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*THERE IS A STORY BELOW THE DESCRIPTION, A FOLLOW-UP TO THIS ONE Betrothed to the Princess of Dunes
“I'm sorry...Could you repeat that again?”
Theodore could not believe this. He never knew his father could be capable of such cruelty to one of his son, a child he was supposed to cherish and protect with all of his heart. He was shocked beyond belief, needing some fresh air as he went to one of the numerous windows in his chambers, a room fit for a prince, made so just for that reason precisely.
“You have heard me well the first time. Do not devolve into melodrama, I beg of you,” his instructor, Temmat, the wizard of renown, went on to say as he pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation, looking at his pupil with a growing annoyance. “There were many options for your spouse and they went on to choose a very suitable and downright, dare I say it, incredible candidate for you. It's a really rare opportunity for you to actually shine and, dare I say, useful to the kingdom.”
“Excuse me?” Theodore went on to say, furious about this littl*

I promised a new story featuring her and I aimed to deliver...But of course I wanted a new illustration to go along with it, so I went with a well-known quantity with PsychoWolFFy .

I wanted her to be more regal, in an environment closer to what I pictured Hayya to be, the Kingdom of Snakes. We get to see her tail, a throne, her hair and her beauty in a semi-realist fashion, which makes her look quite splendid here. I especially love the coloring, the shading and her pose as she is calm and mysterious in her expression, which ought to be how she is portrayed. All in all, PsychoWolFFy did a very good job emulating the design made by Gameboyred .

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CHALLENGED IN HAYYA

It had been a very long trip.

The climate was very, very different from Zufia as Theodore got himself off the carriage which transported his soon-to-be-wife, Kyra Ab'Hawim, the envoy Suri A'Oman and his own person. He looked around as the heat and intense rays of the sun blinded him at first and then he adjusted himself in order to properly see his surroundings as what he witnessed was something entirely different than what he expected. Well-read, the prince of Zufia, third-in-line for the throne, had some information about Hayya, the Kingdom of Snakes and yet none of it prepared him well-enough for what he saw with his own eyes. The first thing he noticed was that the buildings, be it common houses and shops, were all built to be quite tall, as if trying to reach for the sky in a mad competition against one another. Even the most basic of living area was made to reach insane heights as this was quite a contrast to the modest shacks in which some of his people lived in.

“It must be quite bizarre for one such as you to go in and see such things, your highness,” Suri went on to say, the much older lamia seemingly amused by the open reaction of awe that Theodore was putting on display. She slithered closer to him, looking through the opening of the carriage along with him as she continued. “Legends told of a ruler who feared heights back then, yet who loved the sky with a passion. In order to conquer them, he-”

“Sama' the great, the architect of modern Hayya, who ruled 780 years ago if I'm not mistaken,” Theodore continued, himself surprised about how easy it was to continue what Suri had started and yet he had a love for lore and for oddities. However, he knew that this knowledge was alien as he had been taught this, along with the secrets of the Hayyan language, through his travel with the help of the greatest talent that Kyra possessed: hypnotism. It was easy to focus and follow instructions when one was in a trance, it seemed, which made it so Theodore was aware of many new things which were still alien to his brain for now as he continued his explanation. “In order to give more room to his tailed citizens and to make things more compact, to bring people closer, he opted for taller instead of larger. The citizens loved him so much that they went for it and even participated in the construction of the palace of a million scales, a building that is yet to be complete even to this day.”

“You've been very attentive, dearest,” another voice said from behind both Suri and Theodore as they turned to see Kyra, the Princess of Dunes as some called her, waking up slowly. Her large size and tall height made them both feel quite small, with one of the princess of Hayya effectively being two times the size of Theodore, which made their alliance seem funny in an external way. “Now show me how you've mastered our tongue as well. Let us speak in Hayyan from now on.”

The secret behind their language, Theodore found out, was that hissing was pretty much part of almost every sentences, the elongation of “s” making it so they all spoke like serpents, which was very apropos given the sobriquet of their country. He did not possess a forked tongue, which possibly meant that he had an accent to them, yet he tried as he opted to speak in this tongue which he would probably have to master quickly since he'd be living here from now on. “House tall. Weird. Different,” he said, struggling a little as he tried his best to be understood, yet for one mistake he recognized he made there were three more that he wasn't even aware of yet. Still, this made Kyra smile and that made him happy. “Not Zufia. Very hot.”

“Oh yes, all of this must seen strange to you, but I'd say about a month of sessions with me accompanied by lessons by Suri and you'll understand it all very nicely,” she spoke in Hayyan, her hisses long and beautiful as strangely enough Theodore caught all that. It was mostly in the speaking department which he had difficulties and for obvious reasons, yet the idea of spending more time with Kyra as she'd use her talents to soothe him, mesmerize him and let him enjoy it all was indeed a very promising prospect. Hypnosis, especially hers, was rather addictive in that it made him feel at peace, removing anxiety from his mind and replacing him with utter focus and bliss. As such, lessons coming from her went by fast and yet were productive, although part of him wondered if perhaps she did not instill things which he did not know about. Part of him felt wary, yet another entirely wanted to trust her since they'd be married soon enough and she had been nothing if not kind and understanding with him. “I bet you're ever looking forward to it~”

The way she said that with a little wink of her golden eyes while her snake-hair hissed and darted their tongues toward him made it easy to realize that she was sincere and also looking forward to it as well. While her words and her lips could very well showcase her emotions, the truest part of her was on top of her head as all those seemingly independent strands of snakes which served as her hair were actually the most earnest part of her body. He had grown capable of deducing her reactions and logically analyze her true intents most of the time thanks to observing her hair as they all looked at him right after the mention of hypnosis, which meant that she was very much looking forward to it as well. Blushing, Theodore opted to look through the openings of the caravan in order to take in the sights of Hayya and its capital as it was a very eclectic ensemble which filled its streets. Large snake people, tiny lizard folks were the majority, yet there were also races from all corners of the world, this motley city filled with an ensemble and a variety which put most other kingdoms to shame. Orcs, cat-folks, elves, humans just like him were mixed in with more races, which was a rather fascinating sight for one who had never truly gone beyond Zufia.

“Many travelers end up staying in Hayya due to marriage or better business opportunities. A large selection of cultures and creed live here, with a lot of them bringing their own wares and knowledge with them,” Suri explained, herself grown accustomed to such a sight as she moved away from the opening of the caravan, lounging so as to rest her weary old tail. “I presume that perhaps one out of ten outsider ever decide to leave the city, the rest finding this place to be both thrilling and enticing.”

“It's most definitely not a perfect place, though,” Kyra went on to add, adjusting her position so as to be close to Theodore as she looked through the opening too while some of her hair went on to caress her soon-to-be-husband. “Trying to make it so everyone respect one another, that everyone can respect their tradition without hurting anyone else is a challenge which is not always met with success...But my father has been doing a decent job so far.”

There was a longing in Kyra's voice and as her hair stopped almost petting him Theodore knew that she wanted to be the one to solve that problem. She was one who was driven, going so far as Zufia with its colder climate to sign off on an alliance and find another husband to seal the deal. There were moments when he thought that perhaps he was but a token in an exchange of good will, or at least mutually beneficial arrangement, yet the way she spoke about conquest and how she treated him did lend less credence to this theory of his. Still, as he was lost in those thoughts, they passed the gates of the palace as he looked and it was perhaps the largest, most stupidly extravagant thing he had ever seen in his entire life. From afar it looked big, yet up close it was just silly, almost as if the palace really wanted to reach the sky somehow. Its shadow was immense, which probably helped all those cold-blooded citizens and even the warmer ones too when it came to protecting them from the more harmful effects of the sun. As he was in awe before this, the whole caravan stopped moving as they were then welcomed by a small committee, with multiple guards, some of the horse handlers and one individual which clashed severely with the rest: a tall and large orc. With Theodore prepared for another colorful entrance ceremony like they did in Zufia, he was rather quickly disappointed as Suri merely got out with Kyra following her. No fanfare, no music, no large hissing...nothing.

“I understand your reaction, prince Theodore, but the king has many, many children and they come and go often. Folks have other things to do than make plenty of noise and performances when one of them gets back to the palace,” Suri explained, apparently accustomed to Theodore's reaction too as he went on to get out of the caravan, slightly embarrassed while some porters came on to take the rather large amount of luggage and goods they brought back with them. However, what caught his attention more, and annoyed Suri it seemed, was the orc who got much closer to Kyra. “Oh no, not this doofus...”

“My love!” the orc said out loud, apparently trying to be the ceremony as he rushed toward Kyra, his eyes filled with glee upon seeing her as he was talking Hayyan with a guttural accent. It was rather funny to hear, but Theodore did not feel like laughing in front of the seven-foot tall, muscular and large green-skinned orc who was apparently very close to the woman he was about to marry. Kyra did say that he was her third spouse...One husband and one wife prior to him. Perhaps he was the husband in question? “I've missed you so much. I got even stronger just for you. Just you wait until we duke it out in the arena...and afterward in a much closer little space.”

Getting the innuendo, Theodore pretty much realized that he was indeed her other husband, which perhaps made them related? He wasn't quite certain how it worked, to be quite honest, and as he saw one of Kyra's snake-hair licking the orc's cheek, this was pretty much confirmed that they were married and that she held some affection for him even while he stance seemed more regal and reserved even after this display. “Bogrosh...Allow me to present Theodore, the prince of Zufia. He is to be my second husband,” Kyra explained, her tail pushing the one she mentioned with a gentle approach. “I think you two could become good friends. I think he'd need one too in this new place as he's really out of his elements. Could you be a dear and-”

“Another husband? Am I not enough?” Bogrosh said, his lovey-dovey expression turning into a much less sympathetic one as he glanced at Theodore as if he was but a weakling and an embarrassment. “I was okay with allowing you to have wives on the side for your experimentation, certainly, but I'm more than man enough for your needs, aren't I?”

As intimidating as Bogrosh was, the hissing hair on Kyra's head took everyone but Bogrosh by surprise as her anger was made clear despite her actual face keeping itself in check. To his credit, the orc did not flinch even if Kyra did actually tower over him slightly as the Princess of Dunes went on to try and calm her hair down, bringing an arm as it to soothe it over. “We talked about this...You do not own me, Bogrosh. Even by your standards and tradition, I was the one to beat you in battle fair and square and thus it is my word that holds more weight...” Kyra said, her tone a little dry as she crossed her arms and use the tip of her tail, the one sporting an edged-weapon, waving it in front of the orc's face. “Who I decide to love and marry is not dependent on your approval.”

“Pffft, the only one who actually loves you like a true spouse is me and you know it,” Bogrosh said, taking a step forward and a rough stance, as if he was ready to duke it out at any moment. “If Serena loved you like you do her, she'd have actually come down to greet you.”

“Don't you dare talk about her like that,” Kyra said, her hair hissing again as it got close enough to the orc's face to be able to bite him multiple times should she wish for it. “Serena is-”

This had gone on long enough and while Theodore was most assuredly terrified of those two angry being capable of overpowering him in a matter of seconds, he knew that he could be a good diplomat should there need to be one, that is to act as the friendly and vulnerable person so as to calm everyone down. “Okay, I think everyone needs to calm down here. Tensions are high, obviously, but let's not get off the wrong foot...or wrong slither if that applies,” Theodore said as he got himself in the particularly dangerous area between those two. “Look, Bogrosh, I'm not here to steal her from you, really. You obviously love her very much and I'm sure you can-”

“He doesn't even respect your culture enough to speak Hayyan. Look at him!” Bogrosh said, ignoring what Theodore was trying to do in a matter of instants as he looked at Kyra again, seemingly insulted by this attempt to calm everyone down and by how poorly made it was.

“He's still learning! He learned more in a week than you did in a year!” Kyra responded, her cold blood certainly not in the way of her more hot-blooded tendencies as the usually calm and noble-looking princess of Hayya looked far more intimidating than he ever thought possible as Theodore went on to remove himself from the situation, helped in this by Suri who made a gesture to not worry too much about it. “He's a gentle and kind being and-”

“He's a little weakling with swamp water in his veins. He looks so scrawny I could beat him with a single finger,” Bogrosh responded, showing the cultural appreciation for strength and martial prowess that were so characteristic of many orc tribes. Not all of them were like that, of course, but Bogrosh most obviously did respect might and power, which Theodore had to admit he was rather lacking in both departments. “I refuse to share you with him. At least bring someone worthy of your greatness!”

A moment of silence went on to install itself, the many people at work apparently ignoring the situation as they brought everything inside the palace, leaving those two along with Theodore and Suri to deal with this. Kyra, silent for yet some moments, saw the stance of her hair change as each snakes looked at each other, then they looked in curiosity, almost mischief as they darted their tongue toward Bogrosh in near-unison. “So if he was strong, you'd have no problem with it, yes?” Kyra said, facetious as she brought Theodore closer once more with the help of her thick and long tail. “Very well then. If you won't listen to me and see reason, then I'll have it beat into you by the proxy of him. In a single week, I will make you both duel and if he wins you'll not only have to accept him, but become his bodyguard as well.”

“That seems reasonable. If I win, however, he returns home and he won't sully your name with his weakness,” Bogrosh said, himself calming down as he crossed his arms then looked at Theodore with a toothy grin, looking forward to smashing down this interloper by the sight of his expression. “Let's not wait a week and do it now while the carriage is still out.”

“Absolutely not. He has traveled inside for a week, he's not accustomed to the place and he needs to stretch out and work out a little,” Kyra said, apparently ignoring whatever Theodore felt as she kept him close without looking down at him. “You wouldn't want an unfair advantage because you don't think you could win without it, certainly?”

“Hmm...Very well. Prepare him, make as much of a warrior out of his weak muscles and instinct and see how he'll be crushed anyway,” Bogrosh said, satisfied by this as he turned around, exchanged a glance toward Theodore before he went back in the palace, leaving the trio of Kyra, Suri and Theodore outside.

“Well, I better plan for your training. Don't worry, I know you can beat him,” Kyra said before caressing Theodore with her hand, slithering inside the palace as Theodore felt too dumbstruck. What had just happened? Was he about to fight someone like Bogrosh on his own? He barely knew anything there was to know about fighting. Sure, he could hold a rapier and perhaps defend himself if the situation required it, but against a warrior like Bogrosh...He was quite certain that he'd fail miserably. Had he gone through all of this only to be sent back miserably?

“Hmmmph...Always so impulsive...She really does not learn much of anything even after all these years,” Suri said, seemingly bitter about something as she looked at Theodore, seeing how distraught he was. “Don't worry, I'll try to talk to her about it and perhaps give you as much help as I can on the matter. For now, though, let us go to your room.”

The exotic decorations, the superb pillars, the sheer height of the palace and the vast number of its denizens...were all missed out by Theodore as the thought of fighting against an orc in a one-on-one duel invaded his thoughts. Would he end up maimed, broken in his body and pride? Would he actually ever leave alive? The idea of him losing was ever invading his thoughts as he missed out on the multiple wonders on display, the rich artistry and history of the kingdom of Hayya. Getting to a room assigned to him, a rather spacious albeit empty-looking one filled with his belongings, he sat on a bed which was actually surprisingly comfortable and soft as he sighed, his one lucky break apparently not being that great either. A duel against an orc, the more negative aspects of Kyra on full display...What had he landed into?

“Such a sad face does not belong in a country in which the king tries to make everyone smile,” a voice said, speaking his tongue in a thick Hayyan accent, the “s” being elongated a bit in their pronunciation. Theodore looked up only to see a snake-man, one with black scales and a purple underbelly wearing a silver loincloth and jewelry, rather similar and yet quite different to Kyra as he sported a large hood behind his head, yet also a kind smile and a very lean body. He was almost feminine in a way due to the way his hips and tail joined together and how round his shoulders were. The rest, though, was muscle and softness alike, smooth scales making it look rather splendid in a way. “Allow me to present myself...I am Thueban Ab'Hawim, one of the princes of the kingdom of Hayya and I could not help but notice your troubles, my friend.”

“Theodore Von Rasgaf, a prince from the country of Zufia...and maybe if things end up well enough, one of the husbands of Kyra Ab'Hawim...” Theodore said, trying to piece himself back together if only to be amiable to this person having the decency to greet him. He got up, then approached toward the doorway and made a motion to invite Thueban inside, which he accepted with a slight bow of his head and upper body, followed by a gesture of his arm on his torso. “Are you, by any chance, one of Kyra's brother, another heir to the throne?”

“Yes. As a matter of fact, I am her elder brother and a general bon-vivant, albeit who and what I am is probably not of the biggest importance given your predicament, yes?” Thueban said, looking around before lounging on the bed, making himself at home as he looked at the ceiling, then back at Theodore as his position and body language was seemingly calculated to always present his best angle. He was decidedly different than Kyra not just in color and gender, but also size and demeanor as Kyra easily towered over him. In fact, he seemed to be about his size, which was funny enough as Theodore half-expected for all the king's children to be of colossal height somehow. “I see you and I do not see a fighter. I don't see someone that bold, to be quite honest, someone who is out-of-touch with what he is capable, what he wants and how he can get it...am I right?”

He was certainly direct and perhaps lacking in tact, yet Theodore could not exactly refute all of his points as he had been carried over most of his life, given everything but a direction and while being here was technically a decision of his, it was a choice which had been pushed on him too in a sense. “You're...not wrong,” Theodore replied, not liking the blow to his ego this was, but lying wouldn't really result in anything good happening either.

“It takes a good and reasonable person to admit to faults, which is the first step to getting better. I am sorry for my less-than-gentle approach to my description,” Thueban went on to say as he let the tip of his tail lazily sway at the edge of the bed, the rest of it being bundled up on the side. “Suri sent me to give you some help with this, as she knows very well how hard it would be to convince Bogrosh and Kyra to relent from this folly. On the behalf of my sister, I do apologize about your proper introduction to the palace life.”

Theodore liked this person well enough, yet he knew the games and battles fought in court and in these kind of halls and he suspected that there was more to this than Thueban let on. He glanced at him, the prince seemingly still striking a rather sexy pose without truly meaning to as Theodore felt slightly surprised about how this man seemed...pretty somehow. “Why would you help me?” he asked directly, getting closer as he looked down at the prince laying down on his bed. “I know there's a competition for the throne among the king's children...Why would you do something like that for Kyra?”

“I have 47 spouses...And none of them are women,” Thueban went on to say, throwing this piece of information nonchalantly as he got up and out of bed with a swift and graceful motion, showing expert control of his tail and body. “I am the first candidate due to having made many conquests, be it through alliances and arrangements with other countries, with building a great many commodities for our people and because my father the king thinks I would be the best choice...But to do so I'd need to establish a legacy, which means children of my own...And this mean taking wives.”

So this was, in a way, the most direct competition that Kyra had for the throne, the one whom everyone had to surpass...and he did not even want it. It seemed like a cruel joke as Thueban was unfortunately very serious about it. Theodore couldn't quite wrap his mind around the concept of someone only loving, marrying and lusting over men, yet Hayya was a different place and he had to adapt. “So...You want Kyra to be on the throne instead?”

“She is one of my candidates, should she be able to actually stop being so prideful and impulsive, two traits which I'm sure surprised you greatly upon seeing those firsthand,” Thueban said, as he slithered around, looking at the boxes and luggage that were laying around, curious about them all. “Suri told me that you were an intelligent and rather calm person, albeit with a penchant for not seeing the consequences of your acts on occasion...Which is just perfect for her to learn. If she could learn temperance, then I believe she could make for an ideal queen. She is driven, strong, the people love her and most importantly she loves the people. She'd just need to move past her own sentiment of inadequacy which unfortunately weights her down considerably...Which is where I think you can fit in.”

“I...fail to see what I can do here, Thueban,” Theodore retorted, not entirely seeing the logic of this fellow prince as he felt a little uneasy at the sight of someone looking at his belongings like this.

“She only has Serena, a sickly yet gentle soul as a wife and the oafish, yet fiercely loyal Bogrosh as partners in her journey. She needs balance and you can provide it, just as she can give you the opportunity to better define yourself away from your familiar home,” Thueban explained, taking out a painting from a box as he observed it, then used his tail to handle it with care, placing it on the bed. “But to do that, you need to defeat Bogrosh, which is easier said than done, but fortunately for you I know his weakness...Which I will share with you if you promise to help me. Does that sound fair to you?”

Thueban seemed gentle and earnest, albeit possessing a sharp wit as Theodore felt that having him as an ally would be much wiser than going against his wishes. Besides, he'd need all the assistance he could get in order to stay here and actually marry Kyra, albeit this plan of his was perhaps not as sound as it seemed by the looks of it now. “It does. I appreciate the help.”

“Wonderful. We'll train in the morning when Kyra actually sleeps. If she knows I'm helping you, she might take it the wrong way and Bogrosh would probably try to destroy me as well,” Thueban said, heading toward the door and then looking back at Theodore and all his luggage. “I'll have people work on your room while we're at it as we'll train here. Don't worry, they'll be gentle and I'll give them pointers as to how to properly decorate your own personal space.”

And with that he was gone as Theodore's first day in Hayya was seemingly filled with nothing but rough events as if he had ever thought he'd escape the foolishness of internal politics and the personal agenda of just about everyone he'd have felt like a fool. Still, he hadn't expected to be challenged by an orc and then become ally to the first prince for the sole purpose of making his would-be-spouse the queen just like she wanted. He went on his bed, sighed and then caught some sleep, exhausted by all of this as he needed a break, anything to make it so everything would just stop for a while. Actually taking a nap for a while, he was then woken up by none other than Suri who had penetrated in his room without knocking. “Prince Theodore, if I may, your future wife is waiting for you in one of the arena below the palace.”

Rather sweaty due to the heat and the fact that he hadn't changed yet, Suri gave him a new set of clothes, one which actually was very different in that it didn't cover much of his skin. An open vest in red and gold, a sirwal with golden lines and crimson colors instead of pants, slippers, a golden sash and a scarf to wear around his head. His torso, abdomen, shoulders and arms along with his ankles were all uncovered, showing off his fair skin as in his home he'd possibly be mocked for wearing this, yet as he removed his garments, changed into that set and walked in the palace halls he quickly found out that he did not stand out at all. Catching up to Suri as she barely gave him time to change, he pressed on and he tried to talk to her, albeit in a low tone of voice due to his understanding of the games in such places as the palace of Hayya. “So...can Thueban be trusted?”

“He's the most selfless soul in the palace and I believe he'd actually make for the perfect king...But as the teacher of so many royal children it is not my place to choose what kind of conquests each one of them should undertake,” Suri said, the older snake-woman seemingly bitter about Thueban's choices. “It's because of him that the people of Hayya have access to milk and cheese, that the poor can still have access to libraries and that we've begun to produce and export wine, among other things. He's done a great deal and yet sees himself as some unimportant piece on the board as opposed to a pillar of the kingdom of Hayya...He fears too much is expected of him and thus prefer to be seen as an epicurean and hedonistic little being rather than the king-material person that he is.”

Courtly intrigue in here was certainly intriguing, to say the least, as there was some kind of honesty to everyone which Theodore did not know whether it was natural or because he was technically a new element, an outsider inside these walls. Suffice to say, the matter of the throne was quite important to many, which made him ask himself whether or not the king was actually ill and when he'd get to meet him. These questions, however, would have to wait as they went down lower and lower, the many queries coursing through his head making Theodore much less chatty while Suri never quite talked unless she was prodded into doing it. Then, a great sight of many small and circular rooms spreading far in a cavernous hall could be witnessed, each of them lit up by torches and by multiple glowing mushrooms which were sprouting from the ceiling. In one of them, the large and tall figure of Kyra Ab'Hawim could be found, waiting for them to arrive as she sat on a throne built to her size, as if this actual battle terrain had been made specifically for her.

“Very good. Sorry for the wait, Theodore, as I needed some rest and to prepare for your training regimen. I know you are not a fighter, but to gain Bogrosh' respect you'll have to best him,” Kyra said, slithering out of her throne and onto the sand and stone floor to accompany her would-be-husband. Suri, having completed her task, went away, leaving the two of them alone. “I am quite sorry about the sudden duel, my love, but believe me you will need allies and friends in here and despite his rough demeanor and his...let's say antiquated theories about how women should behave, Bogrosh is actually very devoted and kind to those he consider friends...You'll just need to become one.”

There was logic to what she said, but Theodore did not like being dragged into something like this as he bit his lower lip and opted to let it go, if only to perhaps get some more insight into the Princess of Dunes. She was, after all, very strong if everyone was to be believed, so getting trained under her might not be the worst thing to happen to him...which he thought until he saw her whip her tail forth, making it land beside him as sand rose up and the ground cracked, showing how hard the blade was and how much strength she had in her tail.” W-what the-”

“Bogrosh' weakness is his mobility. In his culture, they have to toughen up by learning how to take blows just as much as they can give out. He's got plenty of endurance, but no stamina as he always go all-in. As such, you just need to dodge and wear him out...Simple, yes?” Kyra said, that first blow being a warning shot as she moved her tail swiftly back to her side, this strike being a preview of how this would go. “It will be hard as we have only one week, but by the end of it you'll see every blows coming. If you can manage to dodge all of mine, then Bogrosh will be child's play.”

Theodore was not okay with this, not in the slightest as even though she gave him cues at first, he still had a hard time if only because he wasn't accustomed to sand, nor to his slippers. Worst of all was that he did not know how to properly get back up and turn efficiently, which made it so Kyra had to give him plenty of chances. She disliked that, but eventually relented as she got closer to him while he panted severely, out-of-breath and his heart beating rapidly. “What is wrong with you?!” Theodore shouted, regaining a modicum of energy as he moved away from her. “You almost killed me!”

“Of course not. You dodged all my blows...even though they were very slow. Bogrosh is actually faster than than,” she explained, as if this was the most normal thing in the world to train in such ways. “My mother did the same for me and I got out quite fine. In fact, it's a rumor that I might even become the strongest in the kingdom given time.”

And now it somehow made sense that this was a matter of pride for her and that unfortunately Theodore was caught in it. She needed to prove something to her orcish husband and thus with her training there was no way he'd lose...or so she thought. The kind and gentle Kyra was still there, yet it manifested itself differently in other circumstances as Theodore got up and then went away, walking slowly. “I think that will be enough for today, Kyra. I need a meal and some rest.”

“Very well. I'll see you tomorrow night then~” she said, not taking the hint that he was angry or merely choosing to ignore it as Theodore went out of the arena, only for Suri to be waiting for him as she escorted him to the kitchen to share meal of vegetables, couscous and chicken all cooked with multiple spices. Then, she got him back to his room as there were different people out in the halls of the palace, the nocturnal crown so to speak as when Theodore got back in his own room he found that Thueban had indeed respected his word and arranged everything for him. His paintings, his scrolls, his books and his clothes were all carefully laid out, sorted efficiently as the boxes were removed, leaving plenty of space to walk in here. Content that at least someone considered his feelings and his comfort, he went on to read some and then get to bed, wondering just what might happen to him...And then he was woken up by the sound of knocking on his door as he was startled out of bed. He got dressed quickly, then opened up to see Thueban along with a person carrying a platter entering the room. The other person, a lizard-folk wearing an apron on top of his vestments, which were not unlike those of Theodore albeit black and gold over red scales. The platter was set on a small table as the smell of fresh bread and eggs filled the room as he bowed respectfully, then headed out, yet was stopped by Thueban tugging at him with his tail, giving him a little kiss on his cheek and a smile before then nodding in silence. Then, they were both left alone together, the lizard-folk gone.

“This is one of my husbands. He likes to cook,” Thueban said, his smile not diminishing as he obviously loved the one he mentioned. “He made us breakfast...which we will enjoy after we're done with your training.”

Theodore winced at that, the mention of this reminding him of Kyra's methods as he made his expression far too clear, which prompted for Thueban to chuckle. “I suspect she tried to train you in her own ways, yes?” he asked, the question rhetorical as he did not leave much time for Theodore to answer. “Her way of doing things is actually sound, but her frame of reference is actually not that good when it comes to others. I've heard of your performance by Suri and...well...You've got a long way to go. Don't worry though...I'm much nicer and methodical in my own approach.”

The smell of those eggs and that bread did titillate his nose and yet he knew he needed to focus as Thueban got much closer to him to make sure he would focus. “Okay, you know that Bogrosh is basically a mindless beast when it comes to battle. Strike more and deal with the pain when you get hit is his creed. He's good at it too, but his mobility leaves a lot to be desired...And you need to learn to dodge...But in order to do that you'll need to learn how to control your body, redistribute your weight and isolate every inches of your muscles...And that's where I come in.”

Thueban went on to slither toward the open space in the room, the one he had made certain would be there as his tail went on to follow him, creating a loop effect on the ground to help with his balance. He motioned for Theodore to sit on his bed and to look, doing this in silence as Theodore was not entirely certain what this was about. “You might have noticed that Kyra possess a certain talent with her eyes. In some circles we call it persuasion, a charming gaze, hypnosis even...All of the king's children inherited this trait from him and I am no exception. As such, I will use my talent to make you understand your body a little more, which will help a great deal. It will not be perfect, but I've been told you're an excellent dancers, so steps shouldn't be too hard for you to picture.”

“Wait, you'll hypnotize me into being a better fighter?” Theodore asked, dubious about that as while it seemed feasible to learn and store new information, actual battle skills should not be possible to transmit like this...then again, perhaps it was? He had no idea.

“Oh no. No no no. I am abysmal in a fight. I'm a lover, not a fighter,” Thueban explained, chuckling at the mention of him in an actual battle. “No, I'm going to use my own hypnotic skills to make it so you'll become hyper-aware of your body and you'll memorize ways to move. That way, you'll be more skilled in dance and to dodge.”

“Why would I become a better dancer?” Theodore asked, not entirely following as he looked at Thueban with the firm intention of trusting him, but then again he was quite confused.

“Oh, right, sorry. I should have explained things better,” Thueban said, feeling slightly embarrassed as he went on to bump his hips rapidly to give out an example, which made Theodore feel slightly dizzy and somehow...warm? “My hypnotic skills translate to dancing. Whenever I perform in a certain way, I can completely charm others. It's powerful, but kinda inconvenient as I need to have a perfect control of my body at all time or else people fall into a trance.”

Theodore then understood how this would go as he then realized that while Kyra's methods were far better for information and suggestions, perhaps the more physical method of Thueban could instill some knowledge of a more bodily kind as while it did bother him that two of the king's children seemed all too eager to hypnotize him, part of him also knew how pleasant it could be. “Okay...I think I get it...So you'll...”

“I'll dance and make you focus on my moves, then make you replicate them by making you understand them as well. This way, you'll know what you're doing and thus will fare better with my sister's training,” Thueban explained before chuckling a little, a thought crossing his mind. “And if you fail and become completely mesmerized, we can always arrange things out so that you become my 48th husband~”

Not bothering to continue that joke, Thueban then started to to sway his hips in a slow arc, going left and right in a cycle as his tail and his wide waistline allowed him to really make them look pronounced and clean. There was a pendulum-like effect to them, the black scales and his purple underbelly seemingly washing themselves together as it enveloped the room and whatever else beside the serpentine prince. It was like the effect of Kyra's gaze, yet it was somehow different as instead of drawing his gaze in with a swirling effect it instead made his eyes glue themselves on those hips, on that belly of his. It was like that dance Kyra demonstrated while in Zufia, yet Thueban seemed even more adept at it for some reason as the dizziness from prior, combined with warmth, filled Theodore' senses as he sank onto the edge of his bed while watching.

“Yes, just relax and stare. Look at my hips and by abdomen, at my scales and how they absorb light, drink it before your very eyes...” Thueban said, his voice calm and even, possessing a slight gentle tone as those sways went on to become a little wider, turning into bumps as he placed his hands on them, making it easier for Theodore to focus on them. “Everything is absorbed in them...Your gaze, your senses, your control...It's all slipping on my scales and on my beautiful moves as you stare and stare deeper still...As you listen to my voice and find yourself in the pleasant embrace of my performance...”

Theodore knew that he was being hypnotized and he was accepting it...although part of him thought that he shouldn't. There was a divide in his brain which made it so he just did not like relinquishing control like this even though he knew it made him feel so good, so relaxed despite it all. Those bumps, those hips...they were another man's and yet they were decidedly fascinating to watch, the purple and black, combined with that silver sash, made for a very magnetic sight for his eyes only.

“My dance is like a coil onto your mind, my tail softly squeezing out your resistance as the black and purple drink it all away, making you feel relaxed and content,” Thueban said, moving his tail so that Theodore would get up and join him as she pulled him softly and gently closer toward him. “You are falling under my power, trusting me to not abuse it, to help you out...Let yourself go and then try to follow my motions, Theodore~”

The suggestions thrown his way were indeed much too powerful as he did want to get stronger, to be rid of this anxiety weighting down on him and as he got closer he was then guided by the tip of Thueban's tail which pushed on his hip, making it so he would isolate one and then the same motion was repeated in reverse, leading to some of the slowest and most awkward hip bumps.

“Yes, very good...Follow my lead...You're progressing and you will get better quickly if you obey my words...Trust me~” Thueban said as he then went on move his hips forward and bumped them slowly to showcase what he meant as Theodore followed along, doing his best as the tip of Thueban's tail helped him along, making understand the most basic of motions. “With this move, you learn how to isolate your waist and hips, which is fundamental to moving your legs and torso too. Your lower back and abdomen are essential to take control of and as you bumps and sway left and right...You come to learn just how to do it without my tail...”

The purple and black was all that he could see along with those scales as Theodore was deeply entranced, feeling warm and fuzzy as he looked and mimicked as best as he could. Everything was a blur, words echoing in his mind and then everything returned back to normal with a simple yet startling sound.

SNAP!

And the sight of bread and eggs, keep lukewarm now due to the length of their training session, which Theodore had no idea how long it took.

“A very good session. You are a natural,” Thueban said, scarfing down eggs and some coffee as he lounged on Theodore's bed while the still-groggy prince of Zufia was regaining his sense of self. “A few sessions of three hours like these and you'll be out of the beginner's zone...Not intermediate, but certainly better than an amateur.”

“Three hours? But...” Theodore said, coming to understand quickly that while hypnotized he could definitely not feel time passing by as he got some bread and eggs as Thueban went out of the room, waving goodbye.

“I'd love to stay, but I do have my husbands and some other matters to take care of...So I'll see you tomorrow~” he said with the most pleasant, almost sensual tone as he closed the door behind him. As Theodore went on to finish breakfast, he finally got out of his room without being escorted as he tried to venture out by himself, learning of the palace life. Without the pressure of training and his duel, he enjoyed himself as he talked to others, exchanged stories, ate and learned quite a few things as this is what he hoped his life would have been right from the start. There were some flashes of Thueban's hypnotic dance at times, but it was much like back when Kyra used her stare on him too. Then, as he ate dinner and got back to his room for a nap, he was quickly brought back up by Suri who escorted him to the arena once more, ready for some more training. There, Kyra was waiting as she slithered toward him, a rather apologetic look on his face.

“I...You have to forgive me, Theodore...I've been acting rashly,” she said to him, her hair down while all those snakes seemed to be shy about something, looking away from him. “I...I went too fast yesterday and I did not even let you stretch or prepare yourself and I'm...terrible sorry about what I did.”

It was not the apology he wished to hear, nor the true reason why he had gone away yesterday, but it was a start as Theodore looked at her with a disarming smile. “I'm not really keen on this duel thing and I wish you'd have talked to me about it before committing myself to something so rash and sudden,” Theodore said, talking about his feelings instead of bottling them up as he crossed his arms. “If you think it'll make my life easier, then I'll participate and obviously try to win, but no more decisions like these should be taken without considering my feelings and opinion too, okay?”

Kyra was surprised by this, the revelation of how he felt being sudden, but she smirked at the honesty on display as she lowered himself to place a kiss on his brow, a gesture followed by her snake hair. “Very well...You have my words.”

And then the training started anew, yet this time it was made more methodical, much less chaotic as the moves which Thueban instilled in him were rudimentary, yet a twirl here, some hunting steps here and even a hip step helped him dodge some blows in the nick of time. Her blows were predictable, yet the point was to accustom him to evading them on a progressive basis. Extenuated, he went to bed after two hours as Theodore eventually went on to create a slight routine for the next few days which consisted of training in the morning with Thueban, resting and purging off the after-effects of hypnosis in the afternoon, training with Kyra and then going to bed, all of this along with meals and some exploration of Hayya. Things were going well as even without Thueban he could actually feel that he got better with his bodily control, his own ballroom dancing and those “belly dancing” lessons coming in handy as he felt that his arms were more fluid, his hips were more easy to isolate and thus his legs could really react more quickly in response to all of this. Kyra's training allowed him to see the blows coming, to analyze under duress as she got slightly faster each time, resulting in his instincts being sharpened further and further. Days passed and Theodore became more and more confident, the help of Kyra, Thueban and Suri actually making him feel more at ease in his chances against Bogrosh until eventually...the day of the duel arrived.

Kyra had prepared her own arena for the fateful encounter between one of her current husband and the one who would soon become one unless the orc had his way. Bogrosh was clad in leather straps and fur, a showcase of his confidence by not equipping too many protective layers as Theodore was clad in his regular vestments, himself accustomed to their feel now and aware that he needed mobility to win. Anything that would slow him down would make him an easy target as he looked at Bogrosh who brought a large axe while a scimitar was given to Theodore to even the odds. Kyra sat on her throne, lit up some incense and then went on to look at the two who fought technically for her sake in a bizarre way.

“Here are the rules as per custom. You have until the incense is completely burned out to fight. The winner is the first one to spill blood. If no victor arise after the incense is out, then the duel is forfeit and I shall decide the outcome as the arbiter of this fight. Does anyone have an objection?” she explained, bringing the pot closer as she adjusted her stance comfortably on the large throne.

“None,” Bogrosh said, looking at Kyra while brandishing his axe up as if dedicating this fight and his inevitable victory to her.

Theodore wanted to say that he had objections about the whole duel, but he had worked too hard to be prepared to deny all of this. As such, he nodded and looked at Kyra, responding in a similar fashion. “None at all.”

Then, with a snap of her fingers, which resonated across the arena, the two fighters stood ready as it was Bogrosh, as expected, who went for the first assault. A lunge forward, his two hands on the handle of his axe and his strike landed on the ground very close to where Theodore stood. This blow would have indeed spilled blood...and perhaps even chopped an arm off as Theodore felt his tension rise as no matter how prepared he was he quickly saw that Bogrosh had no time for mercy, wishing to send a message in the most bloody fashion possible. The axe landing down, he used this momentum to add his weight on the ground and spin, creating a wide horizontal arc which almost landed on Theodore as he bent his back to avoid it.

“Stay still!” Bogrosh said, grabbing his axe and keeping it close to him as he went for a tackle, which Theodore dodged with a slight twirl as he almost felt the impact of this one through the traveling air. Bogrosh was most assuredly very strong and capable, able to chain attacks, yet he was also very open and his moves lacked subtlety which meant that Theodore could see them coming. Twirls, side steps, a slight shift in weight and none of the blows and sweeps connected, some of them almost barely scrapping the vestments of Theodore yet not landing still. “Damn you!”

Eventually, Theodore was getting tired as his stamina was not on the same level as Bogrosh as he needed to stop defending and to actually go on the offense. He might try to keep it going until the incense would be out as he knew Kyra would make him stay...but what kind of victory would that be? He wanted, owned it to himself to get a true victory out of this and as she shook his hips to distract Bogrosh, he then took a spinning step and then managed to slash at one of the straps, cutting it down as a trickle of blood went on to appear. Bogrosh looked at it, rubbed his fingers on it and then screamed in fury. Then, he looked down and dropped his axe, admitting defeat with the simplest of gesture.

“I lost...Good show, princeling,” he said, half-meaning what he said as it was apparently very hard for him to swallow this defeat as Kyra stood up and got between those two. “You chose him well.”

“But of course I did, my dear. You should ever trust my judgment on the matter,” Kyra said as she turned to Theodore who went on to approach the orc, looking up at this large foe which he couldn't believe he defeated.

“You were really close to beating me, Bogrosh. I could sense that you were serious and that you wanted to win for Kyra's sake,” Theodore said, opting not for humiliation but instead for humility as he had figured something out this week, something which he never realized in his life until now. “I only won because I had help, because people were rooting for me. In fact, I was trained specifically to beat you because you have a weakness that you never work upon.”

“Oh yeah?” Bogrosh said, his eyes narrowed down and his mouth turned into a pout as if he was ready to pounce at Theodore if he went on to say something silly or insulting.

“Your moves are too wide and predictable and you don't rely enough on agility. Your arms are strong and your technique is actually very good, but if you had an even better control of your weight and your body you'd probably be unstoppable...I'd have lost within seconds,” Theodore admitted, thinking that he needed allies, not people indebted to him because of silly reasons. This was his way to do just that, actual honesty and openness. “If it had been going on a while longer, I'd have lost too.”

“You've...given me a lot to consider,” Bogrosh said, showing a remarkable self-restraint as he accepted the criticism much better than Theodore anticipated. “I will ponder upon this. Meanwhile, the victory is yours. I guess I'll have to share Kyra with you from now on.”

And with that he lifted his axe, exited the arena and went out of their view as Kyra and Theodore looked at him, his calm temperament a severe clash with his introduction and his behavior in battle. “He's the son of a tribal chieftain from the south and I won against him as we were travelling down the road a few years ago. I defeated him in battle and he's been smitten with me since...So I took him as my first husband as a political gain,” Kyra explained, finally giving the backstory that Theodore wished he had known about from the start, if only to make sense of this green musclebound warrior. “To them, strength is everything, but he's changing slowly and gradually in here. The influence of Hayya is good on him, I think. He may be crass, rude, more than a little macho and prone to outburst, but he's also more intelligent than we might believe, devoted, passionate and actually considerate once you get to know him.”

“But do you actually love him?” Theodore asked, recalling how her hair actually did seem to be affectionate with him back when he had been waiting for Kyra a week ago.

“Not at first...but he grew on me considerably,” Kyra replied, sighing as she slithered out of the arena, accompanied by Theodore as she glanced at him. “So, my older brother went on to train you, yes?”

“How do you figure?” Theodore asked, imagining that it was probably Suri who told her as she was a silent being, thus probably a secretive person as well. “Was it the dance moves?”

“Yes...and Suri did tell me about it,” Kyra admitted, making it so the two guesses that Theodore had were right, which did make him happy as he was not losing his power of analysis. “I never quite know what he wants and what his plans are and that...infuriates me.”

“He's your older brother. I'm sure he loves you and he wants what's best for you,” Theodore said, believing in Thueban's intentions more than he did than for his own two older brothers back in Zufia, whom he had never been that close too after they began to grow up while he remained a child to their eyes. Theodore supposed he could tell What Thueban wanted and what his plans were, but it might be a disservice to one who had been nothing but kind to him as he opted to stay silent for the moment. As they exited the arena, Kyra went on to smile at him as she lowered down to his level.

“We have the whole night to ourselves and you've fought for the privilege of my hand...So let us spend some time together now that we're in Hayya...Would you like that?” she suggested, smiling as her hair went on to get closer to him, overwhelming him as he at least knew how he fared in terms of affection when it came to Kyra. “We could talk about the marriage ceremony among...other things~”

“I'd love to,” was all that Theodore said on the matter as he bowed and then followed Kyra along. His first week had been intense, a true exotic and alien adventure in which he danced, fought, trained, had been hypnotized several times and had made friends along the way. He wished that perhaps things would settle down now...

But his journey was really just beginning.

Description
*THERE IS A STORY BELOW THE DESCRIPTION, A FOLLOW-UP TO THIS ONE Betrothed to the Princess of Dunes
“I'm sorry...Could you repeat that again?”
Theodore could not believe this. He never knew his father could be capable of such cruelty to one of his son, a child he was supposed to cherish and protect with all of his heart. He was shocked beyond belief, needing some fresh air as he went to one of the numerous windows in his chambers, a room fit for a prince, made so just for that reason precisely.
“You have heard me well the first time. Do not devolve into melodrama, I beg of you,” his instructor, Temmat, the wizard of renown, went on to say as he pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation, looking at his pupil with a growing annoyance. “There were many options for your spouse and they went on to choose a very suitable and downright, dare I say it, incredible candidate for you. It's a really rare opportunity for you to actually shine and, dare I say, useful to the kingdom.”
“Excuse me?” Theodore went on to say, furious about this littl*

I promised a new story featuring her and I aimed to deliver...But of course I wanted a new illustration to go along with it, so I went with a well-known quantity with PsychoWolFFy .

I wanted her to be more regal, in an environment closer to what I pictured Hayya to be, the Kingdom of Snakes. We get to see her tail, a throne, her hair and her beauty in a semi-realist fashion, which makes her look quite splendid here. I especially love the coloring, the shading and her pose as she is calm and mysterious in her expression, which ought to be how she is portrayed. All in all, PsychoWolFFy did a very good job emulating the design made by Gameboyred .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * *

CHALLENGED IN HAYYA

It had been a very long trip.

The climate was very, very different from Zufia as Theodore got himself off the carriage which transported his soon-to-be-wife, Kyra Ab'Hawim, the envoy Suri A'Oman and his own person. He looked around as the heat and intense rays of the sun blinded him at first and then he adjusted himself in order to properly see his surroundings as what he witnessed was something entirely different than what he expected. Well-read, the prince of Zufia, third-in-line for the throne, had some information about Hayya, the Kingdom of Snakes and yet none of it prepared him well-enough for what he saw with his own eyes. The first thing he noticed was that the buildings, be it common houses and shops, were all built to be quite tall, as if trying to reach for the sky in a mad competition against one another. Even the most basic of living area was made to reach insane heights as this was quite a contrast to the modest shacks in which some of his people lived in.

“It must be quite bizarre for one such as you to go in and see such things, your highness,” Suri went on to say, the much older lamia seemingly amused by the open reaction of awe that Theodore was putting on display. She slithered closer to him, looking through the opening of the carriage along with him as she continued. “Legends told of a ruler who feared heights back then, yet who loved the sky with a passion. In order to conquer them, he-”

“Sama' the great, the architect of modern Hayya, who ruled 780 years ago if I'm not mistaken,” Theodore continued, himself surprised about how easy it was to continue what Suri had started and yet he had a love for lore and for oddities. However, he knew that this knowledge was alien as he had been taught this, along with the secrets of the Hayyan language, through his travel with the help of the greatest talent that Kyra possessed: hypnotism. It was easy to focus and follow instructions when one was in a trance, it seemed, which made it so Theodore was aware of many new things which were still alien to his brain for now as he continued his explanation. “In order to give more room to his tailed citizens and to make things more compact, to bring people closer, he opted for taller instead of larger. The citizens loved him so much that they went for it and even participated in the construction of the palace of a million scales, a building that is yet to be complete even to this day.”

“You've been very attentive, dearest,” another voice said from behind both Suri and Theodore as they turned to see Kyra, the Princess of Dunes as some called her, waking up slowly. Her large size and tall height made them both feel quite small, with one of the princess of Hayya effectively being two times the size of Theodore, which made their alliance seem funny in an external way. “Now show me how you've mastered our tongue as well. Let us speak in Hayyan from now on.”

The secret behind their language, Theodore found out, was that hissing was pretty much part of almost every sentences, the elongation of “s” making it so they all spoke like serpents, which was very apropos given the sobriquet of their country. He did not possess a forked tongue, which possibly meant that he had an accent to them, yet he tried as he opted to speak in this tongue which he would probably have to master quickly since he'd be living here from now on. “House tall. Weird. Different,” he said, struggling a little as he tried his best to be understood, yet for one mistake he recognized he made there were three more that he wasn't even aware of yet. Still, this made Kyra smile and that made him happy. “Not Zufia. Very hot.”

“Oh yes, all of this must seen strange to you, but I'd say about a month of sessions with me accompanied by lessons by Suri and you'll understand it all very nicely,” she spoke in Hayyan, her hisses long and beautiful as strangely enough Theodore caught all that. It was mostly in the speaking department which he had difficulties and for obvious reasons, yet the idea of spending more time with Kyra as she'd use her talents to soothe him, mesmerize him and let him enjoy it all was indeed a very promising prospect. Hypnosis, especially hers, was rather addictive in that it made him feel at peace, removing anxiety from his mind and replacing him with utter focus and bliss. As such, lessons coming from her went by fast and yet were productive, although part of him wondered if perhaps she did not instill things which he did not know about. Part of him felt wary, yet another entirely wanted to trust her since they'd be married soon enough and she had been nothing if not kind and understanding with him. “I bet you're ever looking forward to it~”

The way she said that with a little wink of her golden eyes while her snake-hair hissed and darted their tongues toward him made it easy to realize that she was sincere and also looking forward to it as well. While her words and her lips could very well showcase her emotions, the truest part of her was on top of her head as all those seemingly independent strands of snakes which served as her hair were actually the most earnest part of her body. He had grown capable of deducing her reactions and logically analyze her true intents most of the time thanks to observing her hair as they all looked at him right after the mention of hypnosis, which meant that she was very much looking forward to it as well. Blushing, Theodore opted to look through the openings of the caravan in order to take in the sights of Hayya and its capital as it was a very eclectic ensemble which filled its streets. Large snake people, tiny lizard folks were the majority, yet there were also races from all corners of the world, this motley city filled with an ensemble and a variety which put most other kingdoms to shame. Orcs, cat-folks, elves, humans just like him were mixed in with more races, which was a rather fascinating sight for one who had never truly gone beyond Zufia.

“Many travelers end up staying in Hayya due to marriage or better business opportunities. A large selection of cultures and creed live here, with a lot of them bringing their own wares and knowledge with them,” Suri explained, herself grown accustomed to such a sight as she moved away from the opening of the caravan, lounging so as to rest her weary old tail. “I presume that perhaps one out of ten outsider ever decide to leave the city, the rest finding this place to be both thrilling and enticing.”

“It's most definitely not a perfect place, though,” Kyra went on to add, adjusting her position so as to be close to Theodore as she looked through the opening too while some of her hair went on to caress her soon-to-be-husband. “Trying to make it so everyone respect one another, that everyone can respect their tradition without hurting anyone else is a challenge which is not always met with success...But my father has been doing a decent job so far.”

There was a longing in Kyra's voice and as her hair stopped almost petting him Theodore knew that she wanted to be the one to solve that problem. She was one who was driven, going so far as Zufia with its colder climate to sign off on an alliance and find another husband to seal the deal. There were moments when he thought that perhaps he was but a token in an exchange of good will, or at least mutually beneficial arrangement, yet the way she spoke about conquest and how she treated him did lend less credence to this theory of his. Still, as he was lost in those thoughts, they passed the gates of the palace as he looked and it was perhaps the largest, most stupidly extravagant thing he had ever seen in his entire life. From afar it looked big, yet up close it was just silly, almost as if the palace really wanted to reach the sky somehow. Its shadow was immense, which probably helped all those cold-blooded citizens and even the warmer ones too when it came to protecting them from the more harmful effects of the sun. As he was in awe before this, the whole caravan stopped moving as they were then welcomed by a small committee, with multiple guards, some of the horse handlers and one individual which clashed severely with the rest: a tall and large orc. With Theodore prepared for another colorful entrance ceremony like they did in Zufia, he was rather quickly disappointed as Suri merely got out with Kyra following her. No fanfare, no music, no large hissing...nothing.

“I understand your reaction, prince Theodore, but the king has many, many children and they come and go often. Folks have other things to do than make plenty of noise and performances when one of them gets back to the palace,” Suri explained, apparently accustomed to Theodore's reaction too as he went on to get out of the caravan, slightly embarrassed while some porters came on to take the rather large amount of luggage and goods they brought back with them. However, what caught his attention more, and annoyed Suri it seemed, was the orc who got much closer to Kyra. “Oh no, not this doofus...”

“My love!” the orc said out loud, apparently trying to be the ceremony as he rushed toward Kyra, his eyes filled with glee upon seeing her as he was talking Hayyan with a guttural accent. It was rather funny to hear, but Theodore did not feel like laughing in front of the seven-foot tall, muscular and large green-skinned orc who was apparently very close to the woman he was about to marry. Kyra did say that he was her third spouse...One husband and one wife prior to him. Perhaps he was the husband in question? “I've missed you so much. I got even stronger just for you. Just you wait until we duke it out in the arena...and afterward in a much closer little space.”

Getting the innuendo, Theodore pretty much realized that he was indeed her other husband, which perhaps made them related? He wasn't quite certain how it worked, to be quite honest, and as he saw one of Kyra's snake-hair licking the orc's cheek, this was pretty much confirmed that they were married and that she held some affection for him even while he stance seemed more regal and reserved even after this display. “Bogrosh...Allow me to present Theodore, the prince of Zufia. He is to be my second husband,” Kyra explained, her tail pushing the one she mentioned with a gentle approach. “I think you two could become good friends. I think he'd need one too in this new place as he's really out of his elements. Could you be a dear and-”

“Another husband? Am I not enough?” Bogrosh said, his lovey-dovey expression turning into a much less sympathetic one as he glanced at Theodore as if he was but a weakling and an embarrassment. “I was okay with allowing you to have wives on the side for your experimentation, certainly, but I'm more than man enough for your needs, aren't I?”

As intimidating as Bogrosh was, the hissing hair on Kyra's head took everyone but Bogrosh by surprise as her anger was made clear despite her actual face keeping itself in check. To his credit, the orc did not flinch even if Kyra did actually tower over him slightly as the Princess of Dunes went on to try and calm her hair down, bringing an arm as it to soothe it over. “We talked about this...You do not own me, Bogrosh. Even by your standards and tradition, I was the one to beat you in battle fair and square and thus it is my word that holds more weight...” Kyra said, her tone a little dry as she crossed her arms and use the tip of her tail, the one sporting an edged-weapon, waving it in front of the orc's face. “Who I decide to love and marry is not dependent on your approval.”

“Pffft, the only one who actually loves you like a true spouse is me and you know it,” Bogrosh said, taking a step forward and a rough stance, as if he was ready to duke it out at any moment. “If Serena loved you like you do her, she'd have actually come down to greet you.”

“Don't you dare talk about her like that,” Kyra said, her hair hissing again as it got close enough to the orc's face to be able to bite him multiple times should she wish for it. “Serena is-”

This had gone on long enough and while Theodore was most assuredly terrified of those two angry being capable of overpowering him in a matter of seconds, he knew that he could be a good diplomat should there need to be one, that is to act as the friendly and vulnerable person so as to calm everyone down. “Okay, I think everyone needs to calm down here. Tensions are high, obviously, but let's not get off the wrong foot...or wrong slither if that applies,” Theodore said as he got himself in the particularly dangerous area between those two. “Look, Bogrosh, I'm not here to steal her from you, really. You obviously love her very much and I'm sure you can-”

“He doesn't even respect your culture enough to speak Hayyan. Look at him!” Bogrosh said, ignoring what Theodore was trying to do in a matter of instants as he looked at Kyra again, seemingly insulted by this attempt to calm everyone down and by how poorly made it was.

“He's still learning! He learned more in a week than you did in a year!” Kyra responded, her cold blood certainly not in the way of her more hot-blooded tendencies as the usually calm and noble-looking princess of Hayya looked far more intimidating than he ever thought possible as Theodore went on to remove himself from the situation, helped in this by Suri who made a gesture to not worry too much about it. “He's a gentle and kind being and-”

“He's a little weakling with swamp water in his veins. He looks so scrawny I could beat him with a single finger,” Bogrosh responded, showing the cultural appreciation for strength and martial prowess that were so characteristic of many orc tribes. Not all of them were like that, of course, but Bogrosh most obviously did respect might and power, which Theodore had to admit he was rather lacking in both departments. “I refuse to share you with him. At least bring someone worthy of your greatness!”

A moment of silence went on to install itself, the many people at work apparently ignoring the situation as they brought everything inside the palace, leaving those two along with Theodore and Suri to deal with this. Kyra, silent for yet some moments, saw the stance of her hair change as each snakes looked at each other, then they looked in curiosity, almost mischief as they darted their tongue toward Bogrosh in near-unison. “So if he was strong, you'd have no problem with it, yes?” Kyra said, facetious as she brought Theodore closer once more with the help of her thick and long tail. “Very well then. If you won't listen to me and see reason, then I'll have it beat into you by the proxy of him. In a single week, I will make you both duel and if he wins you'll not only have to accept him, but become his bodyguard as well.”

“That seems reasonable. If I win, however, he returns home and he won't sully your name with his weakness,” Bogrosh said, himself calming down as he crossed his arms then looked at Theodore with a toothy grin, looking forward to smashing down this interloper by the sight of his expression. “Let's not wait a week and do it now while the carriage is still out.”

“Absolutely not. He has traveled inside for a week, he's not accustomed to the place and he needs to stretch out and work out a little,” Kyra said, apparently ignoring whatever Theodore felt as she kept him close without looking down at him. “You wouldn't want an unfair advantage because you don't think you could win without it, certainly?”

“Hmm...Very well. Prepare him, make as much of a warrior out of his weak muscles and instinct and see how he'll be crushed anyway,” Bogrosh said, satisfied by this as he turned around, exchanged a glance toward Theodore before he went back in the palace, leaving the trio of Kyra, Suri and Theodore outside.

“Well, I better plan for your training. Don't worry, I know you can beat him,” Kyra said before caressing Theodore with her hand, slithering inside the palace as Theodore felt too dumbstruck. What had just happened? Was he about to fight someone like Bogrosh on his own? He barely knew anything there was to know about fighting. Sure, he could hold a rapier and perhaps defend himself if the situation required it, but against a warrior like Bogrosh...He was quite certain that he'd fail miserably. Had he gone through all of this only to be sent back miserably?

“Hmmmph...Always so impulsive...She really does not learn much of anything even after all these years,” Suri said, seemingly bitter about something as she looked at Theodore, seeing how distraught he was. “Don't worry, I'll try to talk to her about it and perhaps give you as much help as I can on the matter. For now, though, let us go to your room.”

The exotic decorations, the superb pillars, the sheer height of the palace and the vast number of its denizens...were all missed out by Theodore as the thought of fighting against an orc in a one-on-one duel invaded his thoughts. Would he end up maimed, broken in his body and pride? Would he actually ever leave alive? The idea of him losing was ever invading his thoughts as he missed out on the multiple wonders on display, the rich artistry and history of the kingdom of Hayya. Getting to a room assigned to him, a rather spacious albeit empty-looking one filled with his belongings, he sat on a bed which was actually surprisingly comfortable and soft as he sighed, his one lucky break apparently not being that great either. A duel against an orc, the more negative aspects of Kyra on full display...What had he landed into?

“Such a sad face does not belong in a country in which the king tries to make everyone smile,” a voice said, speaking his tongue in a thick Hayyan accent, the “s” being elongated a bit in their pronunciation. Theodore looked up only to see a snake-man, one with black scales and a purple underbelly wearing a silver loincloth and jewelry, rather similar and yet quite different to Kyra as he sported a large hood behind his head, yet also a kind smile and a very lean body. He was almost feminine in a way due to the way his hips and tail joined together and how round his shoulders were. The rest, though, was muscle and softness alike, smooth scales making it look rather splendid in a way. “Allow me to present myself...I am Thueban Ab'Hawim, one of the princes of the kingdom of Hayya and I could not help but notice your troubles, my friend.”

“Theodore Von Rasgaf, a prince from the country of Zufia...and maybe if things end up well enough, one of the husbands of Kyra Ab'Hawim...” Theodore said, trying to piece himself back together if only to be amiable to this person having the decency to greet him. He got up, then approached toward the doorway and made a motion to invite Thueban inside, which he accepted with a slight bow of his head and upper body, followed by a gesture of his arm on his torso. “Are you, by any chance, one of Kyra's brother, another heir to the throne?”

“Yes. As a matter of fact, I am her elder brother and a general bon-vivant, albeit who and what I am is probably not of the biggest importance given your predicament, yes?” Thueban said, looking around before lounging on the bed, making himself at home as he looked at the ceiling, then back at Theodore as his position and body language was seemingly calculated to always present his best angle. He was decidedly different than Kyra not just in color and gender, but also size and demeanor as Kyra easily towered over him. In fact, he seemed to be about his size, which was funny enough as Theodore half-expected for all the king's children to be of colossal height somehow. “I see you and I do not see a fighter. I don't see someone that bold, to be quite honest, someone who is out-of-touch with what he is capable, what he wants and how he can get it...am I right?”

He was certainly direct and perhaps lacking in tact, yet Theodore could not exactly refute all of his points as he had been carried over most of his life, given everything but a direction and while being here was technically a decision of his, it was a choice which had been pushed on him too in a sense. “You're...not wrong,” Theodore replied, not liking the blow to his ego this was, but lying wouldn't really result in anything good happening either.

“It takes a good and reasonable person to admit to faults, which is the first step to getting better. I am sorry for my less-than-gentle approach to my description,” Thueban went on to say as he let the tip of his tail lazily sway at the edge of the bed, the rest of it being bundled up on the side. “Suri sent me to give you some help with this, as she knows very well how hard it would be to convince Bogrosh and Kyra to relent from this folly. On the behalf of my sister, I do apologize about your proper introduction to the palace life.”

Theodore liked this person well enough, yet he knew the games and battles fought in court and in these kind of halls and he suspected that there was more to this than Thueban let on. He glanced at him, the prince seemingly still striking a rather sexy pose without truly meaning to as Theodore felt slightly surprised about how this man seemed...pretty somehow. “Why would you help me?” he asked directly, getting closer as he looked down at the prince laying down on his bed. “I know there's a competition for the throne among the king's children...Why would you do something like that for Kyra?”

“I have 47 spouses...And none of them are women,” Thueban went on to say, throwing this piece of information nonchalantly as he got up and out of bed with a swift and graceful motion, showing expert control of his tail and body. “I am the first candidate due to having made many conquests, be it through alliances and arrangements with other countries, with building a great many commodities for our people and because my father the king thinks I would be the best choice...But to do so I'd need to establish a legacy, which means children of my own...And this mean taking wives.”

So this was, in a way, the most direct competition that Kyra had for the throne, the one whom everyone had to surpass...and he did not even want it. It seemed like a cruel joke as Thueban was unfortunately very serious about it. Theodore couldn't quite wrap his mind around the concept of someone only loving, marrying and lusting over men, yet Hayya was a different place and he had to adapt. “So...You want Kyra to be on the throne instead?”

“She is one of my candidates, should she be able to actually stop being so prideful and impulsive, two traits which I'm sure surprised you greatly upon seeing those firsthand,” Thueban said, as he slithered around, looking at the boxes and luggage that were laying around, curious about them all. “Suri told me that you were an intelligent and rather calm person, albeit with a penchant for not seeing the consequences of your acts on occasion...Which is just perfect for her to learn. If she could learn temperance, then I believe she could make for an ideal queen. She is driven, strong, the people love her and most importantly she loves the people. She'd just need to move past her own sentiment of inadequacy which unfortunately weights her down considerably...Which is where I think you can fit in.”

“I...fail to see what I can do here, Thueban,” Theodore retorted, not entirely seeing the logic of this fellow prince as he felt a little uneasy at the sight of someone looking at his belongings like this.

“She only has Serena, a sickly yet gentle soul as a wife and the oafish, yet fiercely loyal Bogrosh as partners in her journey. She needs balance and you can provide it, just as she can give you the opportunity to better define yourself away from your familiar home,” Thueban explained, taking out a painting from a box as he observed it, then used his tail to handle it with care, placing it on the bed. “But to do that, you need to defeat Bogrosh, which is easier said than done, but fortunately for you I know his weakness...Which I will share with you if you promise to help me. Does that sound fair to you?”

Thueban seemed gentle and earnest, albeit possessing a sharp wit as Theodore felt that having him as an ally would be much wiser than going against his wishes. Besides, he'd need all the assistance he could get in order to stay here and actually marry Kyra, albeit this plan of his was perhaps not as sound as it seemed by the looks of it now. “It does. I appreciate the help.”

“Wonderful. We'll train in the morning when Kyra actually sleeps. If she knows I'm helping you, she might take it the wrong way and Bogrosh would probably try to destroy me as well,” Thueban said, heading toward the door and then looking back at Theodore and all his luggage. “I'll have people work on your room while we're at it as we'll train here. Don't worry, they'll be gentle and I'll give them pointers as to how to properly decorate your own personal space.”

And with that he was gone as Theodore's first day in Hayya was seemingly filled with nothing but rough events as if he had ever thought he'd escape the foolishness of internal politics and the personal agenda of just about everyone he'd have felt like a fool. Still, he hadn't expected to be challenged by an orc and then become ally to the first prince for the sole purpose of making his would-be-spouse the queen just like she wanted. He went on his bed, sighed and then caught some sleep, exhausted by all of this as he needed a break, anything to make it so everything would just stop for a while. Actually taking a nap for a while, he was then woken up by none other than Suri who had penetrated in his room without knocking. “Prince Theodore, if I may, your future wife is waiting for you in one of the arena below the palace.”

Rather sweaty due to the heat and the fact that he hadn't changed yet, Suri gave him a new set of clothes, one which actually was very different in that it didn't cover much of his skin. An open vest in red and gold, a sirwal with golden lines and crimson colors instead of pants, slippers, a golden sash and a scarf to wear around his head. His torso, abdomen, shoulders and arms along with his ankles were all uncovered, showing off his fair skin as in his home he'd possibly be mocked for wearing this, yet as he removed his garments, changed into that set and walked in the palace halls he quickly found out that he did not stand out at all. Catching up to Suri as she barely gave him time to change, he pressed on and he tried to talk to her, albeit in a low tone of voice due to his understanding of the games in such places as the palace of Hayya. “So...can Thueban be trusted?”

“He's the most selfless soul in the palace and I believe he'd actually make for the perfect king...But as the teacher of so many royal children it is not my place to choose what kind of conquests each one of them should undertake,” Suri said, the older snake-woman seemingly bitter about Thueban's choices. “It's because of him that the people of Hayya have access to milk and cheese, that the poor can still have access to libraries and that we've begun to produce and export wine, among other things. He's done a great deal and yet sees himself as some unimportant piece on the board as opposed to a pillar of the kingdom of Hayya...He fears too much is expected of him and thus prefer to be seen as an epicurean and hedonistic little being rather than the king-material person that he is.”

Courtly intrigue in here was certainly intriguing, to say the least, as there was some kind of honesty to everyone which Theodore did not know whether it was natural or because he was technically a new element, an outsider inside these walls. Suffice to say, the matter of the throne was quite important to many, which made him ask himself whether or not the king was actually ill and when he'd get to meet him. These questions, however, would have to wait as they went down lower and lower, the many queries coursing through his head making Theodore much less chatty while Suri never quite talked unless she was prodded into doing it. Then, a great sight of many small and circular rooms spreading far in a cavernous hall could be witnessed, each of them lit up by torches and by multiple glowing mushrooms which were sprouting from the ceiling. In one of them, the large and tall figure of Kyra Ab'Hawim could be found, waiting for them to arrive as she sat on a throne built to her size, as if this actual battle terrain had been made specifically for her.

“Very good. Sorry for the wait, Theodore, as I needed some rest and to prepare for your training regimen. I know you are not a fighter, but to gain Bogrosh' respect you'll have to best him,” Kyra said, slithering out of her throne and onto the sand and stone floor to accompany her would-be-husband. Suri, having completed her task, went away, leaving the two of them alone. “I am quite sorry about the sudden duel, my love, but believe me you will need allies and friends in here and despite his rough demeanor and his...let's say antiquated theories about how women should behave, Bogrosh is actually very devoted and kind to those he consider friends...You'll just need to become one.”

There was logic to what she said, but Theodore did not like being dragged into something like this as he bit his lower lip and opted to let it go, if only to perhaps get some more insight into the Princess of Dunes. She was, after all, very strong if everyone was to be believed, so getting trained under her might not be the worst thing to happen to him...which he thought until he saw her whip her tail forth, making it land beside him as sand rose up and the ground cracked, showing how hard the blade was and how much strength she had in her tail.” W-what the-”

“Bogrosh' weakness is his mobility. In his culture, they have to toughen up by learning how to take blows just as much as they can give out. He's got plenty of endurance, but no stamina as he always go all-in. As such, you just need to dodge and wear him out...Simple, yes?” Kyra said, that first blow being a warning shot as she moved her tail swiftly back to her side, this strike being a preview of how this would go. “It will be hard as we have only one week, but by the end of it you'll see every blows coming. If you can manage to dodge all of mine, then Bogrosh will be child's play.”

Theodore was not okay with this, not in the slightest as even though she gave him cues at first, he still had a hard time if only because he wasn't accustomed to sand, nor to his slippers. Worst of all was that he did not know how to properly get back up and turn efficiently, which made it so Kyra had to give him plenty of chances. She disliked that, but eventually relented as she got closer to him while he panted severely, out-of-breath and his heart beating rapidly. “What is wrong with you?!” Theodore shouted, regaining a modicum of energy as he moved away from her. “You almost killed me!”

“Of course not. You dodged all my blows...even though they were very slow. Bogrosh is actually faster than than,” she explained, as if this was the most normal thing in the world to train in such ways. “My mother did the same for me and I got out quite fine. In fact, it's a rumor that I might even become the strongest in the kingdom given time.”

And now it somehow made sense that this was a matter of pride for her and that unfortunately Theodore was caught in it. She needed to prove something to her orcish husband and thus with her training there was no way he'd lose...or so she thought. The kind and gentle Kyra was still there, yet it manifested itself differently in other circumstances as Theodore got up and then went away, walking slowly. “I think that will be enough for today, Kyra. I need a meal and some rest.”

“Very well. I'll see you tomorrow night then~” she said, not taking the hint that he was angry or merely choosing to ignore it as Theodore went out of the arena, only for Suri to be waiting for him as she escorted him to the kitchen to share meal of vegetables, couscous and chicken all cooked with multiple spices. Then, she got him back to his room as there were different people out in the halls of the palace, the nocturnal crown so to speak as when Theodore got back in his own room he found that Thueban had indeed respected his word and arranged everything for him. His paintings, his scrolls, his books and his clothes were all carefully laid out, sorted efficiently as the boxes were removed, leaving plenty of space to walk in here. Content that at least someone considered his feelings and his comfort, he went on to read some and then get to bed, wondering just what might happen to him...And then he was woken up by the sound of knocking on his door as he was startled out of bed. He got dressed quickly, then opened up to see Thueban along with a person carrying a platter entering the room. The other person, a lizard-folk wearing an apron on top of his vestments, which were not unlike those of Theodore albeit black and gold over red scales. The platter was set on a small table as the smell of fresh bread and eggs filled the room as he bowed respectfully, then headed out, yet was stopped by Thueban tugging at him with his tail, giving him a little kiss on his cheek and a smile before then nodding in silence. Then, they were both left alone together, the lizard-folk gone.

“This is one of my husbands. He likes to cook,” Thueban said, his smile not diminishing as he obviously loved the one he mentioned. “He made us breakfast...which we will enjoy after we're done with your training.”

Theodore winced at that, the mention of this reminding him of Kyra's methods as he made his expression far too clear, which prompted for Thueban to chuckle. “I suspect she tried to train you in her own ways, yes?” he asked, the question rhetorical as he did not leave much time for Theodore to answer. “Her way of doing things is actually sound, but her frame of reference is actually not that good when it comes to others. I've heard of your performance by Suri and...well...You've got a long way to go. Don't worry though...I'm much nicer and methodical in my own approach.”

The smell of those eggs and that bread did titillate his nose and yet he knew he needed to focus as Thueban got much closer to him to make sure he would focus. “Okay, you know that Bogrosh is basically a mindless beast when it comes to battle. Strike more and deal with the pain when you get hit is his creed. He's good at it too, but his mobility leaves a lot to be desired...And you need to learn to dodge...But in order to do that you'll need to learn how to control your body, redistribute your weight and isolate every inches of your muscles...And that's where I come in.”

Thueban went on to slither toward the open space in the room, the one he had made certain would be there as his tail went on to follow him, creating a loop effect on the ground to help with his balance. He motioned for Theodore to sit on his bed and to look, doing this in silence as Theodore was not entirely certain what this was about. “You might have noticed that Kyra possess a certain talent with her eyes. In some circles we call it persuasion, a charming gaze, hypnosis even...All of the king's children inherited this trait from him and I am no exception. As such, I will use my talent to make you understand your body a little more, which will help a great deal. It will not be perfect, but I've been told you're an excellent dancers, so steps shouldn't be too hard for you to picture.”

“Wait, you'll hypnotize me into being a better fighter?” Theodore asked, dubious about that as while it seemed feasible to learn and store new information, actual battle skills should not be possible to transmit like this...then again, perhaps it was? He had no idea.

“Oh no. No no no. I am abysmal in a fight. I'm a lover, not a fighter,” Thueban explained, chuckling at the mention of him in an actual battle. “No, I'm going to use my own hypnotic skills to make it so you'll become hyper-aware of your body and you'll memorize ways to move. That way, you'll be more skilled in dance and to dodge.”

“Why would I become a better dancer?” Theodore asked, not entirely following as he looked at Thueban with the firm intention of trusting him, but then again he was quite confused.

“Oh, right, sorry. I should have explained things better,” Thueban said, feeling slightly embarrassed as he went on to bump his hips rapidly to give out an example, which made Theodore feel slightly dizzy and somehow...warm? “My hypnotic skills translate to dancing. Whenever I perform in a certain way, I can completely charm others. It's powerful, but kinda inconvenient as I need to have a perfect control of my body at all time or else people fall into a trance.”

Theodore then understood how this would go as he then realized that while Kyra's methods were far better for information and suggestions, perhaps the more physical method of Thueban could instill some knowledge of a more bodily kind as while it did bother him that two of the king's children seemed all too eager to hypnotize him, part of him also knew how pleasant it could be. “Okay...I think I get it...So you'll...”

“I'll dance and make you focus on my moves, then make you replicate them by making you understand them as well. This way, you'll know what you're doing and thus will fare better with my sister's training,” Thueban explained before chuckling a little, a thought crossing his mind. “And if you fail and become completely mesmerized, we can always arrange things out so that you become my 48th husband~”

Not bothering to continue that joke, Thueban then started to to sway his hips in a slow arc, going left and right in a cycle as his tail and his wide waistline allowed him to really make them look pronounced and clean. There was a pendulum-like effect to them, the black scales and his purple underbelly seemingly washing themselves together as it enveloped the room and whatever else beside the serpentine prince. It was like the effect of Kyra's gaze, yet it was somehow different as instead of drawing his gaze in with a swirling effect it instead made his eyes glue themselves on those hips, on that belly of his. It was like that dance Kyra demonstrated while in Zufia, yet Thueban seemed even more adept at it for some reason as the dizziness from prior, combined with warmth, filled Theodore' senses as he sank onto the edge of his bed while watching.

“Yes, just relax and stare. Look at my hips and by abdomen, at my scales and how they absorb light, drink it before your very eyes...” Thueban said, his voice calm and even, possessing a slight gentle tone as those sways went on to become a little wider, turning into bumps as he placed his hands on them, making it easier for Theodore to focus on them. “Everything is absorbed in them...Your gaze, your senses, your control...It's all slipping on my scales and on my beautiful moves as you stare and stare deeper still...As you listen to my voice and find yourself in the pleasant embrace of my performance...”

Theodore knew that he was being hypnotized and he was accepting it...although part of him thought that he shouldn't. There was a divide in his brain which made it so he just did not like relinquishing control like this even though he knew it made him feel so good, so relaxed despite it all. Those bumps, those hips...they were another man's and yet they were decidedly fascinating to watch, the purple and black, combined with that silver sash, made for a very magnetic sight for his eyes only.

“My dance is like a coil onto your mind, my tail softly squeezing out your resistance as the black and purple drink it all away, making you feel relaxed and content,” Thueban said, moving his tail so that Theodore would get up and join him as she pulled him softly and gently closer toward him. “You are falling under my power, trusting me to not abuse it, to help you out...Let yourself go and then try to follow my motions, Theodore~”

The suggestions thrown his way were indeed much too powerful as he did want to get stronger, to be rid of this anxiety weighting down on him and as he got closer he was then guided by the tip of Thueban's tail which pushed on his hip, making it so he would isolate one and then the same motion was repeated in reverse, leading to some of the slowest and most awkward hip bumps.

“Yes, very good...Follow my lead...You're progressing and you will get better quickly if you obey my words...Trust me~” Thueban said as he then went on move his hips forward and bumped them slowly to showcase what he meant as Theodore followed along, doing his best as the tip of Thueban's tail helped him along, making understand the most basic of motions. “With this move, you learn how to isolate your waist and hips, which is fundamental to moving your legs and torso too. Your lower back and abdomen are essential to take control of and as you bumps and sway left and right...You come to learn just how to do it without my tail...”

The purple and black was all that he could see along with those scales as Theodore was deeply entranced, feeling warm and fuzzy as he looked and mimicked as best as he could. Everything was a blur, words echoing in his mind and then everything returned back to normal with a simple yet startling sound.

SNAP!

And the sight of bread and eggs, keep lukewarm now due to the length of their training session, which Theodore had no idea how long it took.

“A very good session. You are a natural,” Thueban said, scarfing down eggs and some coffee as he lounged on Theodore's bed while the still-groggy prince of Zufia was regaining his sense of self. “A few sessions of three hours like these and you'll be out of the beginner's zone...Not intermediate, but certainly better than an amateur.”

“Three hours? But...” Theodore said, coming to understand quickly that while hypnotized he could definitely not feel time passing by as he got some bread and eggs as Thueban went out of the room, waving goodbye.

“I'd love to stay, but I do have my husbands and some other matters to take care of...So I'll see you tomorrow~” he said with the most pleasant, almost sensual tone as he closed the door behind him. As Theodore went on to finish breakfast, he finally got out of his room without being escorted as he tried to venture out by himself, learning of the palace life. Without the pressure of training and his duel, he enjoyed himself as he talked to others, exchanged stories, ate and learned quite a few things as this is what he hoped his life would have been right from the start. There were some flashes of Thueban's hypnotic dance at times, but it was much like back when Kyra used her stare on him too. Then, as he ate dinner and got back to his room for a nap, he was quickly brought back up by Suri who escorted him to the arena once more, ready for some more training. There, Kyra was waiting as she slithered toward him, a rather apologetic look on his face.

“I...You have to forgive me, Theodore...I've been acting rashly,” she said to him, her hair down while all those snakes seemed to be shy about something, looking away from him. “I...I went too fast yesterday and I did not even let you stretch or prepare yourself and I'm...terrible sorry about what I did.”

It was not the apology he wished to hear, nor the true reason why he had gone away yesterday, but it was a start as Theodore looked at her with a disarming smile. “I'm not really keen on this duel thing and I wish you'd have talked to me about it before committing myself to something so rash and sudden,” Theodore said, talking about his feelings instead of bottling them up as he crossed his arms. “If you think it'll make my life easier, then I'll participate and obviously try to win, but no more decisions like these should be taken without considering my feelings and opinion too, okay?”

Kyra was surprised by this, the revelation of how he felt being sudden, but she smirked at the honesty on display as she lowered himself to place a kiss on his brow, a gesture followed by her snake hair. “Very well...You have my words.”

And then the training started anew, yet this time it was made more methodical, much less chaotic as the moves which Thueban instilled in him were rudimentary, yet a twirl here, some hunting steps here and even a hip step helped him dodge some blows in the nick of time. Her blows were predictable, yet the point was to accustom him to evading them on a progressive basis. Extenuated, he went to bed after two hours as Theodore eventually went on to create a slight routine for the next few days which consisted of training in the morning with Thueban, resting and purging off the after-effects of hypnosis in the afternoon, training with Kyra and then going to bed, all of this along with meals and some exploration of Hayya. Things were going well as even without Thueban he could actually feel that he got better with his bodily control, his own ballroom dancing and those “belly dancing” lessons coming in handy as he felt that his arms were more fluid, his hips were more easy to isolate and thus his legs could really react more quickly in response to all of this. Kyra's training allowed him to see the blows coming, to analyze under duress as she got slightly faster each time, resulting in his instincts being sharpened further and further. Days passed and Theodore became more and more confident, the help of Kyra, Thueban and Suri actually making him feel more at ease in his chances against Bogrosh until eventually...the day of the duel arrived.

Kyra had prepared her own arena for the fateful encounter between one of her current husband and the one who would soon become one unless the orc had his way. Bogrosh was clad in leather straps and fur, a showcase of his confidence by not equipping too many protective layers as Theodore was clad in his regular vestments, himself accustomed to their feel now and aware that he needed mobility to win. Anything that would slow him down would make him an easy target as he looked at Bogrosh who brought a large axe while a scimitar was given to Theodore to even the odds. Kyra sat on her throne, lit up some incense and then went on to look at the two who fought technically for her sake in a bizarre way.

“Here are the rules as per custom. You have until the incense is completely burned out to fight. The winner is the first one to spill blood. If no victor arise after the incense is out, then the duel is forfeit and I shall decide the outcome as the arbiter of this fight. Does anyone have an objection?” she explained, bringing the pot closer as she adjusted her stance comfortably on the large throne.

“None,” Bogrosh said, looking at Kyra while brandishing his axe up as if dedicating this fight and his inevitable victory to her.

Theodore wanted to say that he had objections about the whole duel, but he had worked too hard to be prepared to deny all of this. As such, he nodded and looked at Kyra, responding in a similar fashion. “None at all.”

Then, with a snap of her fingers, which resonated across the arena, the two fighters stood ready as it was Bogrosh, as expected, who went for the first assault. A lunge forward, his two hands on the handle of his axe and his strike landed on the ground very close to where Theodore stood. This blow would have indeed spilled blood...and perhaps even chopped an arm off as Theodore felt his tension rise as no matter how prepared he was he quickly saw that Bogrosh had no time for mercy, wishing to send a message in the most bloody fashion possible. The axe landing down, he used this momentum to add his weight on the ground and spin, creating a wide horizontal arc which almost landed on Theodore as he bent his back to avoid it.

“Stay still!” Bogrosh said, grabbing his axe and keeping it close to him as he went for a tackle, which Theodore dodged with a slight twirl as he almost felt the impact of this one through the traveling air. Bogrosh was most assuredly very strong and capable, able to chain attacks, yet he was also very open and his moves lacked subtlety which meant that Theodore could see them coming. Twirls, side steps, a slight shift in weight and none of the blows and sweeps connected, some of them almost barely scrapping the vestments of Theodore yet not landing still. “Damn you!”

Eventually, Theodore was getting tired as his stamina was not on the same level as Bogrosh as he needed to stop defending and to actually go on the offense. He might try to keep it going until the incense would be out as he knew Kyra would make him stay...but what kind of victory would that be? He wanted, owned it to himself to get a true victory out of this and as she shook his hips to distract Bogrosh, he then took a spinning step and then managed to slash at one of the straps, cutting it down as a trickle of blood went on to appear. Bogrosh looked at it, rubbed his fingers on it and then screamed in fury. Then, he looked down and dropped his axe, admitting defeat with the simplest of gesture.

“I lost...Good show, princeling,” he said, half-meaning what he said as it was apparently very hard for him to swallow this defeat as Kyra stood up and got between those two. “You chose him well.”

“But of course I did, my dear. You should ever trust my judgment on the matter,” Kyra said as she turned to Theodore who went on to approach the orc, looking up at this large foe which he couldn't believe he defeated.

“You were really close to beating me, Bogrosh. I could sense that you were serious and that you wanted to win for Kyra's sake,” Theodore said, opting not for humiliation but instead for humility as he had figured something out this week, something which he never realized in his life until now. “I only won because I had help, because people were rooting for me. In fact, I was trained specifically to beat you because you have a weakness that you never work upon.”

“Oh yeah?” Bogrosh said, his eyes narrowed down and his mouth turned into a pout as if he was ready to pounce at Theodore if he went on to say something silly or insulting.

“Your moves are too wide and predictable and you don't rely enough on agility. Your arms are strong and your technique is actually very good, but if you had an even better control of your weight and your body you'd probably be unstoppable...I'd have lost within seconds,” Theodore admitted, thinking that he needed allies, not people indebted to him because of silly reasons. This was his way to do just that, actual honesty and openness. “If it had been going on a while longer, I'd have lost too.”

“You've...given me a lot to consider,” Bogrosh said, showing a remarkable self-restraint as he accepted the criticism much better than Theodore anticipated. “I will ponder upon this. Meanwhile, the victory is yours. I guess I'll have to share Kyra with you from now on.”

And with that he lifted his axe, exited the arena and went out of their view as Kyra and Theodore looked at him, his calm temperament a severe clash with his introduction and his behavior in battle. “He's the son of a tribal chieftain from the south and I won against him as we were travelling down the road a few years ago. I defeated him in battle and he's been smitten with me since...So I took him as my first husband as a political gain,” Kyra explained, finally giving the backstory that Theodore wished he had known about from the start, if only to make sense of this green musclebound warrior. “To them, strength is everything, but he's changing slowly and gradually in here. The influence of Hayya is good on him, I think. He may be crass, rude, more than a little macho and prone to outburst, but he's also more intelligent than we might believe, devoted, passionate and actually considerate once you get to know him.”

“But do you actually love him?” Theodore asked, recalling how her hair actually did seem to be affectionate with him back when he had been waiting for Kyra a week ago.

“Not at first...but he grew on me considerably,” Kyra replied, sighing as she slithered out of the arena, accompanied by Theodore as she glanced at him. “So, my older brother went on to train you, yes?”

“How do you figure?” Theodore asked, imagining that it was probably Suri who told her as she was a silent being, thus probably a secretive person as well. “Was it the dance moves?”

“Yes...and Suri did tell me about it,” Kyra admitted, making it so the two guesses that Theodore had were right, which did make him happy as he was not losing his power of analysis. “I never quite know what he wants and what his plans are and that...infuriates me.”

“He's your older brother. I'm sure he loves you and he wants what's best for you,” Theodore said, believing in Thueban's intentions more than he did than for his own two older brothers back in Zufia, whom he had never been that close too after they began to grow up while he remained a child to their eyes. Theodore supposed he could tell What Thueban wanted and what his plans were, but it might be a disservice to one who had been nothing but kind to him as he opted to stay silent for the moment. As they exited the arena, Kyra went on to smile at him as she lowered down to his level.

“We have the whole night to ourselves and you've fought for the privilege of my hand...So let us spend some time together now that we're in Hayya...Would you like that?” she suggested, smiling as her hair went on to get closer to him, overwhelming him as he at least knew how he fared in terms of affection when it came to Kyra. “We could talk about the marriage ceremony among...other things~”

“I'd love to,” was all that Theodore said on the matter as he bowed and then followed Kyra along. His first week had been intense, a true exotic and alien adventure in which he danced, fought, trained, had been hypnotized several times and had made friends along the way. He wished that perhaps things would settle down now...

But his journey was really just beginning.