Lion Head Mesa Let's get ethical, ethical. . .
Swiftcurrent Creek
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#1
All Welcome 
Nobody had prepared her for heat.

She woke one morning to a great desire that overcame every sense, and she was swamped with it heading out of her chambers. Even her smell was different; something pungent and longing. 

But she didn't know. She thought she might be sick.

Lilitu meandered through the paths of the mesa, unknowingly flaunting her fertility in the face of Satsu's mourning period. She quivered upon coming close to others; she daydreamed of past fleeting crushes, and found herself sighing in alcoves at the thought of them.

She reached the apex of the territory and looked across the prairie, and folded down, overwhelmed.

It was lovely. It was confusing.

She wondered if she'd gone mad.
Rivenwood
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#2
Germanicus had left with the others. All that Glaukos wanted to do now that he was here within Akashingo, and doing his job, was to return home; the many times he'd asked for this posting aside, the young man had discovered a hatred for the corridors and the alcoves made of stone, and he did not like the constrained feeling of being within the palace. He missed the barracks.

The soldier was on his way to one of his two charges (as he was tasked with guarding Siptah some days, or watch over Lilitu in her quarters on others), when he saw her figure drift by a group of fellahin and up towards the throne rooms. A frown creased Glaukos' face but he moved to follow her, barely alerting the coyote slaves as he passed them by.

Having never been around anyone in heat before, Glaukos did not identify the scent as something to be wary of, or entranced by. He did not know why he was so intent on finding Lilitu in that moment; reflection later in the day might warrant the thought, I am doing my duty, or Germanicus would be proud.

As he climbed to the top of the palace and out, to where Lilitu sprawled, Glaukos felt a relief like no other. The sun was shining upon his face, the wind could be felt tugging at his coat, and there were no walls around him now. The man sighed, forgetting for a moment why he'd come out here.
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#3
The soldier followed; she hadn't expected it. She turned from her reverie to face him, and stood slowly, yellow eyes wandering over his massive frame.

I— It's fine, she exclaimed, giving a shrug. I'm just feeling. . .lonely.

For lonely she did feel, and it surprised her. She balked a little at the description, holding back. It burned within her, though, very slowly.

She took note of her pads against the mesa rock, smiling to herself. It's fine, she repeated, and her voice might well have been lost in the wind.
Rivenwood
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#4
Her hushed voice drew his attention away from the sprawling of the mesa or the rolling sands beyond the palace, to look upon her with an unfocused gaze.

When she repeated that she was fine Glaukos huffed. I am assigned as your guard, he reminded her.

The soldiers have gone, but for all that is known, the murderer of the queen remains. He wonders after saying this, if such a thought ever dawned upon the girl. Maybe she was the guilty party and was only beginning to feel bad about what had happened — but more likely (at least to Glaukos) she felt out of place because Akashingo was a bizarre universe unto itself.

Maybe she hated the palace as much as he did.

It is not safe to be alone.
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#5
He was stubborn. She supposed it was his duty to be so. Still, she was feeling a growing unease at his nearness, and breathed deep, forcing air from her clenched belly.

I understand, Lilitu murmured. She glanced out to the mountains, from where she knew the soldier hailed.

Do you miss your pack? she asked, for lack of other words. She missed Brecheliant more and more every day, and wondered often if she'd made a mistake. 

Still no Arielle, and now she was promised to a whole different prince than was originally promised. What a mess.
Rivenwood
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#6
Her question comes as a surprise. Maybe she sees his wariness written throughout the tension in his body. Maybe its the scowl he often sports, or the puffing of his furs when he crosses through the corridors that barely fit him; or she's making conversation, outsider to outsider.

Yes. He doesn't want to lament to her about it. His time in Akashingo is temporary and it was an assignment he'd asked for. Thinking about it a moment, Glaukos wondered if this girl had the same intentions, or if she'd simply wound up in this place.

Where are you from? It clearly wasn't here among the slaves.
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#7
A simple answer; she hadn't expected anything, so she drank in what she could. When he questioned her in return, she nodded, fervently. Brecheliant, she said, seizing upon the homesickness thread of their conversation. Not far from here.

She wanted to touch him, wanted to be close to him—

Lilitu took a deep breath, steadied herself. Looked at her guard. Tell me about your home, she prompted, hoping to get her mind off. . .whatever this was.

Mystifying.
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#8
Brecheliant. Glaukos didn't know that name; maybe it had been mentioned to him during his training, or when in transit to this desert place, but it did not register as familiar.

She asked after his home and — strangely — his first thought was of the valley where he was born, not the barracks where he slept or the sparring pit of Mereo where he spent most of his days; he saw Merrick in his mind's eye first, Germanicus second.

Mereo is an outpost in the mountains. It is spacious and dry, but not a desert like this place. He spoke of Mereo without any clear endorsement, as one might recite facts written on a travel brochure. A
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#9
Hmmm, she replied, nodding. I was born in the mountains, in a great valley. Perhaps you've been there. She wondered if Mereo knew of the Empire—if the Empire even still lived, even. Last she knew, Reiko had been murdered and matters there were rapidly disintegrating.

She sat, tail thumping idly against the rock. Were you born there? Lilitu asked.

Talking was a great distraction. Her eyes again examined his body; he was not exactly handsome or refined, but big, rugged and gray, much like one of those mountains. She even entertained the fanciful thought that he had been created from the range itself, rather than being born to wolf parents.
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#10
These questions served to distance Glaukos from some of his idling thoughts; mainly those of the palace itself, its tight walls, and the many bodies within. He loathed the idea of going back inside. It was nice out here in the open air, with a pretty girl.

I was born... he'd almost said it, and caught himself. Glaukos did not want to think about the place where he'd started; he'd come so far by now, and it was only darkness there. I was born in a place north-east of here, called Bearclaw.

The girl's eyes were upon him, tracing his body. He thought, surely, that she would look upon him and see the fat, slovenly, sad child and not the soldier he'd made of himself; for an instant, at least. Glaukos felt suddenly very strange and could not meet her eye.
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#11
Bearclaw. Bearclaw. . .bears. . .

She ought really to keep asking him about himself, and not her own selfish interests, but—

Do you. . .know about a pack called Ursus? she asked, brows furrowing. They worship bears, I think. My sister lives there.

It was a longshot, but maybe it could lead to something. At any rate, she was already embarrassed to shift the conversation onto herself, especially given the feeling of wanting all attention and yet none at all to her body.

Her gaze skimmed the ground, waiting.
Rivenwood
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#12
How strange, to hear that word spoken by a supposed princess in a place so far afield; but Lilitu's words flow on, and while Glaukos temporarily reels he hears the focus in her voice.

He thinks back to those days - remembering Avicus and Aventus, who took their turns at playing the bully while he, the punching bag, wasn't strong enough to fight back yet.

In the valley. That was my home... before Mereo.

Jump ahead to the fight with the Saints; he can envision the siblings there, although he could not remember exactly who from the cult had been there. Aventus had been there and they had a conversation; Glaukos couldn't recall if he had seen his sister...

If your sister does run with them, you may not want to find her. Glaukos gave this warning freely, bluntly, and without feeling. They are strong-willed, faithful, and brutal people.