Her grandfather thought it would be cute if Zira met another youngling from Sauti while he tended to patients. Zira could only roll her eyes as she laughed at her grandfather’s antics, the older earthling constantly trying to woo her towards the earthling lifestyle while her parents continued her studies as a future Aishan warrior. Zira didn’t see anything wrong with earthlings, especially considering she was a hybrid, but she also didn’t think she was meant for being a merchant or a healer or something like that. There was just something that made her feel so alive whenever she was running through Jahaur and she truly believed in Aisha. How could she not believe when she had bloomed from the great mother tree? For some silly reason her grandpa was super protective of her and Noll though and was trying to encourage them to consider other options whereas her father only believed in them following an Aishan path as it was a testament to their strength as Alkidike hybrids.

“Hello? Are you listening to me? So do you fight wild beasts?”

Zira found herself focusing back on her date as he spoke up again. The wind earthling was around her age with sandy blond hair and bright blue eyes. He had crystals that were typical for Sautians that dotted along one cheek and she thought she could see a few peeking out from the collar of his tunic. It seemed so clean in comparison to her own tattered clothing, the short top something she preferred to fight the heat while her own Alkidike markings and crystals decorated the rest of her exposed skin. Her grandfather hadn’t warned her (more likely she had not listened when he did warn her about dressing up for company) and she had come running over after a long morning of training, her concern for her appearance the last thing on her mind. Imagine her surprise when she tumbled into a group of earthlings and was introduced to a boy! At first she had thought he was simply shy but now the questions continued coming and she found herself growing more and more exasperated. Her grandfather had told her to play with the other youngling, show him some of the local area without going too far into the forest but they hadn’t even made it past the boundaries of her grandparent’s home! So lame. She frowned before nodding at the question. Why not? “Yeah, I fight all the time.” She confirmed as she straightened her shoulders to look more intimidating. She was already slightly taller than the boy so it wasn’t that hard.

“Really?” He wrinkled his nose. “Isn’t that a bit dangerous…especially for a girl?”

“Excuse me?” Zira blinked and glanced at him. “Is there something wrong with me fighting?”

“I guess not.” The boy, Yerath if she remembered his name correctly, replied though he didn’t seem too happy with it. “It’s just that I have younger sisters and they’re delicate…I thought girls were supposed to be like flowers and we protected them.” He shook his head as if in disbelief. “Maybe it’s the Alkidike blood…my cousins said that you’re a bit more wild in Jahaur cause of it. You’re different looking and not ugly, but you do seem a bit more fierce than the girls I know.”

“So girls shouldn’t fight and it only makes sense because I’m a hybrid? What’s wrong with girls fighting? It happens all the time! Can’t earthlings be just as tough as Aishans and what’s wrong with female warriors?” Zira found herself snapping as she crossed towards the boy. “If you’re so tough, why not prove it?”

And just like that Zira’s legendary temper flared again. Her grandfather wanted her to show the boy around Jahaur a bit but instead she showed him the true spirit of Jahaur. At least that was how she would like to imagine it as they both came back battered and bruised after rough housing for nearly thirty minutes before the boy somewhat apologized and ran away. She had a good cut on her cheek and he had a few more bruises along his face, mostly from running into trees as she chased him about, but the pair definitely got treated like they had emerged with broken limbs or something by the reaction of his family. Her grandfather had simply sighed before taking care of it all, bandaging the children before apologizing once more for his granddaughter and watching as the merchant family left their property to go back towards more civilized areas.


“Hey grandpa?”

“Yes, Zira.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t try to play with any merchant boys in the future. No more dates, okay?”

“Duly noted.”

Still, they both perhaps would have a couple of good laughs about it whenever Zira explained the situation again in the future. Her father would probably be furious but at least her grandfather wasn’t as harsh. Zira winced as more ointment was applied to her cut, the pain making her eyes water but she kept still the best that she could. She deserved it considering how quickly she had lost her temper once again. No regrets. She reminded herself as she settled in to spend the rest of the afternoon helping her grandfather stock up on herbs in return for her mischievousness.

[890]