Lion Head Mesa seven foot frame, rats along his back

Today, she went to visit the Pharaoh.

The poppies had eased the frequency of her seizures—in fact, she'd had none at all, since starting the seeds again—but left her in a constant haze. Not that it was all so bad. She floated along, not feeling the earth beneath her, the path ahead like some spiraling maze into. . .

Maegi shook her head briefly to clear it, feeling herself spiral elsewhere. Setting her teeth, she approached the space she knew @Ramesses to occupy, waiting for one guard or another fellahin to meet her first.

Still, she tipped her nose briefly and gave a soft, crooning howl for the Pharaoh.

She meant to thank him, for starters.

maegi would find the snowy pharaoh finely humoured in his rooms. he was daydreaming upon his throne, truly. 
three futures for which he must plan had been born into akashingo.
there was first the matter of how best a royal lineage might be preserved. 
only divine might marry divine; only then would their marriage be sanctified by the gods.
ramesses' thoughts were pushed aside as the stoic poisoner was invited into his chambers by the bouncing attendant belen.
"maegi." he slid from his throne. "how are you faring in akashingo?"

I am well, Pharaoh, she said, pacing as close to him as he'd allow. She settled upon her haunches, letting a long and deep breath pass through her nostrils. She had gotten used to the mesa's air and biome; it suited her, and she smiled briefly before speaking again.

Congratulations, Maegi purred. I've heard that pups have been born here in the last few days.

That was good, she thought, eyes raking sidelong along the attendant's frame. Akashingo would be strong. They are yours? she asked, cocking her head.

"naturally," he purred, grinning toward maegi. "queen satsu has given me an heir." his shoulders smoothed with pride; he sent a silent prayer to Tawret for their continued health. "he was born alongside two sisters. the queen will name them."
pharaoh preened for a moment. "i have named you sesh in my ranks to honor your specific knowledge of plants. but maegi, there is room for ascension. akashingo is a place to fulfill desires."
what is yours?
he studied her.

She thought of remarking upon the lone male heir among sisters—were women lower, in Pharaoh's estimation?—but thankfully held her tongue. Maegi was older and wiser; she was past her mouthing-off days.

Sesh. She grinned, but the expression was rueful. I only know poisons, Pharaoh, she said. Other plants. . .not so much. 

It was a good segue. She did have desires. She looked at the pale-gold man, meeting his eyes directly, though keeping her body language respectful.

Tell me of your gods, Maegi pressed. Of the goddess of poppies, and the deformed man. . .I want to know all about who you worship.

maegi asked for worship and ramesses felt himself grow solemn and reverent. "when the queen was in childbirth, i prayed to ugly, beloved Bes. i had our priest sacrifice to Tawret. She is great in stature and sits upon a labouring-chair. it is by Her hand that women are protected in their trials. i asked Her to preserve satsu's life above all else."
he paused. 
"even my son."
a prince he might have had either way, but ramesses was not prepared to pay such a high price for an heir. not at the expense of his queen.
the man's eyes grew back to his usual arrogance. "it is too easy to talk to you." he let out his breath. "the sun is only the vessel which carries Ra across the sky. and at night, it is Nwt who lays Her body across the heavens and delivers starlight from Her own breasts."
"where is your homeland?" an adder, striking at the moment of dazzlement.

She clung to every unfamiliar name and story, feeling uncomfortable when the subject shifted to her not once but twice. Even the way he spoke of his queen had her torn; obviously, he worshipped her, but at the cost of their children? Though Maegi couldn't imagine a world in which she'd have to choose between Mou and her babes. . .

Most find it very difficult to talk to me, she responded, lips quirking in sardonic humor. She took in a breath, let it out in a sigh. My homeland. It's not far—the dark forest, just north of your claim.

"You should be there."

It's literally night and day, between there and here, Maegi continued, firmly ignoring Sheogorath's rebuttal. Your gods represent all. . .good, bad, ugly. My family's gods are nothing but darkness, blood and chaos.

Ra. Nwt. Bes. Tawret. She began to form the essential connections between these names and their elements, holding them close to her heart like a charm against evil. 

Perhaps one could protect her from whatever sought to tear her mind asunder.

the darkened forest. had he ever been there? ramesses felt he knew the place of which maegi spoke. he tipped her a wry grin. "the gods who walk black paths come to black ends, and bring their followers there as well." he studied her, radiant and uncaring if she took insult in this.
he thought of his own plans for expanding outward and the project he had given crowfeather.
"will you go back to your home, maegi? or will you stay here and become my noble?" ramesses grinned, hinting at a tease. "when you are ready to visit, i shall send you with a guard."
she was of akashingo now, and unlike the boy prince, pharaoh hoped she would come into her own power.

It wasn't insulting. She agreed, dipping her head in a solemn nod.

And then came the question.

She'd be damned if she wasn't honest. She'd been forthright all her life. Other Melonii were full of secrets, and she for sure kept things close to her chest—but it wouldn't do, now. It didn't matter anymore.

I followed my husband's scent to the coast, and lost it over the cliffs, Maegi started. I went over after him. Both of us ended up on this island, and Pharaoh. . .he was gone. His mind, his soul—he wasn't anyone I knew.

Grief burned hot and thick in her chest, and she had to pause, trying to compose herself. I meant to kill myself in my birth forest, she admitted, looking down. But I found this place, instead. And now. . .I think I might live. For a while longer, at least.

As for being a noble, she didn't know. She didn't feel worthy. But she was here. And things, beyond the headaches, had improved.

maegi was a woman who carried many surprises. pharaoh should not have found himself transfixed and yet he was. he listened, arching only a brow when she spoke of ending her own life. "suicide keeps you from the gods."
"if you mean to kill yourself, do it for a purpose. that way when your life is weighed, you will have something to help barter beyond Ma'at, to the embalming chamber of Osiris himself."
ramesses observed her. "he lost his essence. you do not need to lose yours."

Her lips firmed in a straight, flat line. Then I will live, she repeated, though her voice lacked much conviction. At the end of the day, no one could keep her from determining her own fate—Ramesses and gods—any gods—be damned.

I lost many loved ones in that forest, Maegi murmured, shaking her head. I don't want to visit again without a purpose.

Like to get more poppy seeds. But that was neither here nor there.

She let Blackfeather Woods go, for now. A noble, she said. The grin found both sides of her face once more. What would that entail? She supposed she could play the part for its perks, even if she didn't feel all that worthy.

maegi was relinquishing something.
ramesses relaxed. "i had instructed the prince crowfeather to meet with you, to see if you would want to rise your homeland again with the help of akashingo."
"if you stayed as a noble, naturally all of the fellahin would be at your disposal."
in this second the expression upon pharaoh's face was a caress, something to compel maegi, to change her own features into any shifting he recognized.
"you have suffered many things in your life. you might spend your next years in splendor and in pleasure."
he faced over the red land. "nobles attend court and they give their opinion upon the neverending politics of a kingdom."

The comfort and no worry thing was good. The thought of raising her homeland again, even with help and a new title. . .

Those woods are cursed, Pharaoh, Maegi said gravely. You'd be better off expanding elsewhere. Plenty of game to hunt in the surrounding meadows. 

It was mostly her own reticence that brought on this opinion, but she did truly believe the spirits that walked among those trees would not be kind to those who worshipped gods other than the daedra. Hadn't she herself found such woe when turning to Jaes? Two children, friends lost to the ground that shook violently—

She shook her head. I accept being your noble, but I will not return to Blackfeather Woods until I'm on my deathbed, she concluded. 

And perhaps not even then.

"so let it be written."
ramesses' mouth was held in an inscrutable way as the chapter fell closed upon blackfeather woods and maegi's relation to them. 
he did not want haunted lands. there was enough chaos within the palace without such additions, and more to come as his children grew. "i want the creek," he said, straightening and stretching his slender, hard body. "have you been there? i think it will make a fine nursery."

Her own mouth stretched in a rueful smile. She didn't mean to paint the entire region in the colors of her trauma—it just. . .happened to be that way. I was nearly drowned and kidnapped at that creek, as a child, Maegi remarked.

But, she continued, don't let that stop you. It was once, long ago, and those wolves are dead and gone. Or so she hoped. It's a lovely place, otherwise.

Perhaps this noble thing would be good for her. She did have knowledge in spades, and a lot of wretched time upon this earth upon which to reflect and advise.

ramesses scoffed. "see now how you tear down all my fine plans, maegi!" but there was no true sting to his tones. "expansion is necessary for my aims."
he turned his fine proud head toward her. "perhaps i might leave the choice of territory to you, nebet." she seemed to have experience in most of the lands around his own, while he had not seen fit to learn such lore.
"come. we shall drink. i will entertain you," pharaoh smirked, "with long-winded stories for which you did not ask." his teeth shone in a grin. he gave a sharp chuff for an attendant and two leaves cupping the liquor which akashingo had perfected: the first of several to come, he hoped.

Her face creased in a genuine smile. I'll think about that, she said in response to the whole "choosing a new land" thing. It had been a while since she'd talked or engaged in politics. It felt kind of nice—as if she had a purpose once more.

Maegi followed Pharaoh to wherever he'd lead them to drink, remarking, Better your stories than mine, accompanied by a laugh.

She'd made the right choice, coming here. For the first time in a long time, she didn't want to die.

fade here? <3