Lion Head Mesa The almond and the apple

@Tuna ? <3

The mesa is dry, but this is where the similarities between Akashingo and her homeland end.

The palace is a place of great luxury, adorned hallways and nobility of great import who pass through them. Eset steps through a waft of frankincense to admire the fresco paintings on the wall: artworks of Gods and Goddesses, prayers to accompany them and scenes of daily life, too. Her eyes trace over the millers in the fields and river bathers with a hopeful curl of lip. It is what her life could look like here.

Eventually she parts and ambles along the glistening floors, searching for the Queen's fellahin, Tuna, who she hoped she might learn from.

EEE! <3

there is far more foot traffic in the royal halls of akashingo. meals are brought, wine is poured, backs are scrubbed, halls are decorated. in many ways Tuna can feel a bit of joy from all the new faces that she has come to meet under the radiant guidance of Toula and Senmut. and Tuna is nothing but a silent shadow when she comes into their presence, speaking when asked and then remaining quiet and listening with her large ears.

there have been no whispers yet, it seems.

she has been tasked with the upkeep of the halls today, and with quick work using a collection of stiff and dried tall grasses, Tuna can be seen sweeping about the areas to keep toes free from pebbles. it is a laborious task considering the strain it put on her neck, but she had taken a break from the floors and began to dust one of the paintings on the walls, gently to ensure the paints were not stripped.

and while busy with work, she can hear the footsteps of another. for a moment, she thought to not disturb whoever it was coming and presumingly going. though, there is a lingering desire for the fellahin to turn her head and have a chocolate eye catch the coat of a sooty individual.

"ah" she muffles out for a moment, coming to place her makeshift hand broom down and face the other, "yer tha' new helper, ain'tcha?"

“Eset,” she introduces along with a respectful dip of her head. She will look long into the woman’s eyes; warm and soulful they are, as well as familiar.

“Am I right to guess: Tuna?” she smiles, feeling at once welcomed in her company, and endeavors to offer the same despite the jitters of this new acquaintance. “This palace speaks highly of you.”

Her accented tongue is at first startling, so unlike anything she's heard before in the way it draws and holds long in strange places, though she does not find it unpleasant. That the fellahin is also a foreigner is another way in which they might find solidarity, she will hope.

Briefly attention is turned to Tuna’s present task, the care in which she had been polishing the fresco just prior.

“Did you paint them?” She inquiries.

Eset. 

a short name, just like Tuna's own. a dip of her own nose is respectfully offered to the other fellahin, perhaps someone that may grow to be a friend to Tuna in this mesa. at the mention of her work, Tuna's ears come to splay out in a goofy and sheepish manner with a roll of her shoulders. "ah just do mah work," she comes to say humbly, "stay on th'a good sides'a th'a royalty, and yew'll be ree-warded." encouragement to perform, as the fellahin can often be treated as a unit rather than split individuals. 

at the mention of the painting, there is a shake of the head. "nah, senmut does 'em an'tha priests sometimes. ah try ta'h just keep 'em clean." she didn't think she had the talent to paint anyways, though one may never know without trying. "have yew been settlin' in fine?" akashingo certainly is a different place compared to most groups to outsiders, Tuna could say this with her own experience. truly she wondered what others made of the mesa, especially the workers who made everything happen.

Ears are flicked forward, holding precious to words that are extracted first in her mind from the accent before comprehending. She knows understanding will get easier in time. She nods her head in accordance. To please the royalty is all she will wish to do.

A look is passed between the art and Tuna’s golden face.

“Extraordinary,” she praises. “The Prince is quite a talent. And the palace, so beautifully kept. I hope I can be of some assistance to you here.” She cannot imagine the work that goes into the cleaning of such an estate, to maintaining the grounds, preparing feasts, serving the noble ranks and chief among them seeing to her Holiness’ needs. She will hope to be an asset in Tuna’s work but the idea of it all is admittedly daunting.

A question of settling in- it has been well, mostly. She is fortunate to be have been saved and cared for by her doctor, to know first-hand the grace of the Queen. She has a little room all to herself where she can keep her things. There have been mishaps with a couple Mazoi, yes- but Eset would see it did not happen again.

“Very well,” Her eyes upon Tuna are bright. “Though I often find myself lost. The palace is a maze. Did it take you long to learn each route?”

there is a pleasant smile that crawls across her face at the mention of an easy settlement. perhaps she would become a heavy favorite for the wolf-blood she owns, or perhaps there may be resentment with the coy that swims in her features. perhaps no keen eye sees it, but a coyote can often recognize one of its own kind, even with the unknown mixtures.

"as long'as yew can follow directions, is'all gonna be jus' peachy-keen 'round 'ere." it perhaps takes nothing to ride under the noses of others, though bigger actions may come to speak to the hearts of the royals. secretly, Tuna comes to wonder if Eset has the desire to rise in the ranks and wiggle her way into a rank far greater than fellahin. ambition can take one far, if given the chance. "but ah wouldn't worry if ah was yew, most tasks 're prett'eh simple. n' if all else fails, ah'll always be able t'ah help yew." they needed to stick together, after all.

the mention of the maze-like structure of the underground palace brings about a nod from Tuna. it certainly took her some time to learn the paths of the others, thankfully Jawahir and the others were quick to bring her underneath their wings. "tha bigges' thing about learning tha' walkways is thinkin', ah know that soun's silly, but yew gotta make som' connections and think as yew walk. eventu-ally, it becomes yer bread'n butter." but perhaps this lesson is done best on the feet than just speaking. 

"ah can show yew, if yew'd like, so we can avoid gettin' yew lost any more?" perhaps this is her own moment to sweep someone beneath her own feathers.

“I hope to manage- though you will be the judge.” That Tuna does not doubt nor discourage her, in a similar way the Queen has kept a mind open to potential she may have within these walls, nurtures her optimism. She will know the same cannot be said in other kingdoms and so will not take for granted the impartiality of the Queen’s chief fellahin.

Tuna remarks on the simple nature of their tasks. She understands, and to a large extent will agree. It is one reason why many view servants as expendable. Anyone can pour a drink and serve it. But not everyone is paying attention to its drinker like Eset is.

She heeds Tuna’s words as she explains how she has come to navigate the winding palace halls with confidence. A clever method for memorizing which sandstone corner leads to the banquet hall and which to the waterways. The shadowed girl will nod along, eyes already finding their mark in the room they stand in.

“If you feel you can spare the time, Tuna. I think it would be most instructive to hear your associations,” an upswing of grateful ear.

let it be known that i am TERRIBLE at reading maps so if anything here seems wrong plz feel free to nudge me

with the desire to help train, Tuna decides to abandon her post and place her broom up against the wall. this task would be an easy thing to return to later. and now with a sweep of the muzzle, she invites Eset to follow her and stay close. "fallah me."

the first place she would take her is to the base of the wellspring where the fellahin caves remain brimming with voices and entertainments of others from the palace. "so, yew can always think'a the spring and dens as yer home base. everythin' else kinda reaches out from here. think awf a spider, and the spring is its body, the hallways are its legs."

childish at worst, but incredibly useful at best. perhaps this is only a lopsided spider, as the catacombs further beyond the fellahin's own sleeping places remained unexplored. "think yew got that part down, eset?" it would be a lot to learn, but with enough practice and a few mishaps, tuna has faith that the other fellahin would grasp her internal map in no time.

no worries at all <33

Beside Tuna, she nods. Yes, she knew the wellspring. Considering it could be an anchor-point helped her to orient. But from here, she was again lost without a sense of direction, no North nor South nor glimmer of sun to offer guidance. She decides in the evening she will also sketch the palace in the dirt of her chamber, so she might create a visual reference to aid in her study of which passageways lead where along with Tuna's helpful associations.

“I think so. Yes.”

"gewd, les' keep goin then."

tuna would take eset closer to where the 3 pathways had been dug, all trails leading to elsewhere. "tha middle one," she raises a paw in a rudimentary point towards, "is'tha one that yew take tah get outside. it kicks yew in tha outside throne room. then yew just walk out and bam, there's tha sand." it was the first path tuna ever took when she was accepted into the kingdom of akashingo, and one she traveled many times before it finally became solidified in her head.

"when yew walk in'it, take'a big whiff. it smells less like all'them nice stuff of akashingo an' more of the lan' outside." there is a constant flow of new scents coming through this red hallway, and certainly anyone with a working nose would perhaps be able to pick up on it. and now tuna comes to serve as the example, pushing her nose into the hallway and breathing in heavily for a moment.

there is the sand, the breeze, and the scent of the kingdom itself.

“I can smell it,” she affirms, having followed suit. There’s the bustle of palace, an amassing of scents from all who’ve come and gone, of meat and incense, the nobles’ perfumes, soldier’s sweat and the dust of flatlands beyond.

“And the two flanking?” She questions.

"tha right leads'ta pharoah's room. nawt'a'lott'a foot traffic there. smells ah little stagnant there, tew." she wonders of the ruling for the pharaoh before, the one that was buried and the one that left to study. tuna could not imagine perhaps the loneliness that toula feels while ruling by herself. perhaps the crowned prince and her court keeps her company, but not in the same light as her own blood.

"tha left, where yew can fan' miz toula in'er chamber." a small hum at the thought of their benevolent queen, one whom tuna adores immensely. "she likes tah be tended tew," tuna comes to say to eset kindly, "an' to be spoken wit' honestly. have yew spent much t'ahme wit'er?"

“I imagine not for long now that a Pharaoh will soon again sit upon the throne,” she broaches softly and turns to look into Tuna’s face. It is a small sort of statement that might coax her companion’s feelings on the subject.

This passageway looms long and dark and dusted. The second is well kept, well lit, polished.

“Not so much as I’d like. Enough to see she has a generous heart, a good soul.” That she saw the fellahin as beings and not an expendable amenity.

“How long have you worked in the palace?” She asks, turning her attention from the three halls to Tuna.

it seems that both the fellahin harbor the same adoration for their queen, which brings about a nice feeling in the pit of tuna's stomach. it's much easier to try your best when you work for someone that you actually like and enjoy, isn't it? "one could hope," she says in response to eset, "ah worry about these suitors, can't lie tew yew. some men can be all tha same fer power." would any truly be a good husband to toula? would any truly mean well to serve her and akashingo? or would trouble continue to stir?

"now les'see 'ere," one of her eyes crinkles as she tilts her head to think, toe below her tapping away, "ah started back'n mid spring-like tahme. so not tew long, but enough tahme to know important things fer the kingdom an'all its inhabe-tants." hopefully eset will remain in the ranks and continue to grow within akashingo as tuna has.

Quiet fears spill from the fellahin’s lips. Eset’s eyes find Pharaoh’s empty tunnel, a dank airflow sifts through the strands of sepia on her neck while she imagines the Queen’s impending choice. Chief of their desires, suitors came for the empty throne. They did not come expressly for Toula. Her marriage was ancillary to their claim as Pharaoh.

She wonders what Tuna knows of the gathering Sphinx, if she had access to the councils and chambers where currents of power and secrets could be observed.

in the center of the dusty concourse she brings herself closer to the coyote girl, aligning their spindly bodies. “Are there any inhabitants here I should be wary of, Tuna?” Her face is serious.

“Or otherwise- keep an eye on?” for herself; for their Queen.

the question brings about a curious gaze from tuna towards eset, and now the fellahin brings her head above the other as her bat ears come to swivel like sonar, searching for any detection of steps coming towards them. and when it remains still and quiet, tuna returns her eyes to eset and speaks lowly.

"seth, an' that new mazoi. seth comes awf'a lil' sha-dee. ah dunno wha's cookin' in'is head. and the mazoi?" a little snort as she thinks back to his tall figure. "ah don't like them eyes awf his."

if only she would have a way to look into the future and see that her words would come to bite her in the rump when it came to talking of the crocodile king. "our jobs as'tha fellahin always'll seem so simple," she says to eset quietly, "but yew're alllllways meant tah keep yer eyes an' ears open. fer our lady toula, at least, and fer senmut."

she did not know of what transpired with the last pharaoh or queen, but perhaps tuna was never meant to know. "what 'ave yew seen so far, eset?" now it was time to see if tuna's own wariness held a strong purpose or if it remained misplaced.

Tuna shares her candor, Eset holds onto her words, nodding stiffly.

“I don’t know yet,” the answer is sincere. She’s seen nothing.

Or something.

But she was new, there was a delicate order of things, and she did not want to confess to the Queen’s chief fellahin that she had already blundered here. She wanted to be an asset to Tuna and the other servants, not a liability.

“I will remain diligent,” she vows, her face set with determination. She would not exploit the coyote’s trust- nor her Queen’s.

fading here if you're okay with it?

a gentle hum in her throat. perhaps it was too early to expect eset to have seen what lays within the red walls of akashingo. but perhaps someday she will come to know of its secrets, in the same manner that tuna has learned.

feeling pleased, although a bit heavy with their current conversation, the fellahin gives her coat a nice shake before aiming to smile towards eset. "tha's yer first lesson. ah think yer gonna'be juuust fahne. cahme on," tuna would invite the other to join her as she starts a path towards one of the nearby pantries, "ah've got some cactus fruit tha's gonna go bad soon if'its nawt eat'n. inter'sted 'n sharin' some with'me?"

it would be perhaps one of the many conversations and times that tuna would find herself in the lone company of eset. and so far, she's found it to be everything thats pleasant.