Lion Head Mesa twentieth

this is the first official court-holding for pharaoh! everyone is welcome, but in silence unless addressed. the main participants will be @Makono, @Toula, @Sethnakht, @Qiao, @Khaba, & senmut. NPCs will be assumed present & guards will be assumed to be stationed at the doors/beside the throne as others arrive. once participants have arrived, we can start rounds. those not the center of court can reply during as many rounds as u want w reactions. this can go slow & accommodating, please reach out if i have been confusing! @Charles & @Gucci for ref

no posting order till we get to specific rounds!

@Diantha Nala @Bayek @Aquillius @Sanguinex @Tavina @Nazli @Medusa

senmut was solemn. the morning had been sung to the earth by himself and the priestess of Hathor. from the Mother Herself did senmut ask for wisdom this day, not only in choosing his own words but for their pharaoh in her first judgements.

the fellahin were sent on summons and he himself went to join pharaoh in the high-ceilinged room of proud scarlet stone. how small she still seemed upon the Horus Throne! but in the unreadable look of her kohled eyes and how she had learned to wear the confident cloak of divinity, senmut saw her right to sit where she did.

he set sanguinex and aquillius at the doorposts, asking bayek the medjay to stand at pharaoh's right, just below the three rough steps leading to the platform.

the floor had been sprinkled with fragrant water, and dried flowers lay upon the steps and were strewn where the populace of akashingo might stand.

no one might dictate where the other royal children might stand, simply that in the end the semi-circle of wolves left a ring of empty space between they and the throne.

this here was where pharaoh would pass her judgement upon he, upon khaba, on behalf of lady qiao. and it was here also that pharaoh would discover whether or not her siblings were prepared to swear their fealty to her before the entire court.

"bow before your pharaoh," senmut ordered the royal subjects. he wore around his shoulders a white fur with black ticking and had brought the emblems of his office: the mark of the Apis Bull and a charm similar to what he had given nazli.

he stood as high priest.

"nekubi makono, Devourer of Fate, Blessed by the Red Land, She Who Is Favoured by Ma'at, has gathered you to her presence now."

senmut looked now to pharaoh, for it was her choice whether or not to settle the matter of lady qiao and khaba first, or test her brother and sister.

Toula came next.
she still wore the colors of grieving. the halls echoed with the cries of those who had loved Ramessess... as Pharaoh, and as father! even still Toula was unaware of his wrongs, either by order or perhaps desire by even the fellahin to keep this thing away from her, for as long as they could.
she swept into the room, her own kohl-limned eyes rich with the wellspring of her heart. Toula wondered if she would ever run out of tears, but at the sight of divine Makono she blinked them away. blinked them away even while swallowing a sob—it had been their father in that place, pale and kingly and divine too! but Makono suited it; he would have been proud, to see her there, she thought. the room smelt sweet, and soothed her.
and so she drew near the circle, as close to Pharaoh as she was allowed—unaware of her own trial to come! she would do as bid, sweeping in an elegant bow before her divine sister, rubbing cheek gently to foreleg (her nose brushing against a lovely dried flower). yes, she swallowed her sadness, but as she rose she let out a breath of happiness as she once more beheld Makono.
pride in her own eyes, as she looked to her!

Medusa stood with her father, standing afar. 

Apprentice of Senmut now. Something she had accepted, because it felt to her there was no other recourse. No other way for her father to continue to live happily here. Medusa was selfish to a fault, but not when it came to him, or to Midas. And as far as she could tell, her father had always been happy here. 

She couldn't ruin that for him. 

But she would make it a miserable process for the high priest. As miserable for him as it would be for her. Medusa glowered for only a moment to be commanded by him, but Makono had never done anything to her to deserve her refusal. And again she wanted to be sure her father was alright, and still happy here. 

So she bowed. 

Head to the earth, Medusa willed the Gods (the Gods of Senmut) to imbue her with power. The power of Senmut. So that someday, she could displace him. Make him feel the shameful fear he had impressed upon her. 

But then unwilled it just as quickly. Gods? What Gods? The Gods that ignored her feeling that same fear? Add to that it would mean she would need to stay here forever... Medusa did not know if she had the patience. Nor might Senmut, who might sooner end her than endure her business of bringing misery. 

She had no idea what the hell she was doing. But perhaps that would be her biggest asset. Who could expect what Medusa herself was not even wholly certain of? Down to her hatred? Medusa hoped to make sense of something by the end of this day. Her head hurt.

they gathered. to each wolf qiao gave an apprising glance. faces familiar to her, some welcome — and some which left her blood cold. 

she stood a respectful distance, a garland of the self-same dried flowers which sprinkled the tiles wrought to her wrist. 

senmut’s voice carried in dedicated strength over the masses. qiao’s gaze followed his own, resting upon the newly minted pharaoh.

Skippable until addressed!

He stood alongside another Mazoi at the door, though he did not spare the man more than a glance and a nod of acknowledgement. Aquillius was stiff as a board, looking more statue than boy.

His eyes never wavered, though he did note those moving in his peripheral. But he said nothing, reacted to nothing, beyond the sound of a voice calling his name should that occur.

skippable unless addressed. <3

She didn't know if the herbs had worked or if her activities with the pharaoh had never been fruitful to begin with, but Diantha was satisfied in knowing she could take that knowledge to her grave. Nobody need know of what they had done, what could have been, and she could go on living here without being chased out—or worse.

Diantha did as she was told, her front half lowering briefly before gathering with the other nobles. She briefly looked for Charles, trying to sort out which one he was among the others, but she could not say for certain. Was he the tiny one? That would have been a laugh. But for the most part, she remained silent, listening.

As always, Khaba was dutiful. Along with the rest, he would come to the throne room, led by Senmut.

Of late, his presence had been soured. But on this day, here in this place, he would do his best to conceal it. Of course, knowing what would be occurring here, this may prove difficult. But he would try nonetheless.

Facing the throne, he bowed with the court in unison, but did not linger long. Further away from them, he stepped, though still in view of Makono. There, he would sit and wait. His judgement would come soon. Patience, meanwhile.

the room filled and swelled with life.

makono found herself absolutely dizzied by it. a court. one she held. this was not a thing to sit in upon like a dutiful servant. this would be her own to sort through and manage.

lesser matters must come first, so that they were not cast aside in the shadow of greater things. a knowing look to those who gathered. loving eyes settled upon toula. a sister who could do no wrong in the gemstone eyes of the pharaoh.

amiirad, her nostrils flared with warmth. a respect in using their titles in court. amiir. a brother was a curse and a boon. he must decide which he'd be more of. she did not let her gaze grace him long. for it focused upon the room as a whole now.

devotion, loyalty, they must be presented before the court to i as pharaoh. her eyes swept out to the circle. witnesses, proven loyalist, some obedient and that was simply enough as it was.

her voice did not invite rebellion.

and if they did? well, one more thing to be dealt out by the end of the night, and she already dreaded the first.

her sister spoke to her, to her brother. Toula gave him an adoring, encouraging look. of their mother, at least he still was here with her. and then she looked to her sister. Pharaoh.
she did not trust her tongue to say that word, yet. she had accepted Makono in its place, upon the Horus throne, but she feared to stammer, to sob, to make her proclamation about what had been lost rather than what now stood brilliantly before them—Makono, her North Star. 
my loyalty is to you, she answered readily, a soft smile as she dipped her head again. that had always been true, an unquestionable thing. it remained so now.