Twisted Wonderland Moments

A Lion with Blessings Part 2 (Leona/Yuuma)

"Where are we going, my mishevious lioness?" Neliah chuckled at her husband as she brought him to the royal garden in their home. She led him behind some bushes with flowers on it. Holding her finger up to hush him, her golden eyes motioned to what was behind the bushes as she gently moved it away.

Both King and Queen peered through their little window and found Yuuma near the large pool of the garden, sitting down as she rocked her baby back and forth. She was singing softly to him, a lullaby from her language that she called Japanese. Her son was wide awake, staring at his mother curiously, making tiny sounds. Grim was resting his head on her lap, guarding her and the baby.

While the king smiled warmly at the loving scene, he frowned to find his brother nowhere in sight. "Where did Leona go?"

"Don't worry. As a prince, he likes to avoid his duties. But as a father, he's committed to them. I'm sure he'll be back." His wife assured him. To their surprise, being a father made Leona a different person. When Yuuma became pregnant, it was a surprise to Falena and Neliah to see the once lazy, food eating lion suddenly skip his naps to watch and tend to his wife's needs and rarely leaving her side.

"Still....that sends the wrong message to everyone else." The king pointed out, his eyes scanning around to see if anyone was nearby. There were rumors going on about Leona and Yuuma's relationship. Some say it was a forced marriage and that Leona threatened her to marry him. It bothered Falena. His brother was a lot of things, but they were both raised to respect the females.

"Look, Falena." He heard his wife whispered, and his ears perked to find Leona appearing. In his hand, he was shaking a bottle of milk. That would explain where he went. The orange mane lion sighed in relief, letting his shoulders relax. "See? Stop worrying. Or you'll age quicker like your father did." Neliah teased, earning a light chuckle from her husband. Honestly, Falena felt lucky to have her in his life. Otherwise, he would be stressing about every little thing.

Meanwhile, as the king and queen watched, Leona had the sinking feeling that they were being watched. He sniffed the air, and his green eyes grew big when he recognized that they were his brother and sister in law's. He groaned quietly, embarrassed. 'Great. Just great. Now I gotta move my mate and the cub somewhere else.' The prince thought in his head. He brought his family here to ger away from those servants who were chatting about them. Now, he had to worry about his family seeing him like this.

"Mew! Mew! Mew!"

His ears shot up when he heard his cub starting whimpering very loudly. "Hey now. Why so alert my little sleeping lion?" Yuuma asked her cub, trying to soothe him. She positioned him against her chest so the baby rested on her shoulder. That's when Leona and his son made eye contact.

The cub was a boy with black hair just like his mom, but he had his dad's tan skin and bright green eyes. Honestly, after he was born, Yuuma had looked into his baby photos. Mainly thanks to his mom and sister in law. While he was annoyed about that, he was stunned to find that his own son looked like him when Leona was a baby.

Despite being a few days old, both parents learned that their son was highly alert of his surroundings. He was staring at his dad, his green eyes growing huge. It reminded Leona of Ruggie when he got excited for donuts.

"Mew!" His son squeaked, and little smile came up on his face. He started climbing on his mom's shoulder, and his little hands reached out for his dad. It surprised Leona. But one glance from his wife to her cub and then to him, she understood what their baby wanted and turned around, smiling fondly at her husband.

"Oh, I see. I think Mzimu wants his dad, Leona."

Mzimu. Mzimu Kingscholar. In the local language of the savanna, that meant blessing. Which Leona had to agree. While he had mixed feelings about being a parent, the moment Mzimu was born and he first laid his eyes on him, the once bitter prince felt affection and love in a way he never felt. Now, all he wanted to give his son a childhood he deserved where he knew he didn't need to prove anything to win his parents' love or approval.

He smiled fondly and rolled his eyes as he sat down next to them. "Yeah, right. I bet the little brat just wants his milk." Leona mentioned, bringing the bottle to the baby's mouth. However, the little cub swatted at the bottle as his green eyes stayed on his father. "I'm pretty sure our kid wants YOU to feed him. Here." Yuuma told him, and Leona got startled when she moved the cub into his arms. "H-Hey! Give a heads up next time! I might drop him!" He said in alarm, his ears up and eyes wide as he supported Mizmu's head as his son drank the milk hungrily.

Yuuma chuckled amusingly, though she understood it was because he was nervous, being a first-time dad. However, his time with his brother and nephew gave Leona his own experience that has helped both of them out so far.

She glanced down at the baby and backed up to her husband. A warm smile was written in his face, which was a rare sight for many but not her. His green eyes shimmered like the sun, and they turned to her direction, catching her blue eyes. "What are you staring at for herbivore?" He asked her, setting the bottle down when he cub was no longer hungry. Yuuma glanced down at the baby, giggling at how his little face had milk on it.

"Oh, just realizing how Mzimu has his dad's appetite." She remarked playfully. Leona rolled his eyes at her as she giggled. "Still the same bothersome herbivore who won't leave me alone..." he groaned, still seeing that prefect he met and ran into trouble with years ago.

And yet he was grateful about it. Smirking, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. He barked in laughter when he saw her face reddened and her eyes blinking to progress. "And yet the same herbivore that blessed me with my own cub. One that I know I'm gonna love." He added further, smiling warmly at her. He wasn't where he would be right now if Yuuma wasn't part of it. One thing for certain, he was gonna give it his all as a husband and father.

Once she got out of her shock, she smiled softly, leaning against his shoulder as they marveled at their baby, listening to his little growls.

"You see, Falena?"

Back to the king and queen, they had been watching silently. At first, they were nervous when Leona started sniffing and caught their scent. Fortunately, it seemed that his wife and baby made him forget that.

Neliah placed an assuring hand on her husband's shoulder. The lioness queen gently tilted his face towards her. "Leona is willing to be a father and a husband because he knows he has been blessed by the Great Kings. As long as he remembers that, those annoying rumors mean nothing to him." She explained to him, brushing backing a piece of his hair away from his face.

The king glanced at his brother, watching him smile and joke with his wife while looking down at his cub proudly yet fondly. He couldn't remember the last time he saw his own little brother smile like that. It didn’t to Falena what life Leona picked. He just wanted to his Leona have a life where he was happy with the right people, and now it seemed the Great Kings finally answered his prayers.

"I guess there's no need to worry then." He spoke contently. However, seeing his brother and sister in law together made him glance at his wife as a mishevious idea rose from his head. "You know, Neliah..." he spoke in a tone that only she knew for certain opportunities. She glanced her eyes knowingly at him as her tail moved frantically in anticipation.

"With those two outside and Cheka out with his friends under Kifaji's watch, I don't think it would hurt for us to have our own fun." He suggested, taking her hand in his. The lioness already knew what he was referring to, and she smiled widely at him. Without answering, she pulled af his hand like an eagered child, taking him away from Leona and Yuuma so that they could get started on their own fun together.