Two Eyes Cenote netsedjer

aiesha stayed with tavina for a time, and nazli was brought to the temple. her temple; this place where toula had been wed, and where the people of the kingdom could visit and make their pledges to their gods. she did not know what to expect of this place: whether it was well tended or left in disarray without the hemet and her usual routines, whether the central fixture — the sycamore reaching up and through the open chasm of the ceiling — remained intact, and already nazli was making mental lists of all the incense and offerings that needed to be presented here.

yet as she was brought to the temple, as she walked the corridor in to the atrium and towards the central plinth, she saw everything was done already. the carefully distilled oils had been refilled and fresh reeds placed carefully upright, like incense so that the perfumes could soak the bottoms. freshly ground pigments sat in shell disks, having been used in the morning to correct fading patches on the walls. someone was sweeping at the floor with some more reeds, smoothing the red of the soil as nazli might've done had she been doing her duties.

various fellahin looked to her with bright eyes, smiles, small bows; she felt a wave of emotion as she came to the plinth and stood there. pride, anxiety, awe; and she looked then for @Senmut, hearing his voice as he sang some small incantation during his prayer.