|
From the time she was born under the moonless Savannah night sky, her dear mother knew she was special. Her fur was black as the night itself, unlike the fiery sun her mother wore. When her eyes opened, the stars engulfed them. Her mother, flabbergasted by her new daughter's beautiful eyes, looked up at the night sky to stare into the stars. Her mind whirled with names that she could call her dear child before a name finally made its way to her mind. "Illunaie. " She whispered out.
Her cub's starshining eyes looked up at the whisper of her new name. It had been a good choice. Her name was casted upon her on the Moonless night.
The King took a new interest in Illunaie, finding her black coat exquisite and exotic. He found that she would make a wonderful future Queen to his son, Prince Lowell. Illunaie, ignorant to the day she became a Queen-to-be, played with her fellow cubs and romped around. Without the new knowledge of her new title, she became the most gossiped-about cub in the pride, across from the Prince of course.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She grew up wonderfully, her black coat never losing its beautiful shine and her eyes, the perfect color of stars. As she grew older, she grew wiser. Her now calm and kind demeanor was the perfect personality for the pride's future Queen. Despite her adolescence, she was intelligent and many of the young male cubs as well as the adolescent males showed great interest in her.
The day her dear mother was taken from the pride was the darkest and lowest day of Illunaie's life. She was taken on the account the cubs she had been giving were not the ones the pride wanted and she was one of many sun-like lionesses in the pride. She was too common but not strong enough to stay. The King took her to a new pride and assured Illunaie that she would be well-taken care of. But Illunaie's happiness was already gone. She stayed quiet for many days, hardly speaking to any who approached her. That is, until Prince Lowell took keen interest in her at last.
He was kind to her, speaking very quietly to her. He smiled in a way to her that not many did. Her heart fluttered but she pushed away. She began speaking again to others but mostly to the Prince. She'd hiss at him, giving him snaky remarks and flicked her tail at him to tell him to back off. Despite her personality that had never changed, she was now very sassy and witty with comebacks and insults, though she only ever used them on Prince Lowell.
One day, when she woke up, she heard new of Prince Lowell's first patrol. The first of many. He had grown so much but she was still so young. She had walked with him on the edge of the pride's main area and watched him leave. She knew he would be gone for a long time and would not have time to talk to her as he did before. She felt the same loneliness she did when her mother was taken from her return once again. Then, she decided to do something about it. She talked and chatted with older lionesses, listening to their stories of the hunts and helping the elders. She played and tussled with the cubs and with her peers, she did all of the above. She was still happy as ever. And everytime Prince Lowell went on a patrol, she would walk with him to edge of the pride's main home and when he was due to return, she'd be sitting there, waiting.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Her star-dazzling eyes widen as they looked at the bright blue Vultrine Guineafowl feather. She looked back up at Prince Lowell, who was shifting on his paws nervously. She had just turned two years old and...he had just proposed to her.
Her heart beat in her chest. Prince Lowell leaned forward, picking up the feather from the ground and placing it delicately in her fur.
"You don't have to answer now. " He grumbled out, not looking directly at her. He looked at his large paws, bowing his head. "You can think about it all you want. It'll be a long time before we can ever....ya know.. But....I just wanted to put it there so you know....I really care. "
Illunaie felt like she was walking under water but at the same time she was on air. She had a choice. Her ears perked, hearing the King call for her.
"I will think on it...." She said quickly, trying not to look like her heart had exploded in her chest. "And I will answer...someday. " She whispered softly. She nuzzled his mane, a soft roar of affection coming from her. He nuzzled her back and she quickly scampered off towards the King. She had a lot to think on and she wasn't even sure yet.
...
Illuniae had yet to ever answer Lowell. And that was her mistake. A beautiful lioness by the name of Eris came to the pride and ruined everything. Illunaie could only stand by and keeping silent as her title was ripped from her and placed over Eris.
Lowell began paying more attention to the ember colored lioness. She was beautiful as burning flames. Illuniae knew she held no chance against her, even with her Gods-blessed eyes. But Lowell still was fond of Illuniae. And she knew, she would always be in the Prince's heart. But the King's words to her were firm.
"You are to let Eris have Prince Lowell."
And Illunaie, kind, sweet little Illunaie was sent into a boiling rage. She silently hated the lioness who became to Lead Huntress in only a few days. Illunaie was worked harshly, put into almost all the Hunting parties until night had fallen. She never saw Lowell when he left for patrol but when she came back, Eris would be walking with him back to the camp.
She silently began to cry in her little bed each night, knowing that her Prince was not hers anymore. It was only a matter of time before her feather, his own proclamation of his love to her, was taken to be given to her, the mean lioness. She prayed to the Gods it would not be so but she knew it was fate. Lowell was not hers. Not anymore.
Habena, one night, found the ex-Queen-to-be crying in her bed. She crawled into the dark lioness's bed and cuddled with her, comforting her as she cried. Illunaie tried to act like she hadn't be crying but Habena knew better. Illunaie broke down at last and told of Eris's wicked deeds. Unfortunately, neither could do a thing to aid Illunaie. But Habena decided to act.
The tiger lioness finally met with the Prince, talking with Eris.
"You gave a feather to the one whom you cherish but now, while you are here flirting with a fire you cannot meet with, she cries the color the feather she holds so desperately. She cannot dare speak against the word of the King, but you are to be King. Will you let her cry alone or will you let her smile with others?" Habena hissed to Lowell.
The Prince immediately sought Illunaie's company. He comforted her, licking and drying her tears away. He assured her that her title was hers. That his father was only thinking of the future. That Eris would be good for him but he knew better.
Illunaie was captivated yet again and fell in love with her Lowell again. She watched when he would return home from his patrols to go to her side, Eris being left in the dust.
Words began to start drizzling down and the truth was revealed. Eris's anger and bitterness was not the fault on Illunaie but on the King. A cub that Eris had, had been taken from her, to be sold away and never seen again. Eris was biter merely due to the lose of her cub. And Illunaie forgave her.
Illunaie continued to hunt for the pride, deciding it was time for her to get to know the other lionesses much more closely as they hunted. She made friends with Habena's closest friend, Lobortis. They were both fine huntresses and taught the young Princess how to hunt properly and raise her skill.
She met a new lioness who was learning with her, Belladonna, who smelt of sweet flowers whenever they met or came close. Belladonna was young, naive and adored Illunaie, often praising her skill and her fine dark coat. She even called her "Big Sister." Illunaie just laughed and let her.
To Be Continued...
|
