#mhenheli al q'isaraf

[valoisfulcanellideux]

These Stones Remember - cover reveal

A few days ago I posted the full title and cover reveal for my upcoming Pixlriffs-centric (Copper King & Phantom Assassin) story, A Tale of Two Devotions. That beautiful artwork was commissioned from the amazing Sabira | @floweroflaurelin and at the end of the post I mentioned that I had one other commission currently sitting with them.

Well, that commission is now complete, and ready to share with you.

It's the cover for my 178,000-word fic These Stones Remember, and I'll admit that seeing this final image got me feeling incredibly emotional. There may or may not have been tears shed. There were. Oh heck, there were.

So here it is:

I spent almost a year of my life writing These Stones Remember, and Sabira has more than done justice to these characters and this world. The Copper King, Onorait Paix al-Lareiff. His 2,000-year-old present-day version, Pix al-Lareiff. His devoted and faithful Chaperone, Mhenheli al-Q'isaraf. His adorable little soul companion kitty, Malin. And the Vigil and the Statue, and so many other tiny little details that you probably won't even realise have been inserted into the illustration unless you've read the story.

To say that I'm thrilled with this cover would be the understatement of the year. (I know this year is still young, so let's include last year, too!) It was a delight to work with Sabira, and to see the in-progress sketches and eventually this final render, with the beautiful hand typography for the title.

And, if the cover has piqued your interest but you've not yet read the story? Welp, here's a taxi to some sweeping ancient history :)

"The past changes a little every time we retell it." A wandering scholar and his ethereal companion find a long-abandoned treasure. At first glance he thinks has simply stumbled upon a ruined ancient capital, filled with the promise of incredible archaeological treasures and riven through with the history of a long-dead civilisation. But when he wakes up one day and finds the city has come alive around him, its people bowing to him as though they know and respect him, he has unknowingly begun a journey toward redemption for a terrible mistake he made two thousand years ago.

[saphiraugen]

No more tears

This one is for @valoisfulcanellideux

A little pondering about the jewellery in "These Stones Remember":

-----

An earring with a shiny teardrop shaped gem. An old worn down copper ring with a dull emerald. Two souls find each other again. One's hand caresses the other's cheek. A light sparks from the earing to the ring, transfering all the shine and sparkle. The copper ring glistens like new. The emerald regains its deep green glow. The teardrop looses all its inner sparkle.

Two souls reunited Forever

No more tears

-----

After reading epilogue 1 of "These Stones remember" and learning about Mhenheli's earring, I thought about the idea that the earring and Paix's ring are somewhat connected through the power of the Vigil. When they both finally found each other again and the object's are close enough, the bright shine of the teardrop gem transfers to the copper ring with the emerald. Maybe the teardrop gem even shatters afterwards.

@valoisfulcanellideux 's recent pictures of Mhenheli (Maxwell) without the earring brought me back to this idea.

[valoisfulcanellideux]

Every now and then...

... this track pops up on a Spotify-created playlist for me:

And every single time I have to stop and close my eyes, and try not to sob. It wrings tears every time nonetheless, because this track was the one I had on repeat as I wrote the first scene of Chapter 70 of These Stones Remember.

That chapter took almost everything out of me, and I was an absolute wreck after writing it.

Behind the cut for that opening scene...

The cool air of a spring morning, fresh before dawn touched the sky with the paintbrush of its beauty, drifted through the open windows. Their shutters had not been closed, as the scents of the night were so beautiful at this time of year; dusky pollens mingling with the clean freshness of pine from the nearby mountains.

A lone desert bird was perched upon the windowsill, shimmering ghostly teal as they looked out at the gloaming, their tiny eyes watching over a country seemingly too vast for their little body to hold dominion over. The day was coming behind the distant hills, and as they watched they began softly to chirp.

Paix shifted in his sleep as the gentle sound filtered into his mind, drawing him to a slow wakefulness. He had heard this little bird’s melody often, but never had it sounded so quiet, so peaceful.

He opened his eyes.

In the dim lamplight, dark eyes gazed back at him. Clouded and tired, nonetheless they watched his face, and probably had done so even while he slept.

He smiled.

“T’alia mhasa,” he murmured, lifting a hand to cradle it against Mhenheli’s weathered cheek as he raised his head to ghost a tender kiss over his beloved mouth.

Beneath him, he felt movement, and he held still where he was; a breath away from those lips. A long moment later a thin hand rose, trembling, from beneath the covers. Its fingers, stiff and crabbed over with the aches of age, slowly touched his hair, and he closed his eyes, aching inside.

Gently, those fingers sifted through his hair as they had done so many times in the past. As best they could, they combed and neatened, until the ache of holding that hand up proved too much and it rested back down on the covers.

He opened his eyes again, his gaze meeting Mhenheli’s.

“Thank you, maah’qab,” he whispered. “You always take such good care of me.”

Mhenheli’s lips curved in a faint smile. “It has been my life’s purpose and joy,” he murmured. “Is the sun up, or have we beaten her to awakening once more?”

Paix chuckled. “She has not yet risen from her bed, but will doubtless soon do so.”

Mhenheli’s eyes closed and he breathed a quiet sigh. 

“I wish I could see it again. One last time.”

Paix kissed his cheek. “I could carry you outside to watch it,” he murmured. “Wrap you in a blanket so you stay nice and warm, and we could watch the sun rise together.”

Those dark eyes opened again.

“I would like that.”

Gently, so as not to disturb Mhenheli too much, Paix rose from bed and threw on the tunic and pants that he had discarded the night before. To the soft tsk of disapproval from his Chaperone, he merely smiled and shook his head.

“I have more important things to do than worry about a few wrinkles in my clothing,” he said, slipping his feet into his sandals, shouldering into his ivory coat, and walking around to the other side of the bed. “Now, I trust in you to tell me if anything that I do hurts you.”

“There is nothing you could do,” Mhenheli said, a shade of his old humour glimmering through. “Except, perhaps, wear yesterday’s wrinkled clothes.”

“Then I shall worry about that when we come back inside, for though the sun lays abed still she will not wait for me to change into fresh clothes before she rises.”

Carefully, Paix sat Mhenheli up, supporting him gently as he wrapped the soft blue blanket around him. Then, as if he weighed no more than a child - which, in truth, he barely did now - he lifted his beloved Chaperone into his arms and carried him toward the door that led out to the long balcony. Calling to the guard outside, he waited as the door was opened, then with a nod of thanks he carried Mhenheli out to his usual favourite spot.

“New face,” Mhenheli whispered, to which Paix smiled.

“Yes, indeed. Are you warm enough?”

Mhenheli nodded, his cheek pillowed against Paix’s chest. And together they watched in silence as the horizon glowed first a soft pink, then a blushing peach as a golden halo edged the distant hills, then a beautiful orange gold as the first rays shone over those ancient stone sentinels, old and patient as time itself.

Far below, the sunrise horn sounded, and the city - quietly busy at this early hour - came to a standstill, all eyes turning toward the statue.

“Grant their next lives a bountiful harvest,” Mhenheli whispered; something Paix had never heard him say before at this moment.

He bent his neck, so he could bury his face in that silver hair nestled so close to him, and he whispered the prayer in return.

“She watches over us all, and will watch over you when I am gone,” Mhenheli said quietly. “But she cannot care for you as I do. I worry for how you will cope without me.”

His throat tight, Paix murmured, “I will not have another Chaperone. Nobody could or will ever take your place.”

The sun burst forth from the gilded wing of the statue, shining out over the city, reflected brightly over its rooftops. The second sounding of the sunrise horn drifted up, and the city resumed its early bustle. The distant echo of cartwheels and hooves reached even this far up on the still morning air, and Mhenheli breathed in deeply, as if taking every scent and sound and sight into him, there to hold them and cherish them.

“Let us return inside,” he murmured.

[valoisfulcanellideux]

On the meaning of Mhenheli's name

@sleepingjasminetea

Mhenheli's full name is Mhenheli al-Q'isaraf (which I actually think quite a few people missed, since it was only mentioned once in Chapter 70, as he was speaking his final words).

The 'family name' of al-Q'isaraf is one that is reserved for and adopted by every Chief Chaperone of the ruling Paixandrian family. Since there is only ever one Chief Chaperone at a time it's a unique name, and its meaning is as follows:

Q’isa = companion raf = loyal

Thus al-Q'isaraf - the name of the Chief Chaperone - means 'loyal companion'.

His given name - Mhenheli - in the Paixandrian language of names (which, at some point, I really want to delve into a bit more) has a more complex meaning, as follows:

Mhenh = strong eli = true

While it technically translates to 'strong true' its meaning is akin to an inference of trustworthiness, loyalty, steadfastness, persistence, unwavering, honesty, determination etc.

As a side-note, any Paixandrian can make the decision to adopt or not adopt their spouse's family name when they commit their lives to each other. But when they speak their final words, they will usually give their family name as the one they were born to. Thus, Hadita gave her name as Hadita al-Tarida ('Gift from the Stars') and not Hadita N'dach (which is the name she took when she married N'dachVeip, since the Rachzem folk put their family name in front of their given name). But Mhenheli gave his name of al-Q'isaraf when he spoke his final words, because of its uniqueness (it's an honoured name to have) and also because of its meaning and importance to him.

Fun name fact from the story -

Hadita's and N'dachVeip's twin sons - Yaschda’nal and Venyi’fkha - both have names (as do many of their children) that are blends of both Paixandrian and Grym/Rachzem language.

Yaschda’nal (who was born first) means "Shining Star" Venyi’fkha (born second) means "Blessings Found"

They had no idea they were expecting twins, and only had a name picked out for Yaschda’nal. Thus, when Venyi’fkha was born shortly after his (slightly!) older brother, he truly was a 'blessing found'.

[valoisfulcanellideux]

Thinking about them so much right now...

[Art commissioned from Sabira | Flower of Laurelin. Full cover artwork is here.]

[valoisfulcanellideux]

“So, I guess you do need an assistant then?” "Later. We have plenty of time."

Look, I created end-of-story Paix in The Sims 3. You think I didn't also create end-of-story Mhenheli, AKA Max? ;)

(Yes, his skintone is different. This is 18 lives down the line and a completely different set of parents, remember. Also, for some weird reason I couldn't get the skintone ramp to work as I wanted it to on this version of him.)

[saphiraugen]

Sketch of Paix and Mhenheli

I love @valoisfulcanellideux 's story "These stones remember" (https://archiveofourown.org/works/44866726/chapters/112888387) so much. It is a wonderful and long fanfic of Copper King Pixlriffs and Pixandria from Empires Season 1. If you want to get lost in a fantastic Pixlriffs centric story, then this one is for you.

I would love to see more fanart of this story. So I decided to give it a try myself and draw the two main characters Onorait Paix Al-Lareiff and his Chaperone Mhenheli Al-Q'isaraf in the style of an old desert civilisation. The reference for this drawing was an ancient egyptian carving, although the Paixandrian folk is more based on ancient Arabia.

Paix's outfit, crown and trident is based on @floweroflaurelin's gorgeous Copper King drawings.

I used this carving as main reference/ inspiration:

[valoisfulcanellideux]

I've been playing Sims 3 this evening, and decided to create Paix's quarters in the castle at A'lumiya (the Ancient Capital), from my story These Stones Remember (link in my pinned post). And then, of course, I had to create Paix and Mhenheli.

A few shots of them, followed by a few interiors of the quarters, and finishing with the saddest one of all. If you've been reading the story, you'll know what's going on there.

Clothing choices in Sims 3 are limited (and I didn't want to go hunting down a bunch of clothing and hair CC) so Mhenheli's not in his black robes; rather he's wearing a similar thing to Paix. but I did what I could :)

(Yes, I know that's not a sha' pot and cups. Hush, you. Like I said, I did what I could - lol)

[valoisfulcanellideux]

Spent an enjoyable evening editing a pre-built home in the Sims 3 custom Al Shibalba world, trying to make it a little more Paixandrian (my version of Pixandria). Moved in my Paix al-Lareiff and Mhenheli al-Q'isaraf sims in while I decorate.

I'll probably remove those two extra black domed roof pieces on the front, as they look top-heavy. Not sure what I'll put in their place yet.

I also need to dig out and install a lot more of my Arabic-style CC, but I've been having fun with this.

[valoisfulcanellideux]

I have been thinking a bit more about Prof. Paix and student Maxwell/Mhenheli. What if they meet at university. Max attends one of Paix's lectures. He sits in the back of the room. When he sees Paix, he can't look away. He almost stares at him. He feels mesmerized by him, but doesn't (yet) know why.

When Paix recognizes the black haired young man in the last row, he stumbles a bit over his words and almost looses his train of thought. Throughout his lecture he looks at Max again and again, sensing something special about this student. But what is it?

This idea brought me to the question, if the Vigil directs Mhenheli's path in such a way, that he can only meet Paix at a certain age, so that he is neither too young nor too old to accompany Paix through immortality.

Paix is in his mid to end thirties, or is he?

Oh, I love this! And I did ask people at the end of Epilogue I to let me know of anything they'd like me to go into more detail about, or to write as an additional scene - be that one that would have happened in the story or an AU that could have happened but didn't - so I'm going to be adding this to my list ideas for those, and it'll probably get written sometime soon (with the idea credited to you). I actually have a bunch of ideas for one-off scenes that are set around Paix's time in the university (one of them being the short that I plan to release on Christmas Day), so this would slot in nicely with those.

I did actually consider having Max originally be one of Paix's students, but I wasn't sure how to bring that into the story without pre-empting the finale itself. I'd also considered it being Max who had Paix's old book of poetry, which he'd been left in the will of his historian grandfather - who died shortly after Max was conceived but before he was born. The other thing said grandfather would have left him was a particularly unusual earring...

I've been pondering just when Mhenheli 'remembers' in each incarnation, since it's not something the Vigil would burden him with right from early childhood. I'm thinking that mid to late twenties (possibly very early thirties) would be about right, so when he's at uni he'd have no idea why he feels so drawn to this one professor (and it'd be confusing as hell for him at a time when all his friends are dating and he feels no desire to do any of that). And as for poor Paix, he's going to be equally confused, and probably worried, since he can see this particular student appears to be a bit infatuated with him... and the fascination - while completely non-sexual/non-romantic - is mutual.

BTW, Paix is roughly in his early to mid forties. Mhenheli was ten years older than him, and he was around 51 or so when the maelstrom happened and the Great Caravan formed.

[valoisfulcanellideux]

A few more tweaks to the Sims 3 versions of Paix and Mhenheli. I reinstalled some of my favourite custom content, which helped a little. Also, some shader tweaks that fixed the rendering issues with things like shadows and body hair etc (which, for some reason, looked blotchy before).

I really need to go through the hundreds of pose packs that I have downloaded. I tend to use the same ones again and again.

[valoisfulcanellideux]

Huh. Max (modern day Mhenheli) actually looks pretty good with a chinstrap beard. Mhenheli was always clean-shaven, but I like this facial hair on his modern version.

(Yes, I gave him a full modern set of black clothing - lol! That sweater is his outdoor outfit, which Sims usually change into when it's cold outside.)

Also, @saphiraugen - I managed to find a single diamond earring! Granted, it's not a hoop with a frozen teardrop hanging from it, but it's close enough :)

[valoisfulcanellideux]

This song, and any version of it, will now always bring tears to my eyes.

[valoisfulcanellideux]

I can imagine someone who would have worn this...

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