A/N- (all non-original characters copyright Disney, etc.) Ok, so I have been very, very excited for this story for a long time. So many class periods spent mapping out the plot, writing out drafts of the stories, thinking about character development instead of studying oh well. Anyways, as the short description says this story follows the two children of Scar, Kiveh and Kala, as they uncover the history of the pride lands rulers. Every chapter or so will contain a story of one of the kings told in a completely different style. I am really looking for feedback on how each style works so please mention in your review how you liked it. Also, the tales of the kings will not be told in chronological order so feel free to PM me if you get confused or see any discrepancies/plot holes. Thank you in advance and enjoy-

Royal Bloodline

Chapter 1- Land of Change:

"Let me see them," Scar ordered with an eager breath as he pushed past Sarabi and entered the cave, making out the shadowy form of a lioness lying just inside the archway.

"Meet your son and daughter," Sarafinas' tone was full of mockery and Scar felt the first twinges of unease in his paws. The mother lioness nudged the cubs forward to where the light was a little better.

"NO!!" the male gasped, green eyes open wide in fear as he took a step back, staring at the cubs. The newborn male was the perfect golden color of the sun as it traced a path across the savannah sky. His eyes already open, wide and curious as he pawed at his sister. In return she let out a small squeak, awkwardly pinning him under her so that the cream of her coat blended a little with the gold of his. The twins were perfect miniatures of a young Simba and Nala—their playful actions hinting that they might match the older couple in temperament as well as looks.

"Yes Scar," Sarafina purred with cruel happiness. "Perhaps you shouldn't have been so quick to disown Ziras' cub as your heir. Or will you be happy to name my newest son crown prince, knowing how much he shall remind the pride of your late nephew?"

"Why you little!" the red lion growled furiously raising a paw to slash at her. But Sarafina merely laid her head on the stone near her two cubs and stared at him with blank eyes. The male growled again, a battle raging in his head. Then the red lion turned and stomped crossly outside of the cave, gnashing his teeth in fury.

"You're it!" laughed the female lion cub as she tagged one of her playmates. Eyes bright and happy she danced away as he tried to tag her back, growling playfully.

"I'll get you Kala!" the gray hued cub challenged, pouncing at her. The young lioness screamed in delight, then turned tail and ran from him.

"Look out Kiveh, he's coming!" she shouted to her twin. The gold male jumped up and joined her, side by side the two cubs raced over the sun heated rocks, green eyes bright in excitement.

Nuka followed in their wake calling, "You two better watch out!" Kala screeched again, daring a glance over her shoulder.

"Run faster Kiveh!" the little lioness giggled, nudging him with a shoulder. From the promontory of Pride Rock Scar watched the trio of cubs as they raced in circles.

My children, the king thought fondly, an unusual smile adorning his angular face as he watched them playing. Some day this kingdom will be yours… the red lion frowned as his gaze shifted to the increasingly barren lands. The trees and grasses drooped from the scarce water, almost nothing green was in sight. And hopefully so much more….

"Rarw!" the gold colored cub growled as he tackled the larger hyena, knocking the scavenger to the ground in a puff of dust.

"Good, good," Shenzi praised, nodding at Kiveh as he trotted back over. "You've got some natural talent kid, give me five!" The six-month-old cub eagerly slapped at her upraised paw, while Banzai grumbled behind them, rubbing his head.

"My turn! My turn!" Kala commanded, jumping in place with excitement.

"Sure thing chica," Banzai responded quickly, removing his paw from his head. "And it's Shenzis' turn to be the target!"

"Say what!" the female hyena burst out, making the others laugh as the little lioness crouched down into the pouncing position, eager grin on her light furred face.

"Nala you're back!" Kala exclaimed, springing to her paws and running over to rub heads with her older sister. For a moment the two touched noses, looking for the entire world like past and future versions of one another. Then Nala broke the image, taking a step forward and looking over the thin pride of lionesses with determined eyes.

"It's time," she said simply, shifting her blue eyes from one female to the next.

"You found someone to help?" one of the pride sisters breathed, her face lighting up in hope.

"Simba…Simba's alive," Nala choked out, crystal colored tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Kiveh eyed her curiously, unsure whether the tears stemmed from happiness or hurt.

"Nala…" he started to question, getting to his paws and jerking his head to knock the beginnings of a mane from his eyes.

"Come on you two," Sarafina interrupted, catching Kalas' attention with a brush from her tail. "In here, wait until I come back," she ordered firmly, directing the yearling cubs into a small alcove.

"What's going on mom?" Kala voiced, her head cocked a little to one side.

"The true king has returned," was all her mother said, giving the cream colored cub a firm nudge into the shadowy cave. "Drastic changes are on the way."

"You dare to show your face in my presence?" Simba roared so loudly the loose gravel on the ramp up to Pride Rock rattled with the shock wave.

"I've only come for my children," Zira replied coolly, fixing her eyes on the furious lion king. Simba roared again, only the lionesses standing firmly by his side kept him from charging her in anger. The elder one whispered in his ear until Simba relaxed a fraction.

"Why should we allow you your children Zira?" Sarabi spoke with both contempt and disgust as she turned to face the other female. "You can't honestly think that you deserve them after what you did to my grandcub?" Zira let out a small snarl, unsheathing her claws as the old queen spoke.

"Nuka!" she hissed finally, darting a glance to where her eldest cub sat. "Come up here!" With a yelp the scrawny, gray half grown scrambled away from his peers, stumbling over to the top of the ramp.

"Yes mother?" he squeaked, obviously terrified of being the center of attention.

"Don't be scared dear," Zira crooned sweetly, roughly rubbing his scrawny mane with a paw. "I was merely following Scar's wishes," the smirking lioness addressed Simba again. "His orders were very clear that it was my son who would be the next king."

"You have no right to the throne!" Simba lashed out verbally, growling again as he stood before her with tensed muscles, ready to spring.

"You may think that, but I do not!" Zira retorted, glaring at the large male again. "And neither do my children! Nuka!" She growled his name commandingly and the gangly youngster flinched. "Who was your father?"

"Sss…sss..scar.." he stuttered out quietly.

"And was Scar not king of the Pride Lands?"

"Yes…"

"Doesn't that make you a prince and entitled to rule?" Nuka literally shook as the adults all stared at him.

"Yes?" his response was more a question then statement, and he looked nervously up at his mother to see if he'd answered correctly.

Zira nodded, watching Simba with a mad glint in her eyes. The lion king let out a furious roar that caused the acacia trees to tremble and all the animals of the pride lands look towards the lions' home in fear.

"Where do you think they're going to go?" A half-grown lioness asked the male sitting beside her.

"How should I know Kala?" He scolded, glaring over at his sister as he used a front paw to flatten the unruly red mane that adorned the top of his head.

"I was just asking Kiveh," she grumbled back, looking toward the sun setting to the west. "I was thinking if they didn't go too far maybe we could still see Nuka sometimes."

"I don't think King Simba would like that…" Kiveh sighed, looking longingly in the direction of the setting sun.

"Do you think he'll let me just stay here then?" asked a voice behind them.

"Nuka!" the twins cried happily, tackling their playmate enthusiastically.

"What are you doing here?" Kiveh asked, musing up Nukas' thin stripe of a mane.

"I told you," the scrawny lion responded, shifting away from the noogie. "I want to ask Simba if I can stay here instead of with my mom."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Sarafinas' voice was full of remorse as she and Sarabi walked down the ramp of Pride Rock towards the trio of cubs.

"Why not mom?" Kala piped up. At two years old the cubs still had a bit of growing to do but it was already easy to see the magnificent adults the twins would become someday soon and Sarafinas' felt pride for her children fill her heart. Kala looked exactly as her older sister had as a young cub and Kiveh could have passed for a juvenile Simba. Except for their green eyes it was nearly impossible to tell the twins from her visual memories of the current king and queen as cubs.

"It just isn't a good idea for Nuka to be here right now with Simba so mad." Sarabi answered their question, making Nuka drop his head sadly.

"Then we'll hide him for a while, until Simba cools down," Kala replied simply.

"It's not that simple sweet heart," Sarabi shook her head as she explained. "You know that he and your sister have another cub to worry about now. It will be a very long time before Simba forgets what happened today."

"But Nuka didn't do anything!" the young lioness cried out indignantly.

"Kala hush," Sarafina commanded gently, nuzzling her daughter.

"I'm sorry Nuka," Sarabi said, meeting the gray cubs desperate eyes. "But you need to leave. Your mother will watch over you." The half grown lion opened his mouth but no sound emerged. With a strangled swallow Nuka closed his mouth, nodded to the old queen and turned his back on Pride Rock.

"Nuk! Don't go!" Kiveh called, bounding after his friend.

"I have to…" the other male responded, unable to meet his playmates eyes. "I don't belong here…cause of who my mom and dad are!" Nuka growled out the last part.

"Well then neither do we!" Kala spoke up from behind the boys. "Our father was Scar too!" she continued fiercely, causing her mother and Sarabi to draw back a little in shock. "If Simba doesn't trust anyone with Scar's blood than we should be exiled too!"

"Kala!" Sarafina sputtered, baffled at her daughters vicious reaction.

"Well it's true!" the young lioness countered, head held high in defiance.

"She's got a point mom," Kiveh commented. At his side Nuka looked too surprised over Kalas' fierce tirade to speak. "I think we should leave too," the male twin added tentatively.

"Not with those lionesses you're not!" Sarafina snapped out, her normally calm face outraged. Nuka suddenly came to life, a growl rising in his throat at the insult to his mother and her followers.

"Fina calm down!" Sarabi scolded, turning to Nuka and apologizing. "Try to understand Nuka, she didn't mean to insult your family." The half-grown lion relaxed just a little, Kiveh still standing firmly at his side. "Please think about this," Sarabi leaned over and whispered to Sarafina. "This may not be such a bad thing. Kiveh's almost old enough to leave the pride anyways. Why not let them go together?"

"You can't be serious Sarabi!" the lioness asked, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"Just think about it for a while 'Fina," Sarabi answered smoothly, turning to face the youngsters again. "Enough of this arguing now," the queen told them firmly. "Nuka, I am sorry but you have to go back to your pride now. Simba is not acting like himself right now and you could be in great danger if he discovered that you where here. Kiveh, Kala," she addressed the twins, "Say goodbye to your friend now." Quietly both cubs murmured emotional good byes to the skinny gray lion. Kiveh butted heads companionably with him, while Kala teared up as she nuzzled Nuka on the neck. Once again the outcasted lion opened his mouth, but failed to get any words out. In a flash he twisted away from the twins and pounded out onto the savannah. His head bowed low to stare at just the ground before his paws. The other lions watched him disappear into the growing twilight, silent until Kiveh spoke,

"It's not fair."

Kala nodded strongly in agreement, adding, "Just because he's got Zira for a mom!" The girl cub screwed up her nose in disgust.

"Do you two understand why Simba doesn't like Nuka?" Sarabi asked the children gently.

"Because Scar killed his dad and then tried to kill him. And Simba is afraid that Nuka might do the same thing as Scar." Kala rattled off rapidly; still looking the direction Nuka had gone. When Simba had returned and taken back the crown their mother had revealed the secret she had withheld to keep them safe under Scars rule. Sarafina had explained how Scar had taken the crown through treachery, and over the past year with Simba as king the twins had come to accept that their father was not the shining hero they had once thought him to be. Sarabi nodded at Kala.

"Yes, that's pretty close."

"It's still not fair," Kala grumbled, "punishing him for who his dad is."

"Be patient for just a minute more," Sarabi chided her softly. "Now can you tell me why Scar didn't like Simba?"

"That's easy, too," Kala said, rolling her eyes. "Because Simba was going to be king and he wasn't."

"So because of who his father was," Kiveh broke in, understanding what Sarabi was getting at.

"Huh?" Kala looked at her brother, perplexed.

"Because his dad was king," Kiveh explained. "That's the whole reason Simba was prince to begin with."

"Oh…" Kala murmured, flushing in embarrassment.

"Ruling a kingdom is much harder than either of you know," Sarafina spoke up to support Sarabi.

"Is that the excuse you give us so we're not ashamed of our father?" Kiveh interrupted, face set like stone as he stared at the setting sun. He wasn't usually the one to fight with their mother, instead she and Kala butted heads while he stayed calm and pacified his sister. But now she could see he was greatly troubled by the exile of Zira and the other events of the day.

"It isn't an excuse Kiveh," his mother said kindly as she stepped forward and nuzzled the top of his head. "I'm just trying to help you understand why these things happen. I'll let you draw your own conclusions on what to think." With a sigh the lioness sat down beside her half-grown son, head tilted as she thought.

"But no," she spoke quietly after a minute. "I DON'T think you should be ashamed of your father. He was who he was, both good and bad points."

"Good?" Kala sniffed in disbelief. "All anyone's ever told us about him since Simba came back is how horrible Scar was!" The young lioness was on her feet again, pacing in frustration. Sarafina looked at her youngest daughter in shock, she had not realized how much the pride gossip had affected Kala. Apparently her twins were better at hiding their true feelings than she realized.

"Would you prefer to hear another type of story about him then?" Sarabi interjected, curiously eyeing the half-grown cubs.

"You're not going to make one up to make me feel better are you?" Kala asked, looking skeptically at the old queen, light colored fur glowing slightly under the rising moonlight.

"No," Sarabi shook her head.

"Which story is that Sarabi?" Sarafina asked, as curious as her two cubs.

"Uru's song," breathed the other lioness, raising her gaze respectfully to the stars.

"Who's Uru?" Kiveh asked.

"Let's find somewhere to lie down and I'll tell you. No one will care if we sleep outside tonight."

Next Chapter: The Twin Princes, the story of Mufasa and Taka as told by their mother.