Pleasure to be meeting you; quite a pleasure!

To the man's credit, Caedes listened and he listened well. He took in everything Alastor said in stride, giving only occasional little reactions or responses in his expressions and body language, but he never interrupted or showed any signs of disinterest. Alastor had been studying the brute, interpreting his reactions to gauge how true his words were when he spoke of his commitment to Mariah. From what he could see so far, Caedes was telling him the truth. Good! It would make the rest of their interactions that much more pleasant. The great flame-marked brute could see the gears turning behind the emerald eyes of his daughter's suitor, assessing his situation, weighing his options. He had a grave decision to make eventually, and this would be the first step towards helping him make it. Alastor was not usually this generous a wolf, but for his family and for his daughter, he would move heavens and hells. She was happy with Caedes, and so he would receive the best of Alastor until such a time when he made his choice.

After some thought, Caedes took a deep breath and clasped their paws together with a resounding smack. It may have been the dramatic effect playing in his head, but Alastor could swear he heard the sound echo around the volcanic woods. Caedes agreed to Alastor's offer; he would come visit Elysium to learn their ways and meet the Mendacium family. Alastor's smile widened (if it was even possible at this point), obsidian eyes gleaming with delight and mirth while he shook Caedes' paw with enthusiastic vigor, their intense eye contact never breaking. Al could practically feel the electricity thrumming in the air between them. Oh, he could see why Mariah liked this brute so much! "Lovely! I'll make all the necessary arrangements with our warriors so you may come and go as you please! Give me a day to get things prepared, then feel free to drop by for a visit whenever you'd like!" Alastor released Caedes' paw and gestured back towards the tunnel the other brute had emerged from. "I'll leave you two to enjoy your time together. Just don't leave her on her own for too long. If she's anything like her mother, she won't be very patient waiting for you to come back." A knowing chuckle rumbled in Al's throat while he turned to leave, his business here concluded. But after a few paces away, the Mendacium brute stopped.

"Oh, and Caedes," Alastor called back over his shoulder, shooting the other male a toothy grin. "When she asks you what happened here, tell her the truth." Alastor had considered asking Caedes to keep his involvement in Mariah's relationship out of her knowledge, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt she deserved to know she had wolves who cared about her in her corner. With nothing else to be said for now, Alastor trudged away to gather up his camouflage and make his way back to Alias Island. He had work to do.

- exit Alastor unless stopped -


"Alastor"