The noblewoman grasped Zarda's arm with a cryptic twinkle in her eye. She guided him, with his companions trailing behind, to an enchanting table adorned with delicious foods. Osborn's stomach loudly rumbled among the guests.
"Sorry, we haven't eaten a thing in a day or so. I'm starvin'." responded Osborn.
Lady sindri smiled over at the large bear.
Sindri responded, "Today, you will have a delicious meal. We have roasted coot, wolverine steaks, smoked cutthroat trout, herb potatoes, grilled carrots, onions, turnips, collard greens, honey and almond nut biscuits, assorted salted beetles, duck gravy, fresh cranberry sauce, and wine made from our own fruits for you to enjoy."
Osborn's mouth watered as he looked at the spread before him. The animals quickly took their seats on tree log stools around a red cedar table adorned with antlers, white daisies, black candles, rodent skulls, and pine cones. Silver platters filled with delicious meats, vegetables, bugs, and fruits were placed among the decorations. Each guest had a wooden plate and a ram's horn filled with sweet wine. Zarda sat beside the lady and lord of Havardr, with Osborn eagerly filling his plate to the brim. Dane and Randolf sat next to Osborn, followed by Vidar, Bjorn, and Bria. Pipsie and Vulpix sat beside Bria, then Alvis, Oridian, Irabel, and Emeryn. Egil and Dragur found themselves surrounded by the little ones: Jaswyn, Sigge, and Nyrim. Wrena, Stenifer, Lysabel, and K'nani the pronghorn sat nearest to each other.
The bison and moose guard, Mercury and Feginn, joined the table eagerly to eat with and meet the new guests. Also present were Visindi the black raven, Edda the puma, Verdandi the sister of Edda, Frida the gray shrub fox, Asketill the beaver, Thrain the pronghorn, Jokul the porcupine, and Astrid the coyote. There were many others around the castle, but only the most important subjects were invited by Lord Asger. Lady Sindri then turned her attention to Zarda.
"Please enjoy the food, we have an abundance. I am intrigued. How did a lion like yourself find your way to sanctuary?" inquired Sindri.
As he filled his plate with two juicy steaks, potatoes, onions, and carrots, Zarda pondered her question.
"I was removed from my kingdom," he answered.
Sindri appeared intrigued when she asked, "Where exactly is your kingdom located? What is your official title?"
Zarda savored a big mouthful of his steak, chewing it meticulously before swallowing.
"My kingdom is known as Makana, which translates to gift from Elohim. It is located in the African Savannah. I was born into the pride name whitemane and I hold the title of King over all of Africa. My power, bestowed upon me by the creator of the universe, is not my own. Is there anything else you wish to know, or is that sufficient?" He inquired.
Sindri smiled at him as he continued to eat his food.
"Most likely not, but I find it fascinating to watch you eat. Your movements are captivating and I can't help but notice how masculine and handsome you are. Do you have a queen and cubs, Zarda?" asked Sindri, studying his expressions closely.
She was tasked with not only seducing him but also discovering what drove him, what angered or saddened him, and what would make him submit to her will. Zarda met her gaze with a slow intensity, a flash of gold glowing in his eyes like flames. He wondered about the sincerity of her intentions.
"I have a queen and a mistress, as well as two little ones. My queen in Africa is named Natia, but I do not know the name or gender of our little one yet as I was taken before I could see for myself. My mistress, Delilah, is expecting our cub-child but it is not yet ready to be born," replied Zarda.
Sindri was confused and slightly anxious. "Who took you, and who are they?" she inquired.
She rattled off more questions before he could answer, addressing him with surprise, "You took a human as a lover? Why would you go against your kind and mix the species?" Lady Sindri said, her nose scrunched up in disgust.
Zarda finished the last bite of food and gave her a sharp look.
Before she could interrupt again, he quickly responded. "The pale people, known as humans, captured me. Some of them are crafty monsters, but not all. I have only interacted with a few, and my love for them has actually grown. Why are you so upset about two species mixing? We are all hybrids in one way or another. I am not doing anything that hasn't already happened. Just look at yourself - you are a bobcat and a female human. Do you deny your own hybrid nature?" Zarda said.
Sindri snarled at him, disliking both his response and his tone towards her and her concerns.
"Actually, I am a Canadian lynx, not to be mistaken for our smaller feline relatives, the bobcat. I guess you're right about one thing."
Her anger disappeared and her interest was aroused.
"We are hybrids. What was it like being with a human?" Sindri inquired with curiosity.
Feeling slightly embarrassed and surprised by her sudden interest, Zarda redirected his attention to his wine. He took a large sip and then glanced back at the noble lady.
He quickly came up with a clever response. "That's personal, maybe you should give it a try," he replied, smiling.
"You might find it exhilarating and exciting," he added.
She smirked back at zarda.
"We prefer quality over quantity when it comes to lovers, unlike you. I prefer to stick to my one and only. It's all I can manage," said Sindri. Zarda, on the other hand, came from a lineage where his father and ancestors had multiple lionesses in their harem. Natia would always remain Zarda's sole queen.
"That's a shame, you don't know what you're missing" He replied.
Sindri just smiled an awkward glance at his remark. Her thoughts turned to perhaps a better idea.
"Perhaps I would like to take you on for a trial run, since like you say we are half human anyways. For you I may make an exception." She replied queerly.
Zarda focused his gaze on her face, peering into her soul. Unaffected, he saw a chance to play along.
"My lady, I am too challenging for you to handle. I would overpower you and leave you wanting more. It's better for you to stick with easier companions." He said, awaiting a fitting response.
He definitely got a spicy response if that's what he was looking for. She hissed in frustration.
"I highly doubt that. You have never encountered a more powerful being until you have met me and my kind," she responded, moving closer into his personal space until their noses were almost touching.
Their eyes were locked, and her magical rune tattoos glowed beneath her clothing. The intoxicating scent of seduction enveloped them, clouding their minds. Zarda could feel his heart racing, the same deep burning sensation he once had for Natia resurfacing.
In a quick succession, Natia and Delilah's lovely faces appeared in his mind. Following them were his friends, Meeku's face, his mother, and lastly, he envisioned a newborn cub unlike any he had seen before - a pure white cub, full of vitality and strength, just like him.
Tears spilled from Zardas' eyes as he was overwhelmed with shame, causing him to push the Queen back into her chair. The room fell silent as everyone stared in disbelief, frozen in place and unable to utter a word. Despite the tension, the Queen let out a chuckle and calmly addressed all her guests.
"I was just teasing Zarda, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. My apologies, let's raise our glasses to Zarda, the magnificent King of Makana in Africa," Sindri declared.
She was wickedly delighted that her magical runes had not failed her and eagerly anticipated seeing more. Zarda's pain had transformed into anger as he realized she considered her doings were the cause for his tears,but she was sadly mistaken. Taking a large sip of his wine, Zarda didn't wait for the rest of the group. As the queen offered her good wishes, everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together in response.