Moonspear BWP5—siren

Peace in finality, yes. That was what Dragomir sought. It wasn't good enough for him right now to play pretend like his mother, to act like she was just nonexistent. He had inherited his father's loyalty—a good thing, that, for his mother's was so flimsy she couldn't even attach it to her own bloodline. That made him loyal to his family, as well, and he could not bear to have her be part of it any longer. He could not bear the pain of a connection that was severed without his consent.

Troubling, that.

But deep down inside, Dragomir did acknowledge that Hydra was right. That the worst thing he could do to Aurëwen was turn his back on her when she attempted to rekindle that connection. It occurred to him that that might never happen—that he was such a useless burden that she was glad to be rid of him and would never return—if that was the case, how could he ever remove her power over him, short of seeing her dead? If he had all day to think about it then every hour would be spent upon it until, at last, he would reach the same conclusion that Hydra proposed. But he didn't have all day, and had to put it aside for now.

Sniffing as inconspicuously as he could, Dragomir blinked away the film that hazed his vision and glared over his shoulder at the flatlands. His tail stirred against his hocks, but whatever thoughts bothered him then were put aside when he looked back to the queen. It would be the last time he thought of his mother with any attachment, he vowed ... though that was much easier said than done for a boy who had hidden issues with separation the way that Dragomir did.

I'm trying, he answered, lifting the stiffer of his hind legs and giving it a swivel in its socket. I can move better than I did before. I can climb higher. I don't lose my breath as much, either. Placing it back on the ground, he planed his ears to the sides and admitted, I still suck compared to the others, though. By which he meant her offspring, and the truth was that it was possible he would always suck in comparison to them, because they had lived their whole life on a mountain, and Dragomir had lived the majority of his life nowhere static.

Arcturus said you are the best teacher for offensive fighting, he said, having suddenly remembered the Beta's lesson as well as Hydra's offer to teach him. He said defence might be more important than offence, though.