The Sentinels uneasy lies the head that wears a crown

all welcome, but hoping for @Eilidh <3

aria and constantine had left to journey, though she did not anticipate them having left for good, yet, as she was not yet of the age to ascend. and yet she already wore the weight of the crown; she felt it, now, heavier than she anticipated it to be. this could also be attributed to her recent injury, but she was not sure. whenever she felt herself in times of need, with her mother gone deirdre often sought eilidh for comfort. but deirdre realized that she herself had never been a comfort to eilidh herself! deirdre feels the cold knife of self-blame thrust itself between her ribs, and at once she moves toward where she knew the eldest mayfair girls abode to be.

she knew eilidh had been in mourning, and though much time had gone by deirdre herself mourned with her! deirdre had lost the man too soon, though any that lost their father would find that it was too soon. the end of their mourning would likely never come; deirdre yearned for taltos every day, and that longing only grew fiercer with time! and yet she put it to rest; there was nothing to do with these wishes, nothing left for them but to know he was still present, now and again. her dreams had told her so, and so, too, did the wind!

Despite that time that had passed, Eilidh was no nearer leaving her grief behind that the day on which her father died. There was something dark within her that fed upon the grief and the anger, that held her captive to its black depths. Eilidh was not angry or snappish with her family, but she was certainly distant, preferring to keep to herself most of the time. She tended her garden half-heartedly, seeing no use to its properties now. Constantine and Aria had journeyed to do something (in reality Eilidh listened with only one ear, and often didn't truly listen at all these days), and she was left to watch over the children. The children who would soon grow into their adult rank and possibly lay claim to the throne of Donnelaith.

Eilidh stood in the center of her garden, ankle-deep in the chill earth, when her sister appeared on the horizon. Eilidh turned to the white princess, wondering distantly what she was doing here. Eilidh simply dipped her head in greeting, and continued to stand in the midst of her foliage, lost in her grief and uncertainty.

to see her so broke deirdre's heart. what broke it further was that deirdre knew there was no true cure for her sisters heartbreak; lasher would never return to them, living, again. there was recognition in her eyes as deirdre came into her sisters view, and her sister dipped her head. deirdre paused before the woman sinking in the earth, and moved to nose her gently in fond greeting. deirdre remembered the days of eilidh being alive; she behaved, as their father truly was, a ghost. would you like to visit papa's grave with me? deirdre invited, her voice quiet, gentle.

Eilidh paused briefly at the touch, then returned Deirdre's nudge before moving from the tilled garden. Much like her sister saw her, Eilidh felt more like a ghost with each passing day, and didn't know how to return to her former self. Perhaps she never would. Perhaps she would waste away into nothing and join her father in the afterlife. Whatever happened, Eilidh would neither speed it along nor slow its progress. Deirdre's words cut through her thoughts and she paused, one paw outstretched, and finally nodded. Lead on. Her voice was a ghost as well, but within her eyes there was a spark of hope. Of life, of love, of everything she had once held dear. It was only a matter of time and persistence that would resurrect that part of her.

emaleth had taken to visiting her father's grave nearly every day, willing him to speak to her as he had done for deirdre. her heart was encased in metal, impenetrable by anyone but those of her blood. but it would open for him; this she promised. laying near the fairy ring, her snout just passing through its border to rest upon the mound, emaleth felt the rawness of her heart. with her eyes closed in grief, the dark witch imagined the blood of her heart seeping into the earth below, to rest with his bones or possibly to give him life— perhaps this silent meditation would finally be the key to unlocking his heaven-bound voice.

her sisters offering for her to lead on was met, though deirdre was certain to never stray far from her sisters side. eilidh had always been a comfort to her; she missed the days when it was her sister who led her, but she understood that with lashers passing had come a huge shift. if she needed to aid her sister in this recovery, then deirdre would do whatever it took for her.

they were not so far from his grave, but the scent of emaleth was present on the wind. deirdre was comforted by this, loving her and all mayfairs unconditionally. to spend time with her sisters was something deirdre craved. perhaps when with one another, they could heal.

I apologize for the delay! <3

Eilidh followed Deirdre in silence, watching as the petite white princess weaved through the trees of their home. Soon they found themselves at their father's grave, and awaiting them was Emaleth, the dark one. Eilidh's heart bristled at the thought of her sister's flight those many months ago, but she reminded herself quietly that she had returned. They were family, and as Mayfairs, they needed to stick together. Or as together as the broken Eilidh could muster. Emaleth, she breathed, giving her sister a nod, but keep back from her. She seemed to not want to be disturbed.

she lifted her head to take each sister into her gaze, to absorb and memorize every detail of their images that she could in her mind— these twins of white that were more like one another than either knew. "sisters," she whispered, finally, before returning to her restful position. she would not dissuade them from joining, for perhaps this was a calling of their father— to bring them together in healing. but she was a creature of few words and would listen to their conversation more than participate if they did remain.

emaleth, too, would sleep here long after their departure— for she so desperately wished to be near her father once more.