I'm back again! Yay, I managed a quick update. Probably cuz I had some free time at school and got a bunch of this chapter done in my notebook… still, it counts!

Here we see some interesting between our new queenie and Zalim, oh boy…

I don't own Ice Age.

Enjoy!

As Raz turned around her golden eyes met a pair of gleaming ruby ones. For a long moment they held one another's gaze, before simultaneously moved on to observe further, to be honest, Raz wasn't that impressed. She'd been expecting someone… scarier. Not an albino procoptodon jack with ruby eyes. He was slightly taller, a head and a half; not alarmingly so. 'Well he don' look so bad.' She thought.

Zalim looked her up and down for a moment. She was everything he demanded, her fur was a nice unique hue of purplish pink, her horizontal stripes violet gray. He was slightly taken about by her coloring, it had been long enough as it was since he'd encountered a doe of his used-to-be mortal species, but all the time he'd been immortal (and beforehand even), he'd never seen someone with such… exotic fur. But her eyes were what truly captivated his attention; her metallic orbs. Not just their color, but… that- that spark they had. They held courage, aggression, bravery, a fiery adventurous spirit. Just one glance at those bright golden eyes told much about her. Just what he wanted. A beautiful warrior.

Raz blinked. "You're Zalim?"

"Correct M'lady." With impossible speed he'd grabbed her hand and kissed the top. "Might I acquire your name?"

She jerked her hand back, frowning at him, obviously unimpressed. "I'm Raz. Yer oh-so-lucky t'be bride."

"I presumed so." At the snap of his fingers his chair slid out, and he took his seat, golden platter and chalice appearing before him. He raised the goblet appreciatively. "To my lovely new wife." He sipped the red wine. Apparently, the cooks had learned their lesson when one had been killed the other day; this time it was sweet and tasting more of grapes and strawberries than actual wine. "Claw seems to have done well enough. He shall live to see another day."

"YEEEE-ES!"

At Raz's questioning glance to the door, Zalim's temper flared. Not only was that panther spying, he'd disrupted his queen! His new queen! Unacceptable! Zalim summoned the blue flames, his deadliest weapon, getting a good mental grip on Claw's life aura. Then he snapped his fingers.

A howl of excruciating pain made Raz jump. A moment later, the distant echo of bones clattering to the floor made little Opal shudder, still sitting cross-legged on the tabletop beside her platter. Raz slipped her a piece of raspberry to calm her down and distract her.

"Midnight." Zalim summoned the wolf with a wave of his hand. "Dispose of the bones in the hall."

She bowed the best she could, being a four-leggerm dipping her head and neck, stretching her front legs forwards a bit. "Yes My Lord. Milady she bowed to Raz as well. "I wish you a pleasant first night." And she was gone.

Raz stared in the direction she'd left for a moment. "Did you do that?"

"Of course, my dear."

She glared at him heatedly. "Don' call me tha."

"Yes, yes, of course." He dismissed boredly, running his sharp eyes to Opal, still munching away happily on the piece of flambé Raz had given her. "Opal, leave us."

The rabbit scrambled to her feet, dropping her little morsel of food in the process. She hurriedly slid down the table leg, ready to hastily leave, but Raz said "Wait!" she stopped. She couldn't disobey her, after all.

"Yes Raz?"

Zalim bristled at this. Slamming a fist down, he exploded. "YOU'LL TREAT HER WITH RESPECT!" he boomed. "OR I'LL-"

"HEY!"Raz was out of her chair and getting in his face in a second. "Now jus hold on a sec'n, Lord Blackheart!" she prodded him in the chest with each word, fierce golden eyes glowing with rage anger as they glared into his. "Ya leave the poor kid alone. She ain't done nothing wrong!"

His red eyes flashed and he stood up as well. He wasn't used to this kind of treatment; it was always he that gave the orders, always it he that did the commanding and shouting. "Correction, my darling." His voice was strained and calm. You could tell he was making his best effort not to yell at his new bride. "She knows the proper way of addressing you. Yet she did not."

"Maybe cuz I told 'er not to!" Raz snapped. "And don' call me that. I might be bein forced inta marryin ya, but tha don' mean I gotta be happy about it, that don't mean I hafta act happy about it, I don' hafta treat ya with any respect and I most cert'nly ain't yer darlin. I ain't yer dear, I ain't yer darlin, I ain't ya sweethar', I ain't yer nothin! And on top a' evrathin else" she slammed her fist down so hard the table shook. "I most certainly in the name'a the kracken don't hafta put up with you goin off on some sweet lit'l girl!"

She glare dfor amoment more, making sure she'd gotten her point across. Then she stepped back from the table, grabbing her plate and drink. "C'mon Opal." Her voice was icy. "Let's go. We're 'avin dinner in ku room." The rabbit could only follow in a shocked daze.

Zalim watched them go. This girl was… incredible. Amazing. She had the nerve to talk back, stand up to him; she was brave. He'd give her that. While he wasn't fond of the obvious disrespect, he liked her fiery spirit. Already he was very much impressed. She was sassy. She was strong. She was courageous. She was a bit ill-tempered.

In other words, his perfect match.

When she was long gone, he still stood there, still watching the door, head tilted to the left, expression dazed. She'd managed to do what no one had in a long, long, long time. She'd earned his respect. She was special.

And, even better. For the first time in a few thousand years, Zalim smiled. Not cruelly, not angrily, not with any awful desire. But actually a genuine, happy little smile. When he realized was smiling, smiling because of her, he realized something. He was already becoming smitten. "Wow…"

Hiya, again! How'd ya'll like it. So, as you can see, Raz ain't too happy with him… wonder what she and Opal are up to. Please review! No one reviewed my last chapter yet D: