Proposition

After Giza's disappearance, Heshima was on total lock down. Before the incident, hyenas were only looking on from a distance. But now, the filthy canines were always surrounding her, keeping eyes on the prisoner that she was. It pained the female that she couldn't go searching for her child, but she had defied Scar's rule and now she was paying the price. If it wasn't for Kuzimu, if it wasn't for this litter, than she would be free! It had been a mistake, Heshima thought, that if she wouldn't of asked to keep the litter that none of this would of happened.

It wasn't as if she could just get rid of her unborn cubs right now anyways. But then a thought formed into her head, what if she didn't have to raise them?! It was cruel, the plan she had in mind, but the litter would not be taking up the pride's diminishing resources if this plan went through. The pale lioness stood up, two hyenas inching closer to her, "Where do you think you're going prisoner?" the hyena spat at her paws, "You've already had a drink in the past hour," Heshima moved her paw away from the saliva and narrowed her eyes.

"I want to talk to King Scar," The hyenas looked at her as if she had lost her mind, "Well? Are you going to escort me or not?" The leader of today's prison watch sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, but you're staying here. I'll go get him," The canine left and another hyena replaced him, as to keep at least three sets of eyes on the female. Apparently their king wasn't as far away as she thought for she heard the hyena grumble something about the prisoner. Heshima stood tall, but not as tall as the last time she and Scar had talked alone, she didn't want to be in any more trouble than she already was and hoped that this proposition would help her situation.

Scar didn't like when something that belonged to him was taken away. It wasn't that he was protective, he simply didn't want someone else to have what he thought was rightfully his property. Among the things Scar considered his were his own offspring, and while he had never had any sort of personal relationship with Giza, she was his spitting image. In a way, it was like losing a piece of himself, though he failed to mourn in the same way that her siblings and mother might.

Indeed, Scar had sent a search party of hyenas to find his lost daughter, but there was no telling what the scavengers would have done, had they actually found the cub. He had even sent his allies, Korofi and Khepri, to inspect the nearby territories for signs of the russet princess. But in Scar's mind, Giza was as good as dead the second Tasa returned to Pride Rock without her. Thankfully, he had a half dozen other cubs to fill the missing piece in the pride, though it seemed Mheetu had also gone missing in recent days. That left five of his own cubs, three girls along with two weak, runty males.

The brute had been lounging around outside of the Pride Rock, ever vigilant that his dear Heshima would not attempt to flea. The pale lioness still insisted that Giza might be saved, but Scar knew this was only a mother's desperate attempt to keep their child's memory alive. His ears flicked at the sound of paws approaching, and he cast the hyena an annoyed glance. "Yes?"

"Heshima wishes to speak to you, King Scar," the hyenas replied with an idiotic expression that his master could not guess the meaning of. Reluctantly, the russet lion rose to his paws, his joints creaking with the onset of advanced age. No, Scar wasn't getting any younger, and the future looked dreary. Stepping over to the den, he entered slowly, green eyes flashing with his irritation. He was in no mood for games that day, and he had no desire to listen to the lioness whine and moan about the lost cub. "What do you want?"

As Heshima watched Scar pad into the den she looked around to make sure that no other lions were in range of hearing. Heshima really didn't care if the hyenas were there or not, they would be playing a part in the plan anyhow. The pale female bowed to her king and frowned when the lion seemed more than irritated to hear about what she had to say. "I'm sorry to disturb your sire, but I have a proposition that you may just like," Heshima shrunk into her space slightly, not wanting to overstep the thin line that she had already been treading.

"This litter, it is foolish for me to want to keep it. And as you said sire, why should I raise the cubs of a commoner when I already have cubs of a much higher breed to raise," Heshima knew that with her submissive nature, Scar could get his way again at any time and breed her once more, and honestly, Heshima would be willing to do it again for her king. Anything to do to get back on his good side would she do. Even if it meant raising another litter of his, she didn't care anymore. But Heshima knew that she had already disappointed her king once, giving him a small heir and three -in his eyes- useless females, he wouldn't give her another shot.

"I do not wish to keep the litter, but I do not wish for them to die either," Heshima paused, being sure to form her sentences carefully, "And this is why I wished to talk to you my king, I thought you might enjoy this plan that I have conceived. It would hinder our enemies to the north in doing so," There was only one pride to the north of the Pridelands and that was the Shadowlanders, a group of renegade lions whom did not take refuge in the Outlands, but now inhabited the old hyena hangout. Heshima pushed a rock in front of her out of the way and she lowered her head, keeping her eyes out of her king's.

"As you know sire, the Shadowlands are worse off than the Outlands, so why not send the litter there? I know I would be denying you the soldiers I promised you, but if you think about it my king, we would be technically destroying the Shadowland Pride from the inside out would we not?" Heshima took a breath and continued, "Their resources would deplete faster than ours might and you might be able to search for a possible heir in their weakened state?" A small smile formed on the expectant mother's face, her children would not have to deal with the jealously of a new litter, her king would be happy without more mouths to feed, and they may just destroy an enemy in the process.

"All I ask for is two to four hyenas for an hour to accomplish this task, in return I offer every ounce of loyalty I have to you. I will not leave these lands, nor will I go searching for this unwanted litter in the future. You can do with me as you wish, although I wish for our children not to be hurt in any way whilst you do so," Heshima bowed once more, the hyenas around her uneasy that she suggested that they be used to rid the pride of some cubs that were unwanted. They could easily be killed and used for food for the pride! But Heshima saw the gain in her plan and smiled once more, "That is my proposition my king, I hope I did not overstep my mark in coming up with it," As if to show her king that she was more loyal than ever, "And if I did, then please punish me now, I do not care if it be by hyena muzzle or lion claw, a punishment is a punishment, no matter how it is dished out,"

A curt nod was offered when Heshima apologized for disturbing Scar, but he remained silent as the stars, allowing her the chance to explain herself. And boy did she! Scar couldn't recall a time when the lioness had been this vocal, and he appeared more surprised by her ideas than angry. His gaze fell to her swollen belly, where the cubs of the now dead devil Kuzumu were still growing. Now Heshima admitted that she no longer wished to care for the litter, and Scar's smile widened.

His ears pricked forward at the mention of the Shadowlands, and his smile soon vanished as he considered what Heshima said. It was a shock that the mother had come up with her plan on her own, proving that even the most meek among them had the ability to be most devious when the situation called for it. Sitting down slowly, his harsh stare never left the form of the cream colored female.

But she was still talking -- why did she have to talk so much now? Scar continued to listen as patiently as he could without interrupting her proposition as it was delivered. He didn't think Heshima was capable of such scheming, and was pleasantly surprised. A faint smile appeared as she concluded her speech, and Scar was pleased to hear that she had not only changed her mind, but seemed to not care at all what happened to her unborn cubs. Perhaps she wasn't as foolish as he had previously believed.

"I'm glad you have finally come to your senses, my dear. You are still too weak-minded and kind-hearted to kill them, but I suppose this is the curse of the lioness, to care even when she shouldn't." Maybe Heshima was on to something, though. The Shadowlands were not far from his own kingdom, and the hyenas had been reporting for some time that a pride had made the ugly, gray territory their home. Either the cubs would be killed immediately upon sight by the king there, or he would have pity on the helpless litter and take them in. Scar hoped it would be the former, but he could see the benefit, whatever the outcome. With so little food to go around, it would undoubtedly be a drain on the resources of their neighbors... And better them than Scar!

"I will give you however hyenas you wish for when the time comes, but I can make no promises that they won't devour the cubs en route. You know how they can be," he chuckled with the shake of his head, as if they were not pests but silly pets whose antics he found amusing. This would not mean that Heshima would be given any more freedom, though, in spite of her desires to leave the safety of the den. She was still far too valuable for Scar to risk losing. Maybe, in some sick, twisted way, this was his way of showing his appreciation for her -- maybe even his love for the lioness he was often so cruel towards.

"I will hold you to your word, and you may do the same for mine. You will be forbidden from ever contacting any cubs that survive, do you hear me? You will never be allowed to see them again." Here, he finally fell silent himself, awaiting her response. Heshima was, if nothing else, a great mother, most of the time, and Scar doubted she would be able to stay away. He watched her expression to detect any sadness that appeared along with his stern words.

Heshima nodded as her king mentioned the 'curse' of a lioness and she quickly spoke again. "I know it is your wish to be rid of Kuzimu's spawn as a whole, but sire," Heshima paused for only a second to bring her thoughts together, "if we kill them it gives us food for a day, but if we send them it deprives food from out enemies for years," The pale lioness wanted to be on her king's good side, and if that meant sabotaging another pride by the use of her own cubs, then so be it. Heshima did not wish to see these cubs as her own, for fear that they would inherit everything that Kuzimu stood for.

The expectant mother smiled when Scar would allow her to go forth with her plan, offering her as many hyenas as she needed. A small chuckle was given when he laminated on the hyenas, with being surrounded by them constantly she knew their tendencies. But Heshima didn't care at this point, she just wanted to be rid of these cubs as soon as they came. If they hyenas ate them, then it would be less stress for her in the future. Being the mother of four cubs, now only three, put stress on the lioness and some days she wished to just run away.

Nodding, Heshima didn't think twice about not having to see these cubs again, "My loyalty is to you my king, I will never see these cubs again. They are the spawn of a devil, why would I wish to see them again?" No emotions played on the female's face except for a slight tinge of pride. She had just came up with a plan that benefited everyone in the long run but their neighboring pride. "Trust me sire, I am your loyal follower and only yours. My loyalty will forever lie with the royal family and I am here to do as they wish,"

As he watched for the signs of sadness or remorse to register on Heshima's pale features, his gaze fell to the newly received pink slice above her nose. It had been only days since the king had left the mark upon the muzzle of the lioness, but it was already beginning to turn light pink and smooth, and he was certain the cut would soon turn into a scar. Funny, he thought to himself, that Kuzimu didn't leave a lasting mark, but in his one moment of rage, to teach Heshima a lesson, he had scarred her pretty face for a lifetime. Perhaps now, she would know her place.

His chest swelled with arrogant pride when Heshima vowed her loyalty to the throne once more. It thrilled him that the lioness he had always perceived as weak and gentle could come up with such a devious plan, while disregarding her own flesh and blood. Maybe he had underestimated the cunning of this lioness, after all. "My dear, I'm so proud of you. This idea of yours is the stuff of genius, something I would have thought up myself." Of course, he hadn't come up with the idea, but he would still take partial credit for ridding the Pridelands of Kuzimu's unwanted offspring. Now he would never have to be reminded of the vicious rogue's attacks on one of his lionesses.

Then, in a strange moment of appreciation, Scar stepped closer to fill the space between the two leonine bodies. He had never been the affectionate sort, but he gave Heshima a brief, but gentle nuzzle under her chin. "You will never be queen, but you are still part of the royal family, regardless. That is why you must remain safe here at Pride Rock, despite this decision. I am only looking out for your best interests, dear Heshima, you must understand this." A toothy grin was offered along with his words, ever the master manipulator. Scar did not intend to let Heshima go.

Heshima gulped and smiled at the same time, her king was proud of her? It was almost a foreign concept to the female for she had failed him so many times in the past. He said that it was if her plan was one of his own and it made Heshima question Scar briefly. Was he a schemer as her mother would have said? The female couldn't think of any plan that her king might have created that was so devious and she was blind to the fact of her former king's death still almost fresh in her mind. Heshima chuckled, "Surely sire, my plan is still leagues away from any plan you have conjured up for the sake of our pride,"

But after Scar had nuzzled her just as he did months before, Heshima bowed and tears almost came into her eyes. Scar had just claimed her as part of the royal family, even if she would never be queen. Before today, the pale lioness had never felt as if part of the royal family, only the mother of the cubs included. "T-Thank you sire," she ended up muttering out, even though she wouldn't be able to leave Pride Rock, she hoped that at least she would get a small break in her 'prison sentence' as she called it. "I have failed you so many times in the past though my king, should I truly be trusted with this honor?" Here, Heshima alluded to when the cubs were born, she had not produced a litter of kings and paid the price days ago with the loss of Giza.

If Heshima was forced to have another litter, she'd rather it be with Scar than any other lion for the sheer fact that he would do everything to protect his cubs. But she knew that she had failed him once in the cub making process and he would most likely chose Zira to mate with again before her. Even if Zira did produce a scrawny cub just as Heshima did Kifu. But Heshima nodded to her king's last statement. "Yes sire, I understand fully," she paused for a moment and returned a grin to her king, "although I do think the mice and other small animals that dare make their way to Pride Rock be fair game. I have to beef up our children's strength somehow,"

Scar did not seem to like the implication that he was the type to plan things. It was impossible for Heshima to ever guess just how much of their present situation he had plotted out. For years, he had schemed and planned to overthrow Mufasa, and then Simba, once the little fur ball had arrived. His expression became clouded for only a moment before he realized the lioness had meant this as a compliment, and he gave a little nod.

When Heshima mentioned her failures, Scar knew that she was speaking of her litter. It had been a large one, and yet not a single cub was what Scar had hoped for so many months ago when he had seduced Heshima, promising a litter of kings. He gave a slight shrug though. For once, the dark king was trying to focus on the positive rather than obsessing over Heshima's perceived failures. "A king could not ask for a more faithful lioness than you have been, my dear. I trust you have given Kifu more time and attention, and that the boy is growing as best he is able. And Ari, she is a sweet child. She reminds me of my mother," he admitted.

It was not something he had ever voiced to Heshima before, but it seemed he was in a gracious mood that day -- or it was just another part of his plan to keep her locked away in the den. Show a little kindness, a brief flash of vulnerability to keep up the show, and she would be eating of his paw for the rest of her miserable life. "You probably never met her, though. My mother. She has been dead for many years." A soft sigh was uttered at the thought of the long dead queen Uru; genuine, despite all of the lies.

So quickly, he seemed to have forgotten about little Giza all together. He made no mention of her at all, was all too glad to let the subject fade away. Before long, with any luck, the russet female cub would be lost to time, only a faint memory in the minds of the few who cared about her. Assuming Heshima had said all she wished to say, Scar turned away, ready to leave, unless she spoke up again. Well, at least he would no longer have to worry about additional unwanted mouths to feed, and he would never have to look at the half-siblings of four of his own.

Everything clicked on why her king had favored Ari so much, and deep down Heshima always knew that her king was a mama's boy. The pale lioness smiled and nodded, "I wish I could of met her sire, she seemed like a lovely lioness from the stories my mother and M-Sarabi used to tell me when I was growing up with Nala," Heshima had caught herself, ever since she had yelled Mufasa's name she had found herself using his as well as Simba's name more often. She was breaking the rules, but found her way around them from the time she had told Ari the stories of her past. For Mufasa, he was the Golden King, and Simba? The Golden Prince.

As Scar turned to leave Heshima bowed and spoke one last statement, "Thank you for your time my king and thank you for once again accepting me into the royal family," she chuckled, "Although I am no Zira, I will still look after any and all of your cubs for you, no matter who their mother is," Once her king had left the den, Heshima plopped back down onto the floor and sighed, she had just solved the problem of the litter of cubs she was carrying but everything seemed to be back where she had started. Heshima's security wasn't given any leeway and Scar was sure to keep her safe and in the watchful eyes of him at all times. But is that truly ethical?

Despite being locked up in the den, Heshima came up with a plan for the upcoming litter that would be born in the coming days. She would give birth in the den and claim the cubs were born dead once she had them cleaned. Then the hyenas would take them out into the Shadowlands and 'dispose' of the bodies. She would first name the cubs and make sure that the hyenas knew which one was which, for she wanted them to be delivered to the first lion in those lands that they saw. Maybe that brute Kuvuka could do it? Unknown to her, she would chose Shadowland spies so the names would be safe, although they would be cruel. But for now Heshima would have to wait and sleep in the den, under lock and key until Scar decided otherwise.