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 Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:55 am
She came back to the prison by nightfall. The guards had not been keen on giving her an audience with the prisoners inside earlier, but of course she hardly needed their permission to get into the prison. She must have been the only lion in the pride that wanted to willingly go into the Ravine, but she had very good cause to do just that.
She wanted to ask Merari a very important question.
In her mind, it was a simple matter of need and timing. She had a plan in her mind, and this particular part of it could not wait. As things moved, she would not be able to be bogged down with babies, and did not intend on having any other litters until she was made Queen of the Tokakinji, and Uther was dead.
And her babies would rule after her.
But this was a back up plan as well as a preparation for the future: if she could not succeed in her life time to take down the King, the Toka ruling family, her children would have to carry on after her. She needed strong, cunning children and a fit match to make them, and could not think of any one more suited than the loyal lion biding his time in the Ravine Prison.
She had finally thought of his job for him, when he was free. She made her way through the small opening and tunnel, emerging into the Ravine and sticking to the shadows as she began her search for Merari.
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Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:11 pm
She would find him bathed half in shadow and half in moonlight, pressed against a vertical shaft of rock as he slept. It was a deep, exhausted sleep; dark and dreamless as his body tried to recover from the turmoil of the day's hard labour. Merari had never been one to know when to quit and his ranting had angered the guards on more than one occasion during this stint in the prison. It was common for him now and though the prison was a horrible place, if it was possible to get used to it, Merari had come close. On that particular day he had decided to taunt one of the newer guards. He usually enjoyed the intimidation game but, unfortunately, he was overheard by one of the senior members and put on double duty.
His body still ached at the memory of the digging and the sharp cuts in the pads of his paws where he had dislodged the gemstones from the mines. One had been so deep that he had left bloody paw prints as he walked; though that had mostly sealed up with the dirt now.
And yet, even exhausted as he was, he knew when someone moved in the darkness. Knew when it was not the regular patrol of the guards ensuring that they all behaved themselves. He startled into wakefulness with a surprised snort and, with a groan, pushed himself up onto his stomach. It was a good thing that it was dark because he'd failed to keep up with his grooming the last few days, allowing the dust and tangles to build up to a level that was even unusual for him.
Breathing in the cool night air, he turned his eyes down across the path the guards took and tried to locate that which had disturbed him. Was he going mad? Was there nothing there at all?
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Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:52 pm
"Be at peace," morgana said smoothly, her voice low. She did not want to xraw any attention to them, as she was certainly not supposed to be there. She saw how tired and ragged he looked, and knew one of the snotty toka guards was to blame cor it. They felt like they owned everything, and could do whatever they pleased to whoever they felt they could get away doing it to. Which, of course, meant the druids. The easiest targets were the ones at their mercy. The prisoners could do nothing but take the bad treatment and if they dared fight back they just suffered more.
It was not fair, and one of the many things she would make them pay for when she had the power to do so. It would be a delight to see toka working the mines, perhaps uther leading them in their misery alone. It was the only thing he was fit to rule.
"My poor merari," morgana said smoothly, moving closer to him. "They are not treating you well here. Perhaps i can lift your spirits a bit. I have a plan, and need your help. You said you would be ready, are you still willing to do as i ask?"
Ask was a relative term, but here she meant it. She would actually make it a request and not an order. Mostly because she did not yet have the power to make her will undeniable demands, but also because she wanted him as an ally. A partner in crime, and not simply a minion bent on winning her favor. Though she certainly wanted those, too.
She saw his poor state of cleanliness and was close enough to groom his mane a little bit for him. She did pity her kind, and had some small reserve of kindness in her reserved for them.
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Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:14 pm
He recognised her voice and couldn't help but smile. Ah, so the Lady Morgana had returned once more. She was bold, that one. Bold and wise and strong; everything that the druids should be. If she lived long enough then he imagined the sort of havoc she could wreak upon the Toka and the thought of it pleased him greatly. He hoped he would be there to see it.
Vengeance could be a beautiful thing.
Morgana moved out of the shadows and into his line of sight and he lifted his head to look at her. Then, when she continued to speak, he lifted his ears to listen, saying nothing to interrupt her. He was surprisingly weary that day and talking seemed to take much effort. "I did not expect to see you again so soon, but yes, I am ready." He was curious, though. Was she about to bust him out of prison? Such a thing would be impossible and he was too large to fit through that winding path she had mentioned before. No. No. More likely his duty would remain within the prison itself. He'd been stirring trouble with the guards already, of course - it was his only entertainment in this miserable place. And yet, perhaps there was something more he could do. He'd not thought of it himself but he was hardly smart. Whatever it was, he trusted it would be a good plan. Morgana would not have taken the risk, otherwise.
"This should be good." He smiled deviously. "Let's hear it then, my Lady."
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:17 pm
She continued to groom his mane without much thought to it. It was very clear he could not take care of it himself, which would simply not do. She looked forward to the day when he would be free and proud, strong and unstoppable. Then he would look the part, his fur would be immaculate and no one would dare throw dirt on him.
No one would dare bring harm or dishonor to any Druid.
It would be nice, standing up at the mouth of the Ravine, looking down at all the sad little Toka, their escapes blocked and their fates set. Throwing rocks and scraps of moldy food down to them, as if they were performing an act of generosity in it. She felt anger burning through her veins and reminded herself that getting all worked up and acting too soon would not serve her. She had to bide her time, until they were all ready.
And with this new step in her plan, it might take even longer than she thought.
She looked at Merari, pulling back when his mane had some kind of order to it, though it was still a woeful sight to the fairly prissy Druid. That part of her breeding had not left her, at least.
"I want you to sire my cubs," she said simply, as if asking him to go catch her a rabbit for dinner. She tilted her head at him, to gauge his reaction with her keen orange-ish eyes. His honest reaction, that moment of reaction that often lasted a fraction of a second with the skilled, longer with the unguarded, that reflected how they truly felt about something. Most of the time it was impossible to see, but that did not stop her from looking for it.
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:36 pm
He rumbled deep in his chest at her attention, for he was but a male and she was beautiful in the way that few females were. On the other hand, though, it must have meant that she had noticed what a terrible state he was in and that was probably something he should have been embarrassed about. Except that he wasn't now - not when she was gifting him with attention.
Unaware of her thoughts or the anger she held contained within her, he remained mostly quiet, his tail-tuft tapping rhythmically against the rock behind him. And then she pulled away and he stretched his neck and shook his head lightly to resettle the groomed mane. It was still unkempt, though it now bore the hints of neatness from Morgana's attempts at making him look like a respectable male instead of the dirty prisoner that he was. He smiled at that, a glint of white teeth in the dark. That smile faltered, however, when she spoke again; her words taking him completely by surprise. His jaw swung wide, eyes opening just a little bit further. Had he heard correctly? Or had he just imagined it?
"You want me to what?"
It wasn't that he was unhappy with the idea (actually, once the shock was passed he'd probably be rather ecstatic) but Merari, with him being who he was, had never had much luck with the ladies. In fact his attempts had mostly had the women laughing in his face, though he liked to pretend he was quite the charmer.
He must have done something right this time, he just wasn't sure what that was.
Recovering a moment later, he snapped his eyes up to look at her again, a light frown on his brow. "I mean, of course my Lady, but...why me?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 1:12 pm
Morgana delighted in his surprise, and noted there was no immediate air of revulsion or terror. He had not gotten up and bolted for the farthest corner of the Ravine, which was another good sign.
Males could be so silly when it came to cubs.
Of course, so could females.
Morgana saw them as a means to an end. She would love them, as only a mother could, but she did not intend for them to be the start of a new life in the same way most lonely lionesses did. They were not her method of settling down and being quietly happy: they were the first stepping stone toward complete power. And they would know it.
"You are strong," she told him with a leisurely shrug of her shoulders and a daring smile that just begged for him to argue with her on her points. She would not hear it, as she had decided his character and was sure she just had to help him achieve it. "You are loyal and you will become a symbol of power in our pride. When it belongs to the Druids. I need you by my side, sure enough, but having little ones with those same traits, and mine as well, seems like a strong union. Don't you agree?"
She grinned at him, moving to sit next to him, leaning against him. Maybe she was using her wiles against him, and not giving him as much of a choice as he might have liked, but she knew what she wanted, what would be good for the future of the Druids, and what would quite simply make her happy. She was surprised how much she genuinely liked him, even if she was using him for his strong genes.
It just made everything that much easier. And infinitely more enjoyable.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:21 am
He liked what she was offering. Strength not only to him but all of the druids who were suffering because of the Toka. He might not have been wise enough to ever come up with anything himself but he knew that Morgana was and he'd rather be fighting at her side than fighting alone. After all, the latter had seen him thrown into prison on numerous occasions.
And with her leaning against him, smiling and complimenting his strengths like that...well, she had him snared already. He was too weak to refuse and he didn't want to refuse her. To do this would be to laugh in the faces of all those who said he would come to nothing, that he would not live long enough for the grey fur to take route on his chin. He gave a low prrrum deep in the back of his throat and shifted against her a little, letting his tail loop on the ground; around her. If he was smarter he might have thought of the consequences of such actions but right then, it seemed the best thing to ever have been asked of him.
"Strong and wise." He replied with the hint of a smile on his maw. "There could be no stronger union."
He paused, folding his ears back into the tangles of his mane as he considered his next words. "I imagined you would have me stir trouble amongst the ranks, risk tooth and claw against the guards. I think your way will be a lot more enjoyable than that." He smiled. "When will it be done? When I am free?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:39 am
Morgana felt a shudder move through her as he settled down beside her, and she rubbed against him in response. She knew he would be tense and nervous, and she at least wanted him to enjoy himself. She wanted to maintain his favor, and keep him in hers, as she would not simply be through with him if her plan took wing.
She would never admit it, or show it, but she was more nervous than he might have been. Maybe she was even projecting those nerves, and comforting herself by thinking she was comforting him. She was young, and though she was far from naive she was still not experienced in all aspects of life.
Listening to him speak, she smirked and felt more at ease.
"You will do that in time, I am sure. We will all be called on to rise against the Toka, when the time is right and our strength is gathered." She spoke very quietly, knowing that conspiracy was punishable by death, but it was also a private plan that she did not want escaping too soon. There was no one around, but she was feeling just a bit more wary of it now.
She nuzzled him, taking a moment to soak in the warmth of him beside her.
"As soon as possible," she answered after a moment, "as soon as you will dare." She smirked a bit, but it was a bit shaky, and she hid it by not turning her head toward him.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:31 pm
He gave a snort of amusement. Was that a challenge? Could he dare carry out her request now, knowing full well that to be caught would mean punishment - maybe even death. "You test my strength of will." He replied, his voice gruff.
"But, Lady Morgana, you risk yourself, too. If we wait, you may have to return and what is to say you will continue to go unnoticed? Not to say that I don't have faith in you, but luck has a way of running out at the worst of times. I know that better than most." And he gestured to their surroundings and grinned, though it probably wasn't something one should smile about, all things considered. On the other hand, if they decided to do this now, what would happen if she birthed his cubs and he was still locked away? Would his markings be recognisable? Would people start to question who the father of the children was? Unless, of course, she did want to keep that secret for now. And who would suspect him if he was locked away in the Ravine Prison? The similarities could be waved off if that is what needed to be done.
Merari turned towards her, rubbing the bottom of his chin across her head in a somewhat clumsy show of affection.
Then, after a long moment, he realised that he had never been cautious before. So why start now?
"I always have been the daring type..." His smile widened. "It makes life more exciting, don't you think?"
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