[FIN] Finding Contentment in Captivity (Aali & Taja)

[Roxy_roxanna2]

Aali liked to think he had done a perfect job, but of course he was neither vain nor foolish enough to believe such a thing. Some sultans had prided themselves on using force, and others tact. He had wanted the chance to coax his females to gain a solid bond of trust and respect, but dire times called for more forceful measures. Now that things had been explained he hoped that the ladies would forgive the males their use of force and allow them to redeem themselves.

He would let the two closest females bond a bit under Aysel's watch while he learned about the purple beauty he had managed to claim for himself. Her name, her story, and if she would really miss her former life more then the honor he was offering her now were all of paramount curiosity for the young sultan.

He slipped into the cave she had been led to hoping their first conversation could be turned pleasant. "Greetings..." He murmured and let his eyes focus on her.

 

[Tahja Estes]

Taja wasn't entirely sure if she felt any better now that all had been explained. The fact was they were still being held against their wishes, had still been kidnapped, though in she and Lela's cases, granted, they hadn't really a place to call home currently to be kidnapped FROM anyway. Still.

It wasn't really in her to hold onto anger for too long, but she did feel irritation over having the choice taken from her, and she worried for Lela and the other girls. Maybe in time she'd relax, but for now she was still unsure of their male "hosts" and "keepers"...

Apparently, the one she'd been chosen by was the leader of the pride. "Sultan", they'd explained. She wasn't sure if she should be more nervous by that fact or not, but she was. She rested at the back of the cave, body tucked low, her chin resting on her paws and her tail curled around her body as she warily watched the entrance where she heard someone's approach.

When Aali came around her body grew tense, and she stood, backing away a couple of steps. She couldn't really help the reaction. Though things had been explained she was still horribly nervous, especially being alone with any of the strange males. Maybe if she had at least been in the same grouping with Lela...

"G.... greetings..." Taja replied, a bit uncertain, and though irritated with her situation-- not wanting to make him, or any of the other guys, angry by seeming defiant. Defiant just wasn't her. That was more Lela's deal.  

[Roxy_roxanna2]

Aali tried to hunker down and make himself a bit less intimidating but with his natural frame it was hard. The female herself was fair sized though not as scrawny as the rogue females they had captured. He sat down and peered at her a long moment uncertain of her reaction.

"I hope your head isn't hurt..." His gaze traveled slowly across her face before he settled back to look into her eyes. Fascinating she had the most vivid wine colored eyes, not quite red as a ruby darker somehow.

"I hope in time you'll come to forgive me for dragging you into our pride...it is not in me usually to ask for forgiveness....but I do not want us on bad terms. I want you to understand the honor bestowed on you...though I'm sure it doesn't seem like it to you now..." He took a deep breath and added softly. "I am Aali, Sultan of Ukuucha'Wafalme, your new pride."
 

[Tahja Estes]

"No.... it's fine."

Her answer purposely excluded the status of the rest of her, more for the fact that she wasn't sure yet if she was okay... with -this-, not that she had a choice. When she realized he was staring her in the eye she averted her own, not because she thought it was respectful, and she certainly didn't intend to be disrespectful either, but because it brought out her embarrassed, shy side to be stared at in such a manner.

"Forgive me for being skeptical, indeed, Sultan Aali, but this is not my pride..." She replied softly, nervousness still clear. He was trying to be polite, friendly, at least, and she couldn't be angry with him for it, but it didn't change the way she felt, either. Right now, though, she was simply stating facts as she saw them, pointing out that he was correct-- she did not see it as an honor at this time, she didn't know if she ever would. The future was far too clouded when uncertainty and fear were mussing up her vision. "... It is merely where my friends, my family and I have been brought, not by choice..."  

[Roxy_roxanna2]

"You may not yet feel it as your pride, but in time...I hope you will come to see it in a better light." He moved a bit closer to the female surprised she wasn't lashing out in anger, perhaps if he could only make her understand. Aysel was much better at extolling the virtues of their prides females, but he knew best of all the struggles their males would face without a harem proper.

"Your friends and family, they'll be cared for by the males that claim them, protected and cherished. I know we must seem very cruel to you now...and some of us have a heavier paw then others...but I do not want you to be afraid. Please tell me your name?" He leaned in a bit closer hoping to catch her gaze again intrigued by her eyes and soft purple coat. Purple was the royal color his father had told him so long ago while proudly nudging him as he stared at his own young reflection. The distant memory surfaced and made him smile, this female before him was destined to be his.
 

[Tahja Estes]

Taja only grew more flustered as he came closer. Instinctively she took another step back, but now felt the wall of the cave against her backside, and had to sit, scooching against the wall a little. Closer still he came, and her ears quivered, going flat atop her head with the feline equivalent to a blush. She kept her eyes averted until he was directly in her line of vision, at which point she couldn't avoid his stare anymore without being obvious and rude about it.

Her name, he'd asked, and before that he'd commented on hoping she'd basically loosen up in time, adjust to pride life here. As he had described the current condition between male and females she felt herself worrying about who Lela could have gone to, or their cousins and half siblings and half aunts and fellow pride members, as well as the rogue females.

His smile only left her feeling more flustered. Why did he have to ask so kindly? And did he really have to be so charmingly polite? (Not that she actually objected, or minded. It was far better than any of the alternatives.)

"T... Tetesi-tajamala..."  

[Roxy_roxanna2]

Aali watched her as she backed up and sat down, he didn't want her to feel cornered by he didn't want her to avoid him either. He leaned back a bit to give her more space and smiled.

"Tetesi-tajamala...well thats quite a mouthful...I don't suppose you would object to me shortening it a bit princess?" He chuckled. "Maybe Tete, Taja, Mala?"

He glanced back at the cave entrance then looked at her eyes again. "Your worried about your friends and family, but you needn't be...we have not placed any as Kajira yet, they will all be in the paws of trustworthy males. Males honored to have them as they are honored to be claimed." He moved to lay down slowly across her path and grinned up at her.

"Why not relax a little? I won't hurt you...I only wish to talk, to explain...I do not want you to think ill of a place I want you to call home."
 

[Tahja Estes]

"T-Those are fine..." She answered, ears still tucked back on her head, but she relaxed a little as he leaned back. She had backed herself into the corner of her own doing, but she'd never been approached by a male in that manner before, and the last time any male had that much of a size difference on her it had been her father as she was growing into adolescence out of childhood.

He settled down then, and as she curled her tail about her hind paws once more she watched him "block" her path.

"... I am... Lela does not take well to being given... instructions..." She admitted carefully, worried for her most of all. His advice did not fall on deaf ears, however, and even if uncertainly she did lay down as well, a more comfortable position.  

[Roxy_roxanna2]

"Not all of them...Taja then..." He smiled softly and watched as she settled down pleased that he seemed to be making progress.

"Lela....the smaller female with you, her fur was black as night...she almost escaped you know. Woke herself on the return and bolted like light across the sky, she was recaptured by a new male who aspired to join us. We are allowing him to do so after his valiant save. He is gentle though, he will not harm her without just cause. I know which of my brothers prefers to strike first and which prefer to persuade via alternate means." He trailed off slightly thinking of the females he had placed to Tariq, as much as some questioned the sanity of the dark male Aali knew a good Vizier, friend, and alliance when he saw one. Tariq knew how to handle his females even if others disagreed with his methods.

"I am certain your Lela will not be given any orders until she is settled better. In time as we come to trust one another you will be allowed out, the harems are allowed to gather and drink and hunt and share time together when they behave." He smiled softly. "My Sultana is always well behaved, she sees that the females all get to see each other every so often. Perhaps once you meet her she will be inclined to take a message to your Lela for you until you can see her for yourself."
 

[Tahja Estes]

Honestly, if Lela could see her right now she'd probably scold her for being so easily swayed by smooth words and a charming smile, so it was better if she had time to collect herself before facing her friend again.

The news that Lela had managed to escape before being captured, or almost, made her heart jump even as the truth rang in her ears. Lela WAS still here, after all, but if she almost got away... maybe one of the others had managed it. She wasn't sure that she trusted Aali's reassurances about Lela's keeper, but it was more because they clearly had differing opinions about some key things when it came to females and proper treatment.

Her father, from whom she'd gotten her eyes, had been a doting, loving figure in her life, and he'd adored her mother, but she had been his only mate, and had never demanded or expected a single thing of the female. Lela's parents weren't even together anymore, but her mother certainly was the dominant half in her new relationship. It was just such a culture shock to someone who had grown up around... "normal" families...

"... What's going to happen to us now...?" She questioned, watching the male curiously as her tail wound a little tighter around her paws, nervous energy boiling to a focal point. They had explained the general rules, but... if their level of treatment varied from male to male, did being part of the leader's harem offer some protection, or put her in a bad position somehow? What did he personally expect from her?  

[Roxy_roxanna2]

Aali tipped his head and looked at her for a long moment before smiling softly. "Well why don't you tell me first what your life was like, what your goals were, and why you think your new life will be like here?"

He frowned softly and added "Tell me what you think you've lost of your life...."
He knew the adjustment had to be hard and perhaps some insight into the minds of these females they had captured from the pridelands would help him to ease their transition. The idea of them all becoming kajira was unbearable...everyone knew what happened when the kajira couldn't be tamed.

He pushed the unhappy thought away and reassured himself he and his brothers would be able to handle the new females just fine. In time they would realize that a life as a cherished banu was better then anything out in the cold cruel world they came from.
 

[Tahja Estes]

Though the rules had been explained, and she knew she was expected to be obedient, some things were going to take a little time. All she could hope for was that he wouldn't get angry with her for it, or think her defiant.

Tajamala cast her eyes downward, curling one of her front paws in against her chest to discreetly place over the spot where she felt her heart beating.

"Please... I'd rather not remember right now." She said quietly, sure that if she thought of home, her friends, siblings, and parents she'd just grow distressed and horribly homesick. It hurt far too much to think about. "I don't know..." She said to the question before his last. What did she think her new life would be like? She really didn't know, as she said. She couldn't even begin to imagine life as part of a..... collection... of mates, wives. "... I always thought I would have what my parents had." She admitted in the smallest voice yet, looking off to one side with a sad look in her eyes. In her mind she couldn't equate harems with love, couldn't imagine it possible for one male to love two, three, or let alone four females, nor had she ever imagined she'd have to share even if she did come to love such a man.  

[Roxy_roxanna2]

He gently leaned in to touch his nose against her cheek before pulling back again and watching her for another quiet moment. Finally he sat up halfway and stretched before laying back down and taking a deep breath.

"Maybe I should share a little of our history with you, that you might understand better. Our pride had always been about family, love, survival. The greatest honor for a male is being able to protect and care for many females to have each of them bear cubs for the next generation. The greatest honor for our females is to serve and love and provide the next generation. You may think we are unfeeling, but we have a greater capacity to care for one another each male a brother and all the females as sisters and mothers. Cubs loved by all their mothers, females carefully moved from pad to pad until they find one whom they wish to serve who they can best serve as a banu. Our ways have ensured our survival from generations long past living in the harsh desert to the present day beside a lush lake." He smiled softly and looked at her curious to see how she would react to his words.

"Perhaps your father and mother had something special, but we have something special here too. Males take what they want, and once they have it they care for it in their own way. Why would I waste my time speaking to you if I did not want to care for you someday? To form as unique a bond with you as I have with my Sultana or with any females under my care? And in turn perhaps you could come to care enough for me that you wish to serve this harem well, and offer your new sisters aid and companionship. Is that such a horrible thing to ask?"
 

[Tahja Estes]

She saw him moving closer through her peripheral vision, but even if she had wanted to stop him or try to edge away she thought she knew better than to do so when she was cornered. She wasn't like her friends, didn't get angry or lash out, generally wasn't bothered by the actions of others as long as they weren't being forceful, and save for the kidnapping itself she had to admit Aali was being anything but. He didn't even push the topic of home when she asked not to have to speak about it just yet.

She then looked at him in surprise as he explained more about the pride's personal history, or family practices and beliefs-- Was it such a horrible thing...?

Immediately Taja felt guilty. She had been judging them, she knew, and that wasn't entirely fair. They had apologized for the rough treatment, most of them anyway. The only thing really lacking right then was a choice to stay or go.

"I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean--" She fumbled, shaking her head lightly with embarrassment for her own actions. "--I didn't mean to offend!"

She really hadn't meant to insult their way of life, she was simply so stuck on the lifestyle that she was leaving behind-- but she did want to help the other females that had been taken, and if that meant getting over the indignity of being taken forcefully from her own life and having to open her mind, give this new one a chance, she would.

".... A... alright I," She really couldn't believe what she was agreeing to! "I'll try..."  

[Roxy_roxanna2]

"You needn't apologize, I realize how hard this must be for you...I just wanted you to better understand." He smiled softly his frame relaxing a bit as she agreed to try.

"I might not have led such a forceful capture had it not been needed, our numbers dwindled dangerously low. Young males not able to make it back from their coming of age ceremonies. You and the others can help this pride, can herald a whole new generation. Here you will be needed and wanted, loved and cared for...if thats such a bad thing...then I am sorry." He stood and shook off stretching his muscles.