67 The Palace of Serenity Part 2 (1/1)
Kyera laid still under her eyes and let the cool air expandher lungsto full capacityagain. A familiar scent draped like a blanket over Kyera's senses. It was her. The smellshe hadn'tsmelt since she was just a cub. She tried to sit up, to locatethe owner withher eyes.
The momentshe spotted her, Kyera struggled to her feet. The beautiful white tigress with a silvering muzzle descended the stairs with such elegance she could almost pass for a tigress in her prime. Kyera was even more aware of each pained, shakie shiftshe had to make to stand.
A low growl rumbled deep in her chest as the Tigress paused at the bottom step, tilting her head. The little jewel settled on her forehead danced with the movement a mocking diamond in theeyes of the Cub she had thrown away. The elderTigress eyes narrowed as she sniffed the air.
The Empress Dowagerraised an eyebrowand picked up a resistantRaina. Thelittle girldidn't understandwhat was going on, but she didn't want to leave her Tigress.
The older woman pulled her away firmly and stepped back, she knew posture well enough to know these two Tigers knew and did not like each other. The eldertigressstraightened her head and stepped off the steps. Kyera hissed and took a step back. For every step forward Kyera took one back.
”MoonGlow?” the tigress whispered as if tasting the word, but to Kyera it was a curse. She hissed and turned running into the woods despitethe cries of pain that fought past her lips. Kyera couldn'thandle seeing her. Not in the state shes in.
It would have been easier if she was wearing a collaror looked the slightestbit worse for wear. She didn't.THAT CREATURE looked better than Kyera did after all these years. A tigress inher prime, seenas a beautyamongsther kin was a rough country bumpkin besidethat traitor.
”Moon! MOON!” cried Raina's little voiceafter her. Kyera wanted to turnback to the child but she couldn't.If she did they would fight. She couldn'tpromise she would stop till blood spilt and stained that white coat red. The little one didn't need to see that.
Even as she ran, Kyera knew she didn'twant the child to see her like that. Fearsome and angry, a killer. There was no doubtin her mind if she faced off against her mother… one would not leave alive.Not after all the pain and suffering she and her brothers had endured becauseshe couldn'tbe a mother to her children.
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Back at the tea table, The Dowager Empress still held her great grandchild and rocked hertryingto sooth her tears. Raina hiccupped as her father walked into the garden. She wiggledfree of the Dowager Empress who allowed her free. The child ran straight to her father's arms. He knelt down,gathering his babyclose to him.
”Oh little Love.” he whisperedhis hand slipping into her hair and holding her little body close. Realizing his neck was being squeezed and tears wet his robeshe frowned. ”What hurts? Are you okay?” he asked his voice soothing but a slight bit panicked.
”She ran away…” the little one cried. Her voicecaught in the heavy breathing of a little one who had cried too much to speak properly.She hid her face in his shoulderand sniffled.
Clovis looked at the Empress Dowager and raisedan eyebrow. He was at a loss as to who the Princess meant. The Empress Dowager sighed ”The Princeswas returned to us, and her savior ran away when my Tigress came to greet her. She's been inconsolableever since.” The EmpressDowager explainedwatching Raina with tender eyes. The poor thing was shaking now as she controlledher emotions.
”Ahh… whoever itwas bring them back. I wish to thank them… her… personally.” he replied gently rocking the princess holding hertight. The Emperor and Queens arrivedmoments later having followed as quickly as dignity would allow. It was unsurprisingthatClovis hadn'tgiven a damn about etiquette as he ran to his daughter.
”It might be a bit tricky. She's a Tigress. Pretty badly wounded from what I saw. Going after her might be dangerous.” The Empress Dowager replied smoothly, raising to her feetas her son entered. Castingthe Emperor a coldstare.