Lion Head Mesa زهرة مكدمة

they had seen the girl storm through the and now their steps were even after the child of their body.

it did not matter how @Nazli had come to be. now she was. their eyes flicked over the maid. You have been crying, the jewel observed, daring the girl to deny it.

She had thought herself quick and hidden, to be alone for a time and to weep over nothing. The many conversations that swirled around her, dwarfed by the words of one neb.

She thought herself under control when she emerged again, only to be faced with Jawahir - they saw all, no matter what Nazli tried to hide.

It is nothing, she lied, and shook her head, and could not look Jawahir in the eye lest the other fellahin see how drawn her face had become.

Do not lie to me, jawahir hissed, and pulled nazli into the shadows. they did not care how hard they yanked the girl. they cared only that she came with them.

What happened? the former favoured of akashingo gave in a command.

Nazli was pulled roughly to the dark, and issued a small hiccough as her mouth shut tightly, clicking teeth.

She straightened a moment later when Jawahir had released her, and still avoided eye contact, but would answer.

The man, Gucci, the -- the neb, he said some things. She sniffled, trying not to break down again given that she had an audience now. He warned me against meddling, somewhere, and said I was a tool, but in a bad way? It was all confusing, and wrong, and it made me so angry... She blinks a few times, hard.

Something about girls and women being different, I don't know! I didn't understand, and I got mad. He's probably finding a -- a punishment for how I reacted, as we speak. She was utterly deflated, thinking herself the cause of some upset and not the victim.

the longer that nazli spoke, the more that jawahir understood. their heart soured with distaste. but it was the role of fellahin to eventually all serve in the same way.

and they supposed she should have been prepared for it before this day. before a man told her.

It is different here for women and for girls. Was that what he meant? but they shook their head. Do you know what i do for pharaoh? Have you seen sayf in his rooms?

She shook her head and her ears pivot at the same time to lay flat there, a small frown appearing.

I am not permitted in Sayf's rooms. He is often busy -- was, often busy, tutoring the crown prince with things -- before the change. But now what? Would Makono go there instead? Was Sayf to teach her something else...?

And why would Nazli ever be permitted there anyway? Her eyes wer glassy again and her confusion was renewed.

Is there something I should know? She almost didn't want to ask. Is there... Am I, doing something wrong? Was that what Gucci meant. Her expression was almost pleading, and plainly sad with the darkness hanging from her angular face.

the girl was pathetic! jawahir was glad for their control, that they did not blurt this aloud. the meshkenet did not hate the child, they only wanted nazli to think more clearly.

A fellahin serves with their body. This might be tasks or dancing or hunting. but for us, it means that one day we will be called to lie with pharaoh.

Not only pharaoh, but the mazoi, the jodai, in fact, anyone who wants us. jawahir shifted their weight. Do you understand? their voice was a piece of iron in the shadowed corner.

She didn't! Or if she did, she refused to see it! Tears had welled and now spilled down her cheeks, and she grit her teeth against crying out with a sob, because it sounded so strange to be told an obvious thing. This was what Gucci had implied?!

What does that mean? To lie with? She was not so young to be oblivious, and not yet old enough to have experienced more than a few interested glances from a few men in her life - Senmut maybe, Ramesses more recently; no, she refused to see any of it.

She controls herself enough to suck in a breath and calm herself, forcefully, and cannot make out Jawahir for the shadows. Is that all I am meant for, then? To serve until there is nothing left to give? Why. I've done so much for them, why would they want -- want me, and like that?

the jewel's jaw ground. they thrust their muzzle close to deliver as clinical of rendered explanation as they could before stepping back.

That is the eternal role of the fellahin, set for us by pharaoh's gods. Service. but then they decided to not be so bitter. Pharaoh can lift you from this station. Then you can marry upwards and begin a family of your own. or go to be the companion of a ruler outside akashingo.

And it is not unpleasant. they shrugged. Do not speak of this to your mistress. She will be sheltered a while longer. and that was an unfairness no one could rectify.

Jawahir moved in so close and so fast, Nazli at once thought the meshkhenet meant to strike her; she had never been harmed in such a way as she was an obedient girl, yet now the violence sparked in her mind, and she flinched and grew tense.

They spoke, clearly, of things that fellahin were meant for. Things she would have to come to terms with, perhaps sooner than later. One day Sayf would call upon her for such training - or perhaps someone else, she would not know truly what to expect from her orders from now on - and Nazli would have to learn.

I won't tell, she muttered in the quiet way of a child, as she suddenly felt very insignificant in the same way.

Good. now their eyes filled with something like sympathy. Listen to the neb. It sounds as though he means to guide you well.

perhaps the context would change now for nazli. jawahir did not know how to comfort the younger, for they had never shared any sort of maternal necessity toward either of her brood.

Do not fear. Speak with the priestess Sokha. She will have better instruction than I.

they jerked their head toward the door, toward the tasks that never ended. and toward the outside of akashingo, to which nazli might always flee if she no longer wanted this life. You can run, they said plainly, but it was apparent jawahir no longer wished to discuss this.

There were names offered. Options. Nazli saw no way out of this except to deal with it should it arise, and accept her place and her role, although it was easier to say that now than to do it; no doubt it would be a hard thing to undergo, this change from girl to woman.

Speak with Sokha. Trust Gucci -- or run, which she could not do, not even if she had truly though it possible.

Nazli waited there until her tears had stopped and she could blot their dampness from her cheeks. She sucked in a few measured breaths, stood up tall a moment, and tried to smooth her furs.

Thank you, for telling me. She didn't know why it came from Jawahir and not Tavina, or someone else; but she was thankful that for once, her mother did something right.

they said nothing. they only gave Nazli a long look, as they might give their equal in another woman.

Go.

and this time they would watch, the girl's figure fully retreated before jawahir themselves came out into the light once more.