~Parting with friends is a sadness, a place is only a place~

Red spilled over the horizon, staining the underbelly of the monstrous clouds that loitered above him.  His lover, his Queen was dead.  Drashiel had never felt more empty in his life and even his own children were barely enough to console the mournful king.  What use was this kingdom without his Queen to rule at his side?  What use was this torn and shriveled memory?  He did not know where his sister was or if she even cared to see him again, and while he felt affection for Athena and some of his other packmates the shock of death made him feel like walls had risen up all around him.  He wasn't a child, he was a King!  He was a father!  He had to play the stoic part, right?  What a sick rule…. a disgusting, traitorous thing to tell a man, that to prove himself worthy of being such he must also prove himself heartless.

Tipping his head Drashiel howled for the wolves of Regium… one last time.  He would not linger in these lands that sought to haunt him.  There was no sense in trying to rule where he'd lost all conviction and besides that he could feel the sorrow and the rage ripping him apart from the inside out, threatening to let lose on anyone who sought to speak at him.  He would go to Valen, the only other man he really considered his friend.  He trusted the Imperium King and hoped that being allowed to let himself heal without worrying over a kingdom would also allow him to help his children.

When the wolves of Regium gathered he parted his lips to speak. "I… I have some grave news.  For those of you who don't know… my wife…. your Queen, was slain in battle by two bears while defending our young…." The words halted and the King took a deep breath as he fought to keep his composure.  Another breath.  "I have not the heart to rule any longer, a unstable ruler will only bring misery and misfortune upon those under his rule.  I do not wish to hold back anyone from living their lives to the fullest therefore…. I am disbanding Regium."

"Regium was always Roman's and I feel it only proper that the name die with her.  I thank you all for your loyalty and your understanding but I and my family intend to move on to Imperium…. Goodbye."

With a nod he moved to the den to nudge the kids into motion before picking Narcissa up in his mouth and leaving the darkened memories behind him.

-exit Drashiel-

"Speech"

ooc:  So if y'all have been paying any sort of attention you know that Roman has been slain and Roamer is super busy with RL.  I am also really busy with RL  *pushes people to absence board*  as such I don't have the means to run a pack and Regium is to be officially disbanded.  You may reply to this post if you wish but it is not necessary. Peace out!

There was something wrong with that howl. Of course for starters it wasn't Roman, whilst she and Drashiel ruled as King and Queen it seemed clear that one was a primary leader in the hierarchy, she was usually the one to summon the pack for things but today only one lonely voice would echo out eerily across the  lands. Talvi couldn't quite put her paw on what else was wrong until she arrived at the meeting. Once more there was no sign of Roman and the King himself looked an absolute mess to put things bluntly. There was no pride in his stance only sadness and something, if the howl alone hadn't been enough to put up warning signs, was very clearly wrong. At last he would speak, informing them all of what had happened and though she hadn't expected any happy news this particular news was simply awful. She'd never really had the chance to get to know Roman, even so the loss would hit her. The woman was gone, not in the sense of choice and absence like so many of the family from these lands, but she had died and all in protecting her family down to her very last breath. She would bow her head for that loss for the Armada family, where many loyalties may have been strained it seemed Roman's certainly had been strong. There was one other loss though. Regium, Bevroren, Glaciem, whatever the name, home. The pack was no more, no longer would an Armada rule these lands that she had called home from a young age. As people began to scatter she would find herself unsure on what to do. Following to Imperium hardly seemed like the greatest option in the world, she would have to find her own path now it seemed though what that would be she had little idea. To stay in the North for now, whilst Drashiel and his family were desperate to leave, Talvi wasn't sure she could just yet.

Atreides huddled miserably at his father's feet, face pressed against the comforting warmth of his father's leg. Warm - not cold like his mother as she faded away. Was that what was happening to Narcissa, too? This thing called death... Even surrounded by his sisters, his father, he felt lost, and the lonely, sobbing howl that ululated from his father's throat to call the pack together made that emptiness inside ache. This was their first pack meeting... As he stared out at the sea of unfamiliar faces, the strangers, he hated them. Just for one stabbing moment he hated them all for not being there to save Mama. Only Daddy and that white wolf had cared enough to be there - but the moment faded and he knew it was stupid. They couldn't have saved Mama even if they'd been there. The boy pressed his face into his dad's fur and just concentrated on trying to hold back the tears that still threatened. His father's cracked and saddened voice rumbled above him, but whatever he'd had to say was short, and then he was nudging them all to follow him. Tail and ears drooped as Trei followed along, just one amongst all his sisters as they retreated from the only place he'd ever known - following his father into uncertainty. ""

Athena immediately knew something was wrong when she heard Drashiel's call and heard the tone of his voice. Dread sank into her gut and she glanced toward Amalia and her boys, giving her wife a concerned glance before hurrying to arrive at the meeting that Drashiel had called. She wouldn't wait for her small piece of the family to come with her, instead hurrying ahead with the hope that they would follow along. Something told her that something grave was amiss and she needed to find out what had happened as soon as possible. The first thing she noticed was that Roman was missing from Drashiel's side. She came to stand next to Talvi, her split tone gaze fixed upon her half-brother. He would quickly explain what he had called them together. Her eyes widened with pure shock and she fell back onto her haunches. Dead? Roman was dead? It was almost impossible to believe. Roman had been a crucial piece to shaping her young life and now she was gone. Roman had been the one that had encouraged her to strive for greatness and really had ultimately been the reason that she had ruled Glaciem, and later Bevroren, when Isardis left. But that wasn't the only news he had to share apparently. He went on to declare that their pack was now disbanded. Her sister was dead and now she and her family had no home as well. Anger flared in her gut. She wasn't angry at Drashiel so much as she was angry at life and how it seemed to never stop crumbling around her. She had just gotten stabilized again after loosing Vereux and now this. She wished Drashiel had come to her before doing this. Maybe she could have taken the pack back, maybe they could have worked through this together... But, as they say, hind sight is 20/20. There was nothing to be done about it now. Her sorrow and shock kept her silent as Drashiel turned away and lead his children away. Where would she and Amalia and their boys go now? She had never lived anywhere other than this pack. She was born and raised here, she had been a ruler here. She turned her gaze to Talvi, her ears falling back against her head. She pressed her cheek to her blue-hued sister's neck, leaning into her sister's comforting presence. "I have to go tell Amalia and the boys. We've got... we've got to figure out what to do." She leaned away again and stood, her gaze grave and heartbroken. "I'll let you know what we decide, okay? You're the only one of my siblings that I was close to that I have left... I just don't want to loose you too." The smallest twitch of a smile would touch her muzzle for only a moment before she turned and ran back the way she came, trying her best to keep herself together at least long enough to get back to her wife and their children. "Talk" "You" Think