Firefly Glen [PHE] Abydos

Semer-wati was at ease in a crowd. He had a taste for intrigues and novel company. His wending steps were heavy as he surveyed neighboring camps throughout the glen, pushing shoulder to shoulder with men. Of Ta-senet, he was reminded.

Good company, good fare, beautiful women.

Joy struck stone, and brought forth a new wellspring in her soul that poured good humour in waves. She was a Grandmaman! More would follow in the coming years she felt certain- and perhaps one day she might even live long enough to meet great-grandchildren if she was fortunate!

In good spirits, she decided she could wander a bit- take note of the wolves offering trades, though she herself had been so preoccupied with organizing children that she had forgotten to bring treasures from the seaside.

Now, as she looked longingly upon decadent furs, aromatic herbs, and all manner of beautiful offerings, she regretted not bringing something to barter with. When offered a trade, she would smile gratefully, but silently decline- she had nothing with her and thus, could only go window shopping.

if this isn't ok lemme know, just wanted her to crash <3

callyope kept an eye upon the royal camps. intrigued by whatever things they brought from the hot sands. she had once asked her mother to send a suitor there to gather a bride price. now she witnessed what all they had to offer and wondered if she should walk there herself!

another woman with the scent of saltwater gazed upon it all as well.

the moondaughter was aware she had the luxury of living close to here. that she had been able to bring many things with her that others may not have been content to travel with.

she moved to align herself near the oceanic woman, but her gaze remained lingering upon the gold and night man at the head of it all.

i will trade on your behalf, if you will let me. you must only pick what you wish. an attempt to forge some kind of sisterhood between her and this new woman.

cameo!

dutifully, the young woman had trotted back among all the bodies bursting in talk to find her camp and then her mother, in that order. the revelation of more blood relatives who knew nothing of the sea, in her assumption; it rattled chani somewhat.
her mother was silent. a kinder stranger approached, but her own attention was captured by the glossiness of the man's coat, his sharp ears and his intense regard.
she knew him; she had been at his wedding, had danced with raiyuk and seal there. rashepses.
she had no dealings with men outside those of her own blood; the sight of this one reminded chani that she was more, and boldly she gazed until she pulled herself away and aside, disappearing between the passage of two warriors and several healers.
her heart raced in a most interesting way; she went, of course, to find sobeille.

He noticed her through the rush of bodies and hum of constant voices. In the vast crowd her beauty shone like a flame, vital and bright, drawing his eye. The grace and Anubial blessings upon her figure so remarkably rare as to call herself a queen of the river kingdom.

A second woman at her side, strikingly pale with the plush overcoat of her icebound nome, and a third still, a young vision in crimson whose oxblood eyes met with his through shuffling limbs. The king curled his lips for her, winking once as she scurried off and strode forward.

“Save your currency. Assist me in choosing the most singularly beautiful gift among all vendors, and Akashingo will bestow upon each of you any thing it is that you desire,” Rashepses’ velvet voice offered, trickling for their ears as he emerged like black silk from the passing throngs.

She thought of the riches of the ocean as she perused the treasures of other lands, and considered how useful some of their kelps and aloes might have been as a trade for other ointments and medicines. Trade was not something that had ever been well established with another pack- save for the occasional hunt with Redtail Rise that served as acted as a mutually beneficial event.

A tall, pale woman approached her and was greeted with a smile and a nod. She was surprised and humbled by the woman’s generosity- which caused her to blush. It was considerate of her to offer to trade on her behalf, but Chacal was not comfortable taking the woman’a goods simply because there were many things here she admired.

And then the man came- one of those from a camp resplendent with decoration and riches. He offered then to purchase two of the finest gifts, on behalf of his pack- a flaunt of wealth that left Chacal wondering what he might expect in return- but if he truly was wealthy enough to obtain any of the treasures here, then she saw no reason to turn down his offer.

She glanced to the pale woman with raised eyebrows and lip corners pulled down as if to say if the rich man wants to spoil us, then why not?

she knew of the riches of the south.

yet maybe to hear the man speak with such a generosity was its own kind of testament! she did not know how to take it and found herself grateful the the other woman's response was indulgence. perhaps this might be a good way to open a door for herself.

one that led to this man and his riches again.

still she wondered how high he might rise to this occasion! her warm eyes turned from the saltwater woman to the royal man.

if i might desire the knuckles of a bear?

her voice and eyes suggested this was only a tease! already she was looking for something that might appease him.

“Then you shall have them,” his voice was its own suggestion as eyes traveled lazily over the pale face. She was beautiful. Sharp. Like winter. “Money is no object.”

On his mouth draped a half-smile. He moved to steer the women towards the many traders, their goods set forth in organized and numerous arrangements. Many ordinary wares were on offer, but some so beautiful as to titillate the keen senses of even the most affluent king as he perused.

“I’m searching for a present for my wife. Something so rare and striking as to make her fall in love with me all over again,” Rashepses grinned, pausing to admire the glitter of a gemstone, of which Toula had many.

“What would you desire from a man who’s pursuing you?” Eyes like licking sunlight skimmed the dark beauty, landing on the snow woman, pulling down onto her full lips.

She smiled faintly at the lovely woman’s reply, but found the smile ceased its growing when the man replied. He flaunted his wealth, offering to shower it over two pretty strangers. If money was no obstacle, then they could have whatever they wanted; Chacal’s ears flicked back, a mark of her light skepticism.

Everything cost something. Wealth was never permanent. Pearls pulled from the ocean could easily be swept back in; things more precious than gemstones, bones, perfumes and pelts were what Chacal desired. The man’s money could not buy her what she truly wanted.

Her mothers. Her siblings. Her voice.

All the precious goods of the market paled in complexion; these physical things…They would provide only so much for her, as she lived on the cusp of suffering at all times. But perhaps, for someone else…

She thought of her daughter, and her newborn children.

A gift for them, perhaps- something Etienne could take back with him.

A pelt, she thought. She began to examine the ones on display- thinking she might find something fitting for a new mother and her children. Something large enough for them to share. She hovered over the pelt of deer and caribou, but found them common. Moose- durable and large, but musky.

Sea lion, however…

Its fur was dappled, shiny, short but soft. She rubbed her muzzle against it, and considered it longingly.

The man’s voice called her attention back- she’d forgotten all about him, her gracious benefactor, for a moment. And while he spoke of his wife, she found it hard to believe she might love a man so willing to shower his wealth over women that he didn’t know. She glanced to Callyope, so she might not show her thoughts to the rich man.

She looked back to him when he asked another question, and laughter danced in her eyes. If only he knew…

Still. It was a rich man’s money she was spending, not her own. She nodded, and brushed her shoulder against Callyope’s, hoping that together they might find the perfect gift for the rich man’s wife.

And then spoil themselves, as well.

yapping alert ahead

this man!

why if he had not been married — she shushed such a thought. it was improper and she figured that such thoughts were only fueled by the warmth of so many gathered, of good food and good hunting.

and his question!

i would say ask my mother to such a thing. she was not shy to say such to him! it was as much respect as it was a flirting line now. yet she made no move to lean in closer to him, to give any allure beyond her words. instead she stayed near to her newfound sister.

you must find something valuable among all of this. you must find something from a land very, very far from where you live. no money matches the value of love. she told him this as a woman. think of the pale furs of a taiga beast. it requires a great hunter to find and a better maker to keep the furs. she might look at this and see all the work it took to bring it to trade. then think of how loved she is to know you traded for it, just for her.

Pretty amusement colored the silent beauty. The king took his gaze between the women, admiring their contrasts. The darker is strong; a woman designed for desert heats. The paler gleamed beneath his eye. He thought of this woman of ice inside his sun palace, wondering if she might spill into puddles if he had her against their scorching walls.

A smirk, and the king was striding towards the northern wares, his heavy hand reaching to gently stroke such a pristine pelt as that.

“I am afraid we would quickly make a mess of such a memento,” his mouth curls brashly. A sweep of tail motions for his servant who makes the exchange and hauls off with one of the beautiful white bear furs.

Semer-wati continued his perusing, eyeing pretty trinkets for his girls, and for his sons something upon which to sink their teeth.

“What now for you, hemet-nesu hedj?" Eyes trickled down towards the golden muzzle. In his periphery, the anubis-woman stroked her’s against a spotted hide.