Two Eyes Cenote celestium

weeks! weeks! khusobek was no better but stabilized, meseba mended; but eset? where was she?

clacking nails and their fast hard pace announced the sesh long before she had followed @Rashepses to his current occupation within the cenote.

greeted by guards and the bowed heads of fellahin, she stood back. "announce me," she commanded in a crisp voice, standing at tense attention to see if she would be allowed into the divine presence of the semer-wati.

He’d grown used to the sesh’s tiresome tempo, and surely she too had grown used to his requisite here: Khusobek, healed. His wife might go on to return to their children in Akashingo, but Rashepses would not leave until the Jodai’s health was restored.

The clacking stirred the fierce golden eyes into a smirking roll.

“Doctor,” he glanced down from his repose on a higher ledge as Tavina came into view. “What news of the captain’s condition?”

"there is no change. he lives. that is all." why did he believe a new update was forthcoming? there had been little movement from the captain at all since his grant inside her care.

"when will you send forces to find the hebsut?" she asked before he could speak, cutting over any words that might have formed. dangerous, but she was tenured in her belief, nursemaid for two royal litters and the only one skilled enough to save the man he wanted.

now where was her heart?

“Both Akashingo and Muat-riya’s forces are mending. There is a war on your homefront and families to defend here. Is it your expectation that the royals expend our mazoi on a single fellahin?” Rashepses glowered, incredulity narrowing the molten gold eyes.

“This is not the first time the hebsut has run off. No doubt she will show up impregnated in a week or so.” A repulsive tongue flicked over Semer-wati’s teeth as he settled back upon his lounge, hand raised in preparation to waft the sesh away.

a shocked rage seared tavina's face. "yes. i expect you to find eset," the sesh snapped, coming a step closer.

had not akashingo its fill of pretty, arrogant men with no thought beyond their own aims? 

"she held us together when muat-riya was assailed multiple times." purple eyes hard as violet ice. "i warn you, she is loved. let her die in the desert and this cenote will riot."

a threat. a treasonous threat, and she threw it across the gilded air to strike his ears. what was a war if every soldier did not have the backing of their kingdom? and eset was that, a fighter in loyal glory.

tavina stood upon a monumental precipice and gazed into its fall with hateful stare.

From the settee Rashepses sprang down upon the woman, white fangs gnashing over her face, fires flaring in the set of his eyes.

“How dare you question your God!” His voice stormed as thunder, muscles rippling as he mounted two heavy paws to her chest.

“You are only to prostrate yourself before me. On your belly, to kiss the ground at my feet.”

“Cross me again, sesh. I will have your chambers desolated. Then I will have you killed. Take her away,” he growled a summons for his servants, lifting his feet in disgust before turning away. “See she does not leave the infirmary.”

semer-wati's descent brought a flinch from tavina, a cry as he opened a blood-bruise over one cheekbone and pressed the breath from her body.

his teeth slashed the air over her face as knives; his rage burnt the air; and all she asked herself was if toula's reign would end as had that of her father. if this poison admitted into her heart would kill her poor girl as it had stopped the heart of ramesses.

an old malice curved her mouth as she was dragged from the consort's presence; a determination which lived still in the purpled eyes and churned to resentment in her saliva.