Lion Head Mesa seedling,

the gift of song and offerings, and kind words, grew to be too much.
there is praise and there is pandering. satsu knows the girl means well; she is full of love! she takes time away from her coronation for this! that love is overflowing — but she is directed on this path by ramesses, of this satsu is certain.

she kisses one eyelid, then the other, the moment that toula blinks.
thank you.

one day her own daughters would find their power.
satsu's thoughts go out to ashikaga;
if only it was this face she kissed instead!

alas,
you are pharaoh, you are god-wed; soon you will be mother,
the curse, gone — in its place a blessing with the last of her power.

pressing her forehead to toula's, eyes closed, feeling the last of her ka in transition.

—akai hebi no ōjo. her father's title, now her own; her father's power, imbued to her.

go home, daughter. go to your husband. love him. tears springing from her eyes as they open, and satsu is only eyes, only blue, only sky — and gone.

toula is alone to welcome the sun.