[PRP] Strange Times

[Talencia]

Maua had been thinking very hard of late. She had taken a good deal of time to absorb the changes in the pride, observing and considering her options. Previously it seemed like there would be no way for her to ever rise above being merely middle-class. But now... now it seemed as if there was the possibility of opportunity. Their new king, though rising through bloody means, clearly preferred to bestow favor on those who supported and offered beneficial assistance.

Her problem, of course, was that she had nothing to offer. Oh, she at least had the distant claim of being cousins of some sort, but that would hardly be enough. Shanyue was not the sentimental sort, that much was painfully obvious. In fact, Maua suspected she had more in common with her cousin than her siblings or even her mother might suspect. She wanted the same things. Power. Influence.

Her duties finished for the evening, she was strolling along near the waterhole when she spotted one of her pale brothers. Her gaze focused more as she realized it was Vesper. She'd heard some rather intriguing rumors about the company he was keeping lately, and she knew well by now that rumors tended to spring from truths. Time to get to the bottom of this one.

She sauntered over, all relaxed grace and veiled slyness. "Hello brother," she greeted him warmly, stepping close to bump her head against his jaw briefly. "You look troubled." She sat and gave him a look meant to be sympathetic and inviting of confidence. "Is all not well with you?" Nevermind that little of her heart was really in what she said. Maua was long used to being manipulative and appearing more sweet and sincere than she really was. Where she got that trait, who could say?  

[Talencia]

She watched closely as her brother nearly jumped out of his skin before registering who she was. How very... odd. His words only amplified the sense that something was off, rather than the intended assurance that all was well. His abrupt question further confirmed her sense that he was involved in something he wasn't sure about.

She flicked her ears and drew her brows together in thought at the question. "Yes, a cousin of some sort." Like our king is, she added mentally. She wasn't entirely sure of who approved of Shangyue and who did not. Some were obvious about it, but most were ambiguous in their indications, whether by uncertainty or caution. It made sense to keep her intended allegiance to herself for now, though. "I really don't know much about the slaves," she added disdainfully, raising one paw and extending her claws to examine them minutely. Though, she had to admit, they did have the new royal guard that stemmed from the slaves. That was one faction that bore investigating.

"Why?" she suddenly asked him, dropping her paw to stare intently at him. "Is that who you've been hanging around lately?" She reined in her outward expression and softened her face to a mood more suitable for sibling soothing.  

[Talencia]

Hmm. A mad lioness taking her brother as a confidante... this could have potential use. Granted, she was likely harmless, for the most part anyway. Still... she attempted to keep the frown of thought from her face. It was rather serious to accuse their King of turning away the Great Lion from them as a whole pride. Her ears twitched as she forced them to remain upright rather than pin back in displeasure. So many had already abandoned the pride, clearly they thought the same as this lioness.

"Others felt that way, I think," she said carefully, "but they just left. Why does she stay if she thinks the Great Lion has deserted us?" This was actually an excellent question, and made her suspicious that perhaps this distant cousin of theirs was planning something. If she did, and Vespar shared those plans with her... her heartbeat quickened. It would give her something to present to Shangyue to gain his favor! She stemmed her excitement to put on a more proper sisterly attitude. "You aren't thinking of leaving with her, are you?" She managed to put enough concern and alarm into her voice to hopefully fool her excitable and overwhelmed brother. She assuaged her conscience by telling it that she'd protect him when things fell apart with this Nyeusi. That was being a good sister, wasn't it?

Ecavi

 

[Talencia]

Maua thought hard. There were many "if"s here. If she was indeed planning something, if it was worthy of telling the King, if her brother stayed close enough to stay in her confidence, if her brother kept talking this freely about what went on... she needed to figure out how to pare down the iffs a bit.

"She sounds like a troubled soul," she said quietly, eyes lowered and tone tinged with concern. "A troubled and uneasy heart that needs someone to show her that life is still good and worth living." Her eyes flashed open and darted to her brother. It could have been mistaken for alarm, though in truth it was a sudden bright idea. "Oh dear, you should keep a close eye on her! What if she hasn't left because... well, she intends to end her own life?!" She let her eyes grow wider, rounder, and her whiskers drooped. She couldn't manage to keep her tail still, though, and it twitched and slithered behind her like a snake. "If you are the only one she trusts...," she let her suggestion trail off and waited expectantly for the reaction that would ensure that Vesper would be in position to learn all he possibly could about this cousin of theirs.  

[Talencia]

Yes yes yes! This was what she wanted. She moved closer to him and put a paw around his shoulders as best she could. "For our cousin's good, you should stay close and make sure she remains safe." She shook her head sadly, as if dwelling on the possible, undesirable outcomes to the strange behavior of Nyeusi. "You are a good cousin to endure her strange ways for her own safety. I don't think I would have the courage or the patience." Wasn't that the truth!

She patted him on the shoulder with her paw and bumped her head against his jaw briefly. "I'm here if you need any help, of course. I just don't think I'd deal as well as you have with her going on about the Great Lion's favor like that." She let her pelt shiver. "It's too creepy and frightening." Ah well, Maua wasn't going to get where she wanted to be without some lies mixed in with truths. That was how it was supposed to work, right? She fixed in her mind how badly she wanted to rise in power, which wasn't a difficult thing to do, and steeled herself against the wrong she was doing.