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Serrotep pads up to her softly. He lowers his head as he approaches.
"My queen, when the rest of my pride cries out and whines of boredom, you are the only who holds steady." He rubs his cheek against her own, happy to share in her presence.
"How can you say I'm queen? I'm not as pretty as your other lionesses." He's taken aback.
"You are my sun and stars, my love. I'd never need the others as long as you are by my side." He lays down facing her. "I am a beast compared to you, a being of rage and nothing else. For you to have chosen me over all the other Kings is truly a miracle."
At this, the skepticism in her eyes fade and she smiles at him.
"My king, my dearest Serrotep. You are more than the rage. You are a kind word on the plains. You are a smile on the face of a passing stranger. You may not look like much now, but you will always be my king." She finally nuzzles him back, the love between them almost tangible in the room.
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"My Queen..." Serrotep enters the cavern with his head held low and tail dragging heavily. "I've allowed almost all the other lionesses to move in with Dyros and his prosperous pride. He could take better care of you than I could ever hope to."
She rubs under his chin, lifting his head as well as his spirit. "Serrotep, my beautiful king. I would never leave your side willingly. You give me a home, protection, and your undying love. I will stay by your side through everything."
He smiles. "Besides, there's no way you can hunt enough to feed yourself as well as the project lionesses. You need me here to bring back Zebra and Elephant Calf. You would lose everything without me."
Her words sting but he knows what she says is true. He gives her a final lick upon her head before she leaves to hunt again.
"I will reward her loyalty to me. I must." He thinks to himself.
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"My Queen, I know that these days are hard, and you are working everyday to provide." Serrotep pads in head held high and a wrapped bag from the goddess Bast. "She was the best one to consult for a gift worthy of the love of my life."
It was early in the morning, and Lyra was still asleep. Her eyes flutter open as she hears his words.
"A gift, from a goddess? What could it be?" She hurries to Serro, quickly closing the distance between them. He drops the bundle and allows it to open.
There's a blinding flash of light, causing both lions to spook. They hold fast and when they can see again they both gasp.
Queen Lyra had grown a gorgeous pair of wings and had a set of bracelets decorated with feathers of the same color. She also had on a lovely necklace decorated with a shining white scarab and colored bead inlay.
"Now you are more beautiful than any other lioness in the world."
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Lyra walks about after another successful hunt, bloodied muzzle and paws, ready to go back home. She flexes her new wings. A thought occurs to her as she does so.
She turns her paws over to the area Serrotep said he travelled to to buy her gifts. As soon as it comes into sight she notices a creature walking away from it in her direction.
She stops, unable to decide if it was a threat or not. She was more confused the closer it got.
The head of a crocodile, mane and shoulders of a lion and haunches of a hippopotamus, it stops a few feet away from her and bows, lowering it's head all the way down.
Slightly disturbed, she bows back slightly and starts to turn back.
As she walks, she notices that the creature follows her. She doesn't try to make him leave, instead she decides that Serrotep will take care of it if he turns out to be a problem.
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