Fate Draws Us Together

Ikigai surprisingly accepted his request without question and invited him into the territory. Her and her family must be quite close with Manea indeed to have so much trust right away simply from knowing who he was related to. He nodded and gave her a quick, “Thank you,” as she turned and began to lead him away from the plain and into pale forest behind her. He took the opportunity to glance over her slender form again, increasingly curious about her. She was noticeably younger, perhaps only just now reaching her second year of age if he had to guess, but she had a more put together and mature air about her and the way she moved. She was built beautifully, but her form was soft and very obviously not used for any sort of physical pursuits. That would perhaps be a small draw back considering his family’s usual tendencies to be very heavily into fighting and hunting, but with everything else she had going for her he could over look it.

However, his planning and plotting was interrupted as Ikigai spoke again and he brought his gaze back up to hers before she could look back at him, an easy smile crossing his lips again. She suggested staying a few days here and instead traveling to Elysium with her. He was careful to keep the grin off of his face and instead only showed a brighter smile at the suggestion. “That would work for me. A guide to Elysium for me, some protection for the trip for you,” he offered, painting the arrangement as a benefit to them both while eternally he was simply glad to have a reason to get her alone so he could start trying to secure her place in his life. He didn’t need to spend much time to figure out that she would suit his needs just fine and all he needed was for her to agree so he didn’t go throwing a wrench in whatever political plans his sister had.

Then she threw a small wrench into his plans yet again as she explained how she was to be married to Poe. His smile faltered slightly before he quickly regained his composure with just a flick of his ear to show his displeasure at the news. “Ah… Poe, hm?” he questioned as they walked, turning his gaze ahead of them to look through the trees as she acted as his guide. He didn’t have any ill will toward his cousin. In fact, he had spent little time with the man since they were pups. However, it seemed like just as if he had finally found what he had been searching for all this time it was going to be pulled away from him before he could ever really begin. “Well… I certainly can’t let my future cousin-in-law travel all that way on her own or allow her to carry her own things,” he said with a bit of a chuckle, hiding his frustration with humor. After a pause he asked, “And what is your opinion on my cousin? I haven’t seen him in quite some time, I’m afraid.” Perhaps if she wasn’t close with Poe just yet then this could still be salvaged.

"Deimos Mendacium"