Hamlet Style TLK AU Pt 1 - For The Best

"SCAR!"

The Queen of the Pride Land's roar echoed through the reddish brown lion's den, causing the lion in question to flinch slightly as his ears rang. Regardless, he sat up and put on a smile, piercing green eyes meeting those of the dusky brown lioness before him. 

"Why, if it isn't Sarabi! To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected and unannounced visit?" Scar asked, chuckling lightly as Sarabi snarled at him. 

"Simba just told me you talked him into going into the Elephant Graveyard!"

"No, I just explained to Simba how dangerous it was, that's all, like any good uncle. It was his idea to go there and bring Nala with him. Besides, it was supposed to be our little secret." Scar growled the last part. "He didn't tell Mufasa as well, did he?"

"No. Just me. But I told you to leave him alone!" Sarabi snarled. "Simba has nothing to do with this."

"Doesn't he, Sarabi?" the scarred lion shot back. "Come now, would it really be such a shame if he died? After all, he's Mufasa's spawn. You never even wanted him in the first place. The only reason you ever had him was because you had no choice, what with the damned betrothal and all."

Sarabi flinched back as if she had been hit, guilt and shame written all over her face. Scar's own face softened - he knew what he had said was a low blow, but he needed to make his point across if his, no, their plan was ever going to work.

"He's my son as well, Taka." the Queen whispered. "Even if I never wanted him in the first place...I can't help but love him all the same."

"I know, my love, I know." the once-Prince Taka murmured, padding up to the Queen and gently carressing her cheek with his paw. "But can't you see? This is for the best! Besides, the poor cub has already been tainted by that bastard you're forced to call a husband. Already he's grown an ego nearly as big as Mufasa's. And he already pushes around the other cubs as well. Only Nala and her cousin Tama are able to stand up to him, but how long will that last? Eventually he'll out grow them and he'll be too big to stand up to. And what with how the boy idolizes his father...well, it won't be long before the rest comes as well. It's best to just start over, don't you think? You and I, we can do better. Together."

Sarabi sat there for awhile, the gears turning in her mind. Scar could tell that she was slowly turning towards his way of thinking.

"I...Maybe...Sigh...You're right Taka. I hate to say it, but you're right. There's...There's no other way."

"See. I knew you'd see the truth." Scar said with a small, sad smile. "Believe me, my love, I hate it as much as you do, but this is the path we must take to free ourselves of the tyrant called Mufasa. Only then may we finally be together, you and I, and we can rule the Pride Lands as the rightful King and Queen."

"I trust you, Taka." Sarabi murmured. "Just...don't make Simba suffer. He's still innocent."

"I won't. It will be quick, I promise." Scar said. "Leave him in my care tomorrow. I will take him to the Great Gorge. There, my hyena friends will set off a stampede, where I will go and grab Mufasa, luring him there using Simba as bait. Knowing Mufasa he'll dive head first to save the cub. There, the two should die swiftly, crushed under the hooves of the stampede. After that, I'll return to Pride Rock with the news of their demise, and then you and I can take our rightful place as King and Queen....and husband and wife."

========

Sarabi thought back to that fateful day, the day she plotted to kill her own husband and son with Scar. Everything had gone according to plan, or at least Scar had told her it had. That day she had left Simba in his care to hunt with her pridesisters, knowing that she would never see his smiling face again. It broke her heart...but she knew it was for the best. 

Scar had returned later that evening with Zazu in tow, baring the terrible news that both Simba and Mufasa had died in a "tragic accident" in the Great Gorge, explaining that a sudden stampede had taken them both, and that Scar himself had barely survived, managing to save Zazu who had somehow fainted during the whole ordeal. The majordomo looked thoroughly ashamed of himself, and had refused to look anyone in the eye during Scar's speech. 

As Scar ascended Pride Rock to take the throne, he called for Sarabi to join him by his side, as she had expected. She joined him slowly, and though some of the pride seemed surprised, they didn't question it. Scar explained that he would be taking his brother's wife as his own, to "continue to honor the betrothal between the now non-existant Coast Lands and the Pride Lands" as a show of honor, though only Scar and Sarabi would know the true reason why. And then the speech turned dark, as Scar's "friends" came out from the shadows. Scar explained that the hyenas would now be living amongst the pride, much to the pride's horror. Sarabi did not like this one bit...but she trusted Scar, so she said nothing as she roared beside her mate, reclaiming her place as Queen of the Pride Lands as well as claiming her place as Scar's chosen mate. 

And that brought her to now, lying in the den alone a few months later, just before the break of dawn with three damp, mewling forms at her belly. Two of them clearly belonged to her beloved Taka, but one had an eeriely familiar golden pelt and red eyes...

"Sarabi, my love, how did it go? Are you all right?" came the voice Sarabi had both been anticipating and dreading at the same time. 

Scar strolled into the den, a grin plastered onto his face as he spotted the three small infants at her teets. Sarabi managed to give him a small smile in return, though it didn't seem very convincing, even to her. 

"I'm fine, darling. Just tired. We have two girls and a boy." she replied. 

"Excellent! Oh, look at them, Sarabi. They're perfect. Just perfect." Scar cooed, sitting down next to Sarabi's head as he watched the cubs suckle. "Which was born first?"

"The gold one, darling."

"Ah! She's big and strong. She'll be a great hunter, just like her mother." the reddish brown lion said with a smile. "Yet, you don't seem very happy. Is something bothering you, my love?"

"It's..." Sarabi paused, wondering if she should voice her fears. Would Scar try to kill the golden girl like he had Simba? No...that was just a one time deal; a terrible necessity. He wouldn't harm her...Would he? "The little golden cub...I think she might be your brother's."

Scar frowned at this. 

"What makes you say that?"

Sarabi shifted her gaze away from Scar's, looking back at her cubs uncomfortably. 

"The day Simba went to the Graveyard, Mufasa insisted we mate so Simba could have a sibling to lead the Lion Guard. I...I could not refuse. Not without raising suspicion. I had hoped that nothing would have come from our mating, but it appears I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Scar let out a sigh, licking the top of Sarabi's head. 

"Don't apologize, Sarabi. It's not your fault. We'll just tell the pride she's mine. Have you thought of any names for the cubs?"

"Yes." Sarabi said, a smile gracing her lips. "For the brown lioness, I want to name her Almasi, because she reminds me of your mother. For the male, I wish to name him Kifalme. And as for the golden girl...Shani. She will be called Shani."

"Perfect names for perfect cubs. Tomorrow we'll have Kifalme presented to the kingdom as the new Crowned Prince. Oh, Sarabi, isn't it wonderful? Finally, things are going our way!" Scar said, purring with delight.

But Shani is the first born. Sarabi thought with a slight frown. Though...perhaps it's for the best. Scar is King now. So his son should be the proper heir, not Mufasa's daughter, as much as I do love her. Forgive me Shani...

But it's for the best.

~*~*~*~*~

NOTE: So this AU is based on if TLK was more in line with Hamlet (I know it actually is technically based on Hamlet (as they have said so), but it's kinda loosely based on it) in the sense that Sarabi is actually in league with Scar in killing Mufasa and the attempt on Simba's life. So basically this is how Sarabi slowly becomes more and more evil, making darker and darker choices "for the greater good." Though whose greater good? The prides? Or hers and Scar's? This also gives me the excuse to make ScarxSarabi babies.

Also, the name of this AU world is a work in progress, so that's probably going to change (in fact it's definitely going to change). If you have sugestions for the name, go ahead and let me know. 

Bases: 
Bases (c) , , , ,
TLK and TLG (c)