The Tiger Within 210 The Truth About Grief

She realized this and glanced around to find they had stopped. His eyes were focused on her. They were standing in the deeper part of the garden, near the wisteria trees. The pungent aroma drifting lightly on the wind from the lavender and deep purple flowers. A few ducks paddled quietly on the gla.s.sy pond. Lilly pads and light pink flowers painted a very calming scene, framed by the carefully kept vines dotted with flowers.

Clovis however was focused on her. Her expression as she took in his special place. Her eyes widened slightly in confusion as she noticed the stone epitaph by the water's edge. A patch of well worn gra.s.s before it, he could tell the moment she it dawned on her. Her eyes flashed over to his, questioning and nervous. It was as if she felt she was a captured kitten in a place she shouldn't be. Clovis struggled to offer a soft smile. Nodding his permission to look closer at the stone itself.

Kyera stepped forward, careful to respect the fallen enduring its final rest. The stone was carefully engraved with lines of text. She found the name, careful not to read the rest. Fourth Princess Faline Rouge was written in a beautiful script, obviously done with care. She recognized the familiar scent of mourning on the black stone. It only took a moment to kneel at the side of the grave to pay her respects.

"Raina's Mother?" Kyera asked glancing back at Clovis who had come to kneel next to her. He settled back, relaxed as though this was something he did often. She realized where the worn gra.s.s came from.

"Ha...I wish." he whispered, but then he tensed realizing what he just said. His eyes flicked back to Kyera wondering if she caught it. However, it was perfectly clear she was aware of what he had revealed. Inwardly, Clovis groaned why the h.e.l.l had he said that aloud? That lie protected Raina…

"I see. Raina is a amazing child. She is not defined by her heritage." Kyera said quietly refusing to probe. Her own wounded heart could feel the bleeding pain of his. She wasn't going to probe when it was so obvious he had just shared a secret with her. "I… I am sorry I have been behaving strangely." Kyera offered softly, knowing she needed to. Despite everything, she knew it had to be unnerving the way her emotions were either hidden or switching constantly.

Clovis debated saying he knew for a moment. There was no reason to make her face that pain but… Mally. Would she wonder how he knew? Of course Kyera would so he opted for a much safer response. "Oh?"

"Remember when I told you I had someone waiting back home?" Kyera asked softly. Clovis nodded just letting her talk. He was rather surprised she was opening up to him. He knew so little of her from her own lips. For some reason, it felt… glowy. Like warmth was flowing through him. Was this what a friend's trust felt like?

"Yes… I am sorry for how I acted with that. I was just a little confused." he admitted honestly feeling like he had been rather mean about the whole thing. Now that the man was dead it made that feeling more disquieting.

"It is fine. Verone was the man waiting for me back home. I got a message about his murder while I was on my leave." Kyera admitted softly, she wasn't quite sure why she was sharing. It felt as though perhaps he could understand. "How long does it hurt like this?" she whispered, feeling the tears blur her eyes. Clovis sighed gently resting a hand on her back in comfort.

"Kyera, I am sorry to say this, but I can't answer that. It has been 7 years. I still feel that painful emptiness." Clovis admitted glancing over at her in concern. "They say time heals all wounds, but in truth I think we learn to tolerate the pain and move forward. There is no shame in grieving, there is however shame in forgetting those we lost that helped make us who we are."