Nocturne Summit don't keep saying our hands are tied

@Speedy a few posts for them to speak over the plan before their return to Moonspear, I figure?

The time spent with Speedy had been amazing, yet it was coming to an end now. Charon grew more nervous as they should return to Moonspear soon. This mountain was theirs now, and part of it would always feel like theirs. Part of him didn't want to go back, knowing the adversity they would face. Charon lay by Speedy's side on the mountain still, close to the place where a lot had happened. He had guarded her since, while his brain kept pushing away the logical thoughts of their future together.

Yet as her heat ended so must their adventure together. Charon lifted his head and nudged Speedy's shoulder in a loving gesture. What are we going to tell them? Speedy was an honest creature from what he knew of her, but he wasn't so sure honesty would be smartest here. Yet what if she had conceived? He deserved another litter, Charon strongly felt, especially since Amekaze was not giving it to him. They needed to tell them something that closely resembled the truth. Maybe without Charon in it? Then again, why should he have to hide and be afraid that he had conceived another litter? He was a god damned King. I'll protect you. He looked up at Speedy and smiled confidently, completely sure that he would be able to do this. Besides, Revui and Arcturus' infatuation for Speedy was inconvenient, but now it might just come in handy. They might not favour having half-siblings, but neither would any of them wish for Speedy to be harmed.

It had been mostly easy to forget that life existed outside of their mountain, especially as more time passed. Guilt and fear lingered in the back of her mind any time she wasn't otherwise distracted, but she hadn't voiced any of her concerns yet. As wrong as this all was, she couldn't deny that she liked it, and Charon, and she had enjoyed being here with him, even when she couldn't quite shake her mind's reminders that he wasn't meant to be hers, nor were his children that might be growing inside her at this very moment. 

Despite all of her worries, she was dozing off in her spot next to him, feeling content and safe in his presence. His words had her eyes quickly opening, though, and she turned to look at him, her expression quickly changing from relaxed to worried. She supposed they couldn't avoid this conversation forever; eventually they would have to return home. She had started to feel more normal today, and she could tell her heat was ending, meaning their time here was also ending. She had honestly thought the same thing many times over but had failed to come up with anything that would keep everyone's life intact...probably because that was impossible now. I don't know, she said anxiously. And to his declaration, she looked away, sadness replacing the worry on her face. I have no doubt that you can protect me, she started, turning back to him. But at what cost? His whole family? I can't get between you and your family, she said quietly, gaze falling again. And what if...what if I'm pregnant? Speedy asked. Hydra said-- she paused to swallow, unable to bear the thought of her children being killed. I don't care about my safety. Resolve filled her voice then. If there is a them, she pointed her nose toward her abdomen as she spoke. I need them to be safe, too. Maybe she was jumping the gun, but once her worries were spoken, she couldn't stop the rest from falling out. They had plagued her thoughts in the downtime, and it felt better to share them with him.

As worry flooded Speedy's face Charon instantly regretted breaking the subject. But it needed to be talked about, especially now that they were headed back to the real world. Speedy seemed torn; between wanting to tell and wanting to spare him and his family all of this. She brought up another point -- pups -- and Charon was torn this time, too. Mostly torn between what would be clever to say. If they did not mention the culmination of Speedy's heat and she was not pregnant then everything would turn out fine. But if she was...

And he didn't want to hide it. Charon instantly said: I'll protect them, too. They were not just Speedy's, after all. Somehow. We'll make it work. I just need to think of how and what we'll say. A bold thought entered Charon's mind, then. What if he took Speedy as his mate and fought Amekaze for her right to be Alpha at his side? But then, when he thought of Amekaze, Charon still felt guilty for what he had done at least a little bit. When he thought of his mate, and of all the litters they had raised together... She didn't deserve that.

But neither did Speedy. It would be a very rough patch, but they'd get through it. They had to. Now Charon just needed to figure out what on earth he'd say to Ame and Hydra. Hopefully with all the hormones swirling to have subsided, they'd both be a bit more reasonable. He had not forgotten he had left Amekaze with a fight last time they'd seen each other.

His words soothed her worry some, but she wondered if it wasn't wishful thinking. Hydra had seemed pretty pissed that night in the clearing, and her warning had made it pretty clear that there would be no room for compromise. She wanted so badly to be reassured by his promise, and she had no doubt he would protect his own children, but what if that meant fending of his mate and daughter at every turn? Was it feasible to watch over her and their pups every moment of every day? These were the anxieties that pierced through any solace she may have found in his words. 

But shouldn't she have faith? Faith that he would do as he promised? And if she did agree that they would figure everything out, who would watch out for him? He might not be in the kind of danger that she and their possible children were in, but what kind of toll would this all take on him? Regardless of her reservations about his plan, she felt like she needed to be at his side to at least offer him somewhere free of judgement to turn to when this all inevitably went to shit; their predicament was her fault too, and she felt like she needed to weather this with him. She released a soft sigh and turned to nuzzle into him. Okay, she said, pulling away to look at him. Should we tell the truth right away, or wait to see if we even have to say anything? she asked. I'm not usually one to lie, but I could keep this a secret to protect you. It would kill her to keep something so big from everyone, but she would if that's what he wished her to do, at least until they were sure whether or not she was even pregnant.

Charon hesitated at Speedy's question. Then he eventually decided: Yes. Let's wait and see if it is necessary. It might not be, and then he would risk everything for nothing. It was unfortunate what had happened with Zafina, really, for it put everyone on edge, but then again, the heat had put everyone on edge. Now that he could think clearly again, everything seemed a lot easier and clearer to Charon. We'll keep this a secret for now. Charon nuzzled Speedy's neck one more time. Let's go back. I should wash myself before I head back, though -- make sure I don't smell of you so much. You will do the same. He honestly didn't wish for it to be this way because while he still loved Amekaze dearly -- and wanted to raise these pups with her like he had suggested before -- and loved Hydra -- now that she would be normal again now that heat had ended -- but it was the only way for now. They would not understand. Maybe they'd come to, if there were pups conceived out of this.

So it was decided: they would keep this between them for now and hopefully, nothing more would come of this. They could look back moons from now and regard there time here as a cautionary reminder of the destruction that this season could bring--feel relieved, even, that they had dodged a bullet. 

She leaned into his touch and then just like that, with his order to wash off, everything shifted. They were fully back in reality now, and her stomach churned at the thought of returning home. She nodded, managing a quiet: Okay. but unable to say anything else. Dread slowly pooled in her chest, and it would only continue to grow the closer they got to the mountain, anxiety spearing through her everytime she caught a glimpse of Moonspear's peak beckoning her home to face the music.

Eventually Speedy agreed and Charon nodded. He offered her one last nuzzle to the neck. I'm going to miss this, he admitted with a smile that was almost soft etched across his scarred features. Even though trouble likely awaited them back home, Charon was glad he'd gotten closer to Speedy and he wondered what more life might bring them in the future. He just hoped he could make it all right again, and mostly, hoped the could make his daughter his subordinate again and his mate his partner again, as it should be. He hoped they'd see.

So he set off, breaking away from Speedy with a pained grimace and soon thereafter feeling the weight of the world upon his shoulders. He would make sure there wasn't much of her scent left -- but enough not to be suspicious -- by the time he returned home to the mountain.