Adventures in Azibra: Zecora's past

Zecora awoke, well-rested, after the night... After fully waking, she blinked, getting her mind into gear. She squeezed her eyes shut, knowingly - knowing what images would be there, in her head, to haunt her... Nothing came...

"Hm?" Zecora said aloud, "Why...? Zecora got out of bed. She looked at her bed. Her bed was shaped like a circle, with a gold-rail head board. There were three large white pillows at the base of the head board; one pillow had  a larger dent in it then the other two. The other two just looked messed up... The pillows were as white as the sheets, and were just as ruffled up. Zecora began to straighten up her bed and tried to recall the events of last night... She was glad that she could do that, and she was also glad that the dream images did not come...After straightening up her bed, she put her hands on her hips, admiring it. "Perfect..." She said.

Just then, something wrapped around her waist, slipped through her open arms and pulled her backwards. "Ah - wha?!" Zecora said. She felt her head go back against something hard...

"Princess, good morning." A voice murmured in her ear. "Sorry to sneak up on you, like that, grabbing you without warning..."

Zecora took a deep breath, before she could respond, the speaker, who was evidently her brother, continued. "Of course, who could resist it? I honestly can't, I admit."

"What are you talking about?" Zecora asked her brother, grasping his arms that were wrapped around her, and looking back at him, her voice hinting annoyance. He just smiled and let her go. He stood and gazed down at her.

She turned and looked at him, ready to repeat herself, when she caught site of his attire. He wore a royal blue, long-sleeve vest (imagine blazer), with gold embroidery, depicted as golden vines, with leaves, that flanked the buttons that ran up the center of the shirt. Zecoy left the top button undone, showing more of his neck... Zecoy also wore a royal blue pair of baggy pants... they were just plain. On his feet, he wore brown sandals.

After surveying her brother, Zecora looked herself over; she was wearing a lavender, satin top, which had similar network of straps holding it in place, (skinny satin ribbons). Zecora also wore a lavender, satin draped skirt, that revealed one of her legs....

When had she changed? She wondered.

"Hm?" Zecoy said, still gazing at Zecora. He noticed her observing herself.

"Hm? Oh!" Zecora said, looking up at him, "I was... just wondering when I had changed... I don't remember..."

"You wouldn't." Zecoy said, simply, "And since you were asleep, you couldn't."

"What do you mean?" Zecora asked, "Who dressed and undressed me?"

"You do remember Murua, don't you?" Zecoy asked Zecora.

"Murua?" Zecora said.

"Yes. She used to be your care taker, after - He stopped himself. "When you were younger she cared for you, you remember her, right? I am sure you do..."

"...After what?" Zecora asked, eyeing her brother suspiciously.

"Ah well..." Zecoy said, turning his head and looking down, "Perhaps we can save that one for another time...It's... It's no big deal, right? I mean it's not like not telling you is some kind of crime..."  He looked back at Zecora and shrugged his shoulder's a little.

"Uhuh..." Zecora said. She was about to say something else, when Zecoy snapped his fingers of realization.

"Ah! Yes! That is why I have come here..." Zecoy squatted down in front of Zecora and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It is about last night. I was so worried for you and I hope you're alright..."

"Yes, I am alright." Zecora said, her hand somehow wandering up to her forehead, rubbing it. She noticed that when she did so, Zecoy's eyes followed her hand, and something of a smirk appeared on his face. "What?" She said, taking her hand down.

"Hm? Oh, nothing, nothing..." Zecoy said, but his gaze hadn't left her forehead.

"Zecoy..." Zecora said, half-speaking to her self and half-speaking to him. Her voice trailed off, but her thoughts only echoed the unspoken words that had not left her lips. She wondered what he was staring at... Just then, Zecoy grabbed both of Zecora's wrists and she was snapped back into reality.

"So, Princess, Zikomo tells me you've finally made up your mind to act - or be - as who you ought - and this sort of disappointed me..." Zecora watched as her brother's expression turned from one that was soft but unfocused, to one that was still soft, but more sympathetic. What did he mean? Did he know that finally wanted to act like a princess? Was that it? What more could he be talking about, anyways? Of course, if that was the case, then why would be be disappointed?

"Wha - what?" Zecora said, a worried expression on her face.

Zecoy shook his head, with a bit of a chuckle. He removed his hand from Zecora's shoulder. "Relax. All I am saying is that I thought you had already made it your decision to heed your Princess-ship... It's sort of... why I am the way I am; why I act the way I do. The reason, really, is only you."

Zecora shook her head, "What?" She said.

"What I am saying is - when I did not see you around, a lot, in earlier days, for surely I had a sister - and this I knew - I figured, 'why not be just like you?' I thought that your absence meant that, though young you were, you had already taken heed to your position, and that moved me... See?

Zecora thought for a minute and then, cautiously, asked, "But... you said you were disappointed... in me... why?"

"Take it as a jest, Princess." Zecoy said, smiling, "Take that statement lightly. For for me to truly disappointed in you, well - you'd have to do something rather... unsightly."

"U - unsightly?" Zecora squeaked.

"Yes, Princess," Zecoy said, his expression a bit less playful, and he nodded. "And that means that I will not be disappointed in you unless you are to execute a crime or do something unseemly or do something one to all truly do not agree with, whatsoever. But I am positive nothing like that will never happen... ever." Zecoy stroked Zecora's head... and that felt weird because she still wore a mo-hawk.

Zecora knew she didn't want her brother to be disappointed in her, no way. She couldn't have that - "So, what if I really did just decide about, you know, being a princess?" Zecora asked Zecoy, "What then?"

"Well, you can't just decide to be a princess, Princess. You are the Princess of Azibra, a member of the royal family, family of the most high - you don't have the power to just decide what you want to be, though being your own kind of princess is completely up to you."

"O - oh..." Zecora said. "I... I see..."

"Yes..." Zecoy said, "You didn't just think you could decide to be a princess, now, did you? If so, then you do sorely misunderstand. We don't choose to be the "rank" we are, we simply acquire traits to then act as we ought to, and we do it on command... Command... meaning we do if because we have to, not because we want to - this is why there is a symbolic meaning to everything we do."

Zecora listen carefully to her brother, sure to process everything he said. And what she learned - ?

~ She didn't have a choice; she was Princess whether she wanted to be ore not (or whether she acted like it)

~ This "rank" was acquired at birth and there was nothing she could do about it

~ It was her duty to be the way she ought to be as a princess...

~ She could be her own kind of princess (but she didn't really know what that meant...)

Just then, Zecora was being embraced. Zecoy turned his head so that his lips nearly brushed her ear, and he murmured, "Don't take these things too hard, Princess; you are still very young. These things do truly pertain to someone of your age or years - taking these things to hard might bring about fears. Fearing would be bad for it feeds into stress... I wouldn't want to see you in that condition, Princess..."

Zecora's ear flicked; his warm breath on and in her ears tickled her, but not enough to make her laugh - no - she was too in tune to the words and what they meant...

Her brother paused and the continued, "I have heard that free Is the heart so young and though we tread one path, but one, we, being as we are cannot always see... We cannot always see the image we are meant to be... And I have heard - forever the heart, but never the mind - changing over - we cannot know or understand until we try - to walk under one another's sky. With one path and one heart, forever he live; with nothing more that the contents of our mind to give..."

"What does that mean?" Zecora asked. She knew that somehow her brother wasn't just making up the words, where as he wasn't rhyming like that just because of his habit or whatever it was, but only because he was supposed to, (and that).

Zecoy just smiled saying, "It's poetry; an excerpted verse from one of the most true and beautiful of its kind. I like how it describes youth and the mind..." Zecoy pushed, then thoughtfully said, "But I thought it reminded me of you, a lot - sorry for my selfishness; I do not mean to dilute your ignorance or anything, I just... I like that kind of thing..." He smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, well..." Zecora mumbled, only half understanding her brother - she admired his vocabulary, but wished she knew what he was talking about... And what was poetry anyways? If her brother knew about it, it must have been important, she didn't know why he was calling himself selfish. "Don't sound so sorry."

Zecoy chuckled. "Well," he said, "I better not keep you. He let her go, but not before placing a kiss directly on her ear... " I am sure you, as well as I, have other things to do..."

Zecora watched as he stood and walked towards the door. Truly, she didn't want him to leave her, but she didn't want to be the one doing the "keeping".

"Oh - " Zecoy said, turning back to Zecora, "How did your first session go?"

Zecora seemed stunned for a minute; she had already begun process all the new information she had just been given. The gears in her brain seemed to stop and than rewind backwards... back, back, back, way back until she stood, again, in her old room, Lord Gu'han standing in her doorway...They talk, (well, he did, mostly) and then he left.. but not before saying:

"I... will hopefully see you... tomorrow... for our second teaching session. Let this be the first..."

Was that what Zecoy was talking about? How had he known? She looked at her brother, who now focused on her, giving her his attention, 100%. Now, even though Zecora was hesitant about doing it, she was quiet on her brother. In other words, she wasn't going to say anything... at least.. not until it occurred to her that he truly cared - and why would he? May be he wasn't even talking about that session... So she she was quiet and just looked at the floor, played with her feet, all innocent-like...

"Princess? You heard me, yes? How did your fist session go - do you remember, do you know?" Zecoy said, obviously being patient, but more concerned then anything.

Zecora didn't answer him. Zecora slowly approached his sister. Standing before he said, "What's wrong? I shouldn't think that answering a simple question like that would take so long... I am patient, though, and still unaware if you know..."

Zecora just shook her head, and said nothing. "Why is he so concerned? Could it be that... But no - how would he know?

Zecoy lifted Zecora's chin with one finger... Looking into his eyes, she could see that they glowed, somehow. In fact, his eyes seemed to burn straight through her... She shivered; hadn't she seen that look somewhere, before?

"Though... I do not feel ignored, and nor do I feel rejected... I do wish you would, again, speak to me.Zecoy said. "If something is wrong, anything, I would like to know what it might be."

Zecora just blinked at him, and then said, "Ah.. well... it's..." Zecoy removed his finger and she relaxed. (Sort of) "It's like this..." Zecora took a huff of a sigh and then said, "You know that tutor?"

"Tutor? You mean Lord Gu'han? My mentor?" Zecoy asked, raising an eye-brow. "Whatever do you mention him for?"

That was it; Zecoy didn't know. Thinking this over, Zecora felt a little scared... She remember, instantly, that she was supposed to see this "Lord Gu'han", today, for their next session... But now, without her brother knowing - without anyone knowing - that same tutor could and probably would do just about anything to her... She stared up at Zecoy; his eyes didn't seem to be glowing, anymore, and a firm expression was on his face. His eyebrows pointed diagonally,inward, somewhat, and his mouth was set nowhere near a smile, but he wasn't smiling either. This look gave Zecora a lot of discomfort, but she forced herself to observe this expression, burn it into her memory...

Zecora wished she could tell Zecoy what happened, but may be he wouldn't believe her...? After all, wasn't this the same Zebrain male her brother sought after, his ways and everything? Even his habits?! Zecora just shook her head, and was about to turn from her brother, when he said, "I know." Zecora gasped, softly. His voice had an flatness to it, a dullness... there was a bit of a hard edge to it, something Zecora never ever heard in his voice since first hearing him speak.

She looked at Zecoy, her eyes wider than normal. "I know." He said, again, his eyes narrowing, "Lord Gu'han... his teaching styles are... harsh, if you will... and... he had no right to do to you what he did, so... I guess I should take this time to apologize to you..."

"What? You? Why?!" Zecora said. The various feelings she felt mixed within her, causing her insides to burn. She felt scared, silly, confused, somewhat angry and just down right weird...

"Yes, Princess." Zecoy said, his voice softening. "For, you see... Once I learned that you hadn't been.. receiving your... receiving the education you should have and would have, had I known, earlier than when I did, I charged Lord Gu'han to tutor you. I simply told him what I knew he should do. He didn't think that you were ready, but I was convinced, otherwise, as I have stated earlier, to you..."

Zecoy trailed off, purposely leaving room for Zecora to respond; she only nodded and repeated, "You charged him..." Zecora was glad she at least knew what that meant and she become more attentive.

"Yes." Zecoy answered, solemnly. "I told him that he should start tutoring you... I didn't think... well, as I said... but even knowing that, I... I don't know why..." Zecoy's voice trailed off.

Zecora was very discomfoted, at this. For one thing, he spoke like he knew what had happened... But it wasn't like he had charged Lord Gu'han to do that to Zecora.... If teaching was all Zecoy expected the tutor to do, then he could not be blamed for the male's actions....

"You have no reason to apologize, Brother..." Zecora said, not second thinking about calling him that... Zecoy didn't seem very moved either, but he looked a bit sad. "And I know..." Zecora continued, "That... that may be you don't know exactly what happened, but I thank you very much for caring... It's just that... the first session... that session... I didn't like... And if... if I can... I don't want to have anymore sessions with that... tutor." She looked at her brother who slowly nodded.

"I see." He said. "And I do not look down on you for that... I should truly have known better... known not to... do that to you..."

"It's alright," Zecora said, clenching her arms, "I just don't want to be tutored, right now..."

"Yes, and you don't have to be, Princess." Zecoy answered.

"I don't?" Zecora said, perking up.

"No, you don't.... and you won't." Zecoy said. His firm confidence was enough to convince Zecora that she didn't have to worry about that tutor, anymore...

"Thank you..." Zecora said, quietly... She didn't know where the tears came from, but they just came and she couldn't help them... she couldn't stop them. In fact, she didn't know why she was even crying. She wiped away at her tears... Zecoy then took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead...

"These events have made me late." He said, quietly, "But I do not mind making those waiting for me, wait... You are much more important to me... probably more than you can see." Zecora smiled, that made her a feel a lot better... But she felt sheepish, as well; why did she have to be such a cry baby?...

Zecoy left her alone, after that, telling her to make sure she cleaned up before she began her day... "Oh yeah, I must really stink..." Zecora thought, reddening with embarrassment when she remembered speaking in her brother's face, so carelessly... "Well, at least I showed respect..." Zecora thought, her thoughts reflecting the former conversation and her brother.

Brother... Her brother... Zecora was certainly going to get used to that from now on. There was no doubt about who her brother was, regardless of who he wanted to be like, (if that).

*  *  *  *  *  *

Later on, Zecora finds herself standing over a large chest that has been placed next to her bed... Looking into it, she sees a stack of outfits just her size. She takes one out at a time and gently places them, neatly onto her bed...

"Now then..." She says, observing the outfits. "Which shall I choose?" She goes to a standing mirror at the other side of the room and places an outfit before her... She knows that in reality she can never truly be beautiful, but she at least wanted to look presentable... Eventually, after trying on a good few outfits, Zecora decides to wear a wrapped hat with a large bow at the left side.... The hat was white, along with the sleeveless white top that covered Zecora's chest and neck... Zecora also wore a white skirt, one that was tight at the waist, but allowed for total freedom for her legs. Zecora decided to wear a long-sleeved white silky top.

"There..." She said. "That looks decent..." Zecora didn't mind white on white... Zecora observed another chest to the right of the larger chest as she put all of her clothes back... Peeking into it, she saw several pairs of shoes; sandals and slippers, mostly. She reached in and took for herself, that day, a pair of plan, golden slippers...

Not too many minutes later, Zecora was walking away from her room, towards the Royal Library. As she did so, passed by two young female zebrain. Both were slim and light skinned, both had long, light colored hair, and both wore silk veils to cover their face. When Zecora passed them both by, she couldn't help but look at them.... One of the girls' eyes met hers, and the girl gave a slight nod and curtsy. (Where had she seen that before - and those eyes...) Where had those girls even come from? Zecora quickened her pace; she didn't want to waste anymore time.

On entering the Royal Library, Zecora walked swiftly towards the are where she had first began her studies; lo and behold her books were still there... Zecora rushed happily over to them... On seating herself down, she felt a presence. She looked up; Zikomo was standing in-between one of the book shelves, tapping a finger to his chin... She watched and waited until Zikomo finished what he was doing, and then loudly cleared her throat. Zikomo turned his head in her direct, he smiled.

"Welcome, welcome, Princess. I didn't hear you come in..." Zikomo, Zecora noticed, was wearing glasses. He looked a bot goofy with the on because of how big and round they were... When Zikomo approached her, Zecora could help but laugh. Zikomo chuckled and said, "What is so funny, Princess?"

"Your glasses!" Zecora said.

"Yes?" Zikomo said, standing before the table where Zecora sat. Zecora too a moment to get a good look at Zikomo, before bursting out laughing, again. Zikomo just shrugged a little, a smirk-ish smile on his face... After he thought Zecora had laughed long enough, he removed the glasses from is face, and rubbed at his eyes with three fingers and thumb. Zecora calmed herself and took a deep breath.

"Ahhh, well." She said, "I'm all out of laughs."

Zikomo chuckled, "Well," he said, "That's good. Now I suppose you can go on and get down to business, hm?"

"Oh! Yes, of course...!" Zecora said, moving some of the books out of the way until she came to a  much larger one. This was it. This was the book with the weird writings that she could read... well... sort of... Zecora did her best to study the symbolic letters and words, but nothing really ever made any sense... She just couldn't put anything together or match any one symbol with another... Why was this? Whatever the reason, it was very frustrating to Zecora...

After sitting a while, Zecora closed the book and slumped in the chair... She looked to the other side of the table; Zikomo sat there, looking at her.

"How long have you been there?" Zecora asked, immediately sitting up.

"A little while, I imagine." Zikomo answered.

"Oh." Zecora said. "You know... you didn't have to stay here - but I am glad these books did, while I was gone. She scanned the other books that were spread out across the table.

"Ah, yes, about those... I thought you might need them, again, so I left them here" Zikomo said, with a bit of a shrug.

"And I thank you, for that." Zecora said. She turned her eyes back over the books... She was almost going to give up on trying to figure out what everything said. The few letters or symbols or whatever they were that she had somehow deciphered without even trying, didn't help her to decipher the rest... Zecora suspected that - well it seemed obvious;  OF COURSE Zikomo would know...

"Zikomo..." Zecora began.

"Yes, Princess?" Zikomo answered.

"You know I've been wondering... How come I cannot read some of these words while I am able to read others? And how come it does not make any sense when I try and figure out other symbols?" Zecora asked, opening the large book and motioning to the pages.

"What do you mean, Princess?" Zikomo asked, coming around the table, and leaning over her shoulder. Zecora showed him the words she could read, (which were few), and showed him how she tried to make sense of other words by comparing the symbols....

"Ah..." Zikomo said. "Princess, I commend you for... trying... but it isn't that easy. Zikomo then snapped his fingers and a book appeared before him He snatched it out of the air before it could drop. He went back and sat in the spot he had had been, on the other side of the table... He opened the book and, when finding the correct page, he turned it about and showed it to Zecora. "Here" He said, This is the 3rd Zebrain alphabet."

"The... third?" Zecora said, staring at the strange looking symbols on the page.

"Yes, Princess." Zikomo said, "The 3rd; we zebrains, as one people, have many many languages, thousands of symbols, which result in a numerous amount of alphabets, altogether..."

"Oh... oh, I see..."  Zecora said, resting her cheek on her fist.

"Now, now," Zikomo chuckled, "Don't be so discouraged.... With all of the spoken and written languages of the zebrain, you, princess, have but to learn only two... three, by way of choice."

"What do you mean?" Zecora asked.

"What I am saying is that for each individual class of zebrain, there are certain languages designed; written and spoken." Zikomo said, "And you being a royal must know two of these. One being the common, which I speak, now, an the other being that of a more ancient tongue."

"But... why? Why could each class speak the same language?" Zecora asked.

"Well, they do, Zikomo answered, "But.. let's say... here, here's an example:

The King, your father, decides to create a new law. His law idea is, by tradition, passed through the counsel. When the counsel comes together to speak on the issue, it is first decided what, exactly, the law is and then voted to be accepted or not. Once this phase is complete, then an over all and general discussion about the law its effects and roles it will play, etcetera. Typically, if the law is accepted by the counsel -

The counsel and the king are figures of purity and righteousness; it is why they hold the more honorable titles and status places the do, deusu. Because of this, they will speak in terms of another tongue, during these discussions... all for various reasons..." Zikomo explained.

"Wow..." Zecora said, "And you all know that?"

Zikomo nodded, saying, "Yes, because I am not prohibited from seeking knowledge, and these things I make it my business to know, so that for future heirs, I will inform them of such a system... just as I do, now, to you..."

"But I should think that... if everyone sees the king and the counsel as such... important people, then... wouldn't it be awkward that I should know about that? I mean.. if they choose to speak another language just over the making of a law, then.... who am I to even know about it -- about this?" Zecora asked, curiously, cautiously.

Zikomo observed the small zebrain girl before answering, saying, "Princess, do not out it off or make it as though the choices of the counsel is something petty or unnecessary... For, indeed, it is necessary. All things we do is to be necessary - symbolic even - unto those who retain titles and high ranks they way they ought to, anyways."

"Uh... Retain?" Zecora said, wincing at the fact that she was unfamiliar with the term.

"Yes, Princess," Zikomo said, nodding, his expression becoming one not as serious. "It means to possess something, keep it... forever, even... And also, do not put yourself so low; you were born to know these things, seeing as, indeed, you are the throne heir... Do you understand?"

"I do." Zecora said. And then she said, "When you say "we", who do you mean?"

"When I say..." Zikomo began, but then - "Oh, I see; when I say "we"... Oh, well, it is as I did say; those who re - uh - posses and have titles worth... holding, the higher-ups. if you will."

"Even me?"  Zecora asked.

"You mean even myself, Princess, and yes." Zikomo answered, smiling at Zecora.

Zecora was quiet a moment; she figured Zikomo would never be the one to correct her so lightly... Knowing how he would truly react - this fact made her feel sheepish.

Zikomo watched Zecora in her thoughts, moment or so, before saying, "Princess, I do believe I know what you are thinking..."

"Oh! You... you do?" Zecora said, snapping her attention to Zikomo, and reddening a little.

"Mhm." Zikomo said, placing his chin in his palm and leaning forward, his white hair falling toward his face. "And it is alright." He said, "After recieving the instructions that I did, from your brother,the prince, to tutor you - teach you - " Zikomo said, with a cough, "Then to correct you would be to teach you, would it not? I no longer feel like I should be so timid about this fact, doing such a thing, because I am here to help and teach you; to correct you would only be following after the charge which has been given unto me... Does this make sense?"

Zecora nodded; her expression looked as though she were lost in space somehwere and Zikomo wondered if she had truly heard him. And she had, she certainly had. For one thing she realized that Zikomo took what her brother, or in other words, the prince said, as a command, even though he never truly commanded Zikomo to do anything.... Or... had he? But what really mattered was the fact that Zikomo already seemed to have so much respect for her brother.. and even addressed his as he ought to be... Well, sure, he called her by her title as well  but that... it seemed so... normal...

Could one so dramatic really lower his timidity just to see to the command of another? It seemed so, and that fact really amazed Zecora. Without really thinking, she said, "Zikomo, how many years is my brother?"

"He is nine years, Princess, soon to be ten.... Why, may I ask?" Zikomo answered, sitting up, sitting back.

"Oh, just... because..." Zecora said, rubbing an arm, nervously. "Er... anyways... back to what we were speaking about, earlier... those symbols..."

"Yes - so many of them, so little time..." Zikomo said, thoughtfully, "But trust me, Princess, when I say that learning it is definitely worth it... especially for you." He then expounded to her the languages and writing she would have to focus on learning; ones that fit into the flow of politics and the like...

Zecora sat patiently as Zikomo spoke, and she was glad whenever he would pause or ask her if she had a question, in case she did have one... Zecora was glad for every little piece of information she learned and, eventually, by way of Zikomo suggesting it, she began to take notes on the lectures he gave her, organizing them as he showed and instructed her how to do so.

By the end of their session together, Zecora had learned a fair amount. And that was exactly what it was too; a session. A true session, according to Zecora. And she was very happy to have Zikomo as her instructor, her mentor as she wished to call him, (but didn't because she tried it, once, and he rejected it, nicely, but drastically.)

Zecora exited the Royal Library, that day, with time to spare to do other things... She had been given assignments to complete, by Zikomo, but he bid her rest for a little while before looking at what was assigned, and intended to do so. This day had been pretty favorable to Zecora and she was glad to say that she just finished her second session. And not only was it a session between her and Zikomo, but part of it was with her brother, Zecoy, as well.

And what did she learn, above all, during her second session, that day? She learned who her brother was and her tutor was - and this was the way it was gong to stay, had Zecora any say in it. This was far more than that other tutor could ever have given her; a friend and a brother and lots of knowledge.... and all in one day... Zecora also was coming closer to learning who she - who she should be... And what was more valuable to Zecora, (other than her brother), then that? To coming closer to finding no other than herself?