What were you thinking?!? (Maua X Raziela)FIN

[JetAlmeara]

Maua had wasted little to no time after Miroslavs departure before she set out on the hunt for Raziela and all the while her mind played some sick tisted little game by fashioning all sort of horrible images to consider - she would find Raziela only to learn that she was to late and was already expecting cubs from the loathe some player...she would burst in on them together....Raziela would tell her she wanted to become a player...and every other sort of other equally and sometimes worse moments to consider. All in all her imagination was doing a fine job of getting her worked into quite a tizzy as she tried in vain not to stalk about the mountain like some creature on the war path.

Aurora wasn't helping either - that blasted bird had gone off to find the lioness but had yet to return. Maua envisioned the lazy beast was in league with her daughter...or just lounging in a tree somewhere. If she didn't have plans for the beast she told herself she would have sent her to the gods by now by way of a good clawing. In any case it seemed she was on her own with her search and after she couldn't find Raziela upon the mountain (though it was not impossible for her to be hidden away somewhere) Maua headed for the most dreaded of places - if she found her daughter actually in the theater...after all of this well...lets just say it would be best if she didn't.

 

[MoonRazor]

That Raziela was transgressing upon some unspoken Noble standards of behavior hadn't quite occurred to the dark lioness, and it was certainly unexpected of a lioness that was so accepting of her lot in life as nobility and that tried so hard not to let her family down.

But it wasn't quite as though she was doing it on purpose. She wasn't like her sister Nyota, and none of her actions were ever done with the intent to mock traditions. Raziela understood quite well the privileges, as well as the limitations, of her position as a Noble, and was perfectly prepared to accept them.

And then, Derasan had come along. Of course, he had been rather like a part of her life ever since she had been a child watching him in performances. Young actors, especially talented ones, tended to draw in considerable crowds, and Derasan had done exactly that. She had grown up idolizing the pale lion, and upon meeting him, had discovered that he was every bit as charming and as open as she had thought him to be - everything a good friend could and should be, everything a lion should be.

Except that he wasn't purple. It was a shame, but as with all other things, Raziela had accepted the fact. So she couldn't fall in love with him - she hadn't been planning to anyway - but certainly she could talk to him, get to understand him, befriend him? It didn't seem like anything too outrageous to her.

Unfortunately for Raziela, nobody had notified her of the taboo nature of her situation, and nobody had mentioned that her mother was on the warpath. Had she known that today would not have been the best day to go visiting Derasan, perhaps she would have had the foresight to stay away from the theater. As it was, she hadn't known, and had indeed just finished with a quick visit, wherein she had read off some new lines with the pale blue lion, and even tried her hand in playacting, and was now heading home, humming a happy little tune.  

[JetAlmeara]

The farther down the mountain path Maua got without Aurora flying up to tell her she'd been mistaken and Raziela was indeed safely enshrined up on the mountain the larger the icy pit in Maua's gut started to get.And wouldn't you know it Maua came around a bend to fin the familiar coat of her daughter humming along up the trail. Humming...like she'd done nothing wrong. It was probably for the best that Raziela had chosen to leave the theater when she did, as it was Maua couldn't say for certain that her daughter was coming back from there, Maua could only say for certain that her daughter was returning from some of the common lands...which was enough for her to plant herself in her daughters path with an angrily twitching tail.

A surreptitious glance up and down the pathway revealed that they were indeed alone, which was for the best - it wouldn't do for more nobles to find out what had happened then those who already knew. "And just where have you been young lady?" She demanded nearly as soon as Raziela came within speaking distance, even in her anger Maua managed not to shout, shouting would be a sure fire way to bring all sorts of pests down upon them. Maua was sure that the tone of her voice was sufficient to convey her anger without needing to do anything so rash as shouting.  

[MoonRazor]

And then, out of the blue, she saw her mother. "Mother," she began, but the greeting died on her lips as Maua spoke. Bollocks. She had heard that tone before, usually taken when Nyota had done something ignoble, something... well, Nyota. The tone was indeed enough to convey Maua's anger, and enough to put her daughter on guard.

"Uhm..." Hesitation was not an extremely refined habit, but here, Raziela felt the need to chose her words carefully. "I was returning a favor," she said at last, confident that the answer would neither reveal too much about her whereabouts nor seem too vague. Neither would have much benefitted her at the moment, she supposed, though something told her she hadn't gotten herself off the hook just yet.

There was to follow a Discussion, as surely as Nyota loved to rebel against their class traditions. And yet, even as Raziela thought it through, she couldn't quite place a paw on what it was that she must have done to deserve a stern talking to, as she was so certain she would be receiving shortly. Apart from meeting and talking to Derasan, there was nothing in her schedule that was out of the ordinary. Which meant that that had to be what Maua had come to talk about... Already, Raziela was dreading the talk.  

[JetAlmeara]

Maua let a disbelieving look slide across her face as her daughter spoke, her tail twitched again in irritation and when she spoke there was more then just a little bit of sarcasm in her voice "Really...and I don't suppose this favor has anything to do with the player you've been spotted gallivanting around with"

Of course Miroslav hadn't openly stated he'd seen them together but surely someone had to have so it was true enough - the player wouldn't have been coming up to the mountain to see her if they hadn't been spending time together beforehand. Setting her gaze upon her daughter she waited for her answer, an expectant look in her eyes - she expected her daughter to tell the truth in this matter, surely if nothing else she'd managed to beat that proper behavior into her head. Of course given this recent behavior it wouldn't surprise Maua if the taint of the commoners had managed to ruin even that.  

[MoonRazor]

Really, now, how did she even know about it?? Although Raziela hadn't exactly worked to keep her growing friendship with Derasan a secret, the only times she had interacted with him had been when no plays had been planned, and few, if any, Nobles would have been snooping about the theater. So how did Maua know?

For a split second, she considered how terribly easy to would be to say no. Just, no, and come up with something else, something that Maua would find much more acceptable.

But if she told the lie wrong, or her mother saw through it? Then what? She hadn't been raised to tell lies or be dishonest - and in truth, none of her experiences with anybody else had either. Certainly Derasan, one of the most candid and honest lions she knew, hadn't changed her ways.

Raziela imagined that her mother wouldn't see it that way. Such ideals Maua had about the separation of class, and yet... Raziela wondered if her mother had ever known any commoners as well as she knew Derasan. They weren't bad company, and certainly they were no less lions than those with purple in their coats.

"I wouldn't have considered it gallivanting," Raziela began hesitantly. "I was only talking to him." And now that she thought about it, there really had been nothing between the two apart from talking and the occasional read line, but Derasan was such an animated talker, with such a flair making his words come alive no matter what he was saying, that often, they could spend hours doing absolutely nothing but.  

[JetAlmeara]

Maua relaxed just a small amount when Raziela announced that they had done nothing but talk with one another - she could detect no hint of a lie in her daughters posture or face. That was good..it meant she hadn't learned of this too late, another of her daughters hadn't yet been sullied by the commoners taint. At least not much. She gave a deep sigh and regarded her daughter sternly "Raziela...dear, it is all good and well - polite even to acknowledge a players ability after a performance, offer an congratulation for a job well done...but they are not suitable friends for a noble lion. Surely you can find a nice your friend upon the mountain to talk with if your looking for stimulating conversation" She suggested almost gently...a far cry from the furious assault she'd led before.

"I am certain you would not wish to distress me in my current condition" She continued on, a sad and worried look on her face - as though Raziela's actions had put her on the brink of some sort of weary illness. " And just as certain that you know better then to have your player friends wander about on the mountains - do you understand how incredibly shameful it is for your family? To be informed that ones daughter is being sought after by a player, has become overly friendly with said player? Especially a male player, you would not do such a thing to your family and your mother would you?" Guilt Maua had learned could be a powerful motivator in some situations.
 

[MoonRazor]

"Oh, but that was exactly how it began, Mother, a simple congratulations," the dark lioness said with a small nod. "I hadn't expected him to be so very friendly, and rather charming, I might add, though I suppose part of that does come with the occupation." Now that she knew better, though, the thought of having to give up her correspondence with him was a rather despairing one. Aside from Pan, Derasan was the most genuine friend she had made - the nobility, after all, was not quite as prone to friendship simply for the sake of friendship. There was always an ulterior motive involved with Nobles, but with Derasan... well, she could never help but feel as if nothing in the world mattered but their endless chatter and laughter.

"But I would never..." It suddenly hit the dark lioness that it certainly wouldn't do to distress her mother during her pregnancy. She would feel terrible, after all, if something was to happen to her unborn siblings because of her, and she certainly didn't think it fair for her to pursue a friendship at their expense. As Maua had suggested, there were always other lions for her to befriend.

And yet. This friendship seemed so different, so special, though she couldn't find the right words to express why; but it wasn't an excuse throw away the reputation that her parents had worked so hard to earn. It wasn't an excuse to put her family in any sort of jeopardy. Raziela frowned. "Well, I... suppose I will talk to him," she said finally, though her words came uncertainly, as if she struggled still with the idea of restricting her friendship with the player. "I will inform him that we should refrain from speaking outside of more proper circumstances."  

[JetAlmeara]

"Such things generally do start out quite simply" Maua agreed - not that she'd ever personally had it happen to her of course. Still she effected a bit of sympathy towards her daughter, as Raziela seemed to have decided that her mother was right Maua was more then willing to lend a bit more sympathy towards her daughters plight, something that could change rather quickly of course if Raziela failed to follow through with her promises of keeping things proper.

"I understand that you've always enjoyed the theater my dear...and theres nothing wrong with admiring such things, I can see how it might have been easy for you to be drawn towards the players...but you must always remember that your fellow nobles are watching, I would hate to see you throw your reputation and chances for the future away over youthful fancies and the clever words of a Player." She said, and in such a tone that implied that players words shouldn't really be trusted. To Maua's mind this was true - they made their living spouting pretty lines and effecting fake personalities, it was easy to think that this Player could have pulled the same tricks on her daughter and reeled her in - why if Maua wasn't such a proper Lady herself she almost had an urge to march on down to the theater and give this player a talking to of her own. If the opportunity ever arose where she had the chance she would be sure to take it, imagine the gall of this Player...attempting to seduce a Noble so that he might brag about it to his Player friend.  

[MoonRazor]

"It hadn't occurred to me that it might not be looked favorably upon," She admitted, though it was more a dutiful admission than anything she truly wished to say. More than anything, she wished there was a way to circumvent the prying eyes of the nobility, the judging whispers... but there wasn't, and that was that. She would certainly go a long way in order to preserve the reputation that her parents had worked so hard to obtain for their family.

Still, she wished she could explain to her mother that they weren't simply clever words. Youthful fancies, perhaps, but clever words - words meant only to seduce, as she was sure her mother thought they were? No, none of those. Everything was genuine when it came to Derasan, and there wasn't an ounce of pretension in the lad - curiously enough, considering his occupation.

But the fact of the matter was, her mother wouldn't understand, and she knew that already. There was no use. So she simply sighed and let her head drop, resigning herself to fate. "I will talk to him, mother," she said finally. "I promise."  

[JetAlmeara]

Maua was just..thankful. Thankful that her daughter seemed to be admitting that this friendship was a mistake,thankful that she was willing to put an end to it and thankful most of all that she had managed to n** this little problem in the neck before she wound up having to send Raziela off to 'visit her sister' for an extended period as well.

Why couldn't her children simply accept the good life she and Kivuli had given them? She was sure that there were many lesser lions who would jump at the chance for such a life and yet her children seemed willing to fling it away willy nilly whenever she turned around. Honestly it was enough to make one half crazy once in a while. Surely now that she was more experienced with this whole parent hood thing her second litter would be easier to raise, she was determined to have no Nyota's in this litter, no young pregnancies, no player obsessed cubs - they would all be wonderful perfect little noble children.

"Everyone has lapses in judgement once in a while" Maua responded "As long as they are lapses we learn from they can be rectified, I trust that you'll deal with this situation in the proper manner now that it has been brought to your attention" She told her daughter with motherly look "we only want whats best for you dear" She added, before brushing her daughter lovingly with her cheek "I think I need to go and rest now, the days heat is starting to get to me" She apologized before turning about and starting back up the pathway to the mountain. Surely that last small reminder of her delicate health would make sure Raziela kept her word about this whole situation - it might be a bit underhanded but really it was for her daughters own good.  

[MoonRazor]

The dark lioness nodded, though a certain sadness had taken over. It would be a shame to have to end her friendship with Derasan, but she supposed there was nothing to be done about that. She had been born into a society governed by strict conventions, and she was coming close to - or perhaps even had already - breaking them.

And what was there to do but to accept it and move on? It wasn't as though she would never see him again. Just not in the same capacity. But... she supposed that would be alright. She would simply have to get used to it, and at this moment, her upcoming litter of younger siblings was more important than a simple friendship.

"I will, Mother," she reassured Maua as her mother turned to leave. Yes, for now, they could all focus on the unborn children. And after that, they would see what happened. As she watched Maua's retreating figure, she frowned lightly, and then turned back to peer the way she had come, back toward the theater. She didn't look forward to the task that faced her, but she would have to take care of it soon. It would be better for everybody.