He'd sit with her when he could. Though life among the vikings couldn't stop, or even slow down, Víðarr would make the time to sit with her. Tenshi too. Between the two of them, the woman of soot and gold was tended to. Cared for. Though she could have probably been better tended to among the healers or the priests, the viking king couldn't help but feel something tugging in his chest. Something... something possessive. He would not share Valtiel with anyone other than his wife. She was theirs to care for. The shadow couldn't wrap his hands around why he felt this way, but here he was. A pheasant, among the first of the season, hung from his jaws as he ducked back into his den. If Tenshi was in, then it would be for Val and Tenshi to share. If it was just the woman who lay, curled in recovery, in their room? Víðarr would likely pick at her leftovers, but only after he was certain she was done. The dogs had done well to make sure she was never truly alone, at least. Carefully, he picked his way over his companions, setting about preparing the meal. Quietly, so as not to wake the woman if she wasn't already. Hopefully she was hungry. "Víðarr"

Sleep wasn't something that came easy. Not now. Not after what she'd been through. In the days since Tenshi and Vidarr had brought her here, Valtiel had said little. She had lived inside her mind during the day and had tried to survive her mind during the night. The very first night, the gold flecked fae had woken up screaming, shadows with claws chasing her through dark caverns. She was sure that her heart would hammer out of her chest, but she had made it, of course. Tenshi had given her something for sleep that night as she had needed to rest to heal, but the Carpathius woman refused to take any sort of sedative after. She had to power through.

Mismatched eyes of gold and orange stared wide and unseeing towards the mouth of the den. She was still within the place that Tenshi and Vidar shared but she would soon ask for her own space. It wasn't right that she should invade their space. Once she was able to move, Val would do everything in her power to pay her debt to them.

When Vidarr entered the cave, Valtiel said nothing. Her eyes merely focused and followed as he tried to move quietly. The dogs had kept her company, but they hadn't needed to. Now, with their master here, they moved towards him to help with.. whatever he was doing. A moment later, Val realized that he was preparing a meal. Her brow furrowed and, gritting her teeth, the shadowed woman made her way to her paws. Her neck, shoulder and leg were wrapped in bandages, but she was a stubborn fae. If her host was preparing a meal, she would do what she could to help.

"Valtiel"

Víðarr has taken responsibility for her. They both have. They all have, to some extent, though many didn't know or understand the hows or the whos. They didn't need to. The viking king was content to keep her tucked away safe from the prying eyes. Especially with rambunctious yearlings around... no. He would keep her protected from any fuckery that they could get up to. She would have a quiet place to mourn, to heal. To recover. He'd do everything in his power. Valtiel gets to her feet, and the viking king offers her a gruff scowl. A growl, too, builds in his throat. Territorial, not to be argued with. She was a guest in this home. More than a guest, she was a patient. Between the horror of his healer wife, and the healer of his gods who valued hospitality... no, it wouldn't do. The viking king makes himself large, holds himself tall. He takes up space. The assertion is clear. Simple, straightforward dominance, Víðarr reaches out to cover Val's muzzle with his own. It's a warning, a stern one. She would settle back down and wait while he made dinner. "Víðarr"

As Valtiel stepped from the furs, Vidarr moved forward. Before his first step, the man's growl met her ears. Instinctively, reflexively, the dark woman met his growl with one of her own. She was young, but Val was no child to be scolded. She was a Carpathius, a daughter of queens. Vidarr would learn that in time.

As the brute placed his maw over her own, Valtiel put her weight on her injured leg in order to use her right leg. The fae's dark paw pressed against the brutes chest and she pushed, feeling the scrape of his teeth over her midnight muzzle as he was forced to release her. His point was clear though. He didn't want help.

Rather than move back to the furs, the woman's haunches folded and she sat right where she was. Her lengthy tail curled around her paws, hips, and ended where it began. Valtiel would not hold the action against Vidarr, but she hoped that he wouldn't do it again. A guest, yes. Honor bound to repay their kindness, yes. That did not mean that she would abandon her pride or her beliefs.

The woman's neck turned and she looked out of the mouth of the den. Gold and orange eyes roamed over the outside world, looking anywhere other than the man and his meal, anyway. One tall ear flicked as she remembered a topic that she'd meant to broach with the man. Husky mellifluous tones drifted free from the woman. "I'm well enough to walk some, so I'm well enough to leave your den. If there's a spare, I would rather stay there and allow you and Tenshi to have your space once more."

"Valtiel"

His growl is met with one of her own, and the viking king's hackles rise along his shoulders, his spine. Intense gaze resting on her face, he's tense. Stiff. He remains coiled, though he doesn't push. Seeing her use the injured leg, though, Víðarr relents. Seeing her push herself on it... no, he wouldn't allow that either. A bit of softness creeping back into his gaze, peering down as she plunks to her haunches. He withdraws, snagging a morsel of the pheasant set aside in his processing. Holding it out to Val before he finishes preparing the meal-- a peace offering. Her request came as he returned to preparing the meal, carefully stepping around the dogs. She wanted to move out of their space, into her own. Víðarr bristled. The possessive parts of his brain lighting up, a heatmap. "Tenshi will evaluate your injuries, she will determine when you are well enough." It was Tenshi's opinion that he trusted over all else, especially when it came to healer's business. "Why do you prefer it?" He turned, beginning to spread the meal out at the table. Was she not comfortable in his home? He doesn't know what to make of it, not yet. Hell, he doesn't know what to make of her either, but the viking king had been quick to decide that she was staying put. "Víðarr"

The man was... puzzling. His demeanor was more akin to that of their less intelligent cousins, the coyotes, but Valtiel found that endearing, in a way. Vidarr was very no-nonsense and the brusque, stoic fae appreciated that. He growled and showed his dominance, but he didn't push her when she pushed back, choosing instead to accept that she understood.

Valtiel sat and waited, accepting the morsel of meat as it was given to her. The gold marked fae chewed and swallowed before pulling herself closer to the table where they would be having their meal. Silently, she watched the big, dark wolf move back and forth, the master of his own home.

Once she'd made her request to have her own space, Vidarr's aura seemed to change. He darkened, somehow and asked why she preferred to be elsewhere. Obsidian ears flicked forward and the woman's brow furrowed for a brief second. "I am a guest in your home and I'll not be more of a burden than I have to be. Tenshi has made sure that I won't die and, since I won't die, I'm well enough to care for myself." Val's voice was even, though slightly quiet due to their proximity. "I'm sure that you and your wife will breathe a sigh of relief to have your privacy back."

"Valtiel"

Entirely unwilling to tolerate nonsense or fuckery, the viking king is direct. He doesn't need to have the last or loudest word. With Valtiel, he's inclined to be gentle. Víðarr is capable of being gentle where it counts and here? Perhaps it counts here more than usual. As the woman takes his peace offering, the viking king offers a daring grin. His icy eyes glimmered, but yes, right, he had a meal to finish preparing. "Come eat." As it was all finally spread out. He mulls over her words, snagging a small morsel of the bird for himself. Weighing her words in his mind, with a gentle hum in his throat. "You are not a burden. The gods send travelers into our lives for their own reasons. A responsibility but, not a burden." The words are spoken with a steady determination. Víðarr doesn't waver, doesn't invite argument. As she continues to insist, he's reminded what Tenshi said about maybe being in such close proximity to the pups weighing heavily on her heart. It's there he relents. "We have a whole mountain for privacy, that is not a concern." Maybe Víðarr was a little smug, but he can't help it. He loves his wife. Really, it would be hard to find a day that he wasn't simping for Tenshi. "I will take you to pick out a den, you will stay close." Another bite of pheasant, he'd actually done a pretty good job with this one. "Do you like the food?" With the right effort, he really could be okay at this whole actually preparing the meats thing. Wild. "Víðarr"

Vidarr was... different. Valtiel appreciated it. She was different. The gold marked woman was a wolf of duty. She had not loved the father of her pups, but she had done her duty by him, increasing the packs numbers. She had loved her children though, as a mother should. They had been the best part of her and she had intended to raise them into great, world changing wolves. Had...

Once the meal was finished, Vidarr bid Val to come eat. Rising, she moved forward and joined him beside the small feast. "Thank you," she spoke softly, and then began to eat. As she ate, the man spoke, informing her that she wasn't a burden. It didn't matter what he wanted to call it. She was a drain on resources and time. That was a burden.

Val filled herself with the bird since Vidarr had gone through the trouble of making it. Dark ears shifted, catching his words as he agreed to finding her a den... but one nearby. An electric jolt of something sizzled through the woman. She both liked and didn't like what that could mean, but at least she would have her own space and they would have their own space back.

When asked if she liked the food, the dark fae nodded. "I appreciate your efforts. Both yours and Tenshi's. It's more than I deserve and I'll replace the resources spent as soon as I'm able to hunt once more." She came from a very proud line of wolves and would repay her rescuers tenfold.

"Valtiel"

She eats. At least it's not terrible. He's satisfied, but still watching her closely. Peering carefully into her, trying to figure out what was going on in her head. Her ears flickered, and something passes between them in the moment. Víðarr catches it. Curious. Something possessive in his gaze as he looks upon her. Predatory may have been the wrong word, but perhaps it's the closest. He straightened his back. "It is our pleasure." The viking king won't let her thank him, won't take praise easily. Not when it's something he thinks is his duty regardless. Watching her carefully for a reaction, the next question comes before he can stop it. Impulsive, perhaps. It's worth it, in his mind, to take the chance. He can't imagine her being anywhere other than here, even if she was whole again. "What if you join the pack instead?" He was making the offer, here and now. Fuck it. He can't will the possessive edge out of his voice. Gaze steady on her face, Víðarr waited, damn near holding his breath. "Víðarr"

Valtiel caught the gleam in Vidarr's eye but she didn't understand it. There was no reason for him to give her such a look. They barely knew one another. She hadn't earned that look from him, nor had he earned such a look from her.

The shock continued as Vidarr asked Val to join the pack instead of leave. "I..." she began, her smooth vocals choppy as confusion creased her brow. She wanted to immediately say no but something stopped her. The gold mark woman's mouth closed for a moment as she considered.

The whole reason for being in this area of the world was because she was searching for her grandmother. Val had thought to seek sanctuary for herself and her pups with the woman that she'd heard about long, long ago. Val obviously hadn't found her grandmother and there was no reason to seek sanctuary for herself alone. Still... it might be nice to meet the woman at least. It might provide some closure to the events that led up to her current state.

Valtiel looked to Vidarr, her fiery eyes meeting his silver. "I have something to finish first," she informed the big man. "I came to these lands with my children to find my grandmother, Resin Carpathius." Obsidian ears slicked back against her skull for a moment and her gaze shifted to the floor between them, the meal forgotten. "I no longer require sanctuary from her but I would still like to see my quest through. Once I find her... then I'll reconsider your offer."

"Valtiel"

There's a responsibility here-- the gods had put here in the Crypt for a reason. They had laid her in their path, and Víðarr wasn't going to ask questions. It's reason enough to look at her the way she does. As she fights for words, the viking king's gaze rests heavily on her face. Searching. She was searching too, for something. Víðarr doesn't mind sitting in the silence that stretches between them. Let her think. He'd pick at some of the scraps of meat, deciding he'd done a fine job with the meal. Still, he's not very hungry.

When she finally met his gaze, Valtiel informs him of her quest. Carpathius. The viking king's eyebrows lifted, a glimmer of recognition on his face. Ah and then, the drop of her mood. He won't press her further, instead getting up to place a gentle paw on her shoulder. "I know Artorias Carpathius, in the Hallows. I will bring you, when you are well and travel is safe." There's a solemn nature to the way he speaks, not wanting to overstep. Delicate things, things Tenshi would be better at. He's trying. Travel would need to be safe for more than just Val. He wouldn't leave his wife in a vulnerable state, and he wouldn't leave the pack vulnerable. The timing would need to be right, but Víðarr would keep his promise.

"Víðarr"

Artorias Carpathius. The first name is one that Valtiel doesn't know, but the second name is her own and so she assumes that the wolf in question is family. Vidarr went on to speak of taking her when travel was safer and the dark woman gave her head a shake in the negative. "I've inconvenienced you enough and I wouldn't take you away from your pack. I simply need you to point me in a direction and I'll find it." She was a clever woman with a decent sense of direction. She would find The Hallows on her own and perhaps she would return to Heidinn after.

A little groan of pain eked from Val's maw as she rolled her scarred shoulder. It was stiff and painful, but it would heal. She was... tired. Always so tired. Sleep was when a body healed, she knew. Brows tilted and she fixed the man with her orange and gold eyes. "I'm very tired, Vidarr," her tone was laced with apology.

"Valtiel"

While Valtiel might try to talk him out of it, the viking king is much too stubborn. She won’t be going by herself, he’s not allowing it. A protective edge, unwilling to let her go so far in her state. “Not an inconvenience. I owe him a visit anyway.” Víðarr also worries about her traveling alone, so soon after healing. While he wouldn’t say it out loud, he wouldn’t condescend her, he can still worry.

He recognizes pain on her face, rolling through her system. The viking king shifted, his expression softening some. For as resolute as he usually is, Víðarr is still capable of emotion. “Come. Rest first, everything else later.” He waits close to her side, considering bundling her to his chest for a moment before thinking better of it. He’d pushed her already today. It’s not hesitation, but she’s been through it. Dignity is important too.

Vidarr looked as though he was going to come towards her and Val tensed a bit, wondering just why he needed to get so close. The man seemed to rethink and stood beside her instead. The dark woman, though confused, didn't let it show. She limped back to the plush furs and settled down within them with a pained sigh.

Val pulled a fur over her body until just her head and front paws were sticking out. Her eyes were tired, but she stayed alert and would continue to do so while Vidarr was within the den. If he needed to speak further, she would pay attention. If he didn't, she would simply watch him until she was alone once more.

"Speech"