Post by Safiye on Mar 5, 2007 3:10:32 GMT -5
Setting:
Luvuvhu Water Hole
Characters:
(in order of appearance)
Nabana, Knight of Kivuli
Khamisa, Lady of Kivuli
Safiye, newcomer to Kivuli
Atreyu, Lord of Kivuli
Scene:
The death of the king is weighing heavily on most of the Kivulians and Nabana is no exception. For better or for worse, though, he did not know Kiet very well, so the loss is more in his sense of duty than striking him personally. He took some time for mourning nonetheless, and heard of the coronation, but volunteered to keep watch in other parts of the land when it happened, so he wasn't actually present. He'll have his time to speak with Mizuka after the new king has had some time to himself. Until then, it's business as usual, as is his duty. This evening finds the knight just coming off his patrols, making his way to the waterhole. There is a bit of sadness to him, but he's far from buried in despair. Kivuli has seen worse times, and has survived them all. It is in that where his heart is rooted, rather than in individuals.
She, however, is buried in despair. Although, given that Khamisa is Kiet's daughter, that is only to be expected. The Princess - er, Lady now; she really needs to get used to the change in title - did well in the days following her father's passing; she had set her mind on giving Mizuka a decent coronation and had worked hard at it and thus she was distracted from her grief. But now the ceremony has come and gone and there is nothing left to occupy Khamisa's mind. Grief has hit her hard this day and the lioness has found herself wandering various parts of Kivuli, stopping in places that held special meaning to her or Kiet to sob her heart out. It's been exhausting, which sounds silly when she considers the fact that, really, she hasn't done anything but walk. But such is as it is. Thirst has driven Khamisa to seek out the closest water source and she arrives on the scene with her head held low, gaze focused only on the path before her paws, features grief stricken. The mourning process will be long for this one.
If Lady Khamisa was to look up, she may find that she is not the only lioness looking to sake her thirst at the water's edge. On the other side of the hole is a small, dark creature lapping at a shallow pool of mud and silt, not quite bold enough to venture where jaws full of teeth might be lurking beneath the water's murky surface. Safiye does not trust the river. Sensing Khamisa's arrival and smelling Nabana on the breeze, she lifts her head and fixes the noble with a wary stare, the muscles beneath her dappled pelt visibly tensing as she prepares to bolt at the first sign of aggression from the other female. She's well-aware that these lands are marked, claimed by a pride of complete strangers who may or may not approve of her trespass.
The look of Khamisa's despair is one that Nabana has seen a lot recently. Without even so much as a greeting, the knight alters his course to start heading over to the lioness. He's always been somewhat of an ear for the troubled, especially those within the pride. "Lady Khamisa," he intones in a gentle baritone when he gets close enough, drawing up alongside the lioness. His gaze lingers on her for a moment, but he soon senses they're not quite alone. Looking about the waterhole confirms that there is another lioness present. Not one that he knows, though. Curious.
It takes a moment for Nabana's voice to even sink into Khamisa's brain once the sound of his voice has been caught by her ears. Once it does, she pauses, blinking, before lifting her head to look in Nabana's direction. She stares at the knight for a long moment, her mouth eventually working as if she'd like to say something.. but nothing comes out. She finally settles for simply giving him a long, sad look. Turning back in the direction of the water, Khamisa prepares to move forward to quench her thirst, but pauses again when she finally notices Safiye across the way. Again, the Kivulian Lady stands, staring for a long moment at the stranger. It takes a long moment before she reminds herself that, hello, Khammy? Royalty? Where are your manners? "Oh! Hello..." The greeting is certaintly lacking her usual grace and kindness, sounding flat and dull even to her own ears. She's trying, though. Honest.
In the time it takes Khamisa to speak, Safiye has retreated several paces backward and splashed through a puddle, soaking her small paws in a thick coat of filthy grime. Not that it's too noticeable; her pelt bears the telltale signs of nomad, the fur unkempt and clumped around her distending belly and face as though she hasn't had the time to groom for several moons. Her eyes dart uncertainly between the noble and the knight. They don't -look- like barbarians, but Safiye knows better than to trust outward appearances. "Forgive me," she replies in a voice thick, melodic, and much larger than she feels. "I did not mean to trespass." She trails off, ears slicking back to lay flat against the gentle curve of her skull.
A glance is cast aside to Khamisa, and he takes a couple steps closer to lean his cheek gently against her neck. "I'll take care of this," he tells her, softly. "Remember--I told you, I'm at your service." Stepping away from the lioness a moment later, his gaze turns to Safiye, to whom he offers a light smile, even if he can't hide the bit of lingering sadness in his eyes. He steps back with a forepaw, head lowering in a clearly well-practiced bow. "Good lioness, you needn't be afraid." The knight then rights himself. "We are not going to hurt you here."
You /think/ he'd let his baby sister go running around the lands by herself? .... Sure! But he's still going to follow her, at least for now. The pale Lord comes slowly into the scene, gaze lingering mainly on the new lioness with curiosity but he makes a straight line for his sister. Attie meets Khams with a gentle head butt to her neck lovingly before politely giving Nabana a nod if his head. "Evening." He's rather quiet for the usual Atreyu, but he's had a lot on his mind. Golden eyes slowly shift back to Safiye and a brow arches, "Hello ma'am.. your new.." There's the roguish quirk of a grin and his attention moves back to his sister. .. What? XD
Khamisa's ears lift slightly as the other lioness speaks, and her features soften slightly as some of the grief on her face gives way to sympathy. The touch to her neck draws her attention back to Nabana. Though she is unable to conjure a smile for the older male, the lioness' gaze reflects how thankful she is and Khamisa takes a step closer to the water, dipping muzzle to quench her thirst as Nabana speaks to the foreigner. She finishes after a moment, lifting her head and giving Safiye a polite nod to go along with the knight's kind words. Atreyu's appearance catches Khamisa by surprise, but that quickly fades and she returns to him a gentle nuzzle, leaning gratefully into her brother's side. "Attie." Khamisa's mood has gone downhill since the coronation, having nothing to distract her now.. but Atreyu is a welcome sight and it is he who is enough to draw the smallest of smiles from the femme royal as he grins across the way to Safiye. Brothers.. geez!
Safiye is so startled by his gesture that the knight may as well have leapt at her. Her legs go rigid and the fur along the curve of her spine begins to bristle, instinctively prickling to warn her about the perceived danger. "Where is, here?" she asks slowly, tentatively, as she lifts her ears--the first sign her body is beginning to relax and accept that these lions are not the threat she initially thought them to be. Still, she can't quite shed her discomfort at being outnumbered in unfamiliar territory, especially now that a -third- lion has shown up on the scene. Great blue skies above! This newcomer is as pale as a ghost! She gawks, staring at Atreyu longer than is probably considered polite, finally tearing her gaze away to look back to Nabana in anticipation.
The knight returns Atreyu's greeting with a nod of his own, but it is all the further attention he gives the pair at the moment since they've got each other. His attention is focused on Safiye. "Peace," he says softly, following it up with another dip of his head. "This is known as Kivuli. This is Pr--Lady Khamisa, and Lord Atreyu." Must remember their new titles, after all. "I am Nabana, one of the local knights." Everybody has a title. "Just relax," he says, trying to speak in his most soothing tone.
Atreyu fixes his eyes calmly on Safiye and frowns gently. Shes terrified.. if he woulda known he wouldn't have come over to overwhelm her. Atreyu flicks his ears back relaxedly before nudging Khamisa lovingly. Nabana is waved off with a flick of his tail as he smiles warmly to the foreign lioness, "Evening Ma'am.. you can just call me Atreyu, Attie works fine 's well." The pale lord doesn't mind her staring, he simply smiles warmly and slowly slides to his haunches, scooting his butt a little closer. "Your safe here, I assure you. These guys are pretty much push overs.." he speaks softly, whiskers twitching. "May I ask your name?" his tail gently snuggling up next to his baby sisters paws.
After a moment, Khamisa sits alongside her sibling, though she looks more regal and graceful than her dumb-butt brother does, focusing her attention across to Safiye. For the other lioness, she gives a small smile, and dips her head in acknowledgement as Nabana gives her name. The petite lioness refrains from jabbing Atreyu in the side for the moment - geez, Attie! What were you taught? Your title /is/ part of your name! - and instead finally speaks more than just a word at a time. "Welcome to Kivuli."
Peace is a word so embedded in Safiye's memory that she exhales softly upon hearing it, seeming to deflate in one long breath. If these Kivuli lions truly wanted to hurt her, they would have done so by now. She nods to Nabana, Khamisa and lastly Atreyu, treating the boldest of the three with the most amount of caution. Should she give him her name? Safiye isn't sure. She tips her head, regarding the pale male from beneath her lashes and mentally sizes him up before she answers, syllables rolling smoothly from her foreign tongue, "I am Safiye, daughter of Emir, child of the Mihriban." Somewhat awkwardly, she attempts to mimic Nabana's bow, almost losing her balance in the process.
She's Safiye, daughter of the who with the what? Nabana attempts to commit that to memory, but isn't fully sure if he will remember. Ah well. He manages to hide the smile that wants to work its way to his maw as the lioness attempts his bow. It's not a common gesture, and he found himself in the dust many times while perfecting it, but his seasons as a knight have allowed him to get the execution down pat. He contemplates for a few moments whether to bow out and let the nobles deal with the situation, but he also doesn't want to abandon them in case they want to step away to grieve or speak or something. "It is a pleasure, Safiye," he says, but nothing more for now, waiting to see what direction things go.
Atreyu mrrs gently and nods his head. AH.. he's freaking her out isn't he. He can't /help/ that he's a little forward/out there XD That's just ... Atreyu. However, he means no harm and out of all of them is probably the biggest baby. Khams is EVIL anyway ... J/K XD Attie dips his head politely and smiles, "Safiye.. that's a pretty name. It's a pleasure to meet you. You have nothing to fear here, your safe within our lands, tread fearlessly and without caution, no one will harm you here." Did those words just come out of /his/ mouth? He shoots Khamisa a look close to 'shut up' before clearing his throat and focusing his gaze back to the new lioness, a warm smile greeting his maw.
Aha. Khamisa does, however, commit it instantly to memory. As the pride's historian - and just from lessons she had growing up - she's learned to quickly take in such things. "A pleasure to meet you, Safiye, daughter of Emir, child of the Mihriban." The royal returns politely. A sidelong glance is given to Atreyu, one delicate brow raised ever so slightly at him, a faint smirk settled on pale muzzle. Khamisa says nothing to him, though, for now. She falls silent for a moment, her brain struggling to provide the words that would normally come so easy to her to say to the other lioness. Grief - and the day spent crying - has taken its toll on Khammy. A quick glance is slanted to Nabana, thankful that he is still around to pick up for any of her slack, before she smiles to Safiye. "I apologize.. I must seem rude, having Nabana do all my talking.. I'm afraid you will have to excuse me for that. But my brother is right. You have nothing to fear here. You have our word."
Making note never to attempt another bow, Safiye shakes off her paws, one at a time, and flicks a glop of mud off the very tip of her tail. Atreyu receives a strange look, slow and sidelong. Pretty name? She couldn't have heard him correctly. Dismissing the compliment as a wistful figment of her imagination, she turns her body away from him and begins moving parallel to the shore. She can sense that all is not right with Khamisa, but she does not pry; it simply isn't her place. "I will not stay long," she promises. "But I have come very far and my legs are very tired from being pursued."
The knight's ears twitch a little as Khamisa looks at him, and he gives her a reassuring smile, along with a dip of his head. He said he was at their service--as he has been for their father and grandfather. His gaze returns to Safiye when she mentions being pursued. That bit catches his interest, and he takes a couple steps closer. "Is there someone we need to be watching out for?" he asks softly. After all, it wouldn't do for her to be pursued into Kivuli and an attack taking place in their territory.
Atreyu keeps close watch of his baby sister, a keen look given her way. Mistaken? No she wasn't, and Atreyu wouldn't be one to lie either. The male smiles politely to the new lioness, ears rotating forwards, "Stay as long as you need Safiye. Your more then welcome." He stands then, figuring Nabana has everything under control. The pale lord gives the knight a polite nod of his head before nosing Khamisa's shoulder, whispering to her softly, "C'mon Khams.. lets go talk.." He knows everything was hard on his baby sister.. maybe all she needed was to let it all out. And with that the pale lord turns, nodding his leave respectfully to the foreign lioness, and takes his leave.
White-rimmed ears flick forward on her skull at the foreign lioness' last words. Pursued? Though Khamisa does wish to hear more, the nudge to her shoulder and Atreyu's words do not go ignored. And, at this very second, she does desire her sibling's company. Perhaps they can go hole up with Mizuka for a few hours, all together. Rising smoothly to her paws, the Kivulian Lady gives Safiye another nod. "You are welcome for as long as you like. There is water here.. and a fresh kill at the base of the west mountain, Nabana knows where that is, that you are welcome to." Khamisa will trust Nabana to learn more of the lioness' pursuer and make any decisions on if tighter security would be required on the border the lioness has come from. "Please.. make yourself at home." Safiye is given a small smile, and a glance and silent nod to Nabana, before Khamisa quietly excuses herself and pads after Atreyu's retreating form.
"No," Safiye responds to Nabana, shaking her head. "Do not concern yourself with my troubles, agha." She forces a small, sad smile. "I have been on my own for quite some time, and they have never been so bold as to set foot where there are others." It's very possible that she's only telling the knight what he wants to hear, but the sincerity in her voice sounds true. "No harm should come to your kin if I linger here." As Lady Khamisa departs with her pale brother, she dips her head, bidding the nobles a silent farewell.
His gaze trails after the pair as they go, but returns to Safiye a moment later. "Concerning myself with others' troubles is part of my duty as a knight. If you should need my assistance, or believe that you are being pursued into Kivuli territory, don't hesitate to ask." He clears his throat slightly, looking around a moment before he lowers his head and his voice. "And should you run into others of Kivuli who seem a little... downtrodden or distracted, do not take it personally. The pride has been struck with tragedy recently, and the mood has been rather... contagious."
"Tragedy?" Safiye echoes in a thin whisper as if afraid of being overheard. Or maybe she's just following Nabana's lead in dropping their voices. "How dreadful!" She eases back onto her haunches, shifting her weight from side to side until she's comfortable on the riverbank. It feels good to rest her hindquarters in the mud; the cubs in her belly are a terrible strain on her back, and all this traveling as only made the ache worse. "What happened? If you do not mind my asking, of course?"
His tone drops even more, and a bit of sadness returns to his eyes. "There has been a sickness running through the lands. A few days ago... it took their father from us." Nabana nods after Khamisa and Atreyu to indicate who he means. "But you need not worry yourself." He takes a little bit closer look at the lioness now, his brow furrowing as his gaze lingers on the injury on her face. "You look like you could use a bit of a rest, and an opportunity to tend to... yourself."
Feeling the knight's eyes on her face, Safiye turns her head away and gives a short, bitter laugh. Ah, yes; she'd almost forgotten about -that-. "It is but a mere scratch, agha. Nothing that will not heal on its own." So she hopes. She raises a paw and squeezes one eye shut as she grooms the wound, lightly scratching at the scab that has begun to form across the lid, making it difficult for her to blink. Satisfied that no flies have laid eggs under her flesh, she curls her tongue over her top lip and licks her nose clean of mud.
There's that word again. Must be some sort of term like he's heard used around Kivuli. "There is no need to turn away. We all have our share of injuries." Nonetheless, there is something... that seems a little bit out of place about this one. "If you like, though, I can conduct you to somewhere a little less open so that you might have the opportunity to groom in a place that lends itself to rest a little better than here."
Safiye chuckles lowly. "Where I come from," she murmurs. "It is the males who wear their scars with dignity and pride. I have no mane, and so my worth is lowered." Her husky voice cracks on the last word, but she's quick to regain her composure, raising her head to look at Nabana full on. Behind her, the lioness' tail twists and curls, taking all matters of shapes as she considers his offer. "Thank you. I would certainly appreciate the quiet."
"Nonsense," Nabana says quietly, dismissing her claim. "It will heal, and you'll be as good as new." The lion offers another one of his bows, a kind smile on his muzzle, before he turns to lead the way. "Come. I know of somewhere you can rest."
Safiye falls into step several paces behind the male, as she is accustomed to. She has quenched her thirst, at least for now, and has no desire to drink more from the Luvuvhu. "What does it mean?" she asks Nabana, still puzzling over the bow. "When you lower yourself?"
A glance is cast over his shoulder, and Nabana figures that perhaps the lioness is more comfortable walking behind him to keep some distance between them. Mentally shrugging it off, he speaks over his shoulder as he leads. "It's a little bit deeper version of a nod. Took me some time to get it right. It's meant to be a sign of respect."
This Kivuli must be a very strange place indeed, Safiye decides. She's never heard of a male displaying respect to a lower ranking female who isn't related to him by blood. Why, it borders on blasphemy! "I am unfamiliar with your kingdom's titles and customs," she admits, somewhat sheepishly. "You introduced Khamisa as Lady. I can only assume that she is a lioness of great importance?"
Continuing to make his way upstream along the rider, Nabana keeps talking at Safiye over his shoulder. "She used to be the daughter of the king, who recently passed. Her brother, Mizuka, stepped up as the new king. Sisters of the king are known as ladies, brothers are lords," he explains, going around a bend in the river.
King is a title that Safiye is familiar with, if only because she has encountered it so often during her travels. Although she doubts that Nabana is the type of lion to leave her behind, she picks up the pace, closing a small amount of distance between them. Wherever the knight leads her, she will follow, slipping into silence so that the journey is easier for both of them.
Luvuvhu Water Hole
Characters:
(in order of appearance)
Nabana, Knight of Kivuli
Khamisa, Lady of Kivuli
Safiye, newcomer to Kivuli
Atreyu, Lord of Kivuli
Scene:
The death of the king is weighing heavily on most of the Kivulians and Nabana is no exception. For better or for worse, though, he did not know Kiet very well, so the loss is more in his sense of duty than striking him personally. He took some time for mourning nonetheless, and heard of the coronation, but volunteered to keep watch in other parts of the land when it happened, so he wasn't actually present. He'll have his time to speak with Mizuka after the new king has had some time to himself. Until then, it's business as usual, as is his duty. This evening finds the knight just coming off his patrols, making his way to the waterhole. There is a bit of sadness to him, but he's far from buried in despair. Kivuli has seen worse times, and has survived them all. It is in that where his heart is rooted, rather than in individuals.
She, however, is buried in despair. Although, given that Khamisa is Kiet's daughter, that is only to be expected. The Princess - er, Lady now; she really needs to get used to the change in title - did well in the days following her father's passing; she had set her mind on giving Mizuka a decent coronation and had worked hard at it and thus she was distracted from her grief. But now the ceremony has come and gone and there is nothing left to occupy Khamisa's mind. Grief has hit her hard this day and the lioness has found herself wandering various parts of Kivuli, stopping in places that held special meaning to her or Kiet to sob her heart out. It's been exhausting, which sounds silly when she considers the fact that, really, she hasn't done anything but walk. But such is as it is. Thirst has driven Khamisa to seek out the closest water source and she arrives on the scene with her head held low, gaze focused only on the path before her paws, features grief stricken. The mourning process will be long for this one.
If Lady Khamisa was to look up, she may find that she is not the only lioness looking to sake her thirst at the water's edge. On the other side of the hole is a small, dark creature lapping at a shallow pool of mud and silt, not quite bold enough to venture where jaws full of teeth might be lurking beneath the water's murky surface. Safiye does not trust the river. Sensing Khamisa's arrival and smelling Nabana on the breeze, she lifts her head and fixes the noble with a wary stare, the muscles beneath her dappled pelt visibly tensing as she prepares to bolt at the first sign of aggression from the other female. She's well-aware that these lands are marked, claimed by a pride of complete strangers who may or may not approve of her trespass.
The look of Khamisa's despair is one that Nabana has seen a lot recently. Without even so much as a greeting, the knight alters his course to start heading over to the lioness. He's always been somewhat of an ear for the troubled, especially those within the pride. "Lady Khamisa," he intones in a gentle baritone when he gets close enough, drawing up alongside the lioness. His gaze lingers on her for a moment, but he soon senses they're not quite alone. Looking about the waterhole confirms that there is another lioness present. Not one that he knows, though. Curious.
It takes a moment for Nabana's voice to even sink into Khamisa's brain once the sound of his voice has been caught by her ears. Once it does, she pauses, blinking, before lifting her head to look in Nabana's direction. She stares at the knight for a long moment, her mouth eventually working as if she'd like to say something.. but nothing comes out. She finally settles for simply giving him a long, sad look. Turning back in the direction of the water, Khamisa prepares to move forward to quench her thirst, but pauses again when she finally notices Safiye across the way. Again, the Kivulian Lady stands, staring for a long moment at the stranger. It takes a long moment before she reminds herself that, hello, Khammy? Royalty? Where are your manners? "Oh! Hello..." The greeting is certaintly lacking her usual grace and kindness, sounding flat and dull even to her own ears. She's trying, though. Honest.
In the time it takes Khamisa to speak, Safiye has retreated several paces backward and splashed through a puddle, soaking her small paws in a thick coat of filthy grime. Not that it's too noticeable; her pelt bears the telltale signs of nomad, the fur unkempt and clumped around her distending belly and face as though she hasn't had the time to groom for several moons. Her eyes dart uncertainly between the noble and the knight. They don't -look- like barbarians, but Safiye knows better than to trust outward appearances. "Forgive me," she replies in a voice thick, melodic, and much larger than she feels. "I did not mean to trespass." She trails off, ears slicking back to lay flat against the gentle curve of her skull.
A glance is cast aside to Khamisa, and he takes a couple steps closer to lean his cheek gently against her neck. "I'll take care of this," he tells her, softly. "Remember--I told you, I'm at your service." Stepping away from the lioness a moment later, his gaze turns to Safiye, to whom he offers a light smile, even if he can't hide the bit of lingering sadness in his eyes. He steps back with a forepaw, head lowering in a clearly well-practiced bow. "Good lioness, you needn't be afraid." The knight then rights himself. "We are not going to hurt you here."
You /think/ he'd let his baby sister go running around the lands by herself? .... Sure! But he's still going to follow her, at least for now. The pale Lord comes slowly into the scene, gaze lingering mainly on the new lioness with curiosity but he makes a straight line for his sister. Attie meets Khams with a gentle head butt to her neck lovingly before politely giving Nabana a nod if his head. "Evening." He's rather quiet for the usual Atreyu, but he's had a lot on his mind. Golden eyes slowly shift back to Safiye and a brow arches, "Hello ma'am.. your new.." There's the roguish quirk of a grin and his attention moves back to his sister. .. What? XD
Khamisa's ears lift slightly as the other lioness speaks, and her features soften slightly as some of the grief on her face gives way to sympathy. The touch to her neck draws her attention back to Nabana. Though she is unable to conjure a smile for the older male, the lioness' gaze reflects how thankful she is and Khamisa takes a step closer to the water, dipping muzzle to quench her thirst as Nabana speaks to the foreigner. She finishes after a moment, lifting her head and giving Safiye a polite nod to go along with the knight's kind words. Atreyu's appearance catches Khamisa by surprise, but that quickly fades and she returns to him a gentle nuzzle, leaning gratefully into her brother's side. "Attie." Khamisa's mood has gone downhill since the coronation, having nothing to distract her now.. but Atreyu is a welcome sight and it is he who is enough to draw the smallest of smiles from the femme royal as he grins across the way to Safiye. Brothers.. geez!
Safiye is so startled by his gesture that the knight may as well have leapt at her. Her legs go rigid and the fur along the curve of her spine begins to bristle, instinctively prickling to warn her about the perceived danger. "Where is, here?" she asks slowly, tentatively, as she lifts her ears--the first sign her body is beginning to relax and accept that these lions are not the threat she initially thought them to be. Still, she can't quite shed her discomfort at being outnumbered in unfamiliar territory, especially now that a -third- lion has shown up on the scene. Great blue skies above! This newcomer is as pale as a ghost! She gawks, staring at Atreyu longer than is probably considered polite, finally tearing her gaze away to look back to Nabana in anticipation.
The knight returns Atreyu's greeting with a nod of his own, but it is all the further attention he gives the pair at the moment since they've got each other. His attention is focused on Safiye. "Peace," he says softly, following it up with another dip of his head. "This is known as Kivuli. This is Pr--Lady Khamisa, and Lord Atreyu." Must remember their new titles, after all. "I am Nabana, one of the local knights." Everybody has a title. "Just relax," he says, trying to speak in his most soothing tone.
Atreyu fixes his eyes calmly on Safiye and frowns gently. Shes terrified.. if he woulda known he wouldn't have come over to overwhelm her. Atreyu flicks his ears back relaxedly before nudging Khamisa lovingly. Nabana is waved off with a flick of his tail as he smiles warmly to the foreign lioness, "Evening Ma'am.. you can just call me Atreyu, Attie works fine 's well." The pale lord doesn't mind her staring, he simply smiles warmly and slowly slides to his haunches, scooting his butt a little closer. "Your safe here, I assure you. These guys are pretty much push overs.." he speaks softly, whiskers twitching. "May I ask your name?" his tail gently snuggling up next to his baby sisters paws.
After a moment, Khamisa sits alongside her sibling, though she looks more regal and graceful than her dumb-butt brother does, focusing her attention across to Safiye. For the other lioness, she gives a small smile, and dips her head in acknowledgement as Nabana gives her name. The petite lioness refrains from jabbing Atreyu in the side for the moment - geez, Attie! What were you taught? Your title /is/ part of your name! - and instead finally speaks more than just a word at a time. "Welcome to Kivuli."
Peace is a word so embedded in Safiye's memory that she exhales softly upon hearing it, seeming to deflate in one long breath. If these Kivuli lions truly wanted to hurt her, they would have done so by now. She nods to Nabana, Khamisa and lastly Atreyu, treating the boldest of the three with the most amount of caution. Should she give him her name? Safiye isn't sure. She tips her head, regarding the pale male from beneath her lashes and mentally sizes him up before she answers, syllables rolling smoothly from her foreign tongue, "I am Safiye, daughter of Emir, child of the Mihriban." Somewhat awkwardly, she attempts to mimic Nabana's bow, almost losing her balance in the process.
She's Safiye, daughter of the who with the what? Nabana attempts to commit that to memory, but isn't fully sure if he will remember. Ah well. He manages to hide the smile that wants to work its way to his maw as the lioness attempts his bow. It's not a common gesture, and he found himself in the dust many times while perfecting it, but his seasons as a knight have allowed him to get the execution down pat. He contemplates for a few moments whether to bow out and let the nobles deal with the situation, but he also doesn't want to abandon them in case they want to step away to grieve or speak or something. "It is a pleasure, Safiye," he says, but nothing more for now, waiting to see what direction things go.
Atreyu mrrs gently and nods his head. AH.. he's freaking her out isn't he. He can't /help/ that he's a little forward/out there XD That's just ... Atreyu. However, he means no harm and out of all of them is probably the biggest baby. Khams is EVIL anyway ... J/K XD Attie dips his head politely and smiles, "Safiye.. that's a pretty name. It's a pleasure to meet you. You have nothing to fear here, your safe within our lands, tread fearlessly and without caution, no one will harm you here." Did those words just come out of /his/ mouth? He shoots Khamisa a look close to 'shut up' before clearing his throat and focusing his gaze back to the new lioness, a warm smile greeting his maw.
Aha. Khamisa does, however, commit it instantly to memory. As the pride's historian - and just from lessons she had growing up - she's learned to quickly take in such things. "A pleasure to meet you, Safiye, daughter of Emir, child of the Mihriban." The royal returns politely. A sidelong glance is given to Atreyu, one delicate brow raised ever so slightly at him, a faint smirk settled on pale muzzle. Khamisa says nothing to him, though, for now. She falls silent for a moment, her brain struggling to provide the words that would normally come so easy to her to say to the other lioness. Grief - and the day spent crying - has taken its toll on Khammy. A quick glance is slanted to Nabana, thankful that he is still around to pick up for any of her slack, before she smiles to Safiye. "I apologize.. I must seem rude, having Nabana do all my talking.. I'm afraid you will have to excuse me for that. But my brother is right. You have nothing to fear here. You have our word."
Making note never to attempt another bow, Safiye shakes off her paws, one at a time, and flicks a glop of mud off the very tip of her tail. Atreyu receives a strange look, slow and sidelong. Pretty name? She couldn't have heard him correctly. Dismissing the compliment as a wistful figment of her imagination, she turns her body away from him and begins moving parallel to the shore. She can sense that all is not right with Khamisa, but she does not pry; it simply isn't her place. "I will not stay long," she promises. "But I have come very far and my legs are very tired from being pursued."
The knight's ears twitch a little as Khamisa looks at him, and he gives her a reassuring smile, along with a dip of his head. He said he was at their service--as he has been for their father and grandfather. His gaze returns to Safiye when she mentions being pursued. That bit catches his interest, and he takes a couple steps closer. "Is there someone we need to be watching out for?" he asks softly. After all, it wouldn't do for her to be pursued into Kivuli and an attack taking place in their territory.
Atreyu keeps close watch of his baby sister, a keen look given her way. Mistaken? No she wasn't, and Atreyu wouldn't be one to lie either. The male smiles politely to the new lioness, ears rotating forwards, "Stay as long as you need Safiye. Your more then welcome." He stands then, figuring Nabana has everything under control. The pale lord gives the knight a polite nod of his head before nosing Khamisa's shoulder, whispering to her softly, "C'mon Khams.. lets go talk.." He knows everything was hard on his baby sister.. maybe all she needed was to let it all out. And with that the pale lord turns, nodding his leave respectfully to the foreign lioness, and takes his leave.
White-rimmed ears flick forward on her skull at the foreign lioness' last words. Pursued? Though Khamisa does wish to hear more, the nudge to her shoulder and Atreyu's words do not go ignored. And, at this very second, she does desire her sibling's company. Perhaps they can go hole up with Mizuka for a few hours, all together. Rising smoothly to her paws, the Kivulian Lady gives Safiye another nod. "You are welcome for as long as you like. There is water here.. and a fresh kill at the base of the west mountain, Nabana knows where that is, that you are welcome to." Khamisa will trust Nabana to learn more of the lioness' pursuer and make any decisions on if tighter security would be required on the border the lioness has come from. "Please.. make yourself at home." Safiye is given a small smile, and a glance and silent nod to Nabana, before Khamisa quietly excuses herself and pads after Atreyu's retreating form.
"No," Safiye responds to Nabana, shaking her head. "Do not concern yourself with my troubles, agha." She forces a small, sad smile. "I have been on my own for quite some time, and they have never been so bold as to set foot where there are others." It's very possible that she's only telling the knight what he wants to hear, but the sincerity in her voice sounds true. "No harm should come to your kin if I linger here." As Lady Khamisa departs with her pale brother, she dips her head, bidding the nobles a silent farewell.
His gaze trails after the pair as they go, but returns to Safiye a moment later. "Concerning myself with others' troubles is part of my duty as a knight. If you should need my assistance, or believe that you are being pursued into Kivuli territory, don't hesitate to ask." He clears his throat slightly, looking around a moment before he lowers his head and his voice. "And should you run into others of Kivuli who seem a little... downtrodden or distracted, do not take it personally. The pride has been struck with tragedy recently, and the mood has been rather... contagious."
"Tragedy?" Safiye echoes in a thin whisper as if afraid of being overheard. Or maybe she's just following Nabana's lead in dropping their voices. "How dreadful!" She eases back onto her haunches, shifting her weight from side to side until she's comfortable on the riverbank. It feels good to rest her hindquarters in the mud; the cubs in her belly are a terrible strain on her back, and all this traveling as only made the ache worse. "What happened? If you do not mind my asking, of course?"
His tone drops even more, and a bit of sadness returns to his eyes. "There has been a sickness running through the lands. A few days ago... it took their father from us." Nabana nods after Khamisa and Atreyu to indicate who he means. "But you need not worry yourself." He takes a little bit closer look at the lioness now, his brow furrowing as his gaze lingers on the injury on her face. "You look like you could use a bit of a rest, and an opportunity to tend to... yourself."
Feeling the knight's eyes on her face, Safiye turns her head away and gives a short, bitter laugh. Ah, yes; she'd almost forgotten about -that-. "It is but a mere scratch, agha. Nothing that will not heal on its own." So she hopes. She raises a paw and squeezes one eye shut as she grooms the wound, lightly scratching at the scab that has begun to form across the lid, making it difficult for her to blink. Satisfied that no flies have laid eggs under her flesh, she curls her tongue over her top lip and licks her nose clean of mud.
There's that word again. Must be some sort of term like he's heard used around Kivuli. "There is no need to turn away. We all have our share of injuries." Nonetheless, there is something... that seems a little bit out of place about this one. "If you like, though, I can conduct you to somewhere a little less open so that you might have the opportunity to groom in a place that lends itself to rest a little better than here."
Safiye chuckles lowly. "Where I come from," she murmurs. "It is the males who wear their scars with dignity and pride. I have no mane, and so my worth is lowered." Her husky voice cracks on the last word, but she's quick to regain her composure, raising her head to look at Nabana full on. Behind her, the lioness' tail twists and curls, taking all matters of shapes as she considers his offer. "Thank you. I would certainly appreciate the quiet."
"Nonsense," Nabana says quietly, dismissing her claim. "It will heal, and you'll be as good as new." The lion offers another one of his bows, a kind smile on his muzzle, before he turns to lead the way. "Come. I know of somewhere you can rest."
Safiye falls into step several paces behind the male, as she is accustomed to. She has quenched her thirst, at least for now, and has no desire to drink more from the Luvuvhu. "What does it mean?" she asks Nabana, still puzzling over the bow. "When you lower yourself?"
A glance is cast over his shoulder, and Nabana figures that perhaps the lioness is more comfortable walking behind him to keep some distance between them. Mentally shrugging it off, he speaks over his shoulder as he leads. "It's a little bit deeper version of a nod. Took me some time to get it right. It's meant to be a sign of respect."
This Kivuli must be a very strange place indeed, Safiye decides. She's never heard of a male displaying respect to a lower ranking female who isn't related to him by blood. Why, it borders on blasphemy! "I am unfamiliar with your kingdom's titles and customs," she admits, somewhat sheepishly. "You introduced Khamisa as Lady. I can only assume that she is a lioness of great importance?"
Continuing to make his way upstream along the rider, Nabana keeps talking at Safiye over his shoulder. "She used to be the daughter of the king, who recently passed. Her brother, Mizuka, stepped up as the new king. Sisters of the king are known as ladies, brothers are lords," he explains, going around a bend in the river.
King is a title that Safiye is familiar with, if only because she has encountered it so often during her travels. Although she doubts that Nabana is the type of lion to leave her behind, she picks up the pace, closing a small amount of distance between them. Wherever the knight leads her, she will follow, slipping into silence so that the journey is easier for both of them.
