Lion Head Mesa I'm so tired, sitting here waiting

Looking for @Craw specifically; however, anyone else from Akashingo is welcome to join in if they so please! ^-^

The recent days had been long and tiring.

With the news of the Queen's death, her Pharaoh often grieved, leaving her with little company.

All of Akashingo were distraught, as was she.

Ramesses had called for all to find justice — but in this, Sokha felt useless; hopeless. What could a measly girl like her do? Nothing. Nothing at all.

Her shame found her roaming the mesa aimlessly, tail tucked and ears flattened against her skull. How would the Pharaoh see her now? Akashingo was now her family... she should be doing all she can to help. But how can she? What could she do? Nothing. What should she do? Something. Anything at all.

the tower of redstone no longer seemed an untouchable paradise. someone had seen to it that the queen died gruesomely, and why wouldn't the next victim be him?

full-body shivers wracked him, his head was heavy with lack of good sleep, and the chihuahua ambled trough the halls as many others did, occasionally pausing to give a polite bark-howl of sorrowing.

the mazoi was a blur nearly blended with the walls until she was a few feet away from him, when gucci raised his head and offered a weak smile to the guardswoman.

"g'day, soldier. did ah ever thank ya fer escortin' me?

Soldier? An odd thing to be addressed by, as she was in fact the farthest thing from that. Though, perhaps this is what some mazoi were, whether presently or in the past.

I cannot say I am much of a soldier, Sokha chuffed quietly, not wishing to disturb any nearby chamber, and looked down upon he who had called to her.

Now, in the light of his query. I do not recall much of that day. Many walked with teary eyes, mine being hazed from concern. Our Pharaoh is grief stricken, as are his children, I'm sure. I worry for them, the Pharaoh especially.

She then began to wonder how close this one had been with Queen Satsu. Did he know her well, or little at all like herself? 

While she would have liked to ask, it seemed an inappropriate time to dwell on the topic. This was a time of mourning for a loss. Later would be a time of remembrance. 

"ahh. soldiers, guardswomen or other, all's the same kinda worry n burden."

gucci yawned. the exhaustion had been chipping away at him for days. he let himself lean against the wall, and looked up at the mazoi, smile made pleasant by sleepless lack of care.

"say, this'll be a question blunt as rock t' th' noggin, but wha' was it that made ya come t' akashingo, when there's other in the mountains n coast n valley?"

did wolves have some sort of... sixth sense that guided them to strong packs or something? he'd like to know if akashingo was about to crumble beneath his feet.

They were all the same, he'd said. Sokha had never really considered herself to be a "guardswoman" until the little neb had brought it up. Since her first day in Akashingo, a mazoi was merely an extended servant of the Pharaoh. But alas, in truth, she was an extended servant of Akashingo. Not as low as the fellahin per say, but a servant nonetheless.

"[size=small][b]"[/size]say, this'll be a question blunt as rock t' th' noggin, but wha' was it that made ya come t' akashingo, when there's other in the mountains n coast n valley?"[/b]

A change of topic.

It was mere happenstance, really. I had stopped in the thicket of the meadows and sung a song once a fancied tune of my late mother. The Pharaoh found me, praised my voice, and then offered me a home here, as I had none. Oh, the sweet memory. She had been skeptical of Ramesses at first, but when thinking back, her feelings towards him now had changed greatly.

What about you, neb Gucci? How did you find yourself here? A question for a question. It was only fair.

gucci nodded, the story familiar, similar to his own. his answer pointed out as much.

"-s was cold n mirthless wintah day when ah, brought by unfortunate circumstance far past reach o' safety, was found, in tha' same meadow, by th' very same great man, out on a walk in company o' handsome beauty." the chihuahua adjusted himself, shaking out his mane, his speech building up in enthusiasm.

"good pharaoh n beauty kasmut brought me 'ere, n th' queen-..." at once the vigor found a cliff and plummeted down it.

"...th' queen named me noble." he said in a whisper.

the sorrow of the great stone spire seemed to seep back into his bones.

"...oh. oh cruelty!" the man lamented. "to think somebody would think t', t' in cold blood kill such soul as our sobekneferu." the shakes wracked him again. "why? oh, tell me mazoi, have you seen her before they begun t'- t' prepare her?" his gaze pleaded. "do-- do y'all know wha' killed 'er? plant o' diseased animal or--?"