A KING AND HIS ADVISOR
It was twilight. The sun was releasing its hold on the day and giving way to the moon. Indira watched from the rim of the Lion's Eye as the setting sun, ever the master artist, painted the sky with vibrant flavours of red and yellow and orange. The colours reminded her of Sahen; the bloodthirsty Shatkona who had brought so much pain and devastation to a world that had flourished once with the laughter and happiness of its people. She considered the cloudless sky through eyes that smouldered. They were the only trace Chaos's influence had left on a frame that was otherwise ruled by Justice, and the reason her mother, the former Mwanasheria, had hand-picked Indira to follow in her footsteps.
"It is the way of our tribe to always take the righteous path," her mother had said, years before Sahen had overtaken the pride with his sickness, "Ashnai'le is a good place. The people here are good. We were all warriors once- I know you have heard the stories. Mahabala brought balance to these lands, and taught us how to live in peace."
Indira had nodded and listened, rapt with attention. She had loved her mother unlike she'd ever loved before. They had been the same. Almost identical, in fact except for-
"I look in your eyes, child," the older Mwanasheria had said, "and I see the soul of an Atmaja lion."
This had offended and upset Indira, but she had not told her mother so. She had not needed to. Ridi knew her well enough to suspect.
"Tama is fierce within you," the corners of Ridi's lips had twitched in amused understanding, "Of all my children, you are the most level-headed. You are not yet fully grown, and I suspect that even
I do not possess the degree of control that you do."
This was Indira's fondest memory. Looking down upon the lands that Sahen's cruelty and malice had scarred like a lone sentinel, she couldn't deny the smile that claimed her face as she recalled a safer time.
"Yes," Ridi had chuckled and considered her eldest daughter through icy blue eyes, "you are a Tama lion, but there is Atmaja in you. Those eyes are proof of that. Contrary to what you might be thinking, this is a
good thing. There is more to being Mwanasheria than sleeping in this den. It takes a lion with intelligence, and a lion with courage."
"It takes a lion who isn't afraid to do what needs to be done. With those eyes, I can see inside, and I can tell that there's a fire fuelling your need for justice. There is Chaos, and so there is Balance."
Ridi had had such faith in her.
Such faith.
Indira tried not to let it intimidate her. Hers was a strong, interminable sort of spirit- as the current Mwanasheria, Indira stood alongside the Zahama and together they did what they could to oppose their heartless King.
This was not always as easy as either of them would have liked it to be.
Self-preservation was the name of the game and everybody was playing it these days. No matter what the cost. The trust that the Zahama and the Mwanasheria shared today was founded primarily upon the companionship they'd shared when Queen Damini had ruled, which had taken a severe beating in the wake of Sahen's assumption of the throne. He did not like them to talk to each other, did not permit them to spend much time alone. He lied to them both. Twisted with their minds.
Mwanasheria and Zahama were forced to meet in secret.
But their friendship was tarnished by the Shatkona's slithery tongue.
Trust was no longer safe to have.
"Indira," a cool voice rumbled nearby. The Mwanasheria recognized it immediately, and she stiffened a little, mind flying to her children- they were all asleep; safe, snoring in the depths of the cave behind her.
"Sahen," she responded tactfully, voice void of the tension that reverberated throughout her bones. "What brings you to The Eye?"
"Your company," the lion, who looked so much like the sunset she'd been admiring moments before, crept up the side of the Weeping Lion's cheek. He was a massive lion; strong and beautiful and cunning, the physical embodiment of power- and everything she despised him for. Sahen took up the space beside Indira, and glanced into the shadows of her cave for a moment before turning to follow her gaze.
"The children are asleep already?"
"Yes," Indira affirmed with a nod of her green head, "They are good boys."
"I suspect they will grow up to be big and strong," Sahen spoke as though he was their father, or their uncle, and Indira felt pleased. Everything was falling into place.
Just like she'd hoped it would.
"I should like them to be capable," she informed him casually, "One of them may take my place as Mwanasheria at your side, and I would like them to be prepared for everything that it entails."
"
May take your place?" Sahen cocked an inquisitive eyebrow. He hated Indira even more than she hated him. The lioness was smarter than he was, and they both knew it. She was up to something. Sahen could practically
taste it, and wished that he could. If his power as Shatkona didn't rely on her ability to lead the Tama, Sahen would have
personally ripped her throat out and feasted on her blood. His mouth watered at the thought, and he hated how much he needed her.
He knew, however, that tradition was everything to his people.
Without his advisors, there would be no need for
him. The Zahama and the Mwanasheria were the building blocks of his power house.
"There is always time for more children," Indira shrugged simply in explanation to his question. "My mother was her father's youngest cub."
"Forgive me, Indira, but you never struck me as the mothering type."
"I'm not," she said.
"Are you sure about that? You seem to be doing a wonderful job with those boys of yours. I know that you train them. I can see it in the way that they move. They improve every day."
"If I didn't know any better," Indira spoke very slowly, "I'd wonder if you didn't feel threatened by a couple of children,
Shatkona."
"Hardly threatened," Sahen chuckled good-naturedly, "You know me. I like to be cautious."
"Of course you do."
Reply
