Queen Andromeda

She did not want to be special.

Since her early cub years, she had been nothing but special. Andromeda was her name, given by her mother, a name that she has despised as long as she's been able to talk. A gift of gods, the chosen one, the savior, they called her. But she didn't want to be any of that.

She just wanted to be normal.




Paki was a strange ruler, Andromeda had decided. His way of tactics and ruling was nothing heard of. Putting on an image of an evil and bloodthirsty lion for the public and a kind hearted and just image for his Pride.

There was definitely no stranger ruler that Andromeda had ever known.

Maybe that is why she found herself roaming the halls of an old cave, littered with frescoes. The back part of the cave acted as an archive for the old tales and legends of previous kings. Andromeda had been introduced to the Pride a couple of months ago, and in those months she did her best to hide. She seemed to have gotten pretty good at it, since none of the lions have been tailing her in those months. But one of the times she had hidden, she came across the paintings on the walls. They were stories of a ruler, a kind and strong one. Of a ruler who had followed his father's steps and created a family that the first king would be proud of. Now Andromeda had come back to see the legend of the first king-Дъявол.



Alright, so maybe the new king wasn't as crazy as Andromeda had originally thought. Дъявол seemed only crazier. It had appeared that Paki had taken and adopted the way of the first king. Killing anything that hurts the Pride, but at the same time appear kind and loving towards the family.

"Find anything interesting?" Andromeda whirled her head to look at the intruder to find Paki towering over her. She looked down and got up to leave. She was not about to talk to the new king, didn't have the energy nor motivation to.

"Wait, please." Maybe it was the order or the pleading voice that had caught Andromeda's attention, but she stopped to her surprise. Paki made his way over around Andromeda and sat in front of her.

"I would like to speak with you. If you have time that is." He said in a non threatening voice, that Andromeda was not about to fall for.

"Can't. Got lessons with Ruddy." She made up a flimsy excuse and began to leave.

That is when she heard a deep growl. Not a violent one, but deep enough to pass for a warning- even a threat. Andromeda looked around as she began to let out her own growl, to be met with Paki's face right in front of her.

"You must understand something. That is why I ask you again to speak with you. Trust me, I know you don't go to the lessons with Ruddy, she had told me so." Stupid old lion, doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut!

"What do you want?"

"To know you."

That... was not what she was expecting. She turned to face him fully, to gauge his expression and find that he's really after her looks. But all she found was his genuine smile, eyes that bore into hers, his body relaxed and his short tail thumping against the ground in content. All signs of truth behind his words.

"Why?"

"Because you could use a friend."

"That's not a valid reaso-"

"I was once like you." Okay, this dude better stop being so sudden and unpredictable. "I used to be alone, or emo-"

"I'm not emo!"

"Yes you are, hun. But you and I both know that being alone is not fun."

Andromeda stared at the king before her, before giving a sign and laying down.

"Fine, what do you want to know?" She definitely did not miss the stupid grin on Paki's face.



To Andromeda's horror, the two began to meet daily and talk. It would be small and much more of a learning experience rather than actual conversations. Andromeda had expected Paki to get bored and leave after a while, but the stubborn mule was persistent. 2 months into their new found tradition, Paki said, "I will be leaving for a little while, week to be exact. There had been a war in a different Pride and they had asked for me to help them."

"Okay, why should I care?" Andromeda asked.

"I would like for you to watch over the Pride."

So in those 2 months he never changed, still as unpredictable as ever.

"Before you begin to talk about anything, yes, you are qualified. Sure, my best friend, Svelte could take of the Pride. But her and I both know that she does not have the same attention to detail as you do." Andromeda blinked- this dude was a stalker now.

"Yes, yes, I'm a stalker I can tell from your face what you're thinking. But hear me out. I have seen the way you act around other lions. Sure you appear not to be interested in them, but you still look after them. There's been numerous cases where lions have come up to me to thank you for doing something that they did not ask you to do. How you look after cubs when one lioness strays too far. Or how you drag the largest game by yourself back home. Or how you have helped many lionesses with any of their tasks. Trust me, I see and hear of your greatness. All I ask of you is to continue what you have been doing." Paki finished his long rant with a huff, almost daring her to say otherwise.

"Alright, alright. I'll look after the Pride."




"Paki, there was a group of enemies that have ambushed us the fourth day you have left. Andromeda went out of her way to take on those lions. All dead, but Andromeda was wounded. The Tenders are expecting her to recover in several days. But if she doesn't take a break, she'll become crippled for the rest of her life. Get her to stop, to rest." Aqua reported to the king. He nodded and went to find Andromeda at the cliff.

"Please, make her stop. She's not been eating or sleeping. She's going to run herself straight into death's hands." Lionesses that had been descending the cliff said to Paki, who was only able to nod in return.

"Send Brimstone out on a patrol out by the north border. Sterling will take the east, to make sure there's no more intruders that are thinking of going in. Ducat, take four of the lionesses, this time. I'll be taking the others to the western border. Have Tenders at ready, and Cremello ready with any spells and herbs that she can help with." As Paki neared the top of the cliff, heard Andromeda.

"That will be enough. I had patrolled the land, no one is there. Brimstone and Sterling have been sent to their normal routes. Hunters can return to their normal rounds, after an hour break. The rest are dismissed." Paki ordered, and out of the corner of his eye saw Andromeda look at him.

The lions bowed in respect to the king and Andromeda, before leaving.

"Hope there were not too many casualties?" Paki faced Andromeda, and gauged her appearance. She looked haggard and a little malnutritioned.

"No lion in our division died, only minor wounds. Now off to bed with you." Andromeda only smiled at the king.

"Bossy king." She said before collapsing.



Andromeda had recovered within the week and soon was back in helping Paki. He was amazed at how well the Pride was taken care of. The food pits never went down in their number despite the smaller number of lionesses hunting. Even then, the hunting lionesses were not tired nor grumpy from doing extra hunting- Andromeda had come up with a new hunting technique. The Tenders were always at ready with herbs stocked full for any wounds that needed healing. In all, the Pride was doing better than it had when Paki had left.

"I'm assuming you're about to lecture me on pushing myself?" Andromeda asked and when she saw Paki raise his eyebrow, she chuckled.

"Well, I just wanted myself to, I don't know, not be a useless overseer? I have been doing nothing but staying in the back of the formation, so I thought that it would be a good time to stop acting 'emo'-"

"Told you so-"

"AND start doing something useful." Andromeda continued even through the interruption.

"Well, I'm glad you're willing to be part of the Pride now, but that doesn't mean you need to throw yourself into work that you collapse afterwards." Paki said, as he sat down next to Andromeda.

"I know, I know. I just... wanted to prove myself, I guess."

"Why? You've already proven yourself. Many times, might I add." Paki contered.

Andromeda gave him a playful shove to his side, causing him to gasp in mock offense.



"Andromeda! Please, step forward!"

Andromeda was jolted from her thoughts to the current event. Paki was official being crowned king of Pride, as previously a war had broken out before he could 'traditionally' take the throne. She had not gotten a very good night rest, the cubs wouldn't leave her alone for two hours after their bed time.

"You are being crowned Queen of Pride!" Cremello, announced again as Andromeda made her way next to Paki.

A loud roar of congratulation went through the Pride. He had picked her? But she didn't even- wait- did she? When had his stupid weird looking eyes become mesmerizing? When had his overgrown annoying stature become attractive?

When did she fall in love with him?

"I present you, our King and Queen!"

"Long live the King and Queen!"




"I was just not expecting it, okay?" Andromeda countered at Paki who was dying laughing on the floor of the cave.

"But your face! It was priceless!" He roared on, fine let him have his laugh. Andromeda huffed and exited the cave. She didn't have the energy to fight the lion right now.

"Why? What made you want me of all the lionesses?" Andromeda found herself asking, when she heard Paki make his way over to her.

"I guess there's someone denser than me in this Pride- ow!" Andromeda purposefully stepped on Paki's paw. "Fine! I've had a crush on you since the first time we talked." He finished looking away in embarrassment.

"You know how weird it looks when you're embarrassed?" Paki tackled Andromeda to the ground. The two laughed for several more minutes before curling around each other and falling into blissful sleep.