If I Was A Flower
11-26-2013, 04:28 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-26-2013, 04:31 PM by Epiphron.)
Ah, if only she could read Azalea's mind -- thinking of her aunt as a mere bearer of children. If only she knew how bitter she was over over her second pregnancy; if only she understood what a vast distance it had drawn between Maverick and herself. Oh, how she would love the children that grew inside her, how she would train them and cherish them and groom them into future Kings and Queens, if only they would let her. She had given her all to her first litter, but for her second, she would give even more. Only one had been lost, but he had been a loyal and valued member of Valhalla. It was a shame, but Epiphron couldn't help but feel grateful it was not a family member. Quietly she would bow her head, eyes briefly closing in a solemn memorial to the fallen warrior. "Truly a shame," she mused aloud, shaking her head slowly. Azalea's words were alarming, and she felt her fur bristling in anger. "Azalea Adravendi, the heir to the Valhallan throne, trading herself for my sister's whore of a husband?" Her words were harsh, something she would never in her wildest dreams say to her sister. "I never knew you to be so honorable." Her words were spat suddenly, a sudden rush of irritation flooding her. Her eyes narrowed as she considered the choice Azalea had made. Honor was certainly a fine trait, but for Epiphron -- self-preservation and family loyalty outweighed honor. Perhaps her niece was more morally sound than herself, but she couldn't help but wish she had not made such a choice. "You are more valuable than he to Valhalla.." Her words would falter as she realized her anger was unwarranted, and would not change the outcome of what had become of her niece. Slowly her shoulders would lift in a slow shrug, adjusting her gaze to fix on Azalea's face once again. Not only were two - possibly three - wolves taken by Glaciem, but Liberty as well. And it seemed inevitable that the Glaciem King would come to retrieve the children he had sired. Her gaze would soften, though she longed to scold and snarl at her niece for what she saw as such an unwise decision. "It will be over soon," she assured her, shifting closer to the younger woman. "Childbirth is awful -- and you'll probably wish you were dead. But it truly, surprisingly, is rewarding. Do not think of them as Isardis's; you will be the one that will bring them into the world." The father's role was vital, albeit minimal compared to the sacrifice of the woman who carried them. "You should try to love them. The funny thing about children, Azalea, is how much influence you have over them. They are blank slates. They will develop on their own, but you have great influence over how they become." It was true, and Epiphron knew they would not grow like their father unless influenced by him. |
