Sholeh Kanaka
"But you, your not like the other girls. I feel... comfortable. Even though when we first met you put me exactly out of my comfort zone. Its probably because you have a love for this nation as do I. And I believe it is the ones fighting for this tribe that love it the most. No matter what happens to me I will always have the heart of a soldier, even when I wear ancient bracers and a flashy crown.”
Sholeh smiled. “Well, I feel pretty comfortable with you, too. You're not as intimating as I thought you'd be.”
”Oh and besides, I think this ball was really for Zaheed because he planned it due to the fact that my mother is--Listen, I will be back, I just have to go check up on the queen. I'll be back though."
“It's fine. I completely understand,” she said, truthfully. If her own mother was sick, she'd be going crazy with worry, too.
After he left, she took a few steps and leaned against a statue, almost knocking it down when she was startled by a voice. “What are you doing?” The voice was distinctly Serafina's.
Sholeh righted herself, and shot her sister a glare. “Don't sneak up in me like that. And what do you mean what am I doing? Aren't you supposed to be consorting with your male harem?”
Serafina walked over to her with an amused expression on her face. “I needed a break. And I meant what are you doing always spending alone time with the king?”
Sholeh rolled her eyes. “I'd hardly call twice 'always', Miss Drama. And I know where your dirty mind is going, but don't even think about it.”
Her sister opened her mouth to say more, when they were interrupted by Kieran. He ran over to them with a look of panic on his face. “The king is missing!”
Sholeh just stared at him with a look of disbelief. “That's impossible! I was talking to him not too long ago.”
“Well-,” Kieran started, but was interrupted when General Zaheed barreled through, and dragged Sholeh by the wrist.
“What are you doing?” she demanded as he pulled her into the crowded throne room. He threw her to the ground and unsheathed his sword.
"Lord Vinicius is missing all thanks to this bitch! Yes, he was last seen with her!"
Sholeh was struck speechless by the horrible accusation. She barely noticed the guards surrounding her.
"First my father killed, now my brother kidnapped! I suspect she's a spy working with those who murdered our great King Zarfu! It all makes sense, you're soldier and you must of been informed about our troops' encampment and spread news to the spies, to have my father killed! She is the reason for his death and perhaps soon she will be responsible for Vinicius's death!"
Finally finding her voice, she pleaded, “No, it wasn't me! I have no reason to do any of that! I am completely loyal to the fire tribe, my home is everything to me!”
Kala
“Oh, we do have some empty rooms in here and I could probably ask our local tavern if they could lend you the rooms they offer as well, you don’t need to set camp outside. You’ve shown that you are here as friends and not foes so you are more than welcome to explore Airedale and what we have to offer. When you want to dine just say that you are visitors of Ara and myself, you don’t have to worry about paying for anything. It’s the least we can do when you show such hospitality as taking Ara with you and treating her.”
“My thanks,” Kala said, rising from the chair and putting Lnoli back on her shoulders. “With your permission, I'll take my leave to tell my tribesmen the good news about our accomplished mission. And about our new traveling companion.” She gave a respectful nod to him as she passed.
When she came upon her fellow tribesmen, she opened her arms wide and grinned. “Mission accomplished! We're getting the supplies!”
“They're trading with us?” one asked excitedly.
“Yes!” Kala said. “And we're taking the leader's cousin back with us and healing her!”
There was silence for a few moments, then one said, “We have to drag along an invalid with us?”
Kala glared at him. “No, we're taking the daughter of the former leader with us. And we will all be as welcoming as we can possibly be, or risk making an enemy out of the air tribe.”
There was still some grumbling, but Kala ignored it. “And we can stay in the village and eat their food.”
“No thanks, we're staying right here,” one of the warriors said.
Kala's jaw dropped in shock. “Why? You're going to be rude if you turn down their hospitality.”
The same warrior continued speaking. “If all ten of us go in that village, we'll cause a ruckus. You go ahead. We'll stay out here and sleep on the ground like we're used to doing.”
Frustrated, Kala sighed and walked back to the village alone. This time several of the villagers seemed to accept her presence, so she got a few nods as she passed by them. She even waved to a young child, who smiled shyly in return.
When she got to the building that she assumed was the tavern, she went inside and addressed the woman who looked like she was running the place. “Do you have a room available?”
The woman looked at her for a few moments, then said. “I take it your our new visitor?”
Kala smiled widely. “How'd you guess?”
“I took a wild stab in the dark.” She glanced at Lnoli perched on Kala's shoulders. “Is that animal going to be in the room, too?”
Kala patted the fox on the head. “He'll be a perfect gentleman.”