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Chapter 5:

My eyes had closed, and something in my soul was trying to break free while Sarafina, one of the Royal wives of the King of Kessit, made her lips move in sync with my own. For a brief moment, there was no barrier of who, or what she was compared to me.

While she released gentle moans of pleasure between our locked lips, I was surprised to find that even though our facial structures were completely different, our mouths locked together perfectly.

Her hands moved gracefully from my cheeks to the back of my neck and head. I felt one of her legs creep over my lap, and soon her hips had comfortably rested on my thighs. She pulled me in tighter to her, seeming to need more of me. The vibrations of her purr were becoming more intense. Her contained bosom heaved and smooshed up against my chest. Her tongue had not yet occupied much of my mouth. It seemed to only be gently nudging my tongue. A perfect dance.

My hands instinctively found their home at her curved waist. Sarafina’s fur was soft to the touch. The sensation ran shivers down my spine. Soon enough, one of my hands began to gently caress her thigh, and began to methodically tour under her skirt-like wrappings to her soft rear.

Sarafina momentarily broke our kiss to catch her breath and quietly groaned from my touch, but quickly found her way back to the passionate kiss we both became addicted to.

I was completely lost in her passion. One of her furred hands slowly moved down and journeyed the valley of pecks and ridges on my torso I worked so hard for. It soon found the prize it was looking for, making me comprehend something else was starting. My genitals had been firming up from anticipation. Through my kaki pants, she gently clasped my ever-growing bulge. Our kiss, never breaking, coaxed out another mouth-to-mouth moan from us both.

My hand found its way further back, and I was reminded again she was a humanoid lioness when I felt her tail protruding from just above her crack. I also felt the cold metals of her expensive and royal jewelry she wore around her waist and tail to show her status as one of the King of Kessit’s wives and absolute power she carries politically.

Dammit!

What was I doing?

I pushed her back and even though she resisted the breaking of our kiss, eventually she took the hint and our lips parted.

Catching her breath from the adrenaline and emotion, she whispered, “What’s wrong?”

“Sarafina, I…” I was catching my own breath.

“This isn’t right.”

She backed up a little, and released her hands from my body. She gently maneuvered off my lap and sat next to me. The only sound we heard was the crackling of the fire and Crix's snoring across from it. Returning my gaze to hers, I could tell she had been thinking deeply about a few things.

Her emerald eyes welled up slightly before blinking and looking back to me.

She exhaled with some relief, “Yes, I think you’re right. I-”

Sarafina distracted herself and looked at the campfire. There was a painful silence between us while the campfire slowly dimmed.

I got up and cleared my throat, “Ahem, well, we have a long road ahead of us.”

I motioned my head towards the sleeping jackal, hoping he was dreaming of his family,

“And we need to return him to his family.”

Sarafina got up from the ground, brushed herself off, and relocated to her own spot near the campfire. She brushed some twigs off the bedroll she laid out earlier, and rested on her back, staring at the stars.

I did the same, also looking at the twinkling sky. The soft glow of the embers highlighted our features with a red tint.

Minutes of painful silence ticked by. I assume we were both contemplating all the thoughts and actions we had just experienced.

Eventually, she broke the silence, “Lochlann?”

“Yes?”

“Where did you get your hands on the fruit of Life and fruit of Rebirth?”

“Rafiki’s sister, Ok’wana, had them, and gave them to me to bring.”

She propped herself up to regard me, “Ok’wana? The stories say she has been gone for several years. My husband wasn’t even king yet.”

“Ok’wana is still around, but she lives in my world...or land...or Kingdom?”

I didn’t know how to put it, “I come from a place that is only real if you pass through a door.”

Fuck, I knew how ridiculous it sounded. I looked back at her; the glowing embers highlighted her eyes in the night. She was listening intently.

So, I continued, “I was manipulated by Askari.”

Her ears bent backward aggressively, and spoke, “Askari? You mean Scar.”

She let me continue. I explained my encounter with Scar to her; and his terms. She was confused on the timing since that had happened around the same time as Simba’s birth, and ten years later, I showed up with fruit to complete the bargain. I explained to her that it was only a single night for me, while ten years had passed here. Overall, she seemed to grasp the concept.

“But you were willing to give up the fruit for Crix’s freedom. You would have broken the deal and wouldn’t get your-” Sarafina paused to remember the term I used, then slowly and awkwardly pronounced the word “camera.”

“I think family and blood is more important than silly, magic camera boxes,” I explained.

She smiled at that response, but soon frowned again, “Scar doesn’t like to be crossed. Only his brother, Mufasa, can tame that beast.”

She turned her head to me, and I soon realized I was transfixed with her presence while she caught me watching her.

Sarafina gave a me stern look through the smoking embers and said, “Just be careful, Lochlann.”

“I will.”

We both rested on opposite sides of the cooling campfire. Before I fell asleep, I turned my head to catch her one more time. Sarafina had a single finger placed upon her lips, staring at the sky in deep thought. I caught myself admiring her character, her heart, her figure; she was a beautiful creature to observe. I quietly reached inside my backpack and found WNC’s complicated satellite phone. I only used this to make calls to the headquarters, but I knew there was a camera feature somewhere. I messed with the settings, trying to figure out how to unlock the camera function. I did something to open the camera app and took a picture of Sarafina lying on her back, watching the stars while touching her lips. Then some security function blipped and locked my phone again. I put it away and fell asleep.

---

_**WNC data entry: D23-006.

Employee# P64-81F

Name: Lochlann Fitzpatrick

Assignment: Job Order#R7812

Location: Pride Rock Kingdom (Satellite GPS data unavailable)**_

_ Day 16:

After few days of traveling by zebra-drawn carriage, we returned Crix to his community not too far from the Pride Rock region. Primarily consisting of humanoid jackals, the village seemed to thrive off of lumber and woodcraft trade. Their buildings were engineered masterfully, and had a solid infrastructure of grid based roads, windmills, and designated workspaces for their trade. I was very impressed._

_Crix was finally reunited with his family, but there was one major setback. His son, whose name I finally learned was Kiak, came down with some illness that the local shamans couldn’t cure. Suffice to say, the reunion was incredibly bittersweet. I couldn’t tell if their tears were those of happiness or sadness.

Normally, if I came across a village in the savanna with a similar situation, I would be contacting HR and designating specific resources to help the troubled natives. But since I didn’t have any of this to access, I did the next best thing._

I gave the Fruit of Rebirth to Kiak.

Almost immediately, Kiak seemed to be feeling better. His eyes had gained more life to them. His fur was more vibrant. Even the breath he took was deeper with an even tempo.

Whatever healing this does, I think we need to get WNC law department to set up a research team once I can find more of this "Fruit of Rebirth." It might be the answer to curing Alzheimer’s, heart disease or even cancer. Can you imagine the royalties the WNC would get from this discovery?

Sarafina (my assigned liason) has been invaluable to this latest trek. If I knew how she was able to read the body language of everyone she met, I would document this for further study. This is a gift I think many psychologists could learn from.

Using the well-ridden road between the jackal village and Pride Rock, we both made it back home without issue after a few hours of travel.

Regarding my agreement with one of the ranked officials, Askari, or better known as "Scar," I still have yet to locate his whereabouts. He still has property of the WNC in his possession. I will continue my search, and if he doesn’t take money for the camera, I’ll try to work out another agreement to get it back.

_ Day 17:

No news on the whereabouts of Scar yet. I spoke to several officials, and stated that he had been gone for some time on a diplomatic operation in order to bring in new trade from the southern regions. I have been given temporary room and board near the outskirts of town. The homes here are simple. A single room with a solid roof and a wooden door that can lock from the inside. There is no need for WNC expenses. Sarafina informed the officials of my successful dealings with the northern region of Uji, so I was compensated for my success. I don’t know how long I'll be able to stay, but I informed the ambassador’s office that I'll be on my way back once I find the camera._

_ Day 18:

No news of Scar or my camera. I was informed by Zazu (the top ranked ambassador for Pride Rock), that I was invited to attend a personal meeting with the King himself: Mufasa. The meeting will be held at the stone fortress of Pride Rock. If I had the camera with me, I would be visually documenting the interior once I arrived. I don’t know what the meeting will be about, but I'll make sure the WNC is well represented. The riverbank near my small one-room abode was a good source for washing all the dirt, sweat, and blood off my WNC uniform. On my next entry, I will report what the meeting with the King was about. Logging off for now._

---

I powered down the laptop. The portable solar array was functioning great. It kept my devices at full battery capacity. I did all I could to try and open up the camera function on my phone, but whoever designed the security settings on this device didn’t want any WNC footage leaked.

The meeting with King Mufasa would take place in the evening, but I was surprised to find out that I was allowed into the royal fortress in the late morning.

The inside of the fortress was nothing short of astounding. The interior was more that of a well-decorated palace rather than a stronghold equipped for battle. The wealth it flaunted was shocking as well. The floors had been polished to a mirror sheen. The wood seemed to accent the corners of each massive room, while the metal featured shimmering surfaces embedded with jewels to reflect the sources of light, which were a combination of natural sunlight and various torches.

My hiking boots echoed in the grand meeting hall as I walked alone. A finely-dressed humanoid cheeta with a platter of various meats and pastries walked up to me and presented the aromatic foods. I thanked them before I indulged in some of the delicious appetizers.

A tap on my shoulder startled me, spinning me around. It was Sarafina. Her smile was warm and inviting. She wore a glamorous dress that emphasized her feminine form and glistened with jewels in the natural light. She also was adorned with a jewel-encrusted headpiece that accented her face.

I was speechless, as well as underdressed.

“It’s good to see you again, Lochlann,” she said.

“I…uh…I-” I stammered while I gaulked.

The royal lioness giggled and spun around, making lights dance on the walls of the great hall, “You like? I don’t get too many opportunities to visit the palace.”

She stopped her spin and continued, “Well, not as many as my daughter, Nala.”

She took my arm and asked, “Do you wish to meet her?”

I was still having trouble speaking. My mind was processing the majestic halls as well as the beautiful creature clasping my arm.

She smiled at me and said, “Here, let’s go see her. She’s in training right now.”

She led me down a long hallway which opened up to an exterior courtyard of the palace. I could hear voices. At first, I was expecting to see a classroom of children sitting in the grass and reading books or scrolls. Instead I saw two child-sized, humanoid, lion cubs accompanied by a very intimidating, adult-sized leopard. This creature had no shirt but was wearing red, flowing pants. One of the cubs was sitting in the grass playing with a mouse. The child had a thick lock of red hair that covered most of his head. This must've been the prince named Simba. He wore an elegant red robe.

The other child was next to the leopard, balancing on one hand upside down. It was Sarafina’s daughter, Nala. She wore simple wraps of brown and yellow, giving her limbs freedom of movement and agility. Her fur was about the same hue as her mother’s. The leopard threw a clay cup at her. The young lioness pivoted on her hand and kicked with a free leg, shattering the clay into dust. She followed through and flipped onto one foot while keeping her body still. The leopard quietly walked behind her and swept the ground with his leg. She hopped up, making the leopard miss his attack, and spun around to get into a defensive stance.

Sarafina whispered in my ear, “We aren’t allowed to interrupt her training. This can sometimes go on for hours each day. But I like to take these opportunities to see my daughter become the lioness she deserves to be."

"Why isn’t Simba training with her?” I asked.

She looked at me with some confusion, but quickly changed her demeanor. She remembered that I still wasn’t familiar with this culture.

“Simba will be trained in the arts of ruling the kingdom. That is all. He needs no more skill than that.”

We walked together, her arm in mine, as she led me down a path that featured stairs to the upper levels of the palace.

She continued, “A lioness is trained to protect and defend her mate. Generations ago, the lioness was trained to hunt for food for her pride, but we have evolved to harvest what we need without the hunt.”

We turned a corner to see various balconies leading outside with a vast view of the kingdom, as well as carved statues of what I assumed had been past kings, standing along the walls. Each generation of ruler was made of wood that seemingly aged just as much as the kingdom itself. It looked ancient. I noticed the earlier rulers were less decorated and wore basic garments. The oldest of the rulers featured a nude muscular body. I could have spent hours in this hall studying the figures.

A few feminine giggles echoed through the hallways, breaking my concentration from reviewing the historical statues of Pride Rock. Sarafina pulled me aside to hide behind one of the wooden displays. She put her furred hand on my mouth to keep quiet.

Sarafina gasped in quiet surprise, “Oh my, we need to see this....”

She positioned herself in front of me with a thrilled expression. I was silent since I had no idea what to expect. She pulled me by hand into a nearby room. I could hear the giggles as we got closer. Following Sarafina’s lead, we snuck without a sound. We entered a small alcove within a smaller guest bedroom that lacked any extra lighting. She quietly moved a wooden picture frame to the side, revealing a small opening to the adjacent room. There was a soft glow coming from the other side.

“What’s going on?” I whispered inquisitively.

“Just watch.”

I waited for my eyes to adjust. As soon as they did, I noticed a room full of deep purple and red mattresses, pillows, and blankets on the floor accompanied by several transparent curtains hung along the ceilings and walls. The room was dimly lit by various scented candles and torches, giving off a soft warm glow. Then a few figures enter the room. They seemed to be two lionesses, giggling with one another. Together, they were pulling a larger figure toward them. As they entered, I noticed it was the King, Mufasa.

He wore nothing but a simple robe, while the two lionesses were dressed with simple loin cloths and wrappings covering their round breasts.

The king released a low chuckle and smiled with eager anticipation. One of the lionesses began kissing his chest, while the other sauntered behind him and removed his robe. The massive lion was pulled down by both of his female counterparts, and began to moan in pleasure as they began kissing his mouth and neck. The king closed his eyes and laid on his back, resting on the mattresses. The two lionesses began kissing each other while the king removed their loin cloths.

“Does this happen all the time?” I whispered again.

Sarafina began to speak in wonderment while she watched, “Two of the King’s wives are in heat, which means they are ready and willing to bear more children to the royal family.”

We watched as one of the females started kissing the king’s groin while removing her chest wrappings. The other one assisted and slowly moved one of her legs over the king’s chest, straddling his neck and facing herself towards his legs. She presented her feline genitalia to Mufasa’s face. He eagerly grabbed her hips, and repositioned her thighs to bestride his muzzle. She cried out in ecstasy while he moved his lips between her legs.

The other female seemed to be making progress on her end as well. I noticed through his furred crotch, a growing, pink shaft. She immediately shoved her face onto the king’s phallus and began bobbing her head.

In my profession, I was all too familiar with a lion and his pride of females. I had taken photos and videos of the female’s heat cycle along with the plentiful amounts of copulation between them in a single day. This seemed to be no different, but it didn’t stop me from becoming aroused watching this. With a more advanced culture, I wondered what had evolved and what was still natural instinct.

I had to ask, “So, how often do the females go into heat?”

She never took her eyes off the sexual act while she spoke to me in hushed tones, “It all depends on several factors. Part of it comes from the natural cycle of the female biology. But it also comes from the mere presence of an Alpha.”

“Wait, what do you mean, presence of an Alpha?” I asked.

We watched the female sitting on the king’s face pull her top off and begin massaging her breasts. The other lioness worked with vigor to move her head along the contour of the kings growing shaft.

“Our bodies have adapted to several generations of a strict caste system. The ruler of a pride is responsible for bringing in a new generation of lions. The biology of our kind is unique. Even though we enjoy sexual pleasures when we like, our need to bear a child grows intensely when we begin our heat cycle,” she shifted her position to get a better look at the threesome, “but if there are no Alpha males present, we begin to skip our heat cycles. This is why a Lion King is crucial to the continuation of the pride.”

By this time, the female near his genitals finished her work, and positioned herself over his thighs. She removed her hands, wet from her own loins, as she was pleasuring herself while giving the king’s erect shaft its due amount of attention. She then began kissing the other female straddling his face. Her womanhood began grinding along his shaft. One thing I noticed was that even though the king’s build was similar to mine, his erection didn’t have the same girth as my own back when I was with my wife. It didn’t stop the amount of pleasure the lioness was getting from this. She couldn’t contain her moans between kisses. She arched her head upwards and moaned loudly with her mouth open wide. This made her raise her waist up enough to empale herself with the king’s erection. She slowly made her way down all the way to the base of his shaft.

Mufasa himself made a muffled groan. His hips began moving along with his partner, while he continued his work on the moaning female on his face.

This was interesting to watch. The wildlife professional got the best of me, and I had to ask, “So, how can you tell when a lioness is in heat? It can’t be from smell alone....”

She turned her head to me, and smiled, “Your asking someone who has studied body language her whole life. Most don’t see this, but there is a tell.”

Her hand gently took my chin, and guided me to look at the female on top of the king’s royal phallus.

Sarafina spoke in whispered tones, “If you watch closely at the base of her tail, where it meets the spine, you’ll notice a subtle twitch.”

I watched while the female bent her head downwards to focus on her upcoming orgasm. And there it was, a small shiver of muscle at the base of her tail. After seeing it once, it was hard to miss. I backed up a little to give Sarafina some space, but I also used this to sneak a peak at her own tail. Nothing. No twitch.

I had to inquire, “So, if you don’t mind me asking, when was the last time you-”

I motioned my head to the moaning pile of pleasure in the other room.

She grew quiet, and backed from the wall gap a little. I really shouldn’t have asked.

I felt horrible, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ask such a personal question.”

“No, it is quite fine. My husband, the King of Kessit, isn’t as….” Sarafina was looking for the right words, “He isn’t as skilled in the art of pleasure as Mufasa is.”

To punctuate this point, one of the lionesses had been sent into a crippling orgasm.

Sarafina exhaled, “My husband’s wives don’t really get the pleasure of getting - well - pleasured like the lionesses here. We start our heat cycle biologically, and then the king fertilizes our wombs. It is as simple and boring as that.”

A short pause, and then she said, “The last time my husband touched me was shortly before Nala was born.”

It was here when I felt sorry for her. I sat in silence and watched Sarafina witness what King Mufasa gave his wives; something that she herself had been robbed of. I noticed that the royal lioness next to me was glaring at the King's partners with envy, subtly biting her lip. It was me who was observing her behavior this time.

A deep laughter from Mufasa broke my attention. I turned my attention back to the orgy. Mufasa sat up quickly, his face was slick with juices from his partner. Both lionesses tumbled off, and with a laughter from all of them, Mufasa said, “Get over here.”

He grabbed the one who had been sitting on his face, and turned her over so his slick erection pointed at her rear end. He jammed it hard into her rump, and both groaned out a symphonic sound of pleasure. The other female positioned herself so her own womanhood would be within inches of the facedown lioness getting pleasured from the King.

I now felt guilty watching this with Sarafina at my side.

I whispered, “Sarafina, we can go now. You don’t have to-”

“Please, let me watch,” she pleaded with a hint of desperation.

I understood. I wasn’t able to touch my own wife sexually for a full year before she passed. Sarafina had been without her lover for almost ten years. The experience at the campfire was making more sense to me.

I sat silently, letting Sarafina at least watch what she was being denied. Behind Sarafina, I slowly reached out towards her shoulder to comfort. I wanted to let her know she wasn’t alone. My hand was within a few centimeters from her furred shoulder just before I quicky pulled back and thought better of it.

The king’s pelvis moved in unison with his lover’s hips. Her breath became jagged before she plunged her face into the crotch of her awaiting companion. The king watched his other lover’s face become contorted with ecstasy. His tilted his head towards the ceiling while he gripped the hind quarters of the lioness. With one massive thrust, he packed his entire throbbing penis into her nether regions only to hold it there while he let out a massive roar. His facedown lover also let out a ferocious roar while keeping her hips locked into his own. Then with a cohesive sound of exhalation, all three slumped into a united embrace with each other.

There seemed to be more kissing and rubbing afterwards, but Sarafina had enough. We both quietly backed away and made our way through the palace. Sarafina’s arm in mine, we moved through the halls silently.

I broke the silence, “Uh, so, how far away is your home of Kessit?"

“It takes a few weeks. There are treacherous mountains and a few rivers along the roads. But with hopes of the union of Simba and Nala, our nations will join together to create a safer route by building bridges across some of the rivers,” she replied.

We reached a balcony that overlooked the courtyard. I saw Simba and Nala again. Simba was still sitting in the grass, and was trying to distract Nala from her training by throwing rocks. The leopard trainer said a few harsh words to the young prince, which made him get up in a huff and stomp away. Returning his attention to Nala, the leopard swung a long bow staff at the young princess. She blocked it with her own wooden staff, and maneuvered low to the ground. Then she sprang up and unleashed a series of attacks at her instructor, who blocked each blow in a flurry of defensive moves.

“Your highness,” a voice came from behind.

Another well-dressed cheetah approached us from the back. He looked at and addressed me directly, “Lochlann.” He turned his back and beckoned us to follow, “Your presence is needed in the council chambers.”

We followed him and soon arrived at the meeting. It was a circular room with a round stone table in the middle. Each side of the room was bordered with step-like bleachers that were occupied by a small number of council members. Some seemed to be the King’s own lioness retinue, while the others were made up of varying breeds of feline ranging from panthers, to cheetahs, and leopards.

We were sat at opposite ends of the table in the center, with room for one more. The vacant chair was largely decorated with finely crafted metals and jewels.

This must've be Mufasa’s seat.

The room seemed to be buzzing with quiet conversations. I couldn’t single out any one in particular. I looked across the table and noticed Sarafina watching me. I knew how good she was at reading body language, so I gave her a look that read something like “Do you know what this is about?” She responded with only a shrug.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, a large door on the opposite end of the chamber opened up. Zazu, the horn billed lead ambassador, glided in with a smile on his face. He flapped his wings a few times before perching himself on the table opposite of Mufasa’s chair. Then, the King himself entered the room. He was dressed in formal attire, not too different from when I first saw him. His long mane was brushed and presentable and is fur was clean and silky.

The whole room stood from their chairs (except me) and bent to one knee. I awkwardly followed suit. None of them were aware that he was face deep in a lioness' vagina only moments earlier.

Mufasa’s bellowed out in his low voice, “Well met, my faithful council.”

The whole room replied in unison, “May the Pride keep you strong.”

Everyone sat back in their chairs.

Mufasa walked straight to Sarafina with a welcoming smile. She got up and they both embraced one another. She kissed a ring on his finger.

“It is always good to see you, Sarafina. Your daughter seems to be excelling in her training. The instructor tells me she is one of the best he has ever trained.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Sarafina replied with a glowing smile, “Nala tells me she can’t get enough of it. How is Simba doing in his instructional courses?”

Mufasa made a hardy laugh, “If his brain was as strong as his stubbornness, he’d be a genius.(!)”

The whole room laughed together at the King’s shallow joke.

“Ahem,” Zazu spoke up as soon as the room quieted down, “Your majesty, may I present to you, Lochlann, of,” a brief pause, “of the WNC.”

He almost ended the last statement as a question.

I stood up and bowed, pretending to know what I was doing. My career was peppered with formal meetings at village halls back in Africa. Each with their own culture and practices. I was good at adapting to such circumstances.

Mufasa turned in my direction and walked around the table to greet me. I could tell why the Kingdom loved this ruler. He had a kind smile, and a charisma that was very disarming. I immediately felt comfortable around him. He held out a hand as if I were to shake it. When I brought my own hand up, he brought his forward to clasp my forearm. I followed along and did the same. His grip was strong, so I matched his.

His light brown eyes pierced my glare, and he spoke up, “I've heard a bit about you, Lochlann of the WNC. Or should I say... Bridge-Walker.”

Sarafina’s eyes widened when she heard that name.

With a slightly confused tone, I spoke up, “Oh, what have you heard?”

He smiled warmly and turned to sit on his own chair. Once he sat, the rest of the room got up from their knees and sat down as well.

Mufasa spoke again, “Ten years ago, Rafiki informed me you were here to witness the ceremony of Simba.”

I nodded.

He spoke again, “Through all of my time as ruler and the history before me, there has never been a kingdom or nation known as the "WNC." Yet you show up to my son’s ceremony, and all the while the great Rafiki praises the coming of the Bridge-Walker as some prophecy that comes to my doorstep.”

His smile disappeared. He looked straight into me.

My head tilted a little. I didn’t know what to say.

He leaned forward and spoke with deliberate tones, and enunciated his words clearly, “Rafiki has served many kings before me, and not once has he ever led them astray. But not once has he mentioned to any ruler the coming of a Bridge-Walker.”

Sarafina spoke up, “Your Majesty-“

“SILENCE!” He slammed his massive fist down onto the table, making the whole room jolt.

He was completely focused on me, “Ten cycles later, you show up and decide to look for my brother, Scar, asking for a mysterious box so you can complete a deal.”

He knew way too much. I wanted to explain, but his fist on the table was clenching tightly. I kept quiet.

“For just a moment, I thought Rafiki’s old age was leading me astray,” then for a glimmering second, his frown broke, and a hint of a smile began to blossom, “But, the next stunt you pull is something that solved a problem which has been plaguing us for generations.”

The council around us murmured. Mufasa’s fist eased off the table. His smile became more apparent.

His voice grew back to a jovial mood, “Pride Rock has been trying to establish a stronger trade agreement with Uji for many cycles, and they have always refused. You show up for one night, and not only have they agreed to strengthening our trades, but have doubled down to establish a partnership with our nations.”

Everyone murmured in positive tones and some laughs heard from the council. I looked over to Sarafina to see her reaction. She wasn’t showing any signs of joy. Mufasa stood up.

He could hardly contain himself, “Is it true? You have agreed to confirm this partnership through matrimony with their elite caste?”

My jaw dropped. It was Sarafina’s fists that clenched this time. She didn’t look at Mufasa. She didn’t look at me. She was staring at her boss, Zazu, who perched at the end of the table, oozing with pride.

There was an applause of triumph. Mufasa brought up his hands to quiet his council, “They have agreed to establish this trade deal as soon as possible. But will not be official until our emissary,” he pointed at me, “Our Bridge-Walker bonds with his bride in marriage.”

This was ridiculous. I had to speak up, “Wait a moment. Who said I would agree to this-”

Zazu spoke up this time, “Bridge-Walker...or Lochlann...whatever they call you, it is my responsibility to document and understand all diplomatic communications within this entire region. The region of Uji lands under my jurisdiction.”

His feathers ruffled as if to emphasize his point.

Sarafina broke into the debate, “But when they made their request, I stated that we will need further council before-“

“WE ARE THE COUNCIL!” Zazu cut her off with a loud clap of his beak. “After you returned back from Uji and reported to me on the offers,” Sarafina glanced apologetically to me when he stated that, but he continued, “I then brought this information to the council,” he spread his wings as if to gesture to the chamber. “After long debate, we agreed this is the best course of action.”

I spoke up, “But don’t I have a say?”

“You aren’t part of the council, Bridge-Walker. You are a prophecy set forth by Rafiki, and we have facilitated it.”

Sarafina spoke loudly, “What if I object?” She stood up. Ears pulled back. Her tail whipped about in anger. “I’m an officer of the ambassador’s order, and I have a say as well.”

Mufasa and the rest of the council brought their attention to her. Zazu put a feathered wing up to his head in exasperation.

He looked straight to Mufasa and said, “Can you explain this next part? I can’t anymore.”

Mufasa, now with a softer voice, but just as kind, “Sarafina, the reason why I brought you here today is to inform you that the King of Kessit - your husband - requests your return to his kingdom immediately. Your caravan departs in two days.”

He turned to me, with a forced smile upon his face, “And you, Bridge-Walker. Your bride’s envoy arrives tomorrow night to take you back to Uji.”