Lion Head Mesa Heart went boom

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.