[FIN] Season your admiration for a while (Kalenda & Pur'Jed)

[Princess_Feylin]

Pur'Jed had spent the better part of a week working herself up to doing this, to approaching Queen Kalenda. It wouldn't have been so difficult, since the queen was not known for being unapproachable, but she had built Kalenda up in her head to be the pinnacle of all things royal. After all, if that wasn't the case, how could she possibly be the queen? For a cub accustomed to feeling superior to everyone in her vicinity, Pur had worked herself into quite a state.

Nevertheless, she put on her most pleasant expression and reminded herself of all her manners and the correct ways of addressing royalty that she could remember and set out to have an accidental encounter with the queen. Really, she just wanted to see the lady up close, and maybe exchange a few words with her. And if Queen Kalenda happened to decide that she was charming and make a pet of her, as queens in stories sometimes did, Pur had no objections.

It took her a while to find the queen, but when she did she was struck by the lioness's regal look. She didn't have a great deal of the monarchical purple, but she was very beautiful, Pur decided. Besides, the king was purple enough for the both of them. She slowed her pace and took a few more steps in Kalenda's direction before stopping altogether and sneezing very deliberately to catch the queen's attention.

Once she was sure the queen had at least heard her, she lowered her body to the ground in an unfamiliar gesture of respect, as given by an inferior to a superior. She even lowered her green eyes, though it took a great effort not to look up at Kalenda while she waited to be acknowledged and given permission to do so. She really just wanted to fill her eyes with the sight of the queen.  

[Lithiasaur]

Kalenda spent her morning with Leta and Fitinia attending her. True enough, they were the King's attendants, but she found them to be funny. A bit useless and not the best at their jobs, but considering the rest of their attendants were much too young and mostly Bwana's illegitimate children, attendants only in title, Kalenda didn't have much choice here.

She dismissed them, though, when their antics wore on her. Wandering from her royal den, she decided to go to visit the other members of her class, instead of going to visit the groundlings, or leaving the pride lands completely for a little while.

She wanted to get away from that insufferable 'king' for a little while. Or a lot of while.

She paused, however, when she saw a little cub heading her way. The only reason she had noticed was because the cub had sneezed. Holding herself up regally, something she did instinctively, from even before she had become queen, she watched the cub pad over slowly.

Nodding at the bow.

"You can get up, little one," Kalenda said easily, tilting her head. "What brings you here?" She looked the cub over, not seeing any marks of Bwana's genes in her. That was always a worry, and something she always looked at.  

[Princess_Feylin]

When the queen acknowledged her, Pur rose gratefully from her obeisance. She found that it didn't come easily to her. She was far too used to being the superior in any encounter, and didn't much care for being in the submissive position. Perhaps it was a good thing she saw the pride's royalty so rarely. Or maybe she could simply get into their good graces so that she wouldn't be required to make the full bow every time she saw them. That would suit her well enough.

"Thank you, your majesty," she replied. Her thanks came out as a squeak at first, much to her irritation. Those were not the cultured tones of a noble lion. Even the groundlings' elocution was better when they staged their plays. How humiliating!

"I wanted to see you," Pur said honestly. "My mother says me and my sisters - I mean my sisters and I - should try to behave like you, but I only see you at a distance most of the time. It's difficult to know what I'm supposed to behave that way."

She winced visibly. That wasn't at all what she'd meant to say when she spoke to the queen. She'd been rehearsing and rehearsing the right words, just like any performer might go over their lines, even practicing what gestures she would make as she spoke. And then her voice had squeaked. To make matters worse, when she tried to make up for her stupid voice, she'd just blurted out the stupidest combination of words imaginable, like some uneducated groundling. She could just die!

"I'm sorry. You're very different up close. Much more regal, like mother, but more." That made no sense either. Maybe she should just forget all about it. She was making an idiot of herself, and probably her mother, too. Maua would know what to say. She always did. Pur wished she was more like her mother.  

[Lithiasaur]

Kalenda seemed oblivious to the young girl's plight, the struggle to remain decorous lost on her. She was Queen, after all: no matter how she acted, she was high class. Not that she took advantage of that freedom too much. She just didn't have to stand on eggshells to make sure her behavior was right.

She was, most likely, the opposite of how most lionesses in her position would be. It seemed to make more sense for a queen to try and make sure she was the most well behaved, most polite and cultured.

Not Kalenda. She had too many other things to worry about to keep her mind on trivial things like that. She knew how to behave, and that was good enough. Whatever didn't naturally occur to her as polite was probably an insipid concept of strained, forced decorum anyway.

"If you want to behave like me," Kalenda said, with a growing smile that she was trying to hide, "you should relax a bit. I'm not something you should be intimidated or scared by. Though I do enjoy that quality in some members of this pride, pretty young cubs like you don't have to worry about it." She smiled. That wasn't entirely true. Cubs who had Bwana's blood in them had a whole lot to fear from her.

"I appreciate your compliments!" Kalenda laughed regally, shaking her head and easing herself down to lay near the cub. "Relax, sweetheart. I'm just like you, I promise. You can talk to me without looking so strained."  

[Princess_Feylin]

And now Pur was presented with a perplexing puzzle. Kalenda said that she didn't have to worry so much about behaving perfectly around her, but if that was right, then her mother was wrong. Maua was never wrong, and she couldn't be wrong about this. If she was, then maybe she was wrong about other things, like the importance of nobility within the pride. And that didn't fit with what Pur herself had observed of the common and middle classes. It was all very distressing to think of that.

"Yes, majesty," Pur said, putting the distressing thoughts from her mind. Relaxing was good advice at least. Pur wanted very much to follow it, but rather like trying not to think of an elephant, being told to relax made it almost impossible to actually do so.

"I'm not afraid of you," she hastened to add.

She didn't want the queen to think that. Because she wasn't. She wasn't even sure she was all that intimidated any more. The queen's attitude so far reminded her more of how Nyota liked the groundlings to treat her like a lion that just happens to be purple. Which was an idiotic idea, but among nobility it made sense for people to be allowed to be less decorous.

"It isn't that. I just don't want to say the wrong thing. Mother would be disappointed if I did. My sisters mostly don't behave as they should, and so I try to be extra good for mother."

Now Pur was treading more carefully, the queen's friendly demeanor reminding her of her father and how he treated everyone equally. If the queen was one of those people who believed that commoners and even groundlings were people 'just like' the nobility, Pur would have to make sure not to say anything to contradict her, even though she and her mother disagreed.

She barely restrained herself from asking if the queen really thought she was pretty. You didn't ask that sort of thing. Not of anyone, but particularly not of a queen. Instead she thanked Kalenda prettily. She was good at that.

"May I ask you a question? Other than that, I mean. Because I was wondering how you became queen." A matter of great personal interest to Pur.  

[Lithiasaur]

Kalenda watched the young cub thoughtfully. She was picking up a very entitled air from the little girl, but that wasn't surprisingly. The Upper Class seemed to require it in themselves, mostly, and she understood their sense of entitlement. Or at least, she understood where it came from.

She didn't know if she felt like Bwana on the subject or not, and had no idea what the 'King' would do in his coming reign, but as far as she was concerned the nobility class was fine. Sure, they could be jerks, but there was some kind of definition between them and the Groundlings. That was not to say, however, that she didn't like the Groundlings. She adored them, really, because they were fun. But they weren't very classy.

As far as pelt colors went, she was drawn to purple coats by nature. It had been instilled in her to look for them from a young age, that they were best and beautiful. She couldn't help it. But she knew a Groundling, a half leopard, lion female that had newly come to the pride, that had a beautiful purple coat. She knew not all that was considered beautiful by the pride was found in the highest classes, so trying to separate everyone by arbitrary groups seemed a bit archaic to her. An old way of thinking that didn't match to the new movement of the pride.

But she didn't want to be the one to try and change anything. Because change, ultimately, just brought problems.

She blinked when the cub asked her a question. Tilting her head slightly, the Queen looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I suppose I fell in love with the right guy," she hummed, shaking her head. She smiled. "He was my friend, you see, before he came to the throne. Well. Friend might be a bit of a stretch... we liked to tease each other, and were in constant competition. Then he ran away and I went to find him, and I was very angry with him. But he came back, and I found him, and I suppose things just... fell into place. Of course he's still a lying, no good floozy of a lion, King or not. I don't recommend you tell your mom I said that, though."

She laughed, a pretty, deep sound that made her eyes light up. "He just needs some work, is all. He's not used to being King or, really, responsible at all. I do love him though," she sounded a bit wistful there, a smile on her face, "I really do."  

[Princess_Feylin]

Pur knew she hadn't been invited to do so, but when Kalenda began to talk about how she ended up as queen she realized that there was going to be a story, and stories were best heard when seated or lying down. No one had ever told her any of this. They'd not mentioned that the king and queen had known each other before they became rulers. No one had mentioned that the king had run away, either. She'd been allowed to believe this was the way the pride had always been.

She was intrigued. And then she was captivated. The queen's story was so romantic. They'd probably liked each other for the entirety of their childhood and never realized it until the king went away, which was why the queen went after him. Not just because she was angry with him. Or maybe she was angry with him for leaving her. That was ever so romantic.

Right up to the point where the queen called the king a lying, no good floozy of a lion. Pur knew there was some scandal involving the king and his cubs, but she didn't know what it was, really. The cubs, she'd been told, were not good people for her to befriend, but she also shouldn't go out of her way to make life difficult for them. She was to act as if they didn't exist. Pur thought it was a fun game.

"I think she might agree with you," Pur said. "But I won't tell her you said that."

She liked the idea of having a secret with the queen. Even a little one. It made her feel very special. So did being told about how she and the king ended up together. Pur was glad she'd asked. It was much better to hear it from the queen. And it was good to know that the queen loved the king, even if she was angry with him. She'd heard enough stories and watched enough plays about lions and lionesses forced into loveless marriages that she didn't really want anyone to end up in a similar relationship.

"I'm sure he loves you, too, even if he's still learning to be king. The one doesn't have to do with the other, really, does it?" At least, that's what she thought. Maybe she was wrong. But then there were the groundlings, who weren't really good for much, but could be very loving, if Nyota was to be believed.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself," she blurted out in a moment of horror. "I'm Pur'Jed. My father is Kuvunjwa Kivuli and my mother is Mwitu Maua."  

[Lithiasaur]

Kalenda was feeling nostalgic and romantic by the time she was done with her little story, though she knew she shouldn't be. She had to remind herself that Bwana was a jerk, and he had gone off and had cubs with other lionesses while they were separated. Not that it was even a legitimate separation: they had not been a true mated pair until she had returned to the pride and he took her as his queen.

It meant he wasn't a cheater, but he was still a jerk.

Having to see those damn cubs every day was difficult on a good day, and damn near impossible at every other time. Especially that Borachio boy, who was dead set on having Kalenda as his friend, and babbled to her non-stop about every and anything. Every word out of his mouth was like nails on a chalk board to her, even though he was, in reality, a very sweet young boy.

She grinned at the company she was keeping, though, nodding her head, "good," she said, as if reading the other's mind, "it will be our secret. I know I can trust you with it."

Chuckling at the younger girl's comments about the king, she nodded. It was strange, but Kalenda imagined the cub was probably right. Even without titles, they would love each other in their complicated, hostile way.

"It's very good to meet you, Pur'Jed! You can call me Kalenda, if you like. Everyone else should call me 'your highness', or 'my lady', but I think I'd like you to be my friend, and friends don't have to use such names. Is that okay with you?"  

[Princess_Feylin]

Pur watched the queen's expression soften throughout the telling of her story and noted how the softness lingered even after she called her husband the king a cheating floozy. She knew it was none of her business, but she thought the queen looked very beautiful when she her face was soft like that. She would have liked to tell the fair-furred lioness that, but it really didn't seem like something she could work into the conversation without having it sound contrived or false. She settled for smiling and keeping her admiration to herself for the time being.

"Thank you. And you can. Trust me, that is. I know how to be discrete. Mother says that a lady should always be discrete in her doings and shouldn't indulge in idle gossip." And her mother followed her own advice for the most part, but that didn't prevent her from making scathing remarks at home, when there was no one to hear but her family and the servants. Pur was learning some of her best put-downs and catty remarks that way. She loved having a clever mother.

Pur smiled as the queen chuckled. She had pleased the queen so much that she'd laughed. It was a good feeling, and it made her feel all warm and bubbly inside. Giddy might be the word to describe it, if she was going to look for an exact term. She didn't turn her mind to that, though. She was actually in a state of near-bliss when the queen - the queen! - said that she could call her by her given name and that she wanted to be friends.

"Oh! May I really? Thank you!" Pur practically squealed as she thanked the queen. "You could call me Pur, if you like. My friends and family all do."

The purple cub could barely contain her glee at the way this meeting was going. She'd entered it so awkwardly, and yet it was turning out so wonderfully. She hated to ruin the perfect moment, which was so far the fondest in her memory, but there was a question she was dying to ask...

"Your...Kalenda. May I ask...What will become of the other cubs?" She put it as delicately as she could. Mostly she was told not to go near them or talk to them if it could be avoided. The king may want to show them favor, but they were still natural children, as the saying went. She understood that meant they weren't the queen's cubs, but she didn't know what would become of them.

"I'm sorry if it's an impertinent question. You don't have to answer," Pur said hastily.  

[Lithiasaur]

Kalenda, purring softly, watched as the cub lit up with happiness. She smiled, thinking that kids weren't too bad, even if some of them were more annoying than others. So long as she never had any cubs like that Borachio, she would be okay. But who knew? Maybe his annoying personality came from his father's genes.

She wouldn't put it past Bwana to pass something like that on to his children, legitimate or not.

Not that it mattered: it would be a while yet before she even considered cubs with that lion. He was still in the proverbial dog house, and would be until he sufficiently apologized and placated his Queen.

At the cub's question, though, Kalenda bristled, then looked thoughtful.

"Well, Pur," she said slowly, trying her best to be regal and civil, "though I have made if very clear how I feel about those children, they are still attendants to the King, and of some upper class blood. They deserve to be treated like any other children around here. They're not bad lions, just because their parents did something that angered the Queen. So... what will become of them is their own choosing. For now they serve the King, and after they can decide what life they want to live in the pride, as any other member."

She knew it was a bit more complicated than that. With half the King's blood in them, there would be struggles for power and right, but at the moment she didn't see any of those cubs trying for anything as long as they were raised properly and not treated unfairly. The key to avoiding trouble in the future, with this lot at least, was to kill them with kindness.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Pur sat up attentively and listened to the queen describe the role of the king's other children. She was glad that she wasn't like them, and that her parents were married before they had her, and that her parents weren't fighting like Kalenda and the king. Her parents disagreed sometimes, but their problems never seemed to be that serious. Maybe it was because they were only nobility and didn't have problems as important as more important people's.

"When you have cubs, they'll be princesses and princes, won't they?" Pur asked. "Will I be allowed to play with them?"

Pur sometimes wished there were more cubs among the nobility for her to play with. She could understand why Nyota felt that she had to seek farther afield, though she disagreed with her choice of playmates. The choices were truly limited. There were Pur's siblings and the king's children, and Pur wasn't supposed to play with the king's children because they weren't the queen's. Her mother had made sure she knew that.

"I'd be a good influence." Her mother always complained about bad influences, and so even though Pur wasn't sure what an influence was, she thought it would be worth mentioning that she'd be a good one.

"Nyota always runs off to play with the groundlings because there aren't too many noble cubs, but I don't because it upsets mother." Maybe she shouldn't have said that. If the groundlings were bad influences, would having a sister who played with them make her a bad influence, too?  

[Lithiasaur]

Kalenda smiled, actually blushing under her light fur as the cub mentioned the queen's own cubs. She was surprised that the girl would ask such a personal question, though she didn't mind it. Since she couldn't talk about cubs to Bwana at the moment, it was nice to have a little outlet in this young source.

"They will. And the first born son will bet he heir to the throne."

She chuckled, shaking her head slowly. She couldn't yet imagine having an heir, since she was so angry with her King.

"Of course you're be able to play with them. If it takes a little while for them to be born, I might even get you to help me take care of them. They'll need a good babysitter, if the King and Queen are busy."  

[Princess_Feylin]

It took a moment for it to sink in because of the queen's smile, but Pur did realize that she'd gone too far in questioning her. She'd simply been so elated that Kalenda had given her permission to call her by her name, rather than her title and the associated honorifics and had said that they could be friends that her common sense had apparently turned off. How mortifying.

She dropped her green gaze to her paws and murmured apologetically, "Forgive me. My question. It was inappropriate."

Even as she apologized, though, Pur couldn't help thinking how fortunate Kalenda's children would be. They would be princesses and one of them would be heir to the throne. That one, in particular, she wanted to meet. She was too naive still to have any real concept of scheming, but she knew that the best person to befriend besides the king and queen themselves would be the heir. She hoped he would be pleasant, and appreciative of his rank and duty. It would kill her if the heir turned out to be like Nyota.

"I don't know much about babysitting," Pur said doubtfully. "But if that's what you want me to do, I'll learn. It is a generous offer."

Her aunt had chosen to do something akin to that after returning to the pride, she knew, but that decision still baffled her, as it was not a royal ranking. Pur wasn't sure she wanted to be a nurse maid, even to the heirs. It seemed like a bit of a step-down from noble. Still, she wasn't about to complain about that to the queen. Not so soon after her last gaffe. She really just wanted to change the subject.

Maybe she should just come up with something really charming and endearing to say and leave soon. If she could think of anything charming and endearing.

"I...ah..." She closed her mouth. If she couldn't think of anything to say, she shouldn't just make sounds until something came to mind. That would only succeed in making her look like one of the uneducated, uncultured commoners.

"I should probably be going. Unless there was something else you wanted? My mother will wonder where I've gotten to."  

[Lithiasaur]

Kalenda laughed, shaking her head. This cub was sure cute, and she didn't mind all the questions or the awkwardness. She was used to it: as queen, a lot of lions around the pride just didn't know how to treat her. Which was completely fair, as she was fleeting in her moods, and demanded different levels of respect and treatment for various groups within the pridelands.

"Oh, no, please. You didn't go too far, don't worry. If we're going to be friends, you can ask me what you want, without thinking it inappropriate." Unless she asked something truly inappropriate, but Kalenda didn't add that bit. She imagined things were confusing enough for the cub as it was.

She watched the cub thoughtfully as she seemed to consider the offer of babysitting. Smiling, the queen nodded her head, then moved to do something a bit surprising. She nuzzled the young lioness affectionately, as if to pat her on the back and reassure her. Standing regally, she nodded.

"I should be off, as well, I think. But thank you for your company. I didn't mean to keep you too long, or from you mother. We'll talk again one day, I'm sure, and I look forward to having you over to see any cubs we may or may not have. Your family are welcome to visit, if the royal litter does appear soon."

She grinned at that. Poor Bwana was going to have a tough time reading her: she was angry with him and in love with him. It was not the best place for him. But she was certainly going to make the most of it. With that, she bowed her head to the cub, as she might do to a friend, and then turned to pad off, back toward the royal dens. She wanted to see Bwana now, and talk to him. Maybe. Or smack him in the face.

Either way.

End!