PATRON SHOUT OUT: Thank you Tessa Whalen for suggesting the name "Galia," which I think is beautiful. She's not a tiger, but I hope you'll like her anyway!
*****
~ TARKYN (two years after Peace) ~
Gahlya stretched her arms out to him, a forced pout on her tiny face. 'Noooooooooo, Dad! Don't goooooo!'
She still preferred to speak to them through the link because she struggled to make her lips and tongue say all the words she knew and understood.
"You need to speak it, sweetie," Tarkyn said gruffly, trying desperately to hide the pang in his chest.
His daughter, held safely in Jayah's arms, just grunted and stretched towards him until she threatened to tumble out of Jayah's grip.
'She knows who's more likely to give her what she wants,' Harth sighed good-naturedly in his mind.
Tarkyn tried not to wince.
