Lion Head Mesa eightieth

before dawn had senmut returned to the palace. now his rich voice could be heard singing the morning prayers to Ra.

the priest was exhausted and streaked with the dirty of travel. he had sent away his assemblage to break apart and to rest, but he did not allow himself such luxury.

first he called for a bath, where he was scrubbed and massaged and scraped, until his red fur gleamed. precious oils next, unguents created along the river; eyes blackened;

he sought an audience with pharaoh @Toula and her Consort @Rashepses, sending word of his intentions before he ever left the wellspring. there was even a message for @Racharra: prepare yourself and be ready to greet royalty when you are called.

now he strode through the corridors for that arched red room and the thrones within in. the Horus Throne belonged to pharaoh. would rashepses sit where the queens had once held their place?

when he had been announced, the priest bowed low, forehead to the floor until he was bid otherwise. "divine Ruler. great Consort. i have recently returned from the lake. zharille is indeed there. i prevailed upon the woman to understand her untenable position. she asks for a sire from akashingo to provide her with children, so she may claim the land properly, as our vassal."

it was not what had been ordered. but senmut was no soldier, and now twice he had gone to that place. let another return to cut her down, if that was what this chamber decided.

"it may be that the nebet racharra could be suited more amiably as the wife to a military captain," senmut suggested, for they were headed to blows if zharille did not have all she desired. it may solve the lingering problem of mereo as well.