Wild Berry Meadow planted them in spite of you

forward dated to about 7/7/2020 - 7/8/2020

It was almost, almost, tempting to forsake all plans and remain here. 

It was a tiny paradise, an oasis of peace hidden amongst the slopes and hills of the grasslands. The grass seemed thinner here but only because the berry brush was so thick. It was odd of her, her omnivorous diet, but the druid absolutely loved fruit.

Twilight found her languishing comfortably by the stream, pawing at her muzzle idly with dripping paws - which were still stained a watercolor lavender - as she tried to wash the sticky purple stains from her snout.

Celara was regretting her life decisions. Why hadn't she kept pursuing the wolfdog at the meeting? The leaders might think that she had abandoned them, but at least she would have avoided all this walking. Of course, getting permission from the rulers was no excuse for waiting this long. It was a wonder she could still follow the trail.

Said trail, at least, was getting stronger. At last she emerged fom the tall, yellow grass into a meadow full of bushes. As she came closer, a new, sweet scent. Berries. She hurried to the nearest bush and began to remove some. The flaver was pleasantly sweet, though she knew it wouldn't last.

After clearing her third bush, she headed to the stream. The taste of the berries had become cloying and she felt like washing it off. After drinking, she turned around and saw a figure she recognized, some distance upstream. She called out to it.

"Awenfen?"

The wildling's head whipped up as an initial stab of panic startled her from grooming - pink tongue flicking against her lips to catch a few droplets trailing from her slender maw. 

Seelie eyes scanned her surroundings, halting upon the dusky form of Celara. 

"Lady Celara?" The sighthound called out in return, surprised. She'd not known the earthen courtesan very well but the woman didn't appear to be alarmed as she was - had she been hunting the selkie?

"I'm still just a commoner, but yes." Celara spoke quietly. "I am here to talk. It can wait a bit, though." She spotted a minnow in the stream and snapped at it, but it swam away before her jaws could close around it. A shame, but she'd get the next one. She yawned and stretched out. "I've been walking for a while now." Her flight from her destroyed land had lasted longer, but she had rested fairly often, though rarely slept. Another silver flash caught her eye and she flipped it from the water and bit into it. The strong taste of fish filled her tongue, finally wiping away the lingering berry flavor.

"Apologies, mi'lady," the mother wisped softly in return, opals trailing after the woman's idle hunting progression. "A 'abit," here a tiny smile lighted upon the self-liberated slave's lips. A good one she supposed, to be so respectful - even if it was the result of having subservience beaten into her. 

"Fergive me, I donnae mean to rush ye, mi'lady, but zis talk ye spoke of?" Awenfen ventured, concern and dread brewing in her frightened eyes. 

"Is it urgent? 'as somezing 'appened? Is ze Lady Reiko okay? All of ze puppies?" 

Possibilities swarmed her stormy mind: Takeshi's corruption, Hime's deception, Reiko's health, Yuudai's injuries, Hiromi's mental state, Collision's treason and precarious existence in the Vale, Vespera's recovery, Kazuhiko's development, Cordelia's ankle. 

Of all the things that could've gone wrong since her banishment, what had?

"There isn't any immediate danger. The puppies were all fine when I last checked. " The she-wolf said, hoping to calm the wolfdog. "Reiko... She isn't doing well, but she is uninjured. The pack is in no immediate danger." A slightly guilty expression appeared on her face. "They don't even know I am here. What I came to talk about is Takeshi. He seems... unpleasant, but nothing that would be worth challenging the leader against. I want you to tell me. What did he do?"

Briefly, her pale eyes shut and her shoulders sagged as she exhaled a pent breath. Weary argent found Celara when the druid had regained her strength. 

"I cannae answer zat in so many vords," the sylph wisped regrettably, "an' I know 'ow zat sounds." Like their treason was uncalled for, unjust. 

"It is a very complex situations, mi'lady. It began long ago I zink, before ze Vale even, perhaps. But I vill tell ye vhat I know, or zink I know." And may you make of it what you will. 

"Ze Lady Reiko vas nae always like zis. Vhen first ve met, she vas like...like ze return of spring after ze 'arshest of vinters." An enamored, unconscious smile spread over her lips as warmth colored her cheeks. "She vas radiant. Almost like zis beacon of safety, of kindness. She vas the goodest person I ever met."

"She gave me safe 'arbor an' put me ta use as midvife. Reiko 'erself vas my very first patient. I 'ad only met Takeshi once, briefly, but I suspected ze children vere 'is long before ze announcement vas made. 'e vas ze only male in ze Vale zat vasn't claimed at ze time - Collision 'as Vespera an' Yuudai, Hiromi."

"Never once did I see zat man do 'er any kindness. Not once through ze whole pregnancy - 'e never bothered to dig a 'earth fer 'is family or bring ze Lady food, never did 'e ask after 'is vife's 'ealth or zat of 'is children. I 'ighly doubt 'e even knew I vas treating 'er." This was not a crime in itself but it sure made him an asshole. The seelie's spring gaze had cooled and hardened with fierce judgement for the pitiful father. "Vhen Reiko vent missing, I vas ze only one vho looked fer her. Takeshi probably didn't even realize she vas gone!" 

"Even vhen 'is children vere born and I 'ad 'elped ze Empress to bring zem home, I never witnessed 'im 'elping 'is vife vith zeir babies. I vas zere again, relieving Reiko vhenever she needed time ta 'erself." 

"An' through ze vhole zing, I vatched my dear friend - ze only I 'ad fer a long time - grow just a little bit quieter, a little more docile. Slowly, zat radiance dimmed. An' I realized one day zat ze Reiko I'd met on ze borders vas nae more, she vas a shell." 

The woman paused, swallowing heavily and blinking against smarting eyes, feeling weightless with the release of her pent emotions. 

"I 'ave met men like Takeshi. An' I 'ave been ved to men like Takeshi." Slowly encased and entombed in the exoskeleton of her soul, crystallised into a hollow shell of her former self. "I feared somezing vas amiss but I couldnae say fer sure until ze pack meeting. Vhen 'e attacked Yuudai...'e's a brute. An' a bully," her lips curled in disgust at the thought of the Emperor. 

"In short, mi'lady, I 'ave my suspicions - an' zey follow an overwhelming trend of disregard, callousness, and unworthiness." As the halfling wrapped up her speech, or outburst maybe, she offered the Peasant a sardonic smile of absolute exhaustion. 

"But I can prove nozing."