Stavanger Bay we gather in shadow and ash

Blood ran like tears down her husband's face, and in response, Doe felt her own throat begin to tighten. It hurt her to hurt him, and her heart was broken already by the loss of her daughters - three, now - and the absence of her King. But she swallowed down her cries, unwilling to risk sullying this offering with such emotions. Besides - she had a new King to serve.

Doe looked on her mate and saw in him, for the first time, the makings of a Leviathan. Wild-eyed and steel-jawed and painted red by his intense devotion to the Wickedness. He made her proud - so proud to be his family, his mate, his partner.

With something almost like defiance in her eyes, Doe Cairn raised her chin, offering her own face to his fangs. As it was with everything else, they were in this together.