Sins of the Past
Part 10 Longing and Belonging
"Mew?"
"They're crying!" Kovu said with alarm as his two young sons awoke in his lap.
"It's okay," Simba reassured them. "They just want their mother…"
"Should I go get Doa? What if something's wrong?!" Kovu said, panicking.
"No, let Doa enjoy some time alone on the hunt," Simba stated. "They'll stop crying soon and go back to sleep…"
After a few more soft little cries, the two cubs went back to sleep.
"See?" Simba said. "You need to enjoy the times when they're sleeping. When they get bigger they won't sleep as much and you'll need to run after them more…"
The lionesses returned from their hunt. Doa went over to see her little darling cubs, nursing them. To Kovu's relief, his first babysitting mission had gone without too much incident. Kiara was talking to Doa and fawning over her cute cubs. Vitani came over to Kovu. She seemed irritated…
"Um, Kovu?" Vitani said to her brother. "Can we talk a moment…?"
"Sure!" Kovu said enthusiastically.
He followed his sister away from Pride Rock…
"Say Vitani," Kovu teased. "It looks like you've gained a bit of weight! Your stomach is starting to sway back and forth when you walk…"
Vitani turned around and smacked Kovu across the face.
"Oww!" he complained.
"Of course I've gained weight!" Vitani hissed. "Stupid male. That's part of the reason I wanted to talk to you!"
"I didn't mean to criticize…" Kovu defended.
"Doa gained weight. Kiara is gaining weight…"
"Ya, but they're pregnant…" Kovu reasoned.
Vitani gave her brother an evil stare, her unblinking blue eyes as vast as the sky itself…
"Oh…" Kovu realized. "I didn't know you were seeing someone…"
"I'm not," Vitani sneered.
"Hum?"
"Their Simba's cubs! You idiot…"
"Shit…"
"Ya! No shit really?!" Vitani said flippantly. "I'm having the King's bastard cubs… Mother would have killed me…"
"Does anyone else know?" Kovu asked.
"Doa knows," Vitani groaned. "And a few of the other former Outsiders. Some of the Pride Lander lionesses have started giving hints that they know… Our lionesses of course know who the father is, but no one of the Pride Landers knows their Simba's…"
"Well. I'm sure they'll understand," Kovu tried to reason. "They have been very accepting of Doa and her cubs…"
"Yes…" Vitani stated. "But you don't know the King and Queen as well as I do… They hadn't slept together in over a year when I started seeing Simba. Nala's had all sorts of fertility issues. That's why Kiara's their only cub! That's why Simba fell for me so easily. I felt bad, he told me their deepest, darkest secrets. Things not even the other Pride Landers know! And… and I fell for him too! I love him Kovu! It's not like you and Doa. You two never loved each other. But ever sense we've been here, I've noticed that Nala has changed. She flirts more with Simba, she is more fun. They've probably started having sex more regularly… I thought I could get over him. That I would just stop feeling the way I feel one day and be able to move on… But I can't! And this... This will just remind me of that forever…"
Vitani, the strong, independent, feisty lioness began to cry. Kovu had never seen his sister cry, not even once. Not after all the horrors they'd been through together. He nuzzled her, not sure what to say.
"He's the only lion that's ever cared for me!" Vitani cried. "But I can't have him! It's so unfair! How can I face them, knowing that having more cubs is something they've wanted for so long, but haven't been able to obtain? Nala will be crushed…"
"But she will understand," Kovu said calmly. "She forgave you didn't she? Even after you attacked each other… Maybe she'll be happy that Simba can finally have more cubs…"
"They love each other Kovu," Vitani growled. "But I love him too! And he loves me! He said he would do anything for me, just before the Outsiders ambushed him. Now he avoids me. Sometimes I see him glace at me… I know he still feels the same. But Nala was enraged when she found out about me. The lionesses have told me she was so angry, infuriated that Zira would try to use me to get to Simba… She might have forgiven me Kovu. But that pain is still there…"
"You have to try," Kovu stated.
"Maybe he doesn't have to know… I could just pretend…"
"No Vitani. Then he will suspect, he will ask you. Hiding is just as bad as lying. We need to change, to be better. I'm trying so hard for my cubs. You can't start your relationship with your cubs on a lie Vitani…"
Vitani hung her head.
"I hope you are right Kovu," she said sadly. "We are just mere mortals after all. Sometimes we just can't help ourselves…"
Vitani walked over to where Simba and Nala were resting in the shade. Doa was at her side, she had agreed to be with Vitani when she told them. Kovu had asked Kiara look after Doa's cubs with him. Vitani's paws felt like rocks. Her stomach churned. She thought she might be sick. Slowly she made it to where the King and Queen lay. Nala's head pricked up first. Her blue eyes connecting with Vitani's. Nala's face was blank, but fear came over Vitani's face causing Simba to look confused.
"Is something wrong Vitani?" he asked her.
"I can't…" Vitani tried to leave but Doa stopped her.
"Vitani has something she needs to tell you, your majesty…" Doa stated.
"Okay," Simba replied.
"If you can't say it then I will," Doa whispered to Vitani. "But you will have to face them sooner or later."
Vitani took a deep breath and turned back to face Simba and Nala. But still she couldn't speak.
"Vitani is pregnant, your majesty," Doa stated. "King Simba, you are the father…"
Vitani saw Nala's eyes widen. Her lip twitched showing her teeth. Then her eyes narrowed into an intense stare. Vitani couldn't take it anymore. She ran away…
"Vitani!" Simba called, running after her.
Nala then turned her eyes to Doa.
"What that also a part of Zira's plan?" Nala sneered at Doa.
"No," Doa replied in earnest. "Zira would have probably killed the cubs, just as she had intended to do with mine…"
Nala sighed, shaking her head. "It's my fault," Nala growled. "And now everyone is going to know it… My failings as Queen, wife of the King. To only bare him a single cub. And now he's having cubs with her. The spitting image of Zira, the one who taunted us for so long. Such an ugly girl… over me…"
Doa could see the resentment in Nala's eyes. The great pain she held within her. Zira had taken something far greater from Nala then she realized. Nala could not forgive Zira for the death of her son and for causing her infertility. She would not be as readily accepting of Vitani's cubs as Kiara had been with Doa's. Doa went to tell the other Outsiders not to say a word. She had done her part. Now it was time for the King to confront his pride…
"Vitani!" Simba called to her as he ran after Vitani.
Vitani stopped at the Waterhole. She looked down into the cold water, seeing her reflection, the reflection of her mother. She turned away…
"Vitani?" Simba asked her.
"She hates me…" Vitani stated.
"No she doesn't."
"Yes," Vitani growled. "She does. I have something Nala's wanted for years Simba! With little to no effort I'm pregnant!"
"Nala will get over it Vitani," Simba stated. "It's not your fault…"
Their eyes met. Vitani's heart began to race at the sight of her love, being so near him…
"Did you tell her you love me?" Vitani asked. "That I am in love with you…?"
"No," Simba admitted. "I didn't… I wasn't sure you felt the same…"
"Stupid, worthless male!" Vitani screamed. "Of course I do! I told you! And you told me the same! Just because my Mother forced us together doesn't mean that any of that's changed and you know it! Otherwise why would you avoid me? Why would Nala flirt with you in front of me, as if she's guarding you? You might not have told Nala, but she's not stupid Simba. She knows."
Simba looked sadly into Vitani's raging eyes full of pain.
"I can't tell her Simba," Vitani stated. "I couldn't even look at her for more than a few moments without running away! You need to tell Nala yourself…"
"I will," Simba stated. "She will understand. The pride will understand. I am not the first Great King to have a mistress Vitani. Nor will I be the last. I will be honest and everything will work out, I promise…"
Vitani was relived. She rested her head against the King's chest. His soft mane full of his scent. How she had missed him, being so close to him melted her fears away. Her protector was here to shield her from the world. But she longed for him to provide something else…
Vitani kissed her King, her tender touch igniting his passion for her. He had longed for her ever sense she had come to Pride Rock. He returned her kisses, licking the inside of her mouth, her taste the same as he remembered. The King was so eager for her, throbbing and pulsating in protest to being withheld from its purpose.
"So eager my King?" Vitani taunted.
"Yes…" Simba stated, hardly able to comprehend Vitani's words as he mounted her.
"Don't rush yourself…" Vitani sneered. "Otherwise I'll have to smack you…"
Simba playfully grabbed Vitani's neck in his teeth, pulling hard on her scruff so she became still underneath him. But she was not still for long as he inserted himself into her, she roared and came to life. Clawing at the dirt, rocking back in forth to the King's pounding force. Vitani's intensity peaking and vibrating through her.
"Oh Ava, I've missed you so much…" the King groaned. Simba kissed Vitani's neck and back. He felt her abdomen with his paw. He was drawn to the life inside her. The life he had given her. He wanted nothing more than to make everything perfect for her. Her moans and growls of pleasure were bringing him closer…
"I thought you said she didn't mean anything to you Simba?!" Nala roared.
The couple jumped up, started by Nala's sudden appearance.
"You said she tricked you, lied to you," Nala continued.
"Nala, please let me explain…" Simba started.
"No!" Nala yelled. "You tricked me Simba! You lied to me! Over some scrawny lionesses young enough to be your daughter?!"
"Nala, I…"
"I've had enough…" Nala said, turning back towards Pride Rock.
"Nala wait!" Simba said as he ran after her.
Vitani was still in shock, but she followed them both. This is going to blow up the whole damn pride, she thought. Vitani caught up with the two outside of Pride Rock. All the lionesses had gathered to see the commotion. Simba and Nala were yelling as screaming at each other…
"Nala, let me explain!" Simba demanded.
"No, Simba, I'm tired of you and your explanations," Nala roared.
"Vitani didn't mean for this to happen!"
"I'm not mad at her. I'm mad at you!" Nala growled. "I told you to kill Zira after you exiled her. But you said: 'we need to be better than Scar. She hasn't done anything wrong except make threats.' Then she came back and killed our son! Our only son! Then what did you do?! You just said that if you saw her or her pride on our lands that you'd kill them! Nothing! That's what you did Simba: absolutely nothing! Meanwhile I stressed and worried. Making myself sick. Losing our cubs! All because you didn't have the balls to do something about it?! And now that we're at peace, finally, after all these years. You found someone else… Someone younger and more fertile to have your damn cubs for you… I'm tired Simba. I really am. I can't deal with this anymore…"
Simba attempted to say something but Kiara beat her to it.
"Mother, you need to be reasonable!" Kiara cried. "This isn't worth it! Vitani is not taking your place…"
"Shut up Kiara!" Nala snapped. "You have no idea what you're talking about."
Kiara was in shock. Never had her mother snapped at her that way.
"I'm leaving…" Nala stated to the pride.
"Mother you can't leave…" Kiara protested.
"I'm going to Ni's pride," Nala stated. "Send Zazu if you need anything…"
Kiara went to stop her.
"Let her go…" Simba said in defeat. Nala had made him look like a foolish cub in front of the whole pride. She wouldn't let him talk so there wasn't much use in trying.
"Who is Ni?" Kiara asked her father as her mother set off from Pride Rock.
"Ni rescued your mother when she was a cub from Scar's hyenas," Simba explained. "He was an adolescent male at the time, looking to make his own pride. It was he, who your mother initially sought out for help with Scar before she found me. But by then he had founded his own pride and couldn't leave it to fight for Nala at Pride Rock. She offered herself in marriage to him if he would have gone… She had a crush on him: the older, strong male that saved her from dangerous hyenas. Ni's pride is a couple days walk from here. Your mother should be fine…"
Kiara could see the sadness in her father's eyes. She suspected her mother didn't just go to Ni's pride for a visit…
"Simba I…" Vitani was at a loss for words.
"You don't need to say anything," Simba told her. "I love you Vitani. I will love and protect your cubs… Our cubs. Nala just needs some time…"