The land of Sanitatum is said to be filled with magic, but it is also plagued by a contagious curse that threatens humanity's survival. It is the purpose of the heir to the throne, Simba Adofo, to inherit his father's crown and find a way to vanquis...
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Simba didn't bother committing Hari's face to memory when they first met, but seeing the thin, angular features of the forest dweller walk the stage before him, he knew it couldn't have been anyone else.
With Hari's blonde hair tied back, Simba noticed the tears that glazed over his eyes. The Prince remembered that Hari's eyes were gray, but now looked blue when illuminated in the light of the lanterns at his feet. Not even the thin veil over the boy's face could conceal the terror that washed over him.
The collar around his neck was studded with diamonds and tethered to a chain governed by the wildebeest who lead him down the stage. All he wore was a tight pair of sparkly panties under a long, translucent veil that trailed behind him like a river of diamonds. Hari glistened as his blush and jewelry caught the lantern lights, delighting the wild beasts who seemed to salivate at each step he took.
The Watering Hole roared in excitement. Many stood to get a better look while others began howling, slamming their fists wildly on the tables. Hari had the crowd in a frenzy. Only here in this twisted place could Hari be such a desirable object, and an awkward march down the stage wouldn't bruise his value.
The peacock began to lean so far forward out of his seat he almost fell out of it, looking through his opera glasses to get a better look at his prey. He licked his lips as Hari rounded to the end of the stage.
"Maybe I can go for another fragile one," the bird chirped, keeping his gaze fixated on Hari. "He just needs to last a month until I can get another."
Simba's jaw clenched at the bird's remarks, and he slowly wrapped his fingers around his auction paddle. The peacock broke his gaze through his glasses to give the lion a curious glance.
"Joining the bloodbath, are we?" he teased as he grabbed his own paddle. "Willing to be afflicted by him and not me? How offensive."
"Tainted meat is tainted meat, so don't take it too personally," Simba jested. "He's just a good investment."
"And so is anyone else in the auction," the peacock raised an eyebrow. " Any good business man would wait for the cheaper items later on in the night when bidders start to run out of coin. Yet, you seem so fixated on this particular tainted meal that your business prowess seems to be taking a back seat. He seems to be more than just a worker to you."
Of course, the peacock didn't know Hari's true value to him. But before Simba could rebut, the peacock held up his hand with a smirk.
"No need to explain," he peacock giggled. "The boy is soft like tender veal. Taking a bite out of him would be far more palatable for a young man stricken with curiosity."
"Curiosity?" Simba scowled. "What would a healthy man be so curious about?"
"Did Eve not have everything she wanted in God's pretty little garden?" The peacock questioned. "Yet she ate that apple the serpent offered her. She had no reason to accept such a gluttonous offer except for her curious nature."
