THE DIVINE.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Ritualistic sacrifice, manipulation, unhealthy relationships, sort-of possession.
Bohemian Rhapsody, or Ruksane, is a being who has watched over what was to be Anahita's pride since Cinder ruled it. Originally thought to be an average achromatic lioness, contacting supernatural beings over the years has allowed her to reveal herself to the pride as a Nepheline, the direct offspring of Ariel, the Lion of Heaven. However, she wishes to distance herself, from Heaven and Hell, finding interest in the Celestial Kingdom--and eventually, the gripping concept of mortality. Alongside lions such as Apedemak, she observes the whispers of lions both divine and mortal.
When Dysmas and Shani were in control of the pride, both began engaging in divine matters. Ruksane watched, offering 'advice'. Essentially ignoring Shani due to her interest in Heaven and Hell, he guided Dysmas to slaughter lions in the hundreds, in exchange for power. As Dysmas aged, however, he disengaged from her. He, and the leaders who came before, always truly had the pride's best interest at heart. That didn't matter much to her, not while she had Menhit. Apedemak has trusted her enough to introduce her to his daughter, and Ruksane loved her dearly. She'd believed the feelings were mutual, and so did Apedmak--Ruksane would be a perfect match for his daughter, sent directly from the kingdom of Heaven.
She lived peacefully alongside Menhit and her father, in the perfect relationship, or so she thought-- she was eventually met with Apollyon, who frowned upon her, believing she'd abandoned her divine duties. The two fought for what must've been years, Menhit siding with Apollyon. She'd been painfully unaware that their relationship had been assumed to be anything other than platonic. Things were tense until Ruksane was able to convince Dysmas to side with Apedemak one fateful July, forcing the couple to split---by this time, though, she'd lost feelings for Menhit. She fled back to the world of mortals, where she'd remain for the time being, feeling hollow even as she fulfilled her 'celestial duties' and resumed her observation of the pride she'd come to consider her second home.
Life was uneventful for all.
Until
Annahita joined the pride, brashly visiting the secluded mountainside cave Ruksane resided in.
Annahita's ideas were intriguing. They were a lion---lioness, rather, upon further discussion, who admired beauty and not much else.
They believed; "Beauty is in the eye of anyone but the beholder".
Anahita decides who and what is beautiful, and anything that gets in the way of that is to be pruned. They believed beauty could be found anywhere, whether in strife and slaughter or the simplicity of a stream. Finding it...that was a suitable purpose in life. Ruksane agreed.
Annahita was beautiful, strikingly so. Ruksane admired them, more than she thought she could.
Annahita felt the same.
They spent what time they could together, Annahita revealing after months apart that they'd been selected to take up the mantle from Dysmas. Ruksana knew things would change between them, and Annahita would widen their court. They vowed to stay together, to an extent. As a final token of her love, Ruksane sacrificed an unsuspecting lion to the Celestial Stone, who'd previously challenged her beloved for the throne. She drew out his whisper, turning it a blinding white and burning the marks into Annahita's pelt. They both thought it was beautiful.
Unbeknownst to Annahita, the markings would permanently draw them together, no matter what happened.
Annahita was forever changed, requiring sacrifices to the Celestial Stone to maintain their life force. Ruksana handled that, of course, leading elderly and naive lions to their deaths in the name of her beloved. Annahita was unaware just how many victims had been claimed, but they were unable to fight back, anyways. No matter how erratic and bloodthirsty their behavior became, or how many pridemates were traumatized---torn apart from the inside out---no matter how many rebellions Annahita had to squash, Ruksana would always be there. She wouldn't lose her dearest mate, not again.
Not even if they begged for the puppeteering to end, suffering from fits of supernatural loyalty phasing into suppressed fear, a longing to be free. Eventually, they complied.
They'd always be together. That was beautiful.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruksane as a girl's name is of Persian origin, and the meaning of Ruksane is "dawn". Ruksane is related to the name Roxanne.
Used to be Oyasumi/Yasumi. Lore above.
ily bb<3
"
"
