Chapter 2
As the sun rose up into the sky, it illuminated the savannah, and colored the sky in rich shades of red. The rising sun showed the way to two lionesses who had entered into the rich land, with the younger one staring in awe at the sights around her.
"This is beautiful." She told her mother.
Her mother grinned. "Just wait until you see Pride Rock."
The two of them walked over a small hill, and when they stood on top, they were faced with the sight of the glorious Pride Rock, jutting out from the ground, stand tall and regal, casting a gigantic shadow on the ground. Even from way afar, the glorious sight was astounding, and Jioni had to grin softly at the open-mouthed look on her daughter's face.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked. Kamaria could only nod in reply.
By midday, the two had reached the base of the glorious Pride Rock, and to a warm welcome. The lionesses that had been lazing around got up and came closer, greeting them with warm smiles and friendly nudges. A few of the lionesses, recognizing them at once, bowed their heads in respect. Kamaria, not really sure what to do, since no one had really bowed to her like that before, simply smiled widely at them, and watched her mother give friendly nods at them. Honestly, the warmth in this place was unnatural.
As they came upon Pride Rock, they weren't alone, as there was already someone waiting to receive them.
How to describe the King of the Pridelands? He was huge, definitely, but not just huge. He was the largest lion she had ever seen. His fur was the color of mud, with an even darker, thicker mane. He had a strong, powerful build that would make any rogue think twice about challenging him. But even with his fierce exterior, his blue eyes had an amused twinkle in them, as if he was watching his cubs play or something. His face had a wide smile that gave her the feeling that most of the time, he was laughing. He had an air of regal calm, and she felt safe and secure with him. She knew at once that he would treat her well and look after her like she was his own.
As they slowly climbed the Rock, he came down a few rocks and met them halfway. "Welcome."
Kamaria nearly jumped at hearing his voice. It was deep, rich and powerful, with warm undertones and a booming touch to it. And to be honest, it fitted him perfectly.
Her mother ignored her daughter's startle and instead addressed the king. "Thank you for meeting us here, Your Majesty." She said, with perfect grace and respect. "We have travelled a long way."
"I know you have." He said. "And I thank you for answering our message and coming on such short notice. I trust you had no troubles on your journey."
She shook her head. "Not at all, Your Majesty."
He smiled. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Come inside. And just for introduction's sake, I am Nkosi."
"I am Jioni," she gestured to her daughter, "and this is my daughter Kamaria."
It was then that the king set his eyes on her, and she suddenly felt insecure. Of course, his gaze wasn't intimidating, but calculating, as if he was seeing what she was worth, and she didn't want to know if he thought she wasn't worth it. She wanted to please him, and win his approval.
He nodded. "She looks a lot like you, Queen Jioni." He smiled at her, a warm smile that sent warmth throughout her body, almost like her father's. "I can already see her growing up to be the most beautiful queen this land has seen."
Her mother almost glowed with pride. "I know she will."
He led them both to the den, and told the remaining lionesses to give them some privacy. Their guests were tired and hungry; could they form a hunting party and treat them to a delicious water buffalo? At once all the lionesses cleared out, some off to hunt, and some off to enjoy the sun. But one lioness stayed back, and she came up to greet them.
"You must be Queen Jioni." She said, with a voice like a summer breeze. "We are honored to have you here."
"Queen Jioni, I'd like to introduce my mate, Queen Imani." Nkosi said, walking forward and standing beside his queen.
"Pleasure to meet you." Her mother said. "But if you don't mind me asking, where is your son?"
"Oh, he's right there." Imani said, gesturing towards a dark corner of the den.
Only then did Kamaria notice the young lion coming up to them. He looked almost alike to his father, right down to the brown fur and dark brown mane, the only exception being his orange eyes, which he seemed to get from his mother. He was around her age, as far as she could tell, but he did share his father's size as well. What he didn't share was the warmth his parents radiated. He was grumpy, and was constantly grumbling, as if he had things better to do.
Needless to say, that irked Kamaria a bit.
"I would like to introduce my son, Mohatu." Nkosi said, shooting a look at his son, making him straighten up at once. At least he had the sense to listen to his father.
Jioni nodded, ignoring Mohatu's behavior. "I have faith that my daughter will be a great queen for your kingdom." She told Nkosi.
"Well, we are glad you even decided to answer our call." Imani said. "Aren't we, Mohatu?" she looked at her son.
The young lion shrugged. "Yeah, whatever." He said, uninterested. He then caught Kamaria's eyes and gave her an angry glare, surprising her.
Nkosi sent an angry glare towards his son while Imani turned with an apologizing look towards the visitors. "We terribly apologize for our son's behavior. He wasn't too happy about the betrothal issue."
Jioni laughed. "I know exactly how that is. My own son and daughter were unwilling to let us leave in the first place." They laughed slightly.
Nkosi smiled. "Well, you have my word that Kamaria will be well taken care of here. I, personally, will treat her like my own. She will be well-protected and looked after, and even if she wants, she has the liberty to go back home whenever she wishes. I will train her along with my son."
Jioni bowed her head. "Thank you so much, Your Majesty. I'm at ease to hear that."
"Yes, now to other matters." He said, stepping forward. "We have to discuss the terms of this alliance." He turned to his mate. "Imani, can you show Kamaria Pride Rock and get her and Mohatu acquainted?"
"I'll do that." Imani agreed, giving her mate one last nuzzle and then leading the two young lions inside while the king and queen discussed important matters.
In the meantime, Kamaria had pressed her ears to the back of her head after watching the displays of affection that the Pridelands' King and Queen seemed to share. Of course, it was common knowledge that they had been betrothed as well, but seeing them now, she could have almost believed that they had fallen in love along the way. It wasn't like she fantasized about it all day, but at times, she wondered whether she'd have that fate one day.
Imani led her to a secluded little cove in a cozy corner of the den. "I hope you like it." She said. "It's not much, but it's always been tradition for the betrothed to sleep here."
Kamaria looked over it. It wasn't much like a cave, but it was more of an indent hollowed out in the wall of the rock cave. Deep enough to fit a lion as large as Nkosi, and wide enough to fit an elephant, it was like having her very own mini-den inside the main den.
"The seclusion of this place is due to the fact that most betrothed tended to bear cubs before ascending the throne, myself included." Imani explained. "It's better for us to have cubs before we ascend the throne so that it gives the pride a bit of satisfaction about the presence of an heir. They tend to get very finicky about the hierarchy." She chuckled slightly to herself. "But of course, you must not let what they think affect you. Cubs are a big responsibility, and you should only go in for them when you feel ready." She assured her.
Kamaria straightened up slightly. "Really?" she asked, then another thought struck her. "But what if…if…I…I…"
"You do not wish to bear my son's cubs?" Imani offered, a small smile on her face. Kamaria nodded, averting her eyes.
"Yes, we have all gone through that phase at least once in our lifetime." She said. "But, you are still very young, so you don't have to make that decision right now. King Nkosi and I still have a few years left in us." She laughed as Kamaria softly giggled.
Imani studied the younger lioness. "You don't talk much, do you?" she stated. Kamaria shook her head. "Well, not to worry. You still have time." She smiled reassuringly. "A lot can change in time."
"So, they gave you my mother's old nest, did they?"
She put her head up to see Mohatu there, his face set in a permanent scowl as he looked at the den's entrance. Just the fact that he was purposefully not looking at her sent a slight prickly feeling through her fur that she wasn't really sure how to react to. So, instead, she looked down. "I'm sorry if this place means so much to you." She said.
He grunted. "Just don't screw this place up." He harshly said, turning and walking out of the den.
Her tail twitched with annoyance at him. What was that guy's problem? Was it the betrothal? Okay, she wasn't too happy about it either, but she knew it was her duty. Would it kill him to think of someone else for a change other than his own self?
"I wouldn't bother too much with him if I were you."
Kamaria looked up once again to see a young lioness, probably about a year or so younger than her, maybe older, it was hard to tell. She had the signature tan fur of a Pridelander, except hers was freshly washed and smelled like wild flowers. Her long, thick lashes complimented her brilliant green eyes which carried a certain maturity that the other lionesses seemed to lack. They also carried a certain fire that was both intimidating and attractive to males.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
The lioness chuckled. "He has never been into the idea of betrothal, and he's very picky about choosing his mates." She walked forward and plopped herself in front of Kamaria. "Of course, almost every one of us tried to get him to notice us, and he just overlooked us all. But don't worry too much about it." She smiled.
Kamaria smiled back. "Thank you for trying. My name is Kamaria."
"Everyone knows who you are, Kamaria." The lioness said. "But since we're doing introductions, I'm Asha."
A/N: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, guys^^ I really love that you guys are taking the time to read this.
Please read and review.