Lion Head Mesa royal fledgling

a princess.

already a shimmering miniature of her mother, senmut saw ramesses' kohl there too upon her seeing eyes. gently he took up the Seal and lay it now before the gilded girl, moving soft as pharaoh intoned the blessing, the titles.

High Priest bowed low to her divine power over him, even now and forevermore.

Satriya

Merneith

Nimaatkheru

she was proclaimed, and came into her power with the horse-blood and the echo of an unknown aunt in the not-so-distant history of the former dynastic power. how long, he asked himself, begged; how long would he remember how it was?

with blood he brought amiirad into the eyes of the gods.

"He Who Gives First the Spark sees this daughter of pharaoh and Semer-wati and Breathes upon merneith's soul."

now would her name be inscribed upon the mural of time, her cartouche set beside that of den, and the priest's eyes moved thoughtfully upon the four children.