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 Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 1:21 pm
 Alala woke with a start, panting and wide-eyed in the darkness. It took a moment for the always-composed lioness to calm her nerves and realize where she was.
It was nearly dawn, with light only hinting at the horizon, and she was still within the pridelands. That much at least was a relief; she didn't wander too terribly far this night. Her paws ached; she looked down to see that she had wandered through thorns in her sleep. Sighing, but showing no other signs of distress, Alala carefully picked them out with her teeth, and gingerly climbed to her feet. She must return to the area with the rest of the pride before they awoke to find her gone, and punished her for trying to escape. Luckily she was a morning lion, and was often able to get away with sneaking back before sunrise.
As she quickly and quietly scampered back to the place where she fell asleep, Ala considered her situation. Somehow she had made it through her whole life without anyone finding out about her sleep-walking. Part of the reason she was so aloof with others was to keep them from becoming to interested in her and consequently find out her secret. She lived her life being in the background as much as possible, doing what she was told and not being memorable in any way.
Moonlight lit up the other sleeping lions as she returned, though Ala did not care to give a glance to the Great Lion's eye above her. She had long forsaken him as he had forsaken her, and she did not even give him a thought.
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:14 pm
Aureole was a fan of night walks. They were good when used to clearing her mind. She thought a lot, perhaps too much. And sometimes her thoughts got the best of her so such walks was a way of recollecting herself. She had many things to think about like the members still missing, her brother included. Or the pressures that were placed on her as queen.
She sighed and turned her paws back towards home. There were still a few winks of sleep to be caught if she tried. Her eyes caught a movement in the dark, a body rejoining the sleeping masses. She smiled to think that she was not the only one who enjoyed the splendor of the average night. She walked over to try and pick out the person but instead found herself standing before the massive sleeping body smiling and shaking her head.
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:42 pm
Ala felt suddenly tense, as if a heavy carcass had just been dropped onto her shoulders. She turned, uneasily, to see the face of her queen. A tremor actually went through the usually fearless girl. Normally she could handle high-class lions, even former-prince Njiru hadn't worn down her self-respect. But this was royalty. And here she was, a slave.
Ala had always avoided anyone of higher class; the higher they were, the more Ala ducked away from them. She had employed herself for many years trying not to come into contact with them, for what could come of it but trouble for Ala? Verbal abuse, or menial labor, or that most horrible thing of all - the discovery of her secret, which would certainly lead to her being expelled from the pride. Not that she was exactly in love with her position here. But it was her home, and all she had.
Alala was suddenly overcome with panicked thoughts. She didn't know how to address the queen - her very name slipped from her memory - was this it, was she going to get caught, finally? Would the queen suspect that the slave had taken too much liberty of leaving the rest of the pride in the middle of the night?
Frightened and unsure, Alala's face only just barely wavered before she lowered her eyes, then her body, and murmured, "My Queen." It was all she could think to do or say.
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:57 am
Truth of the matter was Aureole didn't quite care why Ala had been away. Considering she liked to go off and have some privacy she only assumed the slave had done the same. Coming back rather than trying to escape, she saw as a sign of loyalty, as a sign of someone who did not let their lowly station diminish the beliefs they were born with.
"What were you doing out so late at night?" she asked kindly like a mother might ask her child out of mild concern. It was more for Ala's sake than anything. If she was reported for misconduct, Aureole's duty would be to speak of what she knew of Ala. So if it was nothing to worry about, then she could say that Ala had never, to her knowledge, been disobedient.
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:03 pm
Was this a trick? Ala wondered. Was she being interrogated or did Aureole want to know out of curiosity? Judging from her tone - Ala didn't dare raise her eyes - Ala felt that the queen was being kind. Having never conversed with her before, the slave didn't know what to expect out of royalty; it certainly wasn't kindness.
But Ala would reciprocate kindness if she was given it; still, she didn't let down her guard. "Was just out walking, Highness," she said respectfully. Pausing a moment, Ala thought it a good idea to add, "Tis a beautiful night, is it not?" Her eyes flickered hesitantly up to her queen, to gauge her reaction, and then looked down again.
Strange, that she would be talking to the queen - and yet, it felt almost...right. Ala had never believed she was meant for a slave; she truly felt like her blue blood was worthy of respect. Indeed, she allowed nothing to debase her, not even her rank. She had learned to be submissive, yes, but in her heart she knew that she was good enough to...to...well, to have conversations with the queen, as normal as anyone else.
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