Eusi Moyo Mhuni

The Lion King and the Black-hearted Traitor

Chapter Nine – The End

I stared down at Aliona's still body, my eyes stinging, my throat tight. I opened my mouth to whisper her name again, to beg her not to leave me, but no sound would come out. Wakati sat nearby with my father's two guards, looking solemn. Makmu sat back, sighing softly.

"I have bound the wounds," she said. "Now it is up to her." I stared down at her beautiful face, wishing that she would turn, that she would look at me. I finally managed to whisper her name brokenly.

"Aliona…" Was she already gone? She looked so still. My stomach clenched painfully. I couldn't live without her. I dug my claws into the earth, my heart screaming while I was unable to make a sound.

"Basrun." I heard it then. A small, weak voice. Those eyes flickered open, revealing cloudy grey-blue. Her face turned to me slightly, looking confused and disoriented.

"Aliona!" I cried, pressing my muzzle to hers and covering her face with caresses, longing to bring her back to me, to tell her that I loved her and couldn't live without her. She smiled slightly and closed her eyes.

"Aliona, don't leave me." I begged.

"I'm not," she whispered. "The light is gone now. I came back for you. I'm not leaving. It's not time yet. I just need to sleep." With a sigh and a smile, she drifted into a peaceful sleep, looking serene and happy. I looked up at Makmu, who smiled at me.

"She is safe." I sighed gratefully, feeling weak and happy as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep beside my true love, feeling her breath against my cheek and knowing everything would be Ok.

With Aliona safe in one of the caves, I was free to reemerge myself in my old life. Old friends greeted me tentatively, a few lionesses followed me around to my unending annoyance. But it was only one lion I really wanted to see. I found my father resting on the warm stone in the center of the clearing, staring down at his paws.

"Father," I said softly.

"Your mother always believed you were destined for greatness. She would never have believed Kahrun over you. I was so angry I couldn't see, and I drove you away when you'd done nothing wrong." He sighed and shook his head, shame twisting his features. I felt my heart wrench at the expression, wishing we could go back to the way things had once been.

"What happened to Kahrun?" I asked.

"We drove him away. He's gone now." My father said wearily. I looked up at Jabali and wished that I could comfort him. But no matter what I said, my dad would probably always blame himself.

"You're not the only one who misjudged, dad," I murmured.

"You were right," he sighed. "I did come to regret the day I banished you." I looked at him steadily and then leaped up next to him, sitting close and giving him my support. It felt strange, after so long, to be here beside my beloved father again. My heart seemed to swell almost to overflowing. I looked out at the horizon and wondered how things had managed to go so well. I saw a dark shape coming from one of the caves – King Kovu. He approached the rock and leaped gracefully up beside me, his face looking calm if not a little strained.

"Your healer tells me Aliona will recover quickly." King Kovu said, smiling. My father looked up at him, his eyes very sad.

"I'm sorry that things turned out this way, Kovu."

"Aliona is brave," Kovu said quietly. "It would take more than this to make her give up."

"I suppose now you will take her back to your pride lands with you?" Jabali sighed.

"Actually," I said suddenly. Both lions looked at me, their expressions surprised but open. "I have a proposition for the both of you."

|.~*:./~/.:*~.|

Aliona woke up feeling warm and comfortable, if not a little sore. She dug her claws into something soft that lay beneath her – a grass nest. She turned and saw what was making her feel so warm. Milele was curled up against her back, snoring softly and twitching in her sleep. Aliona smiled softly, feeling a pleasant warmth filling her body. She got to her paws, looking around as she stretched tentatively, making sure not to tease her wounds. She made her way into the warm sunshine of a new day, wondering how long she'd been asleep. She looked around and saw Wakati speaking with Jabali and King Kovu.

"Where did he say he was going?" She was asking as Aliona approached slowly.

"He wanted to visit Mara's resting place," Jabali replied. He sighed and shook his head but said little else.

"He should be here when she wakes up." Wakati mumbled.

"She's been asleep for three days. He's a bit jumpy. It's understandable," King Kovu said.

"Who's jumpy?" They started and turned to face her. Then Wakati made a sound of joy and touched noses with her sister-in-law, scolding her for trying to sneak out. King Kovu greeted his daughter with an affectionate nuzzle. Aliona smiled and turned to King Jabali. She thought of the hazy scene she remembered, of Basrun's father taking him away. But he'd come back, hadn't he? She could've sworn he had.

"Basrun," Wakati responded after the general greetings had passed, "He's been by your side almost nonstop. Ironic that the one time he goes to have some time alone, you'd wake up." Wakati sighed crossly. Aliona's eyes widened as she looked at King Jabali. He smiled sadly.

"Basrun tells me that you know what happened all those seasons ago," he sighed. Aliona nodded wordlessly, seeing the repentance in his eyes and accepting it.

"You did what you thought was right," she said quietly. Jabali looked at her steadily and then sighed again. Aliona turned to her father and was surprised by the sadness in his eyes.

"I won't make you stay here if you don't want to, Aliona. We'll be leaving in a few days. You're welcome to come with us. However, Prince Basrun has requested that you stay as his partner and be his Queen after King Jabali's death. The choice is yours." King Kovu smiled, his eyes looking tired but relieved. Aliona looked at King Jabali and smiled.

"I'd be honored to," she said. Her response surprised her father and Basrun's. Wakati looked smug. But then Jabali smiled widely and touched his nose to hers.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I will be proud to call you my daughter." Aliona smiled back. She turned to her father and saw love and pride in his eyes. She nuzzled him gently, relishing the smell of home and innocence for a moment longer. Then she let go knowing that a different future lay ahead of her, here in the Northern pride lands. She took a deep breath and turned, feeling uneasy for some reason. And then she saw him looking at her. His golden mane shone like the sun around his handsome face, his green eyes shining. He smiled at her, and then rushed forward to meet her. She limped towards him, feeling her heart race at the sight of him – this strong lion that had taught her to love and who had pulled her back from the brink of death. She closed her eyes and buried her face in his soft mane, wishing for the world to fade away and leave the two of them, together forever. She looked up into his eyes and felt a shiver run down her spine as he smiled at her, whispering possessively in her ear;

"You're part of me now, Aliona. You are mine… and I am yours. Forever." She wanted to weep for joy, but all she could do was smile as she gazed up into his face at the happiness and love there.

"Forever," she agreed.

/.~*:.:*~./

Three weeks had passed since King Kovu and the Northernlanders returned home. Aliona and I had been declared partners, and every night beside her felt like paradise to me. I wished I could tell her what it was about her that I loved so much. I wish I could whisper in her ear all of the things she'd done for me, what she meant to me. But words couldn't describe the feeling in my heart. I would look into her eyes and feel weak, as if everything melted away and left only her in my sight. My father was pleased with our regard for each other, and he often spoke about grandchildren with pointed glances at me. His attentions made me feel good. I was restored within my family, trusted again. No one looked at my face and saw a traitor in the five lines that scarred my left eye. They looked at me and saw a prince. It was an ordinary day and nothing in particular was happening. Aliona had been ill lately, so I didn't think anything of her wanting some time alone. I sat talking with Sein about the lack of "talent" among the younger cubs he was training.

"They're all growling and no prowling," Sein muttered.

"Cubs can be a bit easily distracted at times," I agreed.

"At times? More like all the time! I wish you would show them an example of my best student. Your father keeps you so busy. Between him and Aliona, I never have time to borrow you!"

"All you need do is ask, friend." I laughed.

"Basrun?" I looked up, surprised, to see Aliona. She looked nervous, and I thought of her walking alone and of Kahrun and I felt energy rushing through my body as I shot to my paws, ready for battle.

"What's wrong?" I demanded, my muscles tensing.

"It's nothing that serious. I just… I have to talk to you." Aliona said. I relaxed, giving Sein one last nod before following my mate towards the distant pool – our favorite place to spend time alone together. I sat down and drew my tail over my paws, watching her as she looked down into the water.

"What's wrong, Aliona?" I asked.

"Nothing's wrong, per say," she sighed.

"Then why did you want to talk?" I probed gently. She had something on her mind, and I wanted to know what it was. She knew she could tell me anything, so why was she holding back? Aliona looked at me steadily, her eyes distant.

"I'm pregnant," she said finally. I froze, my eyes widening.

"How far along are you?" I asked.

"Makmu thinks I'm about three weeks in," Aliona replied. I thought back to our first night together, the morning before the confrontation between Kahrun and I…

"And is the cub alright?" I asked worriedly, thinking of her near-death and the wound that still showed at her neck. She tilted her head to one side and smiled.

"They're fine," she replied.

"They're?" I echoed.

"There are two cubs," she said. I felt almost giddy with delight. Aliona looked up at me hopefully, and I buried my face into her shoulder, feeling my joy bubbling up inside of me.

"I'm so happy," I murmured.

"Are you?" She looked at me steadily and then smiled. "Me, too. Though I'm a little nervous…"

"Don't worry," I said quickly, "Makmu is a very skilled healer. She'll take care of you and our cubs…" My heart burst with pride at the thought of the little lives growing inside of my partner. Our cubs. I bowed my head and nudged her stomach gently.

"Can you hear me in there, little ones?" I asked faintly. "Daddy's so happy you're on your way." Aliona laughed and rubbed her muzzle against my mane.

"You'll make a great father," she whispered.

"And you'll make a wonderful mother." I replied, touching my nose to hers and feeling as if everything, the whole world and every creature no matter how great or small that lived in it…

Was perfect.


Epilogue

Aliona sat watching her two cubs sleeping against her flank, feeling her heart swell with love and pride. Jua was the older cub. He had rich red fur like his father and rich blue eyes. The younger was Hatima. She was small and had dark fur like her mother and red eyes that seemed to stare through their hearts at times. But she was so sweet and affectionate; Aliona couldn't help but love her with all her heart, even if those eyes reminded her so much of Hatima's uncle. The two parents loved them both equally. Basrun often played with adventurous little Jua, letting him bat at his tail or roll off his red fur like a droplet of rain. Hatima was shyer and liked to remain at Aliona's side, though she watched everything with a never-ending curiosity. She was the cleverer of the two, though she would rather put her creativity to making up stories than to plotting with her mischievous brother. Their grandfather called Hatima "Kivuli Kuwaambia" or "Shadow-weaver". He loved to listen to her talk about the funny little worlds she'd created. Aliona was so proud of them both.

"They're so cute when they're sleeping," Basrun murmured. Aliona looked up at him and smiled widely.

"What, and not when they're awake?"

"They're so noisy sometimes it's hard to tell." Her partner replied with a mischievous twitch of his whiskers. Aliona laughed softly and rubbed her forehead against his chin gently, smiling as she looked down at their family.

"I just know that there's something special about them." She murmured. Basrun frowned, looking away. She caught the glance and frowned.

"What is it?" She asked, concerned.

"Well… There's just…" He sighed and looked down at their cubs. Aliona felt his unease and it fueled her own, making her anxious.

"What, Basrun?"

"I think it's time I told you… the story of my mother, Kyfora."


(Author's Note: And so, we've come to the end. Sorry that I lied about making it longer -.- I like it the way it is. But again, fear not. I have a special treat for you that will make up for it... I think ^.- Thank you so much to everyone who read this far! I am very grateful that you've been loyally keeping up with my erratic updates. Now, you may be asking yourself "wait, that's the end!" with a disbelieving expression on your face. You're probably wondering, what about Kyfora's story? What's Basrun so uptight about? Well, fear not! If you have not noticed, I haven't marked this story as "complete" yet. That's because I have some special treats planned for you – one of which is an extra chapter all about Kyfora and another about someone equally important (guess who). What does she have to do with anything? You'll see soon! :3 Thanks for reading Eusi Moyo Mhuni and I hope you'll wait in anticipation for the extra chapters! Please review and tell me what you think of the ending/entire story/characters or whatever!)