Ten Years Later

The Prideland's were awash in gold. Princess Samara looked out of her nursery window. She rose early every morning to watch the sun rise on the east mountains. Her nurse was still asleep but that didn't matter. Her father was going to show her the kingdom today, she didn't need her nurse. Slowly and quietly on her toes she slipped out of bed in her nightdress. She went to her wardrobe and chose her garments. A simple royal blue tunic with a golden band at the waist. She let her dark hair fly about behind her getting more tangled that it usually was.Like a lion cub she ran swiftly and quietly out of the room to where she knew her parents must be sleeping.

"Dad! Daad! Come on, Dad, we gotta go. Wake up!" she yelled excitedly as she burst through her parent's chambers. Nimbly climbing to the top of the red silks she bounced up and down on the sleeping figures of her parents. They were fast asleep

"Dad? Daad. Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad--" she squealed this time in annoyance. Her parents weren't waking up.

Selene, here mother, woke groggily. Her caramel coloured hair casting shadows on her face. Making her seem alot more sleepy and tired. She yawned and said to Marcus over Samara's endless chorus."Your daughter... is awake..."

Marcus groaned in frustration he had a long night full of troubles from his brother all he wanted was to sleep. "Before sunrise, she's YOUR daughter." he yawned sleepily wishing nothing more than sleep.

Suddenly Samaralost her footing in the silk sheets and tumbled rather heavily on the floor. The king and queen jerked up from their bed fearing the worst. Only to be relieved by the sight of their little Princess rubbing her and wailing impatiently:

"You promised!"

Relieved Marcus s got off his bed and stretched. "Okay, okay. I'm up. I'm up."

"Yay!" Samara squealed and sped out of the room.

The King and Queen got changed. They dressed simply. Marcus met his daughter outside the door. She took her father's hand and pulled him towards to exit of the castle. Selene smiled as her daughter dragged Marcus outside.

Once they were outside Samara stopped suddenly and turned to her father.

"Where are we going?" she asked him.

He smiled fondly at her picked her up and hoisted her on his shoulders.

"The place when my father first showed me the kingdom."

Samra squealed with excitement. She then took to studying the jewels on her father's crown as they walked to this place. Finally Samara picked up the jeweled crown and place it upon her own head. Marcus chuckled, how lucky he was to have such a bright and bubbly child.

When they reached this place. Samara's mouth hung open in awe. It was beyond beautiful. They were sitting atop a small rocky hill the whole kingdom at their feet, awash in gold. Little people milled about through the villages, the land seemed to go on forever. She could see beautiful little birds flying about singing melodies she had never heard before.

"Look, Samara. Everything the light touches is our kingdom."

Samara was breathless. "Wow." she whispered.

"A king or queen's  time as ruler rises and falls like the sun." continued Marcus " One day, Samara, the sun will set on my time here, and will rise with you as the Queen."

"And this will all be mine?" asked Samara in a small whisper her deep brown eyes reflecting the golden kingdom before her.

"Everything." affirmed Marcus.

"Everything the light touches." Samara reminded her father. Samara looked all around and noticed a dark sullen sharp rocky place. "What about that shadowy place?" she asked.

"That's beyond our borders. You must never go there, Samara."

"But I thought a ruler can do whatever he or she wants."

"Oh, there's more to being a ruler than... getting your way all the time."

Marcus started to make his way down the hill.

Awed she asked "There's more?"

 Marcus chuckled "Samara..."

They passed the village square people recognised them and wave with cordial smiles on their faces.

Marcus started talking again once they started walking through the golden wheat fields "Everything you see exists together, in a delicate balance. As monarch, you need to understand that balance, and respect all the creatures-- from the crawling ant to the mooing cow."

"But, Dad, don't we eat the cow?"

"Yes, Samara, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass. And the cows eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life."

Samara tried to process this all. Her father was very wise, and some of the words he used were hard. But some how she got what he was trying to say.

Suddenly they heard the familiar thudding noise of horse hooves in the earthen ground. They turned and saw Zoron. He hadn't changed in the last ten or so years. His countenance was that of urgency.

"Sire! Outlander! In the Pride Lands! Up North!" he shouted with urgency getting off his grey steed. He handed the reins to Marcus who instantly leapt upon his horse and drew his sword.

"Zoron, take Samara home."

"Oh, Dad, can't I come?" pleaded Samara

 "No." said Marcus curtly. He mentally cursed himself for not wearing armor. Turning the steed towards the north he galloped off leaving behind a trail of dust.

The little Princess pouted and mumbled "I never get to go anywhere."

Zoron looked at the little girl and smiled at her impatience "Oh, young mistress, one day you will be Queen; then you can chase those slobbering mangy stupid poachers from dawn until dusk."

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Soz, this chapter is pretty short. I promise the next chapter will be a bit longer. Until then Cya!