We all stood around and looked at each other for another awkward 30 seconds, not answering any questions before Amara made the first move to silently walk towards the balcony to look at the city below. The rest of us followed suit dispersing to do our own thing.
Talib just plopped down on the couch, took out his control gloves, and started working on his CPU. I assume trying to find a way to restore full access to his network. Imari sat down next to Talib and fixed himself in a more relaxing position. Based on the reflection of his eyes I was positive he started reading something off his iContact.
Sanna and Femi turns towards the kitchen to try and find something to eat I guess. Zalika just looked around staring at various decorations and furniture trying to get a feel of the place. I started towards the bedrooms to unpack my things and Sekai followed closely behind me. Down the hallway we found two rooms that had symbols that meant "boys" and "girls".
"Ugh, we're really doing shared rooms." Said Sekai with the feeling of annoyance. "Privacy and alone time is going to be hard to come by it seems."
"Maybe you'll start to appreciate it more, I thought you would be ecstatic with you being an only child and all." I said teasingly
"I loved my peace and quiet, having company just destroys that. The space to think things through and calm myself is something I value. I'm sure sharing space with two other brothers must have its disadvantages." Sekai said thoughtfully. I just smiled back.
"It's a big palace." Sekai rolled her eyes to that.
We both entered our separate rooms and settled in. The boy's room was very spacious, plastered with jagged striped design colors of gold, black, and emerald. There were four full size beds spread out enough that we each had our own space. Each space was labeled so there wouldn't be any fights to who would have which space.
My assigned space was closest to the door, which was a shame I wish I could have been place closer to the balcony where I would have a view of the city from my bed. That space was reserved for Femi it seemed.
The entrance to a shared bathroom was off to the left where you could see four sinks, two showers, and full size mirrors horizontally over the sinks and vertically next to the entrance back to the bedroom. All toiletries one would need was available and fully stocked with different smelling shampoo, body wash, cologne, hand soap, face wash, and toothpaste. After unpacking my clothes and testing the comfortability of my bed, I decided to explore the whole suite.
Across the hall I could hear the 808s and R&B sound that I associated with my cousin coming from the girl's room and I knew she already was trying to feel at home. Going deeper down the hallway, I found a prayer room, game room, and a study that doubled as a mini library.
The last room at the end was a training hall. Complete with free weights, fake weapons, stretching mats, sparring area, and sparring equipment. This was the biggest room in the suite by far with tall windows showing the full landscape of the city and beyond. Its glory stretching across the whole room.
I picked up one of the fake daggers and fiddled with it skillfully as I looked towards the horizon. The dagger was heavy and felt the real thing only with a plastic and blunt edge. I expertly let it dance around my fingers, and I got flashbacks of home.
I've only been away for a couple of hours, but it felt so strange. I felt a chill come over me and to myself, I started to smile. This was excitement of the unknown no more palace walls I'll be able to explore my surroundings to my heart's content.
"Why so happy?" I felt my heart jump out of my skin, I looked to the opposite corner and found Zalika sitting down legs crossed and her eyes closed. For the first time I actually took a good look at her.
She had on short tights and sports bra in preparation to workout. She had a caramel skin tone but you could tell she spent a lot of time in the sun based on the visible tan lines on certain parts of her body. She was well built for a woman, she had feminine features, but her toned arms, large thighs, and inhaling abs gave away how much she trained herself.
I was Interrupting her alone time and meditation but remembering she was still in living room when I left to the bedrooms she must not have been in here too long before me.
"You caught me having a moment, that's all I can say" Eyes still closed she rose from the floor and started to stretch. She was short but her presence was big. I could tell that she never missed a day improving herself.
I always felt like not even an adult would dominate me in a fight but here was someone in my own generation that I paused when thinking of fighting her. She finally finished stretching and she finally opened her eyes. My battle senses instantly kicked in and I felt it.
I was nowhere near her level.
I blinked and she was already behind me picking up a short sword even though she was ten meters in front of me just before.
"So, do you just play with that, or do you actually know how to use it? I need a warmup." I turned around and saw her checking the weight of the short sword on the rack. Looking at her figure from behind it made me question what I've been doing all these years.
However, I had my pride too. Instinct kicked in and my muscles tensed around the dagger. Maybe she felt the energy shift but she took that as confirmation and she swung her sword at my abdomen.
Luckily, I was able to react to block it but I felt that weight. Baako hasn't ever hit me with this kind of weight, but I was able to parry her sword and counter. We traded blows and blocks for the next couple of clashes. Assessing each other, reading each other, the more blows that was exchanged the faster and stronger she got.
The hits and the bruises I received started to pile up. The whole time she had a deadpan look on her face, almost bored. She wasn't taking me seriously. If this was Baako I would unwind and be furious but she was right to move that way.
I wasn't in her league and I would act the same way if the roles were reversed. Even though she was shorter she was still pushing me back. I felt that her finisher was coming and I had to do all I could not to get knocked out.
A hit on my shoulder blade made me turn my head. Looking down to defend against the next strike just for my senses to scream at me to block from above. I turned back around to defend against Zalika's strike as she crashed down upon me from the air. My blade caught her sword but the weight of the blow put me on my back.
For her to be able to jump so high above me just to finish it, it spoke to her personality. To invoke dominance by any means necessary. She stood over me as I panted trying to catch my breath. It took all of me just to keep up with her.
"You're pretty weird, aren't you?" I looked back up at her in confusion. Did Cairo have that much more of superior fighters that my existence was enigma?
"Sorry I didn't realize my own ignorance when it came to my lack of skill, the Northern Kingdom must have beast everywhere." I bitterly responded half joking. It was hard to hide my hurt pride. She held out her hand to help me up while shaking her head.
"No, I actually have never fought someone close to my age to block so many of my strikes. I called you weird because you were smiling the whole time." I put my hand over my face and started to try calming my emotions down.
I didn't realize my true feelings were leaking out. Being overwhelmed as much as I was, any regular person would show faces of frustration, fear, anger, embarrassment, or sadness. Me however, couldn't help but be excited and overjoyed.
To push my limits, to figure out new ways to win. This wasn't like losing to my brother, where it was close enough where I felt like I could win. This was a mountain that I've never in my wildest dreams felt like I could climb and all I wanted to do was learn from it.
I took her hand and pulled myself up to my feet. "Here I thought you had something up your sleeve and was baiting me into something based on your face. Little did I know that you were just weird." I finally felt my embarrassment take over.
"Sorry, I didn't mean for my face to show my emotions. I haven't had this much fun sparring in a very long time. I was just enjoying the moment, trust me I'm not masochist." She looked at me unconvincingly and walked back to her meditation spot. She sat down and looked up at me in disappointment.
"And here I thought the crowned prince would be this monster incarnate. Is this all the Emperor has to offer?" There it was, the expectation to the highest office in the Empire. It's not surprising though, my family has kept the throne since its inception for over a century.
The throne of this empire is one of results. My face showed her indifference. If I was more attached to the idea of the throne her comment might have bothered me. However, I'm the second son and I enjoyed the freedom that came with that.
Showing others, I was worthy of that seat meant very little to me. Things can change but at this moment in my life succession and power weren't important. Best to keep her on her toes anyway if that is what she coveted.
"If only martial might was the only thing that decided leadership, I daresay we should prepare for your coronation right now. I can tell you now from what I seen there's no one above you. Then again, I've never seen the emperor or my mentors go all out." She narrowed her eyes at this.
"Does nothing bother you negatively?" That was her goal? I guess getting a feel of me as a person. I think honesty works best with people like this. It won't hurt either way, not like she's an enemy of mine.
"I'm human like anyone else, what matters to me is what matters to me. I have my immaturities of course because I'm young but I rather be positive majority of the time." She took a look at me for a moment and smiled slightly. She closed her eyes and started to get in the process of meditation.
"You're a lot more mature than I thought you would be, if you ever want to spar again, please don't hesitate to call on me."
"Thank you, I look forward to seeing you first thing in the morning." She scoffed at this.
"A glutton for punishment, very well." After that she resumed her meditation. I left and let her be. That was an interesting interaction that I didn't expect to experience. While leaving the room I noticed a glint of light in the corner. A camera in the corner of the room, they weren't bluffing when they said they were watching us.