Chapter 25
Safya's point of view
Saying goodbye was hard, the pridelanders had been nothing but kind to me and even after befriending Nala, her sisters and even Simba, proving that there was no hard feelings and not an ounce of awkwardness despite it all, I still felt out of place there and though I was certain I wouldn't feel much better at home I decided it time for me to go, where? I don't know but I have to go. My excuse being my parents sudden forgiveness and request for me to go home and I don't know it that was me just wishful thinking or I was just too embarrassed to admit that I have absolutely no idea how my parents would react if they saw me again and then Tojo was added to the mix so I was forced to change my original plan, because back in the Pridelands they were expecting him to confirm my safe arrival, now instead of taking one last quick look at my previous home from afar before evaporating like dew after the sun comes out and finally deciding what to do with my life, I must march straight into the kingdom that turned its back on me, escorted by the lion that broke my heart, I grew more and more anxious as we ventured further into the Zamunda lands but seeing the once broken ground was now covered with emerald grass, the waterhole brimming with the clear liquid and the now abundant herbivores gladly drinking it, reassured me enough to keep going. Though there was no way to prove it, I decided to attribute the recovery of my homelands to the Pridelands folktales and the shamans warning. To me, seeing is believing, I was certain I had made the right decision but what would my parents think? Since I'm here I might as well ask.
It wouldn't be long until a guard spotted us and then we might get a hostile welcome. I once was their princess but now I'm nothing more than a traitor and me barging in with a pridelander, 'enemies of the Zamunda lands', might be a bad idea, I alone wouldn't be perceived as a threat though, I halted and suppressed a sigh, it's time we part ways.
"Thank you for escorting me all the way here, your service is very much appreciated Tojo" I said with all the formality I could muster at the moment.
"The king and queen insisted I'd made sure you got home safe and we're not quite there yet" he retorted "allow me to-"
"That won't be necessary, be on your way now Tojo" I stated firmly, reverting back to my 'princess Safya' was easier than Saf saying goodbye to her first and best friend, he blinked before lowering his head and sighing
"Bye Saf…" he mumbled before turning away, I swallowed hard fighting the urge to turn follow after him and offer him a proper goodbye and allowing him to simply walk away, when I could no longer hear his steps I decided it was time to move on to find my parents and face my fate.
"Coming back was unwise of you Safya, you're no longer welcomed here" The first member of my pride I came across was l Ikem
"I'm well aware of that coronel" I told the older lion and he shook his head
"I should inform the king of your presence but because who you once were I'm willing to turn a blind eye and give you enough time to slip away" he offered
"Thank you cornel, but I'm not afraid of him anymore" I said stubbornly and he frowned "take me to him"
"Very well, Safya have it your way" he sighed "follow me please"
"Coronel what is the meaning of this interruption?!" the king's voice boomed inside the main den as the coronel walked in
"Something requires your immediate attention sir" the lion bowed
"I beg you my king, do not blame him, I insisted on coming here" I said as I trailed inside the main den behind the coronel
"Safya?" the young lion standing next to my father, exclaimed blinking in bewilderment
"Hello brother" I said giving Nubian a small smile before bowing before our father "your majesty"
"Why is she here?" my father demanded with his eyebrows knitted together
"I'm here to talk to you" I said before Ikem could answer for me
"This should be interesting" with a wave of his paw he sends the guards and the coronel out of the cave, one by one they file out "leave us" he orders and my brother reluctantly obeys, leaving only me standing face to face "So my traitorous daughter is back to beg for forgiveness, go ahead, don't waste my time"
"First of all my king" I began, I was surprised to hear him refer to me as his daughter but decided to make conscious effort to not call him father "you must know I meant you no disrespect when I decided to go against your orders"
"Your insubordination will not go unpunished, if I do decide to take you back that is" he said firmly "but you would have offer me a public apology"
"But I do not regret my decision at all, as you can see the rains and lands have been restored and the herds have returned, marrying prince Simba was not the answer to our problems" I said calmly and he glared at me "I'm not here to ask for forgiveness but instead an apology from you"
"An apology you say?!" he scoffed
"After years of nothing but poor treatment from you, like I was only a tradable good… " I told him "I truly think I deserve one"
"How dare you ask something more of me after I pardoned your life!" he snapped baring his teeth "You will obey me and apologize publicly or you will leave my presence immediately!"
"No" I said simply hopping my voice wouldn't get caught on my throat "I'm not taking orders from you anymore"
"I am going to speak my mind and you are going to listen, after that I'll be out of your life and out of your kingdom if that's what you wish" I said firmly swallowing hard before I continued "I always knew that because I'm a female and your second born I was never going to be as important to you as my brother is, the only reason I was going to marry prince Simba, was to please you all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me…but instead you disowned me for disobeying you, how could you possibly justify doing that to your own daughter?"
"It was to teach you respect!" the king hissed
"It was cruel! And it was wrong" I told him
Then you have learned nothing!" he said angrily
"No, I've learned everything! I learned that the only type of love you know how to give is conditional and I don't want it anymore" I tell him and he only grows more furious
"You insolent lioness, now I realize that banishment was far too merciful a penalty for treason your penalty should be far steeper"
"You're saying you regret not killing me after I disobeyed you?" I asked and he nodded curtly, I nodded my head slowly and stood back up "my king I always knew you to be coldhearted but now I'm certain you do not have a heart at all" I said before turning towards the exit
"Out! Get out of my sight right now if you know what's good for you!" he bellowed as I left and that would be the last time I heard my father's voice.
Tojo's point of view
I couldn't bring myself to do it, to leave, even after she coldly ordered me to leave, so I just sat there sulking, can't believe I found a girl so beautiful and sweet and I gave her up, I was the one that rejected her, I'm no better than my father, breaking a young princess's heart. It was time for her move on, maybe her parents will find her another prince to marry or maybe she'll just find love for herself, either way I hope she's happy and as for me I can't help but feeling all the misery I'm feeling right now. If I had more time and courage maybe things wouldn't have ended up like this, for so long I made fun of my younger cousin, saying I was braver, stronger because I was the older one but I guess I was wrong, he was brave enough to confess his love for Nala and strong enough to fight for her, young Tojo would totally think I'm pathetic loser but believe me if I had one more chance to have her before me I would do it, I would tell her I love her and ask- beg her to give me another chance "Tojo, what are you doing here?" my eyes widen when I recognized her brittle voice calling my name
"I-I was just about to leave…I swear" I turned around and saw the teary-eyed princess standing behind mushy, what's wrong?" I asked concerned walking up to her
"I can't stay here, I just can't" she looked away embarrassed
"Oh" I said and a painful silence fell between us before I decided to ask "are you coming back to the Pridelands?"
"No" she said wiping her tears away
"Where will you go?" questioned and she shrugged
"I don't know yet" she told me
"There's something I should tell you before you make your decision, I don't know if it will have any impact but I still think you should know" I said nervously and as she eyed me cautiously
"What is it, Tojo? She asked rising an eyebrow at me
"I love you, Saf" I blurted out and she sighed
"Tojo, you know how I felt- feel about you… but all my life I've dreamed of being free and now that I am, I want to go out and see the world" she told me "find somewhere I belong"
"I can't convince you to stay?" I asked and she looked down at her paws for a moment before shaking her head "Then, I hope you don't mind if I go with you"
"But your whole life is in the Pridelands" she mumbled
"Maybe but I know would rather start a new one with you" I said and she looked up at me with those beautiful blue orbs "besides, It wouldn't be the first time I'd be staring over, I was kicked out of my birth pride, remember?" I shrugged and she playfully rolled her eyes
"That makes two of us" she told me
"See? Birds of a feather…" I grinned waggling my eyebrows and she laughed, I missed her laugh, I don't think I could stand to go a day without hearing it again and if this is the only way I'll get to see hear that lovely laugh everyday then so be it, I don't care where we go, because in the end its now about where you are but who you're with, I cupped her face on my paw and nuzzled her soft fur gently, now certain of my decision I looked straight into her eyes and said full of conviction "we belong together, Saf"