spinning like a neverend

khepri tiamat

Khepri was not left alone for long and when Sif did return, she had questions. As she peered up at him, asking him if the Jacobites had infiltrated their home, his stomach lurched. The very thought of them making it this far was stressful, but thankfully that was not the case. The fight had started and ended in Melrose with Jacob's forces being repelled once more. "No." he answered, drawing a breath and closing his eyes for a second. He could assume what she might say had the answer been different, or even do, but he did not wish to think about that. "We were able to push them back. I think it's finally over." he said as he reopened his eyes to lay his gaze upon her once more. He shifted in his place and drew a breath.

"We are safe, for now." he added. There was no telling whether Jacob would reunite his forces for another attack but for now... they were likely to beat and broken to do much of anything. Just like the Army was-- they had lost so many during this battle that it felt like a loss. "Though I wonder what will happen now and if we will continue fighting. Will this be it or..." he swallowed and shook his head. He just hoped it was over. How many times did they have to replay the same song? He was tired of the fighting and the division. He just wanted to see his country rise from the ashes of war and prosper. Apparently that was just too much to ask.

"We are all young and naive still."

SIF ASGAUT

A wave of relief flooded over her as she gazed at her husband, her ears tilting back as she thought about going to inform the house of further details but decided soon enough others would be home to flood the manse with gruesome realities. Worry grew in her chest for all of Nassar's children, her thoughts specifically going to Xandria about the confession that had been made not all that long ago. Hunting her father's killer out of revenge. Would she do the same for her mother too? She would hope not when she had children to look after but it was a difficult situation to navigate. A sigh escaped her, feeling a string tugging at her to go in so many directions again but Khepri and her children were who needed her the most right now, the rest had others that they could lean on in these bleak times that they were far closer to.

Those thoughts would wander briefly to Aurora as well, happy she didn't have to worry any further about the girl ending up injured from trying to get in the middle of it again. She really didn't want to have to lose a second eye if she could help it.

Her tail would sway a couple times, head tilting to the side as he continued to buzz well past what she had asked, approaching him with slow focused steps. "Melrose is an unusual place for a war to end but for everyone's sake, I do hope that is the case. Unfortunately, I don't think a time of peace is looming... the division is still so strong," she shook her head, knowing well enough this wouldn't end truly till a ruler died even if they came to agreements that allowed comfort for both sides. The wounds were far too deeply embedded with loss, powerlessness. Almost everyone that partook were gravely wounded as well. There was no sweeping it under a rug so casually as one might do over a petty argument.

Carefully, she hopped up onto the furniture with him, making sure she didn't harm him in the process of adjusting herself into place at his side. There was still some blood she wanted to clean from him if he let her, tenderly licking at some of his wounds that had stopped bleeding thanks to their daughter. "I think it's time to rest now, my love. It can't feel good to be moving these wounds around and I'm sure some of those herbs she gave you made you plenty tired," she cooed, though her gaze wouldn't meet his. She wanted to provide him valerian like he had done when she was wounded by war but didn't want to break his sobriety, or her own, from the drug.

"Ann ek Þér,"(I love you) she would whisper softly before cuddling up to him, trying to be his healthier drug of choice.

-fade exit-

table by rae - manip by wisper

khepri tiamat

She stepped forward, tail swaying with what could no doubt be relief, but somber words still escaped her. He nodded in agreement, knowing that the division was too deep to simply get over in a day. Hell, this conflict had already spanned years and it was not yet over. Would it ever be? "I don't know what will happen after this but I can only hope peace is within our lifetime. I hope the scars of this war will heal sooner rather than later." he said, for his own sake and the sakes of others still here for him to cherish.

When she jumped up beside him he moved to make more room for her though the cough had plenty room for the both of them. He leaned against her touch as she began cleaning his wounds. He was glad for what she said next, finding his eyelids already drooping with exhaustion from both the herbs he'd been given and the battle he'd fought. He would sleep tonight and wake tomorrow, unlike so many others...

Guilt clawed at his heart as he lowered his head onto his paws, eyelids drooping further until his honied eyes finally closed. "Ég elska þig líka. (I love you too.) he murmured in response to her not so foreign words. He inhaled deeply, his throat aching as he did so, and it made it hard for him to drift off into a peaceful sleep. He'd not find that tonight, no. In his dreams he'd replay Nassar's murder in his head over and over and over and how he'd failed to help. It wouldn't wake him, screaming and sweating, in the night but it was enough to keep him from proper rest.

[ exit khepri ]

"We are all young and naive still."