Lion Head Mesa everyone in texas wants to touch my gun

forward dated to the 13th. taggin' all the ~fertile~ boys! @Sanguinex @Bayek @Khaba @Gucci @Senmut >:)

would like to have a bit of fun for this before somebody yells at her, hehe.

A fire in her belly. A yearning in her chest. Still no @Charles, and Diantha knew that her time was here. If he would not grant her heirs, she would find somebody else who wished for them, and he could claim them as his own. Diantha knew only what had been asked of her, and it was his duty to claim what was rightfully his if he wished to fulfill his own purpose here. She would not be blamed for his shortcomings.

She kept to her chambers, but all men who passed the opening would be welcomed in warmly, sweetly.

:O

this he knew.

his was a swift stop as he caught the fragrance winnowing from the room of charles' intended concubine.

the priest dared not answer. he only stood stiffly at her doorway. "you should hide yourself, noble one."

it would be best if @Makono chose swiftly for this woman! but senmut found himself momentarily transfixed.

Senmut. Diantha did not think he would placate her current predicament. But perhaps he could help in some other way.

How am I to fulfill my duty if Charles is away? she asked, innocent. Is there no other who will have me? If it was not Senmut’s choice to make, he would know who to call for. Diantha only knew that it was a matter of time before somebody found her here. And she would give Charles his heirs, with or without him.

"you may have your pick of the mazoi, lady." though senmut was not certain she would oblige.

as a man, he was not immune to the temptation of her poised body. he only fixed his duty to akashingo in his mind and did not approach.

"you might seek an audience with pharaoh. your arrangement to charles was decided before ramesses died. it may be that she has another idea."

Will the new pharaoh have an audience with me? she asked. Diantha had only seen her briefly during the gathering. Otherwise, the tawny woman had only been ignored. Neglected. Forgotten. Bored.

And what of you? Do I not appeal to you? she asked. If she could have her pick of the mazoi, why not the hem, too? Not that she particularly enjoyed his company, but at least she knew he was regarded well here in Akashingo.

his nostrils flared. "i am bound to the gods, my lady."

to pharaoh

"you will be given an audience. you are a noblewoman, after all. come. we will seek the divine one now," the priest offered.

i’m happy to wait for makono’s player. :)

What choice did she have? Senmut would not be swayed, and Diantha did not wish to risk her place here. She had found comfort in Akashingo, even if it bored her. She thought of the former pharaoh as she followed the hem, wishing it was he who visited her chambers today. But alas, he was gone. Replaced by his daughter who lacked years and—well—the equipment to do what Diantha required.

the longer he remained, the longer senmut could feel the mischief of her scent gnawing away at his resolve.

he led her to the throne room dominated by @Makono, bowing low. "divine one. the time has come for the lady diantha to — conceive."

his ruler, all powerful and still ignorant somehow in this.

"i implore you, marry her to someone within the palace."

the scent tickled something within her. the great yawning of a serpent within. makono could not say why she wished to keep the lady to herself at once then — it was beyond her.

why not @Gucci? he has a status, he has been father to children before. she smiled with a mouth full of Sobek at the fine lady. she surely understood the importance of these things.

or have your eyes already found one suitable to you, lady?

Will Gucci come to my chambers quickly? she asked. Diantha did not have the affordance of waiting forever. If he cannot, choose someone who can. And if the pharaoh did not, Diantha would seek comfort elsewhere. Perhaps with Senmut, though he showed unease at the thought of it. That was precisely why that thought tickled Diantha in a way, even if she didn't particularly fancy him.

another thing the divine one did not comprehend!

"the matter is delicate. it must be decided within seven days, great ruler," senmut murmured softly.

and his heart lurched, for how else could pharaoh understand?

I am so sorry for the wait. IRL is hectic :x feel free to wrap so y'all can move on if wanted <3

delicate. makono had once been able to move in such ways. now each step felt like the stamp of a bull.

instruct @Khaba he must do this for you, it is not optional. her voice hard and cold. she hated it and yet she trusted him most to treat this as it was.

a political job, nothing more.

Diantha remembered the name, the color of his fur, but nothing more. If there was anything significant about Khaba, it had quickly been washed of her memory. Thank you, pharaoh, she said. Am I to marry him? Perhaps Senmut had been correct that the late pharaoh's wishes were no longer relevant. Perhaps Diantha would be free of waiting around endlessly for Charles.

skippable!

that for pharaoh.

senmut bowed his head and backed some steps to indicate his allegiance with whatever pharaoh decided.

no, we will save gucci for that. her smile was not one of kindness.

forget whoever has stayed in wait for you without claim. for if the now reigning pharaoh hardly knew them, why waste them upon a lady with potential?

but she did not wish to keep them any longer if this truly was such a pressing manner as senmut had spoken. let her go to plant the seeds of warhorses.

the odd couple that never was!

She was not sure what answer she had expected, but she accepted the one she was given. This Gucci, she thought, was the impossibly small man. A toy, perhaps, for her to play with as a husband. Diantha entertained the idea with amusement, a rare moment of honesty in the smile she gave to the pharaoh.

I will find Khaba, she said, then dismissed herself unless the pharaoh wished for further words with her.

khaba.

senmut would wonder later at the emotion of his pharaoh. for now he only meant to see her bidding carried out.

and if she had no more need of him, he would set his spies to follow diantha.