Fable - Ask Šaltanus Reigns

[Gahesznem]

The many ancestors of Hesheb quietly flowed through the wetland. The reeds, which surrounded the permanent encampment, in this season, were so tall only the Anaphite could gaze beyond them. And even then, many were cut down for later use. Crafters were ready to make sandals, baskets and housing of more permanent nature.
A few bachelor homes roved in laughter as playfighting ensued, while gnoll cubs chased little buffalo calves.
Some ways off from the Pharaoh's hill, however, Aken'Iterylon, the esteemed high general discussed matters of battle with the rest of the matriarchs.


While the sun was still high, the sky had already taken on a rosy pink hue. Gahesznem peered through the tent before sliding the covers shut across the entrance. Still, the warm light illuminated the insides as light passed through the fabric.
The last of the water had boiled, and the gnolless poured it into the bath. Despite her recent injury, she was as strong as two men combined.
Lastly, she added etheric oils and petals of flowers into the mix, this time local ones were used, light purple and deep red.
Beautifully arranged, though Gahesznem kept close eyes on the dwindling stock of luxuries that they brought with them.

It was some time that she would be graced by Amun'Dzeer's presence once more. Though that joy was muddled by concern.

 

[Princess Amun'Dzeer]

"Have the Matrons deal with that one. The Royal Harem is too busy to babysit every problem."

Amun'Dzeer sighed and let her hand slip down her arm, colliding with the table with a soft thud. It wasn't from malice, but exhaustion. Iterulon was well and under her control, but there was enough gray and muddled to keep her from her ultimate goal. And, frankly, sending her favorite lays out to kill uppity humans wasn't how she wanted to spend the entire month.

"... And tell them I'll be seeing to rumors of the Palace's location. Hence, I need my concubines," she added as an after-thought. She could at the very least pretend to be doing real work while the men did the majority of it. Ought to keep the various Matrons from getting too upset. She shook her head aggressively and stood fully;

Her Generals rose, looking at her with readiness. They were all tired, from running about, doing every task needed to build an empire. She wasn't the only one exhausted.

"Find yourselves some company, we will resume the campaign at the start of the week. It's been a long few months..."

That was, underselling it, to a degree: It had been far more than a few months, but the work to be done was near endless. She turned, done with this meeting, and made for her tent. It wasn't far, and, as she hoped... there she was.
"Gahes my dear," she called, tossing her clothing aside as she let her guard and bearing slip from need of rest, "I need some wine. Oh, and some olives..." she paused, looking over the bath, "... this, is exactly what I needed. Where would I be without you?"

She extended a hand to be helped in, expectant of the assistance, but didn't voice her gratitude too loudly... hmm, perhaps, "Help yourself as well, we're celebrating tonight."

 

[Gahesznem]

The last of the blossoms dispersed in the water like a microcosm of stars. Gahesznem peered through the royal tent. Truly it was a small place over what would be appropriate for her most esteemed ruler, even with the full cohort of servants and priestesses it became crowded quickly.

Her face shifted north where Hekub, a tall and lanky Anaphite stood for the entire day and made his rounds with his large bundle of measuring poles. The architect, as far as Gahesznem knew, likely won't bless them with a palace so soon until his business is done.
Every few moments he stuck a few poles into the ground and peered through them at the sun changed his position to a different pole and peered again as the sun neared the flat horizon.
It was unanimously known he wanted a cohort with soldiers to go further out for more measurements, while he himself could deal with bandits easily, he knew he looked like easy pickings, and that would make his job hard if he kept getting distracted.
Gahesznem then peered back at the command table as the matronessess slowly dispersed. Hard times were on Iterulon. She still remembered that village kidnapped by slaver-bandits. Their village.
How were their human subjects supposed to feel safe when they were seen as easy pickings. She hoped they had a plan to assault and bolster their struggling workforce with more hands instead of repurposing them as fodder for their kin.


When Amun'Dzeer entered, the princess was greeted with a respectful bow before she began to collect the robes and fold them back in place. "Your divine mouth shall be graced with fineries soon," The handmaiden snapped her fingers and little feet from the other side of the tend began to move. By the time Gahesznem reached outside her hands already held the desired goods. The olives held in a bowl shaped like a lilypad with a lotus, was placed atop the water where it drifted in comfortable reach. The wine was placed on a nearby stand with one glass poured full.
"Oh my Princess, brighter than Šaltanus itself, it is us who would be lost without your guidance," she offered her hand. The water level rose and fell as the Princess settled in.

Gahesznem lightly rumbled with a gnollish chuckle characteristic of her kind. "If tonight we celebrate, let me ease your burden first dear Princess of the Hesheb delta."

 

[Princess Amun'Dzeer]

Amun'Dzeer snatched an olive and, closing her eyes, popped it in her mouth. The way the fresh olive simply collapsed confirmed what she knew; the crop was good, the harvest was rich, and the tribute was flowing.

She scowled slightly as she sank into the water, nose above the fragrant steaming bath. Tribute... like she was some sort of conquering tyrant, and not the rightful mistress of this valley. Still, it's the word the emissary had used. It continued to irritate her however... Tribute. The connotations alone upset her, nevermind the genuine attitude of deference paid to her.

You could engineer groveling and begging. You could not engineer showing up a week early to share the first bounty of the floodplains, all to present the finest crop. That was born of fear or respect. Both, as it happened, the Princess desired to cultivate. She believed 'awe' was a truly fitting word for it.

... Tribute.

"Gahes," she said, rather suddenly, opening her eyes and rising enough to take her wineglass, "are we any closer to locating the lost palace of queens?"

Her thoughts drifted further afield; the squabling states beyond the valley, the dragons of the deserts, the Bedouin of the oasis'. Was she another conqueror? "I feel... we need something. More than what we've done so far. The Matrons are getting fidgety at this quiet, and Aken'Iterylen has had to put down another village that chose to resist..."

Her words drifted off, carefully drowning them in wine before pouring some into her bath. She wanted to watch the blood-like red bloom against her coat, see what it was like to have blood on her. She didn't like it. Was it the goblets fault, then, that it bled? That begat a train of thought she shuttered and killed just as swiftly as it began.

"We're seeing the foundation broke. We're making real progress... if my subjects can be kept from killing one another."

 

[Gahesznem]

Gahesznem's main preoccupation was strengthening relations between the two nations. The villages under their heed who came willingly by the unification of law as blessed by Imhotat, were equal measures distrustful of gnoll-kin and equal measure antagonised by other men. As well as bandits when their troops are on the run to keep their men in line. The rest were an unwatched pit of fire.

Her thoughts temporarily drifted to boosting of morale. If it is a time to celebrate, should not the whole valley of Iterulon too?

Her ears once more perked as Amun'Dzeer spoke to her, "Only when Basaph, mother of us all will permit us to find it. Blessed we will be, and we will know how to see things formerly unseen." She made a low bow as the tone of the mood shifted.

Her eyes temporarily drifted at the spilled wine, how it spread through the pristine water. The drifting flowers now looked more like corpses.
The handmaiden walked behind her, offering to massage her shoulders.
"Aken'Iterylen's diplomacy is by sword and sling, they will soon find reason to rebel."




Deep barks rumbled from beyond the backside of the tent, The handmaiden briefly excused herself as she went to answer at the summons of the other servants. Briefly, she disappeared, where the barking slowly calmed down

"This here was found by a child of the village in the Red Viper land."



There was still enough light, now shifted to intense red to observe the following.
The presented wrapping of cloth was slowly unveiled in the sight of the Princess.
"How macabre," she wailed. "Where is the rest of him. Where is his heart."

He was not first, yet he was most loved,
Basaph saw in him, what Husit was not.
Thus!..
Her cradle - spread his seed of life.
​

(jeez, what a weird way to poetically say 'the sea sucks, and the sky makes freshwater go pitter-patter')

 

[Princess Amun'Dzeer]

The Princess had little control over her act when she leaned her head in to the massage, sighing deeply from the feeling. It was therapeutic to have someone look after her when she spent all day trying to look after everyone else. The commotion outside went unnoticed til Gahesz responded to it, and Amun'Dzeer was betrayed by a disappointed whine at the absence of the attentions.

However, she was very much so not disappointed by what was brought before her. She leaned forwards, uncaring of her nakedness before her own citizens; this find, of a peculiar red-skinned human male, painted in the glass-like pigments used selectively in holy artworks, was everything she had been praying for.

"Is this human child still here?" She asked, before shaking his head, "Nevermind. Have him and his family rewarded. Give them... give them twenty pounds salt and, what do humans like Gahesz?" She asked of her most trusted aid, trying to think swiftly, "Duck? Yes, give them a duck."

Now, to the task: "Call up a Greatest of Fifty, of the Khotseti's Flails army. Yes, we need to be symbolic about this..." her mind was whirling, paw on her muzzle, deep in though and tits out for all to see, "Send her to the Red Viper Village. Or him, just get someone good. They are to prepare the way for my arrival, organize the humans, offer them pay for work, we must set to excavate. We have salt enough for now to do this."

She looked at the assembled servants, standing dumbfounded; "Your Princess Commands! Now go!"

She sank into the water if the bath, more animated and excited than she had been at the start of this week. She could barely contain her excitement, "Gahesz... you know who that was, yes? That's a sacred fragment of the husband of Basaph... A human! He's presented as a Human!"

Her excitement was causing water to splash freely, "If we can restore the lost temple in the Red Viper region, this could be the bridge of common history we need. This... this could placate both camps... I'm going to need to brush up on my rituals for Him."

The last thought came with a touch of panic... Gahesz usually handled the fine details of the exact wording, but something this critical couldn't be left to her alone. Poor girl, she'd probably go sick from exertion before she'd let her Princess down.

"We shall have to rehearse together," she stated matter of factly, "I will need to deliver the rites perfectly, we can leave nothing to chance... curious only the head and arm were found, however. Isn't the story that he was buried beneath the earth by his traitor-brother? Perhaps it is we who shall free him at last."

 

[Gahesznem]

Snaping her fingers, the retinue that previously lingered in the outskirts of the event walked in view to receive orders.
Waterfowl for humans, salt for humans. Gahesznem nodded.

As they left outside on command,
one of the brown gnolls uttered, "head back and retain the child, we'll need him to direct the way for the greatest of fifty."
A lesser stripped gnoll brushed back their hair, "if we pamper him up it will look good on us when he carries that duck and white coin back home."
"No time to tarry, I will visit the head logistician, as we have to set things in motion," barked a third.

~~*~~
Gahesznem walked closer with the fragment in hand. Cradling it more like a precious baby of a queen than the piece of painted sandstone it was. The cultural heritage was something that transcended its corporeal form.

Listening to her princess speak, she finally exclaimed: "My most illustrious Princess, you are as read as wise Gamsebh, recaller of many things learned! It must be a sign from the queen, mother of us all!"
Perhaps it truly was a clue given. Perhaps divine decree was to aid them in their quest, the gods want them to succeed.

"Indeed so, by the traitorous one, whose blood makes you thirst for more until it fatally poisons you..."
"Once we have Khotseti's heart, we will have our other half too," she reckoned, already musing text for a grand plan. They have to play their cards right if they had any reason to succeed here.

~~*~~

From the head logistician things slowly were set into motion.
Gnolls were practical people. In any sense, they left little to almost nothing to waste, whether it was food or broken tools. A wooden shaft is still good fuel for fire, the leather wrap can be cut into strips to hold together other things, and the metal end can be smelted once more.

And as such, when the order for excavation was given, many of the smiths and their apprentices gathered the various weapons that had been scavenged off various defeated brigands that hid in the mountains.
Mattock and adzes and many more such tools were made on short notice. Cutting reeds and easing the soil would be much easier as such. But then, when gifted to man, they might as well look like out of gold. It is an investment into the future as much as their current goal.


Xzaasen'Waw-IhMawayt

 

[Xzaasen'Waw-IhMawayt]

What is that noise?

Xzaasen was busying herself with stances, which required some bit of self-centering, some bit of relative silence. The call of others in the direction of her Princess' tent was enough to disrupt her calm. The rusted cast of sunset caught her eye as it slated across the desert with the beauty of a rippling river. Her focus had blotted it from her sight.

"What is it now? More of those vile little bandits?" she calls in displeasure, rising swiftly from a low crouch to jog nearer, polearm in hand.

"-let me-!"

"-what could this mean? Do-"

"Ssssh!"

Xzaasen comes to a halt, listening intently, eyes keenly switching between the group of Gnolls and the tent. A gathering of servants flock in attendance, and the gentle handmaiden Gahesznem opens the tent to receive something, returns to her Princess. Xzaasen catches only bits of words from those within.

A human boy has found an item of import?

As quickly as they had come, the servants are sent away, and another set brought forth to retain and find reward for the boy. Xzaasen stands pensively, a frown creasing her brow, watching her fellows as they move swiftly about. After a few moments, a servant, eyes once searching, walks forth.

After a few moments, a servant, eyes once searching, walks forth.

"How swift. Are you of the Khotseti's Flails? The Princess requires of a Greatest of Fifty."

"I am, and I shall come. Does she state for what purpose? If she'll see me."

The servant looks to the tent and nods, tail bobbing lightly. A fortuitous occasion calling.

"She may, warrior. If you ask."

Xzaasen looks to the tent as well, bathed in oxblood light, and nods.

"Then I shall go to her."

---

They approach the tent, and Xzaasen rumbles politely to announce her presence. Nervousness was not something she would admit to, but she could certainly feel the thrum under her flesh as she spoke, voice low as a candle's flame with near-doused wick.

"My Princess, you request a Greatest of Fifty of the Khotseti's Flails? Xzaasen'Waw-IhMawayt at your service."

---

Princess Amun'Dzeer Gahesznem

 

[Princess Amun'Dzeer]

Amun'Dzeer could hardly begin to rehearse with her Handmaid when the voice from one of her commanders came through the tent-flap, barely audible. She looked towards it, and made a motion to pause Gahesznem; "Enter, my hand, and stand before me" she commanded.

She took in this figure that had been sent to her; clearly she was of hearty constitution, bedecked in scars and piercings, honorable by rite. She was... a runt, though, that or had never had children. Usually Gnolls of rank would have sired a few for their clan, though perhaps she was simply that skilled. The Princess assumed the latter, as she had need of someone so skilled for this operation.

"We are in a critical position, Xzaasen," Amun'Dzeer intoned slowly, "Aken'Iterylon is subduing bandits, nomads, and resistance to our domain, yet our hold here is weaker than perhaps it looks. An opportunity has arisen, however. A shard has been recovered, a shard of one of the old Gods, a mural of Khotseti, has been found.

"I require you to secure the village at the Red Viper Basin, and to do so bloodlessly;" she paused, leaning forwards out of the bath to make her point, "we cannot afford to sour the impression the humans have of us. Otherwise, we may lose all good will we have earned up until this point," she leaned back again, letting her chest sink back beneath the warm and fragrant water.

"Can you do this, my Greatest of Fifty? Can you seize for your princess, not the village, but the good will of its people?" she asked, shifting to pluck an olive from the dish, "We must organize a team of diggers, and tools, and supplies for the recovery of the temple we believe nearby. Our Brothers of the God of Sweet Water must believe in us, and this is the most critical of opportunities to engender such sympathy."

Amun'Dzeer watched carefully, looking to make sure her measure of this woman was correct. It must be, for if the wrong Greatest was sent, if it was a woman of weak patience who might attack the humans to pacify them instead of working towards peace... it would destroy the dream, here and now.

 

[Xzaasen'Waw-IhMawayt]

Xzaasen enters upon request, leaving her polearm against a tentpole to stand at firm attention a few strides from the bath, proud and respectful. Silent in deference as her Princess studied her. She tries to keep her gaze floating somewhere reasonable as the fact that Amun'Dzeer had been busy bathing soaked in, so to speak.

Do say something.

After a few moments, Amun'Dzeer speaks, voice deliberate and measured.

"We are in a critical position, Xzaasen, Aken'Iterylon is subduing bandits, nomads, and resistance to our domain, yet our hold here is weaker than perhaps it looks. An opportunity has arisen, however. A shard has been recovered, a shard of one of the old Gods, a mural of Khotseti, has been found."

Xzaasen nods firmly, and looks to the mural shard as Gahesznem carefully displays it. A bated gasp fills her nose with the smell of citrus, camphor, and petals, and she looks to it a bit more closely.

"His body..."

"I require you to secure the village at the Red Viper Basin, and to do so bloodlessly;" the Princess says, leaning forwards, catching Xzaasen's eye to return her gaze with a gasp of equal surprise, "we cannot afford to sour the impression the humans have of us. Otherwise, we may lose all good will we have earned up until this point,"

The Princess returns to her bath, firm, and Xzaasen stands a little surer.

"Can you do this, my Greatest of Fifty? Can you seize for your princess, not the village, but the good will of its people?" She plucks an olive from the dish to her side, eating it.

That and more, if I am allowed, my Princess.

"I shall, my Princess."

"We must organize a team of diggers, and tools, and supplies for the recovery of the temple we believe nearby. Our Brothers of the God of Sweet Water must believe in us, and this is the most critical of opportunities to engender such sympathy."

Amun'Dzeer's keen eyes studied again, and Xzaasen intends fully to show her, be for her, what is required. Bringing anything less than that would see the desired peace of Iterulon crushed. Xzaasen places her fist upon her chest, over her heart, and bows her head low.

"It shall be so. I shall bring whomever you desire before all, though if you will permit me, I will collect part of a capable group. Not all that I usually pack with would be good for this task."

---

Princess Amun'Dzeer Gahesznem

 

[Gahesznem]

The handmaiden rose her head before delicately placing the mural shard on a nearby table, as exquisite as the interior of this royal tent.

She was not entirely sure if this mural was part of the same as the one of which the Shard of Imhotat came, given they were found so far apart. Khotseti in the land of the red viper, and Imhotat on the way to a village in a northern tributary.


"I can list you a few well-mannered soldiers from within the ranks of the lesser striped ones." A fair share of gnolls within their camp were as rowdy and rough as they are usually described in the rest of the land, yet the lesser striped ones were most consistently obedient. Put in some well-disciplined soldiers of other pelts and you might get an excellent assembly of might to offset the bulk of the troop.

"A litter for the child, held by two greater striped ones, well decorated in their mane and manner?" She posed a suggestion, holding up one clawed finger to her lip.

Princess Amun'Dzeer Xzaasen'Waw-IhMawayt

 

[Princess Amun'Dzeer]

"See it is done;" the Princess bid, "I empower you to decide as you see fit, with full responsibility upon you for the outcome. Heed Gahesznem, she is knowledgeable and wise."

Amun'Dzeer listened as the others spoke, weighing how much she herself should act. She could have taken direct command of everything, but... what kind of a leader would she be, micromanaging every little detail that came to her? No, she needed to remain aware and focused upon the larger picture. She had to delegate.

"I will arrive in due time," she reassured, all the same, "though I shall approve the pampering of the human pup. The display of primacy for this discovery will do much to engender good will for your task."

Amun'Dzeer reclined in the tub, tossing her arms against the rim. She sighed, gave a small wave, and dismissed her agent; "Go with my blessing. Though my eyes shall not be upon you, my blessing and my will shall fly as the vulture beside you."

Three days later...

Amun'Dzeer looked up from the mirror in her hand to her handmaidens; she was ornamented, groomed, and perfumed perfectly. Something still felt off...

"What am I missing, Gahesz?" she asked, speaking of her ensemble. She was a far-cry from humbly garbed, but something didn't look entirely right, "Something is off and I can't put my finger on it."

Her entourage was set to resume moving soon, they had almost reached the Red Viper Confluence where her Greatest of Fifty, Xzaasen, had been at work. It would be another half day of riding, her howdah upon the back of the giant scorpion almost entirely stable as they moved during the day. The beautiful banks of the river rolled past, palms and reeds swaying gently in a rather strong, cool wind. A guard of two-hundred Gnolls and twenty-five chariots accompanied her, as well as her Anaphite Knight. Sufficient for her safety, but meager compared to a proper host.

When they arrived at the villages up the river most of the Guard would transition to full-time regional watch, with only Xzaasen's retinue returning with her. If she had been successful, that is. Otherwise, it would be the rather striking KaSepe, leader of the 4th Orange Claws, whom would return. He was a rather strong specimen... Still. She hoped, more than anything, Xzaasen had this under control.

She needed this win...

 

[Xzaasen'Waw-IhMawayt]

The blessing of her Pharaoh's trust laid upon her shoulders. A weight- not of worry, but of comfort, -that she took in stride. The success or failure of this mission the deciding factor in Xzaasen's life, where she was destined to be, and Xzaasen only doubted what was necessary. Her indecision could be just as harmful as her overreaction. All she prayed for was a balance.

It had taken troops, the recommended lesser Striped Gnolls from Gahesznem, and the calm, the veteran, the well-mannered from within Xzaasen's own ranks. The gentler traits of her Red Viper assembly were necessary in this mission of diplomacy. This was no head-knocker's affair.

It had taken words. Assurances, what ones she knew she was allowed to provide. Descriptions, of Khotseti. Of how their societies were close. How they could benefit each other, what skills each had that complimented the other.

It had taken time. Three days of it. One day to make acquaintances, one day to make friends, one day to strengthen that tender bond. The rise of the wind bringing the sweet smell of the conjoining rivers seemed, to Xzaasen, to indicate good fortune in their mission. The vast majority of the Humans didn't show fear, nor did they seem to show a complete distrust. Xzaasen hoped with the appearance of the Pharaoh that their doubts would be fully assuaged and that their sympathies would sway fully in their favour.

---

Xzaasen kept up her rounds of the village, her keen watch, and loudly announces the arrival of Amun'Dzeer at their appearance across the sand, before walking into view and going to her knee, fist over her heart and head bowed.

"Xzaasen'Waw-IhMawayt at your service, my princess."

---

Princess Amun'Dzeer Gahesznem

 

[Gahesznem]

Gahesznem had left with Xzaasen's assembly of finest warriors in form and poise. Even though the troop was well trusted, the handmaiden of the most esteemed and shining pharaoh had to make sure that everything went as ordered. This was a crucial moment, and even if quite delicate of a situation, the handmaiden felt little urge to intrude too much into Xzaasen's display of kindship between gnollfolk and manfolk. The greatest of fifty was well fit her title.

On the second day she felt fit to leave for her Pharaoh, kneeling before the most beautiful child of Basaph.
»The kin of Khotseti has arrived home.« She couldn't have been more cryptic and clear at the same time.
But all in all, everything has sprung into motion. Four of the strongest gnolls have reached for the royal litter and carried it far into the depth of the river's length until the village in the red viper confluence was in view.
From there on the steps were more graceful and well placed. The closer they came the more gnolls and men came in view as they prepared to recieve not only the princess of the gnolls, but their sovereign as well.