Shah goes to the Big City


It was the early morning of a day in the latter days of the season of Plenty. Sunlight painted the land a deep orange, and a humid breeze caressed Shahari’s body as she lay on her favourite Chill-out Stone.

It was a bit stressful lately - Shahari had never been trained to do the stuff that she had been forced to do whilst living in Thysia. Back home, she had only ever known a single Chief and a single people, but now? Foreign chieftains, kings, dukes, counts… Important people of all kinds, really, were a very common sight in the Suneater’s palace.

And Shahari was expected to know each of their names, legacies, and troubles before even meeting them.

She ruminated. Thoughts on her ongoing education, thoughts on her Promised’s increasingly cold disposition, and finally thoughts on the troubling lack of news from home.

As if on cue, a familiar scent wafted up to Shahari’s nose. The smell of frankincense. She perked up immediately and propped herself up by her elbows.

“Haz!”

Shahari scanned her surroundings, eyes wide like saucers. Grass, tall grass, palm trees, sand, dirt… And a minuscule bird of colourful feathers perched upon a blade of tall grass. A-ha!

“Haz is happy to see Shah’s nose is still as keen as the day she left us.” A masculine voice came from the bird.

“Shah is happy to hear Haz’s voice. Shah wonders why he came in such a small body this time, though?”

“Shah’s mother requested Haz come in secret - Thysia must not know he is here today. He carries troubling news, unfortunately.”

Shahari bit her lip, but nodded after a moment. “Ok. What news?”

“We have lost track of nearly all the Panthera Clan branches who’d settled outside of the Sacred Plains. Shah’s mother believes the Pantheras are being targeted by something malicious.” Haz’s upbeat tone had now disappeared and was now monotone as always.

Shahari, on the other hand, felt her heart race. ‘Lost track’ does not necessarily mean anything bad happened to them - Just that letters were not being answered. Maybe they’d moved homes and had forgotten to notify Shahari’s father? But for all branch families as well as active travellers to do so…

Shahari’s relaxation time now ruined, she sat up all the way and held her hand out. The tiny bird flew to her and perched itself on her finger.

“Thank you.” Haz said.

“Shahari is worried, Haz. What about Shah’s brothers and sisters?”

“Some unaccounted for, unfortunately.”

“Maha?”

“Maha has been missing since the previous season of Plenty.”

A stab to the heart.

“... Muhu?”

The bird shook its head. “Muhu - Same story.”

“What about Teefee?”

“The White Imp was last seen heading towards Sylann.”

“Imp! Haz would still call Teefee that? After all this time?” Shahari shook her hand and forced the bird to take flight. It simply flew onto her head.

“In any case, Haz was sent here to share those news and also to notify Shah of two upcoming events. One, a caravan from the Sacred Plains will be arriving in Thysia in the coming days. It brings with it two guards who will be ensuring your safety. They are twins of the Pardus branch.” Shahari nodded, it would be good to have other people from her homeland around. “And two, a famous tailor has set up shop in Thysia under the name of Blind Outfitters. Shah’s mother suggests she visit in order to consider getting her Wedding attire made. A suggested design will be brought to Shah by her new guards.”

Shahari sighed, but soon enough found herself actually smiling, despite the worrisome news. Things were about to get busy - She didn’t mind busy.

II


A mere step behind Shahari and to her right was Jaa, a Leopard-kin male built like a Black Prowler - That is to say, taller than Shahari by at least two heads and as thick as two of her, not to mention solid like a wall. And to her left was Raa, Jaa’s female twin, who was built more like one would expect of a Leopard-kin. She was equally tall, but whereas Jaa was thick and strong, Raa was slender and graceful. This difference was made even more evident by the equipment each of them carried. While Jaa opted to be clad head-to-toe in Sacred Runegear made of the leathers and cursed bones of ancient Things, Raa chose to dress in light cloths and forego most types of weaponry, instead relying on her claws and fangs.

Shahari had seen the both of them in sparring sessions with both one another and with some of her Promised’s retainers. Safe to say, the palace’s training grounds were now undergoing repairs.

And so it was those two guards of Shahari that followed her as she walked down Flight Avenue in the lower areas of Sun Market. Shahari did her best to remain dignified, as taught to her in her lessons, but the sheer hustle and bustle of the Marketplace was always enough to make Shahari go a little bit haywire. She struggled to keep her darting eyes and ears under control and her tail betrayed her excitement at every sudden development, sometimes moving so violently that it bumped into one or both of her bodyguards.

Bird-kin flew overhead. Taur-kin jogged past carrying impossible loads. Sea-kin flowed through the channels on either side of the Avenue. It was hectic, to say the least.

Shahari liked this area of Thysia.

It wasn’t long until the trio reached an unassuming building. The front door was wide open and a sign was nailed to the facade.

“Bul… End… Outfeet.” Shahari read the text aloud, finishing with a proud huff. “This is it! See? Shah told Jaa and Raa that she knows her way around Thysia!”

“Swear.” Growled Jaa.

“Shah swears.” Raa said with a smirk. “It only took Shah two hours to bring the group here.”

Shahari rolled her eyes. “Shah is not used to daytime exploring, okay? Okay. Group goes in now.”

III


It had been a few days now since the group had left Thysia. Shah’s Promised had allowed her entourage to leave the city on the condition that she allowed a number of his personal guards to accompany her. He could not risk allowing a bride of his to travel, unguarded, to what most in Thysia considered to be a den of debauchery and xenophobia.

The boat they rode on was strange. It used a mixture of Goblin technology from the faraway land of Tricity as well as a wooden frame crafted by none other than Shu…. Shuhb… Shuebhurting? Shah shook her head. Octo-kin and their weird names were one of her banes.

…

It was warm. Too warm. Shahari was sticky and her hair hadn’t been washed since they left Thysia.

She kicked the thin sheet that had been covering her body and huffed as she felt the fabric rip and give way to her claws.

The sheet wasn’t the only thing responsible for the warmth in her room, though - There two other large problems. And she had one of them on each side.

As if on cue, the massive Leopard-kin to her left squeezed himself ever closer to her and the slender leopard-kin to her right snuggled Shahari even tighter, arms and legs intertwined with each other as if they were practicing combat arts.

It was far too hot on that boat, on that day, for her two bodyguards to be acting like spoiled kitties!

“AH!” She shouted and shook herself free of the two oversized cats. “Shah’s not a teddy!!” Shahari hissed and slapped the two groggy leopards several times before jumping off the bed and out onto the deck.

IV


THUMP

A wooden counter creaked under Jaa’s fist.

“The group only came here because of Manager’s reputation, Manager’s apprentice-”

“Gave you the wrong information. We don’t serve your kind here.”

Shahari could swear she was almost able to lick the tension in the room - It was that thick. It was also very endearing to see Jaa worked up and upset on her behalf. So she didn’t intervene.

While the Leopard-kin bodyguard and the human tailor stared each other down, Raa grabbed the tablet detailing the design of Shah’s wedding dress and put it away.

“If Manager is unwilling to take our commission, can he point the group to a place that will?”

“Hah, only one crazy enough to take your commission on - Arpuum. He’ll make you whatever you want.” The shopkeep rolled his eyes.

Jaa growled, but as soon as he broke eye contact, the shopkeep muttered under his breath.

“Savages.”

Time froze. Shahari grimaced as she remembered what happened to the last human that had insulted her kind in front of Jaa.

But both Shahari and Raa let out a sigh of relief as Jaa merely scratched the shop counter as he took his hand off it. It was a very deep scratch, it would be impossible to fix.

The trio walked out of the store, and by the time the shopkeep recovered from the terror inflicted by the look Jaa had given him, he ran out after them. He found no trace of the three cats, instead only meeting the worried gazes of dozens of pedestrians.

“T-That was an expensive counter! I’m reporting you!”

V


Jaa walked in front of Shah and placed a stepstool right against the counter. Then, helped by Raa, the Panthera Princess stepped up onto the stepstool and came to eye level with the owner behind the counter. It was a middle aged human woman and if her facial expression was to be trusted, she was already awestruck by Shahari’s regal magnificence. She huffed proudly.

“I, Shahari al-Khamisah Amirah lil-Namur, also known as Shahari al-Fuhud, Shahari Panthera, and Shah, would be honoured if you would offer her, a-hem, me, a room to spend the next few days in. One with a large, cool bed.”

Shahari watched the innkeeper expectantly. The woman’s expression went from the heights of adoration to what could now be understood to be concern.

“A girl as young as you - Are you sure you, uh, you and this gentleman…” She glanced at Jaa, who blinked back at her.

“We share a bed, yes. Shah, Jaa, and Raa. All three at the same time, every night.” Shahari nodded. The woman, flustered, turned around to look for a key to a room large enough for the three of them.

Shahari was slapped on the lower back by Raa’s tail, who threw her a sideways glance.

When the innkeeped turned back around and handed Shah the key to their room, she grinned. “Shah has not mated with her bodyguards. She, uh, I… We? We of the Panthera Clan share beds for tradition and comfort. Besides, I have been given to the Su-aah?!” Shahari gasped as she was grabbed by Raa and the two started making their way upstairs.

“Looks like it’s time for bed. Jaa thanks the Owner for her hospitality. Please charge the group two times the usual amount for its stay - it is a matter of pride for the Panthera Clan. The group will pay in gold. Goodnight.” Jaa nodded and followed after his sister and master.

Later, in their bedroom and after a nice and long session of group grooming, Shahari was lectured on the importance of subtlety.