Gamu came back later that day. Elanna was lying on her back, a blissful smile on her face. Kubali was sitting sphinx-like a short distance away, looking at her with mixed pride and love.
Gamu tapped Kubali on his shoulder, jerking him out of his reverie, and he signaled for him to come away a short distance.
“This had better be good, Gamu. You know I said I needed some time alone with her.”
“You know, Kubali, I’ve tried hard to earn your respect and trust. I keep hoping someday we’ll have a land of our own, and you will be my King as it was meant to be.”
“So?”
“I come to you as a good friend to tell you something you need to know about your mate. She carries a burden on her heart and you can help her find peace. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Kubali looked at him skeptically. “A burden? She discusses everything with me, no matter how drastic. We’ve been completely honest with each other.”
“Then you know about how her husband died? Have you told her yet that you’ve forgiven her?”
“Forgiven her? For what?”
“Oh my gods,” Gamu said in a near whisper. “I thought you said you were completely honest with each other.”
“What are you going on about, Gamu?? Is this another one of your tricks??”
“Tricks?? It’s true--no good deed ever goes unpunished. Fine thanks I get for trying to help you! I know very little about her past, but she’s admitted to me the cause of her nightmares.”
“Her nightmares? She won’t discuss them with me. Why should I believe she told you?”
“That’s PRECISELY why. She doesn’t care what I think of her. She could ask me anything. You’re another matter entirely.”
“And why are you discussing this with me?”
“Because I feel I owe you something. Now do you want to hear it or not?”
“OK.”
“See, you two are not completely open as you thought. I told her that I thought she could talk about Taka with you, but she’s afraid. You need to reassure her. Then she’ll bare her soul about everything and seek forgiveness. It will set her free, Kubali. If you really love her, you’ll want her to be happy. And true happiness comes from the inside out. With this locked inside her, she’ll never be truly happy.”
“I know that Taka killed his brother, and that he tried to kill Simba. She was not aware.”
“That’s not what she told me. He went completely mad at the end. She knew it was only a matter of time until there was a civil war, so she worked with the hyenas in their plot to depose the king. She betrayed him to his enemies. They ripped him, you know. Now she has nightmares racked with guilt and remorse. I mean, when Taka died he was screaming her name. And she will carry that burden all her life. She felt she had to tell SOMEONE. It was all bottled up inside her, and she was going crazy holding it inside.”
Kubali’s face fell. Gamu tried not to smile and betray his deep satisfaction. The lie was planted, and he would give it time to grow.