"Taavi" means "Dearly Loved" in Hebrew.
First Queen of the Sakura - Motaki Pride, mate to King Watain.
"Only my shadow knows how I feel about you
Only my shadow goes where I dream of you and me
Should I go away?
Is it too soon, to late?
Only my shadow knows."
- Austin Mahone
"You are the universe
You see it till you feel it hurt
Only energy
Stressing over what we're worth
It's only love
Finally dust
Making up the two of us
And we all fall down..."
-Cheryl Cole, Only Human
Taavi, born during a full moon, was an enigma that King Watain was still trying to solve. Why does she long to vanish into the Wilderness? Why does she look at me with such wretchedness and hate? Why does she not love me?
Watain was fascinated by Taavi ever since she was born. He chose her as Queen the first year of his reign when she was still an adolescent, too young and vulnerable for him. His choice of mate puzzled the pride, there were prettier lionesses than she, braver, more outgoing lionesses better suited to the role of Queen, and it was vital that he picked the right mate, for they must produce an heir to continue the legacy and protect the pride until they died. Taavi was quiet and moody, as beautiful as the night but not so sweet, more suited to the role of a Warrior than Queen. And Taavi was just as confused by Watain's decision as the pride were.
He wanted to teach her to fly, but she did not want the wings. He wanted her to love him, but the only thing left in her heart was darkness. Watain had not considered that maybe Taavi had no desire of wearing the crown.
Watain expected her to wear the royal jewels. He expected her to stand beside him at pride gatherings. He expected her to mate with him.
She remembered that first Tribal Festival when gave her a glittering headdress of golden beads to wear.
"Put this on tonight. I need you to look your best when you stand beside me." he had said. His voice was honey sweet and she had hated it.
"What if I don't want to?" she echoed. She was no-one's property to dress up and order around. She didn't care what Watain wanted her to look like. The young lioness had always been to bold for her own good.
"No one asked you what you want. You're to put it on. You are representing our whole pride at this Festival. Can't let them see that my Queen is an insolent little cub," he spat.
Even back then, when she was barely of age, she had been too feisty for her own good. She was Watain's perfect mannequin; an accessory to dress up and show off, and she hated him for treating her like this.
He was pompous and arrogant, not even with the excuse of a handsome mane or gentle heart. He was possessive and very flirtatious, sometimes Watain would invite lionesses up to his cave for a "chat" when Taavi was in a black mood. Which was becoming more and more of the time.
As the years progressed, Taavi came to hate Watain more and more. He was pompous, arrogant, and extremely controlling, dictating what she was to do, what she was to wear, who she was to consort with. But Taavi had an agenda of her own. She disobeyed him just for the sake of it. While the cruel king may have to qualms about beating the other lionesses, she knew he wouldn't dare lay a hand on her precious royal pelt. Taavi soon built up a fiery determination and gained respect from her pridesisters for being the only one brave enough to stand up to the King. However, her life was miserable, an accessory on Watain's arm, to be prettied up and showed off, married to a lion she despised. Breeding with him was the worst. He disgusted her, repulsed her. She rejected him, refused to breed with him, but after he threatened to kill her frail old friend Feori, who had become her sort of adoptive mother after her real mother died, Taavi could no longer refuse.
Several months later, Ayet was born, their daughter and the pride's future Queen.
Ayet was her reason for living. Her daughter was sweet, kind, gentle, everything her father was not. Ayet would one day take over as Queen - Taavi knew that she'd make a good one.
Taavi found happiness only once. During an early morning hunt, the young mother stumbled upon a handsome rogue male by the name of Rurik, who had been ousted from his throne and driven out of his own pride by a rival male. He'd been earning his living fighting rival males in the Championships - it was a hard life, a rough life. Rurik was battle hardened and scarred. Despite his size and rugged looks, Rurik had a gentle heart and treated Taavi with kindness and respect. It was the first time a male had ever treated her so - like she was precious, like she was gold. For all his money and noble title, King Watain treated her like dirt. This penniless rogue had a far better heart than he did.
What began as a friendship grew into something more. Love blossomed between them - it was the first time Taavi had ever felt that way, her heart opening like a flower in the spring rain. It was a forbidden romance - if Watain ever found out, he wouldn't hesitate to punish Taavi and kill her lover. Rurik eventually ended his life as a rogue to become the submale in the Pride. This meant that Taavi no longer had to sneak away to meet him - but it meant that everything was riskier, because it was right under the King's nose.
After the uprising in the pride against the tyrant king Watain, led by Taavi and her pridesisters, Rurik challenged Watain to the throne. A violent and bloody battle ensued, nearly to the death - Rurik was badly injured but victorious, Watain was defeated and exiled from the land. Rurik's reign was only brief - but those few short months were the happiest the pride had known in years. With Taavi at his side, King Rurik turned out to be a noble and warm-hearted ruler, despite his rogue-male origins and warrior history. That spring, Taavi fell pregnant with Rurik's cub and had a beautiful daughter Onisile. Her pelt was as black as the night, speckled with stars - she knew that Onisile was destined for great things.
Rurik passed away not a few years after he was crowned king. Taavi was heartbroken. Every night, he came to her in dreams and visions, talking to her in whispers. Each morning, she would wake with tears in her eyes. It took months for her to realize the meaning of these dreams. Rurik was calling for her to join him. So that they could be together again.
So when her time came to go up to the stars, Taavi went gladly, knowing that her one true love was waiting for her there.
Even death could not part them.
|
"
"
