Characters: Unyezi, Umepatwa, Kimondo, Liuhe
Word Count: 1827
It was a dark night, the waning moon nearly gone from the sky, but still some of the Mwezi'Johari found ways to enjoy it. The King wandered less as the Great Lion rested, quite contrary to his takeover taking place in the darkest nights. His movements now we're more political, he walked with the Great Lion, unashamed of and unpunished for what he had done. Though many had different beliefs about why their god had let Shangyue remain as he was, few minded that there was a distinct pattern to his activity. On the right night, even his Royal Guards were less of a presence. Tonight was one of those nights.
Unyezi and Nerit was Father and Mother to the slaves now, so their duties kept them close to home now. Despite everything, the old King was glad for the change in the low class. He never would have imagined he'd end up where he was now, but he was proud to speak for the slaves. Like the current King, he was not ashamed of what he had done to get where he was, but he always felt a little more at ease out of the moonlight.
He was relaxing near his den when two of his grandchildren showed up. It was amazing to see how far his family had gone. Umepatwa was his great grandson, and Kimondo an even greater granddaughter. Umepatwa reminded the old lion of his grandfather, something Kamia could not have realized when she named her son after him. Kimondo was marked much like her grandmother, but she said as built different. She resembled her mother's family.. except for the eyes. Alcmene's eyes.
"She wouldn't listen to me," Umepatwa said smugly, looking expectantly at his old grandfather. Beside him, Kimondo's expression was full of wonder.
"He's right," Unyezi said with a chuckle, looking at the young lady, "I'm glad it's no longer noteworthy information."
"You.. were King?" Kimondo said, eyes wide and glancing back and forth between Umepatwa and Unyezi.
"I told you!"
"I was," Unyezi said, nodding, "It was a long time ago, now."
"But you're a slave," Kimondo said doubtfully, trying to reconcile her image of her grandfather and the monarchy. Shangyue was so despised, she knew his parents and grandparents were thought of much more kindly but ..
"He married into it, obviously."
All three lions suddenly turned their attention to the unfamiliar voice that cut into their conversation. Umepatwa immediately frowned, Unyezi got to his feet and only Kimondo stared with the same blank expression as before. It was Liuhe.
"I was just looking for my grandfather," Liuhe said, barely glancing at the younger lions and instead focusing on the elder, "But I heard you guys talking. Don't you pay attention in history lessons??"
The prince looked at Kimondo. This wasn't the first time they had met, but he was surprised to see her there. It was part of why the group caught his attention.
"Well, um.. I didn't realize it meant him," she said, already defensive from Umepatwa preparing to gloat about it, "And, I mean.. It's kind of depressing, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?" Liuhe asked, "He's not the first lion to marry low, though I don't know of any other monarch that stepped down to do it."
Kimondo glanced to Unyezi, realizing too late who exactly she was talking to. The old lion nodded to her, though it caused some confusion- especially from Ume. Why was he encouraging this?
"Not that," she said, looking back to the prince, "Every lesson about the history of our monarchy is just a list of untimely deaths, I guess I stop listening.."
Umepatwa watched Liuhe carefully, but the prince didn't seem bothered by the observation or the potential implication that his father's actions were wrong. Liuhe simply wasn't stupid, he saw the same pattern. He just found history interesting.
"Unyezi is the only one who didn't meet an untimely death," Liuhe said with a shrug.
"Not so," the elderly lion said, looking at the prince, "Do the lessons stop before Miezi and Umepatwa, now?"
Liuhe shook his head.
"No, but that's as far as it goes. They ruled so long, nobody really remembers before them now. Their story is the most boring."
Liuhe knew he had a brother named after King Umepatwa, he just had no idea he was standing across from him. The Umepatwa standing before him was obscured in the dark and, if he bothered to look closer, simply looked like the Slave Father. Umepatwa, on the other hand, knew exactly who he was looking at and he looked none to pleased about it.
"I suppose few would remember them now," Unyezi agreed, "Truthfully, I only knew Umepatwa. He was old when I was born, and it wasn't long before he joined Miezi and the Great Lion."
Kimondo still felt silly for not realizing her grandfather had been a king. She knew her family was connected to royalty, she just didn't realize how directly.
"Nesibindi must have been old when you were born, too," Liuhe said, "He wasn't young when he was king and he didn't last very long."
"If not for war, he might have lasted a long time," Unyezi said thoughtfully, still carrying distinct memories of his father with him, "He wasn't king long, but he was a good one."
Liuhe was silent, thoughtful. He wouldn't be king until he was old, if he bothered to think about it at all, he hoped something similar would be said of him someday. He never actually thought about how the tradition of untimely death might continue with his father, or with him. The other three had it on their minds, though. Ume was feeling especially awkward, and as silence fell between them, he cleared his throat.
"Not that you have anything to worry about, your highness," he said, nearly choking on the title, "The King.."
But he couldn't even finish an attempted deflection and reassurance, ultimately only making things worse. It earned him a glare from Kimondo, and a slight frown from Liuhe. Only Unyezi remained steady.
"I'm not worried," Liuhe answered with a shrug, "Father's reign is already the longest since Queen Miezi. He has Mother, Grandfather, and the Royal Guards. He's given the slaves a voice, created order among the numerous hunters and guards, and maintained the peace despite our population being at the highest it's been in generations. Why would I worry?"
His naïveté surprised both Umepatwa and Kimondo, but not Unyezi. Unlike his grandchildren, his view of the prince was not influenced by his view of the King. This was not his first encounter with Liuhe, he reminded him of the Shangyue he had known. The Shangyue before ambition and arrogance had him tear apart his own family.
"Don't listen to him," Kimondo said suddenly, "He's an idiot, that's why he was so excited to outsmart me this time."
It earned her a glare from Ume and a smile from Unyezi. Liuhe's gaze shifted to Kimondo. He stared a moment, before struck with a sudden realization.
"You're my cousin, aren't you?" he asked, surprising everyone that he realized that before the fact he had an older brother glowering at him from a few feet away, "Your markings are like Aapep, the Historian. You don't look much like her except that. But she doesn't look much like her grandfather either."
"No, she doesn't," Unyezi said with a chuckle, "But you've got it right. Kimondo's father is Aapep's son. Though distant, you two are cousins."
Kimondo smiled sheepishly.
"You said your family hunts," Liuhe said, looking at Kimondo.
"They do," she answered, "And they guard, they record history, they lead, they serve, they pray.."
"Alright, alright," Liuhe said, knowing well enough that her family was large and diverse. They shared a significant chunk of it, after all.. Though if she was Aapep's grandchild, that gave her many more connections.
"You've met before?"
Ume was surprised. Not just that Kimondo had met the prince before but that she hadn't mentioned it. Unfortunately, this earned him the gaze of the two younger lions and now the prince had noticed him.
"Who are you?" Liuhe asked, guessing he must be family to be a part of this little conversation. He looked like Unyezi.
Umepatwa stood there, unwilling to answer but unable to deflect. Kimondo looked back and forth between them and opened her mouth to attempt to change the subject but Unyezi spoke first.
"Umepatwa," he said, "He is Antara's younger brother."
There was a tense pause and Liuhe suddenly looked very interested in the dark lion. He knew about his half-brothers, it was hard not to when Antara lived with them. He knew Father was suspicious of them but he hadn't given them much thought. Just as he didn't give much thought to his father's longevity and his own proximity to the throne. Nevertheless, he was not immune to the tension immediately felt between them.
"I see."
Umepatwa stood fast, his head up but his body stiff. He had little personal interest in the prince except for what difficulty he might cause for the rebellion, he certainly didn't want to bother being introduced. He wanted to be indifferent, always figured he was, but actually faced with someone from the royal family was different.
Kimondo was perhaps the most uncomfortable as she looked around for a way to put an end to this conversation without trailing off about needing to be somewhere like the last time she met Liuhe.
It was Ume who came to a solution first. Without another word, he turned himself around and walked away. His face was stern but his pace was calm and even. Still, the tone was unmistakable. Unyezi felt bad, but felt more strongly that it would only be worse to lie to the prince. He wasn't an active participant on any side of the conflicts that still hid in the shadows, but he knew it was better this way for both.
"Perhaps you two should run along, too," he said, catching the look of panic from Kimondo but giving her a reassuring smile, "If I see your grandfather, I'll tell him you were looking for him, Liuhe."
Liuhe watched his brother storm off silently, rolling his eyes and looking at Unyezi when he suddenly suggest he and Kimondo go.
"Alright, thank you."
He looked expectantly to Kimondo, who looked back and forth between her grandfather and the prince. She didn't get the feeling she was doing this whole rebellion thing right, but she nodded.
"Ok," she agreed, "Show me what you do when you have nothing else to worry about. You said it's better than hunting, prove it."
She guessed this made them friends, though Liuhe didn't even think about labels. He simply grinned when challenged to support his previous claim.
"Sure, come on!"
And the two of them left. Unyezi watched them go, wondering just what the future held.
Fin!
