The noonday sun was high in the sky when Kamala wandered alongside one of the many streams that danced through Seracia's territory. The burbling of the water was a comfortingly familiar sound as the female ambled along without the slightest care in the world. The spring day was crisp and cool; birds sang and chirped to the skies, and one sooty wolf padded along, two red paws placing themselves daintily against the ground as she carried herself along. She had begun to grow into herself recently; those gangly limbs looked less spiderlike now that Kamala had grown up. She was still far from graceful, still not entirely put together, but it was coming. Soon, she would be all grown up. The thought was a vaguely intimidating one, but it was not particularly terrifying. How much responsibility could come with growing up when there were two heirs of Seracia already? Her brother and Gideon would have the most weighing on their shoulders. And then there was Kamala and Valkis. What was their purpose within the pack? What were they to do? And speaking of Valkis. Kamala was worried about him. She wanted to get him alone and speak to him. But it was hard when he never seemed to be anywhere that she looked for him. Maverick, too, seemed to be gone a good deal of the time. It seemed it was only Kamala who was not going on adventures or exploring the world. Would she contribute anything to the Kingdom when she grew older? It was a very good question. And one that Kamala didn't know the answer to.

The King would find himself wandering on that afternoon. The sun beat down on his back, but the cool air that blew contradicted it's warmth ever so slightly. A smile lingered on his face for no real reason, but a serious gleam glinted in his eyes. He had intended to talk to his wife about this, but honestly hadn't had the time to mention it. Now, his self-proclaimed due date was upon him. Kamala wasn't getting any younger, and Gideon wasn't getting any more patient. The two needed to be officially betrothed. Kamala needed time to adjust. Gerhardt's paws would follow the curves of the delta's fingers as he menadered through his pack, preparing the speech he would give. Gideon had to understand that Gerhardt was not simply giving the girl to him, that there were rules.. certain ways he was to treat her. He might not be into formalities, but he would have to at least follow a few of them if he intended to wed Kamala. The silvery figure of his daughter came into view much to his surprise. She had been the least adventurous of the trio, although he had not expected that of her. Maverick he had assumed, would stay in Seracia the most, but it seemed something - or even someone - had drawn him away multiple times lately. And Valkis.. well Gerhardt really had trouble understanding his second son. "Kamala," voice would ring out with fatherly pride. He might not have sired the girl, but he loved her as if he had. "Is your mind wandering like your paws?" His certainly were. A smile painted his face, and the previously stressed gleam in his eyes would lessen ever so slightly, but didn't disappear completely. "Are you well, my child?" She seemed to have been laden with thoughts, or so her face read. Gerhardt wondered if she was dismayed by her brother's being promoted to Heir. He certainly hoped not. The girl was a great prospect, but a man should be in charge - it was how he had been raised. "speeeeech"

The sudden sound of her father's voice upon the air made Kamala jump slightly, green eyes flicking about until they found themselves focusing upon the brown figure of the male who had taken her in. "Father," Kamala ducked her head slightly in greeting, smiling a little at the larger male. Her father seemed . . . worried, she noted as she examined the male. Was that the right word for it? Kamala wasn't sure that it was exactly what she was going for, but whatever it was, something seemed to be a little off about the male. Some day she would learn to read the wolves around her as effortlessly as some seemed to be able to. But it seemed that day was a while off yet. A smile warmed the lupine features of the female as she wagged her tail slightly, "You could say that, Father." Her Kingdom was a place that valued formality, and her father was a King. For all that he was her father, she would treat him with the respect that he deserved. "I am very well," A pause, during which she examine the brown male once more, "And how are you, Father? What brings you out here?" Kamala asked curiously, ears pricking attentively in the other's direction. The wolf stretched herself out slightly as she examined her father, attentive green gaze wandering across the older male's form. He seemed to be doing well, other than whatever it was that seemed to be worrying him. But Kamala wasn't sure if she was reading him entirely wrong or not. He was her father and she ought to be able to tell, seeing as he had raised her from a very young age, but Kamala's observational skills were not something that she took for granted. They had not come to her naturally; they had been honed over her lifespan, and Kamala wasn't entirely comfortable in them yet. If that made any sense to anyone but her.

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Father, she would call him. His heart swelled with pride as she did. It never ceased to amaze him the amount of love that had blossomed for each of his adopted children. One would think that there would be some foreignness to the relationship, something that didn't quite click or make sense. But for the King, there was nothing but love and adoration. Eyes swam over her silvery coat burnished with red markings. The girl was truly a beauty. She took her coloring from her father, he guessed, because he knew that the children's mother had been a fiery red like he'd never seen before. She also bore the same pockmarked appaloosa appearance that the boys did, a feature that Gerhardt was quite intrigued by. Would their children bear the same resemblance? Her sweet voice would enter the air once more, bringing him an answer to his question and a question of her own. A smile crept across his features. "This delta is my home, where else would I be?" A light chuckle bubbled up from his chest, reverberating into the air and tapering off gently. "I have news for you, sweet daughter." The King would stride forth, attempting to brush his cheek against his daughter's. He wondered what she would think of the future he had planned for her - if she would accept or reject it. Part of it was set in stone, that was for certain, but part was up to her. "As you have probably heard through the grapevine, I have named your brother Maverick as Prince of Seracia." He paused, in case she hadn't heard the news just yet. No formal announcement had been made, but the siblings were close and Maverick had probably told her already. "I do not wish this to upset you, for I haven't forgotten you." Another pause was given before he gave his query. "How would you feel about training for the position of Grand Duchess? You would step into the position immediately, and be trained fully by my brother, Gideon." Ah yes, Gideon would be so thrilled with the arrangement. He knew she would be a good Grand Duchess, if she chose to follow that path. If not, he would let her train for something else. "speeeeech"

Home. The thought made Kamala smile a little, her tail twitching as she glanced at her father. "Well, it is a large delta." Kamala responded with a smile, "You might be any number of other places." She had found lately that she was beginning to talk more. It wasn't small talk, really, but especially around her family, well, the words that she normally kept such a tight lid on had begun to bubble over. Maybe it was a good thing; maybe it wasn't. Honestly, Kamala didn't think it was that big of a deal. It wasn't really wasting words, not when it was with wolves that she cared about as much as she cared about her family. Rubbing her cheek against her father's as he drew closer, Kamala's tail wagged a little as she tilted her head, listening to her father's words as he began to speak. Sweet daughter. It meant a lot to a girl that wasn't truly their daughter. She was far from insecure, but she knew that when her parents had children of their own flesh and blood that things would be different. So that meant that she should appreciate this for as long as she could. This was simplicity. The female inclined her head a little as he spoke of naming her brother Prince. That had been rather hard to miss. She was not envious, not really, but it did leave the female wondering. What was she going to do when she grew older? Of course, her father was answering her questions even as she thought this, and as the words 'grand duchess' left his mouth, Kamala's tail began to wag enthusiastically. Her words were more controlled than her body language, "I would love that, father. Thank you!" But for all the politeness in her town, her tail was wagging so swiftly that her butt might have been wriggling... Just a little. Within moments, she had mostly gotten herself under control, but there was a smile on the young wolf's features as she leaned forward, aiming to lick her father's cheek before returning to her previous position. "It means a lot. Thank you, Father." She had thought her father had overlooked her in the process of handing out ranks, but it seemed that he hadn't. Grand Duchess was no rank to sneeze at, and if Kamala were truthful with herself, she had no interest in ruling her pack. Grand Duchess was the highest rank that she would have been comfortable in, and it seemed her father had realized that.

Table by Azil. Do not use without permission.

He would smile at his daughter's little jest. She was quite bright, very intelligent for a yearling. The King thought this to be a good thing, but he wondered if he could somehow enhance that intelligence, or encourage it at least. Grand Duchess was a great position, and it led to a lot of social experiences, but Gerhardt wondered if his daughter might yearn for more intellectual stimulation. He certainly did from time to time. Then again, she might not even want to be Grand Duchess, as she had yet to give her answer. But then one came after their gentle greeting, and it was one that he had hoped for. She seemed genuinely excited, as a light danced in her eyes and her tail waved back and forth. He had wanted it to be this way. "I am glad it pleases you, Kamala. I truly think you will make a great Grand Duchess. Gideon will be able to show you some of the ropes, and I'll fill in from time to time as well. I'd like you to start your training straightaway, if possible." He would let this sink in. This was a great achievement, and a wonderful surprise, but it was indeed a real job he was giving her. This was not to be taken lightly or shirked off. The girl would have to put in a lot of effort in order to be worth her salt as a beta. But he had confidence in her. "I would also like you to visit with Loccian at some point. I will be making her aware of her new rank as Marquess, and I would love it if she could show you the basics of healing. I know this is an overlooked art, but I think it would benefit all of us to know some life saving remedies." He would incline his head with a raise of his brow, looking for a response from his daughter. He knew that this would be even more added to her regimen, but he truly felt it was important. Would she think the same? "And as if that wasn't enough, I have more news for you." He paused, uncertain of how to continue. "I'm not certain how you'll feel about this next part.." He couldn't go forth any more. He would wait on her reaction about the rest, and then bring up the betrothal. Gideon was a fine wolf, and Gerhardt knew he would treat her well. The King himself would see to that. He would rest then, watching her curiously. "speeeeech"

There was something to be said for the praise that her father was giving her. Kamala had plenty of confidence in herself, but even the most self confident enjoyed compliments, didn't they? And hearing her father describe how much faith he had in her warmed her heart. Just a little. Her tail wagged and she smiled at her father, "Thank you..." The female inclined her head, voice trailing off as she nodded, "I will start whenever you wish." So, that meant . . . as soon as she could, of course. She would do whatever her father wanted, would start this new job whenever he wanted. Ears twitching, the female nodded slightly when her father continued. "It would be an honor to learn from Loccian." Kamala spoke softly, mulling over her words as she spoke. It would be difficult to add so much more to her schedule, but Kamala figured she could work something out. Healing was certainly a necessary art, one that Kamala would enjoy learning a little of. She wanted to help take care of wolves. If it meant the difference between saving a life and shouldering the blame of the loss of another, Kamala would certainly learn this art. Healing might not have been her passion, but it was something worth learning. She certainly agreed with her father there. However, he was turning his attention elsewhere, speaking of other news, other things. Kamala paused, glancing at the brown male curiously. "Yes, father?" she asked him curiously, examining the male. He seemed a little . . . nervous. But no, that wasn't exactly the right word. Anxious, maybe? That was better. She wondered what had made her father act like that, and the truth could not have been farther from her mind. Had something happened to her brother? Either one of them, really. Still, despite the fact that her mind immediately jumped to the worst, Kamala was trying to keep her imagination from running wild. Instead, the quiet female flicked her tail slightly, waiting for her father to speak. Whatever he had to say, she would listen to. There was no reason for him to worry.

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Gideon wasn't exactly the crowned king of elegant entries and the following scene would prove to be no different, entering their sights at a neutral gallop the brute would call over his brother, attempting to disrupt his words and place them on hold. He had his reasons and needed to speak to his brother in private about a few issues before he really allowed Kamala to know what exactly was going on. Surely she would be accepting if she had to wait but a few moments more. She really didn't have a choice. Seracian males were typically polygamous and the women were monogamous. She would fit the description, and surely she would be able to thrive in her place.


"Rushing into things are we, brother?" An inquisitive call came from the King's brother as he descended from the hill and before him, "A moment?" his head would peel to the side and he stared with interest as he turned to the side and quirked his head for the man to follow. They would leave Kamala's range of hearing and he would slowly wait for his brother to focus, "I met a girl," he began, he was going to leave most of the details out. For one, that he had screwed her senseless, and for two...well that really was it, wasn't it? She's the Beta of the pack Valhalla. Chrysanthe. I just want you to be very clear on the fact I will be with other women, taking more than just Kamala as my wife, and she will be mine,"

He nodded to the Seracia King hoping that he was well understood. He would take no less than what he was asking, but he would certainly be taking more as time came about.

The King was still working on the exact words he would use to describe to her what was about to happen. She had very little choice in the matter, but he hoped that she would not try to rebel against it. She seemed to love Seracia enough to stay no matter the situation, and he truly hoped that would remain the same after he gave her the news. However, as he opened his mouth to speak, Gideon arrived and stopped him. It seemed the Grand Duke wanted a word. Gerhardt dipped his head to Kamala, flashing her a stare that read 'stay here'. With a flick of his tail he followed his brother's escort out of Kamala's range of hearing. Gideon was blunt and to the point, and the King was somewhat thankful for that at this time. He did not want to keep his daughter waiting and worrying. "i should expect no less of you, brother, but I will not have my daughter treated like a common wife. You can have all the dames you like, but you will treat her as one of the best. Understood?" He paused. "And this Valhallan girl, see to it you don't break her heart just yet, I intend to put forth an alliance with her superiors." He gave another pause and then offered up a question. "Well romeo, would you like to propose to your future wife?" If Gideon did not wish to, Gerhardt would break the news. If he did, Gerhardt would simply elaborate on the details. It was unlikely that Gideon would be forthcoming with all of the specifics. "speeeeech"

Gerhardt was preparing to speak, seemed about ready to open his maw and speak what had happened when Gideon rushed up. Rushing into things? Kamala tilted her head slightly, ears pricking in their direction as the two wolves stepped aside, leaving her range of hearing swiftly. Hmm. Secrets. She imagined that all would be revealed soon, but Kamala was not the most patient of wolves. She almost wanted to investigate, but that certainly wold have been frowned upon. With a sigh, Kamala flopped back on her haunches, curling her tail daintily around her paws as her father and adoptive uncle spoke. She would let them speak in silence, ears perked slightly in their direction in the vain hope that she would hear what was going on. But no, they were definitely outside of her range of hearing, which was disappointing. Ah well. She would figure it out later if they didn't tell her what was up. The curiosity was killing her, though. Kamala sighed again, twiching her ears and glancing plaintively towards the duo. If her father hadn't nonverbally instructed her to stay there, she might have wandered a little. Instead she stayed put, ears twitching as the sounds of the forest rose and fell. It wasn't very distracting, however, so within moments she found herself eyeing the two again, green eyes focusing on the two wolves that had wandered off so swiftly.

His. His. His. Misses Kamala Tahir was his. A smirk danced across his facade and the large man would nod to his brother before he turned to the smaller woman. Powerful strides would be taken towards her and he would not hesitate to deliver his powerful entity along her side before he would attempt to wrap his head around her shoulder and neck, pull her into his chest, and murmur into her pretty little ears. "Mine Oh how possessive he was. How right he felt. Kamala was his. Kamala was a true Mathias and she was his first bride. She'd be cherished, oh how very cherished.

"Mrs. Gideon Mathias. Cute, no?" A sly smile would peel over his lips as he would sit back to recline from her and find her glittery eyes. O what was she thinking?

Speech!

Gerhardt would watch with baited breath, wondering if his brother would have any class at all in proposing to Kamala. As he slunk toward her, Gerhardt listened intently, but kept his distance out of respect. 'Mine' Gideon would call her, as if she were a plaything, still, he knew his brother would treasure her always. Gerhardt stepped forward when Gideon stated her name and finished his speech. "In case that wasn't clear, darling.. Gideon would like you to be his wife. You two are now betrothed to be married upon your turning two." He would turn to his brother, eyeing him seriously. "You may call her your wife, but the betrothal will not complete until she's two, understood?" He might be giving Gideon what he wanted, but Gerhardt still had a little control. "I would understand if you have questions, Kamala, so please.. feel free to ask." No doubt the girl's head was spinning by now, reeling with the new information. Gerhardt stood by, watching to see if his daughter needed anything else. "speeeeech"

The two males broke apart, and Gideon moved to approach Kamala. The female remained still, head tilted slightly to the side as the male approached her and moved to pull her close, wrapping his body around hers so that a breath tickled her ears, and the words came. "Mine." The female stiffened a little at the words, glancing at Gideon as he pulled away slightly. No emotions crossed her face for a long moment as she rushed to process how she felt. She understood what was going on, for the most part. The details would come later but she had been given to Gideon, in a sense. Not literally, she supposed. It seemed that a deal had been reached between her father and his Grand Duke. An arrangement that she had had no part in. And yet, Kamala couldn't bring herself to be upset. She glanced at Gideon as he spoke, a flicker of a smile crossing her features. If it would allow her to serve Seracia, well... "I can see it," Kamala responded lightly, "It does have a nice ring to it." With that, the yearling turned her glance to her father, listening to his words with a more solemn expression than the almost playful one that had danced across her face when she had spoken to Gideon. In her few experiences with her 'uncle,' he had managed to bring out the less formal side of her, and it seemed that today was no exception. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all. There was never any doubt in her mind that she would go through with this. She owed her father her life. This was a small way to pay him back. "Will there be anyone else?" It was a simple question, the only one that she had, really. Somehow, she couldn't see Gideon settling down with just her. It didn't bother her much, but she wanted to know, "And the wedding. Will it actually be a ceremony or . . . ?" Trailing off, Kamala tilted her head as she gazed at the two wolves. It would be strange to shift her thoughts of Gideon from 'uncle' to 'future husband,' but it could be done. No, it would be done. He was handsome enough, would surely father strong children (though that was a thought she wanted to avoid for as long as possible) and together they would contribute to the Kingdom. The Kingdom was the reason that she was alive. There was no question in her mind of disobeying her father's wishes. Especially not in something as big as this.

Table by Azil. Do not use without permission.