-The Prince's Education-

It was dawn at Pride Rock, and yet ten-year old Link was fully awake and full of energy. He wore a green shirt and had blue eyes like his father. He stood outside the Lion Den and saw the pre-sun rise light peak over the horizon, making it purple and pink. Excited to see that the sun would soon rise, he ran back inside to the den full of sleeping lionesses. His parents were sleeping on the far end of the cave. Link ran through the crowd, occasionally jumping over one as he made his way to the king and queen. At one point he accidently tripped on a lioness's leg, causing her to growl a bit as Link apologized, "Sorry."

He made his way to his parents and knelt by his sleeping father's side nudging him smiling, "Dad, come on wake up today's the day."

Mario ignored him sleeping more as Link persistently said, "Dad you promised come on."

Peach woke up to see the excitement in her son's face and smiled, saying to her husband, "Your son's not going anywhere until you wake up."

"From dusk to dawn, he's your son," Mario replied, eyes still closed. Link nudged his father a bit more, his smile unfading as he said," It is dawn dad."

Mario yawned smiling a bit as he roused from his sleep, "Very well. Just don't wake your brother."

Link smiled as his father stood up stretching. His eyes wandered to the small lion cub by his mother's side that wore a green shirt. Mario looked down at his son and the two carefully made their way out of the den and looked off to the distance to see the sun's first light beginning to peak over the distance. Mario motioned up to the path that run up to the top of Pride Rock, saying, "Come."

"You mean…" Link began to ask getting even more excited.

"Yes," Mario said, smiling, "If you are to learn of your kingdom, it would be better done from as good a view as possible."

Link smiles following his father up the path as it winded up the rock to the top. As they neared the top, Link sprinted the rest of the way jumping onto the top of the gigantic rock and ran towards the edge, mesmerized by the sun set. Mario walked to his son's side as the boy let out, "Wow…"

"Look around Link," Mario said, "Everything that the light touches is but a part of our kingdom. And it's full of creatures that look to us for leadership and guidance."

Link looked all around, taking the kingdom in. As he looked north, however, he noticed something he never noticed before; over a set of hills lay a small valley and at the bottom lay a dark area, the sun's light unable to reach it. It was about a quarter kilometer east of the waterhole. Link looked at this area for a few seconds before asking his father, "What's the dark shadowy place?"

"That place is forbidden," Mario said, his face turning serious, "You must never go there."

"But why?"

"It is forbidden!" Mario said shortly, catching his son off guard, who said apologetically, "Sorry."

Mario's face lightened up a bit as he touched Link's shoulder, "No, it is only natural that you be curious. And as the future king, you will need to learn everything you can about the kingdom. However, there are other things you must learn before we get to boundaries of kingdom and king."

"Boundaries of king?" Link asked confused, "But I thought a king could do whatever he wanted."

Mario smiled at his son's naivety chuckling a bit, "Oh there's much more to being king than simply getting your way all the time."

"There is?" Link asked intrigued as he followed his father down the path back down.

"Indeed," Mario replied, "As king, your primary duty will be maintaining the Circle of Life."

"The Circle of Life?"

"Yes, it is what determines the state of our kingdom. It is driven by the actions of the ruler of the land. When the kingdom is ruled by one the circle has chosen, the circle will be in balance and the kingdom will prosper and all will be well. When it is not, however, the circle will fall out of balance and the kingdom will fall into despair and suffering," Mario explained to his son. Link asked, "What do we do if the ruler isn't right?"

"Then the Circle of Life will deliver a sign to the one it has chosen to replace him,"

"So that's how there have been queens that were rulers in the past?"

"Yes that's right," Mario said, "Since lions can only sire lions."

"But why are there no other males besides us, Uncle Scar and Roy?" Link asked, referring to his younger brother.

"Every summer, the Circle of Life chooses a group of lionesses to give birth to more lionesses,"

"I think I understand," Link said as they reached the bottom of Pride Rock as the rising sun was now in full view. Father and son walked out into the savannah as the animals stirred and rose to meet the day. Mario said to Link, "The Circle of Life is not something known only to us lions. All animals know and obey the circle. The elephants, the birds, the antelope. All are a part of the circle and prosper from it."

"But Dad, don't we eat the antelope?"

"We do. However, when we die, our bodies break down into the ground and become part of the soil. The soil thrives and grows vegetation, which includes trees, bushes, grass,"

"And the antelope eat the grass," Link said, smiling as he realized what his father was getting at. Mario smiled and said, "Indeed."

The two climbed over a hill, looking into the distance as a herd of elephants made their way across the plains. Navi flew up behind them, sitting on a rock, curtseying, "King Mario."

"Navi," Mario replied.

"I have the morning report your highness,"

"Fire away," Mario smiled, pleased to have a chance to set an example for his son.

"There's some issue between the chimps and the giraffes this morning, the chimps are concerned about safety in passing through the pride lands to the water hole…"

Navi went on like this, but Link paid no attention, having turned away to the few mounds of dirt to the side. He drew his wooden sword and leaped at one of the mounds striking it. Mario noticed his son doing this and asked, Navi still going on, "What're you doing?"

"Pouncing," Link said nonchalantly, jumping at another. Mario smiled as Navi asked, "Shall I continue sire?"

"Oh yes," Mario said, "Just turn around if you don't mind."

"Oh very well," Navi said turning the other way as she went on. Mario turned to his son and instructed in a whisper, "Now, stay low in the grass, keep your eyes focused on your target. Inch slowly towards them, and when you have them in jumping range, pounce."

Link smiled as Mario guided him through the motions, helping Link conceal himself in the grass as he moved towards Navi. Mario let go and Link inched a bit closer. As Navi suddenly stopped and turned around as if suspecting something, Link leaped up at Navi, wooden sword in hand and knocked Navi to the ground, though not in a way that would injure her. As Link landed, he heard his father laughing in amusement. Navi started glowing red as she flew up back into the air, saying agitated, "Really, sire, I do wish you wouldn't encourage him."

"King Mario!" A rhino shouted, running in from behind towards the group, "Hyenas have been spotted in the pride lands, about 2 dozen."

Mario's face grew worried and determined as he turned to Navi, commanding, "Take Link home immediately."

He drew his sword preparing to follow the rhino as Link asked, "Can I come too?"

"No, Link, it's too dangerous, go with Navi," Mario said, before running off with the rhino. Link stood there disappointed as Navi, having gone back to blue, said, "Don't worry I'm sure your father will be fine."

"I know he will be," Link said, "Just wish he didn't have to go."

"Don't worry," Navi said encouragingly, "I have no doubt he'll make swift work of those hyenas, especially with the rhino troops to help."

Link smiled a bit, saying, "I know, Dad's dealt with a lot worse enemies than some dirty dumb hyenas."

"Indeed," Navi said, "But we must hurry, because dumb and dirty as they may be, hyenas are not creatures you want to encounter, especially without support."

As they began to make their way back to Pride Rock, Link asked Navi, "Navi… you think Dad's a good king right?"

"Of course," Navi said without hesitation, "And I'm not just saying that. He's truly an exemplary ruler."

"And he's a great warrior too,"

"Indeed, one of the greatest that I've ever heard of,"

Link nodded, in thought. Navi noticed this and asked, "Why do you ask? Is something wrong?"

"Not really, it's just… I'm not sure if I'll be able to live up to him… Be as great as he is…"

Navi flew close to Link's shoulder, trying to console him, "Well, despite what some of the stories about him would have you believe, your father was once a lion cub just like you, and I'm sure he too was nervous about trying to live up to his father as king."

"But, do you think I'd make a good king?"

"The Circle of Life chose you. So long as you stay on the right path, I believe you will make a fine king one day,"

"Thanks Navi," Link smiled as they walked back to Pride Rock, Link feeling more reassured now.

Well here's the next chapter. Hope you all enjoyed :) Btw in case you're wandering there is a reason Scar is still so named here. No it's not an OC he has a real name but you'll learn all about it much later. As always, review, make suggestions and enjoy. Have a nice day :)