heartbroken, unsure, khaemwaset withdrew into himself.
a flurry of bowing servants followed the boy as he strode out of the mesa; he batted away their coddling and demanded that senmut accompany him to the riverside. "i will give thanks to the flood," the prince declared, hiding as well as he could the fact that only scant hours before, tears had stood angrily in his eyes.
khaemwaset could not bring himself to be angry with beloved merneith, and so he turned his rage toward the gods.
beside the river, amiir plucked petals and threw them into the water. "hail to thee, O Serpent, who manifests thyself over this land, and comes to give life to akashingo."
despite the quiet urging of the high priest, the prince's words did not hold joy.
"mysterious is thy issuing forth from the darkness," khaemwaset mumbled, throwing another blossom into the cold waves, "on the day whereon it is celebrated."
he thought of her eyes; in his mind, he heard her run from him.
"watering the trees created by Ra, to cause all life to live, you give the earth to drink, untiring one," he finished with no fanfare, flying into rage and strewing petals at the edge of the river until his sides heaved.
a flurry of bowing servants followed the boy as he strode out of the mesa; he batted away their coddling and demanded that senmut accompany him to the riverside. "i will give thanks to the flood," the prince declared, hiding as well as he could the fact that only scant hours before, tears had stood angrily in his eyes.
khaemwaset could not bring himself to be angry with beloved merneith, and so he turned his rage toward the gods.
beside the river, amiir plucked petals and threw them into the water. "hail to thee, O Serpent, who manifests thyself over this land, and comes to give life to akashingo."
despite the quiet urging of the high priest, the prince's words did not hold joy.
"mysterious is thy issuing forth from the darkness," khaemwaset mumbled, throwing another blossom into the cold waves, "on the day whereon it is celebrated."
he thought of her eyes; in his mind, he heard her run from him.
"watering the trees created by Ra, to cause all life to live, you give the earth to drink, untiring one," he finished with no fanfare, flying into rage and strewing petals at the edge of the river until his sides heaved.
November 08, 2024, 11:14 PM
but it was the eye's of Merneith's own that watched it all now. the priest and the prince. charmion had helped gather the supplies for all of this. after all, he knew he must witness these things closely now.
it all ended in a flurry befitting a war-prayer more than a flood blessing. he gave no reaction to it all. a stone servant who stayed steadfast as witness and puppet both.
he prostrated himself in a way that was both worshipful and sacrifice both. if there was still raging energy to spare but no petals left, let him be the flesh to carry the burden. if there was need for more services in the wake of such fury, let him be the body to attend it.
he offered his presence as devotion to Akashingo — as devotion to Amiirad.
it all ended in a flurry befitting a war-prayer more than a flood blessing. he gave no reaction to it all. a stone servant who stayed steadfast as witness and puppet both.
he prostrated himself in a way that was both worshipful and sacrifice both. if there was still raging energy to spare but no petals left, let him be the flesh to carry the burden. if there was need for more services in the wake of such fury, let him be the body to attend it.
he offered his presence as devotion to Akashingo — as devotion to Amiirad.
November 08, 2024, 11:38 PM
charmion.
bowing, obeisant pet to neith; khaemwaset relied upon his service and resented it all at once, perceiving this man closer to his much-loved sister than he had been allowed in days.
minute wisdom stayed teeth and blows that wanted to descend upon bowed head, scapegoating the servant, but prince found rein. "how is my royal sister?" the boy inquired in a cold voice, eyes turned across the face of the serpent.
bowing, obeisant pet to neith; khaemwaset relied upon his service and resented it all at once, perceiving this man closer to his much-loved sister than he had been allowed in days.
minute wisdom stayed teeth and blows that wanted to descend upon bowed head, scapegoating the servant, but prince found rein. "how is my royal sister?" the boy inquired in a cold voice, eyes turned across the face of the serpent.
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