New Beginnings

chapter forty nine

No-one knew where Kisasi was, he disappeared weeks ago and his pride hadn't an inkling of his whereabouts. Kovu was furious. He demanded Muuaji to bring the rest of his pride. When everyone was there, Kovu stood in front of them, his emerald green eyes dark and angry.

"It appears some of you have no idea where your loyalty lies. First Avery betrayed me when she so foolishly aligned herself with Kusudi. And now someone from my pride tipped off Kisasi and told him of my plans," Kovu said.
No-one spoke everyone was totally silent.

"I'm only going to ask this once. And if I receive no answer, consequences will be severe," Kovu said looking pointedly at everyone in the crowd.
"Who tipped off Kisasi and told him of my plans to come to Ustawi?"

Again no-one spoke, the place was as silent as a graveyard. Kisasi's pride stayed on the sidelines, Freya, Hekima and their leopards were preventing them  from moving. The Komodo dragons had left the scene since they had nothing to do with Kisasi's plans but was merely sharing the space with the lions.
"No-one is going to answer me? Fine," Kovu said plainly.

With a disgusted expression he strode up to Nia and grabbed her by her shoulders and dragged her to the edge where there was a cliff, underneath were sharp pointy rocks, it was a six foot fall.
"My lord what are you doing?!" Nia shrieked. "Please I didn't do anything, let me go, I didn't do anything!" 

"My lord please let her go, she's innocent," Siri pleaded as she walked halfway up to Kovu.
"Siri silence yourself!  Don't dare step out of line!" Kiara said loudly. "You have no right to question my husband, stand with the others and be quiet!"
Siri inhaled sharply and bowed her head and stepped back to stand with Mkali and Haraka.

"My lord please," Nia whispered.
"I gave you a chance to speak up, I gave you a chance to confess. Did you? No! Now watch, watch as I throw Nia off this cliff," Kovu said coldly.
"Watch as she plunges to her death and have the guilt plague your consciences, knowing you had a chance to confess but didn't!"

With that Kovu held Nia's shoulder and turned her around, released her and prepared to push her off the cliff.
"My lord please don't do this!" Nia screamed with tears falling down her face.
"I'm sorry Nia but sometimes things aren't always the way they appear to be," Kovu said simply as he stroked her face.
He sighed dramatically and pressed a paw to her back and pushed her. She let out a scream as one paw slipped making her  stagger backwards.

"IT WAS ME!"
Everyone stopped and turned around to see who had said that.
It was Jace.
"I tipped off Kisasi, I told him of your plans! When I found out you were going to ambush him the next day, I tipped him off and he left Ustawi!" the lion shouted bowing his head low on the ground. Kovu smirked and waved his paw at Siri and Mkali. They came and took ahold of Nia and helped her on her feet.

"I knew it. I knew that you were the traitor right from the moment I found out that Kisasi was gone from the cave," Kovu said as he approached Jace.
"Why would you do it though? What compelled you to betray me, to lie and cheat on me, to do something so repulsive and so underhanded?"

"My lord it was never my intention to betray you," Jace said averting eye contact.
"Oh really? Then what were your intentions?" Kovu wanted to know.
Jace finally did look at Kovu, but then his eyes landed on his sister, whose eyes were clouded with tears. He inhaled sharply and turned away.

"I asked you  a question Jace why aren't you answering me?" Kovu shouted.
"Because I had no choice! Kisasi had threatened me, he was doing it for the past couple of days, he said if I didn't help him, he'd kill my mate," Jace said miserably.
"Your mate? And who is your mate?!" Kovu demanded.

"It's me my lord," a soft female voice said.
The crowd parted and a lioness with grey fur and violet eyes approached and stood in front of Kovu with her head bent low. When she raised her head, Kovu stiffened. The lioness was Zaria.
"I'm his mate my lord. Jace and I were in love for the longest while but we kept it hidden from everyone," Zaria said sorrowfully.

"And why would you hide this from me?" Kovu questioned.
"We were scared of what you would do if you found out," Zaria said with tears falling down her face. "Forgive us my lord, we made a terrible mistake."
"I would have forgiven you Zaria," Kovu started to say. 
"Would have? What do you mean my lord? I don't understand," Jace said.

"I think you do. You see, I don't tolerate lying as much as I don't tolerate any form of deception or manipulation," Kovu stated.
"Jace tipped off Kisasi and now I have no idea where he is. My plan is ruined! Kisasi knows I'm onto him, he knows everything! I don't know where he is, he could be anywhere!"

Kovu's voice rose with each word he spoke. Zaria cowered against Jace, whimpering sadly. Then he turned and looked at his pride.
"Is there any special reason why Jace and Zaria's lives should be spared?!" he yelled.
"NO MY LORD!" the lions and lionesses shouted back.
"Should the punishment fit the crime as far as they are concerned?"
"Yes my lord!"

Zaria inhaled sharply and looked at Jace, her violet eyes wide and absolutely terrified.
"Nia come forward," Kovu commanded the now silent lioness. She came up and stood next to Kovu, her red eyes dull and lifeless. "Yes my lord?" she asked in a dreary tone of voice.
"Jace is your brother. What should his punishment be?" Kovu asked solemnly.

Nia glanced up and looked her brother directly in his eyes. Then she looked at Zaria's shaking body then and back at Kovu.
"My lord he betrayed you didn't he?" Nia asked plainly.
"He has. He betrayed me, he lied to me and deceived me," Kovu replied.
"Are there any exceptions in our pride my lord? Or is everyone treated equally?" Nia wanted to know.

"The latter. There are no exceptions for anyone," Kovu told her.
"Very well then. If that is the case, you may bestow upon Jace the punishment that traitors and liars receive in our pride," Nia said with not a hint of remorse in her voice.
"And what would that punishment be?"
"Death!"