Liz Brookshire took the empty chair at the table and looked over her surroundings.
Being in public during the daytime, everyone was in their normal forms, but seated on either side were friends and fellow werelionesses who Liz thought could talk the normal woman sitting directly across from her out of joining were society, let alone become Peter Talbot's future wife.
Where did my plan go wrong? Liz asked herself, but no answer was forthcoming.
"So tell me," said Karen Yuletide, staring at the woman who wanted the werelion prince of Moon Lake all to herself instead of letting him chose who he wanted to love and be with. "What qualities do you personally think becomes a werelioness, let alone a woman who marries into the Talbot family?"
Liz didn't have to stop and think about that. She knew what she believed to be the proper qualifications to mate with someone as important as Peter. "Right off the top of my head? Beauty. Grace. Poise. A prominent place in society even before the wedding."
"I see," replied Karen, thinking over Liz's answer.
There was a pause before Karen said, "Well, I will concede my lack of your last condition, although Peter doesn't seem to mind. I may be a commoner, to use the vernacular, but I wouldn't be the first person perceived to marry above my alleged station."
"Like Grace Kelly or Diana," chipped in Katrina Garcia, who had alerted Karen and Peter as to Liz's intentions.*
"And there have been those who went in the other direction and abdicated their position to marry the person they loved," added Alberta Dayson. "I just read about Edward the VIII, who gave up the throne of England to marry Wallis Simpson."
"True," agreed Teresa Chord, another werelioness. "After gathering early at Katrina's insistence to meet Karen and see for ourselves, we've come to the consensus that Peter's a lucky man to have her in his life. She definitely has beauty and grace covered. After all, considering some of the dirty tricks you've played on us in the past to attempt keeping Peter all to yourself, I'm surprised the king hasn't banished you by now."
"I'm not that vindictive, am I?" Leon Talbot asked his son in a whisper.
The Talbot men, along with a campus security guard, were sitting elsewhere in the Student Commons Area to keep an eye on Liz to make sure she behaved herself and didn't try to attack Karen. But with both of them being werelions, Peter and his father easily overheard most of what was being said by the ladies.
"Vindictive? No. When necessary, your royal punishments have been fair and duly earned by the guilty parties," conceded Peter. "Although there have been a few situations, like now concerning Liz, when I wonder whether or not things would have been better with something more strict."
"Having second thoughts about what your fiance suggested?" wondered Leon.
"Only in regards to Liz and Friday night," admitted Peter.
"One thing I hope you've learned from me about our positions is that it is way too easy to be overbearing. It's better to tread gently and do more later than to regret applying too firm a paw at the start," advised Leon.
Peter just nodded his head in agreement as he sipped his soda.
"This is all well and good," said Betsy Wilder, "but I think we're all overlooking the most important things. Heart and love," to which all the other ladies chimed in agreement. "From what little I've seen of the two of them together today, there's no doubt in my mind how they feel about each other. I just wish I could be that lucky."
"Peter definitely loves Karen, and vice versa," agreed Katrina.
"But I love Peter," protested Liz.
"Do you? Or do you just love the thought of being the prince's princess and potential future queen?" asked Alberta.
"I—" Liz stuttered.
"I think we're putting Liz unduly on the spot now," realized Karen. "It wouldn't be fair to ask her a question on a subject she's never thought about before."
"Maybe," agreed Katrina. "But what's that old adage about the goose and the gander?"
"I know what you're saying," replied Karen, "but it's also true that two wrongs don't make a right. Would giving Liz a taste of her own medicine make us any better than her?"
The other ladies realized what Karen was getting at and readily agreed while Liz remained silent.
"Well," said Alberta, glancing at her watch, "as enlightening as this has been, I've got another class soon," she announced, getting up from her chair. "Let's exchange at least phone numbers, if not e-mail addys too."
Wow, thought Karen, as the new friends started trading info. This went far better than I thought it would.
"Karen, it's been a pleasure meeting you and once you can roar, we've definitely got to get together for a girls night," suggested Alberta.
"Really?" said Karen.
"Yeah. You know, let our fur down and... whatever," she said, smiling at her new friend and licking her lips seductively.
"Sure," replied Karen, not knowing what else to say.
With that, the other ladies started to rise and depart.
"Peter is definitely one lucky lion," said Katrina, before saying goodbye.
"Don't let Liz get you down," advised Teresa. "She may be my friend, but we don't always see eye to eye about things. Especially in regards to Peter Talbot," she added before leaving.
Teresa addressed most of her comments to Liz. "You were seriously wrong about her. Makes you wonder what else you're wrong about, doesn't it?" she asked, before saying goodbye to both her and Karen.
"Afraid I can't add much more to what everyone else said," began Betsy, "except this."
And with that, the werelioness kissed Karen right on the lips!
When the kiss ended, Karen just stood there, speechless as Betsy said, "I hope it doesn't scare you that I'm bi."
"Err... no," replied Karen, staring at the other woman.
"I never go where I'm not invited, but I do agree with Alberta that we definitely need to have a girls night out, or in, once you're furry. See you around Yuletide," said Betsy with a smile before leaving.
That left Karen and Liz at the table.
The two women stared at each other.
Karen wasn't sure what she saw in Liz's face or what might be on her mind at that moment.
In fact, considering some of the ladies' comments, Karen wasn't sure what to think about a couple of things herself.
Then Karen said to Liz, "For what it's worth coming from me, I don't hate you. In fact, I kind of pity you."
"P-pity?" repeated Liz.
"Part of every girl's life growing up is stories about a handsome prince finding his one true love and sweeping the girl off her feet. Sadly, real life and fantasy don't always agree. Peter found his lady. Unfortunately it wasn't you."
"So what happens now?" Liz demanded to know.
"Other than making sure you realize the dream is over in Peter's case come Friday night, you're free to live your life however you want to. Just don't try to interfere with him or me anymore. Otherwise, I wish you well."
With that, Karen Yuletide left the building to go to her own next class.
Liz Brookshire just sat there, staring off into space, lost in thought.
Finally she rose, thinking to herself, I'm NOT going to cry. At least, not HERE!
And with that, she hurriedly left.
"I knew there was something special about Karen from the moment I first met her," father told son. "She will make a great addition not only to your life, but to the pride as well."
"I know," agreed Peter, feeling his heart rejoice at how Karen handled herself.
"Please see that Miss Brookshire gets to her next class," Leon requested to the security guard, "then my people will take it from there. I'll meet with Dean Myers again on my way out," he added, spotting one of his own guards enter the Student Commons Area.
On behalf of all our contributors past and present, a big THANK YOU to cyoc.net and our loyal readership for your continued support of our efforts across all of the various Moon Lake stories.—The Masked Writer.
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*In our previous episode "Spilled Beans".—tmw.