Two burly figures were making their way through the busy Crystal City streets. Sharchan and Tyrell went to the old goldsmith. He did give them good advice two times already and they hoped he could help them again! They came inside his workshop with hope. The old tiger looked at them curiously and bowed politely.
"Welcome, my Kings. Anything particular you are looking for?" he asked seriously.
"Sure! Your advice..."Sharchan nodded.
"Well, your Queen is not into my golden jewellery much, so at least by my advice I can serve you..." he noted entrained to himself but loud enough, so the Kings could hear him." But sure, follow me then..." he took them to the back room.
He sat them on the wooden bench behind his working table." So how can I be of help?" he asked curiously.
"We might have a problem with Scorpion King again..."Tyrell said slowly..."Do you know anything about Crystal Pincer?"
"No," the goldsmith shook his head.." I never heard that name..."
"Sarcos is Crystal Scorpion now, he absorbed the entity within the crystal.."Sharchan started to explain to him what had happened.
"I only heard of a Crystal Emperor. I might have a book for you."the old tiger rummaged in his library shelves for a while...
"Here...The legends of the Crystal Emperor..."He put the big book on the table.
"What? These old ridiculous fairytales? Even kids do not like them!"Sharchan shook his head in disbelief.
"These legends are the most pathetic brag..."Tyrell nodded his head in disgust.
"Some books are not to be liked but to be preserved..." the old goldsmith noted..."These legends are centuries old..."
"I always wondered who wrote them. Do you know?"Tyrell asked curiously.
"There is no author listed..." the old goldsmith nodded."But it must be someone who heard about it or even saw it . I believe he must have even witnessed it all, given the detailed illustrations." he nodded seriously. The illustrations must be copied meticulously or the book itself will turn to dust the next day...It is a secret..." the old goldsmith whispered.
"Fairytales!"Tyrell shook his head.
"True but true. I tried to make the Butterfly Princess look prettier and the next day my page was in ashes," the old goldsmith noted...
"It is just a children's book." Sharchan shook his head.
"Give it to your Queen then, if it is beneath you..."Goldsmith chuckled rather pitifully..." Maybe she can read better than you two and she will surely like the pictures. And tell her to copy them spot on, so they do not turn to ashes...it will save her time..."
"Sure..."Sharchan nodded but rolled his eyes. This was not what he was expecting, but he will let Sienna do it till they research more. "She likes stories anyway!" he thought.
"Is that all your advice?"Tyrell bit his lips a bit disappointed.
"Yes, for now. If I find out more, I will send a note."the old tiger nodded.
"Good, thank you."Sharchan gave him a purse of gold..." For your trouble and the book..." he noted.
"The book is priceless. Tell your Queen to copy it, I will need it back." the old man chuckled as he packed the book carefully for Sharchan.
"Sure."Tyrell shook his head and went out with Sharchan who held that ridiculously expensive book. Both Kings were just confused.
"Good luck, we all will need it..." the goldsmith chuckled sadly as they left..."Our world lay in the soft hands of our little Queen..." he shook his head in unbelief at the ridiculousness of that situation...
Sharchan and Tyrell went to the market, they still had some time before Sienna's lesson finished and told Bran to bring her there. They left the strong eagle at the Rosella's villa, to wait with other males, who waited for their mates.
"Why he did not help us out?"Tyrell asked Sharchan. He could not stop thinking about the old goldsmith.
"Let's give it to Sienna. She will maybe see something..."The strong snake shook his shoulders.
Meanwhile, Sienna finished her lesson in Rosella's villa and changed her clothes. She sat a little with Amara and Zeldya as they chatted...Keira was sitting a little apart, glaring at Sienna and visibly sulking...
"Don't be sad."Amara came closer to Black Panther Princess."The Queen has surely more handsome bodyguards you can ogle..." she chuckled. She found Keira's reaction childish.
"Sienna, who is your bodyguard now?"Amara turned halfway to Sienna.
"Well, Bran is handsome for sure and he is more polite."Sienna smiled gently. She found Amara's behaviour a bit cruel but she replied to her anyway. It was not her fault that Keira was sulking. She saved the stubborn tiger!" Sid is also nice and strong..."
"I like only Ziran!" Keira stood up upset.
"But he is too old for you and way too brute..."Sienna tried to explain patiently. She felt a little sorry for Xander's teenage sister.
"Not your business!"Keira shook her head and went out..."Don't you think I will let you have my brother..." she hissed turning back at Sienna by the door.
"Please, do find him someone nice..."Sienna called gently at her...They all stood up and were on their way out. Sure Sienna liked Xander but she wanted him to be happy...if Keira did have someone for him who he loved, she would be happy for him.
"Slut..."Keira pouted her lips as she rushed out of the villa's door.
"Watch your mouth..."Bran hissed as Keira passed."Do not be rude to my Queen..."
"Ahh, new bodyguard...My Lord Ziran will break you in two..."Keira scoffed at Bran.
"Or I might kill him for real..."Bran smiled cruelly. He did not like this girl because she seeped with wild animosity toward Sienna!"Behave yourself and act like a princess!" he shook his head. "You are embarrassing your brother."
"How dare..."Keira opened her mouth to tell him off but then the other females were walking out of the door too so she needed to move...
Sienna finally made it out and went to Bran. "Where are Tyrell and Sharchan?" she asked him looking around with furrowed brows.
"They are waiting for us at the market."Bran smiled gently. "Are you worried about going just with me?" he teased her. She looked so free and seeped with sensual energy after her dancing and he just reacted to it...
"Of course not! "Sienna blushed."You have my full trust."She smiled and put her hand on his wide shoulder."You seem strong enough!"She squeezed his hard biceps appreciatively.
Bran blushed. His teasing backfired! He did not know what to say to her because his heart thumped wildly in his chest. He did like his Queen a lot!
"Let's go then."Sienna smiled at the blushing Bran and clenched into his arm. Bran nodded and led Sienna away. Keira was still standing afar watching them leave."You will pay me for everything...Both of you!" she swore in her mind.
The market was very busy! Sienna saw figurines of "King Sarcos coming home" already! She felt as if she was spied on!!!
She shook her head in disbelief when she felt a hard gaze suddenly! She turned her head and saw Tyrell with Sharchan sneaking sideways on her...She pulled Bran's arm, but he just smiled. "They are way too visible..they followed us for the past five minutes..." he shook his head chuckling.
"Are my Kings spying on me?"Sienna asked them seriously."Bran knows all about your stalking!" she looked firmly at them.
"Care to go shopping?"Tyrell smiled.
"But we need to search."She looked at him.
"Yes, we have a book for already. We will read it later on." Sharchan nodded.
"Come, said Tyrell," I do not have a chance to take you out often, please do not refuse me. Pick anything you like, hm?"
"Ok, I like a drawing journal..." she smiled." I left my one in Snake Castle..." she nodded.
"Sure." Sharchan smiled at her as they all went shopping together.
Sienna returned to the Tiger Castle in a good mood...Tyrell and Sharchan were carrying a lot of presents they bought for her. Sienna got a new drawing journal, glittery pearly watercolours, new inks and pens, charcoal pencils, and a few see-thru veils entangling her imagination...she wanted to make them into a dress. Sharchan and Tyrell made her eat mushroom rice inside the bread bun and also got her a few honey cones and dried apples. They truly enjoyed spoiling their mate! It felt so sweet to them to buy her all the little things she wanted...
Captain Bran returned to the castle's soldier station and Sharchan, Tyrell and Sienna went into her bedroom. Sharchan gave her the Legends of the Crystal Emperor and one empty book with drawing pages, almost the same size. He told her about how the goldsmith was helping them a few times and she listened carefully. He also mentioned that she must copy the book exactly or her work will turn into ashes.
"I will have a look at it..."Sienna took the book curiously as she settled in her bed..." You might go to work if you need to, I know you are busy..." she smiled at Tyrell.
"Be good!"The strong Tiger King kissed her forehead and left.
"When I'm not good?"Sienna looked at Sharchan with a confused expression, but he just coiled around the bed as a huge snake and rested...
Sienna shook her head and opened the book. The illustrations were detailed and captivating. The book itself was interesting to her but way too cruel. Sienna felt the tears in her eyes as she read how many wars and sacrifices the cruel Crystal Emperor committed for the attention of the cold Princess...
"If he is inside Sarcos I'm done for!"Sienna swallowed hard."I hope it is not him! Who wrote such a book...?" she asked herself. She looked but no author was listed..."See what is not written...did Marath mean this? I'm going paranoid! It is just a children's book! But the goldsmith found it important! I should start copying it!"Sienna watched the intricate illustration. "Then people looked a bit different there."She stared at the Butterfly Princess.
"Hey, Sharchan!"She nudged him with her hand as she bent down from the bed.
"Yes?" the big snake opened his eyes lazily.
"Is she beautiful?"She asked Sharchan holding the page with the Princess open to him...
"No, no female looks like this..." the Snake King yawned..."Let me rest next to you, hm? Wake me only if it is something important!" he added.
"Everything might be important till we find the truth..."Sienna bit her lips and went back to that silly book.
Sienna explored the books and drew till the late afternoon. Tyrell sent her dinner of hot vegetable lentil soup with buns and Sharchan kept lounging. The cold temperatures made him a bit snoozy and he fought his hibernation hard.
"Are you very tired?"Sienna looked at him curiously.
"I'm not levelled up enough." he bit his lips."I will have to go hibernate at some point." he said to Sienna upset at himself..."Sarcos was right." he thought bitterly.
"Do not worry, I will be safe with Tyrell, Marco and Sarcos..."Sienna smiled gently at him. She wanted to ease him, but both of them knew they could not rely on Sarcos fully with Crystal Pincer within him...
"Sure."Sharchan sighed. He will try to hold his hibernation up for a week as he wanted to get rid of Marco before that..."
That night Sienna went to bed with Tyrell. He smiled at her softly as he closed the heavy velvet turquoise curtains on her bed.
"It is cold," he explained innocently when Sienna watched him surprised. The bed with the closed curtain reminded her of a cosy tent, it was like an entirely different world for her and Tyrell, as if there was no outside!
Tyrell lay down and Sienna cuddled up to his strong chest. She inhaled his scent and drifted to sleep when Tyrell showered her face with kisses as he flipped on top of her! His hands wandered around her body and Sienna bit her lips not to moan in pleasure.
"Shh...stop Sharchan is here..."Sienna whispered.
"He sleeps very hard. It is cold outside...Let me have you slowly, hm...We will be very quiet..." he whispered to her seducing her hot body by his touch.
"That is not right..."Sienna bit her lips guiltily.
"He doesn't mind at all. Look!"Tyrell moved the curtain a little and threw the cushion onto the snake's head. Sharchan did not move at all!
"Is he ok?" Sienna furrowed her brows worriedly.
"Yes, I told you he sleeps way too hard in the cold weather. He will not wake up till you do not leave this room."
"But..."Sienna tried to protest almost against her will but Tyrell was way too good at persuading her.
"I'm your mate too, so relax my love..."Tyrell pushed himself between her legs and Sienna melted. He took her very quietly and gently that night. She felt like on top of a soft golden cloud flying over the ocean. His hard muscular body was devouring her soft one and she was one with him again...
After exhausted Sienna fell asleep on his shoulder, Tyrell smiled to himself and bit his lips cheekily. He felt quite good making Sienna do what he and Sharchan wanted! The snake was grinning in his head...his body slept hard but he could hear everything! This was the start of his new sneaky plan...