A king must know how to rule himself first.
He would have to find ways to entertain himself around the territory, he decided. And what better way to do that than spend a bit of time with the family? There was something that his father had said during their time with Amalia that lingered with him and fueled his dreams whenever he slept at night. His dad had once been a king, and only his imagination had told him what that kingdom had been like. He imagined it great and noble, surrounded by many wolves and on top of a mountain protected by steep cliffs where they'd send their enemies soaring to their deaths.
On this night, however, he decided not to give in to his imagination and instead, under the light of the moon and surrounded in a world of white, he'd traverse the night to find his father and ask him himself. He found himself following his father's scent down to the mines, though it didn't take long before he found the remains of a half-eaten lamb to distract himself with. He eagerly ate what was left on the corpse before remembering what it was he'd set out to do, molten gaze wandering the horizon in search of the golden wonder that he'd grown to love as his father.
![[Image: vadim_by_nnightcrawler-dais3pi.png]](https://orig00.deviantart.net/54c9/f/2016/267/0/0/vadim_by_nnightcrawler-dais3pi.png)
Liar was thinking, deep in thought something he rarely did. After having a meal for himself the male really had been thinking about what he and his kids were going to do from now on. Of course he'd support Ivalice where he could. It had been his home where everything was due. Sure they had their own problems. However he had himself thinking of his many wives before. Nice - what about the one his father had set him up with. Females he had loved and lost in the end. Even children. What could he do, to make these kids lives better - his life better.
It was when he spotted Vadim that his green eyes would search over the young man. His wounds had healed nicely. Liar stretched his front limbs for a moment. "What are you up to Vadim?" he asked a little lightly. Trying to preoccupy his thoughts a bit. His son could probably fill up that desire.
TAGGED // YESH
ooc://yeah, oops.. forgot to say. haha.
His eyes found the man with ease, a smile spreading across his inky lips as he watched his father while he asked his question. He lifted his skull proudly, showing himself in a manner of respect to his dad not in a manner of challenge. He hoped he appeared strong.
He inhaled sharply as he thought over how to ask his question, a lot had been on his mind and he wasn't sure how to put them all into words. Finally, he spoke,
"I was power hungry- maybe two years old. My father had just been murdered by a relative of ours and I was finally free of him. Your grandfather was not the best of wolves. Yet I wanted power, I had a slave wife and then gained a kingdom with my own teeth and claws. Had some litters through rape and then... I actually started to feel something for my wife and son. That was when I ran my kingdom as I did. Everyone did their work and we were a huge family though they knew if they displeased me things would go wrong." He looked at Vadim. "you're either a king who people fear, or a king who people look to. And now I'm not proud that I was the king people feared." it was the first time he spoke about his previous wives and litters as well. "My wife and son died though and after taking on many other husbands and wives my life fell into a spiral. One of my sons - took over my kingdom. Challenged your old man and won so I left with Nice and my baby daughter before coming here.... she perished along with my daughter to a bear. Then.... I met your mother." Vadim could ask more questioned but Liar just wasn't good at explaining her guessed. He just wanted his son to know more about his heritage where Liar came from.
TAGGED // YESH
Through-out the story that Liar was revealing, Vadim's eyes would widen at a few different instances. The first one scared him, his grandfather had been.. murdered? He tried to imagine what it would have been like if Liar was murdered and his ears folded.. had.. had that been what happened to mom? Did they really know what happened to her at all? He pushed the thought from his head quickly as he continued to listen, though there was one word he didn't understand. Rape? He wasn't sure what that meant, but he couldn't believe that he'd had half-brothers and sisters that he didn't know about. He assumed that him and his siblings were the only ones. Geez, how much had his father been keeping from him?
Then, when he got to the part about fear and admiration, he lifted his ears.. his father did not like being feared? Well, quite honestly.. Vadim didn't really want to be feared, either. He wanted to be respected, but.. if disrespect was shown he wouldn't mind taking the first option. Would he grow to regret it like Liar even in that case? He continued to listen and ponder, though when his dad mentioned the death of his wife and son.. Vadim lowered his head.
He couldn't imagine what all this man had been through before he was born, he certainly didn't think it was any of this. This was crazy, and he felt his heart ache for his dad. How did one even hold a beating heart in their chest after losing so much? And he and Ramsay cried over their mother, tch. It could be a lot worse, he found himself thinking. He perked up again when he mentioned Abelinda but quickly scolded himself inwardly for doing so. He forced his ears back down and thought carefully,
"Well... first. Do you know how pups like you are born?" He asked a little bit. "When a male wolf and female wolf basically do something really intimate." he wasn't sure if he could say it exactly right. "The female gets pregnant. With this almost all the time it's when both of them want it. Rape... is when it happens without consent. When they don't want it. It's something you shouldn't ever do Vadim." He said to his son very carefully. "These acts can be held between any two wolves though there doesn't have to be pups involved. Nor does gender matter. What matters is that it's between two consenting adults." He flicked his ear tilting his head. "I'm sorry I never told any of you, I'm not good with talking about my past." he admitted. "Hell my dad beat me not to feel, so for a long time even now I sometimes have a hard time with my emotions."
TAGGED // YESH
He felt his cheeks flush a bit when his father asked if he knew. He didn't know exactly but he had an idea, instincts.. sort of helped generalize what was to happen. Now that he was getting hormones, it was a little hard to ignore the difference when he admired someone because of who they are and when he admired someone because he found them attractive. What to do with that attraction was where he was a little lost, but it felt awkward to discuss that with his father. He listened anyway, his ears folding back as his father warned him to always make sure he has consent.
It confused him a little because his father had just said that he committed it with those in his past, though he also said he held some regret.. so.. his old man used to be kind've a bad guy, hmm? Suddenly, he felt a bit of enlightenment with that thought. His father would likely feel guilt or remorse if Vadim where to ever fall down that path, so he would do his best to heed his father's warning and learn from his father's mistakes. Perhaps, one day he could even make his father proud knowing that he learned to do better through his father's experiences. He cleared his throat and gave a nod.. though when the apology came, Vadim leaned closer to nuzzle Liar's cheek below his eye if he was allowed.
Vadim pulled away after a moment, and looked up to his father with a bright gaze even in the dark of the night.
"If anyone messed with you though, there's no harm in trying to snap a few necks." he muttered a bit. That was when he bared his teeth when someone messed with his family. Sure there could be kindness but if anything bad happened he would be a livid beast.
TAGGED // YESH
He listened to his father talk about gods and being true to oneself, and honestly.. he felt that even before his father had said it. To hear the confirmation come out of someone he loved and respected so much made him feel.. right. He smiled, his eyes nearly shimmering as he watched Liar in admiration. The nuzzle was returned again and he found him swaying his own tail just like his dad had.
The second statement made him chuckle, grinning playfully and showing his teeth a bit though it was all to back up his father's words.
Before he got too far, he stopped.. an after thought occurring to him that made him twist his neck and look back to his father for a moment. He couldn't recall ever voicing it but, he wanted to make sure his father was aware.. you never knew when seeing someone would be your last, apparently.. and with all that Liar had been through, he wanted to make sure he knew this just in case he were ever to lose him, too.
"As I love you son." he flicked his ears happily. Now tonight he might be able to get some actual rest. Tomorrow he'd have to call a family meeting to discuss something with the lot of them. Something important, and it would probably change the course of all their lives.
TAGGED // YESH