Sure enough, under the outstretched canopy where many were dancing, was Bazil giggling with Sibu. Salīa had heard him giggle plenty…when they were children.
"That game was fun, wasn't it?" Sibu chuckled.
"Very fun," Bazil agreed giddily, laughing in turn. "I'm so happy you're here, brother."
Salīa smiled, peeking at them. Bazil may not have shouted it as proudly now that he was older, but he loved his family very much.
He was the first to excitedly tell her whenever Nomusa was pregnant with another child, and the first to plan out the birthdays of all of them. He'd quote his father all the time and praise his mother's ways just as often.
He taught all his youngest siblings, Lulu, Simba, and Chichi, how to train as zazu and would certainly be the one to train the newest babe when he was old enough.
For the three eldest, he'd always seek their counsel. Tau was usually the most sincere and open, as he was the most similar to Chief Raino.
But Bazil also looked to Raki, despite his irritable temper, and Sibu, despite his irreverent nature.
"You know, I'm the only one of your brothers who's happened to miss all your birthdays for the past ten years, and I feel like a terrible person. So, from now on, I'll be there for the next ten years of your birthdays," Sibu said decisively.
"It's ok, brother. I know you have things to do," Bazil said sullenly.
"Aw, my little brother is so adorable."
Sibu pinched his cheeks only to have Bazil shove him.
"I'm not adorable."
"I'm sure Salīa might disagree."
"Līa," he whispered, grinning, then let his head shift from side to side. "I need to find her."
He got up suddenly, but Sibu stopped him. Salīa intended to show herself but stopped when Sibu spoke up solemnly in his tribal tongue.
"Brother, you acted recklessly that night. I know you wanted to protect her, but if you had gone berserk, you would've done the opposite. Do you understand?"
Bazil shrugged, sighing, and murmured, "I'd never hurt her."
"Of course, you wouldn't. Maybe that's the problem."
"What?!"
Salīa was about to shout the same thing.
"All I'm saying is, don't let duty blind you from what you can see. It's not my place to say, but I'll make it so. Loyalty to her highness is important, and so maintaining propriety is of utmost importance. Yet, she's also the Protector, and with that, other things may become important."
"What are you saying, Sibusiso?"
Sibu said something, but Salīa couldn't understand. Yet his eyes met with hers once she accidentally leaned too far off the curtain. He turned it back to an unaware Bazil and continued.
"Love is never wrong. It's your denial of it that causes you pain. If only for this night, on this day celebrating you, why not imagine you were a King instead and that she is your Queen?"
"But she is my queen."
"Yes, but that you are also her King."
Bazil shook his head violently.
"I'm not worthy."
Salīa downcast her head, then noticed Sibu staring before he said, "Is that only for you to decide?"
"But…"
"Just for a night," he insisted. "Salīa is her mother's daughter; she's no pushover. If you end up doing anything untoward, she'll definitely put you in your place. But if not, I'll happily do it instead and..." Sibu switched to his tongue again, clicking his tongue in reproach, which had Bazil roll his eyes at whatever was being said.
Bazil responded, and Sibu nodded.
"If you just want to be her guardian, that is fine too. But then don't forget…"
Sibu spoke so formally in his tongue, knowing that Salīa wouldn't be able to understand.
Whatever it was that was being said was both making Bazil shy, nervous, upset, serious, attentive, and then happy.
They gave each other a brotherly bump of the shoulders and handshake, clicking off their thumbs.
"Another then!" Sibu lifted a bottle. "To celebrate you!"
It was moments too late when Salīa saw what was being poured and how quickly they drank it.
Is that the fruit-flavored marula?!
Salīa instantly grabbed Bazil's gourd, saying, "He doesn't like that!"
"Really?" Sibu grinned playfully. "Then why did he finish a whole bottle of it?"
Salīa's face drained of color when she saw that another bottle Sibu pointed to had, indeed, been finished.
Oh, no. Does Bazil know? Is he going to burst into flames from anger this time?
"My Queen," Bazil tugged at her dress. "I found you."
She glanced at him, watching him smile dopily at her. His eyes were glazed with drunkenness.
He stared at her, with mouth agape.
"You look so pretty."
It's worse than I thought.
She started nibbling at her nails, but Sibu smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry."
Bazil bobbed his head in agreement and said, "Yeah, don't worry. Why are you always so serious?"
"That's funny coming from you," Salīa said.
Sibu burst out laughing, then nudged her. She never minded how informal he could be with her since he truly had known her for a long time.
"See," he wrapped his arm around her shoulder in a hugging way and winked. "He's doing just fine."
Bazil looked at them, his expression sober and daunting. He didn't say a word, just stood up, pulled Sibu's arm off in a yank, stood between them, and gently pushed Sibu back.
Although Sibu was slightly stronger, it was Bazil who stumbled back. But in a tipsy daze, Bazil thought he successfully pushed his brother away and gave himself a pleased grunt.
Sibu's amused laugh reverberated through. And it seemed that alone inspired Bazil to laugh with him, his eyes finding their way back to Salīa. She felt herself blush each time his eyes steadied on her but pushed the rising thoughts away.
He was truly quite a sight to look at. And it seemed no expense was wasted in dressing him.
From the finely woven black pants he had lined with gold, to the gold that dotted and decorated his markings, he almost appeared gilded himself.
His muscles rippled and were only lightly covered by a brocade coat swaying as he did.
She knew Camille had been the one to style him, for she dressed almost the same. Except her pants were a long, slitted skirt that hugged her waist. And her chest was covered with a black, cropped, armless top with glimmers of slight gold threads.
Something else she saw on Bazil was that even though he only ever wore simple earrings in one row, he now filled up each pair of piercings his ears had earned.
Even his necklaces boasted of his rank baring a black and gold tiger sigil finely jeweled. No doubt this was a gift of Sibu's.
When he laughed, he bared the jeweled gold bordering his teeth, pointed like lion fangs, no doubt a gift from Tau and sourced by his uncle Azanji.
He had black and gold bracelets and anklets, made of firestone, or otherwise hard, rounded, fire-resistant beads deriving from Bhuan. And Salīa was almost certain that it was from Raki, who wore the same.
He always smelled good, but this new crisp and fresh fragrance enhanced his natural scent. This was Lulu's doing. It seemed others liked it too because many chattered about how pleasing the sons of Chief Raino were to the senses.
Salīa couldn't help but notice how many were eyeing Bazil, just as Bazil couldn't help but notice how many were eyeing her.
The one eyeing both nervously stepped closer, but still baring a lively countenance.
"Wanda!" Bazil cheered.
"Wanda?"
Tawanda looked around as if there would be some woman with that name. Upon realizing Bazil meant him, he laughed awkwardly instead of correcting him.
"Happiest of birthdays. I feel honored to share the day with you, with both of you."
His eyes cast to Salīa, having fully realized the weight of her title. She offered a warm smile and said, "You're always welcome around us, Tawanda."
"You'll be a great Commander Guardian!" Bazil patted his shoulder with spirit.
"I-I-I—" Tawanda tripped over his words, scrambling for what to say. "You think so?"
"Hmm-mm. One of the best," Bazil patted his other shoulder.
Unable to believe what was happening, Tawanda shyly rubbed the back of his neck.
"I don't know what to—thank you. Very much. It means a lot to hear that from you. I'll remember your words always."
Bazil stayed smiling as Tawanda smiled nervously back. He then whispered to Salīa, "He smiled at me!"
This poor little zazi was so delighted and bouncing with glee that Salīa couldn't bring herself to mention he was so drunk that he was smiling at just about everybody.
"Do you also think I'll be one of the best?"
"Without a doubt," she replied.
"Wow! I feel so blessed. Maybe it was meant to be that we met again now," he looked to Bazil. "So, I can finally join you as one of her guardians, right?"
"Nope," Bazil plucked the word out, luckily, and gave him a gentle but firm pat on the chest, which pushed him back from her.
Tawanda stumbled into Sibu, astonished at how Bazil was still smiling widely at him, while standing defensively in front of Salīa.
"Aww, that's not nice, brother," Sibusiso pulled Tawanda into a side hug and said heartily, "I like this little zazi. If you don't adopt him, I will."
A sudden eruption of jubilant drums broke out along with joyous whistles through mouth-bows.
Sibu and Bazil shot each other a knowing glance and started drumming their feet down in a knowing rhythm and chanting, "Ay!" in unison with everybody else who had caught on.
Tawanda knew it too and hopped right in. Even others from outside the canopy shot up and started moving.
Salīa knew the song and had seen the dance, but had never gotten to learn it. She happily just watched as they moved, especially Bazil, who had been grinning ear to ear.
I love seeing him this happy.
He noticed Salīa staring and hopped over, bouncing his feet in an even rhythm.
"Join."
"I'm fine. You enjoy."
His lips were swished side to side in a pout, then he offered his hand and said, "You're worried, aren't you? Don't be worried when you're with me. I'll protect you."
He then led her forth, waving her finger when her head spun around to those watching her.
As much as she loved to dance, she found some styles easier to learn than others. Having to learn it in front of others was already unnerving, yet knowing Bazil was going to be watching her heart leap out of her chest.
"It'll be fine," he nodded, and started showing her the moves, taking it at the slowest pace. "Don't worry about anything else, just watch my steps."
She followed each step attentively, and each time she stumbled or spun her head to see who watched, Bazil brought her back to the moves. And surely enough, she got the hang of it.
It may not have been perfect, but she easily fell into the flow, now almost in rhythm with everyone else. Only then did she meet the eyes of others, who were all smiling and tuned into the beat.
"You've got it," Bazil nodded.
"You do," Sibu and Tawanda added.
They danced for a while, and Bazil even brought her dangerously close for a few spins. Each time he looked at her, his eyes lingered, and he gently pressed her closer to his chest.
"You truly look like a tiger," he whispered into her ear. "You're really beautiful."
His words were so surprising that she, too, was like Tawanda and unsure what to say without stammering.
"That's all Nagapie. She's much better with eye pencils and found this dark brown one and slid it on my under eyes and swerved it up in a slanted wing. Something she learned from Nyau, who's a mask-maker, and Nagapie would paint the masks. So, it's really all her, and—"
"So beautiful," he pulled her even closer.
Sibu caught Salīa's flustered expression and winked, having her flush even more.
Many dances later, her stomach stirred again, making her realize she still hadn't eaten. So, while Bazil was still in the center of a dance circle, she slipped out.
As she made her way back to the pot of that rotund woman, she saw Mami Mamba being swooned on by a few, while she drank and gave them cavalier glances.
Upon seeing Salīa, she gave an amused smile.
Salīa finally said, "Let's do it."
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