She travelled by moonlight most days, preferring always the cool of the night to the bright of the day. The season was changing, along with the course of her life. The Empress was thoughtful as she strolled slowly over Ashen’s borders, already their ranks were growing. Filled with Kleins and soon more servants to see to their needs. She thought of the pact made with Archon, and the potential life growing inside of her. It was still too early to tell if god blessed them with success yet, but everything felt so right. Surely there were little godlings within.

Having such heavy responsibility was weighing on her though, knowing she was responsible for keeping them safe until their birth. Being Empress put her in the face of danger. She knew Archon was remaining close just in case their enemies realized their plan. However, she was more than ready to bolster their Samurai rank. She also was in need of close companions to help watch over the wellbeing of the shrine.

Many thoughts continued to weigh on her as the moon slowly rose overhead. There was so much to be done and so little time to do it.

He would give himself only the minimum amount of time his body would let him get away with, before he struggled after the path his Mistress had taken. He didn’t know how long he had lain there, in the harsh dirt of their fading Empire. Long enough for his body to make the choice of life or death. He had taken sustenance from the bodies around him, those he had slain as they attempted to harm the one he was sworn to protect. He had drunk from their blood, just enough to ensure that he would live. He must live, he trusted no other to protect her. Once his body had strength enough to move, he had slunk away to a cave, where he had struggled to find food and water, and give his injuries a chance to heal. His rudimentary healing skills had ensured that the infection he caught ran its course without the loss of a limb, and in time, he felt he could leave the relative safety of his bolt hole. He had lost more than a season since he had seen her last, and the journey from the Empire was long and tedious, but proved to strengthen muscles that had weakened in his time of healing. Long days and longer nights passed, and in the weeks of his journey he found his strength once more. He was both surprised, and not, when her eventual, twisting trail, lead him to the borders of a pack that held prominently her scent. He stood there at the border, breathing in the scent of his childhood friend, of the only wolf he had ever loved, before raising his head to the moonlight, and howling to her. "Speech"

There was one she had tried to forget, when she had seen his dead broken body on the sand she nearly broke. As close as any of her siblings Sirius was also her closest friend. When they had been yearlings the young princess had sought after him in a romantic way. She was young and didn’t truly know what love was yet, but she knew that was what she felt for Sirius. He’d rejected her because of their difference in class and rank, and she had been devastated, but never brought it up again.

The feeling of rejection hadn’t compared to the feeling of loss when she saw him dead. The feelings were brought back to her with a vivid clarity when she thought she heard his voice over the lake. Mismatched ears perked, convincing herself she heard wrong, and trying not to get her hopes up as she sprinted in the direction of the call. Despite her doubts he was there, standing on her borders in the flesh. She wasn’t hallucinating, he wasn’t a ghost.

”Sirius.” Her voice was desperate and tears began to fill her eyes, her reunion with Hannibal had been emotional beyond measure. She hadn’t known where or what happened to her brother. Seer was different. He was dead. ”You were dead.” She was obviously in disbelief as she approached, afraid if she touched him he might disappear.

The sound of her paws on earth caught his ears, and he lowered his head from where it pointed to the silver shape of the moon. His first glimpse of her was the darks of her front half as she galloped towards him, kicking up dust beneath the pink soles of her paws. His critical gaze folded over her, seeking any signs of discomfort or wounds she might have sustained in his absence. He was pleased to find her uninjured, and he lowered his head to find her smaller stature, and blew gently on her forehead, watching the fine hairs tremble there as he repeated a gesture he had made a thousand times before. “No, badly injured only. I lived because I could never leave you alone. What is death besides a promise made to a Princess?” he said, he dipped his head all the way down, the elegant bow made more so by the way he folded his massive body, and the gentle way he was careful not to nick her with his prominant fangs, as he settled a delicate kiss to the toes on her right paw. “I’m sorry it took me this long to return to you, my Little Princess” he said, trying not to show her how utterly overcome he was with emotions. It had been a long and trying trek to find her, and now that he was here he was finding it hard to let himself believe. Believe that he had managed it, and that she was okay. “Are you remaking the Empire, with you at its head?” he asked her as he straightened his body back to its towering height, and cast a glance behind her at the territory she clearly called her own. "Speech"

Deathbelle whined softly as she halted before his massive black frame. With his incredible fangs and grisled look she should have been afraid of him, but he was the one who made her feel most safe. He’d been forced into servitude but he had willingly pledged his life to her. She didn’t miss his quick assessment of her, something he’d always done after an absence from each other. His greeting was just the same as it always had been and she felt herself put at ease. He bowed low, and kissed her toes. Forever the servant to his mistress.

”No, don’t be sorry.” She had to restrain himself from wrapping him in her arms like she’d done with Hanibal upon his return. Since she had been turned down she’d made sure their relationship was purely professional, even know as he rose from the grave. ”Knowing you’re alive, having you here in front of me..” A steady stream of tears fell from her cheeks as the relief washed over her. She sniffled quietly as she tried to regain her composure. This was unbecoming of the Empress.

”I am. No longer a princess, but the Empress of Ashes. Alpha of the Ashen Empire.” She told him proudly. While they grew up she had been ready to serve Hannibal until the day they died, but now she had gained the throne from Hamiclar’s Heir.

She looked even smaller then he remembered, and well there was a strength to her that could not be denied, there was a frailty in her frame, at least to his eyes. He had always felt a powerful desire to protect her, ever since she had been the first person to show him kindness after the death of his parents. He had been lost, confused, and hidden it behind a stoic expression and perfect, ‘Yes Ma'am’ replies. But Bee had smiled at him, and seen him as a person, a playmate. She had given him a second life. He ached to pull her into his arms, but the need to have a polite space between them was important, more then ever after she had expressed misplaced feelings for him. He would never let her throw her life away for him. That was his duty to her, and something he would never allow them to share. She shed tears for him, his Princess, nay, Empress. “Hey,” he said softly, his breath came out softly, steadily, as he fought with his emotions. He had a rule, and in the moment he found the desire to break it almost escapable. He would not touch her more than what was necessary to protect her. Kissing her feet was one thing, but this desire to brush away her tears… No, he would not give in to it. He let himself fall into a steady ‘at ease’ position as he spoke to her. “I’m here, now. I never meant to put you through pain, I almost failed you that day, and every day since that I have been absent. I will not make that mistake again.” he promised her. She would sniff away her tears and regain some measure of control of herself, looking up at him with her fierce, determined eyes. A gaze he knew well, and found a crooked smile answering her on his own lips. He took a step back so he would not deafen her. “All hail Deathbelle Ravage Klein, Her Imperial Majesty, Empress of the Ashen Empire!” he boomed, before lowering his head once more, looking up at her from this position. “Will you accept me as your loyal vessel, your Imperial Majesty?” he asked her, a twinkle in his eyes as he let the pain of their departure fall away. "Speech"

She knew he hated her tears, and she tried to dry them without his help for his sake. She though she saw him start to wipe away the crystal droplets, but he wouldn’t break their unspoken rule either. Seer didn’t hesitate to soothe her with his words, reiterating that he had returned, and he’d never meant to cause her any pain. She nodded slowly, a smile still playing at her lips. No matter how emotional she was still overjoyed to see him again.

Suddenly his voice was all around them, his vocals disturbing the whole of the night all around them. Her ears fells to her skull but she grinned as the announcement fell from his lips. He became meek once more, lowering himself before her as he requested to be placed in her servitude once more. She smiled down at him, her gaze soft and warm.

”Forever and always. I wont let you live down your promise.” She offered with a chuckle as she offered her paw to be kissed again before she offered him a chate peck on the cheek. The farthest she could allow herself to go with the one who denied her. ”A true Samurai.”

His booming voice stole the night, scaring free a bird that taken shelter in a tree not far from the border, its confused wingbeats fading as it took off away from the resounding cry of the Guard, and his Empress. His light blue eyes where steady on his Mistress as she looked to him, and accepted his pledge. “Then all is right in the world.” he said, letting his voice fall gentle once more. As she offered forth her paw once more, he bent over it, one elongated fang ticking against the edges of her fur there, before his muzzle touched gently to it in a kiss. As he straightened, she ambushed him with a chaste kiss on his cheek. He could feel color rising in his dark form, and was lost for words for a moment. Just because he denied her, and thought any dalliance with him would ruin her, that did not mean he did not love her. In fact, Deathbelle was the only wolf he would ever love, he just could not tell her so. He knew knew she would have her way, if she sensed any weakness in his resolve. “Will you show me this land you have claimed for yourself, your Imperial Majesty? I would like to see it from your eyes, this place I now call home” he said, taking a step to cross the border, to usher forth a new era in his life. "Speech"