chapter 9

(THE PAVLOVAS KINGDOM)

**At The Palace**

Zara stood in the garden, her large green eyes staring all over the place, as if looking for something.

She wrapped her arms around her chest, making the neck lines of blue long gown drawing down and showing off a smooth creamy cleavage.

The air blew lightly around her, making her hair cascade around her neck.

Tears trickled down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them off with the back of her palm. She was a beauty. A beauty to behold.

Someone walked up behind, bowed and stared at her back. "Princess Zara. I have news for you." Her maid, Lolita said slowly.

Zara shook her head and sighed. "I don't want to hear anything, Lolita. Just let me be. Don't tell my mother where I am."

"A letter has arrived from a faraway land called The Hearties. It's about your sister, princess Leilani..."

"What?" Zara's head snap around, her eyes blazing. "About Leilani? Where is the damn letter right now? Where's it!!" She yelled, walking past the maid, back to the large beautiful palace.

"Princess Zara, your father is with the letter right now! He's still reading it my princess." Lolita whispered, walking briskly after the rage looking princess.

Zara walked into the thrown room, saw her father with the messenger from Tarzan's Kingdom. She walked towards them and stared at the messager.

"Where's Leilani? Where's she!" She yelled into his face.

"Have you taken your pills, Zara? Calm down and go take some rest." King Pavlova said calmly staring at his rabid looking daughter.

"Oh please. Will you shut it? Where's Leilani?!" Zara screamed, her hands flying up to hold her head.

"Can someone take Zara away and sedate her? She's having one of her episodes. Rajan where are you! Call the physician! Let them take her away!" The King yelled at the guard standing beside him.

Zara only got worse at her father calling for her physician. "I don't want that old hag here! Where's Leilani? What has happened to her!" She screamed again.

Some people rushed into the palace and seized the princess. The physician forced her mouth open, poured some dark substance into her mouth and watched her pass out immediately.

"Take her away. I've told you to always be at watch around her!" The King said angrily as he watched them take the unconscious lady away.

He turned back to the messenger who has been standing the whole time, watching the drama. "Is this true? Everything here?"

"I wouldn't know my king. I'm just a messenger. I've delivered and I have to be on my way." The messenger said, bowed and took his leave.

King Pavlova stared back into the letter and shook his head. "I would have really gone to war with you Tarzan but no, I won't. You can keep Leilani for as long as you want. I don't think I care." The man mumbled, his head still moving left and right.

He handed the letter to the guard beside him and stood up from his throne. "I will go to the visiting room right now. The visitors can come in." He was about turning away to take the stairs when he heard some commotions outside the building.

He stopped, turned with a frown wondering what was happening.

A guard ran in from outside and bowed, panting a little. "My king. Prince Luca is here. With some warriors."

"What? Warriors? Is he nut? How dare him come to my palace to make such noise!!" King Pavlova shouted as he marched towards the exit door. He came out into the veranda, glanced down and saw Luca on a horse, making trouble with his guards.

"And here comes the king who doesn't care about what has happened to his daughter!"Luca yelled up at him.

"You are only worried about your throne, about what you will be losing without your betrothed, isn't it? Leilani is missing because she wanted to. She didn't want to end up with you and that's why she ran away. Get that into your head Luca and stop making a scene. I will get you arrested!"

"Tell me where Leilani is and I will go get her! That's all I ask!" Luca yelled back.

King Pavlova laughed and shook his head. "She's somewhere where nobody will ever get her out easily. The Hearties nation. The great king Tarzan's abode. You are no match for him."

Luca nodded, looking so determined. "I will bring her back! I will!" He yelled and turned, rode off with his horse. His warriors followed and they were gone in a couple of some minutes.

People who had stepped out of their houses to witness what was going on quickly returned home.

King Pavlova sneered, turned and walked back into his palace.

*

(SIMBA KINGDOM)

Santos stood outside the palace and watched his step brother riding in with so much agility and fury. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and watched on.

When Luca had alighted from his black horse, Santos went down to meet him. "I guess you are just coming from Pavlovas.You have so much strength, don't you?'

"Will you stay clear off my part? I need to get ready for a journey." Luca retorted.

Santos smiled, stood in the way. "You think you can get Leilani back from the great Alpha king?" He asked.

"I will take all the risk...." Luca. Suddenly stopped and looked at his brother with new realisation. "Hold on a minute. How the hell did you know where Leilani has been taken to?" He asked, surprised.

Santos shrugged. "News travels fast my dear brother. News travels very fast." He replied.

Lucas nodded and looked at him. "Don't think this is your chance to take the throne all because I can't find Leilani. I will go in search of Leilani, bring her back, get married and take what's mine."

Santos smiled and nodded. "Good luck my brother. I've always wanted the best for you. You of all people should know I have no interest in the throne. I hope you find her."

Luca scoffed and walked past him. He stopped by the entrance and turned back. "I will advice you mind your business. Mind your business Santos." He said and disappeared out of sight.

Santos stood there, staring at the exit his brother took. "I will really mind my business.* He mumbled.

*

*

(THE HEARTIES NATION; The Slaves Yard)

"Walk fast you dimwit." Nikita barked, reaching out to the slave with the whip in her hand.

It landed on the girl's back and her cries followed immediately as she ran towards the big well.

Others followed immediately with their large Jerry cans. They wouldn't want to get whipped like the first slave.

"Good. I don't want anyone to waste my time here!" Nikita barked again. The maids lined, walking so fast towards the well to get their own water. When it was Leilani's time to pass, Nikita blocked her, pulled her roughly from the line.

Leilani regained her balance, stared up at Nikita with confused expressed.

Nikita slapped her across the face, her chest heaving. "How dare too look at me that way? Are you mad, you stupid b*tch?"

Leilani held her cheek, her face hardened with anger. "I did nothing to you, teacher. I was just going to the well like every other person." Leilani's voice shook and tears started to gather in her eyes. She couldn't help it.

Nikita laughed and stared disdainfully at Leilani. "Did you just say "persons?" You still think you are a person, isn't it? You are lesser than an animal. You are nothing but a post shadow. Don't you ever see yourself as a person again."

Leilani nodded. "Yes teacher. I want to go back to my work...."

Nikita moved closer to her, spat into her face. "Now you can go back to work." She mumbled.

Leilani gasped. She wiped the mess off her face and walked back into the line.

Nikita smiled triumphantly, loving the way she was making things harder for the one particular slave that was trying to become her rival.

*

King Tarzan sat on his throne in the throne room, his eyes on the floor with a devilish look all over his face. He had a goblet in one hand, the other free hand resting casually on the throne's handle. He sipped from his goblet and glanced up when he noticed the changed atmosphere. His hand tightened around his goblet when he saw the shadows materialising from the corners of the room.

He stood up from his throne, his breath erratic. He pointed at unseen things, a warning look on his face. "I told you to stay away, didn't I! I told you to stay clear. I'm gonna strangle you if I get my hands around your neck! I'm gonna strangle you! Let me be!" Tarzan roared, turning here and there as the shadow moved about, teasing him.

"Show yourself! Come out and show your real self. Face me if you dare! Don't run about. Stand in front of the great Tarzan and contend with me. Yeah?" Tarzan yelled out, drew out his sword and wield it in the air but the shadow continued teasing him and laughed heartily as it disappeared into thin air.

Tarzan gasped, panted and dropped back on his throne. His sword slipped from his gasp, fell on the ground with a slamming sound.