Lion Head Mesa thirty-seventh

the prince glowed with a moondown grin, reaching for two berries to the single one plucked by taltos. what a name; from where had it come?

"as far as akashingo knew, lilitu was born in brecheliant and came to us a wide-eyed peasant girl," the prince said, a low note of superiority sidling into his voice. how were those divine to know the origins of each given an audience in their court? "but once you have known royalty, its trappings are hard to escape." the heart wished finery in all tropes.

to swan, a blink. "i would think anyone a fool who traveled here and believed anything anyone said at once," senmut said, his voice stirring to honey. "so i suppose, taltos, you must weigh the benefit of a lie." his eyes, once intrigued upon swan, now rested with greater weight upon the darkfurred man. "i only withhold from those who have something to offer akashingo."

a slight? a challenge? senmut's darkened green eyes softly blinked.