I. — four months later...

I'm comin' home I'm comin' home
tell the World I'm comin' home

Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday
I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes
I'm comin' home, I'm comin' home
tell the World that I'm comin'

- DDM.

The sun glistened gold on the extended Pride Lands; with the wet season growth had accumulated from the termite hills of the Outlands to the places where fire had raged along the mid-point of the once divided lands. Animals far and wide — who had once been unable to accept the Outlanders — gathered around for a festival of ceremonies.

Three, in fact.

Rafiki made his way for the sixth time in his lifetime up the boulder stairs that rose to where the Pride Landers closest to the king and queen were gathered in waiting as the baboon pressed his long fingers to the oblong stone and hobbled over to Simba and his wife. At the sight of him the lion nodded in greeting and turned his head to his daughter.

She stood with her "escort" outside of the mouth of Pride Rock.

Kovu smiled at the monkey and nudged Kiara once on the cheek.

"Simba?" he turned to ask.

The lion nodded.

A smile spread across his lips and he raised his cane over the young lions, shaking it.

The idea that they had all become so happy and content was beyond what he had expected as Kiara approached him, her smile waning a bit as her eyes gleamed with nerves. Rafiki in turn was confused until Nala came up and whispered something in the medicine man's ear.

"Oh…"

"Simba?"

"Yes, Rafiki. I think it's time this happened. I will still assume my position as king."

"Kiara." the monkey turned to her.

"Yes."

He led her out to the beginning of the lines of lionesses. There, Rafiki gathered a handful of dirt and sprinkled it over Kiara. She bowed her head graciously to receive it and kept it lowered as the still somewhat unsure mandrill broke one of his coconuts open. Pleased, he circled the insides with his thumb and then his index finger. Rafiki then lightly traced a big circle of fruit juice over her forehead before crossing a male lion's line directly through it.

"You are ready," he said with a quiet smile.

The lioness had tears in her eyes as she placed her head against his chest. He gave her a gentle hug and moved away with his arm sweeping in a gesture to proceed forward. Kiara hesitated a moment and looked back over her shoulder. Her mother motioned her it was her time and Kovu gave her a wink. The princess walked past an assortment of Outlanders and Pride Landers. Vitani, Kirijah, Timira and Kula were all watching the lioness with pride.

"Good luck, Kiara." Her mother told her.

"Thanks."

"Good luck…" Aisha sighed heavily. "Queen."

"Thank you."

Kiara stepped forward into the sun that had now risen high enough so that she could look up into it. A large lion was beaming down on her, it was as though he had always been up there, watching down on his granddaughters and the rest of the Pride Lands. Queen Kiara surveyed her subjects from atop Pride Rock, smiled to herself after a moment and let out a roar to them. They roared back their acceptance to the dual reign between Simba and her.

The king came alongside his daughter and released a roar himself. Kovu appeared between them and did so now, earning an amused look from his future father-in-law. Nala assumed her place beside Simba and roared down to the rest of the lions. Then, as one, they roared to cement their claim on the lands. Before the animals who were not lions could react to the conflicting message, Simba and Kovu parted so that Rafiki could take his place at the top.

…

"Nunka." Kovu said of the brown, red-eyed lioness cub in one of the monkey's arms.

"Tanabi." Kiara spoke of the yellow-gold furred lion with green eyes in his other.

The little female had a circle over her forehead while her brother had a normal king's mark over his. Both the parents and the grandparents admired the twin cubs as they yawned and kicked their little paws. Simba let his eyes wander to the sky where the image of his father smiled down at him. When he saw this, the king smiled back. "Well done my son… we are one." the lion nodded in love and memory of Kopa and Mufasa. "I love you father, son…"

The End.

~ Lavenderpaw ~