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Sunana had a habit of wandering about, despite her mother’s attempts to keep an eye on her. If her father told her to stay put she would stay, but as she had inherited her mother’s ability to perceive the talents of others with a single glance he thought it more useful to let her wander and scout out talented individuals.
She rarely had the chance to go outside the city, but her father had brought her to a little village as he worked to secure a trade route. She had recently turned five so she was old enough to wander on her own, though it was still concerning for the defenseless five year old daughter of a very wealthy merchant to travel alone. In this tiny place of a few houses and docks Sunana decided to explore, and as she ducked behind a shack she came upon a tiny pier. So she walked along it, falling into a rhythm as she sang,
~“Yellow roses, yellow roses,
Sure to prick you sore.
Not those roses, not those roses,
For the one that you adore,
White roses, pink roses,
Give these to those you love,
To have them, to hold them,
For a joyous, and pure love.”~
As she was walking she noticed a young boy sitting on the opposite docks, with a pole in hand. She could tell from his pricked ears that he had heard her singing, and she immediately cast her gaze down and curled her hands into her chest as she blushed. She looked back towards him to see if he had looked at her and he had not, though as she observed him curiosity overruled her embarrassment. She wondered what he was doing, so she with great effort hopped to a boat and then to the other dock before she walked over and bent down so their heads were leveled as she asked, “What are you doing?”
He was surprised by her sudden appearance, as he clearly didn’t expect her to hop over to him. But he answered her question by replying casually, “Fishing.”
She had seen that word in writing and heard it in conversations, but no one had ever explained its meaning. The boy apparently judged from her furrowed brow that she was confused and asked her with a slight bit of humor, “You do know what that is, don’t you?”
She did not, but she wasn’t about to admit that so she held her hands behind her back and stewed in rage and embarrassment as she said, “Of course I know what it is!”
“So you know it is using a fishing pole to pull fish out of the water?” How clever, explaining it to her in a question that insinuated she didn’t need that information. It lessened her rage to have him help her in that manner, but it still embarrassed her to have needed help in the first place so she blushed and wiggled her toe into the wood below them as she replied, “Right, I knew that.”
She heard a humorous huff from him before he continued to focus on his fishing, and as his fishing intrigued her she chose to ignore it and instead sat beside him on the dock. He seemed surprised but he clearly didn’t mind her company and turned his eyes to the sea once again. After a second of silence she suddenly asked, “Is this not boring for you?”
“Think of it as calming rather than boring.” She let out a loud thinking noise as she thought over his purposeful statement, then was surprised when he said, “If you think so loudly you’ll scare the fish.”
She immediately said, “oops!” and made a quieter thinking noise as she closed her eyes. She opened them when she heard him laugh, and gave him a sideways glare as she muttered in annoyance, “You will scare the fish if you laugh that loud.”
He continued to laugh but he did stifle it behind a hand, and despite his laughter she still was able to feel what he meant when he said “calming”.
She felt serenity when she watched the tides, then suddenly asked, “How do you know there are fish here to catch?”
“I can see their shadows on the surface, and I have caught them here before. So I can assume there are fish here.” His answer was pragmatic, and as he said that she noticed his fishing pole bob down. He didn’t, he was looking at her. At least he was until she tilted her head to his pole as she said, “You let one get away.”
He was surprised for a second before he reeled his line in to see the missing bait. That proved it, so he looked over to her as he said with a smile, “Seems I did. Perhaps I wouldn’t have if you didn’t distract me.”
His smile only made her indignant as she muttered, “Oh sure, blame me.” Which made him chuckle before he tossed his line back out. As he did she thought on his pragmatic answer and looked for the shadows as well. When she saw them she noted suddenly, “The fish are small and well hidden, you must be good at seeing to see such tiny shadows.”
“I…guess I am?” He seemed confused by her sudden but very confident compliment, as well as unsure of his own talents. She held no insecurity as she proclaimed, “Well I know you are, so it is true.”
“So the truth bends to your will?” His statement was humorous, though it also sparked her temper and fire snaked around her middle as she said, “It is not that!”
Her tone was more serious as she said, “Me and my mama can see people’s talents, so I know it is a talent of yours.”
The boy seemed surprised as he asked, “You really can? What other talents do you see?”
Sunana smiled, leaning back casually as she asked him rather plainly, “Why should I tell you? Is not the point of life to discover your own talents and use them to find your purpose?”
He gave her a curious look, then looked out on the sea as he said judgmentally, “I think you simply don’t want to prove that you’re lying.”
Sunana’s fire came out again as she near shouted “I am not-”
“Little sun? Where did you go?” She heard the panicked voice of her mother and said quietly “Oh no,” before hopping to her feet and turning to the boy as she exclaimed, “Forget I was ever here!”
Then she rushed towards her mother’s voice, who upon seeing her immediately lifted her into her arms and exclaimed, “There you are little sun, you shouldn’t wander off!”
“I’m fine Mama, put me down!” She didn’t like to be restrained so she wiggled in her mother’s arms, who promptly said, “So you can wander off again? You are staying with me young lady!”
Sunana gave an indignant whine as she flailed about, but she could not free herself. Her mother near tossed her over her shoulder, and as she looked back Sunana suddenly caught the eyes of the boy she was talking to earlier. She gave him a secretive shushing motion along with a wink, and he gave her a rather charming smile as he nodded. Whether they would meet again she did not know, but he had taught her something, and she appreciated it.
-
As much as Sunana’s father disapproved of her wandering into the coliseum crowds he recognized she was practically uncontrollable and nothing could keep her trapped. He also knew there was a fire burning in her heart and her eyes, those golden eyes of the sun that she was named for. Of course his little sun would seek out the fires of conflict, though he had managed to keep her away from it (unless she was accompanying Nanamo on royal duty) until she managed to slip away not long after she turned 9. Then she slipped into the crowds and found strange places to sit to get a good view.
One day she was sitting probably someplace she shouldn’t have been as she observed a gladiatorial match between a young Lalafell male and a mean looking Hyur. In a gripping match filled with sword swings that Sunana had never seen before, the Lalafell won, and the announcer shouted his name.
“Pipin triumphs!”
Pipin. He seemed rather young, yet he was clearly very strong. She saw an uncommon strength of will in him, an acceptance of his position and an optimism for the future. He was full of life, and very interesting to watch. As he began to exit the arena he noticed Sunana in her odd sitting place and gave her a strange look before proceeding.
Sunana had a quick temper, and she didn’t approve of the look he gave her. Her face soured and she climbed back up to the normal standing area before racing down the stairs to find him. She practically barreled through any areas she shouldn’t be until she found him, then she shouted out “Hey you!”
He stopped in surprise before shouting back with less animosity, “What?”
Most people shrank a little in the face of the sun’s fury because little though she was, she had fire burning in her and it certainly came out when she was mad. He didn’t move a muscle as she stormed up, showing complete calm in the face of her anger. Just as she reached him he gave her a charming smile and said, “I don’t give autographs, so I hope you are not asking for one.”
It surprised her, and her anger quieted for a moment as she gave him a startled look. From up close she suddenly realized they had met before. 4 years had barely changed them at all, and she wondered if he recognized her as well. He gave her a rather similar charming smile to the one he had given her last time they met that made her blush slightly, but she hadn’t forgotten her anger so she shook herself out of it and brought her fire back as she shouted, “What was that strange look for?! Were you judging me for my choice of seating?!”
“A little I guess, haven’t seen anyone do that before.” Well, at least he was honest. He seemed rather nonchalant as well, and it made Sunana pout as she said, “Well sometimes when you sneak in you have to find strange places to hide. And it was closer to the fight too.”
He looked wide eyed at her for a second before asking, “You snuck in? How did you manage that?” She held her hands behind her back and put a toe in the dusty floor and wiggled it embarrassedly as she answered, “I am small, it is not that hard. I have only seen 9 summers, so I am smaller than older Lalafells…”
“I don’t know if this is the best sport for 9 year olds to watch.” His face looked a little grim and he looked like he might walk away, but Sunana grabbed his hand as she said heatedly, “Not the best one to participate in either, and you do not look much older than me!”
“I have to.” He moved to get away again and Sunana let go as she sensed his distress then she said with dimming ferocity, “I will not pressure you into telling me why, but I hope I see you again sometime.”
She backed away to go back the way she came but stopped when Pipin called out to her. “What is your name?”
She gave him a confused look, then realized that when last they met, they had not exchanged names. So she gave him a smile as she said, “Sunana Ana. You are Pipin, are you not?”
He nodded before adding, “Pipin Tarupin. And if you want to get out of here quietly you should go that way.”
He pointed to a side entrance and gave her a wink accompanied by a secretive shushing motion before continuing on his way, and her gaze followed him as she gave him a knowing smirk. It was the same goodbye she had given him before, a confirmation that he had recognized her. He had truly intrigued her, so she took a second to judge his talents again. And as she did she mused to herself, “That fate would bring us together again…It has gifted me a valuable friend.” Then she took his advice and escaped through the side entrance.
-
She saw him many times on the Bloodsands, always from a strangely precarious seat, and she typically found a way to see him after almost every match. He didn’t tell her why he had to fight, and he didn’t have to. She read between the lines to figure out his plight, but she never brought it up. She often asked him about combat instead and upon her insistence he taught her some basic sword strokes. Their shared interest in fighting could keep them talking for a while, so they ended up spending a lot of time together.
-
Pipin was truly getting used to having Sunana’s company. She couldn’t be with him constantly but he always noticed if she watched one of his matches. It was strange to him how much her presence motivated him to win. Not solely because he wanted to impress her, but also because she would endlessly tease him if he lost. And after every match that she watched she found a way to see him afterwards, which was motivating too.
She was incredibly interested in fighting, she had told him already that her father knew she would be drawn to the fires of conflict and she loved to see sparks fly when blades clashed. She loved seeing it up close even more, so she quickly began to beg him to teach her. She picked it up astonishingly quickly, in fact there was even one time she caught him off guard.
As he fell to the dirt Sunana started laughing before she raised her sword in the air and said, “I got you!”
She was adorable. So Pipin didn’t feel the sting of defeat at all and instead said humorously, “You sure did.”
Sunana giggled then went to offer him a hand as she asked innocently, “No hard feelings right?”
He swore she got more adorable by the minute. But he knew she’d be more adorable if she felt betrayed so he did take her hand before tripping her. She gave a short yelp as she fell, and her sword slid away from her. He was right about her looking more adorable with a betrayed pout on her face, and just to make it worse he said, “That was revenge.”
“Well here’s revenge for that!” He actually wasn’t expecting her to be able to get her leg up high enough to kick him in the shin, and it was hard enough that his leg buckled and he fell on her. Being so close to her was incredibly embarrassing for him but somehow he managed to not bring attention to his blush and instead said firmly, “You cannot get revenge on revenge, that just starts a cycle!”
Her pout was a thousand times more adorable this close up. But he didn’t have much time to focus on it because she brought her legs up and kicked his chest back as she said, “True, but I’m still going to!”
Now she was on top of him but his heart probably couldn’t handle that so he quickly flipped her to the side as he said, “You’re so childish!”
“I am a child you know!” He had to block a punch by catching her wrist, but he forgot how strong she was so she was able to yank him forward, but it was just a little before he pulled back so he wouldn’t fall on her again. She wasn’t happy with that and tried to yank him with her other hand but he caught her wrist again.
Her struggling was actually fairly difficult to fight, but the more she pulled and he pulled back the bigger her pout was getting. He just couldn’t keep a straight face against it and he started to laugh, which apparently made her laugh too. They were laughing too hard to keep fighting so they both broke away and fell on their backs, rolling in the dust as their laughter built on each other.
He laughed until he couldn’t breathe, and even as he tried to stop he kept laughing between every breath. Sunana apparently also could not breathe and was giggling between breaths too, and as he looked at her clutching her sides in the dirt he told her, “I cannot-remember the last time-I laughed this much.”
It was tough to speak between breaths and laughter, though they were starting to calm down as he smiled at her. She was practically an angel to him, giving him so much happiness amid the darkest time of his life. He was rather caught off guard though when she brought herself up and gave him a wink as she said, “You’re welcome.”
Oh no, that was cute. He wasn’t sure how she didn’t see the fact that he was practically glowing like the setting sun, maybe it was because her attention was caught by someone calling out, “Little sun? Where are you?!”
“The witch-hunt has begun.” Her voice was very humorous as they both got to their feet, and he asked her curiously, “Could they actually find you here?”
“Perhaps if my father is leading them. He is very talented at tracking me down...” He wasn’t really too invested in the conversation, he had asked to try and delay her. He knew he was about to witness a beautiful phenomen, at least as long as she stayed a couple more minutes. So he teased her by saying, “Wonder how he knows.”
“He probably spies on me.” She sounded very sullen and poked her cheeks out, so he got a better look at the gorgeous phenomenon that occurred every night at this time.
Her eyes glowed a radiant gold color, like tiny suns in the dark. The sunspots on her cheeks started to glisten, shimmering like gold dust on her cheeks. At this time every night, she looked like a sun goddess. She didn’t seem to notice it as she tried to leave, and he stopped her as he said, “I wish you could stay, you just started shining. ‘Tis your golden hour.”
“Golden hour…?” She looked incredibly confused, and looked down for a second in thought. That was enough for her to see her shimmering cheeks, and she clearly realized what he meant as she said, “Oh!”
Her eyes opened wide as she said that, very clearly showing off the brilliant gold that lit up the dark around her. After she got over her surprise she became a bit embarrassed and held her hands behind her back. She wiggled her toe into the ground and looked to the side as she told him shyly, “That, I-I do not know why it happens. My papa thinks my soul shines brightest when the sun and stars meet, and at night my light shines like a tiny sun under the stars. ‘Tis part of why my family calls me ‘little sun’.”
She surely was a tiny sun shining brilliantly in the night. It suited her rather well, and he gave her a smile as he said, “‘Tis quite fitting.”
To his surprise she gave him a wink as she said charmingly, “Well if you think so then I suppose I would not mind if you call me it too.”
This sudden use of charm had him blushing like the setting sun, and he wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t wait for him to say anything though, she had to leave. So she gave him an extremely excited wave before running off.
He wished she hadn’t. He wished she could stay with him forever. But such thoughts were impractical and unrealistic. So after he watched her leave his sight he let out a heavy sigh before turning around as he mused, “Such a beautiful golden light… It should be a crime to make someone fall in love so easily.”
His statement had a bit of indignation, as she truly had captured him with ease, and without even knowing it. But as he picked up the blade she had used he felt himself flashing through their time spent together in his mind, and he felt the pure happiness he had felt when he was around her. Times were a little dark now, but she had made them lighter and given him happiness when he had little. She was like an angel of light, a beautiful golden divinity of the sun. His thoughts were so firmly on her as he said to himself quietly,“But of course I fell for my light in the darkness.”
He prepared to leave but was interrupted by a familiar voice echoing through the hall. Her voice dripped with emotion as she sang a sorrowful rhyme he had not heard before.
~“At night the world lays down its head, taking the stars as its bed.
But among the stars there is always one, that shines in the sun’s stead.
It waits for people like you and me, to lay our own heads down.
Wait not for me, shining star, though you follow the path fate spun.
When morning comes we sleep together under the shining sun.”~
It was so…depressedly beautiful. Her echoed voice resounded in his soul and it was so utterly divine that it took his breath away. She was such a beautiful singer, and it reminded him of their first meeting. She was surely fond of rhymes, and he loved to hear them though she would never sing them to him directly. Her rhyme was wrapping around his heart as he thought on the meaning, and as he came to an analytical conclusion he chose to whisper in the direction she had left a simple message.
“Don’t stay up too late, little sun.”
With that he left, hoping with all his heart that he would see his beautiful light in the darkness on the morrow.
-
Once during their time together Pipin was talking about how much he looked up to Raubahn, which made Sunana sit on a low wall as she said appreciatively, “The Bull of Ala Mhigo…he is rather inspiring, is he not?”
Pipin was quite vivacious as he nearly shouted, “He is!” Then noticed that Sunana was looking at him with a secretive smile. He asked her rather confusedly, “What is it?”
She hummed an also very secretive, “Nothing,” which made Pipin give her a raised eyebrow as he said, “Do not lie to me, what are you thinking about?”
With a little huff she mumbled, “I wonder if he noticed you for the same reason I did.”
Pipin didn’t hear all of it, but he did make out that he had noticed him and shouted in surprise, “Did he really? Do you know him?!”
Sunana giggled and replied with a secretive, “Maaaybe.” Pipin wasn’t stupid enough to fall for that and hopped onto the wall as well as he grabbed her hands and asked, “Did he really notice me?”
She blushed at the contact but gave him a smile as she said, “Most people notice when they heavily inspire others.”
It wasn’t a direct answer, but it was an answer that he accepted. Then he asked curiously, “How do you know him? Are you really that high in high society?”
With an annoyed huff Sunana replied, “Not right now I am not, and I would thank you for not mentioning it.”
With a smile Pipin leaned slightly closer and said, “So you are then? Should I call you Lady Sunana?”
Immediately Sunana hopped off the wall as she indignantly shouted, “Don’t you dare! I am not a lady.”
Pipin’s smile didn’t dim at all as he said, “Pretty sure you are, Lady Sunana.”
She gave him a very pouty glare before she spun around and declared, “I am leaving!” before stomping off. She didn’t get far before she stopped as Pipin asked her, “Why do you dislike it so much?”
She looked very downcast as she turned back around and answered, “That would imply that my worth is higher than yours, but I do not want it to be. I desire us to be equals. Though honestly I do not even know if I could be simply based on talents.”
Her friend looked very concerned and closed the distance between them as he said, “Of course we can be equals, I am not more talented than you are.” Sunana still looked rather unsure as she replied, “I am not so sure about that. You are a talented fighter with good strength of character and drive, I know not what I could even say about my talents.”
“Well I cannot claim to know much about you but you are very intriguing and not afraid to stand up for yourself. I do not think I have ever met another person that would storm into places they are not supposed to be just to yell at someone, or one who would endeavor to see them again afterwards.” Sunana didn’t often think about how others might view her for her temperamental outbursts, but most certainly wouldn’t consider it a talent. The very idea that temper tantrums could be a skill of hers made her laugh, and her friend laughed with her. It was getting rather late at this point so Sunana looked up at the emerging stars and said, “I should probably return home ere my mother sends an army looking for me.”
She laughed again at her own joke, and Pipin pulled her into a hug as he said, “I hope you feel a little better when next we see each other.”
She reciprocated it as she said, “You are very optimistic, I consider that a talent as well.”
“I hope that is a good thing,” replied Pipin, which made her laugh as she said, “Of course it is!” Then they parted ways, and as observative as she was, she didn’t notice that her father had been spying on her.
-
When Raubahn adopted him he was introduced to Nanamo Ul Namo during a party, which Sunana was also attending. When she saw him she rushed to Nanamo’s side as she said, “It’s him! I told you about him!”
Pipin looked surprised and said, “You are friends with the sultana?” Sunana gave him a smile as she said, “Indeed, best friends since we were 4! I suppose it will be much easier for me to be friends with you now that the whole cumbersome situation with your father selling you to pay off debts is concluded, correct?”
“How-? I do not recall telling you any of that.” He looked very confused and surprised, which made Sunana giggle as Nanamo stated amusedly, “Sunana has strangely brilliant people skills. She can judge the talents of others at a glance and is also talented at reading between the lines to discern hidden secrets.”
“What do you mean ‘strangely’, Your Grace?” She raised an eyebrow at her friend, who gave her a knowing smile that made her pout before saying to Pipin, “I welcome you here, and I know Raubahn will be a wonderful father figure.”
Then, she turned to Sunana and said happily, “Will you dance with me?” Which made her groan as she returned, “Nanamo you know I do not know how to dance!”
Nanamo announced, “You will not get any better if you do not practice!” as she dragged her friend, who returned, “I bet I would be perfectly talented at dancing if I did not have to wear such cumbersome dresses!”
As they passed by Pipin he snickered as he said “Now this I must see.”
Ever since then, Sunana, Nanamo, and Pipin have been very close friends.
-
Of course, the party didn’t end with that. Nanamo had been prompted into a conversation and thus had to relinquish Sunana, who very indignantly set about rearranging her skirt. Pipin started a conversation by asking, “Why are you wearing such a cumbersome skirt?”
She growled, as if the mere mention made her angry before answering heatedly, “My mother puts me in them to make me behave. I cannot run or fight very well in a skirt like this.”
Pipin chuckled at her indignation, and she gave him a very heated glare before her head felt lighter. She whipped around to see that her brother had snatched her circlet, a tiara made of gold with 5 sunstones hanging on small chains one of which was centered on her forehead, over her bangs. It was important to her as it was meant to draw attention to it rather than her own features, making it easier to blend into crowds without it. And since it was important to her she immediately reached for it as she nearly shouted, “Give that back!”
She tried to reach for it and stepped on her dress, so she yanked it out from under her and lunged for the tiara. She still couldn’t reach it so she flicked her brother in the head, causing him to flinch. When he did she snatched her tiara back, and as she carefully placed it atop her head, Pipin said, “May I assume you are on very familiar terms?”
Her brother gave a grin as she sighed, “This is my brother, Seanasi.”
Her brother shook Pipin’s hand very formally, and Pipin asked curiously, “Which of you is older?”
Sunana gave an amused chuckle before answering, “Me,” followed by Seanasi saying indignantly, “Not by much!”
“I would say a couple years is a bit much.” Sunana had a very smug look on her face, but it fell when her brother grabbed her hands and said, “Let’s dance!” As he dragged her into a circle dance she continually tripped on her dress, made worse by the fact that he kept stepping on it. Eventually she managed to trip him, leading to them touselling with each other before she chased him for a second. They didn’t get far before her mother grabbed them both by the back of their clothes as she reprimanded them for running in a formal setting.
Thus humbled, she and her brother grumbled before separating, and Sunana returned to Pipin’s side. This was noted by her parents and they came over to talk to her friend. Her father took his hand as he said, “I was wondering if you would join high society, you were already close friends with a lady after all. Though it was not directly through her that you joined us.”
Sunana debated his words for two seconds before gasping and accusing, “So you did spy on me!”
He didn’t seem at all ashamed of it and instead explained matter-of-factly, “Your mother worries when you are away for so long.”
This made Sunana cross her arms and huff, clearly showing that she accepted the answer but was still upset over it. Her mother gave a little giggle before saying, “I think it is wonderful that she has befriended such a strong and handsome young man. She and Her Grace could use a knight in shining armor to keep them safe.”
Almost immediately Sunana burst out laughing, saying amidst giggles, “Is that not a perfect fairy tale?! A queen, her lady-in-waiting, and a knight in shining armor?! Why are you always so fanciful?” Her father tapped her on the head as he said, “Personally I adore her imagination, and I also think it is a wonderful idea for you to have a protector when you insist on running off on your own all the time!”
Sunana folded her arms and pouted again, then looked over in surprise after she felt a hand on her shoulder. Pipin gave her a smile before nodding to her parents as he said, “The streets are dangerous, I will do my best to keep her safe.”
She magnified her pout but it faded to a smile when Pipin told her, “Is it not better to travel with a friend rather than alone?” She still held remnants of her pout as she replied, “Not if it counts as an escort,” which made Pipin chuckle as he replied, “Of course it isn’t, that would put you higher than me. Did you not say you wanted to be equals?”
She seemed surprised by that, as it was a bit unexpected, but she then smiled as she replied, “Yes, and I meant it.”
“Well then let us stick together, as friends and equals.” Sunana held onto that, because that was one thing she didn’t have with Nanamo. She wasn’t on equal standing with Nanamo, she still felt the divide in their political standing. But she could stand on equal ground with Pipin, so they would become Nanamo’s protectors and stand side by side.
Technically she was still overshadowed by him since he was the son of a Syndicate member, but as the daughter of someone who had the ear of another Syndicate member it wasn’t that big a difference. In truth though, she never felt on completely even ground with either of them as long as the only thing that defined her in society were her parents.