Sharchan heard the wild falcon screech as he was coiled on the tree near his castle. He took the note and frowned. Then he slithered fast to the Crystal City.
Sienna spend the day resting and sewing. She was still very tired. Someone was near her all day, Ziran or Tyrell, they took turns. Late evening Tyrell took her to sleep in his own room. He said he have a surprise for her. He put dark curtains on the windows and had them painted with silvery stars." I want to make it like a starry night for you." he smiled.
Sienna cuddled up to him and kiss his lips. "It is beautiful, thank you, but the stars look a bit like tiger paws, "she said."Change to a tiger for me," she asked him. The magnificent white tiger was in front of her.
Sienna hugged his big head." Tyrell, you are so beautiful," she played with him. Then she cuddled up to him and fall asleep. Tyrell watched. He will guard Sienna tonight!
The strong Snake King arrived just in time to set the special ambush for the unwanted guests with excited and bloodthirsty Ziran.
Ziran arranged Sharchan's tail in his snake form under the blankets, he even slightly rolled him in, to make it easy for the eagles to pick up. Well, it was only a small part of Sharchan's tail on the bed due to his enormous size. The rest was coiled under the bed and his head was covered under the shabby furry rug behind the bedside.
Ziran was stationed under the window. He lay motionlessly, only his eyes shone with excitement of the upcoming hunt.
After a great deal of waiting, Ziran heard the soft rustle of eagle wings. Two strong eagles flew in carefully, they carried a big net with them. Ziran let them pass and kept hiding under the window. Eagles took on the form of the warriors, they came quietly to the bed. They saw the body on the bed covered in a blanket very well, so they just put the net over it, and try to carry it out.
Then something went amiss! Eagles noticed the queen is too heavy and somehow too long when a huge snake head attacked them viciously in the darkness. Sharchan's yellow eyes screamed murder as he free his tail from the net in one swish which sent one eagle up to the ceiling. The eagle warrior splat on the ceiling like a scrambled pancake and fall down back to the Sharchan's coils unconscious.
The other eagle warrior tried to flee, but Ziran stood up and covered the window with his big body. Then charged at the eagle, pushed him down and held his neck tight.
"Don't kill him," said Sharchan, "The one you hold is an Eagle Prince."
"Can I kill the other one then?"Ziran asked.
"No, he is half dead already," said Sharchan.
"Do you think they are any more coming?" Ziran asked unsatisfied." This was too easy."
Sharchan shook his head and hissed at the conscious eagle."How dare are you to try to kidnap me in my slumber? Do you fancy warriors now or what?" Sharchan mocked the prince.
The eagle shook his head." I wanted the queen. Let me go, or my father will start a war with you!"
"Your fate is up to king Tyrell," said Sharchan."Let's lock them in the dungeon first." he decided.
Sharchan watched the handsome prince hanging in the dungeon cage. "You can't trust eagles anymore." he said to Tyrell."We have two choices, kill him or ask for a ransom."
"Ransom!" said Tyrell and sent a letter to the old Eagle King.
The Eagle King sent a ransom for his son the next day. He was so upset he retracted all eagles from the Crystal City. They became enemies now.
Sienna was not feeling well, so she even did not notice the eagles left. She spent her day in Tyrell's room resting and drawing. Tyrell kept her company all day and Sharchan came in the evening. They play chess together.
Then Sharchan and Tyrell went hunting at night.
Sienna had trouble falling asleep, so she asked Ziran to chat with her. She fell asleep on the big tiger again.
Ziran tucked Sienna to bed and went to lie by the window in his tiger form. Sienna was kicking in her sleep, and her blanket fell off the bed, so Ziran changed to a man and fixed her blanket on her when she embraced him in her sleep and did not want to let him go. He did not want to wake her, so he lay next to her and did not move.
Sharchan found them in the morning. Sienna was sleeping soundly on Ziran's chest. The tiger warrior did not dare to move."What are you doing?" Sharchan looked at him coldly."
"She held me in her sleep and I did not have the heart to woke her up."Ziran shook his shoulders innocently.
'You are more and more daring. Let's settle it in the arena."Sharchan hissed.
Ziran moved and Sienna woke up a bit." Stop moving, I want to sleep some more!" she grumbled in her sleep and pulled Ziran closer to her. He complied with a puzzled face and cheeky smirk.
Sharchan bit his lips and shook Sienna hard." "Sienna wake up! You sleep on Lord Ziran." Sharchan hissed.
" Let her rest ." Ziran pushed his hand away from Sienna.
"What you doing?"Sharchan opened his eyes wide.
"I'm her bodyguard," Ziran growled. Sharchan just successfully start going on his nerves.
" You like this!" Sharchan called jealously. "In my place, you will drop her in cold water," Sharchan growled.
"No, in your place, I will simply exchange with myself and enjoy the cuddle." Ziran smiled cheekily.
Sharchan clenched his fist." Change then." Sharchan carefully changed with Ziran. He held Sienna the same way but she wiggled." Sharchan you smell of blood, go bath! " she pushed him off the bed and turned on the other side to continue sleep.
Ziran bit his lips in laughter." This was priceless! Even if Sharchan will kill him on the spot, he will be not sorry after seeing this.
Sharchan looked at the Ziran angrily." Let's go arena." his blood was boiling. Ziran looked at him cheekily." I think you need to go bath." and chuckled. "We can go fight in the river." Ziran was laughing full on.
"I will drown you." Sharchan bit his lips seriously.
"I know you just fancy to see me wet," Ziran smirked at him and Sharchan stormed out of the room fuming angrily. He went to soak in the river and then calm down at Tyrell's office.
Tyrell's brows were furrowed. He read the letter and looked worried.
" What happened?"Sharchan asked nonchalantly.
Tyrell showed the letter to Sharchan who was leaning on the chair next to him.
Sharchan read the letter and smiled."This is good!"
Xander demanded Ziran to come over for a duel and to work for him till spring as repayment for beating him up as a prince.
Tyrell shook his head."Sienna will be upset from this!"
Sharchan's eyes gleamed a bit wickedly."Ziran is overstepping boundaries for too long. It will be good for Sienna not to be so close to him."
"Let's go tell her."Tyrell stood up. Sharchan followed him. They found Sienna in the garden throwing a ball to Lord Ziran who was leaping in the air in his tiger form showing off. Sienna clapped her hands in awe and was petting his head.
"Sienna, that is a warrior, not a pet..."Sharchan said coldly to her."It is time to give him up."
"What? No!"Sienna called."You can't take my friend and bodyguard!" she glared at Sharchan a bit upset and pouted her lips cutely.
"Sienna, the Black Panther King, Xander asked for Ziran's services."Tyrell held her in his embrace gently."We should let him go, otherwise, there could be a war with the panther tribe," he said seriously.
"I can kill them all if you wish!" said Sharchan who did not like to be seen as weak.
"We do not want to annihilate any tribes," said Tyrell, "the warriors are not the ones who decided to fight, it is just the king. It would be wrong to kill them all! They have no responsibility for this, they need to listen to the orders."Tyrell shook his head.
"Let's kill the king then!" said Sharchan.
"We can't do that, panthers will hate us," said Tyrell, "It will be bad for our Kingdom. We need to be seen as peaceful as possible and offer to reconcile, because feline tribes are as brother nations to us, including panthers."
Ziran listened and waited."This will be a good chance to become a king!" he thought.
"No killing!" said Sienna, "Xander was kind to me, I think he wants to train with Ziran to become stronger."
"I go and sort it out," said Ziran.
Sharchan and Tyrell stared at him in surprise.
"But I have one condition." Ziran smiled cheekily. His eyes locked on Sienna.
"What is it?" asked Tyrell
"I want a kiss from the queen," Ziran said confidently.
Sharchan's face darkened. Tyrell froze and look at Sienna.
"Why would you?" asked Tyrell.
"To help me fight better of course. It was working so well for you in the arena."Ziran said with a smirk.
Sienna thought a bit and said," Ziran is always in trouble because he saved me so many times. The least I can do is to give him a kiss. Besides he was protecting me with his life. I do like him."She said seriously.
Sharchan felt his blood boil."But he was too rude to you before!"
"So was you!" said Sienna." I forgave him long ago, in that moment he saved me from Xander. And he helped me when you two could not. If not for him, I will be not maybe here today."
Ziran grew one foot taller, " Sienna said to her mates she like me! I'm definitely going to the panther tribe and I will do my best to become king." he thought.
Tyrell nodded slowly. "I will arrange that before you go," he said to Ziran.
Ziran bowed lightly to his king and queen and happily went out of the gardens to pack his weapons. Sienna went to her room shortly after him.
"Why did you agree to it?" asked Sharchan.
"Ziran's heart has been burning for our queen for a long time. When he became a king she will surely accept him. If he got that kiss, it keeps his head occupied and he will fight harder. There will be no resentment toward us. It is a way to show him, that we will accept him too." said Tyrell.
"I could just kill him," said Sharchan coldly. "He is a brute."
"No, Sienna likes him and he was a big help. He saved her too many times. He is always at her side."Tyrell looked at Sharchan scorchingly.
Sharchan sighted. It was hard to accept Sienna likes someone else as well.