Anticipated Heartbreak

Iki wasn't sure how Kotori would take the news. She didn't exactly expect him to be upset about it, but she didn't expect him to be happy about it either. They hadn't spent a great deal of time together, but they time that they had spent had all been fantastic. They melded together very well. She was the dainty, intelligent princess and he had been her strong, strapping warrior prince. Opposites of one another and thus, they attracted, balancing one another out. More than once the pallid fae had felt some sort of attraction to the horned brute beside her, but she never knew whether or not it was reciprocated.

After she delivered the news, Ikigai waited for Kotori's response. She didn't have to wait long and he voiced his displeasure right out of the gate. Iki's lids lowered, shielding her eyes and she shook her head in the negative. No, it wouldn't make a difference if he asked her not to go. The deal had been struck. There was no going back on it now. The union between herself and her future husband would solidify a lifelong bond between Ashen and Elysium. To Ikigai, it was worth the sacrifice.

Kotori spoke again, this time asking about the wolf that she was supposed to marry. Ikigai kept her eyes lowered, staring at their paws rather than at the spotted man beside her. "He is of Mendacium blood, yes." The young woman then spoke through a sigh, her words breathy. "I don't know if I like him, but it doesn't matter. It's my duty as a princess of Ashen to do what I can to increase the power of the Empire. We have ties to the Armada, to Fenmyre, Habari, The Hallows... Now we have ties to Elysium as well." The black and white fae spoke again, but her words felt hollow, even to her. "I am honored to be able to do this for the Empire." Or at least she had been until she'd delivered the news to Kotori.

"The Armada is moving," she'd heard the news from her mother, "We won't be far apart. We can visit one another." Despite being married and having the expectations to produce heirs for her future husband, that didn't mean that she couldn't have friends. Not having Kotori in her life in some capacity would make things a little less bright for the young woman. "If... if that's something you would want," she spoke hesitantly. Perhaps he wouldn't want anything to do with her now that she was going to be part of Elysium instead of Ashen.

"Ikigai"