I'm a believer, nothing could be worse

Azriel watched as Atreyu moved about and kept his eyes on her, a guard who was all business. His auds perked as she spoke to each in turn. As she pressed her head to his though he turned an eye towards the white male. Alaric she called him. A close friend she said.... a pang of jealousy had him narrowing his eyes. How close was close? "Mmhmm.... I'll try...." rumbled voice deep and quiet, for her ears at the moment. Be nice. So long as the male kept it professionalhe could.

Her next words for his ears only as well and he let out a breath as he dipped his head and turned his head to those approaching still. Petra was next and a hint of surprisecrossed his face. She was scarred up and looked one second from running. His protective nature had him sitting up and a rumble coming from him, not at her but for her fates past. "Petra...." his ears folded as he spoke. No words could portray how he felt seeing her like this. He had failed them as not only a friend but as a guard for her to wear a fear like that. How could he even begin to apologize to her. His mouth opened not once but twice, before closing and his eyes downcast in his shame. He'd been trained to defend them, to keep them safe. Yet there she sat, scared for her life to be amongst friends.

Finally another approached and Azriel looked up as Vayne came close. The smirk told him he knew without being told by their closeness, but he didn't break the eye contact. He wouldn't back down from this. His mother had died, and her wishes were going to be honored. He would meet there gazes as they came. He was certain Oath was going to have his tail, knowing his friend all to well. Brothers had to be protective to do as Oath had. To go back after he was at safety to help a guard fight regardless of his own safety. Its something Azriel not only respected but admired about Oath.

Finally Atreyu's voice tore his gaze from those gathered. Alaric Warmaw. The name was committed to memory. The jealousy rearing its head once more. Helping her learn to fight? It meant he had been intimately close to Atreyu. A flick of his tail as he tried to relieve the feeling and tension. He'd have to give it time he suspected. The male's face spoke of discomfort, and azriel gave him a stiff nod as his welcome.

He was waiting now though as his eyes turned back to the others surrounding his queen, waiting for reactions and for the words. He was ready to also push Atreyu away if any decided to bulk up to him when she said it. He knew it was their right expected it. But as her words came and Oath was the first to follow with a question he hadn't expected a tinge of his heart at the words. and him? his eyes cut to oath. The heart break at hearing his friend say those words. Did Oath not think him strong enough, or good enough to be by her side. It felt more personal than it should. Ears pressed as he let Oath see the hurt he inflicted with those words. He should of expected it, he hadn't.

His bicolor eyes kept that hurt as he rose and looked to each before he let his own words come. "You know the answer, before you even ask it my queen.... I'm more than with you." his eyes locked on each sibling that questioned him. The demigod had been hurt today, and he didn't easily forget things. Then eyes went to Alaric as he pledged. The cock of the man's eyebrow didn't escape his notice, he'd be forgiven for that one for now. Azriel expected betrothal wasn't common perhaps where he came from.

After all had pledged to Atreyu his eyes cut to them all, Oath most of all but he wasn't going to let him know how deep that knife had cut publicly. Oath wasn't stupid and would see it. "I intend to hold a basic self defense training session in a few weeks time after everyone is settled and to speak with each of you separately. I'm not just your royal bodyguard now, and your going to have to forgive me as I figure the political bullshit out, but I hope you all will begin to feel comfort having me so close once more. Those that have qualms with our betrothal as well, I wish to remind you, it has been done by our mother's before they died and both I and Atreyu wished to honor their memory by continuing it here in these new lands in New Judalia. If you still have qualms I ask you to seek us after and we will answer those questions privately." quills had rose as he spoke. His guard up as the hurt played on his face. Gold clinking as he waited for more words, more hurt. He brought a paw out and aimed to pull Atreyu to his chest protectively. She likely wasn't going to enjoy the questions, but he wasn't letting her be publicly disrespected on her decisions. The support of her in that gesture also on public display.

He wasn't one for publicly displaying affections but in this moment it felt like perhaps the best option to show his support and to show them all that he wasn't toying with them. He wasn't about to have them hurt her physically or emotionally. They could hurt him all they wished but her? Absolutely not.

"Azriel" || "Atreyu"