ooc. Set right before pleasure to be meeting you; quite a pleasure!

Beneath the vaulted grandeur of the cave ceiling, Mariah rested beside Caedes in the flickering light of the dying fire. Their shared warmth in the chill underground seemed a tangible thing, separate from the stone and earth that surrounded them. Finally, their … physical passions had been satiated after having gone what seemed like an eternity apart, and a cool quiet permeated their secluded sanctuary. The space reeked of their lust, and it seemed as if the sultry grasps of unconsiousness were moving in- the rhythmic breathing between them echoing softly through the tunnels marking time with the crackling campfire that dimly illuminated the space. But unfortunately, her mind was far from peaceful. An undercurrent of disquiet roiled within her, threatening to shatter the hard-won tranquility. Mariah's gaze traced the rough contours of Caedes' face, hardened and rugged from survival. His muscular form stirred memories of their tangled bodies and the raw force of their coupling. Yet beyond the allure of his physicality, there was something more, something that had drawn her to him like a moth to a flame. Something dangerous.

His loyalty.

Mariah knew this, for she was no stranger to power dynamics, to the delicate balance between giver and receiver. His steadfast support, his unchanging loyalty, it was at once comforting and terrifying. It was a sword that could cut both ways.

She needed to introduce Caedes to her family, for them to see the man who had had become her lifeline in the tumultuous upheaval of their lives. But a part of her quailed, apprehensive of their judgment, fearful of their reactions, guilty of the hoops that they were going to try and make him jump through. Perhaps even more so, she was wary of what the exposure might do to Caedes. His rugged exterior hid a depth of emotion seldom seen; she feared the introduction might be too much, too soon.

A sigh escaped Mariah's lips, the silver flecks around her eyes catching the dim light of the dying embers. She looked once more to Caedes, her gaze tender, even as it was weighed down with the gravity of their situation. She couldn't deny him any longer - couldn't deny them any longer. The time for secrets had passed. Gathering her courage, she turned to face him fully, her thin paw reaching out, ghosting over his features as if trying to commit them to memory- she couldn’t resist touching him. Her voice was soft when she finally broke the silence, the words a whispered confession tainted with fear. "Caedes," she began, her tone carrying more than just his name.

"Mariah Mendacium"

Caedes lay still, his scarred form bathed in the dim glow of the dying firelight, each mark on his body accentuated by the warm light. His dark, intense eyes followed Mariah's every move, absorbing her presence with an obsessive adoration that bordered on reverence. Her light, tentative touch sent a shiver through his powerful frame, as it always did, awakening a deep, primal protectiveness within him and an urge to keep her close.

As she spoke his name, a soft, oddly unsettled whisper that seemed to echo through the very stone, her fear and apprehension were palpable, mingling with the remnants of their passionate embrace. But why? Immediately, Caedes felt a surge of alarm, his massive frame rising slightly as if to greet a threat. A quick swivel of his skull provided him no answers, his emerald eyes dancing with verdant flames as the fire cast its light on them. He turned his head to meet her gaze, his eyes locking onto hers, a question on his brow.

The cave seemed to hold its breath, the fire's crackle the only sound besides their breathing. Caedes reached out, his large paw covering hers, his touch firm yet gentle. “What’s wrong?” He asked, rugged features set in concern. What had brought about such a drastic change in her demeanor?

"speaking"

She had felt the tension in Caedes' body, witnessed the unmistakable concern etching lines into his rugged face. As the next words formed in her throat, she could feel their weight pressing heavily upon her. It was a confession and a plea, wrapped in the fragile casing of uncertainty. This was it. They could no longer go on as they were without making some sort of public progression … or do a better job at hiding. But she didn’t want to have to hide. "It's my family," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "They need to meet you." The air around them seemed to thicken, heavy with unspoken emotions and the weight of the moment. She could feel every detail of Caedes' presence beside her, his warmth and strength offering a sense of comfort and protection amidst her own vulnerability.

A heavy wave of silence descended upon them, each word from her lips settling between them like glowing embers falling to the ground. The sounds of the wind gusting through the upper tunnels and the crackling of the dying fire seemed to grow louder in response, as if the very elements were reacting to her proclamation. It was as if the world had suddenly decided to hold its breath, waiting for the inevitable fallout of her revelation. “But I need to know what happened at Norad first.” With a light finish, she spoke, trying to break the tension that had thickened in the air. She thought back to what Avacyn had told her about what happened at Norad, and what she herself knew from her own experiences. Before she faced Caedes against the Matriarch of Elysium … or her father for that matter, she needed to ensure that they were on the same page so that she could stand by his side with confidence and clarity.

"Mariah Mendacium"

Caedes listened intently, his intense gaze never leaving Mariah’s face. The weight of her words pressed heavily upon him, the air between them thick with tension. He could not ignore the plea in her voice. As the silence stretched, Caedes sighed deeply, feeling the gravity of the moment. She was very worried, and he would do anything to ease her anxiety. His rugged features softened slightly as he settled back into a more relaxed posture. “Mariah,” he began, his voice a deep rumble that resonated through the cave,“I understand. I will meet whoever I must. Perhaps you can give me descriptions of them in case I run into them alone?” He knew the importance of her kin to her, just as his own kin were vital to him. It was long overdue, and the circumstances could only get worse the longer they prolonged the inevitable.

He paused, his eyes darkening as he considered what her family had really taken offense to. She wished to know what occurred at Norad. “Norad,” he began, his tone detached like he was diagnosing an ailment or prescribing a remedy. “Fell because of a child. Kaino coaxed the boy from their lands, showered him with goods and treats, and asked him to return to Norad followed by our warriors – myself included. We arrived, called on their alpha, and gave him a choice. His pack, or his son, who had never realized the danger he was in. Beauregard set his armor and weapons down and fled with the rest of his ilk. Not one drop of blood was spilt, while we were fully prepared to make them surrender by any means.” He watched her, searching for any hint of fear or rejection. This was normal to him, a fact of life. But perhaps it was not to her and her family? Were there certain.. Taboos widely known throughout these lands? He couldn’t fathom there being a lack of like-minded individuals in boreas or auster, considering how much non-saxe blood was currently flowing into the sound. Reality was meant to be harsh, unforgiving. Death and tragedy affected everyone, strength was paramount to protecting your own from the controllable variables -- was that not so?

Caedes' grip tightened slightly on her paw, a silent plea for her understanding and support. “I can see that this way of domination is not thought of very highly. I am glad the boy did not get hurt, but my kin were not raised to be charitable. The Syndicate needed to become a pack, to have lands to protect our own. Artorias was a foe to us long before Norad, and if his death threats and meddling were to continue, it was a necessary step. One I am quite pleased with for being painless.” The cave seemed to hold its breath once more, the flickering fire casting long shadows on the walls. Caedes waited, the tension between them almost unbearable. He was doing his best to share the details with her as they happened, his loyalty to his family coming in heavy with his last words.

He leaned in closer, his gaze searching hers for any sign of her thoughts. It was difficult to explain without sounding like an unfeeling beast. He knew she was not a warrior, but if her family occasionally culled children born out of wedlock, he couldn’t imagine they were all that different, especially in that regard. He truly sought the answers from her, trying to balance his own logic, his lessons from childhood, and respect her beliefs at the same time.

"speaking"

Mariah listened, her silver eyes reflecting the flickering firelight as she took in Caedes' words. Her paw remained in his, their connection grounded in a gentle touch as she processed the tale he spun. The shadows in the cave seemed to dance and sway with each rise and fall of their mingled breaths, a silent symphony of contemplative silence.

Norad. The name sat heavy on her tongue, a strange bitterness that coated her palate like some forsaken winter berry. It was not the brutality or the cunning of it all that unsettled her - those were traits well-known to any wolf who lived long enough. What sent tremors of uncertainty down her spine was the ease with which Caedes narrated the tale, as if it were no more than a simple recounting of a hunt, an everyday occurrence.

But wasn't that survival? Wasn't that the law of their world - kill or be killed, dominate or be dominated? And yet, hearing Caedes' words, seeing the sincerity in his gaze, stirred a strange turbulence within her. "I understand," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. Her gaze flickered away from his for the briefest of moments as she gathered her thoughts, the embers of the fire casting dancing shadows across her sleek form. "I understand your kin's need for lands- for protection. For family. I don’t think my own blood would ask any less.” Her gaze returned to him, silver eyes meeting his dark ones once more. Her next words emerged slowly, her tone careful and measured. "It doesn’t even seem to me that honor is all that important. But loyalty- that is very important. And unfortunately, my sister has professed her loyalty to the Hallows and Artorias." Her voice echoed softly in the stone chamber, swallowed by the silence that followed. The flickering firelight caught in the silver markings around her eyes, illuminating the apprehension there. She fell silent, thinking about what she had learned, and what she still needed to say.

“My sister wants to meet you, and she says that she wants to help us make this work. I trust her. She also doesn’t want to chance a divid between us- her and myself- at least I don’t think.” Her voice trailed off, her thoughts tangling like vine-encrusted trees, complicated and gnarled. Her heart warmed at Avacyn's good intentions. Yet, a part of her couldn't help but worry about the precarious situation that lay ahead.

Her gaze locked with Caedes', the amber firelight dancing in his dark eyes. She studied his face, the strong lines and rugged features highlighted by the flickering glow. His honesty was raw. Unyielding. His dedication to his kin- to her, paramount. She let out a soft sigh, her breath dancing with the fire's warmth before it was swallowed by the cool cave air. "But my sister is going to ask about Norad, and about your kin - tell her everything you can and I’ll support you." she said quietly. In her heart, she knew they could not enter into this blindly; to build trust and understanding, there had to be complete transparency. Her words echoed in the cave, a solemn reminder of the gravity of their situation. “Perhaps there could be room for secrets. But anything you disclose to her- or any of my other relatives for that matter, do so in honesty.” The momentary silence manifested between them once more, though she allowed this one to go quite a bit loner. Getting lost in that emerald gaze of his.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice barely audible against the faint crackling of the fire. The words hung in the air, thick and rich like the aroma of the wood smoke. They lingered, unadorned, in the hush of the cave, each syllable a promise, a pledge.

"Mariah Mendacium"

Caedes felt the weight of her gaze, her silver eyes offering him her full attention as she absorbed his words. This beautiful woman whose mere existence destroyed his stoic, indifferent one. Her paw remained in his, a gentle, grounding touch that kept him from drifting too far into his clinical detachment from life in general.

Norad’s fate seemed to weigh heavily on her, the bitterness of it clear. He saw how his matter-of-fact recounting of the tale unsettled her, though the more brutal realities of life was a truth he had long accepted as a daily struggle. He knew she was not oblivious to that, either. Despite her understanding, she clung to familial ideals that seemed foreign to him; while his circumstances were bloody and bleak, with family being synonymous with a hoard of depraved monsters.

Her gaze briefly left his as she reassured him of her understanding, the embers of the fire casting shifting shadows across her lithe form. She spoke of her kin's loyalty and the delicate balance they had to maintain. The mention of Artorias and her sister's allegiance to the Hallows made him tense, though he already knew this. It was a visceral reaction to the threats from the Hallow Alpha, his lips curling upwards in a feral grin as his eyes narrowed at the memory of Sephiran recounting the brute’s proclamations. His pack was another matter; right now, he needed to focus on securing their future. He took a breath, relaxing the flex of his muscular shoulders as he centered his gaze in her face once again.

“Your sister,” Caedes began slowly, his voice its usual calm rumble, “If she wishes to meet, then I will meet her. I will be honest. About Norad, about what I am asked. I will not lie to her or to any of your family. I’ve no patience to do so.” It was a proclamation, though he knew his truths would not all be well-received. But such was the way of differing opinions. He held no fear in his heart, he hadn’t since he was a child.

He took a moment to consider the weight of what lay ahead. Sharing the harsh truths of his life with her family was a necessary step, one that could either bridge the gap or widen it further. But he had to believe that honesty would pave the way for trust and understanding, if not for his family, then for himself. Anyways, politics was his uncle's chosen profession. “Our actions, our history, are not easily understood by those outside our pack or homeland. I will share what I can, with honesty and transparency. If I am to build trust between myself and your family. But I am no politician, Mariah. I do not spin sweet tales. If you believe anything I may say will shock you, ask it now. Or, my uncle can better articulate a.. more favorable estimation of the Syndicate?”

Caedes couldn’t help but feel a touch of cynicism creep into his thoughts. Her trust in her sister, her belief in transparency, seemed again foreign to him. In his experience, truth was often twisted, used as a weapon rather than a bridge. The world was harsh, unforgiving. Loyalty was often just another word for self-preservation. He didn’t even fully trust his cousin as far as he could throw him. That paranoid bastard.

’I love you,’ she whispered, her voice barely audible against the faint crackling of the fire. The words hung in the air, thick and rich like the aroma of the wood smoke. His heart stilled, then erupted into a frenzy of excitement. His emerald eyes blazed, his features softening with a possessive regard for the woman beside him. Caedes leaned in closer, his forehead gently touching hers. The tenderness of the moment overwhelmed him, nares taking in her scent with a heavy inhale. Love. To love and be loved. He hummed, pressing closer to her, instinct telling him to get closer; even if physically impossible. “And I love you, Mariah, for as long as you’ll have me. For longer than even that should you cast me aside, I swear it.” He murmured, his voice filled with earnest sincerity and a gruffness befitting the first time he’d ever said those words to anyone other than his grandmother — not even his father and especially not his mother. She was his undoing, he was as certain now, if not more so than the day they first met.

Yet, in the back of his mind, a darker thought lingered. Love and loyalty were powerful, but they were not always enough. The world outside this cave was brutal, indifferent to their bond. He tightened his grip on her smaller body, a silent but powerful vow to protect her and the emotions they shared. If all else failed, he could rely on that.

"speaking"

Her heart pounded in her chest as his words reverberated through the cave, echoing her own thoughts. She watched his face, seeking any sign of hesitation or doubt, but there was none. Of course, there wouldn’t be. Sometimes, she just had a difficult time accepting that this was even real. His features were as severe and resolute as the stone walls that surrounded them. Her throat tightened with his vow; it was more frightening and comforting than anything she could imagine. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "For being willing to meet them, I know it’s going to be a big ask." Her gaze softened, filled with a deep gratitude that she could barely comprehend.

She was silent for a long moment, her silver eyes searching his with an intensity that almost stole his breath away. Would she ask? Did she want to hear the raw truths of his past, or would she prefer to remain in blissful ignorance until the meeting with her family? The tension was palpable, a thick electricity that seemed to buzz against her fur and make her heart pound.

Finally, she shook her head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "No," she said softly. "I don't need sugar-coated tales. I need you, Caedes. It is not your task to set up a political relationship between Elysium and the Syndicate. If Avacyn tries to steer you in a direction you don’t want to go in, don’t hesitate to realign the conversation. This is about us. If she wants a political conversation, then by all means, offer to bring your uncle along the next time.” She answered lightly, allowing her sterling gaze to get lost in his verdant one for just a moment before offering him a half-sided grin. “And whatever comes, we'll face it together." Her voice was soft, but the resolve behind her words was as solid as the stones beneath them.

Feeling the tension in his muscles, she gently took his scarred paw, tracing the roughened pads with a feather-light touch. Her silver eyes met his emerald ones, and for a moment, the world seemed to fall away. The soft crackle of the campfire was muted, the chill of the cave forgotten. All she saw was Caedes, all she felt was him – their vulnerabilities, their fears and their hopes, reflected in that deep green gaze. And as her attention lingered, she couldn’t help but ease the tension with a wry smirk. “Oh, I’ll have you alright. There is no alternative.” She proclaimed, with an amused confidence ... only to be followed by a gentle sigh. "I just don’t want to have to hide anymore. Is it that outlandish to want to be accepted in both of our worlds?" She gently squeezed his large paw in hers, her silver markings glistening in the firelight. "I want us to be...us." Maybe one day that could be achieved. Or perhaps it would take them deconstructing both of their worlds and building a new one together- but of course that was a frightening conversation to be held at a different time. She didn't even want to begin to process the ramifications of that particular train of thought. Not here. Not now.

"Mariah Mendacium"

He watched her, noting the intensity of her silver gaze as it searched his face. He knew she was trying to find something, perhaps a crack in his resolve, but he was determined not to let her see any doubt. There wasn’t any room for it anyways. This was the path they had chosen, and he would walk it with her, no matter how treacherous. What could go wrong? Everything. But if it went right?

As she spoke again, her voice soft but resolute, Caedes found himself admiring her strength, her determination. She was right; this wasn’t about politics or alliances, but about them. He nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips as she reigned in his rather cynical web of thought. “As you wish.”

When she took his scarred paw in hers, tracing the roughened pads, a wave of tenderness washed over him. Her touch felt impossibly good, too good. Silver eyes locked onto emerald ones, and in that fleeting instant, he was utterly lost, suspended between the depths of her irises and the dance of light that played upon her retinas. What a fate.

Her confident proclamation brought a rare chuckle from him, a low, rumbling sound that echoed roughly in the cave. Her words were both a promise and a challenge, one he was more than willing to accept. “It is not outlandish.” The scarred brute said, the gruff edges of his voice smoothed by the sincerity of his words. “But it will be a matter of fighting for what we desire.” He paused, the weight of his words settling in the silence that followed.

"speaking"

Mariah absorbed his proclamation, nodding in agreement. Yes, they would fight for their love, and for their acceptance. It wouldn't be an easy path, but the thought of walking it with Caedes gave her strength. She looked up at him, the firelight dancing in her silver-flecked eyes. "I've never been afraid of a good fight," Mariah declared, a small smile curling onto her lips. She brought his paw up to her lips and placed a gentle kiss on the roughened pads.

But as she pulled away, his early suggestion returned to the forefront of her mind. Yes, it would be beneficial if he had an idea of what her relatives looked like. She lightly cleared her throat with the change of topic. “So, the markings around my eyes-” she looked at him squarely as to not obstruct his view of them. “They are a Mendacium trait. Most often they appear on one side or the other. Sometimes they are silver or red. But they are generally intricate in design. And if you see one, it’s a fair suggestion that you might be talking to one of my relatives.” Mariah began, offering him a brief but pensive smile.

“My mother looks like the night sky on a bright night. Purple and blue, with subtle freckling. Her marking is over her left eye. My father is black, with red striping over his back.” Of course, each individual had a myriad of unique characteristics. She was just trying to give clear indicators should he ever need them. “I have four siblings. The oldest set are Avacyn- who is now the matriarch, and her littermate and mate, Saracyn. Avacyn looks very similar to our mother- though her marking is over her right eye. Saracyn is just as much red as he is black in patches. Fia is our middle sister. She is dark red with brighter red striping. Her marking is red. My littermate Malico is purple and black- his marking is red as well. Everyone is much closer to your height. I am by far the smallest.” She finished, her voice trailing off into a thoughtful silence as she hoped she hadn’t thrown too much information to him at once.

"Mariah Mendacium"

Caedes absorbed Mariah's words, his intense gaze never leaving her face. As she kissed his paw, a rare tenderness filled his heart, a softness that was reserved only for her. A low rumble of appreciation grew in his throat, eyes flashing contentment.

When she shifted the topic to her family's traits, Caedes continued to listen carefully, committing each detail to memory. The description of her relatives painted a vivid picture in his mind, which was a steel trap for fast paced learning. He nodded thoughtfully as she spoke, calculation plain on his features as he memorized her words. If he could remember the countless herbs and toxins he’d come across, he could memorize a few physical descriptions.

“Your markings are quite beautiful,” The dire brute murmured, his voice a low, rumbling affirmation. “I will remember them.” He assured, before closing his eyes – taking a moment to process the information, picturing each member of her family as she described them. “Your mother, a bright night sky, left eye marking. Your father, black and striped with red. Avacyn, the matriarch, with the marking over her right eye. Saracyn, her mate and brother, with red and black patches,” He repeated, making sure he had it right. Though he did smirk almost playfully at the mate and brother thing, again comparing it to his own family. Some didn’t take too kindly to that sort of thing, but he didn't particularly care and continued on. “Fia, dark red with brighter striping, and Malico, purple and black with a red marking. All leagues taller than you.” He paused, opening his emerald eyes and refocusing on her face in mirth; intensity resting there as he wondered how soon the possibility of running into one or the other might come.

But a concern for another time. Cocking his skull slightly, he offered her a bit of medical advice. To recover her energy, you understand. “If that is all for now, think about a nap. I will go hunt something down for when you wake.” The massive brute stood with a long stretch, musculature rippling beneath an obsidian pelt. His lips found her cheek in a longing kiss, teeth grazing the tender flesh there before he pulled himself away and waited for her response to his not quite plea.

"speaking"

While Mariah listened to Caedes repeat the descriptions of her family members back to her, a soft sigh of relief bloomed within her. His clinical attention to detail was admirable and a skill that she admired about him, and it only deepened her confidence in their ability to face whatever lay ahead. As he brushed a kiss against her cheek, his suggestion of rest seemed quite tempting indeed. It seemed her body was still heavy with the euphoria lingering from their earlier encounter. She held his gaze a moment, eyes playfully narrowing a moment before nodding. “I suppose you’re right.” she murmured, a trace of weariness seeping into the edges of her voice that she hadn’t realized she had been carrying until now.

Just as he stood up, she was immediately left with the chill of his absence. How could it be possible to already miss him? Yet that was precisely the sensation that washed over her. She leaned into his kiss, feeling the firm press of his lips against her cheek before he pulled away, her heart fluttering at the fleeting contact. The warmth that emanated from him was comforting, steadfast in its consistency.

She watched him as he prepared to leave, silver eyes lingering on the rippling of muscles under his obsidian pelt as he stretched, the way his emerald eyes sparkled with a softness reserved only for her. She felt a surge of affection for him, a feeling so intense it made her chest tighten. “If you encounter any trouble...” she began, but her words faded into silence. She trusted his abilities, that wasn’t it. But her feelings were irrational given his strength and skill, but they were feelings nonetheless. With a soft sigh, Mariah nodded at him. “Be careful," she finished, the words lingering in the air long after they had passed her lips.

-end thread-

"Mariah Mendacium"