As the dusk approached the Tiger's winter settlement, Sienna looked out of the window worriedly.
"Sarcos's letter still hasn't come, " she furrowed her brows." Is he so angry at me?" she thought anxiously."What now?"
"Come, let's go to the gathering..."Ellaine sighed and neatly placed both embroidery hoops on her sewing table. Her movements were a bit slow, and Sienna noticed she was worried, too.
"I will do everything I can...promise..."Sienna looked at Ellaine hopefully. She put on her golden velvet cape, and they both went to the main door, where Tyrell and Tyrion were already waiting.
"Nothing came, "Tyrell confirmed Sienna's worry and took her hand into his. She nodded and walked with him to the plaza thinking. The mood outside was of that anxious anticipation, which makes people despair into watch their fate hopelessly.
Sienna looked at the warriors who were forming the circle around them. Everyone came to watch, even females, and children. Sienna gulped. She was their Queen. She wanted to help but was not sure if she would be able. She had no more time, the dusk was upon them, the big fires were lit and Sienna looked at the darkening sky all the time searching for Sarcos's falcon, she was nervous.
Tyrell held her hand firmly. She felt his warm hand elope hers and felt scared. She felt scared to lose him suddenly.
Sienna glanced at Tara, who came with her parents and was kneeling on the ground again with two guards behind her. Even she found it hard to wait so long for her death now because Sienna gave her hope to live again...
Sienna felt Tyrell press her hand gently, so she met his eyes worriedly. He seemed firm.
"My Queen, the dusk is here. It is time..."Tyrell looked at her seriously." Let me cover your eyes." he bit his lips.
"Not yet! We have to wait for King Sarcos's final answer. It will be rude not to wait for his word..!"Sienna tried her best.
"Hm, you are right, my Queen. We wait here then..." Tyrell nodded.
Sienna stood next to Tyrell holding his hand. Everyone was watching the sky eagerly. It seemed like a deadly quiet congregation of people waiting for their upcoming doom. Sienna watched the sky darken entirely, the soft cold wind was blowing and her heart was tight as a little ball. The cold stars and moon started to shine brightly over the open fires...
"Please, please, come with mercy."Sienna pleaded whispering to the soft wind.
"Falcon!" someone screamed as the bird of prey who approached at lightning speed landed on Tyrell's stretched hand. The serious Tiger King freed the unusually looking packet carefully from the falcon's talons and gave it to Sienna...
"Sienna held the smooth black leather messenger tube with a golden Scorpion mark. This was not a letter any more. It was an order parchment with the golden seal of the Scorpion King. Her heart tightened even more, and tears were pushing into her eyes as she unrolled the stiff parchment with trembling hands. This was the last chance for Tara. Sienna was scared it would cost her life as she read it with her eyes at the light of the torches behind her;
"My most beloved Queen Sienna,
You are the light of my life, the water of my soul and the life force of my flesh. You are the star of my eyes, the happiness of my mind and the beat of my heart. You are a soft wind of joy and sparkling spring of love, you are rain to the desert land, you are my everything and there is nothing I will not do for you.
But your request was not for you. You ask me for mercy and to bend my law to save the life of a traitor. You ask me to compromise on your safety. You are my Queen and your every word stays written for eternity in my heart. Your letter saddened me, you rejecting my orders and not trusting in my decisions is piercing my soul, though I relish in your stubbornness, captivated by your kind heart.
You offered to pay me, which is hurting my pride enormously. How would you pay me? Payment must be something I already do not have...
You are mine already. All your being belongs to me and it is part of me.
You are in my mind, heart and soul and there is only one thing I do not have and you could offer it to me as a payment.
Your restriction of mating in human form only.
If I broke my law for you, I expect you to break your law for me. I want you to start to mate with us in our other form. You can choose who to start with. If you agree to this, the payment has been officially completed and you have my authority to let that female go to the banishment.
Can't wait to hold you in my arms, love you forever Sarcos."
Sienna finished reading the parchment and looked around. All the eyes were on her, waiting for the deadly verdict of the cruel Scorpion King.
"They have no idea that the decision is on me now." she looked around in a daze, feeling her heart tremble and her face blushing. The golden letters became smudged in her eyes. She felt scared for herself but relieved for Tara at the same time.
"So?"Tyrell looked at Sienna curiously.
"Tara is pardoned with banishment only. She will live. "Sienna called loudly ignoring her churning stomach.
"Show me the letter, "Tyrell demanded.
"It is private, "Sienna whispered as she let him take it from her hand.
Tyrell read the letter with his eyes. The people watched as he started to grin, even the tiger within him seemed excited suddenly. He finished reading and turned to his Queen almost wildly"You !!!" he licked her lips staring at her as a wild predator.
Sienna gulped and smiled like a scared little dove.
"Well, the parchment is private but I need to ask you officially, "Tyrell calmed down by using his entire inner strength.
"Queen Sienna, are you willing to pay the price King Sarcos stated?" he asked firmly.
"Yes, I will."Sienna held her head high. She could feel her heart trembling, but she would finish what she started.
"It is done then."Tyrell nodded and turned to the female kneeling on the ground.
"Tara, the Queen Sienna paid to King Sarcos for your life. You are banished from this tribe but are free to go to Southern Lands."Tyrell announced officially.
The people sighed with relief, they did like Tara, she was one of them. They were sad she would go away forever, but were relieved she would live. However, something was going on with their King. The Tiger Tribe watched Tyrell with interest...He looked excited and wild somehow....his tiger was at least.
The Queen stood pale next to him, holding his hand. She seemed happy but was sad and scared at the same time...
"The price she paid must be great," Ellaine whispered to Tyrion.
"She is the Queen."Tyrion noted."She has everything."
"You do not understand. She has nothing left!"Ellaine bit her lips. She felt Sienna's mood and understood somehow.
Sienna looked at Tara. The rude tigress stood up staring back at her in unbelief. Sienna smiled at her softly, so she dared to come closer under Tyrell's strong glare. She kneeled in front of Sienna and put her hand at her heart."My Queen, I'm sorry for my words." she bit her lips. "I can see that you are brave and that you love us all dearly."
"I always will."Sienna nodded."Go and make a good life for yourself, hm? And be kind to others next time." she smiled at her.
"I will try to make you proud."Tara bit her lips and stood up. Her mother and father kneeled and thanked Sienna too, bowing their heads and touching their hearts. Then they took Tara to the main settlement gate and her father put a bag on her shoulder.
" Here, your mother already packed you, be strong and make us proud," he said firmly.
"We will always love you." Tara's mother smiled through her tears. She was happy her daughter lived. It was so much better to see her leave the tribe than being executed. Tara was strong and her parents knew she would not get lost. She was a wild tigress after all.
The people from the main plaza dispersed slowly. Sienna held Tyrell's hand.
She felt relieved that Tara lived but was so scared inside. She pressed herself to Tyrell tightly to feel his warmth while listening to his heartbeat.
"Was she worth it?" Tyrell asked Sienna quietly.
"I had to save her life. I do not want to cause the death of anyone," Sienna shook her head as the flashes of people who were burned already appeared in her mind.
"Well, now you will pay for it."Tyrell licked his lips sliding his hand under her cape and feeling her plump bum over her velvet dress.
"You got my word. You might but I do not want to know about it!"Sienna pressed her lips tightly."I will tell this to others too..." she noted firmly.
"Write it back to Sarcos."Tyrell chuckled, secretly pleased by the sneaky Scorpion King.
"Come here..." Tyrion came closer to the Royal Couple and gave Sienna a fatherly hug."You are the strongest Queen I have ever seen. It comes from your loving heart. You stand tall even if you are quite little." he petted her head."I'm glad Tyrell has such a Queen," he noted proudly...
"Thank you, my dearie."Ellaine hugged Sienna too."How do you feel? Would you like some rest?" she asked caringly.
"I think I need a breather."Sienna nodded.
"Come, I show you my favourite..."Thinking tree."Ellaine smiled and took Sienna to the park, almost at their house. She sat her under the tall pine tree. "Breathe in the scent, it smells like freedom."Tyrell's mother smiled."I will give you a moment." she said and went inside the house.
Sienna sat under a tree...Its sturdy trunk felt safe behind her back. The possible spiders crossed her mind for a moment, but then she remembered they had taken them away, so she rested her cape hood-covered head on it too. The chilly air was whizzing around her as she sat in darkness watching the stars for a moment and then closing her eyes to embrace the cold wind. Sienna felt somehow bewildered, somehow scared.
She permitted her mates to do anything with her...in exchange for the life of a girl... Sienna felt scared inside. It was as if her own will was suddenly stripped away! But Sarcos's words made sense. She asked him officially for payment and this was the only thing he did not have. It was a contract written in gold on the official parchment. Sienna felt bound and a bit angry.
"I will be under a tiger for sure now. Even Sarcos will not help me..."She thought desperately."I will have to mate with his scary Scorpion, Sharchan's wild snake and Marco's cold eagle."She thought as she inhaled the smell of the pine tree, reminding her of her Sea Eagle King even more."I should check out exactly what they do in some animal books."She thought a bit frazzled."Will it be too much?
I'm scared." she said quietly to herself. She felt naked...
Tyrell watched his Queen from afar. His White Tiger was brewing with anticipation, congratulating himself, excited to find the opportunity to mate his sweet mate...
Tyrell walked to Sienna slowly. He crouched next to her and touched her cold cheek gently. He could feel her cold tears drying on them.
"Do you regret it?"He asked carefully.
"No," she shook her head..." I had to do it..." she smiled hardly.
"Now, you will have to live with your decision..."Tyrell licked his lips.
"You do not seem to feel sorry for me at all."Sienna shook her head...
"There is nothing to be sorry for. I do love you the most. You are the red of my heart..." he smiled. "Come here, don't be scared. I will be not rough with you again." he kissed her cheeks softly."It is a promise, hm?"
"Thank you," Sienna kissed his lips. She felt Tyrell's closeness and started to feel safe again.
"Now come," Tyrell stood up and pulled Sienna up with his strong arms."Our elders are telling stories for entertainment to lift the spirit of our tribe. You might like it, they are like legends and fairytales..." he smiled as he hugged her.
"With dragons and princesses?" Sienna smiled relaxedly.