by N. D. Jones
N. D. Jones
Baltimore, Maryland
Copyright © 2020 by N.D. Jones.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.
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Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
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Original Character Concept Design: Shinji
A Queen’s Pride/ N.D. Jones. -- 1st ed.
ISBN
Dedication
Najja Akinwole
Baltimore City College High School Graduate (June 2020)
International Baccalaureate Diploma
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Table of Contents
#AmReadingAQueen’sPride Graphic
Prologue: The Source
Chapter 1: The Ruler of Lions
Chapter 2: Pure One
Chapter 3: Most Strong
Chapter 4: Unwavering Loyal One
Chapter 5: Mother of the Dead
Chapter 6: Only One
Chapter 7: Lady of the Many Faces
Chapter 8: Lady of Strong Love
Chapter 9: Powerful of Heart
Chapter 10: She Who Perseveres During Times of Struggles
Chapter 11: Lady of the House of Books
Chapter 12: Awakener
Chapter 13: Lady of Slaughter
Chapter 14: Lady of Transformations
Chapter 15: Only One
Chapter 16: Great One of Healing
Chapter 17: Complete One
Chapter 18: She Whose Opportunity Escapeth Her Not
Epilogue: Swiftborne
Goddess Sekhmet Original Concept Design
Mafdet’s Claws Book Cover
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Prologue: The Source
Refusal of the Panthera Tigris and Puma Concolor to Cede Their Lands North of SaltCross Mountains
1789
[Contains a proposed Treaty with the Panthera Tigris of 1788]
Communicated to the Fatherland Party Chief, January 13, 1790
Department of War, January 13, 1790
Sir:
The commissioners of the Chief of the Fatherland Party have received the answer of your Panthera Tigris and Puma Concolor children to our talk. We are saddened to share that the negotiations did not conclude to our satisfaction. Despite our best efforts to address the objections of our feline brethren to the policy of our government, we have no choice but to move forward without their agreement. Already have your neighbors, Panthera Pardus, Panthera Onca, and Acinonyx Jubatus, secured in themselves land south of SaltCross Mountains.
The objections of Tigris and Concolor are of nominal concern. Their lack of vision and civility will not halt our expansion efforts. The Fatherland Party will grow our nation . . .
SaltCross Mountains Treaty
1799
ARTICLES OF A TREATY MADE AND CONCLUDED BY AND BETWEEN
Generals David R. Murray, Benjamin H. Wilson, P. L. Albright, and Jacob S. Sawyer, duly appointed commissioners on the part of the Republic of Vumaris, and Unica Waddi of the Panthera Tigris Nation and Hubrax Cherla of the Puma Concolor Nation.
Article I.
From this day forward, war between the parties to this agreement will cease. The government of the Republic of Vumaris desires peace, as do the Tigris and Concolor Nations . . .
Article II.
The Republic of Vumaris agrees that the following lands will be the reserved territory of the Panthera Tigris and Puma Concolor Nations: AutumnRun, DimRock, and EarthBorough. The nations of Panthera Tigris and Puma Concolor henceforth relinquish all claims or right to any portion of the Republic of Vumaris, except in aforementioned territories . . .
Article III.
The Panthera Tigris and Puma Concolor Nations expressly agree:
1st That they will withdraw all opposition to current and future political parties.
2nd That they will not attack any human.
3rd That they will not engage in transmutation spasm beyond their reserved territories . . .
Article IV.
The Republic of Vumaris hereby agrees and stipulates that the country west of SaltCross Mountains and north of MistBreach Mountains shall be held and considered to be unceded. No human or person without the felidae gene shall be permitted to settle upon or occupy any portion of the land without the consent of the Nations of Panthera Tigris and Puma Concolor . . .
Treaty with the Kingdom of Shona (Feline Nation)
1902
ARTICLES OF A TREATY MADE AND CONCLUDED BY AND BETWEEN
Chief Thaddeus Rupert of the Republic of Vumaris, Progressive Action League, and Khalid Bambara Leothos and Sekhem Zarina Leothos of the Kingdom of Shona, viz., Panthera Leo, Panthera Pardus, Panthera Onca, and Acinonyx Jubatus.
Article I.
It is agreed that a boundary line between the Republic of Vumaris and the Kingdom of Shona should be fixed between the lands. The boundary line is as follows: beginning at the Osa Forest and ending at the Ocean of Samgi . . .
Chapter 1: Ruler of Lions
1985
The Republic of Vumaris
Historic District of Minra City
First Evolution Union Headquarters
“This is an insult.”
Asha’s father’s words mirrored her own sentiments. She sat between her parents—Bambara and Zarina Leothos, the khalid and sekhem of the Kingdom of Shona.
The man seated directly across the conference room table from Bambara, Chief Silas Royster of the First Evolution Union Party, paled at her father’s barely contained growl. Fingers laced in front of him and on the table, Chief Royster inclined his head at Bambara.
“I can understand how, from your perspective, you could view the addendum to the 1902 treaty as an insult to your kingdom. I assure you, Khalid Bambara, we do not intend it that way.”
“Your intention changes nothing.” Bambara crumpled the paper he held in his hand.
A copy of the same document had been given to Zarina and Asha. Upon reading it, Zarina had turned it over, the only sign of her displeasure with the document’s contents. For Asha, she’d had to read the addendum a second and third time to make sure her interpretation had been correct. She wished it hadn’t been, but she’d read enough treaties between the various nations of felidae and humans to comprehend the legal language.
Next to Chief Roy
ster sat his second-in-command, Deputy Chief Frank London, a short, slender man with eyes too large for his slim face and a nose so narrow Asha wondered how he managed to breathe. But breathe he did, adding to the conversation in a nasal voice that grated.
“We haven’t changed the treaty in eight decades.”
Zarina lifted Asha’s paper from in front of her, placed it atop her own, and then folded the documents into quadrants—a sekhem’s subtler response than a khalid’s. “You say that as if we should be grateful for your country’s continued adherence to a treaty we signed in good faith. You were neither alive back then nor was your party in power.” Zarina glanced over Asha’s head to Bambara. “Did the First Evolution Union exist at the turn of the century?”
“Fledgling. Inconsequential. But yes, they existed.”
Satisfied, Zarina returned her focus to the humans, the only other people in the conference room with the royal Shona family. The leaders’ respective bodyguards were on the other side of the door. No one in either negotiating party felt threatened by the other. This meeting was but a formality her parents engaged in every time a new party came to power. A first for Asha but far from her last. By the time she ascended to the rank of sekhem, however, these men would likely be retired and another party in power. They meant nothing to her. Once she returned home, she wouldn’t have to lay eyes on them again or their country for another fifteen years.
She refrained from sighing of boredom and slumping in her chair. Her parents wouldn’t appreciate either action. But Asha would give anything to have been allowed to remain in her suite. Perhaps, if she had, she would’ve been able to coax Ekon from his duty as her Second Shieldmane and into spending time with her while her parents were preoccupied.
“We are in power now.” Chief Royster’s voice didn’t betray him, but his scent did—a mix of anxiety and impatience. “My party’s fifteen-year tenure has only begun. We are confident, at the conclusion of our term, the good people of this republic will see we are the best party and will reelect us for another term of office.”
“Fifteen years,” Bambara scoffed. “That is but a single grain in the hourglass of time. The treaty you wish to renegotiate is not even eight of those grains. But the Shona, the felidae, we were here from the beginning of time. You did not birth us.” Bambara nodded to Zarina and Asha. “We birthed you. If you’ve forgotten, humans are the genetic anomalies, not us.”
“Yet the humans of this republic have treated us as if we have no more right to this land and to exist than birds occupying a tree you want to use for your child’s treehouse,” Zarina added.
Her parents had an amazing knack for completing each other’s thoughts with seamless effort.
Chief Royster’s laced fingers tightened, but his face remained neutral. Deputy Chief London, however, glared at Zarina, his big eyes expressive in a way that delivered his silent anger over the reminder of their genetic inferiority to those with an active felidae gene.
“There are more humans than feline shifters.” Chief Royster inclined his head again as if his statement of fact should matter to Bambara and Zarina. “We need more land to accommodate our growing populace.”
“Hence the reason for the addendum to the 1902 treaty,” Deputy Chief London added. “Surely you understand our predicament.”
“Your predicament doesn’t concern us, although humans have forced them upon us time and again.” Bambara slid his chair back from the table. Zarina and Asha did the same. “There hasn’t been a single treaty engaged in between a felidae nation and this country that has stood the test of time. Each one has been broken.” Bambara stood and raised a finger, dark like his lion’s mane—a sign of his strength and good health. “The government of your republic, regardless of the sitting party, have shown that you have no honor, that your word, including those written on paper, mean little.”
“No,” Zarina said and stood, “not little. They mean a lot, but none of what is actually said or written. We came all the way to your home, paying our respects to people who, no matter our genetic connection, think themselves superior.”
Following her parents’ lead, as she always did, Asha pushed to her feet. She hadn’t liked the turn the meeting had taken, but she was relieved to have the negotiations end sooner than expected. If they hurried, Asha would have time to watch Vumarian television. There wasn’t much she enjoyed about the country, especially the people, but their television shows and music were fantastic.
Chief Royster also got to his feet. “The talks have only begun, please sit. We haven’t had an opportunity to fully explain our plan. We’re not asking for much. One or two of your cities on the border of Vumaris and Shona. CloudFrost or FlameRock, perhaps. The addendum doesn’t stipulate which Shona region would be annexed to Vumaris. That’s what the negotiations are for.”
Her father’s low rumble of a growl was all the warning he would offer Chief Royster. The human would do well to proceed with caution.
Zarina slid the folded documents toward Chief Royster, whose wide eyes and red face were evidence enough that he wasn’t a stupid man. Lucky for his party, since he would lead them for the foreseeable future.
Asha stood at attention, waiting for what would come next. Her father’s warning growl hadn’t surprised her, no more than her mother’s regal forthrightness.
“For longer than I like to recall, humans have expanded into our territory, with no care to the felidae already in residence. You came, took, and killed, all in the name of your belief in your manifest destiny to spread your ideas and people from one end of the continent to the other.” Palms going to the dark wood conference table, Zarina leaned forward, her stare taking in the men across from her. “You have no God-given right to our land. You never have.”
“We’ve never encroached on the lands of your kingdom.” Deputy Chief London, still seated, glanced from Zarina to Bambara then back to Zarina. “We’ve never been anything but respectful to the Panthera Leo’s borders.”
“That’s because,” Bambara said, his hand grasping Asha’s and holding it with a father’s protective touch, “Shona is so far south of the continent, with hot, uncomfortable climes for humans, that your people didn’t think it worth their effort to wage war with our kingdom.”
“Are you threatening war?” Sweat broke out on Chief Royster’s forehead. “We have a peace treaty with—”
“Felidae not protected by your peace treaties now call Shona home. Shona is their refuge, the only land left to our kind on this continent. We will not cede a single plot of land to Vumaris.”
Zarina placed her hand at the small of Asha’s back. None of her parents’ gestures were meant to treat Asha as a child but were intended to include her in their stance as protectors of their kingdom—people and land. “We do not wish war, Chief Royster.” Zarina stepped around her chair. The hand on Asha’s back subtly pushed her toward Bambara. “Indeed, we have even respected your laws against transmutation spasm while in your republic, despite our desire to run and roam. No, it is rarely the felidae who’ve brought war to humans. We’ve come in peace, and we’ll leave the same way. Thank you for your time.”
Deputy Chief London surged to his feet, his pronounced laryngeal prominence bobbing. “You can’t leave. You haven’t signed the addendum.”
“Did you not hear my mate?” Bambara, who’d begun to move away from the table, his hand still holding Asha’s, stopped.
“Yes, yes, of course, but we aren’t done here.”
“You may not be, but we are.”
Deputy Chief London opened his mouth to respond, but Chief Royster cut him off with, “Frank, that’s enough.”
“What do you mean? B-but the party . . .”
With a firm shake of his head, blond hair cut short, blue eyes intelligent and with a hint of shrewdness, Chief Royster silenced his second-in-command. “Thank you for your visit. You’re welcome to stay until your party is ready to return south. Minra is one of the oldest cities in the republic. There’s much to see
here and to experience. There’s plenty in our country’s capital that would appeal to a girl your daughter’s age. I also have an eighteen-year-old and, I swear, she knows more about the city than I do.” Chief Royster shrugged—his nonchalance almost believable. “The girls would have fun together, I’m sure.”
She’d never had a human friend, and she doubted she would gain one this visit.
Leaning down, Bambara kissed Asha’s cheek, his full beard scratchy in a way she both loved and hated. Asha couldn’t imagine her father’s human face any other way, but his beard had a coarseness to it that invariably left short-lived red marks wherever they touched her soft skin.
“Being unable to transmutate makes my insides itch,” he whispered. “I want to run and play.” Bambara kissed her other cheek. “Are you ready to go home, my hafsa?”
Hafsa, young lioness. When combined with sekhem, as in Hafsa Sekhem, the endearment became part of her title. A weighty expectation, that of the future sekhem of her people. To Asha’s eternal happiness, her mother would hold the title for years to come, giving her time to mature into the role before the full weight of leading a country of millions of felidae resided on her shoulders.
“From our kingdom to your republic, we thank you for your hospitality.” Her mother had such a melodic voice, even when the sound was of her polite but deadly dismissal.
Led by Bambara, with Asha in the middle, they exited the conference room, negotiations ended and the treaty’s addendum unsigned. Asha couldn’t care less about the addendum. Her parents’ decision was final. They would not relinquish any part of their kingdom to Vumaris. War wouldn’t come. There hadn’t been a war between Zafeo’s felidae and humans in over a century.
