Demons Never Die [Meeting]

She would hold back a sigh, the remnants of a whimper as her father denied that Valhalla was not what it was when he was younger. Oh how badly she wanted to prove him wrong - to show him that the wolves here were loving, that there was good to them and to his own family as well. But she didn't know how, there was no way to do so, and what she wanted wasn't to argue... what she wanted was for Cairo to be as proud of Valhalla as she was. To love this pack the way that she did. Yet she understood that her father was aging, that he didn't have the strength to change the pack the way that he wanted to.


She hoped that Epiphron would be able to do it for him, and that he would watch and smile and be proud of her, and be proud of Valhalla once again. Yet as he spoke, there was doubt that he would live to see it - her old man was aging before her eyes and... she had to stop and mentally tell herself that he wasn't going to live forever and now she was leaving. These final days, weeks, months, seasons, it was never long enough - but no matter the length of time she would spend it wondering how he was doing, waiting for words of Valhalla's growth. It saddened her...


But she would leave knowing that she was loved. Blue eyes met her father's blues as he said that she was beautiful, that she reminded him of her mother. The last time that she was mentioned she had been burned, and swallowed the comment with bitterness. Now though, she could see the affection and sadness and she cursed at herself within her own mind for being angry with him all those months ago. He hadn't been the one making the decisions then... although he was now, and she couldn't believe that his retaliation to verbally embarrassing he and Fenrir was "an eye for an eye."


It would be forgotten though, as Fenrir did not accept her apology - he slipped beside her, whispering to her, and she turned to face him as he spoke, wishing that he to, would not say that Valhalla had become something other than good. It frustrated her to no end, but she held her tongue and bared her teeth behind her closed lips. "It wasn't a mistake." She whispered, but he left, he didn't give Epiprhon and Icarus a chance and simply left it all behind.


Her father's next words nearly broke her heart - he was old, he was giving up but not because he was tired of Valhalla, but simply because he was tired. She swallowed, watching him stand up and sigh - stating that Epiphron would be Valhalla's head once she was of age - and that she and her siblings would be the final Adravendi's. But no - that wasn't completely true, was it? Soliel's children, they were as much Adravendi as she and Epiphron and Preston were. Even Soliel herself was a part of this family - hadn't she taken the name too? "Father, your family is larger than you think. Valhalla is in good hands. You don't... have to leave." But he was already retreating, and she imagined that this had taken a lot out of him. She would make no demands of him.


Things buzzed into quiet once more, and they still awaited Icarus's speech. The man was surprisingly silent, and the beta wondered whether he was regretting stepping up while Valhalla was in such a tense state. Yet as they waited, Epiphron suddenly cut in as Soliel made an exit. She was probably looking for Collision, who had the audacity not to show when his wife, who was sick for so long, had made an effort to be here. She cast those thoughts aside though, turning toward her sister - wondering what she had to say. When she finally came to the point of her words, her lyrics were strained, and the beta couldn't tell whether it was out of passion or pain. But it all came spiralling down to one thing.


She was stepping down.


Chrysanthe was flabberghasted, and her first instinct was to speak up, to tell her that no - she shouldn't leave Valhalla, that she was an excellent alpha and would do great things for this pack. And yet she couldn't do just that, because her sister had made a decision and she would be going against that to argue with her. It would be disrespectful to blatantly disregard her trust in her and refuse to step up in her place... and she knew, deep down she knew that this was what she wanted. "Epiphron..." She whispered, not interupting, letting her finish her piece. She was stepping down and going to Seracia, going to marry Maverick, the wedding would be her wedding... was this what she wanted? She knew that she liked the red prince, but she had been a part of Valhalla her entire life.


It was Aislyn's words that gave her the courage to speak. She was so opinionated, but so optomistic. She approved of this choice, approved of her stepping up and stepping in. Chrysanthe couldn't be more grateful with her support, and her smile brought a small smile onto her own lips as well. As sick and on the spot as she felt - she nodded. "I would be honored to lead you - all of you. Valhalla is and will always be my true home, just as the wolves here are my family. Epiphron, you know I think you are an excellent leader, but if this is your decision, I accept your proposal." She couldn't be more grateful, she had spoken with her earlier and they had both wondered what it was that they could do about this to try and make it better. In the end, it was Epiphron that had the strength to step in and make the change. "Thank you." Her eyes were teary as she thanked her sister, daring to stand up and move toward her despite her churning stomach - and quickly nuzzle her sister in a short wolven embrace.


She had whisked away much of her pain, and given her a platter of responsibilities that was entirely different from the ones that she had before. Now, she was not expected to be a prince's wife, but Valhalla's alpha. All in the span of minutes.


But this was something that she felt that she could rise to, and hopefully succeed in making Valhalla the place that it deserved to be.