Post by Shomoro on Mar 27, 2008 22:31:44 GMT -5
Involved:
Elimnyama, Tyne King
Almasi, Tyne Princess
Amahl, Tyne Prince and STILL going against the grain of everything!
Tyne - PolePole Stream
He's come running from the Forgotten Lands--it's not such a /great/ distance, between what passes for their waterhole and here, but it's still enough of one to tire him out. His chest is /burning/. Argh. And this? This is why Sammar training him to fight is just /not going to happen/. If he stresses himself too much he can't get enough air in his lungs, and pushing on anyway, past his breaking point, just makes bad things happen. And it's a looong way between here and Tyne Rock, certainly well past that point. So Amahl, forced to acknowledge that, excitement or no, running wasn't the best idea, has to call a break. He makes it to the edge of the stream before he collapses onto his stomach, panting; part of him wants a drink, but first he's got to catch his breath, or possibly black out. What is /wrong/ with his stupid body? Nobody else has to deal with this crap!
He's had a fair amount to worry over lately - not just the upcoming announcement to the pride of Kamau and Kale' being chosen as heirs, but the fact that those he HAS let in on the 'secret' haven't taken it incredibly well. There's going to have to be a lot of tolerance in Tyne over the next couple of seasons or things have the potential to go to pieces. If not, Elim's only choice will be either to break some heads and try and MAKE everyone accept the two boys as the new kings or..... live forever! Yeahh. That last one's sounding nice. Elim' is currently patroling the area with half his attention on his problems and the other half on actually looking for any trouble. Just as his mind rolls over to Kione's reaction (which threatens to produce yet another royal headache), the lion catches a blur of color and stares in the direction of the Forgotten Lands. He squints into the distance, struggling for a moment to make out just who it is who's running this way, but there's not many in Tyne who're that pale other than his brother or Kale', and he JUST saw Kale' nearer to Tyne Rock. Is it Aitan, then? Elim's heart leaps into his throat at the notion of seeing his missing brother again, but a few more second's observation dashes that hope: it's.. Amahl. Alarm fills the lion as he launches himself into a run, barely conscious of giving his body any order to move. "Amahl!" he shouts, and as he sees the boy collapse his father trips over his own legs in his fear and urgency and flies forward onto his face. "AMAHL!" Something must be horribly, horribly wrong to make the boy run like that! He knows he shouldn't exert himself!
Gaspwheeze. His heart is fluttering unpleasantly in his chest; he wants to roll over onto his side, but he hasn't really got the strength to. And so he winds up sort of...listing sideways, and letting gravity do the rest. He's facing the stream, and in any case his eyes are shut, so he doesn't see Elimnyama off nearby. But he /hears/ his father, right enough. Oh...he must have caught the lion out on patrol. Well, that's good...he thinks. Though, really, his story is going to sound absolutely /ridiculous/ when he tells it. .../If/ he can tell it. He doesn't have the wind to call back, and so for awhile it must look like he /has/ blacked out or something. But eventually Amahl stirs, lifting his head, and manages to get it turned towards the older male. He's still panting, but not as badly, and finally he gets out, "I'm okay--" It looks worse than it is, really! Except...it doesn't. But oh, he's /sick/ of this. He doesn't want to mind his stupid defective body anymore. He bets everyone else could have at /least/ made it to the jungle before they collapsed! "--Wanted to talk to you--" Well, wheeze at him, morelike.
Ohgodohgodohgod. What if he's dying? What if having the healer treat him at birth only bought him enough time to get him to his adolescence? Elim' was always surprised the boy lived through his first few weeks, but having him die NOW would just be too cruel. And the last conversation they would've had ended in a fight! OH WOE IS ELIM! Gasping himself, tho' more due to the huge weight of terror that has settled over his chest, Elim' finally makes it to his son and falls down next to him. "Amahl! Amahl, what happened?!" He hardly hears the boy's words as he searches the body for injuries. Something's wrong! Something horrible's happened! "What?" Elim' asks distractedly, only half-hearing Amahl when he says he wants to talk. OH GOD HE'S DYING THIS IS IS WHERE'S WASET.
He's not injured, at least outwardly--which was always the problem with him. Sure, he's runty, but he's far too delicate for something that doesn't have any /visible/ problems. So it's fortunate that it's one of his parents who found him, and not somebody else, who might think he's either faking or just being lazy. "I'm /okay/," Amahl tries again, his voice small, and then just gives up on talking for a little while. It's never gotten this bad before, but then again, he's never taxed himself like this before; he's always been much more careful. Still, he's not dying...or at least, he thinks he's not. How would he know until he was actually, well, dead? At least his father doesn't seem mad at him anymore. /That/ would really suck, shuffling off the mortal coil while Elim was still angry at him over what was probably a very unfortunate misunderstanding. He sucks in a deep breath, then lets it out and doesn't move again; if he's breathing, it's really too shallow to see. But about ten minutes later his face twists into a grimace and he cracks an eye open, gingerly. /Is/ he dead? "Um--" he tries, and moves to push himself up all of a sudden.
No verbal assurance will convince Elim' that Amahl isn't bleeding out from some horrible wound, he has to see for himself! When a close visual inspection yields nothing alarming, Elim' finally focuses on Amahl's face. "Oh," he replies, uneasy and unconvinced of the kid's being alright. Nevertheless, he sees Amahl's need for air and forces himself to step back and take a seat. "Close your eyes and breathe real slow," he suggests quietly during those awful ten minutes, watching his son with extreme anxiety. Elim' grins weakly as Amahl's eye opens, and he shuffles forward carefully to crouch beside him. "Don't get up, it's okay. Just lie down and rest, we can talk right here."
Amahl wants to protest--wants to say, /no/, anybody /else/ could sit up, they'd be fine by now. But of course he's /not/ anybody else, and while he's finally starting to feel better he can tell he's just going to make it worse again if he keeps shifting around. So he lets himself sink back down, and his ears are flat. What a shameful display! "...Okay. I, um..." He's not sure what to say, now that he actually bothers to stop and think about it. It just seems almost rude to bring up when they've still got issues between them. "...You're not still mad at me?" is what comes out instead, though that's kind of a stupid question. Would Elim' /really/ say he was still mad while he's probably worried that his son's going to drop dead at any moment?
Almasi has arrived.
The lion's ears flag forward the better to hear his son, albeit he already crouches next to Amahl's collapsed body. Surely this is going to be enlightening, whatever it is that's gotten Amahl into this condition. Elim' has to blink at the words that actually drop from his son's mouth. "You-" He stops himself from saying 'you ran all the way here to say THAT?', which he realizes would not be very kind. And poor weak Amahl needs kind treatment right now! A few moments are spent in actual reflection on the question and then Elim' smiles that small, warm, fatherly smile. "No, I'm not mad. I understand why you said what you did. It was.. probably not the right thing for me to do to get angry. It's very stressful to have to make a choice like that, and I was pretty wound up." Lowering himself onto his stomach, Elim' lies calmly next to Amahl, his eyes on his toes. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I hope you're not angry with me," he says, very quietly.
Actually, this /isn't/ what he ran all the way over here to say...but part of him realises that what he wanted to bring up would be--well, it wouldn't really be the best topic to broach with this /last/ big thing hanging between them. So Amahl watches him a little warily...and when Elim smiles, he relaxes. Just a little. It's a minute or two before he says anything in return, though part of that is because he's still trying catch his breath. "I'm not!" The assurance, when it /does/ come, is painfully earnest. "I don't even care about being king. And Cyrus is, um--" Well, absent. He doesn't know much more than that, having not actually seen his brother in some time. If he knew a little more about the barbary, he'd probably think it was a good thing Cyrus doesn't even seem to want the position. "I mean, I was surprised you didn't pick Almasi or Nyala. But I guess you were training Kamau how to be a guard already and you knew how he'd do, huh?" Or something like that. He offers a smile of his own, but it's brief, fluttering over his face and then disappearing--and he looks away, his ears sinking back again. "It's just--I knew I wouldn't be named heir, but--now that they /have/ been picked, I guess it's really just dawned on me that we're all growing up. And the older we get...I'm realising more and more that there's really nothing /I/ can do. I can't fight and I definitely can't hunt." His smile's back, but it's bitter now. "I can't really contribute anything. And that's--kind of--" Frustrating? Upsetting? Both emotions are written all over his face now, speaking of it.
There is another in the area, actually following after her brother's scent which went this away. Almasi is checking up on him more then anything. Her ears perk, maw twitching while she lifts her head and blinks as she watches her brother and father off in the distance talking it seems. The lioness takes in a breath before pressing forward, sowly moving towards them. She hasn't spoke to her father since that night so she isn't fully sure what to expect at the moment.
Elimnyama grins more broadly to hear Amahl's sincerity. He hears the boy out, happiness bubbling up as he realizes that, far from the spoiled child he accused Amahl of being, the young lion is actually speaking very maturely - AND he's not mad at his father! Elim' nods solemnly and utters a little sigh. "Trust me, both Nyala and Almasi would have been wonderful queens. I don't doubt their abilities at all. Cyrus.." Here, the lion can only shrug. That cub has always done his own thing, and in his case the decision to NOT name him as heir was, unfortunately, very easy to make. "You ARE growing up," he agrees with a wistful smile. "I remember when you were all so tiny, sometimes we thought you'd disappeared when you were cuddled up in your mother's fur." A frown emerges as he hears the rest of what Amahl has to say, and the bitterness certainly does not go unnoticed. "You contribute a lot to your sisters and your mom and I just by being around," he argues, gently. "But.. I know you're frustrated. I wish there was more I could do for you. I'm just so glad you /survived/.. You know, those first days.. I really thought you were going to go the way of your first brother, and .. not make it." It's hard to breathe, all of a sudden. With the surge of emotion going on, he doesn't yet notice Almasi's quiet approach.
"Was it just because you were already training Kamau, then?" His voice isn't accusing, just...curious. And a little calmer; his stomach had knotted up just thinking about the whole thing, but his father's reaction loosens it a little. And as the older lion keeps speaking, Amahl looks away for a minute. "I'm glad. But--will everyone else feel that way?" He has no idea what sort of kings Aitan's son and Kamau will make--he doubts they'll be /bad/ ones, with Elimnyama's influence, but will they have much patience for a cripple that doesn't even have some horrible /visible/ deformity to excuse his inability to exert himself? /Should/ they? His little episode today only reconfirmed what he'll be able to bring to the pride as things are now: absolutely nothing but an extra mouth that needs to be fed. "I don't remember any of it," he says after a minute. "But I do remember you and mum would always get so /worried/." Leaning over, he gives Elim's shoulder a nudge, and in the process /does/ see Almasi coming over. His ears perk forward, but he doesn't know if raising his voice to call over would be a good idea. It might be okay, it might not be; he doesn't really want to keep testing himself right now. Which annoys him, but doing it anyway--well, he just experienced what happens when he does /that/. "...Do you know anything about what's been going on in Kivuli?" he adds suddenly.
Almasi makes her way closer to the pair, frowning some as she catches sight of Amahl on the ground looking worn out. "Amahl.. Are you alright?" She questions while taking in a breath and glances to their father before looking back to her brother. Her attention rests on him while she leans over to nose at his shoulder.
"It wasn't /just/ because I was already training him. Kamau's a good kid. He's intelligent and eager to learn, and I think he'll really do well as king. It's all about what's best for the pride. I know in time you'll all see what I mean about that." He nods slowly, lips slightly pursed. His tone was gentle as he explained, but was rounded off with the most minor of edges to suggest that Elim' would prefer that the situation be closed for now. He really doesn't want to end up in another argument with his son, not just after they've made up. Just then he catches sight of Almasi and he smiles warmly to her.. at first. She seems as though she might.. still be angry at him. Elim' frowns, his ears falling gently back into his mane as he averts his eyes from the girl. For some reason, saying the same things he just said to Amahl to one of his daughters feels much, much more difficult. Hearing Amahl's question, Elim' flicks an ear toward the boy but does not look up. "Hnh? Kivuli? Oh, uh.. no. They mostly keep to themselves, don't they? Why?"
"I'm sure we will." Amahl, though, seems satisfied enough to drop the subject. "I'm sure your judgment's good...I just don't know him all that well. So I'm curious." It's not that he's too antisocial to actually go out and talk to people...it's just that, by and large, he's never interacted with any of the other Tyne youths outside of his sisters. More than likely, he was too intimidated by all the roughhousing males his age typically engage in to even try. But! That's enough of that, especially since Almasi is coming over and...wanting to know if he's okay? He's tired of worrying everyone, but he /does/ look rather dishevelled. He sighs, leaning up to nudge his sister. "I'm fine. I just ran around too much today." He smiles at her, his gaze drifting from her to Elim and back again, hopeful. He and their father are okay now, so he's hoping /they/ can be too. Of course...it might not work out that way, he supposes. "Well...I was out on the border earlier, and I ran into a lion..." Even as he says it, he's getting that stomach-knotty feeling again. A conversation starting like this can't possibly end well, can it?
Almasi smiles at Amahl and nods while settling down to her haunches and eyes him faintly while taking in a faint breath. Her gaze turns to there father, ears twitching forward as she snuffles slightly. A faint smile is offered to her father, sems she isn't mad at him per say. The talk of some stranger gets her attention back on Amahl. "What strange lion?"
Elimnyama chances a slight glance upward and happens to catch Almasi's smile. After a moment, he returns one of his own and resolves firmly to speak to her later in private. It seems that Amahl is turning the conversation to something else for the time being. Refocusing on his son, the king dips his head and nods for his son to continue. A rogue lion on the border isn't so unusual, afterall. There's got to be more to this story.
And of course, there is. "His name is Sammar," he says when Almasi asks, glancing up at her again. "He said he was from a pride called Jinjin'tau, and that he was part of a group on their way to Kivuli. Apparently they're delivering a lioness there for the king to take as a mate." Amahl sounds rather bemused, but he's not unfamiliar with the idea of political marriages. It just seems strange in practise. "He wanted directions...and," /this/ is the part that he's sure no one is going to like, "he kept asking me to go with them!" He still seems perplexed, but he's smiling a bit; apparently this Sammar, whoever he was, was nice. "It was--strange. But it did get me thinking...if I can't hunt or guard or do anything members of a pride usually do...maybe I could be a diplomat. They've got to be useful for something!" When the pride actually /needs/ one, anyway.
"Are they?" Elimnyama looks up slowly, finally feeling mildly interested in this piece of gossip-like news. "Well, that's something, isn't it? I figured Mizuka would've taken a mate and had a few youngins long ago. He was already established on the throne when we had you all over there, y'know." Then, after he falls quiet to listen to the rest of Amahl's story, Elimnyama blinks wide eyes. "He asked you to go /with/ them?" he repeats, bristling with sudden suspicion of this unknown male. But, committed to keeping Amahl's friendship after their argument, he keeps himself from letting his emotions run away. He's frowning, but it's in a controlled way that Elim' continues, "Well now, a diplomat is certainly something. You know I'd be /proud/ of having a son in such an important position.. but that doesn't mean I think you should go running off with any random bunch of strangers. You're a bit young to go playing politics, Amahl. Although I think the job would suit you quite well when you're older."
Almasi ahs faintly, she has no idea who the lion is so that is most likely a good thing though. She smirks at the talk of them sending the king a mate. "That's stupid.." The young lioness states with a huff. "What lioness would want to feel like some gift like that?" Though she pauses and peers at her brother and ohs some. "A diplomat would be an interesting job."
"Really?" Amahl doesn't know much about Kivulian royalty--their relations might be friendlier now, but it doesn't seem to be a trading messengers back-and-forth type of friendly. He thinks he'd have noticed if they had people coming and going like that, after all! "Well, apparently he hasn't--Sammar made it sound like she was going to be the queen. Funny, isn't it?" He shakes his head. "I can't imagine they know each other very well...or at all...if their prides interact so rarely he needed to stop and ask me how to get there!" But--Elim bristles at the news that Sammar wanted him to join them, of course, and truthfully the adolescent is surprised by how much he reins himself in. Honestly, he /expected/ the lion to get angry. It's a foreign male wanting to take one of his pride--his own son, no less--away from him; how could he be anything /but/? "I know. I was surprised. And I know I'm young...but he was offering to train me, I think. You need training for that sort of thing, right?" He'd been smiling again, but now it slips off his face, replaced by a thoughtful frown. "I mean--you need to know how to act, and talk to people, and--whatever else it is they do." Like escorting lioness-gifts around. "I know /I/ wouldn't want to feel like a present for some lion, even if he /was/ a king," he tells his sister, either forgetting to change the pronouns or just not thinking that, well, most kings wouldn't be interested in getting a /male/ gift unless it was a bodyguard or something. "I don't know! I've never even heard of his pride, but maybe you could talk to him?" Looking back at his father. "I didn't think you'd want him to take me away, but after he's done with whatever he's doing in Kivuli if he wanted to come back and teach me some things here..." And Sammar /had/ said they'd probably stay around here for a bit, hadn't he?
He shifts his eyes, which are now narrowed in spite of his wish to remain the happy, friendly, affectionate father who doesn't get pissy about things. He shifts his shoulders a little violently and the resulting CRACKS are pretty harsh on the ears. Elim' was never a tactful individual, never very good at keeping his temper under control. That's what Aitan was for, keeping his brother reeled in when emotions ran high. A balance. Taking in a deep breath, he holds it for a moment and then releases it in a long sigh. By the time all the air is out of his lungs, Amahl has explained his thoughts and now it seems to be up to Elim' to pronounce his decision. Eyes, still narrowed, flick to the boy and halt there. It would seem the king is none too pleased. But he hasn't exploded yet -- miracles DO happen! This 'Sammar' offered to train Amahl? Really. Well, that's the sort of training the boy certainly couldn't get from anyone in Tyne. They haven't got any diplomatic-types around here. Theirs is a pride of too much emotion and energy to be as carefully polite as ambassadors must be. "I /would/ like to speak with him at some point, before we make any permanent arrangements," he begins slowly and carefully, his eyes still on Amahl. "But.. Kivuli's not that far away, and you can't receive that kind of training here in Tyne. Sammar and his lot may.. be in Kivuli for quite some time, and if you're there as a trainee.. that's time you could spend learning about the Kivulians before you'd actually have to be a diplomat between us and them. I ........... think it would be a good experience," he concludes, after a /very/ long and reluctant pause. "If you want to go, Amahl.. I think you should."
Almasi peers at her brother then to their father and takes in a breath as she inches closer to Amahl as if trying to protect him almost. Its just something she's always done, she's always tryed to be there for Amahl, even more so when Cyrus stopped wanting to hang out with her. Siblings are so /strange/. She takes in a breath and peers at her brother a moment then looks back to there father as he actualy seems to say its ok fo rhim to do it. Woah.. the world will for sure end now!
His ears flatten when he hears that cracking sound. Elim...doesn't look happy. Then again, Amahl has to ask himself...would /he/ be happy if he had a son telling him all the things he's just told to his own father? Probably not. And so he opens his mouth even as he leans ever so casually closer to Almasi, grateful for the support. He's ready to apologise; the last thing he wants is to start fighting again. But Sammar was...he'd seemed nice! And that would /obviously/ make him a great teacher! Or something. Truthfully, he's just a little desperate to find something useful to do with himself, and that's probably why he took to the idea so eagerly. Usually he'd be wary of a stranger who inexplicably wanted to take him away from his pride. /Anyone/ would, really. "I'm sorry," he starts, but then Elimnyama starts to speak and he quiets again, just...listening. And what he hears surprises him. A /lot/. "Really?" He's startled, a little uncertain. "I--I /do/ want to, I think. My options are kind of...limited. You know. And doing that might give me some sort of place here that's not simply--being supported by everyone /just/ because I'm your son. And Kivuli is safe!" As far as /he/ knows. Well, Waset had given birth there, so they must be safe. Mizuka wouldn't be inviting cutthroats into his borders! "I can tell him you want to talk to him--" Pushing himself up a little, almost experimentally. But he's feeling a lot better, and he'll probably be okay so long as he doesn't try to run all the way back. "Thank you!" He's earnest; the older male really /doesn't/ look happy, but he's agreeing anyway because--well, he probably understands Amahl's want to carve out something for himself, the adolescent assumes.
Elimnyama smiles reluctantly after a while, but as soon as it appears on his big muzzle, the expression turns sincere and is easier to maintain. He's happy to have made his son happy. He wants Amahl to feel like he has a real place in Tyne, especially once Elim' himself is gone. "You're welcome," he rumbles back, feeling happier than he did a few minutes ago. "I hope you... learn things." Wise, profound words. Yes. And that's the end of my pose. I'm tired. Bagels.
Almasi offers a smile to her brother and nods while bumping her chin to his shoulder. "I bet your do great Amahl." She says happly, glad that her brother is actually excited about really doing something for once.
Elimnyama, Tyne King
Almasi, Tyne Princess
Amahl, Tyne Prince and STILL going against the grain of everything!
Tyne - PolePole Stream
He's come running from the Forgotten Lands--it's not such a /great/ distance, between what passes for their waterhole and here, but it's still enough of one to tire him out. His chest is /burning/. Argh. And this? This is why Sammar training him to fight is just /not going to happen/. If he stresses himself too much he can't get enough air in his lungs, and pushing on anyway, past his breaking point, just makes bad things happen. And it's a looong way between here and Tyne Rock, certainly well past that point. So Amahl, forced to acknowledge that, excitement or no, running wasn't the best idea, has to call a break. He makes it to the edge of the stream before he collapses onto his stomach, panting; part of him wants a drink, but first he's got to catch his breath, or possibly black out. What is /wrong/ with his stupid body? Nobody else has to deal with this crap!
He's had a fair amount to worry over lately - not just the upcoming announcement to the pride of Kamau and Kale' being chosen as heirs, but the fact that those he HAS let in on the 'secret' haven't taken it incredibly well. There's going to have to be a lot of tolerance in Tyne over the next couple of seasons or things have the potential to go to pieces. If not, Elim's only choice will be either to break some heads and try and MAKE everyone accept the two boys as the new kings or..... live forever! Yeahh. That last one's sounding nice. Elim' is currently patroling the area with half his attention on his problems and the other half on actually looking for any trouble. Just as his mind rolls over to Kione's reaction (which threatens to produce yet another royal headache), the lion catches a blur of color and stares in the direction of the Forgotten Lands. He squints into the distance, struggling for a moment to make out just who it is who's running this way, but there's not many in Tyne who're that pale other than his brother or Kale', and he JUST saw Kale' nearer to Tyne Rock. Is it Aitan, then? Elim's heart leaps into his throat at the notion of seeing his missing brother again, but a few more second's observation dashes that hope: it's.. Amahl. Alarm fills the lion as he launches himself into a run, barely conscious of giving his body any order to move. "Amahl!" he shouts, and as he sees the boy collapse his father trips over his own legs in his fear and urgency and flies forward onto his face. "AMAHL!" Something must be horribly, horribly wrong to make the boy run like that! He knows he shouldn't exert himself!
Gaspwheeze. His heart is fluttering unpleasantly in his chest; he wants to roll over onto his side, but he hasn't really got the strength to. And so he winds up sort of...listing sideways, and letting gravity do the rest. He's facing the stream, and in any case his eyes are shut, so he doesn't see Elimnyama off nearby. But he /hears/ his father, right enough. Oh...he must have caught the lion out on patrol. Well, that's good...he thinks. Though, really, his story is going to sound absolutely /ridiculous/ when he tells it. .../If/ he can tell it. He doesn't have the wind to call back, and so for awhile it must look like he /has/ blacked out or something. But eventually Amahl stirs, lifting his head, and manages to get it turned towards the older male. He's still panting, but not as badly, and finally he gets out, "I'm okay--" It looks worse than it is, really! Except...it doesn't. But oh, he's /sick/ of this. He doesn't want to mind his stupid defective body anymore. He bets everyone else could have at /least/ made it to the jungle before they collapsed! "--Wanted to talk to you--" Well, wheeze at him, morelike.
Ohgodohgodohgod. What if he's dying? What if having the healer treat him at birth only bought him enough time to get him to his adolescence? Elim' was always surprised the boy lived through his first few weeks, but having him die NOW would just be too cruel. And the last conversation they would've had ended in a fight! OH WOE IS ELIM! Gasping himself, tho' more due to the huge weight of terror that has settled over his chest, Elim' finally makes it to his son and falls down next to him. "Amahl! Amahl, what happened?!" He hardly hears the boy's words as he searches the body for injuries. Something's wrong! Something horrible's happened! "What?" Elim' asks distractedly, only half-hearing Amahl when he says he wants to talk. OH GOD HE'S DYING THIS IS IS WHERE'S WASET.
He's not injured, at least outwardly--which was always the problem with him. Sure, he's runty, but he's far too delicate for something that doesn't have any /visible/ problems. So it's fortunate that it's one of his parents who found him, and not somebody else, who might think he's either faking or just being lazy. "I'm /okay/," Amahl tries again, his voice small, and then just gives up on talking for a little while. It's never gotten this bad before, but then again, he's never taxed himself like this before; he's always been much more careful. Still, he's not dying...or at least, he thinks he's not. How would he know until he was actually, well, dead? At least his father doesn't seem mad at him anymore. /That/ would really suck, shuffling off the mortal coil while Elim was still angry at him over what was probably a very unfortunate misunderstanding. He sucks in a deep breath, then lets it out and doesn't move again; if he's breathing, it's really too shallow to see. But about ten minutes later his face twists into a grimace and he cracks an eye open, gingerly. /Is/ he dead? "Um--" he tries, and moves to push himself up all of a sudden.
No verbal assurance will convince Elim' that Amahl isn't bleeding out from some horrible wound, he has to see for himself! When a close visual inspection yields nothing alarming, Elim' finally focuses on Amahl's face. "Oh," he replies, uneasy and unconvinced of the kid's being alright. Nevertheless, he sees Amahl's need for air and forces himself to step back and take a seat. "Close your eyes and breathe real slow," he suggests quietly during those awful ten minutes, watching his son with extreme anxiety. Elim' grins weakly as Amahl's eye opens, and he shuffles forward carefully to crouch beside him. "Don't get up, it's okay. Just lie down and rest, we can talk right here."
Amahl wants to protest--wants to say, /no/, anybody /else/ could sit up, they'd be fine by now. But of course he's /not/ anybody else, and while he's finally starting to feel better he can tell he's just going to make it worse again if he keeps shifting around. So he lets himself sink back down, and his ears are flat. What a shameful display! "...Okay. I, um..." He's not sure what to say, now that he actually bothers to stop and think about it. It just seems almost rude to bring up when they've still got issues between them. "...You're not still mad at me?" is what comes out instead, though that's kind of a stupid question. Would Elim' /really/ say he was still mad while he's probably worried that his son's going to drop dead at any moment?
Almasi has arrived.
The lion's ears flag forward the better to hear his son, albeit he already crouches next to Amahl's collapsed body. Surely this is going to be enlightening, whatever it is that's gotten Amahl into this condition. Elim' has to blink at the words that actually drop from his son's mouth. "You-" He stops himself from saying 'you ran all the way here to say THAT?', which he realizes would not be very kind. And poor weak Amahl needs kind treatment right now! A few moments are spent in actual reflection on the question and then Elim' smiles that small, warm, fatherly smile. "No, I'm not mad. I understand why you said what you did. It was.. probably not the right thing for me to do to get angry. It's very stressful to have to make a choice like that, and I was pretty wound up." Lowering himself onto his stomach, Elim' lies calmly next to Amahl, his eyes on his toes. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I hope you're not angry with me," he says, very quietly.
Actually, this /isn't/ what he ran all the way over here to say...but part of him realises that what he wanted to bring up would be--well, it wouldn't really be the best topic to broach with this /last/ big thing hanging between them. So Amahl watches him a little warily...and when Elim smiles, he relaxes. Just a little. It's a minute or two before he says anything in return, though part of that is because he's still trying catch his breath. "I'm not!" The assurance, when it /does/ come, is painfully earnest. "I don't even care about being king. And Cyrus is, um--" Well, absent. He doesn't know much more than that, having not actually seen his brother in some time. If he knew a little more about the barbary, he'd probably think it was a good thing Cyrus doesn't even seem to want the position. "I mean, I was surprised you didn't pick Almasi or Nyala. But I guess you were training Kamau how to be a guard already and you knew how he'd do, huh?" Or something like that. He offers a smile of his own, but it's brief, fluttering over his face and then disappearing--and he looks away, his ears sinking back again. "It's just--I knew I wouldn't be named heir, but--now that they /have/ been picked, I guess it's really just dawned on me that we're all growing up. And the older we get...I'm realising more and more that there's really nothing /I/ can do. I can't fight and I definitely can't hunt." His smile's back, but it's bitter now. "I can't really contribute anything. And that's--kind of--" Frustrating? Upsetting? Both emotions are written all over his face now, speaking of it.
There is another in the area, actually following after her brother's scent which went this away. Almasi is checking up on him more then anything. Her ears perk, maw twitching while she lifts her head and blinks as she watches her brother and father off in the distance talking it seems. The lioness takes in a breath before pressing forward, sowly moving towards them. She hasn't spoke to her father since that night so she isn't fully sure what to expect at the moment.
Elimnyama grins more broadly to hear Amahl's sincerity. He hears the boy out, happiness bubbling up as he realizes that, far from the spoiled child he accused Amahl of being, the young lion is actually speaking very maturely - AND he's not mad at his father! Elim' nods solemnly and utters a little sigh. "Trust me, both Nyala and Almasi would have been wonderful queens. I don't doubt their abilities at all. Cyrus.." Here, the lion can only shrug. That cub has always done his own thing, and in his case the decision to NOT name him as heir was, unfortunately, very easy to make. "You ARE growing up," he agrees with a wistful smile. "I remember when you were all so tiny, sometimes we thought you'd disappeared when you were cuddled up in your mother's fur." A frown emerges as he hears the rest of what Amahl has to say, and the bitterness certainly does not go unnoticed. "You contribute a lot to your sisters and your mom and I just by being around," he argues, gently. "But.. I know you're frustrated. I wish there was more I could do for you. I'm just so glad you /survived/.. You know, those first days.. I really thought you were going to go the way of your first brother, and .. not make it." It's hard to breathe, all of a sudden. With the surge of emotion going on, he doesn't yet notice Almasi's quiet approach.
"Was it just because you were already training Kamau, then?" His voice isn't accusing, just...curious. And a little calmer; his stomach had knotted up just thinking about the whole thing, but his father's reaction loosens it a little. And as the older lion keeps speaking, Amahl looks away for a minute. "I'm glad. But--will everyone else feel that way?" He has no idea what sort of kings Aitan's son and Kamau will make--he doubts they'll be /bad/ ones, with Elimnyama's influence, but will they have much patience for a cripple that doesn't even have some horrible /visible/ deformity to excuse his inability to exert himself? /Should/ they? His little episode today only reconfirmed what he'll be able to bring to the pride as things are now: absolutely nothing but an extra mouth that needs to be fed. "I don't remember any of it," he says after a minute. "But I do remember you and mum would always get so /worried/." Leaning over, he gives Elim's shoulder a nudge, and in the process /does/ see Almasi coming over. His ears perk forward, but he doesn't know if raising his voice to call over would be a good idea. It might be okay, it might not be; he doesn't really want to keep testing himself right now. Which annoys him, but doing it anyway--well, he just experienced what happens when he does /that/. "...Do you know anything about what's been going on in Kivuli?" he adds suddenly.
Almasi makes her way closer to the pair, frowning some as she catches sight of Amahl on the ground looking worn out. "Amahl.. Are you alright?" She questions while taking in a breath and glances to their father before looking back to her brother. Her attention rests on him while she leans over to nose at his shoulder.
"It wasn't /just/ because I was already training him. Kamau's a good kid. He's intelligent and eager to learn, and I think he'll really do well as king. It's all about what's best for the pride. I know in time you'll all see what I mean about that." He nods slowly, lips slightly pursed. His tone was gentle as he explained, but was rounded off with the most minor of edges to suggest that Elim' would prefer that the situation be closed for now. He really doesn't want to end up in another argument with his son, not just after they've made up. Just then he catches sight of Almasi and he smiles warmly to her.. at first. She seems as though she might.. still be angry at him. Elim' frowns, his ears falling gently back into his mane as he averts his eyes from the girl. For some reason, saying the same things he just said to Amahl to one of his daughters feels much, much more difficult. Hearing Amahl's question, Elim' flicks an ear toward the boy but does not look up. "Hnh? Kivuli? Oh, uh.. no. They mostly keep to themselves, don't they? Why?"
"I'm sure we will." Amahl, though, seems satisfied enough to drop the subject. "I'm sure your judgment's good...I just don't know him all that well. So I'm curious." It's not that he's too antisocial to actually go out and talk to people...it's just that, by and large, he's never interacted with any of the other Tyne youths outside of his sisters. More than likely, he was too intimidated by all the roughhousing males his age typically engage in to even try. But! That's enough of that, especially since Almasi is coming over and...wanting to know if he's okay? He's tired of worrying everyone, but he /does/ look rather dishevelled. He sighs, leaning up to nudge his sister. "I'm fine. I just ran around too much today." He smiles at her, his gaze drifting from her to Elim and back again, hopeful. He and their father are okay now, so he's hoping /they/ can be too. Of course...it might not work out that way, he supposes. "Well...I was out on the border earlier, and I ran into a lion..." Even as he says it, he's getting that stomach-knotty feeling again. A conversation starting like this can't possibly end well, can it?
Almasi smiles at Amahl and nods while settling down to her haunches and eyes him faintly while taking in a faint breath. Her gaze turns to there father, ears twitching forward as she snuffles slightly. A faint smile is offered to her father, sems she isn't mad at him per say. The talk of some stranger gets her attention back on Amahl. "What strange lion?"
Elimnyama chances a slight glance upward and happens to catch Almasi's smile. After a moment, he returns one of his own and resolves firmly to speak to her later in private. It seems that Amahl is turning the conversation to something else for the time being. Refocusing on his son, the king dips his head and nods for his son to continue. A rogue lion on the border isn't so unusual, afterall. There's got to be more to this story.
And of course, there is. "His name is Sammar," he says when Almasi asks, glancing up at her again. "He said he was from a pride called Jinjin'tau, and that he was part of a group on their way to Kivuli. Apparently they're delivering a lioness there for the king to take as a mate." Amahl sounds rather bemused, but he's not unfamiliar with the idea of political marriages. It just seems strange in practise. "He wanted directions...and," /this/ is the part that he's sure no one is going to like, "he kept asking me to go with them!" He still seems perplexed, but he's smiling a bit; apparently this Sammar, whoever he was, was nice. "It was--strange. But it did get me thinking...if I can't hunt or guard or do anything members of a pride usually do...maybe I could be a diplomat. They've got to be useful for something!" When the pride actually /needs/ one, anyway.
"Are they?" Elimnyama looks up slowly, finally feeling mildly interested in this piece of gossip-like news. "Well, that's something, isn't it? I figured Mizuka would've taken a mate and had a few youngins long ago. He was already established on the throne when we had you all over there, y'know." Then, after he falls quiet to listen to the rest of Amahl's story, Elimnyama blinks wide eyes. "He asked you to go /with/ them?" he repeats, bristling with sudden suspicion of this unknown male. But, committed to keeping Amahl's friendship after their argument, he keeps himself from letting his emotions run away. He's frowning, but it's in a controlled way that Elim' continues, "Well now, a diplomat is certainly something. You know I'd be /proud/ of having a son in such an important position.. but that doesn't mean I think you should go running off with any random bunch of strangers. You're a bit young to go playing politics, Amahl. Although I think the job would suit you quite well when you're older."
Almasi ahs faintly, she has no idea who the lion is so that is most likely a good thing though. She smirks at the talk of them sending the king a mate. "That's stupid.." The young lioness states with a huff. "What lioness would want to feel like some gift like that?" Though she pauses and peers at her brother and ohs some. "A diplomat would be an interesting job."
"Really?" Amahl doesn't know much about Kivulian royalty--their relations might be friendlier now, but it doesn't seem to be a trading messengers back-and-forth type of friendly. He thinks he'd have noticed if they had people coming and going like that, after all! "Well, apparently he hasn't--Sammar made it sound like she was going to be the queen. Funny, isn't it?" He shakes his head. "I can't imagine they know each other very well...or at all...if their prides interact so rarely he needed to stop and ask me how to get there!" But--Elim bristles at the news that Sammar wanted him to join them, of course, and truthfully the adolescent is surprised by how much he reins himself in. Honestly, he /expected/ the lion to get angry. It's a foreign male wanting to take one of his pride--his own son, no less--away from him; how could he be anything /but/? "I know. I was surprised. And I know I'm young...but he was offering to train me, I think. You need training for that sort of thing, right?" He'd been smiling again, but now it slips off his face, replaced by a thoughtful frown. "I mean--you need to know how to act, and talk to people, and--whatever else it is they do." Like escorting lioness-gifts around. "I know /I/ wouldn't want to feel like a present for some lion, even if he /was/ a king," he tells his sister, either forgetting to change the pronouns or just not thinking that, well, most kings wouldn't be interested in getting a /male/ gift unless it was a bodyguard or something. "I don't know! I've never even heard of his pride, but maybe you could talk to him?" Looking back at his father. "I didn't think you'd want him to take me away, but after he's done with whatever he's doing in Kivuli if he wanted to come back and teach me some things here..." And Sammar /had/ said they'd probably stay around here for a bit, hadn't he?
He shifts his eyes, which are now narrowed in spite of his wish to remain the happy, friendly, affectionate father who doesn't get pissy about things. He shifts his shoulders a little violently and the resulting CRACKS are pretty harsh on the ears. Elim' was never a tactful individual, never very good at keeping his temper under control. That's what Aitan was for, keeping his brother reeled in when emotions ran high. A balance. Taking in a deep breath, he holds it for a moment and then releases it in a long sigh. By the time all the air is out of his lungs, Amahl has explained his thoughts and now it seems to be up to Elim' to pronounce his decision. Eyes, still narrowed, flick to the boy and halt there. It would seem the king is none too pleased. But he hasn't exploded yet -- miracles DO happen! This 'Sammar' offered to train Amahl? Really. Well, that's the sort of training the boy certainly couldn't get from anyone in Tyne. They haven't got any diplomatic-types around here. Theirs is a pride of too much emotion and energy to be as carefully polite as ambassadors must be. "I /would/ like to speak with him at some point, before we make any permanent arrangements," he begins slowly and carefully, his eyes still on Amahl. "But.. Kivuli's not that far away, and you can't receive that kind of training here in Tyne. Sammar and his lot may.. be in Kivuli for quite some time, and if you're there as a trainee.. that's time you could spend learning about the Kivulians before you'd actually have to be a diplomat between us and them. I ........... think it would be a good experience," he concludes, after a /very/ long and reluctant pause. "If you want to go, Amahl.. I think you should."
Almasi peers at her brother then to their father and takes in a breath as she inches closer to Amahl as if trying to protect him almost. Its just something she's always done, she's always tryed to be there for Amahl, even more so when Cyrus stopped wanting to hang out with her. Siblings are so /strange/. She takes in a breath and peers at her brother a moment then looks back to there father as he actualy seems to say its ok fo rhim to do it. Woah.. the world will for sure end now!
His ears flatten when he hears that cracking sound. Elim...doesn't look happy. Then again, Amahl has to ask himself...would /he/ be happy if he had a son telling him all the things he's just told to his own father? Probably not. And so he opens his mouth even as he leans ever so casually closer to Almasi, grateful for the support. He's ready to apologise; the last thing he wants is to start fighting again. But Sammar was...he'd seemed nice! And that would /obviously/ make him a great teacher! Or something. Truthfully, he's just a little desperate to find something useful to do with himself, and that's probably why he took to the idea so eagerly. Usually he'd be wary of a stranger who inexplicably wanted to take him away from his pride. /Anyone/ would, really. "I'm sorry," he starts, but then Elimnyama starts to speak and he quiets again, just...listening. And what he hears surprises him. A /lot/. "Really?" He's startled, a little uncertain. "I--I /do/ want to, I think. My options are kind of...limited. You know. And doing that might give me some sort of place here that's not simply--being supported by everyone /just/ because I'm your son. And Kivuli is safe!" As far as /he/ knows. Well, Waset had given birth there, so they must be safe. Mizuka wouldn't be inviting cutthroats into his borders! "I can tell him you want to talk to him--" Pushing himself up a little, almost experimentally. But he's feeling a lot better, and he'll probably be okay so long as he doesn't try to run all the way back. "Thank you!" He's earnest; the older male really /doesn't/ look happy, but he's agreeing anyway because--well, he probably understands Amahl's want to carve out something for himself, the adolescent assumes.
Elimnyama smiles reluctantly after a while, but as soon as it appears on his big muzzle, the expression turns sincere and is easier to maintain. He's happy to have made his son happy. He wants Amahl to feel like he has a real place in Tyne, especially once Elim' himself is gone. "You're welcome," he rumbles back, feeling happier than he did a few minutes ago. "I hope you... learn things." Wise, profound words. Yes. And that's the end of my pose. I'm tired. Bagels.
Almasi offers a smile to her brother and nods while bumping her chin to his shoulder. "I bet your do great Amahl." She says happly, glad that her brother is actually excited about really doing something for once.
