Potential Mate

A few days later, Serenity walked out into the glowing afternoon sun. She covered her eyes from the bright light as she walked across the cobblestone courtyard towards Amira who was sitting on a bench reading in the sunlight. Serenity looked at her with curious eyes as she approached the young female tiger.

"Good afternoon," she greeted her. "Jemma said you were looking for me?"

Amira nodded as she closed her book. "Yes," she said softly. She put the book next to her and stood up. "Good, you're wearing pants."

Serenity looked at Amira oddly. Yes, she was in fact wearing pants. But what did that matter?

"I thought you might want to learn some self defense skills," Amira said holding up two swords.

"Excuse me?" Serenity looked at the tiger oddly.

The truth was she had always wanted to learn self defensive skills, since she was a child. When she and Theron were secretly seeing each other she begged him on many occasions to show her how to defend herself. He showed her a few things. She could break free from someone holding her and she knew a few hand to hand combat moves. But he never taught her to use a weapon.

"Did the Prince ask you to teach me?" Serenity asked carefully.

"No," Amira shook her head as she peered at Serenity with dark yellow eyes. "Serenity, we are about to change the world. We are about to make the world a better place not just for your kind but for our sex. The war that is coming will rely on all of us to be strong, but it especially relies on strong women."

Serenity nodded in understanding. "Alright."

"First, let's see what you know already," Amira said. She turned and put the swords down on the stone bench. Serenity crossed her arms over her chest as she watched her move. Without much warning, Amira lashed out a Serenity with a swift kick straight to the stomach. Serenity tried to grab Amira's leg to stop her, but it was useless. Serenity went sailing backwards, the wind knocked out of her, and landed on her butt.

Amira stepped forward and offered Serenity her hand, to pull her up. Serenity took it, but she gripped in hard and pulled the tiger down while rolling out from under her. Serenity moved swiftly and straddled Amira once her back was on the ground. Serenity leaned forward and placed her arm across Amira's throat.

"Why didn't you disarm me in the cave?" Amira asked looking at Serenity with raised eyebrows.

Serenity sat back on her knees, still straddling Amira. She could tell that she had surprised Amira with her skills, even if they were minimal. It was obviously that Amira thought she had none what-so-ever.

"I didn't think it was necessary," she said with a shrug. "Once I realized you were a woman, I didn't think you would hurt me."

Amira frowned. Serenity wasn't sure if she had offended her or not. Amira sat up abruptly and grabbed the back of Serenity's neck. She threw her body back towards the cobblestone causing Serenity to fly off of her over her head. When Serenity flipped her head up to look at Amira, she was already standing up over her, in a striking pose.

"You can't let your guard down that easily," Amira said harshly. "You can never trust anyone who has a dagger to your throat."

"It's in my nature to know who to trust," Serenity responded defensively. "As a dove I can often find peace—"

"—Not when you're fighting someone," Amira interrupted. "You're not a dove. You're a woman trying to survive. You have to move past the identity associated with your species and embrace the adrenaline running through you when you're trying to survive."

Serenity stood up quickly deeply offended by Amira's words. "I have spent my entire life surviving. I have spent the last year constantly fighting for my life—"

"—then why did you try to give up?"

Serenity stood up straight. What did she just say? Serenity crossed her arms over her chest. What had Prince Theron told her?

"If it were me, I would have fought tooth and nail against the Crown Prince," Amira snapped harshly. "I never would have let him take me or my life—"

Serenity ran at Amira and grabbed her around the thighs. She surprised herself with how strong she was and how easily she picked up Amira fully off the ground. She threw Amira down and landed on top of her. She grabbed Amira's hair and pulled her head back, balled her fist and made to slug her right in the jaw. But before she could, Amira bucked her hips and threw Serenity off of her body.

Serenity rolled across the cobblestone with a heaving breath. She threw her hair out of her face and scrambled up to stand in front of Amira who came right at her, ready to strike. Amira threw a punch, Serenity blocked it weakly. Amira grabbed the collar of Serenity's shirt, lifted her knee into her stomach and threw Serenity to the ground. But Serenity wasn't giving up. She staggered up to her feet again, gasping for breath.

Amira didn't know what she was talking about. She didn't know what it was like to wonder each day if you would live or die by the whim of a complete madman. She didn't understand the only way to have complete control of her life meant to take her life. It was the only choice that she could make and the only action she could take on her own. She was not strong enough to kill the Crown Prince. And running away never seemed to work. Choosing to die by her own will was the only thing she had control over. If she killed herself she'd take that pleasure away from the Crown Prince.

Amira stalked around Serenity like the tiger she was. Serenity made sure to face her the entire time she marched around the courtyard. She wanted to keep her in sight. She wasn't sure else how to strike her. She didn't know what she could do.

"You're angry and that's good," Amira said carefully. "It feeds your strength. But you need to control it. If your anger controls you then you'll be sloppy and it will be easier to overpower you."

She didn't wait. She lunged forward and made to kick Serenity in the stomach. Serenity grabbed her ankle, blocking the blow. She twisted with all her might, but knocking Amira over in that manner proved to be difficult. Amira pulled her leg back, without losing her balance and pulled Serenity to the ground. She pounced on Serenity, trying to pin her. Serenity grabbed Amira by the back of the head, pulled her upper body down towards her own, then sat up to gain momentum and rolled back over her own shoulder, launching Amira over her head.

Amira's body flew onto the cobblestone and she rolled to the bench that she hit harshly on her side. Serenity scrambled to her feet, not nearly as graceful as Amira had a few moments earlier. Amira stood up easily with a deep sigh.

"Well done," she said with a broad smile. "You catch on fast. You're sloppy, but you can learn easily."

Serenity relaxed her body and stood up straight. She released a long exhale.

"What the hell are you two doing!?"

It was Prince Theron, followed closely by Jemma, who wore a worried expression all over her face. Amira rolled her shoulders back and tilted her head to the side, her long red hair flipping around her in a long wave over her head. She smiled at Theron as he approached.

"Just training," Amira said as she smiled at the prince with sparkling yellow eyes. Serenity stood silently next to the bench, watching their exchange. "I think the dove could benefit from some training."

"Perhaps, you should train in the barracks, where there is adequate space and facilities for that purpose," Theron said sternly. Amira raised her eyebrows at him in surprised. Was he angry that she was teaching Serenity how to defend herself? Serenity stepped forward.

"We will next time," Serenity said. "Tomorrow?" She looked at Amira with hopeful eyes. "'Maybe we can start the sword?"

Amira beamed. "Yes, tomorrow," she nodded. She looked back at Theron with the same cunning smile before picking up the two untouched swords from the bench. "If you'll excuse me, your Highness," she said with a sweeping bow. He said nothing as she departed from the courtyard.

"Jemma, will you excuse us?" Theron said without taking his eyes off of Serenity's. She was staring at him confused. Why was he so upset? Did he think they were actually fighting with each other? Or was he not happy that she was being taught by Amira?

"Yes, your Highness," Jemma said.

The pair stood in silence for a few moments until Jemma's footsteps could no longer be heard. Serenity walked towards Theron, unsure of what he would want to say to her in private.

"Why didn't you come to me?" he asked gently. She was impressed by how quickly his tone changed, but she was also surprised. Is that why he was upset? She studied his deep purple eyes for a moment, trying to answer her own question.

"I recall coming to you many times and you refusing me," she said slowly as she touched the buttons on his shirt over the center of his chest bone. She felt his breath catch beneath her fingertips for just a moment. "If I asked you now, wouldn't it just be another means of teasing you?"

Theron smiled at what she was suggesting. His hands slid up the side of her covered arms slowly while she spoke. Their eyes locked, never blinking.

"Our bodies pressed together, physically fighting and dancing," Serenity's voice was low. "I just thought that it would be too much. I do not want to mislead you."

She slipped out of his grasp and moved passed him back towards the palace. He watched her as she moved away wondering where the hell she had learned to be so seductive? It was a new side to her that he had not seen before. Yes, she was flirtatious, as most women were, but now she had an air of confidence about her that made him feel like she was toying with him. But perhaps that was what happened when you released a bird from its cage; it began to live more freely.

Serenity moved through the halls of the palace quickly. She pressed her cold hands to her neck, trying to bring herself back down from the adrenaline high she was on. She could not believe what she had just said to the Prince. She wasn't sure what had come over her – suddenly she was teasing him like she wanted him. She didn't second guess her actions until she was alone. She bit her bottom lip and stopped in the middle of the corridor. She turned and marched a few steps back towards the courtyard, but then stopped herself and turned back to head to her chamber. She stopped abruptly in the hall when she heard voices nearby, close behind her.

"Amira," it was Theron. He sounded surprised. "Did you need something?"

"That was quite a show you put on," Amira responded.

Serenity heard their footsteps approaching and looked around frantically for some place to hide. There was a high shelf built into the wall of the corridor high above her head. A decorative pot stood broadly on the shelf. She easily transformed to her bird form and swooped up behind the pot. She hoped that she was far enough behind it that no one would see her.

"It was not a show," Theron said. "I asked you to train with her, not beat the crap out of her."

"I didn't," Amira retorted. "She's much more capable than you give her credit for."

"I give her a lot of credit. She never ceases to amaze me."

"Theron," Amira's tone sounded sad. Serenity could not see them around the pot and she didn't dare move to get a better look. She was sure that if she moved they would hear her with their strong Tigerian hearing. "I'm worried about you."

"Worried?"

"You need to decide how long you will wait for her," Amira said carefully. "You have spent the last year punishing yourself over what happened. Now she is here, and yes it will take time for her to trust and want to be with you again, but you need to ask yourself if you truly think that will ever happen. I worry that you'll lose yourself trying to bring her back to you."

"Everything I want for our kingdom is because of Serenity," Theron responded.

"At some point, you will have to take a mate," Amira stressed. "If she will not have you, then you will need to find someone else to ensure your legacy lives on."

Serenity caught her breath in her beak. Theron wanted her to be his mate? That couldn't possibly be true. She closed her eyes tight and waited for the friends to walk by her. She wanted to tear away from her hiding spot and escape to get some fresh air.

"When I am sure that she will not have me, I will find someone else," Theron responded. There was a chuckle in his tone as he continued. "You're sure you don't want the job?"

Amira laughed with the prince. "No, you're not my type, your Highness."

"Oh really? Why?"

"I prefer men who already have wives," Amira said boldly. "I'm not interested in being tied to anyone, only my country."

"Amira, you're astounding."

"Thank you, your Highness."

The pair laughed again as they turned the corner into another corridor. Serenity jumped off the shelf and onto the floor. She remained a bird for a few moments, desperately wanting to fly away. But there was no point in running. Why was she so shocked that Theron wanted to make her his mate? He had loved her at one point. But surely, he did not think she would forgive him enough for that…