Gratitude in Spades

Venom had a lot on her mind since Hattori left Ashen’s borders. He’d left her and he hadn’t looked back. Did he know how deeply he’d hurt her? Venom couldn’t be sure she wanted to know the depths the wound went. The Empress tried to ignore the missing piece of her and how much the separation rocked the foundation she built upon. Not only for the pack but herself, she lived more of her adult life with her husband by her side than not. She was having to restructure her life from the ground up. She had to look to the other wolves of the pack to fill the hole he’d left.

She wasn’t really okay, but Venom was a master of hiding the turmoil beneath. She couldn’t allow her own weaknesses to destabilize the pack and the Empire she ruled over. Life was always changing, and being adaptable was how you survived. It was one reason she had taken her mother’s throne. She hadn’t been able to really adapt.

As always these thoughts raced through her mind, especially when she slowed her body and did some work from the palace. She still felt a pang of pain knowing her husband wouldn’t be joining her here. The constant reminder he was gone wore on her like the sea constantly wears at the sand and stone of the beach. Venom was tired.

When Ikigai slipped into the main hall Venom easily dropped what she was doing and cleared her mind. She gestured for her daughter to approach and the girl stepped forward with a small package. Venom took her daughter’s lead, and as silently as she presented the parcel Venom began to unwrap the beautiful package. She revealed a beautiful piece of jewelry, supple and heavy like metal but covered in soft designed leather. Beautiful vines and flowers decorated the sides, it was obvious it had been crafted specifically for her.

Venom looked back up to her daughter, the emotions of everything swiftly leading to her emotions overwhelming the dams. Tears wetted her eyes as she questioned Ikigai with a soft tilt of her head.