Chapter 25 : Right or Wrong Choice

The death of the empress, her adoptive mother, was certainly a big loss for Tigress. Sure enough because the empress was the only tiger in the palace that really loved her. But not only that, she was also always there for her and Tigress just realized about it after that woman died.

What Tigress felt and what Yuan Sheng felt were mutual. Tigress could clearly see the deep sadness on the prince's face. The woman who had raised him with love for twenty eight years was gone, killed by a cruel murderer, just like that.

Tigress locked herself in her room but not for sleeping. She was musing gloomily. She could not see the empress' face anymore. It would be too painful. She sat down on her bed, hugging her knees as she sank her head on them.

The feeling of anger, sadness and confusion were overwhelming her mind.

She was angry to those who had killed the empress. She was sad because the only woman that loved her had been gone. And she was confused as she didn't know what the reason for the murderer to kill an innocent one like the empress.

Who's exactly the murderer?

Suddenly, the two faces of the escaped prisoners crossed her mind.

That's it ! She snapped.

Was it them who did that?

But if it was really them who did that, so it meant it was her fault too. The emperor had asked her help to search for those prisoners? But she was not able to complete her mission. She let the prisoners free. In other words, she had let them to murder her adoptive mother.

Tigress cursed herself. How stupid she was.

She gripped the jade necklace given by the empress, thinking as she gritted her teeth angrily. Those murderers must pay.

Feeling tired by her own thoughts, Tigress overslept.

And as usual, her predecessor, Khan, had been waiting for her in her dream.

Everything still seemed the same as the last time she could remember. On the same land, the same surroundings …

And the same tiger.

Khan had been standing right before her, still holding the same sword.

There was only one thing that wasn't the same. Tigress didn't try to dispel him.

"What do you want?" Tigress asked weakly. Actually, she didn't need to ask since she had already known what Khan would want from her.

That old tiger was just staying silent for a moment before finally starting to speak. "I want you to fulfill your destiny."

Tigress looked at his predecessor closely. "My destiny as your successor?"

"Yes," Khan replied calmly. "and as my only successor, you have a duty to continue my goal to conquer China."

At first, Tigress was attempting to challenge him with her usual rejection. She was about to ask him what if she refused. But as she was thinking about that, she knew she had gotten the answer already.

She would lose everyone she loved again.

Even when the first time she came to Darknest Land, the emperor and his family had warned her about how unfairly China treated tigers after the battle between Long and Khan ended. And about how miserable they were for being isolated in a land for thousands of years. Their only hope to get their glory back was for Tigress to fulfill her destiny.

But Tigress was too stubborn to understand them. She was alike shutting her eyes and ears on them though her own predecessor had warned her to fulfill her destiny. It was not because she didn't believe them, but it was mostly because she hadn't felt the suffering and sadness they had been through. She was abandoned by her parents in an orphanage when she was born and for twenty years, she had spent almost her whole time in Jade Palace, protecting The Valley of Peace alongside with her fellow masters. Respected and loved by her people and friends.

She had never known their pain … until now. Well, even though she didn't feel their misery, but she knew how hurt it was about losing someone that had ever loved her.

"Tigress," the old tiger talked again. "It is now for you to fulfill your destiny as my successor," he presented his sword. "You are the leader to our people."

In her heart, Tigress wanted to refuse. But somehow, something in her mind made her has a second thought about it.

The feeling of loss had entirely possessed her mind.

Khan was right. The emperor was right. Yuan Sheng was right. Everyone was right.

They had told her that she was the leader for their clan, though officially their current leader was Emperor Tiger. But the fate had decided that she was their leader. Even the emperor himself had been counting on her.

She was the only person wrong.

Everyone in China hated tigers. They would never forgive their ancestor's mistakes. What they want was only to destroy all tigers in this world forever.

She could not take more risk. The emperor and all people in the palace had been like a family to her and she would never want to lose them.

She had to protect her new family.

And all of sudden, the words of the emperor once told haunted her mind.

Since the fight a thousand years ago, we had no place to stay. They treated us like parasites, hunting and terrorizing us all the time. Even until now, we are still suffering from the aftermath of the battle. No one helped us. We had to keep ourselves hidden to prevent ourselves from being killed…

How to stop it? There should be a way to end our suffering.

War is the only way to end our sufferings…

That can't be. A war cannot help to get us live in peace.

Sometimes, peace can only be achieved through war … You can find peace the same way…

And before she knew it, slowly she had been moving her hand. Slowly, she touched the proffered sword. And slowly, she gripped that weapon.

Within seconds, the sword had been in her grip.

Yes, she was holding the sword. That was to say, she was willing to fulfill the destiny that had been written in her fate.

Khan smiled satisfy as Tigress was now holding his sword. This was the moment he had waited for from his successor.

"I accept to fulfill my destiny as your successor," Tigress said, grasping the sword tighter. "But it's only for taking justice for the empress and to protect my new family. No more than that."

After saying that, Khan vanished.

And Tigress awoke from her sleep.

When she took a look at her right hand, she realized that she was not holding the sword but her jade necklace.

TLoTDaTT

Yuan Sheng was in his room, still mourning for the death of his mother. He wanted to be his mother's side at the moment. But just a couple minutes ago, his father came in and asked everyone to leave the room. Though he attempted to protest, but the emperor forced him to get back to his room.

Suddenly someone entered his room.

Yuan Sheng turned to the door and found Tigress coming in to his room. But not as usual as everytime he met her, this time, the prince just gave a silence for her presence.

"Yuan Sheng," Tigress addressed as she approached the prince.

Yuan Sheng snorted. "Leave me alone, Tigress. Please."

Tigress stopped for a moment. But then she continued her steps. "No."

Yuan Sheng turned his face away, not looking at Tigress. "What are you coming here for?"

Tigress sat down on the bed beside the prince. "I bring something to tell you."

"I'm not interested to hear it," he said. "Unless if you can bring my mother back to life."

Tigress sighed. "Listen to me. I am very sorry about your mother. And just to remind you, your mother is my adoptive mother. Just so you know, I completely understand how your feeling is now."

"It's not use you said that," Yuan Sheng again gave a sad look. "That doesn't help me at all. My mother… she… she has been gone… and… and will never come back to us."

Tigress nodded slowly. "I know."

"So why are you still in here, huh?"

"To tell you something," Tigress leant closer to Yuan Sheng. "That I'll avenge your mother."

Yuan Sheng was startled upon hearing that, staring at Tigress. He saw a seriousness radiating through her eyes.

"You're kidding, aren't you?"

Tigress shook her head. "No. I now realize that I was wrong all these time. But soon, I'll pay all my mistakes," she stared back at Yuan Sheng. "and fulfill my destiny as the reincarnation of your ancestor."

"Tigress. Did you… did you just say—"

"Yes," Tigress replied before Yuan Sheng could finish his words. "The death of your mother has made me realize the truth and everything." She put her both arms on Yuan Sheng's shoulders. "I promise you that I will never let those who have made you and your people in suffer live in peace. They must pay."

Yuan Sheng was speechless. He didn't expect Tigress would say that. But however, his father and people would happily accept this news.

He pulled Tigress and embraced her in a hug. "Promise me, Tigress," He whispered in her ears. "Promise me. For my mother and our people."

Tigress was surprised getting herself hugged by the prince, recalling the moment when Po hugged her in Gongmen City.

But still, she felt uneasy for being hugged at this moment. She touched Yuan Sheng's arms and pushed him gently to break the hug.

"I promise." Tigress replied firmly.

TLoTDaTT

Fang Zi was hobbling, walking out of the palace limply with her staff. The fresh air welcomed her as she reached the palace's yard. She closed her eyes, letting the wind blew her fur in the cold night.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes with a surprise look, feeling something bad would be coming over.

The wind stop blowing. That seer looked up at the dark sky sadly.

"History is repeating itself." She whispered to herself.