Lion Head Mesa i am not a woman, i'm a god

attn @Senmut and also @Treva & @Ramesses ; post 100 for y'all, if you care to join this one!

toula believed she had been visited by the Divinity that they worshipped. the attendants that she had been with that day whispered how the creature had spoken to toula, and encouraged her beliefs. she wasted not even a moment upon her return to Akashingo to find the Hem she adored, but perhaps her mother and father too would hear of this, with the celebration her mother planned!
they would host the Gods! One had accepted toula's invitation, and thought to extend it to toula's most adored Iset. murmuring to one of her attendants, she then urged the fellahin to call for the Hem at once. with all the gaiety of a girl unfamiliar with Divine meddling, toula felt only happy, and that the Hem would know what best to do... and where to begin!

consider her a scowling mother in the background unless spoken to!

words traveled swiftly.

they always did and her heart hurt when it was words of toula. she did not wish to set her daughter into the shadows, but it felt good to keep her safe. away from prying eyes and listening ears.

so it should be no surprises that she was there, a shadow among the worshiping halls.

toula wished to speak with the we'eb regarding the whole...ordeal. treva stayed within earshot and kept a heavy gaze upon the devout boy.

congrats! i'll throw ram and sen in :D

the queen was close at hand. senmut had not felt her radiance since the night he lay with isa.

making a mental note to seek her out after, he crept to prostrate himself before the young princess. "divine one." he sat up when bid. "how can i serve?"

ram will also be a cameo!

ramesses looked with great pleasure upon his devout little princess. it seemed almost that she transcended her status as his daughter and become a priestess in her own right, of the sun and forest and serpent and air.
he should affix another title.
"muat-riya isetnofret toula. Beloved and Beautiful in Iset, my daughter."
he showered her with the new cartouche as if it were gold.

her gaze flew to her father. her newest title bestowed caused her gemstone gaze to sparkle, and her heart sang in tandem with her voice, each word strong and certain: please rise, Hem, her voice warm, while searching for gifts for Iset, Her Sister, Nephthys, made Herself known to me. she has shared how lands beyond here... they are without faith, and this wounded her, but perhaps she could change this in the ways that she could.
we spoke of Akashingo. I offered to build for Her an altar, as we have for her Sister... and... she drew in a breath, She and Iset will both arrive here by the next full moon. Iset will appear to us, white as the winter snow that covers the lands outside,
a time that perhaps aligned with their celebrations! the Gods, Omniscient as They were, must be aware of their mortal plans! a celebration, her first to be hosted!, that the Gods themselves would surely attend!
she looked to the Hem, an expert in this path. does this have meaning, Hem? she started, hoping that it boded well for her father, the Pharaoh, and her mother, the Shabti!
surely her family was blessed! oh, she had prayed and prayed for such!

nepthys had come to toula! senmut's bright green eyes danced with surprise and pleasure.  and she shared of heathenry, to which the young priest nodded sagely.

it was all throughout the land. he saw a gentle purging fire in the girl.

two gods, alighting in akashingo! "it means that you are blessed, divine one, that the gods have chosen you as Their speaker."

senmut was proud as any father. "do you know the hymn of iset, great one?"

that she was blessed! toula could scarcely believe her ears. part of her knew it; she supposed she had always felt the presence of Iset, whom she was now also named for. but to speak for Them! it was an honor, and she turned now to look to her mother and father with delight. for approval.
she was still their little girl! their thoughts, their love, had built her. brought this blessing. her gratitude was bright within her eyes as she looked back to the Hem.
this one? she asked, and sang for him, note for note, a song he had sang for Her long ago. it had been one she sang for Iset at the temple built, one she knew by heart. in this song was her heart, and her adoration for Iset—and the sound continued, echoing through the halls, even once she was done.
had she done well? was this the song that he had meant?

toula sang! it was not the hymn he had meant, but senmut was awed and sweetened by the sound of it.

"that is her hymn," he said softly. let it be! her voice had risen perfectly, and this ascending god would have it as honey in Their divine ears!

senmut was pleased and stunned by her continued piety.

toula smiled, graciously dipping her head in gratitude to the Hem.
but then she lifted it just so, peering to him with a curious light within them. does Iset have very many hymns? she wondered in the next breath, ...if I may, I would like to learn them, she added. Iset was the Goddess most revered by Toula; She deserved much!
though toula did not forget the one that had visited her. I wonder if I might learn more of Nephthys. too, she hoped aloud. while Toula knew some of the stories, she did not yet know them all! she intended to build something for this Goddess, too; she wanted to please Iset and Nephthys both in the completion of this task.

senmut grinned in spite of the somber moment. "you are a credit to the gods, divine one." and he dipped his head to her toes once more.

it was a shame that toula could not rule with her sister in place of a consort. her priestly nature might balance makono's ambitions.

as it was, senmut could only shape her to be what akashingo needed. "what do you wish to learn? and yes, Iset has many hymns. i will teach them all to you."

i have discovered toula's singing voice!

toula preened beneath his gaze, proud to have made him proud; she looked to her Father and Mother, hoping to have pleased Them too, divine as They were! but toula was not without gratitude. she looked to the priest and softly insisted, it is thanks to each of your teachings, knowing her Father was also to thank!
the pious Amiirad grinned, all that you could teach me, Hem, I would love to learn, her voice light. she asked much, but he knew much! her ears and her heart was open to these lessons, and Her songs! it was not true merely for Nephthys... but it was a start.
what are things she would love at Her altar? ...would you be so good, as to retell Her story? toula settled, eyes bright. toula loved history, specifically the history of her Gods. she hoped the Hem would oblige her!

beautiful! <333

"certainly, divine one."

senmut was a priest but all peasant boys began as scribes at the temple. and so he held his back straight and head high to listen and to speak.

"the Great God Amun was lonely, and so he took his own shadow to lover. from this union sprang Shu and Tefnut."

these things would be rote for the young princess, who could recite the incantation of the first life almost without thinking!

"Amun watered the earth with His tears and we came forth. Shu and Tefnut came together and from them was born Geb and Nut. as you know, divine one, Amun grew angry with Geb and placed him far away from Nut. but she grew with child all the same, giving birth to Osiris, Set, Nepthys, and Horus."

"Nepthys protects the souls of Her people. She is a goddess of the air and the dead. bring her red feathers and snakeskins from the serpents out upon the red sand. bring her objects of blood and black stone. it was She who became wife to Set, and it was She who sought to seduce Osiris. when Her husband discovered a lotus which Nepthys had dropped in the chamber of Osiris, Set became enraged. it was then that he went to find his brother and drowned him in the holy waters."

"in the end, however, it was only with the protection and help of Nepthys that Iset was able to find Osiris' pieces and bring him together once more."

she heard the story with open ears. much she knew, but now, ripe with intrigue, she was able to listen. new things came to her; new things made her curious! Set and Nephthys. Iset and Osiris. All family, All Divine! the Gods had their reasons, and she knew not all were for mortal minds to know.
but was She not Divine? should She Herself not understand?
...Toula was learning. and she had enough humility to admit, at least in her youth, that she did not. but perhaps the Priest did, wise to the Divine ways as he was!
why did Nephthys do this? seek to seduce Osiris? for she had sounded a good Sister to Iset in all other ways but this! protecting Her, and helping Her find the pieces of Him!

senmut smiled softly. "that is a question of much debate. perhaps you might ask Her yourself, great one, now that She has come to speak personally with you."

priests had argued over this story and others. now toula would join their holy number. a shame she was a princess! when she could be high priestess one day.

his eyes were pleased upon her.

the girl gasps, realizing that she can!
looking to Senmut with gratitude, and then back to her parents, Toula says, I would like to seek a place for Her at once, if I may, for it was true she was divine, but she wished also to do right by the Hem in this, too; if he had anything else to add, she would hear him happily.

senmut heard pharaoh laugh and knew it would be so.

"at once, we will do, divine one."

by all these things did the priest know that the gods were pleased.