Tanya and Khameleon were sparring in the royal palace arena. Though Tanya had gotten the upper hand as expected of the leader of the Umgadi, Khameleon could sense something was amiss.
"Tanya, tell me what troubles you," Khameleon said as she dodged a swing of Tanya's triple-sectioned staff. "Such an uneasy countenance ill suits you."
"I cannot say," Tanya answered. "Stupid priestess vows," she muttered under her breath.
"It's about Princess Mileena, isn't it?" Khameleon asked. A teasing grin formed beneath her mask for a moment before she resumed her usual stoic demeanor. "I know it's natural to worry, but I promise you, she would be able to defend herself in the event the Umgadi falls."
"I do not doubt her skill, Khameleon," Tanya reassured her. A serious expression adorned her features. "What I am about to tell you stays between you and me only."
"Go on," Khameleon said.
"I would love nothing more than to be able to show Mileena that my heart is hers, to shout my adoration of her from the highest rooftops," Tanya explained. "This is my sole regret as a warrior priestess of the Umgadi. I risk my place by telling you this."
"As self-destructive as this sounds, your vows as Umgadi take priority above all else," Khameleon informed her. "Even so, I will not tell another soul of the affection you harbor for Mileena."
