Sleepy Fox Hollow you did not break me

ketzia reached to him, and mahler found himself indebted to the new surge of warmth in the normally aloof woman. had she forgiven him takiyok’s ascension then? were he privy to her need for distraction, mahler would have carefully played his role for the woman, but it seemed their alliance was merely that at present.
she spoke then the words in his heart; the general gave a noncommittal grunt, but his eyes shone with the truth of it. where would they go then? perhaps to the taiga, where he felt the herds that had killed kazimir made their goal.
”i feel the same. the coast is not home to us. perhaps we shall press to the lands beyond the second mountain range at our back; perhaps to the cold lands vhere there might be hunting had. vhat do you think?”
stigmata. an urgent conception had been growing within the man since moonspear; he had wanted to suggest it unto takiyok first, but ketzia was near, and perhaps her cooler nature would impart logic to the delicacy of the matter.
”i vant to continue his legacy, his dream, ketzia. but diaspora will not survive vithout its allies, vithout our extension at birth.”
here the gargoyle paused, choosing his next words carefully, moreso for himself than her — this was the first time he had spoken his strategy aloud.
”if the land settles in the coming season, i plan to present myself to moonspear’s queen as consort. that vay, ve vill be blood-kin to them. the same for sviftcurrent. the same for diaspora,” mahler stated, glancing pointedly at the ivory sylph. 
there was the matter of takiyok, of andraste; but here he spoke purely of politics, and now fell silent.