The tiger's cure

In the small house next to the river, Sienna slept soundly on Marco's hard shoulder. He thought about getting out of bed long ago but did not want her to feel cold. Besides, her naked body stuck onto him was so soft and nice to feel, that he lay next to her for a few hours just thinking. He checked her neck carefully as she slept and he was worried."It does not look very good at all." he thought.

"Marco," Sienna kissed his shoulder as she woke up."Aauch." She held her neck, it was stiff and swollen.

Marco looked at her worriedly."Rest a bit more." He put her head onto the cushion carefully. Then he got up and went to get her new cold compress on it.

"Put it on to reduce the swelling some more. We need to get you some extra medicine on the market, I hope it will work." he bit his lips uncomfortably." It should not look like this" he thought.

"Thank you."Sienna sat on the bed and let him change the bandage on her neck." And for saving me. It could be much worse. I love you so much."Sienna looked into his eyes.

"Don't you love Tyrell too?"Marco looked at her curiously.

"I do," Sienna nodded. "I'm just scared to mate with his tiger."Sienna looked at him. 'He is too big, too rough and too wild."She counted on her fingers cutely.

"The same as you are scared to mate with a scorpion and snake? What about an eagle? Who will save you from me?"He bit his lips.

"Will you mate me in your animal form?"Sienna looked at him worriedly, remembering as he pinned her down in the huge nest!

"Only if you agree," he shook his head."But I don't think Tyrell made it on purpose."

"I know, he was betrayed."Sienna nodded.

"Betrayed?"Marco looked at her.

"Yes, by his tiger and Magnus. I will prove it!"Sienna said firmly.

"Ok, but be careful, Tyrell still got a soft spot for Magnus, he always had."Marco looked at her.

"Whatever he can do to me if I got you by my side?"Sienna smiled.

"Tyrell will do nothing to you. He loves you dearly. It must be maddening for him to watch as his tiger was rough with you and he could not do anything."Marco nodded."If I got crazy as Tyrell, only Sarcos can save you from me." he sighed."But who can save you from Sarcos, if he decides to mate you as a scorpion, hm?"

"I don't know, "Sienna shook her head." Probably Ramse. He is the only one who would dare." she thought as the Ape King's face appeared in her mind suddenly." Or Marco. "she shushed the disturbing picture a bit frantically.

"Maybe you again?" She smiled at Marco gently." I'm so lucky to have you. "she cuddled up to him as a cat.

"Sarcos can get even flying warriors, "Marco noted." You saw that."

"Yes, but they did not carry me. Are there some more ways how males can go crazy here?"Sienna asked curiously.

"Not entirely sure."Marco sighed. He was a soldier, so he did not pay attention to craziness rumours before.

" I will have to ask Sarcos, then."She sighed.

"You know, you need to go back to Tiger Castle, yes? You wanted to stay there and we made a deal."Marco said seriously.

"Can't we just go Sand City?"Sienna pleaded.

"No."Marco shook his head.

"Your mountains?"Sienna tried harder. The idea of being locked in Marco's bedroom for a week did not sound so bad suddenly!

"No, you should face him, he is your mate."Marco looked at her seriously.

"Well, but I'm still upset."Sienna bit her lips.

"You can watch the training," Marco smirked at her.

"Ok." Sienna nodded."But I'm not mating with him."

"You can mate with me tonight again."Marco circled her waist dominantly."Tyrell will be too injured to mate anyway." he kissed her lips gently.

Sienna looked at her strong Sea Eagle King as she held her neck. Marco was handsome, muscular, and cold. She never knew, what he is thinking about, but she liked he cares a lot about her.

"It is hurting even more now," She sighed pitifully.

"Come, let's get ready. We will go market first to get you some medicine, hm?"Marco lifted her off the bed and stood her up.

"As you say!"Sienna sighed and put on the blue velvet dress carefully. Her neck was so stiff it was hard to dress up."Can you help me, Marco, please?" she asked him sweetly.

Marco helped her to put the gown over her head. He felt so angry inside. He wished to break Tyrell in two for this! Then he helped Sienna brush her hair gently and took her downstairs. Bran was waiting in the front room. He was guarding the house the whole night.

"Go have a rest in the Tiger Castle soldier station," Marco told him. "Find Lord Ziran as well and tell him we will be there around noon. Don't go close to Tyrell till I talk to him."Marco noted.

"Sure."Bran glanced at Sienna and went out.

Marco led Sienna outside. The air was fresh and chilly, the sun shone coldly and everywhere was quiet. Sienna watched the city in awe. It was two hours to noon and the streets were almost empty! It was like a ghost town suddenly! Only a few males were walking on the streets and all of them went to the market. Sienna noticed they glanced at Marco a bit curiously as they pass them.

This was the first time Marco took Sienna around Crystal City. Even the market was almost empty apart from the stalls which sell female food, medicines, and cosmetics. Marco bought some balms and a vial of pain-killer syrup but was not very satisfied with them. The scorpion stall was not open today and he did not trust the tiger's medicine that much!

"What would you like to eat?" Marco asked Sienna who walked clenched at his arm tightly. Sienna looked around.

There were long lines at the female food stalls. The females were exhausted after the Tiger's Eye Star night and were resting. All of them, apart from Sienna!

Sienna felt a bit uncomfortable when she noticed she is the only female standing in the whole city and she felt sorry for the other females who had to deal with rough tigers!

"So? What do you like to eat?"Marco asked her again. He saw Sienna is still a bit dazed in her thoughts.

"Some mushroom rice and honey cone, please."Sienna said."I do not mind." She said looking at him gratefully. She was so happy to have Marco!

Marco nodded and went to the stall with rice. They were selling the hot cooked mushroom rice packed neatly in a medium size hollowed brown bread buns or tortilla-like cones.

Marco stood in the line nonchalantly, when all the tigers suddenly stood aside and let them pass. They saw he is with their queen and tried to be polite. Sienna felt as if everyone is staring at her bandaged neck. She looked at Marco but he just took her to get the rice from the shopkeeper. He asked for a filled bread, a honey cone, and a big ceramic jug of mint water. He paid with one of his gold coins.

Sienna took the honey cone first excitedly. She needed something sweet!!!

The shopkeeper looked at the coin with Marco's face on it, and then he turned it around and saw Sienna's face on the other side. He smiled. Eagle coins were collectables. They did not have many of them in the city yet.

Marco took Sienna to sit at the river. He gave her the filled bread and watched the water thinking as she ate next to him. He was glancing at her and planning what he will do to Tyrell! He could not kill him, but he should not let him get off easy eighter. He needed to do something memorable to the stubborn tiger. Something messy and cruel to satisfy the eagle and dragon in him. He had to promise it to them to keep them calm around Sienna till she was not well.

Sienna finished her food, drank her water and breathed the fresh air. She watched the sparkling river and felt a bit better in her soul, though her neck hurt. She touched it a bit uncomfortably when Marco gave her a little vial with a painkiller syrup.

"Here, it is better if you take it after food. "he sighed.

Sienna just took it. It tasted sweet and smelled of cinnamon strongly. It made her feel better immediately when the vial fell from her hand! Marco caught it with his eagle's reflexes, just to catch Sienna's back as well. Her body was getting numb! She looked at Marco hopelessly and freaked out. But the faint moan was the only thing she was able to get out of her mouth. The medicine was designed for tiger females, and it was too strong for her!

Marco held her propped in his embrace as he sat on the big rock in front of the river. "I see it worked really fast on you, you are too sensitive to it but have no worries, it will pass after an hour or so," he said caringly.

Sienna watched the water in his embrace. She felt like a vegetable. But true was she did not feel anything apart from the fear that this weird medicine will paralyze her. She hoped Marco is right and it will pass!

Marco held Sienna and play with her hair for some time. Then he lifted her up to his chest and started to walk to the Tiger Castle. Sienna felt her heart thumping in her ears, if she could she would run away. She was not sure how to face Tyrell yet!