Five

Chapter Two

Duties

Each den comprised of a sloping entry tunnel which gave way to a large, rounded entrance chamber where, typically the food would be stored and guests recieved. Then, depending on the status of the family, a number of other chambers would branch out from the entrance chamber and, if the family was quite well off, down deeper underground where there was more space. Some homes had ever-burning fires in the corners of certain rooms, but Riila eyes were not bothered by darkness and so most homes had no lighting at all.

Zuri's home did have lighting and the blue and purple fires in the four corners of the cavernous entrance chamber set her various shadows bouncing off the walls. Zuri sighed, she could relax now and the flickering lights soothed her. She padded through the tunnel left of the main entrance to her personal chamber. In a corner sat a luxuriously large sleeping cushion colorfully dyed by one of the village's most respected artists. The other three corners held ever-burning fires and covering the walls were murals painted on skins depicting epic battles between her own ancient tribe and their enemies of old, showcasing genius battle strategies and, above the tunnel from the entrance chamber, a portrait of herself.

Zuri curled up on her sleeping cushion and closed her eyes, for she truly was tired but it would be some time yet before she could really rest. Any moment now Zuri's mother would come in looking for her and drag her off to the village meeting. It was, after all, her place, her duty to be there at her parent's side for she was the princess and her parents king and queen. She would one day rise to be ruler of all the villages of the Tribe but for now she wished only to sleep...and the fires were so lulling. Perhaps her mother would forget to fetch for her and just let her lie here undisturbed--

But at that moment, her mother burst into the room with a fury.

"There you are," said Kiisa. "Where have you been?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean mother," replied Zuri, not lifting her head. "I declare I've been here for quite some time. Have you been looking for me? I would have thought the obvious place to check would be my chamber."

"Of course I checked your chamber," snapped Kiisa. "But you weren't here I tell you. Oh, it doesn't matter. Come now, hurry. We've got to get to the meeting."