Serenity

Danaii

She faced the mirror, dragging the brush with force through her hair, rage swimming in her kohl lined eyes.

He watched her silently,
What a shame he thought she had such beautiful hair. She was a lioness, unlike the rest, the ebony mane a crown on her head. She was the image of her uncle except her eyes. How strange that the same feature could appear so differently on someone. Her father's eyes had been like warm honey, kind and gentle and hers like fire, raging and powerful.

'Stop staring boulder'

She stood up and arranged her heavy dress, her anklets were irritating him

'In our tribe the women don't wear anklets'

She turned, annoyed
'Well how fortunate then that this isn't my tribe.'

'This is your tribe now'

'Stop being delusional you boulder and besides I don't live to comply anyone's demands'

He never thought she would

'Our fathers used to know one another'

'Well I don't know you'

'You are not like your father'

She was caught off guard, before the signature frown eased itself onto her face
'How would I be like him when I did not know him?'

'He was a brave man'

'Stop it!'
The already present color in her cheeks turned darker

'Sardaar Zaraar Tarakhzai brought me up as his daughter and I would never prefer it any other way. He fulfilled my every selfish desire as a child, and every cherished wish as a girl. I had more freedom than the hawk that flies, what more could I want?'

'I did not mean it that way'

'I don't care what way you meant it Zalmai' she sighed' I said I would talk to you after a year'

'You make strange statements'

'No one asked you to give commentary'

'The Zadraan khail ..'

If he thought she could shock him before he was wrong, he was not prepared for the next thing she did

'Danaii! Danaii! I am Danaii! I will always be Danii'

The war chant was accompanied by running through the entire chamber and trampling the cushions on the bed. Her loud raucous laughter threatened to consume the whole household

The doors crashed open and his mother stood in the doorway, infuriated
'Get down this instant girl!'

The obnoxious girl waved 'hello old woman have you come to watch my performance? I've been told I never disappoint'

The older woman sought to control herself, after all where this girl came from to talk and act in such a manner was completely rational. For the thousandth time she regretted complying to her son's wishes.

She sighed in defeat and walked out, the girl had won, the Tarakhzai were always the winners unless someone really wanted war, this girl was no different. She sought to drive people insane, made them question their logic and she sought to provoke.

As for Zalmai he watched till the end of her performance, until she remembered that she had forgotten to declare yesterday that he couldn't cross her territory. And so he had to leave the chamber and never to return...