She debated for a long time making her way all the way down here and not just because of the distance. Venom hadn’t had to look at Hattori since the day that he left her and she wasn’t even sure that Ike would appreciate what she was doing here. Still. The Tojo alpha was her father, no matter how much Venom might have regretted that now. As she approached the most southern pack border she second guessed herself for the one hundredth time.

Venom took a deep breath as she stood before the forest of bamboo. Unwilling to call out to her once husband. No matter how fully she had moved on, the thought of him still pulled up emotions that she had killed and buried. Maybe he didn’t even deserve to know of his offspring’s success. That wasn’t up to her though. If he wanted to completely sever ties with his own children that was his decision, but she was here and she would speak those words to him.

Reluctantly, Venom lifted her features to the air and called out for Hattori. She despised him now, but if he hadn’t done what he did to her she wouldn’t have been in the position she was today. So at least for that, she could be grateful.

"Venom"

This was not a voice he expected to hear, least of all at his borders. For a moment he wondered if his ears were deceiving her, but he trusted in his senses more than anything else. They had only failed in once, during the long night, and since then they had been as solid as stone. Not at fault for how the world had unravelled, minds and motivations unfurling and ripping at the seams. He moved quickly, pushing through the thinner thickets, a shadow amongst the towering stalks as he moved his way to the edge of the Maze. To where a figure stood just beyond.

She was recognisable, how she could be. But why was she here? He would not fault her if she had decided to never lay eyes upon him again, and yet here she stood, called for him in person and thus clearly had something on her mind, something of weight to say.

He made no effort to mask his approach, the rustling of the carpet of leaves underpaw gave him away at first and then his voice when he spoke.

"Empress." He greeted, respectable enough given her maintained station.

She hadn’t set eyes upon him since the day that he had left her, nor had she any desire to do so. However, Venom was nothing if not responsible and humble. She could withhold her grudge to tell her father of her daughter that she was to be wed. Ikigai had done so herself before she was wed to Deimos, and perhaps Kiyohime would have done the same in time. However the younger girl had always been a late bloomer, she didn’t know if the girl had been quite ready to confront her sire either.

For only a moment, Venom thought that Hattori might snub her, but it lasted only that moment before she heard movement within the border. Her sunset gaze found his dark and orange form as he slid through the foliage and revealed himself to her with a simple greeting. There was, as usual, no emotion to be found anywhere upon his features or in his dark eyes. Besides looking older he had changed little at all.

"Sho..gun.” Venom flattered as she gave him a slight nod of her head. Of course he would not hold that title any longer, but she couldn’t have guessed what he called himself now. The Empress swiftly regained her composure and lifted herself to her full height. However much shorter she was than her once mate. "I’ve come to bring news. Our daughter, Crown Princess Kiyohime, is due to be wed. As her father, I would extend an invitation.” She offered in a flat tone.

"Venom"

Though Hattori thought himself above feeling such things, the atmosphere was indeed awkward, tense as any conversation between exes could be. From a reasonable standpoint, Venom's feelings were legitimate, understandable even, but Hattori had never been the sort to dwell too much on the past. To let it fester, grow like weeds. Regardless, Hattori listened as she spoke, ears twitching slightly as he took in the news. It was somewhat surprising to him, but not to the extent it would show overtly on his features, perhaps just a slight furrowing of his pale brows. Not in frown, but in thought.

"The invitation is appreciated." If nothing else, Hattori was a polite man, though not necessarily a good one. Or a good husband, clearly. He did wish to be there, such events were important in his culture and yet Hattori was well and truly aware that his attendance was only being offered because Venom thought it was the right thing to do- it went without saying she wouldn't shed a single tear if he fell off a cliff tomorrow and died. "Who is she to wed? " Was it someone he knew?

Venom didn’t need Hattori to understand or see reason, the pair of them were long past that stage by now. She did need him to realize what he had left, and the progeny that remained left behind. The real casualties of his decision, not her. So the man listened to what she had to say, ever difficult to read but even now after so much time she could see the subtle shifts of his features. Sunset eyes didn’t leave him, though the love that had once been there was now replaced with intensity. As though she were scrutinizing his every move.

As she went silent Hattori answered simply enough, nearly thanking her for the invitation to such an event. He couldn’t give her a straight answer about his presence though, and Venom wasn’t certain if he would appear or not.

"Prince Regent Remus Maximus Armada. His family has ancient roots in these lands, though I am unaware if any of them hold power any longer.” Venom answered with a bit more information than he had asked for.

"Venom"

Armada. Hattori assumed there was no link to Sirius' kin or else she would have mentioned as much. It was not a name he was familiar with, but he could believe that it had once held merit up north. He idly wondered what had changed, where they had gone, but he supposed they did remain in a sense. That if his daughter had taken a liking to the boy there had to be something of value in him, and from what he could tell by Venom's attitude she seemed to approve in her own way as well. Hattori could trust that, if nothing else, Venom had her children's best interests at heart. She was a good mother, that was undeniable.

"I will be there." Hattori concluded, for one thinking it would be rude to decline the invitation and if nothing else it was the right thing for him to do. And though he had been an absentee Father, he still held a degree of affection in his heart for his children, wished to see them do well, in his own, aloof way. "Are the details decided yet?" He wished to know when it would take place, where and what was expected of him, really. The ball was in her court, at the end of the day he was just a guest.

The Empress certainly didn’t want to linger in her ex-husband’s presence any longer than she had to. Speaking of having to, she wasn’t even required to be here now. Her sense of propriety was too strong to leave the father of the bride in the dark about their daughter’s nuptuals. Of course, he didn’t even deserve that and he certain;y wouldn’t be given anything more than an invitation to be a guest. Unless Kiyohime had a change of heart but even then Venom wasn’t so sure that she wouldn’t step in to deny that request.

Surprisingly, Hattori went on to accept the invitation. "Good.” Venom hid her surprise well, but he had always been difficult to predict. As was evident by the fact that they were no longer together. "The exact date is yet to be decided, but tentatively we’re looking at the spring season once winter’s hardships have been dealt with.” She answered vaguely, but there was no set date. These things took time to come together, and there was no need to rush her late bloomer.

"Venom"