The woman’s life had become an endless, vicious cycle of mistakes and poor choices. It felt like she couldn’t find the right path no matter how much she struggled and wanted to. Was every move she made destined to be wrong? Was she cursed? Philomena didn’t know what to do, where to turn anymore. One step forward, two steps back… every time… what was the right choice anymore?

Tears stung her eyes as she made her way away from where she had fought her brother. Her neck hurt but it was her heart that was even heavier now. She felt unfit to be a mother to either of her litters. She had lost almost all of her first litter and only because Ulric and their mother was looking out for Nausicaa did she get to reunite with her daughter at all.

Maybe it would be better if she just… left.

Philomena came to a stop, gaze falling on the grave markers of Memento’s siblings. She never told her daughter who they were, only that the spots were not to be disturbed. She dropped before them now like a stone as her emotions drug her down. She squeezed her eyes closed, ears fell back against her head, and she let out a heavy whine.

She didn’t want to keep fighting…

...it was hard and she wanted to give up.

Things would never be how they used to be…

...what was the point?

Ulric desperately followed the trail to his sister until he finally spotted her oh so familiar form and his loping run slowly came to a halt a few feet behind her. He was out of breath, he was in pain, he was oh so exhausted - physically and emotionally. For a man that usually kept emotions at a fairly safe distance this whole day had been more than he could rationally handle. Between the dream he had of their father, to the verbal and physical fight with his sister, to trying to pull himself together for Meme's benefit... He wasn't sure how much more he could take.

He was quiet for a moment, staring at her back and trying to find something to say. His silvery gaze eventually drifted away from his sister and landed on the grave markers that were partially obscured from his view by her form. He didn't immediately comprehend what they were at first, but when it clicked he was at an even bigger loss for words. He had finally reached a point where the emotions had boiled to a point where he almost felt numb. The world piled another thing on top of another thing on top of another thing...

"Philomena," he finally said in a quiet rasp, his ears flicking back against his skull. Any trace of anger he had felt was completely gone at this point. Now he was just tired and sad. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things," he quickly added before she could respond. "I... I talked to Ganta. He told me some things about what had gone on while mom and I were gone and I just... I didn't know how to get through to you and I was so angry and scared." He stopped himself before he could ramble any further. He didn't know if she even wanted to hear from him right now or not. A very large and vocal part of him just wanted to turn and leave and get some space, but he the obligation to his family that was so deeply embedded into his soul kept him from doing that.

"Speech" Thought