Chapter Two: With a Smile and a Song

Shortly after Tinya met Brinn, Falyce was talking to the Thanagarian ambassador, Katar Hol, who had sworn to serve her as part of a pact she made to help the Thanagarians with their war against the Gordanians.

"Take her far into the forests of Earth." Falyce said. "Find a nice secluded place where she can pick wild flowers."

"Yes your majesty." Katar said.

"And there, my faithful friend, you will kill her." Falyce said with a mad glint in her eyes.

"But your majesty, the little princess-" Katar argued before Falyce stood up, and her eyes glowed green.

"SILENCE!" Falyce ordered. "You know the penalty if you fail."

The penalty would be that Katar's wife, Shayera, and their family would all be executed, and Katar would be forced to watch.

"Yes… Your majesty…" Katar said in a defeated voice.

"And just to make sure that you don't fail, bring back her heart in this." Falyce pulled out a red box with golden trim. The lock was a golden heart with a golden dagger cutting into it.

()()()()()

A few days later, Katar took Tinya to Earth, where he was known as Hawkman for the hawk-like wings sprouting out of his back. Tinya was walking through a forest on Earth that she had never been to, and she was excited about all the lovely flowers there. She also hoped that she'd meet Brinn there before she had to go back home.

One song, I have but one song.

One song, only for you.

She hummed the song he sang to her, their song, to herself as she picked as many wild flowers as she could carry. Suddenly, she saw a small blue bird chirping not far off.

"Oh hello there." Tinya said as she turned to the baby bird. "What's the matter?"

The bird chirped fearfully, and Tinya recognized it as the fears of a lost child.

"Where are your mother and father? Are you lost?" Tinya asked, and the bird began to cry. "Oh, please don't cry. Come on, cheer up. Won't you smile for me?"

The bird chirped happily.

"That's better." Tinya said encouragingly. "Your mother and father can't be far away. Oh, there they are. Good-bye little one. Good-bye."

The bird flew off to his parents as Tinya smiled.

()()()()()

Katar meanwhile, pulled out his Nth Metal Axe and held it loosely as he walked to Tinya. Just after Tinya helped the bird find his parents, Katar raised his axe as Tinya turned around and screamed. She prepared to defend herself as best she could against the axe, but she knew that, even intangible, the axe would cleave her in two when Katar dropped his axe.

"I can't." Katar said. "I can't do it. Forgive me, your highness. I beg you."

Katar fell to his knees and bowed his head.

"I don't understand." Tinya said in a confused voice.

"She's mad." Katar said. "Jealous of you! She'll stop at nothing!"

"Who?" Tinya asked.

"The queen!" Katar said.

"The queen?" Tinya said. How could her step-mother do such a terrible thing?

"Run for it, child!" Katar said. "Run! Go away and hide in the woods! Anywhere, just never come back! Go!" Tinya still stood there nervously. "GO!"

Tinya flew off into the forest as Katar picked up his axe and walked to a nearby wild boar. He'd give the queen something alright.

()()()()()

Tinya ran into the woods, and in her panicked state, every tree seemed to have eyes, and their branches were clawed hands trying to reach out and grab her! She eventually fell down into a pond, and when she got up, she saw two logs that seemed to be alligators and ran out where she was surrounded by frightening trees that starred at her darkly before she screamed and fell crying. She couldn't muster the courage or confidence she needed to phase through them. It was all over.

()()()()()

As she cried, she realized something, no one was attacking her. She looked up to find that it was still daylight, and the eyes were simply the animals of the forest. She had learned all about them in her studies, so she could recognize the squirrels, the dear, and the birds. When a rabbit came up to her, she startled at the creature rubbing its nose next to her face, and they scattered.

"Oh, don't go away." Tinya said as she felt her confidence return. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I was just surprised. I was very frightened, and all because I was being afraid of things that weren't really scary. I'm so ashamed over the fuss that I have made. What do you do when things go wrong?"

The birds tweeted.

"Ooh!" Tinya said happily. "You sing a song!"

The birds chirped a yes.

"Ah-ha-ha, ha, ha." Tinya sang, and the baby bird she'd helped before sang along.

Ah-ha-ha, ha, ha.

Ahhh… Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, ha.

The bird tried to follow along again, but he failed to hit Tinya's high notes, but Tinya just chuckled happily.

With a smile and a song,

Life is just like a bright sunny day.

Your cares fade away.

And your heart is young.

With a smile and a song,

All the world seems to waken anew,

Rejoices with you.

As the sung is sung.

More animals came out to listen to Tinya's singing. A chipmunk came up and rested on Tinya's lap.

There's no use in grumbling

When raindrops come tumbling.

Remember, you're the one

Who can fill the world with sunshine.

She then petted a faun that had come up, and the rabbit who had come up to her before laid his head down on her legs.

When you smile and you sing,

Everything is in tune and it's spring

And life flows along,

With a smile and a song.

The animals then all cheered, and Tinya felt that maybe things would not be so bad for her now.

That was fun.