Luneshale Pass fifty-third

"prince @Rashepses."

senmut's voice cut through whatever words might have been bantered back and forth, through pleasure-seeking, to halt the feet of mazoi departing, to command the eyes of nobles and fellahin alike.

the erpa-ha did not summon guardians to stand with him. he stood beneath a half-dozen gazes and there he addressed the dark wolf with his haughty eyes.

"i do not need to remind you that while our queen is unguarded outside of akashingo, our interactions with the local populace must be united. the Divine Wife is kind, arms extended to those who would know her or worship her. in her name we must act, not on our own whims which divide from her intention."

if the slithering men were with rashepses, senmut ignored them. "i do not further need to remind a man of royalty that he and his attendants are guests and that whatever authority you enjoyed in your land is irrelevant here to the hierarchy of akashingo."

senmut pressed, challenged, all in cool even tone and the unyielding nature of his eyes. thutmose and rashepses would easily win a physical battle. he meant to work through other means.

“We are agreed, Erpa-ha,” the riverprince remarked, eyes sliding over the slender man, though failing to match his holy coolness. “A united front is essential.” Rashepses too did not wish for dissension among their own ranks.

“I am not native to the kingdom, so tell me, prince Senmut. Is doing nothing Akashingo’s method for taunting trespassers on your lands? The boundaries are marked. Your soldiers idle under potential threat. Is this what you ask of me, to condone it? To allow her rule to be made a laugh on her own soil?” The prince pushed, his stare drilling into the jewel of the other's eyes. He believed their inaction stem only from fear of retaliation. Pharaoh would not tolerate such blatant disrespect.

“It is for her I act.” Yes, he was not a man afraid to. He let the word sit between them.

"you act for yourself." senmut remained even, though anger had begun to curdle his belly. he did not know the queen! how could he say his actions were for her? "i do not fear coyotes, nor do i think it necessary to set our teeth on fellahin."

a man who could not handle a jibe from a servant's class was too tempestuous to wield a throne. or a crown. but that was not senmut's choice to make. "i trust zaahira, who means to be jodai. had she seen a threat, she would have moved to end it. but if you feel your hands are idle, great one, then take your men and move to discover these vagabonds the stranger described. for her."

the mouth was shadowed in unreadable emotion.

“Yes. For myself in kind. For Queen and Pharaoh of the two kingdoms.” He could feel the growing ire, but now came his coolness in turn. “I will lead by example. I see you are content to do the same,” one side of his lip pulled into a half-grin, though it is not a pleasurable one.

Rashepses did not reveal that this was already the plan. Perhaps it would bring Senmut needed gratification if he believed the Sphinx was devising under his command. Still, the idea had him surprised given the proceedings of the day. Maybe it was just that Senmut was hoping he’d be eaten along the way.

“It is my wish to discuss these findings with Queen Toula when she arrives. I invite you to join us,” he answered shortly, “then it will be done.”

With a step, he broadened the span of their meeting place. “I will work with you, Erpa-ha. But inherently there will be more division to come. Let us maintain an open dialogue. For the Queen's sake.”

again he spoke of queen and kingdom. senmut did not respond. it was not poise which led him, nor blankness; it was his bluntness against courtly jibe, those of which he did not know how to return. the prince understood only that taking rashepses from the queen's court for a time would allow the people to settle.

if he hoped for more to join his camp, it was an idle thought, not fitting for a priest. he trusted the Divine Wife implicitly; he only wished she would come to see the man before him as senmut did.

chaos. churning.

"leave by sundown. i will bear your report to the queen." he could be obstacle at her door, and meant to be. 

inside was a boyish shifting of fear and anger coalescing into nausea; he would be sick later, another thing unbecoming of a godly ruler.

"Amun keep you."

“Prince Senmut,” he stepped inward, eyes hanging over the Priest. “I am not leaving for the South until Queen Toula arrives and I've spoken with her.” You can’t keep her from me forever.

And there would be no more talk on the matter.

now a smile came to senmut, though he did not know why. the brilliant eyes saw what he felt was the nefarious aura of the insistent royal.

"i will not move you by force, rashepses. explain then to the queen why you disregard an order from her prince and sow dissent in her new lands among its inhabitants."

his voice carried. senmut moved beyond the nightprince, heading for the outskirts of luneshale.

She would hear what happened. She would hear how prince Rashepses had moved to control a threat; and of how prince Senmut had done nothing at all.