Azalea was getting closer and closer to being due. Due... Mentally she recoiled at the thought. Her sides were swollen, brushing against foliage that in her eyes was no where near her. It was disgusting, she was literally her own continent. \ Each step saw her gaze clouded with unhappiness. She was just so... so much. The extra weight was a burden that she did not enjoy in the last and not for the first time she cured Isardis' name. "Dirty, no good, rotten, piece of shit." Her mind rambled on for a good few minutes as she traveled toward the borders of Seracia. Despite being glad to be home, she wanted to go see her other beloved aunt, Epiphron. The Seracian Queen had long since seen Azalea, surely she knew that she had given up her freedom for that of Pip's King's brother. Bad news always traveled quickly. Ears flattened to her skull as the little white and auburn planet paused upon the border, jaws parting to let out a deep howl. She was seeking the company of aunt because honestly, Azalea was feeling a little emotional right now. Pregnancy really didn't suit her. A wolf already so driven by emotion? Her anger had been taken by a deep sadness as she thought of her Valhallan family. In shambles.

It had been nearly a season since she had seen her niece, and oh how in the dark the Queen of Seracia was. Though her brother had visited her, had made her promises that she had all but begged him to see to, he had quite convenient left out many of the details. Never had she expected her brother to be a messenger, no; her sister was much more suited to inform her of what exactly had occurred during the siege, and -- quite frankly -- Epiphron was in no position to be traveling to Valhalla. As her kin's alarmingly familiar call sounded out across the vast lands, Epiphron moved quickly. The girl's stomach would churn, her mind reeling at the possibilities. Once, she would have been overjoyed to see those faces she missed so terribly these last few weeks, but now the arrival of even her darling brother had filled her with worry and uncertainty. In such grim times, wolves did not travel alone to simply have reunions, to bring merry news -- except perhaps Syrinx, who had seemed quite a bit less stressed than she. A light laugh would leave her lips, a bitter sound, leaving her parted jaws in a puff of white smoke as her warm breath hit the frigid winter air. Even in Seracia, the winter was unforgiving and cruel. As her niece came into view, Epiphron's eyes would narrow as she approached. It was surprising to see her at all, let alone to see that she was pregnant. And oh, how pregnant -- certainly no more than a few weeks away. Her tail would curl above her back, a perfect arch, but not before giving one fond sweep behind her. "Do my eyes deceive me?" She would inquire loudly, her voice laced with a vague eagerness -- oblivious to the girl's situation. And yet there was a hesitance audible in her tones, for her niece had never struck her as the kind to want children. "You, my dear niece, are a sight for sore eyes." Perhaps it was a bit more warm than she usually tended to act toward Azalea, but it had been awful lately wondering what exactly had happened to her family -- who had been injured, who might be dead. Quietly the Queen would slip forth to embrace the girl, truly grateful for her visit.

When Epiphron came into view, Azalea stood jaw gaping as she looked at her aunt. It seemed Azalea was not the only one carrying a can of worms. Her heart sputtered sickly in her chest, unable to feel happy to see Pip carrying yet another litter. She would never say it to her aunt, but what a broodmare she seemed to be becoming. "Do my eyes deceive me?" The she-wolf pulled an ear back, unsure to what her aunt inquired about. But Epiphron seemed to ignore her grotesquely robust form and kept her eyes on her face. "You, my dear niece, are a sight for sore eyes." Azalea smiled weakly, putting off her unease by taking a seat. Her plus tail straight out behind her. "It has always been too long, Epiphron." Her tone was warm as well, always happy to see the white female with her distinct trio of spots. "But I am a sight for no eyes." Her tone changed, becoming darker and she grimaced slightly. "How are things here? Valhalla is... a mess. The healers have never been so busy, at least I know better than to stir the pot. Erani might eat me!" She shifted her weight, unable to get comfortable with all the extra pounds. "Not that I'm capable of causing much more trouble than I already have. I'm pretty sure I didn't make any friends by saving Gideon from Glaciem." Her amused tone turned bleak and she stared through Epiphron, not really seeing her. "My worst fear right now is that after they are born, Isardis will lay waste to Valhalla to get them." Azalea spoke as though Epiphron knew all, unaware of what she really knew and what was news. Speech,

Azalea was certainly not alone in dreading the birth of her children, but if only she knew just how different the two scenarios were. Quietly she would watch her niece with obvious interest. The warmth that shone in her eyes was genuine, so different from the facade of politeness that she bore around most of Seracia. A few of them had certainly earned her respect, but for the most part, much of her kindness was feigned -- though she had no ill intentions towards them; in her eyes she was not at all fake, but a rather effective Queen. Nothing like her sister, and nothing like her father, but she tried daily to live up to the legacy of Cairo. Her niece seemed as surprised as she, and a laugh would escape her lips, oblivious to the dark confessions that would leave Azalea's lips shortly. Slowly she would recline before her sister, briefly fighting the urge to lower herself to the ground and roll to her side. Nothing was very comfortable when children grew in your womb. Sapphire gaze would watch as her expression hardened, and her head would dip slightly as she waited. The news was overwhelming and she wondered idly why she had not questioned Syrinx further. But he had gone quickly, and she sighed as her niece spoke. "My brother visited me," she admitted. "But he has claimed the Amenti pack as his own, and he so kindly neglected to fill me in on what happened during the siege." If only Azalea had come first -- or even better, Chrysanthe. But she was not surprised that none of them had come. Tending to their wounded warriors and staying close by home was, for now, more important than bringing the news to the Kingdom of Seracia, even they were their closest ally. "Did Valhalla lose any warriors?" She knew Bronze and Themisto had been taken, but there had still been no sight of Pontifex. She could only hope he was recovering in Valhalla with the rest. "What do you mean, saving Gideon?" Her eyes grew curious, losing some of the warmth that had lingered in them upon first seeing her niece. What kind of trouble could she have gotten in by saving Gideon? And the next sentence, said far too casually, made her breath catch in her throat. "What do you mean, Az? Tell me they are not his children.."

Epiphron joined in her sitting and seemed to wave off Azalea's negative comment about herself. Her aunt seemed to soak up the younger girl's words but Azalea took little notice until her aunt spoke. So Syrinx had come here and told her the news? Of course his claiming Amenti would be the most important, Valhalla becoming secondary. It would seem that the Seracian Queen had been left out of the loop. Of a different pack or not, Pip was a still an Adravendi as she would always be. Valhalla was still her home, it could never cease to be so. "Did Valhalla lose any warriors?" Azalea thought for a moment and then nodded. "One." Her voice was quiet, thoughtful as she pictured the wolf in her mind. "Lovatt." Azalea honestly wasn't sure how many Valhallans were now residing in the North, how many Seracians. "What do you mean, saving Gideon?" Epiphron's voice was laced with curiosity that threw Azalea off but her words were overlaid by her own. "What do you mean, Az? Tell me they are not his children.." Her amber eyes looked to her aunt and grew wider for a moment before she calmed and drew more reserved. "You know much less than you should." Her mouth fixed in a funny line as she tried to figure where to begin. "After Gideon was claimed by Glaciem I traded myself for his freedom... like usual I acted without thinking about the long term. Well not even the long term, you could say, cause I came into season pretty fast. And, well, who goes into heat in the north and doesn't get knocked up by the Ice King? She snorted. "Isardis got Liberty. She's doing well for herself in the north, actually. When the siege started I escaped, they left so few wolves behind who cared to watch. So then, here I am." She shifted again, lip twitching to show her agitation with her discomfort. "And now, I'm a fucking whale who can never get comfortable and I'm moody and I'm hungry and I'm just so angry." She stretched her toes. As she calmed back down, Azalea met Epiphron's gaze almost shyly. "I haven't told anyone... but... when I feel them it gives me butterflies. Happy butterflies." There was the shadow of a smile before she frowned. "But then I remember they're no more an Isardis' leeches, hardly worthy of any hint of love. And I also think of what comes next and I just want to puke."

Ah, if only she could read Azalea's mind -- thinking of her aunt as a mere bearer of children. If only she knew how bitter she was over over her second pregnancy; if only she understood what a vast distance it had drawn between Maverick and herself. Oh, how she would love the children that grew inside her, how she would train them and cherish them and groom them into future Kings and Queens, if only they would let her. She had given her all to her first litter, but for her second, she would give even more. Only one had been lost, but he had been a loyal and valued member of Valhalla. It was a shame, but Epiphron couldn't help but feel grateful it was not a family member. Quietly she would bow her head, eyes briefly closing in a solemn memorial to the fallen warrior. "Truly a shame," she mused aloud, shaking her head slowly. Azalea's words were alarming, and she felt her fur bristling in anger. "Azalea Adravendi, the heir to the Valhallan throne, trading herself for my sister's whore of a husband?" Her words were harsh, something she would never in her wildest dreams say to her sister. "I never knew you to be so honorable." Her words were spat suddenly, a sudden rush of irritation flooding her. Her eyes narrowed as she considered the choice Azalea had made. Honor was certainly a fine trait, but for Epiphron -- self-preservation and family loyalty outweighed honor. Perhaps her niece was more morally sound than herself, but she couldn't help but wish she had not made such a choice. "You are more valuable than he to Valhalla.." Her words would falter as she realized her anger was unwarranted, and would not change the outcome of what had become of her niece. Slowly her shoulders would lift in a slow shrug, adjusting her gaze to fix on Azalea's face once again. Not only were two - possibly three - wolves taken by Glaciem, but Liberty as well. And it seemed inevitable that the Glaciem King would come to retrieve the children he had sired. Her gaze would soften, though she longed to scold and snarl at her niece for what she saw as such an unwise decision. "It will be over soon," she assured her, shifting closer to the younger woman. "Childbirth is awful -- and you'll probably wish you were dead. But it truly, surprisingly, is rewarding. Do not think of them as Isardis's; you will be the one that will bring them into the world." The father's role was vital, albeit minimal compared to the sacrifice of the woman who carried them. "You should try to love them. The funny thing about children, Azalea, is how much influence you have over them. They are blank slates. They will develop on their own, but you have great influence over how they become." It was true, and Epiphron knew they would not grow like their father unless influenced by him.

"Truly a shame," Azalea nodded too, though her face remained devoid of emotion. The death of a pack mate meant less to her than it should. From what she understood, he had been taken largely unaware by Isardis himself. It was a shame but it wasn't sad to Azalea.

"Azalea Adravendi, the heir to the Valhallan throne, trading herself for my sister's whore of a husband?" These next words quite startled Azalea with their ferocity, her eyes growing wide as her body tensed to push her away from the ground. She remained seated however, reminding herself that Epiphron was not a threat to her. Words and nothing more. "I never knew you to be so honorable." Her ears pulled back, the fur rising on her shoulders to show her unease.

"You are more valuable than he to Valhalla.." Her aunt's words left Azalea speechless. Gideon was a whore? Her head tipped slightly. Just who had her darling aunt Chrysanthe fallen in love with?

"It will be over soon," Epiphron's words calmed her some but still her toes dug into the ground below them, working continuously to alleviate the stress ball Pip had thrown down her throat. "Childbirth is awful -- and you'll probably wish you were dead. But it truly, surprisingly, is rewarding. Do not think of them as Isardis's; you will be the one that will bring them into the world." The first line was enough to make Azalea feel a deep rooted tingle in her spine, working from her tail up to her shoulders and making her roll them as her face contorted to show just how exactly Azalea felt about all of it. It hadn't occurred to her though to think of the puppies as hers. They were a curse, set upon her by the blackest of souls. A prescription to kill her. And maybe she would die while bringing them into the world. That wouldn't be so bad, especially if they went with her.

She had so much to live for, though.

"You should try to love them. The funny thing about children, Azalea, is how much influence you have over them. They are blank slates. They will develop on their own, but you have great influence over how they become." She snorted. "I hardly have the sense to be allowed to influence children." She was a fool, a big one. She always messed up, did the wrong thing. How could she be expected to raise puppies into fine young wolves? How had she so stupidly let her childhood be ripped away so swiftly?

"Oh, and its Epsilon. Gael is Heir now." Her tone was rather flat, on one hand happy her brother had been given the spot but on the other hand childishly bitter to have lost it in the first place.

Nothing was right, and part of Epiphron longed to be back in Valhalla, with things returned to how they had been just a year ago. The meeting between the two kin was far too somber for her liking, but it was impossible to show much other than anger and foreboding; nothing was going right, nothing was going as planned. Her sudden burst of anger had been unwarranted, and she relaxed her tense muscles as soon as she saw the surprise that became visible on Azalea's features. "I didn't mean it like that..." she would begin, gaze averting from her niece's own to shift to the distance. Though the thought of Gideon left a bad taste in her mouth, her disliking of him was not exactly on the verge of hating him -- and she had spoken before thinking. "Forgive me. I guess if I had the chance, I'd sooner offer him up to the Glaciem King than you..." Her words were soft and somewhat teasing, and she would force a smile onto her lips. Azalea's disgust at the entire thing was all too obvious, and she shifted to gaze upon her face again. "You are an Adravendi," she would remind her firmly. "This will not be the end of you. I promise." Valhalla would forever protect her, and her children -- and so would Seracia, if she had any say in it. She could only pray silently that Isardis would not come for them and try to claim them as his own. Even if Azalea felt unfit to care for them, she hoped they would somehow remain within Valhalla. "How are your parents?" She would ask abruptly, truly curious. "I won't lie, Azalea -- I have never wished that my father was alive so badly." Everything was going wrong, and she felt incapable of helping anyone, including herself.

Epiphron apologized and Azalea sighed, accompanying it with a light shrug. She didn't know what to make of Pip's words. Honestly, Azalea knew nothing of the red coated king but it seemed that her aunt knew enough about him to find good reason to hand him over to Isardis if needed. Unfortunately Isardis had little use for males, she saw that now. "You are an Adravendi," Epiphron's words were firmly rooted and gave Azalea strength. "This will not be the end of you. I promise." She nodded sharply. Yes, she was an Adravendi. She would be strong, she had to be. It was in her blood. Azalea so badly wished that she were a stronger wolf. Fuller built and taller would be nice too. "How are your parents?" The change of subject took her off guard but she quickly righted herself. "Well. Of course mom had a huge fit. Father, Collision... he killed Vixe. My friend from Glaciem. You know, in the fighting." She didn't know what had provoked the death match. "I won't lie, Azalea -- I have never wished that my father was alive so badly." Azalea met her aunt's gaze. "Change comes regardless of who rules. And not all change is good. We have to look to the future though, right? There is always hope."

Though pleased to see her niece, her expression would remain somber at best. To know that the northern King had spread his seed, to a Valhalla woman no less, was nothing less than nauseating and distressing. A sigh that mirrored Azalea's own would slip from her lips; she would straighten her posture, attempting to gather herself. There had been no need to insult her sister's husband, though she would not stand to lie and claim that she approved of Azalea's sacrifice for Gideon. Epiphron watched as Azalea took her words, nodding as though she found herself feeling assured. Finding strength was never easy, but it was always possible, even in the worst of times. She was grateful her adoptive brother and his mate were fine -- Soleil had been unwell for some time, and Collision was prone to being a bit distant, as though lost within his own world. And yet they were well; Collision had even killed a Glaciem wolf. She would eye Azalea warily, searching for a reaction, but finding no outward sign of how she felt about her friend's death. "Indeed, there is always hope," she would return with a faint smile, a genuine expression that danced over her lips so subtly it was hardly visible for more than a fleeting moment. "Come with me and stay the night, if you will. Just promise me that you won't give birth while you're staying in my den." It was all in jest; but she would certainly prefer for Azalea to be at home under Erani's watchful eye during the birth of her children.

Pip remained largely silent, watching Azalea and gauging her reactions. "Indeed, there is always hope," Her aunt would say.

"Come with me and stay the night, if you will. Just promise me that you won't give birth while you're staying in my den." Azalea snorted, though a bit put on edge internally. "No, I really don't know that I'm that close... At least I hope not." Fear struck her gaze but was gone just a quickly though the worry failed to go away. Birthing was becoming less of a nasty affair and more of a terrifying affair the closer she got to it.

It was hard to avoid the unavoidable, after all. She stood then, content to follow her aunt as she had once followed Maverick.