Aali headed into his den feeling weary, his back ached but he was bursting with pride. The raid had been a success and it was well worth the burden for in a two guarded caves his three new treasures lay resting. He had been eager to see his beautiful Aysel again and tell her the good news.
Blue eyes scanned the den with a smile, it was always clean and wonderfully cool in their home. He imagined how the cavernous space would look now that there were at last to be a gaggle of females within. Now the nights would be warmer and filled with chatter and love and laughter.
Curled up a ways from the entrance, Aysel was only in a half-sleep of sorts. She'd spent most of the day doing rounds until the males had arrived back home. Safe and sound, she was happy to see, excusing herself to await Aali's return in the comfort of the den. It hadn't been the most exhausting work, keeping an eye on the girls since almost all had behaved minus a few vague snarls here and there over meaningless things. Nothing that required more than a few soothing words or a few hours of separation at most.
Now her ears twitched, mind leaving the past as the sound of approaching paws rose her from her partial slumber. Pale eyes opening, she burst into a grin as she got to her feet. "Aali," she started, trotting over to him to nuzzle him, "welcome home."
"I've missed you..." He murmured softly and chuckled lightly nuzzling her and nipping at her ear. There was so much he wanted to tell her, yet he was tired and hungry and curious of how things had gone among the females in the pride.
"come let me lay down...tell me how things were here? It's good to be home..." He moved further back into the den and arched his back with a groan before laying down with a sigh.
She purred to the show of affection, happily buzzing with the joy of seeing him again. Though she hadn't been worried about his safety on the raid, it was always nice nonetheless to see one's confidence proven correct.
A light chuckle of her own passed as she followed him further in again, arranging herself comfortably beside him on the cool floor. "A little event here and there to keep everyone entertained - games sometimes awakened a girl or two sooner than they would have liked, a discussion about hunting tactics got a little heated at one point even - but it was more interesting to watch than would need concern Vizier Faiz," she reported calmly, laughing a bit to her mental comparison of the girls to his cubs in those moments. "The girls only needed a calm reminder to calm themselves and all was well again. Worst that was needed was asking them to separate themselves and remain with their harem sisters for a time."
"Thats good, I'm glad things went smoothly...the Raid was a success Aysel." He grinned at her as he rolled onto his side relaxing. "Just as you predicted my clever Sultana..." He waited with a smile knowing she would ask him soon enough where or how many new harem sisters she had. It was such a joy knowing that things were moving into place at last.
The three females he had claimed as his own were all lovely none seemed like violet Kajira but looks could be deceiving as he well knew. Still he had high hopes for them, they were slightly larger then Aysel from a distant pride it seemed. Two had been inseperable and their fear and grief at the loss of their third friend had softened him and made him determined to keep them together.
Her ears perked as he brought up the raid, head raised with wide, expecting eyes. "I told you there was no reason to worry, love. But, please, tell me - how many new harem sisters will be joining us?" She didn't mind her time alone with Aali, true, but she'd grown up with so many sisters, it was still strange to be alone when he went off on his own. She wanted the ringing of laughter again, the smiles and stories and warm bodies near her like she used to have. The thought of a previous sister came to mind, the Kajira. Without a change in her expression she shoved the painful memory aside.
He grinned at her question and nuzzled her "Three...one is resting, and the other two...seem to need some time alone. They were accompanied by a third, but she escaped and her loss seems to be a deep pain for them..." He frowned slightly before pushing away the slight guilt and grinned at Aysel.
"You'll be a comfort to them, I'm certain of it...they seem like they'll manage to fit in eventually...they just need guidance." He tried to reassure her the memory of his first capture still vivid for him as well. It would hurt Aysel the worst if any of these three new females had to be put down like the first Kajira.
Three? She could have burst into dance at the joy that swelled in her now. She nodded her head in acceptance, understanding they would need their time alone for a bit, never mind time to speak with Aali alone. "I look forward to meeting them." Pausing at the sight of his frown, she pressed her nose against his cheek briefly, keeping her comments to herself however. Who could say how long the loss would stay with them, though she did send a silent prayer they would come to like it here nonetheless.
The smile returned to her at his words, again nodding. "I will do all I can to help them adjust to life here. It can be difficult but... I have my confidence things will work out for the best."
"I'm sure they will Aysel, if anyone can help them I know you can. I'll give them some time alone first though...and then perhaps go and explain things better to them in the morning. Their capture was a bit less kind then your own..." He moved onto his back letting the ground and his weight readjust his spine. He gave a pleased sigh as he felt Aysels nose against his cheek and smiled at her.
"It will be nice to have the den filled won't it?" He nuzzled her lightly from his sprawled position. It said much of his trust in her that he would lay in such a vulnerable position, yet she had been his beybanu for so long now and now she was his Sultana...trust came naturally with their love. He hoped that his new females might someday come to love him as well, and that his love and devotion to them would match that which he had for his Aysel.
Her tail flicked as she gave a playful smirk of pride at his complement, the appearance of a cocky lioness. In reality, it was simply a facade, Aysel not at all being one to let such things go to her head. Oh she'd preen a little under complements, but not to the extent that would prove unseemly. She returned to a more somber self at the comparison of captures, pondering this silently. "Perhaps, though their first sight of the pride wasn't the best," she started carefully, mind still poking away at how she might approach this subject with them over time, "they will come to see our life is not one of all violence, that we really are a family that loves one another." She smiled once more, chuckling. "Though I was captured, I still came willingly. It might be a story they find interesting someday."
She glanced around the spacious home of theirs. "Yes... You know I care for you so, Aali, but to have sisters again..." Content, she snuggled up closer to him, resting her chin on her paws. "I'm so happy."
"I'm glad your happy...it will be good for us both. The harem will finally be proper sized and you will have the help and love you need and deserve." He rolled back to his size and placed a paw protectively curled around her tenderly nuzzling her and starting to lick her cheek and ears. "Things will finally settle down...I won't be away anymore..."
He murmured happily and gazed at her lovingly his blue eyes filled with joyful hope. The pride would swell back to it's original glory and Aysel would finally have the family he had promised her so long ago. "Your devotion will surely make the others see how smoothly things can go here..."
Yes, it was a grand thing that the Sultan's harem had grown at last, though she couldn't help but think that maybe the wait did them best. It had given them the time to grow close, for a love to blossom and form, even with the "hiccup" at the start. He pulled her from her thoughts with the small cleaning, a laugh bubbling from her. "Good. It's about time you were able to relax and focus on happy things." Her tail curled around his, a cheerful glow settling on her as she took in the sight of her beaming Aali. Yes, her Aali. Even with the arrival of her new harem sisters, he was just as much hers as theirs now, just as her belonging to him did not change.
"You are most likely right. If they can see true happiness can be found here, and an once outsider can show them she found honor in her new home; it should help them find their own sense of such here, too."
Aali chuckled and nipped at her ear playfully "No one would ever think that you weren't a born Banu you know..." He left his tail twined with hers his every muscle relaxed and his ice blue gaze meltingly soft. "I should go and see them in the morning...apologize for their abrupt capture and explain."
He yawned and nuzzled Aysel softly "I want them to fit in..." he sighed softly sharing his mild concern with her, after all they would be her companions soon enough. "It's about time you had proper company, friends, family." He trailed off softly
Aysel laughed, bumping her forehead against his cheek softly in a similar playing fashion. "What can I say, I've had some fine teachers to complement my fast learning." It was true. Between her mother and Aali, she had no complaints throughout her life and the lessons she had learned. She had her place in life - right beside this big, fluffy, kind hearted lion that completed her in every way. Chuckling softly as he seemed to be fading off, she began to groom his forehead, soothing affection to help lull him off to sleep.
"Show them the same loving heart you've shown me, and I know they'll come to care for you, love you even, my dear Aali. Show them how you want to give them a loving home, be honest with them, and all will be well." Such was becoming her catch phrase, it seemed. Lowering her voice even softer, pausing once more in her gentle task, she whispered, "And thank you. For everything. Never will I be able to repay you for all you have done for me, my love."
Aali smiled softly and relaxed at Aysel's tender tone, she was right of course if he just showed them the true nature of the pride then all would be well.
"You are my treasure Aysel, and my greatest comfort." He sighed and closed his eyes relaxing and slowly drifting to sleep. In the morning a difficult task lay ahead of him but with Aysel's reassurance he felt much better. Perhaps in the morning he would bring her breakfast before going to see the others.