Taste of Freedom

The next morning, Prince Theron was gone by the time Serenity woke. She was sure he left in the late evening, perhaps after he ate dinner. She tried not to care that he was gone or that he had left without saying good bye. But, it burned her deeply inside. In an attempt to not concern herself with their relationship, she stayed busy helping Jemma care for the palace. But even that got old after some time.

Serenity was pleased to learn that Amira had stayed in Allur. Serenity thought she would have returned to the Den to pay her respects to the dying King. Amira said she'd pay her respects once he was dead and only if her family made her go. She'd much rather stay out of the Den as long as it was under the King or Terron's control.

Her presence in Allur allowed for Serenity to continue self defense training. This brought her much more satisfaction and distraction than cleaning did. Amira was an excellent teacher and Serenity seemed to be the perfect student. She caught on quick and had no trouble thinking outside the box or problem solving in tough situations.

Amira didn't just train with Serenity. She introduced Serenity to the other tigers; they went exploring in the forest just outside the palace and even into the Black Morning Mountains. Serenity was learning so much from Amira; not just how to fight, but how to be an individual, how to be free. Serenity began to find things she enjoyed ; like exploring in the mountains or painting on the balcony.

For the first time in her life she didn't have to answer to anyone. Even though Theron treated her with respect, he still had rules and expectations of her behavior. With him gone, the only expectations Serenity had to meet were her own. It was an entirely new taste of freedom that she had never imagined before.

"Now you understanding why I didn't want to go back to the Den," Amira said one after as they sat on a bench outside the barracks.

The glowing afternoon sun was beating down on them, making their bodies sweat even more. They had just finished a particularly intense training session. Lord Navin Pan, one of the twelve, had sat in on it. He coached both of them through different things. Serenity found his input helpful, but he was sharp and rude at times.

"Yes," Serenity whispered. "You feel trapped."

"Forced to be something I'm not."

Serenity sighed as she rolled her shoulders back. "It's a different type of bondage."

Amira looked at her with sad eyes, but nodded. "Yes, I did not mean to diminish your experience."

Serenity smiled. "I know." They were quiet for a few moments. "I'm afraid that I'll find an entirely new form of enslavement here in Allur. What if things do not go the way his Highness hopes and I'm stuck here the rest of my life?"

"If things do not go the way Theron hopes, then we will all be dead," Amira responded. "What would be so bad about staying here?"

"I want to see different places," Serenity said as she looked up at the mountains in the distances. "I want to explore nature and meet new people and creatures."

"Slow down," Amira laughed. "You just gained your freedom. There is a lot to do with it and you'll have plenty of time to see everything you want to. Theron's plan will work."

"And if he becomes King but the court does not yield? It's very difficult to change someone's mind about something they have known to be true for their entire existence. Even if my kind are freed, what sort of life will they live? They have no money, power or position to start a life. They will enter the Tigerian territory with nothing. Not even a home…how will they find peace or freedom if all that waits for them is struggle?"

Amira pondered the question for a moment. "You're right, it will not be easy. It will be a struggle. But they will have the opportunity to learn and find things that they love, just as you have. They will find something they are good at and they can turn it into a business."

"They'll need help," Serenity whispered.

"Their King will help them," Amira said wisely.

"Some Tigers won't treat them differently. Some will still see all birds as slaves, less than them."

Amira nodded. "Yes," she admitted. "But the King will address that too. That type of treatment and behavior won't be tolerated. You don't have to like everyone, but you have to be respectful of them."

Serenity smiled weakly. She stood up from the bench. "I'll see you later. Thank you for the lesson today. It was…interesting…with Lord Pan."

Amira laughed. "He is very intense. He has served on the Royal Guard since before I was born. He is one of the best teachers I've ever had."

Serenity nodded before walking away from Amira towards the gardens that touched the base of the mountains. She desperately wanted to hike through them, but it was growing too late in the day. As she walked through the garden she dragged her hand through the bushes, thinking about her conversation with Amira.

She understood that Amira didn't have all the answers, but Serenity felt it was unfair of her to think that Theron, as King, would. It would take a significant amount of time to change the world the way Theron and Amira hoped to. It would take lifetimes. Serenity bit her bottom lip as she thought. Theron had to take a mate and produce heirs that would continue his legacy. It was the only way to foster the type of society he hoped to create.

Serenity shook her head. She was developing a head ache. With a heavy sigh she stepped forward and opened her arms to expand her wings and take on her dove form. She shuttered as feathers sprouted on the back of her neck and shoulders, but then retracted back into her body. The sliced her skin in a foreign way that tickled her with discomfort. She stood abruptly still. She could not transform into her dove form.

She tried again. She crotched down, pulling her knees to her chest and let out a harsh cry as her wings painfully sprouted on her back behind her shoulder blades. But just as before, they retracted back in and she was unable to complete the transformation. She stood up straight gasping for breath. She could not take her demi form.

Without a second thought, she dashed out of the garden, running into the palace and heading to her bedchamber. Thankfully, she did not meet anyone on the way. She locked the door behind her so not to be disturbed and marched into her bathroom while tearing off her shirt. She pulled her hair over her shoulder as she turned her head to try and look at her back in the mirror of the bathroom. Her back was speckled with red sores where her wings and feathers sprouted and retracted. She cringed slightly as she touched one of the sores on her shoulder. It was tender and puffy.

Quickly, she turned around and pulled open every drawer on the wash table looking for a hand held mirror. Finally, after open six drawers and not closing them, she found it. She held it up and turned her back to the mirror again. She looked in the hand mirror, studying the reflection of the back of her head. She pulled her hair up off her neck and gasped. She was staring at the feathers at the nape of her neck. They were no longer beautiful pure white; they were streaked with black, like a tiger.

She dropped her hair down her shoulders and set the mirror gently on the countertop of the wash table. She looked up at herself in the mirror as her mind raced with the new realization of her physical condition. She couldn't transform because her body was transforming in another way. Her feathers were streaked with black because the fetus inside of her was part tiger. A minute amount of the fetus' blood was mixing in her own bloodstream. It was causing her feathers to transform and reflect the species of the father.

Serenity bit her bottom lip. She couldn't possibly tell anyone. It was early. She didn't feel different at all. It had only been…she wrecked her mind trying to remember how long it had been since she had been with Theron before he left. She frowned deeply suddenly feeling very foolish. It had been two moons. She hadn't bled in two moons. How could she not have paid attention?

She couldn't tell anyone. Not yet. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to tell Theron, but thankful that was avoidable because he wasn't in Allur. She wasn't even sure when he would be back. Amira did not seem worried that he had been gone for so long when Serenity brought it up a few days ago. But now, Serenity was deeply worried. What would he come back to?

Serenity rolled her shoulders back and stared at herself in the mirror for a few moments. She would just have to wear her hair down all the time. She would have to keep her feathers covered. She wondered if she could continue to train with Amira? She shook her head. She'd deal with that later. First, she needed to figure out if anyone knew when the Prince would be returning to Allur.

She put a shirt back on and left her bed chamber looking for Jemma. She would know if any news of the Prince returning had come recently. Serenity was thankful she found Jemma rather quickly, in the front hall with Amira and Lord Joss Michael. Serenity raced down the steps with excitement. Lord Michael had gone to the Den with the Prince. Had they both returned?

"Serenity," Lord Michael greeted her.

"Hello," she said politely. "You've returned from the Den. Where is his Highness?"

"Still at the Den," he responded quickly. "I've come to retrieve you and Lady Amira."

"Retrieve us?" Serenity questioned.

"King Tomas has died. Crown Prince Terron is slated to be crowned as King in a few days time."

"Why does Prince Theron wish for me to be there?" Serenity asked.

Lord Michael looked uncomfortable for a moment, but seemed to remember himself. "Crown Prince Terron is demanding your presence."

Serenity face grew hot instantly. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the ground. "What did Prince Theron order?"

"That I bring you to the Den, dove," Lord Michael responded. "We'll leave as soon as everyone is ready."

Serenity nodded and touched her cheeks.

"I'll pack your bags," Jemma whispered sadly.

Serenity followed her quickly. She did not want to stay in the entry hall with the tigers. She was scared. As King, Terron could take her back from Theron. She sighed heavily and shook her head. No he couldn't. She was a free bird. She was no one's slave or servant. She was a living creature and she would not be shuffled around like a treasured family heirloom.

As she helped Jemma pack her things, she stifled back tears. Suddenly, despite what she said to Amira earlier about wanting to leave Allur and see the world, she did not want to go. She knew this place was safe and she did not want to leave.

Jemma grabbed Serenity's shaking hand. "It will be alright, Serenity. Trust his Highness."

Serenity opened her mouth, but stopped herself from blurting out that she was going to have Prince Theron's child. She swallowed her comment and looked back down at the bed, then nodded her head.

"I trust him," she whispered. "I just don't trust Terron."

Jemma nodded in understanding but did not say anything else. She finished packing Serenity's bags then made her way from the room to go pack a saddle bag with food for the journey. Serenity returned to the entry hall with her bag of clothing. She was wearing the same black pants and white shirt from training. She put on a corset vest and tall riding boots. She wore the leather sheath for her small knife on her thigh. The blade felt more familiar against her body now. She wore it almost everyday. Not because she felt she needed protection, but to grow accustomed to it. She wanted to be familiar with the feeling of wearing a weapon, especially as she was training. She knew how to use it to protect herself now.

As she waited in the hall for everyone else to join her, she threw a thick leather traveling cloak around her body. She stood quietly with her eyes closed waiting for Lord Michael and Amira to return. When they did, she was relieved to see that Amira was also wearing pants and traveling cloak.

"Did the Crown Prince specify when he wants to see me?" Serenity asked Lord Michael.

He nodded. "Upon your arrival."

"I have to see Prince Theron first," she insisted.

"I'm sure he will meet us when we arrive."

Serenity nodded. Amira stepped up to her and pulled the dagger from the sheath. "You can't wear that," she said sadly. "We have to play the part—no weapons on birds."

Serenity grabbed Amira's wrist and stopped her from taking the dagger away. "I will not enter the Den without a weapon."

Amira frowned, glancing at Lord Michael. He rolled his eyes and stepped forward. He pulled a much longer and thinner dagger from his boot. It was well hidden, Serenity hadn't even noticed it. He slipped the dagger into her boot carefully. It fit snuggly right between the leather of the boot and her pant leg. Even the hilt disappeared into her boot. He tore the sheath off her thigh.

"Thank you," Serenity whispered. Lord Michael said nothing as he moved to the front doors of the palace to make his way outside.

"This is going to be difficult," Amira said. "Keep your head down and don't speak."

Serenity nodded. "I've spent most of my life behaving like that, it shouldn't be too difficult."

Amira smirked slightly. "I always remember hearing rumors that the Crown Prince's dove was an unbroken bird. Hardly sounded like someone who kept her head down and didn't speak."

Serenity couldn't help but smile. "At times," she replied. "But, I was broken in so many ways, just not the ways he wanted."

She said nothing else and followed Lord Michael's lead out to the front of the palace. At the bottom of the steps sat three horses. Amira rolled her eyes as she looked at the horses and then at Lord Michael. He said nothing and mounted the horse easily. He didn't offer help to either of the women. Serenity frowned as she put her foot on the saddle to pull herself up. What was this ride going to do to her already weak and tired body?

Jemma appeared rushing down the steps. She handed Serenity the saddle bag full of food. Serenity placed it across the saddle easily and smiled at Jemma.

"It will be alright," Jemma advised. "Keep your hood up while you ride."

Serenity thanked her.

"Let's go," Lord Michael called back to her.

She gave Jemma one last smile before steering her horse away from the glimmering palace of Allur. She took in its beauty as she rode away and looked out at the Black Morning Mountains with longing. She hoped to see them again soon, but deep down in her heavy heart, she knew this would be the last time she ever saw them.