Lion Head Mesa forty-first

She watched him parse out one helping for her, and one for himself, but did not immediately take a berry upon her tongue. Nazli was reminded of the berries she'd been gifted in the past — imagining Ramesses' face, in a flash — and drew a breath.

Akashingo changed so rapidly. It felt odd to be back; as if she had never left, in some regards, and as if she didn't belong anymore, at the same time.

Tavina does good work, she commends her mother.
Maybe... I'll be better, soon. Though there was no telling how long it would take before Nazli's energy had returned to what it once was, if that were even possible. She was a skeleton now; any work she was to do would be months down the line — practically a lifetime away.

The thought of that — of being fellahin once more — was jarring.