The Tiger Within

The moonlight glowed in the garden"s casting a shadowy veil over the colorful flowers. The simple wooden table and chair was currently occupied by a man no one would have expected to see here. A leopard lay quietly at the door, having returned to her post every night after meandering away during the day. The Emperor pat tears on the head, use to her accusing stare by now.

He reached out, gently pushing the door open and walking into the small main room. He remembered when the place had first been turned over to him. The small building had a feeling of cold oppression and despair. It had always been such a negative place that"s very aura made him want to avoid it at all cost. That was by design, afterall it was the banishment hall. What had he been thinking, sending her here?

However, as he looked around a small smile curved his lips. He barely recognized this warm, cozy cottage atmosphere from the fridgide h.e.l.l it had once been. Evelyn had not cleaned up, or packed her things so it was still set up as though it was her home. Her dresses were hung carefully in the wardrobe, skirts and accessories still tucked into their places. The desk had a book on it, the ink and brush she had prefered still resting open as though she had just started a insert. Four volumes beside it, looking similar with different dates on the side of each.

Gently, The Emperor pa.s.sed his fingers over the page, her handwriting bringing out the saddness in his eyes. He had been so sure she would come home… his mind drifted back to the first time he had met Lady Evelyn.

A fall day oh so long ago. The sky had just cleared up from the downpour of rain that no one had expected. He had been in town, spending time with the lords when the daughter of Lord Roland was requested to play the Zither. She had slid into place and played so many beautiful songs, and those beautiful eyes, and raven hair had captured him. Every note she played and the bashful way she looked up blushing when her eyes met his own. She had stolen his heart that night, and honestly she had felt the same.

He missed those moments, laying in her rooms while she played, or feeling the way her heart beat in time with his own. Maybe, it was time to put that all behind him, and bring her home. Women"s troubles shouldn"t remove a wife from her husband"s side. He picked up one of the closed volumes next to the open book. He read the cover absently "The Empress to a Hopeful Reign." Curious he turned the third on edge, so he could read it as well. "The Phoenix Empress, b.l.o.o.d.y Harem." The open one drew his attention. He closed it, and looked at the cover "Fallen without Hope, Empress of the Cold Palace." His eyebrows raised as he recognized the pattern.

He took the first book, and sat down on the edge of the bed. He stared at the cover for a few long moments, debating… but in the end he opened it. Morning dawned again, and the sun rose high before he finished the first volume. His face was blank, shocked as he reached for the next volume and disappeared down another hall of horror. The ugly truth lay bare before him… and he could close the book in walk away but he didn"t want to. It was Evelyn"s turn to be heard.