Two Eyes Cenote ninety-fourth

eset was gone, and khusobek in pursuit.

leadership had been conferred to him, he assumed, albeit tacitly, and so he strode about the palace checking its points.

priest's heart sang with danger. why would eset leave now?

I smell blood, Medusa said in a sing-songy voice—but there was nothing else to deduce any pleasure in what words she spoke. Perhaps the only thing she was truly glad of was that the thrill of Akashingo existed in Muat-Riya, too. She had missed that. 

But really, she had smelled blood. And Senmut seemed anxious. It wasn’t his, though… I know that was quite uncouth, you will forgive me for that, I hope, Medusa started, using some of her education to appear more refined than she ever might have before. She was well taught, but well learned…? That bit remained to be seen. 

The Gods look after us all. Whatever happens this evening has been set into motion by Them. And They love us, do They not? she was still indisputably facing the high she had experienced when on her escapade—it leant to her then-positive mood. 

His mood, though? What are you thinking? she asked him, thinking perhaps being succinct would provide her with a more elaborate answer.

"the gods look after us all," senmut intoned in repetition. "and as for love, not all gods bear us love, no, hemet."

he seemed to see her now, this pale daughter of their noble advisor. "there is indeed blood. where have you traveled, priestess?" he asked, turning to lead her in a short patrol beyond the main entrance.

Hmm. Speak for yourself. They love me, a jest, given the fact that she was quite aware of Their cruelty. She couldn’t exist when the gaze of Ra was upon all, so uncomfortable it was. Never mind the fact that she was motherless—well, she had suckled at the proverbial teat of Akashingo. So she owed the place and its people loyalty, especially since that teat was one she still absolutely suckled on. 

Now, though, instead of mothers milk wine poured from it. Lately though, she hasn’t the taste. 

His next question was answered with a squint. You don’t know? she had thought Senmut had been the one to recommend her continued education. In the court of the Pharaoh’s aunt, she paused and said, who is also a Pharaoh. Different than Toula, though I didn’t interact with her but for the introduction—just the priests and priestesses there. Still, you could see it in the woman’s fellahin. They skittered rather than stepped, she recalled. And the introduction? 

Medusa withheld a shudder. Now that was a woman who likely would never know the meaning of “no”, not for never being taught but simply having never heard it. A powerful being to be sure, but one that ruled perhaps via fear and an iron fist than the sort of love and adoration Toula inspired.

Both had her respect for it. 

Anyway, she listened now for Senmut’s answer, interested in what he would think of that.

perhaps he had forgotten. yes, this was that. he covered with a smile. "where did your travels beneath pharaoh hatshepsuun take you, hemet?" he asked in a tone that implied she had misunderstood him.

"fear is a common tool. we are blessed that our pharaoh does not employ such cruelty. your outburst would have been punished in such a court."

he flicked his tail. "i once saw the eyes put from a we'eb simply because the boy had forgotten his Osiris prayer."

Shit. Senmut was smart. Of course he’d be steps ahead of her still, and this conversation proved it. He once again earned some of her respect, and grudgingly the stubborn teen-spirited girl-turned-woman acknowledged (to only herself) she could afford to learn from him still. Medusa had hoped life at that other palace would have made her leagues ahead of him, but… well, it seemed progression was on Akashingo’s side. 

Senmut was also scary, when he wished to be. And she didn’t scare easily. But who wanted their eyes removed? Medusa valued her life above all other things. 

She suspected Senmut didn’t want to hear of the Gods and her teachings. But politics? Perhaps. Our Pharaoh is far more loved. It is only fear that prevents physical action against their own, but there were plenty of whispers of poison, and no doubt those whispers were heard up on high, too—one did not remain in power for so long without not knowing how to listen, right? I think, still, our Pharaoh would benefit from an army. What happens when one Pharaoh becomes too envious of another? Medusa had heard no such whispers there. But she hoped to divert the attention of Senmut to something more serious than she herself, and… and wouldn’t having that be helpful anyway? 

Medusa too wanted some kind of… something, from Senmut. She didn’t know what. To be more than useful, though. Hmmm… yeah, she wanted to be essential, so she was not so easily disposed of. To be on the good and right side, to also secure continued wealth for her dear old father who quite liked to be rich.

What a good daughter she could be! …but, she also wanted to stay rich. Details, right?

"that is true," senmut conceded, finding too a sort of respect for the brash young woman who had returned more worldly than before. "khusobek, one of the mazoi here. he was sent by pharaoh hatshepsuun as a present to her royal niece."

what did medusa know of this? surely she must have gleaned some secret or another from her time in another court. he wished to understand what she had heard.

"have you aspirations to this army yourself in some way, hemet?" came the light, pointed barb of his question; he searched for ambition.