170 Royal Tea Part 3

"She's not quite use to touch, is she?" The Empress Dowager asked from the doorway. The smell that accompanied her made Kyera wince inwardly. The Emperor's eyes lit up as his mother entered the tea hall.

"Mother, come in, come in what brings you to our meal?" Kira greeted and tried to usher the lady in but the Dowager offered her a kind smile.

"Thank you, First Queen Kira, however only the Empress calls the Crown Mother 'mother'." The Empress Dowager didn't bother trying to soften the correction. She demanded the respect that Kira had only ever dreamed of. No matter how hard she tried, her Mother in Law only recognized the Empress Evelyn.

"Mother, Kira was simply greeting you. Please come in and meet your Grandson's familiar." The Empress replied with a smile, a secret depth to it and watching the discouragement on Kira's face. The Dowager came in and smiled brightly as he looked the white tigress beside Clovis.

"Oh how interesting! A White Tigress, similar to my Grace." The Empress Dowager smiled as Kyera watched her mother move around the Dowager's side. Kyera raised to her feet, unwilling to be caught laying down facing her mother again.

Akita looked at her daughter as though she was uncertain of how to greet her now. After their last discussions abrupt end… there was so much pain and tension in her eyes. Kyera took the first step. Kyera raised her chin slightly and stared her down, Akita was quick to step back a bit, feeling her daughter's prowess for the first time. There was no fear to hide the sent of power permeating the air.

"They don't seem to like eachother much." Fae pointed out with a giggle. A familiar having issues with The Dowager Empress' Grace was akin to a death sentence. However unlike the fiery temper they came to expect from Akita, the nobel Tigress stepped back, unwilling to lift a claw against the new comer.

"All will be fine. It is probably a simple tension… tigers are territorial. They don't often live close together." Empress Evelyn pointed out with a tender smile. Her wit was to smooth things over but the Emperor smiled.

"Moon is very similar to Grace. perhaps there is also some confusion? Relations perhaps. Their colors are not exactly common in these woods." Alexi offered honestly paying more attention than perhaps they expected.

"True enough, it is fairly late now. We should all retire for the evening." The Emperor offered as he stood to his feet. There was a certain amount of agreement as everyone nodded and said their goodnights and separated for the evening.

Akita looked at Kyera, opening her maw to speak but Kyera shook her head silencing her mother's words before they left her lips.

"I see. If that is the way you wish for us…" Akira began to purr back but Kyera chuffed in amusement.