The King • A TLK Story (Human)

Chapter 1: The Dream

Simba searched around the burning palace. All around, Pridelanders were fighting the gangsters. The palace was lit up by the orangish glow of the fire. He wanted to help, but he had a more important target. A much more dangerous one.

A sudden movement caught his sight from the corner of his eyes. Scar dashed up the stairs. He was fast. Simba followed quickly, sometimes taking two steps, why not, three steps at a time. Scar reached the second floor and continued to ascend. Simba panted. Scar was fast for a man in his mid-fourties. Simba had to be careful, dodging falling pieces of flaming wood from above and climbing the stairs at the same time.

Scar reached the third floor. Then four. He was clearly running out of breath. And so was Simba - the palace was huge. No wonder it took a long time to build it. Now, Scar reached floor five. His nephew was on floor four. He thought about what he'd do when he confronts his uncle.

Simba finally reached there.

Scar saw that he was trapped. Or was he? The "King" ran at the large marble balcony, followed by a determined Simba. Scar reached the balcony's railing, but knew he couldn't survive a jump. So he turned around to face his nephew. Simba, now seeing that he'd got Scar, advanced slowly towards him.

"You....." Simba's voice was low but angry.

"Simba! The gangsters are the real enemy, not me! I was actually planning on killing them all along!" Scar said his first words since he ordered the gangsters to kill the residents of the Pride Palace.

Simba noticed that a few gangsters had followed him, but hearing what Scar said, then backed away and ran down the stairs.

"You won't kill your only uncle, would you?" Scar asked, plotting another plan.

"No....." Simba agreed, in the same voice. "I'm not like you, Scar."

Scar had been expecting this. "Ahh, good Simba.... tell me, what do I need to do to.... prove myself?" Scar thought he was off the hook. But he wasn't.

"Run.... run away, Scar. Run away and never return...." Simba answered coldly.

Scar was terrified when he heard his nephew repeat what he himself told Simb about twenty years ago. Then a piece of wood, on fire, landed near Simba.

"Ah.... yes. Of course." Scar walked around Simba, keeping some distance. "That is what I'll do.... your..... MAJESTY!" Scar yelled at majesty and kicked the flamed wood with his shoe. His shoe burned a bit, and Simba was hit in the face with the fiery wood. Scar leapt at Simba, and wrestled him to the ground. Simba managed to push him off and and fight him.

Scar was unnaturally strong for his physique, and Simba saw this. Simba threw a punch at Scar, and so did Scar at the red-head. Simba's punch did no good, as it missed Scar's face, but Scar's knocked Simba to the ground. Scar leapt through the balcony. And then, as he was on him, Simba kicked the man on the gut, and Scar went flying over the balcony, five stories above. Simba watched, then saw Scar disappear as he seemingly fell into the flames, and then ran down the stairs to help the others.

Meanwhile, Scar had survived the fall. The injured traitor landed in such a way, he was not dead. He rolled around, moaned, looked at his broken feet, and moaned again. Were his toes supposed to point that way? He shook the thought. But that was the least of his worries. All in front of him, the gangsters appeared.

"Oh, Scaaaar." Said Banzai.

"Please... let's work this out! I was lying back there." Scar begged for mercy at the ones he had given "mercy".

"Oooh.... but I thought you said we were the enemy? That you were plotting to kill us? Am I wrong, Ed?" Shenzi asked Edward..... or Ed.

Ed started laughing like a maniac, and the gangsters surrounded Scar. His screams rang just as the fire strengthened and blazed over.

"Aahh!" Simba woke up with a start.

"What happened?" His Queen, and also his wife, Nala, asked. She had woke up.

"It's just... a dream. A nightmare, that's all." Simba whispered. "About... that night." He added.

Nala understood. It had been years since the night when Scar died. The palace had been in flames, when the gangsters had lit it up and set it on fire, to cause panic when Scar made his escape. Later, in ten months of work, it was re-constructed.

Simba dozed off again.

When he next opened his eyes, it was morning. His wife was already awake. Next to Nala was their daughter, Kiara.

Suddenly, there was a small knock in the door. Nala opened it, and there was the Royal Servant, Zazu.

"Good morning, my Majesties! It is time to introduce Princess Kiara to the whole kingdom!"