“Was she beautiful?” a child a few cells down asked.
“She was breathtaking. In fact, the tiger had never seen a creature more lovely. At that point in his long life, he only had a few stripes on his hindquarters and he was a bit embarrassed by them, so he kept his back hidden in the grass, not that she could see him if he wanted to remain hidden, but a tiger does have his pride to consider.
“When the princess approached, the tiger despaired, thinking he’d have to kill her. What was interesting, though, was that the girl’s eyes weren’t on the tree at all but on the tiger. That she could see him where he hid in the grass, tail twitching, was surprising since most mortals couldn’t see him at all unless he allowed it. The tiger felt an overwhelming desire to meet the girl. He stuck his nose out of the grass first, then his face, and he stopped and sniffed the air. There was no one else around.
“The tiger took one step toward the girl and then another. She gasped at seeing his size, for he was large even by tiger standards, but there was no fear in her eyes. In fact, she held out her hand and sank to her knees. The tiger looked at her outstretched hand and blew his breath on it softly.
“She spoke. ‘Mighty tiger,’ the girl said, ‘I do not come to steal that which you protect. Instead, I come to beg you not to take the life of my brother.’
“The tiger didn’t know what to make of this. ‘Your brother will come here?’ he asked.
“Trembling, the girl answered, ‘Yes. Our father, the king, is suffering and will die soon. He has decreed that my eldest brother be crowned the next king immediately if he can return with a fruit and grant my father immortality.’
“The tiger sat. ‘I see,’ he said. ‘Do you know what happens when a man eats the fruit?’
“She replied, ‘Yes. My father knows what happens. He longs to ascend to the heavens so that he might watch over his kingdom forever.’
“The tiger considered. ‘I have never seen anyone take a fruit and not bite into it themselves.’
“Straightening her spine, the princess said, ‘My brother is an honorable man. He does not seek immortality for himself but for my father.’
“The tiger was moved by the plea of the princess, especially when she reached up and stroked his neck, for it is a well-known truth that tigers enjoy nothing more than to be massaged on the ruff of their necks.”
“What did he decide?” the boy asked.
“Well, the tiger thought about it and decided that he liked the deference the princess showed to him. He also liked the kiss on the top of his head she gave him when he told her he would allow her brother to take a fruit. The tiger thought it was worth a stripe on his back to help a dying king and his beautiful daughter.”
“Did it work?” the girl queried.
“Unfortunately, no. The prince got a fruit easily enough. But on his return journey, he gave in to temptation and ate it himself. Immediately, he turned into light and was caught up by the gods and placed into the sky.
“The tiger got a long lecture and another stripe. It was still red when the princess came calling again. This time it was for the second-eldest brother. Again, the tiger allowed the prince to come, and once more, the young man tasted the fruit before giving it to his father.
“When the princess returned and saw the second stripe, still raw and pink, that she had caused, she wrapped her arms around the tiger and wept. The tiger rather liked the girl’s arms around him and he decided to forgive her. Then she said, ‘I hate to ask this of you but I have another brother. Will you allow him to come?’
“The tiger sighed, but he had started to enjoy his visits with the girl. ‘I will allow it,’ he said. ‘If you agree to stay with me the rest of the day.’
“Quickly, the girl agreed and the tiger passed the day in the most pleasant way he’d ever experienced. He even laid his head in the girl’s lap and napped as she ran her fingers through his fur. When the sun went down, he begged her not to leave. He was afraid that another predator, one who liked the flesh of mortals, might hurt her.
“She agreed to stay and slept by his side that night. After she left the next morning, he was miserable. He paced back and forth unhappily as he pondered the thought that he might never see the princess again. The third prince came and the tiger allowed him to take a fruit. He felt wrong to hope that the boy would follow the examples of his elder brothers, but hope he did. He was guiltily happy to discover that his hopes had been fulfilled and readily accepted another stripe even as he watched for her familiar form on the winding road. The tiger leapt from the grass, truly joyful to see the princess again.
“The girl slumped to the ground, sorrowing over the loss of her brothers. ‘I thought they were honorable,’ the girl mourned.
“Attempting to comfort her, the tiger said, ‘I am sorry. I wish there was more I could do to help.’ There was, of course, more the tiger could do to help, but to do so was something that would anger the gods. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, the princess had six more brothers. Each time one came, the tiger allowed him to take a fruit. Each time, the prince took a bite and failed in his quest. And each time the princess returned, he agreed that another could try if she stayed with him. He persuaded her to spend more days with him on each visit.
“The days they spent together were the finest the tiger had ever known. He hunted for the princess and brought back branches bursting with ripe berries. The tiger showed her the best spots to nap in the sunshine and where to find the sweetest water. The princess seemed as happy to be with him as he was with her. It was with great regret that they parted company after their weeks together and the tiger mourned her each time she journeyed home.
“When there was only one brother left, she came one last time. She knelt, wrapped her arms around the tiger, and wept into his fur. By that time the tiger was in love with the girl, for they had spent many weeks together to fulfill the bargains he had made. His heart broke, for he had nothing to give her. No token to show her the depth of his affection. But then the tiger thought of his secret, and he knew there was one thing he could give her that would mean more to her than anything else.
“He was forbidden to tell her his secret, but he hated seeing her so despondent, especially when he knew how happy it would make her to save her last living brother. In defiance of the gods and knowing it would mean more stripes across his back, he said, ‘Your brothers were honorable.’ He sighed. ‘It was not their fault that they ate the fruit. Once the fruit touches the skin, it works its magic on mortals. If that person does not take a bite, the pressure becomes so intense it’s almost painful to resist it.’ Shifting so the girl could stroke his back in the right spot, the tiger rubbed his head against the girl’s shoulder. ‘I am sorry I had to keep the information from you,’ he said.
“The princess cried over her lost brothers and, when she recovered enough to speak, replied, ‘You must not blame yourself. I see how much you’ve suffered for my brothers, and I know you will suffer more for telling me the truth.’ She traced her fingers over the stripes on his back that had turned black over time. He shuddered with pleasure at her touch. ‘If you will allow it,’ she said, ‘I will warn my youngest brother so he does not touch the fruit with his hands.’
“The tiger agreed and despaired, knowing this was the last time he would ever see her. When she asked how long she must stay with him this time to gain his favor, he said, ‘I will not require you to stay, but if you are inclined, think of me once in a while and know that I will think of you every day of my long and lonely existence.
“She kissed his head again and again and, with fresh tears coursing down her cheeks, took her leave of him. Soon the youngest brother came, the last son of the king. He carried a rucksack and wore gloves, and while the tiger watched from the grass, the boy carefully sought a place to pick a fruit from the tree. Unfortunately, the lower branches no longer had any fruit to pluck since his brothers had taken them all. Because of this, the young man was forced to climb the
tree. As he did, his bare wrist grazed a fruit, though he did not notice.
“With prize in hand, he departed, a broad smile on his face. The tiger honestly hoped the boy would make it back. That he would live, become the king, and care for his sister, but it wasn’t meant to be. Within the span of a few days, the gods appeared and gave him a lash for the boy plus a dozen more for telling the girl the secret of the fruit. He accepted the stripes gladly, for they distracted him from the pain in his heart.
“One day, he lay there healing, and he heard a sound. It was a far-off, familiar footstep. It was his princess. He raced back and forth, thrilled at the prospect of seeing her again. The heart in his chest beat thunderously at the notion that she had missed him as much as he had missed her. As she came down the path, he rushed toward her, unwilling to wait even a moment longer, but when he approached, he saw her downturned eyes.
“‘Princess!’ he cried. ‘What has happened?’
‘“My last brother has failed,’ she said, her expression ripped and wounded like papered window screens after a storm. ‘The burden of bringing the fruit to my father now falls to me, but I fear I will be too late to fulfill his final wishes. My father sees the ghosts of our ancestors circling him. Each moment, they draw closer, calling to him with the cries of carrion birds.’ Stiffening her back proudly, she asked, ‘Great tiger, will you allow me to take a fruit? If I am successful, I will return to you upon my father’s death and stay with you the rest of my days.’
“Immediately, the tiger responded, ‘Of course you may take a fruit, but you must be extremely careful. We will go together and you will stand on my back so your feet never touch the ground.’
“‘Thank you, my friend,’ the princess said.
“Though the tiger felt the word friend crumple him as effectively as if he were a scrap of parchment to be wadded in a ball and tossed over one’s shoulder, he stayed right on the heels of the princess, determined not to lose her. When he chose just the right spot, he cautioned her once again not to let the fruit touch her skin and bid her stand on his back. When she was secure, she lifted a gloved hand and pulled a glowing fruit gently. It detached from the tree with a slight snap of the branch, and the girl hastily put the fruit into her haversack.
“‘Is all well?’ the tiger asked as she stepped down from his back.
“‘I believe so,’ the girl replied.
“‘Are you certain the fruit did not touch your skin?’ the tiger admonished, tail twitching nervously.
“‘I am sure.’
“‘Then I will accompany you to the edge of my territory,’ the tiger said.
“Together, they walked down the path, the sack bumping the girl’s hip. Not knowing what to say, the two of them were silent. When they reached the border where the girl would depart from his lands, she knelt and stroked his face. ‘I promise I will return,’ she said. ‘Watch the horizon for me.’
“The tiger sighed heavily, feeling as hollow and dried up as a corn husk after harvest. ‘I will,’ he promised, but just as she took her first step away from him, leaving the area he guarded, the ground shook and the princess fell to the ground. Thunder boomed above them and a bolt of lightning hit the space between them, blackening the soil. Electricity crackled, trammeling them so there was no escape.
“Another lightning bolt struck, and with it came the odorous sizzle that meant a god was present. The tiger grimaced, his whiskers raised. ‘Tiger!’ a sonorous, bass voice boomed. Trees behind the princess split down the middle, both sides crashing as she sobbed.
“The tiger could do nothing but kneel and stare at the bare feet that stood in the air above his head. He steeled his spine for the stripes he knew would come. ‘You have betrayed us for the last time,’ the god declared. ‘What you have done has not served this girl or her father. It has only resulted in you extinguishing your own authority. For this, you will be punished.’ The god turned to the princess. ‘You, mortal girl, you will take the fruit out of the sack and bite into it.’
“‘No!’ the tiger shouted. ‘Please! Give me more stripes. Destroy me! But I beg you, do her no harm.’
“‘Foolish tiger,’ the god said. ‘This is not her punishment but yours. She will find comfort in the icy night sky as her body burns. Her light will be used to guide others and she will have her foolish brothers to keep her company.’ He turned to the princess. ‘Your father is already gone,’ he told her callously. ‘There is nothing left for you here.’
“‘But I am here,’ the tiger said. ‘I love her. I will take care of her. Please don’t make her sample the fruit.’
“‘And does she feel the same for you, tiger? Look at the stripes adorning your back and try to convince me that one who loves you allowed that to happen.’
“The princess stood there, fingers clutching her bag and tears raining down her cheeks. Her face had gone white, as light as the underbelly of the full moon, but her eyes were dark and filled with sorrow. The soft sigh she expelled through her pretty mouth when she looked at the tiger pierced his heart, impaling him so he couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe.
“‘I do love him,’ she said quietly, her voice as smooth and fine as silk. Her words stitched up the tiger’s split heart. ‘I will gladly suffer his punishment.’
“‘I see,’ the god said. ‘Very well, get on with it then. Take a bite.’
“The tiger’s whole body rumbled as he roared, ‘No!’ but the determined princess dug through her pack and lifted the fruit to her mouth.
“‘I am sorry for the pain I’ve caused you,’ she said to her beloved tiger. ‘Please forgive me.’
“With that, the girl took a bite and gasped as the light of immortality slowly filled her frame. The forgotten fruit rolled out of her hands and crossed over the border to where the tiger sat in his invisible prison. The desperate tiger leapt on the fruit and gobbled it up, swallowing what remained whole. Because he was an unusual tiger and already immortal, the fruit affected him differently than the others.”
“What did it do?” the girl nearby asked.
“It changed him. Great wings erupted from his back, and before the change in the princess was complete, he broke the barrier the god had placed upon him and scooped her up. She grabbed on to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. By then, her whole body gleamed with light, and before the god could stop him, he leapt into the sky, his great wings carrying them both higher and higher until they disappeared among the stars.”
I paused for a moment to listen to the children. A soft, “Oh!” came from the boy next to me. “What happened to them?” he asked me.
Shrugging in the dark, I said, “No one knows. Some people think they roam the great river of stars in the sky. Others say they see them when a star falls or streaks across the sky. But all agree that they are still together.”
My story over, I scooted down in my cage, resting my head on my arms. “Best get some sleep,” I said to the children. “Morning will come soon enough.”
Soon it was quiet and I listened to the soft breathing of the children around me. My eyes closed and I’d almost drifted off to sleep myself when I heard a small sound coming from the cage across the cellar. It was Anamika. In a voice barely discernable, she said, “I wish a tiger would take me away too.”
I’m here, Ana, I said in my mind, hoping some part of her would hear me. I’m here.
Chapter 19
A Narrow Escape
The morning came too quickly. My body became alert almost the instant I heard movement at the cellar door. My limbs felt cold and sluggish. It had been a long time since I’d felt the bite of nippy air. The tiger in me had always kept me warm. It was strange being just me again. Not only was I missing my furry half but I found I was longing for the connection I felt with the goddess as well.
Though the young version of her sat very close, our link had been severed. It was as if the goddess and all that she was had never existed. The world needed her. With a start, I realized I needed her too. There
was a great comfort in feeling the steady presence of someone always at your side. Even when we were apart, she was like an anchor tethering me not only to her but to the world.
As I reflected, I found I missed her glower and her self-assurance. Her mocking laugh, the one that used to irritate me, had somehow changed into something self-deprecating instead of a thing she used to hurt me. Now that I knew her better, I could see it for what it was. She’d been testing me, pushing me, to find out if I’d stay or if I’d run. Too often I’d run. The irony was, it took the remembrances of my younger self to realize Ana’s worth.
On the outside, she was fearsome, beautiful, untouchable. But I’d seen her melt whenever she found a child who needed her. I’d watched as she fought tooth and nail to defend the weak. She took no thought for herself. There was not a vain bone in her body. She was loyal to a fault and expected the same from her men and, I realized, from me. I was the companion the universe had fashioned for her and yet my heart and mind had never been hers. Not fully.
A man with a torch came down the row of cages and pulled out the children, encasing their thin wrists in iron and hobbling their ankles so they couldn’t run. They were given a sip of water, a crust of bread, and then were assigned various tasks. One by one they headed upstairs, disappearing from view.
When they passed by me, their wide eyes glanced toward my cage, and I could see they recognized me as the storyteller. A few smiled tentatively. The most frightening thing about watching the procession was seeing the relief on their faces when they were told they’d be spending the day sweeping floors, beating rugs, or helping carry wood to the kitchens. If they were happy about that, something else was seriously wrong. Soon the cellar was nearly empty, leaving Anamika and me as the only remaining captives.
A few men stopped at her cage. “You’ll be serving the master personally again tonight, so I’d get some rest while you can,” one of them said, tossing a crust of bread at her and handing through a cup of water. The man laughed. His smarmy expression confirmed my deepest fears. “He’s taken quite a liking to you. Can’t say I blame him though. It’s those eyes of hers, isn’t it?” he asked his companion.
Tiger's Dream (Tiger's Curse Book 5) Page 28