The Palace of the Dancing Wind
The wind lazily swept across the court yard toying with ladies skirts as the set about the garden duties . Kyera walked hand in hand with Raina down the path . She hadn't been this way in the garden before, it led to the harem quarters and the few meetings she had been unfortunate enough to endure had not been plesant . Alert and sensing the world around her, Kyera obediently followed Raina .
The child had been interestingly quiet, as though she she was worried she would spoil the surprise . At the end of the path Kyera noticed a small garden circle of rose bushes . At the center stood a man beside . table . Cakes and tea seemed to be waiting patiently for her . Kyera paused as she recognized him, anger and concern melding in her heart .
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Crimson hair pulled back in a ponytail behind his head, and a knight's uniform on his frame was enough to make her uneasy . Those brown eyes turned crimson with blood lust when he fought . She knew this from experience . The scar across his face, four thin silver lines a reminder of that night . Why he didn't kill her, she still didn't know .
"Your old friend wanted to see you . Surprise!" Raina giggled and Kyera managed to force a brilliant smile . She couldn't help but kneel down and put herself between Raina and the man . Even if it meant putting her back to him, it was best for Raina .
"Thank you, darling . Please run along back to your lessons . I will be back to read with you, dear . If I don't make it send Lazren to look for me . " she added not wanting the child to stumble on anything negative . There was a good chance nothing would happen, but she couldn't chance it . Not with this beast . The Princess nodded and went back up the path as Kyera stood and walked to the tea table .
"Kan . " Kyera greeted unwilling to continue the statement . He bowed to her again, and she resisted the urge to slash the back of his neck .
"Princess Kyera, I am sorry . I am well aware that was underhanded of me, but we have to talk . " Kan spoke a bit quickly, surprisingly respectful . He pulled out a chair for her, like a true gentleman before taking his own seat . The tea and cakes were forest delicacies, soft root tea, pale green and smelling faintly of ginger . The cakes were simple flavors that go well cooked over a open flame . The spread was certainly tempting . She took the seat once he was seated .
"Alright, I suppose you're smart enough not to poison me and…you proved honest last we met . " Kyera added pouring a glass of tea while the shadows swept through the cakes on the table .
"Yes well, I didn't know if you believed me or not . I wish I had been wrong . " Kan added gently . He felt similar pain after hearing of the fall of his home village . She looked away .
"It was an attempt to draw me out" Kyera asked having to force herself to remain civil . "They know I had the key . "
"Had? You passed it on?" Kan asked seeming surprised and Kyera just smiled . "alright, I give . That isn't what I needed to discuss with you anyway . " Kan replied trying to be less snarky . His human form answered to her as fourth Princess afterall, and his tiger as the forest Princess .
"Then what do you want to discuss . " she asked no longer in the mood for banter . He took a deep breath and met her eyes . They burned into her, searching for a willingness to listen .
"I didn't kill Verone . "
Chapter end
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