Lion Head Mesa the whole dynamic is a cause for concern

khaba had freshly returned and makono knew at once that she must turn her attention to @Qiao . the hemet was neither stupid nor blind despite the injuries she had sustained. soon she would know the jodai walked their halls.

fellahin had refreshed the room in daily tasking. then she had instructed that breakfast be brought to her...throne room. how small she felt in it still, but nevermind that. the things she would handle and see in her time would help her fill out the grandness of the room.

she had seated herself in front of the breakfast spread. meats on mats and mosses holding water. no pleasures were to be partaken in in this state of mourning. nor did she think the hemet needed to be sweetened with berries and wines anyway.

go, bring her here. if she is busy tell her it is time for our meal.

there was an indulgence to akashingo that appealed to qiao; poor starving trader’s daughter that she was despite the years that spanned between her childhood and now. blood, it seemed, could not be fled from. 

she was brought to the throne room, its high arches resplendent with the rich aromas of fine meats and fruits. at its center was pharaoh, her presence commanding. 

qiao slowed as the fellahin announced her. she gave a deep bow, awaiting command.

the priestess came and makono cleared the room save for one fellahin, who would be nothing more than a shadowed servant in these long talks.

i have a great respect for the holy, hemet. makono stood tall for the moment, but motioned for qiao to make herself comfortable before the spread of food. it was the holy, the Gods and Goddesses who had moved makono. who had allowed her to stand here.

so i give you the respect of telling me the price of your wound before i strike him first.

now she reclined, eyes fixed upon the priestess. there would be no grand time to dance around these things. they must be sorted out the gate so moves could continue to be made.

qiao's eyes fell upon the sumptuous assortment of meats. there was a part of qiao that had never died: the part born into poverty which screamed now to consume it all. she refrained, standing to attention with polite interest writ across her features.

ah, there it was. the pharaoh called upon her to settle blood debt. truthfully qiao wished to see khaba's head upon a spike, skin rotted and eyes sunken into a skull molten by decay. such things were improper to say.

i wished him dead, my pharaoh. i understand now he was only serving you. was akashingo a place where servants who acted in the best interest of their leaders had their blood drawn by the very agents they intended to protect? what is the ideal arrangement for you, holy one?

BOY THIS AGED WELL HUH

an injury for an injury, but i do understand yours was the grave sort.

and there was no saying that such a blow would not kill another. especially one who must endure it for the price of their debt.

perhaps an ear or tail holds power for you?

she did not mean insult as much as she meant genuine curiosity. did a piece of the wrong-doer hold power for the holy?

qiao's lip twitched. she had been borne into such a code: eye for eye, blood for blood. the world had been built on such a code. dominions toppled, kingdoms razed, and gristle meted under such a metric.

but that was not qiao's code. she always thought it was funny, that thing called pari passu. the first blow was insult, the second simply retribution -- but did agents of retribution ever consider that he who struck first was perhaps deserving of sevenfold vengeance?

after all, what monster first conceived the idea of striking down his own kind?

that is not necessary, divine one. qiao bowed her head. neither would satisfy that code of blood-metes-blood, and neither would remind khaba he had first struck. the recovery of such injury would make him useless to the throne. he is your servant. punishing him would only punish the crown, my pharaoh.

she waited for makono’s edict — when the pair was done conversing qiao exited unhurriedly. tomorrow she would seek leshen at the outer gates.