Two Eyes Cenote scythe & scabbard

set after he gets back, so like 11th-12th

"@Tiye."

his shadow slanted sharply across her eyes; his face was an unforgiving shadow in the cenote's coolness. 

"i have a task for you. you will come now and while we walk, you will explain why you see fit to speak to your sister safiya with such disdain. i remind you she is a mazoi while you remain an untrained servant."

with that he turned and strode promptly away, neither slowing nor waiting, despite the fact it struck his heart to treat her so, to be so stern.

who snitched.

it was what tiye thought when she noticed the dark fog that hooded khusobek as he approached even under the bright sun. perhaps she shouldn't have been as nice to kiyya as she was, she thinks before khusobek's thundering voice breaks though her train of thought. all of the warmth of the last remains of summer drain from her body.

you remain an untrained servant. it stung to hear baba speak to her that way — but why is she surprised? safiya had become baba's darling when she embraced mazoi training so wholeheartedly.

she's barely trained too, and she's not my sister. the distance between baba and her widens.

almost he rounded on her then, but instead kept the reaction to a muscle flicking just below his eye. shouting at her would do no good; he was fresh from the grief of sending safiya away and was afraid it would influence more harshness.

instead he brought her indeed to that corridor outside the mazoi quarters. stained with the filthy marks of many paws, it was an unending chore to keep clean as guards changed their positions about the palace, returned from patrol, or embarked on one.

he had found some pieces of ragged hide, good for nothing else, and they lay to the side of this long hall.

"each day, three times, you will come here and you will clean. you will bring water from the springs. you will scour with sand. you will rinse your cloths and prepare them for the next day. you will show me, tiye, as your sister has done, that you can rise to the demands of your role."

he nodded. "begin by wiping the wet dirt into a pile."

his face had softened, but his features remained solemn. "do you understand the danger of the man in that cell, tiye?"

silence widens the distance, though tiye caught the flinch. she wasn't brave enough to test khusobek any further than that — until they reach the hall.

just as he'd finished explaining her task, mazoi were in the middle of another exchange and worsened her workload. may they die on a pike.
she doesn't speak, just glares before finally rising to her feet and pulling herself towards her task.

of course i do. it's her that doesn't. she scoffs as she drags her paws over the dirt, grimacing as her carefully maintained hands were quickly sullied by the shit the mazoi drag in every day. all she did was point out the truth and she's punished for it.

"safiya has earned the right to be below with the other mazoi. you did not. servants do not attend the prisoner unless our hebsut sends them." she knew this! or did she not?

he watched her work in her silent fury; inji's temper, he decided. unable to remain angry, and unable to shoulder more anger beneath his pain, khusobek let out his breath in a long sigh. "it is not safiya's fault she did not understand what a danger a man can be. not even you know, malak."

he shifted. "but you should not know. stay away from those cells, tiye. look at me. tell me you will not go again. promise it."

her lips blubber out another sigh as he continued to chastise her over just being there alone. yes baba..

of course i do, baba. i'm not stupid, baba. he.. but hesitates. she hadn't even seen safiya since their last fight. she was probably just posted as far away from the man as possible, but the fellahin wondered — did she even believe me?
would baba believe her? would he blame her, since she wasn't supposed to be there as fellahin?
he looked like a creep. she huffs. that's all i needed to know.

but she should've known that he's dangerous. since she's a mazoi now. apparently. isn't good judgement neccessary?

"ah. you think you are smarter than she? i do not think she is any more foolish than you, who went down there to fight with her before this man."

"judgement can be overcome. he was kind. he spoke softly. he was not a 'creep' in her eyes. the lesson to be learned is that whatever belief you have, it can be turned if you are not careful. learn first, tiye, that you are not smarter than that prisoner."

he relented, voice softening; "you were not wrong about him. but she has discovered this too. do not blame her for what i did not teach. and do not ever reject her as your sister again."

there was no reasoning with baba, so tiye just focused on her work. only halfheartedly did she listen to his lecture, even as her temper rose. to at least pretend she was fully listening, she nods along and gives quiet "i know" and "yes, baba." it's so easy to pretend. that's probably part of the fellahin's role anyways; pretending to enjoy the company stupid mazoi.

what now. she finally says, gesturing to the pile. do i get water? it seems like a waste. if it's going to get muddied up anyways.

@Eset tag for visibility <3

it did not seem possible to reach her. 

they stood as mentor and pupil, father and child; his words fell upon ears turned away from him.

at last, "take the wet dirt outside, as much as you can gather. then draw water and rinse the floor. yes. it is indeed a waste. but you will grow strong and each day you will have the same hours to think on what i have said."

he stood to go, but something occurred to him; he looked down at tiye. "in between your work and your meals, i want you to attend our hebsut, with your mother. and i want you to follow @Machiavelli on his tasks. his mannerliness is something that would benefit you to learn."

he had sent safiya away for reasons beyond them both; in this he could follow protocol. "when i feel you have learned, i will ask our hebsut if you might be sent to serve pharaoh and wait upon the nobility there." would this appeal? he did not want to part on more soured a note than their conversation had already become.

she sweeps the dirt into one of the rags, though not without wiping her hands almost as soon as she could. she nearly drops the rags when the fellahin goes through three different doubletakes in the span of a minute.

him? do you want me to land in prison? tiye doesn't hide her grimace at this, but doesn't protest any further; she grumbles another "okay."

because there's a light at the end of this — a chance to go to the palace! the royals were born too, she could even be next to the princesses and princes. already, a story of a forbidden romance plays out in her head and accompanies her as she goes to fetch spring water.

okay baba. there's no grumbling here. she nods with a forced but slight smile.

anger still remains. and as far as she knew, tiye had no sister. no punishment or lecture will convince her otherwise.

<3

"him."

compliant, perhaps her anger reduced (he hoped!), the young servant returned to her tasks. khusobek motioned that she should go on; he observed her retreat and then made one of his own.

fatherhood had taxed him. he wished a draught and a nap, but would seek neither of these. tasks unending.

secretly he hoped that tiye would not remain angry with him forever.