The Tiger Within

"Kyera… . " Crystalsa began to try and reason with her when another voice spoke up .

"Then will you accept Frost Dancer?" Bryson interrupted the matriarch who raised an eyebrow slowly . Kyera turned back to her uncle who looked rather confused .

"Uncle?" Kyera asked softly, the confusion showing on her brow as well . He sighed standing up and walking to stand before Kyera . His eyes met her"s filled with shame and regret .
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"Grandfather . Kyera, you should be calling me Grandfather . " He corrected her gently and Crystalsa smiled . The greatest weight she had ever carried was lifted from her shoulders . The night Fantasy had told her the truth, she had nearly cried from the sheer force of the realization of what it could do to her family . She had helped Fantasy escape but only to keep this news from tearing apart her sons .

"I… What do you mean?" Kyera asked frowning deeply .

"Kyera, the man your mother called father was her uncle . Akira Mei was my daughter, but her mother chose to have her take the Frost Born name because of what would have happened had anyone found out the truth . I was fourteen, and to be honest I was in love . Fantasy was amazing and my brother squandered her, she was wronged and I wanted her to know she was never alone . I fell in love with my sister in law and gave her a child, the child my brother refused to bare with her . " Bryson began to explain as the words poured off his lips . She was struck, standing still and focused on her uncle . . No grandfather . If he was speaking the truth he was so much more than just a common uncle .

"I don"t understand . . You mean I am… I am not related to him? He… He wasn"t my grandfather?" Kyera whispered he could see a storm brewing in her eyes . Clovis put his hand tenderly on her hip, the warmth of that palm seeming to force strength into her veins .

"No, he wasn"t . He didn"t know that, but I did . I knew the day Fantasy brought Akira home . My brother didn"t pay enough attention, he was too focused on his new family to worry about the fact he had wronged Fantasy . He a.s.sumed all was well because though he cheated on her, she wouldn"t dare cheat on him . The fool didn"t realize how loving and pa.s.sionate that woman could be if you took care of her . " Bryson frowned and shook his head as the memories pa.s.sed through his mind . So many things he wished he had said to his brother . NOne of them had ever had the chance to be spoken, but perhaps that was for the best .

"Your my Grandfather… truly? That is why you always . . " Kyera started fitting the pieces together and he smiled softly .

"Yes . that is why I kept you close to Me, Sansor and Myra . You are cousins, but much closer than anyone truly knew . You may as well have been sisters . You belonged at our table, and my wife Rosalinda knew that well . Myra and Sansor"s mother was well aware that I loved Fantasy before Rosalinda entered my life . There was never any hard feelings because, let"s be honest, there was no reason for them . " He smiled softly offering his hand to take hers . Kyera let him, seeing no reason to refuse as her mind worked at a fevered pace to make sense of what he had said to her .

"I… I see . " Kyera whispered and in truth her mind barely wrapped around it but the tears in her eyes spoke volumes of the emotional turmoil built up in her heart . He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand .

"Can you forgive me for failing you?" He asked softly . Kyera let go of his hand and threw both arms around his neck hugging him . Bryson caught her, wrapping his own arms around her waist . He was mindful of her wound, even if she had forgotten it for the moment, he wouldn"t see it torn open further .

"There"s nothing to forgive… thank you . " Kyera whispered into his ear and he grinned Kissing her hair .

"Will you take my name?" He asked her gently, his eyes filled with acceptance and understanding .

"Yes, my name is now Kyera Shade of the Moon, Princess of the Dancing WInds, The Frost Dancer . " Kyera recited her name properly but it was quite the mouthful and she chuckled after . "Seriously though… no more surprises . My name can"t get much longer or it will be rediculus to say aloud . " Kyera warned them and managed to steal a round of laughter from her entire familial clan .