Title: The Cost of Fortune
Synopsis: An AU of sorts. What if Mufasa married Sarafina instead of Sarabi? This written for the mylionking challenge. First place! I wrote with the idea of Nala inheriting the throne.
Author's note: I do not own. The characters belong to Disney. I originally gave this story another name.
"Mother? What is so important about today?" A gazelle queried as he leapt past his mother.
"A very pertinent one," his mother replied warmly." She and her calf walked amongst the gathering variety of herds. Elephants trumpeted to sound the morning alarm, zebras snorted in excitement and the monkeys swung from vine to tree branch. They were all making the same trek, and all had the very same goal in mind.
"Is this going to be another one of the King's boring speeches? You know I hate those." The young buck moaned.
"Hush now. You mustn't be so brash especially on a day like this. It is important to continue the tradition," she smiled.
"Okay, fine but what's so great about this one?" He pleaded with wide eyes. She turned to him gently. So young and so naive and yet so pure. It was no done out of spite. He just did not realize that he was but a grain of sand or a sliver of grass in the grand blanket of The Circle of Life.
"Today, my son, we are bearing witness to a miracle."
"A what?" The calf looked puzzled.
"We are bearing witness to something special. It is said that the King will welcome a daughter. A princess." She nuzzled and nudged him along.
'Well, what's so great about that? Girls don't get to be in fights like boys. They don't have to worry about protecting territories. Isn't that the King's job?"
"Such a sport. You are correct my son but you must not underestimate the lioness. She may be agile and she may not have the strength of a King but she can be as cunning as a lumbering elephant and as visible as the wind. Besides, wouldn't you wish to be in the Queen's better graces if you don't want to be in her jaws?"
"Hey!"
"She has her beautiful moder's eyes," Rafiki cooed as he applied an herbal ointment on Nala's forehead. She barely flinched when the baboon touched her forehead to smear a weird gooey substance on her face. "And your cunning," he bowed.
"She will be treated as any ruler before her time. With respect and dignity." The princess's father, King Mufasa declared boldly.
"Dis is most certainly a sign from de Great Kings of de past." The old ape agreed.
"As long as she is healthy that is what matters to me," her mother Queen Sarafina said before planting a loving kiss on her new daughter, her greatest treasure.
"Rafiki, a word please." Mufasa nodded and hinted that he and the mystical baboon should have a private word together. Truth be told, Mufasa was especially proud that he and Sarafina had managed to create a beautiful and healthy daughter. But there were some things that were of great concern to the King who was able to put on a strong and bold façade in public. In private however, he could be especially sensitive, especially when it came to unusual circumstances such as these.
"Treat her de way you would if she were a son. Nurture her, treasure her, guide her. She needs de guidance of her m'uder and fader."
"You do know I share the same sentiments as you do, Rafiki." The King replied calmly.
"Den, dere should not be any problems. Your course will be as smooth as de waters on a summer's dey. You see dat tree over der?" Rafiki pointed with his staff. It was his home, the magic tree. "It needed both de soil and de rains to make it a home and not jus' a dwelling."
The King took the wise baboon's words to heart. He was the one he counted on when it came to matters outside of his immediate control. Rafiki was his spiritual guide. By default, his daughter would inherit the pride by virtue of birth but that did not mean that she would rest on her laurels. Other prides chose the first born male as successor and in his case the throne would have gone to Simba but he was borne to Sarabi, a lovely lioness with sharp hunting skills. However, she was now his bethrothed and as such, his rank was below that of Nala. Nonetheless he was already fond of him and knew that one day he would be a fine ruler in his own right but before that should happen, he would have to demonstrate his strengths to earn Nala's approval.
"Sarafina is a skilled fighter. Sarabi is a well trained huntress. She will reap the benefits of being surrounded by talents," The King said assuredly. "She will grow up to be a fine Queen."
The procession of animals gathered at the bottom of Pride Rock. A colorful assembly of horns, hooves, spots and stripes erupted to great approval when Rafiki walked towards the edge and presented them with their future ruler. Unlike her father, she had the color of very pale sand. She stood out in between the dark and grey of Rafiki's paws. She shone like a beacon. She may not have had the sun gold looks of her father but she shone like a star in the early morning sky.
Nala had grown from a chubby cub to a playful one. She demonstrated her strengths in chasing butterflies. Her most defining quality however was in pinning her best friend.
"That's not fair! Why do you always do that?" Simba protested after she pinned him for what seemed to be the thousandth time that day.
"That's what you get for falling asleep during pouncing lessons!" She said while sticking out her tongue.
"Still! You blindsided me!" He leapt at her but with lightning speed she leapt out of his way. Thanks to her mother's insistence on watching her go on hunts, Nala had benefited from being ten steps ahead from Simba's thought processes.
"Don't' hate the player, hate the game," she smiled.
"One day. One day, just watch." He winked at her mischievously.
"Okay, let's make this fun. The day that happens, I will eat crocodile dung and we know that will NEVER happen."
"Oh, I will make sure that does. This I have to see." Simba smiled in a determined fashion.
"What's going on?" A familiar voice spoke up from above them.
"Oh, hey Zazu," Simba said in a disgruntled voice.
"Hello Zazu," Nala said with poise. Her mother stressed the importance of delicate manners and respect even towards those you did not exactly see in a favorable eye. It would prove to be a fruitful venture.
"Ah, such a beautiful sight. Young love blossoming on the savanna." The bird sighed.
"What?" Nala giggled.
"Yuck!" Simba grimaced.
"Oh, don't tell you me two have not figured it out." The King's majordomo said with a smug look on his face.
"Tell us what, Zazu?" Nala prodded on.
"Mmm, yes. Clearly you two have not familiarized yourself with the"B" word." The King's advisor said with a haughty face.
"The 'be' what?" Simba queried.
"Intended! Affianced! Betrothed!" The bird declared. Simba and Nala looked like they had just smelled a warthog breaking wind.
"That's disgusting!"
"That is nasty!" Nala declared.
"Well I am afraid that that is part of tradition Young Mistress and Lad." Zazu bowed.
"Well, my mom said that when I was born, that meant that certain traditions were changing," she winked at Simba.
"True, that is very true. However, this is one tradition that is especially pertinent. Your arrival, darling Nala was a blessing, a gift if you will, perhaps moreso than if young lad here had been born to King Mufasa and Queen Sarafina!"
"Hey!" Simba tried to swat Zazu but the bird flew out of his grasp.
"All fun in games, young sir!" The bird declared. "I should also take the time to tell you two that your mothers asked of me to remind you that it is time for your baths!"
"All right!" Nala smiled.
"Oh man! I just worked on this mane!" Simba huffed.
Nala particularly enjoyed her baths. It was relaxing, soothing and it was a time when her mother would serenade her with stories from the Great Kings of the Past.
"And then your grandfather Ahadi had your father and your Uncle Scar," she said gently.
"Wow, I have some big paw prints to fill," Nala said dimly.
"Being a Queen is no easy task." Sarafina replied as she gently washed behind Nala's ears.
"But mom, if the whole line was the Great KINGS, what does that make me?" Nala asked pointedly. She knew that she was a little different, perhaps unique in certain regards. She did not exactly have a guide on how to be a Queen when her ancestors in the sky were all boys.
"You have your father's strength. Your father is very much loved by the whole kingdom. You will do just fine." Sarafina said reassuredly. She had a talent for uncomplicating the most complex of issues. Still, that was not enough for Nala. She had to know more.
"But still, I can't exactly protect a Kingdom from hyenas. I mean, I can try but I know that that is dad's job mostly."
"Nala, being Queen is more than just strength. It's about cunning. It's about grace. It is about holding your own during trying times. You have to be the example." Sarafina said gently.
"I don't understand. I know I have to be a good hunter, I know I have to look to the stars to find my answers, I know I have to be brave but what is that without a mane?" Nala smiled. Sarafina gently nuzzled her.
"Let me put it like this. Your dad and your uncle may protect the pride but WE are the CORE. We do the hunting because we are faster. Your father, your uncle and someday Simba eat first because this is our way of thanking them but without us, they are vulnerable."
Nala began to understand that being Queen did not necessarily mean doing the exact same thing that her father did. That also did not mean getting her way all the time. That did not mean that she had any less influence. Part and parcel of being a ruler were the number of difficult decisions one had to make.
It was early evening when Nala wandered towards the dark enclave that her uncle favored. Although everyone warned her that they should respect Scar's privacy, she nonetheless ignored their advice and went to visit him. For some reason she could never figure out he liked to be by himself. He was hardly ever around family functions and he always ate alone. Come to think of it, she doesn't quite remember ever seeing him eat. That must be why he was so thin. Still, she knew that he always had cool stories and some advice that she would not really hear from the pride. Nala just brushed it off and she respected her uncle's wishes about keeping their conversations as private as possible. He once told her about the elephant graveyard. She was impressed but even she knew that she could not venture out there by herself. MAYBE if Simba had DARED her, then MAYBE just MAYBE she would take the risk.
"Uncle Scar?" Nala said nervously upon the resting figure. He was hidden by the shadows. Nala wondered if he was allergic to the sun. Maybe that is why he was always in a bad mood. She knew how much that would annoy her but she knew better than to ask him such personal questions.
The thin male lion turned his shaggy black mane. Intense yellowish eyes with a green tinge turned towards her. To a complete stranger they were angry, maybe even 'evil' looking but Nala knew to be careful. She knew that a well mannered cub always initiated a greeting and she knew her uncle enough that he wouldn't be annoyed by the surprise visit.
Maybe. Hopefully.
"So it's you," Scar acknowledged her.
"Is this a bad time?" She asked nervously, hoping he wouldn't yell at her or force her to leave. She had something to ask him and she did not want to leave until she got an answer.
"That depends," Scar said with a snarl. Nala could tell that he was in a bad mood for some reason and she hated seeing others angry. She knew she had to be quick. She loved her uncle but she did not like it when he was in a rotten mood.
"Well, um, I just wanted to ask you something" Nala said tensely, trying to maintain distance and decorum. She did not know exactly what he did all day long or with whom but she assumed that whatever it was, it was beneficial to the pride.
"Isn't this something that your mother or daddykins can you help with?" Scar said bitterly. He was in NO mood for idle chat. He had enough with the hyenas whom had the attention span of a gnat and were about as deep and profound as a dried up pond.
"Well um, I came to you since you give interesting advice, I thought maybe you could help."
His eyes snapped open.
Little brat.
He was looking forward to an evening's rest but her curiosity couple with her carefully worded compliment, Scar could not help but turn over and give his full attention to her. She was his only niece and her only threat to him was that she was to be Simba's intended betrothed. She herself was no direct threat to him. In addition to her being dependent on him for knowledge that would otherwise be provided to her by her neither her mother or father, Scar felt that he owed the little princess a little bit of his time. Better still, if she would get to his good graces then she would be dependent on him in other matters when the time was right.
"Tell me, darling. What troubles you?" Scar said in a mock curious fashion.
"Well um, nothing really. It's more like a question and I don't think everyone is telling me the truth."
Scar's eyes narrowed. He was about her age when he became disenchanted with rules and convention and explored other venues that were natural to him.
"Like, my dad said that we are all part of the circle of life. But if that is true, then where do the hyenas fit?" She gazed up at him, looking as if she were pleading for an answer and it was only he could provide it. Scar cleared his throat.
"Where did you hear such a thing, dearest?"
"Well um, my mom once told me how hyenas will steal their kills and how dad and you protect us. I thought the circle of life meant that everyone got along and that certain sacrifices had to be made. That is why the zebras don't get sad when we eat them. Is that true?"
She looked up at him with bright blue eyes. Scar smiled down at her. She was so well groomed and well versed in what they spoon fed her. She was sheltered. He pulled her in close.
"You are such a bright one and already you can see beyond these superstitions that they try to feed you," Scar said in a voice that suggested concern.
"Super what?" She questioned him. What was up with everyone today and these big words?
"Fairy tales. Lies. Fables to keep you cubs in line." Scar stated sharply.
"But why would they lie? How can a lie be good?" Nala protested. Now she was very confused.
"I did not say that these lies were 'bad', Nala," Scar warned her.
"But still. What does it mean? Does this mean that it is okay to steal?" The young cub's mind was racing faster than a cheetah. Scar looked down at her smugly. Her crisis of faith, she was vulnerable. He broke down her foundations and she was floundering. Best of all, she was at his mercy.
"Nala. Those stories are just examples. They are supposed to teach us lessons. If your daddy and I did not hear them when we were cubs then we would not be here. These stories that you are told can or cannot be true. That does not mean that they cannot be useless. Did you ever hear of the tale of the lioness and the ostrich eggs?"
Nala nodded. It was a story her mom had told her. It was about a lioness who did not have babies and stole an ostrich's chicks. Eventually, the ostrich got her babies back.
"And what was the moral of the story?" Scar countered.
"Don't take something that doesn't belong to you," she stated simply.
"There's a good girl," Scar smiled devilishly. He patted her head with his paw.
"Wait. I think I get it. Like, these stories that may or may not be true, they are supposed to teach us lessons and how to behave." Nala said thoughtfully. Scar nodded.
"But that does not mean that lying is good. Sometimes, pretend is okay when you are using an example." Nala said with a smile, feeling as if she had cleared the smoke in her head.
"Close, but no cigar," Scar said while looking at his claws.
"But that still doesn't answer my original question. If hyenas are bad like my mom and dad say, then why are they around? Simba's mom says that you always go in the direction where they live." Nala blurted out. Scar's jungle green eyes snapped open. His deepest secret was just getting scratched on the surface.
"Someone must protect the borders," Scar stated simply. He had to throw her off his scent. "Your father despises them." Scar was meticulous with his lies. He had to carefully angle his words for he did not wish for the wrong type of information would go back to that brute.
"I bet you do. I bet you tell them to knock it off. That's why they haven't been around anymore, yeah?" Nala looked at her uncle excitedly. Sure he may not have been as muscular as her father nor did he have the strength of a buffalo bull but her uncle Scar was cool in other ways. He was able to TALK to hyenas and convince them to stay away. Maybe he did fight but even she knew that he was smart enough to keep them away. She could not help but admire that. She knew better than to say out loud that he was not a good hunter but he was good at other things.
"You are making me blush," Scar said sheepishly.
"That is so cool!" She said with excitement in her voice. "I bet they are so scared of you! Whenever they see you they cower, just like they should!"
Oh she was fluffing him up all right.
"You have no idea," Scar purred. "Tell you what. It's late. Tomorrow we shall go to the gorge. But remember. It's our little secret," Scar prodded her away. She ran back to the den and back to her mother. The pride was about to settle in for sleep when she returned.
"Nala where were you?" Sarafina asked worriedly.
"I was with Uncle Scar," she said in a happy tone.
"I hope you didn't disturb him. You know how he likes his space."
"It's okay, mom. He wasn't mad or anything." She said with a yawn.
"Well that is good! It's nice to see that he gets along with someone. I guess even the darkest shadows have some light." The Queen said with contentment.
"You have no idea, mom. No idea," Nala said as she drifted off to sleep.