The Tiger Within

"Snow Drop? Is that the name of the Master you have been learning Zither from?" Clovis asked honestly seeming a touch confused . Raina seemed to think hard for several moments and Kyera"s cheeks suddenly felt warm .

In her mind she was no master . " What had this little girl told her father to get him to agree to this?" Kyera wondered honestly a touch embarra.s.sed . Raina giggled at her father"s conclusion while Mally stared at them all rather blankly . She had no idea who Snow Drop was or that Raina was learning the Zither .

Advertis.e.m.e.nt"Your learning to play, Princess?" Mally asked honestly a bit astonished . The child had never shown interest in music before . Raina nodded .

"Yes, I am . Warrioress Kyera is going to teach me . Snow Drop is my Muse . " Raina replied her little grin beaming like a child who just used a special word they just learned . She looked at them as of she was hoping for the surprised and impressed reactions which all three adults gave her on que .

"Your Muse?" Clovis asked raising a elegant eyebrow at his daughter . Raina nodded sagely, she pulled her long, dark hair to one side so he could see the powder blue dressed fairy on her shoulder . Kyera chuckled recognizing the sweet little dancer from the day before . The fairy was shy for a moment, but fluttered over to Kyera and swept a bow . Kyera nodded at her and the fairy pointed to her hair .

Clovis watched as kyera sighed a bit tense as she pulled a long thin pin out of her hair . As she did a small wooden hair ornament covered in strings came out as well . He recognized the tiny instrument as a Zither, just the right size for a hair ornament . There was no way a human, even as small as Raina was, could play a single note on the tiny device . However as he watched she stroked the wood and hummed a long clear note . It was quite pleasant to the ears as the wood seemed to grow in response . Moments later, in the place where a small wooden hair bobble had set, a full sized rectangular zither with a tiger image etched onto it sat in Kyera"s lap .

"Well then, I did not see that coming . " he stated honestly to the delight of his daughter . She nodded giggling sweetly .

"I was surprised when Kyera did it the first time too . " Raina agreed . Kyera nodded and settled it onto the gra.s.s .

"Ready, Princess? Perhaps play "Little Fairies" for your father?" Kyera suggested unphased by their chatter . Her mind was set to teaching and that"s what she intended to do . Raina nodded, her face becoming more serious as she moved to her knees behind the Zither .

"one two and, Teach me how to play the strings, come all my little fairy things… teach how to play a song, so i can play and you dance along . Teach me how to play the strings all my lovely fairy things teach me how to play the strings . " Kyera sung while Raina tried to keep pace with her and pluck and strum the correct notes .

Clovis watched in awe as his beautiful, quiet, and reserved little girl began playing such a soft pa.s.sionate instrument . The jovial little tune was filled with high spirits and happy notes as it spun across the gra.s.s . As she played the Fairy danced across the Zither with her hands . It was the perfect harmony of a girl and her muse . The tension slowly faded from Raina"s face after the second time through .

With a few pointers here and there Kyera diligently taught her student the sound the Zither Made and how to pace the tune . Soon Raina was singing along as they pa.s.sed through the song again . But then she caught the wrong string and the tune was thrown off . Her fairy tripped over her feet in the air and tilted her head as Raina stopped . Her teeth peaked out as she bit her bottom lip hard, waiting for a scolding but it never came . Kyera continued singing the song and Raina tried to gather her composure and fall back into the music .