Spoiler: show
Zanta followed Hasani, looking as if she were being led to her execution. This, is her mind, was a thousand time worse. The only fun part was when Hasani asked what was wrong.
The first seven times it had been annoying but she was beginning to draw some amusement from it: Hasani was actually very cute when he seemed concerned or perplexed and her little game of answering him with 'nothing'; 'I can't tell you-you wouldn't understand'; or any one number of various other dramatic things she chose to say seemed to wash a new expression of agitation onto his cute face.
When she began the ascent up to the den her spirits began to fall very freely. They sank deep into the earth as lionesses began to congratulate Hasani and she. She shot her mother a frosty glare to which the Queen replied with a shrugged then gestured towards Zuberi. Zanta's angry look immediately transferred to her father and she marched up to him. "Must you embarrass me, Daddy?"
"I haven't the slightest idea of what you are talking about," he replied, looking up at her narrow, slitted eyes.
"Oh, Daddy! You could at least warn me before you announce to the whole Pridelands my betrothment! I believe poor Hasani has been quite cornered and captured by the other lionesses."
Zuberi arched a brow critically. "Must you always speak so dramatically, dear, I'm afraid one day some poor lion will take you seriously!" He chuckled. Zanta exhaled sharply.
"Daddy! she whined irritatedly. "I want people to take me seriously!" She huffed.
He shook his head. "No, you don't. Not yet, at least."
Zantas sighed. They'd had this conversation before and she'd argue with him later. "I don't want to get into this right now," she sighed,"do I have to tell him?"
"He knows."
"What?!" Zanta exclaimed, her eyes nearly popping out of her face. "Am I the only one who didn't?!" She glared at her father.
"Perhaps," he replied guiltily,"perhaps the news got a little out of out hand. I told your grandmama about the intended betrothment and she only heard 'betrothment' then she told Kayishe and it just kept spreading."
"How's does Hasani know?"
"I spoke to him this morning before your mother told you."
Zanta nodded and sighed, feeling rather trapped. "Let's get these lionesses outside so we can officially announce it to the Pridelands," her mother said smilingly as she sidled up next to the king.
"Yes, dear, of course." A few words sufficed to make the lionesses file out and take their places-lining the path to the tip of Pride Rock.
Zanta swallowed as she peeked out of the den, glimpsing the ocean of varied animals-birds, reptiles, mammals, etc. She sighed then held her head high as Zuberi and Khadijah strode by her to stand overlooking the 'sea'. The animals bowed respectively and Khadijah nodded for Zanta and Hasani to join them.
It felt so strange for Zanta-having Hasani at her side not as a friend but someone who was supposed to be more. It was, in one word: awkward. Zanta kept her blue eyes glued forward and poised majestically on the edge of Pride Rock.
The crowd erupted again as the king's dodo bird announced the couple's betrothment and Zanta felt uncomfortably trapped, as if being trapped was ever comfortable. She nodded and smiled when appropriate during the few speeches then followed her parents gracefully back to the den, feeling as if part of her died: her heart.
The first seven times it had been annoying but she was beginning to draw some amusement from it: Hasani was actually very cute when he seemed concerned or perplexed and her little game of answering him with 'nothing'; 'I can't tell you-you wouldn't understand'; or any one number of various other dramatic things she chose to say seemed to wash a new expression of agitation onto his cute face.
When she began the ascent up to the den her spirits began to fall very freely. They sank deep into the earth as lionesses began to congratulate Hasani and she. She shot her mother a frosty glare to which the Queen replied with a shrugged then gestured towards Zuberi. Zanta's angry look immediately transferred to her father and she marched up to him. "Must you embarrass me, Daddy?"
"I haven't the slightest idea of what you are talking about," he replied, looking up at her narrow, slitted eyes.
"Oh, Daddy! You could at least warn me before you announce to the whole Pridelands my betrothment! I believe poor Hasani has been quite cornered and captured by the other lionesses."
Zuberi arched a brow critically. "Must you always speak so dramatically, dear, I'm afraid one day some poor lion will take you seriously!" He chuckled. Zanta exhaled sharply.
"Daddy! she whined irritatedly. "I want people to take me seriously!" She huffed.
He shook his head. "No, you don't. Not yet, at least."
Zantas sighed. They'd had this conversation before and she'd argue with him later. "I don't want to get into this right now," she sighed,"do I have to tell him?"
"He knows."
"What?!" Zanta exclaimed, her eyes nearly popping out of her face. "Am I the only one who didn't?!" She glared at her father.
"Perhaps," he replied guiltily,"perhaps the news got a little out of out hand. I told your grandmama about the intended betrothment and she only heard 'betrothment' then she told Kayishe and it just kept spreading."
"How's does Hasani know?"
"I spoke to him this morning before your mother told you."
Zanta nodded and sighed, feeling rather trapped. "Let's get these lionesses outside so we can officially announce it to the Pridelands," her mother said smilingly as she sidled up next to the king.
"Yes, dear, of course." A few words sufficed to make the lionesses file out and take their places-lining the path to the tip of Pride Rock.
Zanta swallowed as she peeked out of the den, glimpsing the ocean of varied animals-birds, reptiles, mammals, etc. She sighed then held her head high as Zuberi and Khadijah strode by her to stand overlooking the 'sea'. The animals bowed respectively and Khadijah nodded for Zanta and Hasani to join them.
It felt so strange for Zanta-having Hasani at her side not as a friend but someone who was supposed to be more. It was, in one word: awkward. Zanta kept her blue eyes glued forward and poised majestically on the edge of Pride Rock.
The crowd erupted again as the king's dodo bird announced the couple's betrothment and Zanta felt uncomfortably trapped, as if being trapped was ever comfortable. She nodded and smiled when appropriate during the few speeches then followed her parents gracefully back to the den, feeling as if part of her died: her heart.
