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First litter: 4 cubs, only one survived.
(Vladislad III 1/3/15)
Titaia had grown into a beautiful fiery female among the blossoming lionesses in the pride. While beautiful she has learned to become a great huntress with the elder lionesses as mentors but has yet to definitively put those skills to the test with a group. Especially when the young sub male Vladislad the III had kept his cool gray eyes on her the whole time.
Knowing that he kept his eyes on her, there was a blossoming affection she had for that male and hoped that they might have something more than a distant friendship considering that during her adolescence he was cold to her as a new comer. Perhaps it was her leafy green eyes that brought down that coldness and showed a valuable member of the pride, not someone lazy or spoiled.
Finally, Titaia had been able to go out to hunt with the elder and most skilled lionesses of the pride...and it was an incredible sensation. It was wild and exhilarating to feel the wind flow through her fur, her body moving at top speed with her muscles burning at the force of her strength to take down prey with her mentors. It was fantastic and made her feel accomplished that she was able to do something to provide for her family.
Especially when Vladislad the Third took note of it and complimented on her first successful kill. If anything the other lionesses saw the potential between the two and were slowly giving indirect nudges for the two fiery lions to come together.
While Vladislad and Titaia were growing closer, especially when she was becoming a very good huntress the unthinkable happened. Titaia had left the pride with Jyoti and several other lionesses in heat to another pride by the order of Lazlo to bring in stronger blood and more variety. Of the group of lionesses only Titaia and Jyoti had been chosen to bear cubs. It was the way of the pride as many of the lionesses that exist were either from the late founding pride king Vladislad the First and the joining of Lazlo's bloodlines....but to reduce the chances of interbreeding newer blood needed to be brought in.
It chipped at Titaia's heart for she had had no interest in mating with another male as she wanted to save herself for Vladislad, whom she felt love grow inside. Yet coming back to face him and the pride made her avert her gaze even though her head was held high. Jyoti watched the younger female and pulled her aside while the others went ahead in their welcome to speak with Titaia.
"Why are you so upset, little one?" Jyoti said in her maternal tone with that concerned look in her eyes.
"I feel as if I....betrayed.......Nothing is wrong." Titaia began then caught herself.
Smiling at her Jyoti nodded. "It's alright you know. We've all seen you and little Vlad take to each other. You are unattached now and cannot be with him as his equal. It's our duty to provide the pride with strong cubs that will make this pride live a long life or enrich other prides with great strength. There are times when we will not be successful in that our cubs will not make it for whatever reasons that heavens deem and of course they might run away or be chased off. It's the way the life is. You are carrying inside you precious life. It will show the strength you have as a lioness, the capability to bring life into this pride and most of all to learn what it means to be a mother. It is a glorious thing to nurture our cubs. You may ask the elders and those who recently brought cubs into this pride their advices. But never feel shamed or that you betrayed our crowned prince."
Titaia nodded and sighed as they both continued on towards the pride seeing everyone, including her Vladislad. The grey eyes were remote as always but there was a flash of something there. Perhaps she would need to speak with him when they had a chance.
But as soon as she thought those words Vladislad was never around to speak with as he worked hard on the patrols and spent his nights away from the heart of the pride. It was disheartening even though the glow of impending motherhood was lovely on her and she was rather curious and even excited about her coming cubs.
(From Vladislad the Third)
They did not pass each other and Vlad made it a point to not be seen by her even though he watched her. The glow of motherhood was becoming on Titaia. It was as if she was meant to be a mother. Her belly swelled with growing cubs that there was a pang of jealousy and yearning that those should have been his cubs.
Finally however when the roars of the pride sang through the air that cubs were born, Vladislad ran from the border he was patrolling for the thousandth time that day to see them. First he saw Jyoti's cubs finding them beautiful especially the icy eyed cub who was going to be something of a great huntress and then....he finally broke his distance vigil to approach Titaia.
The cubs that she bore, all four of them, were the most beautiful sight in all the world. For a moment he did think they were his but of course they weren't and.....Vlad wasn't so upset about it. Titaia was surprised to see the crowned prince in her side of the mothering den. The other lionesses moved away to let them speak as nothing escaped the attention of these elders.
Clenching his jaw tightly the golden haired male came closer and whispered to Titaia not wanting to disturb the nursing cubs. "Are you....alright?" He began lamely. Titaia's eyes widen at the question the smiled softly at him. "Yes. I am." Titaia leaned her nose to stare up closer at him. "I have been wanting to speak to you for so long. Now that you are here I will tell you that I am sorry if I betrayed you. Know that I have no love for any other male......except you."
Those words floored Vlad as he gasped out in surprise, staring at her with open mouth shock. Stuttering for the first time in his life the lion blushed lightly and cleared his throat.....then leaned down to lick her cheek in a bashful kiss and turned to leave.
"Your Majesty.....will you stay with me?" Titaia asked softly knowing that....she just wanted him close by while she nursed her sweet cubs that filled her heart with happiness.
Vlad looked to the other lionesses who were listening attentively and nodded with encouragement that spurred the male to turn around and move around to rest against Titaia's back. The pair looked...perfect from the other's point of view. With the nursing cubs it was as if Vladislad the Third and Titaia were meant for each other.
The crowned prince nuzzled Titaia's ears as she rested against his strong figure while he whispered softly to her. "Call me Vlad. Not 'your majesty'" The male didn't want his future queen calling him such a formal name.
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The years have passed were marked by joys and sorrows. There were cubs she bore that were lost and some that survived to become thriving adults. Nonetheless, The Queen grew to love her mate very dearly and he to her. Yet with years comes age as it began to show on the King. His once glossomer coat was slightly shaggy showing bones of his ribs. There was graying on his coat of his once fine fiery hue. His eyes held exhaustion but all of that never faltered the power he posed.
However there finally came one day where she searched for her mate throughout the pride. No one had seen him for the last three days. The winters were slowly leave their home and they were coming out to hunt until spring came for the cubs to enjoy the sun on their furs.
The others asked the queen to go find Vladislad. Titaia sniffed out the scent of her mate and found him.....found him along the river. The same spot where Vladislad had been when Lazlo passed on and so forth to the first king of the pride. This time around she saw the dark coat Samir, heir to the pride sitting with Vladislad the Third. Their words were hushed.
Gulping at the sudden speed in her heart, she felt her stomach grow cold at what this meant.
Samir left into the thick foliage as silence reigned. Lifting her chin, Titaia moved forward until she sat at her mate's side. They were silent together in the peacefulness of the small world. "Don't leave me without saying good bye, my love." She whispered unable to contain her emotions.
Vladislad's lips quirked into a faint smile as he leaned against her. "I wouldn't dare do such a thing, my queen. I would never leave without seeing the beauty of your heart before making my way to the Dens of Kings." The great lion turned to look at Titaia as he moved to lounge against the edge inviting her to join him.
They rested close with his large head laying on her paws as hers rested over his. "Titaia. Watch over the pride in my place. You are free to make your decisions in this pride and know that you are their elder. Samir will be king but knows to respect your wisdom and guidance along with the other elders." Titaia felt her throat closed from the tears that blurred her vision at the words.
"I will do so my love," She purred licking his ear lightly and soothingly. "Just know that I will love you forever and always. I will carry you in my heart until I breathe my final to meet you on the otherside."
Vladislad closed his eyes with a smile. "I will be there waiting for you, love of my heart." He murmured softly, but loud enough that the words branded over her heart just as his final breath branded over her mind in a memory that will haunt her forever.
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Queen Titaia knew that her time was coming to an end. Having dedicated it to protecting her pride for her beloved Vladislad had been difficult especially when many have died or disappeared to never be heard from again. In her bones, the queen knew that it was all because of Wladislav who had an evilness about him that even his own cubs that he sired were afraid of him. Titaia looked to the new lionesses that were now adult having adopted them as her own, raising them to be the next queens. Even the elders who were descendants of the original lionesses and kings of the past tried to help her take care of the pride but in her heart of hearts....her death was looming just like the death of her fellow elders even though their time was not yet. Wladislav knew that her time was soon to run out with that knowing look he gave her from a distance. It was calculating and while he knew she had a correct suspicion about him, he never said a word to address the silent tension.
With that silent knowledge between them, Titaia had a deep fear that the pride was going to suffer a great tragedy once she is gone. Even though she had expressed this to the other elder lionesses, they assured her that nothing would happen, including the assurance of their ally in Vladislad's son. Titaia's intuition said otherwise. Just as there was no way to ensure their safety once she was gone from this plane of existence. Hopefully Wladisalv would meet his own demise for all the harm he has caused everyone.
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Queen Titaia was unable to do a great many things during her tenure as the lead lioness. She was unable to protect a great many of the lionesses, young and old, from the madness that Wladislav whom changed his named to something sounding far more fiercer. The disappearances and deaths were too much to bare and the threat to Vladislad, the heir to the throne, became real. Wladislav knew it was his subordinate but did nothing about it until he brought home an incredibly large and powerful though strange looking lion from another pride.
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