Waiting

Zuri's POV

I married Mtukufu because I was indebted to my father. He sacrificed so much for Zahara and me. We appreciate everything he's done for us. There was no other way to thank him. My little sister got lucky. Through her arranged marriage, she found her happiness.

I remember when she'd come home after long walks throughout the savanah with him. The way her eyes beamed and lit tup at the mention of his name, is something I will never forget. Meeting him had been the one thing she needed to find her purpose. She never told me about it, but I knew. She was unhappy. She hated herself and her insecurities always got the best of her. Zahara never embraced our lavish lifestyle.

After the royal family, the Luo tribe is the most revered and respected in the Pride Lands. Zahara hated being one of us. All she ever wanted was to be normal. Before our betrothal, male lions would always chase after us. I never minded. I knew it just came with our status. Zahara rejected every single male lion we came across.

She told me none of them wanted to put in the effort. She wanted the lions to understand she wasn't easy and they'd have to put in work for her. I always admired her for this. No matter how bad she felt or how much she put herself down, she never lost sight of what she beleived in and she knew something was meant for her.

Taka was the best thing that ever happened to her. She had finally met someone that respected her and was ready to walk with her through thick and thin. Seeing them together made me realize how much time I wasted.

Mtukufu and I married about three years before Taka left. I knew Tuk hated me and wanted my sister. I knew he was waiting for the right chance to pounce on her. Father realized how unhappy I was with him. He told me I could back out if I wanted to, but I stayed. I stayed because I knew this marriage was the only thing keeping him from doing the unthinkable to her. I stayed to protect her from the apathetic king who was willing to risk it all for one night. If people knew he had cheated on me, his crown might have been taken away. I risked my happiness for hers because I knew she needed love more than I did.

One night, I met a male lion. His name was Ivailo. I was curious as to who he was so we became friends. He was a strange lion. He'd never been outside much and he seemed to know absolutely nothing about the Pride Lands. Nonetheless, he was a really kind sould and he seemed to care a lot about me. He really touched my heart. No one had cared about my feelings as much as he did. He helped me see sides of myself I never knew were there. I think I helped him too. He was like Zahara. He never understood his importance or why he was brought her. However, Zahara knew she had a purpose, she just never knew what it was. Ivailo never truly understood the Circle of Life until he met me.

Ivailo's POV

My name is Ivailo, son of Adahari and Suria. Yes, King Adahari was my father. While Adahari was married to Uru, he had a concumbine. Her name was Suria. I'm the product that came out of their relationship. The bastard son, Ivailo. Father took responsibility for me the second he found out Mother was pregnant. I always admired him for that. Of course, he never had an obligation to take care of me, as I was an illegitimate child. About three months after I was born, he came too see me. He'd play with me for about an hour every week. Father helped Mother and me with food and taught me the true meaning of a good lion. I knew he had another family and I wanted to meet them someday. I knew I was the product of something despicable, but I hoped we could put all that aside.

One day, I was out walking far away from Pride Rock for the first time. I saw a beautiful lioness being tossed around by a few buffalos twice her size. I intervened before anything serios could happen to her and we ran away just in time. When we reache Pride Rock, she gave me a hug and thanked me for saving her life.

I recognised her, but I didn't know from where. I went back to my den and I fell asleep. The next day, Father came by. He greeted me and then immediately went to speak to my mother. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew something bad had happened. When Father was finishe speaking to Mother, he walked over to me. He told me that he had killed his wife. He told me why and I could never bring myself to tell him that I was the male lion. I was the reason his wife was dead.