Internal V.1: Child of Discord (Internal, third draft)

(18) Closing Ranks

(Part 1)

In the days following news of Mustafa's imminent return, things appeared to have winded down a bit in the Amir's family: Dastra settled down with his new spear-wielding training regime; Rashid began utilizing thrown knives in bringing down those apples, despite having to train almost from scratch for that; and Lei, true to her promise, started asking her acquaintances and relations whether they might be interested to help take down extortion rings in town. Most expressed interest, but their support came in varying degrees.

Azalea was ever restless.

Even as this princess resumed her swordplay sessions with renewed vigor, her thoughts had already begun to turn on the new and, to her, boundless prospects of riding into battles, "much like Akhi." In this Mirani was compelled to metaphorically put her foot down; and the daughter, following tearful exchanges--during one of which she even dared to bring up the Dragoness's example, and how such a warrior-woman definitely would not have been very pleased to have to be carried into battle after battle "like sacks of rotten melons"--finally came around to the notion that simply finding a suitable mount would be more than what could reasonably be expected of her at this point in time.

She may ride that mount, her father concurred--but please, for the love of God, not to battles!

For the moment, this was the kind of go-ahead that Zalea eagerly grasped. The very afternoon after this agreement, she began making her way to the stables. During her way she came across Leia who had just returned from persuading her last acquaintance for the day.

"Fine day's work," Zalea commented, smirking, hands on hips. "Care to watch the horses with me, by the way? Got one yerself, no? That Vania filly. Bet ya wanna make doubly sure if it's really bein' well-taken care of, huh?"

"I trust the stable-hands, if that's what you mean."

"Eh, do ya? Kind wretch. Thing is, I been given leave to find me a horse; wanna help decide which might be best?"

"Gosh, Zal... Right now?"

The other princess gave a wink. "A day later and Dad might change his mind, ya know what men o' power could be like."

"I mean, I've been doing what you asked and all, contacting those friends..."

"What, enterin' stables not really a thing for ladies now?" Zalea scoffed. "Fine, get yaself home and stay there. Just don't get too upset should I beat ya in the next race, the way I did in that swordplay."

"Only because you cheated!"

"Hey, I came on top. Ya claim to have been trainin' from Akhi, arguably the best among us, yet didn't seem to have taken that lesson anywhere too seriously... nor wanted to, if ya thought it mattered: that your styles hardly matter in real fights so long as the opposition stays down or dead at the end of it. Anyway, right now I've got a freakin'-different offer; take it or leave it."

Leia paused for thought. "After you. Could use more time to get some fresh air out here, myself. Knitting shawls day in and out does have its drawbacks."

"Glad ya noticed."

So it was that, weeks after their less-than-friendly encounters (first regarding the stolen doublet, then in the sparring), the realm's princesses walked together with the same thing in mind again.