Chapter 56 – Resemblance

“Hm, do you like cats?” he asked solemnly.

“Yes,” said Tiana, resolving to not sound daft yet again. “I love them!”

She felt trapped in Rael’s piercing gaze. After a heartbeat, he nodded. Tiana felt released from his gaze, finally. He looked down at Rose. She felt as though she had passed a very stressful test. She looked down at the cat, who was still meowing and brushing against her. Her meow somehow sounded congratulatory, if that was even possible.

“Come here, Rose,” said Rael, all elegant and grave.

Rose looked at her owner and meowed once. Although it acknowledged him, it made no move to leave Tiana’s side. Rose now tried to climb her skirt up to her. Rose, your daddy will kill me, she tried to communicate telepathically, I can’t pick you right now. The cat looked up at her miserably.

“Well, that’s a first,” said Rael, pondering. He uncrossed his arms and put a hand on his chin, thoughtfully. “It seems Rose really likes you,” he said, tilting his head and looking at her carefully with narrowed eyes.

“Oh, I…” stammered Tiana, at a loss for words. She couldn’t figure out if he was pleased or offended.

“Rose never does that,” he said, “She only lets people pet her, nothing beyond that.”

“Meow,” said Rose, in answer, still tugging the hem of her dress in all earnestness. Tiana wanted to pick the poor thing up and hug her. But she was petrified of Rael. Also, because the cat seemed unwavering in its pursuit, even if it meant tearing her dress.

As Tiana raked her brain, thinking of something to get out of the situation. Rael looked at her cautiously. “She didn’t do that when you two first met,” he said. Rose meowed and tapped Tiana on her foot and brushed against her legs again. Rael looked at the cat and smiled tenderly.

Rose purred once more.

“That’s her?” Rael asked. “You said that the last time as well.” Tiana was confused. Who was he talking to?

“Meow, meow!”

“Okay, okay,” said Rael, “I don’t know what happened, but there are so many things in the world outside the jurisdiction of my understanding. Like you, for example.” He smiled so warmly at the cat that he seemed a different person.

“Meow,” Rose purred an affirmative. Could a cat meow so affectionately?

Countless questions arose in Tiana’s mind. Was Rael really talking to the cat? Is the cat really responding? But the most important question was: Had Rael met the person who had possessed Tiana before her? Or was he talking about Rose reacting to the original unpossessed Tiana?

If Rael and Rose had met both the Tianas before her, they must already know others who were possessed as well. If Rael was talking about the original, unpossessed Tiana and Rose’s reaction to her, then she was a tad bit glad. It meant that the original Tiana and she were somehow very similar. They had similar personalities, similar taste for food, and similar likings. She was thankful for such a coincidence.

“Meow!” said Rose, making a last attempt at jumping into her arms. The cat hung on Tiana’s sleeves and she couldn’t help but catch the poor thing and wrap her arms around it. The cat relaxed and made itself comfortable in the crook of her arm and purred in satisfaction. Tiana smiled and stroked Rose’s fur. The cat rubbed its face against her hand and closed its eyes. All the while, Rael stood there, his gaze fixated on Tiana.

“I am sorry, Your Highness,” said Tiana, mustering all the confidence that she didn’t have, “But can I hold Rose for just a moment?”

“Be my guest,” he said, “It’s very rare to see her in this way. I am enjoying it as well.”

“Oh…” mumbled Tiana, “Thank you.”

“You are going to get fur all over your dress, though,” he said, “She sheds too much.”

“It’s alright,” Tiana assured him, “I don’t mind.”

She couldn’t care less about fur getting on her dress. She was just happy that she got to hold the white, fluffy cat to her heart’s content. Besides, her dress was white, so the fur would be practically invisible. She smiled as she stroked the cat and heard her purr in pleasure.