How many days had it taken him to get here? One? Two? Maybe three? He had lost count of the days due to his frequent stops and dazed vision. His intentions had been to go home, but the closer he got to Seracia, the more his plans started to change. He needed to check on Chrysanthe, because he knew she would need his support now more then ever. His wounds were still fairly fresh, and it would take at least a week for them to completely heal. The stops were necessary, and through it his determination to see her again had fueled him. He nearly collapsed at the borders, but he kept going on until he knew he was safe again. Wobbly, shaky, and breathing heavily, the man would tip his skull back and call for Chrysanthe. He needed to let her know that he was back, and that he was alive. Her guilt and sadness, if she had any, could be lifted. Lips would seal as he would slowly sink toward the earth, allowing himself to relax for the first time in weeks beneath the suns satisfactory warmth.

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His call struck her as a ghost's would, haunting - because she knew not what his fate was. She worried for him, worried for all of the men that were trapped in Glaciem but his visage stuck with her. His amber orange gaze kept her from sleeping at times, sad and pained but so willing to be just where he was on her part. He had fought not for Valhalla, but for her - it was obvious, it made her stomach churn and her lips quiver. For how would the caring she felt for him ever equate to the love and loyalty he held to her for little to nothing in return? The woman would step toward the sound, her gaze wide, her heart filled with disbelief. Had he really found a way out of Glaciem? Had he been released? Had he fought? What would start as a slow, heavy walk would quickly turn into a sprint - she needed to know if Themisto was really there. If this was a trick, a lie, her guilt finally affecting her physically she would be sick - but in those moments that she ran, her feet barely touching the ground, there was hope.


"Themisto?!" She would call - only to come to a quick stop. Seeing him laying in the sunlight, he didn't seem real at first. The woman would blink, stepping forward with slight hesitance. But as she watched him, blinking, making sure that he didn't vanish as she opened her eyes again, she would see his heavy beathing and catch his fur glisten in the light - only for her lips to pull into a grin as she realized that he was indeed there. "Themisto, you're here. I-" She was at a loss for words, but she would step toward him, wanting to close the distance and and nuzzle his neck. "You're free?" Her question would hang in the air, the emotion seeming to pull the woman to a hault. If he was an escapee she would try to hide him, but perhaps there was hope for him being released from Glaciem's shackles.

Ears would perk forward as he heard someones footsteps only a few yards off. He assumed it was Chrysanthe, and when she came into view, his heart wasn't the only part of him that smiled. Ebony lips curled into a deep smile, stub of a tail wiggling from side to side as he barley contained his excitement. When she nuzzled his neck butterflies swarmed in his stomach, and of course, he nuzzled her back. After all, he never knew when he would be able to embrace her again. "Chrysanthe.." He would mummer in a mere whisper as she pulled away from him and began asking questions. He could see the disbelief plastered upon her face. Had she really doubted his escape that much? Sunset colored gaze would raise to meet her baby blue orbs in the same way that the sunset meets the ocean on the horizon. It was amazing how quickly she could stun him. "Yes, I am free. I was never meant to live the life of a prisoner." He would reply with a chuckle, hoping she would remember that wild spirit of his. "I fought the queen for my freedom, and I won." He would add, because surly she would ask how he had gotten himself free. He would not linger on that topic for much longer, because he was far more concerned with her than himself. He was free, and that was all that mattered. "Are you okay, Chrysanthe?" He would quickly change the subject and hop back to the real reason why he was here- her. She was all he cared about. Speech,

He would accept her touch, and a smile would slowly make her way onto her shocked face. Themisto was alright! He was here, and for the moment that would overpower the guilt and duty that she had in getting the other warriors back home. Right now she was glad to see the brute's face, happy to see him and feel him beside her - the way the siege had happened, she didn't see him enter the fray, didn't see him lose his battle, didn't see him leave with Glaciem or be dragged away. When she woke up he and the other warriors were gone - and she could only wonder what had happened to them and worry about their wellbeing.


But now Themisto was here, and he was free and she was so sorry - she had done nothing to be able to help him out and he had risked everything in order to help her. Yet she would continue to smile, continue to be happy because he was here and although he had injuries from his fight with their queen - the woman who had taken her eye no less! He had walked away the victor. "No you certainly were not." She would say gently in response to his chuckled statement, sitting beside him and letting herself relax somewhat. The amber eyed brute was a soothing presence to her, and that added to the relief in knowing that he was alright calmed her right down. It was his question that nearly counteracted that - because she didn't want him to worry about her anymore, it just wasn't fair to him. 'Don't ask me that question...' "I'm fine, Valhalla is recovering. We're going to move soon." Small talk didn't seem quite right while speaking with him, and she would pause, wondering why she felt so damn awkward.


"I missed you, I worried about you and I... I never should have left you in the North." Perhaps Isardis was right and she should have fought for him right then and there. Despite her healing injuries and lack of experience with this damn eye of hers, despite her weary feet from traveling so far so fast and her lack of sleep to try and get everything at least somewhat in order... were they all excuses? She just wasn't sure anymore... "I'm so glad you're here... you- you never stop surprising me you know? Glaciem's queen took my eye, and you beat her in a fight... Who would have thought you were an experienced warrior too." She would hum her last statement, her tail lazily drumming at the ground beside her.


"Have you been to Seracia yet?" It would be easier to stop here before heading home - but she imagined he would be quicker to see his family than anything else.

He would remain silent, waiting for her to say something or do something. He enjoyed sitting so close to her, it made the butterflies in his stomach squirm like crazy. Just her scent made his pelt stand on end and his cheeks burn. When she laughed he would laugh along with her, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as his sunset hued gaze never left hers. When she finished speaking, he would respond to each thing she said, allowing a few seconds pause between each sentence so that he didn't seem so eager to answer. "Moving Valhalla? What an... interesting idea. Where will you move it to? Isardis has a lot of women who could come looking for you if needed." He would add, though surly she had already realized that. "I missed and worried about you too Chrysanthe, and it wasn't your fault. If it means anything, Seracia didn't send for me at all." Ears would tip back when he said it, because they were his family, weren't they? And yet she was the first one to show up at the borders asking for his freedom, not even his own alpha. And they wondered why his loyalty was beginning to sway? He would chuckle when she said he surprised her, lips creasing into a beaming smile. "I'm glad to be here too, the north was too cold for my liking." He would say, and when she refereed to him being an experienced warrior, he would huff a manly grunt while pushing his weight onto his front legs, causing his muscle to tense so that she could see just how defined they really were. "Yeah, I've got some muscles hidden beneath this tough and manly exterior." He would say with a chuckle, obviously making a joke that he hoped they could both laugh at. Whither it be by chance or skill he had beaten the Glaciem queen, and that was all that mattered. He had won his freedom. When she mentioned Seracia he would relax back into a regular posture, lips creasing into a straight expression. "No, I have not. I was on my way there when I got out of Glaciem, but I figured I would come pay you a visit since you were the only one who came looking for me. He would state it again, not only because he couldn't believe that no one had come for him, but because it hurt his feelings. How could they have left him and Bronze there for two weeks? "I'll be heading back after this, I just had to let you know I was out, and I had to make sure you were okay. I never saw you during the war, so I could only guess what your fate had been." He would say before pausing for a second. "but you're a tough woman, so I wasn't too worried." He would add with a chuckle chasing his soft tones, stub of a tail wiggling happily behind them. Speech,

She would listen to him laugh, letting the moment flutter and calm before he spoke. His response was appreciated, there were many things that could go wrong with the move - but she felt it was the best thing to do. "They will find us, I'm sure. But when they do we'll be ready." The alpha was sure of at least that much - she had thought through defensive measures, and strategically speaking, an island was a good bet. They would see them coming before they hit the shore.



The woman would fall silent though, when he admitted to Seracia not coming for him. He had been stuck in Glaciem for a while, the fact that they had not contacted the ice king surprised her. Yet on the other hand... "You were my responsibility, you and Bronze and Pontifex... they didn't send for you because I'm the one that got you captured. You were fighting for Valhalla." They probably didn't want Seracia to be actively involved - as far as Glaciem knew, Seracia was neutral with them - and it was the smart thing to do to keep things that way. Yet... she had not done the smart thing in marching straight up to Glaciem and requesting a trade. She could have been killed up there... but she would do it again in a heartbeat. It was her duty as an alpha, she was to fight for those that were imprisoned if there was no other option... even if she should fail, should lose an eye, or worse.



Yet when she went there, when she saw him, she knew that it wasn't those feelings alone that brought her to Glaciem's doorstep. "But even if you weren't I still would have gone after you. And if you hadn't have gotten yourself out I would have fought for you." He was more than a soldier to her, he was a friend. She would smile when he mentioned the north, and grin as he puffed his chest up to look more manly. With a snicker she would nudge him with her shoulder, just hard enough for him to have to balance himself and deflate a bit. "Manly indeed." Although the woman would hold back her laughter, her tail would wag behind her.



"You know - we're moving south, it's never cold there." Oh if only she could take him with her. Although what scared her, was that if she asked him, he would probably do just that. "Thank you for coming Themisto." She always enjoyed his company. "I didn't lose as much as I could have. I consider myself lucky." The alpha would almost laugh, this eye of hers was a nuisance, but the more she lived with it, the easier it would be to make due with what she had. What would pull a touch of laughter from her, would be when her wagging tail brushed past his own stubby one. He was just too sweet.

Time seemed to fly by when he was at her side, she could easily entertain him. Everything about her grasped his attention, and in a way she toxic to his well being. Oh, if only he could go with her. He could imagine it now, laying on a warm beach with her at his side... only it wouldn't really be that way because it couldn't be that way. He was better off being a love sick puppy on another continent. "If only..." He would huff a sigh, but wouldn't dwell on the thought much longer. He would never leave Seracia despite how he felt about her. "You're welcome Chrysanthe. Should you ever need me again just call and I will be at your side.." He would respond, lips creasing into a soft smile. "And yes, we certainly are lucky." He would chuckle softly in response. Crimson would shade his ivory cheeks as her tail brushed against his, the sudden sensation causing his stub to wiggle harder. Just her touch could send shock waves down his spine. He would turn his head more so that he could face her better, wanting his nose to align with hers. Sunset colored orbs desired to stare into her cerulean gaze for just a few moments, his mind racing as three words threatened to bubble to the surface. He needed to get it out, just tell her how he felt so that he could have closure. Salmon colored tongue would caress soft lips before his mouth would open, words spilling before he could stop them. "Chrysanthe, I-" He would manage to stop himself, his mouth still open and only those words hanging in the air. Jaws would click shut as he looked away from her and remained silent as he scolded himself. How could he think it would be so simple? The words could never be said, and so they wouldn't. Too many things would change. "I should be going. I'm sure Seracia is expecting me any day now." He would pick up as if that was what he meant to say, but surly she had already seen the truth in his eyes. She knew him well enough by now to see it. He wouldn't move despite what he said, the queen may have more to discuss with him, and he didn't want to be rude. He always enjoyed her company, but it was hard with so many boundaries and worries. Speech,