Posted on 2026-05-31 09:16:29
Score: 4 (vote Up)

The armies of The Pride Lands have begun to advance across Europe. Led by the warrior clan of Lionesses from Pride Rock, this prosperous civilization spreads its rule by diplomacy, subversion and force.

The emergence of The Pride Lands Empire from the African Savanna was a divergence in history perpetrated by the interference of forces beyond mortal comprehension. That and the guiding paw of the one being truly worthy of the title Queen in Nala's eyes.

The forces beyond mortal comprehension were those that created the Devil's Eye. A pink diamond infused with magics that made possible the creation of elixirs to heal severe injury, fatal disease, and prolong life almost indefinitely. Its discovery over three centuries ago in the depths of Pride Rock had led to civil war within The Pride, the largest lion tribe that ruled the Savanna at that time. The patriarchal dynasty tore itself apart leaving it to the final king's warrior bride to restore order. Queen Sarabi avenged her husband and son's death at the claws of the would-be usurper, and led her people to unite their homeland to usher in an age of prosperity.

It was under Queen Sarabi's rule and the protection of The Pride's Lionness warriors that The Pride Land Empire had expanded to the Southern borders of the Sahara and across the entire continent. Over their prolonged lives, Nala had led the defense of her Queen's rule against countless attempts from both within and outside the empire. She had never expected it to end with Sarabi naming her as the new Queen. In her wisdom, Sarabi had realised that for the empire and its people to continue to prosper in a changing world, it needed new minded leadership that Nala had demonstrated time and again as her strongest warrior.

Now, a century later, The Pride Lands Empire had established rule across North Western Africa. Former trade allies had tried to undermine Queen Nala's rule and paid the price with subjugation. The Spanish Kingdoms had taken similar actions, proclaiming divine backing only for The Pride's Imperial forces to repel them back far back across the Iberian Peninsula. All the way back to the Pyrenees mountains, in fact.

To the independent city of Nome; the gateway to Europe.

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Art by the amazing KeenDee_Miyavi of Twitter (aka lairreverenteboladepelos), and major credit to my friend who helped conceive the idea.

A/N: So, the blurb this time was much more about backstory for Nala and Sarabi. Many questions still, I'm sure and they will be answered with time. The image itself is set a few months to a year before Maid Marian.

Also, the fucking irony that I have to set my VPN to Andorra to upload this and not set off the spam blocker.