Princess Ryana sat alone in her bedroom crying.
She lay sitting bundled tight in her white wings at the edge of her large round nestbed adorned with elaborate pillows and layers upon layers of expensive fabrics. It was comfortable and secure. As was her life. But it wasn't enough.
It was a cage. And she would never be able to leave.
The door to her brightly lit room began to creak slightly. Allowing the comforting cold fog from the hallways to seep through narrow cracks into her room.
"Go away." She cried. Not turning her head to whoever was interrupting her solace. Wiping her tears away quickly. The door stopped opening halfway immediately.
"Its just me." A faint monotone voice emitted from behind the heavy door, sounding saddened and conflicted about what to do or say next. "I thought... I thought you'd like to talk before I leave tonight. Said the Empress remorsefully as she placed her hand gently to rest against the door and waited for a hopeful reply.
"I don't want to talk right now. I just want to be left alone. So why don't you just leave like you always do." She sniffed and wiped her beak with her dress sleeve. Such bad behavior and manners a mother of royalty would certainly never tolerate. But The empress did not care for southern traditions and remained silent.
"After all, It's not like I'll ever leave this place." Ryana muttered before lowering her head back down in sadness.
The Empress sat silent outside the door in the dark hallway hearing her daughter engulfed in tears on the other side. The Empress slowly placed her head to rest against the cold metal door. Not knowing what to do.
She breathed a deep heavy sigh.
And entered.
"I said I don't want to talk right now! Ryana said angrily. Her patience was wearing thin.
"I know.... I just want to sit on your bed with you. Is that ok?" She asked cautiously while standing in place waiting for her permission.
Ryana sniffed and lowered her head back to the floor in silence. Clutching tighter to her hand and rubbing her exposed feathered shoulder awkwardly.
"Fine. Just don't talk please."
The Empress nodded quietly before gracefully walking up to and sitting at the opposite end of the bed, careful as to not intrude on her daughter's request.
The two sat in silence for minutes on end in the white glistening room. The Empress fiddled with her delicate hands awkwardly before turning her gaze toward her daughters nightstand set beside her bed. She smiled.
She reached over, quietly opened the bottom door, dusted off the old book and opened it to reminisce about the tales laid within. The princess heard the rustling of pages behind her annoyed. She didn't own any of her own books, for she couldn't read on her own. She knew what her mothers hand had reached for.
"You still have it?" Her mother asked cheerily as she observed and flipped through the withered pages calmly. Still not turning to face her daughter out of respect.
"Yes mother. Ryana sighed. "I found it buried under the dresser a few weeks ago. So I kept it."
"Thank you dear" The Empress smiled graciously. "This meant a great deal to me growing up. More than you can could ever realize." Ryana huffed a lock of her feathered white hair away with a breath of air and proceeded to lay her narrow chin to rest atop her thin arm set on her knee disgruntled. "Yes mother, you're welcome." She stubbornly muttered.
The Empress turned her attention back to her favorite childhood book and resumed with flipping her nails through the pages looking for each of her favorite' stories.
"Ah." She smiled gleefully almost like the poor little girl she had been from so long ago. I remember this one. You used to love this one. The Chipmunk woe's."
I'm not five anymore mom. Ryana grunted annoyed.
"I know I know dear." She corrected amused. "I'm just saying its a good story regardless."
"It was a silly plot." Ryana grunted once more.
"Nonsense!" The Empress smirked. " A tale of a chipmunk carpenter fooling a mighty wolf by crafting a chair laden with glue and inviting him to rest his weary head. Truly one for the ages."
The Empress continued flipping through the book keenly.
"Oh I forgot about this one!" A gripping and romantic tale to be sure. You especially loved this one!"
Ryana blushed embarrassed and turned her head swiftly around like an owl's. "No not that one I hate that one!
"Oh pish posh! Two star crossed lovers. One from the sea. One from land. What's not to love. I think it utterly romantic and endearing. I myself found the prince quite dashing when I was your age. Wouldn't you agree? You used to always ask me to read this one time and time again after all." She smirked.
Ryana scoffed embarrassed and turned back around in silence. Fiddling with her pearl ring. The empress kept searching smiling.
"Oh. How about this one! A tale of..."
"Mother please stop!" Ryana said sternly without trying to sound rude. "I'm glad I found your book, but I don't need to hear those old fairy tails again. I've heard every single one of your stories time and time again. So please.."
The Empress looked back down toward the reflective cold floor saddened. Reaching across and resting the old storybook to sit atop the edge of the white nightstand gently. The two sat in an uncomfortable silence for quite some time until one of them finally spoke.
"Not., all of them. The Empress said reluctantly.
Ryana raised her head slightly.
"I'm sorry what?" She asked confused.
"There...There is this one tale my own mother used to say to me most every night when she returned from work. It's not from the book, but It was always my favorite. But I'm not sure it's one you would like. It's a bit long."
Ryana turned her head around and sighed. Faintly intrigued.
"What...Is it called? She asked in a soft reluctant voice."
The Empress smiled and turned to face her daughter.
"The Tale of Kamanya"
Ryana bit her lip conflicted for a moment before finally grunting in reluctant acceptance. Her curiosity was too much to bear.
"Fine.."
The Empress then looked toward the pillows and arched her long back. Stretching her enormous wings wide apart.
"May I? My old back is not what it once was. Sitting more comfortably would do me some good."
The princess shrugged her shoulders upward and patted her small hand atop the pillow.
"Take a seat."
"Thank you dear." The Empress then scooted in and bundled herself in her coat of feathers as she rested atop the luxurious pillows detailed with extravagant quilting.
"Let's see where to begin? The Empress stared up at the ceiling while tapping her long finger against her soft blue lips. "Ahh yes I've got it!"
The Princess sat in silence sitting far away at the edge of her bed, barely listening to her mother clear her throat as she began her tale aloud into the cold mostly empty room.
Long ago when the world was young.
When Predator and Prey bickered and fought against one another for survival.
When all the world was divided and savage more so than it is now.
There lived a young lioness.
The princess turned her head slightly. The Empress continued.
Her name was Kamanya. The blessed one. She was beautiful and kind and surrounded with a oh so wonderful golden fur that she would use to snuggle against her young cub Karu day after day whenever she returned from a long hunt with her pride.
She loved him oh so dearly. More than any other in her pride. And all was well and good during this time in her young life.
She hunted sunrise to sunset with her sisters and friends while her courageous husband who was strong and fierce stood atop a mighty rock searching for his many enemies who wished to cause harm upon his large family.
She was his loyal wife during the day. While at night she would rush home to be alone with her loving child who she cared for more than life itself.
All was good.
Until one day, a tragedy struck their loving family.
The princess leaned in ever closer.
A young evil lion with a thick black mane seeking a pride of his own appeared and challenged the alpha leader. The brave lion father accepted and fought against the stranger across the dusty savanna fields in a mighty and savage duel for the fate of his people and his crown.
The Empress breathed a heavy sigh as she bit her lip ever so slightly.
"He lost."
The Empress remained silent for a few seconds. Princess Ryana leaned ever closer in silence, a look of concern now beginning to form concealed under her tiara. The Empress continued, now a little hesitant.
With the brave champion now dead. The cruel outsider began to immediately establish his harsh rule over all the weaker lioness. He began to round up all of his defeated foe's cubs one after another. And in one quick bite swallowed them whole without any resistance.
All but one.
As the cruel lion approached the final cub to eat, he met a foe even worse than the brave male lion.
Kamanya herself.
She fought tooth and nail. Clawing and biting with every ounce of her soul against this demon who would bring harm against her only child. The empress remained silent for a brief second.
She lost as well.
As she lay bloodied and scarred across the dirt. Her beauty forever tarnished. She watched in tears as the cruel lion killed her only son.
A single tear emerged down the Empress white soft cheek before being wiped quickly away so her daughter wouldn't notice. She did. And leaned in even closer. Pressing her wing up against hers. The two sat in silence beside one another as the Empress continued with the story.
After all the cubs were gone. Ripped apart from their mother's loving embrace without a shred of pity or remorse. The Evil lion roared aloud mightily into the night sky, forcing all the fearful lioness to bow to his will as their new ruler. All but one.
Kamanya ran.
She ran as fast as the wind would take her across the vast grassy plains. To where. She did not know, so long as it was as far away from him. She ran and never looked back.
Never to return.
Ryana clutched her own fist tightly in excitement and dread but remained silent. The empress smiled with a sadden expression and continued.
For weeks and weeks and weeks. Kamanya roamed aimless and hungry across the scorching desert plains. Without her pride to help her hunt. She now had to do it all alone. But sadly her wound's were severe enough to imped her hunt and cruel enough to let her live.
All her swift prey bested her every time she tried to approach, leaving her choking in the dust, starving and engulfed in tears. Even a mere meerkat escaped and mocked her from safe in its hole. Kicking dirt against her face and insulting her ugly and withered appearance that had all but lost its golden sheen. She trekked on in silence. Growing weaker and weaker by the day.
It looked as if all hope was lost for young Kamanya.
One day, as the once proud lioness now reduced to nothing but skin and bones limped towards a lone watering hole for a drink to ease her sorrows, she heard a faint cry in the distance she thought she recognized. Causing a single tear of joy to fall against her cheek from her weary and scarred eye.
A child. Her child.
She ran wildly into the tall grass plains in the direction of the child's wails. Searching desperately for the lost babies' cry which yearned for a mother's warm embrace.
As she emerged exhausted from the thick yellow fields that swayed in the wind. Her heart sank as she instead saw a young and helpless baby gazelle. Crying and laying in the shade against a dark tree silhouetted by the red sunset in the distance. The young child was barely a week old and all alone. Orphaned by Kamanya's own former pride just days earlier in another of their successful hunts. Kamanya crouched down and began to stalk silently toward the weak vulnerable prey licking her parched lips, desperate to ease her hunger and sorrow the only way she knew how to anymore.
Ryana gulped and abruptly clutched her mother's hand tighter in suspense. The empress smiled and continued.
As the weak lioness crept closer. She stopped in place, speechless by what she saw daring to come closer.
The baby Gazelle barely able to stand, began to stumble weakly on its tiny legs right over to Kamanya. The young Gazelle had not yet learned to fear and cower from predators as she was supposed to. She was curious and pure of heart. Untampered by mindless instinct and distrust telling her to flee in terror. Only love and curiosity filled her heart towards this sad stranger who towered above her.
The young child then proceeded to rest its small head against Kamanya's leg covered in dirt for comfort and warmth unafraid before yawning and falling into a deep sleep right atop her soft feet. It was cozy and warm. She loved the feeling this strange woman provided her and decided to stay around from then on.
Kamanya smiled, laughed, and cried tears of joy all at once. Laying down gently beside the small calf careful as not to crush her. And with one wave of her withered bloodied paw, brought the young child closer into her arms for a loving warm embrace that she thought she might never feel again. It was on that day that Kamanya denied her own instincts and vowed she would raise this orphaned baby girl as her own till the end of her days. Naming her Seya. The blessed tree.
"Wow.." Ryana smiled. "That's.. That's a beautiful story."
The empress remained silent. Wishing she could end it right there.
"It's not over." She said saddened.
"Princess Ryana opened her mouth faintly in deep worry. The empress then sighed heavily and finally finished the story.
And so Kamanya had done the unimaginable. Never before in history had Predator and Prey lay united together in a loving and compassionate peace such as theirs.
But as the baby Gazelle lay infatuated beside her new mother suckling one of her claw's throughout the night. She awoke early the next morning hearing the desperate warning's of hundreds of ants carrying leaves across the ground. Telling her not to trust the lioness and escape while she slept or else she would surely gobble her up in an instant.
Seya ignored their warnings, never believing her mother could ever harm her in a million years. She rested her little head back atop her mother's massive paw unafraid and fell right back asleep beside her new protector.
For the next few days both mother and daughter journeyed happily beside one another along the endless grassy fields. They played together. They laid under the shade of trees together cuddling up against one another for hours on end. Crossing the great plains unafraid of each other's company and ignoring the gossip and stunned looks of numerous prey passing by their path. The other animals sneered. The other animals spat. But Kamanya and Seya heeded them no mind and kept marching on. They needed no other when they had each other. And that was enough.
But their new love was not without it's challenges. With Kamanya having to defend and watch her baby from eager scavengers every moment, all wanting to snatch up the young gazelle if the young lioness turned her watchful eye away even for a second.
She never did. Snarling and roaring to keep her many enemies at bay who wished to take her child away from her. So much so that overtime she slowly began to lose her powerful voice. But despite her long claws and teeth still being sharp, the two started to avoided any thing larger than Kamanya who could easily harm them both. Especially her former pride. For while Kamanya was still fierce. She grew weaker and hungrier with each passing day.
As did Seya.
What was a loving and unbreakable bond. Was also a tragic deadlock.
Kamanya could no longer hunt, having to devote all her time to watching out for and defending her vulnerable daughter from constant danger.
She began to starve.
Seya could not suckle milk from Kamanya in order to grow strong and swift like other Gazelles.
She began to starve.
As the two lay under the shade of another beautiful tree weak and tired, hiding from their many enemies. Kamanya felt something was wrong. She thought she heard the growls of another hungry predator's empty stomach close nearby. Her ears twitched in all directions cautious and always alert of danger. But there were none nearby. It was then to her horror she realized the sound was her own.
Her stomach could no longer stave of the pain of hunger. She tried to fight it again but it wasn't for her to decide any longer. The time had come had last to do what her kind had done for thousands of years. Her lips began to drool uncontrollably above her weak daughter right below her. She wished to clean Seya's calm face with her tongue once again, telling herself it would just be for a quick bath and nothing more. But she knew it was a lie. And this lie had come back with a vengeance to remind them both of what they truly were. Predator and prey. Nothing more.
Kamanya slowly began to feel her jaws open wide against her will, inching closer towards her daughter's little throat resting calmly against her paw right beneath her weak and tired. The lioness couldn't stop herself. It was an easy meal and she couldn't stave of her darkest desires any longer. She could only watch in horror as her own fangs wrapped slowly around her daughter's throat, squeezing tighter and tighter preparing to strangle Seya as she slept blissfully unaware and happy, cradled in her mother's warm gentle arms.
Kamanaya cried. She cried more than she had ever in all her life. Not wanting to feel such heinous thoughts enter her mind about her own child. Her body shook with fear at what she was doing. Her mouth quivered as it drooled. The starving lioness's own hunger was strong. But it was nothing compared to what she felt for Seya.
She would not lose another child again.
No matter the cost.
It was in that moment, Kamanya tore herself away and sunk her claws and teeth so deeply into the tree beside them, that they could never be removed again. And suddenly in one last act of defiance against what instinct demanded her to be, the young lioness pulled back with all her remaining strength unleashing a mighty and excruciating roar that could be heard around the world. The heartfelt cry echoed for years the moment she removed her mighty claws and sharp teeth. Leaving them behind in the tree forever.
Kamanya smiled bloodied and in tears of joy as she limped back to collapse beside her daughter.
Now there was no way she would ever be able to harm her.
She kissed her daughter gently across her small forehead, held her beloved child close against her breast one last time, and fell fast asleep.
Never to wake again.
The young gazelle laid there fast asleep for hours after embraced in her mother's arms. Weakly nudging her paw on occasion for her to wake and keep moving on.
There was no response.
The young gazelle laid her weak head back down. Deciding it better to let her exhausted mother rest. She always worked so hard to keep her safe after all. The least she could do was let her sleep a few more hours undisturbed before they played again soon.
As her weak, bored little eyes faced toward the ground. She saw that the ants had returned to beg her one last time to leave the lion's clutches. Saying she is not your mother. She is your jailer. She is a grief stricken fool controlling you from embracing your true destiny. You must leave her or else you will never wake as well.
She refused such lies.
As Seya laid her weary little head to rest atop her mother's paw. She replied to the foolish little ants who would never understand.
"She is my destiny. Seya said weakly, "She is my truth. She is my home. I may not be of her kind. But I trust her for all that she has sacrificed and fought for so that I may live. Now I must do the same for her.
Her blood is my blood.
Her pain my pain. The little gazelle's breathing became slowed and soft. Her eyes closing peacefully forever to join beside her mother.
"I am her loyal daughter."
"And I will never leave her side."
The ant's walked away defeated. Seeing the young calf resting happily beside her mother yet again in the shade like they always did on sunny days.
Overtime the tree under which they rested grew roots and spread. But unwilling to dare interrupt their beautiful slumber. The kind tree instead wrapped his branches and roots around the two sleeping peacefully in his shade. Shielding them with his mighty branches from any who wish to wake them from their loving embrace.
And so the tree stands there to this day. Protecting Kamanya and Seya until the time is right for them to wake again from their eternal slumber and roam across the vast plains once more together. A Mother's caring nature always leading and protecting her child's destiny until they are ready to embrace it alone. But not without their mother watching her beautiful child grow proudly far away in the horizon should she ever be needed again.
The empress and princess remained in silence for minutes on end as the candle began to flicker and die atop the dresser.
"Mom.."
"You made that story up didn't you."
The Empress released a sad smile. With tears flowing down her face.
"You're Kamanya. The brave mother who leaves her home to care for her only child."
The Empress remained silent.
"I'm Seya. The loving loyal daughter."
The Empress remained silent.
"And...And the father lion who dies defending his family and his kingdom."
The Empress remained silent. Tilting her head slightly as her daughter reached over and held tightly to her mother's clenched shaking fist. Bundling herself so close to the woman who had sacrificed so much for her in her lies and deceit, they could feel each other's warmth against one another. The princess let out a heavy sigh. She could wait a little longer to leave.
"I know mother." Ryana said as a single tear rolled down her face to fall upon her dress.
"I miss him too."