Akane liked to dream of worlds that didn't involve drama and heart ache. She would walk through tall grasses covered white, like the snow she had heard stories of. Shifts of rock would spring up all around her, peaked in the stuff, and if she just reached out far enough she could even feel the stones against her paws.
But, that was in her dreams. Reality was a crueler world where royalty breathed down the neck of her family all because of her sisters mouth. The distanced lioness padded around in the mid day sun, kicking up stones and pondering dreams. She should have been resting for the hunt, but her mind was a whirl. Today would bring nothing, but trouble, she knew it.
Kyria's agitated pacing served only to cause worry and tension within her family, so she took it elsewhere for once. She had a plan, a genius plan, one that would surely bring Tsubaki crawling home to her, but she had to make sure that one little hitch wouldn't unravel the whole thing. That hitch being Uzoma. That surly, grumpy, red-pelted urchin had been nothing but a thorn in her side since birth, and now it was harder than ever to deny the chemistry between her beloved Tsubaki and the cretin.
She had to stop it, here and now.
"Akane!" The Princess padded over to the younger female, a determination in her stride that served only as a warning for trouble. "Akane, where is your sister? I need to speak with her at once."
"Which sister, your grace? You'll have to be more specific." Great Gods and spirits above, trouble really had shown up. She'd no more than sat down when her dark eyes had spotted that brown pelted whirlwind coming straight for her.
Her paws came to a grinding halt, one that included her entire body puffing up and an angry scowl on her face. "You know exactly which sister I'm talking about, and I won't have you hiding her! Bring her to me right now or-"
Kyria paused, and started to think for once in her life. If she were to chat with Uzoma, surely it would only end in a screaming match that would draw the attention of her mothers and sisters. She couldn't bare to see the disappointment in their eyes one more time, and yet...."Perhaps you'll do." She stated slowly, giving a good long look to the young Huntress before her. "If I told about a plan of mine, would you be more willing to assist me, or rat me out?"
Pale paws shifted infront of her as the apathetic girl gave her Princess a droll stare. For once so far up on the food chain, as far as the pride was concerned, she certainly wasn't the crafiest rock in the pile. "You could use with subtley," Akane said at length. "But I'll listen to you, and make my judgement later. I can say that if it has nothing to do with usurping the Queen or the Heir, or bringing ruin to us all I'll more than likely go along with it. I could use with a challenge; boredom doesn't suit me."
Indeed, if Kyria had a plan of any merit she could see it through to the end, if only for curiosities sake.
Perfect. The royal lioness paced from side to side, running through the scenario in her head, trying to choose the best place to start. What could she say? What WOULD she say?
"I'm going to go looking for a surrogate soon, in the rogue lands," She stated, almost as if the twit wouldn't be able to figure it out on her own. "And when I do, I'm taking Tsubaki with me. If she disagrees, like I know she will, I'll simply beg my mother to ask her to go. If I say it sweet enough, like 'I just can't go without her' she'll agree to help, I know it. If not, I have sisters." She halted and turned back to Akane. "While I'm gone we'll bond, and by the time we come back, which won't be until we're mated, that much I'm certain of, we'll be happy."
"And just how is all of that of any use to me? All you're trying to do is force Tsubaki into loving you, which is a stupid idea to begin with, but whatever." Akane stated bluntly. Seriously? This was Kyria's bright idea? The plan she'd so secretly crafted? A cub could come up with a better idea! "What about it is supposed to make her fall madly in love with you? Or even keep her? And what do you need me for?"
She contemplated telling Uzoma the whole thing just for shits and giggles. Her sister would have a BALL poking holes in the entire thing, much like she was doing now.
Kyria puffed up like a bird trying to mate, and felt steam practically eeking out of her ears."It will so work! It has to work!" If it didn't Tsubaki would leave her for Uzoma and her tricks. It had her balling her claws into balls on the ground. "You're going to tell Tsubaki all of the nice things I've done for you, and then when we're gone you're going to say how much Tsubaki talked about me to her so she'll stop trying to take her away. Got it?" It was so simple that Akane could pull it off, so why was there such an issue with it?
And why was she so afraid it wouldn't work?
Akane rolled over onto her stomach and gave her Princess a droll stare. "This has to be the most assinine plan I've ever heard." She stated bluntly, rolling her eyes when Kyria fumed again about this, that or the other. Holding up a paw, she stopped the princess. "I've help you out, just so that I can get my sister away from someone you're obviously not going to let go without a hissy fit. I don't want Uzoma involved in that."
As bored as she was of Kyria and her plots, she really wouldn't subject her poor sister to this torture. Tsubaki was on her own. "Good luck getting this all around Makoto, though. Don't think for a second that once she learns about all this she won't be telling your mom and having your a** tore."
The cackling Princess merely grinned. "You've underestimated me once again, Akane! Mother won't find out, and neither will Makoto until they are grandmother's to our cubs." In her mind her family could be even tighter for it, and all would be happy and pleasant and good. It even involved little birds and flowers.
"I'm trusting you in this, Akane. Don't let me down." Rising from her spot, she left the white lioness. This was going to work one way or another, she just needed to make sure she was ready for whatever came her way.
(WC: 1,160)
