Audience with the Chief

While he was listening to Sy'Andarah, Arrakhesh returned the glare of Kesare's brother. He was completely unintimidated by him - if anything, he was slightly irritated that another man would dare to show any animosity towards him. He stared him down for a split second with a harsh, unrelenting glare that dared anyone to challenge him, speaking volumes in a glare that was so brief no one else may have noticed it. Then he turned back to Kesare as she spoke.

"We are related to each other as part of the Royal Family. Other than that, I have no surviving immediate family. My father, the Warrior-General Kabriel, was killed in our last war, and my mother in the war before that."

Tyrone nodded solemnly. "Indeed, the young Warrior-General Arrakhesh and I are distant cousins by blood. His father was the finest warrior ever known to Kyanon. Sheikh Sy'Andarah is my aunt. I have a young son, named Eskarrhion, back in the city. He was born just before the war." Tyrone smiled a bit.

Sy'Andarah spoke in turn. "I had one daughter...she is gone now." For once, the Sheikh was reserved and said very little. "Her name was Arrah."

Arrakhesh grimly changed the subject. "Please, tell us more of your family and your people."

Kaskae noticed the uneasiness of his guests and quickly went to speak of his family.

"We are direct descendants of the great warrior Katiya who sacrificed himself to become the moon after the Sun's daughter died and was too stricken with grief to shown light upon the earth. You've met my two children, Kesare and Atka, sadly their mother passed on in childbirth with my daughter." he paused for a moment. "Aga was good to me when she was in this land. Kesare is my heir, female bloodlines are what has held this tribe together, Atga our warrior chief." He offered them more foods and drink.

The Kyanites seemed skeptical of the description that Kaskae gave. None of them believed in any sort of "mythology" such as what Kaskae had just described. Arrakhesh, nonetheless, played it off.

"Yes, your daughter has been very kind to my people. I'm very glad to have met her. It's most gracious of you to have us here as your guests, and to allow us to meet your family."

The Kyanites gladly took the food and drink that they were offered, politely eating amongst the Shilain. Arrakhesh and Tyrone gradually started to seem more at home, while Sy'Andarah appeared to be more on edge and just as haughty as usual.

The Amarok people would gather nearby around the fire arranged in a circle. They would hear drums and singing from the area behind them, the warriors would go in and dance, mimicking what they would do in a battle or hunt. One would run through the center between the rest and they'd strike at him, then again and again until he acted as if being hit and fell the the ground. The crowds cheered as the warriors danced around the fire, chanting and screaming out in victory.

Kaskae remained seated as he motioned for Atka to join them.

"You may go observe these rituals should you like, these are to ensure a good hunt tomorrow. After they are finished the crowds will join and dance until dawn, you may join them if you choose or you may stay and chat. We are glad you have come and want you to feel at home. Miss Sy'Andarah, you seem uneasy but I assure you that nothing will happen to your people." He stayed behind as Kesare and Atka rose to approach the ceremony being held. Kaskae thought to himself as he sat by his tent. "I am far too weak to lead my people. I pray Kesare will do a better job than I."

The Kyanites watched with great interest. Arrakhesh particularly seemed intrigued, but none of them joined in - they all decided to just watch instead.

"We'd like to stay and watch for a bit, if that's alright with you." Arrakhesh nodded at Kaskae and stood up to walk alongside Kesare while the other Kyanites stayed behind. Sy'Andarah made no comment about being uneasy, but she clearly didn't lighten up at all. Tyrone was quite interested, even if the culture was completely foreign to anything that Kyanon had ever known.

Kesare lead Arrakhesh to the edge of the circle and sat down to watch the ceremonies. The warriors danced in circles and at night with the flames of the fire burning the newcomer's eyes may start to blur things together, the fire would create a haze that overpowered the rest of the motions.

Once alone, the chief addressed the other guests once more.

"Sy'Andarah, correct, you seem to dislike my people and our ways, come and tell me forward if you have a problem with my people and not withhold your feelings. This is a very important matter, even if we handle it in a different manner than you would have done. I have asked for your leaders to be brought here so I may observe you and judge if we should allow you to stay within our territory. I see a goodness and strength in your young leader whereas, with you I sense more feelings of confusion and disdain."

Arrakhesh went along with Kesare and sat down close to her. "Perhaps you could tell me more about your culture. It's quite interesting."

He watched the warriors in the midst of their ceremonies. He had hardly seen anyone dance, letalone such an elaborate ceremony with this type of dancing. As the haze came over the ceremony, Arrakhesh wasn't sure whether to look away or allow himself to go along with the hypnotizing, rhythmic blur of the motions.

Sy'Andarah was quite stand-offish, as usual. "Honorable Chief, I have said nothing against your people. We are quite glad that you have shown us the hospitality of welcoming us here. I don't ascribe to 'confusion and disdain' but this is all quite foreign to me, as I'm sure you understand. I would like to know just what criteria you are judging myself and my people by."

Sensing that Sy'Andarah was about to stir up trouble, Tyrone politely interjected. "Honorable Chief, I understand your words very well. We are strangers to you, and I see no lack of great wisdom in your decision to handle us as such. I assure you, I will answer any questions that you may have of us, and do what is necessary so that you may observe that my people are honorable and trustworthy." He nodded his head humbly and politely.

Kesare sat a moment watching the dance then spoke to Arrakhesh of something she delayed before.

"Look, can you see in the flames, they're dancing with us." he may see figures of a human and animal shape within the shadows or the orange-red flames, they were of burnt red and almost brown, they looked as if they were dancing in step with the warriors. "Those are the spirits of our ancestors, I told you they could hear us and that we spoke to them but here, in this circle, we can be one with those who have passed on into the world of the spirits. Do you see them?"

The Chief spoke calmly, Sy'Andarah's words had not bothered him in the least.
"Perhaps I chose my words wrong and for that I apologize, I only meant that you seem to not want to be here and you don't seem to like to be around us. I understand we seem foreign to newcomers and our initial greeting was not as pleasant as it should have been, understand as well that we mean your people no harm so long they mean the same to us. I judge people by their souls, your leader Arrakhesh, he has a good soul with strength and power but also the knowledge and compassion needed within a leader, he is a good man and will take your people far from this poverty you face now. I cannot seem to see yours, you're closed from my eyes and that is why I asked."

He turned to Tyrone and spoke.
"I trust you and your people, I'm only concerned for the feelings of fear and confusion toward my people and their...how you say...abilities. It is my duty to make sure that it will not affect our relationship as tribe between tribe, most fear us and would never have come here and you have already shown me honesty and trust by doing so."

Arrakhesh nodded and then looked towards Kesare after looking into the fire, watching the silhouettes of the flames reflected in her eyes. She might notice him looking intently at her for a few moments.

"Yes. I see..."

Tyrone opened his mouth to speak, but Sy'Andarah promptly spoke over him. "You seem to think highly of him, and little of me. I have played my role in leading this country much longer than he has. Almost since he was born. He may be strong and compassionate, but the child lacks wisdom and experience...

Tyrone cleared his throat quite firmly and ended Sy'Andarah's rambling before she could continue. "This is not a comparison of us against others, Honorable Sheikh." He turned back to the Chief. "Yes, Honorable Chief, I must admit that none of us have ever seen anything close to your abilities. I find them quite interesting. But we trust you as friends, and we do not fear you, even though we have much to learn of your people and your tribe, just as you have to learn of our people..."

Sy'Andarah slipped in a sharp, snarky remark. "And I assure you, we are a nation, most certainly nothing less..."

Tyrone continued, unphased by Sy'Andarah. "...and we look forward to learning what we can, as the most humble friends and guests of your people."

Serik, who had remained quiet, spoke calmly. "Indeed, we are glad to have come to this land where we have found such good friends already. I hope that we can be welcome here to rebuild Kyanon, as this is our only wish - to bring strength and honor back to our people."

Kesare noticed Arrakhesh staring at her but continued trying to explain what she had meant earlier.

"Those are all of the ones who have passed on, we talk to them when the night falls and when the sun returns to the east. It isn't what most refer to as praying because they are always with us, guiding us along our road in this harsh world. My mother, she is in the world of the spirits, she passed on when bringing my sister into this world," her voice still seemed strong even when talking about such sorrowful things.

The chief did not lose his composure when Sy'Andarah spoke harshly.

"Excuse my language, I meant no insult by referring to your people as a tribe. I look forward to our next audience, until then please enjoy the food and festivities we have prepared for you. I'm afraid I must excuse myself from this meeting quite early, I am old you see," the chief said as he went to stand up. When he did two young warrior who were not involved in the ceremony ran and helped him stand and lead him back to his tent. Once inside their guests would hear him coughing furiously and nearly unable to breathe. He was obviously worse off than he had let on in front of them.

Arrakhesh nodded and looked back to what Kesare was referring to. He had many questions - some of them being about how a rational, realistic human could actually believe such things - but kept most of them to himself.

"It's interesting how you say they're...with you at all times. Kyanon has no beliefs like this. But you believe they guide you. Kyanon is guided by something as well, something that drives us along our own path, by honor." He paused for a moment. "I can see that you have much strength and honor, Kesare."

Sy'Andarah seemed a bit irritated, especially with Tyrone, and made no comment as the Chief left.

"Many thanks to you for having us here today. Kyanon honors you, sir," Tyrone politely stood, offering his help to the Chief and his warriors, and if accepted he would give the Chief a hand to help him back to his tent. He walked back afterwards, listening with some concern as the Chief struggled to breathe for a moment. He would listen carefully to see if the Chief was alright or if he needed any more assistance.