Lion Head Mesa I-ei

she stepped in line with her pious sister, finding no flaw in her in those moments. seeing her as every bit as radiant as she could be. she had wished to share affections in hugs and kisses upon crowns. things she reserved only for toula, it seemed, as the days became darker in her mind.

and how often she wanted to weep in the presence of her sister. for every time there was a grand gift, a meaningful gesture. she could not ignore the way her sister treated her, shined up at her.

oh, toula... her voice shrank in the back of her throat. overcome with exhaustion and emotion in equal turns. at once she wished to don the gift, to show toula how it looked upon her and how she would wear it with such greatness. such pride! i will always think of you.

but now came the time to settle in. with contemplative silence in the moments that followed as her sister spoke.

akashingo was always with me. in myself, in the people i brought with me, in times of worship. her voice was soft, toned for toula's ears. although she may have been a tactician, she did not speak with the hardness of one now. more advisor than anything! and i always busied myself with learning, seeing, doing. you will find out how quickly you will tire when everything is new!