Lion Head Mesa tenth

for drama ok! this is AW either way :D

it was not his duty to act as servant.

senmut had been sent on pharaoh's summons to bring @Tierra. the man had spoken easily of it, calling her a spy; he thought the pharaoh seemed rather drunken, but was eager to leave all the same.

now he searched between the figures for her, stumbling over at least one wolf.

vague!

She was so hungover after last night that she hadn't managed to eat much today.  Tierra had slept late into the day, then contemplated skipping out for like... .2 seconds before changing her mind.  She was here to enjoy herself, okay?  And this was, like, the only party she'd have this year probably.  She refused to miss home or admit that maybe the fun felt forced.

She'd ditched @Sybol for at least parts of the night before, but tonight she was determined to stick around with him.  Unlike some wolves, he knew how to treat her.

If the Pharaoh didn't want to chase her then he could sit on the sidelines and watch.

She had pulled Sybol closer to the middle of the gathering and was currently (quietly) making fun of the more awkward looking guests.  I think he's sitting there waiting for someone to notice him.  It might work better if he wasn't so good at blending into the wall.  She giggled, then turned back towards her friend.

"scutarius."

his voice was firm through the din. senmut bowed briefly in respect of her office. "pharaoh has summoned you."

he knew not of the tension, only that the lord's eyes had lit with pleasure at the order; that he had sent senmut away in a fine anticipation and darkened smirk

the we'eb waited to lead her away.

I'll pause after this for a bit just in case Sybol wants to hop in <3 no pressure to though!

Tierra rolled her eyes and turned to whoever was interrupting them. Wait... right. She faintly remembered him saying he was going to do that. And she remembered, a lot more clearly, that there was no way she was going.

Cool. Tell Pharaoh he should have summoned one of his servants instead. She didn't have to listen to him.

Tierra could feel the ghost of Germanicus eyeing her right now but she ignored it. If he was going to be a dick then her rules said she got to be a dick back. If he was a soldier then she felt like he should understand stuff like fair trades and all that.

Besides, it felt really, really good to blow off a king at his own party. Like.... really good.

same!

senmut blinked.

"as emissary for mereo you represent your pack's interest here. if you mean to deny pharaoh his requested audience, what message would you have me carry back?"

his voice was even.

Sybol leaned into Tierra casually. He was clueless to the conversation happening, his eyes were closed and his head was down. With all the excitement of the wedding he had hardly slept, and now with the alcohol having left his system his head hurt, bad. Scutarius. His head popped up when she was address by her title, he fought off a wave of dizziness and his eyes focused on an athletic red wolf. The pharaoh wanted to talk to Tierra, on behalf of Mereo? Ohhhh. He yawned and nudged her. You should really go, the Imperator will be pissed if you don't. He looked to the other wolf tilting his head sideways, Can I come? He grinned.

Ughhhhh. She'd just told him what he was supposed to say. She was about to tell him as much but then Sybol chimed in.

He really isn't worth meeting. Trust me. She attempted, her pelt prickling uncomfortably as she recalled the way he'd shoved her into the wall. As satisfying as it might be to try and flaunt Sybol in front of him, she didn't really know what he was going to do. Or what Sybol would find out about.

Those berries were amazing but wow, they made things kinda crazy!

He was right about pissing off Germanicus. She actually did feel a little bad about that, enough to not tell this guy to straight up get lost. She didn't like where this was going one bit.

senmut was prepared to politely decline the boy, but the soldier decided to take up her rank and do it for him.

he had already gained a poor view of mereo by this, worsened by tierra's willingness to offer ramesses open insult. and it was unfair, he supposed. this tierra was not even in charge.

she said nothing. "then you will come?" the we'eb prompted, a sliver of impatience showing in his face.

to the divine ones he was subservient. but to those not of akashingo, senmut knew his purpose was greater than theirs.

Sybol frowned. He was having a hard time finding time to spend with Tierra, she was always busy or disappearing on him. He sighed dramatically and melted to the floor. You really oughta go, but I'm getting bored, so If you're not back soon I'm coming after you. He hoped that'd make her feel better about going, that way she wouldn't have to be stuck talking for forever, he'd swoop in to rescue her. Sorta. I mean he'd probably be told to get lost really quickly but at least he could be annoying outside the door or something.

Tierra did not want to go. The Pharaoh wasn't the boss of her and totally didn't have the right to be after last night. He had servants who he made do stuff like that. Why couldn't he summon one of them? He'd made it pretty clear last night he was married and all, even though she'd obvi been messing with him.

Whatever. She could tell him to fuck off to his face just as easy. This guy probably would have the guts to anyway.

Fine. This'll definitely be fast. If it wasn't, Sybol might need to come help. Would it cause pack conflict if she knocked the Pharaoh on his ass for getting into her space? She'd probably be willing to risk it.

senmut smiled thinly and turned on his heel to stride away.

he led the soldier into the mesa, down the hallway, skirted several servants and guests, and then paused outside the stone archway to the throne room.

"he is waiting," the priest said lightly.

She glanced back at Sybol as she followed, then sighed.  Ugh.  She felt guilty leaving him (without the alcohol letting her forget that) but she'd be sure to track him down just as soon as this was over with.  She didn't remember last night well enough to know even exactly why she was being summoned.

Duh, she thought silently.  What else would he be doing if he asked her to come?  Tierra kept her mouth shut for now, though, and stepped into the room with a measure of trepidation.

She wouldn't come all that close initially.  Instead she'd stop and stare at him, a bit defiantly, as soon as she caught sight of him.  Cool.  She was here.  Now what did he want?!

obvi Sybol can still hop in whenever <3

the soldier stepped inside. ramesses was not at his throne; he stood instead in front of one of the many shelves lining the inside of the room.
senmut was waved away and departed at once.
before the man was a smooth stone with a deep indentation, and in this place there was a lilac liquid.
"tierra," pharaoh greeted. there was nothing in him of the night before; he may have been carved from alabaster. "i am unused to being touched by those who i have not granted permission to do so."
divine men did not apologize.
"i have seen you enjoy the splendors of akashingo. perhaps you will partake of this rarity with me." his tone was soft, sweetened. the lazuli eyes were deep; he was an adder and he waited.

What was he talking about? He'd been the one to shove her, and from what she could remember, she hadn't really done much of anything. He obviously had issues.

She was about to tell him as much (kinda) when he went on to talk about some rare thing he had. Look, he hadn't outright apologized, and he was still a complete dick. But she felt pretty good about taking a part of whatever this was as a kind of "sorry".

What is it? She asked, sidling over to give it a questioning look.

ramesses smiled. "it is honey." he allowed her close enough to catch its scent. "the bees which make it are fed upon the poppy flower. what they produce is magickal."
pharaoh looked at her. "the effects are like nothing you have experienced. it gives a euphoria to all your limbs, and it lasts several hours. so potent is exposure to the heavy blossoms that the bees can only give so much of this elixir."
he was poised. his pale ears swept forward to measure tierra's reaction.

Tierra likely shouldn't trust him, but a number of things had her playing right into his game. She had no idea of what poppy could do and instead, the concept of taking something of value from him was overwhelmingly tempting. Euphoria didn't sound so bad and because it was set out like this, she could probably take even more of it than she should if it tasted good.

He'd offered it, right? And it would serve him right for mistreating her.

She sniffed at it and was surprised to find it smelled different from other honey. She glanced at him and then took a pretty healthy taste of it. It was intensely sweet! Way sweeter than any honey she'd ever had!

If he didn't stop her, she would take another. She really liked the way it settled on her tongue.

he did not stop her, not unless she returned for a fourth helping. "three would be excessive," pharaoh warned. he himself took three generous laps and then rolled his white shoulders in a smooth gesture. "come. walk the room with me," he invited with a glint of his teeth.
the sensations would become apparent within fifteen minutes. he settled his lapis gaze upon her once more. "what do you think of akashingo?"

She took three. She nearly tested him for a fourth, but the three she had taken were also large and the sweetness was nearly overwhelming. Her stomach still wasn't entirely past the previous night's festivities. It wasn't worth it if she'd just throw it up.

I think you're used to getting what you want. I think the parties are neat, but I think the rest of the time would be pretty boring. She replied obstinately. Germanicus would kill her for being outright rude but was it rude if it was honest? She didn't think so.

There were so many servants to do things, and they had Mereo soldiers apparently, so what did they do all day?

ramesses' teeth flashed in a smirk. "i enjoy that you are direct with me." he took another turn and felt the telltale feathering of an unseen silk across his skin. "your imperator is not." had she not spoken abrasively of him the first time they had spoken.
"i am pharaoh," he said simply. "i am indeed given what i want. but not through force. through willingness." the world of akashingo provided vast luxuries even to the lowest among them.
"do you think ambition is a bore? expansion? or perhaps commanding tribute from vassal states?"

She didn't notice it at first, but a strange sensation was definitely settling into her body. It was almost light and heavy at the same time, but in a different way than the berries before.

It depends. Germanicus was too proper to be rude, so that was hardly a surprise. At least he didn't seem this full of himself. She controlled herself from saying that at least. I'd get bored. I like getting things, but most of the fun is getting things that someone doesn't want you to have at first. Maybe that wasn't entirely something he couldn't do. But if he conquered everything, what would be left?

It was getting slightly harder to string her thoughts.

"yes, you are very devoted to the concept of divide and conquer, tierra," ramesses commented with a light look in her direction. he wondered if she had begun to feel it as well, or see how the soft glow gilding the room had become more pointed, more shimmering.
eventually he stopped the churn of his limbs; he returned to the eating-mats and reclined against the couch of skins. she was free to do the same, to join him or to walk about the room.
"there are some things i do not care to conquer. to hunt, to possess, yes." his eyes were half-lidded as he watched the mereoan. "but to break? no. i prefer the yielding."

She was definitely feeling it. Doubtlessly more than him since every experience this wedding had been entirely new to her. Her body wasn't adjusted to what it would expect.

She followed him without thinking and settled alongside. Her previous intentions to keep a solid distance between them were forgotten and now she was absorbed completely in the conversation. There was a slight sense, though, that there was somewhere she needed to be.

I don't like to keep things that long. They usually take more work than they're worth. Her head felt as light as her legs. There was something extremely pleasant about the way the room was fuzzing slightly.

ramesses extended a paw and spread his toes. the featherdown of the white pelt there seemed to lift from his foot in motes. he sighed pleasantly. the tendrils of warmth escaping the soldier wrapped slowly into his own. 
"perhaps in the same way i am used to having what i want, you too are used to control." his words felt muted, as if they floated beneath the water. "you were so bold when you believed me only a prince." an ivoried brow arched, but his mouth was soft in teasing.

I don't think there's a difference between princes and kings. She replied loosely. There was but it wasn't a difference that mattered. Both gave a wolf power over just about everyone they needed to have it over. Neither of them gave him power over her.

But you're a Pharaoh. So you're neither. She smiled, rolling onto her back and letting her forelegs crook lazily on her chest. Whatever these furs were, they were soft. None of it means anything to me.

ramesses rolled to face her, settling his cheek against the edge of the cushioning pelts. they floated, he and she, for two minutes, for twenty; he lost all semblance of time. but he heard his voice again, saying: "i am. and i am a godhead. and i am also only a man, tierra."
only a man to which all good things had been given, to whom all blessings flowed.
ramesses knew he could move now; she might accept. but he did not; he accepted the flesh of a man and its limitations. 
and still his eyes were upon her, darkened and dilated with the effect of the sweet potion.