Lion Head Mesa Day 2 of "Searching for Dad"

@Gucci but all welcome <3 Tags are for reference!

@Belen had told Siptah that his father would meet him later - well, two days had passed, and now the little Prince wandered through the halls, quiet this time. At any hint of movement, the little pup would cram himself into a corner, and would wait until whoever it was had passed. He thought himself quite sneaky, as he found his way once more to the hallway leading to @Ramesses' room. Siptah did not call out this time - instead, he listened, half-hidden in a corner. Why had his father not come seen him yet? Did he know the Prince had asked for him?

this is a cameo! unless someone comes into the room, he wont know they are near <3 :D tag for ref!

ramesses lay with his head pillowed upon the warm and inviting flank of @Kasmut. she had never stepped out of his service. and he had thought to make her a concubine; once. but now he knew he must be a wolf, or else the children sired would only ever be fellahin.
however this year would not call for it. @Satsu had done magnificently and provided akashingo with a prince. he smiled to think of the boy whom he had only seen as a newborn. "soon it will be time to bring him into his own rooms," he murmured to his companion. "i wonder if he will suffer loneliness without his sisters."

when his eyes took in the form of a pudgy pup waddling towards a place he-should-not-be with all the subterfuge of an escaped potato sack, all gucci could say was:

"nawt again."

it was as if the children yearned to get snatched away by predators or embarrass their parents in front of guests.

with a sigh, the chihuahua padded down the hallway leading to the place-not-for-babies, over to the runaway prince. there was no need to attempt to be sneaky himself; the tinkling of his identification tag would give him away at any time.

once near the child, he cleaned his throat. 

"ehm, your majesty. ah do believe this ain't no place for lil' princelin's t' be."

He had been caught, and by a... by a small something, no less! Siptah stared, taking in the male's size, build, and his collar. It was so foreign to him, he didn't know what to say. But then, the male spoke, telling him off. Siptah sulked, a scowl darkening his features. "Wanna see da!" he exclaimed - why did everyone keep trying to stop him? Ever since his mother had told him of Ramesses, all the little Prince had wanted, was to meet him.

when the prince stated the purpose of this impromptu visit, gucci clicked this tongue. "ah-ah-ah, young lawd. da's busier than ya lil' fuzzbutt could evah be. now," he walked forward to block the child's way towards the throne room, then began to nudge him back with his snout. "scoot yaself away from here. c'mon, ah can find ya somethin' better ta do."

Siptah, groaning and dragging his feet, allowed the small creature to usher him away from the throne room. He peered at him, then grumbled, "Belen showed me a game. Are we playing something new?" He hoped, at least, that his time would be interesting — so long as he didn't have to go back to his mother and sisters.

"game?" gucci's brows furrowed a moment and his pupils went to the corners. "game, game..." what did puppies like to play? there was a lack of squeaky toys and generally gnaw-able items that the mazoi and fellahin wouldn't need to replace once ruined, and he'd hate to saddle the poor personnel with more work.

then, an idea!

the chihuahua looked down at the boy (which required only a slight tilt of the snout) and smiled in a most pleasant manner. "your fantastic majesty, have you ever played treasure hunt?"

Treasure hunt? Siptah's eyes lit up and his tail wagged happily once more. He asked excitedly, "No, how do you play it?" And what was the treasure going to be? Would he be able to keep it? He stared at Gucci with rapt attention, all thoughts about his father forgotten — at least, for now.

aha, the worm has been hooked!

unfortunately, gucci'd no idea how to reel it in.

"ehm, y'see.." the chihuahua drawled, buying time to think. "...ah'v hidden a gift for ya!" his tail gave an enthusiastic wag.

"but naw-body knows where it is - 'spect me." he confessed in a conspirational whisper.

"we play like this; you go 'round lookin', and ah'll be saying "hawt" if you're gettin' nearer, n "cold" if you're goin' the opposite way." his head tilted to one side, his lips curved. "that sound good t'ya?"

so sorry for the long wait! depression had me for a minute lol

A gift? No one had given Siptah a gift before. It sounded more than good to him, so he nodded enthusiastically, practically bouncing on his paws. "I'm ready!" He then scented the air, wondering if he would be able to smell his gift; all he could smell now was the milk on his breath and the scents of Akashingo's residents. He took off in a random direction, heading deeper into the tunnels.

oh wait it was working. he sort of readied himself for failure. gucci wiped the taken-abackness from his face.

"a- alright son, let's git t it!" he hurried after the pup, dogtag making its sounds.

"hm. naw, cold, nawt that way." he would say if the prince headed into other areas of the mesa.

"hawt! hawt!" he'd excitedly yap if the boy was successfully being herded back to his mother's chambers.

the sooner he could wash his whiskers off this menace, the better.

Siptah was having fun, at first, but as he began nearing the queen's chambers and the dog excitedly egged him on, he began to get suspicious. The boy Prince stopped in his tracks, scowling, and he complained, "You only want me back with mother." His blue gaze grew accusatory. "You don't even have a gift, do you?"

he was feeling enthusiastic about his plan, until the prince turned and looked him dead in the eye, with accusation known only to betrayed children.

gucci inhaled trough his teeth, face frozen in a grin.

"erm, n- nawt really - a- as in yea ah do got a present, 's jus' ah been a lil'- omahgawd@Belen!"

he barked when he saw the girl come down the hallway. never before had he been so delighted to see a fellahin!

the neb put a paw over the pup's back - dammit it was already difficult to reach - and gave the servant his most everything's-in-control-thanks-what-about-you smile.

"mah girl! see, the princelin's pulled a lil houdini n vanished fram his mama's chamber. could ya be a darlin' n guide 'im back in?"

throwing in len in lieu of a smoke bomb

belen wanted pharaoh once more. she wondered if he would entertain her without satsu this time. there were voices in the corridor, and she found herself approaching. it was gucci and siptah, and in a moment she saw that she was not to find diversion today. the girl smothered a sigh. "of course, lord neb," she said softly, dipping her head to both the noble and the prince. "would you like to have a treat? tavina found these little red fruits and said they were good if soaked in honey. let us go and try them," she grinned.

last from me, thank you guys <3

The dog was a liar; Siptah looked at him coldly, but dropped his gaze when Belen passed by. The Prince allowed himself to be cast off on Belen — he much preferred her company, anyways. When offered a treat, he nodded, but told her churlishly, "I don't like him. He promised a gift and then lied about it!" Perhaps he was being petulant, but he was still a child; he didn't even care if the chihuahua had heard him. Siptah just let himself be whisked away by Belen, deciding that he would try and see his father another day.

gucci mainted his cheery expression while the prince could still see it - then silently and fully exhaled when akashingo's crow potato turned around.

he'd decided it was a mercy that his life had never before forced him to watch other people's kids. not his area of expertise or enjoyment.

he cast an offended glance at the kid when it so bluntly tried to defame him, but then looked up at belen and beamed, tail wagging to the max.

he hoped the look conveyed that for saving his life and sanity, he'd be willing to marry her on the spot.

it for me, e-bunny can archive at own leisure <3