Jailui

It was in poor taste to travel the temple on the back of a pibi, but Jailui figured if she was quick enough and didn't leave any feathers, no one would even know. It would be a major setback to taint the image she'd worked so hard for over the past two years, the image of a zealous yet refined princess, training to be a wyshu priestess. She'd already traded her vibrant spider-silk and down garments, for plain, white, cloth, covering her flat twisted hair and dragging along the ground in a muddy train. Her bare arms lacked jewelry, except for a piercing in her right arm, given at the age of thirteen, brandishing the crest of the royal family. The public was already eating it up, to the point that Jailui was sure that Queen Yatuilui would allow her to actually become one. Of course, this was never discussed out loud, but it was was universally understood within the walls of the palace that if the Queen didn't take action against it, it was ok to do. (The most devout of her subjects were already talking about her being the next queen even though she was the second eldest daughter, that is, before Aynira found the egg of a raajaanbo.)

Jailui was so close to priesthood. Just three days ago, she took on the mchuti, an intricate chain that was woven between her fingers and toes as a test of her fortitude. Walking was difficult and too painful for her to make any ground by foot, so here she was, sneaking a large bird into the temple in the dead of the night, cheating her test of fortitude by riding on its back, looking for something she thought she remembered.

Way in the back of these interweaving temples was a mural of Ptupuam. The fallen king. Of course, this king showed up in murals all over the temple, but in those, it was his death that was celebrated. He was depicted standing on a cloud with a flaming arrow in his eye. The one she looked for was different.

The pibi cawed, and Jailui dove for it's sharply curved beak, closing it shut, and yanking its blue head near her body

"Shhh, Xapi!" she warned.

The pibi shivered and attempted to shriek once more but Jailui was already attaching a muzzle. Xapi's large head turned upside down, to meet Jailui's gaze with sad, yellow, eyes as if to ask 'Why did you betray me?' It was odd for him to misbehave like this; he, like most pibi, was usually quiet and well mannered, despite his intimidating appearance, but Jailui didn't waste time thinking about it.

"You know I hate doing this, but I just can't afford to be found right now!" How silly would she look, prowling about the temples at this hour, in her night clothes, with a lamp made of cavedog eyes, tide to the end of a staff? She'd be shamed for disrespecting a holy place, and her chances for priesthood would be dashed: her only hope of-"

"This is an odd sight," said a voice from the dark.

Before Jailui realized, a terrified shriek escaped from her stomach. Hefty hands covered her mouth, cutting the cry short, and yanked the princess off of her pibi. She swung her arms wildly, until finally her fist made contact with something hard and boney, creating an unpleasant chomp.

"Ah," a male's voice exclaimed in a hushed toned.

Jailui opened her mouth to scream a second time before the voice said, "Wait! Wait, Wait! It's just me!"

She swung the staff-lamp at the figure, illuminating a familiar mischievous grin. It quickly turned into a burst of stifled laughter.

Jailui let out a hefty sigh of relief. It was him, and for some odd reason, he'd brought one of the maids with him, one she recognized: a girl at least two years his senior with heavily moled skin. Jailui couldn't quite remember the girl's name, but she was sure the maid was Nayima's, Nayima's favorite no less.

"I should've known it was you," she said as she stroked the bucking pibi's long neck in an unsuccessful attempt to calm the bird. "Xapi hates you. For good reason."

The fifth child and eldest son of Queen Yatuilui smirked and leaned into the lamp light.

"I've never done anything to that bird."

"Right," said Jailui, as she climbed back on Xapi, wanting a break from the pain of standing on her chained feet, burdened with open sores. " And what are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"What are you doing?" he asked, "I bet you're here to make a frottage picture of the mural in the back temple, the one that looks like a woman sitting on the thrown with Putuam standing next to her. That'll make the commoners hate her again, right?"

Matuambe was sharp. She might have to kill him one day.

"Do you really think us commoners are that easy to fool, Spider?" said the maid sounding quite cross. Spider was the nickname their father had given him. King Matuambe was so happy to finally have a son that he submerged the boy in all things 'masculine' and pulled out a persona.

"Yes."

Jailui sighed. She didn't have time for this.

"Look, I'll pretend I didn't see you if you do the same."

"Right, cause if word got out that Nuande's young priestess is not very preistly at all that would ruin your chances of being queen? You don't need to bargain with me, I'm not interested in that. King Matuambe already gave me Fimindi to govern. I'm satisfied just watching the three of you ruin each other from the sidelines - I guess it's four now isn't it now that Aynira's a part."

Jailui held in a chuckle. Being queen was the last thing she wanted to do. Her goals were simple and straightforward. She wanted out. She was not the crowned princess (no matter how much her subjects respected her,) and she was not interested in being the wife of a foreign prince in a strange land. She wanted to stay here, without shaming her King and Queen. Giving up her ability to marry to become a chaste and holy priestess not only made the royal family look good, it saved her from marriage. Even her betrothed was supportive of her decision. There wasn't a battle between four princesses for the throne, it was three: the first born, Lazina, the third born, Maiytutui, and, incredibaly, the ninth born, Aynira. Matuambe's arrogance was leaking out. He was smart, and observant, but not nearly as clever as he thought he was. Jailui blamed it on the kings shameless favortism.

"You brag about Fimindi as if controlling it will be easy. That colony has been self-governed for a decade."

"Father doesn't seem worried."

Jailui held Xapis' reigns and took one last look at her brother before riding off into the interlacing temples.