The Tiger Within 444 Family

"Yes." Raina replied soflty. "Daddy wasn't The Queens baby, he was Grandma's and the queens were nice to him till they had their own babies then he ceased to exist. The maids told me so. Then I was little and people were nice to me until their own grandbabies were born and then I became unimportant. Then our family fell apart. We can't go home, my grandma and grandpa no longer love each other and I don't have a home anymore. All I have is you and daddy and now i'm going to have a sibling… What if… What if you don't want me anymore?" Raina whispered and Kyera's heart broke. She never realized how much this child had actually seen in her short years, or how it would all translate into how she took this news. She had expected something like this but not to this extent. Then again she was so little that everything seemed to have happened for the same reason, because she hadn't seen what all had happened.

Kyera shook her head slowly. "Raina, baby, No. You will always be your Daddy's first baby. No one can ever take that from you. Your Daddy and I love you. Just because there will be a new baby doesn't mean that we won't want you anymore. The Queens were blind, and wanted power. Your father was in the way, that's all and they were wrong. No matter what happens You are my baby too." Kyera replied seriously, unable to ignore this argument and finding she felt hatred for the queens. Raina looked up at her, and wiped her eyes a bit.

"Really?" She whispered, eyelashes wet with tears. Kyera smiled and nodded.

"Yes, you always have a home lovely. You may not go back to that palace, we may move on to somewhere else but home is where the heart is. Your home is with me and your father and your sibling whether it be a little girl or little boy you will always be my special daughter." Kyera rea.s.sured her reaching out to caress the child's cheek. Raina threw herself into Kyera's arms and held on tightly. She caught the little girl and held her close letting those emotions run through her system.

"You will always be my baby, and I can't raise your sibling without your help." Kyera rea.s.sured her just a little later. Raina was still on her lap resting against Kyera's chest.

"How can I help? I am just a child." Raina replied and Kyera smiled brightly at her.

"Oh, but Raina dear you will have a new t.i.tle. You will be a Elder Sister. You will be the example of how to behave, and I need you to help teach the baby good habits. Elder Cubs teach younger Cubs things parents can't." Kyera explained running a hand through Raina's hair straightening it out. The little girl looked up at her  curiously.

"I can try?" Raina offered and Kyera smiled.

"You don't even have to try. You just be you and the child will learn everything you have to offer." Kyera hugged her again as the sound of a soft knock on the door got her attention. Kyera's expression darkened. "Raina there is a cupboard over there. Get inside it." Kyera ordered softly. Raina knew Kyera well enough that she did so quickly.

Once Raina was secured Kyera went to the door and knocked twice. Listening intently, four knocks followed and she opened the door. A young woman in a hood stood at the door. She didn't raise her head to look at Kyera, she handed her a letter and turned, fleeing into the night.

Looking at the sealed letter in her hand, Kyera's heartbeat speed increased suddenly. The sensation given off by the paper was strong. It was obviously written with intent, she tucked the letter into a side pocket and left it alone. Right now there was a child in a cupboard she should tend to. "Raina you can come on out, we can head back. Your Daddy is probably worried that his ladies are arguing." Kyera reminded her. Raina sighed and took her hand with a smile.

"Daddy should know I have a Mommy now. Mommy and I will disagree, but we are family and family gets over it." Raina replied proudly, it was clear that she had been taught this phrase and memorized it. Hearing it Kyera knew who she got it from.

"How close did you and Uncle Mordakai get while I was away?" Kyera asked kinda curious.

"Very. Grandpa Mordakai explained that we are family, a true family so there are things we must share. Disagreements are one of those things." Raina replied as they walked toward the house, the sunlight was on its last rays of the day. Kyera chuckled as she got an idea.

"Well there's something else we should share, fun. Want to try something new?" Kyera asked and Raina nodded with excitement and energy. She smiles "follow my lead." Kyera lifted her dress a bit to show her the rhythmic hopping. "Step, lift front heel, back heel, step front heel back heel… see your getting it." The two girls used the playful fancy footwork all the way back the palace, holding hands.

Clovis was leaning against the stone archway entrance, chuckling and relieved. His girls were laughing and happy again. Whatever had been the matter seemed smoothed over. This was what this felt like. A family of four. His family.