Can a frayed rope be mended?

There was a pause between the two femmes when Irilyth asked Manea to let go of her self-deprecation, and after some time to think the request over, Manea began to explain her position. Hearing Manea say that she was hers brought her a sense of comfort to know that even through all this, Manea still wanted her. She would never doubt her alphess' love for her, but there had been a time of worry that if caught between making a choice of her husband or her lover, Irilyth might not come out on top. Hearing just how deep Manea's guilt ran hurt the little golden wolf's heart. She did not want to be the cause of such strife and discontent in her lover's life. All the while Manea spoke, Iri listened in patient and attentive silence, giving the Matriarch all of her undivided attention. The blonde fae would not pull away when the larger lady reached out to stroke her cheek, instead leaning her delicate, slim features into the soft paw pads that brushed her cheek with careful affection.

Irilyth watched as Manea came down to her level, begging for some way to make amends for the situation. It made the golden blonde wolf sigh and shake her head. Did Manea really not understand that she didn't want anything done? She didn't feel the need for revenge or retribution. Iri, who had lived her entire life pressed beneath the ways of some other more powerful wolf, now had someone who genuinely cared about her. That was enough for her. "I don't want you to punish Alastor on my behalf, Manea," she replied in her usual soft lyrics, raspberry red eyes lifting to seek her lover's aquatic jewels. "What I want is for you to forgive yourself and not blame yourself, the way I don't blame you. Above all else, I don't want you to do anything to Alastor. I don't want revenge on him and I don't want to give him any reasons to continue to harbor hate towards me." A bit of a cheeky smirk touched the smaller bitch's lips then, her ruby eyes flashing mischievously. "Besides, nothing would punish him or upset him more than me carrying on like he did nothing to me." Irilyth knew brutes like Alastor well. He was looking for a reaction in her, trying to get a rise from her pain. By giving him nothing to feed on, she was punishing him more effectively than anything else by showing him that his actions had done nothing to her. It would likely drive him mad.

But Irilyth saw the pleading look in Manea's eyes. No matter what she said, no matter how much she tried to reassure her that she was guiltless in this, Manea would not be able to forgive herself and move on from this catastrophe unless Iri gave her some sort of penance. The petite golden fae sighed, her ears drooping back to her head in defeat. "What would make you feel better, Manea? I've already told you that I don't blame you, but that hasn't been enough for your conscience. So tell me what you'd like to do to ease your own mind on the matter. What would make you feel that you've atoned for my pain? Then do that for me." Irilyth could not tell Manea what to do for her because she did not feel Manea owed her any sort of debt. If the violet queen wished to make amends to her, they would have to be on her terms. Whatever Manea chose to do for her, it had better be enough to assuage the undeserved guilt she placed upon herself.

"Manea" & "Irilyth"