"What's your name?"she asked as she cleaned the wounds.
"Chinedu," the boy whispered."Son of—"
"I know who you are, little prince."She tied the makeshift bandage around his arm."Now, where did you last see Obi?"
They found the cat not long after, sprawled in a patch of wild catnip near the base of an old tree, completely insensible with pleasure.
"Obi!"Chinedu rushed forward, but Azul caught his shoulder.
"Wait.He's been rolling in catnip.If you grab him now, he'll scratch you again."
She crouched down and carefully plucked several sprigs of the herb, tucking them into her basket.Useful for tea, if nothing else.Then she approached the cat slowly, grabbing it by the neck and lifting the fat, languid thing for the boy to see and be comforted.
Obi, drunk on catnip and happiness, merely purred as he hung mid-air.
"I'll carry him," Azul said."You've been scratched enough for one day; I'm sure it would displease your mother to see it."
They walked back to the shrine in companionable silence, the boy trotting beside her, looking up to see the swaying cat that was being held at arm's length at all times.
When they arrived, Azul settled Chinedu on the wooden steps and went to prepare the sugarcane she'd cut earlier.She peeled back the tough outer layer and cut it into small cubes before handing him a piece.
"Chew and spit.It's sweet."
Chinedu's eyes shone as the sugar hit his tongue.
The sound of hurried footsteps made Azul look up.Nkiru emerged from the shrine, her arms full of washing, and froze when she saw the prince.
"Akwaugo—" Her voice pitched high with panic."That boy—"
"His name is Chinedu," Azul said calmly."He lost his cat.Now he's having some sugarcane.Come and eat with us."
Nkiru looked like she might faint.
"My Lady, he is a prince!"
"I know, come and eat; it's an order."
The child was more anxious than Azul had the energy to deal with.
The girl set down her washing with shaking hands and perched on the very edge of the steps, as far from the prince as possible whilst still technically obeying.
Azul handed her a piece of sugarcane."Eat."
For several long minutes, they sat in awkward silence—the exiled princess, the anxious maid, and the prince happily gnawing on sugarcane whilst his recovered cat lounged in his lap.
Are children usually like this?Azul wondered, unsure if she was meant to give them a toy to ease the tension.
By the time she had returned indoors and re-emerged to check on them, Nkiru's shoulders had relaxed, and they were debating the rules of some children's hand-clapping song she'd never heard of.
The cat, for its part, seemed perfectly content with its adventure.
Azul watched them with half-closed eyes, feeling the warm sun on her face.Nkiru had dragged out an old reclining chair earlier in the week, which allowed her to watch the peaceful scene.
They are lively,she thought to herself as Nkiru snapped to attention, pointing at the prince, who stiffened as tears filled his eyes again.Part of her wondered if she was like that as a child, but of course, childhood memories were difficult to recall, especially after death.
And so, just like that, her eyes closed.
She woke to the absence of harsh sunlight on her face.
