Redsand Canyon sycamore

"are you... excited?"

an ear swept, sending a droplet out into the oasis. her lips lifted in a smile, more natural than it was trained. the tell was the way it reached her eyes.

she was horrified in a sense. she would be humbled time and time again until something broke. until she moved beyond being a proper princess and relished the harshness of a soldier. her admiration for them had not translated into knowing how to work like them.

i do not know. she whispered, voice dripped with honey of honesty. she dropped into the water deeper. chin hovered over the top of the water, collecting droplets.

i will face physical challenges beyond anything i've seen. and she felt humbled all over again! and khaba is proving horribly protective. some humor edged into her voice.