Nandu flattened his ears against the noise.

The sight wrenched Arya's heart. She wanted to wrap herself around him— protect him from the horror. From the onslaught of sound. From everything.

But the nightmare had only just begun.

Amaru stood with a leg on Tauren's corpse. "Find the royal family! Bring them to me!"

His lackeys swept into action. The same six from the fight, powerful in their beast forms, prowled into the tree, bodies low to the ground as if on a hunt.

Because they were.

A few gut wrenching moments later, cries erupted from the tree. Swiftly followed by Amaru's team, each of them carrying a cub in their jaws, except for one, which escorted the queen. Some of the cubs squirmed. Others cried in fear. Others looked like they wanted to make themselves as small as possible.

The lackeys deposited the hostages in a line before Amaru. When a couple of the cubs tried to run, the guards squashed them down with a heavy paw.

Amaru strolled down the line, swinging his spear perilously close to the soft-furred cubs. "It is custom," he said, speaking for the audience, "to kill the children of the old King. End the bloodline, yada yada yada." He paused before the eldest cub. His father's copper eyes glared at the new king. "But, I am a benevolent King. I believe there is a far better use for these... Young traitors." He raised his spear. "They are to be examples. Chained, here in the courtyard. A reminder to all of you. Of what outsiders look like. Of who not to trust."

Nandu's tail swished. "But they're just kids!" he whispered. "How can they be traitors? So King Tauren wasn't born here. What did they do wrong?"

Arya shook her head sadly. "Nothing, Nandu. They did nothing."

Amaru stalked towards the queen, Nkuru. "Now to you I'll offer a choice. You don't carry the old king's blood, but do you carry his loyalty?"

The beautiful white lioness glared up at him. "Yes. Always," she growled. "My Tauren might have been a poor husband, and an even poorer King. But he was a hundred times the king you'll be. Because you are a heartless coward. I will never stand with you."

Amaru struck her across the face with the back of his hand.

The queen snarled in pain, but didn't cower.

"I want her out of my sight!" Amaru yelled. "Across the border! She is banished."

The sixth guard peeled off to escort the queen away.

As she was dragged off, Amaru strode towards the obsidian throne. He turned and sat, feeling it out. Finally he spoke again. "Now, I think it's about time I asked you all the same question." He raised his voice to make sure everyone could hear. "You must all prove to me your loyalty... Or be banished from the Court."

All four suns beat down upon the court.

Usually at this hour, the court would retreat into their homes to hide from the heat. But no one could go home till they bowed to the King. A line of thousands snaked through the city, all waiting for their turn.

Arya could feel the sweat soaking through her leathers, making them cling to her skin. Most other members of the court had transitioned to their beast bodies, which were better at coping with the heat. Nagala sheltered Nandu beneath her sandy-gold wing.

"It's... So hot..." Arya panted.

"If you shifted, it wouldn't be so bad," Nagala retorted.

"Ma, you know that I—" she threw up her arms in exasperation. "Never mind."

They had been standing in the line for hours. Yet finally, they were only a few people behind from the front. Those ahead of them quickly declared their allegiance, and rushed to return to the shelter of their homes.

Amaru looked down at them from the height of the obsidian throne. The cubs eyed them pleadingly from their places flanking the throne, their necks and legs chained to iron pegs thrust deep into the ground.

Nagala pushed Nandu forward. The cub's ears flattened as he lowered his head. "I swear my loyalty to you, King Amaru," he repeated the rehearsed words.

Amaru nodded, and waved him away. Then Nagala approached. "I swear my loyalty to you, King Amaru." She raised her head, eyes shining. "Son."

The King smiled. He jumped out of the throne and threw his arms around her. "Ma. I returned." 

He adjusted his jagged, obsidian crown. "And just look at me now! King! As I was always meant to be. Like Pa."

Nagala rested her wing on his shoulder. "I'm proud of you, my son. As is your sister."

Amaru's eyes widened. "Arya— she's alive? Where is she? Where—" he backed up to scan the crowed. His eyes passed right over Arya.

She clutched her wrist, wishing to become invisible. Oh no... This isn't good...

Usually her mother's problematic memory was no more than an annoyance. But now it was about to put her very much in danger.

"Arya, come here you silly child. Aren't you happy to see your brother?"

Arya had no choice but to step forward. She bowed at the waist and averted her eyes. "I swear my loyalty to you, King Amaru."

She hoped he might let it pass. Or perhaps even mistake her for his lost sibling.

Her hopes were crushed when he grabbed her by the chin and yanked her up, forcing her to look at him. He was practically seething, jade eyes glowing with anger as he studied her face. Saw it wasn't the one he knew.

"You... Are not... Arya." He spat out the words like they were acid on his tongue. "You are not my sister! You're an imposter!" He shoved her back, and she fell into the hot sandy ground. "Who is your father? Is it King Casmir?"

Amaru's scant figure towered over her. She refused to look afraid. After all, she had done nothing wrong. Except exist. And Nandu was watching her, eyes wide. "I have no father. I'm a child of the storms," answered she.

He sneered. "Arya. Daughter of the Storms. An outsider! Masquerading as my dead sister. Stomping on her honor!"

"My King," Arya protested, "I never meant to—"

His boot connected with her stomach. She fell onto her side and curled in on herself, breathing through the pain.

"She is to be another example. This worm crawled into our city and has been abusing rights that were never hers! She threatens our security with her presence! For all we know, she is a spy of the Snow Leopard Court. And Tauren just let her stay here, right in the heart of our home!" He summoned Malik and Bast with a whistle. "Chain her up with the children of the old King."

The guards picked up an arm each in their jaws, and dragged her away. Her legs scraped against the earth, and she wanted nothing more that to curl around her sensitive core.

Nandu raced over to her, dodging Malik's legs to get to her. "We'll get you out of this! I promis—"

Malik swatted the cub away. He fell to the ground, and was quickly out of her view. Yet his voice called out to her.

"I'll think of something! Just hold on Arya!"

She closed her eyes. How had the world slipped from beneath her so quickly?

I'll try Nandu, she thought. I'll try.

Because I know one thing for sure.

I'm innocent. And I'll prove it. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

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