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 Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:52 am
Oh, she was so pleased with herself! And she just knew Faiz would be too! Going to see Tuliua had been...well, to be honest, it had been a thoroughly weird experience that she wasn't entirely sure whether or not she wanted to repeat. Whilst she'd been there it had been really quite uncomfortable, but after she'd left and had time to clear her head Mzuka had realized that talking to another female had been almost...relieving. Not that she'd ever admit this to Faiz, of course. She wasn't having him tell her 'Told you so!'. Because he most certainly would.
"Faiz, Faiz, Faiz! Guess whaaaaaaat!" she called out in a merry voice, bounding up to him childishly as soon as she spotted his grey form in the distance. She bounced up to his face, stopping just short with wide emerald eyes and a bright smile on her face. "You're gonna be so proud of me!"
And he was, as well! Or more...he'd better be.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:05 am
 Faiz looked up from his thinking and gave his Beybanu an expected look. He was usually proud of his Mzu, generally for silly reasons, but rarely did she come up to him all excited like that and tell him that he was going to be proud of her.
"Really, now? What has my Mzu done that'll make me so proud?" he asked with a tilt of his head. He had been pondering over pridal things plus the addition of Thabiti to their little collection of cubs. He was a little angry with his brother over that. He would have to be blind to not see the rivalry between his sons. Giving Thabiti to Zeki was like adding dried grass to a fire. But there wasn't anything he could do about it, not unless another cub fell into their lap that he could give to Ilyas. Not that he really wanted to. He would rather have his sons earn their females rather than them just be handed to them like some of his had been.
But everything aside, he could usually make time for his Beybanu. Only the most important matters came before her.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:30 am
Mzu grinned, lowering her front and wiggling her hind in a playful manner that a cub might adopt, bouncing from side to side. He was gonna be so so so so proud! She almost forgot to actually tell him, only remembering when he didn't actually give a reply. "Oh, right! Weeeelllll, I did like you asked and went to see Tuliua. And we like...talked for a bit. About her cubs and what being pregnant was like and stuff."
She paused in her playful manner, shrugging a little. Now she'd actually said it, it didn't sound quite as great as she'd hoped. "So...yeah. I'm properly ready now. Although, y'know, she might've put me off a little..."
Well, she ahd to get some teasing in, didn't she?
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:53 am
He had been proud of her, until that last comment. With that, Faiz went from a smile to a suspicious frown.
"I hope that was a joke, Mzu. I really don't like going back and forth on this issue..." he replied, the frown lifting a bit into a slightly tired smile. Sure, he loved her, but his Beybanu REALLY needed to make up her mind on this.
And with that, he stepped to her and tapped her nose with one of his toes.
"I am glad to hear you had a civil conversation with one of the Banu, especially Tuliua. Perhaps next you'll surprise me with you having spent some time playing with the cubs," he added with a chuckle. Now THAT would certainly be a surprise. She might be persuaded to help out with the raising of them, but to go play with them, nicely and of her own volition? Not something he would expect from his Beybanu.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:08 am
Mzuka rolled her eyes at his frown and tired smile, pushing forwards to nuzzle the underside of his chin. "I was JOKING, Faiz. You know, that thing I always do that you never get? C'moooon, lighten up a little?" she spoke sweetly, glancing up at him with wide eyes. He was always so tired - maybe he should do less work, and play with her more? Yeah, that's make him less tired!
She wrinkled her nose, snapping playfully at his paw with a giggle, although that was soon replaced by a snort and a shake of the head. "Play with one of those little brats? Yeah, right. Besides, I'll have my own, superior cubs to look after soon!" she spoke, smiling brightly up at Faiz, clearly excited by the prospect.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 3:30 pm
Faiz stuck his tongue out at her playfully before he nipped at her ear.
"Mzu, they are NOT brats, and I swear that if you call them that one. More. Time, I'll... I'm not sure right now, Mzu, but I promise you will not like it," he said sternly, a frown on his features. He really was getting tired of this from her. So what if the cubs were Tuliua's? They were still cubs and members of the pride. She wouldn't dare call other members' cubs brats. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more annoyed he got.
"And don't argue with me about this, either. Thinking about it has put me into a mood now," he added before she could say anything. He even scooted back a little ways away from her, adding more emphasis to how serious he was about this.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:48 pm
She squeaked a litle at the n**, mistaking Faiz's anger for playfulness, bouncing backwards with a grin and swaying her tail from side to side. She soon realized her mistake, though, growling softly as she dived forwards, trying to knock him over. She was only small, and she hoped the momentum would help. She was tired of Faiz always being grumpy!
"Okay, okay I'm sorry! You're always in moods nowadays. I never get any happy-Faiz time, or even just dominant-Faiz time. Even that's better than this!"
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:03 am
Faiz nipped at her again standing firm against her shove. He wasn't playing now. She wouldn't knock him over.
Maybe his brother had been right. He'd let Mzu have her way too much and she had started to presume that she could act like this. He was being serious for goodness' sake!
"You may be sorry, but I get the feeling that's not going to make you change this attitude towards them. There's another cub in the harem, who's not mine. How do you treat her? Is she a brat too? Or do they only get your contempt because they're mine, and not yours? This has to stop, Mzu. With any other male... This disrespectful behavior could land you into the position of Kajira," he finally trailed off with a frustrated growl. He ran a paw over his mane and shook it, looking at her with both of his eyes. They were narrowed slightly.
"Or is it that you just take pleasure in testing how far you can push me before I snap?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:12 am
Mzu pouted, avoiding his gaze as she backed off a little, thoroughly disappointed she'd failed at knocking him over. She knew that everything he said was true, of course. She was just too stubborn to admit it. "When you snap in a playful way it's fun," she grumbled softly, although whether Faiz could hear it or not she wasn't sure. Growling in exasperation, Mzuka dropped her hind to the ground quite suddenly, dust rising and settling again.
"Well, what else am I supposed to feel!?" she snapped, clearly trying to keep her emotions in check to prevent her from growling or snarling. Getting him more pissed of wouldn't do, "Ever since those little br....'bundles of joy' arrived you've been obsessed with them! Always busy with them. You never have time for me anymore - I don't get hugs or cuddles or...or just normal conversation. What else do you expect me to feel but contempt!?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:26 am
Faiz looked pained and turned his face to the sky.
"I rarely spend time with the girls. It's my duty as their father to teach my sons to be good pads. I also have my rounds to make, and until recently, Mzu, I was in charge of the whole pride. Mzu, do you not understand that I have been busy with so many things? I have to keep an eye on the new males and help my brother whenever he asks," he sighed, stopping there to frown a bit.
"Mzu, I've barely seen Tuliua since the cubs were born. And Najiyya and Faeqa rarely get my attention in the first place. When I'm not busy or teaching, I'm with you. And yet all I seem to do is tell you to stop being jealous of the others and explaining myself to you. Why, Mzu? What more do I have to do to get you to stop being like this?" He stepped closer to her then, his ears down a bit, but a small frown on his face. He wasn't begging, he never begged, and anyone who thought otherwise would never say so allowed.
But it sure sounded a lot like it.
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:40 am
Why! Why did he always have to be so sad and grumpy! She knew he had loads of work, and yeah, she felt for him, but he'd been the one to accept it! Just 'cause he couldn't say no to his brother! She didn't reply to his question, figuring it was rhetorical, and simply growled softly, glaring at the sand, at the rocks - anywhere but actually at him. How was any of this her fault!? He was blaming her for everything.
Wait, wha...it wasn't raining? Glancing up for a moment, she soon realized her mistake, growling somewhat loudly in frustration at herself, bringing a paw up to wipe the tears away before Faiz could see them. He'd probably just get more pissy at her for overreacting or something. She only wanted a hug, or a cuddle - was that too much to ask? He stepped closer but she still stared at the ground, afraid of fresh tears should she look up at him. But temptation was too much and she peeked up, grumbling something inaudible at his expression. He was giving her the...the look! That one that he vehmenently denied was begging, but quite clearly was. What did he want!? Her to stop being jealous? Well, that was pretty difficult - she couldn't just stop with the click of her fingers. It wasn't something she could control.
Paw coming up to wipe away a fresh wave of tears, she growled softly again, glaring at the sand once more, deciding to be silent. She'd probably just make it worse, anyway.
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:55 am
With a sigh, Faiz placed his head on top of hers and wrapped a paw around her shoulders.
"What am I going to do with you?" he asked softly. Now that was a rhetorical question, even if she didn't catch it that way. She needed to get over this, but he didn't know how to help.
"Don't cry, Mzu... You know I can't take tears," he whispered, rubbing his chin a bit across the top of her head. What had happened to them? Sure, she had always been a handful, but not like this. Was it because of all the changes? His brother becoming sultan and the loss of the third vizier, the sisters being added to his harem, Tuliua having cubs, more members coming into the pride... Had things really changed that much?
"All I want is for you to get along with the others, and vice versa. There are so many of cubs, they could use as many mothers as they can. Please, my dearest, for me? If it helps at all, don't think of them as mine. Respect the boys as is due, and teach the girls. Can you do that?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:01 am
At first she resisted, trying to pull away a little to show him that she was still grumpy. But eventually she relented - after all, this was hat she wanted. A cuddle. She was quick to snuggle herself into Faiz's warm fur, pushing her face into his mane and nuzzling his neck gently, purring softly. This was what she needed - perhaps not on a daily basis as she suggested, but at least every now and again. Just to be shown affection. Mzu was he sort that needed hugs and cuddles to reassure her everything was still normal and alright. This...this right now, this was nice.
Get along with them? Exactly what did that constitute of? Talking to them? ...She supposed she could do that. But if hugs or cuddles or anything were involved, then it was a definite no-no. But...well, she guessed she'd cross that bridge when they came to it. It would be difficult not to think of them as his - they bloody well glew, and they did look so much like him... "Fine," she grumbled into his mane, nipping playfully at his neck as her purrs grew louder, "But only if I get more cuddles and hugs, and more often."
Well, she was never going to just agree, now was she?
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:13 am
Faiz growled a bit, softly in the back of his throat. She needed to understand what she seemed to have trouble getting.
"No negotiations, Mzu. This isn't a trade. I want you to get along with the others. That means talking with and about them in a civil manner, and treating the cubs with the respect they deserve or helping to teach them as you would any other female cub under my watch. You will get cuddles and hugs when I have the time for them and at my discretion," he replied, pulling back enough to look down at her seriously, firm in his stance on the matter. He wasn't going to be swayed on this anymore. He was the male and she was the female. She didn't tell him what to do, hell, she was supposed to be lucky if he ever made compromises with her.
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:37 am
Mzuka rolled her eyes a little, sighing. Why did he never quite get the concept of jokes, or sarcasm? It was just...it was just what she did, but he always seemed to take it seriously. Her ears drooped a little - why did she always seem to make him sad, or angry, just by being herself? She hadn't when they'd first met. "I was only joking again, Faiz. You're so uptight..."
She paused, wrinkling her nose in a thoughtful expression, before finally shifting forwards so she could cuddle up to Faiz, nuzzling him fondly with a purr, "I'm sorry, okay? Things...come out wrong sometimes."
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