The Tiger Within

There was silence . Cold Erie silence for a long moment as the royals saw servants they had called friends, their own guards, and even children"s tudors bare their Chests . The beast mark burned into their skin glowing and angry . Kan removed his own shift to show the mark on his chest and step before the court . He glanced at Kyera and changed to the tiger form at her feet .

"I am Kan . Defender of Princess Kyera, and tiger son of the Remaining . " He spoke human tongue in tiger form . No one else shifted .

Advertis.e.m.e.nt"These people are shifters . They were stolen from their homes and would give anything to return . Yet like the wild ones they were branded as animals with a mark that means they can never go home . The Dark Ones are in the wrong . They never should have brought the fight to this land . They should not seek revenge as they do . It is not the forest way . However, they are not unprovoked . To think me giving the remnants of a village a proper burial rather than letting them rot in the sun is what started this is ridiculous . " Kyera replied shaking her head at their ignorance .

"We have served you unwillingly, and in truth, if we had wanted to fight out way out you all would have died . However we answer to the forest Law . " Mally told them stepping forward to transform with Lazren and the pair changed together .

"The failures of the father, are not the failures of the child . Blood spilled must not be met with blood taken . The forest children obey their Princess who Protects the Empire but never serves . " Kyera started the line but before she finished the word "failure" the others joined I"m to recite the law in human tongue stopping when she raised her hand . "This is the law we hold sacred . This is the law that defends your forest and your people . This is also the law was born because your kind slaughtered the children of the forest . "

Clovis stood and walked to his wife"s side . "You wanted the truth, Grandmother Empress . Now, you have it . " He spoke completely unphased while his family watched the amazingness that he knew was his wife"s people .

The Emperor stared at the sea of faces and their marks . Rashaan moved out from beside him and bowed to Kyera . He roared in her language and Kyera bowed . "The trust is mutual . " She added with a smile, the human language for the benefit of the humans .

"This is madness . These people are obviously deranged . Call for the guard before they attack . " Fae suggested sounding genuinely afraid . Several familiar faces stared at the sea of people, ones she had not treated kindly either . The Empress shook her head .

"I never agreed with the war on the Shifter people . I remember Ravia… . Ravi . She didn"t deserve the end she received . It"s time we mend this rift . You are welcome here, shifters . " Empress Vivian offered a sad smile as she remembered the monkey girl who had lost her life so long ago . Her anguish was tangible for the shifters who could sense such things as part of their being .

"Grandmother, you can not seriously consider letting these creatures live among us? We will never know if who we speak to be man or beast . " Feya spoke up, her voice clearly confused and concerned . She was like most humans, afraid of what they do not understand .

"I believe our people, whether they be shifter or man have a right to live without fear in our land . " Empress Vivian replied firmly silencing the girl, but Bastil had no intention of letting it go .

"What about our children? Those Dark Ones do not obey their law . What keeps one from hiding in the sea of "good shifters" and attacking our children? Your grandchildren . They want revenge, and we can"t take chances . " Bastil tried to appeal to the old woman"s heart but he was unaware of the pain he brought to mind .

"You mean to say we should slaughter them to protect our children? What of their children? You suggest we kill the helpless to protect against the evil?" Melania asked, completely disturbed as the conversation got out of hand .