The Tiger Within 93 Should Have Been A Queen

"You should have been born a queen." Mally whispered without thinking her words through. Kyera smiled tenderly at her friend.

"I was...Just not one of this world…" Kyera replied softly as Ping gently brushed his forehead into kyera's head letter her run her fingers over shadows between his ears. He set the earpiece into her hand, her crest glittering in the fire light. She slid it into place standing tall.

"Kyera…" Mally began but the confidence in Kyera's eyes silenced her. "We should meet the Emperor now." Mally finished, deciding against the words she was going to say. There was no reason for that now, not when they both needed to be of sound minds.

"Yes, we shouldn't keep the Emperor waiting. Thank you Ping." Kyera replied tilting her head to the fox who bowed before das.h.i.+ng off in a circle around her before disappearing into the land beyond.

Mally led down the hall, her hands clasped in front of her waist as she made her way through the hallways she now called home. Kyera mimicked the same stance as they went. The number of animals and humans that traversed these halls made Kyera sad.

'How was it they could tolerate the wild ones, but her own kind were so hated here? Did they realize how similar the two people were? What bred such deep hatred?' She wondered as they crossed the gardens between the Phoenix Palace and the Winter Rain Palaces.

The wind blew leaves and flower petals into the air to dance across the evening sky. The soft scent of cherry blossoms teased at her more human senses. She could do little other than truly enjoy them.

Before long, the pair reached a door with two guards at it. Each was dressed in long robes, with plate armour laying over vital points. Swords on their hips announcing their status. Kyera easily killed both of them in her mind, if she wanted to get past them… it would be all too simple.

Mally bowed as the two men looked her way. "The Emperor asked us to join him in the study." Mally told them her eyes bowed. Kyera waited, wondering what was going on. These customs were foreign to her. 'Why would the guards be standing inside? Did they not trust their Emperor to tend himself' She wondered, mentally noting to ask Mally about it later.

"Yes of course, Beauty Mally. You may pa.s.s, as may your Guest." He agreed opening the door. They had both been well informed to expect the pair, but wanted to make a good impression. Kyera nodded at both of them and went inside. The Emperor sat at the table, at his side was a woman Kyera had never seen before. On pure instinct Kyera knew she wasn't going to like this woman, however on her other side was the Empress Dowager she remembered from before.

The smell hit Kyera a bit late this time, being as she was in human form her nose was less of a effect on her awareness. The white tigress sitting next to the dowager was gnawing on a bone of some kind, rather enjoying herself. Slowing her head raised and looked at Kyera. She quit eating and used her paw to dab the blood from her lips so she was clean and looking at her. The look seemed like a tiger waiting for its prey to run but Kyera refused to give into that urge to flee. She held the tiger's eyes and took a resolute step forward.