Lion Head Mesa Anubis

The Mazoi woke with a start.

Purple eyes shifted wildly; sharp breaths were pulled into his lungs. He had dreamed of Siwa again. It took the man several minutes to compose himself. When he had settled the hurt that had welled within him, Bayek noted that the first sign of sunlight was peering through the clouds and striking the water with a streak of white. His eyes stung to look at it, but it was his sign that the day was beginning.

The journey from Serpent Lake to the hallway was made easier by countless trips. He had learned his way around the territory and had discovered a modicum of confidence in his navigation. Akashingo was a beautiful land. Bayek understood the Pharaoh’s pride for it and what had been created.

Once he had entered the hallway, Bayek sniffed for the Prince @Makono. He hoped that the young wolf would accompany him on a patrol.

she was only here for a moment.

to admire the trinkets nazli had gifted to her. to wonder if it might be childish to bring them along, out to the steppes where most of her time seemed delegated now. yet she knew they would not be as safe out there. not even the redhawk feather.

so she left them and with them a part of herself.

in the halls she would spot the form of the new medjay. bayek of siwa. he seemed akin to a smaller version of khaba. dark toned with soft touches of white. although his eyes reminded her of the sesh. a cut up his lip set him apart from all though. uniquely him.

medjay, she spoke. you have traveled far to be here.

she did not mean from the post to the halls. she meant from lands she had heard only tales of.

500 for you!! :D

I am blessed! *raises hands* ^w^

There could only be one who was referred to as Medjay and that was Bayek. The man drew his gaze up to meet the figure of the wolf who addressed him. Fortune had given him exactly who he had been searching for.

Prince Makono, Bayek offered in a hushed rumble of his voice. The man dipped his head in respect to the young figure. When he had been younger, the Medjay had daydreamed of a royal life. He had fanciful images play through his mind of grand feasts and beautiful palaces in the natural landscape. Now, the Medjay walked the halls of the Pharaoh’s palace and worked to teach the prince of Akashingo.

I had hoped that you might join me on a patrol. Perhaps, I could tell you more of my homeland.

Bayek would understand if the prince was occupied with other matters. The young royal could not be expected to have much free time. Makono was learning and growing. She was stepping into her duties as a future-ruler. Maybe she would humor him, for a short while.

he referred to her with grace. her proper title bestowed before her name. it was the most she could ask for in those moments.

especially as he seemed inclined to share.

lead us, medjay. she gestured for him to take the reins. she wished to see what his course would be. where he cared to patrol, what things he aimed to guard. a test as much as it was mere curiosity. too many men had proven themselves with the way they soldiered.

i would like to hear more, if you feel so inclined to share. her steps followed his, they moved as one along the claimed land.

A bow was offered to her. Bayek turned to begin their course. His gaze traced the path before him, charting their next steps as he moved. Though the mesa was new to him, he had worked hard to familiarise himself with what it had. 

Makono wished to know about his home, though. The Medjay would oblige. He was torn between homesickness and detachment. There was nothing in Siwa that mattered to him - not anymore. 

Siwa is a place in the hot sands. Where water is sparse and the sun burns warm, even in winter. The desert had been all he had known. There are places of worship. Places for medicines, and the powerful medics who wield them. 

Bayek diverted their path, taking a new course to the border. 

The stones were tall, burned red by the sun and many of them formed twisting shapes, arches, and canyons.

a place she could only dream of.

you must tell me how it compares to akashingo, medjay. her voice was warm and curious. genuine! she would not scorn him if he said siwa held his heart more. perhaps she expected it even.

she wondered if she might tell him of the canyon in the mountains. with its own redsand and arches.

Of course, Prince Makono.

Bayek would not deny the young wolf her wishes. Curiosity was to be expected when Makono had likely known only her father’s palace and the grounds he permitted her travel to. When he had been young, the Medjay had sought to wander for a period. It was the way of his father and the Medjay who came before them. They were nomads in their hearts.

I must admit, the earthy man spoke quietly, now. I am not fond of the cold. Amethyst eyes shifted toward the young figure. Bayek offered a thin smile that did not reach his eyes. There was nothing bad to be said about Akashingo. It was different from Siwa, yes. One could not be superior to the other and it was difficult to compare them when they were so different.

If Akashingo had endless sunlight and the warmth of Ra blessed it, always… I would think it would be vastly superior to anything I have ever seen.

it was good to be shown honesty.

so often those danced around clear answers, served her only what they thought the divine wished to hear. but bayek came with his truth.

the cold! she laughed, warm and vibrant. greatly pleased.

keep telling me these things that bother you, that you think of. we will get along well, medjay.

and she would reward him handsomely.

Makono’s laugh was met with a small smile. The Medjay did not know what he had done or said to have pleased her so, but he was grateful that she had taken joy from his words.

The prince said that he should share these things, as they came to him. Bayek thought this curious. He wondered if it was asked of him so that Makono could know her people, or so that the prince could sniff out any snakes before they struck. It was a good position for the young ruler to take. It would make Makono a welcome face among Akashingo.

You wish to hear your people’s woes, Prince Makono? I will do my best to share all I can with you.

The smile lingered on his lips.

of course i do!

she was not here with the idea that everything was perfect in akashingo. she herself was a source of strife for some. tension, unease. she had driven her own blood from the palace in the way she had taken crown prince.

i will be better for knowing where improvement can happen, no?

her eyes dazzled with something unspoken.

You are correct, he answered gently. The Medjay’s expression was thoughtful.

But not all rulers are this way, royal one.

There were some who were devoured by madness and greed when they had finally stepped into a position of leadership. Others were so set in their ways that they did not have the mind or ear to listen to the pleas of their people. Bayek was relieved to hear Makono speak about her followers this way. She wished to hear their words so that she might improve on the lives they had.

You will do good things.

The dark wolf dipped his head. His expression remained serious and thoughtful.

fade? <3

her eyes shined upon him. radiant gems upon the medjay. approval and warmth.

you flatter me. but she had come to learn that no men dared to. at least none she had met. all too jarred by her radiance and divinity.

or perhaps she had only flattered herself.

It was not flattery, but honesty that curbed the tongue of the Medjay.

Bayek did not seek to correct the young prince. Makono was radiant, yes. She reminded the man of his lost son. It was important to Bayek that Akashingo’s heir was trained properly. It was even more important that nothing came to harm her.

The two continued to walk. The Medjay shared more of Siwa with her.