Hēidào was busy at work. Though she was labelled a criminal, she couldn't care one way or another. Being only one of two criminals meant that she had power. Those of the middle class seemed to fear her, and she was able to sneer at them and chase the timid ones away. Pathetic. At the beginning of her sentence, she was dismayed at the idea of being trapped in this stupid pride. As time went on, she began to develop a complex relationship with the pride, and now she didn't want to leave. She didn't really want to stop being a criminal, either. If she kept her head low enough, and only did petty crimes, she highly doubted that anyone would try sentencing her to death. Hēidào wasn't stupid enough to attempt murder, or steal from the Lady. No, she would just get by on what she knew, and satiate her other desires. There were so many males here, so many that were just full of energy; ripe for the picking. As marriage wasn't forced in the pride, she was careful to make sure she wouldn't carry any cubs, but she could fool around with any of the middle class males that she wanted to. Few could resist her dark coat and silky tongue."Aahhh, perfect," she mused to herself, seeing hew newest prey emerge before her. She had her eye on him for a while, the silly, timid little bard. She believed that there was a deeper side to him, always attached to his mother and yet pushed himself away from her at the same time. No father figure meant that he wasn't sure what he wanted in life, and Hēidào was certain that she could convince him what he may want. She just may play with him for a while longer.
"Shuangzizuo," she purred, calling to him as she reclined on a small stone. It was just big enough for her to relax on, and gave her just enough lift to elevate her to a more appealing height. "Are you busy?"
Zuo wasn't expecting a voice, nor was he expecting to hear his name. His starry-marked ears popped up, swiveling around until his vivid orange eyes caught sight of the lioness. Oh. Her. He had been warned to keep his distance from her, though a deep part of him wondered if it was because the other males just wanted her for himself. She seemed the type to control everything around her, regardless of the fact that she was the lowest class member of the West house.
"N-no," he answered, unsure of what it was someone like her would want with him. He was a bard, but not a skilled one yet. He figured that she wanted whatever little he could offer, and the temptation was too much for the young male.
Yes. Come to me, she thought. I will eat you up and decide whether to keep you or move on like the other boys. She grinned as he approached her, already tasting victory. "I must ask, have you heard the rumor going around about our lovely Duke?" she asked, pretending to me quite shocked. "Its just incredible, I can't believe our Lord and Lady haven't done a thing to put the rumors to rest!"
Zuo looked confused. "What rumors?" The bard never paid much attention to them, as they usually were so full of impossible things that they weren't worth listening too. The females seemed to eat them up just as much as whatever popular love ballad was streaming through the house in demand. He was very tired of playing "Lover at the Lake," and hoped something new would come around. "I haven't heard of anything."
Hēidào laid a paw to rest on her cheek, for emphasis. "Why, our Duke Zhōng Jīliè is getting married! Outside of Tianxia!" She had heard the rumor from someone else, but she was ready to make it sound more truthful than she had heard. Besides...the Pridelands? She knew that was where her parents were from, and she had been born in a pride that opposed what it stood for. Disgusting. She was already bothered enough that the entire pride had a level of diplomacy with the Pridelands, but the West having a direct connection? Ugh. If only she was brave enough to make a move, but she wasn't that stupid.
"Wha...really? But, wouldn't there be a celebration about that? I'm sure that the Empress would love to strengthen her ties with that pride, as I've heard that they have the numbers, but not the best resources to keep them all in top strength. I know the Empress would love to bolster our numbers, especially in North." The West was such a huge house that no one really needed to boast about it, but the other houses were lacking in numbers. Sometimes he missed his sister, who moved to the East, but it was a good move on her part for two reasons.
"Oh yes. He's going to leave us soon, I tell you. Must have gotten a mighty fine offering of a woman, if you know what I mean." She shifted her weight again on the stone, making sure that she seemed like quite a woman herself. "The fact that the Lord and Lady aren't denying it must mean that its true."
Zuo wasn't an idiot, and he thought he knew what Hēidào was trying to do. He felt like he shouldn't give in to it, but the male just couldn't let the idea of being with her go. He had heard...many things about her, enough to make him blush at the thought of them. His curiosity and the apparent invitation she offered him had won.
"I-I'm sure...I mean...they must have a r-reason," he stammered, trying to clear his head and not think such lewd things. Hēidào had snagged him up, and she couldn't wait. The rumor could be damned, but it was helping her get what she wanted, so she could only thank the silly, careless Duke in giving her the perfect fodder to grab this prey. Pity he wouldn't know, but that was how life worked. She enjoyed these shadows, and he could have the limelight of the rumor mill that the West was tossing about.
Zuo had no idea what he was getting into, or at least how deep it would go, but he willingly followed her like a lovestruck bonehead when she swayed her hips and told him to follow her. He was smitten, and the lioness had no idea how deeply his infatuation with her would last after this moment.
(1,104 words)