Waiting For The Inevitable

Quote:

She had spoken up, spoken her part - shared her current feelings with her father. He seemed to cue in on her in that moment, and the female didn't waver when his voice softened for her. Of course she was angry, upset, at he and Collision but mainly her brother because she had done everything right and he had still agreed to give her away without as much as a questioning glance in her direction. Cairo did everything that he could to defend his son - and it seemed that was... that was who mattered the most in this. He would only do it if it was right for her, he is so lost, so hurt, so wounded. Her face stayed placid as she looked to him, holding her tongue as she listened to her father's response.


When it came to Neo she had no returning response, because she... she would have hesitated to make him a prisoner - but why? That could cost Valhalla so much, and she knew that Collision was only doing what was best for the pack. He didn't need to explain to her why Neo was a slave here, but was it really so hard to understand why a mother would be slow to accept that her son was a traitorous bastard? Did he really have not a lick of empathy for the woman who had raised his children in the place of his wife just because she dared to speak out at a pack meeting?


She was so incredibly disappointed.


"I never questioned his choices. I only wish he had come to me about my marriage first." She said simply. She shook her head once, closing her eyes with the motion. Why, why did her lids feel so heavy? It had been her to interrupt after all - she had no right to be tired of hearing her father's voice. "You can not change their ways, father. I am certain that was not part of the deal." Gideon had... oh he had promised to try for her. To cast away his tradition, if only for a few months, to try - to see if she could be the only woman for him - and here she was caving to her family's agreements and turning her back on him. She was... awful. "They are polygamists, I will not be his sole wife, it is not how they live their lives and it is not what I expect of them. It isn't... something that you need to worry about. I accepted that when I accepted my role in all of this. You can't protect me from the world forever father. My happiness, is your happiness - as well as Valhalla's safety." With Gideon, he was willing to try, but with this prince, any sort of compromise was out of the bag.


He would be a King. He would not be like the impromptu male that was on her mind. Gideon lived by his own rules, he was not like the men and woman of Valhalla and she was sure that his Monarchy was different as well.


She would not go into this with a heart full of hope and a head full of false ideas.


Yet there was far more on her mind than heartbreak. She had a duty to Valhalla that managed to override all else, and she had made not a single comment or remark that spoke of her fear and anger that she had been put up for the obligation without her permission. Yet instead of telling her he would miss her, giving her a vote of confidence that she needed right now, he... he called her childish. She wasn't behaving as he would want, and so she was no longer being an adult about this. He tried to salve his comment with loving remarks, but it was so hard to accept them along with the strike he had delivered as well.


And then he dared speak of her birth mother.


Erani's small sad smile flicked toward her, and her words - oh god, her words. She was not- this wasn't- it wasn't fair! She deserved so much more than this, than to live with guilt like this for exacting a right she had as a mother and a member of this pack. Erani, spoke again, and bless her heart, her words made sense. But she knew they would not get through to Cairo. That would mean admitting that he was wrong about something, that perhaps Collision was not the marble statue, the image of perfection that he seemed to think that he was. He would only become harsher with the white fae, and Chrysanthe wasn't sure whether she could bear to watch it.


And when she looked back to her, with sadness shining in her deep blue eyes, speaking of the life that she would never have...



She faltered.


"My mother is proud of me." Her voice cracked, only once, only a moment - and then with a sigh she slipped back into place, closed her eyes and ears to him but it was alright because he was done. He believed that Erani acted in disrespect, and that the only one to suffer was his darling angel of an eldest child that could do absolutely no wrong for the whole of Valhalla. He had a loyal pack, wolves that stood up to a pregnant femme among the masses. He had a doting family, three children of his own, a wife who needed him more than ever and the support of his father, his cousin, and all of his siblings. Poor, poor Collision and his wounded pride - being questioned before Valhalla by someone with concerns.


It was almost as if it was a chance for members to speak their minds or something.


"Thank you father. That we will." She said simply, not wanting to fight with him. To argue. That was never what she wanted - would never be what she wanted. Despite the feeling that was coursing through her, tightening her stomach and threatening to spill tears down her eyes, she did not want to hurt Cairo. She loved him. He was her father, the man she was supposed to be able to speak to about things like this - but she saw now that wasn't the case. Speaking against he, or Collision, in any way that may harm or hindrance their pride or decisions for this pack was not appreciated. It was childish.


And so she quieted, despite the many thoughts that wanted to come spilling from her tongue.


Moving toward her mother, she sat beside her, letting their shoulders touch. She was so sorry, that she had to go through this because of her. And yet there was nothing that she could do. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."