[PRP] Well Excuuuuse me, Princess! (Sikulu and Celene) FIN

[Gene Wilder]

Ugh. Sikulu was seated on the dusty ground, pulling a few thorns out of his paw with his teeth. As he spat each thorn out, he counted the reasons why the ocean was superior.

Nothing like this would happen, for starters, he thought irritably. Could swim whenever I wanted to. Plenty of great food. Hardly ever got sick, either. And I got to go hunting with da-

Sikulu stopped mid-pull, his head raising. Damn. He hadn't thought about his family in a long time. Spitting the last thorn out, he stood gingerly on the paw, before continuing on his aimless journey. He could just barely make out a hill on the horizon, though the haze and atmosphere prevented any further insight.

Still, he couldn't shake the sudden ache of homesickness. It was far worse than hunger, and he cursed himself for invoking it. He'd come back from a little soul-searching to find a tsunami had decimated the land. The male remembered where he was when he heard the news that almost everyone in his family had been listed as "missing". How the little tidepools he used to watch with his sisters suddenly felt empty and lifeless. But it didn't matter, anyway. Word had gotten to Sikulu about the pride's revival, and how a council ruled it. So now, he was something of a vagabond prince.  

[Quaji]

The mind games were taxing on the young empress' mind. All of the parties and the dodging of poisons and claws, you could only do so much before one finally got you and Celene was not going to let that day come soon. Instead she took a break, tricking her brother into believing her to be studying history or something she already knew much of to make a break for the borderlands to find some real history.

Rogues.

They were much more interesting to her then anything a dusty old scholar had to say. They had stories of pirates on the coast, thieves in the desert, red pelted warriors who towered over common folk, great kings and great enemies. Even the gods were interesting to the empress. So there she sat, on a flat rock that she had made her post for the night, clad in her usual garb of a hooded cloak made of mix-matched fur and dirt rubbed over her paws and face. The hood was down now as she surveying the plains on the borders.

Nothing. How boring.  

[Gene Wilder]

Sikulu huffed, a little stray lock of his mane flying up. This was getting to be tiresome. He needed directions, and maybe a little place to rest. His paw didn't make things easier.

Giving in to the desire, he paused to look around for any sign of life. He tried calling out to a pair of birds that flew overhead, but they chattered on, ignoring him.
"Yeah- don't bother giving me the time of day or anything!" he yelled at them, before grumbling and looking back at the landscape.

Wait- there-- by that weird rock. The flat one. What... what in the hell was that? Sikulu scrunched up his face at the bizarre blob of fur, and carefully hobbled over. He stopped a few feet from it.

"Uh... 'scuse me? Hey, old man, d'y'know a place I can rest for a while?" he asked. Oh god, he hoped it wasn't another honey badger. Last time that ended poorly.  

[Quaji]

Celene's head turned quickly towards the sudden voice. How had she not heard him approaching?! Oh Maker, at least he didn't look like any bard she had seen before and based on his rough looking appearance; he was a rogue and posed little danger to the empress now that she was aware of him. All she had to do anyways was yell and the chevaliers would be upon him anyways.

Gross. He definitely needed to see her mane dresser, stat.

"For a ruffian like yourself? There is likely room among the herds or the servants of the pride's lands you invade. Assuming you aren't caught by the guards first and tossed to the darkspawn to kill for trespassing." There was a hint of sarcasm within her voice, a dash of playfulness and was somehow a little menacing at the same time while she threatened him. "What business do you have here, trespasser?"  

[Gene Wilder]

Ruffian?! Oh, she did not just...

"Well it certainly doesn't involve shooting the breeze with some..." He paused to look her over. She was calling him a ruffian? "With some scruffy, dirty border guard. My business is my own." Two could play at that game.

Something didn't really click. The way she looked... it wasn't cold out that she needed the extra fur. Maybe she had mange or some sort of hideous disease? That could account for why she was all the way out here, but... the dirt seemed to cover her face pretty well. Maybe... maybe a little too well. A knowing expression flashed over the male's face. Sikulu decided to test his theory out.

"You hiding from somebody?" he asked, feigning a casual look.  

[Quaji]

"Of course I'm hiding, hiding from people like you." She replied as she look him dead in the eyes with a huff. Quickly Celene's head turned back around to raise her chin and close her eyes, almost pouting. "And you have the nerve to insult a lady! You are surely no gentleman, therefor you must be a troublemaker and would not be welcome in these lands. Perhaps you are even a criminal running from the law."

Her head turned once more to look at him but this time her body followed and soon after she was on the dirt instead of stone. "And another thing; your business is not your own when you ask for a place to stay." A stamp of her paw emphasized her point. "So no, sir, I will not tell you where you may rest your paws. You better keep moving then unless you want to start telling me why you're here." This was certainly one of the most difficult rogues she had ever had to the unpleasant fortune of meeting. And her poor mother, thank the Maker her mother could not hear how unlady-like she sounded at that moment. She surely would have thrown a fit large enough for the next kingdom over to hear.  

[Gene Wilder]

She certainly had fire in her, this one. Sikulu smiled mischievously, accepting this little challenge.

"Oh, trust me, little lady, if I were a criminal, I wouldn't be wasting my breath on you. And unlike you, my crime wouldn't be against nature," he purred. ZING!

As she neared him, Sikulu instinctively backed up a little; a few years of wandering taught you not to get too cozy with strangers, no matter how inviting their gaze was. Still, he listened to her reasoning. Well, sort of. The way she carried herself and the way she spoke was very refined. She had an air about her that hinted at power.

"Oh, me? Weeeell, I'm just a nobody. I used to live by the ocean, but my place got washed out by a tsunami. Now I'm just wandering. Well, nice meeting you. Later!" And with that bite-sized story, he began padding in the direction of the hill.  

[Quaji]

"How dare you!" Celene growled deeply as she turned to glare as he simply walked by her. He insulted her! There was no way, under the Maker's watchful eye, she would let him get away with that. No one, not even her brother, made jokes at her expense, especially not when it came to her appearance. A low rumble grew in her chest as she just watched him for a few moments. Apparently his mother never taught him not to turn his back on strangers. Her mother sure did. Muscles tensed and released as she darted after him, making her attempt to jump onto his back or if nothing else to knock him onto the ground.

He would apologize to her, even if she had to beat it out of him!  

[Gene Wilder]

Sikulu was patting himself on the back, when he mistakenly looked over his shoulder and saw one angry lioness hurtling towards him.

This was definitely much worse than the honey badger. His brain was so lost in thought, his legs didn't even bother entering fight or flight mode, and the two collided with each other.

Sikulu hit the ground first, clenching his teeth as he did. The two were so locked together they actually managed to complete a whole somersault! He would've been impressed if his acrobatic partner wasn't currently trying to beat him to a pulp. The male managed to get in a few good smacks and slashes, but received twice as many in return. He was pretty rusty.

In a pause in the fight, when both were on their feet and wound tight like springs, Sikulu sneered, "Y'know, my mom always told me to be nice with the ladies, but you're making it difficult!"  

[Quaji]

"Your mother must have been quite the lady and a very patient woman to have dealt with you."

Somewhere in the mix of fur and fangs, Celene's cloak began to come apart at the sinew stitching, squares had already come off and now it was hanging by not that much really. Luckily it had protected her hide from being marred by this stupid, rude male, though that didn't stop the ache in her bones. Gripping the cloak's clasp in her mouth, she tore it away from her body. It did her no good now and simply weighed her down.

Proudly the lioness stood, the rest of her golden pelt gleaming in the remaining sunlight. Her eyes narrowed as she looked toward her challenger, her stance a little taller. "You, sir, have the honor of dueling and addressing Celene the first, empress of Lejeu; ruler of the land your paws touch." The voice of this lioness was obviously angry but also held an authoritative tone to it as she revealed who she was. She was no dirty border guard' as he had called her before.  

[Gene Wilder]

Sikulu watched with a puzzled expression as the empress tore off the cloak. What on earth was she doing?! His eyes blinked rapidly upon seeing her body.

In his wanderings as a teen and adult, Sikulu made sure never to namedrop his home or title. He'd either get folks chatting about how they knew his parents, strangers asking about how beautiful the ocean was, or, on one occasion, a pack of hyenas plotting to hold him ransom. It also felt a bit weak; expecting to be treated better than others simply because you had royal blood. He'd learned that one the hard way.

In this case, however, Sikulu knew when he was beat. His face tried to conceal his nervousness with a smug smile, but it failed. The lion sat down, careful not to put weight on the sore paw, and looked Celene straight in the eyes.

"I don't believe you," he said simply. Inwardly, Sikulu was laughing his head off.  

[Quaji]

"Fine, don't believe me. I'll just scream and have my guards come running to my aid. Then we'll see how long you last after I tell them you've injured me and insulted my honor." Celene practically purred in response to his disbelief as she met his gaze with her own. Gracefully she sat herself down as it seemed their small tumble was done with now. She knew for a fact that at least her brother would come to her aid and likely bring a number of chevaliers with him. That and the only reason she chose to reveal herself was to gain respect with this rogue who seemed intent on dismantling her pride at every turn and she was within range of one of the keeper's to spot her if real trouble were to happen.

"In fact, they may already be on their way. My pelt is rather unique within my pride."  

[Gene Wilder]

Sikulu rolled his eyes dramatically. Was she for real? He shook his head, until the threat of the guards was mentioned. He had to play it a little cool now.

"Ohhh, I see," he drawled. His eyes flickered with a mischievous glint, and he immediately stood up, head held high.
"Good! Perhaps they can escort me to see the real empress," he said aloud, before casting an unimpressed gaze to Celene. "Go make yourself useful and announce that Sikulu, Heir Apparent of the Bahari'mtoto pride wishes to see her." With that, he started walking again, tail swishing annoyingly.  

[Quaji]

Celene sneered as the male lion began walking and walking passed, away from her, without her permission. No, she would play his game. She would take him to see the real empress and he would soon understand the grave mistake he made by simply ignoring her question of why he was in her lands. Oh she could hardly wait to see the look on his face! And all she had wanted was a story and now it looked like she was in line to get a new prisoner or possibly even an execution if he kept running his mouth as they walked.

"Alright then, prince, I'll take you to the royal den for your audience." She agreed, her tone mocking as she stood, nudging him out of the way to take the lead in heading back towards the hill. "And if you want to survive your trek to the top, you better wise up and let me lead."  

[Gene Wilder]

As he watched the empress take charge of the situation, Sikulu couldn't help but grin. Even as she bumped him aside, he followed obediently, still beaming. This could be an interesting adventure, especially if he survived it!

The male loped along to get alongside her, bending his head down a little to look at her.
"Does the empress usually go out on her own in a disguise?" he asked, feigning innocence.