"Door-men!"

The voice of Karuto, the undisputed but most certainly disagreeable head of the Womali household, battered the ears of his attendants. Darmulo, the one known insultingly as the one on the left, and Famili, who bemoans his status as the one on the right, exchanged their usual, daily glances of discontent with one another, then rolled their eyes in opposite directions. They hoped that their master had not called on them, and instead summoned the "other" lot guarding the other entrances, whom Karuto also tormented by calling them by their standing posts instead of giving them the privilege of a name. Surely he must have called, Fwatula, the one standing in the back, or even Gadlimi the one in the back...just not themselves, they hoped.

The footsteps, given power by the uncomfortably heavy, yet stylish bronze sandals, grew nearer. The sound rebounded across the majestic sandstone hall, covered with various traditional, and outrageously expensive, Rito textiles. The hall bore no carpet along the middle for one to walk on, instead accenting two long lengths of exotic furs lining the bottom of the walls, leaving passersby to walk on the smooth, sandy, stone floor; footwear became a must.
"Yes, I meant you two! Hop to it, hooligans!", Karuto called again.

The guard on the left looked to the one on the right, and the guard to right glanced wearily at the left. Both sighed with equal distress. They were the only guards he referred to at once. With great reluctance , the two guardsmen left their posts to face their pompous, cruel employer. Karuto clacked his sandaled feet impatiently waiting for his servitors to reach him. "Our master...", Famili growled, is an arrogant, ostentatious, man." Darmulo didn't look back at his companion guardsman, " Indeed...but he looks fabulous being one." Famili couldn't disagree with that at all. They stood part from one another, erect and attentive, though thoroughly annoyed. Karuto, silky, green sash fluttering as he paced to and fro, balanced on his heels as he as he paused to turn wearily to his subordinates. "Finally, I receive your attention!" Karuto lashed.

Darmulo snorted. Famili yawned.

The narrowed eyes of fiery bronze bored into his guards. A raise of a strong, white-tan eyebrow brought both of Karuto's employees to a "better" state of attention, though Darmulo was still peeved. " I must have a word of utmost importance for the two of you", Karuto resumed. " Should you fail to listen, you shall both be sacked, kicked, and thrown onto the street without hesitation". Unable to resist, Darmulo grunted " In that exact order, then? Are we to be thrown onto the dirt, then sacked, and THEN kicked just out of spite?". His employer was not amused. " Exactly in that order...should your tongue continue to flutter about with your incompetence." Karuto retorted, waving off his unruly employees with an lavishly embroidered sleeve of grey and gold. His clothes were stitched and detailed purposefully in such a way that the focus of all would be solely on himself. To those of lesser mind or the unfortunate lack of knowledge of Karuto's true personality, it was effective. To those who knew and lived with the rich egomaniac did their best to deprive him of the satisfaction of their attention...if they could afford it; They had their wages to consider, after all. Besides, he was simply too flamboyant to ignore, no matter what insults sprayed from his mouth.

" If the interruptions are quite finished with, and I should hope they are for your pouches will lose their gems if they are not, then I shall begin." Karuto whirled to show his back to the two, his long tail of braided hair whipping the two guards, " Upon my lest venture from my luxurious abode, my..."wonderful" wife had the..unfortunately good luck to happen upon my wedding necklace, the one which I received from her as a symbol of our matrimony, left in my cabinet drawer, stuffed innocently under countless documents which she carelessly threw about. At this, much to my..dissatisfaction, she confronted me with upon my return". Karuto shuddered. " I remember this "little" spat..." Darmulo chuckled behind Karuto's posterior, " Such a spectacle, that was." Famili nodded, " Indeed it was. I recall that I am still owed a sum from you..." Darmulo, unaware that Karuto had returned his attention to the two of them, countered, " They each left the incident alone. Neither won the argument, I owe you no-"
"I am curious, guard on the left, if you can continue your insubordination with your earnings in such jeopardy." Karuto said with narrowed, scrutinizing eyes. He adjusted the golden torque along his neck and continued, eyeing both guards, " This incident is not the first time Lamata has berated me with baseless, vengeful accusations..." at this point, the noble placed his hand upon his chest, his beak upturned to the ceiling in a display of indignant self-righteousness. " Is it a fault of mine that I require time to myself? Away from her hawkish gaze, her growing waistline, and tongue of rancid flames?!" he glared to the two of them, " and not a word of that to her, or I shall personally reprimand you." The guards remained still as the stone, for they knew first-hand the harshness of their master. All witty remarks were gone from their minds. " Now, whoever it was that let slip that I left with Tamahuto quite suspiciously , which in turn further engulfed my wife's brain with morbid curiosity and led to the argument that I loathed with every shred of my person, was immediately...released from his duties."
Darmulo gulped. Famili started to sweat.

"...and what a proper dismissal it was. He left trudging through the rabble-ridden streets with a such a glum look upon his face. Now, come, guards...what on earth could be upsetting you?" Karuto turned his beak up at them and scowled but with a glint in his eyes. The guards relaxed half-heartedly; Their master was quite malicious in coercing them, and his cruel humors were unappreciated. " From this moment and onward, I want all guards to be reminded that if any one of them ever relays to my...," Karuto reluctantly continued with a cleared throat, "... "Love" , then there shall be harsh consequences. Lastly..I have put my neckace in a more...discreet hiding place, and should she have the unfortunate luck as to ascertain it's whereabouts, all are commanded to repeat the phrase, with a large degree of variation, please, That I "left in an awful hurry" to attend to matters regarding my shipments. Am I understood ?" Darmulo and Famili nodded stiffly. " Wonderful..." Karuto sighed with a repressed sarcasm, though, suddenly, his eyes drifted to the new sound coming from the hall. " Ah, there you are", Karuto's motions perked with interest as he noticed the large person now entering the hallway. Tamahuto was tall for Rito standards, a surprising seven and a half feet, though his build was quite miniscule in comparison, thin and lithe. His beard of ashen gray was tied in two strands, with his voluminous hair drifting along as he swayed back and forth. The top of his hair was done in a bun, near his thinning widow's peak, held together gracefully by a wonderfully intricate obsidian band. In the crook of his arm was held a dark, tattered cloth, presumably a robe. Karuto turned his attentions back to the his guards, unsung and insignificant, with a narrowed, unsatisfied leer. "Remember my words." ,was all that Karuto uttered before snatching the cloak unceremoniously from Tamahuto's arms and strutted through the arched entrance of his estate with his subordinates watching him depart with relief. As the fashionable garments and guard walked away, Darmulo turned to Famili and stated wearily, " With all that pretentious nonsense aside, do I still owe you that sum?". Famili glared at Darmulo. " Don't speak! Not until he's gone." A familiar voice returned to haunt them, filled with disdain, " Or speak not at all!". The two guards, frightened, scurried back into the building, their coats billowing frantically.