The Sands of Saria

ooc: Veni, your profile looks good for the most part, but have you asked Shadowlight about adding yourself to her family history? I only ask that because Minnah does not seem like the kind of person who would let her daughter be treated like that. And having a sister and a daughter respectively would affect her characters.

Also, what kinds of things did she do to cause trouble? I again ask because it might affect Princes backstory.

I hate to be picky, and normally people can be added to the royal family with ease because their so dysfunctional they don't need to have interacted much before the storybook started unless otherwise agreed, but I think this crosses a line.

Jamie

I couldn't help it, I grinned. It was hard to remember that he was a Prince, and, even worse, a thief. Especially when he was so easy to speak to.

He winked at me playfully and I let an eyebrow raise. He returned with a look that was almost... Saucy, and I couldn't help it.

I barely contained a laugh, snorting instead, and was rewarded with a laugh from him.

"Well if you aren't going to help me, Prince, don't stare." I told him, trying not to be amused.

"Hmm, sorry?"

"If you aren't going to help me, then go away. I don't like being stared at." I told him, and got back to work. The seeds wouldn't spread themselves, even if I got along with a prince.

Spoiler

No problem. if i end up making more mistakes, tell me and i'll change it right away.

While I was lying in the dirt, I listened closely to the conversation. The Prince of Thieves? Now I was sure they were just voices in my head. But I had a nagging feeling that they weren’t. I plugged my ears and the sound went away. Now I was scared. I leapt up as quietly as I could and ran away.
Soon I was back in a familiar hallway. Now, my obsessing over things was starting to kick in. I couldn’t get over those words- “The prince of Thieves”. The king is dead, the princes all want the throne and the Prince of Thieves is in the castle.
I returned to the chamber and sat on the floor curled into a ball, wishing the voices would go away. They whispered to me for hours, telling me horrors I did not wish to now.
'I like being ignorant, ok?' I told the voices.
‘We don’t care.’ They whispered. I submitted to their words, but could not shake the feeling that something even bigger than I had imagined was going on.

Spoiler

Ooc: @yubbies That's good! Because I actually really love you contributions.

Prince ~

"I'm not starting at you," He said.

She seemed to be mostly ignoring him now, going about he business with the seeds.

"You're not?"

"No. I'm watching."

"That really isn't much of a relief. Prince Kassim does the same thing, and it makes me uncomfortable. Please?"

He could understand this. He could easily picture the proprietary way his half-brother would have been watching her. Like a predator who knows his position in the food-chain.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

Zia- The Castle, for now.


"What do you think you're doing?" It's the voice of one of her 'brothers', and Zia spins around to face it.

Amir, the eldest. Well, it could have been worse. "I would like to visit my sister. Is that a problem?"

Amir seems to find slightly amusing. "Farid locked her in her room a long time ago. I believe he still has the key."

"Oh." The statement seems hollow and stupid, especially to her own ears. "That is a tragedy." Zia smiles her best Princess-and-sister-dearest smile up at him. "Shouldn't you being doing something, brother? Your father just died, after all."

He looks suspicous, but Zia doesn't think he caught the use of 'your' instead of 'our', and if he does, he thinks nothing of it.

"All that needs to be done is getting done, Princess. I find there is nothing I need to do."

Zia finds herself itching again, needing to go, go and ride far from here. The conversation is not stimulating in the slightest, and she needs to go. "Shouldn't you be finding the killer?"

His eyes light up with the interesting of the statement; he remembers Zia is no ordinary Princess, that she may have the promise of promises. The only Princess more intresting than herself may be Saja, wrapped in the story of innocence. "I know no killers; and even then they are hired ones, those are the kind that would kill my father."

I know one. The infamous Mori came to hear her sing sometimes; had introduced himself by his name, hearing that she played with thieves, and not really caring. Even Basil Rose was not one to blab, and if she did, he would kill her. She could take Amir to him, make a barter, and still get out of here- it was a challenge, a dance full of risks- but she loved it. Wanted it. "I could take you some place where you could meet one," she says cautiously, part way hoping Saja isn't listening, "but you must agree to something."

"I'm listening."

He doesn't need sense, and is desperate for the upper hand- he may use Mori to kill someone, rather than to find the ultimate killer- or perhaps he is just curious. Either way, Zia was going to take the best she could out of it.

"If you become ruler, you must give me what I want, above all other Princesses, to the means of being neccessary." It is a bet, a gamble, and the silence is aching.

He laughs, and it's so much like Emeer's, she gets insulted. "Deal. If you take me to an assassin, I will agree to that wthin means of my control."

She smiles. Too easy. He does not realize my means are far beyond jewels."Then follow me, and don't act like a Prince."

**********

It took them an hour to find him, but Basil Rose knew where to look. She heard from the theives about where Mori liked to relax- and crossed her fingers she would find him.

Prince Amir looked awkward standing in the Bathhouse in the simple robes she hid in 'The Silk Queen', the place that she sang on Friday nights. Zia, on the other hand, was perfectly fine in billowy pants and a top that showed a decent porton of flat stomach- and she was partially sure I-take-after-my-father-Amir was perfectly fine with that.

She recongnizes the man up front in the house, and she asks to see the assasin, and the assistant hurries to get him.

"Remember, you aren't a Prince, at least at the beginning of this conversation," Zia hissed. "You are my company, and your name is Rajah."

The Prince looks annoyed, but Mori is shuffling into the room with an annoyed, bored look on his face. He is in only a robe, making Zia blush but Basil Rose straighted up. Apon seeing her, Mori grins. "Basil Rose and Company! You look lovely today, my dear. What can I do for you?"

Prince Amir seems confused by the 'Basil Rose' part, but Zia doesn't say anything. "Hello Mori. We were just looking for some... information relating some current events."

FermentingFruit, Leahweird? Up to you two! Anyway, Zia is a little B-polar, isn't she?

Sati

He moved to the other side of the door, observing as the older princess tried to get in. It was locked, of course, and after her little sister didn't answer her call, the young woman gave up, leaving as she found herself another sibling to talk to instead.

Sati returned to the room, finding little princess in tears again. How much tears can one girl have? He didn't like people crying, especially not children. It made them more vulnerable, easier to manipulate, it enhanced their wishes and made him the enemy. No released Genie could keep himself from the hearts that just opened themselves for him, and more sensitive the master is, the more powerful the servant gets. Sati liked being powerful, he liked it a lot. But this girl was still young and still had better dreams to dream later. And Sati didn't feel like raising the King back from the dead would be a very good move.

He moved his hand just a little, and the sheets raised, carrying the princess who laid on them. She opened her eyes as she felt that she's floating, and inhaled sharply, tears slowly disappearing from her eyes. Well, it wasn't as amusing as he expected it to be, but fear was good enough - it made the crying go away. He put her back down to the bed, and she sat up, staring around a meter to the left from where he was standing.
"Um.. Sati?" She whispered, and his own name struck him as something incredibly unusual. He was rarely called by it. "Is that you, are you back?"
He slowly became visible, and with it material again, and she managed to smile.
"Are you here for a long time?" She asked, and he shook his head.
"I came when I heard you crying," he lied, and she nodded. Cute kid, but too naive to live through her siblings' war for the throne. "I'm sorry for what happened."
Her eyes widened with hope.
"Do you know who did it?"
"No," he lied again. Of course he knew who did it, there was barely anything he didn't know, but that battle wasn't his. And besides, it was way more entertaining to watch them figure out themselves.
The princess looked very sad again.
"I miss him so much. Will it get better in time?"
"I wouldn't know, my young lady," Sati replied. "I never lost a family member."
He doubted there was anyone whom she could even call so. The princess frowned with surprise.
"You don't have to call me a lady. I'm Saja. Don't you have any family?"
"It's different," he said. "And it's hard to make friends when you live as long as I do The humans, see, don't particularly like me if I don't do as they ask. And my owns.. They are bound to follow their masters, so we don't have any reunions."
Yet.
*

Dania

She licked her lips, observing a few grains of sand on the table. There was always sand in this city, one could never escape it, and she loved that fact. They put her in a prison, she creates herself a key. They raise a weapon on her, she creates herself a shield. They use magic against her, she kills them before they manage to say a word. Who'd say that sand can be so powerful?
The Prince followed her look, frowning a bit at the grains but not attempting to remove them. That was pretty smart, as she liked them there.
"Indeed, I haven't told you why I'm here," she said. "Well, then. I made a deal with your father. I doubt that you know it, but he's made me a promise. I came to collect what's mine.. And to make another deal, eventually."
"A deal? With whom?" He seemed to be calculating his chances, wondering if he should be the one to make that deal with her.
"Whit whomever sits on that throne. With the King's heir." She stood up. It was getting late, and she yet had to see the town before heading to the desert. "I need you to tell me one thing."
"Oh. And that is..?"
"The name of your youngest sibling."
He frowned, and for a moment Dania was sure that he's planning to lie again, maybe so he'd make her go after one of the rival brothers.
"Princess Saja," he said then. "As far as I'm aware."

With a small bow and thank you very much, she left the Prince of Mages. This generation was interesting - fascinating, even. She was looking forward to meeting them, and hoped this prince Kassim will understand how much it means that he managed to have a normal conversation with her.
*

Jamie

"I'm not going to hurt you."

I glanced at him, and raised an eyebrow again. "That doesn't really change my stance on being watched by Princes..." I responded apologetically. Fear wasn't exactly logical in that way.

He was still watching me.

I ignored him this time.

Prince

She might not have liked him watching her, but she had his curiosity now. And he was getting ideas.

"What are you doing though?"

"I am trying to plant a garden, if you must know."

"A garden?" he mused skeptically. "You do realize we're in the middle of a desert?"

This time she actually did glance at him, but only in derision.

"We are? " She exclaimed in sarcastic surprise. "I didn't even realize."

Airan- Her Quarters

Well, that was that.

Emeer was dead, but it had only been a matter of time. For a woman newly widowed, Airan was surprisingly calm. She got up. She completed her toilette. Powder, kohl, and heavy veil and clothes. She didn't have time to order widow's clothes, but she supposed those would be bought en masse for the wives.

"Do they know who did it?" she asked her handmaiden. The girl shook her head silently and Airan was left to consider the possibilities.

"How are the other women?"

"Some distraught, some decidedly less so," the girl said, diplomatic but still with an edge to her voice. Airan liked her.

"And the children?"

"The same as their mothers."

"And the heir?"

"Which heir might that be?"

Airan turned to smile at the girl in person rather than just at her reflection. "I like you," she said. "What's your name?"

"Kaliss, milady."

"I'll keep that in mind." Airan stood up, smoothing down the heavy beaded front of her tunic. "For now, I have some very public, very distressed grieving to do."

She left her room, and went to find Minnah.

Jamie

That comment seemed to amuse him, he smiled at me. "What are you trying to grow in this garden of yours?"

I looked at the courtyard, small by most standards, even in this palace, and let my imagination expand. "Grass. Glorious, luxuriously soft grass to walk barefoot on," I told him dreamily. "Maybe a few flowers, something hardy."

"I'm fairly sure that's the most difficult thing you could have chosen."

I shrugged, spreading some more seeds. "You mean the grass, or the flowers?"

"The grass."

"I'm fairly confident in my abilities." If I could grow vegetables in the thick, sludgy waste in front of father and I's dilapidated little house, I could manage a little bit of grass.

Prince

He perched on a rock closer to her. He thought maybe she would object again, but she seemed to be saving her stubbornness for the grass at the moment.

Sh was clearly intelligent. She knew how impossible the task before her was. She was just that determined. He likes that He just wondered what it was about grass that brought it out in her. Especially considering her situation.

For a moment he just waited, contemplating the girl and her activities.

Jamie

He perched on a rock closer to me but I ignored him again. It always seemed like the best way to deal with any interest in me. Ignore it, and it would go away.

But he didn't go away. In fact, he just stayed there, watching me. So I decided to shake things up a little bit. Hopefully it would get rid of him.

"You look like him you know." I said, brushing a few seeds off my hands and going for more.

"Like who?"

"Prince Farid." In fact they looked uncannily alike for just being a prince of thieves.

His voice was suspiciously bland, not even interested. "Do I?"

"I imagine someone as clever as you would already know."

Leahweird wrote:ooc: Veni, your profile looks good for the most part, but have you asked Shadowlight about adding yourself to her family history? I only ask that because Minnah does not seem like the kind of person who would let her daughter be treated like that. And having a sister and a daughter respectively would affect her characters.

Also, what kinds of things did she do to cause trouble? I again ask because it might affect Princes backstory.

I hate to be picky, and normally people can be added to the royal family with ease because their so dysfunctional they don't need to have interacted much before the storybook started unless otherwise agreed, but I think this crosses a line.

I'm so sorry if I crossed the line..... I didn't mean to cause trouble. I PMed shadowlight 9 hours ago but she hasn't replied. If she agrees, my answers to your, questions are this.
No Minnah would not let that happen and she tried desperately to, stop it but heried husband didn't really listen to her and she often wasn't around when Qabi was bull
Second, the trouble. Things disappearing, insects in sister's beds, secrets told. Trivial childhood tricks. Does this satisfy. I'm so sorry to cause you problems. I can always create a new wife to be her mother

Prince

"You think I'm clever?" He beamed, pouncing on the change of subject.

Sometimes he wished Farid would break his nose or something. Or some other thing would happen that would make it less easy for strangers to guess their shared parentage.

"You'd have to be, if you're the Prince of Thieves."

"This is true," he answered, chest puffing proudly.

She shrugged. "Otherwise you'd be dead by now."

He grimaced. This was also unfortunately very true. There were times when he'd come closer than he'd like to like to admit.

"It also takes luck. And a lot of sneakiness."

"I wouldn't know about that."

"Sure you do. I still think you're very sneaky."

"Well, I'm not. Stop being a toad." She turned to glare at him. Hands on her hips. Then seemed to belatedly remember who she was talking to. "Sir."

He couldn't help it. He started laughing. Hysterically. For a moment his fear for the future and regret about the past had been pushed away by the idea that this girl, a slave no less, would call a prince a toad.

And she was right of course. He was intentionally irking her, and that was toad-like behavior. He'd have to make it up to her when he could stop giggling.