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Ahadi was surprised when he received the message that King Chimalsi wanted to visit.

He had met him when they were cubs, and the two of them had hit it off quite well back then. He might even go as far as to have called him "friend".

But that was years ago, and now Ahadi was the reason why his sister had returned to her pride in shame. He had put his personal feelings above his duty to his pride. It was no secret to Ahadi that his pride thought very less of him. While his father Mohatu was a shining beacon of hope and justice, Ahadi had been portrayed through whispers as being selfish and lustful, only out for himself, a shy cry from his father.

He hadn't spoken to Chimalsi in years, and after Lesedi returned, he had assumed the lack of contact had meant that Chimalsi was quite miffed with him.

Who wouldn't?

Which was why when a cheetah appeared in front of him a few weeks after the birth of Mufasa and Askari, telling him that King Chimalsi was on his way and that he requested an audience with Ahadi.

Full off guilt and self-doubt, Ahadi had decided to go ahead and meet the other king.

What surprised him even more was when Chimalsi greeted him with a soft smile, calling him "old friend."

It had done nothing but worsen his guilt for the pain he had caused Chimalsi's family.

Chimalsi held no bitter feelings towards him nor Uru, even remarking that his sons were healthy and would further the legacy of the Pridelands well. He had then asked to see Ahadi in private, which saw the two of them sitting on top of Pride Rock, where many years ago, Ahadi had been shown his kingdom by his father.

"I have not told you yet," Chimalsi told him. "But my queen, Damisi, had given birth before I came to visit."

"She did?" Ahadi asked. "Then...should you be here? Shouldn't you be by your queen's side?"

Chimalsi gave a soft laugh. "My queen is well served, I assure you," he informed. "I have two lovely daughters as my legacy. In going with our traditions, I have declared my eldest daughter, Naanda, as my heir."

"You've already chosen an heir, huh?" Ahadi softly asked. He was aware of the tradition of the Eastlands, after all, it was how he had been betrothed to Lesedi in the first place. However, Ahadi had been psyching himself up to test his two sons to see who would get his throne, like the Pridelands did.

"I'll be honest," Chimalsi said. "The main reason to visit was not to just pay my respects to you and Queen Uru. I have come with a proposition."

"A...proposition?" Ahadi slowly asked.

Chimalsi nodded. "While I understand completely why you did not wish to marry my sister, that betrothal had a lot of hopes riding on it, specifically, the hopes of our pride. It was also my father's wish to unite our two prides in matrimony," he explained.

Ahadi listened quietly. While he already knew the reasons for the betrothal, he couldn't bring himself to object or cut the other off.

"On his deathbed, my father expressed a desire to see our prides united, even though your union did not come to fruition."

"So, what are you saying?"

"I'll be quick. Who is your eldest son?"

Ahadi thought for a moment. "That would be Mufasa, the golden cub," he replied.

Chimalsi nodded. "My eldest, Naanda, will be my heir. My youngest, Sarabi, still has no role in the pride."

Ahadi felt he knew where this was going.

"My proposition is simple," Chimalsi said, setting his red eyes on the other male. "Make Mufasa your heir. And then betroth your son, the one who would be King, to my daughter."

Ahadi felt his throat catch for a moment. "You want me to declare my eldest as my heir?" he repeated.

Chimalsi hummed softly. "Agree to this betrothal, and we'll put the past behind us. It will help your social standing in your pride, as well as fulfil my father's dying wish and unite our prides together."

Ahadi felt himself sigh. Chimalsi was right, the more he thought about it. Declaring Mufasa as his heir would show that he respected the Eastlands' traditions, going further beyond simply betrothing their princess to his son. It would not only help the small pride, it would also greatly help his own image in the pride, thus preventing any dissent or rebellion that would challenge the stability of the pride.

However, he hesitated.

He knew that many betrothals did well. His grandfather had had an arranged marriage, and so had his father. He recalled the airtight bond between his parents. Perhaps Mufasa and Sarabi could have a good marriage as well.

And yet, Ahadi himself had chosen love, his heart. Could he make his son never experience the powerful emotions he felt with Uru? Write him off to a life of building a close friendship and companionship rather than the raw primal emotions of love?

Could he condemn Mufasa to pay for his own mistakes?

~~~

And here's a continuation of Ahadi's story, continuing from the last piece where I introduced Lesedi, who was originally to be wed to Ahadi.

A lot of time has passed since then, a couple of years, I'd say. Ahadi and Uru are now King and Queen, and Uru has recently delivered Mufasa and Scar. While I originally wanted to keep the name of Taka, I decided to go with Askari this time.

Since in my verse, the tradition of the eldest being the heir is imported from the Eastlands and the Lion Guard powers don'e exist, both Mufasa and Askari would originally be taught and tested by Ahadi, who would declare his heir on their third birthday. However, in order to reach a compromise with the Eastlands, Mufasa is chosen as Ahadi's heir along with being betrothed to Sarabi.

Sarabi and Mufasa meet a few times as cubs, but a sudden wildfire will devastate the Eastlands home, driving the pride out. Chimalsi will lead his pride to the Pridelands, and Ahadi will offer them shelter, hence formally merging the two prides. Through this, Sarabi and Mufasa spend all their time together, and actually find love with each other in their later adolescence.

Unfortunately, in all of this, Chimalsi's original heir, Naanda, lies forgotten as a simple Princess once the prides merge.

I hope you guys like it!

This may be my last post for a while since classes start from tomorrow, so you may see art more spaced out from me. I'll still try to be active as possible though!

Chimalsi and art (C)
Ahadi (C) Disney

Description
Ahadi was surprised when he received the message that King Chimalsi wanted to visit.

He had met him when they were cubs, and the two of them had hit it off quite well back then. He might even go as far as to have called him "friend".

But that was years ago, and now Ahadi was the reason why his sister had returned to her pride in shame. He had put his personal feelings above his duty to his pride. It was no secret to Ahadi that his pride thought very less of him. While his father Mohatu was a shining beacon of hope and justice, Ahadi had been portrayed through whispers as being selfish and lustful, only out for himself, a shy cry from his father.

He hadn't spoken to Chimalsi in years, and after Lesedi returned, he had assumed the lack of contact had meant that Chimalsi was quite miffed with him.

Who wouldn't?

Which was why when a cheetah appeared in front of him a few weeks after the birth of Mufasa and Askari, telling him that King Chimalsi was on his way and that he requested an audience with Ahadi.

Full off guilt and self-doubt, Ahadi had decided to go ahead and meet the other king.

What surprised him even more was when Chimalsi greeted him with a soft smile, calling him "old friend."

It had done nothing but worsen his guilt for the pain he had caused Chimalsi's family.

Chimalsi held no bitter feelings towards him nor Uru, even remarking that his sons were healthy and would further the legacy of the Pridelands well. He had then asked to see Ahadi in private, which saw the two of them sitting on top of Pride Rock, where many years ago, Ahadi had been shown his kingdom by his father.

"I have not told you yet," Chimalsi told him. "But my queen, Damisi, had given birth before I came to visit."

"She did?" Ahadi asked. "Then...should you be here? Shouldn't you be by your queen's side?"

Chimalsi gave a soft laugh. "My queen is well served, I assure you," he informed. "I have two lovely daughters as my legacy. In going with our traditions, I have declared my eldest daughter, Naanda, as my heir."

"You've already chosen an heir, huh?" Ahadi softly asked. He was aware of the tradition of the Eastlands, after all, it was how he had been betrothed to Lesedi in the first place. However, Ahadi had been psyching himself up to test his two sons to see who would get his throne, like the Pridelands did.

"I'll be honest," Chimalsi said. "The main reason to visit was not to just pay my respects to you and Queen Uru. I have come with a proposition."

"A...proposition?" Ahadi slowly asked.

Chimalsi nodded. "While I understand completely why you did not wish to marry my sister, that betrothal had a lot of hopes riding on it, specifically, the hopes of our pride. It was also my father's wish to unite our two prides in matrimony," he explained.

Ahadi listened quietly. While he already knew the reasons for the betrothal, he couldn't bring himself to object or cut the other off.

"On his deathbed, my father expressed a desire to see our prides united, even though your union did not come to fruition."

"So, what are you saying?"

"I'll be quick. Who is your eldest son?"

Ahadi thought for a moment. "That would be Mufasa, the golden cub," he replied.

Chimalsi nodded. "My eldest, Naanda, will be my heir. My youngest, Sarabi, still has no role in the pride."

Ahadi felt he knew where this was going.

"My proposition is simple," Chimalsi said, setting his red eyes on the other male. "Make Mufasa your heir. And then betroth your son, the one who would be King, to my daughter."

Ahadi felt his throat catch for a moment. "You want me to declare my eldest as my heir?" he repeated.

Chimalsi hummed softly. "Agree to this betrothal, and we'll put the past behind us. It will help your social standing in your pride, as well as fulfil my father's dying wish and unite our prides together."

Ahadi felt himself sigh. Chimalsi was right, the more he thought about it. Declaring Mufasa as his heir would show that he respected the Eastlands' traditions, going further beyond simply betrothing their princess to his son. It would not only help the small pride, it would also greatly help his own image in the pride, thus preventing any dissent or rebellion that would challenge the stability of the pride.

However, he hesitated.

He knew that many betrothals did well. His grandfather had had an arranged marriage, and so had his father. He recalled the airtight bond between his parents. Perhaps Mufasa and Sarabi could have a good marriage as well.

And yet, Ahadi himself had chosen love, his heart. Could he make his son never experience the powerful emotions he felt with Uru? Write him off to a life of building a close friendship and companionship rather than the raw primal emotions of love?

Could he condemn Mufasa to pay for his own mistakes?

~~~

And here's a continuation of Ahadi's story, continuing from the last piece where I introduced Lesedi, who was originally to be wed to Ahadi.

A lot of time has passed since then, a couple of years, I'd say. Ahadi and Uru are now King and Queen, and Uru has recently delivered Mufasa and Scar. While I originally wanted to keep the name of Taka, I decided to go with Askari this time.

Since in my verse, the tradition of the eldest being the heir is imported from the Eastlands and the Lion Guard powers don'e exist, both Mufasa and Askari would originally be taught and tested by Ahadi, who would declare his heir on their third birthday. However, in order to reach a compromise with the Eastlands, Mufasa is chosen as Ahadi's heir along with being betrothed to Sarabi.

Sarabi and Mufasa meet a few times as cubs, but a sudden wildfire will devastate the Eastlands home, driving the pride out. Chimalsi will lead his pride to the Pridelands, and Ahadi will offer them shelter, hence formally merging the two prides. Through this, Sarabi and Mufasa spend all their time together, and actually find love with each other in their later adolescence.

Unfortunately, in all of this, Chimalsi's original heir, Naanda, lies forgotten as a simple Princess once the prides merge.

I hope you guys like it!

This may be my last post for a while since classes start from tomorrow, so you may see art more spaced out from me. I'll still try to be active as possible though!

Chimalsi and art (C)
Ahadi (C) Disney