Ravensblood Forest Keep me caged, My downside locked away

Olive cradled against her atramentous husband and rocked back and forth gently, listening to his tongue call forth his fears to greet the light of day. To say she felt differently than he did would be a lie — for where she once thought Arturo only spoke in angered fabrications, Olive learned there were very real threats. Arturo was a dangerous man, and at times Olive lamented getting caught up with a gangster such as he. Before, Arturo had offered her protection, but now he only offered her threats and dissent. Olive had enough time over the past few days to realize that when she and Dakarai were granted escape from the clutches of their enemies, she had been given a second chance at motherhood. The fae was not keen to risk the lives of her unborn babes again by staying where they were unwelcome.

Dakarai pulled away and continued to speak words heretic words. They had only been parted for a moment’s time but almost immediately the small mother rushed back to him, touching her pale forehead to his and shushing him with soft urgency. “My king, stow your tongue!” She urged him.“Please…” His ideas had flitted through her mind before — quite often, actually. Olive was a soul that was never meant to surrender to anyone but god. The hierarchies that wolf society imposed upon them was a fallacy and it unsettled her that a man [who was above her in name only] could threaten her family in such a way.  Who was Arturo decide if their little shall live or if they shall perish? It was dangerous and foolish for one to think they were above god— but that was Arturo: a dangerous fool.  “Such a thing would make me the happiest woman alive. You and I were not made to bend to the will of others…” Unlike Dakarai, Olive was hesitant to speak of these thoughts, and would never wanted so for one simple reason: it was impossible.

“…but we mustn’t make rash decisions,” she moaned to him, still touching her third eye to his. Olive was a woman quite experienced in rash decision making and knew what came along with it: instability and risk. This would not do where their babies were concerned.  Olive had been rash at Blackfeather’s borders and now the time for was decisions was over. Dakarai and Olive had been stripped of their freedom and now needed to calculated and smart in their next moves — for they were surrounded by enemies on all sides, all whom sought their downfall. Such  anger and retribution — all for love. 

To hear Dakarai beg her for something she knew she could not give… it broke her heart. It had always seemed that with her mate, anything was possible… but she was very quickly learning that simply wasn’t true. Immediately the tears came again, this time with force. It was all so much to bear! Olive’s breath hitched in her throat and she let out a strangled gasp. Then, the doe began to sob heavily. “I fear that your dreams are bigger than our reality!” she cried, utterly distraught at their situation. Her words were exasperated and came in gasps; but this was no different than any mother who felt backed into a corner would react.  “Your c-concern is for the h-health of our family but the t-truth is… we’re not w-well.” Her words came in short, breathy hiccups and she looked down at the ground and she struggled to speak her truth. The truth was they could leave. The truth was that they probably should leave… But Olive could not see how a decision would not incur the deaths of both them and their babies. That was the real truth. If there was ever a time to build a pack or travel to new lands — this surely wasn't it.  “We barely made it back to t-teaghlaigh — you know it as well as I d-do. We’re torn and broken and by the t-time we recover, well, i’ll be too far along to travel… and—and, even if we did leave, who would t-t-take in or live underneath two lawless wolves and their many hungry babes? My love, if—if that were to happen and our ch-ch-children were be b-born outside of a pack… We would surely be crushed under the weight of it.”  To Olive, it seemed that death was almost more certain outside Teaghlaigh than it was within. 

Suddenly, Olive was overcome with exhaustion. Her small body slid to the ground and she continued to cry - but she proceeded more softly… more hopelessly. To know that danger existed around every corner, but not being able to do anything about it was excruciating. It hurt even more than her continual vexation came at the behest of Arturo, a wolf so close to her heart that they called each other kin.  “I see you,” she choked, looking up at him from the ground. Her jade eyes swam and entire body quivered. Olive needed Dakarai to know that she felt his anger, his pain, his worries, understood everything he told her — but delicately implored him to heed her reasoning. 

“…but I am tired, Dakarai. I am so tired.”