The fruitless search he had set out on to find someone worthy of calling his own had landed him with nothing. The ravens that his little sister had sent out many times had found him again and again, but he always sent them away, telling her he was still on the search. After all, the only thing they had ever been taught to focus on was finding their damn soul mate and producing as many little Mendacium wolves as they could so what else was he supposed to do? Even now as he finally began to follow the directions that had been given to him by one of the ravens the last time they found him he hadn’t given up. The only reason he had found himself in Boreas at all was because of the fact that he had been told about his sister forming a pack for their family and he had a hope that perhaps that would give him a more substantial pool of interesting fae to pick from.

The directions he had gotten were only slightly better than vague. He felt like he had managed to make it to the correct continent at least. The violet and slate gray male stalked along the edge of a large river that wound through the land. It was still quite chilly, but the temperatures were slowly beginning to work their way upward and the ice that had been on the river had begun to break up and float down stream, creating an icy, slushy mess. Eventually he deviated slightly from the river, moving into a wide plain of what he sure was normally a very grass heavy area during other parts of the year. Right now it was mostly just brown grasses, mud, and melting snow. It was late in the afternoon so he knew he would need to find somewhere to stop soon enough, but first he had a bit of investigative work to do.

He had caught the scent of a pack as he was making his way through this area and now he was skirting the edge of it, peeking into the pale forest of thin trees as he went to see what he could spot from this distance away from the border. He was curious, but there was no way of knowing what packs his little sister had made friends or enemies with so he was wisely, for once, being cautious. Eventually he did spot movement from the pack’s side of the border, his aqua blue gaze landing on the pale figure that moved through the trees. There were darker markings that followed her form and from what he could see from here they spilled into a long tail that followed behind her. His interest was at least captured enough for him to move a bit closer, trying to catch the woman’s attention and draw her close enough to speak.

"Deimos Mendacium"

It felt strange, knowing that this would be one of the last times that she would be seeing this place for a while. The snow and ink princess rarely performed patrols, having no experience with combat, but today she decided to do so just so that she could commit the borders of her land to memory. Once she became a member of Elysium and took the duties of a diplomat upon her, that would be her home. Ashen would cease to be where she belonged, so she would take advantage of the sights, sounds and smells of her homeland one last time.

Poe was the name of her would-be suitor. She had met him once and he had seemed brusque and somewhat pushy. He had tested her with his words and actions despite knowing that she was a guest of his alpha. Ikigai hadn’t liked him nor disliked him. One meeting wasn’t enough to form an opinion of someone as far as the Ashen princess beliefs ran. It didn’t matter if she liked him or not anyway. It would be her duty to wed the man and produce children for him, combining Mendacium and Abraxas-Klein lines. If he hated her or if she found him distasteful, they only needed to come together once a year to produce pups and that could very well be the end of it. It wasn’t the future that a normal girl might imagine for herself, but as long as this union proved to be a benefit for her family, Ikigai would accept any amount of discomfort and suffering and she would do so with pride.

Movement caught the young woman’s gaze and her long legs stilled. Neck curling, Ikigai looked upon a patchy purple and slate brute and he seemed to be looking back at her as well. The princess wasn’t alarmed. Tanuki was nearby as were other pack guardians, so if the man tried anything, her friends would come running to her aid.

The lithe young fae nodded to the foreigner, lynx-tipped ears shifting forward. Marbled eyes rested upon the big brutes face, noting the marking near his eye. It made her instantly believe that he might be a relative of Manea as similar markings were quite common in her bloodline. Ikigai stepped from the treeline and out onto the tamped down grass of the plain, the late evening light illuminating her snow and shadow pelt. He looked as though he might either be curious about the border or lost, so she waited to see if he would approach and speak.


"Ikigai"

The interesting woman looked his way and paused, making a small smirk tug at the corners of his lips. He dipped his head to her as he took another step or two forward while he waited to see what she would do. Luckily, something about him seemed to catch her attention as well and she left the borders of the pack at least enough for him to feel comfortable moving closer as they met just outside of the pack lands in the empty plain. “Good afternoon,” he rumbled as he moved closer, a small, confident smile lingering on his muzzle. Now that he could get a closer look at her, he could pick up on the smaller details of her subtle beauty. The Mendacium women like his sister tended to be a bit more loud and obvious in their colors and gifts while this younger lady was painted mostly in monochromatic hues with mutations that were not as boisterous as his own.

Still, once she was close enough to speak with comfortably, he could pick out all of the intricacies of how this woman was blessed with more gifts than he had ever noticed on one wolf before. Some of them appeared to mostly be for looks, like her tail and ears, but that didn’t necessarily mean that they weren’t gifts all the same. That made her incredibly valuable in the terms of his family’s beliefs. “Deimos Mendacium,” he said simply to introduce himself with a low, polite dip of his horned head, keeping his gaze tipped up to look at her as he did. As he raised his head he added, “I do hope I’m not disturbing you. I’m on the hunt for my sister. I hear she’s raised a pack somewhere in these lands… Perhaps you’ve heard of her? Manea is her name.” He didn’t know what the likelihood was of a random woman from a random pack having contact with his sister, but Manea always seemed to have a way of finding the wolves that were as heavily decorated as themselves so if this girl was any indication of what her family possessed he had no doubt that Manea would have already found them as well. He watched the smaller fae curiously, his gaze roaming her form unabashedly.

"Deimos Mendacium"

As the pair came closer to one another, Ikigai noted the unique cloudy pattern to the brutes pelt. His coat was quite handsome and the purple made her believe even more than he might be one of Manea’s bloodline. Baritones met the woman’s ears and she bowed her head yet again, clear yet soft tones speaking in response. “Good afternoon.” His smile was met with a delicate lifting of lips, the red rimmed corners of the fae’s eyes lifting in kind. Iki noted the dual horns atop the man’s head and, as she happened to look down, noted the massive paws that looked surprisingly ursine.

The man gave his name and a nod of confirmation was given. Deimos Mendacium, he claimed to be and she had no reason to believe otherwise. “Ikigai Abraxas-Klein, Princess of the Ashen Empire,” the woman replied, giving her own name and title. Deimos then went on to speak of his sister Manea and the fact that he was looking for her. Ikigai laughed softly, lips peeling back from pearly white teeth for a moment. “A fortuitous meeting, Deimos,” Iki responded with the remnants of a chuckle. “Ashen is quite familiar with Elysium. In fact, I’m soon to be the new diplomat for your sister’s pack.”

How strangely the fates worked, leading the man directly to those that would know how to reach that which he sought. “I could give you directions if you’d like. Manea’s pack is in the north-east, the main pack area being down a long land bridge that stretches out into the sea. You’ll have to mind the tide.” She wondered if he might like to be an escort instead, waiting in Ashen for a few days and accompanying her and her companions to her new home. She would wait to bring that up, however.


"Ikigai"

This chance encounter turned out to be full of surprises. The delicate blossom of a woman introduced herself with a series of quite regal sounding names which indeed went along with her royal status within this pack that seemed to be named Ashen. His brows lifted with surprise, his smile widening a bit. Beautiful, gifteded, polite, and a lady of importance in another pack… she was becoming quite the valuable meeting of chance indeed. She was far superior to any woman he had come across in the several years he had been searching at the very least. And yet she still managed to continue surprising him as she explained how Ashen and Elysium, which turned out to be Manea’s pack, were quite familiar with one another and that she was going to be the diplomat for them. He chuckled softly at the coincidence of it all and replied, “Well, my sister has always had excellent taste when it comes to finding the wolves she keeps around her. It seems that hasn’t changed in our time apart.”

He listened intently as Ikigai explained the direction of Manea’s pack, directing him to the north-east to find a land bridge that stretched out into the sea. It made him extremely curious to find this place and see what his sister had come up with for their new home. “I do certainly appreciate the directions,” he replied with a small nod. At the very least now he knew where to find Manea once he was ready to make his return to her. After such a long stint away from his family he was ready to get back to them as soon as possible… but he had his sights set somewhere else first. He had always been told that there was one special soul mate for each of the Mendacium wolves and that when the time was right they would be drawn to them, but after nearly two and a half years of searching he had begun to believe it was all bird shit and he should just accept whatever suitable woman he came across. And now, just as he was about to finally throw in the towel before he got too old to have his children, he lands in front of a fae who checked every box he could possibly come up with who just so happened to be moving to his sister’s pack. Perhaps the Ancients hadn’t given up on him just yet.

“I’m glad our paths happened to cross, Ikigai. I’m looking forward to living with you in Elysium soon enough,” he said with a charming smile and began to turn as if he was going to leave, only to stop and turn his gaze back to the Ashen princess again. “Actually… It sounds as if the trip would be too far for me to take it tonight. If it wouldn’t be too much of a bother perhaps I could stay here for the night head that way in the morning?” He gave her a small tip of his head, adding, “Only if it’s not too much trouble, of course.”

"Deimos Mendacium"

Deimos commented on his sister’s affinity for attracting those that were good company. Ikigai arched an obsidian brow in amusement. He knew nothing of her. How could he say that she was anything? The woman wouldn’t comment on it, however. Ikigai’s haunches folded and she seated herself in the chilled grasses of the plain. Her long ink blot of a tail curled around her hip and settled over her delicate paws. She’d been walking for quite some time on her patrol. Something that the fae was quite unused to.

The clouded man thanked her for the directions, then spoke of being glad that their paths had crossed. Ikigai nodded again, a small smile still playing on obsidian lips. “It will be… interesting, to say the least.” An entirely new experience for her. One most likely unwanted by her future husband. Iki couldn’t say that she wanted it either, but it was her duty and her honor to do this for her family. For her pack. No matter how she might feel about it or what may come, at least she had that.

Deimos turned as though to leave, then thought better of it. Again obsidian ears shifted to catch his deep tones. “Of course,” she responded easily and instantly. “Please, be my guest.” Ikigai lifted one dexterous paw and motioned the man into Ashen territory. Ikigai rose, prepared to lead him towards the guest dens. She decided to mention her previous idea. “Actually, if you don’t mind staying and resting a few days, we could travel to Elysium together.” The fae cast him a side eye, a brow arched in question. “I’m to be married to your cousin Poe upon arrival, so I’ll be bringing my things with me to my new home.” Whether he would be receptive to the idea or in too much of a hurry remained to be seen.


"Ikigai"

Ikigai surprisingly accepted his request without question and invited him into the territory. Her and her family must be quite close with Manea indeed to have so much trust right away simply from knowing who he was related to. He nodded and gave her a quick, “Thank you,” as she turned and began to lead him away from the plain and into pale forest behind her. He took the opportunity to glance over her slender form again, increasingly curious about her. She was noticeably younger, perhaps only just now reaching her second year of age if he had to guess, but she had a more put together and mature air about her and the way she moved. She was built beautifully, but her form was soft and very obviously not used for any sort of physical pursuits. That would perhaps be a small draw back considering his family’s usual tendencies to be very heavily into fighting and hunting, but with everything else she had going for her he could over look it.

However, his planning and plotting was interrupted as Ikigai spoke again and he brought his gaze back up to hers before she could look back at him, an easy smile crossing his lips again. She suggested staying a few days here and instead traveling to Elysium with her. He was careful to keep the grin off of his face and instead only showed a brighter smile at the suggestion. “That would work for me. A guide to Elysium for me, some protection for the trip for you,” he offered, painting the arrangement as a benefit to them both while eternally he was simply glad to have a reason to get her alone so he could start trying to secure her place in his life. He didn’t need to spend much time to figure out that she would suit his needs just fine and all he needed was for her to agree so he didn’t go throwing a wrench in whatever political plans his sister had.

Then she threw a small wrench into his plans yet again as she explained how she was to be married to Poe. His smile faltered slightly before he quickly regained his composure with just a flick of his ear to show his displeasure at the news. “Ah… Poe, hm?” he questioned as they walked, turning his gaze ahead of them to look through the trees as she acted as his guide. He didn’t have any ill will toward his cousin. In fact, he had spent little time with the man since they were pups. However, it seemed like just as if he had finally found what he had been searching for all this time it was going to be pulled away from him before he could ever really begin. “Well… I certainly can’t let my future cousin-in-law travel all that way on her own or allow her to carry her own things,” he said with a bit of a chuckle, hiding his frustration with humor. After a pause he asked, “And what is your opinion on my cousin? I haven’t seen him in quite some time, I’m afraid.” Perhaps if she wasn’t close with Poe just yet then this could still be salvaged.

"Deimos Mendacium"

As Iki motioned Deimos into the territory, he easily, and happily followed. She noted the smile on his ruggedly handsome features. Ruggedly handsome features? The thought startled her somewhat. It was an odd thing for her to even notice, but she couldn’t deny that Deimos was quite attractive. There was a confidence about him that Ikigai found to be quite agreeable. He was very large and moving along beside him made her feel very dainty and delicate. There was a confusing little flutter in the woman’s stomach but she pushed it away. It wasn’t important.

Thankfully, the brute seemed agreeable to her proposition of traveling with him. He listed the pros for both of them and Ikigai nodded as she continued to lead him into Ashen territory. “You’ll be able to relax for a few days and reunite with Manea well rested.” The pale fae grinned again, “As for protection, it’s all around us.” She motioned towards the trees with a point of her muzzle and glimpses of well muscled bodies and curled tails could be seen accompanying them at a distance. The akita’s were everywhere, including her own. That was why there was no fear within her at inviting the stranger into Ashen.

When she informed him of her future intended, Deimos repeated Poe’s name. Iki cast a glance at him, wondering if she could read his initial thoughts on the matter by his expression, but other than a flick of an ear, he gave nothing away. The man brought up their future relationship as cousins and then asked after Poe and her opinion on him. Ikigai considered for a moment then shook her head, brows raising. “I don’t have an opinion of him. I met him once and he left neither a good impression nor a negative one.” She felt the need to add, “He was Manea’s choice as her son is too young to be considered.” The young woman tried to be optimistic and realistic at once. “No matter. Things will work out as they should.”

"Ikigai"

Deimos nodded in agreement to the idea of returning to Manea well rested after staying for a few days in Ashen and once she pointed out her protection detail that he hadn’t originally noticed following them them through the trees he smirked and glanced around them at the well trained dogs that kept an eye on the Princess. Clever. So that’s why she had been so willing to allow him beyond the border then. It seemed as if she had a sharp mind about her as well as all of her gifts and looks. It was becoming even more imperative that he snag her as his own the longer he was with her.

As the conversation shifted and they discussed Poe and her betrothal to him, he turned his attention back to Ikigai and took in the indifferent nature of her opinion of his cousin. That reassured him that this was indeed a match made from some kind of political, familial gain and not from a true connection or desire from Ikigai’s part of things. That was all the reassurance he really needed to make him believe he still stood a chance, especially once she said that it had been Manea’s choice to pair her with Poe simply because her son had been too young to be an option. Well, perhaps he could offer an even more appealing choice than Poe then. “Yes… Things will work out as they should,” he repeated back in agreement, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he looked back over the landscape they were moving through.

It wasn’t exactly a surprise to hear that Manea had children considering the amount of time that had passed and what could have happened in his absence, but as he considered the fact more it began to nag at his mind. His youngest sibling who just so happened to be born the more favorable sex in their family and landed herself the position of the Matriarch given her more appealing traits and personality for the job than their older sister now had a pack, assumedly a husband of some sort, and children—and those were just the few achievements he had come to know in this short amount of time. Even though he had a year head start on Manea for at least the family aspect of things he had fallen short and it was another example of how that theme had continued to reoccur in his life. He wasn’t going to let what he wanted slip away this time. No, he’d pull whatever cards he needed to pull to make sure plans were changed.

As they reached the dens that Ikigai had apparently been leading him to, he looked to her with another warm, inviting smile, saying, “I appreciate your hospitality. If you don’t have anything else more pressing for your time… would you like to stay and talk for a bit? Or perhaps there’s something else I can help you with while I’m here? I would enjoy getting to know you better.”

"Deimos Mendacium"

In time the trees began to thin and the guest dens came into view. Ikigai led Deimos to one of them and slipped inside the stone structure to make sure that it was prepared for a guest, which it was. She saw to this task herself most of the time but with packing and preparations, it had been difficult. Ikigai wondered who would take over the task when she left. Surely someone would. There would be a whole list of tasks that someone would have to take up after she left Ashen. She’d have to speak to her mother about it. The amount of responsibility that she’d chosen to shoulder after her father left was immense.

Deeming the den suitable, Ikigai motioned for Deimos to come inside. She showed him the sleeping space, the hearth for a fire, a stack of wood, steel and flint and a basin that could be filled with water for washing or drinking. A great albino akita seated himself in the doorway and Ikigai exchanged words with him in her father’s tongue out of habit. The dog nodded and moved off to do the bidding of his mistress. It would be rude to invite a guest in and not feed them, so Tanuki had gone to the stores to retrieve food and meat for the Mendacium man.

“I do hope that everything is suitable,” the black marked fae commented, prepared to take her leave and let the man rest. He had other plans, however. Deimos asked her to stay and talk with him for a bit. Ikigai would be a poor hostess if she turned down an invitation from her guest, so the woman nodded, moving to seat herself on one of the fur covered cushions nearby. There wasn’t anything for him to help her with as she was already fully packed. Her items were in a small cart that Tanuki would pull. For a princess, Ikigai didn’t have very many personal possessions. Her instruments, a few articles of clothing and accessories, a collection of dried herbs and healing supplies. That was about it.

Snake slit eyes rested upon the man as she sought to indulge him with light conversation. “Where are you coming from, Deimos? I was told that Manea had called her family to her and some have come from across the sea. Have you traveled much?” He had her full attention. Long forelegs crossed at the ankle, dainty digits flexing lightly as she attained a comfortable position. As she waited for the man to respond, the pink tinged canine entered the den, leaving behind a basket filled with various meats, both fresh and cooked. There was also a bottle of water and a bottle of wine within. Ikigai smiled thankfully at the dog and bowed her head in thanks. He then left the den, but stayed right outside. “Please eat. I don’t mind.”

"Ikigai"

With his invitation to join him in the cozy den accepted, Deimos settled down across from her and got comfortable. Had it not been for the facts that they were in her pack’s territory, being watched over very closely by attentive akitas, and that she was already promised to someone else he would probably have been more forward in his advances, but for now he could focus on building her trust with him so that when the time if Manea decided to give her the choice between him and Poe he would become the more favorable option. For someone being put into an arranged marriage she seemed quite calm and indifferent about the situation, but he didn’t know how much of that was her honest feelings on the matter and how much of that was for show. Either way, he hoped that he would make himself more appealing than his cousin before it was all over.

He smiled as she asked about his travels and where he came from with the mention of how some of the family she had called for had come across seas. It made him wonder just how much of their family she had managed to accumulate or at the very least how much of it was left. Of course their father was gone, their mother exiled, their older sister gone, most of their other cousins and more distant relatives scattered to the wind… It did seem like some of them had managed to gather together though. “Indeed I have. Over oceans, rivers, canyons, deserts, mountains… I’ve seen it all. I’ve spent the last two and a half years traveling as far and wide as I could. But, I felt like it was high time for me to come and rejoin my family. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen them.”

Before he could question her in return or elaborate further, the albino dog that had been by the door before returned with a basket of food and he looked to it with surprise. “Ah, so that’s what you asked him to get,” he mentioned with a chuckle. He had heard her say something to the akita before, but it hadn’t been a language he was familiar with so what exactly she had said had been a mystery. He examined the offerings for a moment, glancing toward Ikigai as she insisted that he go ahead and eat. He dipped his head gratefully, always mindful of his manners, and picked out one of the pieces of cooked meats and the bottle of wine. He kept himself fed well enough, but it had been far too long since he had someone to share a meal with. He nudged the basket closer to her after he pulled out what he wanted. “If you’d care to join me,” he offered. Regardless, began to eat and drink, impressed with her skills as a hostess. He wasn’t usually one for entertaining, though he would admit to being far more personable than someone like Merrick.

“What do you enjoy doing?” he asked as he swallowed a bite of food, his aqua gaze lingering on her between glances at what he was eating. Large claws similar to those of a bear stabbed pieces of meat to bring them to his mouth, plucking the torn off pieces from the end of a claw. “Any interests? Hobbies? Skills?” She clearly wasn’t a fighter, much more of an intellectual or scholar if he was going to guess. But he should at least know what she was into so he would know where to steer their conversation towards and perhaps how to keep her content if he did manage to win her.

"Deimos Mendacium"

Had Deimos been more forward in his advances, Ikigai would not have been receptive. She took her duty quite seriously and, being promised to Poe, she would be faithful only to him. Despite the lack of honor that her father held, the Ashen princess was full to the brim with morals and beliefs. Her own honor and that of her birth pack was the most important thing. For honor she would wed an unknown brute, would give him children and would integrate herself into a new pack. It wasn’t a feat that most wolves could bring themselves to accomplish.

Iki listened as the amaranthine brute told her of his adventures, stating where he’d been and what he’d seen. In the end, it had been time to come home. He apparently missed his family. It was something that the black and white fae could understand. She would surely miss her family as well while she was away, though she wouldn’t be crossing oceans. They would be able to visit one another as often as they liked. As a diplomat to the pack, Ikigai would be very busy, but she would make time to visit Ashen when she could.

When Tanuki returned with the basket of food, realization dawned on Deimos. The man inspected the contents of the basket and, pulling out a piece of the cooked meat, began to eat. He then pushed the basket towards her and, not to be rude, Ikigai selected a small piece of meat as well. Holding it between her dexterous paws, the woman ripped off pieces which she quietly chewed and swallowed.

Deimos questioned her, obviously trying to get to know her as he’d claimed. The piece of meat had been small and the fae wiped the oils from her paws with a napkin that had been in the basket. “Helping the Empress keep the pack in order takes up the majority of my time,” the woman admitted. She was generally busy from dawn till dusk and sometimes after. “When I do have free time, I enjoy music, painting, and crafting.” A little shrug was given, a mere lift of one shoulder. “I dabble in healing as well, so I search for useful herbs, make salves and ointments. Typical healer business.” Pale, marbled eyes rested on the brutes own aqua orbs. “And you? What are your hobbies, Deimos?”


"Ikigai"

He watched curiously as Ikigai lifted an interesting, delicate paw to pick up a small piece of meat from the basket to join him out of what he sensed was obligation, but he liked seeing her unique paws at work. As she responded to his questioning about what she spent her time doing, he could easily see how she was using the traits she was given to her advantage. A striking and beautiful woman that was smart and well spoken would obviously make a fine ambassador and it seemed she had already been putting herself to work here in Ashen with duties for the Empress, which Deimos guessed was her mother. Things like music, painting, crafting, and healing all seemed like fitting of a Princess with more delicate sensibilities like herself.

The thought crossed his mind as she spoke and revealed more about herself that she was far more fair and defenseless than any other woman he had grown up around. He had always looked for women like that as well in his hunt for a mate, thinking that he needed a physically strong woman to breed more physically strong Mendacium wolves, but he always found himself frustrated and fed up with their unwillingness to bend to him and how they would fight back if he desired something that didn’t perfectly fall in line with what they wanted from him. But Ikigai, the dutiful, poised Princess who was allowing herself to be married off seemingly willingly… She was an interesting prospect to say the least.

The attention was turned back toward him then as she asked him the same thing in return and a grin pulled at his lips. “My hobbies are a bit more physical and utilitarian in nature. Fighting, hunting… the like. I think you’ll find that’s a pretty common thing among my family.” He chuckled softly, swiping his tongue across his paw pads and claws to clean the blood from them before he took another drink of the wine he had been offered. He didn’t let the conversation linger on himself for very long. “I’ve never met someone with a passion for music before. I hope I’ll get to hear your music before too long. Do you sing, play instruments, or both?”

"Deimos Mendacium"

Deimos commented on his own hobbies after she had shared hers and his answer was as Ikigai expected. Of course he enjoyed physical feats. And why not? He was large, well muscled, built for such things. As was his sister, his cousins. It was just in their blood. Ikigai wasn’t built for such things, nor did she have any desire to take part in killing or fighting. It simply wasn’t in her nature. The Ashen princess was meant for more intellectual duties and she carried them out very well.

Pale eyes watched as the brute cleaned his giant paws and claws. He then turned the conversation back to her, mentioning her music and the hopes that he would get to hear it. The man seemed genuinely interested, so Ikigai was happy to discuss her skills with him. “I sing and play multiple instruments. My father…” She hated calling Hattori that, but for the sake of the conversation, it would do. “My father is from a far off land. The instruments that I play are those of his homeland. The Koto, a long, steel stringed instrument, and the Shamisen, a smaller, stringed instrument that you hold.” If he was interested enough, she could show him the instruments, but he would likely see them at some point since they were to be living in the same pack. “I imagine you’ll hear me play eventually while in Elysium.”


“Tomorrow I’ll introduce you to the Empress. She’ll assign you a page to accompany you while you’re a guest of Ashen.” Ikigai would be leaving in the morning to attend to some business. It wouldn’t be pretty, nor would it be pleasant, but it needed to be done. The woman needed to confront her deserter of a father and get rid of all of the pent up emotions within her. Ikigai had no idea what he would say or if he would even care, but she had to speak to him nonetheless.


"Ikigai"

Despite himself, he did find himself genuinely curious about her and her musical abilities. Once he set his mind to something it was impossible to make him deviate from his focus and he was certainly willing to do whatever it took to achieve what he wanted—including taking interest in the hobbies and habits of a Princess apparently. Still, as curious as he was about the unusual instrument from a far off land that she described, the way she hesitated when she mentioned her father drew his attention more. Up until that moment she had been sure of her words and spoke in a way that was intelligent and lyrical so the brief moment of hesitation was enough to make him take notice.

He didn’t bring it up right away, instead letting her go on as she mentioned that he would likely hear her play in Elysium. He smiled with a small flash of teeth, the angle of his smile slightly crooked and roguish, the warmth of it lighting up his face with his intentional, natural charm. “I’ll be looking forward to it.” She went on, saying how she would introduce him to the Empress tomorrow and spoke of them assigning a page to accompany him while he was here. A teasing humor crossed his expression with a small, disappointed frown as he replied, “Ah, I won’t be accompanied by you then? A pity.” A little hint of the interest he held in her slipped with the look he held in his aqua gaze, chuckling softly as he leaned back a bit, settling into the pillows more comfortably as his large paws crossed one over the other.

Eager to keep her engaged in conversation and learn more nuances of her that he could learn and know about her, he hummed curiously as he looked at her with a slight tip of his head. “You said I would be meeting the Empress… Will I not be meeting your father as well?” He played it as he had noticed the missing mention of her father in the plans that had been made for him tomorrow, letting the small slip she had before go unmentioned. From first impressions she seemed like the type that didn’t often make mistakes and if he was going to go prying into her personal life he felt it was best if he didn’t bring up things that might sour her first experience with him, even if it was just a small thing he had picked up on.

"Deimos Mendacium"

The man expressed his interest in hearing her play and the serious woman cracked a bit of a smile. She knew that he was being playful with her. She wasn’t entirely naïve. His playfulness was proven further when he admitted that he’d rather be accompanied by her while in Ashen. Ikigai’s smile grew a bit and she released a little sigh. “I’ll be heading out of the territory tomorrow and starting a journey to the southern tip of Auster,” she explained. It would be a long walk but by the time she made it there and back to Ashen, it would be time to head to Elysium. Quite a great deal of walking indeed. It was worth it though so that she could say her piece and be done with Hattori for good.

The woman wasn’t trying to hide information about her father. She simply didn’t like talking about him. He’d spurned them all and was the lowest of the low in Ikigai’s mind. Once she had her talk with him, she wouldn’t mind never seeing him again. It was her intent to let him know what he did and to let him know that they didn’t need him. Everyone was just fine, if not better, without his presence in Ashen. Deimos seemed to pick up on her distaste for talking about her father and brought up the fact that he wouldn’t be meeting the man. Ikigai saw through the man’s acting but answered anyway. “You will not be meeting my father as he is no longer a part of Ashen.” Her words were spoken very matter of factly as though it meant little to her, which wasn’t the case at all. “He abandoned his wife, his children and his pack to go hide in a forest like a coward. I hope he rots.” There was a little bit of fire in Ikigai after all.

Night had fallen and the den was rather dark. Ikigai rose and set about making a fire in the small hearth. A few sticks, a bit of kindling and a stroke of flint and steel had a merry little fire crackling away. Orange light illuminated the den, dancing on the stone walls. For whatever reason, Iki decided to overshare with Deimos. There was something about his demeanor that made her think he might understand. “I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning to travel to the forest where my father has holed up. He needs to be confronted and explain his poor decisions and cowardice.” It was very unlike the pale woman to be so aggressive, but Hattori brought that side out in her. He would hear her out or she would burn his bamboo forest to the ground.

"Ikigai"

Her explanation of the trip she would be taking did explain why she wouldn’t be spending the day with him, but it didn’t tell him why she was making such a trek. That bit of information revealed itself after he had asked about her mysterious father and brought up the fact that it didn’t seem like he would be meeting him. He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting when he probed a bit, but Ikigai surprised him as she told him that her father was no longer part of Ashen. His smile faded a bit and his brows pulled together with a bit of disgruntled confusion. Of course, it wasn’t unheard of among his family to have one lover that they kept purely for procreation purposes simply to keep strong genes in the pool, but even then they still usually lived at least close together so that didn’t seem to be that kind of situation.

She revealed the betrayal of her father and his frown deepened, a long buried chord of emotion being plucked in his core at the mention of the abandonment that the still nameless brute committed. He didn’t think about his parents often and hadn’t for a few years now, but Ikigai’s situation reminded him of them. The Ashen Princess continued to impress and surprise as she wished rot upon her father, bringing a hint of a grin back to his muzzle. Well, perhaps there was a bit of something hidden under all of the prim and proper layers of this fae after all. It was a small glimmer, but Deimos enjoyed what he saw. “Well… As you said, things will work out as they should. Such a spineless man deserves nothing but the most painful rot indeed.”

His gaze followed her as she moved about the shadowed stone den and easily got the fire going for them, warming and lighting up the space with a flickering, crackling fire. He was careful to make sure his gaze had returned to her face once she was turning back to face him, but he certainly admired the rest of her while she was turned away toward the fire. In his mind she was already his and it lit a fire of anger and resentment toward a man he would likely never meet. Too similar to the betrayal of his mother, a hurt to this woman that he hoped to claim as his own… It made his emotions a bit more raw than he had felt in quite some time and when she confirmed his suspicions that the trip to Auster was in fact to face her cowardly father his expression wore more seriousness than it had since they first crossed paths. He considered her for a moment before he reached out with one of his large, ursine paws and took hold of one of her more delicate appendages, feeling her dexterous toes against his paw pads as his aqua gaze found her pale, intriguing gaze. “Let me accompany you,” he insisted. “It sounds like it will be a long trip and while I do not doubt the abilities of your companions, it would give me peace of mind to ensure that everything goes in your favor.”

"Deimos Mendacium"

As Iki revealed the betrayal of her father, something flashed within Deimos’ blue eyes. The emotion had been very real, if only for a moment, and she found herself wondering what he might have experienced in his past. Was it something similar? As she wished ill fortune upon her sire, the frown upon the purple marked man’s face shifted into a grin. He replied and Ikigai chuckled softly, her long, inkblot tail swishing lightly across the stone floor. Deimos did seem to understand somewhat and for that, she was appreciative.

While making the fire, the woman felt eyes upon her. Ikigai was used to being looked at, but something about having the Mendacium man’s aqua gaze upon her sent little flutters through her belly. Why, she couldn’t rightly explain. Perhaps it was the ease with which they interacted. Already she’d let down her princessly veil, mentioning the ruin of her father and her ill wishes for him. It wasn’t a side of her that many were given a glimpse of. Her mother and siblings knew of her feelings of animosity towards her sire, but she would never tell an outsider. Not until now.

Mercuric eyes widened momentarily as the giant man was bold enough to reach out and take her paw in his own. Little tingles flared through Ikigai’s obsidian paws as Deimos held her there in his massive grasp. The brutes words were surprising as he offered to accompany her to Auster. She hadn’t expected something like that at all and the fae’s dark brows furrowed for a moment as she fought to wrangle her emotions into submission. Rather than extract her paw from his, Ikigai left it there, her dainty digits resting within that mighty ursine appendage. That was surprising as well. Casual touch wasn’t something that the stately fae was used to, nor something that she sought. Here she was, however, allowing a veritable stranger to handle her as he wished. Curious.

Ikigai thought about the man’s offer, her gaze never leaving his face. She never shied from eye contact and she wouldn’t start today. In her mind, the woman began searching for some ulterior motive to Deimos’ offer. What would he get out of escorting her to confront Hattori? Perhaps he honestly had experienced something similar to what she and her family were going through. Silence stretched between them, but eventually the woman spoke. “I accept.” Gently, she extracted her paw from his, placing it back upon the stone floor. “Tomorrow morning before the sun rises,” she confirmed the time with him. If he wasn’t up, she would go alone like she had initially planned. Having a traveling companion might be nice though. The strength of Deimos at her side might very well ease whatever nerves might strike on the journey south.

"Ikigai"

Deimos was pleased when Ikigai didn’t pull away from his hold on her paw right away, instead their eyes meeting and holding one another’s gazes for a moment as she seemed to consider and ponder his offer. It took a long moment, but eventually she accepted and a small smile returned to his lips. A small twinge of possessive frustration tugged at his core as she pulled her paw away, but he held it back. As long as he continued to play his cards right he would have his say over her soon enough. For now he could just allow himself to be entertained by this unexpected beauty as they made their plans to let her have her say against her father before he swept her away to their new home. “It’s a date,” he responded with a soft chuckle as she set the time for their departure.

Bringing his paw back to his own and resting one foreleg across the other again he reluctantly added, “I suppose we should be getting some rest then.” He didn’t want her to leave, but he doubted she would agree to stay if he asked. She was still technically promised to someone else, though it was getting harder and harder for him to remember that fact. He had a hard time even remembering what Poe looked like, especially as he was laying here taking in the woman that he most certainly didn’t deserve. A princess like herself deserved nothing less than the best his family could offer her and how could a man with only distant blood ties to their matriarch possibly be enough. He gave her a grin and a dip of his head, saying, “Until the morning.”

"Deimos Mendacium"