SIDE SAGA The Princess and the Blades

[rissa]

The Princess and the Blades:

Darkheart

Nubian princess Teja-Soueriosi has disappeared.

Her entourage, which was packed and ready to depart for her yearly pilgrimage to the holy lands of Lalibela is left flustered beneath the royal family's questioning gaze. The only clue left behind are the trio of rasp tracks leading south, towards the thick and tangled jungle of Igulu.

The Eso Ikoyi - the fabled Yoruban stronghold defended by the immortal warrior caste of the same name - is what young Teja-Soueriosi is truly after. If she can train with the undying warriors or bring them into the Nubian caste, she's sure to find her place in life.

But even with her loyal blades and her most trusted advisors, can Teja and her fellows survive what they find in the heart of the jungle?


----------

Part One

 

[rissa]

The Gambit South

PART ONE: MY RASP IS FASTER THAN YOURS

The morning sun was a kiss atop Teja's glistening brow, a gentle warmth of reassurance and praise. Her chest rose and fell in a ragged mess - completely out of breath, heart racing, ribs aching, belly about to burst. It was such a thrill, escaping the entourage in the early hours before dawn, racing south on rasp-back, the stars and the gods as their only witness. Before she could even catch her breath, Teja-Soueriosi let out a series of barking laughs, clutching her stomach with joyous pain, imagining the look on Mawakana's face once she realized she was gone.

I ought naught be so mean, Teja thought to herself with another stifled giggle.

Perhaps Sabou'a agreed, as he trilled at her, the frills along his spine elongating at the sudden burst of noise, but Teja reached out with a comforting hand, rubbing at the sandy blue scales on the inside of his hind leg. "Oh, hush," Teja said softly, soothingly.

After a while, Teja added, "Not you, though," just as calmly, albeit towards the river.

Drifting along a rare and precious breeze came a reply; a soft peal of tinkling laughter, excited and sweet, like the iron bells back home. She relished in the sound and sent a silent prayer to the gods. The splashing laughter continued for a while and Teja continued to talk to it all the while.

The nymph was hard to spot; her change-color teal body blended into the river swells she played within. Teja only watched from the corner of her eye, too curious to risk her dashing beneath the surface, never to be seen or heard again. There was a large splash and Teja giggled.

"You know, I used to be baffled by your existence. What role did you, a river spirit, have that I did not?" Teja sighed wistfully, furrowing farther into Sabou'a's scaled embrace. "But I realize it's not like that.

"At least not for you."

Teja thought for a moment, the sandy ground beneath her staining the new riding cloak Mawakana had gotten for her pilgrimage west. "My impact on the empire will be finite. Yours? As tender and fleeting as the encounters you'll always have, they're forever, infinite— like the gods' gift to the empire."

Teja bit her lip and sat up slowly, looking for tendrils of the nymphs' eelgrass hair, which had always been the easiest for her to spot. "A beautiful existence, isn't it?"

Beady black eyes caught her gaze and stared through her. Teja-Soueriosi wouldn't have been able to move even if she wanted to, a cold sweat forming at the nape of her neck, as no nymph had ever looked at her so intensely before, nor had they ever spoken.

Only when north becomes south and the sun is eclipsed by the Chariot shall the Empire rise.​

Teja shivered but before she could open her mouth the nymph giggled and dipped out of sight. Rolling onto her knees, she made her way forward, towards the lip of the river, curious, entranced, haunted. But the sounds of her entourage approached, and she sighed, letting go of the reverie. One hurdle was enough to cross for the day.

"Should we tell them?" Teja poised at Sabou'a, thumb pointing at the river behind her. He simply stared, dark turquoise eyes dilating as she smiled and nudged his head with her own. "I'll take that as yes, buuuuuut maybe not immediately."

She was rubbing the bulbous scales beneath his maw when her small band of fellows stole atop the dune, out of breath and nearly dry from the last river crossing, which had been much much smaller than the one they stood before now.

"I see you all finally made it," Teja-Soueriosi called from the lip of the river, where a lone palm and some shrub grass provided ample shade from the growing heat of the sun. She waved them on down before unloading one of the large calabashes filled with water. Teja had been saving her sip until her small entourage had caught up from Sabo's mad dash, and she passed around the sweet dewy water as everyone gathered.

"Once we cross this river, it's not likely we'll be followed."

Teja glanced at the faces around her, all so precious, "Though once we cross this river, I can't promise we'll make it back whole, together, in one piece." Teja trailed off for a moment and Sabou'a pushed his snout into her hand, a silent request to continue her kneading. She obliged, stroking the uneven and craggy scales of her rasp.

"So if you'd like to head back and tell Mawakana that we'll be a bit late for the pilgrimage to Lalibela, I won't hold it against you— If anything, I'd thank you. It'll probably take her a couple months to calm down."

She bit away the bubbling laughter, forcing it down and out of sight, and instead tapped into the limited amount of royal grace she had within her and spoke to those gathered.

"We should figure out how to cross, and soon, so we can find somewhere to rest during the heat of the day. Sabo doesn't like swimming with more than one person on his back, so if anyone can't swim, you might want to speak up now or better yet, help me figure out a way to get all of us across without getting soaked."

------------------------------------------------------------------​

:^) how we gunna get across oh nooo

 

[Nemopedia]

Berko of the Iqinile

It was rare that the normally so attentive Berko let something slip past him, but it had happened. In a moment of inattention, and perhaps also dozing off, the guard suddenly found himself without a princess, just as the rest of the entourage found themselves without one. The hour was still early, however, and the bed of the princess had still been warm, indicating that she hadn't departed that long ago and couldn't be that far. It was for that reason that Berko had immediately left his post himself, deciding to follow whatever fresh tracks there still were left in the hopes of catching up before anyone noticed.

Here Berko found himself facing his biggest issue. Though a man of few words Berko found that, because of his zealous reputation and loyalty, that the mere fact of him leaving his usual post and sneaking about without a clear reason, was enough of an indiscretion that caught attention. "Uhms" and "ahs" followed as Berko somehow, miraculously enough was let off before he could think of a proper lie and could hurry along with his secret self-imposed mission that he hadn't even thought of informing the rest of the entourage of. There was no time for such, after all, not if he wanted to make sure to be back before breakfast was served and anyone could tell the princess had gone off on more than a hike, which Berko was still hoping that this was all it was.

In the end Berko's worries about the entourage were unneeded and unfounded, elite as they were, they needed no instructions whatsoever to catch up to him and later to the princess, whereas his worries for the princess were very much justified as they were solidified.

"I can swim," Berko spoke, shifting his eyes over to the older man Kinya in the hopes that he would scold the princess into returning to the palace for the pilgrimage. He was the oldest and the wisest of the group, after all, so Berko found that it was a job that naturally came to him, rather than to a mere guard whose life was little more worth than that of a shield.

"I can also carry any who can't," the man heard himself offer, as he wondered if he should keep quiet instead so that Kinya wouldn't think that he was agreeing to the runaway adventure the princess was taking them on, which was another mystery the guard hadn't figured out yet and should probably have asked.

But to question was a hard thing for Berko, it seemed, while answering was so much easier.

 

[Doctor Jax]

Kinya Gebourosi
​

He wasn't in the least surprised.

The old man had slowly packed his things. It was a sixth sense he had, some kind of preternatural ability to read the camp — and his charges. So he had saddled up his little donkey Se-se, made sure their stores were adequate for a decent journey, ensured he had arrows in case they might need to hunt, and was already at the edge of the camp by the time her entourage began to panic at her disappearance.

After all — the girl had saddled Sabo with the long distance saddle this morning. What did they expect? Just in case, he brought extra tack for Sabo in case something broke, though Teja babied the rasp's gear almost as much as the overgrown lizard himself.

"You could also ask the river nymph to slow the river. Small chance she'd agree, but if you don't ask, you never know," Kinya stated, shrugging his shoulders as he led Se-se to the water's edge for a drink. He'd brought up the rear, knowing that if Teja didn't want followers, she would have gone much, much faster.

"Or we could ford further up the stream, where there's a sandbar," Kinya suggested.

He hadn't missed the little look Berko had given to him. He winked at him, giving a knowing smile. Now what that smile meant…

"How far are we going, Princess? I think I packed enough for…. hmmmmm, at least six months."

 

[Kuno]

Zola Biobaku

That silly Princess Teja and her stupid willfulness.

Curse Mawakana and her constant blabbering. Escaping from her was easy as fine crystals of sand slipping through a sieve, and Zola had known in her heart of hearts that Teja would seize the lapse in watchful care. The younger girl would never be able to ever evade her faithful handmaiden. The two were bonded, their souls intertwined, and Zola was as attuned to the princess's nature as a bird was to the rising of the sun. And like a morning crane, what a sharp sound her song was.

"You should have had a plan before you ran off half-cocked," came the rebuke from behind. Zola walked in slow, measured steps, though her words belied impatience. Along each footstep came the gentle tap of her spear–a handy walking guide in a pinch, and it even served to hang her various packs from its tip. She liked to be prepared.

Zola came to Teja's side. She didn't look at her, but her displeasure was palpable. All she had wanted to do was go to Lalibela in peace…

Curse you, Mawakana!

Strapping her spear to her back–and subsequently grunting under its unexpected weight–Zola approached the river's edge, eyeing the river nymph with a glare. The silly creatures were as fickle as they were ridiculous. Kinya's suggestion that they entertain talking to it earned a light scoff from her, and she girded her skirts in one fluid motion.

"Ne, I can swim, unless that beast of yours can manage us both," She went on.

 

[MiharuAya]

Amaros Tamsi​

The night before the pilgrimage was a sleepless one. Amaros was restless, pacing the palace halls while anxious thoughts bounced around his mind. He had tried to keep himself busy, checking to ensure he had all of his necessities and repacking his bags for the third time. But, even that was unable to bring him a moment of peace.

With the sun just barely peeking over the horizon, Amaros brewed some of his special tea. As he sat on his balcony, content to watch the sunrise in silence, he could hardly believe his eyes. The trail of a lone rasp was speeding away from the palace, one which appeared to look an awful lot like Sabo.

"Why? Why can't she be well-behaved?" Amaros sighed, reluctantly placing his tea down. He placed his fingers to his lips, blowing and causing a sharp whistle. A shadow appeared overhead, as a gust of wind blew his long hair around his face. Ashri, his female griffon, landed in front of him.

The creature trilled as Amaros loaded up his packs. "I know it's early, but the Princess decided to take a detour before the pilgrimage." Ashri's feathers ruffled, as if in displeasure at what Amaros had said. While Amaros finished loading everything up, he jumped onto the griffon and buckled himself into the saddle.

"Alright, let's go," He announced, tugging lightly on the reins. Ashri lurched forward, wings extending as she took off into the sky.

When they caught up with the Princess, it seemed that they hadn't been the only ones to notice her disappearance. As they landed, Amaros hopped off Ashri and walked toward the group. He walked towards Teja, embracing her in a warm hug, "Princess, I'm so glad you are safe," Amaros sighed in relief. "Now that you've had your fun, let's head back." He added, releasing her.

 

[rissa]

Teja made a face, a skeptical brow rising in malcontent at the mixed reactions of her inner entourage. She side-stepped nonchalantly, shifting Amaros in the process so that she stood between him and Sabou'a's tail. He didn't like the stench of griffins and his twitchy maw said so.

"Of course I am safe, Amaros," Teja said exasperatedly, though there was a kind smile behind it. "We're less than half a day's ride from home— Zola and I have snuck out farther than this before." She paused but continued as though nothing had slipped and did her best to ignore Zola's already disapproving glare.

"And I'm sorry, but this is only the beginning. You hadn't yet touched down when I told everyone they're free to return to Mawakana and relay the message that our departure to Lalibela may be a few months late, but you have my blessing if you wish to do so." She lowered her head in respect, the white riding cloak across her shoulders more of a mantle than any of her royal finery.

"I visit the Holy City every year, they will not begrudge a pilgrimage to the gods a few months tardy. Nor will Mawakana and my family begrudge my daring departure if I can return with what I seek."

She stole a glance behind her, towards the river bank and the nymph that lived within. Gooseflesh pricked her skin at the river nymphs confusing omen and she rubbed them away as she continued. "We can ask, sure, but fording the river is most likely the safest bet, no?"

Teja nudged Zola in the arm, "I do have a plan. Kind of, but it's moot if we don't get past this river."

 

[Kuno]

Zola Biobaku

It was a gross breach of protocol. Would that she could, Zola would have thrown Amaros in the river for embracing the princess so familiarly, but ah--that silly girl encouraged such affection among her lesser men. It's why everyone at the palace loved her so. Her handmaiden could manage a disapproving tut, her face scrunching up.

"So you say," was Zola's only retort to Teja. She glanced further up the river, where the nymph rested among the river stone's like a fat cat basking in the sun.

Right. She refused to talk to that thing.

"Let's get to the sandbar. Kinya is right--it will be easier on us all...and the animals. Come-"

Zola tugged a lock of Teja's hair as she passed, as playful as it was begrudgingly affectionate.

"I will go across first."

With that, she hefted her spear across her back and set off towards the water's edge, marching upstream with that purposeful swagger that so defined her.

 

[MiharuAya]

Amaros Tamsi​

Despite his pleas, Amaros has known Teja long enough to recognize the determined sparkle in her eyes. The princess was stubborn, and he knew that no amount of reason would change her mind. It would simply be a waste of his breath. Amaros sighed, resigning himself to the knowledge that his only choice was to accompany her highness to assure her safety.

"No, no…If you'll have me, I would prefer to stay by your side," He answered, bowing his head in return to her gesture. Amaros was far too loyal to turn his back on her after all these years. Though, he also didn't want to be the unfortunate messenger who would incur the royal family's wrath.

When it was decided that the group would cross the river at the sandbar, Amaros trailed after Teja and Zola. When he saw Zola pull on the princess's hair, his lips pursed into a light frown. Although he thought it was highly disrespectful to harass the princess like that, he kept quiet, knowing that it was simply how the girls were with each other.

As they walked upstream, Amaros offered, "Ashri can take anyone across that might find the river crossing too difficult, or if we have any belongings that shouldn't get wet," Although he doubted that the princess would agree, he silently hoped that she would use Ashri rather than take the risk with the uncertain river. A stabbing pain radiated throughout his stomach, as he thought about all the horrible things that could happen while they cross the river. His mind seemed to be incredibly creative, and lively when it came to these types of situations.

 

[Nemopedia]

Berko of the Iqinile

Berko had always been a bit slower to understand. It took him a while to understand that Kinya was not against the sudden impulses of the princess. That he in fact encouraged it as the rest decided not to fight it. It wasn't even the stubbornness of the princess, even though all knew infamously how hard that was to persuade once an idea was set, but it had never been challenged to begin with.

"We go together," Berko sighed, deciding at last that he was not to fight this adventure either, nor was he to return. It would dishonour his role as guard, and his loyalty to the princess in overall. "You can climb on my back if you want, I will get us across," he offered to Amaros, taking in the pensive look and worry.

"Does Kinya need help? I can come back?" the guard offered, confident in his own stamina and strength, yet also overestimating himself at the same time. For they Iqinile were strong people, but ultimately human as well with human limitations.

 

[Doctor Jax]

Kinya

"Ah— so you would shame me, calling me old, is that it, Berko?" Kinya joked far ahead, his senses still sharp enough to pick up his voice.

He had not waited for the others, Se-se ambling along the river bank. He waved to the river nymph, as if it were an old friend, his eyes merry to see it. Capricious creatures, as capricious as the rivers in which they swam. Sudden and swift could be the current, despite the surface appearing calm and tranquil.

Not unlike their princess. He glanced at her, discerning. It would do them no good to dissuade her— and indeed, he did not plan to. He would give his counsel, if asked. And give his reprimand, if indeed he believed she would be putting her servants' lives unnecessarily at stake, to maintain the integrity of her own ego. He did not foresee such an event — but he would be prepared, nevertheless.

The former general waited at the sandbar with Se-se, hopping off of the donkey. He patted her on the back, fed her a piece of yam as she nudged him in the side insistently.

"Here, Zola— I know how much you hate to get your feet wet. Reptiles don't tend to like the damp," Kinya joked toothlessly as he rolled his pant legs and robes up, took off his sandals to wiggle his toes in the sand.

 

[rissa]

"These ones," Teja said with a small grunt, unloading two large sacks of perishable provisions. They wouldn't last long, a fortnight or so into their journey, but it would free up space for a third passenger or one Berko. The actual rations she managed to procure would stay strapped to Sabou'a, as most were for him. "Ashri... She'll be able to carry these, right?" Despite all of her majesty, the princess was still unsure of griffins, their temperament, capabilities and place in the world. Teja just assumed they were as fickle as the wind upon which they rode and tried to keep a healthy awe-filled distance away.

"Thank you, Amaros," Teja said softly, grasping his shoulder once she'd deposited the sacks at his feet. "I'll see you on the other side of the river."

She whistled for Sabo to follow her as she took off, noting Kinya's wave to the river nymph up ahead.

Digging her heels into the soft sand, Teja launched herself forward, rolling into a flip and kicking up a dust storm in Zola's face. Not letting her momentum waver, she stuck out her tongue as she backflipped away, stretching sore muscles and working up her nerve to ask Kinya whether or not he believed in prophecies.

Teja unraveled her sandals and draped them over her neck as she followed Kinya and Berko into the shallows, the water a refreshing taste of coolness against her skin.

"Kinya," the princess called out after a moment, splashing her way forwards to catch up. She walked up behind Berko, following closely in his shadowed wake and came right out with it. "Are prophecies real? Omens? Should we be worried about stuff like that?"

 

[Nemopedia]

Berko of the Iqinile

To say that Berko was only single-mindedly focused on work wasn't a far stretch. There wasn't much beyond his life as a guard that Berko knew of or understood. The gentle teasing of Kinya taken as a sign that Berko had asked the wrong question and the ease in which the rest crossed the river now suddenly seemed like an obvious outcome despite all of his worries. Even the river nymph up ahead, to which Kinya waved at, seemed harmless and Berko asked no questions about the presence of that creature either, only remembering his own warnings coming from his father.

The feeling was amplified at the princess' question, the prophecies and the omens and Berko's eyes turned towards Kinya as well, eyes expectantly as he knew and trusted that Kinya knew all answers, like he trusted Kinya when he called Zola, the princess' maid, a reptile, like he trusted his skin to be his armour and took for fact.

"Only the good ones, right?" Berko tried to reassure the princess, however, though he wasn't sure what a good omen was and what a good prophecy sounded like. He had only heard of bad fates so far.

 

[Kuno]

Zola Biobaku

With the advent of Teja's sister as the Nubian Queen, Zola wondered, in truth - what need was there for Teja herself? Surely, if Zola were to simply hold Teja under the water with her superior strength, the kingdom would march on, undaunted, would it not? She would blame it on the river nymph, yes. Terrible, fickle creatures they are, yes. She would nod her head sagely, maybe even shed a tear. The river current, oh, it had just been much too strong for Zola the Strong. Such a swift tragedy, and for so young and virtuous a girl, Zola would lament!

Eh? What's that? Why did she have the imprint of Teja's face in her arm? Not important.

Not for the first time in her life, Zola blinked away granules of sand, her tongue flicking out the rogue crystals much like Sabo after a bad meal. The rest had moved on into the river. Even Kinya, too, the elder leaving his reptile comment to ruminate in the sun in the space between them. He was useless at dissuading the princess from terrible decisions. In fact, sometimes Zola thought the man enjoyed them. One could only do so much to mediate the tepid bemusement of their older ones.

Tying her sandals to the top of her spear, Zola stepped into the cool water. The sand was gritty here, covered in rocks and pebbles and harsh against the skin. She did not wait for the ground to even out before she kicked up her legs, gliding neatly to the rear of their group.

 

[Doctor Jax]

Kinya

The general enjoyed the rush of water across the fording, the sense of sand washing out between his toes. Se-se followed beside him obediently, Zola choosing to forgo keeping her feet from getting wet - perhaps for the best, as Se-se liked Zola perhaps even less than she liked Sabo, kin that they seemed to be. He did look up as the princess splashed her way to him, asking him a question. Before long, he realized he had a veritable gaggle waiting upon his answer.

The former general thought for a long while about it.

"If only, Berko, boy, and the world a happier place for that," Kinya sighed, clapping him on the shoulder. He kept an eye to his right, watching the current nearest the princess. There were other things besides just river nymphs in the water. He made no mention, though.

Teja needed to keep her own wits about herself as well. Kinya could not always be her eyes. He could, however, answer her questions.

"The answer is — it depends on whose counsel you trust," Kinya stated. "An old woman who clinks together betel nuts and gives half a prophecy, so you can pay her another dinar to hear the other half? She stands to gain much from telling you nonsense that sounds frightening and interesting, stir in you some excitement. Pay no heed to people whose fortunes depend on you listening to their omens. By their fruit, you tell who they are — their prophecies never come to pass, but they do make you watchful, overly courageous, or overly cautious."

He thought a little while longer.

"But others, who can gain nothing from telling you the future — and maybe, could lose something in telling you the future — you should fear and heed those omens, foretelling. Even more so if they come from the mouths of those closest to the Good Father, as He tells them the truth in its entirety, speartip and all. Once had a holy man walk three days' march to warn me a river crossing I was to make would be disastrous. I ignored his counsel and threatened to have him flogged if he did not stop following us, despite my gut telling me what he said would be true. That next day, the heavens opened and it rained so hard, the river swelled three times its size."

Kinya let the story linger there, needing no further elaboration. The holy man's words had been right.

 

[Karo]

Nasri observed the water before her, small rushes dancing past. Its green-tinged blue waves were like a celebrant's ribbons, whipping past as they spun and sang. The scene reminded her of the rain celebrations in Jahara, where women adorned themselves in blue sashes and danced in circles to welcome the first rains of the season. Nasri had never joined in– she wasn't one to dance. But she had always admired the extravagant patterns and skirts the woman wore.

She wasn't keen on entering the water. No, Nasri didn't care for swimming, though she was a decent swimmer. She hated the feeling of fighting against something to stay upright.

Indeed, she'd much rather they give her thirty minutes to build a raft. Then they could all get across with little hassle.

But the princess had already entered the water with the rest of the entourage following her. It seemed she had her mind made up. So Nasri kept her mouth shut and removed her sandals before wading into the water. She quickly caught up with the group, settling into their pace as the water deepened and each needed to begin swimming.

Oh, blessed rain, your grace we now extol,
A symbol of rebirth for every soul,
In timeless song, we honor nature's reign,
And cherish life's renewal, pure and plain.

Nasri found herself humming the rain celebration song, mind still caught in the memory of the spinning dancers.

 

[rissa]

"I was about to call you a deaf old man," Teja said aloud with little thought, ducking instinctively as if she were back in the kitchens of Ubasa and Kinya were about to throw a hunk of sliced yam with pinpoint precision directly at her forehead. Zola could often dodge them, but it was hit or miss with Teja, depending on the day and the temperance of her gods-given talents.

Teja sighed dramatically, absorbing the words and the wisdom spoken from her counsel. A trusted counsel. She rested her forehead against the center of Berko's back, face now blissfully shaded from the sun (and Kinya's prolific aim) and let his words hang in the air, fateful and wise.

The water was cool, the sun blaringly hot, and the omen was a heavy weight against her tongue. Perhaps it was the stony resilience which she leaned against. Perhaps it was the stubborn and royal disposition she had grown to carry. Perhaps it was the resonant annoyance between her and her bonded one. Perhaps it was the flap of foreign and feathered wings, beating across and aloft.

Perhaps it was the sudden swell of river water that only she seemed to see.

The river did indeed swell, though not nearly as much as Teja perceived. A tall wave that surged from a playful fin of the river nymph, perhaps, that swallowed her head to toe and off her feet and pushed her violently away, towards the opposite end of the sandbar. The cool ankle-height water rose higher, reaching mid calf as the cool and refreshing water bubbled and toiled, as if all the sun's rays were being focused atop this cluster of miscreants, light and guidance and mysteries from the heavens above.

The water swelled to the point of needing to be tread and Teja, poor Teja, had her foot stuck on something keen on never letting her go.

"Keep on," she called out to her entourage, "Zakhele should be waiting for us just past the bend ahead."

---

There was something odd about the wave that washed over the entourage. It was real and it wasn't. Perhaps it was the ephemeral nature of the river nymph. Perhaps it was simply their minds, addled by the sun. It hummed with a melody that only Nasri would recognize. It carried a scent that only Kinya could place. It glinted with something gold that only Amaros could see. It washed upon Berko with a caress only his blessed skin would notice. It left a taste in Zola's mouth that only a bonded person would know.

---

THE DAY BEFORE

"You may go eat, iyaloo," Teja said softly, wiping her brow with a soft, damp cloth.

"You look overheated, princess, I don't mind."

Teja gulped, thankful the fan-bearer was too young to notice minute expressions. If it were anyone else, her day might not have gone so sweetly. The sweat sliding off her brow and racing down her neck had little to do with the arid and languid heat that suffused her chambers. She was used to it, after all, even if the past few days had been unbearable at their apex. No, the sweat and the nerves and the jittery pulse was due to her reckless decision making.

"You've been here long enough," Teja said with a final sweet smile, her voice soft but firm. "Go get us some sugared apricots and plums, hm?" Teja suppressed a giggle at his expedient departure, his padded feet swift and feather-light as he thumped down the hall. She made a mental note to always, always begin barters with the promise of sweets.

She got her breathing under control before summoning Kitoko from outside the doors of her chambers.

When they were alone, Teja simply asked: "Favor or order? Which would you prefer?"

Kitoko's legs felt stiff and yet she didn't move from her post outside of the Princess' chambers until called.

At Teja's call and question once alone after the fan bearer left, Kitoko's head gave a slight bow before it tilted slightly to the right as she thought on how to answer. It was a rather curious question, admittedly. Whatever the task that was needed from her to be voiced in private like this must have been important in some capacity. At least to Teja.

"Either way, Princess, I would do what you asked without question," She answered easily as a breeze before adding, "though what favor do you need done for you?"

A smile, as bright as Nubia's future, shone back at Kitoko. A favor? Her specialty and her preference. The young princess beckoned her royal guard towards the lounge pouf conspiratorially, her bright smile suddenly mischievous. "How far," Teja said softly as she drew near, "Can you travel on rasp-back, Kitoko? How far do you think you'd get if you left before dinner was concluded?

"I've a favor to ask of thee. A rasp is waiting for you. With provisions and weapons and a map. Could you scout the way? At least the first half. I'd like to make sure the rest of my entourage has an easy go until we reach the canyons."

When no reply came, Teja smiled sweetly and ordered her guard back outside. She waited a bit, chewing on the edge of her finger, before summoning Zakhele and repeating the entire spiel.

 

[Vinn]

The early sun blared down on the sandbanks, bleaching the deposit into a dazzling white. Embers sparked from the scraps of dry wood that Zakhele had managed to haul onto the beach. It seemed he had gathered these scraps with vigorous intent, as it blazed with little effort. The air spiralled from the heat, yet he sat eerily still beside the fire.

❀

"Princess? You're asking me for a favour?"

Zakhele looked up at Teja from where he knelt, a smile relaxing on his face. He stared at her as she lounged comfortably, similar to his once lavish past. In his youth, he would have never imagined spending his days kneeling, rather than lazily enjoying his wealth.

He shook his head, "If so, then no."

Zakhele remembered Kitoko's troubled expression as he left the room.

"Give me the order, princess."

❀

Zakhele chewed through the grains of sand without flinching. He had reached this point without complication and was vigilant to any possible danger to the princess. However, upon leaving his rasp as he scouted further, Zakhele had not expected it to be eaten by a giant crocodile. He had followed the beast into the river and drowned it. Then, he dragged its body along the beach, leaving crimson trails against the white sand. Zakhele cooked its flesh out of spite and charred it even. The rest of it he would leave to the flies and rot.

The rasp was a gift from the princess, he thought.

Angrily, he tore its flesh with teeth and continued to consume the beast.

 

[Nemopedia]

Berko of the Iqinile

The warmth of the princess leaning into him reminded Berko of a fond sibling seeking his guardianship, the cool of the water just grounding enough to remind him of his duty, but soothing in the manner that he could convince himself that this was a family trip of sorts. One of the likes Berko never had with his family, for the Iqinile had to work hard and harder to pave their space within society.

And if this was a family trip Kinya was their wise father, the likes that never told lies even if the truth was hard to swallow. Comparing the man to his own father Berko found them similar in that he applied to them for guidance, but that their approaches were different. His Iqinile father always chose the road of least resistance, prefering to comply than to defy and to turn his cheek. Kinya had proven himself different from the moment the former soldier demanded to know the name of Berko's first captain after missing out on lunch.

Zakhele in the distance at the shore Berko had no role for, yet. Berko hadn't expected him. Berko had definitely not expected to see a dead crocodile. The remainder of violence an unseeming sight but that Berko couldn't prevent the princess from seeing.

"If we skin the beast we can make good use of the leather," the guard decided to focus on the practicalities instead, already having found peace in the fact that he had no control or knowledge within this spontaneous trip, or for as long as he stood under the orders of princess Teja.

 

[Kuno]

Zola Biobaku

That nymph was still watching them. The heat of a gaze, otherworldly or not, was unmistakable on the back of one's head. Yet Zola held firm, resisting the urge to turn with a mighty glare and meet the shifting, glassy eyes of the river demon. Her distaste for the thing had been made clear enough. She wondered, as the waves turned over themselves in folds, if maybe that was why--

Wait. Something stupid had been said.

"Ne?"

The handmaiden turned with indignation. Indeed, her ears had not tricked her; Teja had stopped, even as Nasri swam past, the princess insisting that they go on without her. But something was off -- the girl kept looking down, kicking and pulling like a kitten caught in yarn.

The knife at Zola's side came loose with a flourish.

"Don't move," She hissed.

Clutching the blade between her teeth, she took a breath and dove under the undulating waves.