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“This is my bethrothed.” Mufasa speaks, voice calm and yet uncertain. The animals speak around him. Nickering zebras and tamping elephants. Scar could not have missed his brother had he been left to find his own way there instead of guided by the small bird.
“Be... throthed you say?” He has never heard of such a thing, it sounds gross to him. The lioness is an adult and could have been with anyone, she is a stranger. Yet Scar sidles up to her and flashes a smile.
What's a female between them, after all? They have shared everything. He licks his lips and picks her paw up with his own before kissing each toe. “A pleasure.”
She doesn't know how to react, and Scar is temporarily confused. He looks to his brother who prods Zazu nervously with a claw.
The bird, molting and growing as it might be, is just a morsel in his eyes, but it does lift its head and clear its throat. “You see... in the Pride lands a male lion takes a single mate, and helps make the future king. Sarabi will be here to do that, and to keep Mufasa's eyes from wandering.” He chuckled at the last part.
Scar's tail whips back and forth, he feels anger bubbling. So what he's hearing is the place they have come to live is monogamous, and they cannot share the throne nor the lioness. Scar's expression sours, his pelt sags with his shoulders. “Oh.”
Oh is all he can say.
Mufasa's eyes shoot to him, uncomfortable and nervous. There is a silent plea inside of them, begging him to speak up. Scar doesn't. He shrugs and moves to space himself from the King and his Queen. This Sarabi who is between them instead of with them.
Scar would not mind her, and wouldn't mind sharing her with Mufasa, his brother in arms has always shared. This place feels wrong and foul. Their ways make no sense. Yet his golden friend obeys them. Are you that desperate to belong, Scar wants to ask, glancing at the lionesses and animals admiring him.
He has never felt more alien before in his life.
Even before he knew Mufasa.
Scar leaves him with his sentence. He cannot bear to be there any longer.