The Lions' Den

Amir Lionray: The News

We are all sitting in the Royal Hall, mother got here and said the father and Lord Tau will be here any second, but it obviously taking longer, so I start to get nervous because Lord Tau and I don't have the best relationship, what if he went to tell him not to send me, but Paine instead?

Paine looks really calm, if there would be something more important going on, he always has something on his mind and Calhoun knows what it is, they acted strangely earlier. Everyone thinks I am the stupidest one, but in reality, it is just my strategy to know more and to perceive more because no one suspects fool to be their rival. 

I cannot wait. "What's taking them so long?"

"They had something important to discuss!" My mother looks at me and I try to read something from her face, but she is tough as always, father definitely revealed his decision to her.

"What's there so hard? We already know, that it needs to be me, I am the only one who knows how to rule a kingdom!"

"It is not so easy, we don't know anything yet!"

"What's else there to know?"

And everyone looks at me again with this how-can-you-not-understand look.

"For example, should we really send someone there, maybe it is a trap! What's really happening in the Karhu kingdom! No one knows!" The mother explains to me as to a child.

And I continue to play along. "Didn't father tell you? His brother is dying!"

"Are you doing this on purpose?" I suddenly hear Lord Tau speaking and coming closer to us and yes I am doing this on purpose, but no one suspects anything, maybe I should start to play in the city's theatre. "What exactly?"

"Making me think that time has been wasted on you, sounds like you are getting anti-smarter every time!" Everyone stands up.

"Again, father?" I look at father, who approaches his throne, hoping him to say something to Lord Tau, for his disrespectful attitude.

"Lord Tau, please stop, and all sit down!" Lord Tau looks at me with his egoistically proud smile. I catch that, but he has no idea who he is dealing with. I can read his actions easily and I know about him more than anyone here, but I need to wait for the right moment to play the cards.

"So as you know, in the morning we received a message from the Karhu Kingdom..." My father starts, but I don't have time for these backstories. "Just tell us who!"

"Please, do not interrupt me! I had a hard decision to make!"

"What's there so hard?"

"Oh God, will you let your father speak!" I thought Paine wasn't listening. I look at him and I see he isn't listening, his eyes are somewhere else.

"Thank you! Lord Tau, will you deliver the news?" Wait Lord Tau? So he, they are definitely sending Paine away.

"Me?" But Lord Tau doesn't seem like knowing my father's decision.

My mother interrupts everyone with her loud voice, even Paine starts to pay attention to what's happening. "He? Sorry, don't take it personally, but how he can make a decision important as this?"

"Stop! I simply told him, when we were coming!" He looks at Lord Tau, and everyone is paying attention to everyone's eyes, so they are jumping like ping-pong's balls.

"You did?" Lord Tau seems more surprised than earlier.

"Alright, I will do it myself!" And now everyone's eyes are back at my father. "My final decision is that I haven't seen any of you participating in kingdom affairs! Just Amir!"

"Thank you father, I will make you proud!" I finally got what I deserve.

"Not so fast! It means I can't choose because I don't know your potential!" He is clearly addressing Paine and Calhoun.

"What? No!" I get up.

"Can't you wait once in your life?" I have never heard my father so angry and loud before, even Lionesses wasn't ready for this, so I stopped as soon as I heard the first word, now I am already sitting down again, I don't want to make any trouble when so much is on the line.

"Thank you! We are all going to the Karhu Kingdom tomorrow morning, then I will see the situation there and will make my final decision."

"Can I object!" Lord Tau says immediately, pauses for the king's approval to speak further. "You will need someone here to look after the kingdom, so I won't be going, and I am also not feeling very well in those long rides!"

"Alright, then you and Scar will be staying, and Lionesses will come with me!"

"You will need extra protection, so I will be going!" Scar said something, he speaks so barely at the presence of the King.

"No, you stay, Lord Tau needs some stronger shoulder next to him!"

"But then at least let me choose the Lionesses that will be going with you!"

"Alright, then it will be just us boys!"

"What, no! I will not be letting you go alone into the unknown! I am coming and that's not negotiable!" 

"Why we need to go? We already know the Amir should get this honor, he is the oldest!" Thank you brother, I agree with him, but I better not interrupt my father again.

"I agree with Paine, I would better be staying here with lions!" Calhoun also, I like where this is going, maybe, after all, the father will change his decision.

"No, you all will come! I am not asking, I order!"

"Can I take my lions then?" What is his deal anyway, always so close with the lions?

"How many?"

"Four?"

"Mi and Ra are already coming, isn't it enough?" Yes, and father also, Mi and Ra always by his side.

"But they are not my lions!"

"Alright, you can take two, but we need to be careful with them, they are not really friendly to bears!"

"So then, I will get them to prepare one carriage for you, my king and my lady, one for lions, one for you, my princes, and one for Lionesses? Is that alright?" Lord Tau trying to please my father, he will not prepare carriages by himself, his servants will be doing this. "No, I want to get my own carriage!" I also want my privacy.

"King?"

"Yes, get five carriages ready for tomorrow morning!"

Lord Tau and Scar go away, there is a lot to do to get five carriages ready for tomorrow and also Lionesses need to be instructed.

"I will also go to my lions!"

"Do so!"

"Can I go with my brother?"

"Yes, but I wanted to talk to you, so be around!" I wonder, what he wants to talk about with Paine, perhaps it is in his intentions to let him rule the Karhu Kingdom.

I have realized and learned something from this meeting - everyone in this family is full of secrets, I can only guess what they are about, but I can say one thing, nothing will be the same, when they will be revealed, for example, I could start by telling where Lord Tau actually comes from or what did my parents do to get married. Everyone will fight for their lives, it is really the lions' den.