optional or one post! <3 @Satsu @Sihaya @Arsenio @Mouseberry @Jawahir @Sayf, also tagging @Nephele for visibility
ramesses stood powerful and sun-starred atop the red stone of the mesa.
the grand round peak of akashingo held a small crowd that day.
maggie's body had been cleansed and prepared and now lay in state before him. ramesses saw that the fellahin had gathered.
the jewel stood at his right hand.
maggie had been surrounded by small morsels of food and three pieces of glittering mica he had taken from a store-room for such an occasion. she would sail out upon the barge of Ra when He returned upon the place of the sun. and when she woke, she would have the good tastes and the riches to live a fulfilling afterlife.
ramesses would close their rites. for now he only looked to hear if those who had known her might speak.
the grand round peak of akashingo held a small crowd that day.
maggie's body had been cleansed and prepared and now lay in state before him. ramesses saw that the fellahin had gathered.
the jewel stood at his right hand.
maggie had been surrounded by small morsels of food and three pieces of glittering mica he had taken from a store-room for such an occasion. she would sail out upon the barge of Ra when He returned upon the place of the sun. and when she woke, she would have the good tastes and the riches to live a fulfilling afterlife.
ramesses would close their rites. for now he only looked to hear if those who had known her might speak.
October 20, 2021, 06:14 PM
as it was jawahir who brought the loud-mouth harlot to the fold, it would be jawahir who performed their ending ceremony. this is what the mumis believed and was devoted to following.
maggie looked perfect with enough web to shroud that wound upon her face.
limbs folded as neatly as they could be, given their stiffness. the sun warming her skin where it reached, feigning the heat of life.
jawahir watched from ramesses' right. paltry gifts laid out for the gone girl. the mica glittering like shards of ice while maggie's remains settled like a patch of snow upon the altar.
clearing their voice, jawahir stepped forth.
they held spite in their heart, and anger, and could not purge it for the salat; their voice carried the first takbir, taking maggie's limbs and folding them as close to the chest as they would go, the right upon the left.
thickness in their throat.
the final du'a came.
it was the most jawahir had spoken in a long time.
gaze shifts to pharaoh as the courtesan settles back beside him, head bowed, unable to look to the altar any longer.
maggie looked perfect with enough web to shroud that wound upon her face.
limbs folded as neatly as they could be, given their stiffness. the sun warming her skin where it reached, feigning the heat of life.
jawahir watched from ramesses' right. paltry gifts laid out for the gone girl. the mica glittering like shards of ice while maggie's remains settled like a patch of snow upon the altar.
clearing their voice, jawahir stepped forth.
they held spite in their heart, and anger, and could not purge it for the salat; their voice carried the first takbir, taking maggie's limbs and folding them as close to the chest as they would go, the right upon the left.
allāhu ʾakbar—tasmiyah, maggie,then, again,
allāhu ʾakbar
thickness in their throat.
the final du'a came.
may Ra who watches above guide your way; may you wake to everlasting happiness, unbound.
it was the most jawahir had spoken in a long time.
gaze shifts to pharaoh as the courtesan settles back beside him, head bowed, unable to look to the altar any longer.
October 20, 2021, 06:21 PM
being here did not give satsu the satisfaction she expected. to see maggie placed here, shrouded, treated as though she was worth something. knowing that the woman's end came by the will of nyra and also, to some extent, her own.
the queen looked to those gathered; it was mostly fellahin. she sought the eyes of slate the teacher of ursus, though the bear-people were settled at their camp. they had not been invited to this private affair.
when jawahir began to speak satsu did not care to listen.
she knew that maggie meant much to pharaoh; she would keep watch of his mood most importantly, but felt nothing for the pile of bones that lay upon the altar, thinking only, 'what a waste of good food, to find its way to her.'
satsu had seen enough death. she knew that maggie was gone, not that she had gone anywhere, as death was an ending, but she would not protest this fact before her fiancee or the vermin that now spoke in tongues.
the icy woman was silent, picture perfect and lamenting—though it was for show.
the queen looked to those gathered; it was mostly fellahin. she sought the eyes of slate the teacher of ursus, though the bear-people were settled at their camp. they had not been invited to this private affair.
when jawahir began to speak satsu did not care to listen.
she knew that maggie meant much to pharaoh; she would keep watch of his mood most importantly, but felt nothing for the pile of bones that lay upon the altar, thinking only, 'what a waste of good food, to find its way to her.'
satsu had seen enough death. she knew that maggie was gone, not that she had gone anywhere, as death was an ending, but she would not protest this fact before her fiancee or the vermin that now spoke in tongues.
the icy woman was silent, picture perfect and lamenting—though it was for show.
October 20, 2021, 07:57 PM
Sayf watched only Jawahir from where he was perched near the pharaoh's other side. He wished he had something to say, he wished he could go to his companion and embrace them, but such things were only comfortable beyond the watchful eyes of his god and the rest who served him.
So he watched them tuck Maggie's legs in, he listened to them speak in their native language. allāhu ʾakbar, he thought silently, his gaze first settling on the deceased before raising to the sky in prayer.
When Jawahir joined them again, Sayf touched his nose to their should briefly, in comfort. Then he bowed his head and prayed to himself.
So he watched them tuck Maggie's legs in, he listened to them speak in their native language. allāhu ʾakbar, he thought silently, his gaze first settling on the deceased before raising to the sky in prayer.
When Jawahir joined them again, Sayf touched his nose to their should briefly, in comfort. Then he bowed his head and prayed to himself.
October 20, 2021, 10:45 PM
Sihaya arrived at the funeral and found a seat next to no one in particular – to be a fly on the wall was his most favorite thing. He had begun to unpack Akashingo and its cast as he gained greater understanding of his new community and where their loyalties laid. Already, fresh opportunities had begun to take shape.
The Fellahin flanked the golden Pharaoh, the frigid Shabti seated nearby. Others continued to trickle in.
Jawahir was the primary arbiter of this procession. The warbling, drawling tones of their song were beautiful and mesmerizing, as was the pale shrouded figure who laid stiffly at the centerpiece.
Sihaya would say nothing, but only observe the odd ceremony with the curiosity of a surgeon.
The Fellahin flanked the golden Pharaoh, the frigid Shabti seated nearby. Others continued to trickle in.
Jawahir was the primary arbiter of this procession. The warbling, drawling tones of their song were beautiful and mesmerizing, as was the pale shrouded figure who laid stiffly at the centerpiece.
Sihaya would say nothing, but only observe the odd ceremony with the curiosity of a surgeon.
October 22, 2021, 04:54 PM
It felt wrong to be here, not knowing the one that had passed.
Mouseberry lurked on the outskirts of it all. She had noted the gathering, mostly comprised of Runners. This was the nearest she had been to so many at once, and it was apparent that she was prepared to flee if need be. It was again for Jawahir that she lingered at all.
But from afar, she observed the woman she was meant to attend. Intimidating, as all Great Ones were. Mouseberry noted the sadness on her features, unaware that it was a facade; she wondered at it, though, and marveled at the thought that any Great One would mourn them. Pharaoh was at her side.
It was a Runner who had passed. And yet, two Great Ones were a part of this affair.
For the first time, Mouseberry drew a little nearer, meek, quiet, and somber. It was a sad day, Mouseberry knew, but it was not Maggie Mouseberry mourned. It was all of their sort, Runners in this world, she had seen killed... but had never time to stop, to think, to do anything but run. To stop would have meant she met the same fate as they.
Stopping was burdensome, Mouseberry thought then, as she felt the weight of those things. These thoughts caused her limbs to quake and her eyes to squint fiercely at the pale body of the stranger, but she gnashed her jaws so as to shed no tears, to sound no sobs.
What pain was greater, she wondered? Between body, and heart?
Mouseberry lurked on the outskirts of it all. She had noted the gathering, mostly comprised of Runners. This was the nearest she had been to so many at once, and it was apparent that she was prepared to flee if need be. It was again for Jawahir that she lingered at all.
But from afar, she observed the woman she was meant to attend. Intimidating, as all Great Ones were. Mouseberry noted the sadness on her features, unaware that it was a facade; she wondered at it, though, and marveled at the thought that any Great One would mourn them. Pharaoh was at her side.
It was a Runner who had passed. And yet, two Great Ones were a part of this affair.
For the first time, Mouseberry drew a little nearer, meek, quiet, and somber. It was a sad day, Mouseberry knew, but it was not Maggie Mouseberry mourned. It was all of their sort, Runners in this world, she had seen killed... but had never time to stop, to think, to do anything but run. To stop would have meant she met the same fate as they.
Stopping was burdensome, Mouseberry thought then, as she felt the weight of those things. These thoughts caused her limbs to quake and her eyes to squint fiercely at the pale body of the stranger, but she gnashed her jaws so as to shed no tears, to sound no sobs.
What pain was greater, she wondered? Between body, and heart?
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