He stood at the border and marveled at the change that kept him from crossing. At one point this had been home and he had come and gone as he pleased, but Arcanum was no longer his. Respect kept his toes from straying too close to the forbidden line. Valentine didn't think his mother would mind his presence too much, but she was as keen on respect as he was so he would give it where it was due. Sinking to his haunches, the brute sent up a long, low call for Cataleya. An icy blast of winter wind tore through his coat and sent fingers of cold raking down his side. Goosebumps rose as the damp moor air settled across him like a wet blanket. His ears flattened. Alright, so, there were somethings about the Arcanum that he wouldn't miss. This sickly, heavy damp air was one of them. There was much to discuss, many things to catch up on, and Valentine was excited at the prospect. "Speaking" "Thinking"

His voice rang out like a beckon, summoning her without hesitation. It had been so long since she had spent anytime with her only son. She had seen him in a fleeting moment when she had defeated the white bitch and brought the nearly dead pup home. A smile would curl her lips as she thought back to her peculiar victory over the woman. But she would push it aside, weaving a path towards the border. She had not expected to find her son within the moor, she thought he had rarely visited this place, spending most of his days in the plains. But it appeared as though she was wrong. She would find him standing at the border, waiting respectfully to be invited in. A grin curled her lips as she approached, not stopping as she aimed to press her nose to his cheek. Winter had set in, leaving his flesh cool to the touch. Her heat continued to ravage her body, sated only briefly. It was still unknown to the queen that she was, in fact, pregnant yet again. "It's been far to long." She would murmur soft words, peering up at him, a smirk settling on her face. ""

Like a phantom she appeared out of the mist, ghosting up to him and pressing her nose against his cheek in greeting. He returned the gesture, his head tilting to the side and pressing against hers in a pseudo hug. Leaning back, he scrutinized her face warmly.  "Indeed it has." A soft smile on his lips, he teased, "I've had not one, not two, but three packs come to me wanting to know if Imperium is a threat." His smile widened, "I figured there had to be a reason for their fear. " Who better to ask than the Queen of Conflict herself? If there was one wolf in all of Alacritia who every pack knew and feared, it was Cataleya.  Wicked amusement brightened his features and gave them a hawkish twist.  "I don't suppose you know anything about that, do you?" "Speaking" "Thinking"

He would return her affection with ease, the strain of their relationship put behind them. She wouldn't deny the fact that she enjoyed this new chapter to their mother/son relationship. Perhaps being on his own, and having others depend on him was a good thing, good for him. A smile would lift his lips, causing one of her brows to lift in question. He would speak of packs coming to visit. All wanting to know if Imperium was a hazard. He had figured correctly. Her laughter would fill the air, wicked amusement evident in her features. "Come, let us find someplace dry to sit." With a mischievous smirk she would turn away, leading them deeper into the moor to a tree she had passed that would shelter them from the snow and winds. Seating herself, she would begin her story. "Solstice, as I'm sure you know, had its Queen stay here for a bit. Well her husband, the incompetent fool that he is, lost, when he tried to claim her freedom." It had caused her so much pleasure to watch him fall beneath her, and weakly drag his wife's body home. "I suppose you could say that I have plans for them." She would cast him a side long glance, lips curling higher with a grin. It appeared that other packs were catching wind of her activities, and wanted to ensure their own safety. But in reality, no one was really safe. At least not from her. ""

She beckoned him to follow her and the young ruler complied silently. Heat scent wafted back to him and Valentine's nose wrinkled in disgust. Any other fae and the smell would have been appealing. But coming from his mother? It soured in his nostrils. The brute picked up the pace so he was walking beside her, the new positioning greatly reducing the stench around him. The pair paused under a tree and each took a seat, Valen positioning himself so that he was facing his mother. She began to speak, telling him the outcome of the tale he had witnessed firsthand before leaving to start his own pack. He snorted, amusement lifting his features. While captive, Sibelle had claimed to be his aunt. The brute had yet to prove the validity of her statement and while he'd seen his father since then it hadn't occurred to him to ask Taurig. No, the last thing on his mind at the time was the possibility of more relatives. He hummed to himself, the sound brief and contemplative, and then voiced a statement. "That Queen claims to be my aunt." His gaze even, Valentine watched for her response. Did she know? Would she deny it? Confirm it? As it stood, the brute held his father's family in low regard. Few had ever stood out to him and while Sibelle had seemed pleasant enough, he could claim no real affection for her. "Speaking" "Thinking"

Her son sat before her, a snort leaving his maw. A smirk toyed with her own lips as she concluded her tail. When he spoke again, it was not in regards to her plans, but rather to provide an interesting piece of information. Sibelle was his aunt? A brow would lift, her expression turning thoughtful. "I have no idea. I was unaware that your father had siblings, thoughts its not really surprising. Maija might now." The golden woman had after all, been married to Taurig at one point. Though now it pleased her greatly to call the golden trophy her own. A shrug would nonchalantly lift her shoulders. "But tell me, how is being King?" She was both teasing and curious. So far nothing had burst into flames, nor had all hell broken loose, so she assumed everything was going well, especially if he had others coming to his borders. It was incredibly gratifying to know that surrounding packs wanted peace, it would only make destroying it that much better. And with her son beside her, everyone would know their name. The only question was, was he willing to the burn the world to the ground too? ""