Muroki dozed peacefully in the sun, waiting for some of his new temporary ‘tattoos’ to dry and licking those already done. The mixture of certain plants, certain stones, mud and water stained the fur underneath when the thick substance was left to dry and his dear friend and advisor Kainda had delicately applied it over an hour ago with her slender muzzle. The magical symbols of protection were copied from the innermost sanctum of Ra, the stone on the lake island… it could be said that the pharaoh was as fastidious as any of the females of the pride when it came to appearances. His earliest happy memories were of an entire court decked out in such markings and it felt good to keep the old ways alive.
*
Everything was running smoothly. Matifu, her uncle and Muroki's Vizier, had no problems to report, and the news made Johari's spirits rise considerably today somehow. Since the war with the vultures there had been only progress, how this fact made her heart soar! Thinking back to those days in the Unity Walker's lands the memories seemed so far away. Had so much time really passed?
"Beloved..." She purred as she approached her husband where he dozed. She immediately noticed the additions to his markings, and curious, she grinned a bit. "Oh? I see that you've been busy while I was away, or have I mistaken some near identical soul for my husband?"
*
“I’m no stranger to you, my dear.” Golden eyes opened lazily and the large lion stretched and got to his paws, moving to nuzzle down his queen’s neck. Even after all this time had passed, he still felt the same way about her. The pharaohs of old, his uncle the pharaoh before him, had had many wives. That was one of the old traditions that he didn’t plan to follow; he just desired Johari.
“I thought I might as well get in some grooming while I waited for you. Kainda and I finished our meeting with the High Priest early and there was nothing else that needed to be done to keep me occupied.” He purred, sun-warmed and gentle while at his ease. “Everything well with Matifu’s report?”
*
Another rumbling purr, or as close as lions could get at least. Johari's rough tongue darted forward to wash his ear affectionately, and she was unable to help stealing a playful n** at the ridge of it as he brushed against her neck before he drew back.
"All is well, indeed, love. The hunting party sets out tomorrow to replenish our stores a bit, and lessons for the cubs are coming along well. I checked in on them just earlier today and saw that much for myself. It feels so good to have little ones in the halls again."
She smiled. There had been a brief time when the "children" had all grown, Matifu's and Laini's own three, which had once been the youngest, were now all adults in their own rights. It was good to hear the echos of childish laughter again.
*
“Yes, I’ve heard the Scribes and their helpers are doing a wonderful job teaching to young ones and the new members as well.” Muroki agreed, equally pleased that the pride was flourishing. It wasn’t perhaps as large as he remember the Pridelands to be but as a desert pride once almost wiped out, having a new generation and new members being trained and taught their culture was wonderful. Pawstep by pawstep, they’d come a long way from how his reign had started. And it could only keep getting better.
“There’s been some sightings of some vultures up by mount Manu, more numerous than we’ve seen in a long while. I was thinking of going west with a few Guardians just to see…but without their slaves and in exile, I doubt they’ll pose a problem.” He could afford to be confident. They’d faced worse.
*
"Everyone seems to be settling into life here very well, too..."
She thought on his words, it should certainly be looked into, and though she wanted to go with them, she knew it would be better to stay here, just in case. The idea of retaliation never really left her mind, though the odds of them recovering so soon were incredibly slim.
"Best to take to the side of caution." Johari agreed, then thought to shift the subject. Their duties done, business discussed, this was one of her favorite times of day besides dawn. "How long until the rest of these dry, do you suppose, love?"
*
“If Tesni gets her way, the vultures will one day be Nekhbet’s children again, part of the Tuait’tekem…but for now I think we’d better keep an eye on them, just in case.” He agreed, and sighed for the aspirations of their palest daughter. It was a beautiful idea but Muroki couldn’t help doubting it. The scavenging birds hadn’t been honourable for so many seasons he wondered if they remembered how to be – and the rest of them were quite rightly suspicious and harboured anger still. Unfortunate side affect of being betrayed and enslaved, doncha know?
But now was not the time for such thoughts and worries. It was the end of a busy day and he had his queen with him, with nothing to do but relax and enjoy until the evening rites…
“Give them just a few more minutes to dry?” Muroki laid back and gestured with his paws she could very well join him.
*
"Muroki..." She settled at his side happily, gazing over at the Pharoh, at her husband, her first and very best friend and her most trusted confidant. How far they'd come, the way he'd helped her grow, the journey they'd taken together, the vows they'd exchanged... "You're amazing, you know..." She quipped gently, a purr from her jaws, a soft smile on her maw, and a tender look in her eyes. The mood had shifted unquestionably from business to something much more intimate. "You're amazing, and wonderful, and you make me love you more with every sunrise."
*
Perhaps this was why they were still such a strong couple even after all this time? They worked together to run the pride, they played together and they still had passion as well as dedication.
“I know.” He teased before replying, quite plainly to start off with because to him it was the simplest truth in the world - “and I love you.”
“I will in this life and the next, beloved; for all time. I’ll say it every blessed day.” Did they say it everyday? Muroki felt it likely. And he wasn’t joking. The sand and gold lion really did believe that they’d be together always – and that was just how he wanted it. If he after death made it to the paradise that lay east, under where the sunset…he couldn’t imagine it being a paradise nor think the test of Maat truly fair if Johari didn’t get there too. And that declaration of devotion bordered on blasphemy.
*
Johari couldn't help breaking into a light grin at his playful reply, this was how it always was with them, playful and loving and intimate, all at once. Anyone else might have been overwhelmed by the changing emotions, but they were veterans in the field of this particular "war". Shifting to brush her head against his again she silently hoped the moment of peace would last a bit longer. Sometimes they'd be "interrupted" by the arrival of one of their daughters, Soa teasing gently about them being "mushy" in public (With no actual scincerity in it except that they really were hopeless romantics.), just for example.
"And my ears will never grow weary of hearing it, nor will my tongue and jaws ever tire of saying so in return."
*
Muroki purred – well, rumble-growled, a lion’s purr – and rested his head against hers a moment. After that he began to groom both Johari out of affection, for they were felines after all, and to remove the last of the dried dye from his shoulder. Underneath it it had stained the fur a soft red and a soft black, depicting a vulture , two shapes, a seated human….the name of Aker and then it was followed by the symbols of protection. Copied as neatly as possible when muzzle and claw were what you had to work with.
“There. Now that’s dried, beloved, would you care to retire to our den or accompany me on an afternoon stroll through the temple wilds?”
*
"Well..." The queen-cat smiled coyly, brushing her head against his again with a continuous, rumbling purr. "I have ideas that do involve you and I alone. Why don't I show you...?"
Was she really the same lioness, the same body, soul, being, that had been so terribly unsure on that forest path that early morning, all those months ago? She felt like her soul had been asleep until he came along to wake it from it's slumber, and her eyes had been opened properly at last. There was no reason to be shy, not with her husband. They had no secrets, they were so close that sometimes she wondered if it was possible that they -shared- a soul. It was truly wedded bliss, and she'd enjoy it every day for the rest of their lives.
((From sap to un-RPed smut. This children is where cubs come from~! XD ))
