fell over plateau but right after then both lions burst in loud laughter. For fighting ones whole absurd of their situation turn out to be clear. Cold hostility melted in one second, turning almost into friendly solidarity of wounded warriors. Of course the reason of their fight didn’t cease. If Dhalimu some how was able to walk he would have run to kill his enemy. If some magic power would return Taka’s sight, he would have marched to finish his crippled adversary. But probably without that blind hatred he had felt day before. And when Raia and Kota returned with water, they rebuked harshly theirs lions for such cubbish behaviour. Then lionesses dragged them back to prepared acacia-brush beddings, licked theirs wounds and comfort them, according to theirs powers.

Slowly the dusk was coming. Hunting team was still on desert but storm was also still far from Golden Sands, so four of its residents could think about pride with ease. Apart of walks for water that got Kota and Raia away from wounded ones, they all were staying in calm waiting for unknown. Although Taka was lying not more that fifty meters from Dhalimu a difference of altitude, roughness of plateau and cover of two big boulders secured a privacy for both adversaries. King and Raia took a centre and eastern part of massif and arbiter with Kota was ruler of the west. Borders of that two kingdoms were strictly kept by subjects of both rulers (there were two subjects – one in Taka’s and one in Dhalimu’s domain) and every international visit was regulated by detailed diplomatic protocol. But the greatest problem was the sleep.

“How we will do that, Kota?” asked sandy-furred. “Maybe we lay to sleep in the centre, side to side? None of us could wake unnoticed.”

“And maybe we’ll just promise each other that we will do nothing nasty, huh?” proposed golden-furred.

“Are you sure you will fulfil that promise?”

“Well... no.” confessed Kota. “But we’d better sleep with our...” she didn’t say <lions> nor <mates>, although she meant that. But she didn’t want to distress her friend. “Dhalimu preferred me than Raia. I can’t remind her, she is not king’s mate.” Thought golden-furred. “With ours... I am the light sleeper. And you?”

„Right. Let’s guard. Each one with her...” They went to wounded ones.

Sandy-furred was returning to Dhalimu uncertain and with fear in her heart. The awareness she was going to spend a night next to her beloved was exciting but also dreadful. “I shouldn’t to.” She thought. “I’m just his subject and he rejected me as his mate.” But the duty was stronger than scruples. “My lovely Kota would kill him five minutes after I go down. I must guard him.”

“My lord...” she asked shyly. “May I watch over you?” Dhalimu raised his head and looked on lionesses, pulling face with amusement.

“Of course, you may. You may also kill me, leave me to die from thirst or paint my fur with cactus-juice. You may do it all, because I’m a little indisposed.”

“I’ll try not to disturb you.” Whispered sandy-furred, laying down behind nearby boulder. She had been expecting that, but she barely repressed her tears anyway. Over the plateau fell silence, that last for few minutes. Finally Dhalimu said.

“Raia... are you sleeping?” asked with shyly, almost cubbish voice.

“No. I’m watching over you, my lord.” Replied lionesses.

“Is there comfortable?”

“It’s good place to stand on guard.” She said.

“But.. but...” he fell silent for a while, looking for appropriate words. “But could you... if this is not a problem... come to me. I have much too much brush for one bedding.”

Raia barely repressed a yell of joy and amusement. She stood up and ordering her muscles calmness moved to ruler. In the same time she was carefully observing the western part of massif, making sure that she would have good view to stand sentry. With relief she saw that king’s bedding was also not bad observation post.

“I’m here, my lord.” She announced, sitting next to brown-maned.

“Here...” invited lion, moving a bit aside and making room on his bedding. “Of course, if you want.” Lionesses shyly laid down by his side. “Good...” said ruler. “Now tell my, why are you doing it.”

“What, my lord?” she asked, but Dhalimu looked on her with piercing stare, so she decided that further evasiving is pointless. “He is so handsome.” She thought. “Even now – wounded and weak. Maybe now he is even dearer to me, because he is closer.” So she answered. “I do what I should. I love you, my lord.”

Monarch was considering that reply for long while, carefully watching subject’s face. Finally he asked uncertain.

“As a ruler.”

“As a ruler, too.” On plateau once again fell silence. And once again it was broke by loud laughter, that time of king himself.

“Now it doesn’t matter.” Announced Dhalimu, as if lioness knew exactly what he was up to. “But I must say I admire you, Raia.”

“My lord...”

“That all has come wrong!” gasped king. “I watching the world like through the mist, sham and unclear. And when I’m seeing it clear, there is probably too late for change. I’m so sorry, Raia. I should have made you a queen long time ago. I was searching far what I had always so close... Maybe you would have saved me from my errors that I’ve made, ruling the pride.”

“You are wonderful king!” sobbed sandy-furred. “And you will be. With Kota by side or anyone who you chose. Sleep and rest my lord. You have to recover soon...”

“I guest I have already recovered, at least on mind.” Murmured ruler. “And on sight. Have I said you, You are beautiful?” Confused Raia shook her head. “You see – another thing that I forgot...” Suddenly he closed his eyes and clenched his jaws, as if unexpected memory struck his mind. “I hit you!” whispered with disbelief. “And then... and then, punishing for Niva’s offence... NO! not for any offence... Just for my whim! Will you forgive me?”

“Don’t say it, my lord.” Sobbed lioness. “I was never angry on you...”

“But the others were...” noticed Dhalimu. “That drove Kota to mutiny... Although she betrayed me, I betrayed her earlier. She has right, I shouldn’t be king...” He hushed Raia’s objection with wave of paw. “If not duties of my blood and memory of my father, I would deposit the kingdom in Taka’s paws... here and now. But I can’t! I must win with him and hope you help me to mend all my errors and make me better ruler. And... will you help me?”

Sandy-maned, drove by sudden impulse, raised her head and licked cheek of her monarch. He just smiled.

“As you wish, my lord.” Said lioness. “I will be with you, as long as you want it.”

“Ow... but no <my lord> from now on.” Corrected her lion. “If you call me Dhalimu, I will believe you want it.”

“Dhalimu...” whispered Raia and they lips met.

“Ups... bad moment!” gasped Kota, who just had come from behind the stone.

“Kota!” smiled king and instinctively and a bit shyly moved back from subject. “I have already missed your endless and mutinous purling.” Lioness tried to answer with some biting reply, for example: about punishing paw of king, but she froze with riposte on her lips. In Dhalimu’s voice she heard something amazing and unheard earlier. An irony.

“Forgive me Raia. Sir...” she said slyly. “I have some request to you, your highness.”

“Your highness?” murmured brown-maned with surprise. “And where is your revolutionary zeal?” But he said it without malice, almost with fondness towards subject.

“Unless the duel is over, you are my king, sir.” Said lioness uncertainly.

“Go straight to the business, girl.” Hastened monarch. “If you are so kind I guess that request is rather serious.”

“Yes... My lord... I humbly beg you to free me from allegiance sworn as a Golden Sands subject and then to grand me marriage with Taka the Second of Prideland.”

Silence. Loud breathing of Dhalimu, Kota and Raia.

“And why, the hell...” roared furiously ruler, but suddenly he fell silent and finished with laughter. “...not? Oh, rabies! What’s the harm... Good, let it be. But you know that when I recover, I’ll try to make you a widow...”

“Well... In that case I wish you to recover... happily ever after.” Replied Kota and whole trio burst in cordial and airy laughter.

Finally Dhalimu waved his paw and golden-furred kneeled down before him. It wasn’t required to ceremony, but because king was unable to stand, Kota thought that she had to lower herself to monarch’s level. Brown-maned put his left paw on her forehead and with amused voice announced.

“You are the free lioness, Kota of Golden Sands. No oaths bounds you from now on, you rebel!”

“From now on I’m not a rebel but a constructive opposition!” replied Kota with joy. Trio laughed once again.

“Good... and now the marriag>

“As you wish, my lord.” Said lioness. “I will be with you, as long as you want it.”

“Ow... but no <my lord> from now on.” Corrected her lion. “If you call me Dhalimu, I will believe you want it.”

“Dhalimu...” whispered Raia and they lips met.

“Ups... bad moment!” gasped Kota, who just had come from behind the stone.

“Kota!” smiled king and instinctively and a bit shyly moved back from subject. “I have already missed your endless and mutinous purling.” Lioness tried to answer with some biting reply, for example: about punishing paw of king, but she froze with riposte on her lips. In Dhalimu’s voice she heard something amazing and unheard earlier. An irony.

“Forgive me Raia. Sir...” she said slyly. “I have some request to you, your highness.”

e.” Murmured Dhalimu. “I should perform the ceremony in person as the ruler of this land. So get back to your stray and lay your paws on each other’s neck... Taka said that is symbolizing the ultimate devotion of mates. Required formulas I will shout from here. Even if you don’t understand what I’m saying, when I stop, call <yes> and then it will be

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