come.

            For the Eastlanders, it was all about keeping a promise. The day after his own coronation and marriage, Seth had promised Baraka that he’d be there for his, which he and his wife were but for the coronation, and now they were back, with their grown son and daughter, for the king and his brother’s marriages. Like the Northlanders, Seth and his family arrived a few days early and with that it gave time for the leaders and friends to catch up on their respected lives.

            Seth had decided that first night to steal time with Prince Arif. He had been surprised to learn that the older lion was marrying again. Under a star filled sky, the shaman told his friend all that had happened with Akase. Seth listened with deep intensity and Arif waited for the explosion of how he did not care for Akase the way he should have, and how he had chosen work over family. But the king comforted Arif, saying that it wasn’t his fault, that all things happened for a reason and that he had nothing to be ashamed of. And now, he was moving on with his life and was in love again.

            “You have told me the truth, Arif,” the king had said. “I didn’t really know Akase. She was troubled, and I know you and everyone around her wanted to help, but in the end her life was her own. I am glad that you’re moving on. Saada seems like a good lioness. And I hope this works out, you deserve it.”

            With those words, Arif’s deep inward guilt had been lifted, and now, more than ever he was ready to re-commit. And this time he was committing to someone who knew him like he knew himself. His heart pounded in his chest. He saw his children, alongside Kadiri and Dailia’s children, standing next to Kovu. He smiled, knowing his sons and daughter were just as excited as he.

            The shaman let out a relieved sigh as he sat beside his brother.

            This would be the happiest day of both their lives.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Baraka would have spoken with his father now but decided against it. It wouldn’t be proper, and the timing would have been off. On top of that, father and son had done all the needed talking which wasn’t much, but still important. Seeing his father’s proud stare on him and Arif forced the conversation they’d had the day after the rain season when the sun was out…

The warmth fell on the king and his father. It was relaxing and soothing. The lands were cleansed and freshened. The rain season did them well. Down below the animals grazed and drank from the newly filled waterholes and streams. All was right in their realm.

            Baraka turned to Kovu with the intent to speak, but the Prince Regent spoke first.

            “It’s okay, son. I already know.” He turned with a smile.

            The king’s surprise showed on his face. “What, how could you know?” He narrowed his eyes. “What was I going to say?”

            Kovu chuckled. “That you have feelings for Etana. That you’ve told her how you feel. That you two are in love and probably plan to marry.” His green eyes grew mischievous. “How am I doing so far?”

            He pawed the ground. His own green eyes, though a shade darker than his father’s, were shocked. “I, um… well, again, how did you know?”

            “Baraka, you’re my son. And you and Etana possess a bond that I’ve never seen. You took to her from day one, which is not an easy thing to do with any lioness. It took learning how to have fun and a trip to Upendi for me to realize my feelings for your mother. In fact, I think your mother was smitten with me when I saved her from the fires.” The dark maned lion shook his head, amused. “She was always so happy and go-lucky. Only when she and I knew that we would have a responsibility to this kingdom did she became serious, but still finds time to have fun, and thanks to her, I do too.”

            Baraka smiled at that and drew a deep breath. “Dad, I’ve never felt this way about anyone. It’s as though I’ve known Etana my whole life. She’s always there when I need her.  I have sought her counsel on many of my hardest decisions when regarding the kingdom, and for personal problems too. When I was hurting emotionally for Arif and Akase, she helped both me and Arif.”

            Kovu bowed his head. “It seems to me, Baraka that you and Etana were meant for each other. You’re almost like soul mates.” He looked at his son, his expression full of love and deep pride. “I am so relieved that you’ve found someone. Your mother and I were in heartache when you started withdrawing from the lionesses your age. We feared something was wrong, but nothing was. You just had to find, or wait, for the right lioness. Now that I think about it, Arif had the same problem.”

            “Yes, except that it took his marriage falling apart to figure it out.”

            “True, but now everything is as it should be for you and for him.” Kovu rose and stretched. “I’m going down to the waterhole.”

            Baraka nodded, and then called after him. “Father, you’re right. I do plan to marry her.”

            The older lion laughed softly. “I knew you’d say that.” He continued his leave. When he stepped down into the grass, he lifted his head to the sky with closed eyes. “Thank you, Lord… thank you.”

Looking on his sons, Kovu repeated the same words in his mind. After he’d left his son on the promontory that day, he had gone to the waterhole and then went to find Kiara. Her reaction was the same as his. She, too, was relieved and happy. The Prince Regent knew where his wife was now and it made him all the more joyous.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Prince Adabu couldn’t keep from grinning. The relief and happiness he felt had been with him since he and his siblings saw Arif and Saada embrace that night. Thinking about it, he couldn’t recall a time when his parents ever embraced. But knowing that his father could, and with a lioness he clearly loved, made Adabu’s heart swell. He turned to Adisa and Njozi, wondering if they felt the same. They were also smiling, their eyes glowing. What a sight! It was something he hadn’t seen for a long time, and his sister’s eyes held no pain or fear of the future. Whatever life threw their way they would be able to handle it together with a father and a mother.

            Adabu silently remembered the night his father and Saada revealed their feelings, and how he, Adisa and Njozi watched quietly from the back entrance…

When the adults pulled away, the cubs quickly retreated back into the cave, but once in their family’s corner they did not sleep. They waited expectantly for their father, who returned with the golden brown lioness at his side sometime later. There was a gleaming look in their father’s eyes which only meant one thing.

            As the eldest of the trio, Adabu spoke. “You don’t have to explain, Dad. We know, we saw, and now we have to ask.”

            Arif flashed Saada a gentle smile as if telling her not to worry about their reactions.

            “Are you gonna marry Saada?” Adisa asked.

            Arif chuckled. “It’s a little early for that, but I hope so.” He nuzzled the lioness.

            “If you do,” said Njozi. “She’ll become our mother. And we’ll call her that.” She sighed softly. “She’s earned the right after all she’s done for us.”

            At this, Saada stepped up. “Njozi, I don’t want to replace your true mother, but I promise,” – she looked at all three cubs – “I will treat and love you as if you were my cubs.”

            The young princess came and rested her head against the lioness’s foreleg. Tears streamed from her eyes. “You already have replaced her. For me, it started the night I told you about one of my visions. You treated me kindly. You’ve been there for me when she