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 Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:38 pm
((And another. XD )) honey.roasted.ferrets  The large lion sat on the edge of a large boulder that overlooked the tiny, but deep valley in front of him. This would be where Senate was called, along with most of their festivals... It was a perfect place, the grassy slopes comfortable, and the occasional rock and boulder gave the perfect place to sit and speak. This would be where he would stand and speak to his pride...
Which didn't even seem like a pride anymore. There were only a handful of them left, though a few more had joined in the past couple weeks. For that, he was thankful. It gave him a flicker of hope, that... perhaps, some day, he'd be able to make the pride as strong as it once was.
The Caesar laid down on the smooth rock, his expression pensive as he rested his chin on his front paws. Something had troubled him... He was one of the few males left in the pride, and the weight of helping the pride grow was nearly suffocating. Beside, he didn't think he was really ready yet... Though the rest of the pride might disagree. What would happen if something happened to him and he didn't have an heir? It nearly made him sick...demonstration_evil Atia had been visiting the graves of her children and mate. Their deaths had hitten her harder than she had expected. Her line was dead. She was too old now to have children, and the thought had made her sick to her stomach on more than one occasion. Still, she couldn't allow herself to remain on things that she could not change. She had to think of her Caesar. There was the issue of his mate... the little girl who had dissapeared. Atia had no real problem with that, but now she would have to find him someone better.
She approached Maximus slowly and sighed, tilting her head to the side, "Really now, Maximus, what are you doing here?" Atia had never been one for much nostalgia. When she had to move on, she had to move on... and somehow think of a way to return the pride to its glory days. "Honestly, we have more to do than sit around all day staring at blank feilds. We should be out recruiting, finding more of our own." She told him calmly and haughtily.
Her mind was far away from Maximus', for she fully believed him capable of running the pride. With her help, naturally. She never expected him to do it alone, especially considering the various traumas they had faced. Earthquake, plauge... she hated to remember that things she could not change had happened on her watch. honey.roasted.ferrets Maximus' ears twitched when he heard her approaching, his eyes shifting to look towards her. At first he smiled welcomingly, but then it changed into a pensive frown. Ah, but he was used to her bickerings. He knew that she only did it because she cared... Besides, she was like a second mother to him.
He forced a soft chuckle, nodding slowly. "I know, Atia, I know..." He muttered, his voice deep and mellow. With a grunt he pushed himself back up to a sitting position. "You are right. But... I just felt like sitting to think, even for just a few moments. Do not worry though... I will not waste time brooding all morning." To emphasize this, he stood, stretching his claws out a little as he seemingly prepared to leave.
But he didn't, not quite yet. The Ceasar turned back to her with a gentle smile. "How are you holding up, Atia?" demonstration_evil Ati smiled, nodding when she listened to him speak. The last thing she wanted was for Maximus to feel down on his luck, and at a time like this of all things. Best to keep him busy so that he didn't get depressed. That was how she dealt with things anyway. The less she thought on the things that had happened, the happier she was. Yes... time to burry herself in work.
"Good, I'm glad." She said, smiling calmly as she watched him and straightening out his shawl. "The pride needs you to wear a strong face, even if you don't feel like showing one. Besides, you look far more handsome when you keep your stoic look about you." And if he looked handsome, he was sure to snag himself a fine lioness. Or at least, the one she made a point of selecting for him.
The other question caught her slightly off-guard. She hadn't expected it... but she supposed she should have. Maximus had been like a son to her, and now she had no sons at all... No. No time to dwell on that. "As well as can be expected of course. I can't really mourn all day, now can I? The pride needs me at my best in a time like this. Who knows what kinds of enemies we'll encounter while we recover from something like a plauge?" She could only hope that her family was safe in the underworld and that Pluto would look after them.
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:40 pm
honey.roasted.ferrets He smiled lightly, putting on an expression of confidence. She was right, as always. He had to set a good example. With a soft sigh he shook his mane out, more content to feel some air around his neck. Then his eyes focused on her again, nodding. "I've scouted out the area around our new territory... So far I have not seen any other prides. Though I did run into a pack of wild dogs to the southwest of us... But I do not think they will be a problem. If so, I will send Palaestra to secure a treaty with them. They seemed peaceful from what I saw, if... a bit barbaric." Of course. Everyone other than a Roman was a barbarian!
He focused on her more intently, his smile turning sympathetic. "Yes, dear Atia... But it is okay to mourn a little." He shifted a little closer to her, gently nuding her shoulder with his forehead. It was a familiar, affectionate gesture. demonstration_evil Atia nodded, listening thoughtfully. She didn't like walking that far... it was hard on her old bones. But she hated to admit that, and she would never complain if she could avoid it. To complain was to show weakness. She was old, but she would be damned by all the Gods before anyone called her 'weak'. It simply wouldn't be decent, now would it?
"Ah, barbarian dogs... yes, if they become a problem, we can simply send the slave to deal with them. Perhaps when we're back at full strength we can conquer them, like the good old days. I can't abide the fact that I lost my slaves in the blasted earthquake." It had made life more difficult for her. Better them than her though. Even though that had meant that her children...
She sighed, shaking her head and keeping her usually calm and haughty face. "Come now Maximus, you know me better than that." She reminded him. She would never shed a tear in front of another creature. Not even Cato when he had been alive. Of course, that never stopped others from knowing when she was upset or miserable... usually because she was so absent from everyone else. "I will find the time to mourn for the dead when I know the living are safe. There is too much to attend to, and I won't have you going about all this alone. You'll collapse from exhaustian." Though if there was any workaholic nearby, it was probbaly Atia. But for her, work and pleasure had always been essentially the same thing. honey.roasted.ferrets He chuckled softly. "I think, perhaps... we might. When we have enough citizens to own so many slaves. It is a large pack, from what I've seen... Ah, actually..." He cleared his throat a little, sitting once again now that it seemed their conversation would continue.
"Palaestra has asked me for permission to breed. I do not mind, personally... But I wished to get your opinion on the matter. You... know how she is. She wishes to continue her line." He chuckles softly. The 'royal line' of slaves Pala was a part of had always commited their lives to serving the Ceasar's family... Some of her relatives had probably even served Atia. "I am grateful to her for her loyal services... You know how those canines breed though. We may very well be overrun by slaves... Then again..." He muses, head tilting. "We could always drop them off with the barbarians to raise, if there were a few too many..."
Another pause, and he nods to her gently. "If you say so, Atia." He knew better than to press the matter further. demonstration_evil "Yes, of course... allowing ourselves to be over-run by slaves would be completely unacceptable. I doubt even ones so powerful as us would be able to beat back some barbarian dogs as we are now." Atia said, maintaining her pride at all times, as always. "But some day I'm sure we will take them and the rest of the area under our rule. We will simply have to elevate ourselves once more, and pray that the Gods not send us another natural disaster." She wasn't sure they would be able to take another one of those. They had a rather large string of bad luck really...
"Oh did the little thing now?" Atia mentioned thoughtfully, thinking of the slave dog, "Well, she always has been loyal, and Juno knows, we could use some extra slaves to help maintain order... if they're anything like their mother they shouldn't be too difficult to control." She said, always thinking ahead. "I suppose we could always be rid of them if there are too many. Yes... I think allowing her to breed would be wise." Atia decided, imparting her final judgment on that matter, though she knew it would be Maximus' choice in the end. But he did have a soft-spot for his slaves.
A good thing too, because Atia always liked to think she could use Palaesta's love for her master to keep an eye on Maximus and make sure he was alright. A loyal slave with good ears was better than ten allies in the Senate.
She waved her paw, "Don't worry about me Caesar. My line..." She did incline her head slightly, heaving a sigh, "...my line ends with me it seems. A shame... the children were shaping up quite nicely if you ask me. Cato would have been proud." Then she looked at him, her poise back in tact, "However, we must be thinking about your line as well Maximus. After all, that is a rather important matter." honey.roasted.ferrets "Very good then. I'm sure she can find someone suitable then..." He nodded vaugely, his thick mane shaking as he moved. Somewhere, Pala was sneezing up a storm. Not that she minded... She liked playing the 'loyal tool'. It was what she was breed to do, after all. She had always been very submissive to Atia, considering her part of the 'royal family'. She was an Elder after all, and deserved respect.
He couldn't help but slightly grimace at her last comment... Ugh. Well, he knew it was coming sooner or later...
"I... suppose..." He muttered softly, making a point to look away from her. "To be honest, I do not know where to start now. Mmm, of the surviving female citizens... There is only Nyao and Candida..." Lions, anyway. There was a new leopardess, but it was absurd for a Ceasar to take a leopard as a mate, with the infertility problem. "They're both wonderful women, but...." He frowned, still looking away. Despite his relatively good looks and strong personality... The poor Ceasar really wasn't that good with women. Heck, it'd taken him years to get to the point he'd almost asked this previous (possible) mate... demonstration_evil "Yes, I'm sure she will..." Atia said, though she did of course, fully intend to keep a close eye on who Pala chose. It would have to be a strong wild dog. Someone worthwhile... yes, Atia would keep a weather eye out for someone she could use. She did like to keep the little things in mind, such as aesthetics. A slave pleasing to the eye, and loyal to the body, of course, stood out among those who had not been properly bred.
She very nearly smiled when Maximus winced at the idea of a potential mate. She did feel his pain on the one hand, because there was very little choice and she loathed to think that was all they had as options... "Yes, well of course I see your point." Atia admitted, flipping through the women she would have chosen, all dead now. "And we can't very well go settling for a leopard. No Caesar can ever settle for hybrid children." She said, not so much insulting her own kind as she was the idea of a royal line with hybrid children. "Perhaps we should... outsource?" Though the idea of bringing a non-citizen as Caesar's mate... that very nearly made her sick all on its own. But the women left... would they do for Maximus' mate? She shuddered to think what his mother would think.
It was an unfortunate perdicament, to say the least.
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:41 pm
honey.roasted.ferrets "No, no... Not a leopard..." He mused with a sigh. He of course meant no offense either. He respected leopards just as much as any other citizen...
He looked back to her finally, blinking slowly with a slightly repulsed frown. An outsider? He supposed it wouldn't be that bad if he found a rouge that was willing to convert, but... The thought still made his fur bristle a little.
But... what choice did they have? It was Nyoa, Candida, or... an outsider. Perhaps...
"I've thought about going out on a journey, for a while... To try to find recruits. Per... haps..." He still didn't seem happy about the idea. demonstration_evil Atia merely nodded, knowing the Gods would never accept a union between a leopard and a lion in a position like Caesar, any more than her position as an elder could take a lion as a mate. No, it would not do.
"I can't pretend I like the idea... but Nyoa and Candida are simply not the best choices for being the mate of a Caesar." She said with a small sigh, as she tilted her head, listening to Maximus' idea. She didn't like that much better, to have a pride with no Caesar... but they had very few options at the moment.
"Yes... a journey..." She said, her lips twitching uncomfortably, "I do suppose that would help us find more members, but I cannot say that I like the idea of having so many outsiders with us." Not that any of them would be able to seize control of the pride under her watch. No... she would insure that he would maintain control. And that his Queen, if she was an outsider, would be obediant and loyal, even if Atia had to kill her after they had gotten their hands on an heir. Of course, she would love it if she didn't have to do something like that. But it did make her life more exciting. honey.roasted.ferrets He nodded slowly, his mind trailing off as jumbled thoughts passed through his head. It was all rather overwhelming, all this about a mate and such... The idea of finding some random outsider and promising himself to her so quickly almost made him ill. But... his choices were limited...
He sighed after a moment and shook his name, tilting his head to smile softly at Atia. "Veneralia approaches... I'm sure Venus will bless the festival. Her... work will be done, and I will find someone appropriate when the time comes." He stood, shaking out his thick mane with another smaller sigh. "I should be going... Many things to see to, and I do not have all day... Though I wish I did." He chuckles softly, nudging her affectionately before standing strait and going back into 'leader' mode. "It was nice talking to you, Atia."
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