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 Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:41 pm
He was being summoned. Why in the world would Bavuwajali be summoned by the Ufalme? It wasn't entirely unusual for the two of them to speak, but it was typically in casual situations that didn't involve being summoned by a guard. They seemed to run into one another on a regular basis, so what could it be that needed to be addressed so instantly? His mind was racked with the possibilities and not many of them were good.
Truth be told, being summoned still had that horrible forboding sense about it, even under a new ruler. He was sure that many in the pride would agree; it had never been a good thing to be summoned by Ufalme Konokubwa. Bavu had been summoned then, multiple times, to witness either the Ufalme's paranoid ramblings or his vicious punishments. The last time he had been summoned... well, it had been the latter rather than the former, in so many ways. Bavu approached the guard with some trepidation, looking him over for a moment before nodding that he should be announced.
Kibwana recognized the implications that surrounded being summoned only after he had sent the guard out to look for his brother-in-law. They didn't seem as important to him, but he could also see the irony. Bavu had last been summoned by the ruling Ufalme to receive his theoretical death in the form of his betrothal to the wrong sister; now Kibwana was summoning him to theoretically bring back life to the young lion. Young - none of them would be for much longer, which was another reason this was essential to the pride's survival. It didn't do well for there to be any sort of malcontent in the ranks, especially between a pair that should be breeding not seething.
Of course, he also knew that this meeting would be followed by his own hatchet burying. Or retrieval. He supposed he'd flung hatchet at Taadhima so often that he would have to retrieve them before they could be buried - through an apology. That notion sat ill on his digestive system, but it had to be done. It would be better for them all; for the entire pride even. He looked up when the guard entered, informing him that 'the lord had arrived'. After a moment, he grit his teeth and briefly inclined his head to instruct Bavuwajali be admitted into the room.
Bavu watched the face of the guard as he returned from within the cave. He didn't know what he was searching for - some sort of sign of what was going on within, sympathy, empathy, it didn't matter - and he let his eyes drop to the floor for an instant to clear his thoughts. Whatever it was, there would be no avoiding it unless he wanted to leave the pride completely. He hesitated a moment longer, exhaling a slow even breath before shaking out his mane and giving his tail a quick twitch as if to restart his system and got any sort of jitters out before he entered the presence of the Ufalme.
The tension was palatable; he could taste it on the air and it was foul, but he did his best to ignore it. This was, after all, his brother-in-law and he hadn't much to fear from him. Then again, one would think one wouldn't have much to fear from one's father-in-law either, but even dead Konokubwa managed to haunt Bavu's every step. Lowering his head slightly, he followed the guard into the main room and forced his spirits to lift as soon as the two of them were alone. He raised his head and smiled, "Ufalme, brother, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Allowing his hindlegs to fold beneath his bulk, Kibwana settled himself onto the zebra fur that covered the ground. It wasn't much cushioning between his rear end and the stony floor, but it was lovely and had been a gift from Mwana. He absently squeezed the folds of the hide between the toes of his front paws, keeping his rose hued eyes fixed on the doorway. It was a short curve in the entrance 'hall' that kept the outside hidden, but he saw the shadows as the guard led Bavu into the royal meeting cave. It was basically a parlor, but it worked for meetings and informal conversations, of which this would be a blend. He waited until he could see the lord from around the bulk of the guard before he dismissed the latter and smiled broadly.
"Brother, I know you well enough to know when your smile does not reach your eyes." He glanced at the retreating back of the guard and then returned his attention to Bavu readily enough. This wasn't going to be any where near as difficult as the conversation he would have to have with his sister. This, actually, would be rather easy. He could speak candidly with Bavu without worry that their conversation would erupt in an argument that would leave them both irreconcilable. "It's about Taadhima, you're wife, actually."
He took in the relaxed posture of the Ufalme and visibly slackened himself with a bit of a quiet sigh. It was well for his stomach that he no longer felt as if he were about to have a heart attack or be beheaded or any such business. And the Ufalme's greeting did much to further ease him so that he let his own hindlegs buckle beneath him in order to sit. Turning his head to watch the retreat of the guard, he hesitated only a moment before replying, "I always find it better to go in to things hoping for the best, even if half of me is too full of worries."
Of course his brother-in-law's admission sent a chill down his spine and he let his gaze drop to the floor, his smile seeming to melt completely off his face. His muscles tensed so tight suddenly that he found it difficult to swallow for a moment until he forced himself to visibly relax once again. He knew that Kibwana was watching and waiting for him to be ready so that the Ufalme might continue. Swallowing, he nodded without raising his gaze, indicating that he was ready to hear whatever it was that needed to be said.
Kibwana watched the other lion, and waited. Tossing his thick mane out of his line of sight, he miraculously kept his patience. Then again, keeping his patience had never been difficult for him when it did not involve his family. It seemed that only with relatives did he have any sort of problems reining in his short temper. Certainly he considered Bavuwajali family, but it was different with the lion. Kibwana had not ever had a male relative with whom he felt any sort of kinship. And the two of them - well, they had shared a deep pain at Adia'dafina's departure. They had silently been sympathetic toward one another, shouldering a burden between the two of them in order to get past the difficult time that had followed including the death of Ufalme Konokubwa and the plague.
With a pang, Kibwana was reminded that his other sister, and Bavu's wife, had went through those trials very much alone.
With a sigh of his own that was very much indicative of his warring thoughts as well as the searing guilt that was pressing on his heart, he turned his gaze back towards Bavu just as the other lion nodded, "It's time, Bavu. We need to move past all those. I've heard you're becoming more... ah, sociable. Perhaps you should turn those efforts towards your wife."
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Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:19 pm
For a few moments, Bavu only stared at his Ufalme as if the lion had grown a second tail. His eyes were unwavering and did not blink, only stared in confounded silence. Sociable? What did he mean? And how dare he say such a thing. But then again, this was the king. Perhaps Bavu should be feeling honored that Kibwana felt so at ease to say such things to him, but then again...perhaps Bavu didn't want such things to be said to him. How could he even think about being 'sociable' with anyone? How could he even imagine moving on when he was still plagued by thoughts of her every single...
But he had. The idea struck him so swiftly that he visibly started and his gaze turned away from the Ufalme as his mouth dropped open in quiet realization. He had been sociable with a few of the ladies in the pride recently, and he had done so without thinking of her. The very idea of it was ludicrous to him but as he thought back he realized that he had been feeling... lighter, lately. Except when he was around Taa, and now, but... he was focusing on being unhappy.
He was thinking of her, explicitly.
He had never thought of purposefully not thinking of her, or at least thinking of her and being purposefully happy. Indeed, the idea of speaking to Taa didn't seem half as deplorable as it once had. Perhaps the wounds had healed... perhaps.
Watching the silent conversation that Kibwana knew the Mainyi was having with himself in his mind, he was struck by the similarities he supposed would be taking place that he had felt himself. He didn't see his sister often. In truth, their relationship had become so strained that they didn't see one another habitually. It had become ingrained enough in both of them, he was sure, that they avoided one another as a means of unconscious habit as opposed to purposeful planning. But that was it; he hadn't exactly thought of his sister maliciously in some time, which made the idea of his own impending conversation that much easier to bear, if he was being completely honest with himself. He supposed the old habit would die hard, but it was one he would ... perhaps ... be willing to work away at.
The progression of expressions across the other lion's face had seemed to come to a stand still, and Kibwana supposed that he looked altogether accepting of the task that his Ufalme had divulged to him. "You know it will be your choice, brother. I wouldn't order you to do such a thing, but I do think it would be beneficial... for the three of us as well as the pride." He inclined his head slightly, trying to catch the other's gaze. This wasn't a direct order, and he was earnest in making sure that that was not how it seemed.
Bavuwajali started from his thoughts almost violently; his eyes blinked numerous times as he tried to clear his mind enough to process what it was that his Ufalme was telling him. It wasn't an order; it was his choice. Well, that was certainly a different addition than what his father would have tacked on. Not that Konokubwa had ever been concerned with the relationships of his subjects, but it was still comforting to know that Kibwana did, indeed, think of him as a brother and in some ways perhaps a bit differently than the other Mwinyi of the pride. The fact of Bavu being the husband of the king's remaining sister aside. Or at least he hoped that his merits were worthy enough on their own without his association with either princess.
A slow smile spread across his features - a true, honest smile that wasn't forced or reluctant (something that hadn't crossed his face in years) - and he nodded firmly in response. "I understand, my lord. On all counts. And agree. It's time to do away with the past and look to the future. I'm... I'm honored that you would involve yourself." He gave a bit of a cheeky wink, but supposed he was in good enough graces and that the Ufalme would be pleased enough not to be bothered by the candid behavior. "I shall take my leave of you now. I suppose you will be needing to speak to my wife first?"
Kibwana smiled vibrantly in response, and chuckled in his deep baritone at the wink. It was the sort of behavior not often seen in his little pride anymore, and something that he sorely missed. He hoped that an improvement in Bavu's home life would improve his public behavior, which would in turn rub off on the rest of the pride. They were all a very dreary lot and it was about time that some joy and life was breathed into this tired old lot. Even the young were far too serious when there was much to celebrate. They had never been given the opportunity to celebrate the passing of the tyrant, and the plague had drained them all far too much to take joy in it's passing, either.
"I will, at that." He nodded towards the lord, then inclined his head towards the door. "Go, and think of what you'll say to my sister. I'll send her to you when I'm finished. We both need time to think of what to say, so I'll leave you to your thoughts, sir."
"And I'll leave you to yours, Ufalme. Good day." With that, Bavu stood and turned on his heels in one solid, graceful movement. His steps were lighter, though still grounded and hardly dance worthy, as he left the presence of his king. As he went, however, his enthusiasm dwindled and anxiety reared it's ugly head so that his steps grew heavier as he approached his den. What in the Africa was he going to say?
"A good day, indeed." Kibwana laughed, but recognized Bavu's growing reluctance even as the lion disappeared around the bend. He recognized it only because he felt it in himself. Where to begin? What could he say to erase all that had been said and done over the years? And what hadn't?
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