"I would prefer you not speak as though they are lifeless objects. Ryo, Talis, and even Kan have pride and I see no reason to insult their intelligence." Kyera added, glancing at the guard a bit coldly. He nodded, coughing slightly surprised by such a rebuke.
Kan looked back at her for a moment then just shook his ears harmlessly. She smiled softly, amused at how cute his fake indifference was. It seemed as though something had ruffled the tiger's mane.
"I have every intention of hunting for my husband's honor. Just because there is a baby within me, it would not change my duties if I was still at home in the Forest. Our people produce young ones without trouble and do heavier tasks than this." Kyera pointed out motioning to Cora who smiles and nodded her head.
"Forest Knights are amazing people for sure." Cora agreed, preening with a bit of pride. The Reigning Empress seemed to consider this for a long moment. It was solid reasoning. There were no obvious holes that she could see.
"You are already having complications though." Alexi pointed out frowning a bit. Kyera chuckled.
"I am having these complications because people are stressing me emotionally. A good hunt may be exactly what I need to sooth and focus on the baby inside me." Kyera replied with a smile. There was confidence in her way of speaking, and that more or less silenced him. Clovis didn't even try, just as he hadn't when she had first suggested this plan.
"Clovis, are you really just going to let your pregnant wife go romping off in the woods?" Alexi asked trying one more time for some sort of back up.
"Yes, I am. You see, I know my wife. I may not know what waits in those woods, but I know the light in those eyes. Her determination is not something I can win against." Clovis replied with a bit of self ridicule. He knew very well that he had to pick his battles, and this was one he didn't have a big enough stick to shake at it.
"I guess that settles it. Well, Princess Kyera I hope your hunt is successful. The Hunters may enter the forest at any time tomorrow, but must return by the following morning. The Hunt feast will be that evening, with the Hunt ball to follow. There will be dignitaries from almost every kingdom to see the result of the hunt." Empress Vivian offered with a deep sigh. She was still unsettled about all of this.
"Thank you, Reigning Empress." Kyera stood and bowed carefully. It was a slow dip, carefully designed to relieve any stress the baby might have suffered.
"Do not thank me child, do your best and bring back a kill." She replied shaking her head slowly. If Kyera and the baby didn't make it back, she just sent her great grandchild to its death. That was something she really didn't want at her feet.
"I will, and I will return safely." Kyera reassured as she reached out and straightened Raina's hair. The little girl glowed looking up at her mother. Empress Vivian's heart softened seeing the happiness on her Great Granddaughter's face.
"Why don't you go get the Present you made Great Grandmother?" Kyera asked gently, her tone reminding the child. Raina smiled and pulled a small wooden box from her dress pocket. Her modified skirts had pockets hidden throughout them where they were loose and ruffled below her leather corset.
"What might that be?" Empress Vivian asked as she sat down by Raina. The younger girl handed her the delicate box. Vivian opened it glancing at Clovis curiously.
On the inside, the wooden box was coated with simple, soft moss dyed dark in color. On the moss sat a simple vial on a string. The vial was filled with a dark ivory cream, and was stopped with a piece of cloth. Empress Vivian picked it up, looking at the chain curiously.
"It is a cream used to revitalize one's health." Raina struggled a bit with the more intricate word, but her confidence was clear. She wasn't the mouse the Empress Dowager had cradled while she cried for her Tigress friend.
"Oh? So thoughtful, did you pick it out?" Empress Vivian asked and Raina suddenly glowed. She sat tall and smiled.
"No, I made it for you, Great Grandmother." Raina replied. She had done well in her medicine lessons, and this had been her favorite recipe. "It has my favorite flower in it to make it smell good and soothe bruises away."
"Bruises? Why would you be concerned with that?" Empress Vivian asked but then the more important part of that reached her mind, and clicked into place. "Wait you made this?" She asked and Raina smiled.