Internal: Viperpath (volume 1)

(35) Wolfheart

The royal scions were now out in Elbar city proper, conversing as they went.

"So then," Mu was saying, "was what Lei said, true? You bickered with your mom?"

The Little Viper huffed, doing absolutely nothing to conceal her vexation.

"Did more n' that; I practically disowned her. Not proud o' that, damn it... but how the heck better to get clear, eh? Won't fault ya if ya wanna get even with her now, Akhi."

"But you are gonna return to her, yes? Compared to such a bond, even the loss of two maids would seem comparatively mild-"

"Oh, the witch's gotta earn that, lemme just tell ya now. I know I got most o' my freakin'-traits from that one; but damn, just how screwed up her times musta been. That much she told me herself; that much, I can respect."

"Bright side is," Dastra chimed in, "Sis Lei's seen fit to teach us to pray; something my mom never really did. Good way to relieve nearly all the stress, if ya ask me."

"She did say that was one o' those non-obligatory ones, though," Zal rejoined. "Can't help but wonder how often we'd missed the obligatory ones, that way. P'raps ya would be so kind to let us in on those, Akhi?"

"Now, where to begin with that..." the Lion Prince hummed in reflection. "How many summers have you seen, Das, remind me?"

"Eight, give or take. Why?"

"Thing is, I've heard it said that daily performance of the obligatory prayers should be strictly emphasized for those above ten, but are nevertheless highly recommended for kids above seven. The sooner you could get to familiarize yourselves to them, so much the better."

"So we ought to be doing 'em prayers pretty much everyday from here on, eh?" Zal wanted to know.

The Lion Prince smiled, genuinely pleased that his so-long-mistreated siblings were actually beginning to 'see the light'. "So it should be, yes. You already know that there are five obligatory times, as well as when they would have to be offered, correct?"

"More or less. Gotten the general idea; could take it from there. So what?"

"For starters, just stick to those five times; observe and perform as many of them as you could. A tip: when next you'll hear the call to prayer, the azan, just leave whatever else that you're doing and get to perform the ablution. The earlier one gets to perform the prayer, the better; even more so if you could get to do that in groups."

"Eh?" Das tilted his head. "But what of, say, those street vendors; would that not mean leavin' their goods untended?"

"Aha," Zal hit one of her hands with the other, "that's why we saw at times the signs 'Closed during prayers'... Now I get it!"

Such a conversation did much to improve the Little Viper's mood; who--having made a silent vow to herself to start observing the performance of these obligatory prayers--then decided to launch into discussion of said ritual's more technical aspects.

"For the duration of it," she confided, "Lei bade me to don the hijab that left myself covered from head to toe, leavin' only the face visible; meantime the boys--Rashid and Das--were plainly attired. That really how it should be, Akhi?"

Mu nodded.

"Sis Lei also stood in the foremost row," Das observed. "Was that 'cause we were in her chambers?"

"Not necessarily," came the Lion Prince's reply. "Had there been any adult males there, like Father or myself, then Lei would have retreated and stood in the same line as Zal."