True Deceit

Part Two

Lion-O and Panthro headed back to the lair after a very successful city opening. However, even though the opening was a triumph and Lion-O could rest and relax now, the Lord of the Thundercats had many things to do. Once he got back, he would change clothes into his regular uniform and head out to a clan meeting with the elders. This time it was with the tigers to survey some land that the other Thundercats have found so it will be given his final approval for construction.

"So, Lion-O, glad this morning is over with?" Panthro asked.

"Yes," Lion-O said triumphantly. "But I still have a lot to do today."

"I suppose, but I bet Cheetara is glad that you finally got this over with. You have been really working hard on your speech and not spending as much time with her as you use to."

"Yeah, but she understands. She knows the overload of work the Lord of the Thundercats has to undertake."

"Yes, but even the busiest men have time to spend with their wife."

Lion-O gave his friend a surprising look. "I spend time with Cheetara. Maybe not as much as we were first married, but I have a whole planet to look after. Cheetara understands that."

"Okay," the blue panther said uncertain. "Just don't avoid her too much, otherwise she may seek comfort somewhere else."

"Cheetara isn't like that, Panthro. She's strong, independent and she loves me. She would never betray me like that. Cheetara wouldn't be desperate to be with another man," Lion-O said confidently.

Panthro wanted to agree with his friend, but he's been around the block a lot more than the young lord and he had more experience with women.

As soon as Lion-O entered the lair, he rushed to his bedroom to change. With it being hot at the city opening, he thought it was best that he took a shower before he meet with the tiger elders. Cheetara saw him return and followed him to their room. Lion-O didn't see or hear Cheetara enter their private bathroom, admiring Lion-O in the shower and wanted to join him, but thought it was best that she didn't. After his shower, he opened the doors and was surprised to find Cheetara in the bathroom. Because of the steam escaping the shower doors, he wasn't sure but he thought he saw a little blush on his wife cheeks and an odd little smile on her face. He thought he was imagining things.

"Cheetara, what are you doing here?"

Cheetara looked as if she was caught in doing something wrong. "Well, I, uh, saw, um, you when you came home....and I wanted to ask how your speech went....and um I didn't think you would hear me while you were, uh, um, taking your shower so I just waited until you were through.”

She stumbled on almost all her words. She wondered if Lion-O noticed that. She couldn't concentrate. Her tall, handsome, well-fit husband was standing before her in the nude. It didn't help that the steam was rising the heat in the room as well as her own body temperature.

Lion-O didn't see it. "Oh," he said grabbing two towels, much to Cheetara's disappointment and wrapping one around his waist and the other for his hair. He left the bathroom and went to his wardrobe pulling out his regular blue uniform.

Cheetara sat on the bed and watch him finish drying himself off and put on his clothes. Staring at him, she figured she should say something. After all, that was why she told Lion-O she was in the bathroom in the first place. "So, how was the speech?"

"It went great," he said with his back to her. "It got roaring applause. It really motivated the people."

"I'm glad," she got up from the bed and picked up the two towels Lion-O tossed on the floor when he was through with it. She put the towels in a hamper in the bathroom.

"Where are you going now?" she asked stepping out the bathroom.

"Off to see the tiger elders. You know I'm scheduled to see them this month."

Cheetara saw Lion-O finished dressing to walk over to the dresser to comb his hair.

"Can't you postpone it to tomorrow or next week?"

"Why? Now is a good time and it's scheduled."

Cheetara walked behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "Well, you don't have to follow your schedule all the time. You know, be a little spontaneous and skip out on it."

Lion-O turned around and looked at his wife still slow on to what she was getting at. "I don't get it. Why would I do that?"

"Just for fun," Cheetara said rubbing her hands up and down his arm. "I can think of better ways to spend the time. If you feel someone has to see the tiger elders today, why not send Tygra, Panthro, or the kittens."

"Sorry, Cheetara, but I must go. Tygra is busy supervising construction, Panthro is doing a routine check on the all the vehicles and the security systems in the lair and the twins would be bored out of their minds talking to the elders. Now if Bengali,

Pumyra or Lynx-O was here, then I'd send one of them, but they are on 3rd Earth. So you understand why I must go."

Cheetara looked down. "Yes," she looked up. "Well, let me come with you."

"That's okay. I can handle it myself. I'll see you at dinner tonight," he gave her a quick, too quick of a kiss on the lips and left.

Saddened and disappointed, Cheetara sat dejected on the bed. "It's me. He doesn't find me desirable anymore."

Realizing that was the problem, Cheetara fell back on her bed crying on her pillow. Through all the tears that were falling out of her eyes, she some how found a way to fall asleep. After what seem like hours, she was awakened by a knock on the door. Sitting up on the bed, her head began to throb with pain. She knew it was from all the crying she did. Still, she got up. She had to answer the door.

"Cheetara, Snarf told me you were in here and---by Thundera, what happened to you?!"

"What?" was all Cheetara could manage.

"Your face. It's all puffy and it looks like you've been crying. It's Lion-O. What did he do to you?"

Cheetara couldn't hide it anymore, she wanted to, but right now all she wanted was to be told that everything will be all right, and she figured her friend would help her.

"Lion-O doesn't love me anymore," Cheetara cried.

Tygra stepped in the room and closed the door so no one else could hear the conversation. He walked Cheetara to her bed and sat beside her.

"Why would you say that? Of course he loves you."

"No he doesn't. If he did, he doesn't love me anymore. He practically said that today."

Tygra looked Cheetara in the eyes and calmly asked her. "Tell me what happened."

"It started two months ago. Everything was fine, but then all of a sudden, he became a little distant from me. We were not as intimate as we were before. I know that the newly wed romance would end, but then a day turned into a week, then two, three and now two months. It seems the longer it gets, the farther he keeps himself from me. I tried things to get his attention, but he told me he didn't have time." She gets up from bed and walks to her dresser draws. She pulled out the piece of lingerie she wore for Lion-O a few nights ago and showed it to Tygra.

"If your wife wore this, would you make love to her right then or continue working?"

Tygra stared at the outfit. He knew that was what she was wearing that night she ran into Tygra. "I'd be fool not to make love to her wearing that."

"That's what I thought.” Cheetara said, putting the garment back. “It's me, Tygra. Lion-O doesn't love me anymore. He doesn't want me like he used to. But I love him, and I want to be with him always. I... I just don't know what to do," she began to cry.

Tygra got up and hugged Cheetara. "It's not you. It's Lion-O. He's a fool not to see how beautiful you are and how sexy you would look in that outfit." He sighed. "I hate to say this, Cheetara, but I was right. He didn't love you. I should beat him up for hurting you."

"No, Tygra. Don't blame Lion-O on this. I'm partly responsible, too. I should have extended the engagement, but it's just that I've been in love with him for years and I was so happy he told me he loved me too that I was ready to marry him right then and there. I should have been careful, not let my heart rule me, but my mind."

"No, Cheetara, it's not your fault. It's all Lion-O's. He made a fool of you."

"I don't think he intentionally made a fool of me, Tygra. I guess he didn't love me like he used too. It happens. Couples fall out of love with each other. I...I just don't know what I'm going to do because he's the only man for me. I can't picture him with another woman. I can't even picture myself with another man."

"Get ready to face it, Cheetara because it will happen."

Cheetara began to cry once more. She didn't want to admit it, but Tygra was right. He'll soon be dumping her and marrying another woman, probably a lioness.

"I can't believe this is happening to me. What am I going to do?"

"Well, the first thing you have to do is be strong. Then you take control."

"How?" Cheetara asked in a whisper.

"You strike before he does. You move your things out of here and ask for a divorce."

"A divorce?! I can't do that. I don't want to divorce Lion-O."

"He's going to divorce you." He sighed and looked down as if he was thinking of something. He looked up at Cheetara. "Fine, if you don't want to do that, get a separation. He's going to argue against it because he wants to be the one to do it, but you hold your ground no matter what."

"We've only been married for six months. I can't ask for a separation. It's too soon. It's not right."

"Oh, so you think it's right by the way he treats you? Trust me, Cheetara. This is the right thing. You have got to do this."

"I'll think about it, Tygra."

"Good. Just remember that Lion-O will try anything to get you to stay. Even pretend he love you by sweet talking you, kissing you and making love to you again, but you must remember it's all a trick. You mustn't give in. You already suffered enough."

Cheetara took it all in. She had to think about this. "Could you leave me alone now? I need some time to myself."

"Of course," he said and hugged her. "I'll always be here for you, Cheetara. Always." He released her and left the room.

Cheetara walked to her dresser and looks at the picture of her and Lion-O on their wedding day. She picks up the framed picture and walks to her bed. She laid down and stared at the happy couple. Six months ago they were blissfully happy. What went wrong she wondered? She traced her fingers over Lion-O.

"I love you more than words can say, Lion-O? Why don't you love me back? What happened to us? I don't want a divorce or a separation, and .....I don't want to think Tygra is right, but he may be."

Cheetara hugged the picture thinking about what her marriage has come to. She stared at the ceiling, thinking about what Tygra said, thinking about Lion-O and his distance, thinking about what her life has come to. Slowly, the cheetah falls asleep.

Lion-O entered that evening. Cheetara was still asleep. He sat on the bed beside her sleeping form. The Lord of the Thundercats saw something in Cheetara's arms. He gently pulled it out of her hand and looked at it. He stared at their wedding picture. Well, actually, he stared at Cheetara. She looked so happy in the picture. The last thing Lion-O wanted to do was hurt Cheetara and he knew he was. He felt sick to his stomach thinking about last night when his wife came to him. He wanted to take her on the desk and he kicked himself over and over again for not doing so. He knew he hurt his wife when he pushed her away, but it had to be done. He had to do it. Just for a little while longer he told himself.

A soft sound from his wife cause him to look at her. She awakens and saw Lion-O. She smiled at him.

"Hi. When did you get here?"

"Just moments ago. How long have you been sleeping?"

Cheetara looked towards the window. "It was daylight when I fell asleep. What time is it?"

"A little after midnight."

Cheetara sat up. "Midnight, but that means I've been asleep for hours. Where have you been?"

"Out talking with the tigers, looking over lands the others have surveyed and approve it for it being new cities. When I came home, I went to my study."

"You didn't wonder where I were?" Cheetara asked a little hurt. "You said you would see me at dinner."

"I knew you were around here, Cheetara. The Sword of Omens would have told me if you were in any kind of danger. Besides, you weren't at dinner either."

"I suppose," she was hurt of course. How much more of this could she take? The uncaring? The isolation. Why? Why must he do this to her?

She reached out to touch him, but Lion-O got up before she could.

"I'm sorry to disturb your sleep. You can go back to it. I'm not going to be in here tonight. I still have some work to do," he said walking towards the door.

"Lion-O, I want a divorce," Cheetara blurted. She hadn't meant to say that, but him leaving her alone again was too much and she said the first thing that came to her mind.

If it weren't for the light by her lamp, Cheetara wouldn't have caught his reaction at all. She saw him immediately stop when she

said those words. He shook his head as if he heard wrong, turned around to look at Cheetara.

"What did you say?" he asked quietly. His stare was both enraged and incredulous.

"I want a divorce," she was firm and held her ground just like Tygra told her.

"That's....that's what I thought you said." He walked to her and sat back on the bed. "Why?"

He would ask that she thought. The sad, confused eyes were once making her weak again. He looked so innocent, but she had to hold her ground.

"I'm not happy. I want out."

"Cheetara, we've only been married for six months. How can you even consider a divorce now? Even if you want to divorce me, don't you think you should wait longer than six months to decide?"

If she wanted to divorce him? Of course she didn't, but it was obvious to her that Lion-O didn’t believe her so she had to be more convincing.

"I want a divorce, Lion-O. I'm not joking. I'm serious."

She got out of bed and went to their closet. Lion-O followed her. She pulled out her suitcases and put them on the bed.

"What are you doing?" Lion-O asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm packing. I'm moving out." she went back to her closet and pulled out her clothes from their clothes and begins putting it in to the suitcase.

"No, I won't let you. I don't want a divorce."

"It doesn't matter what you want Lion-O. It's what I want. I'm tired of this. I want out. I want to be happy again."

"I thought you were happy. Why aren't you happy anymore?" Lion-O asked. He took her clothes out of the suitcase.

Cheetara pulled her clothes out of Lion-O's hands and put them back in the suitcase. "Don't do that! I said I'm moving out!"

"Moving out where? You can't move out of the lair. Can you imagine the negative publicity we will get?"

"Is that what you care about?! What others will think?! Who cares what they will think?! This is about you and me!"

"I know it is, but if you move out of here, the press will be all over you! And I don't want my wife in the papers like that!" Lion-O finally lost his temper.

Cheetara placed a hand on her hip. "Fine then. I'll just move into my old room. Happy now?"

"No, I won't be happy until you're in bed with me."

"Oh, like you're ever in bed with me. You haven't slept with me in two months!"

"Is that why you want a divorce? A marriage is more than making love!"

"Don't you think I know that?!" Cheetara shouted back. "It's more than that! It's about compromise, caring for each other unconditionally, but you haven't done neither and because of that I want a divorce!"

She put the clothes in the suitcase and closed it. Picking them both up, she head for the door. Lion-O got there in time to block her.

"Please, Cheetara, don't leave me. I don't want our marriage to end," he begged.

The sound of his voice made Cheetara want to drop her suitcases and stay but how can she be sure that he doesn't just want to save the marriage so the press won't be all over them, but because he love her. Did he anymore she wondered. When he told her he wouldn't be happy until she was in bed with him, she was certain that he would grab her and made passionate love to her, convincing her to stay. If he did that, she would have stayed for sure, but he didn't. He didn't even touch her.

Forcing back tears, she said. "I'm sorry, Lion-O, but I'm not the one who walked out on our marriage, you did."

She pushed him aside, and without taking one last look at him, she walked out the door.

Go to Part Three

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