Chapter IV: Princess Uchu

Kovu sighed. He looked over at who he was walking with. It was Uchu. He'd called her out here to give her a very special gift. He knew he didn't really have a right to do this; it should have been Fujo. But Fujo had enough to worry about, like looking for the hyenas that had run off with four cubs. They had already found as much as they were going to of the cubs: just the poor things' heads, their faces of fear frozen, undoubtedly burned into their mothers' minds. And one mother had had three of the cubs . . . It had taken weeks for her to even smile again. They still hadn't found the hyenas, after weeks of searching. All cubs were in the den well before sundown.

Kovu shook his head, trying to remind himself about why he was here. He wasn't supposed to be thinking these sad, tragic thoughts. This was a happy occasion. He supposed it was just his age. He had, at the best estimate, three, maybe four years left. But that was stretching it. A more real estimate was one year. But Aiheu provided. Kovu had always done his best to stay fit; his body was and always had been muscular, only through exercise. He was the polar opposite of Fujo when it came to that. But despite his best efforts, he still felt age creep into his bones, fatigue slowly overwhelm him. He was old.

Kovu sighed and looked over at Uchu, who had been silent the entire walk. Now was as good a time as any. Fujo should do it, but he had given permission to Kovu. It wasn't like he was going behind his back. Not too much, anyway. "Uchu?"

"Hmm?" she said, looking up at him.

"Do you know why I brought you out here? On this walk?"

"Actually, no."

Kovu paused. "Uchu, I know that you and Jadi are together a lot. Quite a bit. And I'm pretty sure I know what you two have done while together, wherever you go."

"What are you—" began Uchu, bristling.

"Nothing. I'm not saying anything. It doesn't matter to me what you do; Kiara and I probably would have done the same thing. But we got married, so we didn't have to hide it. We got married at a pretty young age. Fujo—well, he was ten. Half his life was over. But I was just about your age."

"Are you going to tell us to stop?" asked Uchu, her voice bitter. "To stay away from each other? To stop loving each other?"

Kovu smiled. "No, Uchu, I want to give you permission. I want you to marry Jadi. I don't want you to have to hide it anymore."

"Kovu," said Uchu, her voice stunned, "I don't know what to say."

"Just tell me you're happy. You love him so much you turned down Gyka; I know you care for Jadi. And I know he loves you. I want you two to be happy, and I don't want you to have to hide your love like some monstrous thing."

Uchu was silent for a moment. "Does Fujo approve?"

"Not exactly. But I made him see. Or rather, I asked Taabu, who made him see. He just didn't have the time to tell you himself. But I'm sure he doesn't mind. I know Taabu doesn't." Kovu paused. "Uchu, we're hoping you can help Jadi. That you can help him change. If anyone can do that, it's you."

Uchu looked toward the setting sun. It was almost gone now. "I know, Kovu. Jadi isn't what you expected at all. You have no idea how hard it is just to restrain him from doing things. He says he's going to kill Fujo."

Kovu gave a little laugh. "Yes, we all feel that way, sometimes. Besides, Jadi can't be serious. He's not a killer."

"Yes, Kovu, he's serious. I've had to keep telling him to wait for the right time, but I can't tell him that much longer. He wants blood. He wants to be king."

"Being king isn't everything it's cracked up to be. I should know."

"But you were too soft. The animals don't know how to rule."

Kovu laughed. "And I suppose you do?"

"Well, I have been queen."

"Now you're just not making any sense."

Uchu looked back toward the sun, watching the last but of it recede below the horizon, shrouding the Pridelands in darkness. "I ruled her, Kovu. Four hundred and twenty-two years ago, I was born, meant to rule."

"That's impossible, Uchu. You came here as a cub."

"Kovu, I am Uchu. The ancient queen that murdered her subjects for sheer enjoyment, the one who ruled the Pridelands with no equal, the one who was destroyed by the gods. I've lied to you, with almost every word. I'm nothing like the girl you think I am. I just wanted you to know that before you die."

Kovu stopped and looked at her, stunned. "Die?"

Uchu nodded, the faintest trace of a smile on her face. "Yes. Because he's coming. He'll be here soon. And then you die."

"Uchu, you must be joking. You're a good girl, a nice girl."

Uchu laughed. "You really don't believe me, do you?" She put a paw to his face. "So trusting. If only you'd found me instead. You're perfect. Just a few years younger. You already have that wonderful murderous streak."

"That was years ago, Uchu." Kovu was beginning to get very scared. He was old. He could still fight, but if everything Uchu said was true . . .

Uchu gave him a kiss on the cheek. "But I bring out the best in people. And I wouldn't have had to twist your leg like I did Jadi. But he shaped up very nicely, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh, gods . . . You made him that way?"

"I've had over two years to do it."

"I thought you loved him," said Kovu quietly.

Uchu's wild laugher rang through the night. "I don't love him. But he loves me. Forcibly. I picked him, and I used him. I don't even care if he dies, so long as I'm queen first." Although, she admitted, he does make me feel rather—warm. And treasured. She immediately pushed the thoughts out of her mind. "But you, Kovu . . . well, you would have been something. If you look that good now, then when you were still young . . . I can see why Kiara likes you."

Kovu batted her paw away from his face. "She loves me, you monster. And I expect that's something that you'll never understand. Gyka killed himself because of that emotion."

"Oh, no, Kovu. I killed Gyka." Uchu relished the look of shock on his face, soon to be replaced by anger. "And Edaha. And I'll kill many, many more." She smiled. "But I should leave, now. Jadi can be awfully . . . messy, I imagine." She sighed. "You could have been my mate, and loved me like Jadi. I think I would have enjoyed that." She shrugged. "Oh, well. I'll leave you to play." She walked away, her body seeming to melt into the darkness.

Kovu suddenly realized how heavily he was breathing. He was panicking. He was going to die tonight, and he knew it. Every sound of the night seemed to be amplified. He couldn't do this. He had no fire left. He kept waiting for the warm rush of adrenaline, the clear head, the lust for the hunt. It didn't come. He was a scared, old lion. Life with Kiara had bred out everything Zira had taught him; he was tame. And while Jadi might not know how to fight, he wanted blood. He lusted for the kill, the amusement. Kovu had killed out of addictive need, but Jadi . . . Jadi did it for fun. Kovu didn't know all of this; he only knew enough to know that he didn't feel good about any of this.

A twig snapped, Kovu turning around hurriedly. The grass rustled with the wind. He had to get back to Pride Rock. It was the only place he'd be safe. He bolted for it, praying that he would have half a chance. He stooped dead as he burst through a clearing to see Jadi sitting there, calmly waiting.

"Hello, Grandfather."

Kovu licked his lips nervously. Jadi stood up and advanced. "Jadi, don't do this," Kovu begged. "Please."

"You have too much power, Grandfather. You're going to die."

"Jadi . . . no. Please. I'll leave, I'll get Kiara and we'll leave, just please don't do this. You don't know how much she'll suffer."

"I want to find out."

"Jadi, you're not a killer."

Jadi stopped with a laugh. "Where's Shik? Where's Prinsa?"

"No . . ." Kovu was horrified. They were only cubs.

"Yes," said Jadi viciously, leaping at Kovu. Kovu aimed a blow at Jadi, knocking him to the ground. He didn't leap on Jadi as he should have. He loved Jadi. He couldn't.

Jadi sprang up and leapt at Kovu with a roar, landing on top of Kovu and rolling. Jadi wasn't a cub anymore. Kovu was facing a nearly full-grown lion, with all the youth that came with it. Jadi brought back his leg to strike Kovu in the face. Kovu raised a leg to block it, Jadi brushing it aside with his blow. His claws tore through Kovu's face. Kovu roared in pain and swung at Jadi, Jadi stopping the blow easily.

"You're weak, Grandfather. You're old."

Kovu tried to press harder, but Jadi simply snapped Kovu's leg to the ground. Jadi put his other paw to Kovu's throat, Kovu barely managing to push it off. Kovu head-butted Jadi, twisting his pinned leg painfully. Jadi staggered off, dazed by the blow. Kovu turned over and began to limp toward Pride Rock, unable to put more than a little weight on his injured leg.

Jadi ran toward Kovu with a roar and tackled him. He didn't bother playing this time. He closed his jaws around Kovu's neck. Kovu's eyes opened wide.

I'm sorry, Kiara.

Jadi threw his neck to the side, snapping Kovu's neck. He stepped of the lifeless body and stared at it.

"It's almost sad, isn't it?" Jadi turned to see Uchu standing next to him. "Get rid of the body."

"How?"

"Like this." A seething black mass appeared beneath Kovu. His body slowly sank into it. Uchu smiled. She knew what she was going to tell Kiara. Kiara would be oh-so-sad. She turned to Jadi. He was staring where Kovu had disappeared.

"Where did he go?"

"Somewhere. But he won't be back here." She suddenly pushed Jadi onto his back and lied on top of him. She gave him a kiss. "Just a little longer, love. But we have a big day tomorrow."

"We do?"

"We'll get married." Jadi smiled and bent his head up to give her a passionate kiss. Uchu shuddered. She hadn't felt that twinge with other lions. She reminded herself that she was using him. But is it really so bad to love him a little? She smiled as he licked her again, feeling that lustful tingle again. Why not? "Tomorrow, we'll get married. But tonight, you'll play with me."

Jadi smiled. He licked her again as he rolled her onto her back. Uchu is all I need, he thought, as she gave him a lustful passionate kiss, the first of many that night. She purred contentedly. The kingdom was almost hers. Just Fujo now.