Laying out along the shore of the small lake that was in the Makini, Mael was feeling quite drained. With all the things that had been going on lately, it was rare that he was able to get away like this and just have some time to himself. His son, and future heir, had just returned to the pride; his departure unbeknownst to the general population. It was better that way, right? Otherwise, there probably would’ve been some serious uproar about his eligibility and deserving of the crown in the future. Then there would be the question of whether Mael himself and his lovely Esmee had raised the child right, and the whole system could just go to hell. Letting out a sigh, Mael was really – really – glad for that one little fib. He didn’t particularly like lying to public; he actually cared a great deal for the commoners in the pride. When thinking of the nobility, though, he really didn’t have any feeling other than annoyance. They had all just gotten so whiney and bloodthirsty in recent years, it really was a wonder that they hadn’t planned anything awful for the royal family. The only time that Mael had honestly worried about something happening was when his own children were cubs. If something had happened to them, he wouldn’t have been able to recover. He just knew it.
Even when his grown son left the nest, it was probably the hardest thing he’d ever dealt with. Sure, his father was a nasty piece of work most of the time, but Mael had grown up at odds with him, so that was something that he was fine dealing with. Well, mostly fine with. He had been known for being a bit skittish when it came time to argue or ‘discuss’ things with the Roi. He had grown up in a much stricter environment than Mael, so he couldn’t help but give him that, at least. And he was family, so he couldn’t stay mad at him forever. Especially here in the Makini, family was greater than even one’s own self, and everything else came second. It’s just how it was – how it would always be. It was something that, growing up, Mael had resented at times, but when it really mattered, he took great pride in his family unity. It was also a trait that, he knew, brought outsiders to stay with them. So many lost souls, with some sort of baggage tied to their paws, just looking for a place that would take them in and protect them with their all.
Right now, at this very moment, he really loved that sense of unity even more. It had brought his family back together, and helped them get through a fairly rough time. The waters were still fairly choppy, but for the most part, it wad do-able. He really hated all of the things that he knew had been, and were being, said about his family. While he had never approved his son’s decision to just up and walk out on the marriage ceremony, he still supported him and his actions. Unlike his own father, Mael was certain that he would leave everything to keep his family together and strong.
Thinking about it, it made him nervous and unsure to think about testing his father on certain issues when it came to family. He knew that his father’s loyalty to his family was steadfast, but he often wondered about what would happen if someone messed up – like, really messed up – and ended up being exiled from the Makini. He knew that his father loved his family, and would protect it no matter what the cost, but he also knew very well that his father had a lot of pride. So much so, that it was questionable whether he would follow through to the end. Mael knew that, no matter what happened, if something were to go wrong with one of his children – hell, probably even his adopted son, Mangue – he wouldn’t hesitate to stand behind them and follow them to wherever their paws came to rest. It was just how he was. When he was young, even, he had always put his siblings before him. Though, he was the only son in a large litter of girls, but even if they had been boys, he would have done the same.
His mother had once told him, when he was an adolescent, that his overpowering loyalty and love for others would keep him close to what was important in the world. And it would also make him a leader that the people would love, and want to have rule over them. It was a comment that he had always taken great pride in, and it ended up fueling many of his adult decisions and actions. For the most part, he did things that just ‘felt’ right, other than things that looked right to the nobility. It wasn’t that publicity was important to him – he just thought that everyone should have at least a shred of good morals and standards set within them.
Letting out a yawn, Mael rolled over onto his stomach. Too much thinking. Waaaay too much. He felt like his father, sitting and thinking about every little thing, analyzing it to its core. It was far to exhausting for his liking, that was certain. But, he kind of really needed it. With all the running around lately, he hadn’t had the chance to just sit with himself, and think about his thoughts and concerns. Lately, it had been everyone else’s concerns that he was dealing with, so it was a good time for him to just sit and be a bit narcissistic. Glancing out at the shimmering water, he could feel his eyelids start to move slower and slower. This was probably the best napping spot in the entire Makini, and here he was, wasting it with heavy thoughts about things that he couldn’t change. All he could really do was take a deep breath and move forward. Yeah, that’d be good.
