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Description
Quick rundown of some characters:

Edward: A Scyroar who is the king of this land I have not given a name to yet. A Scyroar is a Pyroar/Scyther fusion that is 4'11" tall from paw to forehead.

Sophia: Edward's wife. She is an Alolan Ninetales.

Ariel: A plain brown mouse first adopted by Edward, as was her little sister, Rebekah.

Desmond: Edward and Sophia's firstborn; an Alolan Vulpix

December 23, 1822

It all happened just three days after Desmond was born to Edward and Sophia. The excitement of having their first child together was still fresh, and Ariel and Rebekah were thrilled to have a little brother (who was ironically still bigger than them). The coming new year seemed to be full of promise.

Ariel's father was in a meeting with some of his advisers on opening trade up with various nations and kingdoms. Ariel went with him, as she liked learning about his job and how her own home related to the rest of the world. However, a little hole in the wall had captured her attention, and she clambered down the table leg and across the floor to get a better look. Was it a secret passage specially designed for small animals such as herself? Was there a hidden treasure inside? Her father generally never allowed her to be in a separate area without his, or another larger animal's supervision, but he didn't notice her leave, being caught up in leading discussion.

"Too bad Rebakah's not here!!" She thought. "We could explore this tunnel together." Her little sister was with their mother and brother, away from the politics and the arguments.

Ariel was underwhelmed by the experience, as the tunnel was just a straight line that led to another room; not much of an adventure. She was about to turn back and return before her father would notice, but then she heard some quiet voices in the room.

"I will not suffer to have Desmond as our future king." One male voice uttered. "We have had only Scyroars as monarchs, never anything else."

"Edward hates this kingdom." Another male voice responded. "He deliberately married an Alolan Ninetales to ruin tradition, and with his firstborn being a Vulpix, that will end our once proud line of lion rulers."

"We have to kill the child somehow. We have to send the message to Edward that not any Pokémon will do. He can't toy with the precedent that all of his forefathers established."

This was followed by softer speaking that was difficult for Ariel to make out, but she stayed. She even climbed stealthily up to the fruit basket to try hearing better. The two conspirators also seemed to be writing something, as the little mouse could hear the familiar sound of the quill dipping into the ink bottle every so often.

"Hehe, Desmond will be as good as dead!" The first one declared. "Let's hide these plans over here."

To Ariel's fright, the plotter, who turned out to be a Persian, made his way in her direction. She hid herself deeper under the large pieces of fruit, and then felt the entire basket lift upwards. She then heard him slip the paper under it, and then lower the basket again.

"Do you smell that?" The second conspirator, a wolf, asked, sniffing the air. "I smell a mouse."

"I do too...maybe we're just hungry. Let's go to the Hunting Fields and catch something."

Ariel heard them walk away, and she emerged from the pile of fruit. She saw that the coast was clear, and then hopped out of the basket hurriedly. With pulse racing, she tried to tug the piece of paper out rom under the basket. There was a small gap between the basket and the surface of the table that made extracting the paper possible, but it was still difficult.

"You know what, I just realized that's a horrible place for the plans." The Persian said to his wolf companion. "The servants who clean that room will find them!"

The wolf sighed. "I'll go hide them then; someone has to have the brains between you and me."

""Yeah, well, you didn't say anything when I put them there..."

"Just wait here."

The wolf ambled back to the room, trying not to look suspicious. When he looked towards the fruit basket, he saw it had been budged significantly. Panic-stricken, he looked here-and-there for the plans, and that was when he saw Ariel darting into a hole in the wall. He could also here the sound of wrinkled paper making contact with the tunnel walls.

He knew that was Ariel, and now he knew that he and his accomplice were going to be dead meat.

Within five minutes, Edward had the two surrounded with his security personnel. They weren't even close to escaping the den.

"How dare you two conceive of such a wicked plot! against my own son" Edward roared. "You two will remain in the dungeon until I decide what should be done with you."

Later, Edward scolded Ariel for leaving his supervision like that, but mostly congratulated her for her bravery and action; perhaps Desmond would've really gotten murdered had she not done something. The little mouse was the hero of the day, and her father held a banquet the following night to honor her. It was a surreal moment; a mighty lion bestowing such accolades on a little rodent like this, but he assured her it was deserved.

In the following year, another act of sedition would take place, and Ariel would get involved. However, it's not going to go very well for Ariel...

Here's the story of that sedition:
Symphony No. 4 AnnouncementEven though I said I was going to do shorter works from now on, I got an idea for another lengthy one, and I just couldn't pass it up. The subtitle for this work will be, "The Sedition of 1823," and unlike with the last work, I'm just going to break down all the planned sections beforehand. There will be five movements.Mvmt 1 - The late spring sun rises over Edward's kingdom (still don't have a name for it yet), and the mood is serene and elegant, with an air of majesty. The tempo eventually picks up as more of the animals and Pokémon awaken and continue their normal lives. It concludes at night, with Ariel looking up at the stars and wondering what sorts of big adventures she might embark on in her future. Little does she know, one is about to take place...but not in the way she wanted it to,,,Mvmt 2 - The next morning, it is reported to Edward that a critical hostage situation has taken place overnight. A large cobra had infiltrated one of the orphanages, and is threatening to kill and eat all of the helpless animals inside unless King Edward relinquishes his throne and gives it to her within three days. If this weren't bad enough, she is guarded by other venomous snakes who are taking part in this mutiny. The situation is volatile, and Edward calls an urgent meeting with all his advisers to discuss how to deal with the situation quickly and safely. He is unaware, however, that Ariel is already making haste towards that orphanage, convinced she has what it takes to rescue everyone. Her father would never, ever approve of this move, but she doesn't feel good about remaining idle while others' lives are threatened. How will this lowly mouse fare against all those snakes? Will she manage to outsmart them with cunning agility, or end up as an unfortunate fatality?Mvmt 3 - Ariel infiltrates their base camp in the dark of night and makes her way to the orphanage in the center of it. The leader of the coup herself directly surrounds all the frightened little children. Though she sleeps, nobody is brave enough to try sneaking out from her coils. Ariel is aghast at how huge the cobra is, but as she had come this far, she couldn't turn back now. She gets the idea to find a thick cord and tie it around the cobra's muzzle, though she would need help from the other children to do this. She reasons that as long as her mouth is bound, she can't do them much harm. One of the children, a raccoon, helps her. The plan after this would be to do this to the other dozen or so snakes before they could wake up. However, they don't get far. The cobra's eyes dart open as she senses what is happening to her, and Ariel finds herself eye-to-eye with the snake. Never had the little mouse's blood run so cold.Mvmt 4 - Ariel darts away, overcome with terror, but the cobra constantly hems her in with her huge frame. She is determined to kill Ariel, not wanting to underestimate the potential damage the mouse could render to her plans. After all, had she been asleep a few minutes more, Ariel and the raccoon could've bound her mouth shut and thus defeated her. During the terrifying pursuit, the other children escape, as the cobra is no longer keeping her eye on them. Ariel nearly escapes, but one of the other snakes snags her, and brings her back to the cobra to let her finish her off. The cobra gives the choice of death by poison, or death by getting eaten. However, Ariel is spared from choosing her fate, as Edward and his siblings storm the base; roaring out massive Fire Blasts to send the snakes off scurrying. Edward sees the cobra, and the other snake holding Ariel hostage, and his blood runs hot. He roasts them alive without interrogation, and rescues his daughter, unscathed by the fire, but shaken by the abject terror of the last several minutes.Mvmt 5 - The sedition is put to an end, and while peace has been restored, Edward has a major bone to pick with Ariel. He sharply reprimands her for running into danger like that, especially without telling anyone. His voice is raised nearly to a yell, enough to cause Ariel to cower from him. He goes on to tell her how her sister and mother were in tears because they didn't know where she was, and had thought that something had happened to her. He continues, telling her that it is not in her place to put herself in harm's way like that, and that it was his job to protect his family and kingdom, not hers; that if anyone were to put their life on the line like that, that was a father's responsibility, not the child's. He tells her how all her family loves her, and how immeasurably heartbroken they would've been if she got killed. His anger is palpable, as is his love and care for her, and Ariel cries, asking for forgiveness (while still cowering under the desk). Edward's anger subsides eventually, and he forgives her. Her mother and sister and so happy to see her again, and Rebekah makes her promise she'll never runaway like that ever again. Ariel promises, now wiser than she was two days ago.I think this will be a lot of fun to compose, as the story is packed with conflict, adventure, and emotion. A little background for this story is that Edward's grandfather, Noah, had passed away earlier that year, and the cobra saw this as a sign that his ways of thinking and ruling were now over, and it was time to bring the kingdom back into a time of carnage. Noah had governed with justice and peace, doing his best to ensure that every citizen had an equal voice, whether mighty or weak. His son Alexander, and grandson, Edward, had continued this trend, and the cobra hated it. She believed that the carnivores should be above the herbivores, and the only way she could bring that way of life back was to make Edward step down. That is the story's more obvious sedition, but a more subtle one lies in Ariel's story arc. Though obviously brave and caring, she was also thoughtless and disobedient to her father, which is another form of rebellion. The mouse had lost her fear of carnivorous animals, as she had become used to interacting with them since Edward adopted her, but she had become so used to it that even dealing with a cobra didn't bother her. Her father later lauds her courage and proactive personality, but continues to warn her against needlessly risking her life and jumping into scenarios where she is likely to die.I was going to link pertinent deviations with character info, but the formatting is so bad that I'll leave them out. I really, really wish DA would just let me share deviations as links, but it forces me to post the full picture. Instead, if you happen to be reading this and want more info on some of these characters, I can just reply to your comment with them. If that doesn't work...I'll just have to think of something else XDAnd if you are one of the two or three people who made it this far, then kudos to you. You are awesome I plan to start working on this in perhaps a couple of weeks, and hopefully I don't take 21 months to finish.

This is all part of a story arc I began developing at the beginning of this year. Here is more on the characters:
The Good King (Short Story)January 2, 1821After dinner, Edward instructed the little mice to climb onto his back. It was now time for sleep. The winged lion’s room was spacious and ornate; neither Ariel nor Rebekah had ever seen anything so grand in their lives.“You will sleep in my bed tonight; it should be more than comfortable for you two.” Edward lowered his head onto the bed so the mice could alight from his head carefully. Rebekah leapt straight down off the top of his head, whereas Ariel made her way down gingerly; using the Scyroar’s snout as a step. The younger mouse made her way to one side of the bed, assuming it was hers.“Thanks for saving us, mister king.” She said and then burrowed under the thick blue blanket.“You’re very welcome, Rebekah.” He gently patted the area of the blanket where her tiny body was hidden.Ariel thanked him too, addressing him as “Your Highness” before picking a spot near her sister. Edward patted her too before lying down on his usual side of the bed. The bed was so big not because he needed all that space, but because he expected one day to have a wife.“Good night, and if you need anything, try to wake me up.”They acknowledged him, and also said good night. It didn’t take long for Rebekah to fall asleep, but Ariel’s mind was abuzz. It had been such a strange day; it ended far better than she expected it to, but the part before that was the most terrifying incident of her life. The last couple hours were an emotional roller coaster for the little rodent.Edward was about to fall asleep himself when he heard one of the mice starting to cry. He reached over and lifted the blanket slightly.“What’s wrong? Why are you crying, my child?”Edward removed more of the blanket and saw that it was Ariel. Rebekah was still sound asleep. Based on how the older mouse was crying, it sounded to Edward like she was reeling from having an emotional day. She didn’t sound like she was in pain.“So much happened today...first I thought I was gonna die, and then now I’m safe and comfortable…”Edward brought her closer to himself with his paw. “I realized I shouldn’t have terrified you like I did, though maybe my sheer presence would’ve done that anyways. You still trust me, don’t you?”“I trust you...but it was still scary…”“I understand, but you like being here too, right?”Ariel nodded, and her crying started to lessen. Edward determined that she was starting to feel a little better now, but she wasn’t done talking.“Sorry...I still have a question, Y-your Highness…”“You can call me father if you wish.”“F-father,” Ariel continued, not used to calling someone else by that title yet. “Please don’t take this as impolite, but...how come you wanted to save me and my sister?”“Why do you ask that? Did you want me to punish you?”“No, I was just curious because I can’t make sense of it, and I just want to understand. Surely my sister and I aren’t useful to you. You’re a mighty lion, and I’m barely tall enough to peer over your paw. Plus, I did try to steal what was yours...” Ariel asked, already feeling guilty for asking about his reasons.“An odd question…” Edward mused. “Adopted children don’t normally ask why they were rescued...but it’s fair for you to ask, given that all you wanted was the food…”“Please forgive me for asking; I just want to understand, if you don’t mind.”“I don’t mind at all. Firstly, it was never my intent to punish, much less kill you for doing what you did.”“Never? Why?”“Think about it. I’m the king of this land, and it is my duty to ensure the safety and well-being off all my subjects, no matter how big, and no matter how small. It is also my job to lead by example; if I want my subjects to be people who show mercy and kindness, then I am to do likewise. How would it seem to you if I chose to end your life over an insignificant scrap of food? Would that seem right? Would it not be of utmost cruelty to do that to you, a small and defenseless creature just trying to make sure she and her little sister didn’t starve to death? You may be tiny and of lowly estate, but your life still means just as much as mine, and anyone else’s, does.”Ariel’s life being as important as the king’s? She wouldn’t have given that an ounce of credibility had not the king himself stated that.“I always thought the king could do whatever he wanted with his people; I’m glad you didn’t want to hurt me.”“Not just that, Ariel, it was also in my heart to save your life. When you explained the trouble you and your sister were going through, I couldn’t help but offer to help you. The first thing on my mind wasn’t judgment and wrath, but grace and mercy. You said you have parents no longer, and it is in my means and my spirit to at least try to provide you what a loving father would his own children. Sure, a king could do whatever he wanted, and I’ve chosen to treat you how I would’ve wanted to be treated if I was in your position.”Ariel’s own spirit was lifted; Edward was even kinder than she thought before he spoke his answers. He seemed so much easier to talk to and approach now.“So Ariel, I too have a question on my mind, but you don’t have to answer if it’s still painful. How long ago did you lose your parents?”Ariel sighed, but was fine answering his question. “A month ago…”“What happened to them? Again, if it hurts to talk about it, you don’t have to, and I won’t bring it up again.”“It’s okay.” She replied, feeling like she could open up to him about anything, even this. “A Mooscuro stepped on them while they were fetching water from the pond nearby. I didn’t see it happen, but a neighbor told me, and...when I ran out to help them...they were gone, except for their tails...and some blood…I saw the Mooscuro walking away, as if he didn’t even notice or care…”Okay, it was starting to hurt talking about this, and she couldn’t continue with her story. Edward could see she was about to cry again, so he held her in his paw.“I am sorry about that wretched turn of events...you don’t have to keep going. I understand a lot better now where you’re coming from…”Edward recalled that his paw was planted upon Ariel’s tail for a brief moment earlier that day, but maybe that made her recall what happened to her parents that day. He also felt he let her down for not even knowing this happened until now. He wished he knew the culprit’s identity so he could make him answer for his reckless and negligent actions, but even if he could find that out, that wouldn’t bring her real parents back.“The past month has been so hard, and when we ran out of food, that was when I snuck into your den to find some more.”“You’re a very brave and caring sister; even with all that you’ve gone through, you didn’t give up on living, and you tried so hard to make sure you and your sister could keep going. While sneaking into a lion’s den for food was rather gutsy and potentially foolish, for a mouse, I highly respect the boldness and dedication on your part.”Ariel’s face turned a slight hue of red, a little embarrassed, but also accepting of his evaluation.“I love my sister very much, but I’ll be more thoughtful in the future. I’m very thankful you’re a nice lion.” She tried to hug him, her arms not even able to reach the width of his muzzle.“I’m glad we got to talk some of this out, but now it’s way past your bedtime.”“Aw, but I want to keep talking! I want to ask you a hundred more questions.”He chuckled. “You can ask me them tomorrow; I’m tired and want to sleep.”“I’m not tired, so can I just stay up? Do you have toys or anything I can play with?”“I just said it’s past your bedtime, so you should be sleeping now, not playing.”“Alright. Sorry.”“Here, I know how to make you go to sleep quickly. Climb into my paw.”He opened his paw and angled it so Ariel could climb on easily. She didn’t know what to expect, but did as he said. He then closed his paw over her; not so tight as to be uncomfortable and stifling, but enough to keep her securely inside and allow her to breathe easily. She was surprised by how soft his paw was and by how safe she felt inside of it. She curled up and nestled herself as deeply as she could into one of his paw’s grooves. She was asleep within two minutes.“It never fails.” He smirked, and then rested his own head down and went to sleep; Ariel still cozy and secure.

I've always wanted to make a story featuring a wholesome and familial relationship between a lion and a mouse, so now I have all this, and more to come.

Edit: Dang it, I forgot to pair it with music again! I pick...this one:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmSUG…

Description
Quick rundown of some characters:

Edward: A Scyroar who is the king of this land I have not given a name to yet. A Scyroar is a Pyroar/Scyther fusion that is 4'11" tall from paw to forehead.

Sophia: Edward's wife. She is an Alolan Ninetales.

Ariel: A plain brown mouse first adopted by Edward, as was her little sister, Rebekah.

Desmond: Edward and Sophia's firstborn; an Alolan Vulpix

December 23, 1822

It all happened just three days after Desmond was born to Edward and Sophia. The excitement of having their first child together was still fresh, and Ariel and Rebekah were thrilled to have a little brother (who was ironically still bigger than them). The coming new year seemed to be full of promise.

Ariel's father was in a meeting with some of his advisers on opening trade up with various nations and kingdoms. Ariel went with him, as she liked learning about his job and how her own home related to the rest of the world. However, a little hole in the wall had captured her attention, and she clambered down the table leg and across the floor to get a better look. Was it a secret passage specially designed for small animals such as herself? Was there a hidden treasure inside? Her father generally never allowed her to be in a separate area without his, or another larger animal's supervision, but he didn't notice her leave, being caught up in leading discussion.

"Too bad Rebakah's not here!!" She thought. "We could explore this tunnel together." Her little sister was with their mother and brother, away from the politics and the arguments.

Ariel was underwhelmed by the experience, as the tunnel was just a straight line that led to another room; not much of an adventure. She was about to turn back and return before her father would notice, but then she heard some quiet voices in the room.

"I will not suffer to have Desmond as our future king." One male voice uttered. "We have had only Scyroars as monarchs, never anything else."

"Edward hates this kingdom." Another male voice responded. "He deliberately married an Alolan Ninetales to ruin tradition, and with his firstborn being a Vulpix, that will end our once proud line of lion rulers."

"We have to kill the child somehow. We have to send the message to Edward that not any Pokémon will do. He can't toy with the precedent that all of his forefathers established."

This was followed by softer speaking that was difficult for Ariel to make out, but she stayed. She even climbed stealthily up to the fruit basket to try hearing better. The two conspirators also seemed to be writing something, as the little mouse could hear the familiar sound of the quill dipping into the ink bottle every so often.

"Hehe, Desmond will be as good as dead!" The first one declared. "Let's hide these plans over here."

To Ariel's fright, the plotter, who turned out to be a Persian, made his way in her direction. She hid herself deeper under the large pieces of fruit, and then felt the entire basket lift upwards. She then heard him slip the paper under it, and then lower the basket again.

"Do you smell that?" The second conspirator, a wolf, asked, sniffing the air. "I smell a mouse."

"I do too...maybe we're just hungry. Let's go to the Hunting Fields and catch something."

Ariel heard them walk away, and she emerged from the pile of fruit. She saw that the coast was clear, and then hopped out of the basket hurriedly. With pulse racing, she tried to tug the piece of paper out rom under the basket. There was a small gap between the basket and the surface of the table that made extracting the paper possible, but it was still difficult.

"You know what, I just realized that's a horrible place for the plans." The Persian said to his wolf companion. "The servants who clean that room will find them!"

The wolf sighed. "I'll go hide them then; someone has to have the brains between you and me."

""Yeah, well, you didn't say anything when I put them there..."

"Just wait here."

The wolf ambled back to the room, trying not to look suspicious. When he looked towards the fruit basket, he saw it had been budged significantly. Panic-stricken, he looked here-and-there for the plans, and that was when he saw Ariel darting into a hole in the wall. He could also here the sound of wrinkled paper making contact with the tunnel walls.

He knew that was Ariel, and now he knew that he and his accomplice were going to be dead meat.

Within five minutes, Edward had the two surrounded with his security personnel. They weren't even close to escaping the den.

"How dare you two conceive of such a wicked plot! against my own son" Edward roared. "You two will remain in the dungeon until I decide what should be done with you."

Later, Edward scolded Ariel for leaving his supervision like that, but mostly congratulated her for her bravery and action; perhaps Desmond would've really gotten murdered had she not done something. The little mouse was the hero of the day, and her father held a banquet the following night to honor her. It was a surreal moment; a mighty lion bestowing such accolades on a little rodent like this, but he assured her it was deserved.

In the following year, another act of sedition would take place, and Ariel would get involved. However, it's not going to go very well for Ariel...

Here's the story of that sedition:
Symphony No. 4 AnnouncementEven though I said I was going to do shorter works from now on, I got an idea for another lengthy one, and I just couldn't pass it up. The subtitle for this work will be, "The Sedition of 1823," and unlike with the last work, I'm just going to break down all the planned sections beforehand. There will be five movements.Mvmt 1 - The late spring sun rises over Edward's kingdom (still don't have a name for it yet), and the mood is serene and elegant, with an air of majesty. The tempo eventually picks up as more of the animals and Pokémon awaken and continue their normal lives. It concludes at night, with Ariel looking up at the stars and wondering what sorts of big adventures she might embark on in her future. Little does she know, one is about to take place...but not in the way she wanted it to,,,Mvmt 2 - The next morning, it is reported to Edward that a critical hostage situation has taken place overnight. A large cobra had infiltrated one of the orphanages, and is threatening to kill and eat all of the helpless animals inside unless King Edward relinquishes his throne and gives it to her within three days. If this weren't bad enough, she is guarded by other venomous snakes who are taking part in this mutiny. The situation is volatile, and Edward calls an urgent meeting with all his advisers to discuss how to deal with the situation quickly and safely. He is unaware, however, that Ariel is already making haste towards that orphanage, convinced she has what it takes to rescue everyone. Her father would never, ever approve of this move, but she doesn't feel good about remaining idle while others' lives are threatened. How will this lowly mouse fare against all those snakes? Will she manage to outsmart them with cunning agility, or end up as an unfortunate fatality?Mvmt 3 - Ariel infiltrates their base camp in the dark of night and makes her way to the orphanage in the center of it. The leader of the coup herself directly surrounds all the frightened little children. Though she sleeps, nobody is brave enough to try sneaking out from her coils. Ariel is aghast at how huge the cobra is, but as she had come this far, she couldn't turn back now. She gets the idea to find a thick cord and tie it around the cobra's muzzle, though she would need help from the other children to do this. She reasons that as long as her mouth is bound, she can't do them much harm. One of the children, a raccoon, helps her. The plan after this would be to do this to the other dozen or so snakes before they could wake up. However, they don't get far. The cobra's eyes dart open as she senses what is happening to her, and Ariel finds herself eye-to-eye with the snake. Never had the little mouse's blood run so cold.Mvmt 4 - Ariel darts away, overcome with terror, but the cobra constantly hems her in with her huge frame. She is determined to kill Ariel, not wanting to underestimate the potential damage the mouse could render to her plans. After all, had she been asleep a few minutes more, Ariel and the raccoon could've bound her mouth shut and thus defeated her. During the terrifying pursuit, the other children escape, as the cobra is no longer keeping her eye on them. Ariel nearly escapes, but one of the other snakes snags her, and brings her back to the cobra to let her finish her off. The cobra gives the choice of death by poison, or death by getting eaten. However, Ariel is spared from choosing her fate, as Edward and his siblings storm the base; roaring out massive Fire Blasts to send the snakes off scurrying. Edward sees the cobra, and the other snake holding Ariel hostage, and his blood runs hot. He roasts them alive without interrogation, and rescues his daughter, unscathed by the fire, but shaken by the abject terror of the last several minutes.Mvmt 5 - The sedition is put to an end, and while peace has been restored, Edward has a major bone to pick with Ariel. He sharply reprimands her for running into danger like that, especially without telling anyone. His voice is raised nearly to a yell, enough to cause Ariel to cower from him. He goes on to tell her how her sister and mother were in tears because they didn't know where she was, and had thought that something had happened to her. He continues, telling her that it is not in her place to put herself in harm's way like that, and that it was his job to protect his family and kingdom, not hers; that if anyone were to put their life on the line like that, that was a father's responsibility, not the child's. He tells her how all her family loves her, and how immeasurably heartbroken they would've been if she got killed. His anger is palpable, as is his love and care for her, and Ariel cries, asking for forgiveness (while still cowering under the desk). Edward's anger subsides eventually, and he forgives her. Her mother and sister and so happy to see her again, and Rebekah makes her promise she'll never runaway like that ever again. Ariel promises, now wiser than she was two days ago.I think this will be a lot of fun to compose, as the story is packed with conflict, adventure, and emotion. A little background for this story is that Edward's grandfather, Noah, had passed away earlier that year, and the cobra saw this as a sign that his ways of thinking and ruling were now over, and it was time to bring the kingdom back into a time of carnage. Noah had governed with justice and peace, doing his best to ensure that every citizen had an equal voice, whether mighty or weak. His son Alexander, and grandson, Edward, had continued this trend, and the cobra hated it. She believed that the carnivores should be above the herbivores, and the only way she could bring that way of life back was to make Edward step down. That is the story's more obvious sedition, but a more subtle one lies in Ariel's story arc. Though obviously brave and caring, she was also thoughtless and disobedient to her father, which is another form of rebellion. The mouse had lost her fear of carnivorous animals, as she had become used to interacting with them since Edward adopted her, but she had become so used to it that even dealing with a cobra didn't bother her. Her father later lauds her courage and proactive personality, but continues to warn her against needlessly risking her life and jumping into scenarios where she is likely to die.I was going to link pertinent deviations with character info, but the formatting is so bad that I'll leave them out. I really, really wish DA would just let me share deviations as links, but it forces me to post the full picture. Instead, if you happen to be reading this and want more info on some of these characters, I can just reply to your comment with them. If that doesn't work...I'll just have to think of something else XDAnd if you are one of the two or three people who made it this far, then kudos to you. You are awesome I plan to start working on this in perhaps a couple of weeks, and hopefully I don't take 21 months to finish.

This is all part of a story arc I began developing at the beginning of this year. Here is more on the characters:
The Good King (Short Story)January 2, 1821After dinner, Edward instructed the little mice to climb onto his back. It was now time for sleep. The winged lion’s room was spacious and ornate; neither Ariel nor Rebekah had ever seen anything so grand in their lives.“You will sleep in my bed tonight; it should be more than comfortable for you two.” Edward lowered his head onto the bed so the mice could alight from his head carefully. Rebekah leapt straight down off the top of his head, whereas Ariel made her way down gingerly; using the Scyroar’s snout as a step. The younger mouse made her way to one side of the bed, assuming it was hers.“Thanks for saving us, mister king.” She said and then burrowed under the thick blue blanket.“You’re very welcome, Rebekah.” He gently patted the area of the blanket where her tiny body was hidden.Ariel thanked him too, addressing him as “Your Highness” before picking a spot near her sister. Edward patted her too before lying down on his usual side of the bed. The bed was so big not because he needed all that space, but because he expected one day to have a wife.“Good night, and if you need anything, try to wake me up.”They acknowledged him, and also said good night. It didn’t take long for Rebekah to fall asleep, but Ariel’s mind was abuzz. It had been such a strange day; it ended far better than she expected it to, but the part before that was the most terrifying incident of her life. The last couple hours were an emotional roller coaster for the little rodent.Edward was about to fall asleep himself when he heard one of the mice starting to cry. He reached over and lifted the blanket slightly.“What’s wrong? Why are you crying, my child?”Edward removed more of the blanket and saw that it was Ariel. Rebekah was still sound asleep. Based on how the older mouse was crying, it sounded to Edward like she was reeling from having an emotional day. She didn’t sound like she was in pain.“So much happened today...first I thought I was gonna die, and then now I’m safe and comfortable…”Edward brought her closer to himself with his paw. “I realized I shouldn’t have terrified you like I did, though maybe my sheer presence would’ve done that anyways. You still trust me, don’t you?”“I trust you...but it was still scary…”“I understand, but you like being here too, right?”Ariel nodded, and her crying started to lessen. Edward determined that she was starting to feel a little better now, but she wasn’t done talking.“Sorry...I still have a question, Y-your Highness…”“You can call me father if you wish.”“F-father,” Ariel continued, not used to calling someone else by that title yet. “Please don’t take this as impolite, but...how come you wanted to save me and my sister?”“Why do you ask that? Did you want me to punish you?”“No, I was just curious because I can’t make sense of it, and I just want to understand. Surely my sister and I aren’t useful to you. You’re a mighty lion, and I’m barely tall enough to peer over your paw. Plus, I did try to steal what was yours...” Ariel asked, already feeling guilty for asking about his reasons.“An odd question…” Edward mused. “Adopted children don’t normally ask why they were rescued...but it’s fair for you to ask, given that all you wanted was the food…”“Please forgive me for asking; I just want to understand, if you don’t mind.”“I don’t mind at all. Firstly, it was never my intent to punish, much less kill you for doing what you did.”“Never? Why?”“Think about it. I’m the king of this land, and it is my duty to ensure the safety and well-being off all my subjects, no matter how big, and no matter how small. It is also my job to lead by example; if I want my subjects to be people who show mercy and kindness, then I am to do likewise. How would it seem to you if I chose to end your life over an insignificant scrap of food? Would that seem right? Would it not be of utmost cruelty to do that to you, a small and defenseless creature just trying to make sure she and her little sister didn’t starve to death? You may be tiny and of lowly estate, but your life still means just as much as mine, and anyone else’s, does.”Ariel’s life being as important as the king’s? She wouldn’t have given that an ounce of credibility had not the king himself stated that.“I always thought the king could do whatever he wanted with his people; I’m glad you didn’t want to hurt me.”“Not just that, Ariel, it was also in my heart to save your life. When you explained the trouble you and your sister were going through, I couldn’t help but offer to help you. The first thing on my mind wasn’t judgment and wrath, but grace and mercy. You said you have parents no longer, and it is in my means and my spirit to at least try to provide you what a loving father would his own children. Sure, a king could do whatever he wanted, and I’ve chosen to treat you how I would’ve wanted to be treated if I was in your position.”Ariel’s own spirit was lifted; Edward was even kinder than she thought before he spoke his answers. He seemed so much easier to talk to and approach now.“So Ariel, I too have a question on my mind, but you don’t have to answer if it’s still painful. How long ago did you lose your parents?”Ariel sighed, but was fine answering his question. “A month ago…”“What happened to them? Again, if it hurts to talk about it, you don’t have to, and I won’t bring it up again.”“It’s okay.” She replied, feeling like she could open up to him about anything, even this. “A Mooscuro stepped on them while they were fetching water from the pond nearby. I didn’t see it happen, but a neighbor told me, and...when I ran out to help them...they were gone, except for their tails...and some blood…I saw the Mooscuro walking away, as if he didn’t even notice or care…”Okay, it was starting to hurt talking about this, and she couldn’t continue with her story. Edward could see she was about to cry again, so he held her in his paw.“I am sorry about that wretched turn of events...you don’t have to keep going. I understand a lot better now where you’re coming from…”Edward recalled that his paw was planted upon Ariel’s tail for a brief moment earlier that day, but maybe that made her recall what happened to her parents that day. He also felt he let her down for not even knowing this happened until now. He wished he knew the culprit’s identity so he could make him answer for his reckless and negligent actions, but even if he could find that out, that wouldn’t bring her real parents back.“The past month has been so hard, and when we ran out of food, that was when I snuck into your den to find some more.”“You’re a very brave and caring sister; even with all that you’ve gone through, you didn’t give up on living, and you tried so hard to make sure you and your sister could keep going. While sneaking into a lion’s den for food was rather gutsy and potentially foolish, for a mouse, I highly respect the boldness and dedication on your part.”Ariel’s face turned a slight hue of red, a little embarrassed, but also accepting of his evaluation.“I love my sister very much, but I’ll be more thoughtful in the future. I’m very thankful you’re a nice lion.” She tried to hug him, her arms not even able to reach the width of his muzzle.“I’m glad we got to talk some of this out, but now it’s way past your bedtime.”“Aw, but I want to keep talking! I want to ask you a hundred more questions.”He chuckled. “You can ask me them tomorrow; I’m tired and want to sleep.”“I’m not tired, so can I just stay up? Do you have toys or anything I can play with?”“I just said it’s past your bedtime, so you should be sleeping now, not playing.”“Alright. Sorry.”“Here, I know how to make you go to sleep quickly. Climb into my paw.”He opened his paw and angled it so Ariel could climb on easily. She didn’t know what to expect, but did as he said. He then closed his paw over her; not so tight as to be uncomfortable and stifling, but enough to keep her securely inside and allow her to breathe easily. She was surprised by how soft his paw was and by how safe she felt inside of it. She curled up and nestled herself as deeply as she could into one of his paw’s grooves. She was asleep within two minutes.“It never fails.” He smirked, and then rested his own head down and went to sleep; Ariel still cozy and secure.

I've always wanted to make a story featuring a wholesome and familial relationship between a lion and a mouse, so now I have all this, and more to come.

Edit: Dang it, I forgot to pair it with music again! I pick...this one:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmSUG…