Do What We Must

Venom cried and it hurt Iki's heart, but she knew in her core that this was the right choice. Something inside of her said that this course of action, no matter how difficult, was the correct course. Her mother held her and she held Venom right back. "Don't cry, mom." Pulling back, the pallid fae's delicate paws rose to wipe away her mother's tears. "This is a good thing. The Empire that you've worked so hard to protect will grow in power." She would do whatever she could to help her mother and to help Ashen. "I'll be so safe here," she reassured the dark woman. "Manea and Alastor won't let anything happen to me. I would rather be the one to make this union with wolves that I know and trust than for any of my siblings to possibly be matched with some unknown." Could her mother understand that?

In time, Venom agreed that she would like her daughter to go with her when they began negotiations. Ikigai forced her bright smile to appear and she didn't let go of her mother's paw. "You can have my strength and determination," she assured her mother. "We'll get everything that the Empire deserves and more." The weightiness of the situation still hadn't settled in fully, but it would in time. "We can talk to Manea whenever you're ready."

"Ikigai"