VoK Prompts

Prompt D2 - Write a 400 word scene/story of your choosing involving your pride members 
Word count: 400 / 400 + 433 / 400
Exp: 600

“Your Highness, you sent for me?”
“Yes, darling, come sit by me. I have things I wish to speak to you about,”
Confused, Amanzi hesitated, then walked over to sit by Queen Umsebenzi, whose dark silhouette hadn’t turned from the setting sun to speak to her. Even as she sat there, though, the queen didn’t speak, instead just continuing to stare into the ever - lowering sun. Her silent intensity made Amanzi fidget. She had never known if the Queen liked her or not, so this sudden request to speak to her had unsettled her. Now, she was about to burst with anticipation.
Right as the sun touched the horizon, the queen abruptly said, “First rule of being royalty, don’t fidget. Queenly grace and confidence is expected. If you are anxious, so will be your pride. Be the backbone for your people.”
Amanzi stilled instantly, sitting upright as the queen was, her cheeks aflame. She didn’t look, but she knew the queen was watching her from the corner of her eye.
“Second rule, accept criticism with diligence. No one is perfect, and the sooner you learn that, the better off you will be. It is good to be embarrassed because you will not be quick to make the same mistake again. It teaches you to be careful and think through your actions.”
But Amanzi was holding back tears.
The queen must have noticed, because she continued, “You must be strong for your pride. You will be their golden example on a pedestal. Every decision you make, willingly or accidentally, will be over analyzed and nitpicked. It is important that you learn this now.”
A heavy silence followed as Amanzi took in her words.
Then, in a voice not as loud, confident, or hard as before, Umsebenzi added, “I just wish someone could have taught me this before I took on the job…” Amanzi was breathless, now gaping at the queen, whose eyes had fallen shamefully from the view. Her voice was weary, and Amanzi wondered when the last time was that someone had seen the queen like this before. She for sure had never.
“I’m... so sorry, I didn’t kn-”
“There is nothing to be sorry for. It comes with the position. And there is no time for self pity. It is just important that someone told you before you were forced into it. I couldn’t ensure that you would feel it and believe me unless I did it like this,” The queen turned to Amanzi and looked her in the eyes. Both of them noticed the tears forming in the other’s. “Amanzi, I know I have not been forthcoming with my feelings to you just to make sure you were as I hoped, but I want you to know that I am so proud of you. You have grown so much from the little cub on the field that day, and I already know you will be a better queen that I ever have been. You are like the daughter I was never given,” At this, the tears flowed freely down both of their faces. “I never could have asked for a better heir. And I want you to know that everyone feels the same way I do. While you have been training, I’ve been watching, as you know. I see it in the faces of everyone in the pride. They admire you, my darling, and you will do them well.”
Amanzi couldn’t hold back anymore. With a teary smile, she embraced the queen. Her heart was overflowing, and she couldn’t think of anything to compare to the gratitude she was feeling. The queen returned the embrace, and Amanzi savored the moment.
Eventually, though, the queen did ease away, and turned back to the sky in the west, which was now turning purple with the twilight.
“But, my darling, I want you to be aware of the trials you will face, especially as a lady. Every eye will be on you, looking for any potential weakness. I am not saying you will have to be perfect, but you will have to make your choice. My advice? Embrace your flaws, and the pride will learn to as well. For me, that was never a choice. When I came into the pride, I was afraid of rejection and failure, so I made my facade impenetrable. I sought to be perfect, and once I started, there was no turning back. But for you,” she gazed at Amanzi again, who was now calm in her presence, “there is a choice to be made. First of all, you don’t have to continue with this. If someone would have warned me of this before I married Kuth, I would have run faster than the sun, but I know you’re stronger than I was. You do still want to be the queen, don’t you?” Amanzi nodded vigorously. “Good. Then, go, continue as you were. But remember as I have told you. The only standards your people will have for you are the ones you put in place yourself. I love you, Amanzi, and I can’t wait to look down from the great beyond and see all the good you are doing. The pride will be in good hands,” The queen smiled and hugged Amanzi again, then gestured her head back towards the pride, where someone was calling her name. Without another word, Amanzi raced away, but not before glancing back at the queen, now laying down, completely at peace unlike Amanzi had ever seen her, and staring at the coming twilight, and, perhaps, everything the future would have in store.