Life After The Fall

Gone but not forgotten

The royal family, the Lion Guard, the pride members and Rafiki had gathered under the base of Pride Rock to conduct the funeral and burial ceremony of Sarabi. Kiara clung to Kovu and cried as her grandmother's corpse laid on the ground, surrounded by pink Gardenias, her most  favourite flower that she was especially fond of since she was a cub.

They gave off a lovely fragrance and smelling them, caused tears to fall from everyone's eyes.  Knowing they would never be able to look at or smell the flowers without being reminded of Sarabi's death. And sitting in a pile were several large, red Pomegranate fruits. The fruit used for burials and farewell ceremonies in the Pride Lands. It was a bittersweet fruit that held significance in such times.

The slight bitterness of the fruit signified the pain and hurt of being separated from the one who passed. The sweetness signified the joy of the knowledge that the one who passed was in a better place where there was no suffering and where they could live happily among the others. Sarabi would be reunited with her beloved mate Mufasa as well as her parents and the deceased Kings and Queens of the Past.

"We are gathered here today to bear witness to the funeral and burial ceremony of former Queen Sarabi. Mate of the former King Mufasa, now deceased. The daughter-in-law of former King Ahadhi and former Queen Uru.  The mother of former King Simba, the mother-in-law of former Queen Nala, the grandmother of Queen Kiara and King Kion and  grandmother-in-law of King Kovu and Queen Rani," Rafiki said solemnly.

"Sarabi has lived a good life. She was a kind, just, loyal, fiercely independent and gentle lioness. She was a daughter, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and if not for her untimely passing, she would have been a great grandmother. She was a friend to many and a shoulder to lean on in times of need," Rafiki paused for a moment then continued his speech.

"She was a fighter, she fought for what was right and she stood up for what she believed in. Take your place amongst the Great Kings and Queens of the Past, hold your head high with pride! And always remember; you may have left this earth, but you will never leave our hearts.
Naomba upumzike kwa amani!"
(May you rest in peace)

With these words, Rafiki nodded at Simba, Kion and Kovu. Simba stiffened. Tears rolled down his eyes as he approached his mother's lifeless body. The time had come to push her into the grave which had been dug previously. Kion looked at his father and rested his head on his shoulder. "It's time Dad," he whispered, his voice hoarse due to the constant crying.

Simba shook his head as more tears fell from his eyes.
"I can't Kion. I don't have the strength to say goodbye to her. First I lost my father, and now my mother. I..I can't do it," he sobbed out.
"Simba you're her son, it's your duty to perform her burial ritual. You have to be strong...for Nala, for Kion and for Kiara. If..if you break down..what will happen to them?" Kovu asked sadly.

"Kovu's right Daddy. You have to do it. Grandma Sarabi is no more you have to perform the burial Daddy. Kovu and Kion will help. Do..do it for her," Kiara cried out as she say next to Diana, tears falling rapidly from her eyes.
Rafiki placed an encouraging hand on Simba's shoulder and the lion turned to look at him.

"Find the strength within yourself Simba. Sarabi is your mother, you are her son. You must perform the ritual," the old monkey said mournfully.
"You're right. I'll... I'll do it," Simba said finally. Rafiki removed his hand and picked up his staff and shook it several times over Sarabi's corpse and Simba, Kion and Kovu stepped up and gently pushed her body into the grave.

Kiara burst into tears and pulled away from Diana and rushed to the grave and was about to jump in but Kovu grabbed her and held her down while she screamed for her grandmother.
"Let me go Kovu! Let me go! Grandma is going to be all alone in that hole...I want to go to her!"
"Kiara she's gone...you can't go to her," Kovu said gently as he held his mate to prevent her from jumping into the grave.

"NO! I WANT TO GO TO HER KOVU! I WANT TO GO TO MY  GRANDMOTHER!" Kiara wailed.
"Kiara stop it! She's gone, Sarabi is gone! She's dead! She's not alive anymore. Do you think jumping into her grave will bring her back? It won't!" Kovu shouted. Kiara whimpered and dropped down on the ground,  still crying bitterly.

Kovu led her away from the grave as the pride dropped the Gardenias and pomegranates into the grave. Then Simba and Kion filled up the hole with dirt and Rafiki took a large dark red Gardenia and stuck it in the dirt, which would mark Sarabi's grave. "Goodbye old friend," he said solemnly as he marked her name into the dirt and shook his staff over it one last time hence ending the funeral.

The pride slowly dispersed after having sent their condolences to the royal family and paying their individual respects to the deceased Sarabi who had led so many hunts and served them for so many years as Queen of the Pride Lands. Rafiki hugged everyone and left to go back to his tree. Simba and Nala stayed at the grave for sometime while Kiara, Kovu, Kion, Rani and Marisa went onto the platform.

"I can't believe she's gone," Kion murmured as he sat on the platform with Rani's head lying on his shoulder.
"The Kings and Queens called her home Kion, Grandma Sarabi lived a long, prosperous life and even though she's lived through many sorrows, she still managed to keep her head up and protect her family and pride," Rani said soothingly as she nuzzled Kion affectionately. 

"Rani is right Kion. Yes it is a sad day since we've lost Sarabi, but it's also a happy day. She's been reunited with her husband and  in a much better place, a place where she won't be burdened with earthly complications or pain and despair," Marisa said.
"Her dying wish was for me to get pregnant. I never even got to fulfill that wish while she was still alive," Kiara said dolefully.

"Don't worry my love, you'll get a chance to fulfill that wish. I promised her while she was lying on her deathbed that I'll get you pregnant. And I have every intention of fulfilling that promise. I won't let Sarabi's wish for us to start our family go unfulfilled," Kovu said firmly as he approached Kiara.

"Do you promise?" Kiara asked softly as she leaned her head up.
"I swear on our love," Kovu replied as he wiped her eyes and leaned his head down.
Kiara closed her eyes and Kovu closed his and their lips connected and they shared a brief but tender filled kiss.
"How did I ever land up with a lion like you?" Kiara asked softly as she hugged her mate.

"I'm pretty sure it was your grandfather who played Cupid and made us meet up and fall in love," Kovu chuckled lightly.
"What? Where or who did you ever hear that from?" Kiara asked laughingly as she tilted her head up to look at him.
"Rafiki told me sometime," Kovu admitted as he kissed Kiara on the top of her head.

"Well I'm glad he did, because if he didn't, I wouldn't have been married to the hottest, sexiest, handsomest most amazing lion in the whole of Africa," Kiara said teasingly.
"Are you sure about that sis? The whole of Africa? I'm not so sure about that," Kion said with a laugh. "I mean what about me? I'm just as hot as he is, maybe even more so."

"Dream on Kion. Kovu is way hotter than you," Rani said.
"Rani you're supposed to be on my side! How could you say such a thing?" Kion asked in a wounded voice. 
"Relax babe I'm kidding," Rani said with a giggle.
"Don't kid like that Rani, his fragile little heart may be injured," Kiara  smirked.

"Shut up Kiara!" Kion said with an annoyed scoff.
"See, he said shut up. His feelings are hurt," Kiara said mockingly. "My poor baby brother."
Kion groaned and got up off the ground and walked into the den.
"I don't know if he ever told you this, but when we were cubs, Mom and Daddy went to a funeral for their elephant friend and gave me the status of Queen for the day," Kiara whispered to Rani.

"How'd he take it?" Marisa asked.
"Well he and the Lion Guard had to take orders from me and he was super annoyed because of it," Kiara replied with a snicker.
"You were only Queen for a day so don't act too pleased with yourself!" Kion yelled from the den, making Kiara, Kovu, Rani and Marisa burst into laughter.