The past few seasons had been difficult. Rewarding and infuriating at the same time. The Dame had never been one to annoy easily, but it seemed just when she thought she had gotten comfortable in a pack, an earthquake had her running for the hills. Now she was returning with her father, who she thought long dead, to a pack she wasn't sure had survived the ailments that had recently plagued Alacritis.

The land didn't look much different but the scent...it seemed that the blood epidemic had indeed touched Tortuga. Why had she been gone so long to have missed one of the most vital moments of her pack? Claws of fear clutched at her belly as she reached the borders of her homeland. Was Roman still alive? Qanik? Gossamer?

With one worried glance at the supporting male figure behind her, she lifted her maw and howled for any authority that what answer, hoping to see Roman's tribal marked face greeting her soon.

His nerves were like ice, coursing through his muscles and taking hold on his heart. He could not have been happier to have finally found his lost daughter after so long apart, but it was bittersweet. Now he was away from his homeland, following her into the unknown to who knew what?
Roman, the Tortugan alphess, had been the victim of rape by none other than his own son. He had not felt greater shame in his life. Even without that horrible piece of information, he would have to face Qanik. Oh, Qanik....
The alabaster temptress had not left his mind since his escape from the great earth quake. He hoped she had fared well, and that she would understand his purpose for leaving. He had never meant to be gone so long. For the sake of the gods, he was on the verge of telling the dame his true feelings.
Tortuga would be a new and confusing life for him, but he supposed that life with his family and surrounded by the ones he loved would be better than sitting in wait for his pack to either triumph or shatter into pieces. Besides, Melody insisted he stay away, despite his urges for her to follow him to Valhalla.
He didn't like the way she was looking back at him, as if he were about to fall on a rock and break a hip. Hadnt she known the trials he had been through? He had more life experience than she had in her left ear. Yet he knew she was only concerned about losing him again. Like he would ever let that happen again.
Ah, the Tortugan border. They had reached their destination and already Flamesong was jittery. Just when he was about to tilt back his head into a howl for the alphess, Melody parted her jowls and released her own beautiful tones. Flamesong couldnt help but smile; apparently her name had been appropriate.

She was miserable, but steadily recovering from her illness. She had slowly been getting back into the swing of things, with Qanik being named Praetor- it had helped her tremendously. When the call of a familiar wolf rang through the land, the lake where that wolf had first been accepted into Tortuga, Roman froze. Lifting her head, from the surface of the water, she looked about herself, before heading towards the border. Melody had returned? Where had the girl been? Moving at a trot, she thanked her lucky stars- that even though she was pregnant, she wasn't near showing yet. How embarrassing, it would be, to have her fat stomach flopping around. She dreaded... the coming weeks where her pregnancy would be evident for everyone to gawk at. How ghastly that would be! As she made her approach to the border, her violet eyes came to rest on the earthy tones of Melody- tones that reminded her of Fugue, of Ebony. She slowed, pushing those dark thoughts away, a slightly warm smile pulling at her jaws. "Melody!" She exclaimed, before going on. "I had feared we had lost you. Welcome home." Her eyes landed on the other stranger- and she tilted her head. Was this Melody's mate? "I am Roman Armada, and you are?" Her tone to him was slightly more reserved but the relief in knowing Melody was safe, was evident. If Melody had brought him, surely he wasn't a threat. Speech,

Melody's eyes brightened considerably as the glowing face of her friend and Alphess appeared on the horizon. It had been a while yes, but were Melody's eyes deceiving her? The pale woman looked to be more mature, something different about the way she stood before her. Convincing herself that she was imagining the changes, the russet girl rushed forward to greet Roman.

"I am so happy to see that you are alright, Roman! I had feared that I was lost myself after the quake drove me off, but then I found my father."

A huge weight was lifted from the lady's shoulders as she turned her frame towards the man behind her. Roman was okay...and the pack was still intact. Perhaps now all they needed was a small miracle for Flamesong, a Valhallan, to be let into the pack.

"This is Flamesong Ethereo, my long lost father who has apparently been living in Valhalla since my arrival in Tortuga. "

Her head bowed respectfully to the queen then, formalities not forgotten when introducing a stranger to a royal. She knew that Flamesong was not a troublemaker, yet something told her his background might effect the daughter of glaciem's lord.

"It is my wish that you allow him into your pack to serve, my queen."

Amber eyes would assess the alabaster queen as she approached, greeting his daughter with the excitement that he too had shown when seeing her again for the first time. The silver man dipped his head to the lady upon her approach. He had not yet had the chance to introduce himself before his daughter spoke for him. Slightly embarrassed, Flamesong lifted his eyes to chastise Melody and was distracted instead by the appearance of the queen.

It seemed her face had a slight glow to it, her amethyst eyes sparkling with a light that was unusual to most wolves. The lady wasn't showing yet, but she was pregnant. A soft smile grew on his face as the thought wrapped around his brain. Pups. Wouldn't it be so great to be around pups again?

Since Flamesong knew better than to question a queen about her pregnancy, he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and greeted her with every sign of respect.

"Roman Armada, milady of Tortuga. As my daughter so boldly stated, my name is Flamesong Ethereo and I would be honored to be a part of your pack. I hope you do not allow familial ties to judge our actions; my son..." He could not even speak his name any longer. This poor woman. She seemed so strong, and after what his son had done? She was a better wolf than many.

"What my son did to you was unspeakably wrong. He was always a troublesome child but I never would have thought..." He felt like a fool, apologizing to this woman he had never met, trying to make excuses for the inexcusable. His eyes burned bright with anger and disappointment, remembering hearing straight from his son what had transpired.

"I just want you to know, milady. That Fugue is no longer. He has passed from us. It seems the gods have finally punished him for his misdeeds, if it provides you any clarity. There isn't a day that passes where I do not wish I could have been there to father him, and steer him from his ways." His apologies were hardly appropriate, but he had to personally confront his sons victim. To see where she was now was a relief and a horror all its own. To think he had given that boy life...it was a true shame.

As Melody rushed towards her, she took in the ecstatic girls words with a gentle wave of her tail, and soft words. "I am glad you are unharmed." She murmured. Melody moved to quickly introduce Roman to her father. Ah, her father, and not her mate. She introduced him as Flameson Ethero, and Roman's eyes widened slightly. Surely this wasn't the same Flamesong that Erani had spoken of. This would require a conversation with Qanik... before Roman merely accepted him. She owed her Praetor that much. She smiled in greeting at the male, as he stepped up and began to speak. He reintroduced himself, and she smiled warmly- nodding. He went to speak, asking not to be judged by familial ties, and her expression grew confused. What on earth was he talking about? She glanced at Melody, and something finally clicked. Melody looked so much like Fugue- the wolf who had raped her. She always knew that she was similar to another but she wasn't sure who. With Flamesong's words, her smile slowly faded, her heart growing heavy. Would everything always be a constant reminder of that day? Her ears flattened as her father apologized for his son, and she wondered if it would be rude to silence him. As she was about too- he spoke again, this time explaining that Fugue was now dead. Where as one wolf may have felt joy- she felt sick. She looked away from the pair, letting out a slow breath, before her violet gaze drifted back to Flamesong. "I forgave your son nearly a season ago. I have no reason to hold his actions against you- or Melody." Her voice was soft, but clipped. This wasn't a conversation that she felt like having. Wasn't she just getting a new start? "Fugue was a member of the Ebony pack, and when I was there on a meeting with the Queen, we spoke. He apologized profusely. I forgave him." She explained slightly, feeling like she owed that much to the father Fugue. Would everyone always see her as a victim? Would all of Alacritis learn what a fool she had been made into? Speech,

The tri - colored queen could not help but feel uneasy as her father went on to speak openly about her brother. Had it been such a long trip that the man had lost all of his good sense? Her ears flattened in embarrassment as she watched her queen stiffen at the mention of his name. Her golden eyes sent darts in Flamesongs' direction.

"I assure you, my queen, he means no ill will to you. We only found out days ago, and it was not out of my power to kill the man myself upon hearing." The woman continued to be ashamed and embarrassed of the situation. She sat then, curling her amber tail around her paws. She could hear the way her tone changed as she told the pair that she had forgiven Fugue nearly a season ago. Melody nodded and tried to hold back a quiver of gratitude.

Fugue may have been a monster at one point, but to say he was a monster for choosing to confront his victim and apologize...that must have taken a lot of strength. She could not hold him guilty for not setting things straight before his passing. In the end, he had truly been troubled and it troubled Melody the more she thought about it. Perhaps what needed to happen now was not to dwell on the subject.

When the queen finished speaking, Melody would meet her amethyst eyes for only an instant before taking a deep breath and speaking once again. "But the past is the past, and it is all finished now." Her eyes darted again to her father, meeting the amber pair of eyes and sternly before continuing. "We need not dwell on the actions of others when we can make the day worthwhile right here and now."

She turned her gaze again to the queen, straightening herself out and trying to look as positive as she could.

"It has been a long journey my queen. If I could just find a place for my father to rest, even outside of Tortugan borders, it would be a blessing." She smiled then, looking to Flamesong and indicating that the conversation about Fugue was over.

Qanik

in defense of the innocent

Qanik had heard a somewhat familiar voice call from the border, and it took a moment for her to register it and recall where she'd heard it from before. Melody, one of the members who had joined immediately after Roman took Tortuga. Qanik had neither seen nor found any traces of her for quite some time, so it was a bit of a surprise to hear her now. She changed her course to bring her toward the call. She was most of the territory away hunting, so it would take some time for her to get there. Undoubtedly Roman would already have gotten there by that time, but she had to admit some curiosity as to where Melody had been all this time and so she turned that way anyway.

Slowing to approach at a walk as she got closer, her ears caught the sounds of voices - Melody's and Roman's. But a third voice rang out as well, and Qanik came to a sudden stop. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. Could that possibly... Flamesong?

She could barely hear over the pounding of blood in her ears, but what she did hear made her blood run cold. Fugue... the bastard who'd raped Roman... was Flamesong's... son? Flamesong... not dead. She'd simply been abandoned, her affections rejected. Her denim-blue eyes closed over eyes as filled with pain as if she'd been bitten, but when they opened again they were clear. All the hurt she'd suffered believing Flamesong dead or uncaring all these months, all the pain, all hidden behind a calm and cool mask as she stepped out to join Roman. Pain could wait. She needed to be... something not herself. The second in command, the queen Roman had asked her to be. Something regal, not hurt. Something strong, not drowning in misery.

Her eyes passed coolly over Melody - this certainly explained why she was so familiar when Qanik first met her - and over Flamesong - though a flicker of the pain she felt momentarily broke through her gaze - and passed to Roman. She summoned a smile for her alpha, her friend. Calm. Cool. Collected. "Roman," she greeted. She was glad to hear her voice come out normally, not shaking as she'd expected. "I see our wayward song has returned with company."

Her gaze traveled once more to the pair. "It's good to see you again, Melody. Flamesong - how is Erani doing?" Her voice was distant, polite as she might be with a stranger who had shown no aggression. She would not let this be a problem. No. No problem.



speech.

cowardice is the only sin

The silver male nodded as his daughter chastised him for speaking up. A wave of guilt passed over him as the pale queen became visibly uncomfortable speaking to him. His eyes clouded and he felt the need to apologize himself, but it seemed too inappropriate. Instead he only nodded in agreement with Melody's statement about the past. She was right. So much like her mother...

He was just about to open his maw to protest the need for rest when a familiar scent reached him on the wind. Was that...Qanik? She was alive? Immediately his eyes brightened and his ears perked in her direction, and sure enough he could soon see her walking towards the small group. He wanted to leap for joy, to run and meet her in an embrace, but the man knew better than to cross foreign borders, especially in front of the queen. So he waited instead, hardly able to keep his tail from wagging in elation at her presence.

The alabaster beauty reached the group with no problem, but something was off about her. Was she...sick? There was something in her blue eyes that was cold and unforgiving. Flamesong took a step back and assessed her with s worried look on his features.

She asked him casually about Erani and how she was faring and the man could hardly believe his ears. Amber eyes would squint in confusion as he answered her question.

"Erani was faring well last we spoke, yet she is currently being challenged for her throne. Melody thought it would be best for me to follow her to her homepack until the challenge has ended." Forgetting all others around him, Flamesong could not break his gaze from that of the woman he had come to love.

"Qanik...why are you so distant, love?" He couldn't bear to see her acting that way, like they were strangers once more. Had what they been through truly meant nothing to her?

Melody spoke next- and Roman's ears trained on the girl, taking in her words, as she scolded her father for speaking. She let out a sigh. "It's fine. Don't worry about it." She bite out, giving a half-hearted smile to Flamesong. It wasn't his fault she was pregnant and hormonal. Her head lifted, as she heard the approach of another- Qanik it would be. At the Queen's words, Roman nodded slowly. "Indeed she has." She would murmur. Then if possible the situation would get weirder. As Qanik addressed Flamesong, she would merely blink, her eyes growing slightly wide as the male spoke to her. This was Flamesong. The Flamesong Erani had spoken about. She stepped back slightly, clear to let the conversation between Qanik and Flamesong be between them. Though she stood close to her Queen, offering as much moral support as she could, all the while her violet eyes darting between the pair. It was only fair to let the two chat, wasn't it? Speech,

And now, a gif to express Roman's mental reaction to this.

Golden eyes would widen as Qanik approached. A smile instantly found itself across her features, happy to see her father with the woman he couldn't seem to stop talking about. She was glad it was Qanik. She had never known her mother well, but had heard many stories about her. Flamesong knew how to pick the best.

Yet as the Dame approached, there was no embrace, no tears of happiness, only a cold and formal greeting. It took all of her strength to keep her jaw from dropping open. Obviously, there was a lot more going on here then she had expected. Her ears flattened in sympathy for her father and for the kind woman he had seem to hurt.

Melody listened to their short exchange of words and turned her gaze to Roman, wondering if there was something she had missed. Had Qanik found another in his absence? He would be so heartbroken if she had moved on...

The tri colored Dame convinced herself that this as a battle only her father could fight. She just inched herself closer to him and pressed her pelt against his side for support.

OOC: Sorry if it's a little confusing, it took me forever to write this post and I lost track of what I was writing a couple times.

Qanik

in defense of the innocent

Though apparently confused by her demeanor, Flamesong answered her question about Erani. It took her a moment to register his words, caught as she was between hurt and an uncharacteristic anger. What right did he have to be confused that she might have changed in his absence? How long had he been gone? Where had he been? What had he done? And he thought he could just take up where he left off with her being no different than before? But his words were important enough to pierce through her pain. "I am sorry to hear that Erani must face a challenge," she murmured sincerely. "I hope she does her pack justice."

She marveled that her voice remained cool and steady despite the hot liquid that burned in her chest. This whole thing was a nightmare. Leave me to grieve in peace, her heart cried to the man, who couldn't hear and therefore stubbornly remained there instead of fading into nothingness. Distant, stranger. Not a problem. "As far as I am concerned you are welcome here as long as need be, but that is of course up to my queen." She turned her muzzle toward Roman, vaguely surprised to see that she had backed off slightly as though to give them room to talk. When had she done that?

Flamesong spoke more, though, and her attention swung back to him as her heart cracked into jagged pieces. He would call her love? As though nothing had changed? You left me! her heart screamed. She had been right to be cautious with her heart, it seemed, for with her appearance she had nothing to offer someone to hold their love. But she had her dignity, and she would sweep the shards of her heart beneath the rug for her to deal with later. It would be her own private hell, and no one else needed to see. "It has been a long time, Flamesong," she answered in as smooth a voice as she could manage. "Everything changes. Sometimes it's necessary to adapt." I mourned for you her heart snarled.

Her voice may be smooth, but her soul was quaking. If she didn't leave, she would snap. Turning her head to Roman, she excused herself as gracefully as possible. "I must go... I only stopped to make sure you didn't need help. I told Shay I would be meeting him at his den; I need to speak with him about the issue he seems to have with squirrels," she said, inventing a quick excuse in as humorous a way as she could to hide the pain. It was true, she did need to speak with him about forcefeeding the little rodents his herbal concoctions again, but it could have waited and she had not in fact said she would be meeting him anywhere, but to make it so her excuse was not a lie she would track him down. The strange scarred male had no real grasp of emotion and would be unlikely to even notice her own unstable state.

Even now she was a little too regal, a little too composed, the mask held in place by sheer stubbornness even as panic and hurt threatened to engulf her. "Please excuse me," she spoke equally to all, over-sized paws turning her to walk away before something happened to make it all worse.

- exit Qanik -




speech.

cowardice is the only sin

Pain. Anger. Confusion.

What was she even talking about? Necessary to adapt? Yes, it had been a long time, but how could she treat him so? Amber eyes would watch as the lady departed back into her territory, his paws itching to chase her and his mind knowing to stay put. Where was she going? How could she even...?

Silver face would give no effort in masking the emotions that would cross his features. Didn't she know what he had been through to even come back to Tortuga? Had she lost every bit of heart that he had seen in her those many times they had been together? Who was this woman who so boldly tred upon his heart and took off with it between her jaws? The man didn't even know what to say.

His vision was clouded, and suddenly he noticed the Tortugan queen and his daughter standing closeby.He turned his face to them and tried to steady his racing heart.

"Excuse me, I need to..." In his minds eye, he saw her face, avoiding his gaze and hiding behind an emotionless mask. Her eyes, distant and cold, were burning into his psyche, confusing his already addled brain. The man took a shaky step back and shook his head.

"I must rest, if you will excuse me, milady." His head would dip to the lady. Even in this state, the man would never forget his courtesy. Twin blazes would search for his daughter, and in finding her the man would open his maw. Words would not escape his parted jaws, and he allowed his mouth to close again. He was simply lost, the only stars in sight were those found in the eyes of his beloved. How could she have been so cold...