The Way We Fall

Chapter 103 (Tigris)

Tigris couldn't believe her luck. Roche was standing in her chambers at sunrise, her eyes heavily shadowed with mud clinging to her short hair. The words coming out of her mouth were just as outrageous.

"Slow down," Tigris grumbled, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Her sword was just out of reach, courtesy of Roche's new protocol for waking her up.

Roche was practically bouncing, which Tigris somehow found more unbelievable.

"What don't you get about this, my lady?" Roche exclaimed, moving to Tigris' closet. She pulled out Tigris' riding leathers, "I've told you everything. You've got one more chance."

Tigris stared at her. "So Tarak found you in the forest and told you this, of all people?"

Roche scowled at her, tossing Tigris' leather corset to the ground. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"I will if the horse is yours," Tigris grumbled, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She ran a hand down her face, still trying to escape the lure of sleep, "So will this test be something like the others?"

Roche's exuberance faltered. "It will most likely be the most trying of the tests. And the most dangerous."

This was just getting better and better. Tigris rose, brushing her teeth quickly. Roche entered the washroom afterwards to apply her usual lotions and balms to Tigris' skin with her usual, eerie concentration.

"Are you going to do the test?" Roche asked quietly, "You know, you don't have to."

"I must," Tigris resolved. She glanced towards the door to her chambers. How many people were struggling beyond that door because of her actions, because of her pride?

Roche stepped back with a sad smile. "You're a good woman, Tigris. You're learning to listen as much as you talk." A hint of mischief flickered across her face, "It's a wonder, I didn't think you were capable of learning anything with that ego of yours taking up all the space in your brain."

Tigris rolled her eyes. It was too early to fight Roche. "And I'm surprised your mouth hasn't landed you in the dungeons yet."

"As you recall, it has. Multiple times." Roche recalled dryly, pulling back to grab Tigris' clothes.

"Well somehow, I don't think you've learned your lesson. Maybe you need another day spent there." Tigris teased. Roche shuddered, her fingers brushing Tigris' bare back as she slipped a flowy, tan blouse over Tigris' shoulders. Her touch made Tigris' flesh tingle, and Roche flashed her a wry grin.

"Yeah, well, then I wouldn't be able to come with you." Roche muttered under her breath.

Tigris turned away so that Roche wouldn't see her face. She couldn't bring Roche with her to the test if it was as dangerous as the maid claimed. The curse on the kingdom was Tigris' fault, not Roche's. She couldn't let her gentle maid risk herself for Tigris' mistake.

"Tigris?" Roche's voice filtered through the air softly with concern. She handed Tigris her trousers, face pinched as she read Tigris' expression with disconcerting ease. "I will be coming with you, right?"

"You can't," Tigris told her, tugging on her pants, "You're needed here."

Roche stepped closer. Her face was uncharacteristically serious in a way that made Tigris' chest tighten. "You might need me," Roche said urgently.

Tigris grabbed her shoulders. "I won't. The curse on the kingdom is my doing, and I will be the one to lift it. If I die trying, I need you to tell Aodh and Finn what happened, can you do that?"

Roche's face was wan. She shook her head violently. "You're mad, Aodh would kill me."

"Well, then I guess you'll see me soon." Tigris replied, with a twist of her chest. There was a good chance this was the last time she'd be in the castle. She realised, with a painful tug of her heart, that she wanted to say goodbye to her brothers and father. She couldn't. If they had any inkling of her plan, they'd come with her.