King Gwafa was in his throne room. Night had fallen on the beautiful kingdom and it was cold, thus thicker clothes were needed now. Here inside the throne room it was warm though as several large cauldrons burned bright. There were more than fifty people having small gathering in different parts of the room.

The Throne of gold and ivory stood against the rear wall of the throne room. It was 7ft high and 3ft wide. That of the queen was not as high, but it was wider; 5ft wide to be precise. The room was two stories high, one less than the grand foyer outside it. The walls were designed with printed draping, weapons and drawings. Sofas lined the side of the walls to the left and right and a red rug ran down the middle of the room, from the door, to the thrones. The cauldrons of fire lined the sides of the rug.

Queen Kahima was up in her room. She practically ruled from there these days. Gwafa was in the room, but not on his throne. He stood in the largest of the small gatherings in the room. To his left hand side his left stood Prince Aksil; his and Lunja's younger brother.

Aksil was twenty-one years of age and quite the handsome man. His skin was just a few shades lighter than Gwafa's and his hair was full, bouncy and curly like that of a pure Semite, unlike Gwafa's which was curly, but low as he'd taken from his Negroid side. Aksil stood at 5ft 10" with an athletic build and sharp features that beautified him greatly.

At Aksil's other side stood Chi-Chi, a full grown, female cheetah. Chi-Chi had a collar of leather and gold around her neck, marking her as property of the Prince.

The prince and king were not discussing anything of importance today. They were just chatting with nobles and wealthy men and women of Kalari and cups of wine in their hands showed the mood they were in.

"I was at a Roman party with my father once," the king was saying. "Aksil was there also, but he was barely three years old at the time. I met this Roman girl who was just about my age. I wanted her and she wanted a king. See, Europeans are quite fascinated by us we who rule in the deserts. They wonder how we can survive in such a place and I told her I was going to show her, but not the way she imagined."

The other men around burst into laughter at their king's dirty joke. The few women around were not too comfortable with it and Aksil took notice.

"I admit I did not do anything with her in the end though," Gwafa continued. "She was not royalty and their nobility does not count as high among us."

"In simple words, she was not worthy of him thus nothing happened," Aksil stated and the entire crowd burst into laughter.

The doors to the room suddenly swung open and Princess Lunja stormed in with three maids in tow. They followed her when she was in the palace, but not outside.

The princess truly lived up to her name; "Fantasy Princess" She was so white she seemed to glow. Her shiny hair fell down her back and the white, formfitting dress she had on showed the silhouette of her slender figure. Her white shawl around her shoulders and blew behind her like wings. She definitely caught everyone's attention whenever she stepped into a room even though right now she was without any footwear.

"Lunja," Aksil murmured. Chi-Chi bolted from her master's side.

The cheetah come to Lunja and rubbed her side against the princess' legs.

"Brother Gwafa?!" the princess yelled, looking around.

The crowd around the prince and king stepped aside so their sister could s them and them, her. Lunja ran to her older brother and fell to her knees before him.

"Lalai," she said, bowing her head.

Her maids came forward and knelt behind her. "Enukal," they said first. "Shalau," they said next. Enukal; 'King'. Shalau; 'Prince'.

Gwafa turned his face away from his sister, refusing to ask her up. Aksil looked at his sister, then his brother.

"Gwafa?' he called softly.

"Stay out of this, Aksil," the king replied; his head still turned the other way.

"Leave me on my knees if you must, but you must hear me at least," Lunja spoke. "People stoned a man in the streets today. "He is in critical condition and all because of something he never asked to be born with, Gwafa."

The entire throne room was silent. How would this play out?

"Wajefa has come to plead the case of wajefa," the king said with a sigh.

"You cannot call our sister that," Aksil reprimanded him softly.

"But that is what it is," Gwafa stated, looking down at Lunja now. The princess had tears on her face and they shone in the light of the fire. The sight of it broke Aksil's heart, but it just disgusted their elder brother.

"Call me what you want, but you have not reinstated the law thus you must take action against those who have committed this crime."

"I do not know the perpetrators, wajefa," the king stated smugly.

"I can have my people find them," she promised.

"Your people?" asked the king, getting angry now. "This is my kingdom. You have no people except those I give you."

"And those mother gives her also," Aksil put in.

Gwafa gave him a stern look, but he just stood his ground.

"Gwafa?" Lunja called, reaching out and touching his tunic.

"Do not touch me, wajefa!!" he barked, slapping her hand away hard. "Who let this filth into the palace?!"

"That is enough, Gwafa!!" ordered a sharp, female voice.

All looked at the direction from which the voice had come. There was a door in the wall and Queen Kahima had come through it now, her four maids with her.

"Tanin!" a joint voice went up from among the people, men bowing and women kneeling.

The queen waved a hand and all women rose to their feet. The old woman walked without the aid of a stick, though one of her maids carried a stick in case she needed it.

"Mame!" said her three children when she got to them. The boys dropped to one knee and Lunja had to rise from kneeling to her brother and so she could kneel again to her mother.

"Aksil, Lunja, rise," said the queen.

The prince and princess rose, but the king was left on one knee.

"How does it feel, Gwafa?" asked the queen.

"You should not do this to a king," he grumbled, looking up at her.

"Yes, but I should do it to my child should he displease me."

The king mumbled something and his mother slapped his head hard.

"You will speak so I hear you, or stay silent!" she said.

"Everyone leave!" Aksil barked and all the nobles and servants made for the grand, double doors.

Chi-Chi remained though. She was family.

"Mame, please you do not need to do this," Lunja told her mother.

"No, he is going astray and it is a sin if I do not rein him in."

"At least let him rise," Aksil joined his sister in her intercession on the king's behalf.

"He was fine with Lunja remaining down, was he not?"

"I am sorry, mame," said the king. "It will not happen again."

"Now that is how a good child behaves," the old woman said with a smile. "Rise, my son."

The king rose to his feet and massaged his head where his mother had struck him.

"It still hurts?" she asked.

"You are old, but your strikes are just the same as always," the king murmured.

"Thank you," his mother said with a grin.

"Mame, a man was stoned in the streets today," Lunja told her mother. "I want justice for him."

"And there will be justice," the old woman replied, eyeing Gwafa.

"I will do my best to find them," said the king. "I make no promises though."

"I will make sure they are found, dear," the queen reassured Lunja.

"Thank you," said the lady. "Goodnight." She scratched Chi-Chi behind the ear before turning to walk away now.

"Stay awhile, Lunja," said her mother immediately. "When last have we all just been together like this?"

The princess turned to face her family members.

"Gwafa does not want me here and if I want to make him happy, which I do, then I must leave now. I just came to plead a case before him. Nothing more. Goodnight." She turned around and walked towards the door.

"Lunja?!" Aksil called after her, but she ignored him.

"Look at your sister go, Gwafa," the queen said. "You said one had to be perfect. Tell me what is more perfect that that."

Gwafa watched the lady go. Her form was one any man would desire and her silhouette under that tunic was highly impressive.

"Tell me you are not proud to call that your sister."

"I am not proud that I share blood with a wajefa," he hissed and turned away. "I am going to bed. Goodnight."

"Stupid boy," said his mother, shaking her head in disappointment.

The throne room main doors were shut now as Lunja went though.

"Allow me walk you to your room, mame," Aksil offered.

"If only you were king instead of Gwafa," the woman mumbled as she took his hand.

Both mother and son turned around and walked towards the side door she'd come though, the same one Gwafa was moving towards now. The cheetah walked at Aksil's other side.

"Oh I am fine with him as king," Aksil stated. "The job is harder than they make it seem. People bring everything before the king while he has no one to take his problems to."

"Oh but the king does have people to bring his problems to," the queen stated. "They have their family, but Gwafa is destroying his own and that is the reason behind his loneliness; not the crown."

"Either way, I am glad I can just watch the whole madness of running kingdom from the sidelines and not the helm."

"Spoken like a true loyalist," his mother praised him.

"If I am not loyal to my family, who then?"

"You took both mine and your father's wisdom, Aksil. Smart choice."