Lion Head Mesa gold snowflakes

He had arrived here a man out of place, out of his position.

Comfort was back beneath his grip, for he had been spoken as a holy man by Ramesses himself. Akhtar was priest and confidant, the other side of the confessional booth, a listener and a helper. So he set out to meet the others, anyone he could find.

He had already greeted the jumpy, surly Jodai, who had not given him much but snippy conversation that was mostly one sided before she was off, citing rounds of the Mesa. Well, Akhtar couldn’t say she wasn’t seemingly dedicated wholly to her job, so he wandered on, entering the palace’s rooms and delving deeper.

For the time being, the dog wandered the corridors between the alcoves and the Pharoah’s throne room, offering greetings and pleasant head tips to everyone he passed. A shepherd had to know his flock, and how to guide them into the light.

there was a new canine here. another dog. tavina was amused at how ramesses had placed them above his own beloved coyotes. 

she was carrying herbs to smooth crowfeather's scars, heading to the boy's sunny quarters. the newcomer nodded to her and tavina nodded back, setting down her burden. "i'm tavina, the sesh. the physician," she amended, tail swaying in a friendly way. "how are you settling?"

A wolf stopped to talk to him. There were many here in the Mesa, above the coyotes. Akhtar had done..his level best to avoid the Fellahin, for the most part. He did not fault the Pharoah for his dalliances, but for Akhtar…he wasn’t sure if he was interested.

May the gods light your path, Tavina. I am Akhtar Mirzadeh, Hem. I am a priest. He introduced, slender tail waving in the same manner as the dark woman’s own.

I am settling well enough, I suppose. It is a far cry from my former situations.

this one. well it was clear why he had come to the palace. he would please ramesses by worshipping the same gods mentioned by pharaoh.

"what was your former situation like, priest?" tavina asked. he had been given rooms and had the company of the fellahin if he wanted. but perhaps he did not yet feel at home.

Akhtar gave a rueful smile.

A captive priest to a cruel lord. I had to lie more than listen to the gods, tell him what he wished to hear. The dog shook his head.

I hope to not find that here.

tavina shook her head. "pharaoh is dedicated. one of our own died not so long ago. he had her properly wrapped and performed a ritual of opening. she lies atop the mesa where the sun mummifies her slowly."

or so she had been told.

"there is an altar there as well. shall i show you, holy one?" the physician asked, inclining her dark head. he certainly intrigued her though she remained professional.

A mummification, already. Akhtar bowed his head to show his grief, before his eyes lifted back up again, long ears tilting forward as the woman offered to show him to the altar. Good, he needed to find that.

I would be grateful if you could show me the way. I have been doing my prayers in my room, but I would like somewhere with an open sky to commune.

inside the room that housed the alcoves there was a spire of red stone eaten into a natural, jagged pathway. she slowly led the priest up and up. by the time they reached the mesa's massive top, her legs were burning.

maggie lay in state, surrounded by the trinkets that jawahir and the others had left. while not a spiritual beast, tavina understood the magnitude of this place and bowed her head, silent as the hem chose what now to do for himself.