Constantine leads, but Aria follows closely beside him-- her heart pounding in her chest. She knew Deirdre to be sweet and understanding, but she couldn't decide what might happen now. Would she understand? Or would she push them out? She wasn't sure, she only prayed for the former.
Although Constantine seems to know where he's going, Aria begins to grow anxious. With a quick whine to ask her friend to stop, she pauses and tilts her head back. Her sweet voice calls for
@Deirdre, just to let her know they were looking for her. When she finishes, she looks back to Constantine and urges him to continue-- if he wants. She just needed to speed up the process-- for the sake of her nerves.
deirdre came when summoned, her heart worried. the meeting had ended, but it had not been chased from her mind and it continued there in her mind. the way constantine had looked, as though he could not bear to be near her any more as she spoke, the way aria had turned and left. it felt like more a loss than a victory; and though deirdre had wished to seek out the leader and her brother both, she equally felt that she must let some time pass. she was surprised to be called at all; she wondered if aria could bear her in donnelaith any longer, of if her presence was an aggravation to her. would she be ousted, as rowan had?
the scent of constantine soothed her nerves. rationalized her thoughts. he, her protector--the brother that had stayed. she breathed easier, calmed herself. perhaps now, she could explain herself to the two of them what she felt had been misunderstood. she did not speak ill of self-defense, but of battle tactics within donnelaith; it sounded, to deirdre, tartokian--the very place her brother had left, and the only word she associated with violence. it was not a virtue her heart held.
aria! constantine!
her eyes were soft, and though she feared no more being thrust away from them, she certainly feared aria's resentment, and pined for her brothers love! i--i have wanted to speak with you, but... i feared you were so upset with me from the meeting...
she looked to the both of them, her eyes downcast. before... before anything, i wanted to say--i wanted to say that i did agree with you, when you spoke of self-defense! i... i simply did not like the sound of battle tactics...
how foolish and small she felt! she had defended donnelaith from the latter so fiercely, that she had not been able to vouch for aria's thoughts on the former... i love you, both of you, please--please do not be cross with me anymore,
she was soft and supple before them, her ears melting placatingly upon her crown, her eyes beseeching!
Aria called for Deirdre, and he gave a small nod of agreement – best to be as up front and honest with her as quickly as possible, for both seemed to walk on eggshells with their frayed nerves on the matter. Her voice would break the silence, and glancing up, the swarthy man halted, his tail giving an idle flick as he considered his sister, his gaze softening greatly. It was her stutter of words that threw him off – the pain that seemed laced in them, and he blinked – had he known she had felt so distraught over the meeting, he would have sought her sooner to comfort her.. to reassure her that siblings
could disagree and yet still love one another as much as before – perhaps
@Casmir had left the impression otherwise upon her.
He pushed forward then, prior to her even apologizing and bent his muzzle down to grace gingerly upon her crown, hoping to soothe her quietly. She was such a gentle creature, that even if she had spoken in a way that indicated neither of the wolves before her could be accepted in to her vision of the pack, he had never been angry. Simply confused and hurt.
“Deirdre, no one is cross with you. Not now – not ever,” he uttered, his gaze drifting back to Aria – he knew the ivory woman was sparked by her emotions, and could speak such, but he also could not imagine a day Aria would not care for the youngest Mayfair, either.
“Family does not always agree. But that does not mean my love for you will ever change and you can't seek me out.”
Deirdre comes quickly and the ache in her heart lessens slightly. It was here and now that they would do this, and the stress of putting it off was no longer there. "Deirdre," she says softly, moving to nose the girl softly. Her sudden ramble of apologizes catches her off guard, and she freezes where she stands as she listens-- her white gaze moving to Constantine only once. Her look was filled with pity and grief, for she sometimes did forget the other end of the spectrum. Deirdre was still a child... naive and innocent and filled with hope-- but also longed for attention and approval from those she loved-- from herself, even. She had forgotten that.
"Never," she agrees, echoing Constantine. Confused and jealous, certainly, but never truly cross. With a sweeping motion, the pale queen moves to embrace the girl warmly, hoping to calm her nerves. Her eyes look once for Constantine, grabbing his gaze best she could. This would be harder than she thought... or maybe just as hard as she thought. She still prayed for the best.
"We did not call you to scold you... but to talk to you," she says, moving back a step from the pale sylph, closer to Constantine.
the relief that swept over her was palpable. the tension dissolved from her as not only constantine but her dearest aria shared that they were not upset with her, after all. but when aria admitted to her that they had not called her here to scold her, which had been her first worry, deirdre looked to them both with interest. she was silent and patient, her eyes casting to the two of them. the worried way in which aria looked to constantine caused deirdre to narrow her eyes, slightly, but the look in them was fiendish and playful. are you here to tell me that constantine is your special one...?
what other reason might they fear her reaction? if that is what your hearts want, you need never fear my reaction,
she said, encouragingly. the two did seem to share plenty of looks to one another... perhaps this was why, or perhaps she was simply imagining things.
Aria seemed just as devastated by their greeting as he did, and while Deirdre seemed immediately placated by their affection, it did not stop the nagging dredge of guilt that began to pluck away at his heart. Her devastation at their upset from the meeting had just been hard enough – how were they to explain that the home Deirdre worshiped and thrived upon was not a home they felt welcome within?
Before he could consider how to word this, Deirdre cast a keen glance between the two of them, and uttered something about a ‘special one.’ The joke and it’s meaning was quite lost upon him, but there was an implication that was not, and just like that, the dark Mayfair was flustered. “Ah.. what? I don’t.. What’s a ‘special one?’” He paused then, shaking his head – “Nevermind, no, it doesn’t matter, that’s not it, Deirdre.” Fumbling, his bright eyes glanced between both as he sought to balance himself once more. “We wanted to talk to you about when you’re older and you’re ready to lead We both know that you wish to be the safekeeper of Donnelaith and lead it. Both of us wish this for you, too.”
Aria fumbles over her words just as much as Constantine does, but quiets herself to let him speak. "We... er... I..." was all she manages to sputter before hushing. He'd handled it well-- not that he knew what she was talking about, it seemed.
"You are the rightful leader of Donnelaith," she agrees. "And soon you will be able to be just that-- if it is still what you wish for," she adds, though her mind is already made up. She will leave, and Constantine will come with.
deirdre was amazed at what came from their lips. her previous suggestion had faded from her mind in its entirety when they spoke of her dreams becoming reality when she became of age--this was but a month away from now! i do...!
she wished, her whisper faint but filled with passion, her tail waving behind her. so, i shall lead alongside you?
her verdant eyes panned to aria, now, her eyes filled with excitement!
It was the moment he had expected – he had known Deirdre to hold no desire to uncrown Aria and place it for herself alone, but he still felt a surge of warmth and love for the girl when she spoke this – wondering if Aria had expected any different. “I have stepped up as Donnelaith’s Beta for now, Deirdre,” he began, his bright eyes drifting from the pale gaze of Aria to study his sister. “But it is our hope to hand the pack fully over to you when you are ready,” he began, his muzzle tilting slightly.
“Your dream of fulling Donnelaith to what father saw for it is what we would want for the pack.. and we feel it is something you would do best, above all others.” He paused then, his muzzle tipping downward now. “When you are ready to rule… Aria and I will step aside, and we will found a pack close to Donnelaith – close to you, and home for whatever you might need us for,” he noted, his tail giving a nervous sweep through the air. “This way Donnelaith can be everything you want it to be.. and we can still hold our own values, dear sister.”
She smiles weakly at Deirdre's comment, thankful that Constantine began to explain. She knew that Deirdre would always want to lead with her-- but what would happen when one of them found a mate? Eventually, she felt, titles would be bickered over... and she didn't want to take that from Deirdre. Donnelaith was, in all technicalities, hers. Though she felt she'd worked for it and earned it, heritage tended to register more to others. That was fine.
"We will be close," Aria reiterates, taking a small step forwards. "We will never be more than a quick travel away," she adds, trying her hardest to smile reassuringly to the young Mayfair.
a surge of pride filled her heart as constantine spoke of becoming the packs beta. her tail waved behind her, and a full-hearted smile bloomed upon her lips. the 'for now' did not yet register, and as she moved to speak, she noted he had only taken a breath to pause, and would continue speaking. deirdre looked sheepish as she smiled, her ears flitting atop her head. she was an open book: there was no hiding the surprise that overtook her as he spoke to her of leading, alone. she was untaught, truly, and though genetics had forced a hand of ambition within her, deirdre was unsure if she was ready to do this alone! but she could not imagine she would be left to do this alone, not from the very start of her reign, and so held her tongue as he continued onward. her eyes flicked to aria for only a moment, curiosity the most prominent thing.
all was explained. the words he spoke warmed her, and deirdre could not help but think, eilidh,
for she might be a good candidate, too, would she not? she was peaceful, sweet, the very first daughter of lasher. but she also understood that eilidh still mourned, so deeply that deirdre feared to disturb her. but eilidh overtook her mind, then, and she wondered what the elder mayfair woman would think!
deirdre smiled as he fell silent. i would not stop you, either of you, for doing what you think is best. for donnelaith, for yourselves,
she began, i only worry that i do not know truly how to lead. will you teach me? before you leave?
there was not so much time left, was there? but she would be a good pupil, and devour the knowledge they fed her.
His sister spoke warmly of Eilidh – and the thought had crossed his mind. But he spoke nothing of their pale sister – for the woman could barely maintain herself, and he did not believe she was ready to take partial reign of Donnelaith. Nor, in the end, was he certain she even wanted such responsibilities. “That will be up to you to determine,” he noted, his gaze studying her bright features.
She spoke concern then of leading – and he was surprised to hear such. She had seemed so sure before—not once withholding her opinion and demand when either of them had governed any conversation with their pack mates, but her question rose with an earnest, and he dipped his muzzle lower. “Of course, Deirdre. We will aide with whatever you need.”
Aria nodded. "Anything at all, we'll be here for you, Deirdre," she murmured, smiling at the child-- thankful this had gone over so well. She was still hurt that Donnelaith was no longer hers, maybe never rightfully hers to begin with, but she was coming to terms with it. It would be alright, and Deirdre would handle it well. Of this she was positive.
deirdre thought of eilidh and of her brothers determination. she shared similar thoughts with him, though were her sister to become a more active presence deirdre would likely wish the elder to lead in some capacity. deirdre, herself, was given the scepter; she took it graciously, albeit with some measure of worry. she wanted to right by constantine, by her father, by donnelaith, and by aria, as well.
she nodded to the duo as they inform her they will be there for her, and of this she feels a great amount of relief. she is thankful for this, and breathes, thank-you,
for she was truly honored by their decision, their request.
There was nothing else to say in that moment -- the decision was made, the words a finality to Donnelaith. He felt a twinge of worry -- Deirdre's naivety was not lost upon him, and he feared for Donnelaith itself. But his youngest sisters words still rung within his mind -- that Lasher's intentions for their home was far from what he and Aria perhaps conceived it to be -- and whether or not she had meant it in so many words, she had stated her belief he would bring it to ruin.
This was the only gift he could truly give her -- and it was as close to the world as he knew.
pressing forward, the swarthy wolf swept his muzzle over his sister's crown -- affection and desperation lingering. Planting a kiss to her temple, Constantine drew away from the two women then, eager to seek the solace of the borders and the quiet they would offer his weary mind.