Do It For Me. Do It For Us.

After putting the purple whore in her place, Aslatiel led Indigo from the feast and back towards the mountainous caves that the pack shared. It was obvious that she was upset. There were flecks of Duchesses blood clinging to her pale cheeks. The purple man followed as they entered their temporary den. Thankfully the rest of the wolves, including her children, were all out enjoying the festivities. She had some things to say to her brother that other ears need not hear.

Once they were within the den, Aslatiel rounded on the massive purple man. "Do you enjoy being upset? Because it certainly seems like you do." He kept letting Duchess back in. The horrible woman had some sort of hold on him and Asla didn't like it one bit. Yes, they'd made children together. Yes, those children had died. Bad shit happened, you dealt with it and you moved on with your life. Indigo wasn't capable of this, however, and Aslatiel had to clear the air lest she begin to resent her brother.

"The world isn't a kind place. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, Indigo. You either learn to deal with it or it will eat you alive." The fae's galactic gaze stayed upon his big blue eyes. "This is what I had to deal with in the Armada. I stayed strong and took care of business while everyone around me fell apart." She wanted him, but she didn't want this. Asla intended to be his partner, not his mother. "It would be nice to have someone do that for me, for once." Naiche had been more of a partner. She hadn't had to protect him or dance around any sore feelings. It had been a simple partnership and they both pulled their weight. With Indigo, it felt as though she was pulling him along behind her on a sleigh.

The fawn and grey fae sighed and her voice softened. She raised one dark toed paw to knead her brow. "You lost children but so have endless numbers of wolves throughout time. We would be extinct if everyone fell to pieces every time that there was a death." Again she sighed, the anger falling away to leave only frustration. "I don't hold it against you for having emotions. It's one of the reasons that I love you, but you're letting it rule your life. You're letting it sour you and, in letting it sour you, you're allowing it to sour us." Asla's haunches folded and she sat on the cold stone. Suddenly she was very tired. "I want to give you a piece of what you've lost, but I can't do this unless you're whole. I was a single mother once. I won't do it again."

The woman's gaze pleaded with him. Being together was all that they had ever wanted, but he was ruining it by holding on to the past to the point where it was turning him into a ghost. "I need you to be strong, Indigo. I need you to be a partner. Do it for me. Do it for the future pups that I bear, but most of all, do it for yourself. You don't deserve this sadness. You've paid your dues. Now is the time for healing, happiness and joy." If this didn't work, Asla didn't know what else she could say to him. She was at her wits end with the whole situation.

"Aslatiel Indarra"