Lion Head Mesa Heart went boom

A lot of wolves found patrols boring, including Atreus from time to time. But he derived such a sense of purpose from them, he didn’t really mind. Fortunately for him, the same could be said of his standing guard at @Makono’s door. His shifts were uneventful and he hardly moved for hours at a time, yet he knew he was keeping the young pharaoh safe.

When another Mazoi came along to relieve him today, Atreus nonetheless made a beeline for the surface. He needed fresh air and sunlight. In his haste, he got himself turned around in the palace halls. He began looking around for a Fellahin—or anyone, really—to point him in the right direction.

Maybe @Toula?

as it happened, Toula was in search of the newest Mazoi. she wished to know all of the faces of Akashingo, and he was no different. he too had been placed outside of her own door, but only the times that she slept, his shift alternating when she had arisen. 
a fellahin ordinarily would have been sent to fetch the Mazoi, but Toula never minded navigating the halls of Akashingo to greet each face she saw. Toula smiled warmly to them all, and greeted them happily, but the full breadth of her joy was banked by their period of mourning. 
and then the new face, that she had not seen yet! the attendant with her was quick to step before her, and between them momentarily, as they introduced Toula to the Mazoi: “we introduce to you [size=small]Muat-riya Isetnofret "Toula", Princess of the Red Serpent,”[/size][size=small][/size]
[size=small]and Toula said softly afterwards, you must be Atreus! looking to him in the dimly-lit hall for confirmation. [/size]

Nobody came, so he paused and tried to get his bearings. While he stood there, looking ponderously down each corridor, he heard footsteps approaching. Atreus looked toward the sound with relief, ears pricking when two figures appeared. One stepped in front of the other, momentarily blocking his view of—

“We introduce to you Muat-riya Isetnofret ‘Toula,’ Princess of the Red Serpent.”

Atreus blinked at yet another lavish title. The word “princess” was pretty self-explanatory, though he wondered how that differed from Makono’s title. Was she more of a queen? This couldn’t be her daughter, so perhaps that made her a sister?

His suspicion was pretty much confirmed when she stepped forward. Even in the gloomy hallway, he could see that there was a striking resemblance between this she-wolf and the pharaoh. He jumped a little when she said his name with such familiarity, then remembered to quit staring and avert his eyes. He bowed his head for good measure.

Yes, that’s me, he replied. Hello, Princess, Atreus said, giving the title the same reverence as Makono’s.

He considered asking her for directions, yet decided to wait for her to speak again. He was still new to this, though Atreus was getting the hang of these formal exchanges between Akashingo’s royalty and commoners such as himself.

sorry for spotty slowness, should be picking it up post holliday! <3

the Amiirad thanked the Gods that her search had ended just as quickly as it had begun, for no other reason than her devotion. it had not been so difficult a task, after all! good day, Mazoi, she greeted warmly again in turn, her tail swaying slowly between her legs.
how are you enjoying Akashingo...? she wondered brightly, gesturing to her side so that he might join her there. Toula would guide them somewhere more open, and feel safe for his protection.

She gestured for him to flank her. Biting back a great sigh of relief, he happily fell into step beside the young woman. Despite her nobility, she spoke to him as if he was a friend, just like Makono did. Atreus felt comfortable with her at once, though her little entourage made him look around a bit as if self-conscious.

I like it here, he answered the princess’s question, aware that it was a pretty uninteresting and vague thing to say. It’s a lot different from anywhere else I’ve been. I’m still getting used to all this, he added, gesturing at the walls of the palace.

As they walked along, the halls brightened and the air tasted fresher. They were closer to the surface. Atreus felt every muscle in his body tense and relax. He had been motionless underground for hours. He couldn’t wait to feel the sun on his face and maybe go for a little run.

Atreus wondered if Toula would enjoy a good chase. Was that too childish? He glanced at her, thinking of the times when Senmut had had to correct his casual demeanor toward the pharaoh. What would the priest and his ilk think if Atreus invited the princess to play tag?

No worries!

she was compelled at once by the Mazoi. here was another who spoke of things being different here. Toula had been away for perhaps too brief a time to understand the way of the world beyond Akashingo, but she still had a yearning to know more of it. where else have you been? she inquired, gemstone gaze turning to behold him. with a soft smile, she continued the question with a, will you tell me about them?
a patch of sun warmed her, a sign that they had only a little ways to go before they were outside again. she too breathed a little easier, if only because she felt the presence of Ra with her then. her footfalls were quiet as she moved with the Mazoi, quiet as she listened and contemplated the next question she had to ask of him, which lingered on the tip of her tongue.

Her question broke into his thoughts, scattering them like pieces of dust to float away on the breeze slipping through the threshold up ahead. Atreus took a deep breath as it flirted with his forelock, contemplating where to start. Perhaps it made sense to begin at, well, the beginning.

I was born in my Aunt Avicus’s pack, Redtail Rise, but I didn’t fit in there. She actually chased me off when I was still pretty little, Atreus said, squinting against the brightening light as they finally stepped outside. I found my way to Mereo, he continued, wondering if Toula knew anything about it, and life was pretty good there. The barracks where we lived were pretty sparse compared to this place, plus we were doing drills and stuff from sunup to sundown. It sounds like a lot but it suited me, I guess.

He wasn’t entirely sure life here suited him, though Atreus didn’t share that part. He sneaked a glance at Toula’s expression, wondering what a princess would think of the paltry life of a soldier. She didn’t seem to look down on him any way—nor did her sister—but surely their upbringing couldn’t have been more different.

Have you lived here your whole life? What’s that been like? he asked, tilting his head toward the sun as they walked along the foot of the mesa.