A ROYAL TRADITION
Chapter 1
Simba's point of view
"Good morning, your highness" I woke up to my majordomo's voice as usual
"Good morning, Zazu" I said stretching my whole body before standing up
"Allow me to wish you a happy birthday, young master" he said bowing his head and I smiled
"Yes, it's my birthday, thank you very much" I said feeling optimistic, maybe today is the day things finally change, now that I've come of age
"You're most welcome prince Simba" he said "shall we get going? The guard is ready to escort you on your morning walk"
"Zazu, it is my fifth birthday, I'm officially an adult" I reminded him "Do you think, just once, I might go for my morning walk by myself?"
"Most amusing, sire" he laughed at my serious request "you know the king's orders" he said, I simply sighed before stepping out, like every morning, I was accompanied not only by Zazu but also four members of the lion guard, one on each of my sides and the two others walking ahead and behind me, to think this all started because one senseless mistake I made as a cub, I would have never visited the elephant graveyard if I knew my parents would take such strict measures to keep me safe, there was no enjoyment in walking like this, I felt trapped and constricted, so I decided to turn back home silently.
"His Highness must be very excited today" he commented on our way back to pride rock
"Why should I?" I asked dryly
"Today is your fifth birthday. It means you meet your wife-to-be" he smiled landing in front of me
"How can I be excited about Safya? I don't know anything about her, I've never even seen her before" I grumbled sitting down
"she's a beautiful young lioness and marrying her will give solidify the alliance between the two kingdoms that is why her parents have made sure to shape her into the perfect bride for you, your highness" he explained
"yes and that is all I know about her" I said exasperated, her parents were the king and queen of a small pride and everyone knows that it helps to have friends in high places so I'm guessing that is why they want me to marry their princess
"What else is there to know?" he asked oblivious and I groaned frustrated
"Never mind" I said looking away, I don't want a tailor-made bride, for once in my life I want to make a real connection with someone
"Very well, come now young master" the hornbill said flapping his wings "you mustn't keep the king and queen waiting" I certainly don't, especially since no one else in the pride is allowed to until we're done
"He certainly is quiet this morning" my father whispered to my mother as during our meal together
"He looks sad" she said filled with concern watching me from the royal platform
"Is something troubling you, my son?" he asked
"No, Father" I said lied before I continued eating
"Simba please, you know I'm more than your king, I'm also your dad" he said
"Well…" I began
"Come, talk to us" she said signaling for me to sit next to them
"Alright, so, what is it, my son? He asked as I took my place besides him
"First of all, things like this, this daily royal family ritual..." I said gesturing for them to look around, as always my parents and I sat in the middle surrounded by guards, majordomos, advisors, my mother's lady-in-waiting and the highest ranking members of the pride "why can't we just sit and talk like a normal family?" I asked
"Isn't that what we're doing in this very moment?" my father smiled "but why do we have to do it like this?" I insisted
"Like what?" he asked turning his head to the side
"With everyone watching us, why must there be such a large entourage with us at all times?" I asked "and why am I not allowed to go on a walk by myself?"
"You're the son of a king, you need to be protected" my mother said placing her delicate paw on mine
"But I'm not a cub anymore; I can handle a walk around the Pridelands" I tell them and my father chuckles before turning to the small crowd watching us
"Then it is settled. From this day forth, you will be left alone for your morning walk, as long as you stay in the path marked for you, of course, anyone that refuses will answer to me" he said and their eyes widen before bowing their heads
"It's not just that father, it's everything" I sigh "the pampering, the sheltering, one day I will have to rule this kingdom on my own, how will I learn to do that if I can never do anything for myself?" I say scrunching my eyebrows together
"As king you will have even more servants and advisors to help you" my father said waving it off
"I appreciate everything that is done for me but I'd like to have more independence, why stop with the daily walk? Why can't i go hunting, patrolling the lands? And why can't I find my own wife?" I went on
"Aha! So that's it? That's what this is all about?" my father grinned
"Simba, we've gone through a lot of trouble to select for you a very fine wife" mother told me
"Since she was born, she was taught to walk, speak and think like a queen" the king added
"But what if I don't love her?" I asked them
"It's normal to feel anxiety about meeting your queen" he shrugged it off
"When I met your father, I was terrified" she revealed
"I must admit, I was frightened, too" he said with a smile
"I was so nervous when we first met, I nearly fainted" my mother smiled "but over the years, I have grown to love your father very much"
"But would you have is he wasn't the king?" I asked and her amber eyes widen
"You are rather inquisitive this morning" my father said "You see, my son, you're not the first prince or the last to have an arranged marriage, this tradition goes back generations"
"I understand, but when I marry, I want the lioness to love me for who I am, not because of what I am"
"And who are you?" he asked arching an eyebrow
"Well… I- um" I never really thought about it before so I didn't know how to answer to his question
"You're prince Simba, son of king Mufasa and queen Sarabi of the Pridelands" he answered for me
"Good morning, your Majesty. It's another beautiful day in in the Pridelands" my older cousin on my mother's side and best friend barged inside to greet us with a smile
"Tojo, what is it now?" my father asked tiredly, he accepted Tojo into the Pridelands after everyone in my mother's birth pride gave up on him
"You look especially radiant today, your Grace" he said and my mother smiled politely, as you can tell he's constantly trying to appear like true gentleman hoping my parents won't kick him out as well since he's too used to enjoying the royal treatment but without the responsibilities and obligations "I was remarking to my cousin the other day what lovely fur the queen has"
"Tojo, don't you have somewhere you should go?" she reminded him
"Yes, I was about to take the birthday boy for his daily training session" his job while he stayed here was to train me in combat, he's the only lion I know that doesn't give me special treatment for being the prince, so training with him is a nice break from the royal life
"Excuse me, Father" I say standing up and bowing my head before nuzzling my mother "And Mother"
"Have a good day, my son" she smiled
"Don't train too hard; you must look your best for tonight's ceremony" he said joyful and I nodded my head giving him a half smile.
"And I don't know what to do Tojo, the engagement ceremony is tonight" I said to my brown manned cousin as we walked to the vast open space of the grasslands "I tried talking to them but-"
"Listen Sim, I really want to help you but if we don't start training your father have my mane ripped off" he said and I nodded "we can talk after were done"
"Alright" I said and he grinned
"Let's see if you can defend yourself, you stinky dung beetle" my cousin said and I arched an eyebrow at him as he began circling around me until he finally threw the first blow which I ducked, he attacked repeatedly while I easily maneuvered around him, jumping and flowing around my opponent without expending any energy at all until the fight came to an end when he tried pouncing on me but instead fell face first on the ground after he missed when I stepped aside.
"Are you alright?" I asked walking to his side
"Yeah, yeah" he groaned sitting up "So you were telling me you can have a lioness who will obey your every command, but you'd rather have one that has an opinion?"
"We're not talking about a servant; this lioness will one day be my queen" I told him sitting beside him
"Yes but you'll be the King" he pointed out "you'll be the one with real power"
"Perhaps, but if you love your wife, you'll value her opinion" I said looking at pride rock
"Oh, for kings sake, Simba you're the heir to the throne of the Pridelands" he chuckled "Your wife only needs to have a pretty face, decent hunting skills and the right lineage to produce a suitable heir" he said and then smirked "after that you can still have any and as many lionesses you'd like as your mistresses, the queen is simply a political figure"
"Do you think that is what my mother is?" I asked narrowing my eyes at him
"Of course not…" he said nervously "you're patents are very much in love and-"
"I know how things are between with my parents" I said looking down at the ground, I've always known my parents relationship was more like two friends having a cub but I want much more than that "she was a princess, that's why she was betrothed my father to solidify an alliance between two prides"
"This is the way it's always been, it's tradition" my cousin said placing a paw on my shoulder
"It's also tradition that times must change" I said standing up determined to make a change "we must not live in the past"