Blinking, Azul looked up to see Borji standing above her, holding an enormous leaf—easily two feet across—angled to shade her from the afternoon sun.
"You're going to burn," he said by way of greeting, that familiar half-smile playing on his lips."Then you will be ugly."
Azul rolled her eyes; she was a Borjigin.Since when could Anyanwu's blessings turn her ugly?
"Where have you been?"she asked, her voice still rough with sleep.She sat up slowly, Chinedu and Nkiru had moved to the grass and were now trying to coax the cat into chasing a piece of string.
"Unlike some people," Borji said, settling the leaf against the wall so it continued to provide shade, "I have responsibilities.Between court sessions, training, and pretending to care about trade negotiations, I am a very busy man."He dropped onto the steps beside her chair with an exhausted sigh."It's exhausting being useful."
"My heart weeps for you."
"As it should."He reached into his robes and pulled out a small cloth-wrapped package."But I did send someone to collect what you wanted from the blacksmith."
Azul's fingers closed around the package immediately, her exhaustion vanishing.
"Already?"
"I may complain, but I'm not useless."He watched her unwrap it with obvious curiosity.
"Though I still don't know what you commissioned."
"Thank you," Azul said quietly, closing her fingers around it.She met Borji's eyes."Truly."
He waved her off but looked pleased with himself.His gaze shifted to Chinedu, who had finally succeeded in getting the cat to pounce on the string and was giggling delightedly.
"You've acquired a small prince," Borji observed.
"He lost a cat.I helped him find it."
"How magnanimous of you."Borji's tone was dry."You should send someone to the Third Wife to come get him.They must be looking for him by now.If his mother finds out he's been here, she won't be happy."
"I know."Azul tucked the package carefully into her robes."I'm not trying to make enemies of the lesser wives too.Just the important ones."
"How discriminating; unfavoured concubines deserve your loathing too."
She rolled her eyes; her loathing was precious to her, why waste it on people who caused her no harm?
Borji stood, brushing off his clothes."I'll send a message to the Third Wife's quarters."
"You should probably clean him up a bit first, though.He looks like he's been rolling in the dirt.He's filthy, isn't he?"
Borji's eye twitched."He's still a prince."
Azul shrugged; prince or not, he was half covered in mud."He wheezes, so tell them to bring his medicine as well."
Borji frowned."The prince is not ill, is he?"
"What do you mean?Does he not take medicine?"
Borji shook his head."Did he get sick under your watch?Maybe it’s better if I take him back then, so they don't accuse you of maliciousness."
Sitting up, Azul looked at the boy.She hadn't been imagining it.
"Do you not know the boy has asthma?"
Borji raised a brow, waiting for her to explain herself.
No, he has definitely had it for longer than today, could it be they didn't notice?Impossible.
