Happy Birthday Assili
Apr. 22nd, 2014 09:45 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
annarti.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
yrae
TITLE Happy Birthday Assili
AUTHOR![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
annarti and drazzi
DISCLAIMER Kanera and Commander Zakaariss are Sallie's, the rest of this mob is mine.
NOTES Actually written at various intervals last year but for some reason I completely forgot to post it when we finally finished it, whoops. ANYWAY. Assili's birthday yaaaay! Clearly this will be a relaxed and completely non-judgemental affair. Yeah no.
Kanera strode as much as his legs would allow him across the balcony. Sahid strode beside him, hitching the front of his sarong up with his free hand as he walked. They had both opted for the traditional attire for this evening’s cocktail hour. Assili loved tradition, and tonight was all about Kanera’s little sister. There was, he had to admit, more class to wearing a sarong than a pair of pants.
The white marble of the western balcony was soft golden in the dying afternoon. A small band of gamelan players sat to one side, their slow, mesmerising notes drumming over the gathering assembly. Well, the gathered assembly, Kanera had to admit. He and Sahid were always the last to turn up to cocktail hour. Even tonight, he knew Assili wouldn’t expect anything different.
A drinks waiter was already standing waiting for the two princes, a pair of cocktails balanced on his silver tray. Kanera accepted his traditional glass of fruit juice—watermelon and lime, it appeared today—hardened with potato liqueur. He was glad of his small gift so he could hold both it and his glass at once.
His mother relaxed in her favourite chaise longue, a half-finished cocoa-coloured drink in her fingers. Kanera’s father stood behind her, his heavy fingers kneading at her shoulders.
Assili sat demurely in her traditional chair, a half-drunk virgin cocktail in one hand. Her eyes were closed as she listened to the gamelans and the tinkling birdsong behind her. They flicked open in mild annoyance at the sound of her brothers’ approach. She only held their gaze for a moment before flicking towards their grandfather. She gave the two boys a more pointed look, and closed her eyes again.
The retired old general had caught Shoaib in conversation. Or rather, Shoaib was trapped like a moth in a flame as General Nazir doubtless scorned everything about him.
‘Leave him alone, Grandpa,’ Sahid said, before Kanera could open with a more diplomatic way of saying the same thing.
‘And you!’ the old man snapped. ‘You’re worse than he is! What are you now? Captain?’
‘Sergeant,’ Sahid corrected. Kanera rolled his eyes at the proud squaring of his shoulders as he said that.
Nazir’s eyes narrowed, either in irritation or to see Sahid’s face better. ‘In my day, you’d have all three of you been commanders by now.’
‘No, Father,’ Shizaaqa interrupted, her normally crisp voice sounding merely tired. ‘Commander Zakaariss is our youngest in history, and Sahid is still much younger yet.’
Kanera allowed the elder members of his family to bicker, and turned his attention instead towards Assili. It was her day, after all.
He gave her a smile, stepping towards her so she would once again open her eyes to see it. ‘Sister, dearest,’ he greeted with his usual polite, well-spoken exuberance. ‘What can I say? It seems the Gods themselves are smiling down on you today as they usually do for you this time of year.’ He was sure he heard Sahid snort behind him, either at him or something else their grandfather had said. Either way though, Kanera was unperturbed by it.
Kanera dropped down to one knee, merely because he wanted to be face to face with his sister after giving her his gift more than any respect at that moment. He produced a small cloth wrapped trinket, proffering it to her.
Beneath the green silken fabric lay a rich elegant broach made of gold and black-green enamel, shaped like a tree-frog very like the one he had not many months before gotten inked against the back of his wrist. It was made so that when pinned on a breast or shoulder, it would seem like the frog itself was climbing the very wearer and holding together whatever gauze it was pinning back.
Kanera had been fond of it, he had every confidence Assili would like it too, but even so it felt somewhat tense as she unwrapped the layers of cloth.
As Assili’s eyes fell on her gift, her face momentarily looked like that of a twelve-year-old on her birthday. Her nose crinkled as her lips stretched into a grin.
‘Kanera!’ she crooned, lifting the broach and admiring it in the golden sunlight. She reached out with one hand to draw Kanera’s face closer to her, then gave him a light kiss on his cheek before returning her admiration to his gift. ‘It’s beautiful, thank you! I’d wear it now if it matched. Maybe I’ll change for dinner.’
‘Let’s have a look.’ Shizaaqa held her hand out in a beckoning motion, and Kanera realised Assili’s praise had drawn the attention of the rest of their family, too. He wondered if she’d done that on purpose.
‘It’s a frog,’ Assili told her, carefully wrapping it back in its cloth. ‘The same as the one on his tattoo.’
The empress’s slender eyebrows arched in the direction of her son. ‘You won’t be forgetting who it was from any time soon, then.’
‘Mother,’ Assili scorned, then turned to Kanera with that almost childlike grin. She seemed to reserve it just for him. ‘It’s beautiful,’ she repeated.
Kanera returned his sister's smile with one of his own, whatever slight ruffles he may have felt inside long subsided. 'You too,' he mouthed to her, as he stood, back straight. It was true, his sister was stunning, she was only due to become more beautiful next year.
He turned his head towards the woman who had shared her beauty with his sister and he. ‘Mother, really, you mean to say I buy forgettable gifts? I'm sure every gift I've given has been treasured and remembered. I'm sure even in his older age, Sahid remembers the last present I gave him.’
Said 'present' he was referring to was actually Kanera's winning in a little archery contest they had. If told by Kanera, he had won easily. If told by Sahid it had been a fluke and because he wasn't trying. Either way, Kanera wasn't above rubbing it in when he could, and he knew his brother would catch his meaning, even if Kanera didn't allow a smirk to touch his lips.
Sahid, predictably, shot him a glare that only he and Assili would have been able to see, then he gave a nonchalant shrug as he turned back to their mother. ‘I was drunk at the time,’ he excused. It was something new every time. He’d actually blamed his bow on one occasion. ‘I beat you every other time.’
He pushed himself from the railing, sending a smug smirk to his younger brother before kneeling down before his sister. Kanera watched with amusement. It was a poor imitation.
‘For my darling baby sister, more the leader you were born to be every day,’ he said smoothly, bowing his head as he proffered his gift on Assili’s lap.
Kanera didn’t miss the look of delicate disgust Assili shared with him before she smiled sweetly at her eldest brother. ‘Thank you, Sahid,’ she said, then began unwrapping her present.
It was a tiny, delicate glass bottle gilded with gold and containing some sort of perfume. Shizaaqa and Assili both ‘oohed’ at it. Kanera could see the triumphant smirk on Sahid’s face before he turned around.
Assili pulled the stopper on the bottle and dabbed a little onto her wrist. She wafted the scent past her nose, and gave a more impressed ‘ooh’. Kanera mentally scolded his brother. Assili wasn’t one to be politely impressed by gifts she wasn’t taken by.
‘I love it,’ she told him, her smile genuine but not the crinkly-nosed one she saved for her favourite brother. She replaced the stopper and passed it back to him to show off to Mother. ‘It’s vanilla-scented,’ she said.
Shizaaqa cocked an eyebrow. ‘So you’ll have her smelling like a sweet shop?’ she accused.
‘It’s a young scent, Mother,’ Assili explained. ‘Sweet things, not Llayan flowers.’
Kanera almost laughed but he managed to contain it as a tight lipped smile. Whatever Assili thought, the boys would always tie in not impressing their mother. His mind vaguely wondered what their father had done to impress her enough to conceive the four of them.
He turned to take his usual drink from the servant offering it silently to him, catching sight of his younger brother. He lifted his delicate red eyebrows at Shoaib, silently urging him to step forward and give his own present to their sister. Even with only his blood relations around, Shoaib seemed utterly cowed. It was pitiful sometimes, Kanera wasn't sure exactly how to bring him out of himself except for the occasional smile and friendly goading remark—and it wasn't as if he could do that often.
A messenger stepped across the floor before Shoaib could—if he was even going to—bowing low and waiting until Shizaaqa addressed them before speaking. ‘Empress, General. Commander Zakaariss has entered the courtyard and will be here presently.’
Kanera found his eyebrows darting up his forehead. He turned his head, sharing a look with Sahid. ‘And here I was thinking this was a family gathering?’ He commented idly, stepping over to the edge of the balcony, so he could give Shoaib a short push from behind. ‘If you don't go now, you'll not get a chance,’ he muttered to his younger brother smoothly.
Shoaib nodded and smiled up at his brother, though his eyes were still those of a stunned rabbit, clearly terrified at the notion of the commander appearing. It was probably that realisation that got him moving. Kanera could just hear his nervous ‘Happy birthday’ as he thrust his silk-wrapped present at their sister.
‘Thank you,’ Assili replied, her smile not reaching her eyes. It hurt Kanera to see, even his little sister had no respect for Shoaib.
Shoaib stood back a step, his fingers fidgeting behind his back as Assili unwrapped the small, rather flat gift. Kanera hoped it wasn’t another Llayan romance story like he’d been talked into last year. True, Assili loved stories, but she preferred to see them performed, not read them in a book.
‘What is it?’ Sahid whispered, craning his neck around to look over Shoaib’s shoulder.
‘Painting, I think,’ Kanera answered, twisting over his little brother’s other shoulder.
‘Bit small,’ Sahid murmured critically.
Compared to the mural covering one wall of Assili’s bed chamber, it was tiny. He could see the vague impression of yellowish brown colours that made up the painting, though he couldn’t make out exactly what it was of.
‘I think another bloody Llayan talked him into it,’ Sahid murmured. ‘It’s savannah.’
‘It’s a herd of gazelles in the grass,’ Assili clarified, clearly having overheard them. Kanera couldn’t tell from her voice if she was impressed or not. ‘Mother, look,’ she said, holding it up, but the empress clearly had more pressing things to discuss with her father. Assili shrugged and again turned her hollow smile on Shoaib. ‘Thank you, it’s lovely.’
Shoaib ducked his head and backed up towards his two brothers.
Kanera momentarily laid his fingertips against Shoaib's shoulder, but that was all the support or encouragement he could afford to give while they were in the family setting. It wasn't as if his younger brother really deserved any real praise when his efforts were not only seemingly minimal, but completely wrong for the situation.
The doorway to the balcony opened outwards, and in a swirl of – frankly, fairly old-fashioned – sarong and gauze of family colours, Zakaariss stepped into the afternoon sunlight.
Hurriedly a servant stepped forward again to announce, ‘Commander Zakaariss, Empress, Highness and Generals.’
Kanera failed to see the point of the proclamation, the young high-rising star had enough presence in and of himself to be able to enter a room without such formality, and still have all eyes turn to him. Kanera wondered if the man even knew it, Zakaariss’ face so stony and blank as if nothing in the world, not even his own success, mattered to him.
Tall and solidly-built, he stopped in front of where Kanera’s mother and sister sat. In his hand was a covered item, rather like a cage, but he paid it no mind and it almost made the item invisible as he bent rigidly at the waist with all politeness.
‘Empress and Highness.’ He straightened up, his free hand sweeping up into his hair and pushing the light chestnut locks back into submission, his eyes falling on Shizaaqa. ‘I am most humbled by your invitation, Empress, and hope I have not kept you waiting.’ Then he turned his head towards Kanera’s father and grandfather, nodding and keeping his blank expression, ‘Generals.’
Kanera gave a sideways look to Sahid, privately commenting, ‘Well, he may have been invited to a family gathering, but he’s clearly not comfortable enough to be counted as such yet.’
Sahid snorted and folded his arms as best as his glass would allow him. ‘Hard to be comfortable with a rod as solid as his up your ar… your backside.’
Kanera smirked, mostly amused that his brother almost slipped into the language of the slums. ‘Well, I’m not sure he has such a thing, under all that fabric.’
‘Probably not,’ Sahid agreed. ‘The man clearly never shits.’
If Zakaariss was aware he was being spoken of, he did nothing to show it. He seemed more intent on calculating how long he needed to make with politeness before he could take control of the conversation without insulting Shizaaqa.
He lifted the covered object in his hand, no expression of excitement or joy anywhere in his eyes or lips. ‘If I may be permitted to present a gift to the future Empress?’
Kanera swirled his cocktail around its glass, not missing the fact that Zakaariss was calculating with his words. He never referred to Assili as ‘young’ which would imply that mother was old. ‘Future’ also implied far away, meaning that Shizaaqa’s position was secure.
Permission given, Zakaariss gave a short glance to a servant standing by the door and without a word needed, the man came forward and placed a wicker table down. Zakaariss placed his gift upon it and waited for Assili to shift forward and draw back the cover.
It was a cage underneath, gilded gold and without straight bars, but thin metal-worked that looked like a thousand vines tangling together and held at the top by a design of golden leaves. Inside was a small bird of paradise of vibrant green and yellow.
Assili gave a little overjoyed gasp, and as the bird hopped around its cage Kanera saw that on its breast was a patch of orange that looked extremely similar to their family’s colours. Kanera closed his mouth, aware it had fallen open.
‘Suck-up,’ he just managed to hear his older brother say, before Assili stole his attention.
She appeared to very nearly lose her composure, so obvious was her delight at the bird. ‘Oh, Zakaariss!’ she almost squealed. ‘Where did you find it? It’s so beautiful! Look at its feathers, Mother, it’s like it was made for me.’
The empress, to Kanera’s mild surprise, looked impressed. It took a lot for a man to impress his mother. ‘I’ve never heard of a specimen like this. Where did you find it?’
Assili bent forwards to admire her new bird. ‘Does it sing, too?’ she asked.
Kanera bit his lip at her interrupting, asking a question before the empress had her answer, but apparently they were both of them too enthralled to notice.
Ever the emotionless diplomat, Zakaariss spoke as if entirely to the Empress but answering all questions. ‘During my recent training mission to Nissaya, I came across a stall in the local market selling these birds. They are apparently a colour mutation of Superb Birds-of-paradise, brought in on ships from beyond Tsayth. When I saw the familiar marking on this creature, I felt perhaps the princess should wish to start her own aviary, although a single bird surely would not compare with the collection of the Empress herself.’
A servant came over with a drink for Zakaariss and the man took it with barely a glance. ‘Judging from the noises it has made in the short time I have had its acquaintance, it sings when it cares to.’
Kanera shook his head slightly in disbelief, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. ‘I believe we’ve been topped, Sahid.’
Sahid drained the rest of his cocktail and passed it to the convenient drinks waiter, then slung his arm over Kanera’s shoulders. ‘You know what, little brother, it would appear we have.’ He turned a grin on Assili. ‘Love you, little sister, but I’m not going to Nissaya for your birthday present.’
Assili turned a smile of sweetened menace back on him. ‘It may not be your choice in years to come,’ she warned him in a voice like sugar-plum.
The bird sang then, a long, deep note that Kanera felt as much as he heard. The sound gave him goosebumps, and echoed like a note on a gamelan.
Assili gasped again. ‘Thank you, Zakaariss,’ she said again, offering him the back of her hand to kiss.
Zakaariss took the proffered hand and bent at the waist again to do as commanded.
Kanera loosely shrugged off his older brother’s arm and pressed his vodka and citrus to his lips to cloud any expression on his lips. It was obvious to all that Zakaariss was well in line to become Assili’s suitor, and frankly the only person who could be more suited would be a God.
Still, Kanera couldn’t easily care for a man so much older, so much – assumedly – worldly wiser worming into his sister’s life. Beneath his layers of relaxation and need to keep out of the limelight, he could keenly feel the fire of a protective alpha male, which generally only burnt brightly when trying to trump Sahid.
‘A one of a kind bird,’ he mused aloud, indicating that his drink needed replenishing as Zakaariss again fixed his hair under what seemed to be very sharp observation by his mother and sister. ‘One wonders what could top that when you reach sixteen, sweet sister.’
Sahid shuddered beside him. ‘Don’t say that,’ he muttered. ‘You’re giving me images.’ He shifted uncomfortably against the balustrade, clearly sharing Kanera’s thoughts. ‘You hold him down and I’ll kick him in the balls. Won’t be going anywhere near her after that.’
Saying nothing, and with a movement more than likely missed by most, Zakaariss turned his head just slightly in the direction of the three princes. His expression was nothing more than usual, and yet so much was read in it.
He would like to see them try.
Apparently dismissed by the women, Zakaariss took himself and his drink to his Commanding Officers to speak politics.
Kanera had only the mildest interest in politics, enough to keep him out of trouble, and so his larger interest in baiting his elder brother took precedence. ‘’Shit’ and ‘balls’ brother? One wonders where you’ve been wandering after training, and why you left your manners there.’
Sahid hushed him hurriedly, casting nervous glances in their mother’s direction. ‘It’s not like I’m saying it loud enough for Mother to hear,’ he scolded in a harsh whisper, then added with a grin, ‘dickhead.’
Even Shoaib giggled at that, like he’d gotten away with something he knew he shouldn’t have. ‘Where do you hear that language?’
Sahid shrugged, a little self-consciously. ‘The general didn’t exactly give me the most well-bred of battalions,’ he excused. ‘It rubs off.’
‘You are aware that you're supposed to rub off on them, not the other way around?’ Kanera remarked with a smirk.
A faint flash of irritation passed over Sahid’s eyes, making Kanera smirk all the more. He knew that would get him. He hated it when his younger brother, still in training, dared give him advice on running his own battalion.
‘Only if you’re a snob who rules from a gilded cage.’ He nodded towards the meeting of minds across from them. ‘None of them have a clue what goes on under their command. Know your men,’ he told his brothers, ‘and they’ll be far more willing to die in your name when the time comes.’
Kanera rolled his eyes at his brother's advice. Frankly he found it hard to believe that anyone would willingly die for anyone else if they weren't related— and frankly at times he wondered why he'd do so for half his relatives. ‘Forgive me Sahid, but I think I'll make my own decisions when in your position of power.’
Deciding that Sahid's 'advice' would only continue to bore him, Kanera stepped away from the side of the balcony, crouching on one knee beside where his sister sat. Both his mother and sister were still observing Zakaariss' gift, rapt in their own very different ways as to the little bird's charms. Kanera couldn't call himself a fan of birds—frogs were more his thing—but up close it was even more obvious how alike their family's colours and chest the bird was. It was really as if Zakaariss has the luck of the Gods on his side.
‘Will you be naming it, sister sweet?’
‘I’m not sure yet,’ the princess answered. ‘I want to hear more of its song before I decide on anything. Until then, though, it can temporarily be called ‘Boomer’.’
Shizaaqa made a noise of amusement and, Kanera thought, derision. ‘I should hope the name won’t stick,’ she warned, looking straight at Kanera as she said this.
Kanera understood that it was up to him to amend this name choice, but quite wished he hadn't been put so on the spot. Honestly, it was Zakaariss' gift, he should have to be creative. With an easy smile Kanera searched his mind. ‘Perhaps temporarily it should be called 'Rarity', since it is apparently a one of a kind? Or perhaps Assili, since you yourself are such, sister dear?’
The empress nodded approvingly, then turned her attention to the doubtless more adult conversations going on near her.
Assili turned her crinkled-nose smile on her brother. ‘That’s almost good enough to be permanent,’ she congratulated him, then turned back to what was clearly her favourite present of the day. ‘He’s so thoughtful, the commander,’ she murmured.
Thoughtful, Kanera thought, could sometimes be considered 'manipulative'. He couldn't for sure say that the Commander was though, he couldn't with any certainty say anything of Zakaariss. Unlike Sahid, Kanera realised that and chose to say nothing on that subject and to change it instead.
‘One would hope we all put thought into your gifts, dearest.’ He sipped his drink, ‘After all, you only turn each year once. Do you feel utterly spoiled?’
‘I feel most deserving of it,’ she said haughtily, though there was that grin again. The bird made its deep, gamelan-like booming noise again, followed by a higher ‘ping!’ that made Assili’s eyes sparkle. ‘Have a guess at what Mother gave me. I’ll give you a clue: it was a tome on the recent war between Suza and Haysyd last year.’
‘Hm, homework for your birthday,’ Kanera mused as he stroked his jawline. He nodded with a loose hand gesture, ‘Sounds about right. It can't all be about presents, it has to be about you bettering yourself from last year.’
He leant in close to his sister's ear, ‘But of course, the presents are the best part.’ He eyed the bird hopping around its cage, giving another sip of his drink thoughtfully. An insecure part of himself wanted to ask if she truly loved the broach he had bought her, but he pushed it aside in a swirl of juice and alcohol. ‘Do you believe we shall have to commission a small aviary for you tomorrow, dearest?’
Assili looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘It might be nice to have space for my birds,’ she mused. ‘I’d just keep the pretty sounding ones. Mother can keep the squawking ones with nice feathers. Of course, if they have both…’ She shrugged, watching as her newest acquisition began preening its wing.
She rested back in her chair, taking a sip from her virgin cocktail. ‘I’ll have to change before dinner tonight,’ she said offhandedly, almost to herself. ‘I have the perfect shawl for your broach.’
The simple offhand comment settled Kanera’s nerves like nothing else ever would have. Well of course she liked his gift, she would like any gift he chose for her; but confirmation was something to be cherished, not overlooked. There was also something to be said for how she was able to somehow see his silent insecurities - doubtless she was on her way to being a great Empress.
‘My, do you really, sister dearest?’ Kanera asked, with just a flair of the dramatic as he he touched his chest with two extended fingers from his cocktail glass. ‘Why, it could almost seem that I planned for such an outcome!’
He dropped his hand, lowering his tone and lifting his eyebrows. ‘Although that would mean I took an interest in my family’s wardrobes, and we all know that accolade belongs to quite a different brother.’ He nodded subtly in the direction of Sahid, the in-palace peacock that he was.
Assili frowned at her older brothers, not quite sure how to respond to the comment. ‘Sahid got me perfume,’ she reminded Kanera.
‘That’s quite enough, Kanera,’ the empress interjected, tone light but eyes like green flint.
The messenger’s clarion voice rang to announce the second of the commanders to arrive for the evening. Commander Reksha presented her with an expensive but too-big sarong. Next, Commander Naved gave her a matching set of earrings and necklace, tasteful but safe. The commanders slowly dribbled onto the balcony, each earning little more than the appropriate noises of thanks from their future leader. In equal turns, they scowled at Commander Zakaariss and cursed themselves for not thinking of something more personal.
With each new gift, Kanera noticed, Assili glanced cheekily at her favourite commander, a private you win.
She could have chosen worse to be her favourite, Kanera had to admit to himself. Still, he felt that prickle down the back of his neck every time she glanced over and Zakaariss gave no reaction. Simply because it was obvious that he was going to be his little sister’s general did not mean he had to like it.
Besides, it was just as off putting that Zakaariss didn’t even gloat or hold his advantage over the other commanders. The man was inhuman. Hear some tell of it, he was Ulzaq himself.
Kanera twisted his lower lip in thought momentarily, considering that option.
No. No good. He didn’t want his sister with Ulzaq either.
Sahid rested back against the balustrade next to his brother, folding his arms and looking critically at the subject of Kanera’s thoughts. ‘He can’t keep this up for another decade, surely,’ he mocked. ‘I mean, Father isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.’
‘He’s apparently kept it up for twenty-five years, Sahid,’ Kanera pointed out. ‘Another decade is probably nothing. The good commander is in the circle for good- Oh gods.’ Kanera pressed two fingers to his brow, giving his brother a sideways smirk. ‘Don’t tell me that Commander Hasan just gave Assili the same tired old painting that Shoaib did earlier?’
‘That’s him out of the running, then,’ Sahid said with a shrug. ‘Gods, I love being born into this life. So much simpler than going the hard way.’
‘For once I completely agree with you. Wouldn’t change it for the world.’ Kanera watched as his sister’s polite attention was entirely distracted again by the little bird hopping around in his cage. His eyes wandered back to Zakaariss, noting nothing in his expression still. Not even the slightest care that Assili was enraptured with his gift.
‘Some things I would like to change though,’ he mused, lifting his glass to his lips. He should probably pay more attention to his fellow soldiers, try and find someone better suited to rising up the ranks and becoming his sister’s general. Someone who actually realised she was precious for more than just her power and status.
He had half a mind to ask Sahid if there was anyone in his ranks, but the words dissolved on his tongue under the fruit and alcohol. There was no point trying to get Sahid to see anyone as better than himself for a start. Secondly the whole idea was too heavy and too much effort. Better to just let things run their own course.
‘Dinner will be announced soon, do you reckon?’
Sahid scanned the gathering of commanders, family members and assorted high-ranking ministers. ‘I should hope so. I think everyone important is here. Plenty less important, too.’
Shoaib crept quietly up beside them, both hands clutching his virgin cocktail. ‘I can’t even do a present right,’ he mumbled. ‘Commander Hasan gave the same thing.’
Sahid slung an arm over his little brother’s shoulders. ‘Reflects worse on him than it does on you, kid.’
‘Reflects about as much as the sun does from his forehead,’ Kanera added. He put his empty glass down and gave his younger brother a reassuring smile, ‘Just more of your own thought next year and less of the vendors and you’ll do fine.’
Shoaib glanced up at Sahid, brow lightly furrowed. ‘I thought you said she’d like it.’
Sahid grinned broadly and winked at Kanera before hiding the grin behind his glass. ‘Misfire,’ he excused, clearly lying.
‘Sahid!’ Shoaib whined. ‘That’s not fair!’
‘Life isn’t,’ the eldest prince said with a shrug.
‘I do wonder when all this helpfulness you throw around is going to return and bite you, Sahid,’ Kanera sighed. He ran his fingers through Shoaib’s hair, ruffling it out of place, ‘Grow a broader back please, little brother. I don’t want him to run out of room there and start stabbing mine.’
He didn’t wait for reaction, striding across the room and then bending at the waist over the back of where his sister was lounging. ‘I trust you have all gifts and homework now, dearest. Did you still want to change before dinner?’
Assili’s face brightened at his query, and she gladly ignored the latest commander to try pandering to her for the army’s top job. ‘But of course,’ she said, raising her hand so Kanera could help her from her chair, then curtseyed to their mother. ‘I’m going to change before dinner,’ she announced.
Shizaaqa dipped her head in agreement. ‘Don’t be long,’ she warned. ‘We’ll move through to the dining room when you’re ready.’
Assili bowed respectfully to the empress and gave Kanera her sly little half-smile. ‘It’s a shame I already have perfume on, or I’d use Sahid’s this evening, too.’
Kanera’s eyes smiled back at his sister, as he bowed to their mother. ‘What poor timing he has with gifts.’ Kanera knew better than to give a woman perfume after she was dressed, not that he really wanted to share that information with his sister, or mother.
‘I’ll escort Assili, mother dearest. Someone has to carry her birdcage before the little fellow bores us with his repertoire, which can only be limited compared to the various commandar’s dinner conversations-’ He paused, lifting a wry eyebrow. ‘On second thought, should we bring him to dinner?’
‘Of course we should,’ Assili answered, the hint of a dangerous edge to her voice. Insult my favourite at your peril, her unspoken words warned.
Kanera hooked the cage’s topmost loop around two of his fingers, offering his sister a smile. ‘Then he can also change for dinner. Not even wearing a sarong, how gauche.’
Assili looked up at him with a tolerant smile, then took his free hand to be led to her chambers.
‘I see your look, brother dear,’ she said coyly as they stepped back inside the palace. ‘You needn’t worry so. I’m not so easily swayed. As much as Commander Zakaariss may be Father’s preferred successor now, the position won’t be vacant for years yet. Anything could happen within the Circle before then.’ She glanced sidelong at him, curling a smile when she caught his expression. ‘Or are you likely to be so protective no matter who’s seeking my affection?’
Kanera genuinely gave pause and serious thought to that question, considering not only the men currently occupying high ranks, but those in training and lower ranks. ‘I fear dearest, that asking me not to act like an irritated tiger about this matter would be far too difficult for me to actually act upon,’ he said finally as they reached her chambers. ‘It is just how things are, men are never worthy of their women - after all, can you imagine Sahid ever being good enough for any girl?’
He let go of her hand, brushing a small curl of the vibrant red curls they shared away from Assili’s ear. ‘And gushing and extreme overflowing complements aside, there is not a man or person alive I can think of who holds a candle to you.’ Unfortunately, he was utterly sincere.
Assili grinned immodestly. ‘If you find a man equal to the empress of Kazin, I don’t wish to meet him,’ she said playfully. ‘As long as I can be sure you have nothing personal against Commander Zakaariss. I can’t have you in my Circle if you don’t respect your general, can I?’
‘He has done nothing to slight me, dearest. In much the same way the walls of the palace haven’t.’ Kanera turned his head and eyed the nearest wall momentarily - yes, he saw some great resemblance to Zakaariss there. ‘But men get competitive in strange ways, my dear. It has something to do with us having muscles instead of minds.’
Rarity chirruped from the cage as if agreeing with this.
‘As you say though, there are many years before you choose your circle. Mother is in her prime and you are only twelve this very day.’
‘Many years for you to get used to him,’ Assili replied. She grabbed Kanera’s shoulder and pulled him down to give him a kiss on the cheek. ‘Play your game right and I may have no choice but to appoint you as my general.’
‘I do enjoy games with my sister,’ Kanera agreed. In truth though, he doubted he could think of anything worse. He had perfected life at this exact time, doing enough not to be thought of as a slacker or underdeveloped, but hiding his light under enough bushels that no one felt the need to put excess pressure on him. An easy life, being the balanced scales compared to the offset ones of his brothers.
At least it would be many years, as Assili put it, before she would make him have to apply himself.
‘Shall I wait here while you find your shawl, sweet sister?’
‘If you would,’ she agreed with a demure nod. She wasn’t long. Apparently she really did have the perfect shawl in mind. Kanera felt that counted for him, at least. Of the three brothers, he’d definitely won this year.
The shawl she wore was delicate, flowing green gauze that floated down her back to the floor. Around her shoulders it was finished with dark blue silk embroidered with leaves and vines in green and golden thread. In pride of place was Kanera’s frog clasp, clinging to her shawl and twinkling in the light.
Assili’s face beamed, though she still held the regal standing of an imperial princess. ‘Perfect,’ she announced.
‘Just what I was thinking, dearest.’ Kanera smiled back at her, offering up his arm. ‘Shall we?’
Assili smiled back and laid her fingers delicately on his arm. ‘Gladly,’ she agreed. ‘Let’s see how Mother has taken charge of my dinner requests, shall we?’
‘If Mother took charge, then I’m sure it’s absolute perfection as ever.’ Kanera lessened his usual stride to walk more comfortably with his younger sibling. ‘You know, dearest, we’ll have to come up with a new word. You and mother cannot both be perfect. I endeavour to invent a new word for your thirteenth birthday.’
AUTHOR
annarti and drazziDISCLAIMER Kanera and Commander Zakaariss are Sallie's, the rest of this mob is mine.
NOTES Actually written at various intervals last year but for some reason I completely forgot to post it when we finally finished it, whoops. ANYWAY. Assili's birthday yaaaay! Clearly this will be a relaxed and completely non-judgemental affair. Yeah no.
Kanera strode as much as his legs would allow him across the balcony. Sahid strode beside him, hitching the front of his sarong up with his free hand as he walked. They had both opted for the traditional attire for this evening’s cocktail hour. Assili loved tradition, and tonight was all about Kanera’s little sister. There was, he had to admit, more class to wearing a sarong than a pair of pants.
The white marble of the western balcony was soft golden in the dying afternoon. A small band of gamelan players sat to one side, their slow, mesmerising notes drumming over the gathering assembly. Well, the gathered assembly, Kanera had to admit. He and Sahid were always the last to turn up to cocktail hour. Even tonight, he knew Assili wouldn’t expect anything different.
A drinks waiter was already standing waiting for the two princes, a pair of cocktails balanced on his silver tray. Kanera accepted his traditional glass of fruit juice—watermelon and lime, it appeared today—hardened with potato liqueur. He was glad of his small gift so he could hold both it and his glass at once.
His mother relaxed in her favourite chaise longue, a half-finished cocoa-coloured drink in her fingers. Kanera’s father stood behind her, his heavy fingers kneading at her shoulders.
Assili sat demurely in her traditional chair, a half-drunk virgin cocktail in one hand. Her eyes were closed as she listened to the gamelans and the tinkling birdsong behind her. They flicked open in mild annoyance at the sound of her brothers’ approach. She only held their gaze for a moment before flicking towards their grandfather. She gave the two boys a more pointed look, and closed her eyes again.
The retired old general had caught Shoaib in conversation. Or rather, Shoaib was trapped like a moth in a flame as General Nazir doubtless scorned everything about him.
‘Leave him alone, Grandpa,’ Sahid said, before Kanera could open with a more diplomatic way of saying the same thing.
‘And you!’ the old man snapped. ‘You’re worse than he is! What are you now? Captain?’
‘Sergeant,’ Sahid corrected. Kanera rolled his eyes at the proud squaring of his shoulders as he said that.
Nazir’s eyes narrowed, either in irritation or to see Sahid’s face better. ‘In my day, you’d have all three of you been commanders by now.’
‘No, Father,’ Shizaaqa interrupted, her normally crisp voice sounding merely tired. ‘Commander Zakaariss is our youngest in history, and Sahid is still much younger yet.’
Kanera allowed the elder members of his family to bicker, and turned his attention instead towards Assili. It was her day, after all.
He gave her a smile, stepping towards her so she would once again open her eyes to see it. ‘Sister, dearest,’ he greeted with his usual polite, well-spoken exuberance. ‘What can I say? It seems the Gods themselves are smiling down on you today as they usually do for you this time of year.’ He was sure he heard Sahid snort behind him, either at him or something else their grandfather had said. Either way though, Kanera was unperturbed by it.
Kanera dropped down to one knee, merely because he wanted to be face to face with his sister after giving her his gift more than any respect at that moment. He produced a small cloth wrapped trinket, proffering it to her.
Beneath the green silken fabric lay a rich elegant broach made of gold and black-green enamel, shaped like a tree-frog very like the one he had not many months before gotten inked against the back of his wrist. It was made so that when pinned on a breast or shoulder, it would seem like the frog itself was climbing the very wearer and holding together whatever gauze it was pinning back.
Kanera had been fond of it, he had every confidence Assili would like it too, but even so it felt somewhat tense as she unwrapped the layers of cloth.
As Assili’s eyes fell on her gift, her face momentarily looked like that of a twelve-year-old on her birthday. Her nose crinkled as her lips stretched into a grin.
‘Kanera!’ she crooned, lifting the broach and admiring it in the golden sunlight. She reached out with one hand to draw Kanera’s face closer to her, then gave him a light kiss on his cheek before returning her admiration to his gift. ‘It’s beautiful, thank you! I’d wear it now if it matched. Maybe I’ll change for dinner.’
‘Let’s have a look.’ Shizaaqa held her hand out in a beckoning motion, and Kanera realised Assili’s praise had drawn the attention of the rest of their family, too. He wondered if she’d done that on purpose.
‘It’s a frog,’ Assili told her, carefully wrapping it back in its cloth. ‘The same as the one on his tattoo.’
The empress’s slender eyebrows arched in the direction of her son. ‘You won’t be forgetting who it was from any time soon, then.’
‘Mother,’ Assili scorned, then turned to Kanera with that almost childlike grin. She seemed to reserve it just for him. ‘It’s beautiful,’ she repeated.
Kanera returned his sister's smile with one of his own, whatever slight ruffles he may have felt inside long subsided. 'You too,' he mouthed to her, as he stood, back straight. It was true, his sister was stunning, she was only due to become more beautiful next year.
He turned his head towards the woman who had shared her beauty with his sister and he. ‘Mother, really, you mean to say I buy forgettable gifts? I'm sure every gift I've given has been treasured and remembered. I'm sure even in his older age, Sahid remembers the last present I gave him.’
Said 'present' he was referring to was actually Kanera's winning in a little archery contest they had. If told by Kanera, he had won easily. If told by Sahid it had been a fluke and because he wasn't trying. Either way, Kanera wasn't above rubbing it in when he could, and he knew his brother would catch his meaning, even if Kanera didn't allow a smirk to touch his lips.
Sahid, predictably, shot him a glare that only he and Assili would have been able to see, then he gave a nonchalant shrug as he turned back to their mother. ‘I was drunk at the time,’ he excused. It was something new every time. He’d actually blamed his bow on one occasion. ‘I beat you every other time.’
He pushed himself from the railing, sending a smug smirk to his younger brother before kneeling down before his sister. Kanera watched with amusement. It was a poor imitation.
‘For my darling baby sister, more the leader you were born to be every day,’ he said smoothly, bowing his head as he proffered his gift on Assili’s lap.
Kanera didn’t miss the look of delicate disgust Assili shared with him before she smiled sweetly at her eldest brother. ‘Thank you, Sahid,’ she said, then began unwrapping her present.
It was a tiny, delicate glass bottle gilded with gold and containing some sort of perfume. Shizaaqa and Assili both ‘oohed’ at it. Kanera could see the triumphant smirk on Sahid’s face before he turned around.
Assili pulled the stopper on the bottle and dabbed a little onto her wrist. She wafted the scent past her nose, and gave a more impressed ‘ooh’. Kanera mentally scolded his brother. Assili wasn’t one to be politely impressed by gifts she wasn’t taken by.
‘I love it,’ she told him, her smile genuine but not the crinkly-nosed one she saved for her favourite brother. She replaced the stopper and passed it back to him to show off to Mother. ‘It’s vanilla-scented,’ she said.
Shizaaqa cocked an eyebrow. ‘So you’ll have her smelling like a sweet shop?’ she accused.
‘It’s a young scent, Mother,’ Assili explained. ‘Sweet things, not Llayan flowers.’
Kanera almost laughed but he managed to contain it as a tight lipped smile. Whatever Assili thought, the boys would always tie in not impressing their mother. His mind vaguely wondered what their father had done to impress her enough to conceive the four of them.
He turned to take his usual drink from the servant offering it silently to him, catching sight of his younger brother. He lifted his delicate red eyebrows at Shoaib, silently urging him to step forward and give his own present to their sister. Even with only his blood relations around, Shoaib seemed utterly cowed. It was pitiful sometimes, Kanera wasn't sure exactly how to bring him out of himself except for the occasional smile and friendly goading remark—and it wasn't as if he could do that often.
A messenger stepped across the floor before Shoaib could—if he was even going to—bowing low and waiting until Shizaaqa addressed them before speaking. ‘Empress, General. Commander Zakaariss has entered the courtyard and will be here presently.’
Kanera found his eyebrows darting up his forehead. He turned his head, sharing a look with Sahid. ‘And here I was thinking this was a family gathering?’ He commented idly, stepping over to the edge of the balcony, so he could give Shoaib a short push from behind. ‘If you don't go now, you'll not get a chance,’ he muttered to his younger brother smoothly.
Shoaib nodded and smiled up at his brother, though his eyes were still those of a stunned rabbit, clearly terrified at the notion of the commander appearing. It was probably that realisation that got him moving. Kanera could just hear his nervous ‘Happy birthday’ as he thrust his silk-wrapped present at their sister.
‘Thank you,’ Assili replied, her smile not reaching her eyes. It hurt Kanera to see, even his little sister had no respect for Shoaib.
Shoaib stood back a step, his fingers fidgeting behind his back as Assili unwrapped the small, rather flat gift. Kanera hoped it wasn’t another Llayan romance story like he’d been talked into last year. True, Assili loved stories, but she preferred to see them performed, not read them in a book.
‘What is it?’ Sahid whispered, craning his neck around to look over Shoaib’s shoulder.
‘Painting, I think,’ Kanera answered, twisting over his little brother’s other shoulder.
‘Bit small,’ Sahid murmured critically.
Compared to the mural covering one wall of Assili’s bed chamber, it was tiny. He could see the vague impression of yellowish brown colours that made up the painting, though he couldn’t make out exactly what it was of.
‘I think another bloody Llayan talked him into it,’ Sahid murmured. ‘It’s savannah.’
‘It’s a herd of gazelles in the grass,’ Assili clarified, clearly having overheard them. Kanera couldn’t tell from her voice if she was impressed or not. ‘Mother, look,’ she said, holding it up, but the empress clearly had more pressing things to discuss with her father. Assili shrugged and again turned her hollow smile on Shoaib. ‘Thank you, it’s lovely.’
Shoaib ducked his head and backed up towards his two brothers.
Kanera momentarily laid his fingertips against Shoaib's shoulder, but that was all the support or encouragement he could afford to give while they were in the family setting. It wasn't as if his younger brother really deserved any real praise when his efforts were not only seemingly minimal, but completely wrong for the situation.
The doorway to the balcony opened outwards, and in a swirl of – frankly, fairly old-fashioned – sarong and gauze of family colours, Zakaariss stepped into the afternoon sunlight.
Hurriedly a servant stepped forward again to announce, ‘Commander Zakaariss, Empress, Highness and Generals.’
Kanera failed to see the point of the proclamation, the young high-rising star had enough presence in and of himself to be able to enter a room without such formality, and still have all eyes turn to him. Kanera wondered if the man even knew it, Zakaariss’ face so stony and blank as if nothing in the world, not even his own success, mattered to him.
Tall and solidly-built, he stopped in front of where Kanera’s mother and sister sat. In his hand was a covered item, rather like a cage, but he paid it no mind and it almost made the item invisible as he bent rigidly at the waist with all politeness.
‘Empress and Highness.’ He straightened up, his free hand sweeping up into his hair and pushing the light chestnut locks back into submission, his eyes falling on Shizaaqa. ‘I am most humbled by your invitation, Empress, and hope I have not kept you waiting.’ Then he turned his head towards Kanera’s father and grandfather, nodding and keeping his blank expression, ‘Generals.’
Kanera gave a sideways look to Sahid, privately commenting, ‘Well, he may have been invited to a family gathering, but he’s clearly not comfortable enough to be counted as such yet.’
Sahid snorted and folded his arms as best as his glass would allow him. ‘Hard to be comfortable with a rod as solid as his up your ar… your backside.’
Kanera smirked, mostly amused that his brother almost slipped into the language of the slums. ‘Well, I’m not sure he has such a thing, under all that fabric.’
‘Probably not,’ Sahid agreed. ‘The man clearly never shits.’
If Zakaariss was aware he was being spoken of, he did nothing to show it. He seemed more intent on calculating how long he needed to make with politeness before he could take control of the conversation without insulting Shizaaqa.
He lifted the covered object in his hand, no expression of excitement or joy anywhere in his eyes or lips. ‘If I may be permitted to present a gift to the future Empress?’
Kanera swirled his cocktail around its glass, not missing the fact that Zakaariss was calculating with his words. He never referred to Assili as ‘young’ which would imply that mother was old. ‘Future’ also implied far away, meaning that Shizaaqa’s position was secure.
Permission given, Zakaariss gave a short glance to a servant standing by the door and without a word needed, the man came forward and placed a wicker table down. Zakaariss placed his gift upon it and waited for Assili to shift forward and draw back the cover.
It was a cage underneath, gilded gold and without straight bars, but thin metal-worked that looked like a thousand vines tangling together and held at the top by a design of golden leaves. Inside was a small bird of paradise of vibrant green and yellow.
Assili gave a little overjoyed gasp, and as the bird hopped around its cage Kanera saw that on its breast was a patch of orange that looked extremely similar to their family’s colours. Kanera closed his mouth, aware it had fallen open.
‘Suck-up,’ he just managed to hear his older brother say, before Assili stole his attention.
She appeared to very nearly lose her composure, so obvious was her delight at the bird. ‘Oh, Zakaariss!’ she almost squealed. ‘Where did you find it? It’s so beautiful! Look at its feathers, Mother, it’s like it was made for me.’
The empress, to Kanera’s mild surprise, looked impressed. It took a lot for a man to impress his mother. ‘I’ve never heard of a specimen like this. Where did you find it?’
Assili bent forwards to admire her new bird. ‘Does it sing, too?’ she asked.
Kanera bit his lip at her interrupting, asking a question before the empress had her answer, but apparently they were both of them too enthralled to notice.
Ever the emotionless diplomat, Zakaariss spoke as if entirely to the Empress but answering all questions. ‘During my recent training mission to Nissaya, I came across a stall in the local market selling these birds. They are apparently a colour mutation of Superb Birds-of-paradise, brought in on ships from beyond Tsayth. When I saw the familiar marking on this creature, I felt perhaps the princess should wish to start her own aviary, although a single bird surely would not compare with the collection of the Empress herself.’
A servant came over with a drink for Zakaariss and the man took it with barely a glance. ‘Judging from the noises it has made in the short time I have had its acquaintance, it sings when it cares to.’
Kanera shook his head slightly in disbelief, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. ‘I believe we’ve been topped, Sahid.’
Sahid drained the rest of his cocktail and passed it to the convenient drinks waiter, then slung his arm over Kanera’s shoulders. ‘You know what, little brother, it would appear we have.’ He turned a grin on Assili. ‘Love you, little sister, but I’m not going to Nissaya for your birthday present.’
Assili turned a smile of sweetened menace back on him. ‘It may not be your choice in years to come,’ she warned him in a voice like sugar-plum.
The bird sang then, a long, deep note that Kanera felt as much as he heard. The sound gave him goosebumps, and echoed like a note on a gamelan.
Assili gasped again. ‘Thank you, Zakaariss,’ she said again, offering him the back of her hand to kiss.
Zakaariss took the proffered hand and bent at the waist again to do as commanded.
Kanera loosely shrugged off his older brother’s arm and pressed his vodka and citrus to his lips to cloud any expression on his lips. It was obvious to all that Zakaariss was well in line to become Assili’s suitor, and frankly the only person who could be more suited would be a God.
Still, Kanera couldn’t easily care for a man so much older, so much – assumedly – worldly wiser worming into his sister’s life. Beneath his layers of relaxation and need to keep out of the limelight, he could keenly feel the fire of a protective alpha male, which generally only burnt brightly when trying to trump Sahid.
‘A one of a kind bird,’ he mused aloud, indicating that his drink needed replenishing as Zakaariss again fixed his hair under what seemed to be very sharp observation by his mother and sister. ‘One wonders what could top that when you reach sixteen, sweet sister.’
Sahid shuddered beside him. ‘Don’t say that,’ he muttered. ‘You’re giving me images.’ He shifted uncomfortably against the balustrade, clearly sharing Kanera’s thoughts. ‘You hold him down and I’ll kick him in the balls. Won’t be going anywhere near her after that.’
Saying nothing, and with a movement more than likely missed by most, Zakaariss turned his head just slightly in the direction of the three princes. His expression was nothing more than usual, and yet so much was read in it.
He would like to see them try.
Apparently dismissed by the women, Zakaariss took himself and his drink to his Commanding Officers to speak politics.
Kanera had only the mildest interest in politics, enough to keep him out of trouble, and so his larger interest in baiting his elder brother took precedence. ‘’Shit’ and ‘balls’ brother? One wonders where you’ve been wandering after training, and why you left your manners there.’
Sahid hushed him hurriedly, casting nervous glances in their mother’s direction. ‘It’s not like I’m saying it loud enough for Mother to hear,’ he scolded in a harsh whisper, then added with a grin, ‘dickhead.’
Even Shoaib giggled at that, like he’d gotten away with something he knew he shouldn’t have. ‘Where do you hear that language?’
Sahid shrugged, a little self-consciously. ‘The general didn’t exactly give me the most well-bred of battalions,’ he excused. ‘It rubs off.’
‘You are aware that you're supposed to rub off on them, not the other way around?’ Kanera remarked with a smirk.
A faint flash of irritation passed over Sahid’s eyes, making Kanera smirk all the more. He knew that would get him. He hated it when his younger brother, still in training, dared give him advice on running his own battalion.
‘Only if you’re a snob who rules from a gilded cage.’ He nodded towards the meeting of minds across from them. ‘None of them have a clue what goes on under their command. Know your men,’ he told his brothers, ‘and they’ll be far more willing to die in your name when the time comes.’
Kanera rolled his eyes at his brother's advice. Frankly he found it hard to believe that anyone would willingly die for anyone else if they weren't related— and frankly at times he wondered why he'd do so for half his relatives. ‘Forgive me Sahid, but I think I'll make my own decisions when in your position of power.’
Deciding that Sahid's 'advice' would only continue to bore him, Kanera stepped away from the side of the balcony, crouching on one knee beside where his sister sat. Both his mother and sister were still observing Zakaariss' gift, rapt in their own very different ways as to the little bird's charms. Kanera couldn't call himself a fan of birds—frogs were more his thing—but up close it was even more obvious how alike their family's colours and chest the bird was. It was really as if Zakaariss has the luck of the Gods on his side.
‘Will you be naming it, sister sweet?’
‘I’m not sure yet,’ the princess answered. ‘I want to hear more of its song before I decide on anything. Until then, though, it can temporarily be called ‘Boomer’.’
Shizaaqa made a noise of amusement and, Kanera thought, derision. ‘I should hope the name won’t stick,’ she warned, looking straight at Kanera as she said this.
Kanera understood that it was up to him to amend this name choice, but quite wished he hadn't been put so on the spot. Honestly, it was Zakaariss' gift, he should have to be creative. With an easy smile Kanera searched his mind. ‘Perhaps temporarily it should be called 'Rarity', since it is apparently a one of a kind? Or perhaps Assili, since you yourself are such, sister dear?’
The empress nodded approvingly, then turned her attention to the doubtless more adult conversations going on near her.
Assili turned her crinkled-nose smile on her brother. ‘That’s almost good enough to be permanent,’ she congratulated him, then turned back to what was clearly her favourite present of the day. ‘He’s so thoughtful, the commander,’ she murmured.
Thoughtful, Kanera thought, could sometimes be considered 'manipulative'. He couldn't for sure say that the Commander was though, he couldn't with any certainty say anything of Zakaariss. Unlike Sahid, Kanera realised that and chose to say nothing on that subject and to change it instead.
‘One would hope we all put thought into your gifts, dearest.’ He sipped his drink, ‘After all, you only turn each year once. Do you feel utterly spoiled?’
‘I feel most deserving of it,’ she said haughtily, though there was that grin again. The bird made its deep, gamelan-like booming noise again, followed by a higher ‘ping!’ that made Assili’s eyes sparkle. ‘Have a guess at what Mother gave me. I’ll give you a clue: it was a tome on the recent war between Suza and Haysyd last year.’
‘Hm, homework for your birthday,’ Kanera mused as he stroked his jawline. He nodded with a loose hand gesture, ‘Sounds about right. It can't all be about presents, it has to be about you bettering yourself from last year.’
He leant in close to his sister's ear, ‘But of course, the presents are the best part.’ He eyed the bird hopping around its cage, giving another sip of his drink thoughtfully. An insecure part of himself wanted to ask if she truly loved the broach he had bought her, but he pushed it aside in a swirl of juice and alcohol. ‘Do you believe we shall have to commission a small aviary for you tomorrow, dearest?’
Assili looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘It might be nice to have space for my birds,’ she mused. ‘I’d just keep the pretty sounding ones. Mother can keep the squawking ones with nice feathers. Of course, if they have both…’ She shrugged, watching as her newest acquisition began preening its wing.
She rested back in her chair, taking a sip from her virgin cocktail. ‘I’ll have to change before dinner tonight,’ she said offhandedly, almost to herself. ‘I have the perfect shawl for your broach.’
The simple offhand comment settled Kanera’s nerves like nothing else ever would have. Well of course she liked his gift, she would like any gift he chose for her; but confirmation was something to be cherished, not overlooked. There was also something to be said for how she was able to somehow see his silent insecurities - doubtless she was on her way to being a great Empress.
‘My, do you really, sister dearest?’ Kanera asked, with just a flair of the dramatic as he he touched his chest with two extended fingers from his cocktail glass. ‘Why, it could almost seem that I planned for such an outcome!’
He dropped his hand, lowering his tone and lifting his eyebrows. ‘Although that would mean I took an interest in my family’s wardrobes, and we all know that accolade belongs to quite a different brother.’ He nodded subtly in the direction of Sahid, the in-palace peacock that he was.
Assili frowned at her older brothers, not quite sure how to respond to the comment. ‘Sahid got me perfume,’ she reminded Kanera.
‘That’s quite enough, Kanera,’ the empress interjected, tone light but eyes like green flint.
The messenger’s clarion voice rang to announce the second of the commanders to arrive for the evening. Commander Reksha presented her with an expensive but too-big sarong. Next, Commander Naved gave her a matching set of earrings and necklace, tasteful but safe. The commanders slowly dribbled onto the balcony, each earning little more than the appropriate noises of thanks from their future leader. In equal turns, they scowled at Commander Zakaariss and cursed themselves for not thinking of something more personal.
With each new gift, Kanera noticed, Assili glanced cheekily at her favourite commander, a private you win.
She could have chosen worse to be her favourite, Kanera had to admit to himself. Still, he felt that prickle down the back of his neck every time she glanced over and Zakaariss gave no reaction. Simply because it was obvious that he was going to be his little sister’s general did not mean he had to like it.
Besides, it was just as off putting that Zakaariss didn’t even gloat or hold his advantage over the other commanders. The man was inhuman. Hear some tell of it, he was Ulzaq himself.
Kanera twisted his lower lip in thought momentarily, considering that option.
No. No good. He didn’t want his sister with Ulzaq either.
Sahid rested back against the balustrade next to his brother, folding his arms and looking critically at the subject of Kanera’s thoughts. ‘He can’t keep this up for another decade, surely,’ he mocked. ‘I mean, Father isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.’
‘He’s apparently kept it up for twenty-five years, Sahid,’ Kanera pointed out. ‘Another decade is probably nothing. The good commander is in the circle for good- Oh gods.’ Kanera pressed two fingers to his brow, giving his brother a sideways smirk. ‘Don’t tell me that Commander Hasan just gave Assili the same tired old painting that Shoaib did earlier?’
‘That’s him out of the running, then,’ Sahid said with a shrug. ‘Gods, I love being born into this life. So much simpler than going the hard way.’
‘For once I completely agree with you. Wouldn’t change it for the world.’ Kanera watched as his sister’s polite attention was entirely distracted again by the little bird hopping around in his cage. His eyes wandered back to Zakaariss, noting nothing in his expression still. Not even the slightest care that Assili was enraptured with his gift.
‘Some things I would like to change though,’ he mused, lifting his glass to his lips. He should probably pay more attention to his fellow soldiers, try and find someone better suited to rising up the ranks and becoming his sister’s general. Someone who actually realised she was precious for more than just her power and status.
He had half a mind to ask Sahid if there was anyone in his ranks, but the words dissolved on his tongue under the fruit and alcohol. There was no point trying to get Sahid to see anyone as better than himself for a start. Secondly the whole idea was too heavy and too much effort. Better to just let things run their own course.
‘Dinner will be announced soon, do you reckon?’
Sahid scanned the gathering of commanders, family members and assorted high-ranking ministers. ‘I should hope so. I think everyone important is here. Plenty less important, too.’
Shoaib crept quietly up beside them, both hands clutching his virgin cocktail. ‘I can’t even do a present right,’ he mumbled. ‘Commander Hasan gave the same thing.’
Sahid slung an arm over his little brother’s shoulders. ‘Reflects worse on him than it does on you, kid.’
‘Reflects about as much as the sun does from his forehead,’ Kanera added. He put his empty glass down and gave his younger brother a reassuring smile, ‘Just more of your own thought next year and less of the vendors and you’ll do fine.’
Shoaib glanced up at Sahid, brow lightly furrowed. ‘I thought you said she’d like it.’
Sahid grinned broadly and winked at Kanera before hiding the grin behind his glass. ‘Misfire,’ he excused, clearly lying.
‘Sahid!’ Shoaib whined. ‘That’s not fair!’
‘Life isn’t,’ the eldest prince said with a shrug.
‘I do wonder when all this helpfulness you throw around is going to return and bite you, Sahid,’ Kanera sighed. He ran his fingers through Shoaib’s hair, ruffling it out of place, ‘Grow a broader back please, little brother. I don’t want him to run out of room there and start stabbing mine.’
He didn’t wait for reaction, striding across the room and then bending at the waist over the back of where his sister was lounging. ‘I trust you have all gifts and homework now, dearest. Did you still want to change before dinner?’
Assili’s face brightened at his query, and she gladly ignored the latest commander to try pandering to her for the army’s top job. ‘But of course,’ she said, raising her hand so Kanera could help her from her chair, then curtseyed to their mother. ‘I’m going to change before dinner,’ she announced.
Shizaaqa dipped her head in agreement. ‘Don’t be long,’ she warned. ‘We’ll move through to the dining room when you’re ready.’
Assili bowed respectfully to the empress and gave Kanera her sly little half-smile. ‘It’s a shame I already have perfume on, or I’d use Sahid’s this evening, too.’
Kanera’s eyes smiled back at his sister, as he bowed to their mother. ‘What poor timing he has with gifts.’ Kanera knew better than to give a woman perfume after she was dressed, not that he really wanted to share that information with his sister, or mother.
‘I’ll escort Assili, mother dearest. Someone has to carry her birdcage before the little fellow bores us with his repertoire, which can only be limited compared to the various commandar’s dinner conversations-’ He paused, lifting a wry eyebrow. ‘On second thought, should we bring him to dinner?’
‘Of course we should,’ Assili answered, the hint of a dangerous edge to her voice. Insult my favourite at your peril, her unspoken words warned.
Kanera hooked the cage’s topmost loop around two of his fingers, offering his sister a smile. ‘Then he can also change for dinner. Not even wearing a sarong, how gauche.’
Assili looked up at him with a tolerant smile, then took his free hand to be led to her chambers.
‘I see your look, brother dear,’ she said coyly as they stepped back inside the palace. ‘You needn’t worry so. I’m not so easily swayed. As much as Commander Zakaariss may be Father’s preferred successor now, the position won’t be vacant for years yet. Anything could happen within the Circle before then.’ She glanced sidelong at him, curling a smile when she caught his expression. ‘Or are you likely to be so protective no matter who’s seeking my affection?’
Kanera genuinely gave pause and serious thought to that question, considering not only the men currently occupying high ranks, but those in training and lower ranks. ‘I fear dearest, that asking me not to act like an irritated tiger about this matter would be far too difficult for me to actually act upon,’ he said finally as they reached her chambers. ‘It is just how things are, men are never worthy of their women - after all, can you imagine Sahid ever being good enough for any girl?’
He let go of her hand, brushing a small curl of the vibrant red curls they shared away from Assili’s ear. ‘And gushing and extreme overflowing complements aside, there is not a man or person alive I can think of who holds a candle to you.’ Unfortunately, he was utterly sincere.
Assili grinned immodestly. ‘If you find a man equal to the empress of Kazin, I don’t wish to meet him,’ she said playfully. ‘As long as I can be sure you have nothing personal against Commander Zakaariss. I can’t have you in my Circle if you don’t respect your general, can I?’
‘He has done nothing to slight me, dearest. In much the same way the walls of the palace haven’t.’ Kanera turned his head and eyed the nearest wall momentarily - yes, he saw some great resemblance to Zakaariss there. ‘But men get competitive in strange ways, my dear. It has something to do with us having muscles instead of minds.’
Rarity chirruped from the cage as if agreeing with this.
‘As you say though, there are many years before you choose your circle. Mother is in her prime and you are only twelve this very day.’
‘Many years for you to get used to him,’ Assili replied. She grabbed Kanera’s shoulder and pulled him down to give him a kiss on the cheek. ‘Play your game right and I may have no choice but to appoint you as my general.’
‘I do enjoy games with my sister,’ Kanera agreed. In truth though, he doubted he could think of anything worse. He had perfected life at this exact time, doing enough not to be thought of as a slacker or underdeveloped, but hiding his light under enough bushels that no one felt the need to put excess pressure on him. An easy life, being the balanced scales compared to the offset ones of his brothers.
At least it would be many years, as Assili put it, before she would make him have to apply himself.
‘Shall I wait here while you find your shawl, sweet sister?’
‘If you would,’ she agreed with a demure nod. She wasn’t long. Apparently she really did have the perfect shawl in mind. Kanera felt that counted for him, at least. Of the three brothers, he’d definitely won this year.
The shawl she wore was delicate, flowing green gauze that floated down her back to the floor. Around her shoulders it was finished with dark blue silk embroidered with leaves and vines in green and golden thread. In pride of place was Kanera’s frog clasp, clinging to her shawl and twinkling in the light.
Assili’s face beamed, though she still held the regal standing of an imperial princess. ‘Perfect,’ she announced.
‘Just what I was thinking, dearest.’ Kanera smiled back at her, offering up his arm. ‘Shall we?’
Assili smiled back and laid her fingers delicately on his arm. ‘Gladly,’ she agreed. ‘Let’s see how Mother has taken charge of my dinner requests, shall we?’
‘If Mother took charge, then I’m sure it’s absolute perfection as ever.’ Kanera lessened his usual stride to walk more comfortably with his younger sibling. ‘You know, dearest, we’ll have to come up with a new word. You and mother cannot both be perfect. I endeavour to invent a new word for your thirteenth birthday.’
no subject
Date: 2014-04-22 02:43 pm (UTC)And I say again, man, sometimes I have no idea which of us wrote what. NO IDEA. It all seems awesome, maybe you wrote the whole thing.
So I love all those little touches that mean the entire lot of brothers dote on Assili, and its a very natural thing for them. Like they will wear what she wants for her birthday, and they will (try) to get her thing she likes for HER as well as for a private battle. Even though clearly Kanera has the biggest soft spot for her, there are little touches of Sahid being a good big brother here and there. Love it.
(agh it makes me remember Assili and Sahid's final 'talk' and idbgudbdg my heart. MY HEART)
I love Sahid. Like, a lot. Not just in the omfg repressed ghei wants to fuck men way, but in the genuine like... He's a dick. BUT HE HAS DEPTH TOO. I suppose he was just a dick for the sake, but as you've developed Kazin I think he has very clear motives and reasons for being how he is. He's so awesome. Like just his first line in this, being like "Geez, grandpa, quiet" is like so full of character and cocky and stuff yes
And like I said in chatbox, I love Shiz being all "Sigh. No father. omfffg...." and bored. She has heard this shit far too long XD
I'm only at that point in the text, what.
Kanera. So. Flamboyant. BUT HE ISN'T PUTTING IT ON. Like the flamboyancy, but also the love. Narti. I cannot even WORDS how much Assili means to Kanera. He adores her. To pieces. HE LOVES HIS BBSIS. AND I LOVE HER TOO, I love seeing her acting like a little girl being spoilt, rather than an empress being doted on. Its adorable. Her little crinkle-nose smile jufgbdufbgudfg
Its also like... Sahid and Kanera's relationship too? I love it. Its like they're trying to one up each other, and it seems like it's very friction filled, but I also feel like they would totally have each others backs. Like they can talk all the shit about the other, but if anyone else said anything they'd jump down their throats. Its like.... duigbdg I just want brother fics too. I WANT IT ALL.
And for Kanera its very comfortable, because even if he thinks Sahid is a dick and a prick and other ick words, he's also very content. Because he's there in front, doing all the shit and and leaving Kanera to skate through life lazily. Like being thrust into the front position after Sahid's death will be hard for him for that, but also it would be such a slap to him. For all his thinking "someone's going to kill Sahid for being a dickcock", he would never have seriously thought he was in any danger of losing his big brother.
This has nothing to do with this fic, aha...
no subject
Date: 2014-04-22 02:55 pm (UTC)‘It’s vanilla-scented,’ she said.
Shizaaqa cocked an eyebrow. ‘So you’ll have her smelling like a sweet shop?’ she accused.
‘It’s a young scent, Mother,’ Assili explained
I love that. Because its just SO very mother/daughter. Old generation not wanting to accept what the youth are changing into and such. ITS SO REAL.
I love that Kanera is always the one giving Shoaib little nudges, touches and such. And.. that like... He clearly LOVES being a big brother. He loves both his siblings, but he can really dote on Assili and he can't with Shaoib, because he feels like he needs to help him become a man, but he doesn't know how to do it. Because (A) that's not really his fucking job as a young man and (B) there's no fucking helping Shaoib. But like just little touches. Little things show his affections and that he's there dnfgbfgbfg yes.
Why am I spazzing out about my own char djgbdg
Assili bb, she is so good. Even with a shitty present, she is so polite and good. SHE IS A GOOD GIRL. NOL YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW. I love my Assili bb <3 I love that she very clearly has three different faces for her brothers, because they are three very different people.
Man, did I ever wrote Zakaariss in a godmod Edward Cullen light? Pfffffffff..... heissupposedtobehotdoh.
Sahid snorted and folded his arms as best as his glass would allow him. ‘Hard to be comfortable with a rod as solid as his up your ar… your backside.’
YEAH SAHID YOU'D LOVE TO THINK ABOUT ZAKKY'S BACKSIDE.
But seriously
‘Well, he may have been invited to a family gathering, but he’s clearly not comfortable enough to be counted as such yet.’
‘Hard to be comfortable with a rod as solid as his up your ar… your backside.’
‘Well, I’m not sure he has such a thing, under all that fabric.’
‘Probably not. The man clearly never shits.’
Is just such a... dfugbdfg BROTHERS. BROTHERS JUDGING PEOPLE TOGETHER. BEING YOUNG AND IMMATURE and that's just what I was talking about before. You know they like to tease each other, but they also like to rally against others together. And especially this guy, who is clearly going to try and take their precious little sister. (Sahid maybe a little from jealousy but same diff) and its just duifgudbg BROTHERS.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-22 03:29 pm (UTC)The empress, to Kanera’s mild surprise, looked impressed. It took a lot for a man to impress his mother.
Oh he impressed Shiz all right. Impressed her just riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
And then he also got this bird.
No but Shiz/Zakky is so hot.
‘Judging from the noises it has made in the short time I have had its acquaintance, it sings when it cares to.’
Okay I think I wrote this line, but I really fucking like it >_> I think its badass lol. And it kinda sums him up quite well.
‘Love you, little sister, but I’m not going to Nissaya for your birthday present.’
Assili turned a smile of sweetened menace back on him. ‘It may not be your choice in years to come,’ she warned him in a voice like sugar-plum.
i fucking love this family okayifuckinglovehtmeujdfbgdbg
‘It rubs off.’
‘You are aware that you're supposed to rub off on them, not the other way around?’ Kanera remarked with a smirk.
A faint flash of irritation passed over Sahid’s eyes, making Kanera smirk all the more.
I know that flush of annoyance is like... you know. Brothers. but I am pretending its because Sahid is annoyed at his own ghei thoughts which were that he wanted to rub off on them indeed.
Shizaaqa made a noise of amusement and, Kanera thought, derision. ‘I should hope the name won’t stick,’ she warned, looking straight at Kanera as she said this.
I CANNOT EVEN. WITH THIS FAMILY. And I can't explain why I love this so much. Just mummy commanding her children. And like testing Kanera in a way, but just.. I CANNOT WORDS but I love it.
And you know that bit stalled the writing for ages, because I was like "... the fuck are you going to suggest, Kanera?" and so I held us up forever lol.
I love Assili's beginnings of a girlcrush on Zakky. I really do. Because I love them. Age/size/etc-differnce otp.
Assili bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb I love you. YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR BIG BROTHER THINKS and you settle him at ease without even bringing it up in an awkward way. SUCH A GOOD LITTLE POLITICIAN OF EMOTION YOU ARE. She knows how to deal with HER boys, just as much as Nimay can deal with hers lol.
BUT THEN as awesome as she is, I love that certain comments go over her head. She is still a little girl. AND JUST... JUST "Sahid got me perfume" uidfgoibgubdf SO FUCKING CUTE BB
In equal turns, they scowled at Commander Zakaariss and cursed themselves for not thinking of something more personal.
Bitches be hatin. /sips cocktail
Hear some tell of it, he was Ulzaq himself.
Kanera twisted his lower lip in thought momentarily, considering that option.
No. No good. He didn’t want his sister with Ulzaq either.
That is too awesome, you must have written it. I JUST. Kanera. No one is good enough. (If Assili wasn't such a shipper, she might have felt the same way with you. Instead she totes has shipper instincts and wants to hook you up)
You know like... the fact that Zakky gave a perfect gift and then just acts like he doens't even care, whereas these other commanders are all clearly smoozing and trying. I bet that really works in his favour. (God knows women love aloof men. Zakky got it down perfect)
AGH THOUGH. AGH. The ending banter between Assili and Kanera. I love it. But fuck he is so verbose and silly. No wonder he gets on with Llayans. But ingiudg so cute. SO CUTE. I LOVE THEM. SO CUTE SIBLINGS.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-22 04:05 pm (UTC)fuck it.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-23 10:29 am (UTC)Your comments are almost as long as the fic XD I love you~
I love the Kazinians <3 I think because they're the first proper family I've got going here, in the traditional sense of mum, dad and a bunch of kids to all have relationships with each other. Twins had one briefly but that only lasted a couple of chapters. But yeah, I love bouncing them all off one another, especially the two boys XD Sahid is such a DICK but he's the only one allowed to be a dick to his bb Kanera. Jealous as all hell that Kanera does better than him without even bloody trying but nobody better point that out in his presence =|
The difference is that Edward Cullen is a woobie pretending to be a brick wall. Zakky actually IS a brick wall. Assili is the way to power so he sucks up to her. It'll develop eventually, but at this stage it's just the quickest route to becoming the general. Also Zakky is hot. SO HOT. Look at that chest, man. LOOK AT IT. I am :D
That is too awesome, you must have written it.
See, as I was going through and italicising it all, I got to that bit and grinned because I SWEAR you did that bit. WHOEVER WROTE IT, awesome lines. Good job whoever that was. I'm going to say it was Kanera, safest bet.