Lion Head Mesa Pyramidum

prince thutmose is courting our queen.

these words roused in senmut some glissade of protective resentment, one that he knew was not divine in the least and would not herald goodwill for the moment she announced her choice. "blackwater was once off the coast," he mused in a bid for time as he sought to contemplate eset's clear implication. "but too long have we prolonged reaching to the sea beneath this reign." and at last he turned away from his red dirt.

ironic then, that it should be the fellahin who would urge the erpa-ha into becoming more than he had allowed himself to be. "i have not yet visited," senmut murmured in admission, though now his thoughts sharply turned to the business of — courtship. 

his greenwrought stare laid heavily upon eset for a moment. he knew he should agree at once, and seize the moment to bid their queen see him not only as prince, but pharaoh. and yet as he glanced to the floor of his chambers she would see his hesitation, furthered as he considered that his place in the palace was far greater than that of the others.

"arrange a meeting with sapair, and another with harakhte," senmut said at last, straightening beneath what he felt was expectancy. "the queen has my ear at any hour, day or night," and this was a fine truth. had not makono called him often from his bed? he could do no less for her holy sister. 

eset wished her lord to walk with her queen; he saw it; he knew it; and he quailed at it, not for lack of deepest affection or eternal loyalty, but simply for the fact he did not see himself as an option for their regent, and meant to put newer men before her, men with their own lineages far unsullied in comparison to his peasant's birth in a distant nome she would never know.