Chapter 12: Tia the girl
Five days earlier
Tia ran with the determination of a baby tiger, turning around to make sure the little cat she rescued a week before was behind her. And it was.
"Come on! Vengeance, we are almost there!"
Tia could feel her lungs burn just a little bit and she knew it was going to get easier soon. To be honest, she didn't really mind, pushing herself faster and only stopping abruptly briefly to pick up her cat, she went even faster.
"We must get back home before Papa comes home, Vengeance or he will be mad"
A thin layer of sweat covered the nape of her neck yet she didn't stop.
She could hear Maggie yelling her name in a half forceful whisper because yelling it louder will get both of them in trouble.
She could almost see Maggie's dancing out of panic and dread.
"I am here. Tia is here"
Talking had been a big mistake. Immediately Tia took in air from her mouth, it felt like someone sucked out all of her saliva.
When she finally made it to Maggi, vengeance the cat was safely tucked away in the secret compartment of her dress.
"You must hurry, child. Your father is on his way up"
Maggie grabbed her hand and they hurried back to her room.
"I should wash up, Maggi"
"There is no time, dear child. Just strip out of those muddy clothes…be fast!" Maggi opened the huge wooden wardrobe by the corner of the bedchamber and picked out a blue dress with a golden belt that would be easy to wear.
Tia took the opportunity to hide her cat away from Maggie's curious eyes.
"Stay, Vengeance. Papa hates pet"
Tia was helped into the blue dress in a nick of time and was shepherd to the king's private court, the only public place Tia was allowed to be.
Maggie made sure everything was in order as they hurried to the king's court.
"We made it. Thank you, Zeus!" Maggie muttered under her breath as she positioned her charge to be presented to. Court.
"Her royal highness, Tiamat Cypher-Dumont…princess of Lamek"
Tia took a deep breath and clasped her hands together like Maggie thought her as she walked inside the court.
Hold your head high!
Keep your shoulders straight!
And remember to breath!
Tia recited in her head as she walked towards her father, Cyper Dumont, King of Lamek and over all the Midlands.
When she got close enough to her father, she heard his deep chuckle making her look at him instead of concentrating in her steps. She tripped and almost landed like a turd but her father's arms reached out and steadied her.
"Tiamat, you don't have to walk like an ostrich in pain when it's only me in the court, little dove"
Tia exhaled "Oh thank heavens, Papa…I was on the verge of passing out but I practiced with Maggie, so when you decide I am ready to debut into society, I will not disappoint you, my father. I am going to be Queen of the Midlands one day, I have to learn but it's very difficult, Papa"
Cyper caresses her cheek with his index finger before placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Do not worry your pretty little head, my little dove. You are not debuting into society just yet"
Tia blinked and tried to hide her disappointment.
"But I am ready, Papa. I am going to be nineteen in two days" Tia wandered to the balcony to stare out at her father's kingdom. "When shall I begin my adventures? When shall I see what's out there?"
There was sadness in her voice and a glimmer of tears in her eyes.
Cyper moved closer to the balcony, to his hurting daughter and touched her back.
"The world is a dangerous place, Tiamat and only when you obey the rules can I protect you. What are the rules?" Cyper told her.
"Don't take my amulet off and don't leave the castle" Tia's eyes stared at her feet as she recited the rules that had been etched to her mind since she turned three years old.
"Good girl" Cyper smiled.
"But how am I supposed to meet a prince, Papa…just like in my story book or rule like you, my beloved father?" Her curious blue eyes looked up at Cyber, her only source of worldly information.
"Let me worry about that, little dove" Cyper told her. He walked back to the king's court and Tia followed behind.
"I shall take my leave now, child"
Tia nodded, she had since stopped asking for a longer time past the thirty minutes he spared every five days to visit her.
"I shall visit again"
She tried to smile but failed miserably at it. "In five days time…(Tia nodded) I shall be counting the minute till you come back, Papa"
Cypher touched her nose and tried to walk away when he noticed the dirt on her shoes. He stared at it briefly before he walked away to find Maggie.
As soon as King Cypher closed the doors behind him, he grabbed Maggie roughly.
"You let her out again, didn't you little witch?!"
Maggi didn't back down, instead she leaned in closer to the king.
"You can't hide her forever like a mistake you need to keep secret, Cypher Dumont!"
"I am her father and you shall do as I have ordered or I will place your head on a pike, Maudlyn"
Maggi backed down a little bit but she still spoke her mind.
"She is not Emerald. It's not fair that you are punishing her for something she didn't do, Cypher"
"She is Emerald Eireth's child and as long as the dead wench blood runs through Tiamat's vein, she shall never condemn another man to the same fate her mother did to me. And for your act of treachery, Maudlyn, I shall leave it to you to explain to the girl why I will not be present in five days' time'' Cypher grabbed her jaw roughly and for an older woman, she didn't look disturbed about it but her eyes changed.
"I beseech you not to break her heart. She spends the whole week planning for your visit, King Cypher. Punish me instead and leave her out of it"
Cypher smiled brightly to himself.
"Don't you get it, Maudlyn…punishing Tiamat is my way of punishing you. It's the best way actually"