|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:16 pm
 One of the best things about being older, in addition to being bigger and significantly better-coordinated, in Mirsajadi's opinion, was the increase in his personal freedom. Very few people asked him where he was going when he left the den, and even if they did, no one tried to stop him, no matter what answer he gave. He was also granted a limited entry into the grown-up world of pads, accepted by the youngest of the adolescents who would soon be leaving in search of their first captured banu.
Mirsajadi wasn't much worried about that quest. Not just yet. He was still too young to give it much thought, and although he knew some of his older half-siblings had already claimed banu within the pride, even before leaving on their quest, he did not feel compelled to do likewise. Any such claim would be unofficial until they returned with a captured banu, and it made them seem entirely too attached to mere females, in Mirsajadi's not-so-humble opinion. Not that he didn't keep an eye open for promising potential banu, but he wasn't going to follow his half-brother's example. He would rather come back with one exemplary banu or beybanu than have a harem of dullards.
This afternoon the striped juvenile's thoughts were not concerned with the future. They were concerned with a game he was playing against himself mentally. According to the rules of the game, he wasn't allowed to use the word "the" when he spoke, or even in his thoughts. There was the possibility it would result in stilted speech, but he was confident in his ability to talk around it. And he could always abandon the game if he couldn't manage it, since no one else knew he was playing.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:38 pm
 This was the first little Mel’Tamu had been allowed to leave the den’s entrance without an adult by her side. Obviously, there were many pairs of watchful eyes controlling her every move and she had to stay very close but the young brown cub liked to pretend that she was out in the world for the first time, alone and fearless. She climbed – not without some difficulty – a small rock formation and stood proudly on top, feeling the pleasant breeze ruffling her coat. She narrowed her eyes contently, wondering if this was how it felt to fly. She’d have to ask daddy later.
Her focus broke when the cub heard the footsteps. Her eyes sought the source and Mel was entranced by the sight before her. It was a boy, one not related to her and visibly older. Obviously, that made him all the more interesting. Oh, and she liked those stripes. Stripes were pretty, Mel decided on the spot. The cub smiled immediately, a small smile that quickly grew into a friendly grin that reached her eyes. She almost spoke out of turn but her big sister had reminded her of The Rules before letting her go so Mel simply bowed her head and waited though it was clear she was interested in talking to the striped pesar.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 10:10 am
It did not escape Mirsajadi's notice that there was a younger banu perched atop a small rock formation. Nor did he fail to notice that she'd taken note of his approach and smiled. He spent a few moments wracking his brain to determine whether he had seen this banu before, and whether he ought to know her. He had once met a banu around this area before, but she had been very different, older than he with purple eyes and flecks of gold in her coat. This banu's eyes were a brilliant green, as he had observed before she lowered her head.
It was obvious she wanted to talk to him. At least, Mirsajadi was arrogant enough to have no difficulty believing that she wanted to talk to him. Who wouldn't want to talk to him? He was a clever, strong pesar with a very important father who was even stronger and more clever. Aside from his occasional bouts of hallucination, Mirsajadi was all a young pesar should be, in his opinion. With regard to his visions, the less said about his little affliction, the better.
"Good afternoon, banu. I'm Pesar Mirsajadi, and it would please me to know your name."
He knew there were rules for introduction to unknown banu, but it was very difficult to follow them most of the time, and they didn't really seem to apply to young ones like this, or maybe just not to young pesars like him. Either way, he had never gotten in trouble for introducing himself to a banu if it was necessary, as he deemed it in this particular situation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:36 pm
It was flattering to know the older lion wanted to know her name and Mel was rather happy that he’d come closer to talk to her. The juvenile’s name wasn’t that easy to pronounce as far as Mel was concerned but it was pretty and the cub made an effort to repeat it properly.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Pesar Mirsajadi. I am Banu Mel’Tamu.“ the young cub looked over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t doing anything wrong but nothing in the lionesses’ posture indicated that she’d made a mistake in answering the older boy so Mel resumed her quiet adoration of the stripes. She'd been taught to introduce herself by mentioning the name of her father but Mirsajadi hadn't done it so the little banu assumed she shouldn't either. “And that is my den over there.” She added after a brief pause to make sure Mirsajadi knew the cub hadn’t looked away because she wasn’t very interested in talking to him and that she wasn’t running off as well – a really bad thing for a girl to do!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 12:10 pm
Mirsajadi followed the banu's green-eyed gaze toward her father's den. He knew that pad. Nywele. He was one of the few pads that Mirsajadi actually held any sort of esteem for, in spite of the fact that it had taken him quite some time to capture a banu from outside of the pride. He had a great many abilities beyond those of most lions, and Mirsajadi couldn't help admiring them, and wishing that he could do the same sorts of things. Not that Nywele would ever replace Tariq'ra'd in Mirsajadi's mental ranking of people. Mirsajadi's father was his idol.
"Your father's Pad Nywele, then," he observed. With more than a little pride he said, "My father's Vizier Tariq'ra'd."
Most of what Mirsajadi knew about Nywele and his family was from when he was very, very young. On his first solo outing, he had come across a banu a little older than he and they'd played a game where they each had to figure out who the other was without actually asking. Mirsajadi had known that her den was nearby, and so when he'd returned home, he'd asked which pad lived there, and from there he'd begun to learn about the large lion with the impressive mane.
"So, Banu, aren't you a little young to be out alone? What if you fell from that high up perch?" Probably she'd cry out and someone would come running, but Mirsajadi did wonder if she'd considered that. He never did, but he was a pesar, and not as fragile as banu. Besides, he'd been coping with unpredictable fear and pain all his life because of his visions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 6:36 pm
“Yes, I’m the daughter of Nywele, the God of Manes and Asali’umi, his banu.” the young banu stated proudly, eyes widening in awe of the older lion’s knowledge. “You’re so clever, kind Pesar. Is it because your father is a Vizier, one of the Sultan’s most trusted advisers? Do you take after him? Oh, you’re momma Uggi’s brother then!”
So Mirsajadi was somewhat special, too. Who would’ve thought she would meet the son of a Vizier on her first outing ever, how exciting! Mel couldn’t wait to tell her family. She didn’t particularly like being addressed simply as “banu” after she had given him her name but considering how very interesting Mirsajadi was, she could easily forgive it.
“Alone?” the cub looked somewhat confused and glanced over her shoulder for an instant. “Oh no, not alone. My mothers are watching carefully, I’m sure. I wouldn’t be here without permission. This is the first time I’ve been allowed to play outside on my own.” She seemed quite happy with herself as if the currents events were proof she was becoming a “big girl” now.
“If I fell, Pesar? If it hurt, I would probably cry. Then I would get up, climb it again and be more careful next time.” She answered cheerily, addressing the older boy by his title alone, partly because mimicking was part of her learning process but also because deep down she truly disliked not being addressed by name and returning what she considered to be a small offense was rather satisfying. “But maybe I should get down… talking from here, it doesn’t feel… proper…?”
The cub visibly struggled to find the right word and then struggled more as she clumsily scratched her way down the rocky surface before sitting in front of Mirsajadi - who appeared much taller from her current position.
“I have never seen stripes like yours, Pesar Mirsajadi. They are different from mother Uggi’s markings…”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 7:13 pm
"I've not met Banu Asali'umi. But I am pleased to meet one of her daughters, who is also the daughter of a god. Perhaps I should prostrate myself? After all, neither of my parents claims divinity." He grinned, at once pleasant and making it very clear that he would not be making any sort of obeisance to the little banu. He had no idea of his mother's true identity, largely because she, herself, had no idea.
She wasn't alone. That was good to know. Mirsajadi wished he could take another look toward her den to see if she really was under some banu's supervision. He didn't mean her any ill will, naturally, but there was definitely the possibility that someone - possibly two someones - would be in a lot of trouble for not going through the proper channels of introduction. Sometimes the pride's restrictions on interaction between males and banus could be very frustrating to deal with.
"Be careful," he warned as she climbed down. He would have told her that she could remain on her perch if she wished, but she was already struggling to descend from it, and he thought distracting her at this point could prove potentially dangerous for her. It failed to bother him that Mel'Tamu only addressed him as Pesar. It was an appropriate title. His own first time out of the den seemed like it had been a long time ago, but he was only a juvenile. He did remember being extremely concerned with exhibiting perfect manners.
"Well, I hope you've been having a good time so far," he told her with a grin reminiscent of his father's, but markedly less manic. As for his stripes, which he particularly liked, he explained, "My mother is Banu Orah, so Uggi's not quite my sister. That's why my stripes are different, too."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:45 pm
Mel did not like what she considered to be a playful joke about her father’s undeniable awesomeness but Mirsajadi seemed to be so pleasant that she didn’t know how to react. Mel didn’t know that many lions outside her family but she felt there was something definitely off about this conversation... something she just wasn’t used to and she didn’t know how to answer the pesar without sounding rude.
“Now that would be a strange sight, wouldn’t it Pesar? A boy bowing to a girl!” She tried to pretend she’d found his comment funny keeping the cheery tone intact. “Although, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone pro- prost-prosta…tra… p-prostrating to my father.” Sheesh, he could use easier words! “I think he wouldn’t like it very much, actually.”
The pesar didn’t acknowledge her words when the cub assured him she was being watched which lead Mel to wonder if he’d believed her. Honestly, did Mirsajadi expect her to lie? What kind of banu did he associate himself with? And right after he looked concerned for her safety which was sweet. This was all so very confusing for the little banu!
And what was that about Uggi not being “quite” his sister? They had the same father so they were siblings just like Vashti was her big sister and Amani and Uggi were her mothers (even though Uggi looked too young to actually be her mother). This was what she had been raised to believe. Mel didn’t really understand the concept of “half-sibling”. The brown cub desperately wanted to find a friend in Mirsajadi but she wasn’t sure she liked the pesar yet.
“Oh, yes, it’s very exciting. I’m so happy I can play here and at the same time I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake.” She paused, clearly hesitant to continue. “Pesar Mirsajadi, can I ask you a question that might be personal? It’s about what you said before about mother Uggi.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:15 am
That was a thought which hadn't occurred to Mirsajadi. That Nywele, being a god, wouldn't like it if people bowed to him. Mirsajadi, being a product of the Ukuucha'Walfalme, wasn't in the habit of bowing to deities, but he'd heard that was what some people did, which was why he'd mentioned it. He did wonder, though, why a god was content to be a mere pad, and not the sultan. Couldn't he just use his powers to take over? It wasn't a question Mirsajadi could ask the little banu, unfortunately, or anyone else, really.
"Well then, I won't. I wouldn't want to make him unhappy. A smart pesar never makes a pretty banu's father unhappy."
He smiled and it was a reflex, just as the compliment had been. Mirsajadi was observant enough to know when he was losing his audience's approval, even if he couldn't quite figure out what he'd done to make her unsure of him. Compliments, he'd learned early on, usually went over well with banu. Zoey had told him so, too, and she was a pretty good source of information when it came to dealing with banu, being one herself.
"I don't think you'll make any mistakes that would really get you in trouble." No. He was fairly certain the blame for anything which went wrong would fall squarely on him since he was the older one who really ought to know better and stop her from making any mistakes. "And you may ask me whatever you wish. I'll try to answer as best I can."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 3:11 pm
A… pretty banu?
Mel knew that she was pretty. After all, both her coat and markings were a perfect combination of her parents’ and, of course, Nywele told his girls they were pretty as well – even though the cub assumed that it was simply something all fathers did. Knowing was one thing but being told that so naturally by an (older) pesar was something quite different even if it had been said lightly and with such a pleasant smile. Honestly, she had no idea how to answer that and her mind tried to work through many opposing feelings. She couldn’t deny being flattered – proud even - but a part of her was slightly intimidated and afraid that such a comment would be seen as indecent if someone were to overhear the conversation. And were there any implications to what the pesar had said…? Was she reading too much into his words? She was a young banu and he was a young pesar so Mel supposed it was possible she’d end up in his harem one day. Maybe that’s why he said it… because she was so young that it didn’t really matter… yet. Maybe he just saw her as a little baby and not a true banu yet.
“You are very kind, Pesar Mirsajadi.” Her tone might be light but her body language closed off instantly, most noticeably when her tail curled protectively around the little banu’s body. The message was simple: she didn't know how to react regarding his compliment but she wanted to make clear that there were many lines she didn’t want to cross. “I hope so. Though I’d rather not make mistakes whether I get in trouble or not. Especially since this is the first time I've been allowed to play on my own.”
She was very grateful for his easy acceptance of her request. It was something that she really wanted to know but, most of all, it was something that allowed her to quickly change the direction of the conversion.
“I was wondering… why did you say that banu Uggi isn’t quite your sister? Is it because she left the den before you were born?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:12 pm
Mirsajadi didn't miss that Mel'Tamu's reaction to his compliment hadn't exactly been the one he'd been hoping for. Banu were ridiculous creatures. He didn't understand why they couldn't be as sensible as males. Then there wouldn't be all this fuss over behaving the correct way around them, because they wouldn't be any different and wouldn't need special treatment like protections or restrictions. He firmly believed that the special treatment banu received, whether protective or restrictive, was for their own good. Nevertheless, his smile didn't falter.
He considered warning Mel'Tamu for her own good that he was not, in fact, a kind pesar. Kindness was not a trait he considered particularly important for a lion in his position, and it was not one he had worked very hard to cultivate. He could affect a pleasant facade, and he knew for a fact that he had a compassionate streak that he was doing his very best to remove from his personality, but kindness was was a tool to be used. He tried to remember to use it when meeting new people, or people who might be useful to him, but he preferred to impress them with other aspects of his personality.
"I'm only being honest." And he had been. It was always wisest to please the fathers of pretty banu. Even though he was too young to be interested in banu in any real way, Mirsajadi knew that to be an indisputable truth. "And if it will make you feel any better, I will do my very best to keep from placing you in an awkward position with this conversation, all right? See how I'm not even close enough to touch you if I tried?"
Mirsajadi didn't like to be touched without warning, and so that part of social rules had always been particularly easy for him to follow. There was only one person he really allowed to touch him spontaneously, and that was his best friend, Zoey. The only reason he tolerated it from her, even, was that he could hardly prevent it. She always caught him off guard and unawares, and before he could do anything to prevent her, she'd poked him or nudged him or something. She was definitely old enough to know better.
"That's part of it. I've actually never spoken with her, really, and we only share a father. So she's more like my half-sister than my real sister. I have one of those, too, though. What about you? Don't you make a distinction between your sisters with the same mother and sisters with different mothers?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:31 pm
Darn, it seemed he noticed her discomfort. Mel hadn’t expected that as she often assumed a bright smile could mask any lie or omission. Apparently she needed to work on her body language as well.
“Oh I know you wouldn’t do that, Pesar Mirsajadi.” The little banu said cheerily, trying to relax her muscles and mostly succeeding simply by firmly believing in her own reasoning as it was created. “It might be because you’re the son of a Vizier but I’m sure you are a well-mannered Pesar, otherwise we would’ve been interrupted already. And feel free to correct me if you find something I should improve.” Well, that last part was a bold lie if Mel were to actually think about it. In truth she very much disliked being corrected but she still managed to finish with a big smile. “I’m still learning after all.”
The part about Uggi did bother her though and even if the cub believed she was learning much from this meeting on how to control herself, her ears dropped almost instantly. Was this older – more knowledgeable – pesar implying that Vashti wasn’t Mel’s “real sister”?
“Is that so? Well, I didn’t… don’t.” the little banu looked somewhat sorrowful now. “My big sister Vashti has always been there as long as I remember so I just… she took care of me and my siblings and she played with us, I just… I never...” the cub looked over her shoulder to her father’s den, a worried expression slowly taking over. “So… does that mean that she sees m-me differently? Have I been assuming things…? S-she doesn’t see me as a sister…? Do you think she thinks I’m not a real sister because I-I’m not the daughter of moth… of beybanu Amani?”
Honestly, this conversation had been fun but now Mel felt like she was about to cry!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 12:23 pm
Mirsajadi didn't share Mel'Tamu's confidence in his good behavior. She was so young, and she seemed so earnest. He was torn between wanting to toy with her because it would be easy and looking out for her because she probably needed it. Neither extreme was an acceptable course of action to his way of thinking, and so he simply walked the middle line between, clinging to his ingrained habits of good manners and exemplary behavior. Like the little banu, Mirsajadi lived his life as though he was constantly under supervision, though he imagined it was his father's eyes watching him critically.
"It might be that," he admitted. So far he'd been afforded very few privileges in spite of of his father's elevated status in the pride, and so he'd subconsciously stopped expecting to receive any special treatment. He was proud of his father, and quick to boast of him, but he was even now beginning to learn that it would be his own actions which would determine his future in this pride, and he had many, many siblings and half-siblings to compete against.
The name Vashti was familiar to Mirsajadi. She had been the first person he'd ever met outside of his family, and on his first venture outside. She was older than he was by a little. He remembered that meeting with great clarity, and he remembered how she had been practicing singing so that she could be a better banu when she was older. It didn't surprise him that Vashti had helped care for her younger siblings and played with them. His older siblings hadn't been like that, but he was assured that in other families that's what older sibs did.
"I remember Banu Vashti being very concerned with being the perfect banu, so I guess it could be like that, but I don't think it is. Even being the perfect banu, she doesn't have to act like that. My older half-sibs never did. If she's close to you, it's because she wants to be."
Mirsajadi wasn't sure he quite believed what he was telling the younger banu, but her distress had reminded him that it wasn't simply an intellectual exercise for her, and she actually loved the other members of her family. Mirsajadi, if asked, would not have known how to respond to that question. His father's other offspring were competitors for Tariq's attention and approval, and his father's banu weren't really worth noticing. They were just banu, after all. The only family member of any real importance to Mirsajadi was his father, and what he felt for him probably wasn't what most people would call love.
"I didn't mean to upset you," he said quite truthfully, hoping she wouldn't start crying. That would probably bring concerned adults running. "It was thoughtless of me to put it that way."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 4:38 pm
“You think?” the young banu looked up with hopeful eyes, clinging to every word that suited her desire to be close to Vashti. Mirsajadi was probably right. Mel’s older sister had a strong personality. If Vashti did something, she probably did it because she wanted to. Hopefully, Mel and her siblings weren’t just part of Vashti’s carefully planned banu training. No, she didn’t think so but it wouldn’t hurt to speak to her older sister about it anyway. “You’re very nice.”
Mel smiled slowly and widely and this gentler smile forced her eyes to narrow contently into two thin bright green slits. She didn’t speak for a few moments while she tried to keep her feelings in check – she needed to make sure she wouldn’t lose her composure when she spoke again.
“I’m not… well, I was a little upset. I apologize if I made the conversation uncomfortable.” Mirsajadi was teaching her many things and she considered him to be very kind so Mel actually made an effort to be completely honest. “I think… there is still much I need to learn. My father said that all families are different so I suppose should learn about others.”
The little banu’s head suddenly sprung up, tilting softly to the side.
“What is your family like, Mi- Pesar Mirsajadi?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 5:20 pm
Nice? Mirsajadi's immediate instinct was to do something completely rotten to eradicate any thoughts of his niceness from Mel'Tamu's head, but he checked it. He couldn't afford to give in to that sort of impulse, just because he objected to being classified as nice. It was better, he reminded himself, to be feared than to be loved, but either emotion could be used to turn another to his purpose. He didn't have a purpose for Mel'Tamu just yet, but if he ever came up with one, she might be more pliable if she thought he was nice. The claws could always come out later, if necessary. Tariq could smile even as he chastised his family, after all.
"I accept your apology," he said. He felt a little bad about legitimizing her concern that she'd done something wrong by becoming upset, but at the same time she had made the conversation uncomfortable, and that was very bad manners. Banu shouldn't do things like that. "Don't worry about it any more."
He rolled his shoulders in a shrug and grinned with his father's winning grin. It was one which Tariq could use to devastating effect, because even those who knew what he was capable of couldn't believe it of him when he grinned that grin. On Mirsajadi it might have been even more believable, since the cub was not the same sort of lion his father was. It was a bit harder for him to hold the grin, though, when Mel'Tamu asked about his family.
"My family is large. I'm part of a large litter and I have many half-siblings. We all try very hard to please our father, of course. We're not so different, I think, from most families." He didn't know what else to say on the subject. He knew from speaking with Zoey that his family was not normal, in fact, but he wasn't going to admit that to anyone. He saw it as his duty to protect his father's honor and reputation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
