Lion Head Mesa forty-sixth

someone had come with bundles of herbs and flowers from the meadow, piling them inside of Tavina's room for inspection. it was Nazli's job now to sort through these piles, to see what might be of use and what might have been blighted by the sun, or anything to be salvaged. it was mindless work but she found herself enjoying it; sprawled upon a decently sized reed-made rug, her focus was upon her work.
when Senmut came up the hallway the sesh did not immediately take note. she was delicately plucking flower stems and laying them out with great care; then to the herbs, earning a pinch to her brow, because they were not the ones Nazli had sent the fellahin to find at all. halving her collection, she gave a sigh and pushed a bundle in to the refuse pile that had been forming (and had not tripled in size).
it was then she spotted Senmut, taking a sharp breath, but then smiling to her friend.