Light seeped in through the cracks and spaces between the wooden boards of the red painted double doors, casting shadows and painting streaks of orange light across the prince's face. His golden earring glinted in the shine whilst he scrunched his nose and moved his hand to cover his eyes. The roosters sounded their alarm, and the cows in the pens mooed in response. The thick scent of fresh manure wafted its way up Tanaka's nose, forcing him awake. He unwillingly opened his eyes slowly and sat up straight, causing the hay to rustle beneath him. The doors burst open, letting the light flood in and covering Tanaka.
"Ugh," he groaned as he raised his hands to block the sunlight.
"Good morning, Tanaka," Gazi said as he stood at the entrance.
Tanaka hopped up from the hay bale. "Tanaka? What happened to... your majesty?" he mocked, imitating Gazi's voice.
Gazi tucked the corners of his lips under his cheeks and stared deadpan at Tanaka. He sighed.
"I thought it best we do not reveal our identities, for our own safety, that is."
Tanaka yawned and walked toward the door with half-lidded eyes, picking the strands of hay that were stuck on his dreadlocks and rubbing the smaller ones off the buzzed sides. The rooster crowed once more.
"I swear I'm going to kill that bird," Tanaka said.
"The Yera shiri have enough reasons to want us dead," Gazi said, "so no need to go around looking for more reasons to give them."
Tanaka finally tilted his head to look at Gazi. Although his dreadlocks were longer than Tanaka's, there was not a single strand of hay in his head.
"You know, chickens don't count," Tanaka said as he stared at Gazi's put-together appearance suspiciously.
"A bird is a bird. And if you kill a village's totem animal in their territory—"
"Ugh, I know, I know," he crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "You are given a painful, long death, they will show no mercy, and none of my allies—which I don't even have—can help."
"Good morning." Tinaye walked inside the barn with her hands placed on her hips.
She then moved her gaze to the still-imposing Gazi, looking neat as a button. Too neat.
Tinaye's eyes lingered on Gazi for a while. She widened them slightly. He does not look like a man who slept on hay bales, she thought.
"I hope you two had a good night's rest," she smiled.
"Yes. Thank you very much for welcoming us into your home. We really appreciate it," Gazi replied as he almost bent down for a bow but stopped himself midway. He instantly stood up straight.
"Aw, don't worry about it. Like I said before, I was just returning a kind gesture."
"Well, we still appreciate it."
"Yeah," Tanaka yawned. "Thanks a lot."
"We will leave now before we cause you any more trouble," Gazi said.
"What? Don't be silly. You haven't even eaten yet."
"Yes, but we must get go—"
"No." She crossed her arms on her chest. "Food first. Or you two are not leaving this barn, do I make myself clear?"
"Come on, Gazi. It would be rude to refuse," Tanaka smiled.
He sighed. "I guess one meal couldn't hurt."
"Good." Tinaye smiled and guided them toward the dining room.
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Tanaka frowned.
Not again, he whispered to himself. He had in his hands a steaming soup of what he hoped were potatoes which had gone mildly bad—or completely bad. Hopefully.
The brown goo in the bowl had bubbles rising and popping as it was being boiled slowly.
"It would be rude to refuse," Gazi mockingly whispered into Tanaka's ear, using his imitation of Tanaka's voice.
Tanaka swung his head to glare at Gazi, who was finding the situation amusing. A faint scowl painted across Tanaka's face, though still he had no one to blame but himself.
"Why can't I keep my mouth shut?" he sighed as he sat on the rug on the floor of Tinaye's dining room.
He tilted his head once more to glance at the soup in his hands. It was thick with white and black spots between the potatoes. Tinaye seemed to have noticed Tanaka's look of disgust, which, in his defense, he did try to hide but was failing spectacularly at.
"I'm sorry," she cast her eyes down and slumped her shoulders. "I do not really have anything else I can offer you for food. Heh. Can't imagine you fancy folk are used to eating this goop."
She placed another bowl down for her son sitting across from Tanaka. He was short, probably around nine to ten years old, with a buzz cut.
"This isn't that bad, Mom," he voiced, eating the stuff like a pig. He paused with the bowl in his mouth and glared for Tanaka and Gazi to do the same.
"The child is right. I'm rather quite impressed with what you managed to do with so little... ingredients."
"Yes, Ms. Tinaye, I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. This is really—" he boldly put a spoonful of the soup in his mouth, hoping to down it in one gulp. "—del-urrrr-delicious," he said as he tried his hardest not to throw up.
Tinaye smiled as she herself sat down, folding her long brown skirt and the white apron in front as she did so. Once she sat down, her eyes started to wander about.
"Where's your sister, Zipher?" she asked.
Gazi and Tanaka turned to the boy as they tried to discreetly dispose of their share of the food. Zipher chuckled nervously and put in a spoonful of the soup in his mouth. Then another. Keeping each one in his mouth for a longer time than usual.
"Zipher... where is Zara?"
"I don't know," Zipher said in a muffled voice as he shrugged off the question.
Suddenly Tinaye's hand reached for her son. Zipher's face turned pale as he saw his doom through the swift motion.
"Ahhhh!"
Tinaye had grabbed onto the boy's earlobe, squeezing and pulling it hard.
"Ah, ah, ah, it hurts!"
"I know when you are lying, Zi-zi."
"OK, OK, OK. Owww, she went to the fight club, she went to the fight club!"
Tinaye let go of his ear.
"Aha-ow," he cried as he rubbed it.
"Fight club?"
We've been here for a bit of time, yet this is the first time I've heard of a fight club, Gazi thought.
Oh, cool, they have those here too, Tanaka thought.
Tinaye sighed. "Yes. It's a not-so-secret establishment under the Veina tavern in the... unlovely part of the village."
Gazi and Tanaka looked at each other in a state of silent understanding.
Tinaye pursed her lips and rubbed the crown of her frowning forehead. "I have told her multiple times not to go there. What is she thinking?"
Gazi stood up, leaving his bowl on the wooden floor of the barely furnished room.
"You know, you have already done so much for us. The least we could do is bring her back for you."
"Really? I would hate to delay you from your travels. You did seem like you were in a hurry earlier."
"Don't worry about it. We are happy to help," Tanaka said.
"Though I have to admit, we do not exactly know where to look. We are new here, after all."
"Oh, it's OK. Zi-zi here will show you the way."
"I will?" He raised an eyebrow.
Tinaye turned her head lightning fast to glare at the boy.
"I mean, I will!" his eyes bulged as he smiled nervously.
"Good. I'll clean up here." She smiled. "When you find her, please tell her I'm going to kill her for me."
"Hehe... eh, sure. Let's go, child," Gazi responded awkwardly.
"Yeah, come on, Zizi," Tanaka jested.
"HEY, ONLY MY MOM CALLS ME THAT!"
Tanaka laughed even more. "Okay, okay, I won't... ... Zizi."