Where Lies and Truth mingle

  • So many newbies lately! Here is a very important PSA about one of our most vital content policies! Read it even if you are an ancient member!
Status
Not open for further replies.
She dared a smirk at him, quirking it wider as he admitted to things even she knew would have been frowned upon in his own culture. Had the harpies been rubbing off on him that exclusively? Perhaps that was a good thing.

Glancing behind him to take consideration to the late night and the quiet that signified said night fall still, Eryn tilted her head with a light chuckle only being given to that of him. "Yes. Make effort to speak with other." she agreed with that before her hands came up to wrap around that of his bicep. Giving him a tug towards the nest.

"Is tired, you." Wings opened widely engulfing the space of the roost in a stretch before swirling around in a cupping gesture as Eryn seemed to forget already that he wasn't too used to the touch aspect. Bringing Roman to hunker down in the nest as she made herself comfortable again, she gave the shifter a look. "Rest rest."
 
Of all the things Roman had thought - coherently or not, consciously or not - Eryn would do, pulling him into her nest was not it. He'd stayed out of it in respect of her private area, her home. He'd not been invited in, had not intended to stay at all past the talk, but here he was, laying in a bed of feathers and fabrics, surprisingly comfortable, with a female who hadn't been talking to him for three weeks.

He supposed stranger things had happened, but this ranked up there with them in Roman's book.

But he didn't protest, mainly for two reason, one of them logical and the other...well, he was still working on accepting the other part because it wasn't logical at all but rather emotions only and therefore normally would have had no say in what Roman did. Tonight, though, it got a free pass and mainly due to the fact that the logical reason matched up with the emotional one.

If he refused to stay now, after making this breakthrough, it might push Eryn away again. She might believe she'd done something wrong again and he didn't want that. That was the logical reason, and the other reason.... He simply didn't want to leave. Something about Eryn calmed his raging mind tonight, banished the chill in his belly and her nest was nice, warm and inviting. Roman would have liked to think he wouldn't have stayed for that reason alone, but his body was already betraying him, laying down as he was directed and the Shifter smiled back at Eryn when her eyes met his once more.

"Night, Eryn." was all he offered before letting his eyes shut, drifting off soon after.

Roman didn't even take note in the middle of the night when he half woke, already shifting slowly, far slower than he usually did and so not as loud as the bones rearranged, more gradual until he was far larger than he had been and the tiger moved sluggishly, but with some purpose around the Harpy who'd been near him. He didn't hesitate, mostly in the animal mindset and only half asleep anyway, to lay down at her back, his large body wrapping around her smaller frame.

The warmth of his belly and fur was far better than any blanket and the chill of the Harpy kept Roman far more comfortable than he'd been in...he couldn't even remember how long. It wasn't worth trying to remember and so Roman didn't, simply letting himself slip into sleep once more.

Tigerramki.jpg
 
Last edited:
Surprising warmth surged through a usually tempid body. Her nest was usually warm enough to keep most of the chill any during the night, but there was always lingering stiffness on her joints were the cold got in and stayed.

Instinctively her body rolled over to where this supply of heat was coming from. Talons reaching out to curl up in her chest as she rearranged herself to snuggle into the length of fur. Like a lizard scouting out a place to sunbath, Eryn shimmied around enough to wedge herself against the inside of the great beasts belly. Using him as a pillow in turn.

How old she stayed that way was left to question. Especially once her eyes peeled open to see the assortment of oranges black and white stretched around her. Confusion set in letting a waking mind attempt to riddle through what had occurred. She knew this creature. Seen it before. In a far more aggressive streak than this.

It didn't take long for the avian to recall Roman's powerful shift. Instantly thankful that it wasn't aggressive towards her. Though she couldn't remember him shifting, or being this close... Or her all snug as a bug in a rug with him. Questions were plenty but unusually by anyone's terms not drastically important.

Ears shifted as the sound of feathers flapping caught her attention, beside the sound of weight being dropped to the side of her nest. Blues met green as Yulin was smirking at the scene. Eyes studying the tiger with an impish chuckle. "Mar'luin wishes to see you both."

Eryn bobbled her head in awareness but snuggled back into Roman instead of getting up yet. Looking at her kin as Yulin waited on the perch
 
The cool presence against his belly had kept Roman at a comfortable temperature all night. If he'd been a true tiger, he wouldn't have appreciated the chill, would have shrunk from it, but as a Shifter his core temperature ran hotter than nearly any other species alive barring Dragons and Fire Elementals. The Shifters themselves were not entirely sure why this was, but they'd accepted it long ago even as they'd learned to deal with the inconveniences it brought.

But not last night.

Roman had slept deeply, thoroughly, with no dreams to plague him. He'd slept comfortable, his heat kept regulated and now he woke slowly, unhurriedly, but sensing the change in the companion at his side and his keen ears having registered the presence of another, though, his nose told him the person in question was familiar and not a threat. So Roman opened his enormous mouth and yawned, tongue curling as his jaws stretched with a cat-groan before he opened his eyes fully to focus on Yulin.

Gray eyes studied the Harpy for a moment before they shifted to the form at their side. Roman observed Eryn for a moment with something fond in his expression, even in this form, and driven by some instinct, either the tiger's or his own, his tongue suddenly rasped over her forehead and slightly through her hair before he started to stretch languidly, stirring himself to wakefulness and only half understanding why until his mind made sense of the words he'd heard Yulin saying through a sleepy haze.

Mar'luin.

Oh, he probably should get up for that, shouldn't he?

Strange how it didn't seem all that pressing at the moment.
 
Tilting and mirroring her gaze to that of the waking beast, surprise took over in deep waves once that rough tongue came out to smear over her forehead and bits of her hair. Surely that was not usual even for Roman. Surely.

Blinking in said surprise combing her fingers back to smooth the wild styled stray hairs into the mane of onyx grey. Yulin on the other hand chuckled into his hand, "Down in five?"

"Yes." she was too busy watching Roman to give her kin the full extent of her attention. But she heard him well enough to know that he would lead them in a few minutes. Giving Roman time to shift back, regain his composure to whatever setting he seen fit and her to preen up a bit.

An incline and a low warble in his throat, the larger male hopped off the ledge and took to low gliding down. She waited a moment longer after Yulin's leave before climbing up and over her nest to the small hole of water, cupping her hands into it to splash up and on her face in hopes to waken herself fully. There was an odd sensation in her gut. One she was puzzling over and one that seemed so foreign to her but not alarming enough to question whether or not she was ill.

But enough to bring question to her.

Running the talons through the crown of hair, turning to look back at Roman; she gave a shy smirk. "Go soon. Down to Mar'luin. Speak yes?" she queried the tiger.
 
When his personal cooler left, Roman resisted the urge to growl in a grumbling way, instead yawning again before he allowed himself to stand, all power and grace as he stretched once more and then looked back to Eryn at her question. The feline dipped his head in agreement before attempting to shift back...and finding it was difficult. Very difficult, as if he struggled through molasses.

Ah damn.

A streak of panic hitting, Roman put more effort into the task at hand, panting by the time he was back in his own form. He ran a hand back through his hair in relief, letting out a long breath before he swallowed hard and let his eyes open. He'd almost exceeded the six hour Cycle for being in-form and while it wouldn't have left him permanently a tiger, he would have had to wait another six hours before being able to shift again. That really wasn't something he wanted to do.

Not even his tiger form could leap twenty feet to the ground.

Having regained some breath, Roman let familiar calm sweep over him, but it wasn't entirely faked this time. He'd gotten decent sleep and today he'd be getting answers. And Eryn wasn't upset with him anymore. Strangely enough, it was the last thing that made him smile, made the peace he felt more real.

The Prince shook his head at himself as he stood and moved out of the nest, looking down the ledge at the ground below. It was a good thing he wasn't scared of heights. Gray eyes flickered to the Harpy, questioning. "Ready?" He'd have to shift again, but that wouldn't take long and perhaps he'd just stay in his hawk form until they got to Mar'luin.
 
Looking towards that of the shifter as he recomposed himself, she crouched and perched near the ledge of her roost. Preening as she waited. Cleaning talons with a precision famous to large ravenous birds, eyes ever watching as feathers upon the great wings shuffled and ruffled around in a dusting fashion.

There was very little going on in the avian's head, at least not that one could see, she drew her focus back to him once he came closer.

"Ready." she inched forward on the balls of her heels, dropping her hands to grapple around the ledge with a powerful push to thrust herself off. Wings opened wide in a gliding effect as she slowly spiraled in large lazy loops downwards to the cavern floor below. Where Yulin was waiting to take them to Mar'luins personal hole in the wall.... matter of speaking.
 
The grace of the Harpies, with their human-like forms and great wingspans would never cease to amaze him. It seemed impossible that they should be so fluid in their movements, but they were and for a moment, Roman merely watched Eryn head to the ground before he himself shifted once more, launching off the nest and for a moment, feeling a thrill of freedom only flight could bring.

It was soon tempered by the stale air in this place, making it harder for him to stay aloft properly, but he managed and landed with some semblance of grace on the stones, shifting back once more. He gave Yulin a slight dip of the head in acknowledgement and greeting before running his hand back through his dark hair, feeling slightly self-conscious without shoes or a shirt, but having learned that such things didn't bother the Harpies overmuch, nor did he think it would bother Mar'luin. Everything here was so very different from the Shifters and Roman had to keep reminding himself of such as followed the two Harpies where they led.

He was only half-focused on the destination, though, his mind whirling quickly, but effectively, concisely, through all the questions he had for the Spectre Dragon. He discarded some, deeming them unimportant, but kept others, organizing with a swiftness befitting his position, a talent that had helped him in nearly every aspect of his life. Being able to process information so quickly, categorize it and prioritize it would make him a good King someday.

If that day ever came.

Roman was still unsure it would. Yulin had mentioned another realm, but the Shifter still couldn't make that information fit into what he knew. But perhaps his knowledge was flawed.

Maybe Mar'luin could tell him more. Roman certainly hoped so, even as he wondered whether or not he could trust the dragon's word. He knew to express that doubt would greatly offend the Harpies, though, so he said nothing, but inwardly he remained wary of the Spectre. It seemed to him that the dragon changed its mind on a whim and Roman knew he'd rather stay on the side that wanted him alive still.
 
Leading them down the familiar winds and bends of the cavern, times growing wider and then tighter in places to only allow one at a time - raising question to how the great beast fit through only to remind oneself that he moved through the rocky walls with no hindrance- she was equally as curious to know what Mar'luin needed of them both.

Yulin had made vague mention that her presence was needed as well, though why was another question left alone. She had learnt long ago, everything had a purpose. Whether or not she seen it.

So they walked. Followed Yulin until the cavern itself seemed to exploded in a glimmer of crystal lights. Numerous, thousands of tiny specks in the wall and a single open hole at the very tippy top of the cavern roof to stream in light reflected a disco ball of light all over. The place was bland without the crystals and the prisms of colour.

There in the middle of it all was the great opaque beast, lounging on his belly and resting his head upon his hands. Only bit of him moving was the fur covered tail that swayed back and forth in a slow teasing motion. Large eyes were on them without hesitation.

"I see things are repaired between two parties." he implied towards Eryn and Roman that had Yulin nodding, giving her a mild squeeze of her shoulder and stepped away to essentially give privacy without actually leaving. His neck lifted up as he stretched and folded hand over hand to look fatherly down upon both of them. "Well, ask what is on your mind and you might receive what you are looking for Prince Roman."

He was straight to business and one she wasn't sure why her part was so needed.
 
His first look at the cavern was breathtaking and for a moment, Roman could not help that his attention remained on it and not on his host, his sharp gray eyes taking in everything, absorbing the beauty with genuine appreciation before he forced himself to look to Mar'luin, not wanting to be anymore rude than he already had been. His training was already starting to hammer itself back into his head, but for reasons he couldn't accurately define, Roman shied from it a bit, not ready for the stifled feeling it gave him.

It was persistent, though, so he compromised, slipping back into a more formal way of thinking, but hesitating at enfolding himself in the mask again, deciding to keep it handy if he needed it, but to forgo such a thing for now and see what happened.

Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't naturally guarded all on his own, though, and Roman as always, chose his words carefully. He didn't need to remind himself that until some kind of true agreement was reached, a formal one, the Harpies could still easily be his enemies if Mar'luin chose to make it so. He had the Spectre's good will at the moment and had for a month now, but just a month ago, the dragon had ordered his imprisonment and death.

Plans were always changing in politics and no matter how friendly this meeting seemed, Roman knew if he made a wrong move, things could go sour very quickly.

Or so he'd been raised to believe and he knew no different.

After bowing to show respect, Roman straightened, his pose partially relaxed, but more at attention, old, life-long habits dying hard and slowly. He spoke in an even, steady voice even as his gray eyes shone with restrained curiosity. "If it pleases you, My Lord, I would like to know why you ordered your people to rescue me. It was my understanding that I would have been more useful to you dead." Now Roman felt he already knew the answer, or maybe more than one, but he did not want to assume and the question had been nagging at the back of his mind, unresolved since the first night he'd woken here.
 
She watched for just a moment before she sank down to balance on the balls of her heels, crouching was more of a habit while Mar'luin was speaking with others and she was nothing less than just a observer.

She'd pay attention, but she keep her silence until it was deemed otherwise.

So the great dragon lifted his chin upwards, eyes watching while the main largest in the centre of his forehead focused on Roman. Carefully choosing his own words and finding the roots of his years. "Would you have preferred we left you at the mercy of your rotten king? The earth speaks many volumes of twisted hatred that has poisoned the bear of a shifter, you would not escape such a fate if we wanted to leave you there. Harpies and myself are loyal to one another. You saved Eryn, therefore we save you. Any enemy of our enemies is a friend indeed." he shifted his weight, "Not to mention you have great purpose still to rise too and not just in the community of the shifters, but of your other blood as well."

Eryn tipped her head in question as the dragon leaned in forward to bring his nose close to Roman, "I am a wind and earth spirit, Prince. As you stand on the earth itself, I can sense pieces of you that others would only dream of. You are as much part of the earth and wind as anyone else." a slight tilt of his head sideways, "You have much destiny to fill and it comes with breaking not only yourself away from the lies of your uncle but the lies you tell yourself. This world needs balance and in my haste previously, I did not see your purpose for our world. In a month's time, I am come to see that you dear boy, are a rarity. Like a stone of great value and in turn, you need to be protected in hopes to fend off the venomous evil that your uncle is looking to unleash. You are the blade that will quench the darkness. Leaving you to die, would have only plunged our world into hell."
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kaisaan
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

It was a rule as old as time itself and Roman could accept it, had to some degree, but hearing it spoken aloud, knowing where he stood helped greatly to ease the tight knot of tension in his mind. It only lasted for a moment, though, before a new one formed, coiled tighter and more thoroughly than the one before as the Spectre Dragon continued, his words creating a twisted web of confusions and questions within the Shifter that he was not sure he dared to ask, not before he'd organized them, made sense of them, something his mind was rapidly working on even as he listened.

A great purpose. Destiny to fulfill. A rarity. Great value. A blade that would quench the darkness.

Did Mar'luin HEAR the words exiting his own mouth? Did he not hear how ridiculous this sounded? Roman did! He wasn't anything special! That was one thing Sione had not lied about, though, Roman knew he'd lied about a great deal. That he could accept. He knew his Uncle was poison, darkness, even evil and he knew that he wouldn't have escaped death if he'd stayed. He knew that and he knew that he was part Siren. That wasn't news to him either, but something special?

No.

He was a halfbreed and that made him less in both worlds - two strikes for being half-Siren AND male for his mother's people - and neither world wanted him. He wasn't ruthless enough, strong enough for the Shifters and he wasn't powerful enough, female enough - odd as it sounded - for the Sirens. He fit in neither culture, with neither people.

Perhaps that was 'special' in a way, but somehow Roman didn't think Mar'luin meant it like that. He certainly wasn't making any sense in the way h did mean it, though, but Roman kept that to himself, frowning in thought, deep thought that had him unconsciously biting his lip, but finally he looked up and spoke, getting to the root of the true question he wanted to ask without getting side-tracked. He could figure out the more detailed answers later.

"I keep hearing about another realm or the other half of my blood, and I deduce that you speak of my mother's people, the Sirens, but I fear I don't understand why that should be important. They want nothing to do with me. I am neither pure of blood or female. I am hardly of interest to them."
 
Last edited:
He could see the turmoil boiling behind the man's face and how he was trying to decipher all that was said into chewable little morsels of information.

The rumble of a light laughter came out at Roman's final question, "You're head is so full of lies that your uncle has spun around you since you were nothing but wee little. Without the comfort of your mother to shield you away from those very poisonous barbs. Do you honestly think that the Siren's are as heartless as your uncle made them sound? Your mother loved you, do you not think they would want to have a part of your future as well Roman. Males are rare in the Siren culture, but that does not mean they are worthless. They are just as important as a female, it is merely more that the society bares females over males. You need to learn of your secondary realm. The one your uncle went to so much trouble to deceive you to believe they want nothing of you. Why would you start to believe his words now when you know they hold no merit. Think carefully on all he has said and take value of them."

Yulin was rising up as Eryn realized, Mar'luin was finished talking. He would wait until Roman figured out himself and what was all said in his youth before continuing.

Her kin was about to show them out.
 
The answer threw Roman. In hindsight, he knew it shouldn't have, but it did. His Uncle had always been a liar, through and through, but for some reason, because he'd been told for so long one thing, ever since he was young, Roman had not thought to question it. He'd always believed that the Sirens wanted nothing to do with him, that his Uncle was protecting him from them.

And right there was where the Prince now faltered, realization sparking in his eyes like bright flashes of flint on stone.

He'd believed that, when he was younger, when he'd thought his Uncle cared. He'd believed because he'd not known any better and because it had been fed to him for so long...he'd not questioned, had not sought for himself the truth, thinking he already knew it, but now...Sione had tried to kill him. Roman would bear that scar the rest of his life. Now, in light of all he'd seen, had discovered, he knew what he'd been told was not adding up with the reality around him and it unbalanced Roman, his thoughts scattering in a hundred different directions, analyzing past conversations, taking every phrase and word into account, things he'd overlooked as unimportant were suddenly cast in a new light.

In that moment, he was not sure he would have been able to keep a conversation going with Mar'luin if he'd wanted to and the Prince was grateful for the dismissal, silent and withdrawn as he followed Yulin and Eryn through the tunnels again, not caring where they took him, wishing it could be outside, though. He didn't know how they could stand it, being underground all the time, but Roman wouldn't ask to be taken above, not if it would risk the Harpies in any way and his Uncle HAD to be looking for him and for them with a vengeance.

The thought kindled an ember of anger deep within Roman and for once, he didn't immediately try to smother it.

He'd known he was being lied to - it was expected almost - but to have been deceived about so many things and to such extents...yes, he felt anger was acceptable here. Besides the Harpies, what more had Sione lied about? What was this about his mother's people that he needed to learn? Did he truly know nothing of the Sirens, was everything he thought he knew a lie?

These were the people who'd raised him. How...could he ever know what had been true and what had been mere poison to him? How could he ever know which ones to trust again?
 
They led away from Mar'luins chambers as Yulin made very mild low chirping noises that she was apt to respond too but stilled not sure what she could say in response.

Turning some as they came to the great opening that seemed to be the most common of places to collect, numerous harpies were among themselves speaking and making joy as much as they could. It was there that Yulin stated he would be back later and had to attend to some errands that she didn't need to be present for.

Much like the feast before, a meal was set out for breakfast for all as she returned to crouching and perched her hands on the stone cold ground, keeping her own gaze away not sure how to empathize with Roman in the least. Not to say she couldn't feel or see the wild vibrations coming off him.

Children had stopped playing tag upon catching sight of the Prince, chattering in hurry before trotting over baring grins as their flightless feathers bristled with enthusiasm. They warbled and creened loudly, "Play? Prince play?" one asked expectantly, they had grown quite fond of the shifter. Barely taking notice or care that he was not one of their own.

Eryn lifted the elbows of her wings up, shifting some to wrap around her lithe frame as she nestled down to wait patiently for that of the prince if she wished. She could only imagine being told everything you knew was a lie and then having to swallow it bitterly. It was a terrible fate to have.
 
Roman had barely taken note of Yulin's leaving - though, he did know the Harpy left - and at the moment, not even the smell of food could tempt his hunger, feeling none. He was deep in thought, sinking further into such a state where he would be hard to rouse for much of anything, when the children came upon him. The Shifter looked up, slightly startled and then relaxed again almost instantly, the beginning of a smile finding his lips, curling them upward.

His thoughts did not leave him, not even remotely, but he couldn't bring himself to tell the eager faces before him 'no'. They looked at him too expectantly, their eyes too bright, smiles too hopeful for him to say no. He only wished that someone had said yes to him at that age after his mother had gone in the next world.

His smile spread as he tapped a nose here and tickled a tummy there, standing in an answer all its own and shaking his head in amusement as shrieks and giggles of anticipation answered his decision. It reaffirmed that he'd made the correct one and for a time, Roman allowed the chaos in his mind to move to the background, choosing instead to put the needs of others before his own.

He was rather good at that, but found no displeasure in it this time as his body started to shift and curious, excited eyes watched, wondering which form he would take. There was a collective intake of interested breath when a tiger's eyes blinked back at them, still gray but fierce, and they approached without fear, but with just a healthy dose of caution, as if they wanted to make sure he was still within this creature they'd only seen once before on the day of the earthquake within the cavern.

Roman allowed their touch, standing compliantly still as their small hands explored his fur, touched his tail, lifted his paws and opened his mouth to inspect his teeth. In the end, they were suitably satisfied with their search and as one they seemed to signal each other to run off, looking back expectantly.

The tiger obliged the request by taking off after them, pleased giggling screams erupting throughout the cavern.

Thoughts of his Uncle could wait.
 
Last edited:
A smirk tugged at her lips as the children seemed to rouse Roman for a time, giving a reprieve into joy rather than blithering bitter anger that had potential to be volatile.

Eyes of mothers and fathers watched with kind amusement and Eryn scooped up a large apple in a palm, turned around to skitter across the ground before latching onto the side of the wall, steadily crawling upwards to give Roman time alone with the children. Scaling the wall effectively even with one arm and not flying, she made it up to a lower outlooking roost and tucked herself out of sight to feast on the fruit she had nabbed.
 
Roman was not quite sure how he'd gone from chasing little Harpies like they were chickens and he a barn cat - and they did warble, chirp and creen like birds being chased by a predator - catching them and releasing just as quickly, to having four lightweight bodies upon his back, carrying them in turns as he ran around the cavern, earning laughter and small screams when they almost fell only to clutch his fur a bit tighter and urge him to move on again.

No, the Shifter had no idea how that particular game had started, but he was happy to play it for a time, grateful for the exercise it gave his body and appreciating the way his muscles screamed at him when he finally stopped and simply rolled to the side, eliciting giggling creens of protest before more small bodies swarmed him happily, petting his fur and warbling in the Harpy language to each other, to him - though, he didn't understand - and generally winding down as small hands rubbed eyes and yawns started to prevail.

It wasn't long at all before six or seven - eight? It was hard to tell - children were curled up around and on him, soaking in the abnormal warmth his body and fur provided as Roman in turn studied all of them, committing their faces to his mind and their names to their faces, finding a fondness welling up inside him for these children. The adults he was polite to, interested in their conversation if they chose to speak with him, but it was around the little ones that he let his guard down, opened up and started to form an attachment. They were merely innocent, pure of intention and heart.

Such was probably what attracted him to Eryn, too, and Roman found his gray eyes looking up for her, knowing she'd be in a roost somewhere. He sincerely hoped she was not there because she was upset with him again.

He shouldn't have ignored her after the meeting with Mar'luin...
 
Eventually she meandered her way up higher and higher yet to take refuge up in the peaks of the cavern, close to the top and that of her own personal roost. She had filled her protesting hunger, plucked out the seeds to put them in her satchel at her waist for possible planting once they were above ground and nestled down in her nest.

She curled up on her side, awake; studying her hands as they moved finding unusual awareness in them and their intricate movements.

Her mind was elsewhere.

Yulin was busy and would be for a while. Roman needed time to come to his own thoughts, and she- she sat up lazily and inched up and out of her nest to go rummaging around through the small collection of trinkets she had. Varying colours of glittering stones, a small fraction of a crystal and a bit of shiny metallic string; Eryn wasn't unaccustomed to keeping to herself. She did so for purpose. While capable of working with others when need be, she kept away out of sight to stop herself from being bothered by the empath abilities. It was bothersome as a child, keeping away from another to stop from being overwhelmed but she had come to accept it. Learn from it and adapt it to her norm.

Yulin and a few very discreet others bothered with her generally. Most, kept to themselves.

It gave her plenty of time though to build a collection of things she found intriguing at least. Hands rummaged around at the satchel on her side, plucking out a seed to add it to the collection. Something new.
 
Roman didn't move from his spot, not wanting to disturb the small bodies resting against his and when he glanced over at the parents, they seemed more than grateful to have their small ones napping, getting the work they were doing done at a normal speed versus one that involved constantly having to check up on their offspring and make sure they stayed out of trouble. Roman was content with helping and merely rested his head on his paws, letting his thoughts delve into the information he'd been given.

It wasn't pleasant work, but he was calmer and felt more able to deal with it.

Being lied to, that didn't surprise him and Roman realized that fact alone was sad, but it was his reality. Not detecting those lies and such deceit keeping him from doing something that was needed....that angered him immensely and it was only his extreme self-control that kept him from flexing his claws, growling, pacing with the bubbling irritation and betrayal he felt. Especially - ESPECIALLY - because it involved his mother's people. For so long as a child he'd asked about them, had wanted to see them, had wanted to know if they were like his mother - not in matter of power or politics, culture or status as his Uncle had assumed, but in touch, in temperament, in kindness and soft words. He'd wanted to know if he could find comfort with them and had been denied, fed the most poisonous lies about a people that might have given him what his mother had strove to before she was taken.

It was that part that HURT, that caused his chest to ache and Roman wanted to weep in that moment, finding that he was grateful for his tiger form that didn't allow him to do so.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back