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 Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:08 am
Orion was hiding. He made no effort to disguise that fact, he simply didn't know what else to do. He was sitting in the back of his den, as far away from the world as he felt he could get, staring at the ground and thinking angry, unhappy thoughts. He had been trying not to take a stand one way or another in all of the things going on around the pride, not a very active one anyway. He had supported Halili's decision to refuse the offer to become a royal guard because they agreed Shangyue didn't deserve their support, but that was about as far as his stand went.
Of course, they expected consequences of some kind. Orion was surprised to find out what exactly they were, though. It was a fairly simple situation but he couldn't shake his uneasy feelings and just accept it. He was not a good choice for this, the only way it made sense was that Shangyue was trying to make it hard for them, having fun messing with them.
That had to be it.
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:15 am
 Despite the impending coronation several days hence, Halili was smiling as she worked and cheerful to everyone, regardless of who they were or where they stood on the issue of Shangyue. True, she didn't support him as a ruler, but there wasn't much she could do aside from what had already been done. And no, her father hadn't forgiven her for standing against him, but the possibility was there, the door still open. Which was, all things considered, better than she could have hoped for. So the lioness was in a very good mood as she returned to her den. She hadn't seen Orion all day, but that happened sometimes. She knew that he'd return to their home and she would see him there. As she entered the den, Halili realized that her missing mate was, in fact, home. Well, he must've finished whatever his duties had been earlier. No big deal. And as there were no children around to worry about at the moment, it was just the two of them. How wonderful! The smile faded as the lioness came into the depths of the den where Orion was glaring at the ground. It was an expression that she'd never seen on her mate's face before and this unexpected appearance sent a frission of worry through her. "Orion? Is something wrong?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:26 am
Orion, despite all of his paranoia, didn't even notice Halili's arrival. He nearly jumped out of his fur when she suddenly spoke to him, looking up-- and his tension only seemed to ease slightly when he realized it was his mate. He didn't want to talk to anybody, that's why he was hiding. Didn't know how to explain anything to anybody, especially his own family. Was he supposed to have taken a stand? It would certainly have ended badly but was that the only acceptable end? It wasn't what had happened!
"Halili," he breathed, trying to find the rest of the words he needed to say but coming up with nothing. This wouldn't do.
"Yes."
It was something!
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:31 am
Well, this was not reassuring in the least. He'd admitted that something was wrong (which was, admittedly, better than she could do in a similar situation) but had yet to provide any clarification as to what was wrong. She tried to keep calm, but after the pair of good days she'd just had, the lioness really didn't want any more problems in her family. And she had a sneaking suspicion that if something was wrong with Orion, Shangyue or that damned shadow of his, Firaga, must be behind it.
"What's wrong Orion?" Halili asked urgently. "If you don't tell me, I can't help you." She desperately wanted, no needed!, to help her mate. She knew how awful it had felt when she kept that secret and how the longer it festered the harder it had been to wrench it out of her heart. She hated to imagine such a thing happening to her beloved Orion.
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:38 am
He looked at Halili, immediately feeling guilty for the panic he was causing her by not speaking quickly. There was no good way to spit it out, he didn't know where to start. It wasn't a very nice story and the end of it was the biggest thing.
"Shangyue came to talk to me," he said, simplifying the story a great deal and making it sound far better than it was, "I've joined the royal guards."
The look on his face made it clear that the situation wasn't so simple, his utter loathing for himself and the situation impossible to miss. He wasn't supposed to let it show, though, especially when telling the story like he played an active part in what happened (as he was instructed).
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:46 am
Lavender eyes grew wide and Halili's legs nearly gave way underneath her as the meaning of those eleven words penetrated. The lioness sprawled next to her mate, gaze never leaving his face as she stared at him in horror. They'd known there would be consequences but...this? This was...was...raaaaaaargh!
Now she knew how her father had felt the other night. Halili's claws flicked out and she absently scratched them repeatedly against the floor of the den as she tried to make sense of what Orion had just told her.
No doubt there was more to the story than those simple words, but she knew that he'd no more interest than she did in serving as Shangyue's pets! Which meant...the Heir had made some sort of threat. She refused to believe that Orion would give in so easily.
Well, he gave in to her fairly easily, but she was his mate! She couldn't, wouldn't!, believe that he'd do the same for anyone else.
"What did he tell you?" she asked, a growl adding an unspoken threat of her own to the words.
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 12:00 pm
Orion wasn't terribly surprised by Halili's reaction, though he was scared of it. Not just for himself, but for her. They had agreed Shangyue was dangerous, it was apparent in his actions and the way he intend to continue using the lower class for his shadier doings. They knew her refusal would carry consequences, this just seemed so strange a turn of events without the full, crazy story.
"He wasn't happy you refused his offer and made it clear this was the best way to make up for it," he murmured, frowning, "I don't think there's any denying that he's dangerous. I couldn't say no, this was the only way to keep you and the girls safe."
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 12:05 pm
The lioness hissed air in and out through her teeth, making her anger clear to Orion. Fortunately no one else was around to see or hear her. Even so, she was utterly indignant! Who gave Shangyue the right to completely screw up her own family? He'd already done that to his own! And just because Orion was a cousin, he still didn't have the right! Oh, this went beyond him taking over the pride as King. This was personal.
"Is that so." Halil's voice was strained and flat. It was clear that the only reason she wasn't attacking anything in a blind rage was the fact that only Orion was around to take damage, and angry as she was, she wouldn't attack her mate.
"I am sorely tempted to march right up to him and spank him the way his mother obviously didn't!"
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:48 pm
He expected this, feared it. They couldn't afford to lose their tempers now, they would be in very real danger if they did. The prince-king had murdered his way to the top and didn't seem to think twice about threatening his cousin and his family.
"You can't," he said, his voice much steadier than his usual wavering mumble in such tense situations, "We only have two options if we want to keep ourselves and our daughters safe, we accept this or we run for it."
Orion had considered running away, but it was just as terrifying as any other option, not easier. Taking a stand, quiet acceptance and making a run for it.. each path had the potential for terrifying consequences. Taking a stand seemed the surest way to find a bad end so he didn't bother to include it in the options they really had.
"I suspect this was coming either way," he said, returning to a mumble, "He wants to look like he has the support of his family and his options are extremely limited in this royal guard mess. He has no hope with Unyezi and Amalthea, that leaves just me and my father."
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 7:01 pm
Halili looked at her mate in surprise at his vehemence against the crusade she desperately wanted to lead. It was rare that Orion asserted himself, and the fact that he had done so now, meant that this was serious. Deadly serious, and he truly believed what he said.
And regardless what he did or didn't think, running was not an option. Halili refused to let Shangyue win by retreating. This was their home, and no way was that upstart going to chase them away!
As Orion continued with his observations, the lioness had to admit that he had some very good points. The appearance of family supporting him, such as the Princess Ianthe, would do much to strengthen Shangyue's position. She cursed the way he'd bullied her mate into this under her breath.
"What did he promise you?" she demanded. "Tell me exactly what he said!"
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:25 pm
The more Halili argued, the more Orion was tempted by the idea of running away. Naturally it was not his first choice, this was indeed their home and the idea of leaving the safety of the pride, the only place the Great Lion had any hope of seeing him and Halili in particular.. it was scary. But accepting that Halili might do something to put herself in danger was scarier.
"His exact words aren't important," he said, "He wants a family member on his royal guard and he's chosen me. The consequences of my refusal would be much harder than of yours."
He hated implying this was in some way her fault, he did truly believe this was coming either way and all that had changed was now Shangyue had Halili's defiance to hold against her and, in turn, him.
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 3:04 pm
The lioness wanted to keep arguing, wanted to believe there was some other way. But in her heart she knew Orion was telling the truth and that her mate had already done all he could by accepting this duty. She felt...
She felt like some child who defies their parent, only to discover that after all of life's twists and turns, they end up doing exactly what that parent wanted. And, like the child, she wanted to scream and rage against the unfairness of it all.
But she wasn't a child. She was a grown lioness with three adolescent children to consider and protect, regardless of how said offspring felt about it. And if she wouldn't leave the pride, she had to yield to that which would keep them alive and well.
"So be it," she whispered, not really talking to Orion but to herself. Halili was quiet a few moments more before looking up at her mate again.
"What can I do to help you with this burden?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 3:13 pm
"Don't do anything dangerous."
He glanced back up, frowning. That was the biggest thing for him in all of this, she couldn't let herself get into any trouble. Never mind the girls, he had no idea what the best bet was with them. He doubted they were truly in any danger while he and Halili cooperated, and so long as they were agreeable, hopefully the girls would not overreact to this either.
"If Shangyue can ever get comfortable as king, then this should all be just fine," he added, repeating a thought he had expressed when Halili was faced with the dilemma of joining the guard or not.
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 3:19 pm
Well, that was the predictable response. And she couldn't blame him for it; after all, she'd probably say the same thing were their positions reversed. The more Halili considered the situation, the more she had to admit that Orion was right.
"Very well," she accepted her mate's words with a sigh. "But don't you hesitate to ask me if there's anything at all I can do to make this easier for you."
It would be hard, she felt, to stay silent and not speak up, especially after how liberating speech had been, but she'd done it before and she could and would do it again. For her beloved and their family's sake.
But Shangyue should watch himself.
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