Redsand Canyon i wanna be your stone, love

now it was @Arsenio the herbalist sought, a stale piece of mushroom held under her tongue. she chewed thoughtfully at the mouth of a stone-rimmed clearing, eyeing the great boulder slouched within its center. 

some tracks told the story of what she saw here, but it was not in their nature she was interested. to pass time while she waited, qiao listened to the thin trill of returning birdsong.

The redstone wolf padded through the canyon, trailing after the scent that he believed would belong to the herbalist.

Seeing her upon Mereo’s edge had been surprising. To know that she had been sent on behalf of Ramesses, to check on the outpost, had left him feeling uncertain. Arsenio had shared several pieces of information with her, in their last talk. She had not acted as though his confessions had appalled her. One could never be sure.

Just ahead, the herbalist’s slender shape caught his gaze. Arsenio trotted to catch up, breathing heavily into the chilly air.

Pst! Herbalist, he hissed conspiratorially to her.

there he was, the very huntsman qiao sought. qiao thumbed the numbing roof of her mouth with a tongue that felt like a brick. "the man from rhamnus peak." she greeted, offering a slowing of her gait so he might catch his breath alongside her.

his reception of her had been lukewarm at best the day she turned upon his borders. no mind -- he had said many things. things that heard by the wrong ears could spell the end of his story. in a way, she understood he had simply been protecting his station. i see you've moved camp.

Arsenio nodded in response to her observation.

I have brought Tamar with me, as well – taken her as my wife.

A sweet smile swept his features. If she were to look closely at him, she would have seen that there was an easiness to his frame. He did not appear as burdened. The redstone wolf could not help but to wonder how the sharp-eyed herbalist had found herself beneath the Pharaoh. He wondered if it would be worth his time to ask.

I see you have found yourself in Akashingo.

Arsenio drew his head upward, gazing upon her with burning curiosity in his eyes.

qiao's tongue numbed. a thrumming sensation started at the roof of her mouth.

she noted the smile arsenio wore. it was far more handsome than the sardonic smirk she had witnessed their last meeting. this one was flushed with love.

ah, love.

gross.

congratulations to you and tamar. she did not smile. her teeth were singing, rattling around in the birdcage of her jaws. the mushroom's taste faded. her mouth felt dry. i have. winter is no time for the road. i suppose you wonder what my intentions are.

The redstone mercenary was tickled by her congratulations, regardless of the expression she wore. Arsenio was not so swift to judge others based on their mask. He had already found that he enjoyed the presence of the herbalist woman. The only matter that gave him pause was that she carried the scent of Akashingo upon her coat.

When Qiao spoke his thoughts aloud, the red-furred soldier cast her a knowing grin.

Arsenio shrugged his shoulders in an off-hand manner.

I have curiosity aplenty, herbalist. It is quite interesting to me to smell Akashingo on your coat. To know you carry tasks given by the Pharaoh is, the smile became sharper as his glacial gaze rested on her pointed features.

… curious.

thus far in qiao's foray into the wilds, if there was any wolf to have left a lasting impression on her it was arsenio. she hoped, for his sake, the move to mereo suited him and his lady-wife.

the merenary's gaze and smile pulled into a tiger's sharpened study. qiao knew she was under watch.

"when you cannot beat them, you join them." qiao intoned with an exhale. "he offers me food and shelter in midwinter, and a child in the spring. this is a better fare than what the road offers."

Arsenio did not understand fully what she meant in her answer.

The red wolf’s head was pulled back with some surprise. He offered her an encouraging smile. If the herbalist wanted a child, the mercenary did not believe she had to stoop to the Pharaoh to get one. In fact, he was most certain that any of the soldiers who patrolled Mereo would have been more favorable husbands than the entitled man who ruled over the mesa.

Ah! But you are a lovely woman. I do not believe it would be difficult to find a man who would give you a child. Even here- his gaze shifted to the canyon as his words faded. When Arsenio returned his sights to the woman, curiosity still lingered there. The herbalist was fair, and her colors were earthy and warm. The man did not doubt that she could find someone who would fight for her wants.

The Pharaoh usually does not give without taking something for himself. This is what I am more curious about. Has he named his price to you?

Arsenio did not understand fully what she meant in her answer.

The red wolf’s head was pulled back with some surprise. He offered her an encouraging smile. If the herbalist wanted a child, the mercenary did not believe she had to stoop to the Pharaoh to get one. In fact, he was most certain that any of the soldiers who patrolled Mereo would have been more favorable husbands than the entitled man who ruled over the mesa.

Ah! But you are a lovely woman. I do not believe it would be difficult to find a man who would give you a child. Even here- his gaze shifted to the canyon as his words faded. When Arsenio returned his sights to the woman, curiosity still lingered there. The herbalist was fair, and her colors were earthy and warm. The man did not doubt that she could find someone who would fight for her wants.

The Pharaoh usually does not give without taking something for himself. This is what I am more curious about. Has he named his price to you?

it was her mistake to not be abundantly clear. arsenio's confusion was well-read, and supplemented then by an unsure smile. qiao laughed -- and while her smile was toothsome, her laughter was free of mockery.

"not a child of my own blood, no. a child of someone else's. his price -- hmm -- his price is my loyalty, and my presence here." qiao's brow rose in an expression of confidentiality: "he may think a child a steep price, but it is my services that are costly."

The woman’s laugh did little to clear Arsenio’s mind. The answer that followed was even more of a conundrum. The mercenary eyed the herbalist with a curious smile, a sharpness in the blue of his eyes that desired to know more of her plans. The redstone wolf would not ask what she desired in a child from another wolf. The mystery that surrounded the woman had grown.

You are a curious woman, I must say, Arsenio said to her with a swift wave of his tail. A greedy thought passed through his mind. The man wondered if she would claim one of the Pharaoh’s offspring for herself. That would surely cause strife in Akashingo, so he was almost certain that it would not happen.

You know, he ventured after a moment of thought, if you find yourself displeased with Ramesses and his ways, I would not be against assisting you in his removal. Arsenio still hungered for the death of the Pharaoh, but he did not know if the herbalist would be the one to aid him in quelling such a thing. I spent a great deal of time in the Pharaoh’s palace, with his queen. I know the ways of Akashingo better than most.

Arsenio eyed her, waiting for her response.

curious did not come close to covering it. qiao offered a smile best described as too toothsome to be knowing.

her brow lfited as arsenio leaned in, exchanging a series of words that would be called treason in the redlands. arsenio's eyes held a sharpness to them as he watched her, almost hungrily, for her reaction.

hmm hmm hmm. a perilous offer. we both stand to lose heads, no? how would you do it, rhamnus man? mere teeth would not be enough for your taste, i think.

The woman’s response was expected, at least if he were to assume she had an ounce of common sense. She did not deny him outright, though. Arsenio believed this was a positive thing. She asked him what his plan might be, if he were to accomplish the task of killing the Pharaoh. The mercenary cast the herbalist a swift smile. He was pleased to have met her, pleased to be speaking with her on Mereo’s soil.

I am not particular, so long as death is guaranteed. My fangs would be adequate but would pose a threat to those I care for, he answered her carefully. But I have heard tell of herbs that can suck the life from the body that consumes them. Some slow, others swift – it does not seem too difficult to poison the food stores, the fermented fruits even. The fruits would surely cover the scent of any herbs.

What would the woman think of that?

death could be guaranteed in many ways. an ill-fated hunting expedition. a slip on rocky footing. a poorly timed leap across shallow ice. a mishandled meal. so many ways to provide an out from the exodus that was life.

but poison.. the corner of qiao's lips curled in a quiet smile. there are many herbs that do as you describe. the difficulty is handling them during such a process. many concoctions bear equal threat to their beholder. in any untimely demise, poison always leapt to the forefront of wolves' suspicious minds. all paws would point to her. it is better to do such things slowly over time. sap the drinker of its energy and strength, so an illness can gallop through and claim their lives. leaves our paws and our teeth clean.

the true question was -- what could be offered to qiao to make her the agent of ramesses' demise?

The woman was indeed smart with herbs. She seemed to have a full understanding, one far beyond anything that Arsenio could hope of. The man could not help but to chuckle. There was a nervousness that hung on the edge of his voice, but he did not mind this risky game that he played with the sharp herbalist. It was most impressive, to a man who had filled his life with nothing but battles and shows of force.

It seemed that she was tentative, though he would not blame her for this.

What sort of payment would you like for such a thing? I am pleased to let you strike a deal that is appealing to what you want. It is better for you to say, after all, Arsenio nodded, a laugh playing on the edge of his words. And I do not feel I need to pry in your ways, unless they things you will share freely. It made the most sense.

it had been easy when things had been hypothetical -- now, the subject of price came to the surface.

oh, there were so many things in this world qiao wished to own, to subjugate, to destroy -- but the one thing ramesses had that arsenio did not was the ability to keep her. his wares, his home, and his children would be her own -- and long ago, qiao had learned to not shit in her own back yard.

which made such a proposition difficult. but what was life, without its tangled difficulties? this man from rhamnus was so handsome, so well decorated, to be so driven by pettiness. ramesses must have stung him deeply.

the pharaoh is to give me a child. it would be the height of stupidity to eliminate him before such has been given to me. but know this -- if you are serious, i will return to you in several month's time with both a price and a plan for your fantasy.

it will not come cheap.

The herbalist explained that she would not make a move against the Pharaoh until he had paid her. The mercenary still did not believe that he would offer one of his own children. She would receive one of the Fellahin babies and this alone was enough to turn his stomach. When Arsenio thought of Ramesses gaining power, expanding his alliances and his holds, he thought he would be sick.

What would happen when there was no escape from the ruler? Even in Mereo, they acted as an outpost to Akashingo. Arsenio had lulled himself into a false sense of security because he had Tamar and the friendship of the other soldiers.

What would happen when the Greek man had daughters? The thought of his children meeting Ramesses was all that he needed to be certain – Arsenio wanted him dead.

I will see you upon your return, herbalist. We can discuss your price and whether the contract can be made. The redstone figure offered a small smile to the woman. He didn’t even know her name. May you journey safely to the mesa. A bow of his head. The man suddenly longed to see his wife.

qiao had seen many kingdoms rise and fall. she surmised the pharaoh's would be among them. she did not worry about how full her belly would be when this happened -- she would be long gone.

for now, her loyalty was kept. it would not be called into question until she saw arsenio again.

long days and pleasant nights. qiao excused herself, signing a quiet spell that would obscure her passing should any eyes see her leave arsenio's presence.