Chapter 12

(SIMBA KINGDOM; At the palace)

It was very early in the morning and Luca could be seen, packing up some clothes in a leather bag. He looked determined, furious.

There was a slight knock on the door and his mother, queen Chantel walked in. The woman stared at her son, looking very worried. "I can't believe you are going to do this to me, Luca. How exactly do you intend on finding Leilani?"

"Anyhow mother. I have to do something rather than staying here, being threatened with my throne."

"Santos won't take the throne even if you can't find your betrothed. He's just like a zombie. He doesn't care about the throne. Don't worry about him and relax."

"How can you tell me to relax mother? Leilani has been missing for six days now. I have a throne to ascend. I have to look for her! That father of mine is making me go through this! He made Leilani my betrothed when he knows the consequences if something goes wrong. I can't ascend the throne without her and you know this. I have to go look for her."

"You are like the only heir to the throne, my son. Why are you getting so bothered?" Queen Chantal asked.

Luca turned to look at his mother as if she's gone out of her mind. "How can you say that when Santos is right here in the palace? He's obviously going to take advantage of the opportunity and ascend the throne."

"He's not the first son of your father, Luca! That won't happen."

"Well, it can happen of I do not go out there and find Leilani." Luca snorted.

"Why are you the one risking your life to go look for that wield princess? What are they doing? Her parents, her family...what are they doing about her disappearance?" Queen Chantel asked.

"I don't know. The king only gave me informations about where she might be. I need to go there and get her."

"You will never listen to me, will you?"

"No." Luca snapped and continued packing his stuff.

*

*

Santos sat beside his father's sick bed. King Simba of the Simba land was at the point of death. He was barely moving. His eyes were closed, his hands pressed against his sides.

Santos sat beside him, his eyes staring at the sick man wlth sadness. He reached out, touched the man's hair. "Oh Father. Look at how you've become. You are just 51, father. What did they do to you just to claim the throne? Those set of betrayers and bad excuse of a wife and son. Look at what they did to you." Santos cried bitterly, touching his father's hand.

His mother, Queen Aisha came into the room, carrying a tray of different concoction. She placed it on a golden drawer beside the king's bed and glared at her son. "No amount of tears can bring him out of this state. You heard what the physician said to us yesterday night."

"But you keep on giving him all that thing. Why?" Santos asked and the queen smiled.

"I'm the first wife of the king, Santos. I can't give up on him like the second queen did. I need to be here always, by the king's side until he breaths his last. That's all I can do for your father my child."

Santos looked away from his mother, stared back at his father and shook his head. "Father, I will never forgive Luca and his mother for doing this to you. I know you can hear me father. I know."

The king's eyes opened a crack, he stared tiredly at the face staring down at him and gently closed his eyes again.

Queen Aisha smiled. "He heard you, my Child. He heard you. And I'm sure he's regretting right now why he made Luca the crown prince."

"He can't find Leilani mother. Do you think he will succeed the throne?"

"He can't succeed the throne without his betrothed, son but he might find her. I heard he's embarking on a dangerous journey just to look for her." Tbe queen said and shook her head.

Santos stared into space, his eyes expressionless. He stood up, left the room without a word.

*

At the palace gate, stood a rough and haggard looking girl. Her face and arms were bruised, her blue gown torn at the sides.

She wrapped her arms around her body, shivering visibly.

The smaller gates opened and two of the palace guards stepped outside to meet her.

"What do you want here? What are you doing here? You've been standing here for hours." One of them said, staring all over at her.

The girl nodded and looked at them in a pleading manner. "My name is Aurora. I'm here to see the prince."

"What prince? Why would any of our princes wanna see you? What do you want with the prince? Which of the prince exactly?" The second guard asked.

"Prince Santos. Tell him Aurora is waiting to see him. He will understand." The girl said again and the guards stared at each other.

They went back in and walked straight into the palace to convey the message.

"What's it?" Santos asked, coming down from the long stairs.

"A lady appeared in front of the gate and she's demanding to see you." The guards informed him.

"Me? What lady?" Santos asked.

"Her name, she said is Aurora." They announced.

"What!!" Santos asked, his eyes widened. What's she doing here!! He thundered in his head.

*

*

(At the Palace of Pavlovas)

Queen Arietta sat on a chair, staring at her daughter as she slept on the bed. It has been 48 hours they sedated her and Zara was not yet awake. It was getting her worried. She couldn't sleep a wink in the night.

The king, king Pavlova walked in, his eyes on the girl laying down in the bed. "What in the heaven's name is happening to our daughter?" The man asked.

Queen Arietta snorted. "She's going to wake up as usual. Don't worry."

"She's taking time this time. Is there something else wrong with her?" The king asked.

"What could be wrong with out daughter other than that witch's venom!" Queen Arietta hissed out the words. "It's a good thing we can find her now. I would have strangled her with my own hands. Look at whatsl she's done to my baby!"

"Calm down, Arietta. We don't know for sure if Leilani is responsible for what's happening to Zara right now."

Arietta turned and scoffed. "Of course! Who else will it be if not that snitch of a daughter?"

"But... don't you think we should bring her home? She's been gone for days."

"She decided to leave the palace on her own. Why should we bring her back when she left on her own? It's none of my business, Pav. She's an adult and I can't decide for her. Let her be!" Arietta said sternly and stared back at her daughter.

*

*

(King Tarzan's palace)

He stood in the room, staring down at the bloodstains on the bed spread with unspeakable anger and disgust.

The maids walked in, bowed before moving towards the bed.

They pulled out the stained bedspread, replaced it with a new one. After they had gone that, they cleared the empty bottles of wine, cleaned the room.

After a while, they were gone. All the while they cleaned, Tarzan stood in front of the window. He could not stop thinking about the shadow that appears to him on daily basis.

He was trying so hard, to figure out what that shadow wanted or who it might be.

Suddenly, something occured to him. The shadow last appeared to him when the moon came out full and it was so the last time it appeared to him during a war

trip.

Why was the shadow appearing to him every time the moon becomes full in the sky? Why?