The Eye of the Tiger [Jade]

Starling City.  

The Hungarian princess inhaled the thick air as she stepped out on to the balcony of her suite.  She had been here for less than 24 hours and already hated it.  It was not the city, or the people, it was more or less the idea of the city.  This was the reason she'd been separated from her lover.  Ling had decided this was the route she'd take to overcome her sister.  Ava only shook her head, this was way the Avian's, well, the eagles, killed their siblings.  If you cut out the competition, from the source, you reign supreme.  Ava had mentioned it to Ling years ago, but Miss Honor and respectability wouldn't let it fly.  Her mistake.

Now, recently released from the maximum security prison, Ava was ready to spread her wings.  She'd heard through the grapevine that her parents were discussing a second child.  There was no worst form of insult.  Replacing her, their daughter, the future queen… the future Vela.  How dare they?  Ava knew one thing, if her mother birthed a second child, her sister, or brother, would not see their first birthday.  

With her closing thoughts, Ava returned inside, gathered her things, and then exited her room.  She took a cab to the nearest place she could find that reminded her of Ling… Chinatown.  If there was a Chinese underground, it would be located somewhere in this area.  As she roamed the streets, Ava stuck out like a sore thumb.  Obviously she was not Chinese, not even Asian, but nor was she American.  Her European structure was right on point but what the locals did not know… she knew a smattering of Chinese.  It helps when your friend and lover grew up speaking it.  She'd spent several summers lost in the Emperor's city with her Ling.  

As an Avian, she had one up on the usual lycan breed.  She did not bring a scent with her.  Wolves, tigers, lions, even marine life had a certain lycan scent, but the Avians… smelled like a human.  What she did bring that would identify her as a bird was the bone structure.  Petite, sharp, predatory eyes, and a grace when she walked, those were the marks of an Avian and Ava carried them perfectly.  

She followed her nose, waiting to see what she was searching for.  She was looking for someone who was well built, intimidating, and walked with a hidden purpose.  The tiger within them would revel them easily. And, as luck would have it, she found just what she was looking for in a man who was strolling through the chinese marketplace.  He was tall, lean, built… and had that serious death-before-dishonor look about him.  " Good morning, " she said, looking him over, she was fairly certain this was a crazy plan, but that was Ava's creed.  " I'm new to this city.  And I apologize for my vague Chinese, it's been a while since I've had the opportunity to use it."  Now that she was speaking his language, he seemed a little more interested, perfect.

" So, this is the replica of China… or suppose to be.  What I want to know is who is responsible for such a disgrace.  If I had to blame this embarrassment on anyone, I'd say this looks like something the Chao family is responsible for.  Am I right?  They are a disgrace to Chinese honor anyways. "  That ought to do it.  The next part happened so quickly. She was seized, and her feline friend who was cursing her in Chinese so quickly, she could only catch every other word… and then there was a sharp pain to the back of her head… and then nothing.  

When Ava opened her eye, there were three tigers standing before her.  The one in the middle, the man who had hit her was now telling her that she would burn, or scorch… or something to do with fire in hell for dishonoring Chao.  She also picked up on the words pain, blood, broken, and death… and finally, that she would be sentenced by the maker… Ava hoped that meant Ling herself.  If not, things were about to get very, very ugly.  

"Bring forth your judge. " She uttered in Chinese… and now would wait.  Her head hurt, she was sure there would be a bruise, but it all went well, she would be sipping a healing tea in a lotus bath with her favorite feline later tonight.  

She could hear the faint sound of high heels clicking upon a tile floor coming towards her.  Ava, despite her anger and pain, couldn't help but smile a little.[/i]

"My lady, I'm sorry to bother you. There's been some sort of incident. I think you should look into it." Jade turned her dark gaze up to the soft voice at the door to her tea room. Minh was a cousin of Jade's, young, but smart. Intuitive in a way Jade didn't quite understand. Her side of the family was one of the few lines who followed her over from China in an attempt to escape the authoritarian rule of her sister. Jade was in exile for her attempts to undermine that rule, but her sister couldn't have yet another scandal on her hands. It may not have been the China she had dreamed of, but she'd managed to carve out a home in this savage land.

If Minh thought it was something she should see to herself, well then that meant Minh thought it was something the Alpha would want to see. Setting down the bundle of herbs she'd been stripping, she wiped clean her hands and excused herself from the others. They'd been out in the gardens all night, some herbs were better if picked by moonlight. Despite the menial task she'd been performing, Jade's hair was the picture of perfection, pulled back into a traditional bun with a white Lilly as decoration. The gown she wore was modeled after the ancient Chinese styles, with a few modifications to make it easier to wear. Still, she carried herself with all the regal air of the queen that she was.

She could hear the shouting clear down the hall and that made her frown. One of her customers poked their head out of their room but she gave them a smile and few simple words and they went back to their tea. Upon stepping into the room, her gaze took in the scene before her, but when that gaze landed on the woman in their midst she froze. They locked eyes and Jade's world seemed to shatter into a million pieces. She had never thought to see that gaze again. She barely heard the words of her Streak as they tried to explain what happened but when he reached the part about striking her, Jade tore her gaze away from Ava. "You did what? Do you have any idea what you have just done." She growled. Instantly, the man's mouth snapped shut. "That is Princess Ava Koffaust of Hungary. Congratulations, you have just created an international incident. You are hereby banished for the next six months. You will spend that time patrolling our hunting grounds and thinking on just how much our honor is worth to you. If you step one foot into this city before that time I will personally rip the fur from your limbs. Do I make myself clear?" Her eyes had changed to the striking blue of her tiger form and the growl in her voice was certainly the Alpha talking. "Apologize to the Princess."

The man turned to Ava and dropped into a bow, apologizing to her. "Get out of my sight, the rest of you, don't you have jobs to be doing?" They scurried out and Jade watched them go, regaining a grasp on her anger before turning back to Ava. She didn't know what to say to her, which was odd for Jade who always seemed to know the perfect words. "Come with me." She said, both a request and a question as she held both her hands out to Ava. This was not the place for the things they had to discuss.

Those eyes.  Those beautiful almond eyes met her own blues, and for a moment the whole world stopped.  Ava's heart beat rapidly but she was not certain why.  Was it from ferocious love or the fierce seed of hate that it came?  She had a million thoughts whirl around in her head, but could only find one word to process: you.  She did not speak, after all, she had completely insulted Chinese royalty and a ruling house of the Streak... It was best to stay quiet until she could gage the tiger's fury.  Years of being separated from a friend, a true love, and now it had all ended.  There was no movie climactic moment, no, it was a silent stare where they both could not seem to find the air in the room.

The avian stayed still and quiet as the member of the Streak explained the process of events to their Alpha.  Her blue eyes had been studying the tiger's body, trying to make up for ten years of absence, but when the Alpha spoke, Ava's eyes returned to her face, afraid that her Ling was speaking angered words to her.  That, however, was not the turn of events.  It seems her old friend had not forgotten her either, nor the obnoxious list of titles that she held behind (and in front) of her name.  Ava was an Avian and European, she did not understand the deep connection with honor and respect that her Asian friend did, however, she did know about it.  To be banished was harsh, even by the Eagle's stance, but now was not the time to pose an opinion.  

As the lower member of the streak bowed before her an apologized, Ava nodded and looked into his eyes.  She felt a twinge of guilt, he had been doing his duty to protect his family and their name... Then again, it is important to check with who you are fucking with before you fuck them up.  That was rule number one in the invisible and made up convocation hand book.  

As she looked into the streak members eyes, she saw the look of betrayal.  She could of told him.  It would of been very haughty of her, but she could of told him.  Shrugging her shoulders she answered his silent question, " Ya didn't ask, darling...". And that would be all she would say to him before he vanished.  At the alphas demand, Ava rose to her feet and took the small, slender, familiar hand of her old friend and followed her.  

She had a million questions, and each one sounded like an accusation in her head.  Ava was no stranger to a tiger's anger, she knew to choose her words carefully.  If push came to shove, she would lose an all out fight.  She may be quicker, but the tiger was stronger... Ava's saving grace was wings and she would use them if it turned nasty.  Then again, she knew which buttons she could push to corner her alpha friends wrath.  She also new that Ling would not dare touch her; not unless something drastic had changed.  Then again, the absence of her company suggested that perhaps something had changed.  

" the words against your family were a lie.  I just needed to get to you as fast as possible and I did not have time to jump through flaming hoops.  I Also wasn't sure you would see me if I just came before you.  It was the only way I knew I would bypass the bullshit... And you couldn't refuse."

The feel of Ava's pale skin against her own made Jade's heart skip a beat. She had so many questions, confusion was her most prevalent emotion. She took Ava's hands and wrapped them in her own for a moment before moving her hands to her arm and interlocking their elbows so they could walk side by side. To see the two of them saunter through a room was to watch a thunderstorm just before the first streak of lightening tore open the sky. They were powerful, beautiful, and deadly. Together they had made quite the team...but that was a very long time ago.

Jade led her deeper into the tea house until it was glaringly obvious that the tea house had been left behind. They were now into the private house of the Chao's, head quarters of the Triad made alarmingly blunt by the armed Chinese guards they had to pass to get there. Jade remained silent, even after Ava spoke. She was having a hard time processing how this was evening happening and yet Ava acted as if Jade was angry with her!

Sliding open a door, Jade led Ava into a comfortable sitting room meant for small private meetings. One side of the room was taken up by a beautiful, and very real, stream of water and it's matching rock formations. An elegant waterfall created small bubbles that a myriad of colorful koi played in. Low couches and pillows seemed to lay everywhere. This was a room for relaxing, not for business. "How are you here?" Jade finally asked softly, turning to face Ava so she could see all the pain and confusion written in her dark eyes. There was no reason to keep her walls up where Ava was concerned. A single tear rolled down her dark face as she waited for Ava's response.

She had been told that Ava had died, a hand written letter from her parents. Jade had thought it quite polite of them to inform her themselves seeing as Jade's relationship with their daughter had not been what they'd envisioned. Though Jade was beginning to put the pieces together, if Ava had not died as she had been told, then it had been their attempt to stamp out what spark may have yet been smoldering. Jade had never forgotten the Eagle that had plucked her from propriety and showed her that she could rule her own life.

Ava had shown Jade what it was to soar.

There was Chao in every inch of this place.  From the ceiling to the floor, to the paint on the walls and the decor… it looked just as Ava could remember Ling's childhood home.  Elegant waterfalls and a sense of serenity, somehow, there was peace infused in the very air that they were breathing.  She walked with Jade now, slightly confused as to why her friend was so anxious to drag her into solitude.  She hadn't wanted to see her in the past ten years, why now?  Ling, of all people, knew how nasty and dangerous Ava was, being alone with an angry eagle was not always a good plan.  

After passing many armed guards and receiving confused and concerned looks, Ava was led into a small, but relaxed room.  As the question was posed to her, Ava cocked an eyebrow.  What kind of response was that?  What sort of question was that?  Unsure of how to react, Ava gave as simple an answer as she could, "I flew."  When eagles do not want to be specific, that is the easiest way to get by.  

Something was wrong though.  Something was not sitting right in the tigers eyes.  A tear was shed.  She knew that Jade couldn't cry on command, not even if she wanted to.  Ava narrowed her eyes, the way only a bird of prey could, and tried to get a sense of what was happening.  Very calmly, very coldly, she told her story.

"I've been in chains for the last ten years, Ling Chao.  Found guilty of murdering a man who was harming a young asian girl.  I did kill him, but murder is a word used by a biased party.  He was hurting that girl.  And I wouldn't stand by and let it happen.  I was sent to the max prison for the lycan kind, and there I sat in solitude for ten years.  Ten years… I waited for rescue and no one came.  Ten years without a visitor.  The longest conversation that I had was discussing the silver burn on my leg with the prison guard."  

Her eyes had that golden hue in them.  The one color that cued her eagle form, it was her shifter color, and that was dangerous, no matter what the opposition was.  Sure, having a best friend that was sentenced to prison for murder was something to be ashamed of… but not so much as a note.  Ava did not understand.  

She changed her tune though, from somber and dreary, to something more cheery.  She was calming herself, a mechanism that she'd learned in prison.  The princess had plenty of time to release and harness her anger over the last decade.  " I see you've done well for yourself here.  Does your sister know about all this?"  She gave a hint of a grin at the last statement.  She knew all about her sister… what a bitch.