Falling Shadows (The Ellocea chronicles) [#Wattys2016]

Five

 "Ah, there you are Kalizahni, I was beginning to think that Haruki had smothered you with some of that silk he always carries," the chuckling Kahn was seated in his throne looking tired after another long day of meetings. He'd noticed that his father seemed to be sitting down more and more often and he wondered if his old hunting wound was causing him pain. "I wanted to speak to you about a very important matter, that I think the time has come for us to address." A small trickle of sweat ran down his neck, as his mind raced to search for what the matter could be.

"Yes, Father?" trying to prepare himself for the worst.

"It think its time you started looking for a suitable wife..." His father must have taken his silence as a sign that he had misheard him as he continued to explain what he meant, "-and there are plenty of lovely girls from the River that would be glad to be your wife, or I heard that Shalonda, Queen of the Ice lands, has a niece that she would be glad for you to wed..." He carried on talking but Zahni was struggling to hear anything over the roar of his blood in his veins, a wife, already? He would only be officially of age tomorrow and even then surely he didn't think he'd suddenly feel as if he'd be ready to marry. The speed of his thoughts whizzing around his head were making him feel as if he was on one of the Sea people's ship in a tempest swaying backwards and forwards over and over. Black dots started to creep over the edges of his vision and he felt his stomach begin to lurch.

"Zahni? Are you listening? Zahni?" He seemed to surface from the turmoil in his brain long enough to hear his father's deep voice.

"Zahni you've grown awfully pale. Are you feeling alright?"

"Uh....Yes Father"

"You can sit down Zahni and not look so...terrified." Zahni stumbled over to one of the chairs nearby. "This is meant to be a good thing for you. I'm not saying you'll have to marry right after these coming celebrations, even though that would save us having to plan another set of celebrations." speaking more to himself than his son, "But it is important to make sure you choose the right girl. Both for you, and for the health of the Valley. I thought I would marry two other women before I found your mother because at the time I thought that each of them were the one. But it wasn't until I first saw your mother that I knew at once she would be my wife." The Kahn had become so enthralled by the thought of his first meeting with his wife that he hadn't noticed Zahni's breathing quickening and resembling that of a sprinting pig rather than a human. "Zahni breathe." He jumped off his thrown and towards his gasping son. "Zahni look at me and breathe. Oh son, I thought you'd grown out of this. Breathe son." His voice rising with panic as he cupped the face of his eldest child. " Kalizahni, for the Sky's sake, breathe." His voice loud enough to draw the attention of the guards outside the door. "Fetch the healer. Now!"