Lion Head Mesa with the warmth of the sun

his was an uphill battle with the concept of rest, own body wracked by physical symptoms of anxiety, manifesting as embarrassing shakes. thankfully, kind tavina provided medicine to shut his steaming brain off for a couple hours over a string of days, finally making the smallest (and if his dates were correct, now the oldest) neb of the mesa presentable enough to show before the pharaoh.

gucci would first look in the parts of the mesa which seemed most lively. if @Ramesses wasn't there, he'd look in the places carefully avoided, even if it put him at risk of being the disturbance.

ramesses had put all thoughts of grief from his head, though his heart still ached with pain and angst that he had not brought maegi here. she deserved a proper burial.
but when he heard the familiar tinkling of the dog-tag and heard the dejected padding of gucci, he turned. 
he had been overseeing the excavation of good white stone found out, near the palace walls. the servants spoke quietly. "neb," pharaoh greeted. "it is good to see you."

the diminutive man spared a glance at the project, immediately identifying it as an excellent ice breaker.

"your vast greatness, that cheers th' heart." gucci bowed his head.

"might ah know what th' purpose a' this excavatin' is?" he smiled at the ruler, batty ears swiveling towards the workers and back, as to gesture.

"i tasked the mazoi @Jakoul with a monument to the late lady maegi." pharaoh's voice was unchanging.
"this is fine stone. it will hold the light of the sun when it is cleaned and placed. i meant to provide her with materials."
at last his lazuli eyes shifted to gucci. "it would be good in the eyes of the gods if you were the one to consecrate it once complete."

maegi. the nobleman's lips were taunt a second, then eased back into a bright smile. 

"your- your majesty, that'd be th' greatest honor you could bestow upon me. lady magg- maegi was a woman o' th' globe." a nasal inhale. "...n no doubt would'a been most excellent wife n mother."

it felt like putting worms on a fishing hook.

there was doubt in pharaoh that maegi had wanted to be either of those things. she had lain with someone unknown and she had died in misery, though he hoped fervently that her last moments had been something other than that.
but for the sake of his noble, he tipped his head in silent agreement.
"that is why akashingo must etch her name in our memory, so that it stands beyond long beyond this moment."

the neb nodded. "complete agreement."

he looked at the stones, and briefly wondered how maegi would've reacted to being the subject of a sculpture...

but no! down that path is sadness!

a nasal inhale.

"...now, regardin' us mortal, who'll bear her me'mry in, um, less durable medium..." the chihuahua adjusted himself, still looking at t. "what fate's in store fer them whos's inherited 'er status?"

"they will be given the life of any noble child." ramesses turned away from the excavation and walked slowly into the sunlight.
"the palace is a place of education and hierarchy. you might send them to mereo or to brecheliant for further training." emphasis, now, that while he himself was pharaoh, gucci was their appointed father.
"they may live here all their lives as supporters to the royal family, or forge their own paths outside. we will choose good matches for them if they choose to go elsewhere."

when the pharaoh's back was turned, the nobleman let out a sight of relief. the greatest worry, that he'd be denied parentage over the pups, had been wiped away.

but he wasn't the only parent he needed think about.

"you offer most splendorousfull options, holy one!" gucci caught up to the royal. "ahm sure them kids'll be a great addition t' th' court, 'fter all, ain't your grace's own youngest 'bout the same age?" 

ramesses nodded. "indeed they are. when yours are old enough to speak properly, we may debut them before akashingo if you would like. elsewise, you will be their first instructor in all things."
it was unconventional, but he was pharaoh. his word was law. 
"have you yet given thought to their surnames?"

"hm, ah do think that'd be a grand way t' announce 'em! kids so small ain't got naw social circle. n 'fcourse, ah shall educate 'em." with aid, 'fcourse.

the neb's conversational smile briefly turned to a focused expression. then, somewhat bashfully, he answered.

"w-well... at one point they was unnamed, n so ah, uhm, took th' liberties- ah mean, mother's word trumps mine n lady maegi, rest her soul, did that duty but..."

did his cheeks get warm?

"ah... had called 'em Lionshead Non Ducor Dolce, n th' gal, Lionshead Luctor Et Gabbana."

which were excellent show dog names!

... but perhaps not fitting for children of Maegi.

"still workshoppin'."

his face was hot now.

gucci had a head for titles that came close to his own. the lapis eyes glowed with an approval that did not abate as the nobleman spoke them aloud.
a pause, and then:
"nobleman lionshead non ducor dolce, Player in the Red Court, and lady lionshead luctor et gabbana, lady-in-waiting to Queen of the Red Land."
a grin.
ramesses understood latin. how had gucci come to know it?

I BEG FORGIVENESS I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT NOW 

his embarrassment was numbed by the pharaoh's approval, and gucci first giggled like a nervous child - then corrected it, cleared his throat, adjusted his posture and gave a much more vizier-ly laugh.

"mm, excellent titles they'd be fer court, but, 'fcourse, ah'd make sure they keep them mother-given ones. she was a... a mellow-ney, correct me?" his head tilted.

it straightened. "but ah hope ya understand, kingliness, that ah would need aid in cultivatin' these junior courtiers." gucci raised a paw to his chest, and for a moment blinked at the ground, then raised his large, moistened, pleading eyes to the pharaoh. "c-couldn't ah assign 'em a co-parent?"

NEVER A PROBLEM

ramesses considered.
"are you asking me to make you another match, neb?" he asked with only a faint humour. it was natural that gucci would wish to move onward. "melonii. her name must be writ into our halls. she is a part of akashingo and i would like to see that her lineage flourishes so long as i am pharaoh."
the children were of a special sort; even he would come to know it.
"or do you ask for a servant? a tutor?" he waited to hear.

"um, w-well." now the neb was a bit throw off. that was... certainly another course of action.

"ah would prefer t' have a, a um, a someone who'd help wi' raisin' now n maybe someday, in case of - ra forbid - mah health failin', be accepted as th' new guardian wi'outh a hitch." the neb bit his lip, on the side where the pharaoh couldn't see.

it would feel downright villainous, to repay tavina and her girl's immeasurable kindness - by making them little more than nannies.

ramesses nodded. "in the event that something were to happen to you, the responsibility of your children would fall upon the mazoi, the sesh, and the meshkenet. i will bind jawahir to them for you, neb."
but was it the want of the diminutive noble? ramesses waited once more.

the chihuahua rapidly nodded.

"yes, yes! miss tavina'd be mah own top pick in event o' tragedy. such a... responsible n educated woman. kuh-learly a great choice! but uh..." gucci attempted to flick a piece of dirt off his chest, hiding the fact that he was thinking.

his aims were to place tavina besides him as an equal, in a way that would leave room for her ladyfriend to eventually take the same spot. but now gucci fretted that akashingo was too rigid with ranking to permit that, and that his own persuasive capabilities were not up to the task of changing the pharaoh's mind, at least not without invoking his offense.

the nobleman decided to take the path of lesser risk.

"...aaah'd. like. 'er. t' even now be consulted when ah'm nawt present, as ah believe she'd have th' children's best interest in mind. as a... yeah. tutor."

he felt a pang of guilt and inadequacy.

ramesses studied the little man with the long drawl. "are you fond of her?" he asked directly. that she had involvement with the sanpin was of no concern to pharaoh. indeed; those in akashingo were mindful of their rank and their positions. 
"marry her." she was a sesh he was a noble. "but if this is not your wish, then i will ensure she is indeed consulted as their meshkenet." their carer. more than jawahir but not a wife.
still, it remained for gucci to elucidate. ramesses had become fond of him, and as such, had patience.

the little man heard a record scratch, and it was his own brain grinding to a halt.

marry?!

"o-oh. no." he was stunned, head lightly shaking. one paw raised, then it lowered, and the other did the same, as if his limbs had just learned to do so. "ah don- a-a-ah mean, ah m fond o' 'er, she's diviiiintelligent! but she ain't no- she's naw--" his mouth opened and closed.

he was speechless.

this lasted a moment.

"um, ehm, a-ah mean," the neb laughed a little, and adjusted his collar with a paw. "lis'en, your grace, your perfection- 'nless ahm th' one bein' proposed to, or if your th' one arranging matters, ah prefer t' nawt be so forward. so," he exhaled. "if ah've your permission', les' jest leave it at mesh-kuh-net fer now, n if she don't punt me off the mesa in a coupl'a months, we'll see if the... other option's viable."

in his mind he was calculating; how many wives per square inch of himself is he permitted to have?

"very well, neb." but ramesses was deeply amused; it showed in the long lines of him and the way the corners of his mouth had lifted.
"we will leave her rank as sesh but she will take over jawahir's duties for your children. have you decided where in the palace you may wish to live with them? or will you give them their own chambers, as i have done for mine?"
his voice was elegant but still greatly interested, and moreover wishing to hear gucci's true thoughts upon the physician.

that pang of inadequacy came back, bringing a friend. it was a simple thought; have i the right to this?

he never questioned the rank he held, but now, seeing how flippantly he could change a dear friend's position, the wrongness of it got to him. tavina was no housepet, she didn't need anyone to make decisions for her! 

gucci hoped so very terribly, that nothing he did or said, would ever insult his only friend within the redstone spire.

thankfully, the pharaoh moved on. the neb was quick to latch onto the new topic.

"hm, well, y'see. when a first came 'ere, ah was given a, a room - which ahm still immensely grateful fo' - but its, uhm, proximity t' th' fellahin quarters n its, uh, general lack o' space, make me believe ah'v been assigned a closet." the nobleman said flatly.

"logically, ah'd like t' move, which might make it seem insincere when ah say ah'd like family rooms fer th' lil' ones' sakes. ah wasn't present fer most o' their upbringin', so ah feel's'though ah gottsa make up fer it."

it was a common tactic. before you can hope to build trust, you have to get a new puppy used to you and its new home. it sure worked on him.

ramesses listened, and when gucci finished, he nodded. "then it shall be done."
he rose and swept back toward the palace, hemming his gait for the nobleman's sake.
down inside the mesa, he moved with the neb toward his own throne room, but stepped right when they had walked beyond. there was a small hallway here of soft red sand, which widened into a courtyard.
walls of striated stone rose, declaring the presence of several rooms along either side of the circular walkway.
in all there were four rooms of varying size, lit well by the sun now and with the potential to be illuminated by the moon.
"will these do, noble one?" pharaoh inquired as he stood beside the little man, turning now to look at his response/

gucci had gone slack-jawed with awe, paw raised to chest. 

his head turned in every direction, neck straining with how far up he had to look. prancing, the nobleman approached various alcoves, sniffing alongside walls, peeking into each chamber.

...could be fer both'a them 'till they grow a lil', would look a-right homey wi' a playmat, chewin' toys... breakfast nook e'er there n outdoor seatin' in this corner... raccoon skull jar be too tacky fer some dried flowers, mabbe?

gucci's distracted surveying brought him back to the pharaoh ( the older man forgetting himself a moment, and beginning to mentally appraise ramesses's value as gazebo decoration ).

the noble looked up and smiled brightly at his king. 

"-s perfect!" sickled tail swayed over his back. "oh mah greatness, ya pamper me so!"

gucci bowed deeply.

tags for ref! <3

the neb was pleased as ramesses had expected him to be. he watched the small figure move two and fro, examining the rooms. pharaoh smiled as the vizier showed his gratitude; eyes shone in return.
"you have earned this with your loyalty to akashingo. it is my pleasure to grant."
"you there," he called to a passing body. "take a message to @Nazli. tell her she is to oversee the bringing of the neb gucci's belongings to his new room. instruct her further that she should make herself available for all things during this transition. then tell the sesh that @Midas and @Medusa should be brought when the lord calls."
he turned back to gucci as the servant flitted away. "you will have all that you desire." and with nazli close, perhaps the diminutive noble might see fit to at last partake in the full privileges of his station.

again, quicker, the noble bowed deep. when his head rose, his eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"y'are... y'are th' most benevolent man ah ever bowed tail t'. ah shall see t' it tha' mah lil'family settles in nice n hasty."

his tail swished.

end? ^^