A/N: Chapter 12. Please Enjoy. Reviews!
FYI The stuff on Tiger Faeries is stuff that I came up with myself, it has nothing to do with the actual Faerie.
Chapter 12
Tora leaned against the wall inside the main chamber as she waited in silence for her King and Queen. Why… She wondered as she sighed yet again. Why am I so different…? Why can't I go back to the way I was? Is it so wrong to love someone that isn't my kind…?
"My little Tora…" The Queen murmured as Tora's eyes ripped opened and she flew away from the wall to bow at her King and Queen's feet. "I am so thankful that you have returned to us safely."
"I have my queen." She answered.
"What news is there of the world beyond ours?" The Summer King questioned.
"The Dark Faeries are on the loose even in the human world. They hunt and torture any Faeries that are out in the night, they need to be reigned in and put under control."
The Summer Queen placed a hand on her husband's. "That is not what we should talk about with our little one. She is dear to us and she has finally returned after months of being missing." She turned to Tora. "My little one, I see there is much turmoil in you. What is it that has you so confused?"
Tora bit her lip as she felt the questions surge forward. "My Queen…" She started as she bowed her head again. "I know I am the last of my kind, and one of the few fertile female Faeries in either of the courts, but I know nothing about my abilities, what I can do, why I am what I am, what, if there were more of my kind, would I be within the Tiger Faeries. There are so many things I feel have been kept from me and I'm so confused. I do not understand myself. While in the human world I became… larger. I was the size of a human, how is that even possible? I don't understand why so much has been kept from me!" Tears bit fiercely at Tora's eyes.
The Summer King looked at his Queen as a moment passed between them before he turned to Tora. "Our dear Tora, you are the last of your kind because you are the last born of fertile birth. That mark on your leg signifies not only your fertility but your royal status in your class. You would be a princess of this court if more of your kind existed."
"But why am I not a princess now?! I don't understand why that status would be taken away from me!" Tora stopped as she realized she had snapped at her King, she bowed her head. "Please forgive my outburst… I do not know what came over me."
"I have to agree with her my dear." The Queen answered. "I do not understand myself why she cannot be a princess in our court." She turned and smiled at the tiny Faerie. "Your outburst is understandable. Please, if you will indulge me I will show you who your kind use to be and what you could possibly become."
Exitting the partially burned down woods, Gene step foot onto sacred ground. She stood there for a long while, staring at the remains of a once rising empire. Her eyes gazed over the sight before her, heaving a heavy sigh before attempting to move, but to no avail. Sorrow ran through her like a lake. Clenching her fists, she forced her feet to move forward toward the debris of the castle, all the while, tears welling in her eyes.
"I'm sorry..." She muttered, losing the battle against the tears which fell down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry..."
Falling to her knees in front of the burned remains, she hung her head in despair.
"I failed you..."
Standing, ankle deep in a pool of blood, Gene held the head of the man who slew her parents. Her tiny fingers laced his hair and clenched it with everything she had left in her. The blood on her face mixed in with the tears on her cheeks. Glaring around the room, she set her gaze upon the man's armor. A small crest was engraved on the chest of his armor. Studying that intently, Gene swore to never forget that symbol. Red gems in the center of what looked to be long claws, criss crossed in the shape of an X...
Time moved on, and before she knew it, Gene was growing up into a young adult.
Quickly shifting through the trees, Gene yelled to a demon comrade who ran in front of her to wait up. Time was crucial though. If they were even a second behind, it would be gone...
Frustrated, she pushed herself to the limit, and ran faster to catch up to her friend, who stopped on top of a large hill.
"We're here..." He spoke softly while crouching behind a bush.
"Are you sure, Shae..? It's just an old shack..." Gene knelt down next to him.
"Yeah... I'm sure. Now follow my lead."
Nodding, Gene waited for his orders. Swiftly moving onto a branch, Gene watched as Shae moved gracefully from branch to branch. Following suit, they both sat in the tree behind the shack to regroup. Shae nodded ever so slightly at Gene before they both hopped down onto the roof, carving a small hole, and sliding through. Nothing being said, they moved over to a gem encased in thick glass.
'Whoa...' Gene thought to herself. 'It's beautiful...' Her eyes studied the red gem before a thought hit her like a brick. Red jewels in the center of what looked to be long claws, criss crossed in the shape of an X...
Gasping, she took a step back. It was so similar...she couldn't help herself... Reaching forward, she busted her hand through the glass, gripping that gem tightly before running out of the shack. Happening too quickly, Shae didn't have time to react before a cage emerged from the floor, encasing him.
Gene ran as quickly as she could, trying to ignore the screams of her comrade, shouting her name. The only place she wanted to be was home...
It didn't take long for her to reach the remains of her home. Kneeling in front of it, she bowed respectfully as she presented the gem. As a sort of gift for her long awaited vengeance, she laid it where the castle gates use to be.
"I'll come retrieve that gem...once I bring you the head of the demon in charge of this slaughter..." A promised…once again going unfulfilled...
Tora sat beside the books of her Faerie world as she waited on her Queen.
"Now…" The Summer Queen started as she took a volume from one of the book keepers. "In here is the only text we have on the Tiger Faeries…" She paused as she opened the book and flipped through the pages until she found what she wanted. "Here… 'The Tiger Faeries were one of the highest level of Faeries in the Seelie court, born with the most fertile female Faeries in both courts. Due to the higher amount fertility the Tiger Faeries were extremely deadly in their talents, not only could they call upon any type of animal for help of any kind they are also rooted to the earth and can listen to the waves to find the different paths of all living creatures. They're true talent lies within their given name, the Tiger. They have the ability to change their shape into the tiger or stop halfway between giving the look of a half animal. To do so they developed the ability to change their size between the six inches they are normally to several feet giving them more body to change into the type of tiger they choose.'" She stopped and closed the book. "That's all there is."
Tora gazed up at her Queen's face. "But why am I the only one left…?"
The Summer Queen smiled sadly. "Long before I came into the courts it is said that the Tiger Faeries slowly started losing their fertility. When it was five of every ten births of fertile females it slowly dwindled to one of ten then one of twenty and then there were no more fertile females being born. As your race slowly died the royal family birthed one more child, you. You were the last born to your race, but there was no other to help you continue your clan. So you are the last princess of the Tiger clan."
Tora looked away from her Queen. "So I am the last… There is no way to bring my clan back. When I die the Tiger Faeries will die with me."
The Summer Queen turned to Tora and touched the little Faerie lightly with her finger. "I wish there was something I could do to help you…"
Tora smiled slightly at her Queen. "I guess I'll just have to train and become strong for my people."
Written by: Pyro and Gene