He straightened at Deathbelle’s behest, and would turn her curiosity to his companion. Of course she would be interested in Io’s skills, but Sirius would not be able to put into words the possessiveness he felt over the tiny wolf. Any who knew him would know how difficult it was to worm their way into his heart if they didn’t already start from a high vantage - Deathbelles kids for example, were always going to have a shot at his heart. Zee had felt his wrath many times before he had come to love her. But Io? Io was his, and he could not tell her why.
As Io took the stage, the Warlord took a seat, and watched the interaction. He did feel a slight, familiar twinge as the woman offered no bow to the mighty Empress - and there had been a time where he would have shoved the girls face to the dirt for the insolence, but he was a Warlord now and not a lacky of the Empire. Besides, he had told Io he would not ask her to stand on ceremony. Still, she would have to tread carefully, his sense of duty to Deathbelle was overpowering.
Bloodletter
