New Kingdom

 Not Pharaoh. But soon.

 It was with this knowing that the jackal-grin addressed a scurrying servant, “bring the sesh @Tavina to me at once.”

 On a jut of stone that spanned out into the water, Rashepses waited, flanked on either side by long green papyrus crowned with fanning plumage.

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 whatever gods had allowed her to bring through these herbs were gods worthy of her praise, tavina decided, worthy in a way that neither rashepses or toula had thus commanded of her.

 she had found a little alcove beneath an overhang of sand, nothing for now save a square of shade and access to those stone pools of water. in one such cistern she soaked to life her desert plants, wringing its chaff from her palms.

 guards. guards once more. her teeth flashed but she allowed them to parade her into rashepses' presence, where she stood insolent and burning with purple fire. nothing in the world could demand her to worship this man. nothing.

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 “Tavina,” he flicked a paw in gesture for her to sit along the shaded banks. He did not admonish her for such a disrespectful look, for she had survived the cleansing, and thus proved herself to be a true servant of the divine.

 And the invisible surplus— well, they had paid for transgressions like her’s.

 The yellow eyes hooded in calm as he raked them over the midnight of her form. There was nothing so appealing about her, no softness; no gilt to enhance her features. Regrettably plain. The king flicked his tail.

 “Akashingo will begin anew here. The mazoi will seek out our palatial grounds. You are a valued woman, Sesh. Tell me what it is you require for your medic’s ward.”

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 standing she remained, a small laugh of derisive surprise spat from her mouth. "are you serious?" and she glanced about as if he spoke to another! surely he did not address her. "was i not valued before? midwife and eternal physician, and loyal to our pharaoh. you jailed me all the same."

 her chest heaved. "i want eset found. that is my requirement before you have me resume any role." otherwise she would leave, though tavina knew not to say this aloud. rashepses' good humour would last only as long as he got what he wished.

 her eyes were hard. pharaoh accepted him despite who he was and what he had done; she was beginning to wonder if she should stay at all.

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 The king was struck with a flash of contempt, though Rashepses did not signal his guards closer.

 It was winter. This… woman— would have a heat. Need she be reminded that he owned her? He would fuck her into submission, if need be. As he had the priest.

 “I remind you of your foremost duty to Pharaoh,” he sneered, tossing a leg over the other. “The Gods did not deem Eset worthy of passage,” what exactly was the relationship between them? “The hebsut’s fate is regrettable, sesh. We will allow you a period of grieving, after which we expect you to return to your work.” He offered nothing else.

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 almost she quaked with rage, but bit the inside of her jaw until blood leapt to her own tongue rather than give rashepses more satiation at her pain. 

 she would not whelp more of his brats, an uncharitable thought as she had come to love each one of them. but if her worth was wrapped only in her submission, then he would find her failing indeed.

 sarcasm demanded an equally scathing bow. "am i free to leave you?" tavina asked in a voice tight enough to cut flaxwood. "my herbs are curing and i must oversee their transfer into this soil if we are to have medicines in summer."

 let that be her excuse. for now.

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 Rashepses aimed his simmer over the sesh— a middle-aged woman who had never felt the touch of a man, nor the fullness of motherhood. Her womb was empty, her soul dry, and it was this lack of fulfillment that soured her tongue against the masculine.

 “Yes. After you bow to your King.” Semer-wati dipped a paw beneath his chin. Waiting.

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 nothing she did was enough. nothing she was would be enough. now that she had challenged rashepses once, he would seek to bend her again and again.
 her crown bent almost mockingly low. she stared at the ground and held fast in his presence, biting the inside of her jaw until blood leapt to life on an angry tongue.
 despair clouded tavina's mind.

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 “Good girl,” Semer-wati’s eyes shone darkly, a cruel smile twisting his lips.

 He knew she hated it. Knew she hated him. It made her submission all the more sweet.

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 there was no hemlock here.

 she imagined rashepses as he deserved: dying in a twitching heap. the image of his lips ringed with foam kept her silent, backing in reverent quietude from his presence in slow subservient steps.

 one at a time.

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