallowed throes of a holy honeymoon.

khusobek had loved the woman with the skin of marble and the heart of a green jade, unyielding. theirs had not been the young stuff of love, but something which wore a blank veneer and held fire underneath. so many things he had learned from her, about her, for her.

yes. the things he had done for hatshepsuun would follow him to the Final Judgement.

pharaoh spoke, offering a promotion, it seemed, and khusobek was coldly amused to see the irony of her choice following the movement in his own mind.

"it would be my pleasure to accept, Divine One," the mazoi said quietly toward the ground beneath her coiffed paws. "when my children are older, i shall be able to go farther afield for the aims of your kingdom." a promise.