The two of them were a startling contrast to each other. One of them was a white and shimmering as the sun on a clear day. The other was dark as night. Their personalities were no different than their appearances. While she was a peace-loving individual, Skellige was a man who cared very little for peace or the safety of those around him. Though he was protective of his brood and the wolves who obediently followed him, he knew that death was a natural part of life and would not find himself in disarray if he should lose someone close to him. The sea would claim all, in the end, and had claimed many in his lifetime.
 
He would be fiercely protective over her, though. Deirdre would be his mate in under a year’s time, and he had no intention of losing her to the ways of the world. Having his home right beside her own would allow for him to watch over her carefully and ensure that she had the blessing of the waters on her land at all times. Though they were witches and nymphs of the woods, the mystics would look on them with an open heart and mind – as they did all things – and would understand that they were there to help build his empire into something magnificent.
 
The pearl went on to explain that her brother was fiercely protective of her. He cast a wary glance toward her and frowned once more; an image that seemed to be permanent to his features at this point. “Telling me such things is making our meeting very enticing,” he drawled sarcastically. It was his first true form of humor shown in the wilds. In reality, he was not happy to meet the elder sibling to Deirdre. Skellige was certain that he would not leave a good impression on her kind family. Nevertheless, it was what she wanted, and so she would get it… but he felt the need to warn her in case things turned sour.  

The girl grinned at his remark, but she went on to tell him that he needn’t feign his readiness for tasks that he was not yet capable of doing. This was the difficult part of their conversation. Skellige would never be ready to speak with her family. He was not like them in the slightest, and was certain that they would find his ways brutish and wicked. There were many wolves who did not come from the culture of the Warsaw wolves who had been completely lost in their disgust of the sea-worshipping creatures. It was not likely that a peace-loving community in the forest would look kindly on the wraith of the sea taking their sweet pearl away and defiling her.
 
“Deirdre, I do not believe that I should speak to your brother. He will not look kindly on my type, but if it is something that you wish… then I suppose it will be done,” he spoke to her with a small shrug of his broad shoulder. The man was certain that this was not what she wished to hear from him, but he would remain a transparent individual and would not leave things unspoken.

The pearl seemed to believe that he would speak of their intent to be mated when he was ready to do so. His intentions would be concerning to her family, he was certain, but there was no doubt in his mind that their answers would not deter him from taking Deirdre. The coalition of the two packs would be a force to be reckoned with and he had the fiercest of confidence in his gut when it came to such a matter. “Perhaps when you’re older and it will seem more appropriate to them,” he drawled quietly on the subject of their intentions. It would only seem wise to approach them after a foundation had been set.
 
She went on to explain more of her brother, and when she brought up a particular pack, his ears cupped forward and he frowned. “I know of the Tartok wolves. I aided them in a fight once, in my travels here,” he explained to her in a level voice. He had not pledged himself to their fight, but had offered his hand… as most dredge would. It also helped to solidify the impression of the man he was soon to meet. If the sibling to Deirdre had fought alongside the warfaring wolves of Tartok, perhaps they would be capable of coming to a mutual respect of each other. 

The next question that fell from her lips was one that seemed to take him by surprise, if only for a moment. The brute watched her with his dark and careful gaze, wanting more than anything not to have to answer such an inquiry. She wanted to know if he would be open about his relationship with her, or that which was intended, with the wolves of his soon to be pack. The look on his face was stern, but he could not help but to soften it for the pearly female and her query of him. “No, Deirdre… at least, not yet. It is a curse to speak of such things before they come to fruition,” he answered her simply. If they were not mated, and they did not hold that title, there would be no conversation that would occur about the subject… not to his wolves.
 
It was a troubling topic for the brute to be forced into discussing with her. Her brother had finished his fighting, but Skellige was certain that his battles were far from over. He had much to do in the coming months, even years, and he wanted to ensure that these plans would not fall through. “Your bother would only need fear me turning against him if your wolves gave me a reason,” Skellige returned with a firm nod of his skull. The expression on his face was almost cold… frigid as could be with his dark eyes swimming before her. “I do not believe you’re foolish, Deirdre, but you have a lot to learn of the world…” the man then trailed with a quiet sigh. Youthful optimism was something that had been stolen from him the moment he had struck the dark waters during his drop. It was something he would never get back.