25 At The Lion’s Den

At SkyScapes, Amaya was done bathing and a woman in her late twenties was assisting her.

"My name is Chloe. I am one of the boss' secretaries and I am here to assist you." She said gently. She passed her a pajama set. "You can change into these. These are clothes we normally use for sleeping." She explained patiently as she would to a child.

Amaya stood from the bathtub. She rubbed her body dry with the towel and stepped out of it naked.

Chloe was shocked. "You can use the robe or wrap the towel around your body. You are a gown up now Amaya. You cannot go around naked even if we were both females." Chloe looked flustered. She tried to make Aryana understand privacy.

Amaya just gave her a childish grin. She accepted the bathrobe, and put it on before changing into her pajama.

She went into the bedroom. Chloe handed her a tablet and a mobile phone.

"This is for you. Let me help you create your social media account."

"What name do you want to use?" She asked.

"Amaya Rocas."

Chloe entered her name.

"Normally people also use an alternate internet account. You can have it as well."

Amaya thought for a while. She took the tablet from Chloe and created an alternate account using White Spirit as the name.

She learned how to google and started exploring the internet. She searched about Lireya and studied the photos of the Royal Family. Those were her family. She saw the photos of King Duncan, Crowned Prince Ibarra Rocas who looked like her Father Ibrahim, his wife, the Crowned Princess Nelida, and their twins Danella and Donello.

When Marx and Karl knocked at her door, it was already nine pm and Amaya has trouble keeping her eyes open.

"Oh hello Marx." She excitedly greeted him.

"Why only greet him?" Karl said enviously. Marx glared at him.

"Oh, hi Karl." She greeted him sheepishly.

"Why are you not sleeping yet?" Marx settled beside her on the couch and checked out what she was doing with the tablet. All her searches were related to Lireya.

"I was waiting for you. I'd like to see Khalil, Strata and their mates and Kong tomorrow. They must be sad and missed me." She said looking sad.

"Okay. Let's go to the zoo tomorrow after breakfast."

Karl looked at Marx unbelievingly.

'He agreed just like that without even raising an eyebrow?'

Amaya smiled. Karl was mesmerized. What a beautiful smile!

"I'll sleep now. Good night." She moved into the bed and snuggled under the blanket.

"The bed is so soft and so is the blanket." She added.

Marx turned off the light and the ceiling was illuminated with constellations.

Amaya gasped. "Good enough. Not as beautiful as the one in Miraga though." She sighed.

Marx led Karl out of the room. He looked at the woman nestled in the middle of the bed one last time before closing the door.

The following morning, the ambassador from Lireya with his wife arrived at SkyScapes. They had breakfast together and the conversation was polite.

"Lireya is now celebrating its centennial as a monarchy. Your father wanted to come here tomorrow to fetch you but cannot because of prior appointments. He can only come in three days Princess." The ambassador said.

"My Father?" Amaya was confused. To her, only Ibrahim was her father.

"Your Father, Prince Ibarra." The ambassador repeated and Amaya nodded.

Marx handed an invitation to the Lireyan Ambassador.

"The museum will open tomorrow. I decided to display what we have found and salvaged on that island."

After breakfast, Marx brought Amaya to the zoo. She was wearing tight black jeans, a cardigan blouse and a pair of rubber shoes. She was wearing a knitted cap on her head and her hair was left cascading down her back.

Her five pets were housed together in an enclosure. Marx has gotten a special permit for her to go inside the enclosure. Marx accompanied her inside.

The tigers and the wolves were so happy to see her and so was Kong. She spent time running and playing with them. She told them about the wonderful things she has seen in Usturia. She also promised them that she will find a new home for them.

Amaya's interaction with the animals was recorded by the zoo management.

"Looks like she understands the animals and the animals understand her as well." The zoo director commented. The person he was talking to nodded in agreement.

Soon the zoo started filling up with people.

"Aya, it is time to leave." Marx reminded her. Amaya reluctantly nodded. She promised to come again in the morning.

They were about to leave the zoo when a loud cry of a woman was heard followed by a commotion.

"Someone help. My Son! My Son! Hurry!" The woman cried hysterically.

Amaya ran to where the commotion was. She saw a little boy standing on the ground surrounded by a few cubs, a lioness and the lion. It was an entire family of lions. The boy was trembling and crying. The animals were not fed yet and they were hungry.

Without wasting any more time, Amaya jumped inside the enclosure. She landed firmly in front of the boy.

Amaya growled at the Lion who growled back at her, its big fangs showing. The lion lunged forward. Amaya grabs the little boy. She leaped into the air and landed astride the lion's back.

The lion was angry and so was the lioness. Amaya was looking at the tree at the corner of the enclosure. She doesn't have any weapon so she can only escape.

Her wolves and her tigers were howling on the other side of the enclosure. She told them she was alright.

The lion was trying to shake her off his back. Amaya calculated and when the timing was right, she jumped from the lion's back and climb the tree in a matter of seconds.

The lion and the lioness below was growling at her. She stuck her tongue towards them, then she balanced herself on the branch of the tree and gracefully walk on the thin branch before jumping out of the enclosure into the paved road.

She handed the boy to her mother who was shocked she turned mute.

Everyone was shocked by what they have just witnessed time seemed to stand still.

It was only after five minutes, that someone started clapping his hands.