The Tiger Within 330 Garden Insults Part 1

The day of the wedding was approaching faster than anyone had expected. The shadows of the snow clouds sailed across the lands. Kyera sat in the gardens reading over the papers the Empress had sent over. Most of them were just notes and things she should know about how the palace worked. Very little of it was news to Kyera, but still she poured over them diligently. It had never occurred to her to be less than perfect as their Third Princess.

Raina was reading as well, it was a slightly older book she had been given by Daxin. No matter how many times the Emperor's tudors tried to correct his curriculum for the princess, they got no where. Even now the book in front of her was on the history of the kingdom as written by the monks on the mountain. It was older but explained it in a much simpler terms than the newer texts.

Kyera leaned back as she set the last scroll on the pile. Her eyes fell on the child that was soon to he her daughter. A smile creased her lips as she remembered the days they have spent together, learning or playing it didn't matter it was perfect.

"Raina, why don't we go for a walk? We have both been buried in books all morning." Kyera suggested standing and dusting off her skirt. However, she failed to notice Daxin walking out into the garden.

"My lady, I am afraid Princess Raina has her horseback lessons this afternoon. I am sure one of the guard would love to walk with you." He offered as Raina closed her book and stood at her teacher's side. Kyera offered a smile and nodded.

"Of course lessons are first. Thank you, Master Daxin. I trust you will have no trouble of my tiny Princess." Kyera a.s.sured before giving Raina a conspiratorial wink. Daxin felt a slight bit uneasy, knowing the ladies did very well when they chose to torment him. Luckily those days are few and far between.

Teacher and student moved off one way and Kyera took a different trail, wandering through the gardens. She knew the paths quite well whether she wander as human or tiger. The flowers grew in small groups allowing her to trace their map through the land. Mind wandering, she chose to pa.s.sively ignore the woman who was walking with two maids through the garden.

They however, had no intention if ignoring her. The maid pointed and whispered about the stories surrounding the upcoming marriage. Their lady however, the First Princess Feya watched as the woman who had interloped on her territory walked along the paths she once frequented with Clovis. How dare this white haired devil get designs on a man whose heart would always belong to Feya alone? It was her bad luck to be walking here now, alone.

She was beautiful but those looks would never win her his heart. "How dare she not greet the lady, First Princess. Does she not know how to behave?" One maid demanded glaring in Kyera's direction as the woman moved along the white oak trees smiling as she caressed the bark.

"Obviously not. She is obviously just a forest s.l.u.t, there's no way The Third Prince has such poor taste. She must have tricked  him into her bed." The second maid added with a look of disgust in her eyes. Feya frowned softly, honestly feeling the same way.

"Well, we shall go teach her then, shall we? Come along girls." Feya replied smoothing the blue satin over her stomach and hips. Her crimson hair bounced in its it's high bun with each step she took. There was a sense of superiority to her walk that was shockingly strong. Kyera smeed her scene and frowned deeply. She knew it from somewhere, not all of it but just some small notes of hereditary lines