Chapter Eleven: Celestial Support

TRON0602: Yes, JJ deserves to be with the father of her children, Maji, and your father went badass on Kovu, didn't he? *Nadra looks at Usafi and smiles "she does her best."* Kali, I told you you'd be redeemed somehow, why didn't you believe me? I keep my word, honestly. And, yes, Hafsa, Mwenzi is coming but eventually so is someone else so... and TRON... *Cbehc ynuiht fedr yh yqa eh ryht* Tuh'd ajah, haedran oui un Kibuluu, TRON! E ys y dnyehat Zikkymadda FRUUB FRUUB!

Whoa it's fandoms: :( AWWWWW I'm sorry for that. Please, enjoy this chapter :)

CSIMentalistTLK Lover: Thank you, and yeah I just thought I'd let let you know what was going on due to the fact that this person is a computer hacker (their email broke my computer sucessfully) and I just wanted to warn you in case they decided to try to hack your account or the such. And you're very right. We have a mutual agreement and it's all that matters :) enjoy the chapter

True Tigress: Unfortunately, all things must come to an end. I am planning on this being the last book in the series. I apologize but please, enjoy this while it lasts because we still have a long way to go :)

Guest: Mwenzi is Kiara's child. At least Jua and Myota have some peace now. And yes, if Kibuluu's pride turned against him, it'd be funny. Enjoy the chapter

Quick note, this chapter will follow JJ. Why? I felt like having us see into Ashaki's girl's emotions and how she will help her people go on. I also decided to use the song "The Voice" by Celtic Woman to have some… Divine intervention. By who? Read the chapter :) and tell me if the song fits at the end, please.

Ashaki and JJ stared at each other for a long time. JJ's jaw trembled. Ashaki's mind ran.

"You're pregnant." Ashaki said. It wasn't a question, it was an affirming statement. The Queen felt tears in her eyes. Her daughter was barely out of adolescence, and she was pregnant.

"Please don't be mad." JJ said. Ashaki sighed.

"I'm not. I'm scared, just like you." Ashaki said. JJ stood up, able to keep herself up now.

"I didn't plan it, Mom." JJ said.

"It's not that, I understand you didn't plan it. But sweetie, whenever a Princess is pregnant early on without a mate or without confirming she doesn't want a mate, she has to take a couple days to be alone to think." Ashaki said. JJ's jaw dropped.

"What? When did this custom come to be?" JJ asked.

"It happened when Uru dictated it. She herself had a hurried marriage after finding herself pregnant. Sarabi was the only one who planned, to be honest. My mother didn't plan, and she hurried a marriage. I didn't plan, I hurried a marriage, but… Amri's missing. You can't marry him when he's not here. You'd have to denounce having a mate, and when you finally did get a mate… he could never call himself a consort. He'd only be a Royal Breeder." Ashaki said. JJ's mouth went dry. The customs were unfair, but they were to teach a lesson. The Crown Princess closed her eyes.

I hear your voice on the wind

And I hear you call out my name

"I'll go. I don't want to give my future mate a problem." JJ said. Ashaki nuzzled her daughter.

"You can take someone with you if you want, that was part of the law when Uru named it." Ashaki said.

"No. I want to do it alone. I need to process as well, and…" JJ trailed off. Ashaki nuzzled her daughter.

"The jungle's just beyond that desert to the west… you'll be safe there and we're on our way there." Ashaki said. JJ sighed.

"I'll be off. I'll be okay, Mom." JJ said as she slowly descended Rafiki's tree, careful to not slip or fall. She went directly west into the desert, her feet hitting the hot sand at a fast rate. The Crown Princess ran to avoid her mother's tears. She couldn't dare make herself the bad guy, not now. Not with so many dead.

"Listen my child," you say to me

I am the voice of your history,"

Come this way, follow me… a female voice said. JJ stopped in her tracks and looked around. The wind, hot and dusty, blew into JJ's face and an image of a white lioness with a hairtuft and blue eyes looked directly at JJ. JJ cocked her head.

"Who are you?" JJ asked.

"My name is Zakiya. I am one of your most ancient predecessors, Kamaria." Zakiya said. JJ's eyes widened. Why had this lioness just called her by something that wasn't her name?

"My name is Jolina, ma'am." JJ lightly corrected. Zakiya laughed and her eyes looked into JJ's orbs.

"By the end of these two days, you may think different, grandchild of Tama." Zakiya smiled. JJ nodded.

"Follow me." Zakiya said, leading the way through the desert. JJ shrugged her shoulders and followed the white mirage.

"Be not afraid, come follow me,

Answer my call and I'll set you free."

Within a few minutes, the pair had torn the desert sand in two, and were at a jungle oasis. JJ gazed at the beauty of the trees, and smiled in awe.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? Well, child, this is where I had run to as well after discovering I was pregnant myself by a rogue." Zakiya said.

"Really?" JJ asked. Zakiya intrigued the Crown Princess, and JJ wanted to know more about the white lioness.

"Back then, it wasn't done. No mate equaled your children dying after birth by your King's paw. Being the daughter of a King made it no different. Being his eldest daughter, his heir, made it no different." Zakiya said.

"So… you were a King's eldest daughter and his only heir?" JJ asked. Zakiya nodded.

"I was. I had fallen in love with a rogue, and I became pregnant. The rogue died, so I could not marry. I abandoned my home, the lands you now call the Outlands." Zakiya said.

"The Outlands?" JJ asked. Zakiya laughed.

"It used to be an oasis, the Pridelands were the dry and dusty. The desert used to be longer." Zakiya said. JJ gazed in awe at the white lioness.

"You raised your children alone, then?" JJ asked.

"I did, I raised them to one day take what had once been ours." Zakiya said.

"How many children?" JJ asked.

"Two girls, whom I named Ayita and Akili." Zakiya said.

"What did they look like, Zakiya?" JJ asked. Zakiya laughed and shook her head.

"How about I show you?" Zakiya asked. An image conjured around the two lionesses, and JJ gasped in awe when she saw Zakiya and two female cubs, one red-brown with a black head stripe, black earrims, purple eyes, one front foot a cream color and the other a light tan, the other a gold-ish silver with white earrims, white head stripe, and icy blue eyes. The gold-silver cub mewled for mother's milk.

"Akili, you just ate." Zakiya complained. Then the red-brown cub let out a wail.

"Ayita!" Zakiya said. The flashback stopped, and JJ gazed at Zakiya.

"We were all hungry, and I was in pain." Zakiya said.

"I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain

I am the voice of your hunger and pain"

JJ's eyes filled with tears and she sighed. The Crown Princess dropped her head.

"Such suffering." JJ said.

"We never suffered after that. I had found a food source. It was little, but it helped a lot." Zakiya said.

"I…" JJ trailed off, not knowing how to form her question.

"You don't understand why I'm here?" Zakiya asked. JJ nodded.

"I'm not going to run." JJ said.

"I'm here to show you, you have the blood of nobility. Not just Jolina. Jolina was… unimportant compared to what happened before." Zakiya said.

"Which side of the family are you on, even?" JJ asked. Zakiya smiled and looked at JJ.

"Both. My daughter, Ayita, her three daughters went to form three lands, three lands, that their reincarnations saved or helped in some way," JJ saw an image of a red lioness next to Pride Rock, "The Pridelands, which Queen Uru saved," an image of a golden lioness in the mountains formed, "the Peaklands, where Queen Kirembo kept all war-torn lions safe," an image of a blonde-colored lioness with a dirty blonde head stripe and three dirty blonde dots under her blue eyes formed next to a cave, the wind blowing her fur, "and the Windlands, to which Queen Zula returned to." Zakiya said.

"I remember this a little. My great-grandmother told me this story, your voice sings through all three lands." JJ said. Zakiya smiled.

"I am the voice that always is calling you

I am the voice, I will remain"

"Well, then there are three other lands that have my voice." Zakiya said.

"Which three?" JJ asked.

"My daughter, Akili, had three sons, all of which, that had been reincarnated, one in the form of a female" an image of a gold lion with dark blue eyes next to a river formed, "The Riverlands, where King Shujaa thrived," an image of the Outlands' termites formed with the image of a red-gray lion with sea blue eyes, "the Outlands, which King Amani took by force," an image of a moonlit land formed with a white lioness with blue eyes like Zakiya's formed, "the Moonlands, a place where Mpenzi never knew she was the true Queen." Zakiya said.

"We… really are all connected." JJ said.

"We are. All six royal families, of which, now there are only five, are connected. The blood may have thinned between them, but we are all one." Zakiya said. JJ felt her heart soar.

"We are one. This brings new meaning to that." JJ said. The Crown Princess turned to Zakiya, to discover the white lioness was gone. The Princess turned more and more.

"Zakiya?" JJ asked.

"Her time was done, my namesake." Jolina said, coming from the mist.

"I am the voice in the fields when the summer's gone

The dance of the leaves when the autumn wind's blow"

JJ and Jolina looked each other in the eye, measuring each other up. Jolina smiled.

"You really are beautiful. That scar… it just gives you a strong look." Jolina said. JJ sighed.

"Thank you, you are more than I thought." JJ said.

"Thank you, my dear. Zakiya was here to show you where you come from. I am here to show you why you are here." Jolina said.

"What?" JJ asked. Jolina smiled.

"You are here to protect. You are here to be wise. One day, you will be the strongest Queen the Pridelands has ever seen." Jolina said. JJ's blue eyes looked into Jolina's amber orbs.

"One day. That's not now." JJ said with a shake of her head.

"You see… we all live in you. We live on, you are our hope." Jolina said. JJ turned away and walked deeper into the woods, not wanting any of Jolina's speech. Zakiya fascinated her, but Jolina seemed to be only a preacher to her.

"Where do you think you're going?" A red lioness stepped in front of JJ and she stopped in her tracks.

"I need a drink of water. I'm sure I saw Zakiya, but three of my ancestors?" JJ asked, turning away from the red lioness. The red lioness followed JJ deeper into the jungle.

"You can't ignore me, child." Uru said. JJ sighed as she found a waterhole, taking a long sip from it.

"First Zakiya, then Jolina, and now you, Uru?" JJ seemed skeptical now. Uru rolled her red eyes.

"You're lucky you aren't my child, I would have slapped that out of you." Uru said. JJ looked into Uru's red eyes.

"All right, you have my attention. What are you here for?" JJ asked. Uru sighed and shook her head.

"Here to tell you, never be afraid. Your lands are yours. It may take time, especially since you're pregnant and need to help your children, but you can return home." Uru said. JJ looked into the water and watched as Uru disappeared. She sighed.

"Finally, maybe some peace." JJ said.

"Not quite, JJ." Sarabi's image appeared in the water in place of JJ's reflection and the Crown Princess fell backwards. Sarabi's chuckle sounded and JJ looked behind her, seeing the beige-tan lioness and smiled.

"Grammy?" JJ asked. Now this was a welcome hallucination.

"Now do I sleep throughout the cold winter long

I am the force that in springtime will grow"

"Of course. I have to be here, don't I? You need me to tell you about my plight." Sarabi said.

"I know a little already, Grammy." JJ said.

"Not of my own plight, losing Mufasa." Sarabi said, her orange eyes looking into JJ's blue orbs. The Crown Princess sat.

"You were never comfortable, so I didn't push." JJ said.

"I know, sweetheart. It is what makes you yourself. It makes me proud of you." Sarabi said. JJ smiled.

"Then… how did you cope?" JJ asked.

"I saw his body. He was dead. I couldn't… I couldn't bear the pain. But I found myself supported by many lionesses, even cubs, that loved me, that needed me to be there." Sarabi said. Another image conjured. Sarabi was with Tojo, and the two were playing near the drying waterhole. JJ smiled.

"You adopted Poppa after Gramma was chased off." JJ said. Sarabi nodded.

"Tojo needed me. I needed him. We loved each other like we were mother and son. I thought that my Downwind line in the Pridelands would die with me, but then…" Sarabi disappeared and in her place, a light beige lioness with golden eyes, a hairtuft, and her neck fur not connected to her muzzle appeared next to JJ. JJ gazed at the beauty next to her, and knew it could only be one lioness. The one she had heard so much about.

"Tama…" JJ said. Tama looked to her granddaughter and smiled at her.

"You're right. You look like… me… and your mother and…" Tama trailed off. JJ was immediately comfortable.

"I am the voice of the past that will always be

Filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields

I am the voice of the future."

"You're here to tell me something, too." JJ said with a smile.

"Thank you, yes I am. My past was marked with pain and blood. I lost your mother when she was barely three months old to Kula, the mate of Kibuluu." Tama said. Tama looked to the water, and JJ's gaze followed her grandmother's, and a scene played in the water, reflecting the past.

Tama heard a rustling in the grass behind her. She flicked her ears backwards, listening. Simba saw his sister's expression and did the same, watching for danger.

Then Tama heard a growl. She shot up and stared into the tall grass behind her, her golden eyes meeting bright red. She roared.

"Kula!" She said. Simba got up and roared as well. Tama quickly noticed Kula was not alone. Five lionesses flanked her. Simba roared and two lionesses attacked him. Tama turned her head and saw Kopa and Ashaki.

"Kopa! Ashaki! Run! Run now!" Tama yelled to her nephew and daughter. Ashaki and Kopa saw the danger and started running, Kula shortly behind them. Tama jumped into action but three lionesses held her down. Tama roared, trying to get the lionesses off of her without harming the baby inside her.

JJ and Tama both looked up at each other.

"I lost her when she was that young. I thought she was dead. Chumvi had brought back just a tuft of hair that was Ashaki's color, and I thought for sure, I lost my daughter." Tama said.

"But… she came back." JJ said.

"Because she knew inside who she was, and with that, she brought peace." Tama said. The water rippled and JJ's eyes were diverted to it again.

"Bring me your peace

Bring me your peace

And my wounds,

They will heal."

"Why so weak?" Kula asked.

"I just gave birth." Vitani panted.

"I see." Kula tried to attack, but Vitani sidestepped like she had months earlier and Kula ate mud. She turned back to the Daughter of Scar.

"But I can still outsmart you." Vitani smiled. She approached Kula, lifting a paw.

NO! Mufasa's voice boomed. Vitani's eyes widened, she put down her paw and she stepped back from Kula, unsure. Kula got up and looked at the Princess.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Kula asked.

Enough bloodshed… A calming, very feminine voice said. Was that Uru? Or Jolina?

We are one. Tama said. Vitani felt her eyes fill with tears, and she blinked them away.

"A wise Queen once told me, we are one. Kula, we are blood. You're my cousin. You may be insane, but you are family," Vitani looked to the Outlander lionesses, "and the lionesses, there's not much difference."

JJ looked to Tama, but Tama nodded back to the water. JJ turned her gaze to the water.

The Outlander lionesses raised their heads in understanding. Zira smiled a bit. Amani's lime green eyes lit up.

"Amani! Now!" Kula snapped.

"No, Kula!" Amani roared. The Outlander lionesses were surprised at Amani's outburst. Amani looked to Vitani and Muujiza with a smile.

"They're right," Amani went to Vitani's side, "it seems to me that we got each other wrong. The enemy's been our brother all along." Vitani smiled.

"If you won't fight, you'll die!" Kula roared. The Outlander lionesses looked disgusted at their "Queen." All of them scoffed and went to the Pridelanders' side.

"What? Where are you going?" Kula demanded, "get back here!"

"Let it go Kula. Please. For the sake of our prides." Vitani said.

"I'll never let it go!" Kula roared. She eyed Vitani.

"This is for you, Father!" Kula tried to kill Vitani, but Kovu roared and the two lions went over the side of the gorge.

"Kovu!" Zira yelled. Kijani, Zira, and Vitani went to the edge, all looking on in fear.

"Kovu!" Vitani yelled. Zira went down after her son.

"Kovu!" Zira called. Vitani and Kijani looked at each other.

Kovu and Kula had finally gained some hold on the side of the gorge, both holding on. Kula was slipping down, as was Kovu.

"Hold on, Kovu!" Kijani yelled to his son. He looked around, seeing the water rising.

"Zira…" Kijani said softly, "Zira, the river!" Zira took note of this and treaded on carefully.

Kovu found a little spot where he could give his claws a break. He reached for Kula.

"Kula! Kula, give me your paw." Kovu said. Kula smacked Kovu's paw away.

"Never!" Kula snarled. She slipped a bit.

"Kula, please. We can be one! Let me help you!" Kovu begged. Kula got an evil smile on her face. Vitani, from where she stood, saw the look in Kula's eyes.

"Kovu, pull back your paw!" Vitani screamed. But she was too late. Kula had dug her claws into Kovu's paw. Zira rushed to where her son and former stepdaughter were.

A life and death struggle started between the mahogany lion and the chocolate brown lioness. They snarled at each other, Kula trying to pull Kovu down and Kovu trying to escape. Zira was so close to Kovu…

"I'm going to take you with me!" Kula said to Kovu.

Then the rock beneath Kovu and Kula broke. Kula went down, Kovu clung onto the cliffside, barely escaping Kula. Zira grabbed her son's scruff through his mane, pulling him up to the cliff she was on. Kovu leaned into his mother. Kijani and Vitani sighed.

"Thank the Kings…" Kijani said.

"And Queens." Vitani smiled. Zira and Kovu started climbing up the cliffside. Tojo came to his daughter's side.

"I think someone had an eye on Kovu today." Tojo said with a smile.

"I think she did too." Vitani leaned into her father. The whole pride watched as Zira and Kovu made their way up the cliffside.

"She did bring peace." JJ said. Tama nodded.

"She's strong. She always will be. No matter how her will is tested." Tama said.

"I am the voice of in the wind and the pouring rain

I am the voice of your hunger and pain

I am the voice that always is calling you

I am the voice"

"I only have one question, how are all these memories showing like this?" JJ asked.

"The land remembers the wars fought on it." Zakiya appeared.

"The love made on it." Jolina appeared next to Zakiya, on her right.

"The promises kept on it." Uru appeared next to her mother.

"The faith known on it." Sarabi appeared on Zakiya's left.

"And the children born on it." Tama said.

"I am the voice of the past that will always be

I am the voice of your hunger and pain

I am the voice of the future"

"What the people forget, the land remembers." Jolina said.

"Voices can only do so much to make memories." Uru said.

"That is why we return as spirits to guide you. You don't really recall your blood, your nobility." Zakiya said.

"No matter if you are pregnant now, that doesn't deny your blood." Uru said.

"I am the voice

I am the voice"

"We are the voices of you, dear. We all have passed one thing each of us to you." Sarabi said.

"The ability to live through the darkest days." Zakiya said.

"The wisdom to rule a kingdom." Jolina said.

"The strength to take your kingdom back." Uru said.

"The nobility to be regal about taking your enemies' lives if needed." Sarabi said. JJ looked to Tama, who smiled.

"And the talent to be the best mother you can be." Tama said. JJ's eyes filled with tears, and she felt all the lionesses nuzzle her.

"I am the voice

I am the voice."

"You will be strong. These upcoming days are dark, but you can know that light will shine again, Kamaria." Zakiya said.

"Another question… why are you calling me Kamaria?" JJ asked.

"Because, the light of the moon shines in you. You are like the moon, beautiful and regal, yet cunning and keen." Uru said.

"It is your choice if you want to take that name." Sarabi said.

"But it what we, the Queens of the Past, shall call you." Jolina said.

"So, be prepared to be Kamaria to us, JJ." Tama said.

JJ looked down at the water, then back up to the lionesses surrounding her. She smiled.

"I'm Kamaria inside, then? Well…" JJ trailed off, noticing the sun was setting, "then who am I to deny myself?" JJ whispered. All the Past Queens smiled at her and nodded. One by one, they disappeared, but Tama was last, and she nuzzled JJ.

"I'll tell your mother that you're safe. There's a tree a little ways from here, there might be a meerkat and a warthog there, but they're harmless." Tama said. The Savior Queen disappeared, leaving JJ alone. JJ looked into the water and sighed.

"Kamaria… it fits." JJ whispered. She walked from the water pool into the trees, seeing a meerkat and a warthog like Tama said. The Crown Princess smiled and nudged the meerkat.

"Hey, wake up." The Princess said. The meerkat shot up with a scream, glaring at the Princess.

"CARNIVORE!" He screamed. The warthog woke as well and screamed, both the males looking to the Princess.

"Hey, hey! I'm not here to eat you!" the Princess said. The meerkat stopped screaming and eyed her warily, then seemed to recognize her.

"HEY! You're Ashaki's kid! Um… Jolina, wasn't it?" He asked. The light beige lioness almost nodded in agreement, and then shook her head.

"Kamaria, my name's Kamaria."

A/N: ENTER TIMON AND PUMBAA! We also got to see before Jolina (belongs to T5Tango, NOT ME!) Zakiya, the Exalted Princess, whose daughter lead to the first Three Queens, although, the English translation said they were Three Kings, but I decided, hey, why not both? Zakiya's daughter, Ayita, had three daughters, and they were Three Queens, and then Zakiya's other daughter, Akili, had three sons, and they were the Three Kings. So I went with both translations. And how'd you like Uru, Kirembo, and Zula being the reincarnations of those Three Queens? I'm getting way in over my head here, but oh well. I also had Shujaa (deceased River King,) Fahamu (Zira and Kijani's son,) and Mpenzi (Nurisha and Myota's mother,) be the reincarnation of those Three Kings. Why? I felt like it. I like making up all kindsa lore for TLK! ^_^

Also, JJ is no more ;) I was a little tired of her being named after Jolina. I mean, Jolina isn't even mine. So, the Great Queens of the Past called her "Kamaria" which translates to "like the moon." Now JJ has taken up this name, her true name.

So, divine intervention is guiding Kamaria now. How do you like them apples? Review and stay tuned!