Terms and Conditions

Of course a part of her had hoped for an easy agreement between the two of them, secretly hoping perhaps he also had someone else he was interested in that would allow them to walk similar paths side by side. However, that didn't seem to be the case  and Albion voiced his understandable displeasure at this arrangement as he spoke of the prospect of being her 'pet' and how he felt that this would only bring him a lonely existence. Her brows pulled together with a small frown that creased her features, but she wouldn't jump to defend herself or the life that she painted for him. She knew it wasn't ideal for anyone involved and she was truly grasping at straws at the hopes of having even a piece of the life that she wished she could have fully. No part of her life had ever been that simple though and neither would this.

"I understand," she said quietly with a nod. "I don't intend for you to feel like a 'pet' or to doom you to loneliness, but I understand that this situation is unusual and certainly not ideal for anyone involved. I... I wish I could promise you more of me." She sighed softly, shifting her gaze away from him as her ears flicked back. "I didn't want things to turn out this way, but I wanted to be honest with you before we agreed to something that couldn't be undone. I felt that you at least deserved that." She hesitated for a moment, weighing her options. She could walk away now, thank Albion for his time and apologize for not being able to follow through with he proposal that had been made to him or she could continue trying to convince him to join her. She didn't particularly like either option and for a moment she wished she hadn't felt the way she did about Saracyn, but there was no changing that now. Trying to convince herself otherwise would simply tear her apart and make her into something she hated.

When she brought her ebony gaze back up Albion's, she let most of that composed, diplomatic routine fall away, exposing a bit of the uncertain, overwhelmed girl underneath. "I... I do worry that I won't find anyone willing to do this with me and what will happen if I don't," she told him quietly. "A Matriarch that can't follow her own laws or bring the next heir into the world... What kind of Matriarch would I really be?" She scoffed softly at herself, giving a small shake of her head as she glanced down at the ground between them, her white-marked ears flicking back. It wasn't something that she could really talk about with Saracyn with his unwavering belief that they were fated to be together and that their union had to be allowed by the Ancients, but she wasn't so sure despite her love for him. There was no one else she felt comfortable enough with to allow herself to be this vulnerable with, but something about Albion had always felt safe, as if his quiet, stoic nature could easily hide all of her secrets.

"I do not want you to simply be a pet or a paramour," she admitted with another shake of her head. "Being brought up as I have been... with so much responsibility and expectation from brith... it hasn't left much room for living my own life or making friends. I would be forever grateful to even have one wolf outside of my family that I could call a friend and not worry that they were simply being nice to me for my status." It was hard to meet his gaze, too embarrassed by the loneliness she was admitting to him and worried that he might feel as though she was manipulating him. Maybe in some way she was, but not intentionally. She just wanted him to see the real situation she was in—the real her—so he could make his decision based off of that instead of some grand plan she had pitched to him. She sighed and added, "Beyond that... As much as I care about my brother, I do worry that he's not the wisest choice to have alone in my council. He can be temperamental and wild at times and while he is a fierce fighter and protector, I know I need someone by my side that is more level headed to help me think through decisions. Before my mother created this pack the Matriarch was only responsible for guiding and teaching the family... Now there is so much more than that and I don't want to do it on my own."

"Avacyn Mendacium"