I stared at the palanquin.

I had risen with the sun on my day of travel to the capital. Even though the town was still in the shadow of the towering mountains, the morning air seemed warm and thick as I forced myself to close my gaping mouth.

"You look like a fish," Rimachi had muttered in my ear.

I physically shook my head to clear the dust in my brain and spoke low enough for my brother to hear. "I am not being carried down the highway." He quirked an eyebrow and turned his body partially toward me from where he had been surveying the entourage waiting patiently in front of our home.

"Why not?"

"I have legs," I said pointedly, hoping the chasqui wouldn't hear me and get offended.

My brother hooked the back of my knee with his foot, causing the joint to collapse beneath me. I glared at him and he gave my lower limbs an appraising look. "Doesn't look like you're used to them yet."

"Oh, shut up," I bit out, still eyeing the palanquin apprehensively. I heard my brother sigh behind me, obviously not pleased with my attitude. I stepped forward and handed over my belongings over to be loaded up in the llama cart.

"If it pleases the Lady, I will help you into your seat?" A slender, rail like girl approached me and gestured to the plump cushion after pulling back the opaque curtain. I hesitated.

"Um, no thank you. I'd rather walk." The girl's smile faltered, only slightly for a moment, but she recovered quickly. "It is a very long way to the capital, and the Emperor has entrusted us to make your journey as comfortable as possible. He doesn't want the travel to be overly taxing."

'Impressive.'

"Do I look like someone who can't handle being taxed?" I blurted out without thinking. I felt a shove on shoulder and met the disapproving glare of my brother.

I scolded myself, knowing I had been rude to someone who didn't deserve it. I was acting no better than Kuzco. I fixed my face, exchanging a skeptical expression for a warm smile.

"I'm sorry. Not much of a morning person," I offered as a lame excuse. The chasqui girl returned my smile, though hers had an amused edge to it.

"I'll keep that in mind for the future." I followed her previous direction and sat gingerly onto the cushion, trying not to make the palanquin sway or fall over. I had never been in one before, who knows how sturdy they were?

Why I even bothered to question the quality of the make of it was beyond me, for it was the Emperor we were talking about. He would only allow the best, so said the well-supported rumors. And I believed them. I remembered the silken cloth whispering against my skin, the weight of the golden earrings, thick and heavy when they hung from my lobes.

And here I was again, sitting on a pile of down, about to be carried on the Qhapaq Ñan to the capitol. Thankfully, the journey wasn't too long as we laid almost exactly west, but the chasqui who bore me would have to scale one of the steepest routes to get to the main artery that lead to the palace.

"Well here's hoping you'll never have to carry me again," I told her. She merely smiled and made to walk away, but I reached out to touch her arm before she closed the gossamer curtain.

"What was your name?"

She looked down at where I touched her arm and answered simply.

"Q'orianka." Golden eagle. With her bronzed skin and sharp, amber eyes she sure looked well suited to her name. And considering she was one of the Emperor's chasqui, trusted with the transport of his future bride, I was sure she also ran swiftly as her namesake suggested.

My brother approached the veiled curtain and for a moment, I felt my throat close.

"Rim," I choked, feeling myself lifted off the ground and held by strong legs. My eyes burned, and I blinked away my tears.

He scoffed lightly, making me feel like the younger sibling for being scared of what was ahead of me.

"I'll be right behind you," he soothed. I could see his roguish smile through the web-like fabric, and felt minutely better.

I gave a resolute nod and focused on empty space ahead of me. My brother gave a signal unseen by me, and I felt a small jostle as the runners found pace. Sooner than I realized, we were moving through my town. The early morning hour meant the village that hugged the mountain's skirts was still a little quiet, with most of the workers and villagers awake at the docks. There was no one to watch me leave, no one to wonder at my success. Would I be accepted? Wed in one day or two? Would I be desired? Would I bear children?

Or would I find myself right back where I had started, rejected in my village by the sea, forever watching the sunset alone on volcanic sands?

Thank you for reading.

As a note: Chasqui were runners of the empire, running messengers who carried information and sometimes goods. A single chasqui could run 240 km/day. I found no history of them transporting palanquin, but I know someone did, and I imagine Kuzco being one of those people.

Qhapap Ñan meaning "The Beautiful Road" was the Great Incan Road, spanning 6000 km along the Andes.

While I'm trying to put Incan-based culture as a majority into this story, I will allow some anachronisms and historical inaccuracies like the movie did for the sake of the story and humor (I'm not claiming that I'm on the same level as Disney writers, but you get the idea). Let me know what you think!

Hope you are enjoying it!