End of the line

He wished he knew how to ease Emile's emotions and bring him some kind of relief, but all he could do was be the steady presence he had always wished his parents could have been for him. His mother had done her best, but all the good intentions in the world didn't make up for the fact that his childhood had been taken away by responsibility far too soon. When Emile looked up at him with tear filled emerald eyes and said that he wanted his help that was all Ulric could have asked for. He would still keep a close eye on his boy and make sure that he was actually making progress and he knew that at some point Emile would have to take responsibility for himself as well, but he could still comfort and ease him into things for a while. Ulric smiled a more genuine smile and wrapped Emile up in his forelegs again, giving him a more real, firm hug this time. "I'm glad," he said softly, squeezing his son in an embrace. "I hope I can make everything up to you one day. I love you, Emile."

With that he gently released Emile and nodded back toward the castle. "Come on... I think we could both use a good meal and some rest. I think I'm going to take the rest of the day off. The extra patrols can wait." He waited for Emile to accept before he turned to walk back toward the castle with Emile, silently hoping that this could be a real turning point for them. He knew it would still be a long, uphill battle to find common ground with Emile when their interests and way of seeing the world were so different, but he was hopeful. He already lost so many wolves from his life and he didn't want Emile to be one of them unless freedom would actually do Emile some good. It didn't seem like that was the case though so he would do everything he could to mend this bridge between them.

Ulric Adravendi