She panics. Her children are sick, her children are dying, and it is all her fault. Her heart races deeply as she paces back and forth, erratic thoughts pounding through her head like a sledge hammer. Pupils dilate as she tries to think of solutions; she is no healer, she knows nothing of herbs and remedies, and only knows of war and conquest. The gods must be smiting her, but for what? For Raisa? She has doubts of that, for the gods themselves have been prone to loving those of the same gender. For being slow to conquer? She doubts that as well, for they have been the ones to send plagues and bears after her, inhibiting her ability to grow her pack and lead it to victory. She knows the answer; they are punishing her for her children, for they are out of wedlock. She ought to have been stronger to fend off her attacker, and it is all her fault. She pauses for a moment, breath hitching as she thinks over her options. She has to find a way to please her gods, has to come up with a way to fix this, but the Empress can hardly breathe let alone think through solutions. Table by Lu - Image by Poison - Code for Ala Only

It was time to visit her love once more, and to see her other children. While she was not so brazen as to claim full parentage over them, the queen knew she wanted to be a part of all of their lives. She would offer them the same treatment as any member of Ebony, as any member of her own Family line, if for no other reason than that they were issues of Virgil's body. She smiled at the memory of the golden woman's lither frame, her quick mind, her sharp tongue. She was an impressive specimen, that would not be denied. In fact, Raisa was fairly certain it would come to blood between herself and anyone who might insinuate that she was anything less than the goddess she claimed to be. Such fond thoughts had been circulating in the woman's mind for a long while now and her own children, as well as her new surrogate litter, were strong enough to bear a few days without her. And so she had set out a week past. Not long after she stepped over the pack border, (however hesitantly despite the assurances Virgil had given her,) the smell of sickness hit her nose. It was acrid, bitter, and rotten. It overwhelmed her on an instinctual level. Her paws pleaded and begged to turn around, to run the other way, and yet she broke into a dead sprint forward. She had to find Virgil, she had to know whether this plague had stricken her. The winter winds bit at her coat, nipped her nose, and brought prickling tears to her eyes, but the lithe woman did not slow. It was a waste of calories better saved during the harsh season, but what was conservation when her love's life was possibly on the line? Or the life of her children? She found the woman's scent and angled herself, following the trail like an arrow in flight, streamlined in her dogged intent. She would rather be ravaged by disease than let this woman die without saying goodbye. Elsa... Her mind's voice whispered to her, and she blinked away tears. Never again, she swore. The ebon queen came upon the golden empress suddenly and she skidded to a halt, noting her panicked framed, her sallow appearance... but she smelled hale and healthy. "Virgil," she said, letting her breath out in a gush. "You're okay," she said just as quietly, letting her eyes sink closed in a moment of blissful relief. When they re-opened her voice was brimming with a restrained sort of panic, tinged with fear and the acrid smell of disease. "What about the children? What on earth is going on?" "Talk" "You" Think

Her attention to Raisa is drawn only by the ebony woman?s voice, panicked-stricken gaze searching over her love for a moment as if searching for defect. When finding none she surges forth, head seeking to bury into the dark woman?s neck, an anchor in all of this chaos. Yes, she?s okay. She?s yet to be afflicted, but her little ones are not. ?Our children?Hephaestus, Andromeda, Nemesis?.they?re?.they?ve been damned, Raisa. The gods are damning me,? she tells her love, sobbing quietly. She can?t breathe, she can?t breathe, she feels afraid and panicked. How does she right this? She cannot think of living without her children in this world, cannot bare to imagine their little forms taken from her before their time. ?I don?t know what to do,? she laments. Raisa is here, Raisa is safe, but Virgil?s heart knows only fear and panic. This is not the same as when she?d been torn apart by the bear she?d protected Olympus from; at least then she knew, with time, she?d recover. She knows not if her children, and by proxy herself, can recover from this. She knows not what to do. And her mind refuses to clear up for a moment to allow her to think. Table by Lu - Image by Poison - Code for Ala Only

Raisa's heart constricted painfully. The air surged from her lungs in an exhale, and she found that she could not call it back in. She stood there, gasping, her vision drawing into a tight point of focus on nothing in particular. Virgil's warm form pressed against her own was all that kept the queen grounded in this particular moment, vile as it was. Her mind seemed to turn from coherent to some sort of airy, hissing cloud of gas between her ringing ears, and it was all she could due to focus on the woman's scent over all else. Raisa buried her nose into Virgil's scruff, unable to speak. She began to shake. Three of their beautiful children... "Hush, my love, Virgil... Virgil..." She could little more than croon the woman's name, in a desperate to calm her love down. This blind panic could not benefit them, and if anything it would take away from the empresses own health, and this Raisa could not bear. "The gods could never do such a thing, our children are sweet and pure. If you were beset with this curse for any reason, it is certainly a darker power, jealous of all we have built." She forced a scoff. "As if they could tear us down so easily." Raisa dipped her nose under the golden woman's jaw, bringing up her face so that she might trap the woman in her eyes. Certainly the sooty queen could force confidence, and warmth, and show Virgil the love she felt inside. She must, if it would give her love a measure of comfort. "We will fix this, I swear it." "Talk" "You" Think

Raisa tries to calm her, and Virgil does her best to listen. Her body shakes; so rarely is the Empress so down, but she is now. She has survived heart break and battle, bruises and bears, and yet she has never had to deal with sick children before. Was it not enough that her heiress will never see the light of day, nor the beauty of her mothers? faces? Now her others weep tears of blood, crying for the sins of their mother. Alas she calms, listening to the sound of Raisa?s voice. She does not necessarily believe her love; Virgil?s gods are petty beings, flawed but powerful. They would inflict such a thing upon her if they truly desired. She chuckles at the mention of them not being able to tear them down so easily. Perhaps she is right, but already the golden woman conspires a plan of appeasement. Nonetheless, her eyes are forced to meet her love?s, noting to devotion and love, breathing in and out as promises fall from Raisa?lips. ?I cannot lose them,? she tells her beloved, her fear quaking as she uses Raisa?s beautiful bi-colored gaze as an anchor. ?Nor you. Don?t think you can fall ill and escape me so easily,? she tells her, a morbid joke. ?I am no healer. I only know how to fight enemies with force, not a gentle touch,? she frowns, trying to imagine possible solutions. Table by Lu - Image by Poison - Code for Ala Only

The woman's attempt at humor brought a wan smile to the ebon queen's maw. It was an effort, at least, and Raisa was grateful for the break in her love's blind panic. She brought her head in close, giving Virgil a small kiss upon the tip of her nose. "We will not lose them," she said, solemn. "Nor will you lose me. The powers themselves would need descend from the skies and pry my lifeless body from your side. And even then I would fight. Tooth and claw, you'll see." She allowed herself a lopsided grin, and a weak chuckle. The sooty queen looked upwards to the sky, searching for any sign among the steely winter ceiling that might show they had heard her jape. She found none, and brought her mind back down to earth, to the problem at hand. "I've been roaming for several days now, how did all of this even come about? What have your healers done to help?" A sickening thought came on the woman suddenly, one that pulled the blood from her extremities and left her feeling cold all over. Her mouth was suddenly dry. "Has there been any word from the other packs, or rogues? Do you know where it came from, or where it's been?" What if her own pack was being struck down, even as she roamed the lands. Had she abandoned them to their fate yet again? Despair thundered into and over the woman like a tsunami wave, crushing her with all the possibilities, the what-ifs... "Talk" "You" Think

Raisa?s confidence is reassuring to the panicking mother. She needs her, needs her touch, her assurance, for Virgil has never had to deal with something like this. She could face a siege from a thousand enemies and not flinch, but sickness is something so knows not how to cope with. Raisa?s promise makes her lips quirk upwards, worries expression alleviating if only for a bit. Virgil moves, her head seeking to press into the side of her ebony lover?s neck, inhaling her sweet scent, enjoying the sharing of their heat. Raisa is truly a beautiful woman, her scent alluring in a way no others have the possibility of being. Raisa asks about what?s been done, and Virgil sighs. She understands none of it in the least. ?They have subdued them, made them comfortable,? she explains. She remembers Nemesis?s flailing, the strength of his hallucination having been powerful. It is safer for them to be out, unconscious, so that they do not strain themselves. ?I know nothing. I only know they cry blood and their fur feels like fire,? she says softly, mournfully, the laments of a mother who doesn?t know how to help her children. ?Has this happened to you? Have you heard anything in your parts?? she asks, a silent question breathed into Raisa?s fur, a desperate grasp for answers. Table by Lu - Image by Poison - Code for Ala Only

Raisa quivered with the possibility of it all. It was... frightening, and little else. Perhaps a part of her was angry that the powers above would dare to endanger her family in such a way, but mostly she just wanted it to be over. Yet it had hardly even begun... Raisa buried her troubles in the crux of Virgil's neck, breathing in her warm scent. The tip of her nose brushed over a set of scars. Had those always been there? The ropey slashes marring her love's fur had always been a point of curiosity, a point of pride and reverence, but now they caught her oddly. They had gone quite some time between seeing one another... Had something happened? Raisa opened her mouth, moments form questioning it, when Virgil spoke again. "They cry blood," she said. "Their fur feels like fire." She sounded so wounded already that Raisa decided not to bring it up. The following question hit her hard, however. "I'm not sure," she said quietly. "I've been traveling for several days. This... this plague wasn't there when I left, but it might be now." She wanted to go on, but the words shriveled and died in her throat. "Talk" "You" Think

She worries over Raisa?s words. How are the rest of their children? They are an entire land away, and Virgil instantly feels torn. She wants to run, to check on the little ones, but she is needed here. Her pack is smaller, with fewer healers and less resources. Her children here cannot afford to have her leave, even for a moment. Her throat chokes up and she worries. ?I won?t keep you long, my love, but will you stay the night and rest? The last thing you need to do now is tire yourself,? she pleads, if only so that Raisa?s immune system doesn?t fall under much stress. Her head buries further into Raisa?s neck, as if she clings to her. Don?t you dare get sick too. Don?t you dare leave me. ?If you find need of something, anything, just send a messenger. We don?t have much manpower but whatever we can give we will,? she swears. She calms now, losing herself in the heat of her love?s embrace, breathing slowly and deeply as they warmth between their bodies relaxes her. She seeks to press an affectionate kiss to her lover?s ashen fur, a display of affection and appreciation. ?Thank you for being here. I love you,? she says quietly, warmly. Table by Lu - Image by Poison - Code for Ala Only

What Virgil asked of her was not difficult to give. Perhaps it should have been, yet Raisa found herself nodding, grinning a small grin. Her own pack lay far over the horizon, awaiting her attention. Perhaps in a state of peril. Yet here before her was her mate, as well as her other children. Raisa could no more abandon the Olympian alphess than she could the Ebony wolves in the east, and she cursed her heart for being so torn. The golden fae's following request was met with no resistance, and Raisa fell into a stoic mask at once. "I am yours in both matters," the sooty woman said quietly, soothingly. "Consider my resources your own. If you need medicine, you need only send for me. Knights to watch your borders, to protect our children, they are yours to command." This was not an empty pledge, but rather an oath sworn with all the severity her heart could offer. All that was hers, was Virgil's. She had never loved so deeply. Raisa pushed further into Virgil's embrace, allowing her heart to swell. It was an odd sensation, and not one easily dismissed. The queen had been burdened so heavily, pushed and pulled from all sides in ways she had not known possible. Yet somehow, the golden goddess had alleviated it all, and seemingly with no special effort. A sense of conviction began to kindle in Raisa's heart. How can I stay so distant from her? It was a mournful wail within her mind. I cannot remain stretched so thin, or I will surely snap. But instead of crying out, begging Virgil for the comfort of her company on a more permanent basis, she murmured into the woman's neck. "Lead the way, my love. We have a long, cold winter ahead of us." "Talk" "You" Think

She knows Raisa would give her materials, but the question begged to be asked anyways. She nods her head as she listens, although she knows that she will not go and leave her out to dry. They have children together, after all. She hates that they must be separated during this time; hates that they cannot band together and lean upon one another for support in these darkest of hours. However, for now she tries to be content in her lover?s embrace, breathing softly and slowly as she inhales the spice of her scent. She croons into Raisa?s touch, leading the way towards her den as commanded. Her heart feels elated; this is the first time they?ve shared a den together alone. When she arrives there is a certain glint in her fiery gaze, as she seeks to lock them with Raisa?s bi-colored ones, perhaps a hint of suggestion and proposition. They have never consummated their relationship, but Virgil yearns to. She?s never known the passionate, intimate touch of another; only the harsh movements of a male seeking to take advantage of her. Table by Lu - Image by Poison - Code for Ala Only