Queen Naóthía Marózhirá ká Hozaí and Princess Kasaí­ Navíshohasha ká Naóthía were doing their annual goodwill tour of the outer towns and villages when word reached them of a long-abandoned outpost that was said to have been occupied by a band of Muro mercenaries, normally something not worth worrying about save this group's apparent participation in the slave trade. Sending a messenger back to King Atawa to warn him of the apparent incursion, mother and daughter set out toward the outpost dressed as ordinary merchants, and after several days of travel through rarely-patrolled country, came upon the apparently deserted outpost. As they investigated, the two women were surprised by a group of Muro warriors bringing their latest captives. The group leader was delighted to see two apparently helpless women of aristocratic heritage, prizes bound to fetch a good price in the markets north of the desert. The Muro were new to the region, and could perhaps be forgiven for not realizing that the swept-eared aristocrats of the kingdom were the descendants of specially-bred warrior-slaves, let alone that his two apparent prisoners were members of a royal family that remembered that long-ago heritage. The quick dispatch of the two warriors sent forward to seize the unarmed women was their first clue that all was not as it appeared. Mother and daughter backed up to the walls of the old outpost and brandished their captured weapons. Princess Kasaí faced the Muro with determination, angered at the sight of her people in chains. Queen Naóthía, the veteran warrior they'd named Stormdaughter, looked forward to the upcoming workout.