The day had come. As Mariah crossed the sand bridge, her silver-marked paws sank slightly with each step, a physical echo of the heavy responsibility she bore. The air was sharp and cold, her breath misting up before her eyes as she led Caedes through the biting winter winds. Her heart pounded like a drum, a crescendo of anticipation that was hard to ignore. The wind tugged at her jet-black coat, revealing patches of crimson that seemed all the more vibrant against the stark winter backdrop.

Her eyes were drawn ahead, to the rugged expanse of Alias Island. It appeared desolate now in its winter guise, barren trees reaching up like skeletal fingers from the rocky terrain, standing as silent sentinels against the ice and snow. She knew the island well - it was her home, after all. The thought of presenting Caedes to Avacyn filled her with nervous anticipation that matched the frigid landscape.

In her mind, Mariah could already see Avacyn's gaze examining Caedes with a critical eye, searching for something wrong. A reason to turn him away with the tension rising between their alliances and their new neighbors. It would probably be easier that way. But Mariah didn’t want easy. She wanted Caedes to prove himself, to earn acceptance, not just for her own sense of order but for the fleeting sembalance of peace it would inevitably bring.

As they crossed onto the island, she called out for her sister in the meeting place. As she cleared her throat, she shot an affectionate glance at the massive obsidian brute at her side. What were they going to be in for?

"Mariah Mendacium"

Caedes walked beside Mariah, feeling the sand give way beneath his paws, each step slower than her own given their difference in stature. The biting winter wind cut through his thick fur, but his focus remained on the path ahead, on the desolate beauty of the Island, and on the imminent meeting with Avacyn.

He could feel Mariah's tension, see it in the way her breath misted in the cold air, hear it in the subtle urgency of her footsteps. Her glance was affectionate yet laden with silent concern, telling him everything he needed to know about the stakes of this encounter. She had brought him here to prove himself, to earn a place in the complex web of her family's acceptance. If it was possible.

As they reached the meeting place, Caedes took a slow breath, grounding himself. It was not fear or anxiety gripping his body though, it was determination. He was ready to face whatever came next. A healthy dose of confidence was paramount here, and he was not lacking in that aspect.

Mariah called out for her sister, and Caedes stood tall, his obsidian form a solid fixture beside her. He let his emerald eyes scan the surroundings, taking in every detail with calm intensity. Avacyn's scrutiny would be thorough, and he was prepared for it. He knew the path to acceptance would not be easy, but he was no stranger to challenges.

“Do not forget to breathe.” He murmured to Mariah, his voice steady and low, a tease if ever there existed one. He gave her a reassuring nod, the emerald fire in his eyes reflecting his resolve.

"speaking"

Avacyn had been expecting Mariah's call for some time and finally it came which she knew meant that Caedes had to be with her little sister. In her own way there was a slight nervousness in her belly as she gave her coat a shake and turned to head toward the central part of the island. Even though this man was on her turf and she assumed he came alone, the thought of the Syndicate and the family behind it had been built up in her mind in a way that she had no idea what to expect from him. Mariah was wise beyond her years she she wanted to assume that she wouldn't chose a monster to give her heart to, but she also knew that monsters could sometimes come in sheep's clothing. Still, he wouldn't go to all of these lengths if that's what it was, would he?

As she approached the waiting couple, her obsidian gaze roamed across the massive, dark man at her sister's side, curiously glancing across the countless scars that littered his body. He matched many of the Mendacium males in terms of height and build, though she was surprised to see that his fur was solidly black with no pattern or color to note nor did he have any obvious mutations. "Mariah," she greeted warmly, giving her sister a loving smile before returning her gaze to the Saxe male. "And you must be Caedes. It's good to finally meet you," she added, giving him a slightly more reserved, but still welcoming smile. She gestured for them to follow and walked them around a portion of the lake to where a bonfire was lit near a communal sitting area, bringing them to where they could sit and talk in the warmth of the fire.

Looking to Caedes she told him, "I know my father invited you to meet with Mariah here and I just wanted you to hear it from me that I agree to this arrangement. As long as you are here with good intentions for my sister and our family then you are welcome to visit her here where I can at least know you both are safe." She could feel Mariah's nervousness and she hoped that would at least eliminate some of that nervousness. She had no intention of kicking the man out. Quite the opposite, in fact. "I would like to hear more about yourself... and about your family," she added after a moment, a slight frown crossing her lips. "I've been told that your alpha has declared me his enemy and if you being here is going to lead to any trouble then I want to know what I should be prepared for. I have nothing against you, but I do have a family and a pack to protect."

"Avacyn Medacium"

Mariah shot him an appreciative look but didn't respond verbally, instead opting to let her tense silence speak volumes of the mounting pressure. Her gaze held his for a moment, the silver pools reflecting the emerald depths of his eyes with an ethereal glow. The tension in her shoulders eased slightly, her posture relaxing under his reassuring presence. She felt the familiar pull of Alias Island beneath her paws, the cold sand a grating comfort. The island stood still and silent, holding its breath much like she was herself. She glanced again at Caedes, his massive obsidian form seeming to blend with the dull lighting shrouding the island. Her voice felt small as it drifted on the biting wind- but it was there no less.

It didn’t take long for Avacyn to manifest, and when her sister offered her greeting, Mariah was quick to return it. "Avacyn," she responded, her voice steady- affectionate even- yet laden with an undercurrent of anxious anticipation. Her silver eyes lingered on her sister a moment longer, drinking in the familiar sight of her as the Matriarch greeted Caedes.

After the initial introduction, Avacyn led them to a fire in one of the communal areas, a gesture she was grateful to indulge. The glacial wind still swept across the barren landscape, but the warmth of the bonfire nearby was a beacon against the frigid onslaught. The flickering glow illuminated their faces as they approached, casting long shadows on the wintery expanse behind them. The gaunt fae settoled in close to the fire, welcoming the heat that seeped into her bones, seeping slowly into her ruffled black coat and thawing her frost-kissed fur.

When Avacyn went on to further address Caedes, supporting the permission their father granted, the corner of Mariah's mouth twitched upwards in a half-smile, a flicker of relief in her silver-marked eyes. Her sister's words were not a guarantee of acceptance, but they were the most promising start she could have hoped for. Her gaze shifted from Avacyn to Caedes, silently searching his emerald eyes for his thoughts. With a nod of understanding, she turned her attention back to her sister. "Thank you, Avacyn," Mariah said softly, "It means more than you realize."

But that half-grin quickly faded as the matriarch cut straight to her point. Mariah’s heart pounded in her chest as she listened, the seriousness of Avacyn's words sinking in. She swallowed, her gaze dropping to the ground as she collected her thoughts. Thus began the questions of his family and his background. He would have to hold his own here. Trying to protect him this early would do more harm than good.

"Mariah Mendacium"

Caedes met Avacyn’s gaze with calm intensity, his posture exuding confidence as it always had. His emerald eyes observed her as she greeted Mariah, and he had to admit, Mariah was right. Avacyn did look like a bright night sky, stars included. When she turned to him with a generally welcoming smile, he rumbled out his own greeting. “Thank you, Avacyn,” The dire brute began, his voice neutral, steady, and respectful. “It is good to meet you as well.” He gave Mariah a reassuring glance, feeling the tension ease slightly between them all.

As Avacyn led them to the sitting area by the bonfire, he took in the surroundings and lowered himself onto his haunches, nodding as she spoke. She mentioned her agreement to the arrangement and her interest in his family and the tension between their packs, which he had expected.

He took a moment to gather his thoughts, knowing his words needed to balance honesty and diplomacy. However, he was no politician, nor did he care for sugarcoating. “I appreciate you allowing me to visit Mariah. I am here to support her and to find a way for our futures to intertwine, despite the… challenges.”

Caedes paused, his expression thoughtful as he addressed the concerns about his family. “The Syndicate, and especially my cousin Sephiran, have a reputation that precedes them. I will not deny that. My family values loyalty and strength, sometimes to a brutal fault. Sephiran, our Sultan, sees Elysium as an extension of The Hallows, which is why he has declared you an enemy. Artorias threatened us in the name of the Ashen Empire first and foremost after the overtaking of Norad, angry at our methods which caused no bloodshed. He demanded we leave the lands entirely, never to be seen again, or be slaughtered. Refusal meant declaring every banner under the Empire an enemy. My Sultan refused.” Of course Sephiran would refuse, with his pride and egoism. But well, Caedes would have refused as well. Only a coward would have bowed his head and scurried off in the face of that threat.

He looked Avacyn in the eyes, his own gaze steady and earnest. Though, he was sure her predecessors, or even herself knew Artorias much better. Caedes himself did not know why the man held so much contempt for Sephiran in the first place. “But I am not here as a representative of the Syndicate. I am here as Caedes, a wolf who loves Mariah and would not see her harmed. My family does not know of this arrangement as of yet, but they do know I have a personal interest that lives in Elysium.”

Caedes took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his next words. “I understand the need to protect your family and your pack. I am navigating my loyalty to my family and my devotion to Mariah, and it is not an easy path. But I am committed to finding a way through it, a way that does not bring harm to either of our families.” And what a balancing act it had been thus far, but so very rewarding.

He let his gaze drift to the bonfire for a moment, then back to Avacyn. “I want to build trust, to show that my intentions are true. I will answer any questions you have.” Caedes finished speaking, his resolve clear in his eyes. He knew that actions would speak louder than words, but this was a start. He hoped that, in time, he could earn not just Avacyn's acceptance, but her trust as well. For Mariah’s sake, at the very least.

"speaking"

Avacyn posed Caedes with a quite a question to answer and to the man's credit he did not shy away from her mild interrogation. She didn't mean to cause tension or anxiety for him or her sister, but he was her first real contact with a Syndicate wolf and his answers may very well shape how she was able to support Mariah in this and how she might handle the Syndicate moving forward. He spoke of his family's emphasis on loyalty and strength–a concept that their own family mirrored, but perhaps in different ways. He recounted what happened between Sephiran and Artorias after their take over of Norad from their perspective and if nothing else it gave her a better idea of why blanket declaration of enemies might have been made. Even if her loyalty still led her to side with Artorias in this battle of wills, she could understand not backing down from a direct challenge like the one that had been made to them. She did have a slight issue with the way Caedes spoke about their hostile take over–insisting that it had caused no bloodshed–but she held her tongue so that he could finish saying his piece first.

His insistence that he was only here to represent himself and his devotion to Mariah did soften her a bit and she glanced briefly at her sister as he spoke before returning her gaze to his. She wondered if his family knowing that his "personal interest", as he put it, would help protect them or bring them harm in the future, but she supposed only time would tell. She didn't think that Caedes was being anything but truthful with her so when he spoke of his love for Mariah she did believe him and that only made her want to help them more. She certainly understood the feeling of loving someone you shouldn't be allowed to have so there was no part of her that felt like she could stop this relationship from continuing. Still, she knew that Caedes was correct when he said that it would not be an easy path for them to navigate and she just hoped that he was truthful in finding a way to make this happen that would avoid harm on either side.

She could have brushed them off and allowed his view of the situation to stand, but she also needed to make sure he understood the gravity of what happened and he wasn't being fed a sugar coated version of things. "First things first... Saying that Sephrian's take over of Norad was done 'without bloodshed' and not understanding Artorias' anger with your Sultan feels like an attempt to minimize Sephiran's violent and manipulative methods and that does not sit well with me. I am not casting the blame on you, but let's call it what it is. A child was kidnapped and their life was threatened in order to force a father to make an impossible choice and give up his family's home in order to protect his child. I have no doubt that Artorias' version of things was painted in a certain way the same way yours was, but facts are facts and I will not condone that kind of behavior."

She considered the man in front of her for a moment before she sighed softly and told him, "Still... I believe that you are honest in what you say. I think only time will tell whether or not we can find a way to navigate this cleanly–especially given your Sultan's previous history with deplorable methods of getting what he wants–but I will give you both my word that I will help you in any way that I can. While I want to avoid violence as much as possible, I will fight for my sister. Have no doubt about that." She paused before she added, "I only have one stipulation that I will not sway on. Mariah will not leave Elysium to join you in The Syndicate. I will allow you to visit her here and stay here with her as often as you wish and should you ever decide that you want to leave The Syndicate to build a life with her here permanently you will be welcome to do so." She didn't often speak in absolutes or give hard rulings one way or another on many things, but this was one thing that she wanted to be clear to them both now. "I will not have my sister living under the regime of a man like Sephiran."

"Avacyn Medacium"

Caedes listened intently to Avacyn, his posture relaxed yet attentive, his emerald eyes never wavering from her. Her words were measured, a testament to her wisdom and leadership, and he respected that deeply considering the situation. As she spoke of Sephiran’s takeover of Norad and the methods employed, a flicker of something akin to understanding crossed his eyes. The ways of his kin were not going to be accepted, and that was fine. The matter of perspective was a powerful thing, and the more steps back he took from his family with Mariah at his side… the more he was beginning to see wrong. Avacyn went on , and Caedes remained silent throughout. She put her cards on the table, her willingness to help, to fight for Mariah, and her stipulations. When she finished speaking, the air filled with his rough tones.

“The facts are indeed the facts, and I agree with you on that. My intention was merely to steer away from the more unsavory aspects of the situation, as our discussion was meant to focus on a different topic. I am not a politician, Avacyn, and convincing you to see things from my family's perspective is not my goal. I apologize if it appeared otherwise. Given the standard in which I was raised, this incident seemed like just a drop in a vast lake. I am still understanding that it is not so for other families. My perspective is… skewed. I wish to change that.”

He paused, allowing his words to sink in, before continuing. “I know that words can often be hollow without action to back them. My purpose here is not to rewrite history or defend the indefensible, but to tread a new path with Mariah. I have my reasons for not choosing to leave at this time…” Caedes took a deep breath, his expression resolute. “But, I would never ask Mariah to leave Elysium or to live under the rule of my Sultan.” He looked at Mariah, his eyes softening as he spoke to her directly, though still loud enough for Avacyn to hear. “That will never happen. You have my word. I would sooner die, even by his hand.” He declared, as a very real possibility.

"speaking"

The fact that Caedes was able to listen to her rebuttal of his perspective of how the Syndicate came to be and not get defensive or combative in response showed her a lot about what kind of man he was and she appreciated his levelheaded response. This is the kind of wolf she had in mind when she told Artorias that she could not cast all of the Syndicate in the same light as Sephiran. It was becoming more and more obvious that the Syndicate Sultan was truly the source of this poison and it had unfortunately gotten his wolves caught in the crossfire. She wouldn't jump to any conclusions purely based on one conversation, but it felt very much like Caedes was truly a product of his environment and not inherently dark hearted the way Sephiran appeared to be. She gave a nod of acknowledgement to his wish to change his skewed perspective, offering him a small smile in response. That was all she could really hope for.

He went on to insist that he wasn't here to rewrite history, but he was here to find a way forward for himself and Mariah and seemed to easily agree to her stipulation that would keep Mariah here in Elysium. In fact, it seemed like he didn't want Mariah to live under Sephiran's rule any more than she did which was a bit of a relief. She didn't want to be hard on either of them, but she had to do what would keep her sister safe. She noticed how his expression softened when he looked at Mariah and that gave her hope. She had seen from her own father that wolves could soften and change with the right heart to lead them so hopefully Mariah could be that for him. What did cause her a bit of worry, however, was the declaration that he would rather die by Sephiran's hand than to let her live in the Syndicate in a way that said that was a possibility. Was Sephiran truly so unhinged that he would kill his own wolves? There was a pause of thought before she told him, "As long as you are with Mariah and you continue to treat her well then I will fight for you also." She looked him in the eye with a genuineness that she hoped told him she meant what she said. "Should it ever come to it, I will protect you the same way I would protect Mariah. You are safe here."

"Avacyn Medacium"