The Tiger Within

The darkness covered Kyera like a cloak as she walked out into the night . She felt safer here, in the woodland, plenty of s.p.a.ce to breath, which is what she needed now . It wasn"t that she couldn"t handle them right now, and their veiled concerns . In truth, it hardly bothered her at all . It was their suggestion that her and Clovis would be a good match in all honesty that threw her for a loop .

Verone had just fallen, there was no way her heart could love another so soon . Yes, She adored the Princess as though she was her own blood . If it was just little Raina, they would have to fight her have another take that place . However, there was the man who would be her husband . As much as she liked Clovis there was a fire in him she couldn"t quite place yet . Something within him was hidden from the world and honestly, Kyera wasn"t sure a man with such pa.s.sion could simply agree to marry a woman whose heart he could never own .
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She was pulled from her train of thought when someone came up behind her . "Kyera, wait . " called a familiar voice . Every instinct in Kyera was to refuse, to turn away and walk further down the trail, but her sense of duty stopped her . He could navigate well enough in the light but if he followed her in the dark… there were dangers for a human in the woods at night .

"Yes, your highness?" Kyera asked turning back to look at him . She obediently waited for him to join her . Several long easy strides placed him at her side .

"You are still going to the ball, correct?" He asked searching her face for her intentions . There was another layer to the emotions in his eyes . A confusing layer that seemed to be concern and panic . She couldn"t understand why he would look that way at her .

"Yes, I said I would . Why would you ask?" She asks lowering her eyes to stare at the gra.s.s at their feet . His eyes tried to meet hers but she avoided him . He shook his head a bit, reaching up a gentle and lifting her chin so her eyes met his .

"This, right here is why I ask . You avoiding meeting my eyes, your being excruciatingly formal and honestly your behaving timidly . " He called her out, lacking any form of hesitation . It was obvious subtle wasn"t going to be the way to handle this . His words were spoken gently but clearly, leaving no room for denial . Kyera sighed .

"I am sorry, I just…" She sighed again running her hand through her hair taking a step back from him . She needed the s.p.a.ce to breath . His closeness and the concern in his eyes was suffocating . The feelings that rushed through her forced her to take another long breath and quiet them . Clovis was patient, knowing she needed to speak . After a long time of her trying to find her way through her thoughts, Clovis got a idea .

"Kyera, let me show you something . " Clovis offered, reaching for her hand instead . Kyera took it hesitantly, fairly sure that contact was the last thing she needed . She was surprised to find it was actually calming to have her small hand held in his warm palm . As fairy like as his hands were, the warmth and comfort they offered was just as real as the big strong palms of the warriors she often spent her time with back home . So different, yet… so wrong .

The act was innocent but… was it? She followed him slowly growing annoyed with herself . That fluttering in her stomach, the warm comforting from his hand she shouldn"t be so relaxed . He was the prince… she wasn"t even paying attention to where he was leading!