Lion Head Mesa kitna

satsu. belen. 
ramesses hummed to himself with great humour as he turned down the corner to the wellspring. it would have to be cleaned come spring, but the pine had fermented. the flavour was great and overwhelming, the liquor proving to be weak. yet it would do its job well.
fairly reeking of pinewater, ramesses sang his way toward the apartments of the queen, hoping darkly for a lustful diversion to cross his path and sharpen his hungers.

Sayf could not help himself when he heard the voice of the pharaoh. His master had been tied up with the queen often lately, and he found himself longing to be in the pale god's presence.

Once he was close, the fellahin wasted no time brushing his body against the pharaoh's. His smelled of the pine they had been carefully fermenting near the wellspring; it brought a smile to the coyote's face. Pharaoh, he greeted quietly, reaching up to nip playfully at his jaw.

"sayf." he reached to kiss his favoured little fellahin, lingering there against the stone with him. "the queen and i brought belen fully into service," ramesses revealed, his voice hovering by sayf's ear. "i will put you in charge of honing her for our guests and mazoi."
a respect for a favoured one. pharaoh believed in loyalty, and such honeyed loyalty as that.

As always, Sayf basked in the pharaoh's affection. His eyes closed as he drew in his master's scent. When Ramesses told him of Belen's advancement, he lifted his soft, golden eyes, lit with excitement, to meet the deep blue of the pharaoh's. 

He wanted Sayf to be in charge of readying her for the guests and mazoi. He shivered at the feeling of warm breath against his ear. I would be honored, pharaoh, the felahin answered as he began to groom the fur of his chest. She seems like an eager student, he added.

"she is. she was." the royal eyes glowed. "i have a plan for her."
he settled sayf beside him. they walked in quiet for a moment.
"akashingo is too quiet. the land is too cold. i think we should have a diversion of sorts," he chuckled lightly. "what are your thoughts here?" business. pleasure. he could count upon the seductive-eyed fellahin for many things.

Interest filled his gaze as pharaoh spoke of having plans for Belen. The pale god did not elaborate, though, which was not unusual for him. Sayf may have asked after these plans but was distracted as he was pressed into his master's side. His questions were forgotten for now. 

Ramesses was bored with how quiet things had been lately. The fellahin was reminded of the wedding and how entertaining the whole thing had been. There had been plenty of entertainment of all kinds. Pharaoh wanted a diversion and the thought of it had a playful smile curving the coyote's dark lips. I am always eager to help you liven things up, he answered. What did you have in mind? He would gladly make the pharaoh's wishes come true.

"i enjoyed our wedding feast." he grinned. "i think perhaps we should celebrate another marriage here. one made for the purpose of alliance."
brecheliant had its own children, did it not? and the caldera surely had its own half-grown progeny.
but he knew them not to be traditional in the giving and the taking. an inferiority, to be certain.
"you know that crowfeather is a prince. i intend to formalize him as royal." not of his line, but certainly a noble one. "it means he will need a match that is fitting for himself as well as akashingo."

Sayf smiled at the mention of the wedding. He was equally excited to know how much the pharaoh enjoyed himself. They had all worked hard to make sure it was not a night anyone would forget. 

He looked to his master with obvious interest when he spoke of having another wedding—one for Crowfeather, the prince no one knew was a prince until now. And Raemsses was correct: he would need someone suitable to marry, although he wasn't certain who in the pack might offer them an alliance. 

But suddenly, he wondered: Is this the plan you have for Belen? he asked. Could he want the new fellahin to be for a different purpose? And if so, who would she align them with? He held the rest of his questions in as he waited for pharaoh to answer, the coyote's gaze bright with intrigue.

ramesses' eyes brightened and he favoured sayf with a long press of a kiss. "now you are learning," he whispered against the curve of the fellahin's delicate jawline.
"but belen is mine. when i send her outside akashingo it will be to an ally. we must choose a woman from one of our own for the neb."
on he walked, considering to himself; thinking.

Sayf smiled and leaned into the affection, his heart racing when Ramesses' praise washed over him. He decided he very much liked that his master wanted to plot things with him. 

If he was unwilling to give up Belen, then Sayf assumed he would feel the same about the other fellahin. That had only one woman coming to mind. Sabah? he suggested. She commands the guards, so she would be worthy of a noble. He wasn't sure how the jodai would feel about it, but that was not for the fellahin to worry about.

he shook his head. "i want this marriage to produce children. i do not want our jodai with child." he chuckled at the predicament. "i think that i will send someone to our allies the caldera and brecheliant. if this is not fruitful, then perhaps a deal with mereo could be struck."
it occurred to him that he had never sent sayf on these sojurns. "would you like something to do?"

Sayf could see how carrying children would get in the way of the jodai's job. But then, that didn't leave any other women. He assumed the pharaoh didn't want the noble to marry a man, so he was left wondering and at a loss for what to suggest next. 

But his master's mind was always working, the wheels always spinning. He never failed to think up solutions to his problems; the fellahin admired that about him. 

He spoke of Brecheliant and the caldera. He even mentioned Mereo; Sayf thought of Arsenio. The hurt of his abandonment still stung deeply. 

The pale god asked him a question and the pain was gone instantly. Sayf nipped and nuzzled into his master's neck. Always, pharaoh, was his softly spoken answer.

ramesses smiled. "i sent a woman, qiao, to visit mereo. when she returns i mean to make her a priestess. she did not remain long enough in akashingo to discover its familiarity."
a pause.
"i am putting you in charge of appointing rooms for her. there is an undiscovered portion below the mesa. take what guards and fellahin you wish for this task. they are beneath your command. you will be the architect for those who read the stars. and perhaps you will gain a new title."

The pale god told him of the new priestess and how he had sent her to Mereo. Sayf was curious about what she would find there, though he wondered how willing she would be to share what she knew with one of the fellahin. It didn't matter; he would still do as he was told. 

He was to get rooms ready for Qiao for when she returned, a task he would not take lightly. He would ask the other fellahin to help him and perhaps Sakai for any heavy lifting. I will make sure she has quarters fit for a priestess, pharaoh Sayf assured his master. 

His eyes had brightened some at the mention of a new title. What title would you consider giving me? he asked, peering up to look into the deep, mesmerizing blue of Ramesses' gaze.

sayf's adoration was clear. for a moment ramesses allowed himself to be enveloped and kissed, worshipped, returning the gestures with the same breathless fervency. 
as if he was not a god.
as if the man was not a fellahin.
when at last they parted, pharaoh's eyes were filled with something knowing and unknowable. "join jawahir as hebsut. you have earned it. with this comes your own rank. your own power." he smiled gently. "long have you been faithful, sayf. it does not go unseen."

This was all Sayf really wanted from the pale god—to melt under his affection and give the same in return. Ranks and duty mattered but they paled in comparison to his need to worship his master. 

But, he was still honored to be given a higher rank. Ramesses was pleased with his loyalty and obedience—guilt swelled inside the fellahin's heart as he thought of his deepest secret, the fact that he favored the giant over his master. He didn't even like to think about it in the pharaoh's presence, afraid he might see the truth on his face. 

Sayf buried his face into the pale chest as he spoke. Thank you, pharaoh, he said first. I am honored. He truly was. It was like he needed the pharaoh's approval in the same way he needed food or water.

ramesses let out his breath, sighing against the side of the fellahin's throat. sayf was by far his favorite. kasmut remained touched only by himself but it was sayf who knew how to caress him in such particular ways that even in this moment he wanted the new hebsut.
"go now," ramesses purred. "begin your tasks. come to me tonight."
it would be long hours to remind sayf of his own experience at bringing pleasure. pharaoh was possessive.

Sayf was visibly disappointed when the pharaoh told him to go. He was perfectly content to stay right here in the pale god's embrace. The new hesbut wanted to show the his master just how much he appreciated the recognition of his loyalty. 

Even with the command to spend the night with him, Sayf lingered. He nuzzled and nipped and kissed his way up the pale, soft fur of his neck, worshiping him in a way reserved only for the pale god. I will pharaoh, he promised. And once Ramesses released him, he would reluctantly turn and leave. He had work to do.