Ignited - Tiger's Eye Spin-Off

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

After a month and a half of searching the Fauhl lands, we finally found the second friendly tribe to the Tigmas. The second we walked into their village a younger woman recognized us. She ran to her family and told them the news right away. It took a few minutes for all of the tribe to know that the royal Carter heir was in their village. They called their leader the alpha as well and one of the villagers kindly took us to his house. This tribe kept themselves at the bottom and at the side of a mountain. The alpha built his house into the side of the mountain. When we walked in we were ushered into a smaller room where the alpha rested in a bed. I had never seen somebody look as sick as he did. The Tigmas do not get sick often and I had never seen anyone sick before. He was pale and could not stop talking. His hair was drenched from sweating so bad and women kept coming in to put a cloth on his forehead.

He spoke to me hoarsely, "You look like your mother."

"You know my mother?" I asked.

"I knew her well," he nodded, "I did business with her parents long ago. We were a bit friendlier after she took the throne, as you well know by now."

I smiled with a nod, "Yes I have heard stories from many people."

"I do not want to know what you are doing here right away," he coughed. "Would you like to hear a few stories first?"

"I would love to," I agreed. "This is my husband Sam Hopkins."

"My tribe calls me alpha, but I would enjoy it if both of you would call me Jacob. Your mother Caprika did business differently from her parents. She believed in genuine friendships with people in order to create good alliances between people. That was the main thing she believed would make them one of the greatest races to exist. I believe they succeeded in that."

"You think the Tigmas are the greatest race to exist?" I asked, finding that surprising.

He nodded, "There are three other races wanting you dead at this very moment yet you are here. I suspect because your parents were 10 steps ahead as they always were. They wanted to create the greatest, kindest race to ever exist, but they also knew it would make them the greatest threat as well. I know that is why you are here."

"What else do you know about my parents?" I asked him.

"I did not know your father well. I knew your mother longer, but I respected your father. When your parents married and the Tigmas were created I saw the way your mother changed. Her parents locked her away as they locked you away, but she knew what she had to do when the time came. Sneaking away and getting married to the enemy was unexpected, but she never strayed from the path she was meant to be on. When she finally married and took the throne she became the ruler they all wanted. The people feared her because she was strong, but they also respected her because she did the right thing and she was always kind while doing it. Your father was different. They feared him with good reason, but they respected him because he knew what would happen before it happened. He studied behaviors, people, and movements. I never saw anything like it before."

"What is wrong with you?" I suddenly asked him.

He smiled, "You have not seen this before have you? I suspect not. Your parents had you locked away and the Tigmas do not get sick. This is the human side of us; the side that is vulnerable. I am getting weaker by the day. How did you think people died?"

I shrugged, "The Tigmas... I do not know... they just die. There is not sickness they simply get older and fall asleep one day. They fall asleep or they are killed in battle. I have never seen it any other way. I was not trying to be rude I am curious."