Internal: Viperpath (volume 1)

(33) Under the Waves, pt.1

Later that same day, Zal and Das were summoned to their lady mother's chamber. When they arrived, they noticed that Razin was also there.

Mama Viper, characteristically, did not waste words.

"Been thinkin'," she began, "and I figure, heck, 'bout time ya two should know this." She then told them of the fateful letter from Kahina; of who that woman really was; of her 'sweet time' with Tharion; and most importantly, of how she might be coming back with a bastard son of her own--his name as yet unknown.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud!" Zal groaned, slapping her own forehead. "Like Dad offin' yer siblings ain't bad 'nough already! I'm fresh from havin' a row with Akhi and his pack over just that, not so long ago... Now ya're sayin' we'd have to contend with a bastard for a kin as well? Really, can there be no end to us royals' follies?!"

"This is gonna be the last, I swear," Mama Viper pointed out, keeping her expression firmly neutral. "Internally, at least. One game at a time, lass; we will survive this, as we had the others."

"Easier said than done. Ya do know we don't take kindly to their kind, Mom! Dad is mere days away from us now; were he ever to catch wind o' this..!"

"At this stage, I couldn't care less what Urdin may think," Mira lashed out, bitterness evident. "I am bringing my family back together, and if it should include a bastard, so the frick be it!"

The Little Viper shook her head violently. "Well go on then, play tough! But the moment Dad comes in here will as well be yer last!"

"Sis!" Dastra whined. "Don't say such terrible things to Mom, please!"

"'Tis still the truth, runt! I'm quite done seein' her lie to herself already..!"

"What lie?" Mira rejoined tersely, referring to her daughter. "Ya pride yaself on always seekin' truths, Zal, ne'er mind how crass--but have ya ever known me to soften the blows? Just the opposite; this will be a great time to see just how steely yer dad's nerves could get."

The Little Viper rounded back on her parent. "And just how much of a fightin' chance do ya think ya might have 'gainst him in this bedridden state, ya witch? We're talkin' 'bout a guy capable of ordering twenty-nine persons, maybe even more, put to death in a single frickin'-day! What real harm might a lone incapacitated woman, soon to be known for her erstwhile scheme to rid his heirs, do to him?! Unless..." Zal paused, and her glare became thoughtful. "Do ya honestly believe he would let ya off the hook, despite all those transgressions?"

For all this ruckus, Razin managed to stay quiet in the background; just as keen to witness for himself the vipers' dance of wits.

"Aye. 'Twas Urdin who had transgressed first, never forget," Mama Viper pointed out with easy confidence. "Our faith does not condone the killing of weaponless women and children beyond the immediate battlefields, see; yet as victor, yer dad had nevertheless consciously flouted that rule. His twenty-year-odd reign had thus begun with ill grace... and I intend to correct it."

"By bringin' a bastard child right back to his frickin'-doorstep?!"

Mira huffed. "That demeaning term aside, Azalea, they're persons too, just like the rest of us; don't ya two ever forget that. They deserve as much care and protection as we do, as part of the subjects bein' entrusted to be under Urdin's care by the very weight of his position as Amir. Vessy might care to explain this by gentler means, but... yeah, if he really knows what's good for 'im, yer dad would not end me for tryin' to bring Kahina and her bastard boy back 'ere."