He couldn't say that the swamplands was the most pleasant place he had ever camped, but considering the fact that he was comparing it to the likes of cliff tops with beautiful views and warm, sandy beaches it was kind of hard to compare. Still, this place put him as close as he could get to Ike's pack and made it easy for him and the princess to spend time together so it was worth it. She had seemed hesitant for him to try joining the pack when he had offered it to her during their last big outing together so he had offered to just stay close as a compromise and that seemed to be working well for them for now. He had set up a more permanent den than he had made for himself in quite awhile on one of the larger patches of solid land near the edge of the swamp and had even set up a campfire that he kept lit at night and had dug out a spacious den in his spare time—just on the off chance that it got late and Ike might possibly want to stay here instead of walking back to Ashen. They had done little more than hold paws, but a boy could dream.

It was the morning after his trip to Auster and when he had gotten to his den late that night he had just crashed into his bed and immediately fell asleep, completely forgetting about the scrapes he had gotten while passing through the briar. When he woke up he saw the blood across his shoulder and the bedding from where the cuts had gotten opened back up when he slept and he gave a sigh with a disgruntled flick of his ears. Getting up, he went out to the nearby river and started washing up, splashing the ice cold water onto his leg and shoulder to rinse off, watching the thin trails of blood wash off of him and float down the river before it dissipated too much to notice. He didn't want to fully get in the water with how cold it was, but he could sit on the bank and wash up well enough that way. It just seemed like that whole trip had just been a pain and a half with no real reward for it.

"Remus Armada"

Ike knew why she hadn’t asked Remus to return to Ashen with her, part of her was ashamed because of it. The princess didn’t want to bring him to her pack because she didn’t want to lose him. What if he joined Ashen and lost his bright cheery attitude? What if he treated her differently after he knew what being in Ashen was like? There was also the question of, if he she didn’t ask him to stay in Ashen would he just wander off and forget about her? Ike knew she needed to talk to him about her feelings, but anything serious she was very hesitant to talk to him about. He was like her safe harbor where she didn’t have to think about the seriousness of life and she could well and truly relax while she was with him. She was scared to death all of that would change.

Remus hadn’t been in the swamp for a few days she had noticed, and she worried as her mismatched paws carried her into the frozen swamp. Her heart clenched in her chest with each step she took, afraid that his scent would still be stale and she wouldn’t see him again. He was so different from anyone else she spent time with he’d easily become her best friend.

She wasn’t so grateful to see his form by the river that she failed to notice the rivulets of dried blood that flowed down his legs into the water. Concern crossed her features as she approached. "Remus?” she both questioned and greeted him at the same time. Her voice held the relief she felt at seeing him, and as always she became much less guarded. Ike’s focus was not on her paws though, and no matter how long she had to get used to her legs she was still clumsy. Obvious in the way she tripped and nearly fell into him when she finally got close. Instead she stumbled into the cold water, soaking herself in the cold water and sending a splash Remus’ direction.

"Speech"

His ears perked when he heard Ike's voice calling his name, his head popping up from where he was looking down at his own leg while he was washing off the crusted blood. He could see the concern on her features as she walked over to join him so he quickly threw a grin on his face and was ready to assure her that it looked way worse than it actually was, except he didn't get a chance to do that. He watched her start to trip and he jumped up to try and help her, but he wasn't fast enough. He winced a bit on her behalf as she toppled over right into the icy water and he hurried over to help her. "Ike! Are you okay?" he questioned as he went over to help pull her out of the river, getting her out of the cold water as quickly as possible. The freshly cleaned cuts on his shoulder were bleeding just a little bit, but they didn't hinder his movements at all and getting her out of the river was much more important. It certainly wasn't the first time he had seen her trip or stumble in their time hanging out together, but this was the first time she had ended up in such a detrimental spot because of it.

Once they had her back on dry land and she had a chance to shake off a bit he ushered her over to his camp site. The campfire he had started had smoldered down a bit so he tossed another piece of wood onto it to get the flames going again before he ducked into his den, pulling out a fur that he brought over and tossed around her shoulders, wrapping her up in the plush pelt. "There... Can't have you getting sick," he told her with a little smile while he tugged the fur tighter around her. He was sitting directly in front of her while he was getting her wrapped up, not really realizing how close to her he was until he brought his ruby and emerald gaze up to her two-toned gaze, suddenly noticing how his nose was very nearly touching hers. He blinked with surprise and he gave a little chuckle before clearing his throat a bit and getting up to to go get a couple bandages from his supplies, playing off the flutters that had kicked off in his stomach from being so incredibly close to kissing her without even realizing what he was doing.

Once he had the bandages he sat near her by the fire and started wrapping them around the upper part of his forearm where the worst of the cuts were that kept wanting to bleed. "I'm fine, I promise," he assured her with a glance, tossing her a grin. "I just got caught up in some briars on my way back from Auster." He really should have bandaged himself up when he got home last night, but after how his trip went he had been too tired and done with the day to bother.

"Remus Armada"

Thankfully her skin was burning hot enough that she didn’t actually care about the frozen water that now soaked her through. She was utterly embarrassed and wished desperately that she could disappear right there and never speak of this again. That wasn’t how any of this worked though. Instead of staying under the water and floating down the river Remus helped her up and out the water. When she surfaced she sucked in her breath as the reality of it really hit her. The water was literally frozen and instead of overheating all the warmth left her all at once.

She was shivering tremendously as Remus guided her closer to his camp, bringing her to the fire that he would also revive. She huddled close to the warm flames, but it didn’t do much against her soaked fur until Remus returned with a fluffy fur to drape around her shoulders. He sat close by, right in front of her as he tightened the fur and made sure she was going to get warm. Even if his arms were still bleeding. Before she could answer him their eyes met. She could feel the warmth of his muzzle and breath against her own.

Her breath caught, her mortifying accident nearly forgotten as time stopped for a split second. Ike wasn’t quite sure what happened but as Remus pulled away with a little clearing of his throat he left her stomach fluttering and her heart thudding against her chest. He let her catch her breath as he gathered up the bandages he’d meant to get before she had interrupted him. Remus was a master at putting her at ease, his grin, his voice, the way he pulled the attention from her to focus on himself. She sighed softly, trying to relax even as she continued shivering lightly.

"How was Auster?” Ike asked nonchalantly, but it was a nice distraction from everything weighing on her. Even though she knew there were more important points she needed to talk to him about. Like how much she had missed seeing his face while he was far away. There was something different about his carefree nature as compared to her brother even. He was kindhearted, and she could see his genuine feelings. She trusted him, and he really was a good friend, but was it more than that?

"Speech"

Remus was certainly no healer, but he did his best at wrapping up his leg with bandages at least well enough to keep some pressure on them and get the bleeding to stop. He glanced up at her when she spoke again, asking about how Auster was and he gave  a small shrug, a slight frown tugging at his lips. "Not great. The only reason I went was to go check on my brother. The last time I saw him he was living in The Hallows, but he's gone and the wolf I talked to at the border didn't know where he had run off to." He tucked the end of the bandage into itself to hold it together and he sighed, his ears flicking as he shook his head. "I know he'll be fine and it's not like we really stuck close together all the time or anything, but... I just didn't expect him to disappear like that. He's the only family I have here, you know?" His parents and cousins were still back in their old home away from Boreas so if worse came to worse he knew he could go back to them and he did run into that one old Armada wolf a few nights ago, but he wasn't really sure he exactly counted as family. He had always been more independent than most of his other family so he hadn't expected their absence in his life to bother him the way it did.

Still, as he brought his ruby and emerald gaze back up to Ike, he knew he didn't want to leave to go back to where he was born. Even if he missed his family, he knew he would miss Ike more. "Plus, I had to be away from you so all in all a terrible trip," he added, giving her a little grin. Whenever he looked at her he was reminded of the positive and the bright side in everything he was doing. Camping out here, staying in Boreas, bettering himself and his skills, really getting to know this place and call it home... She gave him a reason to do all of that. If she wasn't here he probably would have already thrown in the towel and just gone back to his family. The same silly, ridiculous flutters of butterflies kicked up in his stomach as their gazes met again, making a little lopsided grin tug at his lips. He didn't know what it was about this clumsy, secretly silly, adorable princess that made him feel like this, but he was having an increasingly hard time hiding how she made him feel these days. It wasn't like he hadn't been with girls before, but none of them had made him feel like this... whatever this was.

He finally gave in to himself and got up to move closer to her again, settling in beside her so that his side was gently leaning into hers. "Let me share some warmth with you," he said with a soft chuckle, giving him a reason to be closer to her even through really he just wanted to be with her regardless. It was strange how he couldn't bring himself to outright flirt and hit on her the way he might have other girls in the past. He had when they first crossed paths, but as he got to know her and came to realize how special she actually was it just felt wrong to talk to her that way. It wasn't that he didn't think she was beautiful and it certainly wasn't that he didn't want to indulge in things with her, but she was worth so much more to him than that and that was the part that made him nervous. This was all uncharted territory and he didn't want to do anything that might ruin what he had built with her so far. Even still, he decided to push his luck just a tiny bit since he did actually want to make sure she got dry and warm as soon as possible and lifted his foreleg to wrap it around her shoulders, holding her into his side while they sat by the fire with the fur draped around her shoulders.

"Remus Armada"

While she was with Remus Ike didn’t have to think quite so hard about everything going on around her. The princess didn’t have to think about how badly she fit into her role, how bad she felt about Ikigai leaving, she didn’t have to admit how much of a child she felt like. In a bad way. She felt childish, especially considering her second birthday coming up. She was nowhere near the place her mother wanted her to be. She wasn’t graceful or powerful like Venom was. She tripped over her own paws disgraced herself with cowardice. Ike was far too hard on herself, but she didn’t have to be while she was with this boy.

He was too good to her, once he knew she was alright he put the incident from his mind. He didn’t dwell on her trip up, only helping her recover, even when he should have been seeing to himself. Which he would get to after the fur was draped over her to keep the chill away. Remus’ words helped keep her mind away from all of the self doubt within. He spoke of his brother disappearing, and she understood him more than she wanted to. Saying goodbye to her sister and her father leaving before that… Venom whined softly in commiseration and nodded slightly.

He looked up to her, and she met his gaze with her own as he told her he regretted being away from her. She suddenly felt very bashful as her heart fluttered and her cheeks flushed a much more pleasant pink than the red of embarrassment earlier. He wanted to be here with her as much as she wanted to be back with him.

Before she could say much the same he spoke again as he moved closer and offered up his warmth. "Please,” she replied softly as he got more daring as she felt his arm wrap around her shoulders. The relief was almost immediate, and she stopped shivering as she similarly leaned into him. His warmth spread through her, chasing away her fears, insecurities, and sorrows. All she had to focus on right now was getting warm and dry. Which was getting easier, she could feel her ears burning at how close Remus was, how good he smelled, how comfortable his arms were.

"Remus…” She started almost hesitantly, but after hearing about his brother she couldn’t really go anywhere else. "I know you like camping out here but…” She tried to joke instead of bringing up his missing brother, still she hesitated, so afraid this perfect moment wouldn’t be replicated if he joined Ashen. "There’s plenty of room in Ashen… if you wanted to join a pack.”

"Speech"

A little grin tugged at the corners of his lips when he felt Ike leaning into him as he wrapped a foreleg around her shoulders, his ears flicking back with an uncharacteristic shyness with the skip of his heart at the feeling of her against his side. He was content to sit there with her for as long as she wanted or however long it took for her to get dry enough to not catch a chill once they pulled the fur off of her, settling into a comfortable silence while he did his best to ignore how her more feminine frame felt leaned into his, how her scent filled his nose, or how a different kind of warmth started trying to pool in his core and bring thoughts to places where they shouldn't stray. Luckily Ike spoke and pulled his attention away from those thoughts and instead brought his two-toned eyes back to her face as he listened.

He chuckled softly when she mentioned how much he "loved" camping out here, but before he could make a quip of his own back to her she offered him a place in Ashen, saying there was plenty of room if he was interested in joining. His brows lifted with surprise at the unexpected offer, but it wasn't an unwelcome one. It was what he had wanted for a little while now, but it had been something that she had been hesitant about so he hadn't wanted to push her on it. Still, it certainly alleviated a lot of the worries he had about being out here in the swamplands and it would mean that he would be able to be around her in her daily life which was something he very much wanted. He smiled softly as that initial shock and surprise gave way to his happiness at being offered a place in her pack and he replied, "I would love to join Ashen for you, Ike. I guess I could give up this wild life of camping."

He chuckled softly at his own joke, but then gave her a curious look and gave her shoulders a gentle, affectionate squeeze. "But... What made you change your mind? I don't want to make you feel pressured to have me join. As much as I joke about it I really don't mind camping out here if you need more time." He had a feeling that so much of her life wasn't on her terms or by her design so he wanted her to have the power of choice in this. He wasn't going to pressure her one way or another, but if she did want him to join the pack then he would do it for her. Now that Romulus had vanished she was what he had left in Boreas and he was happy to dedicate himself to helping keep her happy.

"Remus Armada"

Now that she had time to really think about it, Princess Kiyohime wanted Remus to be with her as she faced her inadequacies. He didn’t judge her, he helped her up when she fell, and he showed her how much he cared. Now Ike hadn’t quite figured out how she personally felt about all of that, but if he helped her when she was weak he was an asset to the Empire because she needed him. Shuriken wasn’t adequate on her own, at least she couldn’t see that herself. She was so much better when she had Remus to support her.

She was a little nervous about inviting him back when she had been so hesitant before, but Remus didn’t leave her waiting. He would join Ashen, and he teased her a little in return, lightening her anxiety and putting her at ease. Despite the joys of camping, he would make the sacrifice to join her home pack. He squeezed her lightly, and she grinned at the joke before he went on softly. What made her change her mind?

The thought intensified the butterflies in her belly. Ike wanted to be honest with him but she wasn’t sure she was ready to admit the reason for her asking yet. She bit her lip and looked back towards the water. "I don’t know, maybe I’m just selfish,” She started off with the premise of her inferiority. "I just feel like you make me better, when I’m with you…” She trailed off, feeling foolish and uncertain she could finish her sentence.

"Speech"

Her hesitant response made his horned head tilt with a bit of confusion as she said she might just be selfish in her want to have him in Ashen. He didn't quite understand what she meant by that at first, but she went on, saying how he made her better and started to say something about the times when she was with him, but seemed unable to finish her sentence. He smiled softly and gave her another encouraging squeeze. "I don't do anything to change how you are," he promised sincerely, his ruby and emerald gaze warm as they lingered on her face. "All I ever do when I'm with you is try to help you feel comfortable and relaxed. Everything else is just your real self shining through... and that's the Ike that I like very much."

He lingered there for a moment as he hesitated before he finally allowed himself to indulge even a little bit into what he had been daydreaming about for a while now. He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. He wanted to do more, but for once in his life he felt like he found someone worth the effort and worth waiting on. He was happy to move at her pace which wasn't something he ever thought he'd feel. He held her for a moment more before reluctantly letting his foreleg slip away from her. "I guess I better get packed up so we can head to the pack, huh?" he said with a chuckle.

He got up and went to the small den he had been living in and picked up a couple little things he had collected in his travels, wrapping them up in a small bundle to make them easier to carry. He slipped his bracers on just so he wouldn't have to carry them and tossed some water onto the campfire to put it out and then he was set. He didn't exactly have a lot of possessions to his name so "packing" wasn't difficult. He turned back to Ike with a grin, nodding toward the Ashen lands behind her. "Well... Time to take me home, I guess." He was a little nervous about joining a pack after living on his own for so long, but the excitement he felt about getting to be with Ike was more than enough to overcome his nerves.

"Remus Armada"

She couldn’t finish her sentence but Remus took no mind, confused for a moment as she started. He tilted his horned head but smiled and gave her a comforting squeeze as she trailed off. He spoke warmly as he corrected her. He didn’t really do anything but facilitate somewhere she could relax and be herself. He liked her ‘better’ self very much. Her dual toned gaze lifted to catch his brilliant eyes in the beat that passed after he spoke. She knew that she was blushing at the thought, and before she could say anything Remus was leaning in to kiss her cheek.

Ike squeaked with pleasant surprise, his arms around her, his lips against her cheek… She couldn’t kiss him back, but this was her first kiss. She hummed lightly when he pulled away reluctantly and teased her about gathering his things before they could get back to Ashen. Ike gave him a quick nod, quite speechless with her flushed cheeks and still damp fur. He disappeared to get his belongings and she tried to finish drying off, getting under her belly and the moisture lingering under her arms all while she caught her breath.

She was recovered and dry by the time Remus reappeared and put out the fire. Ike felt excitement rush through her again. Remus was joining Ashen, she’d have his support every day she needed it now, and maybe more than that… She flushed again as she thought about the kiss, and tried to hide it as she lifted herself to mismatched paws. "Yes, lets go home.” She grinned up at him before leading the way. "So what kind of rank do you want?” She questioned him, trying to keep the conversation further away from her.

"Speech"

The adorable shyness from the soft kiss he had left on her cheek certainly didn't go unnoticed, but he didn't call her out on it either. He loved every reaction from her from her laughter to the cute squeak and flush of her cheeks and the thoughtful look in her eyes as they spoke. He was confident that the more time he got to spend with her the more comfortable she would get with him and he was ready to be in this for the long haul to see that happen. Already he had seen her grow so much and that made him happy in a way he had never really expected. He just wanted to be there to see her continue to get even more confident and comfortable with herself.

After he had gathered his few belongings and rejoined her to start walking toward Ashen, he fell in beside her, matching her pace easily while she led the way. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that he was going to have a real "home" again after so long and he didn't think it would really sink in until after he had gotten settled into Ashen, but it was going to be easier with Ike there with him. She asked what kind of rank he would want and he chuckled, at a complete loss for what he could say as an answer. "I... guess it would be easier if you help me pick. I don't even know what kind of ranks there are!" He grinned and turned his ruby and emerald gaze toward her with another chuckle. "I know how to fight and I'm pretty good at navigating... I guess whichever rank would let me be the most helpful in one of those areas. Whatever I can do to help you out the most would make me happy."

"Remus Armada"

The princess Kiyohime didn’t have to be embarrassed about the natural reaction to her very first kiss. Remus was patient, and while he did tease her he knew when to give her reprieve. Like when her face went very red after he gave her an innocent peck on the cheek. Ike hadn’t lied when she told him that she felt like a better version of herself when he was at her side, and it was true. The girl was just glad that Remus could be so patient and gentle with her. She tried to emulate her mother’s cool demeanor and project that into the world, but she was so far from her mother’s level of skill and confidence it just came off as stuffy. She still hadn’t rid herself of her clumsy feet, as was obvious when she greeted him with a fall earlier.

The two of them easily fell into pace together as Ike led him back to Ashen. There was a fluttering thrill in her belly that she couldn’t quite put her paw on or describe but it was both pleasant and nerve wracking. Remus made her heart flutter and her toes tingle, and if she didn’t ignore it better she’d fall on her face again. She knew she was excited about this, and the infinite possibilities began to make her a little nervous. The most important part was getting Remus home.

Remus answer was generic, but he left room for her to make decision and was sweet enough to let her know he had no real preference as long as he was with her. He brought a huge grin to her face with those simple words, mostly because she was amused at how easily she forgot how long it had been since he was in a pack. "You could just take a fighting rank for now,” Ike offered as they neared Ashen’s borders. Quite surprised at herself for not tripping up somewhere between the camp and home. "You can help patrol, and train the younger wolves, and if you want go on hunting trips with me.” She offered innocently as her dual toned eyes shifted to his features as she slowed at Ashen’s border.

"Kiyohime Shuriken Ōritsu Abraxas"

Remus was glad that his answer seemed to be satisfactory at the very least even if it wasn't very specific. He gave a nod of agreement as Ike offered for him to be in a fighting rank for now and listed off some of the duties that went along with that. Patrolling and training seemed easy enough and when she mentioned the possibility of taking hunting trips with her he grinned and turned his gaze toward her again, their gazes catching and making a little flutter kick up in his stomach again. It still amused him a little that she had gotten him so head over heels for her without even really trying. Something about her just snagged his attention and wouldn't let it go. He wondered if this was how his father had felt about their mother or how Romulus felt about his girlfriend. "That sounds like a plan," he said with a grin, his tail wagging gently behind him.

Right about then they ended up at the pack's border and he slowed to a stop with her, looking out over the forest of pale, thin trees ahead of them. He had heard about Ashen in bits and pieces from Ike, though they hadn't really discussed it at length in any of their times together. He had mostly avoided asking her about the pack since it seemed to be a source of stress for her, but he hoped that maybe his being here could help make her day to day life here a little more enjoyable. He gave himself a quick shake to smooth out his fur and make himself a little more presentable. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous to meet her mother, but he chalked it up to just wanting to make a good first impression. He looked to Ike again with a nod. He was ready if she was.

"Remus Armada"

Kiyohime led Remus towards Ashen’s border with relative ease, despite the way her heart was fluttering she was much more calm and collected in his presence. Her paws didn’t betray her. They only spoke briefly about his future position in Ashen, but something told Ike that he wasn't joining because of the pack itself, he was coming home with her, because of her. That fact alone kept her cheeks flushed as she led him to the border of the ivory forests. Remus had no discontent with her offer as she brought him to the edge of the territory. Even if she technically had the authority to invite him in, she wasn’t comfortable doing so without Venom’s approval.

While she mentioned Ashen to Remus he was far from well versed in the pack’s traditions and way of life, but she could tell it wouldn’t be so difficult for him to settle in. Remus’ gaze shifted from the pale trees back to her with a subtle nod to let her know he was ready. Ike smiled encouragingly before she tipped her head back to call for her mother.

"Kiyohime Shuriken Ōritsu Abraxas"

Surprise crossed the Empress’ features as her daughter’s voice sounded at the edge of the territory. The crown princess did not often call for her, especially as alpha. Curiosity had her captured so Venom disentangled herself from Maverick’s warm arms and swiftly made her way from the palace. White gloved paws carried her through the pale forests of the shrine, all the while wondering what could possibly have her meeting Ike at the border.

Venom was still conflicted about Ikigai leaving, and holding her children closer to her. They were full fledged adults though, and she couldn’t keep them under her wing forever. They had to be let go to find their own path. That fact was made even more clear as Venom emerged from the trees and was greeted by the sight of her daughter and a young man at her side. He was more mature than her daughter, and much larger. She didn’t miss the curving horns that framed his ears nor the impressive ridge of thick fur down his neck.

His appearance made everything much more clear, as well as the subtle blush on the princess’ cheeks. Venom lifted her pale brows as she approached, the question obvious even if her lips were not parted by words. "Princess Kiyohime.” She greeted with a dip of her head as her sunset gaze settled on the man beside her.

"Venom"

While Ike called for her mother, Remus nervously smoothed the fur on his chest with his paw, taking a breath to smooth his nerves. He tried to tell himself that there was no reason to be nervous, but the more he thought about how this was the leader of this important pack, someone with a lot of power and sway, and Ike's mother on top of everything else it was hard not to be a little nervous. He looked back to Ike once the call had gone out, taking in her reassuring smile and letting that calm him down some. It was all going to go fine and he wasn't going to make a fool of himself—or at least that's what he kept telling himself.

Eventually a very regal looking woman whose fur was all monochromatic like Ike's appeared from the pale forest in front of them and he knew immediately that she must be who they were waiting to see. She was surprisingly a little shorter than Ike, but her imposing demeanor most certainly made up for it. He could see the questioning look she gave Ike as she approached, but she didn't speak her question aloud. Instead she greeted Ike very formally and then turned her attention to him which was also something he hadn't really expected. It was weird hearing Ike referred to as Princess Kiyohime, but he didn't comment on it. He was much more worried about making a good impression and the last thing he felt like he should do is make some comment about Ike's name.

Realizing he should probably speak and introduce himself, he gave the Empress a polite bow of his head and said, "Hello. I'm Remus Armada. I've been friends with... with the Princess for a while now and I was hoping to join Ashen... if you'll have me." Was that alright? He honestly had no idea how this was supposed to go and he dared to give Ike a quick glance, trying to gauge from her expression if he was doing okay.

"Remus Armada"

Ike looked up at Remus like her mother wasn’t already on her way, knowing that she could have her little visits with him every day now was a fact that made her stomach roil in nerves. The young princess wore a grin as much as a blush that touched her pale cheek in pink undertones. She could very nearly see the nerves rising in Remus as well, but there was no reason to feel these heightened emotions. Remus was you and capable, everything Ashen needed. Everything she needed.

Shuriken wasn’t allowed to dwell on that astounding thought as her mother’s form appeared from the shade of the alabastrine trees. Like instinct Ike sat a little taller, and lost the care free grin Remus put on her features as she tried to show reverence for her empress mother. She gave a nod of her own head in returned greeting as the matriarch’s gaze shifted from Ike’s thin frame to Remus himself.

Before Ike could introduce her friend Remus was already speaking for himself. He introduced himself and asked for a place within Ashen’s borders before he looked ot her for reassurance. Something Ike hadn’t ever anticipated happening. He was the one that gave her confidence, upheld her in a dire situation, brought her peace of mind. But how did she explain all of that to her mother? For a moment Ike’s mouth hung open as she tried to follow up Remus’ plea.

Now that the moment was here she clammed up, and instead of saying anything Ike nodded her head alone, hoping Venom would understand without words.


"Kiyohime Shuriken Ōritsu Abraxas"

Venom looked the young man over as he realized she was silently addressing him. He introduced himself and explained the situation in simple terms. The way his features contorted when she spoke the Princess name told her that the girl had him calling her Ike, which Venom was not opposed to. This was a formal matter though, and her daughter would be addressed as such. He gave both first and last name, the latter making her raise a brow with the connection they had to the Armada pack. This was not one of Sirius’ though.

Venom didn’t mean to make her expression so critical when he claimed friendship with the princess. She was still young, but the Empress was no stranger to the realities. Already Ikigai was preparing herself for her betrothed and the journey to deliver her to Elysium. Venom had to be a fool not to see the boy’s true intentions. He liked the Princess. She felt a protective wave fill her chest, her motherly instinct telling her to bar this suitor from Ashen’s borders, to hide her remaining children away for another year while she came to terms with their independence. That wasn’t the way the world worked, however.

Sunset eyes shifted to Ike, Venom was disappointed in the lack of poise Shuriken showed, but the vulnerable moment revealed everything she needed to know. The Princess Kiyohime liked the rogue boy back, and Venom had no rights to interfere here when she had only just revealed to the pack her own interest. If this was what Ike wanted, she would give the young man his chance.

"As you wish.” Venom hid any exasperation she wanted to show. Plague would be allowed to hear all about it later, but that kind of lamenting was not for her child to see. "Since you’ve proven yourself to the princess I’ll entrust you to whatever rank she sees fit. I’ll have my eye on you going forward.” She warned softly, as she entrusted Kit with Kumiho, and Oki with Celeste, so Ike would claim responsibility for Remus.

"Venom"