Black Holes and Revelations

Silence fell over Epiphron Adravendi as the one who introduced herself as Luce began to speak. She'd heard rumors of how this bitch had come to defend her brother in the battlefields, to offer her own body in place of his, to be condemned to slavery in place of his freedom. The fact of the matter was that Neo had to take responsibility for his own actions, independent of whoever may have influenced him or brainwashed him. Perhaps Luce had been one of those creatures.

At the very least, she would lend the woman an ear, and grant her a moment to speak. It was the polite thing to do, and she knew it -- but something deep inside her told her that she ought to hate this woman, for taking every last ounce of Neo's innocence from him. The thought of her brother mating with this woman was slightly nauseating; despite her obvious beauty, it was also apparently that she was far older than he, nearly as old as her own father.
Imagining the two together perturbed her slightly, but she kept those thoughts to herself. Jaws were clamped shut, biting her tongue to keep harsh words from spilling over her lips before Luce got a chance to beg to see Neo.

Eyes narrowed as she listened to her. Epiphron was skilled at maintaining a demeanor of regal composure, masking whatever emotions dwelled within her chest. Her words seemed to effect her, though, and her sapphire gaze softened, even if only momentarily. "I will admit I cannot possibly fathom what you have endured, Luce, I also will not forgive you for involving yourself with my brother. Truthfully, he is far too young, far too impressionable for a woman of your age." Her tone was not seething, but she knew the words would sting, regardless. "You surely knew how easy it would be to win over his heart.." Something akin to pain crept into her voice, her tail lashing once behind her back.

The girl would clear her throat, bowing her head slightly. "I understand the pain of losing someone you love," she said simply, softly. Almost as though she empathized with her. "I, too, am kept from being with someone who I have fallen in love with. For that, I will sympathize with you." She admitted it simply, matter-of-factly -- the first time she'd ever said she was in love with Maverick. The first time she'd ever realized it, too. "But it is not fate that has drawn you two apart. We would never have taken Neo if it wasn't for his blatant disrespect for Valhalla, and for the ones that raised him. You two have joined as a union, and in doing so you have also accepted that his actions would affect you as much as your own."

"I understand your love for Neo, but understand this, as well: despite what he has said to you, Valhalla has never mistreated him. He and his brother, Preston, were orphaned, and my father Cairo took them in. He is a kind man, and has never ceased loving them. It is Neo who has distanced himself for us, blaming us for whatever issues he has worked up inside his head." Epiphron had grown slightly frustrated, and while she struggled to contain her anger, a slight curl of her lip showed her disgust. "Forget what he says about our family -- we have loved him deeply, but it is he that chose to abandon us and betray us. It is he you should blame for your pain, not Valhalla, and certainly not yourself." Her voice had risen slightly in volume, slight rage trickling into her normally sweet tones. "It seems you did not wrong, and I see no fault in your love for him, however disgusting I might find it." The girl's words were harsher than she intended, but Epiphron knew she had the upper hand in the situation -- Luce would endure the depths of hell for Neo. She saw the devotion written plainly on the woman's features, as obvious as day. A pretty young Alpha's snarls and growls would not drive her away, not without a demand to leave.

"I will grant you this one meeting with Neo, for he deserves to know what his actions have done to you. A single mother, bound to give birth to bastard children, because he could not keep his mouth shut for a moment." The words were spat at the woman, a snarl leaving her lips. The frustration was towards Neo, her ex-brother, not at Luce. The boy she had spent so much of her childhood with, so much energy struggling to help him feel as part of the family. As this is what she had received in return -- betrayal and heartache.

Eyes left Luce, closing briefly as the girl tilted her muzzle to the sky, letting loose a demanding call to Neo. She dreaded facing him, and truthfully hoped the boy did naught but look at her. Until he arrived, she would again face Luce, wondering what she would say.