[PRP] Out on the Border [Azar x Asyria]

[Kimaria]

For once, Azar was alone at one of the border guard posts, resting in the shade it provided before he continued on his way. From here one could see where the desert met a slice of green that parted gold from sky. Somewhere, further along the trail, his son was likely to be found. The son he was about to disown after the argument they'd just had. Oh, they'd had arguments before, of course, but he'd always won. He'd always swayed opinion to his side. This time, however...Heti had refused to see sense.

He wanted to go out into rogue lands. He wanted to up and leave the desert. He wanted to consort with outsiders not proven in their strength. The last one was made up, in fact. Heti had definitely not suggested he was interested in such things but Azar had made the assumption to fuel his irritation.

What was wrong with everyone all of a sudden?

Why this sudden need to poke their noses where they did not belong?

He stood, shook his pelt vigorously and turned an ear at the sound of distant roaring - nothing to be alarmed about, just a greeting. Heti must have caught up with the rest of the patrol and been given the all clear. Which brought up another point to be mad about!! If all the guards went running off to dance on solid ground, who would be here to protect the borders? He'd like to say he could do it all on his own but that was impossible - even for someone as awesome and dedicated as him. No, no, no, no, no. He did not like this turn of events. Not one little bit. Why was he the only one who could see the trouble this would bring about?

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

What a buzz!

She'd caught wind of the planned expeditions in to the 'unknown' for many of the Firekin and she had afforded a smile. This would be good for them, healthy even... They'd been so insular that so few of them realised just what lay outside and what they could benefit from. While she knew there would always be traditionalists in the pride, it would be good for a fair few of them to experience the outside world where several of their own members had come from.

...Several, including herself.

So few of them knew anything about the world beyond their own home and as a consequence, they knew little about their fellow pride members. More interestingly, until now, so few had even expressed an interest in it. To Asyria it was an encouraging sign, and one she would have openly embraced had it not been for the fact she had no real need to explore the outside world at this particular moment in time. She'd been raised in it, she'd seen a fair amount of it, and she'd always have a link to it. The expedition was therefore not for her, though she hoped one or two might guide the naive firekin to avoid too much trouble.

Nevertheless, she found herself on the borders not because she was in pursuit of an adventurer. No, no... This time she was on the border to confront a certain feline who had conveniently used her as a get out clause. Fortunately for her, it wasn't long before she had caught sight of him - it seemed that the guard's directions had been accurate.

"And there's the lovely gentleman I was looking for!" she drawled and raised a brow. "You have been a very busy boy, haven't you?"

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

It took him a moment to realise that the voice he had heard was not in his head and that there was, in fact, someone drawing closer. He recognised it, too, and he felt his defences lift immediately. Why, of all people, was she out here? Did she have nothing better to do than torment him? He turned to look at her, red eyes narrowed.

"I'm always busy," he replied, clearly not reading her tone at all. Was she trying to insinuate that he was wasting time? That he was not doing his duty? To be fair, he had fallen behind, but he'd make up the lost ground before the day was up and no one would be any the worse for it. Except for him, maybe, since his delay had now meant crossing paths with this particular female.

"In fact, I should be back on patrol now, so if you don't mind--" he stood and turned in the direction he would be going, stepping out with a paw. Part of him hoped she'd just let him go but he knew already that she was going to be difficult to shake. Still, he'd rather catch up with his good-for-nothing son than be tormented by her. Honest.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Now now, let's not be so hasty," Asyria replied as he 'greeted' her. As expected, he was his usual blustering self, generally hostile and hot headed though she had learned that this was simply how he was...particularly around her. He needed to lie down at some point and talk about his feelings to a counselor, he had far too much anger and resentment in there!

"I just have a few questions," she continued.

She knew that if she didn't speak quickly he'd make an exit and she was going to have to spend even more of her time chasing him. As it was, on this occasion she was being nice (and considerate), by getting to talk about it here. He definitely wasn't going to appreciate it if she asked him these questions in front of his guards, let alone his son.

"Mostly regarding the Regent," she added and gave the toe of her right paw a little twirl. "And why she might be under the impression that you and I are a thing - you are not my greatest fan, good sir," she tilted her head to the side and raised a brow. "I thought producing children with someone of the particular rank would be an honour, good blood and all that...?"

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Well that got his attention. Azar'bijan froze for a moment, seeming to take a good few seconds to absorb this new predicament he had gotten himself into. How the hell had she found that out so quickly, let alone at all? He didn't think she'd bump into the regent - let alone end up talking about breeding arrangements!! For a moment he really did not know what to say or do. Embarrassment was not an emotion Azar felt often or knew how to deal with. Emotions were a tricky thing for him in general. They were safer hidden away where no one could see them.

For all that he liked tradition there were a few that he was able to overlook. Yes, arrangements of such were well known throughout the pride, particularly with their complicated bloodlines. The Firekin, it seemed, were also not ones for romance in the traditional sense of the word. If Heti and the other pride members were to be believed it was hard enough to find someone you weren't related to, let alone fall in love with (Azar'bijan wasn't convinced, of course). But Azar'bijan didn't want an emotionless arrangement. He would do his duty as a guard, not as a...some sort of donator to someone who only cared that his father had been of old-blood. Maybe it hurt his pride. Or hurt his feelings.

"She put me in a difficult position," he ground out at last, "if I turned her down without reason, it might damage my chances at a promotion." Some might have argued that by acquiescing, he'd boost his chances of climbing the ranks. "So I lied."

Then he realised that Tapana likely knew of his deceit now. He felt suddenly sick.

"Did she send you to find me? Is that why you're here?" he sounded, strangely, more deflated than anything. Why did nothing go his way? Ever? Could he not just have one little piece of luck thrown his way?

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Oh please," Asyria snorted.

His demeanour had changed rather suddenly and she regarded him with unbridled curiosity . Her first thought had been that he had rather scuttled himself in regards to a promotion anyway, to produce offspring with Tapana would probably have helped him. Nevertheless, he might very well have been like her father in some respects... It was less respectable to get your promotion through nepotism, than to earn it.

"You think I'm about to blow your cover for no reason?" she raised her eyebrow, sky-high a that and shook her head. "Contrary to what you might think, my father raised me to have tact when it's needed most," she waved her paw somewhat dismissively and sighed. "Based on the fact I had absolutely no idea why you might have picked my name of all things, I thought it would be in both our interests to find that out before I dispelled the illusion."

There was a pause and she lifted her paw to brush lightly at her nose.

"She will find out eventually when nothing happens though, you know that right?" she pointed out and pursed her lips. "So you may want to work out a story that works out for us both and makes sense if the Regent feels so inclined as to ask your family about your uh...relationship."

She had a point of course, she imagined it would come as quite a surprise to Heti and co if it came up in conversation and they weren't prepared for it!

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Azar turned to her at last, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. She had tact? This one? It seemed out of character for her to do something like that. After all, she'd thrown things at him and left him to deal with irritating cubs. Would revealing his lie not be another fun thing for her to do? Did she want him in her debt for some reason?

He felt himself grow nervous at the thought.

"Your name was just the first that popped into my head. That's all." He hadn't, yet, stopped to think why that might have been. Because she irritated the heck out of him or...?

"I'm not coming up with any stories. She'll be looking for some other male to do her bidding and forget all about it. Most of my family aren't really her type so she'd have no reason to bring it up." Well...hopefully. But now he was starting to worry. Dammit! Why did Asyria have to come here and get him all paranoid?!

"You can come up with a story and we'll go with that," he said at last, trying not to show how worried he was. "Or I'll just say it didn't work out. Whatever."

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Convenience, got it," Asyria gave a mini 'thumbs up' and shook her head. "But you're being naive if you don't think it will be a topic of conversation when you eventually bump in to her again," she raised a brow. Whether he cared to admit it or not, Firekin did seem to be capable of general chit chat and there was only so much time you could spend on the weather, the sand, or the current state of the borders.

How were your children, how was your significant other etc... Well, where she came from, such conversations would have been perfectly normal and when it did come up, it wasn't going to make any sense whatsoever to pretend nothing had happened. This would be particularly important if she had eventually found herself a mate!

Ah yes, he was absolutely still in a relationship with her, he just happened to be part of a bizarre affair involving multiple males. Very respectable.

Not.

"All right, then we'll simply say your boarish behaviour didn't mesh with my more adaptable personality, how about that?" she asked with a smile. It was more of a rhetorical question if anything, but it would be something that she knew most of the pride would buy. "You're completely inflexible and stuck in your own ways, plus you don't seem terrible inclined towards us outsiders, so we simply weren't compatible."

"No one will blame you, you have made your position on that type of thing very clear more than once, even to me."

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Worst case scenario would be that Tapana would hear they broke up and, not having a male in mind, would come back to him again. Then he'd have nowhere to go except to say he'd found someone else (probably wouldn't work the second time) or that he just wasn't interested in that type of relationship. Even if she decided she might like to try for something romantic he just wasn't sure he could return the feelings. She was his leader! Not a fellow guard or...a warden.

"Outsiders are fine," he bit back, "so long as they've proven themselves." It's just that some outsiders were more annoying than others. Way more annoying. "I don't like this story," he responded. "It makes me look bad. If we're going to falsify one, it at least has to be believable." Ha! If only he knew that her story would likely be the most believable one they could come up with. "I would be a good mate."

He strengthened his stance as if preparing to do battle over this fact. "Just no one can--" he cut himself off, frowned deeply, then turned his sentence into a growl and changed the subject, "I am not boarish!" In truth, he probably didn't even know what that meant. He was probably those other things she said, though. Probably.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Proven by your standards," Asyria returned with her brow still raised. "I distinctly remember you expressing your distaste as large numbers of us were welcomed into your lands recently," she pointed out and shook her head. "Your definition of 'proof' seems to rely almost entirely on physical strength, which may work here but in the wider world...That can get you killed," she tilted her head to the side and sighed.

"Sometimes being small, sometimes when you lack in muscle, it can pay off," she paused. "You can fit into spaces you wouldn't normally, you can outrun something that will clearly kill you, you can possess more agility, reach things some one like you couldn't..."

She clucked her tongue.

"Perhaps our new expeditions into my former home will help some of you to see that, rather than assuming we are all less than you simply because we cannot flex our muscles or knock someone out in a single blow," she chuckled. "Some of those 'weaker' individuals might even save their lives due to their naivety to the world they have entered."

"Regardless, if you don't like the story I have chosen then what else would you propose?" she challenged. "I have no doubt you'll make a suitable partner to someone who has the same values as you, who is just as inflexible in their view of the world... But in regards to someone like me, we might very well be too liberal for your tastes."

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

"And what's wrong with that? I have high standards. It's not like I impose them on everyone else and not myself. I work hard. I would give my life if I had to. That is what being a Firekin is all about." Wasn't it?

Azar'bijan was one of those lions who had never set paw outside of the lands, despite being on the borders almost all of the time. In the desert there were no small spaces. No one he would need to run from. Being more agile was a quality but he favoured his bulk over that any day. With enough strength he would not need to run and he wouldn't have been a very good guard if he turned-tail at the first sign of trouble.

"Firekin don't belong out there. This is our home! Going on some fool's errand will achieve nothing." But he was afraid of the outside lands. Afraid of exactly what Asyria was saying. It was an unknown. What if their strength was not enough? What if something happened? What if Heti didn't--

He shut down that line of thought and set his teeth together. He wasn't going to think about that idiot boy right now. He huffed, glaring at her, "you think you're too good for me? Is that it? Are you offering some sort of challenge?" He wouldn't put it past her. She was tricky.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Are you sure about that?" Asyria asked curiously. "You have impeccably high standards for your own son, you might even have views he doesn't agree with and given your inclination to be quite vocal with them, you don't really give much room for those around you to disagree," she pointed out. He might not know it, but impeccably high standards could be suffocating, perhaps that's why her own father hadn't bothered to take her home with him.

Truthfully, he'd always been quite vague about where he was from.

"And if Firekin don't belong out there, then why do you send them out there?" she challenged. "When they don't 'look' exactly like your traditions demand, you send your own blood out into the very world they, by your own definition, do not belong in," she raised her brow once more and wrinkled her nose. "You could very well be leading those who were unfortunate enough to be the wrong colour to their death through a lack of understanding of what's out there."

"Hell, they could even be stronger than you are because they managed to survive out there."

She let this settle in for a moment or two.

"The very least you can do with your racist principles is prepare those you intend to exile as much as you can, rather than potentially condemning them to death, prepare them for exactly what does live out there," she snapped. It was something spoken with surprising force, a clear indication that this was one principle she would absolutely never support. A child couldn't choose what colour it was, it was unreasonable to fault them for it.

"Strength is not everything out there and I would know, it's where I come from!"

"This expedition is a good thing and sorely needed to open this pride's eyes to the truth," she added and shook her head.

"And I'm not saying I'm better than you, I'm just stating facts," she murmured. "We have opposing views, ones that do not mesh well, for us not to work out is more predictable than if we did work out. Even you are smart enough to appreciate that."

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

For the first time in a long time, Azar could offer no reply. His silence, perhaps, said far more than any response he could have given, anyway. His eyes were fixed on hers as she spoke, as if to defy what she was saying, but as time went on, his gaze faltered and eventually he looked away. He wasn't prepared for this conversation. Probably never would be. Was it so wrong that he wanted his son to be the best he could be? To keep pressing harder and harder until greatness was achieved - even if it was impossible?

Of the huria children, Azar had no real opinion. He'd never had to deal with it so he'd not thought much on those that had been sent away once they came of age. They would be alright, wouldn't they? Surely their parents had seen to their training. Nothing to do with him! He was just about to say as much when something in her tone kept him from doing so. She was being forceful. Angry, even, and he hadn't been prepared for that.

Our ways worked, he thought, though the statement wasn't as forceful in his head as it had once been.

"Fine," he ground out at last, "now, if you don't mind, I have work to do." He turned from her and, though he tried to look unaffected, could feel his pace speeding up as he increased the gap between them.

Yep. He was pretty much running away.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

He was running away, but he had categorically proven that her story was believable. They simply had opposing views that would never work together, not unless he began to loosen that stance of his and embrace some of the more modern views that the younger generations might have. Consequently, she wasn't concerned with whether or not anyone would believe that they weren't compatible, everyone would buy it.

...Whether Tapana found out and pursued him again would no longer be her problem at that stage.

"Coward," she murmured as she watched the lion quicken his pace and leave. He could make all the excuses he wanted, but sometimes the truth hurt, and this was something he needed to hear...maybe he'd be better for it in the end, or alternatively he could pretend it had never have happened, but that would no longer be her concern. Regardless, with her conversation now over, it made sense for her to take her leave too and she soon returned to her previous activities...

Kimaria