THE SCARRED KING AND QUEEN NALA Ch III

Last Time:

Nala and Sarafina had a long conversation about Nala's father. Sarafina told Nala that he was dead, and that his name had been Kivuli. When Nala asked Sarafina how Kivuli had died, Sarafina answered with "suicide."

That night, Nala had given Simba quite the amount of thought, and vowed to herself, in memory of Simba, never to marry.

Why am I telling you this! Because... well... it's essential that you remember Nala's vow later in the story. Plot details, people! Yay!

Thanks to all my reviewers!

Now, Chapter III

The years passed by, slowly, but after a time the circle became completely different. The once green Pride Lands were a wasteland, barren, hot, dry... the ground was so hard, hot, and dusty that the lionesses found themselves bathing their paws at least fifty times in a day. Beside that, Scar's hyena friends had so over-grazed that food was becoming scarce, yet King Scar had no mercy on the lionesses; only taking information from his hyenas; and reluctant to do that.

"Nala?" Sarafina asked her daughter, one day.

"Yes, Mother?" Responded Nala.

Sarafina gazed upon her daughter. She had grown so much since the peak of Scar's rule, and despite the barren wasteland and the three ribs on Nala's body visible, the lionesses thought her to be the Pride's only beauty. No longer the timid yet energetic thirteen-year-old ball, Nala was almost completely grown, at twenty-three years of age, (I go by human years, you know that!) and nearly so tall as her mother.

"Hypothetically," Sarafina began, "if someone were to ask someone else to tell King Scar about our predicament, do you think it would be a fair request?"

Nala laughed. "Okay, Mother, I'll talk to him."

"Thank you," Sarafina said, "my daughter."

Back at Pride Rock, the chiselled and fairly famished King Scar stared upon his kingdom. (Okay, I know I have these lines way off, but bare with me, would you? I don't know the musical very well, so I'll just make up my own lines.)

"Isn't it magnificent, Zazu? This entire kingdom, all my own." The king put a paw to his face, as if dying in his glory.

"Looks more like instant oatmeal left in the microwave ten years too long."

Despite Zazu's snide remark, Scar only went on. "But when..." he paused, "my brother ruled the kingdom, everything was so green, and wonderful!"

Sighing, and once again putting a paw to his face, but this time in despair, he went on. "But now, the land is dark, bleak, miserable..."

He carried on, making noises so dreadful that anyone who didn't know he was prone to this behaviour might mistake him for one step from death. "What's wrong with this picture!" The king billowed through the rib bars onto Zazu.

Surprisingly, the king's hornbill major-domo answered calmly and coolly. "Maybe that you're in it?"

So while two men well past their prime argued in the seat of the king, Nala was bid "good luck" in the face of the other lionesses. Her good friend, Kipusa, nuzzled her.

"It's okay," she said, "Dad may be a little," and she made a swirling movement about her head, " 'psychologically disordered', but he isn't heartless."

Kipusa was the daughter of the mad ruler. Her mother was an outlaw who had long disappeared called Ahili.

"Why doesn't that make me feel any better?" Nala grumbled, but with a laugh in her voice.

Kipusa laughed and Sarafina came to greet Nala.

"Kipusa?" She said.

Kipusa cleared her throat apologetically. "Right," she whispered, backing away.

"I know this is hard for you, I know you're afraid to face him, honey," the mother of Nala soothed, "I know you in a way fear him, but you'll do just fine."

It was quite an ordeal to face Scar; for years no lioness had dared to do such. Nala feared Scar; he had such a chilling voice, and he was so mad Nala doubted if he would recognise her.

In the early days of Scar's rule, when Nala was but a cub, it was not uncommon for the two to speak. What scared Nala above all other things was his strange affection for her. When Nala was younger, he would pull her aside; tell her things, fill her mind. He would attempt to be good to her, and Nala had grown to trust him. After he became ruler of the pride, and Nala became so outlandish, things had changed. Scar was not nearly so caring for the pride as Mufasa had been; this was a scare for Nala.

At last, feeling weary of her fear, Nala bid good-bye to her family and started toward Scar's lair.

In the moments preceding the arrival of Nala, the young lioness struggled with one thought; "what to say to him?" And when she entered Scar's cave, all she could emit was, "Scar."

The voice that came from her was unfamiliar to Nala. So commanding and strong... so willing.

"Ah... Nala... your timing couldn't have been more perfect!" Scar shrieked, walking in a grapevine like manner toward Nala. "My... how you've... grown," the lion added with a gruesome smile.

Despite her immense fears, Nala fought against the lion. "Scar, you have to do something; we're being forced to over-hunt!"

For years to come, Nala swore to everyone she knew that the lioness heard seven notes in a rhythmic pattern; a bouncy, sexy-flirty pattern.

"She's got those assets feminine," the second 'i' in 'feminine' was drawn long, making the third syllable sound like the English pronunciation of the number 9.

Was he... singing? Yes, he definitely was... but... about... her? Nala? "You're the king, control the hyenas!" Nala protested.

"I have to make her mine," the lion was still singing.

"They're destroying the Pride Lands," Nala said, remarking to the hyenas.

"Nobility in every gene," Scar went on, ignoring Nala's constant protests, "she has to be my queen!"

The mad lion's thoughts were racing. Ah yes... a queen so radiant as Nala... how perfect! "Come, sweet Nala, it's written in the stars!"

Nala, furious at Scar's ignorance, now shouted in exasperation, "where? W-what're you doing? Are you listening to me?"

It was a petty attempt. Scar was so far-fetched that he had gone to dancing with the frightened lioness. "We'll create a host of little Scars!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Tell me I'm adored!" Scar was ordering into Nala now. If he could only hear that he was adored... from someone he so adored... that would be bliss.

"Get away from me!" Nala flipped about in Scar's grasp with claws unsheathed, hoping to get a swipe at the mad king's face, or even, his left eye.

Scar's left eye was engulfed with a long, vertical scar. Where he had obtained the scar, only a select few knew. "Tell me I'm adore-"

He was cut off when Nala swiped at the left side of his face, making him sink into agony. (A/N: This is when it gets different, yay!)

"Nala... please... you know how I loathe violence... and yet look at you, swiping me with outstretched claws. One way or another, you will be mine!" He clenched Nala back into his grasp.

Nala was so panicked she could hardly make a move. All her attempts now to wriggle free of the king were futile. "Please..."

(A/N: This is one of the parts that makes it so highly rated) But the mad king would not let go of his won prize. Smirking devilishly, he let his nose brush Nala's, in attempted affection. Nala screamed violently and pulled away. At last, Scar made his real move. Still with a devilish smirk planted upon his face, he pulled his fur-covered and vastly over-grown lips towards Nala's.

It is a strange thing, a caress, or kiss, as you grew up knowing it. Even when one loathes the person who reaches out to them, a young woman or even lioness is often wrong-mindedly searching for love. To them, the kiss is more valuable than emeralds or sapphires.

And so when Scar's lips drew near to Nala's, the young lioness lost all her senses and fluttered her eyes, a smile growing upon her maw. She drew her lips near her giver's, and for minutes the two were trapped in each other's hold. Soon, Nala grew weary of her actions. And, twitching her eyes, she pushed the lion from her.

Scar landed a few inches from Nala in a great, discouraged heap. Nevertheless, soon he was back on his paws, and he pinned Nala to the ground in seconds. Still smirking, he began to twitch his backside about Nala. The last thing Nala recalled of the incidence was saying, "you're despicable."

In response, Nala recalled Scar saying, "well, I'll be damned. Look who's on top now!"