Msaka’s voice.

“Simba! Now, I see you were a real king.” Called with a bit of amusement. “Also because you keep you dignity after you left your office. I could ensure you, I will be loyal to your family.”

“Is he mocking on us?” asked Timon to Simba’s ear.

“No, he is honest.” Replied lion. “He respects me, for not ordering him. I could have threaded him with intervention of Tanabi and whole pride, but I just asked for your life. I guess he just don’t want to be commanded by someone other that king himself.”

“Ow, I see.” Murmured meerkat. “Simba, thanks. That one we owe you.”

“Friends are for that.” Smiled lion. “To care each other.”

“So, will you care about our stomachs?” asked rodent. They turned north to swampy groves.

*

Umeme got to Green Den as fast as she could. She had decided to go on her own after she noticed that Vitani hadn’t sent any liaison to her parents-in-law. A bit shocked by that (but adding to it overall shock of previous day events) she wanted to ask queen herself, but after being given with hollow reply, she excuses monarchess and ran at her own. So about two hours after dawn she came to Green Den.

“Ma’am!” she called.

From cave exited Nala with Sorphi and Vinia, ghostly following former queen and watching her steps. She saw that Simba wasn’t there. So after she got to den’s plate she fell down on grass and coughed with dry cough.

“Stars! What happened!?” asked Nala, looking on friend. “You were running here all the way from rock?”

Lioness was too weak to reply, so she just nodded, still lying. Nala wagged her tail, ordering two of her assistants to get some water in cocoshell. Then she bended down to Umeme and licked her cheek.

“What happened!? Something wrong?”

“King…” panted goldenfurred.

“King what!?” yelled Nala.

“King is hurt…” managed to pant lioness.

“But alive?” asked Nala with inquiring voice. She was in fear, however she hated to exhaust Umeme so much. Lioness nodded her head and ex-queen sighed. “Thank Stars! So wait, say nothing… We will bring you something to drink.”

Sorphi and Vinia came with shells of water and also bended down to tired liaison. After few draughts Umeme opened her eyes and looked with more sane stare on Nala.

“Ma’am… there was an accident on Priderock.” She said with weak, but certain voice. “Prince Dhahabu stuck in some crack and king went for help. There was a burst… Prince is unhurt, but king was buried.”

“Buried…” repeated ex-queen with fear.

“We took him out, but… he still didn’t wake up.”

“What!?” yelled Nala.

“He is still in coma.” Explained Umeme. “I’m so sorry, ma’am.”

Nala was thinking for few seconds. In the first place a call of scared mother sounded in her. All she wanted was to run and see her son. But there was also a seconds thought, initially rejected by Nala’s mind as very improper in that moment, but after another heart-clap she understood that there are no improper thoughts if the stake is very existence of kingdom. “I’m not only mother.” She thought. “I’m also mother of king. My duty is to think about kingdom in every moment… That what Tanabi surely wants from me!”

“What shaman says about Tanabi’s state?” she asked.

“Serious, but stabile.” Replied Umeme.

“Why we haven’t been told earlier? Why Tiko hasn’t come here?”

“I don’t know, ma’am. Queen hasn’t ordered that.” Said Umeme honestly.

“Who is in charge on Priderock?” asked Nala with voice that a bit scared herself.

“Queen…” replied goldenfurred. She wanted to add <…of course>, but something stopped her. She followed Nala’s thought and learned what it meant. “All lionesses are obedient to queen.”

“How prince is going?”

“Terrified, I guess he is blaming himself for what happened.” Replied Umeme. “But physically he is unhurt.”

“Now, you all.” She turned also to Sorphi and Vinia. “You see that situation of our kingdom got dire. I believe that my son will surely recover, but in order to secure peace on Prideland, I think it’s high time for Simba to take regency.”

A silence fell on Green Den plate. A dry, morning wind was quietly moving grass, but no other sound disturbed that peace. However minds of all four lionesses were running fast and calculating the consequences of that action. Nala measured poses of Umeme, Sorphi and Vinia to notice that all of them seemed to be undecided, still shocked by unexpected outcome. “That’s is our chance!” thought ex-queen. “Stars witness I didn’t want to do it in such circumstances… But if Tanabi’s weakness is the last opportunity to restore real order in our land… I have no other choice.”

“Umeme, go for Simba.” She said, looking on goldenfurred. “He went on swamps with Timon and Pumbaa. By the way, wake up Zazu. He is majordomo again. I will go as first to prepare… warm welcome for him.”

“Ma’am!” yelled lioness. “Are you really want to get back?” Nala just nodded.

“Of course, I want and I will. My son is hurt, my kingdom is in chaos.”

“Queen…” started Vinia.

“Queen is chaos!” replied Nala with gasp. “As grandparents of prince Dhahabu, Simba and I will take custody over kingdom’s heir.”

“But queen…” sobbed Sorphi, finally understanding what was going on.

“She isn’t Pridelander!” snorted ex-queen. “All her mandate to rule was approval of Tanabi. If king can’t oversee her actions… We must!” finished with growling voice.

“I think sir Simba could not share your…” noticed Umeme.

“So find him now and ask yourself.” Smiled Nala. “But then join together to us on Priderock.” She came closer to lioness and whispered to her ear. “Quick. Tanabi needs you.” Eyes of goldenfurred extended.

“For what?” she asked, also with whisper.

“To… live. To rule.” Replied ex-queen. “In that point vital interest of pride meets your will.” Finished. She stepped back to look again in eyes of Umeme. She saw what she expected to – a fight between duty… she hated and possible duty she loved. “Do not be afraid.” Added Nala. “Trust your old queen… ma’am… child…”

Umeme blinked with shock. It must be mishearing, but… Nala had to say: <my child>. Or she really addressed goldenfurred as future queen? Lioness shook her head and helplessly looked on older friend.

“Please… ma’am. Do not do anything we could regret in future!”

“Only thing we could regret in future, is today’s passivity!” replied ex-monarchess with soft yet wilful voice. “Go for Simba. It’s time for king to return!”

In Umeme’s heart battle was really raging on. She loved Tanabi with all her heart. Once she really thought prince would become her mate and they would live together, ruling Prideland or establishing a new pride. But when Tanabi took Vitani as his mate, just in few moments lioness managed to turn her love into loyalty and subject’s devotion. She really loved king, thell on Green Den plate. A dry, morning wind was quietly moving grass, but no other sound disturbed that peace. However minds of all four lionesses were running fast and calculating the consequences of that action. Nala measured poses of Umeme, Sorphi and Vinia to notice that all of them seemed to be undecided, still shocked by unexpected outcome. “That’s is our chance!” thought ex-queen. “Stars witness I didn’t want to do it in such circumstances… But if Tanabi’s weakness is the last opportunity to restore real order in our land… I have no other choice.”

“Umeme, go for Simba.” She said, looking on goldenfurred. “He went on swamps with Timon and Pumbaa. By the way, wake up Zazu. He is majordomo again. I will go as first to prepare… warm welcome for him.”

“Ma’am!” yelled lioness. “Are you really want to get back?” Nala just nodded.

“Of course, I want and I will. My son is hurt, my kingdom is in chaos.”

“Queen…” started Vinia.

“Queen is chaos!” replied Nala with gasp. “As grandparents of prince Dhahabu, Simba and I will take custody over kingdom’s heir.”

“But queen…” sobbed Sorphi, finally understanding what was going on.

“She isn’t Pridelander!” snorted ex-queen. “All her mandate to rule was approval of Tanabi. If king can’t oversee her actions… We must!” finished with growling voice.

“I think sir Simba could not share your…” noticed Umeme.

“So find him now and ask yourself.” Smiled Nala. “But then join together to us on Priderock.” She came closer to lioness and whispered to her ear. “Quick. Tanabi needs you.” Eyes of goldenfurred extended.

“For what?” she asked, also with whisper.

“To… live. To rule.” Replied ex-queen. “In that point vital interest of pride meets your will.” Finished. She stepped back to look again in eyes of Umeme. She saw what she expected to – a fight between duty… she hated and possible duty she loved. “Do not be afraid.” Added Nala. “Trust your old queen… ma’am… child…”

Umeme blinked with shock. It must be mishearing, but… Nala had to say: <my child>. Or she really addressed goldenfurred as future queen? Lioness shook her head and helplessly looked on older friend.

“Please… ma’am. Do not do anything we could regret in future!”

“Only thing we could regret in future, is today’s passivity!” replied ex-monarchess with soft yet wilful voice. “Go for Simba. It’s time for king to return!”

at why she let him go. She hoped that all temptations of old went away, but… Nala gave her a second chance.

“I know I should do it.” Thought goldenfurred. “Simba and Nala shouldn’t have been exiled. Vitani didn’t have right to do it. And I know… in spite of all my love to Tanabi… that Simba should still reign. I know Nala is right… but does is mean I could… disobey Vitani? My queen… My bad and unrightfully ruler… whom I swore. Tanabi, my king and love… what should I do?” But Tanabi couldn’t reply on that. Nala could.

“You will ask him yourself. But give him a chance to choose. Between her and you!”

“I’m doing good thing.” Whispered Umeme, turning right to north. “But I know I will regret that.”

“I make all what I could to ensure you did

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