Lion Head Mesa Kyōdai no kōken'nin

seeing him in this state was almost too much. satsu thought about how much easier it was to be here while he slept, and felt the guilt of the moment acutely. he couldn't move well, he couldn't even speak! and his memory; germanicus had made it clear to her when she'd wanted to come and tend to him, that he had woken and he had forgotten himself.

now he plagued her with questions she could not answer.
i do not know, the queen ascendant answered, her voice meek, her spirit withdrawn. there were many ways to end up like this, she reasoned — the obvious answer, the truth, was too hard for satsu to explain. please, crowfeather, eat. you must get better.

a hitch in her voice.
all the power in the world could not stop satsu from feeling useless here and now; if only she could demand the pain be gone, command his body be fixed, and be truly god-like, as was promised by pharaoh. she pushes at the bird in its bundle and frowns over it.
please.