Meili

(CrimsonSandBoa: SPECIAL LIONESS! King Taliesin won her heart over all the males she saw. I have no idea what she saw in that ruthless lion, but I just adore her.)
(Her crown was provided by the sweet Ely! Thank you for the kind gift.)


Taliesin had been told of the mythic grotto far from the marsh where he rules. In this grotto, beautiful lionesses unlike any he had met would show up. Males from every corner of Africa would come to see her and be in awe of her beauty. Those who were brave enough would try and impress the female as an attempt to get her to join their pride.
The king wondered if such a place actually existed or not. Curiosity soon overtook him and he decided to find out first hand. Leaving his most beloved and cruel lionesses in charge, he set off in search of the grotto.
Traveling for many a day and night, he crossed unique landscapes as he followed clues and tales told by those he passed. He wandered over mountains, around lakes, and even through a desert which smelled of an old foe. He lost count of the days he was away from home.
Thankfully for him, Taliesin's journey was not a fruitless venture. When he was beginning to become disheartened, he happened upon a vibrant, grassy area, surrounded by large and impressive male lions. There was only the scent of one female in the air. That had to be her.
Shoving his way through the group of other studs, he laid eyes upon the beauty for the first time. He was expecting that the rumors about the lionesses that come here to be exaggerated, but they were not. This lioness was truly an exquisite being.
Laying in a soft patch of grass, she was observing males one at a time, giving them all a chance to impress her. Her coat was abnormally thick, but in such a luxurious and soft manner, touched with gentle browns, greys, and creams. Then, there were her eyes. They were so exotic and gold, like that of a dragon. Taliesin was stunned. He had to have her. He had to make her his own.
Sitting down, he observed the other male's approaches to her. They would puff up, making themselves look most flamboyant and proud. The female seemed disinterested and almost sad as everyone used similar tactics, announcing to her how they were obviously the best choice.
When Taliesin's turn came about, he took a completely different approach. Instead of acting as if he was the best, he laid down close and spoke to her. He told her of his pride, of the marshlands he lived on, and the beauty of the females he held most dear at home. He told her how he missed it there. Of course, he left out the gory details of how he came to rule the pride, and how he controlled them with disgusting cruelty. He knew exactly how to twist his words to make the marshlands sound like heaven.
For once, the beautiful lioness perked up. She listened to his words with curiosity and intrigue. In turn, she spoke back to him, telling him that her name was Meili, and that she was from a pride deep in the mountains. Taliesin feigned interest for the sake of winning her heart.
And win her heart he did. When the time arrived for her to choose, she chose Taliesin, leaving the other males disappointed. They would simply have to wait on the next stunning lioness to arrive.
Following him back home, Taliesin kept Meili close to him. If any trouble approached, he would protect her. He stood next to her like a bodyguard, strong and brave. She was smitten.
It was only when they returned to the marsh that Meili began to feel suspicious. Only certain lionesses approached Taliesin with something resembling love. The others, as well as the cubs, seemed to cower and submit in recognition of his power.
The longer she stayed here, the more she saw of his cruel ways, confirming what she had hoped was not true. He would attack lionesses for the smallest mistakes and kill cubs he felt were unworthy. Only a small handful of lionesses, usually ones as cruel as he, escaped his wrath.
Meili soon began to protect the cubs from his aggression. She would bodily block them, snarling with aggetation of her own at the king. She could not stand by and let this happen. Cubs were precious to the world and needed a chance to live. They needed to grow and thrive and be happy.
For some reason, Taliesin would not show the same aggression to Meili as he did to other insubordinate lions. Instead, he backed off, simply letting her have her way. He was smitten with her in his own terrible way. She was like property he did not want to damage.
Meili wanted to go back home, away from here, but she did not know the way. Plus, she knew cubs would continue to be slaughtered if not for her intervention. Even though Taliesin showered her with gifts, like golden items and even a few owl chicks for her to raise, she felt no love for him. The only reason she stayed was for the cubs, and for hopes that someone with a kind heart would one day rule the pride instead of the monster who did now.